Google boosts VC investments in India

NEW DELHI: Google today announced that it has invested in the early stage venture capital funds Ventureast TeNet Fund II and Indian Angel Network to foster innovation in India.

"The early stages of venture capital financing are underserved in the Indian market, despite their critical importance to the innovation chain, said Samir Sood, Google's head of Corporate Development for South Asia. "These partnerships will help us nurture the growth of start-ups and build a dynamic entrepreneurial environment in India."

Ventureast TeNet Fund II is a seed-stage fund run by the Tenet Group of IIT, Madras and Ventureast Fund Advisors and Indian Angel Network, an organization of professionals and companies dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship in India.

The Ventureast TeNet II fund invests in technology that enables early stage entrepreneurs to get their businesses off the ground. Emphasis is placed on technologies and solutions focused on small and medium-sized enterprises and bridging the digital divide in India and global markets. The Indian Angel Network brings together entrepreneurs, companies and CEOs from India and around the world to provide money, mentoring and strategic inputs to early stage ventures in multiple sectors.

Earlier this year Google invested in the venture capital funds Erasmic and Seedfund.