Stride Ventures Launches $300M Fund to Empower Indian Startups

Stride Ventures, a leading venture debt firm, has launched its fourth fund, setting a target corpus of $300 million. 

This marks the firms largest domestic fund to date and highlights its continued commitment to supporting Indias burgeoning startup ecosystem. Notably, Fund 1 has been fully returned to its investors, which include banks, high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), and other financial entities. 

The firm, under the leadership of Managing Partner Apoorva Sharma, emphasizes its role as an enabler, aiming to empower entrepreneurs beyond just financial support. Sharma noted that this achievement reflects the trust placed in Stride Ventures by its partners and highlights the transformative potential of alternative financing in India and beyond. 

The firms collaborative approach with founders and stakeholders has driven its success and inspired its mission to foster innovation and resilience in the entrepreneurial landscape.

Stride Ventures also achieved the remarkable milestone of surpassing $ 1 billion in venture debt commitments, a first for any Indian fund in this segment. This accomplishment solidifies the firm’s leadership in the alternative financing space. 

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Its investment portfolio includes prominent companies like bluestone, ather, ola Electric, Pharmeasy, Upstox, Infra.Market, Battery Smart and Lohum with ticket sizes exceeding ₹100 crore for some deployments.

According to Founder and Managing Partner Ishpreet Singh Gandhi, crossing the $1 billion milestone underscores the strength of India’s startup ecosystem and the growing recognition of venture debt as a critical growth enabler. 

Gandhi reiterated Stride Ventures commitment to providing innovative financial solutions to help startups achieve sustainable growth.

In May 2024, the firm announced the final close of its third fund which raised $165 million. This followed its earlier funds with $50 million raised in 2019 and $200 million in 2021. 

Over the years, Stride Ventures has consistently expanded its presence, cementing its position as a pioneer in venture debt and a catalyst for the growth of India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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