Investor Profile: Hyderabad Angel Fund — Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

Hyderabad Angel Fund, known as HAF and based at haf.vc, is a SEBI-registered Category I Venture Capital Fund that aims to bring angel-style judgement together with institutional discipline. It builds on the 12-year legacy of Hyderabad Angels, but it is a distinct fund vehicle, not merely the angel network under another name, and it invests at the inflection points where a promising startup needs capital plus networks to scale.

Thesis: regional capital for market-ready founders

HAF's thesis is that credible founders exist well beyond India's largest metros, and that regional funds can find them earlier and support them more closely. Its site stresses disciplined evaluation, deep ecosystem insight and experienced partners, and its managing director has framed the fund as part of a renewed early-stage confidence in India after a cautious 2024. The emphasis is on founders who are market-ready, not on ideas alone.

Sectors and stages

HAF backs high-potential early-stage startups across India. Its stated radar includes generative AI, gaming, space technology, drones, healthtech, consumer technology, fintech, enterprise software-as-a-service and sustainability.

Fund size and cheque size

In November 2025, Hyderabad Angel Fund announced a ₹100 crore venture capital initiative to back 15 to 20 startups, with typical cheques of ₹2 crore to ₹4 crore per company and reserves for follow-on rounds. At announcement it said it had secured 62 per cent of its target commitments, had identified three potential startups with term sheets, and had completed one investment.

Notable portfolio and partners

HAF's site highlights STAN, described as India's creator and community hub for gaming, at Series A stage, and Dhruva Space, a space-technology company at pre-Series B stage, with a strong order book and a move towards profitability. Its wider community is described as more than 100 investors. The fund is led by managing director Kalyan Sivalenka and investment director Rathnakar Samavedam, who is credited with more than 80 investments and more than 20 exits.

Programs run and credits or perks

HAF does not advertise a fixed-length accelerator cohort in the sources reviewed, and no startup credits package is stated. Its programme, in effect, is mentorship plus strategic guidance from its investor community and ecosystem partners, including its corporate base at T-Hub in Hyderabad. For founders, the practical benefit is access to operators and investors rooted in Telangana's ecosystem, alongside capital that is explicitly reserved for follow-on support.

How to apply for funding from Hyderabad Angel Fund

HAF's site invites founders to build together with the fund and provides contact details on haf.vc, including its Hyderabad corporate address at T-Hub. No single public application form was identified in the sources reviewed for this profile, so founders should approach through the contact details on haf.vc with a concise note on traction, market readiness and the specific inflection point at which capital is needed.