Mumbai | October 8, 2026: NABVENTURES, the venture capital arm of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), has announced the first close of NABVENTURES Fund II at ₹450 crore. The fund is targeting a total corpus of ₹1,500 crore, including a green-shoe option, to support early- and growth-stage enterprises working across agriculture and rural markets.

NABARD is the anchor investor in Fund II. The fund will focus on businesses using technology, scalable models and sustainable solutions to address challenges across the agricultural value chain and rural economy.

The announcement builds on NABVENTURES’ earlier funds, which have collectively backed 23 enterprises. Fund II will invest in sectors including agri-tech, food and agribusiness, rural fintech, climate-smart solutions, supply chain and logistics, and other areas contributing to rural development.

Announcing the first close, Dr. Shaji Krishnan V, Chairman of NABARD, said:

“The successful First Close of NABVENTURES Fund II at INR 450 crore marks an important milestone in NABARD's continued commitment to fostering innovation across India's agriculture and rural economy. As the sector evolves, there is a growing need for scalable, technology-driven solutions that enhance productivity, strengthen value chains, improve farmers' incomes, and build resilient rural enterprises.

Through Fund II, we aim to partner with visionary entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions to address critical challenges across the agricultural ecosystem. Our focus is on supporting enterprises that deliver both strong commercial outcomes and meaningful social impact through sustainability, climate resilience, financial inclusion, and livelihood creation.

By deepening support for the innovation ecosystem, NABARD seeks to accelerate the transformation of India's agriculture and rural economy, making it more resilient, competitive, and future-ready.”

Beyond capital investment, NABVENTURES Fund II will draw on NABARD’s nationwide presence and sectoral expertise to help portfolio companies scale their operations and impact. The fund aims to support enterprises that can strengthen agricultural value chains, improve productivity, expand financial inclusion and create rural livelihoods.

The first close marks the initial fundraising milestone for Fund II as NABVENTURES works towards its target corpus of ₹1,500 crore.