Expert Dojo, a venture capital firm based in Southern California, has launched a $100 million global fund. The firm has set aside $15 million specifically for investments in Indian startups. Brian Mac Mahon, founder and managing partner at Expert Dojo, announced the fund at a launch event.
“We’ve made close to 30 investments in India already, and globally, we’ve backed nearly 100 companies with Indian founders,” Mac Mahon said. “While the $15 million fund is only the beginning, we see India becoming our biggest market.”
The firm plans to invest up to $100,000 in 20-25 startups within the current financial year. Startups that achieve key growth milestones over the next three years may receive follow-on rounds of up to $1 million.
Expert Dojo expects to invest an additional $30 million in Indian startups over the next 2-3 years. Ashutosh Kumar Jha, general partner for Expert Dojo in India, will lead the firm’s efforts in the country. The firm is targeting sectors such as deep tech, cybersecurity, fintech, and enterprise SaaS.
“We’ll work with founders over three years with marketing, growth, and scale support,” Mac Mahon added. Expert Dojo has previously invested in notable Indian startups such as Bhive Worlspace, Cloudworx, Consuma, Mugafi, Fudr, and Doqfy.
Investment in Indian startups
In the US, the firm has invested in over 300 startups. The fund will operate through a Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) structure registered in India. This will streamline compliance for foreign investors and allow Expert Dojo to act as a local investor.
“While dollar-in has always been easy, dollar-out remains tricky. A local fund allows us more flexibility and makes us more competitive,” Jha said. Mac Mahon expressed confidence in India’s deep talent pool.
“Indian founders are the most serious founders in the world, period. Every year, tens of thousands graduate from IITs, and many who’ve gone abroad return with diverse experiences,” he said. The firm has plans to significantly scale its presence in India.
“We’re not here to be the number one VC,” Mac Mahon said. “We’re here to be a great VC that helps Indian founders build world-class, lovable products.”
Photo by; Syed Hussaini on Unsplash