Colossa Ventures

Colossa Womenfirst Fund is a SEBI-registered Category II Alternative Investment Fund (reg. IN/AIF2/22-23/1245), managed by Colossa Ventures LLP, an independent venture capital management company headquartered in Lower Parel, Mumbai. The fund was co-founded by Ashu Suyash (former MD & CEO of CRISIL, former India Country Head at Fidelity International) and Vandana Rajadhyaksha (ex-Partner at ICICI Ventures and Aditya Birla Private Equity). With a target corpus of ₹500 crore, the fund achieved its first close at ₹100 crore in March 2024, backed by investors including SIDBI, the family office of Ranjan Pai, and Shriram Ownership Trust. The fund invests in disruptive, category-defining startups that are founded or co-founded by women, or where women are the primary beneficiaries — sectors include SaaS & deep tech, fintech, healthcare, climate & cleantech, and consumer. Portfolio companies include FS Life (FableStreet), FinReach, CENTA, Exposome, Ahammune Biosciences, Serigen Mediproducts, Meolaa, and Vioma Motors. Capability partners include IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, Manipal Academy, and Bombay Law Chambers.

Colossa believes that investing in 'WomenFirst businesses' makes immense business sense — data shows that women comprise half the world, make over 75% of household decisions, and that women-founded companies' success rates are on par with male counterparts, yet they remain chronically underfunded. The fund goes beyond the cheque through its proprietary 3C Framework: Capital (early-stage funding and access to follow-on capital), Capability (resources, networks, mentorship, and market linkages for founders), and Confidence (mindful mentoring to overcome challenges and biases). Colossa seeks to create a new asset class of enduring, high-quality WomenFirst businesses and generate strong alpha for investors — combining financial returns with a knock-on positive social impact through wider economic agency for women in India.