Kriscore Capital Announces First Close of INR 100 Cr Debut Fund The fund plans to back 16–18 tech-driven startups at pre-seed and seed stages, focusing on exceptional founders innovating across India's digital consumer boom, China+1, GenAI, global exports, and Net Zero 2070 themes.
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Kriscore Capital, a newly launched venture firm focused on early-stage Indian tech startups, has announced the first close of its debut fund—INR 100 crore with an additional INR 100 crore greenshoe option.
The fund, titled Kriscore Capital I, is registered under SEBI as a Category II AIF and has secured initial commitments of INR 50 crore from a curated group of family offices and high net worth individuals.
Founded by Nilesh Balakrishnan and K Bala, Kriscore Capital aims to back 16–18 breakout companies solving large-scale problems using technology across sectors. The fund's thesis spans key macro trends in India, such as the digital consumer boom, China+1 manufacturing opportunities, globalisation of India's premium offerings, GenAI-powered services, and the nation's Net Zero 2070 goals.
"India's startup ecosystem is exploding, and Indian founders are building generational global businesses," said Nilesh Balakrishnan, General Partner, Kriscore Capital. "We invest more than capital – we commit our time, expertise, and passion to help founders build something truly groundbreaking."
Balakrishnan brings over 12 years of investing and operating experience across the US, Japan, and India, including a successful tenure at WaterBridge Ventures, where he led several high-return investments. His co-founder, K Bala, is a stalwart of the Indian investment banking landscape, having led Lazard India and HSBC's investment banking vertical. Bala also founded Kriscore Financial Advisors, and has been an active startup investor and mentor for over a decade.
Kriscore Capital's sector-agnostic fund will focus on pre-seed and seed rounds, offering not just capital, but also guidance on critical but often overlooked aspects like compliance, financial planning, and global expansion strategy.
To support its mission, Kriscore has built a distinguished Advisory Board, featuring D Sundaram (Lead Independent Director, Infosys Ltd), Shyam Srinivasan (ex-MD & CEO, Federal Bank), and Manish Khetarpal (Founding Partner, WaterBridge Ventures).
The firm has already made its first investment in a stealth-mode startup, signaling strong early momentum. With a global perspective and deep local expertise, Kriscore Capital is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the next wave of India's tech disruptors.
