15, Feb 2024
HAF.VC launches INR 150 Crore Category I AIF Fund for Startup
Hyderabad, February 15 th, 2024 – HAF has officially launched its maiden Venture Capital Fund, a Category 1 Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), featuring an investable corpus of INR 100 crore and an additional greenshoe option of INR 50 crore. This strategic fund is specifically designed to focus on startups placing a significant emphasis on scalability through technology and AI. Notably, the fund’s management partners, serving as primary investors, allocate the management fee exclusively to fortify the investment team, demonstrating a dedicated commitment to building a resilient foundation for success. In an effort to drive global innovation and expedite the scaling of startups, the fund proactively involves accomplished entrepreneurs as investors.
Key Highlights:
Investment Focus: The fund aims to deploy up to INR 5 crore across 20 disruptive startups that are positioned to scale with technology and AI in Pre-Series A/Series A with a strong commitment to follow-on investments to support future growth.
Entrepreneurial Engagement: HAF distinguishes itself by actively seeking successful entrepreneurs as investors, fostering rapid scalability for startups with a robust technology foundation. The overarching goal is to establish a platform where successful entrepreneurs and investors collaborate to build game-changing ventures. The fund encompasses successful entrepreneurs and business leaders in Pharma, Health sciences Tech, Education, Sustainability and other sectors.
Founders’ Vision: Sri Myneni and Kishore Ganji, Managing Partners of HAF, express a mission that goes beyond funding, by collectively addressing individual challenges and connecting visionary ideas with strategic capital to innovate and grow fast globally. They said, “As serial entrepreneurs and angel investors, we are staunch believers in the transformative force of innovation. We are building HAF as a dynamic, collaboration-driven platform where founders not only secure financial backing but also tap into the collective wisdom of accomplished Limited Partners (LPs) who themselves are successful entrepreneurs.
Hyderabad Angels Legacy: Building upon Hyderabad Angels’ decade-long investment acumen, the fund strategically taps into the mentorship of Hyderabad’s serial entrepreneurs and investors across diverse sectors, fostering an impactful catalyst for startup founders to drive innovation and achieve rapid scalability. HAF, drawing on the established platforms and processes created by Hyderabad Angels.
Leadership Perspective: BVR Mohan Reddy, Founder & Executive Chairman of Cyient, emphasizes the importance of an active engagement platform between LPs/investors and entrepreneurs, positioning HAF at the forefront of driving collaboration. He said, “As an active investor in numerous venture funds and startups, I am of the belief that fostering an active engagement platform between Limited Partners (LPs)/ investors and entrepreneurs is pivotal for creating successful businesses. HAF is constructed with this strategic approach. With direct guidance from many seasoned investors from a diverse array of industries. HAF Collaborative Limited Partners (CLPs) platform will become a dynamic force empowering and cultivating successful ventures,”
T-Hub’s Perspective: Mahankali Srinivas Rao (MSR), CEO of T-Hub, a well accomplished business leader and an advisor of the fund, acknowledges Hyderabad’s role as the nucleus of the world’s largest innovation hub, stating that HAF is ready to harness the potential inherent in the synergy of funds, direct engagement with industry leaders, and the vibrant startup ecosystem in Hyderabad.
Catalyzing New India: In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology-driven enterprises, India is positioning itself as the global leader. HAF emerges as a catalyst, committed to accelerating the growth of this new India.
Website – HAF.VC
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- By Rabindra
3, Feb 2024
T-Hub and Bala Vikasa Partners to Propel Rural, Social, and Frugal Innovation
Hyderabad, 3rd Feb 2024 – T-Hub, India’s leading startup incubator has today announced partnership with Bala Vikasa, a trailblazing community development innovator. This collaboration aims to foster innovation, address grassroots challenges, and drive large-scale social impact. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the Social Start-up Expo organized by the Bala Vikasa Center in the esteemed presence of Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Minister for IT & EC, Industry and Commerce, Telangana Government.
This strategic collaboration aligns with the imminent plans of the Telangana state government, poised to unveil a new Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) policy. With a deliberate emphasis on intertwining social entrepreneurship within this policy framework, the government aims to fortify Telangana’s position as a central hub for social innovation and entrepreneurial growth in the foreseeable future. The partnership between Bala Vikasa and T-Hub will be instrumental in realizing this vision, focusing on Social Innovation, Frugal Innovation, and Rural Innovation, with the shared goal of transcending urban boundaries and making a substantial impact in rural spaces.
Under this partnership, T-Hub is set to provide robust support to startups, offering specialized capacity-building programs in collaboration with Bala Vikasa to elevate skills and knowledge. Additionally, the collaboration formalizes Bala Vikasa as a valued Program Partner, signifies a strategic commitment to mentorship and knowledge exchange initiatives aligned with shared objectives. T-Hub will further facilitate Market Access Support by Bala Vikasa, empowering startups within T-Hub programs, streamlining market access, and creating pivotal opportunities for pilot projects. The collaboration also envisions the Cross Utilization of Infrastructure, marking a shared commitment to maximizing operational efficiency and fostering innovation in India’s dynamic startup ecosystem.
Anthony Anish, Chief Operating Officer, T-Hub, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “As T-Hub embarks on this transformative partnership with Bala Vikasa, we are dedicated to fostering startups that make a tangible impact. Our commitment is to build a new vertical with a strong focus on rural, social, and frugal innovation. We aim to support promising innovations that cater to untapped rural markets and address critical social issues through accessible and affordable solutions. Together, we strive to empower startups, drive innovation, and create meaningful change in the startup ecosystem.”
Shoury Reddy Singareddy, Executive Director of Bala Vikasa, emphasized, “While we will be working on multiple activities in the realm of capacity building, mentoring, knowledge development, and ecosystem-strengthening in the coming days, we will be supporting the social business accelerator program by T-Hub immediately.”
Till now, T-Hub has nurtured nearly 110 social impact startups. Among these success stories are Banyan Nation, a pioneer in plastic recycling with a unique circular economy approach; Donatekart, revolutionizing crowdfunding with a focus on transparency; Financepeer, providing crucial support for education payments during the pandemic; and Kisanwala, a digital agri marketplace empowering farmers. T-Hub continues to be a catalyst for transformative ventures, fostering innovation and social change.
30, Jan 2024
T-Hub Hosts Anthill Ventures’ Pioneering Family Office Alliance
Hyderabad, 30 January 2024 – T-Hub, India’s leading startup incubator, today witnessed the launch event of India’s first-ever Family Office Alliance by Anthill Ventures. The event aimed to elevate Telangana and India’s startup landscape, providing unparalleled opportunities for entrepreneurs to scale rapidly with global support.
The event took place at T-Hub and brought together distinguished European and Indian Family Offices to cultivate cultural connections, facilitate networking relationships, and explore investment opportunities between the vibrant ecosystems of India and Europe. Dignitaries in attendance included Honourable IT Minister of State Sri D. Sridhar Babu and Principal Secretary, Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (ITE&C) and Department of Industries & Commerce, Jayesh Ranjan as Chief Guests. Notable figures such as Indian actor, Producer, and Techpreneur Rana Daggubati, Cyient & Chairman at IIT Hyderabad BVR Mohan Reddy, Founder of iLabs, Srinivasa Raju Chintalapati, NAR Infra’s Executive Director, Parvathi Reddy, and the CEO of T-Hub Mahankali Srinivas Rao graced the occasion.
Honourable Chief Guest Sri D. Sridhar Babu led a welcoming panel on Telangana, emphasising the state’s vast entrepreneurial potential for global investors & entrepreneurs. The panel, featuring luminaries such as Parvathi Reddy, Srinivas Rao Mahankali, and Honourable Principal Secretary ITE & Commerce Jayesh Ranjan, provided insights into the region’s burgeoning startup ecosystem. Honourable IT Minister of State Sri D. Sridhar Babu remarked, “Telangana stands as a beacon for global investors and entrepreneurs, offering vast opportunities in our dynamic and thriving startup ecosystem. This was followed by an addressal by the Founder of the Family Office Alliance Philip von Wulffen & Anthill Venture’s CEO & Founder Prasad Vanga on the manifestation & evolution of the Family Office Alliance.
Mahankali Srinivas Rao, CEO of T-Hub, said, ” The event solidifies our commitment to nurturing innovation and fostering global collaborations. The Family Office Alliance is a testament to our vision of creating a conducive environment for businesses to flourish, and we are excited about the transformative impact it will have on the entrepreneurial landscape of India.”
T-Hub, through its robust innovation ecosystem, has been instrumental in nurturing over 3,000 startups, engaging with 150 mentors, collaborating with 350 corporate partners, and resulting in a remarkable $1.9 billion raised investments by its startups.
Prasad Vanga, CEO and Founder, Anthill Ventures, said, “The support that this incredible country and the state of Telangana offers to the visionaries of tomorrow — brave entrepreneurs manifesting ideas that contribute to smart and better living across a series of industries for generations to come from now to Gen Z, Gen X and beyond — deserves a platform like this. We are here to back this vision through these focussed alliances that will allow the industry to #scalewithspeed with the intent to bring the best of great companies and prescient entrepreneurs across Urban Lifestyle and Urban Tech. We couldn’t be more grateful for the support of the Family Office Alliance and T-Hub to make this unique event come to life.”
The event successfully served as a platform for collaboration, solidifying connections and paving the way for future engagements between European and Indian Family Offices. It also witnessed compelling Family Office Panel Discussion with industry leaders such as BVR Mohan Reddy, Srinivasa Raju Chintalapati, Kristin Bjelland (CEO, Bjella Investments), and Cristina Ventura (General Partner, White Star Capital). Delving into innovation, a panel discussion on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on Content Creation, Indian consumer trends, and tech markets included insights from notable figures like Rana Daggubati, Rauno Miljand (Skype Manager and Family Office Principal), Peder Wallenberg (Senior Partner, Cohesion Investments), and Akis Evangelidis (Co-Founder, Nothing). The event concluded with a keynote address by Aditya Ghosh, Co-founder & Board Member of Akasa Air, providing valuable perspectives on scaling up in the Indian market, followed by an exclusive tour of T-Works, India’s largest prototyping center. Notably, the esteemed guests at the event were invited by Anthill Ventures, showcasing the organization’s commitment to fostering global collaborations and providing a platform for impactful discussions.
9, Nov 2023
T-Hub Launches Cohort 12 of LAB32 in Collaboration with Hexagon
● Startups to benefit from Hexagon’s technology proficiency and T-Hub’s mentorship in
addressing real-world challenges.
● LAB32, India’s longest-running market readiness program, continues to nurture startups
for future success.
India,9 th November 2023 – T-Hub, India’s leading startup incubator has today announced the launch of Cohort 12 of LAB32 in collaboration with Hexagon, a global leader in sensor, software, and autonomous solutions. Together, T-Hub and Hexagon have embarked on a mission to accelerate the growth and innovation of startups focusing on Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Digital Reality.
During this engagement, T-Hub’s flagship program, LAB32, will execute the Market Readiness Program for MVP stage startups, addressing specific problem statements identified by Hexagon. The LAB32 team will meticulously select startups that are MVP-ready and meet the eligibility criteria set forth by the program. The selected startups will receive support in the form of go-to-market initiatives, group Sessions, and one-on-one mentoring sessions.
The collaboration also offers startups an invaluable opportunity to tap into Hexagon’s wealth of technological expertise and mentoring support, with a particular focus on addressing the problem statements outlined by Hexagon. Exceptional performers among the startups stand to gain the coveted chance to partake in pilot projects with Hexagon, aligning seamlessly with LAB32’s core objectives of achieving market readiness and market access.
Startups can choose to work on one of three specific problem statements such as building digital twins for EV Manufacturing, Real-time language detection and translation, and Enabling prescriptive maintenance with AR and VR for Process Plants.
MSR, CEO, T-Hub said, “Collaboration is the cornerstone of innovation, and our partnership with Hexagon for the new cohort of LAB32 represents a significant milestone in T-Hub’s journey. At T-Hub, we believe in fostering an ecosystem that not only empowers entrepreneurs but also propels them toward global success. This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to providing startups with the tools they need to thrive and make a meaningful impact on the world.”
Commenting on the launch, Navaneet Mishra, Senior Vice President and Head of Hexagon’s R&D Center India, said “Indian startups are passionate, tech-savvy and hardworking. With Hexagon’s Startup Catalyst Program, we are going to help them channel their energies and attention toward a precisely defined real-world problem. We will support them with cutting-edge technology platforms, mentors to facilitate the co-solutions, and an opportunity to access global customers. We want to help startups from India scale their innovation globally, this program is an important step in that journey.”
The program launch event at T-Hub witnessed the presence of MSR, CEO, T-HUB, Anish Anthony, CDO, T-Hub, Raghuveer Kovuru, Director, Innovation Management, T-Hub, Navaneet Mishra, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Hexagon’s R&D Center India, Sekhar Konidena, Division Head, Hexagon’s R&D Center India and Anjani Prabhakar, Director, Hexagon’s R&D Center India
Applications for the cohort will begin from November 8, 2023. The cohort will commence in February 2023 and will extend for a duration of 100 days. Interested startups can apply here.
Last year, T-Hub and Hexagon joined forces to establish a Geospatial Experience Centre at T- hub further enhancing the technological infrastructure available to startups. Both organizations are devoted to providing critical technology expertise to the startups in this cohort.
