Omnivore: The Fund That Bet on India's Farms When Nobody Else Would

In 2010, when Indian venture capital was obsessed with e-commerce and SaaS, one fund asked a different question: who is backing the startups feeding a billion people? Omnivore, founded by Mark Kahn (former EVP of Strategy and Business Development at Godrej Agrovet) and Jinesh Shah (previously VP and CFO at Nexus Venture Partners), became one of India's first sector-specific VC funds — and the pioneer of agritech and agrifood investing in the country.

Omnivore is an impact venture capital firm with a financial-first, impact-driven approach. Its thesis: back early-stage founders building breakthrough technologies across the future of agriculture, food systems, climate and the rural economy. The firm's current framework spans four themes — Digital Value Chains, Emerging Technologies, Inclusive Fintech and Sustainable Brands — covering farmer platforms, agri fintech, precision agriculture, farm-to-consumer brands, post-harvest technology and agrifood life sciences. Investing from its Mumbai base, the firm now also backs founders across Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The firm's fund history charts the growth of Indian agritech itself. Omnivore Partners India Fund I (launched 2011) and Omnivore Partners India Fund II (final close $82 million in 2019) were followed by the Omnivore Agritech & Climate Sustainability Fund (Fund III), launched in April 2022 with a $130 million target and a first close at $150 million, backed by DFIs including KfW, FMO, the International Finance Corporation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Dutch Good Growth Fund. The firm currently manages US$295 million across two active funds.

Omnivore typically leads or co-leads seed, pre-Series A and Series A rounds, reserving follow-on capital for future growth. The portfolio includes DeHaat, Arya, Stellapps, Reshamandi, Ecozen, Aquaconnect, Pixxel, Bijak, AgNext, Intello Labs, Skymet and Clover, with exits including Eruvaka (acquired by Nutreco) and Barrix. Through its investments, Omnivore says it has touched the lives of almost 7 million smallholder farmers, improving their profitability and resilience. Partners Reihem Roy and Subhadeep Sanyal lead investing alongside the two managing partners, with deep Indian agribusiness and technology expertise on the team.

Founders also get ecosystem support beyond capital. Omnivore launched the OmniX Bio Initiative to provide additional backing for agri-food life science startups — spanning agro-biotechnology, innovative farming systems, bioenergy, biomaterials and novel food products — and publishes sector research such as the "Feeding the Next Billion" report series. Anchor relationships like its strategic partnership with the Godrej Group, dating back to the first fund, give portfolio founders unusual corporate depth in the Indian agri value chain.