India’s startup ecosystem has seen explosive growth over the past decade, but behind every successful venture is often an early believer; an angel investor. These are the risk-takers who spot potential in an idea long before the world notices, and back it with not just money, but also experience, guidance, and connections.
Angel investors play a crucial role in shaping young startups, especially in those uncertain early days when support can make or break a company. From tech founders to industry veterans, many of India’s top angel investors are driving innovation across sectors, be it fintech, edtech, healthtech, or consumer brands.
In this blog, we’ll take you through some of the most influential angel investors in India and their investments.
Who is an Angel Investor?
An angel investor is someone who puts their own money into early-stage startups in exchange for equity or ownership. Think of them as the first believers in a business idea, often stepping in when banks or venture capitalists consider it too risky.
These individuals don’t just bring in funds but also offer guidance, mentorship, and connections to help young startups grow. Many angel investors are successful entrepreneurs themselves, using their experience to back the next generation of innovators.
List of Top Angel Investors in India
Listed below (not by order) are some of the top angel investors in India that we’ve handpicked for you-
Anupam Mittal
Anupam Mittal is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and one of the most recognizable faces in India’s startup ecosystem. Widely recognized as the founder of Shaadi.com, he established one of the world’s leading matrimonial platforms under the People Group umbrella. Born on December 23, 1971, in Mumbai, Anupam holds an MBA from Boston University and started his career in the US before returning to India to pursue entrepreneurship.
Over the years, he has invested in more than 200 startups, backing names like Ola, Druva, and Rupeek, with a sharp focus on tech and D2C brands. His appearance as a “Shark” on Shark Tank India across all three seasons has made him a household name, valued not just for his investments, but for the wisdom and calm he brings to the table.
List of brands funded by Anupam Mittal-
- Ola (Anupam’s Investment- INR 1 Cr for 2% Equity)
- Reevoy (Anupam’s Investment- INR 30 Cr with other investors)
- TradeX (Anupam’s Investment- INR 7 Cr with other investors)
- One Impression (Anupam’s Investment- INR 7.5 Cr with other investors)
- ASQI Advisors (Anupam’s Investment- INR 7.5 Cr with other investors)
- BharatX (Anupam’s Investment- INR 18.1 Cr with other investors)
- BizzTM (Anupam’s Investment- INR 9 Cr with other investors)
- NxtWave (Anupam’s Investment- Undisclosed)
- Lysto (Anupam’s Investment- Undisclosed)
- Skippi Ice Pops (Anupam’s Investment- INR 20 L for 3% Equity)
- CoslQ (Anupam’s Investment- INR 25 L for 12.5% Equity)
- Revamp Moto (Anupam’s Investment- INR 50 L for 0.75% Equity)
- Heart Up My Sleeves (Anupam’s Investment- INR 12.5 L for 15% Equity)
- VivaLyf (Anupam’s Investment- INR 28 L for 16.6% Equity)
- Meatyour (Anupam’s Investment- INR 10 L for 6.6% Equity)
- Thinkerbell Labs (Anupam’s Investment- INR 50 L for 1% Equity)
- ARRCOAT (Anupam’s Investment- INR 50 L for 15% Equity)
- Loka (Anupam’s Investment- INR 13.3 L for 8% Equity)
- Carragreen (Anupam’s Investment- INR 25L for 10% Equity)
- The Yarn Bazaar (Anupam’s Investment- INR 25 L for 2.5% Equity)
- COCOFIT (Anupam’s Investment- INR 1.6 L for 1.6% Equity)
- InACan (Anupam’s Investment- INR 20 L for 2% Equity)
- Bamboo India (Anupam’s Investment- INR 25 L for 1.75% Equity and 15 L Debt)
- Let’s Try Foods (Anupam’s Investment- INR 22.5 L for 6% Equity)
- Find Your Kicks India (Anupam’s Investment- INR 10 L for 5% Equity)
- Sunfox Technologies (Anupam’s Investment- INR 20 L for 1.2% Equity)
- The Quirky Naari (Anupam’s Investment- INR 17.5 L for 12% Equity)
- Hair Originals (Anupam’s Investment- INR 20 L for 1.3% Equity)
- The Sass Bar (Anupam’s Investment- INR 25 L for 17.5% Equity)
- PawsIndia (Anupam’s Investment- INR 50 L for 15% Equity)
- Watt Technovations (Anupam’s Investment- INR 25.25 L for 1% Equity)
- Tweek Labs (Anupam’s Investment- INR 20 L for 3.3% Equity)
- Jain Shikanji (Anupam’s Investment- INR 10 L for 5% Equity)
Kunal Bahl
Kunal Bahl is best known as the co-founder and CEO of Snapdeal, one of India’s early e-commerce giants. Kunal pursued a dual degree in Engineering and Business from the University of Pennsylvania. Before his entrepreneurial journey, he also completed an Executive Marketing Program at Kellogg School of Management.
More recently, Kunal became a familiar face on Shark Tank India, where he brought his sharp insights and experience as a judge, actively investing in the next generation of Indian startups.
Kunal, along with Rohit Bansal, co-founded Titan Capital, a venture capital firm that’s backed more than 250 startups including Ola, Urban Company, Mamaearth, Razorpay, and GoMechanic. He also founded Unicommerce, a platform that simplifies backend operations for e-commerce businesses.
Ritesh Malik
Ritesh Malik is a doctor who swapped his stethoscope for startups and hasn’t looked back since. Born on June 14, 1989, Ritesh completed his MBBS from Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R Medical University in 2013. But instead of heading into hospitals, he dived into the world of entrepreneurship and investing.
In 2015, he founded Innov8 Coworking, a Y Combinator-backed venture that quickly grew into one of India’s leading coworking chains, with over 45 locations across the country. Today, Ritesh wears many hats including that of an entrepreneur, angel investor, speaker, and philanthropist.
List of brands funded by Ritesh Malik-
- Invact Metaversity (Ritesh’s Investment- USD 5 Million)
- Hypd (Ritesh’s Investment- INR 110 Million)
- Praan (Ritesh’s Investment- USD 2 Million)
- Shyft (Ritesh’s Investment- INR 450 Million)
- CatalyzeX (Ritesh’s Investment- USD 1.6 Million)
- Bimaplan
- Supersourcing (Ritesh’s Investment- USD 1 Million)
- Bitespeed (Ritesh’s Investment- USD 275 K)
- Truly Madly (Ritesh’s Investment- INR 81 Million)
- inFeedo (Ritesh’s Investment- USD 700 K)
- Fin Robotics
- Adstuck Consulting
- Project Guerrilla
Kunal Shah
Kunal Shah is a name that resonates across India’s startup ecosystem. An entrepreneur and angel investor, he’s best known as the founder of CRED, the sleek, members-only platform that rewards users for paying their credit card bills on time.
Born in Mumbai, Kunal earned a degree in Philosophy from Wilson College, and though he enrolled for an MBA at NMIMS, he dropped out; choosing hands-on learning over textbooks. His early days saw him juggling freelance design gigs, programming, and running a small SaaS company.
He first made waves with PaisaBack, a cashback and discount service, but it was FreeCharge, co-founded with Sandeep Tandon in 2010, that really put him on the map. The platform revolutionized how Indians paid their bills, eventually catching the attention of Snapdeal, which acquired it in 2015. Later, Axis Bank took it over in 2017.
In 2018, he launched CRED. Beyond his ventures, Kunal has backed dozens of Indian startups as an angel investor.
List of brands funded by Kunal Shah-
- Plum (Kunal’s Investment- USD 20 Million with other investors)
- Qoohoo (Kunal’s Investment- USD 8 Million with other investors)
- Mensa Brands (Kunal’s Investment- USD 50 Million with other investors)
- Unacademy (Kunal’s Investment- USD 1 Million with other investors)
- FamPay (Kunal’s Investment- USD 38 Million with other investors)
- Spinny (Kunal’s Investment- USD 1 Million)
- Carl Pei’s New Venture (Kunal’s Investment- USD 7 Million with other investors)
Rajan Anandan
Rajan Anandan is among the most prominent figures in India’s startup and investment ecosystem. A great entrepreneur, angel investor, and business leader, Rajan has played a pivotal role in shaping the growth of early-stage startups across South Asia.
Though originally from Sri Lanka, Rajan’s professional journey has spanned global giants including Dell, Microsoft, and Google, where he served as Vice President and Managing Director for India and Southeast Asia. He took over the leadership of Google India in 2011.
He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and a Master’s from Stanford University. He has co-founded Blue Ocean Ventures, Sri Lanka’s first seed fund, and is currently the Managing Director at Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India).
As an angel investor, Rajan has backed over 80 startups including Unacademy, Instamojo, PregBuddy, Druva, TravelKhana, Buttercups, WebEngage, BOV Capital, Capillary Technologies, EasyGov and many more. He’s also expressed his intent to invest USD 1.5 million in startups across South Asia, further supporting the region’s innovation landscape.
Afterword
Angel investors are the quiet catalysts behind many of India’s biggest startup success stories. Their early support often turns ideas into impact, and builds the foundation for the next generation of entrepreneurs. As India’s startup ecosystem continues to grow, so does the importance of these visionary backers.