Dexter Ventures

How to get in front of Dexter Ventures

• Use the Submit your pitch button on the fund's website. It opens an online form. The site gives no deadline, no intake window and no list of required documents, so fill it in properly and keep it short.
• The Invest with us button is a different form for investors. Do not use it to pitch your startup.
• For general questions, the site lists a role inbox: hello@dexter.ventures.

Check that you are the right fit

• The fund says it invests at pre-seed and seed stage. If you have already raised a later round, look elsewhere.
• It names themes it likes: B2B SaaS, enterprise tech, SME digitization, creator economy, fintech infrastructure, AI-first businesses and commerce enablers.
• It says it tends to avoid B2G, manufacturing and long-gestation technology such as biotech. A pitch in those areas needs a strong reason.
• Consumer and D2C businesses: the fund says it wants decent revenue before it comes in. Software and consumer-tech teams can be earlier, if the team, market and product are convincing.

What they say they look for

• A strong founding team with complementary skills and a record of execution. This is the first thing it names.
• A large, growing market. The fund says it avoids highly competitive smaller markets.
• Evidence of progress so far, including what current customers say about the value you create.
• A long-term view and a sensible balance between growth and profitability from the start.

Before you pitch

• Read the Insights section of the site, where the fund explains why it backed companies such as Atomgrid, Cogniquest and OnGrid. It shows the kind of reasoning it applies.
• Look at the portfolio page to avoid pitching something that overlaps with a company it has already backed.
• Be ready to explain how you would use its network for customers, hires and your next round, since it presents itself as more than a source of money.

Dexter Ventures is a micro VC fund in Bengaluru that backs pre-seed and seed-stage startups in India. It describes itself as dedicated to supporting startups at those two stages, and says it started as an angel syndicate called Dexter Angels in 2020.

Who they back

The fund says it invests in pre-seed and seed stages and likes to come in early. How early depends on the sector. Where reaching customers and building traction is straightforward, such as D2C, it says it comes in once there is decent revenue. Where money comes much later, as in consumer tech, it says it can come in very early on its conviction about the founding team, the market and the product.

It describes a broad mandate rather than a fixed sector list, but names themes it finds compelling: B2B SaaS, enterprise tech, SME digitization, the creator economy, fintech infrastructure, AI-first businesses and commerce enablers. Its about page also lists healthtech, consumer brands, products that connect other software, B2B commerce and businesses built on India Stack. It says it tends to avoid B2G (business-to-government), manufacturing and long-gestation technology such as biotech.

What they look for

Three things, in its own words. The most important is the right founding team. Next is a large, growing market, and it says it avoids highly competitive smaller ones. Third is the progress made so far in execution and what current customers say about the value the business creates. It also says it prefers founders who think long term and look for a balance between growth and profitability from the start.

What they offer beyond a cheque

The fund calls its approach collaboration beyond capital. It says founders come to it for advice on fundraising, industry connections and compliance, and that it helps portfolio companies reach customers, partners, investors and hires through its network. It also says it encourages its portfolio companies and investors to share expertise with each other.

Track record

The fund's own pages say it has made over 40 investments and supported 80+ entrepreneurs. Portfolio companies on its site include Pilgrim, Basic Home Loans, OnGrid, Atomgrid, Cogniquest, QuID, JewelBox, The Pant Project, The Bear House and Medulance. Its Insights section carries a short note on why it invested in several of them, which is a useful read before you pitch. A separate section called Dexter View publishes sector reports.

Who runs it

Its people page lists Devendra Agrawal as founder and sponsor and Anuradha Agarwal as general partner, with a small team of associates. The founder's bio says he set up Dexter Capital Advisors in 2013. The site also lists related entities: Dexter Capital, Delta Advisors, Dexter Foundation and Discover Ventures.

How to approach them

The site has a Submit your pitch button that opens an online form. It states no deadline or intake window, so treat it as a rolling door. The site also has an Invest with us form, which is for people who want to put money into the fund, not for founders. There is a careers page with a paid internship programme, if you want to work in venture rather than raise from it.