One man, over 25 investments: Ratan Tata’s love affair with startups

He is on a roll. Ratan Tata loves the startup world, with over 25 investments since his first two years ago. The Indian industrialist says he likes businesses that can enhance the quality of people’s lives and founders who make a good impression.

And, oh yes, he confesses to being very numbers driven too. “In the past two or three years, the companies I have looked at have grown at rates I could not have believed [were] possible,” he says.

Barely five weeks into 2016, and he has already put his money where his mouth is. Seven startups operating in diverse areas have bagged his cash – including one that brings premium tea to your doorstep and another that sells diapers.

The amounts invested in all seven were undisclosed. Most of these firms have made a name for themselves through disruptive ideas, growth, and popularity. Here’s a look at what has tickled Tata in the new year so far:

Invictus Oncology

Biopharma startup Invictus Oncology aims to improve the life of cancer patients in India, where an alarming 1 million new cases are said to be diagnosed every year.

Based in Delhi, it was founded by Raghunath Mashelkar and Shiladitya Sengupta in 2011. The company uses technology to design anti-cancer drugs that can target a tumor and modulate its immune response.

Moglix

As an icon in the world of Indian manufacturing, this investment is right up Tata’s alley. He has now put his money on Moglix, an ecommerce startup in the manufacturing tech space. The company, based in Noida and Singapore, is a marketplace for industrial products.

Teabox

Now, who would have thought that technology could do wonders to your tea? Bangalore-based Teabox lets you order in your favorite cuppa from Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiris, or Nepal from the comfort of your home. For that, you can thank Kaushal Dugar who founded the startup in 2012. It has delivered 60,000 kg of tea so far and ships to 93 countries.

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