TLDR:
- Suzuki Motor Corporation has formed an India-based impact-driven corporate venture capital arm called Next Bharat Ventures with a $40 million fund.
- The CVC unit is focusing on social impact startups in areas like agriculture, financial inclusion, rural supply chain, and rural mobility in India.
Japanese automotive manufacturer Suzuki Motor Corporation has established an impact-driven corporate venture capital arm in India called Next Bharat Ventures with a $40 million fund. The Next Bharat Venture Fund-1 will concentrate on social impact startups in sectors such as agriculture, financial inclusion, rural supply chain, and rural mobility. The corporate’s Suzuki Innovation Centre in Kandi, near Hyderabad, which was created in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, will now be integrated into Next Bharat Ventures.
The CVC unit is currently accepting applications for its four-month Next Bharat Residency accelerator program, offering mentoring, networking, and collaboration opportunities for selected entrepreneurs. Each startup may receive equity funding ranging from INR10m to INR40m ($120,000 to $480,000). Vipul Nath Jindal, CEO and managing director of Next Bharat, emphasized the investment framework’s focus on horizontal scaling to create profitable SMEs over a fund cycle rather than just a few unicorns.
Other companies like Fujitsu and Yamaha Motor are also making moves in the impact investing space. Fujitsu Ventures has shifted towards impact investing, while Yamaha Motor’s Sustainability Fund is pivoting to AI technology applied in manufacturing due to a decrease in sustainability investment.
This initiative by Suzuki Motor Corporation to launch an impact CVC unit in India reflects a growing trend of companies investing in social impact startups and promoting sustainable development initiatives.
