Angel investor Rehan Yar Khan raises Rs. 300 cr from domestic investors for maiden fund

To support technology entrepreneurs who are building the next generation of multi-billion dollar companies from India

Angel investor Rehan Yar Khan has raised Rs.300 crore to launch his maiden venture capital fund, Orios Venture Partners.

The entire fund is raised from investors within the country. It is, perhaps, the largest risk capital pool yet raised from domestic investors. Blume Ventures, YourNest Angel Fund, and India Quotient Fund, too, have raised money from domestic investors. But the Rs.300-crore corpus of Orios is claimed to be the largest yet raised from domestic investors.

Orios will invest in early stage companies from seed to Series A and Series B with investments ranging from Rs.50 lakh to Rs.20 crore in key growth sectors such as Internet and B2B software products for global markets.

The objective is to support technology entrepreneurs who are building the next generation of multi-billion dollar companies from India, says a release.

Since 2008, Mr. Rehan has invested in 19 companies. Among them are: Druva, OlaCabs, Jigsee (VuClip), Unbxd and PrettySecrets. Druva, his first investment, is currently valued at over Rs.1,000 crore. 

“Orios Venture Partners extends my work since 2008 of backing these entrepreneurs not just with capital but, more importantly, with strategic and operational guidance to build rapidly growing business and emerge as market leaders in their domain,’’ said Mr. Rehan, who is the Managing Partner. The seven-year fund had 30 per cent institutional investors, he said.

The rest comprised high net worth individuals, he added.

To a question, he said, “We will complete the initial investment in the next 18 months. We have identified one investment so far in the software product space.” While declining to give details, he said the maiden investment could be around Rs.20 crore into a start-up which had presence in Mumbai and Pune. To a query, he said, “We do not take more than one-third equity in a company. At seed level, we take a board observer seat. At Series A and Series B, we take board director seat.’’

The advisory board of Orios Venture Partners comprises Rajan Anandan (Managing Director, Google India), Anupam Mittal (Founder, Shaadi.com) Shujaat Khan (Managing Director, Blue River Capital) and Raj Chinai (Co-Founder, Harvard Angels), says the release.