888VC launches Rs 175 Cr fund for AI, deep-tech, sustainability startups in India

888 VC, an early-stage accelerator fund, has announced the launch of a Rs 175 crore investment fund.

The funds are aimed to fuel nations' next generation artificial intelligence, deep tech, and sustainability startups, targeting visionary founders whose innovations are addressing both local problems and have the potential to transform global markets.

Over the next three years, the company plans to invest in global first Indian startups with average investment sizes ranging between Rs 2 crore and Rs 4 crores, focusing on technologies that are capable of scaling to high-growth ecosystems such as the UAE, the US, and beyond. 

888VC also unveiled GRO8, the region’s largest cross-border investment and mentorship platform. Designed to address a crucial gap in the early-age startup ecosystem, like access to capital, mentorship, and market connections. 

As per a market research, AI startups in India are projected to cross $17 billion by 2027; deep tech funding is said to have grown 2.5X in the last 3 years, driven by enterprise SaaS and frontier technologies, and sustainability startups have attracted approximately $2.5 billion in 2024 alone.

Founded and led by Rohit Bafna, 888VC combines deep industry expertise with a hands-on approach to scale startups. The VC firm is focused on innovation in artificial intelligence, deep tech, and sustainability. Operating actively in India, UAE, and the US, the fund aims to catalyze the growth of category-defining startups and enable scalable global expansion.

The VC firm asserts that it has evaluated 500 startups, funded over 20 companies, and deployed more than $12 million in syndicated capital, the accelerator fund is now maintaining a boasting portfolio exceeding $500 million valuation.