Syndicate / NetworkSamarthya Investment Advisors
StagesPre-Seed, Pre-Series A, Series B
SectorsSaaS / Enterprise, Fintech, Consumer / D2C · Early-stage builders, Founder-led / operator capital
Ticket$500K – $1M
Angel / IndividualSupport early-stage founders building disruptive solutions in emerging technologies aligned with India's innovation and sustainable-development vision; a structured investment approach backed by a strong network of LPs and angels, aimed at addressing the critical early-stage funding gap.
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Support early-stage founders building disruptive solutions in emerging technologies aligned with India's innovation and sustainable-development vision; a structured investment approach backed by a strong network of LPs and angels, aimed at addressing the critical early-stage funding gap.
1 company mapped to this fund.
Background and context for founders evaluating this investor.
Enlighten Angel Fund — now rebranded as Enlighten Capital — is a Chennai-based early-stage investor founded in 2022 that, over its first two years, operated as an angel fund and syndicated more than ten investments while building a reputation for identifying and nurturing high-potential ventures. In early December 2024 it received SEBI approval to operate as an Alternative Investment Fund and rebranded into a full-fledged micro-VC, completing a ₹100 crore maiden fund (Fund 1) raised from limited partners and launching fundraising for an additional ₹100 crore greenshoe option, taking its target corpus to ₹200 crore. The fund focuses on early-stage, disruptive startups in sectors it sees as driving change — emerging technologies, smart manufacturing, mobility and fintech — explicitly aligning its thesis with India's vision for innovation and sustainable development. Enlighten is led by General Partners Koushik Shekar, who moved from technology roles at Sutherland and Citi into consulting and angel investing, and Arvind Subramaniam, an entrepreneur and operator, supported by a partner team of Goutham Sekhar, Snehali Mansingh Khamkar and Rohit Mohan. Backed by a structured investment approach and a strong network of LPs and angels, the fund positions itself as an institutional enabler addressing the critical early-stage funding gap, and runs ecosystem initiatives such as its iZentral startup carnival.
In early December 2024 it received SEBI approval to operate as an Alternative Investment Fund and rebranded into a full-fledged micro-VC, completing a ₹100 crore maiden fund (Fund 1) raised from limited partners and launching fundraising for an additional ₹100 crore greenshoe option, taking its target corpus to ₹200 crore.
Chennai. Founded 2022 as Enlighten Angel Fund (EnlightenVC.online). Rebranded to Enlighten Capital (full-fledged Micro VC) in Dec 2024 after receiving SEBI AIF approval. Maiden fund: INR 100 Cr raised from LPs + INR 100 Cr greenshoe (INR 200 Cr target). GPs Koushik Shekar (ex-Sutherland, Citi) & Arvind Subramaniam; partners Goutham Sekhar, Snehali Mansingh Khamkar, Rohit Mohan; team ~7. Syndicated 10+ investments as an angel fund. Runs the iZentral startup carnival (with Startup India, i-Hub Gujarat).
Data confidence: Verified (web sources, Dec 2024)
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