“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.
With TS Bridge, the company offers two distinct investment categories—Scout, catering to super early-stage startups at the idea or Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage, and Rise, focused on later-stage startups up to Series A. It also announced the first four startups for TS Bridge: REALM by Lighthouse Realty Solutions, which is developing a platform for luxury real estate management; ToHands, a fintech startup that will offer an all-in-one solution for Kirana stores; Skylark, a full-stack drone company; and Autoflow, an end-to-end LLM-powered automation platform.
“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.
The firm said it has successfully closed two funds over the last three years, bringing the aggregate raised to about USD 60 million by the end of 2023. “We want to bring 50,000 investors on board over the next 2-3 years,” Raju said, emphasizing a clear appetite in the market for this kind of collaborative approach. The founder also sees immense potential in the micro-funding model from Tier II and III cities, with plans to target regions like Coimbatore, Surat, Chennai, and Hyderabad in its fourth fund.
The founder also sees immense potential in the micro-funding model from Tier-2 and 3 cities with plans to target regions like Coimbatore, Surat, Chennai, and Hyderabad in its fourth fund. “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.
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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.”