z21 Ventures Raises $20M in First Close of Second Fund to Support Early-Stage Startups

Early-stage investment firm z21 Ventures has raised $20 million in the first close of its $40 million second fund, with WestBridge Capital as the anchor investor. The firm, which supports technology startups in India and Indian-origin entrepreneurs in the U.S., will continue to invest in sectors like artificial intelligence, enterprise software, and healthcare.

Focus on Early-Stage Startups

Founded in 2022 by Innovaccer cofounder Abhinav Shashank and Raj Shekhar Singh, z21 Ventures aims to invest in pre-seed and seed-stage startups. The fund targets companies with strong teams, innovative technologies, and large market opportunities, particularly within the tech space.

Singh expressed excitement over the partnership with WestBridge Capital, stating, "This successful fundraise validates our community-led model and track record of supporting promising early-stage companies."

Community-Led Approach

z21 Ventures operates as a collective of Indian-origin tech executives from companies like Google, Amazon, Meta, and Apple, who serve as limited partners (LPs). These experienced operators provide mentorship and guidance to the startups z21 backs. The firm’s first $5 million fund, deployed earlier this year, supported 26 startups, including Fireside Ventures-backed Inito and AI firm Truefoundry.

With the new fund, z21 Ventures plans to expand its reach and help early-stage founders build category-defining companies.