Info Edge (Naukri Parent) Bets Big on India’s AI Future
Info Edge, the parent company of Naukri.com, has emerged as one of India’s most active institutional backers of artificial intelligence and deep technology startups. In a shareholder letter released on June 22, 2026, the company revealed it has invested over ₹1,000 crore across 54 AI and deeptech startups since 2020, with the combined portfolio now valued at ₹1,827 crore—an 82% appreciation in value .
📊 The Numbers Behind the Bet
Info Edge’s AI portfolio comprises 28 startups with investments of ₹614 crore, currently valued at ₹1,268 crore—delivering a 2.1x multiple on invested capital and an estimated gross internal rate of return (IRR) of 31% . Fifteen of these 28 companies have raised externally led follow-on funding rounds from investors including Insight Partners, Peak XV, SIG, and Vertex .
The deep-tech portfolio, meanwhile, consists of 30 companies with investments of ₹455 crore, valued at ₹559 crore, implying a 1.2x multiple and a gross IRR of approximately 15% . Thirteen of these 30 startups have secured externally led rounds from institutional investors and sovereign programmes .
Info Edge founder and vice chairman Sanjeev Bikhchandani articulated the company’s investment philosophy: “We began investing in AI and deeptech in 2020 – ahead of the broader market wave. We identify exceptional founders early, invest before consensus forms, and stay invested longer than most others are willing to” .
🤖 AI Portfolio: Building India’s Sovereign AI Stack
The company’s AI portfolio spans enterprise AI, consumer AI, and AI infrastructure, including startups such as Gnani.ai, Aftershoot, Attentive AI, Lumiq, Pascal AI, and Shipsy .
Several portfolio companies have secured support under flagship government technology initiatives. Voice AI startup Gnani.ai was selected under the IndiaAI Mission and received government-backed GPU compute credits worth ₹177 crore to help build sovereign AI foundation models .
Bikhchandani noted: “We believe India will create globally relevant AI, deeptech and consumer technology companies over the next decade. India is entering a period where globally relevant technology companies will increasingly be built from India, not just for India” .
🔬 Deep-Tech Portfolio: From IP Creation to Commercialisation
The deep-tech portfolio includes companies across robotics, semiconductors, biotechnology, spacetech, defence technology, and electric mobility . Notable investments include:
Info Edge entered sectors such as robotics, healthcare, biotechnology, and space technology well before they attracted mainstream investor interest, often backing startups at the intellectual property creation and research-and-development stage—in some cases at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 or earlier .
📈 Consumer Tech Remains the Crown Jewel
Despite the growing focus on AI and deep-tech, consumer technology remains the largest contributor to Info Edge’s startup portfolio value. The company has invested ₹2,755 crore across 45 consumer-tech and consumer-AI startups, with the portfolio now valued at ₹37,214 crore—representing a 13.5x multiple and a gross IRR of approximately 34% .
The portfolio includes listed companies Eternal (which houses Zomato and Blinkit) and PB Fintech (parent of Policybazaar), alongside investments across travel, healthcare, e-commerce, fintech, gaming, and education technology .
🔮 The Road Ahead: A Long-Term Bet
Across all categories, Info Edge and the alternative investment funds (AIFs) it manages have invested approximately ₹4,900 crore across 135 startups, with the combined portfolio now valued at ₹41,300 crore—an 8.4x multiple and an estimated gross IRR of 33% .
However, Bikhchandani sounded a note of caution: “Early-stage investing needs seven to ten years for positive results to emerge. We regard intermediate IRRs with some degree of scepticism and take them with a generous pinch of salt” .
As he stated: “We believe future value creation will be driven by three themes predominantly — Artificial Intelligence, Deeptech and Consumer Technology — with AI expected to reshape both startups and established internet businesses”
