Expert Dojo, a Southern California-based early-stage venture capital firm, has launched a new $100 million global fund. As part of this fund, the firm plans to invest $15 million in Indian startups during the fiscal year 2026. The announcement was made at the Expert Dojo Investors Conclave 2025 in Bangalore.
The firm aims to support early-stage Indian founders with capital and cross-border growth support. Expert Dojo will deploy the $15 million to fund 20 to 25 early-stage startups across fintech, B2B, SaaS, and AI sectors. The fund will focus on startups with global scalability, although it remains sector-agnostic.
Founders can expect investment cheques ranging from $50,000 to $1 million. They will also have access to an international mentorship and go-to-market network. Over the next 2 to 3 years, Expert Dojo plans to invest an additional $30 million in Indian startups.
This will deepen its engagement with the country’s innovation ecosystem. Since its inception in India, Expert Dojo has invested in over 30 Indian startups through its global fund. The India portfolio includes startups such as Bhive, Cloudworx, Consuma, Mugafi, The Rollnumber, Fudr, and Doqfy.
Expert Dojo has also invested in over 300 startups in the US. The firm provides resources and guidance to entrepreneurs, helping them navigate the challenges of scaling their businesses in a competitive global market. Founded in 2018, Expert Dojo is a global early-stage startup accelerator.
It focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage companies with high growth potential, especially in the tech industry. The firm is strongly committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 41% of its investments go to female-founded companies, surpassing the average of other top US accelerators.
Brian Mac Mahon, Founder and Managing Partner of Expert Dojo, said, “Having previously invested in over 300 startups globally, we are now setting our sights on replicating that success with our India-focused fund.
Early-stage startups get $15M boost
This fund connects global investors to India’s growth story.
For founders, we bring capital, experience, and a network that opens doors. By building strong partnerships, we want to help Indian startups grow and compete internationally.
Ashutosh Kumar Jha, General Partner for India at Expert Dojo, said the fund addresses gaps in cross-border capital, mentorship, and go-to-market strategy. India’s entrepreneurial talent pool is unmatched.
However, challenges remain, especially in cross-border capital access, international mentorship, and go-to-market expansion. This fund is structured to bridge these exact gaps,” he noted. We’re building more than a portfolio — an India-US innovation corridor that allows Indian startups to scale globally.
From Bangalore to Boston, from Delhi to Dubai, we want our founders to think and build borderlessly,” Jha added. To facilitate this expansion, Expert Dojo has opened an office in Bengaluru. The office will handle scouting, founder support, and partnerships.
Mac Mahon emphasized that global tariff disputes, particularly between the US and other countries, do not affect the long-term relationship between the US and India. “It’s all a game. If we were sitting in China right now, and if you asked me, Are you worried?
I’d be like, yeah, this is a disaster. But does that affect our conversation? No, not at all.
This will be incredible for you (India),” he said. Expert Dojo’s expansion and strategic investments are poised to empower the next wave of Indian startups and propel them onto the global stage. The firm’s commitment to the Indian startup ecosystem is evident in its plans to invest $45 million over the next few years.
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