Why Smart Capital is Moving from Saturated Metros to Tier 2/3 Hubs
Over 51% of DPIIT-recognized startups now come from tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The investors backing tier 2 tier 3 startups in India are not fringe impact players anymore. These are active VC funds, angel networks and accelerators writing cheques from pre-seed to Series A for founders building in Jaipur, Indore, Kochi, Surat, Coimbatore and beyond.
This is a curated database of the most active investors for tier 2 tier 3 startups India, split into three categories: VC funds, angel networks and accelerators with grant programs. Each entry includes target cities, investment stage, cheque size and sectors of interest. If you are looking for startup funding in tier 2 cities India, this is the most complete resource available for 2026.
Before you pitch, make sure your startup is discoverable. Create your startup profile on Backrr so your pitch deck, traction and fundraise status are organized when the right investor reaches out.
Quick Summary: A curated database of top active VC funds, angel networks and accelerators investing in Bharat startups across tier 2 and tier 3 India. Split into three sections with target cities, cheque sizes from ₹10L to ₹80Cr, sectors and investment stage for each entry. Updated for 2026.
Early-Stage VC Funds for Tier-2/3 India
Name | Target Tier Cities (Specifics) | Investment Stage | Cheque Size (INR) | Sectors of Interest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
100X.VC | Pan-India (incl. Jammu, Kochi, Bhopal, Lucknow, etc.) | Pre-Seed (first institutional check) | ₹1.25 Cr per startup (via iSAFE note) | Tech-first, sector-agnostic (Consumer, SaaS, FinTech, DeepTech) |
Aavishkaar Capital | Active beyond metros (Jaipur, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, rural) | Series A to C growth rounds | ₹15 to ₹40 Cr (~$2 to $5M) | Financial Inclusion, Agri and Food, Sustainability, Health, Education |
Anicut Capital | Focus on Tier-2 hubs (Erode, Coimbatore, Kochi, etc.) | Seed to Series B (also Venture Debt) | ₹3 to ₹5 Cr (Seed equity); ₹15 to ₹30 Cr (Series A/B) | FinTech, Consumer, EV, DeepTech, Logistics, SaaS |
Ankur Capital | Small towns, rural and Tier-3 city focus | Seed and early Series A | ₹1 to ₹5 Cr | AgriTech, Education, Health, FinTech, Livelihoods |
Antler India | Backs solo founders in Coimbatore, Bhubaneswar, Kochi, etc. | Day 0/Ideation to Pre-Seed | ₹1 to ₹1.2 Cr (~$100 to $150K) | DeepTech, FinTech, Web3, SaaS, D2C (scalable tech) |
Arkam Ventures | Focus on Middle India startups (beyond top metros) | Early-stage (Seed to Series A) | ₹3 to ₹15 Cr (typical check in target deals) | Middle-India digitization (finserv, agri/food) and SaaS |
Artha Venture Fund | Tier-2 cities (Nagpur, Jaipur, Surat, etc.) | Seed to Series A | ₹3 to ₹8 Cr per startup | D2C Brands, FinTech, B2B SaaS, Mass-market Tech |
Blume Ventures | Bharat-focused startups (e.g. Manipal, Pune) | Seed to Series A | ₹1 to ₹7 Cr typical check | D2C, FinTech, Marketplaces, SME Tech, SaaS |
Elevar Equity | Underserved emerging markets (low-income communities) | Early-growth (Pre-Series A to Series B) | ₹5 to ₹20 Cr (~$0.5M to $2.5M) | Essential services for underserved (fintech, agri, healthcare) |
GVFL (Gujarat Venture Fund) | Pan-India (focus on Gujarat; active in Jaipur) | Pre-seed to Series A/B | ₹50 Lakh to ₹3 Cr (Prarambh fund); ₹5 to ₹20 Cr (Emerging fund) | AgriTech, HealthTech, FinTech, CleanTech, DefenceTech, Consumer |
Ivy Growth (Arigato Capital) | Based in Surat; expanding Tier-2/3 footprint | Pre-Series A | ~₹4 Cr average ticket | AgriTech, CleanTech, GenAI, FinTech, Consumer, SaaS |
Lok Capital | Primarily Tier-2/3 towns and rural markets (impact focus) | Early-Growth (pre-Series A to Series B) | ₹10 to ₹30 Cr initial; follow-ons up to ~₹50 Cr | Financial inclusion (fintech), health-tech, agri/food, climate |
NABVENTURES (NABARD Fund) | Pan-India with emphasis on agri/rural startups | Early to mid-stage (Seed to Series A/B) | ₹3 to ₹10 Cr (est.) for seed; larger in growth rounds | AgriTech, Food, Rural businesses, agri-financial services |
North East Venture Fund | Startups based in North-East India (NER states) | Seed and Early-stage | ₹50 Lakh to ₹3 Cr (typical range) | Healthcare, Biotech, Clean Energy, tourism (regional priorities) |
Omidyar Network India | 50%+ of portfolio based outside top-3 metros | Seed to Series B | ₹80L to ₹40+ Cr ($100K to $5M+) | Inclusive FinTech, CivicTech, EdTech, GovTech, AgriTech |
Omnivore | Agriculture and rural economy startups across India (many in Tier-3) | Seed and Series A | $1 to $5M (₹8 to ₹40 Cr) initial checks | AgriTech, Food and Agri life-sciences, Rural FinTech, Climate-smart agriculture |
Orios Venture Partners | Targets the next 300 million consumers beyond metros | Seed and Pre-Series A | ₹4 to ₹12 Cr (₹1 to ₹3M) per round | Mass-market tech (financial services, consumer apps, B2B marketplaces) |
Peak XV Partners (Surge) | Backs founders across India incl. Tier-2 cities via Surge accelerator | Seed (via Surge program) | Up to ₹2.5 Cr (~$3M per cohort company) | Sector-agnostic (SaaS, Consumer, FinTech, HealthTech, AI) |
Pentathlon Ventures | Pune-based; building B2B SaaS ecosystem in Tier-2 hubs | Seed and Pre-Series A (B2B SaaS focus) | ₹2 to ₹8 Cr ($250K to $1M) | B2B SaaS, Enterprise Software, DeepTech solutions |
Quona Capital | Tier-2 financial hubs (Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Chennai, etc.) | Series A to C (Growth stage) | ₹25 to ₹80 Cr ($3 to $10M) | FinTech, InsurTech, LendingTech, PropTech |
SucSEED Indovation Fund | Pan-India, tech startups solving mass-market Bharat needs | Seed to Pre-Series A | ~₹1 to ₹2 Cr (typical first check) | EdTech, FinTech, HealthTech, Enterprise SaaS, Security/RegTech |
Swishin Ventures | Explicitly focused on Tier-II/III city startups | Pre-seed and Seed (follow-ons to Series A) | ₹1.6 to ₹4 Cr (~$200K to $500K initially) | Sector-agnostic (BFSI/FinTech, Consumer/D2C, DeepTech, Healthcare) |
Unicorn India Ventures | 65%+ of portfolio from Tier-II and III cities | Seed to Series A | ₹1 Cr to ₹10 Cr (initial + follow-ons) | FinTech, SaaS, HealthTech, DeepTech, Mobility |
Unitus Ventures (Unitus Seed Fund) | Pan-India with Bharat-first focus (e.g. Hubli, Jaipur) | Seed and early Series A | ₹1.2 to ₹4 Cr per startup | EdTech, FinTech, JobTech, Agri/Food, Healthcare |
Venture Catalysts | Active in 30+ Tier-2/3 cities (Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, etc.) | Idea, Seed, and Series A (via funds) | ₹4 to ₹16 Cr per deal (~$500K to $2M) | Sector-agnostic (FinTech, Health, AgriTech, Consumer, AI, EV) |
WaterBridge Ventures | Seed to Series A across India incl. Tier-2 cities | Seed to Series A | ₹1 to ₹5 Cr (initial); follow-ons larger | Tech-enabled businesses, FinTech, Consumer, SaaS |
Angel Networks Active in Tier 2/3 India
Name | Target Tier Cities (Specifics) | Investment Stage | Cheque Size (INR) | Sectors of Interest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ah! Ventures | Pan-India angel platform (startups in Tier-2 cities like Lucknow) | Seed and early growth (angel rounds) | Up to ~₹8 Cr ($1M) per startup via syndication | Sector-agnostic (largest curated angel network platform) |
All In Capital | Targets founders from Tier-II/III cities via live pitch program | Early seed (valuations under ₹50 Cr) | Up to ₹2 Cr per startup | FinTech, SaaS, Consumer, HealthTech, AI, DeepTech |
Indian Angel Network (IAN) + IAN Fund | Network in Tier-2 hubs (Jaipur, Chandigarh, Indore, Kochi, Guwahati) | Seed rounds (IAN) and Series A via IAN Fund | ₹50 Lakhs to ₹10 Cr per startup | Technology, Healthcare, Education, FinTech, Travel, AgriTech |
Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) | Active in Tier-2 cities (Jaipur, Chandigarh, Calicut, etc.) | Seed and Pre-Series A | ~₹2 to ₹4 Cr average deal size | Consumer Internet, D2C, SaaS, EdTech, FinTech |
JITO Angel Network | Nationwide angel network (40% members in Tier-2/3) | Early-stage (angel rounds) | Up to ₹12 Cr per startup | Sector-agnostic (with ethical exclusions: no alcohol, meat, leather) |
LetsVenture | Pan-India platform (connects non-metro founders) | Early-stage seed to growth rounds | ₹50 Lakh to ₹5 Cr (via syndicates, varies by deal) | Sector-agnostic (startup funding platform) |
Mumbai Angels Network | Presence in Pune, Jaipur, Kolkata, Vizag, Chandigarh | Seed/Angel rounds | ₹50 Lakh to ₹3 Cr per deal | Tech-enabled businesses across sectors (sector-agnostic) |
We Founder Circle (WFC) | Chapters in Jaipur, Pune, Lucknow, Surat, Guwahati | Pre-Seed and Seed rounds | ₹1 to ₹3 Cr per startup (pooled angels ₹5 to ₹25L each) | Consumer Tech, FinTech, E-commerce, B2B SaaS, DeepTech |
Accelerators, Incubators and Grant Programs
Name | Target Tier Cities (Specifics) | Investment Stage | Cheque Size (INR) | Sectors of Interest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Acumen India (Acumen Fund) | Deep rural focus (Rajasthan, UP, Bihar, NE India) | Seed to Early Growth | ₹80L to ₹4 Cr (typical $100 to $500K), up to ~₹8 Cr | Energy, Livelihoods, Healthcare, Water, Workforce |
Axilor Ventures | Accelerator open to Tier-2/3 founders (e.g. Madurai, Bhagalpur) | Pre-Seed (Accelerator) to Seed (fund) | ₹25 to ₹50L (accelerator); up to ₹3 to ₹5 Cr (seed fund) | Consumer, Enterprise, FinTech, Supply Chain, DeepTech |
IIMA Ventures (formerly CIIE.CO) and Bharat Inclusion Seed Fund | Pan-India (incl. rural and Tier-2/3 startups) | Pre-Seed to early Series A | ₹50L to ₹2 Cr (equity); ₹10 to ₹25L (grants) | FinTech, AgriTech, HealthTech, CleanTech, GovTech |
Rainmatter by Zerodha | Pan-India with strong non-metro and rural portfolio | Seed and early stage (grants + equity) | ₹50L to ₹5 Cr | Climate, AgriTech, Health, Fintech for underserved, Sustainability |
Social Alpha (FISE) | Northeast, hill states, rural India focus | Pre-Seed (grants) and Seed (equity) | ₹20 to ₹50L grants; ₹50L to ₹3 Cr equity | ClimateTech, AgriTech, Health, Waste, Water, Sanitation |
Village Capital | Remote accelerator for Tier-2 city founders (India-wide) | Pre-Seed and Seed (through accelerator) | ~$50K equity (~₹42L) per startup | FinTech, EdTech, Sustainable Agri, Health, Climate |
Villgro Innovations | Deep rural India and small towns | Pre-Seed grants and Seed equity | ₹10 Lakh to ₹1 Cr per startup | Agriculture, Clean Energy, Healthcare, Education |
Sources: Verified and updated from fund websites, news releases, and reports as of March 2026. All funds listed have an active investment presence in India’s Tier-2 and Tier-3 startup ecosystems.
Raise Capital From Any City
You do not need to live in a Tier 1 city to raise institutional capital. This database of active VCs, angel networks and accelerators investing in tier 2 tier 3 India proves that serious money is specifically looking for founders building in non-metro markets. Lower burn rates, untapped customer bases and capital efficiency give you a structural advantage that metro startups cannot replicate.
If you are also building your broader investor pipeline, explore our databases for angel investors in India, venture debt funds, Indian family offices and global accelerator programs to cover every funding angle regardless of where you are based.
Create your free startup profile on Backrr, bookmark this page and start pitching investors who are actively looking for founders like you.
![Top Founder-Friendly VCs in India [2026]](/_next/image?url=http%3A%2F%2F13.202.58.76%3A1337%2Fuploads%2Ftop_founder_friendly_vcs_india_3af7f99b27.png&w=3840&q=75)
![Top US Venture Builders Backing Indian Startups [2026]](/_next/image?url=http%3A%2F%2F13.202.58.76%3A1337%2Fuploads%2Fus_venture_builders_accelerators_indian_startups_2026_67acece797.png&w=3840&q=75)
