Speciale Invest

Check you fit first

• Stage: Speciale is a pre-seed and seed fund. An idea-stage team of two or three can approach. A company that has already raised a million or two is unlikely to fit, and it does not invest at Series A.
• Kind of company: it backs deeptech hardware and software built on science or engineering, such as space, energy, climate, AI, robotics, semiconductors, manufacturing and life sciences.

How to apply

• Use the Pitch to Us button on the website to open its application form and share your materials.
• You can also write to info@specialeinvest.com with general questions.

What happens next

• An initial review of your materials, then a first call, then a follow-up with a partner, a meeting with both founding partners and a final presentation to the team.
• It says it usually answers within about 48 hours at each stage.

What reviewers look for

• Bold innovation that rests on science, engineering and technology.
• A clear vision you can explain well.
• Fast, relentless execution and deep domain insight.
• Be ready to explain why your technology is real and why it matters, because the fund evaluates it from first principles.

Speciale Invest is a deeptech venture capital fund with offices in Chennai and Bengaluru. It describes itself as The DeepTech VC and backs early-stage founders building hardware and software rooted in science, engineering and technology. It invests at pre-seed and seed stage, with a strong focus on India.

What it invests in

The fund looks for ideas that change an industry rather than improve it a little. Its home page names five areas: novel energy and planetary health, human longevity and synthetic biology, space tech, advanced manufacturing, and AI-led software. Its about page widens this to space, alternative energy, climate, robotics, semiconductors, life sciences and mobility, and says that ambitious technical founders whose work does not fit these buckets are still welcome to get in touch.

Who can approach

Speciale says founders come to it when they are as small as two or three people with an idea, and that it is often the first investor in its startups. It says a company that has already raised small amounts from accelerators or friends and family can still be a fit, but a company that has already raised a million or two is unlikely to be. It is a seed-stage fund only and says a founder raising a Series A should not approach it. It is usually the lead investor in the first round, though it has also invested alongside others.

How the investment process works

Founders start by using the Pitch to Us form on the website. The fund then follows five steps: an initial review of your materials against its criteria, a first call, a follow-up where at least one partner listens, a meeting with both founding partners followed by an internal investment committee discussion, and a final presentation to the whole team. It says it keeps the process quick and usually gives an answer in about 48 hours, after which term sheets and due diligence follow.

What founders get besides capital

Speciale says it holds 60% of its corpus for follow-on investments, so it can keep backing companies as they grow. It lists customer access, help hiring the first critical team members, support with later fundraises through its investor network, market and competitor insight, and always-on access to the team.

What it looks for in founders

The fund says it wants founders who are bold in their ideas, can explain a clear vision, and execute with urgency. It evaluates the technology from first principles and looks for deep domain insight.

Scale

On its home page Speciale reports 9+ years of investing and 45+ companies backed. Portfolio companies named on its own pages include InspeCity, in space servicing, and DashamLabs, in advanced insulation materials.

Team and community

Its partners include Vishesh Rajaram and Arjun Rao as founding partners and Vijay Jacob as general partner. It publishes a blog, newsletter, podcast, reports and videos on deeptech in India, and lists open roles at its portfolio companies on its contact page.

Locations

The Chennai office is at The Grid, 8/14, Central Avenue, Kesavaperumalpuram, Chennai 600028. The Bengaluru office is at WeWork Galaxy, Shanthala Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru 560025. General enquiries go to info@specialeinvest.com.