Info Edge to invest ₹250 crore in fund to back growth-stage tech startups

Info Edge (India) said on Thursday that its board of directors ₹250 crore to B8 Fund I, a newly launched alternative investment fund focused on growth-stage technology companies in India.

The company stated in its exchange application that the commitment would be made in one or more tranches directly by Info Edge and/or through its wholly owned subsidiaries.

B8 Fund I is a scheme under B8 Trust registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India as a Category II AIF under the Sebi (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012.

The fund was launched on February 12, 2026 and will invest in growth-stage technology-enabled businesses operating in or primarily focused on India. Capital will be withdrawn over the eight-year life of the fund, which can be extended by two years with the approval of two-thirds of contributors.

The company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Smartweb Internet Services Ltd, will act as the fund’s sponsor and investment manager; This means Info Edge will retain operational control over how capital will be deployed.

As a result of this arrangement, B8 Fund I will be classified as a related party of Info Edge. Sebi’s listing of regulations. The company said the transaction was “at arm’s length” and that the backers had no personal interest in the fund.

The company currently operates a three-fund early-stage vehicle, Info Edge Ventures, with commitments to: ₹2,300 crore with Capital2B ₹280 crore pledged for Redstart as a single fund and distributed ₹110 crore directly.

Redstart backs early-stage startups in the deeptech and SaaS space with a portfolio that includes robotics company Unbox Robotics, neurotech startup BrainSight AI, drone company Skylark Drones, electric plane startup The ePlane Company, and industrial robotics startup CynLr.

Balance sheet investment program makes an additional contribution ₹2,000 crore. The fair market value of the total portfolio, extensive balance sheet assets and all fund instruments, including capital raised from external limited partners, was approximately 200,000. ₹48,000 crore as on December 31, 2025.

No regulatory approval is required for the transaction to proceed.

Info Edge supported for the first time policy market in 2008 and Zomato In 2010, when two startups were fully valued ₹21 crore and ₹9.4 crore respectively.