A Junior Venture Capital (AJVC), a pre-seed venture capital firm based in Aviral Bhatnagar, has announced the final close of its first fund with commitments exceeding Rs 200 crore, more than doubling its initial target of Rs 100 crore.
In order to assist Indian startups in the pre-seed stage, the company closed its first Rs 100 crore fund in March of this year.
Before the fund was acquired by Silicon Valley-based General Catalyst in June 2024, Bhatnagar, who had previously been an investor at early-stage investment firm Venture Highway, departed.
After reviewing more than 11,000 founder applications and funding 25 startups so far, AJVC has become one of the most active pre-seed investors in just a single year. In the upcoming years, the fund anticipates supporting an additional 60 to 70 consumer technology and artificial intelligence startups.
Its applicant pool includes 4,000 businesses, 6,000 colleges, and more than 50 cities.
“We are deeply grateful to our LPs for their trust. The fund was significantly oversubscribed, but we chose to remain disciplined, closing at nearly Rs 165 Cr. India is witnessing an unprecedented wave of first-time entrepreneurs. Meeting their ambition requires venture capital to operate at an entirely new velocity,” said Bhatnagar.
In addition to funding, AJVC provides its founders with a network of 600,000 people, structured resources valued at Rs 4 crore, and community-driven initiatives aimed at boosting peer support and customer acquisition.
Recent investments made by the company include Mithila Foods, an FMCG business producing food items based in Bihar, and Nuyug, a jewellery brand specializing in celebration wear.
