Info Edge to commit up to Rs 250 crore to new growth-stage vehicle B8 Fund I

Info Edge to commit up to Rs 250 crore to new growth-stage vehicle B8 Fund I

• Info Edge commits up to Rs 250 crore to B8 Fund I for tech growth
• B8 Fund I targets growth-stage, tech-enabled Indian companies
• Investment aligns with Info Edge's long-term strategy

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Info Edge (India) Ltd on February 26 said its board has approved a commitment of up to Rs 250 crore to B8 Fund I, a newly-launched investment vehicle aimed at backing growth-stage companies in India’s technology ecosystem.

The company will make the contribution directly and/or through its wholly owned subsidiaries, including Smartweb Internet Services Ltd, which will act as the sponsor and investment manager, according to a stock exchange filing.

B8 Fund I has been set up by B8 Trust and registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India as a Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF). Launched on February 12, 2026, the vehicle will invest primarily in growth-stage, tech-enabled companies in or focused on India, with the objective of generating long-term value for contributors while supporting the domestic entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Info Edge’s commitment of up to Rs 250 crore represents the aggregate value of transactions under the contribution agreement, with capital to be deployed in tranches over the life of the vehicle depending on investment opportunities and market conditions.

The investment vehicle will have a base tenure of eight years from the first closing, extendable by up to two years subject to investor approval.

Once the investment management agreement is executed, the vehicle and its schemes will be treated as related parties under SEBI’s listing regulations, though Info Edge said its promoter group has no interest in the transaction and that the investment will be undertaken on an arm’s-length basis.

The new vehicle adds to Info Edge’s existing multi-pronged investment architecture. The company currently operates four pools of financial investments: Info Edge Ventures, with a commitment of about Rs 2,300 crore across three funds; Capital2B, with a commitment of about Rs 280 crore in one fund; early-stage programme Redstart, which has deployed around Rs 110 crore so far; and balance-sheet financial investments totalling roughly Rs 2,000 crore.

In May 2025, shareholders had also approved an investment of up to Rs 1,000 crore in Info Edge Venture Investment Fund III, another SEBI Category II AIF managed by Smartweb, as part of the company’s strategy to institutionalise its startup investing platform.

With the addition of B8 Fund I as a dedicated growth-stage vehicle, Info Edge is expanding beyond early- and mid-stage exposure to create a structured pool targeting expansion-stage companies.

Info Edge, which operates digital platforms such as Naukri.com, 99acres, Jeevansathi and Shiksha, has built a significant track record of backing new-age technology companies, and said the new vehicle aligns with its strategy of making external financial investments focused on medium- to long-term value creation.