8i Ventures Launches ‘Origami’ Program to Boost Early-Stage Start-Up Investments.

Early-stage venture capital firm 8i Ventures has announced the launch of the second edition of its pre-seed funding initiative, Origami. The program is designed to support early-stage founders by providing rapid funding and access to a nurturing ecosystem.

The first edition of Origami, launched in March 2024, saw 8i Ventures invest $600,000 in three promising start-ups: Cobalt, a SaaS platform for native integrations; Cautio, a fleet dashcam and video telematics platform; and a yet-to-launch start-up.

“With Origami V2, we’re doubling down on our mission to empower early-stage start-ups with the resources they need to succeed. Continuing our $10 million allocation, we aim to support more pre-seed ventures this year and scale further if the program proves successful,” said Vikram Chachra, Founding Partner at 8i Ventures.

Amid a challenging funding climate, 8i Ventures recently closed the first tranche of its $50 million second fund, raising $25 million. The firm has earmarked $10 million from this fund specifically for Origami.

Applications for the second edition of Origami are open for two weeks in November, with deal evaluations and funding expected to continue through December 2024.

Founded in 2019 by Vikram Chachra and Vishwanath V, 8i Ventures has backed over 50 start-ups across seed and early stages. Known for its early investments, the firm’s initial $200,000 cheque in M2P Technologies delivered a remarkable 36x return. Other portfolio companies include Slice, Easebuzz, and Bbetter.

With the Origami initiative, 8i Ventures aims to accelerate India’s start-up ecosystem, driving growth and innovation in the pre-seed stage.

HBL