Lightspeed gains $7 bn; sets $500 mn for Indian, SE Asian start-ups

NEW DELHI: Lightspeed Venture Partners on Tuesday announced a global fund raise of more than $7 billion that includes a $500 million early-stage fund for the start-ups in the Indian and South East Asian markets.

The early-stage investor said the closing of $500 million ‘Lightspeed India IV’ fund reflects its deepening commitment to the India and South East Asia region, since its first India investment in 2007 that includes Indian Energy Exchange, Oyo, BYJU’s, Grab, Acko, Razorpay, Udaan, Sharechat and Innovaccer, among others.

“We believe in investing at the earliest stages of innovation, partnering with generational entrepreneurs who have clarity of vision, an insatiable desire to build something enduring, and the conviction and courage to compete and win against all odds,” said Arif Janmohamed, Partner, Lightspeed. Over the past five years, the firm’s presence has expanded to 28 professionals across four locations - Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Singapore.

Lightspeed said it continues to witness the broadening and deepening of the opportunity in the region, “led by world-class founders and an ever-expanding scope for technology to reshape the economy in India and Southeast Asia”.

The global $7 billion fund-raise brings its total capital under management to over $18 billion. The latest funding is approximately 60 per cent more than Lightspeed’s last flagship fundraise, which focuses on expanding the firm’s early-stage vehicles and supporting its large and growing global platform.