Cactus Venture Partners

Established in 2020 by Anurag Goel (co-founder of Cactus Communications), Amit Sharma (experienced investor), and Rajeev Kalambi (former banker and PE investor), CVP is based in Mumbai with additional offices in Gurugram and Bengaluru.

The firm was created with the aim of empowering Indian entrepreneurs whose innovations can have a significant impact both locally and globally.

Investment Thesis & Focus:

CVP focuses on early-stage investments, targeting companies that have already achieved product-market fit (PMF) and are raising Series A or early Series B rounds.

Their ideal investment size is between $2–5 million, with a strategy to participate in at least two rounds for high-performing portfolio companies.

The fund has a broad yet conviction-led sectoral focus, with primary interests in:

Climate Tech: Energy storage, battery recycling, sustainable agriculture, and waste management.

Healthtech: Tech-driven models in wellness, preventive healthcare, insurance, and chronic care.

B2B SaaS: Enterprise software solutions with scalable business models.

Growth Acceleration Playbook (GAP)

CVP distinguishes itself with its Growth Acceleration Playbook (GAP)—an internal framework designed to support founders beyond capital. CVP collaborates closely with entrepreneurs, providing strategic guidance, network access, and operational best practices to help them scale sustainably and profitably.

Portfolio & Track Record:

CVP’s portfolio features notable startups such as:

LOHUM (battery recycling, $54M round)

Kapture CX (B2B SaaS, $4M round)

AURIC (D2C wellness, 5x revenue growth)

Vitraya, AMPM, Rubix, and recent investments in ParkMate (parking tech) and Indigrid (EV components).

The firm achieved its first exit in 2023 from Rubix with an impressive 48% IRR, highlighting its disciplined, focused approach.

Fund Performance & Market Context

Despite launching during a challenging funding environment (the “funding winter” of 2022–23), CVP closed its first fund at ₹630 crore (~$77M), supported by a mix of Indian and international LPs, including SIDBI, SRI Fund, and the UP Startup Fund. The team’s resilience and ability to attract high-quality capital in tough times reflect their credibility and vision.

What’s Next for CVP?

With plans to make 8–10 more focused investments over the next two years, CVP continues to support purpose-driven founders who blend vision with execution. Their commitment: invest in sustainable, high-impact businesses rather than following market trends.