Investment thesis
Naveli Ventures is the strategic venture arm of the Nanda Family Office, formally unveiled in October 2026 by entrepreneur Navya Naveli Nanda, who serves as managing partner. The platform exists to back new ideas, support emerging technologies and grow alongside founders building for the future of India. Its stated philosophy is to define itself "not by sector but by the scale of the problem and the conviction of those solving it". Beyond capital, Naveli promises to show up as a long-term partner, bringing the Nanda Family Office's relationships across industry, government, academia and the investor community to help portfolio companies scale. The firm is explicit that it is not chasing quick returns, but looking to help build enduring companies with exceptional people.
Sectors and stage focus
Naveli Ventures focuses on startups and research-led opportunities across deep-tech, space, clean energy, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and health. It invests through four routes: direct startup investments, commitments to institutional funds, co-investments, and partnerships involving academia and intellectual property. The emphasis on research-led and frontier technologies, combined with patient family-office capital, positions it for the long gestation periods typical of deep-tech commercialisation.
Fund size
The fund size, cheque range and existing portfolio have not been publicly disclosed. As the venture arm of an established family office rather than a raised third-party fund, Naveli is expected to deploy flexible, patient capital, but founders should confirm ticket sizes directly with the team.
Notable portfolio
No portfolio companies had been publicly disclosed at the time of the October 2026 launch announcement. The platform had been in development for some time before its formal unveiling, and its first investments are expected to emerge in deep-tech and frontier technology categories.
Partners
Navya Naveli Nanda is the founder and managing partner. An entrepreneur, non-profit founder and podcast host, she is the granddaughter of veteran actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan and the daughter of Shweta Bachchan Nanda and industrialist Nikhil Nanda. She recently completed the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad's blended Post Graduate Programme for working professionals and entrepreneurs. Agastya Nanda is the other designated partner of Naveli Ventures LLP, which was incorporated in March 2023. The family office is associated with the Nanda business group, which includes Escorts Kubota, the farm and construction equipment company.
Programmes and founder perks
No accelerator programmes, fellowships or founder credit and perk schemes have been announced. The firm's differentiation lies in access to the family office's industrial, governmental and academic networks rather than structured programmes.
Why it matters for founders
Naveli Ventures adds one more patient-capital option for India's deep-tech and space founders, a category where long R&D cycles often clash with venture timelines. The promise of the Nanda group's industrial relationships, including Escorts Kubota's manufacturing footprint, could be genuinely useful for hardware and advanced-manufacturing startups. But with no disclosed fund size, cheque range or portfolio, founders should treat early conversations as exploratory and push for clarity on decision-making speed and follow-on capacity before investing months in diligence.