Kalaari Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Bengaluru, India, founded in 2006. The firm manages over $650 million and invests in technology-driven startups across the country. Guided by the philosophy “Purpose is a Privilege,” Kalaari Capital focuses on scaling companies that set industry benchmarks and supports founders with funding and strategic advice. Beyond capital, the team engages through research initiatives and insights, covering trends in women entrepreneurship, digital commerce and deep-tech breakthroughs.
They typically commit between $1 million and $5 million during seed and Series A rounds, with additional funding for high-growth ventures. Investment sectors include e-commerce, fintech, healthtech, edtech and consumer internet, as well as deep-tech and digital commerce. Programs such as Kstart for seed-stage teams and CXXO to champion women founders reflect a founder-first approach that combines capital with research and mentorship to support long-term growth. Alongside its portfolio work, Kalaari Capital publishes reports on startup trends, including studies on female entrepreneurship, commerce without boundaries and founder playbooks. The firm’s network extends to sector leaders and analysts who contribute expert insights on topics such as security in IoT and emerging healthcare technologies. Notable portfolio companies include Dream11, Myntra, Urban Ladder and Snapdeal, reflecting Kalaari Capital’s track record in identifying high-potential startups that go on to lead their markets.
Within clean tech, Kalaari Capital identified Clean Electric’s potential in advanced battery systems early on and led its seed round in 2022. The firm doubled down with a $6 million Series A, supporting the company as it moved from lab-scale prototypes to full-scale manufacturing. Clean Electric specializes in direct liquid-cooled battery packs for two- to four-wheeler electric vehicles and stationary energy storage, using immersion cooling and smart temperature algorithms to boost charging speed, capacity and safety. Kalaari Capital continues to back pilot collaborations with vehicle makers and has helped establish automated assembly lines to meet growing demand.
