As the winter season sets in, the Indian startup ecosystem experiences a notable chill in funding, with November marking the lowest venture capital (VC) investment levels since 2017. The funding landscape appears to be going through a winter slump, witnessing a sharp 66 percent decline from the previous month, amounting to $223 million across 35 deals, as reported by Venture Intelligence on December 1.
The impact of this funding winter is far-reaching, contributing to a significant year-on-year decline of 78.2 percent compared to November 2022. This decline is part of a broader trend affecting the overall funding scenario for the year 2023. Indian startups, which secured a substantial $24.36 billion in funding the previous year, have experienced a substantial drop of 71 percent, with the total standing at $7.05 billion till November.
Cautious investors are playing a pivotal role in this funding slowdown, exercising prudence and taking their time before closing rounds. Mitesh Shah, founder of VC firm IPV, sheds light on the cautious investor sentiment, noting, “Now people are weighing all the options before committing to anything.”
Late-stage funding rounds, in particular, have witnessed a significant disappearance in the last two months, extending a trend observed throughout the year. In 2023, late-stage funding deals for startups amounted to only 45, securing a total funding of $1.9 billion. This is a notable drop from the 77 deals that amassed $6.8 billion in funding in the preceding year.
Despite these challenges, there are glimpses of hope in the form of early-stage funding, with the top deals in November ranging from seed to series B. Investors are cautiously optimistic about a potential rebound in late-stage deals in the latter half of 2024.
Anirudh Damani, Managing Partner at Artha Venture Fund, expresses optimism, stating, “I believe the numbers are trailing the actual sentiment. There is a lot more positivity and excitement going into the final calendar month of 2023.” Damani anticipates a robust year for investing in 2024, foreseeing a potential surge in activity in the next two quarters, particularly post the 2024 elections. Despite the current challenges, confidence in the recovery of the private markets aligns with the record highs observed in equity markets.
Among the most active venture capital firms, Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia India) leads the pack with 39 deals, closely followed by Blume Ventures and Accel India with 26 and 20 deals, respectively. Rainmatter Capital and Nexus Venture Partners also maintain their presence, having invested in 16 and 13 companies this year.
As the Indian startup ecosystem navigates through this funding winter, industry stakeholders remain watchful, anticipating signs of a thaw and a potential resurgence in the coming year. The cautious optimism expressed by investors suggests a belief in the resilience of the startup landscape, with expectations set on a gradual recovery and renewed vigor in the near future.