Microsoft venture arm M12 opens India office in Bengaluru

M12, the venture capital arm of the software giant Microsoft has opened its India office in Bengaluru to focus on investment opportunities in B2B startup space.

Formerly known as Microsoft Ventures, M12 has been remotely in India since 2019 with investment in startups such as Innovaccer and FarEye, and is now looking at segments such as applied AI, business applications, infrastructure, security, and vanguard technologies, stated a press release.

The India office of M12 joins with other locations such as San Francisco, Seattle, London, and Tel Aviv. The VC fund invests in enterprise software startups from Series A through C funding targeting opportunities which are both local and cross-border.

ALSO READ

NASSCOM Foundation and Microsoft announce the Innovate for Accessible India (IAI) initiative to power the growth of Assistive Technologies

A press release from Microsoft said that the new office is a step forward in M12’s long-term commitment to the Indian startup ecosystem.

“The deep technical and business talent from India’s world-class engineering schools and major R&D centers are among the primary draws to the region,” it said.

Since its founding in 2016, M12 has invested in 90 companies. A financial- and founder-focussed fund, M12 maintains a technology-agnostic approach to investments.

Abhi Kumar, India Lead for M12, said:

“Typically, we see the greatest hurdles in a startup’s journey as they scale from local success to global challengers, and then again when they go on to become category leaders. Both inflection points require specific and deep organisational strength, proven talent, GTM partnerships, and global investors.”

Microsoft is closely integrated with the Indian startup ecosystem and has launched several initiatives. It has got the Microsoft for Startup programmes, which provides deep mentorship for these young companies. Besides, Microsoft also has business development that engages on strategic M&A.

In September last year, Microsoft for Startups launched its Highway to a Hundred Unicorns, an initiative to support startups in Tier-II cities of India. It is aimed at empowering startups by providing mentorship and technology support and make them enterprise ready.

The technology giant also recently introduced the Microsoft for Agritech Startups programme that will provide agritech startups with the latest technology and business enablement resources to help them innovate and scale fast.