Kae Capital

Before you pitch

• Kae Capital is a venture investor and takes equity. It is not a grant or an incubator, and it publishes no application window.
• It says it is typically the first institutional investor, from pre-seed to pre-Series A. If you already have several institutional rounds behind you, it is probably not the right fit.
• Check that you fit its direction: AI and automation, manufacturing and industrial capability, or one of the other themes in its FAQ.

How to reach them

• Use the Get in Touch form on the website, or the Pitch to Us link in the footer.
• Its FAQ asks for a short description of what you are building, why now and why you.
• The About page lists a general inbox for non-funding queries; use the form for a pitch.

What they say they look for

• Clarity of mind: explain a complex problem simply.
• Audacity about the size of what you are building.
• India-specific insight into gaps in Indian markets.
• It says it does not screen heavily on credentials or prior exits.

What to expect

• Kae says it aims to go from first meeting to term sheet in 3–4 weeks when it has strong conviction, through 2–3 meetings.
• It says it leads or co-leads seed rounds and takes board or observer seats.
• Its essays on its blog show how it thinks about deals; read a few before you write your note.

Kae Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm with offices in Bengaluru and Mumbai. It describes itself as typically the first institutional investor in a company, backing founders from pre-seed up to pre-Series A, and says it has been investing in India since 2012.

Who Kae Capital backs

Kae says it has been the first institutional cheque for over 90 companies across three funds. Its stated focus today is AI and intelligent automation, and what it calls Resilient India: founders strengthening India's industrial, digital and energy foundations, including manufacturing and deeptech. Its investor FAQ page is wider and lists seven themes: consumer AI, deeptech, B2B, manufacturing, fintech, healthtech, and AI and automation applied to Indian business. The home page and that page do not match exactly, so read the sector list as a direction and not a hard filter.

Its portfolio shows what early means in practice. Zetwerk, Porter, InMobi, Tata 1mg, HealthKart, Myntra, Fractal Analytics and Nazara Technologies are named on its site, and the investments page lists exits such as Fynd, Airwoot, Halaplay and Eventifier.

How Kae Capital works with founders

Kae says it leads or co-leads seed rounds and typically takes a board or observer seat. It calls itself a conviction-driven investor that backs a focused number of companies, and says it helps with hiring, strategy, fundraising and customer introductions. It also says it stays with companies through pivots and tough markets, and keeps a separate Winners Fund structure to back its breakout companies again.

How to pitch

This is an investor, not a programme with an application window, so there is no deadline or cohort. Kae says to send a short description of what you are building, why now and why you through the pitch form, and that Kae reviews every submission. In practice, every page of the site carries a Get in Touch form that takes an email address, and the footer has a Pitch to Us link. One page points to a contact page that currently redirects to the home page, so use the form on the site or the general inbox listed on the About page.

What the process looks like

For pre-seed deals, Kae says it aims to go from first meeting to term sheet in 3–4 weeks when it has strong conviction, and that this usually takes 2–3 meetings with the founding team. It says it looks for clarity of mind, audacity about the size of what you are building, and insight into India's structural gaps. It says it does not screen heavily on credentials or prior exits.

Funds and structure

Kae Capital Management Private Limited manages the funds. Its fund details page lists Kae Capital Fund, Kae Capital Fund II, Kae Capital Fund III and Kael Opportunities Fund, registered as Category I or Category II alternative investment funds with SEBI. The site does not state fund sizes, so check with the team how a round would fit before you pitch.

Reading its content and careers

Kae publishes blogs, reports and news on its site. These essays on specific companies and sectors are the clearest view of how the team thinks about deals. It also has a careers page for jobs and internships.