VCs line up for ₹1 lakh crore government fund
More than 100 Indian venture capital firms, including Mela Ventures, Blume Ventures, and Chiratae, are lining up for a slice of the massive ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) fund.
This six-year government-backed scheme aims to fuel India's next wave of tech breakthroughs.
How the fund works
The RDI fund has a two-layer setup: money first goes into a Special Purpose Fund, then gets distributed by agencies like Technology Development Board and BIRAC.
The source does not specify any fiscal-year-specific allocation; it only states a ₹1 lakh crore outlay to be deployed over six years (announced in the July 2025 budget).
Startups may receive low- or nil-rate loans, equity, or contributions to deep-tech funds.
Funding deep tech startups
VCs want this funding to back deep tech startups working on big ideas in research and innovation: think AI, robotics, clean energy, and more.
Vishal Katariya from Ankur Capital summed it up well: he said the fund will help bridge the growth-capital gap for deeptech funds.
Supporting India's future industries
The RDI fund is all about sunrise sectors like AI, quantum computing, biotech, space tech, semiconductors: the stuff shaping India's future.
Its flexible design means startups and technology entities at TRL 4 and above can access support, helping prevent advanced projects from stalling due to funding gaps.