Aakrit Vaish and Pratyush Choudhury Unveil Activate, a $75 Million AI-Focused Fund to Catalyze India’s Global Deep Tech Ecosystem
What is the news?
A significant new player has entered the Indian venture capital market with the launch of Activate, a $75 million fund dedicated to the burgeoning Artificial Intelligence and deep tech sectors. The fund is led by prominent Indian origin founders Aakrit Vaish, co-founder of Jio Haptik, and Pratyush Choudhury, former Principal at Together Fund.
Activate is positioned to be a crucial early-stage investor, aiming to write substantial checks ($500,000 to $3 million) to highly technical founding teams, often before formal company formation, signaling a commitment to velocity and conviction in the next wave of AI Innovation. The fund’s thesis is centered on enabling these teams to build globally competitive AI products, thereby cementing India’s role as a major hub for intellectual capital.
Why is it interesting?
The strength of Activate lies in its cross-border influence, having attracted a notable roster of Limited Partners (LPs) from both the Indian and US ecosystems, including prominent figures like Vinod Khosla and Aravind Srinivas (Perplexity AI). This mix of global and domestic experience ensures that the portfolio companies will have access to mentorship, networks, and a strategic view necessary for international expansion.
By investing across the entire AI stack – from applications to foundational models – Activate is set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of deep tech from India to the world.