360 One Asset, a subsidiary of India’s leading wealth and asset management firm 360 One WAM, has announced the launch of a 500 crore rupee (US$60 million) early-stage venture capital strategy.

The strategy aims to support startups from their first institutional funding stage through to scaling. It will focus on sectors including consumer technology, fintech infrastructure, generative AI, spacetech, defense, and precision manufacturing.

Beyond capital investment, the firm will provide strategic guidance, governance support, and access to later-stage growth funding through its investment platform.

This approach aligns with the company’s lifecycle investment model, which is supported by its 25,000 crore rupee (US$3 billion) private equity platform.

🔗 Source: YourStory

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Early-stage VC funding shows resilience despite broader market challenges

The launch of 360 One’s Rs 500 crore fund occurs during a complex funding environment where overall Indian startup funding has shown volatility.

In Q1 2025, Indian startups raised US$2.52 billion across 312 deals, reflecting a 17.2% decline from the previous quarter when startups secured US$3 billion 1.

This trend demonstrates how early-stage funding often maintains momentum even when later-stage investments slow. Total VC investments reached US$11.6 billion in 2024, increasing 5.4% from 2023 despite global economic headwinds 2.

The strategic timing of this fund launch aligns with government policy initiatives, including reforms like abolishing the angel tax and new funding mechanisms introduced in the Union Budget 2025, which aim to enhance capital access for startups 3, 2.

360 ONE’s approach of targeting 25 startups with an average ticket size of Rs 10-25 crore reflects a strategic adaptation to current market conditions, focusing on quality over quantity 4.

2️⃣ Indian VC landscape evolving with sector-specific expertise and governance focus

The new 360 One fund exemplifies how Indian VC firms are moving beyond passive capital provision toward active partnership models that include strategic guidance and governance support.

The fund’s advisory board includes industry veterans like Gaurav Kushwaha (Bluestone), Nigel Vaz (Publicis Sapient), and Vaibhav Domkundwar (Better Capital), demonstrating how domain expertise is becoming essential to VC strategy in competitive sectors 4, 5.

This approach reflects a maturation of India’s venture ecosystem, with investors prioritizing disciplined investment processes with clear value creation plans and defined exit strategies, rather than the previous growth-at-all-costs mentality 4, 2.