In a significant evolution of its investment strategy, Info Edgefounded by Sanjeev Bikhchandanihas launched a new growth-stage investment vehicle — B8 Fund-I — with an initial capital commitment of ₹250 crore. The move marks the company’s first structured and dedicated push into later-stage startup investing, expanding beyond its long-standing early-stage focus.
The fund may also raise capital from external sponsors, potentially increasing its corpus beyond the initial commitment. With this, Info Edge is formally entering a new phase of venture investing — one designed to back startups that have already moved past the seed and Series A stages and are now scaling aggressively.
Credits: Ascendants
A New Lane for Growth-Stage Investing
For years, Info Edge has been closely associated with early-stage venture capital alongside its core online businesses such as Naukri.com and 99acres. Its investments in companies like Zomato and Policybazaar in their early days have become textbook examples of patient capital creating outsized returns.
However, B8 Fund-I signals a shift. Instead of focusing solely on discovering companies at inception, the new vehicle will target growth-stage, technology-enabled businesses based in India or primarily focused on the Indian market. These are companies that have validated their business models and are now raising larger rounds to expand product lines, strengthen distribution networks, and work toward profitability.
Registered with SEBI as a Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), B8 Fund-I will have a tenure of eight years from its first closing. The longer tenure aligns with growth-stage investment cycles, where scaling and value creation often require sustained capital and strategic support.
How B8 Fund-I Fits Into Info Edge’s Investing Stack
The launch of B8 Fund-I does not replace Info Edge’s early-stage focus; rather, it complements it.
Currently, Info Edge operates four early-stage investment platforms:
Info Edge Ventureswhich has raised ₹2,300 crore across three funds
Capital 2Bwith a ₹280 crore corpus
Redstart Labsfocused on AI-led startups
Direct investments from the company’s balance sheet
Through these platforms, Info Edge has backed companies such as Gnani AI, Ixigo, Shiprocket, Zingbus, and Truemeds. Separately, through its balance sheet, the company made early bets on Zomato and Policybazaar — investments that significantly shaped its reputation as one of India’s most successful strategic investors.
B8 Fund-I effectively adds a new lane to this stack. Instead of only discovering startups at their earliest innings, Info Edge can now continue backing companies further along their journey — potentially doubling down on winners or entering high-growth businesses at a more mature stage.
The Temasek Partnership and Shareholder Backing
The company’s investment ambitions have already received strong shareholder support. In May last year, shareholders approved a proposal allowing Info Edge to invest up to ₹1,000 crore in the third fund of Info Edge Ventures. Those funds are managed in partnership with global investment firm Temasek.
While B8 Fund-I is a separate vehicle, the broader context highlights Info Edge’s increasing institutionalisation of its venture activities. What began as opportunistic balance-sheet investing has steadily evolved into a structured multi-platform investment ecosystem.
Financial Strength Supports Expansion
Info Edge’s move into growth-stage investing is backed by solid financial performance. For the quarter ended December 31, the company reported operating revenue of ₹819 crore. Net profit rose 10% year-on-year to ₹317 crore, reflecting stable core operations and disciplined cost management.
This financial strength provides the company with the flexibility to allocate capital to longer-horizon growth strategies such as B8 Fund-I, without compromising its core business stability.
Credits: Entrackr
A More Structured Approach to Scaling Capital
Growth-stage investing is fundamentally different from early-stage venture capital. The cheque sizes are larger, the risk profiles are more defined, and the expectations around scaling, governance, and profitability are sharper.
With a Category II AIF structure and an eight-year tenure, B8 Fund-I is designed to match these dynamics. It offers Info Edge a formal, structured way to participate in the scaling phase of India’s startup ecosystem — a phase where companies are typically building national brands, expanding internationally, or preparing for public listings.
In essence, B8 Fund-I reflects the maturation of both Info Edge and India’s startup landscape. From backing scrappy early-stage disruptors to supporting scaling champions, Info Edge is positioning itself as a full-spectrum investor — one that can participate across multiple stages of the entrepreneurial journey.
As India’s technology ecosystem deepens and produces more growth-stage opportunities, B8 Fund-I could become a crucial bridge between early innovation and large-scale market leadership.
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