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From Warmup to Winning the Startup Race
Warmup Ventures is a Jaipur-based founders-led, sector-agnostic, technology-focused micro-VC firm investing in seed and pre-seed stage companies across India. Founded in 2023 by Sharad Bansal (IIT Delhi alumnus, founder of edtech startup Tinkerly), Rajendra Lora (IIIT Jabalpur alumnus, founder of agritech firm Freshokartz), and Yogesh Chaudhary (Owner and Director of Jaipur Rugs, a globally acclaimed handmade rug brand), the firm combines deep entrepreneurial experience with a powerful LP network comprising successful startup founders, investment professionals, and second-generation business leaders. The SEBI-registered AIF 'Warmup Ventures Trust' (IN/AIF2/24-25/1662) is Warmup Fund II, managed by Warmup Venture Partners II LLP. Fund II has a target corpus of ₹300 crore and plans to invest ₹5–7 crore each in 25–30 early-stage startups, with focus on deeptech, climate, and sustainability sectors. Since inception in mid-2023 as a syndicate, Warmup has backed 20+ startups including Bobabhai (45+ stores nationally), Nitro Commerce, MiniMines (Li-ion battery recycling), RocketPay, Balwaan Krishi, DrinkPrime, and Chakr Innovation.
Warmup Ventures is a founders-led fund — 'we've walked the path of entrepreneurship'. The fund's philosophy centres on being more than capital providers: offering founders introductions to the next round of investors, CEO connections for business synergies, GTM planning support, and key tech hiring assistance. The LP network, comprising successful founders and business leaders, creates a uniquely empathetic and value-additive ecosystem for early-stage startups. The fund evaluates teams first — looking for 'green signals indicating high quality teams' — and maintains a sector-agnostic approach within technology, with special emphasis on deeptech, climate, and sustainability for Fund II.
Sharad Bansal
Founder & Managing Partner
Sharad Bansal is Founder and Managing Partner of Warmup Ventures. An IIT Delhi alumnus, he successfully scaled his edtech startup Tinkerly (a hands-on STEM learning platform for kids). He has been an active angel investor for 5–6 years, backing over 80 startups across various platforms. At Warmup, he oversees investment decisions, portfolio support, and the fund's growth strategy.
Rajendra Lora
Founder & Partner
Rajendra Lora is a Founding Partner of Warmup Ventures. An IIIT Jabalpur alumnus, he founded Freshokartz, a technology-enabled agritech company. He has a proven track record as an angel investor in the agritech space and contributes deep operational knowledge of building and scaling startups from India's emerging cities.
Yogesh Chaudhary
Founder & Partner
Yogesh Chaudhary is a Founding Partner of Warmup Ventures and Director/Owner of Jaipur Rugs, a globally acclaimed handmade rug company that has brought its craft to 40+ countries and transformed the livelihoods of 40,000+ artisans. As the 'force behind Jaipur Rugs' global success', he brings the perspective of scaling a traditional heritage business to become a globally recognised brand, and champions Warmup's mission of connecting India's business heritage with the innovation economy.
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