A new breed of angels—sports stars, actors, and young professionals—is edging its way into investment territory as big-name startup investors go easy on early-stage funding. Data from Tracxn showed former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led with six investment rounds, followed by cricketer Ajinkya Rahane with three. Cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Shikhar Dhawan backed two companies each, while cricketer Sourav Ganguly and tennis player Sania Mirza also contributed.
Badminton player P.V. Sindhu joined the list as the newest athlete angel last year with three investments in startups.
The sports icons are increasingly participating in early-stage funding even as the top three angel investors of 2023 reduced their investments in 2024, reflecting a pullback in angel funding to startups.
According to Padmaja Ruparel, co-founder of the Indian Angel Network, the profile of angel investors is broadening beyond wealthy entrepreneurs.
"Younger professionals with high-paying jobs are increasingly allocating funds to this high-risk asset class. It's remarkable to see angel investing mature into a bona fide asset class," she told Mint.
Dhoni holds a stake in drone maker Garuda Aerospace, electric vehicle (EV) startup EMotorad, EV mobility startup BluSmart, fitness startup Tagda Raho, among others.
この記事は Mint Mumbai の January 04, 2025 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Mint Mumbai の January 04, 2025 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Public debt: Do not let it eclipse the fiscal deficit
The Centre's plan to adopt debt as its new focus for budget prudence after 2025-26 does hold merit but we must not lose track of the fiscal gap. It'll remain a valuable economic indicator
Budget: It must aim to engineer India's economic transformation
The target of Viksit Bharat by 2047 requires the budget to balance immediate challenges with long-term development goals
The 'Asian Aunty' is smashing ageist and gender stereotypes
'Aunty' leaders are tackling a widely normalized form of 'othering'
The Digital Data Protection Rules Have Hits and Misses
Some provisions can set a global example for age-gating but others would overburden data fiduciaries
Longevity Is Usually A Reward For Being Unspectacular
Careers That Endure Are Typically Not Spectacular. This Is So In Politics As Well As Other Fields
Get public-private partnerships right for target-oriented growth
The UK's new government should engage the private sector with deals that achieve public objectives
How this 27-year-old is rebuilding her finances after a French detour
Angane is leveraging dual income streams to repay her loan and regain financial control after health concerns
How to Use Home Loan Interest as Acquisition Cost
With the 2023 amendment offering clarity, taxmen must enforce the law in right spirit
Ketan Parekh: Inside SEBI's 30-Month Probe
The investigation claims to have untangled a mesh of people and entities involved in a front-running scam
Nayara set to add a fuel station per day
Nayara Energy, India's largest private fuel retailer, plans to add 400 petrol pumps this year to expand its retail network across various states, the firm said in a statement on Sunday.
