Indian Deep-Tech Startups Need Patient Capital for Long-Term Innovation

Indian deep-tech ecosystem demands patient capital and longer investment cycles: Equirus

New Delhi, July 16

The note said deep-tech startups, unlike software-led businesses, require longer development cycles as they spend years validating technologies, building intellectual property (IP), securing regulatory approvals and setting up manufacturing before achieving commercial scale.

Indian deep-tech ventures have attracted over USD 28 billion in investments since 2016, reflecting growing investor confidence in strategic technologies.

Sadhika Agarwal, Lead - Investments, Equirus InnovateX Fund, noted that the next generation of Indian technology companies requires patient, conviction-led capital that aligns with longer product development cycles, regulatory milestones, and manufacturing scale-up.

"India's next generation of technology leaders will not be built on the timelines that defined consumer internet or SaaS businesses," Agarwal said.

"Deep-tech ventures require patient, conviction-led capital that aligns with longer product development cycles, regulatory milestones and manufacturing scale-up. The venture capital industry must evolve from rewarding speed to enabling enduring innovation," Agarwal added.

Forcing deep-tech ventures into conventional five-to-seven-year venture capital cycles creates negative outcomes. The press note indicates that these rigid timelines encourage premature scaling, drive short-term decision-making, and weaken long-term competitive advantage.

"These companies are creating foundational technologies that can define industries for decades," Agarwal said.

"Success cannot be measured purely by near-term revenue milestones. Investors increasingly recognise that intellectual property, technological defensibility and execution capability are stronger indicators of long-term value creation," she added.

Globally, the evolving nature of innovation reshapes investment strategies. Institutional investors with longer investment horizons, such as sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and university endowments, increasingly back deep-tech-focused funds. These entities prioritise technology compounding over rapid mark-ups.

To support this shift, venture capital firms adopt flexible investment structures. These include continuation vehicles, evergreen funds, and blended capital pools that enable longer holding periods while maintaining portfolio discipline. Strategic corporate investors also play a larger role by providing domain expertise, commercial partnerships, and market validation alongside capital.

Domestic policy initiatives further strengthen investor confidence. Programs such as the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, IN-SPACe, iDEX, Make in India, and defence modernisation programmes accelerate private investment across strategic technology sectors.

"Deep-tech investing requires a new partnership between founders and investors," Agarwal said.

"Entrepreneurs are looking beyond capital to investors who understand technology development, regulatory pathways and commercialisation journeys. The funds that adapt to this new reality will be best positioned to generate sustainable returns while helping build India's next generation of globally competitive technology companies," Agarwal added.

In response, several venture investors have already begun redesigning portfolio strategies. They balance long-horizon deep-tech investments with businesses that have shorter commercialisation cycles, which allows funds to manage liquidity while supporting breakthrough innovation.

— ANI