Invest Startups SEBI AIF
📈 Route 2 of 4 · Managed · LP

SEBI AIF funds · Cat I / II / III

You write one cheque, pros pick the deals. ₹1 crore minimum, 7-10 year lock-in. Tax pass-through (Cat I/II) means returns flow at LP's tax rate.

Cat I · Venture capital funds

Cat II · PE / credit / growth funds

Cat III · Hedge funds & absolute return

⭐ Our pick

For first-time AIF NRIs, start with Blume Cat I. Add Avendus Cat III for liquidity.

Blume's seed-stage focus + 7-year lock-in matches typical NRI risk appetite — write one ₹1cr LP cheque and let it ride. Add Avendus's quarterly-redemption Cat III for the liquid sleeve. Skip Cat II PE unless you can lock in ₹3cr+ across 2-3 funds.

How we got there

We compared 8 SEBI AIFs on min ticket, lock-in, vintage IRR, and NRE/NRO accessibility. Three patterns matter:

First AIF · diversification play

→ Blume Ventures Fund V (Cat I)

7-year lock-in matches the natural startup cycle. Blume's seed-stage portfolio (Slice, Razorpay early days, Unacademy Series A) shows top-quartile IRR in their earlier funds. ₹1cr min — write one LP cheque, hold 7-10 years.

Liquid sleeve · quarterly redemption

→ Avendus Absolute Return (Cat III)

Long-short equity strategy. Quarterly redemption gives you a way out if your situation changes. Pair with a Cat I VC fund for the illiquid sleeve.

Sector concentration · pre-IPO

→ Tata Capital Healthcare or Kotak Pre-IPO

If you have sector conviction (healthcare booming) or want shorter hold (2-4 years to IPO exit), pick one of these. Lower IRR upside than Cat I VC but more predictable timing.

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Common questions

Detailed answers on our Q&A page.

SEBI AIF Cat I/II/III explained
Tax pass-through, ₹1cr min, lock-in periods.
Accredited Investor route for NRIs
Net worth thresholds, AIF access.
Capital gains on AIF distributions
Tax pass-through, DTAA relief.
FEMA reporting for NRI investments
Annual filings, RBI compliance.
📚 All Q&A · 20+ answered →

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