Early-Stage Pioneers: Nitin Sharma and Rajiv Srivatsa Changing the Pre-Seed Investment Game

In the world of venture capital, visual clues, data, and information play a pivotal role in assessing investment opportunities. However, what happens when all these visual cues are blocked, and you have zero information about a startup? Nitin Sharma, a seasoned venture capitalist with a strong background in the industry, believes that investments can still be made even in such circumstances. With a deep understanding of the startup ecosystem, Sharma is now a partner at Antler India, one of the fastest-growing early-stage investment platforms globally.

In the realm of early-stage funding, the pre-seed stage is often the most challenging. It’s a stage where founders have nothing more than a concept, no investment deck, and limited resources. At this point, it’s all about the idea, belief in the founder, and a strong focus on psychology rather than economics. Rajiv Srivatsa, who co-founded Urban Ladder, an online furniture startup, has transitioned into venture capital as a partner at Antler India. Drawing from his own entrepreneurial journey, Srivatsa understands the unique challenges of the pre-seed stage and emphasizes the need for early-stage investments at this critical phase.

Antler India, with its unique approach, has emerged as a game-changer in the pre-seed investment landscape. Rather than relying on traditional deal flows, Antler is involved in the company-creation business. Over the past year, Antler has already backed 16 startups, typically investing just under Rs 2 crore in each venture. Instead of rushing into investments, Antler is more akin to farming, patiently nurturing ideas and early-stage entrepreneurs in new and unexplored areas of the Indian start-up ecosystem. One notable aspect of Antler’s approach is the Antler India Fellowship, which grants equity-free funds of $20,000 to college students with entrepreneurial aspirations. This initiative has already funded eight promising ideas, highlighting the growing trend of young founders in India.

Antler India’s portfolio is a mix of innovative ideas and experienced founders. Some start-ups, like Bookee, Codedamn, and Humit, are reshaping various industries. These ventures are driven by passionate and talented individuals who are redefining the way we look at fitness, coding education, and social music sharing. Notably, Antler is not just betting on early-stage start-ups; they are also identifying potential founders at an early stage. By actively engaging with college campuses, they’ve discovered entrepreneurial talents among students, further fuelling India’s start-up ecosystem.

While the approach to early-stage investing may be unconventional and come with higher risks, Antler India is determined to identify diamonds in the rough. Nitin Sharma and Rajiv Srivatsa understand the importance of patience and the need to balance potential, strong ideas, and founder qualities to achieve success in the challenging pre-seed stage.

In a space where great storytellers often win, Antler India is on a mission to find those founders who may not be the best storytellers but have groundbreaking ideas and tremendous potential. As pioneers in early-stage funding, Nitin Sharma and Rajiv Srivatsa are changing the game and setting a new standard for pre-seed investments.