In a major boost for the startup ecosystem, Nexus Venture Partners has successfully closed its newest investment fund at a substantial $700 million. The venture capital firm announced that this capital will be deployed to support innovative companies operating in artificial intelligence (AI), enterprise technology, consumer, and fintech sectors across India and the United States.
A Legacy of Backing Disruptive Innovation
Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Delaware, Nexus Venture Partners has built a formidable track record over nearly two decades. The firm has invested in more than 130 companies and has achieved over 30 successful exits, including several through initial public offerings (IPOs). Its investment philosophy has spanned the entire technology spectrum, from foundational open-source infrastructure and developer tools to the latest wave of agentic AI applications, alongside consumer and financial technology ventures.
The firm strongly believes that AI is fundamentally reshaping the technology landscape. "From infrastructure to applications, every layer of the tech stack is getting rewritten by AI. Agentic AI is transforming how work gets done, bringing a whole new wave of augmentation and automation across industries," Nexus stated. With its eighth fund, the firm is committing to partner with visionary entrepreneurs who are tackling complex challenges and driving the next phase of global innovation.
Portfolio of Unicorns and High-Growth Startups
With offices in Menlo Park (San Francisco), Mumbai, and Bengaluru, Nexus has been an early backer of numerous startups that achieved the coveted unicorn status, valued at over $1 billion. Its impressive portfolio includes household names like quick-commerce giant Zepto, bike-taxi service Rapido, B2B marketplace Jumbotail, and edtech leader Unacademy.
Other notable investments are maps data provider MapmyIndia, acquired by Flipkart, and control systems manufacturer SEDEMAC Mechatronics, which filed its draft IPO papers in November. The firm also has stakes in emerging sectors such as quick-delivery fashion, having invested $10 million in Slikk, and quick-maid service Snabbit, which secured $1 million in seed funding from Nexus.
Doubling Down on the AI Revolution
Nexus Venture Partners is actively placing strategic bets on the AI infrastructure layer. The firm participated in the $20 million seed round for AI infrastructure company Neysa in 2023, a round led by Z47 (formerly Matrix Partners India). It further joined Neysa's $30 million Series A funding, co-leading the investment with NTTVC and Z47.
Reports from the Economic Times indicate that Neysa is already in discussions for a new funding round, potentially with global investors like SoftBank, led by Masayoshi Son, and American investment giant Blackstone. This underscores the intense interest and rapid evolution within the AI space that Nexus is targeting with its fresh capital.
The closure of Fund VIII signals robust investor confidence in Nexus's strategy and the long-term potential of technology innovation, particularly AI-led transformation, emanating from both India and the US. The firm is poised to be a significant catalyst for the next generation of market-defining companies.
