TurboStart, a Bengaluru-based venture capital firm, recently launched TS Bridge—a platform connecting investors with promising startups at various stages. Currently, TurboStart’s network includes 170 investors, with plans to expand to 1,000 in the first year. This initiative aims to support more than 30 startups in its first phase, according to Ganesh Raju, TurboStart’s Founder and CEO.
“Unlike traditional funds that require high-value investments, TurboStart’s model allows smaller ticket sizes, enabling more investors to participate with multiple transactions with full transparency,” he said, adding that the company will host startups on its platform only after TS has invested in them. Since its inception in 2019, the company has invested in 52 startups.
Through TS Bridge, the company provides two investment categories: Scout, for super early-stage startups with an idea or MVP, and Rise, focused on later-stage startups up to Series A. The first four startups selected for TS Bridge include REALM by Lighthouse Realty Solutions, a platform for luxury real estate management; ToHands, a fintech service designed for Kirana stores; Skylark, a full-stack drone company; and Autoflow, an automation platform powered by LLM.
“Unlike typical angel investment platforms that leave funding decisions to individual investors, TurboStart ensures strategic backing by setting performance milestones and mentoring from participants. Funds are released in phases as these milestones are met, driving accountability and growth,” Raju said.
“We see a golden opportunity for India’s startup ecosystem, especially in sectors like healthcare, defence, and space tech,” Raju added, pointing to recent geopolitical shifts globally.
Over the past three years, TurboStart successfully closed two funds, raising about USD 60 million by the end of 2023. Raju emphasized that the firm aims to onboard 50,000 investors in the next 2-3 years, addressing strong market demand for collaborative investment opportunities. TurboStart also sees significant potential in the micro-funding model from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and plans to expand into areas like Coimbatore, Surat, Chennai, and Hyderabad with its fourth fund.
Speaking about the firm’s strategy for investing in deep tech and R&D-focused startups by committing smaller funds, Raju explained, “Despite perceived risks, we see a huge opportunity in deep tech and R&D. By allocating USD 250,000 out of a USD 10 million fund to these domains, the firm limits exposure, while also supporting innovation.”
