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Fidelity-backed Eight Roads finds India ‘exciting’, eyes 5-6 deals
MINT· 2026-02-12 12:48
Core Insights - Eight Roads Ventures, backed by Fidelity International, plans to accelerate its investments in India, anticipating five to six deals this year, driven by a positive deal flow in the market [2][4] - The firm views India as the largest opportunity in Asia, surpassing China in terms of investment potential, particularly for the types of investments it is pursuing [3][7] - Since its entry into India in 2007, Eight Roads has invested approximately $1.6 billion across 80 businesses, with 11 of these achieving valuations over $500 million, and some exceeding $1 billion [4] Investment Focus - Eight Roads primarily invests in early growth and growth-stage companies, focusing on technology and healthcare sectors, with cheque sizes ranging from $5 million to $40 million [5] - The technology investments include fintech, enterprise, consumer, and increasingly, artificial intelligence-driven solutions, while healthcare investments cover life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals [5][6] Market Trends - Healthcare has emerged as the largest sector for private investments in India, evolving from the fourth or fifth largest sector in previous years, with a notable increase in innovative companies in pharma and MedTech [6] - The firm emphasizes the importance of a robust digital infrastructure and payments network in India as foundational elements for future investments [7] Exit Strategies - Eight Roads has successfully executed secondary transactions, including a $50 million stake sale in MoEngage, Whatfix, and Shadowfax, indicating a trend towards increasing secondary market activity [9][10] - The firm believes that secondary transactions will remain a significant part of venture capital operations, providing opportunities for returning capital to limited partners and de-risking investments over time [11][12]