Investor Profile: NB Ventures — Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

Founders looking for NB Ventures funding are looking at a Dubai-headquartered investor betting squarely on the India growth story. Founded in 2016 by Neeleshwar (Neelesh) Bhatnagar — former CEO of Landmark Arabia with 15+ years at the Landmark Group and a Forbes Middle East Top Indian Business Leaders 2018 honouree — NB Ventures has backed more than 50 startups since inception, investing through the founder's family office.

Thesis and focus: how to get funding from NB Ventures

The thesis: back early-stage Indian companies with differentiated offerings and help them expand into the GCC and Middle East. The firm evaluates investments on scalability, saleability and exit prospects alongside founder passion — and the founder's own network opens doors across Gulf retail and distribution.

Sectors, stages and cheque size

Sectors span healthcare, education and edtech, hospitality, information technology, F&B and foodtech, sustainability, e-commerce, fintech, retail, logistics and lifestyle. The focus is early-stage (seed to pre-Series A), with stated interest in late-stage and growth-stage co-investments alongside institutional leads. Fund size and cheque size are not publicly disclosed; a roughly $50M joint fund with Blume Ventures was reported as planned in November 2023, with no confirmed close verified.

Notable portfolio

Verified portfolio companies include Pixxel, HealthifyMe, Purplle, WebEngage, Leverage Edu, Melorra, Ghost Kitchens, Assidus, Otto, ElectricPe, ClearDekho, Bold Care, Spartan Poker, Power Gummies, WickedGud, Clip the Deal, Texub, Pernia's Pop-Up, Thirdwave, Wrogn Fashion, G.O.A.T Brand Labs, Suraasa, Enact Systems and Junio.

Partners and team

Alongside founder Neelesh Bhatnagar, the team page lists Rushab Bhatnagar (Strategy Director), Supriya Hurkat (Finance Manager) and Radhika Gadhia (Investment Officer). Bhatnagar is also an LP in 10+ funds including Accel, Fireside Ventures and Chiratae Ventures.

How to apply for funding

There is no pitch portal; the portfolio page invites startups to "connect with us". Contact routes on nbventuresme.com include the website contact form, phone +9-714-566-0117 and [email protected]. Founders with credible Gulf-expansion plans should lead with that — it is the firm's sharpest value-add.

Bhatnagar's own positioning in the ecosystem reinforces the thesis: he is an LP in more than 10 funds including Accel, Fireside Ventures and Chiratae Ventures, giving NB Ventures unusual visibility into India's early-stage pipeline. YourStory's October 2023 coverage noted the firm had already backed over 50 startups across sectors by then, and the team continues to pair cheques with hands-on help on Gulf market entry — from regulatory navigation to retail distribution partnerships.