InfoEdge, founded by Sanjeev Bikhchandani has set up a new growth-stage investment vehicle, B8 Fund-I, with an initial capital commitment of ₹250 crore, marking what the company describes as its first dedicated effort to invest in later-stage startups. The fund could also raise money from external sponsors, which may expand the corpus beyond the initial commitment.
The company’s move is notable because Info Edge has largely been identified with early-stage venture investing alongside its core online businesses. It already runs multiple investment platforms, and B8 Fund-I effectively adds a new lane, one aimed at startups that have moved past the earliest innings and are now scaling.
What the fund will invest in?
According to a regulatory filing, B8 Fund-I will focus on growth-stage, technology-enabled companies that are based in India or primarily focused on the Indian market.
The fund is registered with SEBI as a Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) and will have a tenure of eight years from its first closing.
How this fits into InfoEdge’s investing stack
Info Edge currently operates four early-stage investment platforms, including:
- Info Edge Ventures, which has raised ₹2,300 crore across three funds
- Capital 2B, with a ₹280 crore corpus
- Redstart Labs, focused on AI-led startups
- Direct investments from the company’s balance sheet
Through these venture platforms, InfoEdge has backed early-stage companies such as Gnani AI, Ixigo, Shiprocket, Zingbus and Truemeds. Separately, through balance-sheet investing, it made early investments in Zomato and Policybazaar.
A recent shareholder nod and the Temasek partnership
In May last year, shareholders approved a proposal allowing Info Edge to invest up to ₹1,000 crore in Info Edge Ventures’ third fund. Those Info Edge Ventures funds are managed in partnership with Temasek.
Financial snapshot
For the quarter ended December 31, Info Edge reported operating revenue of ₹819 crore, while net profit rose 10% year-on-year to ₹317 crore.
B8 Fund-I gives Info Edge a formal, structured way to participate in a different phase of the startup journey, where companies are typically raising larger cheques to scale product, distribution, and profitability roadmaps. With a Category II AIF structure and an eight-year tenure, the vehicle is designed for a longer horizon, aligning with growth-stage cycles rather than quick early-stage experimentation.
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