Bertelsmann India Investments

Before you pitch

• Check the stage. BII says it invests from Series A to C, so it suits companies that already have revenue and a proven product, not an idea.
• Check the sector. It calls itself sector agnostic and says it backs tech and tech-enabled companies.
• Do not confuse it with Bertelsmann Next India. That platform buys majority stakes in operating businesses; BII takes minority positions.

How to approach

• Use the Pitch page on the BII site. It asks you to upload a deck as a PDF file and to pick an area of interest.
• The contact page also invites founders building tech and tech-enabled companies to get in touch.
• The site states no deadline and no reply timeline, so keep your deck short and current and do not wait on an answer before talking to other investors.

Bertelsmann India Investments, known as BII, is the strategic investment arm of the German media and services group Bertelsmann in India. It has been investing in Indian startups since 2012 and describes itself as a sector-agnostic venture capital fund that invests directly from its parent's balance sheet. Its stated approach is to be an early growth, long-term investor.

Stage and sectors

BII says it focuses on early growth-stage technology startups, investing from Series A to C. It is open about being sector agnostic, and names healthtech, fintech, agritech and edtech among the areas it looks at. It says it leads rounds, works alongside other venture firms, and keeps reserves for follow-on investment so that companies it backs do not lose momentum. Companies it names on its own pages include Eruditus, Licious, Shiprocket, Lendingkart, LetsTransport and Pepperfry.

How to reach BII

The site has a Pitch page where founders can send a pitch deck as a PDF file and choose an area of interest. Its contact page says that if you are building a tech or tech-enabled company, it would like to hear from you. It lists a Gurugram office and a Bengaluru office for BII, and a phone line for the group. The site does not publish a fixed application window, a screening checklist or a timeline, so expect no set process beyond the pitch form.

Not the same as Bertelsmann Next India

Bertelsmann also runs Bertelsmann Next India, a separate platform that takes majority stakes in operating companies and buys and builds them. BII itself is the minority-stake venture fund, so a founder looking for venture funding should approach BII, not the Next platform.

What to expect

BII is a corporate venture investor rather than a grant provider or an incubator. It does not run a cohort programme or offer a workspace. Founders seeking equity capital for a company that already has traction, rather than an idea-stage grant, are the fit.