India’s startups have begun to focus on technology and product innovation, and are now filing more patents than ever. This trend has created specialist early stage funds which are focused on grooming product innovation startups and headed by venture capitalists with domain expertise as well as entrepreneurial and operational experience.
Product innovation and deep technology startups are beginning to generate serious cash and attract bigger investments. Bangalore, India-based medical diagnostics startup Sigtuple Labs is among the many deep tech-driven startups supported by specialist investors such as Endiya Partners and pi Ventures. Hyderabad-based Endiya Partners invests in globally relevant, IP-led product startups. Endiya’s managing director Sateesh Andra says, “Healthcare, fintech, semiconductors, mobile and enterprise SaaS are witnessing the application of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Big Data, Internet of Things and Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality. Investor interest in these startups is on the rise.”
“The quality of innovation is quite high today [as] compared to five years ago,” says Deepak Agrawal, associate vice-president of Ideaspring Capital, a Bangalore-based early stage venture fund that specializes in deep technology-focused companies.
California-based serial entrepreneur and angel investor B.V. Jagadeesh believes that now is a critical time for India to develop its own identity as a tech hub, by creating its own products, IP and eventually a budding industry of homegrown talent.
