Chennai · Pre-Seed–Seed · 11 people tracked
Investment thesis
Speciale Invest focuses on early-stage deep tech innovation across both hardware and software. It invests at pre-seed and seed stages, with a typical check size around $1M and roughly half of its fund reserved for follow-on investments. The firm targets frontier areas including novel energy and planetary health, human longevity and synthetic biology, space technology, AI-led software, and advanced manufacturing. Speciale positions itself as a hands-on partner, helping founders scale by providing strategic guidance, customer introductions, hiring support, and access to a broader network of advisors and angel investors, backing companies from the earliest ideation stage.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 11 people
from the firm's website & public directories
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What they invest in
from 11 of 15 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning ×6Hardware ×5Deep Tech ×4Enterprise Software ×4Space Tech ×3Advanced Manufacturing ×2Data & Infrastructure ×2EdTech ×2
HQs:India×6United States×2Singapore×1
Investments · 15 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2023 · 32022 · 12018 · 15 dated
Mindgrove Technologies designs GHz-class processors and system-on-chips (SoCs) for embedded and edge computing applications, targeting the middle market with cost-optimized silicon built on the open RISC-V architecture.
Deep TechEnergyHardwareSemiconductorsSpace TechChennai, IN
Shashwath TR(Co-Founder & CEO)Sharan SJ(Co-Founder)
Co-investorsGolden Sparrow Ventures, Llc
StreamAlive is a platform that adds interactive audience engagement features (polls, quizzes, word clouds, Q&A, spinner wheels, interactive maps) directly into Microsoft Teams chat during live sessions.
AI & Machine LearningCreator EconomyEdTechEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkSaaS
Lux Narayan(Founder)
Co-investorsFoster Ventures
Trainn is a learning management system (LMS) platform that combines video creation, guide authoring, and course delivery in a single interface designed for enterprises and startups.
AI & Machine LearningEdTechEnterprise SoftwareMarketing TechSaaSChennai, IN
VivekSumana
Co-investorsArka Venture Labs
Winvesta is a brokerage platform that enables Indian investors to buy US stocks and ETFs directly, with features designed for the Indian market including currency conversion tracking and fractional share purchases starting at $1.
FintechMumbai, IN
Swastik Nigam(Founder & CEO)
Co-investorsBlume VenturesKunal ShahMyAsiaVCiSeed
Agnikul builds low-cost orbital launch vehicles powered by single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic engines, offering dedicated small-payload launches from a mobile launchpad.
Deep TechHardwareSpace Tech
Srinath Ravichandran(Founder)inMoin SPM(Founder)in
Co-investorsAnicut CapitalCelesta CapitalCelesta CapitalDholakia VenturesFundamental VCGlobevestor+9 more
Airboxr provides automated data analysis and AI-driven insights for retail and DTC brands, including an AI consultant called Murphy that works within spreadsheets to help interpret metrics like AOV, LTV, and customer retention.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareRetail TechSingapore, SG
Shubham Kaushal(CTO)in
Co-investorsEntrepreneur FirstGenesia Ventures
CynLr builds a hardware and software machine-vision platform ("Object Intelligence") that lets robots see, grasp, and orient unknown objects without pre-training, and offers robotic systems such as CyRo, CyNoid, and Mantroid for manufacturing and logistics.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningRobotics
Gokul N A(Founder)in
Co-investorsAnicut CapitalAthera Venture PartnersIIMA VenturesMerak VenturesPavestoneRedstart Labs
Milwaukee, US
Jesse DePinto(Director)Kyle Weatherly(Executive Officer, Director)Jon E. Lancaster(Director)
Co-investorsWisconsin Investment Partners
GalaxEye builds satellites and Earth Observation systems, including OptoSAR imagery that combines optical and radar data to deliver imaging regardless of weather, time, or terrain.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareSpace Tech
Co-investorsDholakia VenturesFalconX VenturesLVX VenturesMela VenturesSeraphim SpaceUpsparks Capital+1 more
SLM-led AI silicon revolution opportunity
The company promotes Domain Specific Architectures intended to accelerate applications, but the page provides no concrete details about the product, target customers, or industry.
Hardware
Deepak Shapeti(Founder)in
Co-investorsGolden Sparrow Ventures, LlcIIMA Ventures
Scaling green hydrogen with electrode technology
Co-investorsAavishkaar Venture Management Services Private LimitedAxilor Ventures
Protecto provides context-based access control for AI systems that structures unstructured data and enforces runtime access policies based on user role, task, and context.
AI & Machine LearningCybersecurityData & InfrastructureEnterprise Software
Baskaran Alagarsamy(Co-founder & CTO)in
Co-investorsBetter CapitalTogether Fund
Uravu develops water extraction technology using proprietary liquid salts to harvest moisture from air, serving water-stressed regions with scalable on-site and industrial solutions.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechClimate TechDeep TechHardwareBangalore, IN
Co-investorsAmritam HoldingsAnicut CapitalEcho River CapitalJITO Angel NetworkRocketship.vc
Startup co-founded by Shruti Kapoor.
Royal Oak, US
Dennis Chinonis(Executive Officer)Thomas Chinonis(Executive Officer)
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesGalaxEye · officechai.com · Aug 22, 2026
Agnikul · thehindu.com · Jul 29, 2026
Uravu Labs · specialeinvest.com · Jul 14, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Speciale Invest made?
- Speciale Invest has 7 tracked investments.
- What stage does Speciale Invest invest at?
- Speciale Invest invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is Speciale Invest's typical check size?
- Speciale Invest typically writes checks of $1M.
- What sectors does Speciale Invest focus on?
- Speciale Invest focuses on Advanced Manufacturing, AI & Machine Learning, Biotech, Cleantech, Climate Tech, Deep Tech, Energy, Hardware, Longevity, Mobility & Transportation, Robotics, Semiconductors, Space Tech.
- Where is Speciale Invest located?
- Speciale Invest is headquartered in Chennai, IN.
- Does Speciale Invest lead rounds?
- Yes, Speciale Invest leads investment rounds.
- Who does Speciale Invest co-invest with?
- Speciale Invest most often shares deals with Anicut Capital, IIMA Ventures, Aavishkaar Venture Management Services Private Limited, among 14 tracked co-investors.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamVishesh Rajaram - Managing Partner at Speciale Invest
Charles Cormier - Founder Wisdom Podcast · Vishesh
Speciale Invest’s Vishesh Rajaram Talks Fund-3 Size, Investments, And Future Sectors | ET Now
ET NOW · Vishesh
Pioneering deep tech investing in India | Vishesh Rajaram @ Speciale Invest
Founder Thesis Presents The Spotlight Podcast · Vishesh
Crafting Bharat: Deep Tech Edition | EP 6 | Vishesh Rajaram, Managing Partner of Speciale Invest
Crafting Bharat · Vishesh
Vishesh Rajaram Founder's Story | Speciale Invest
Micelio · Vishesh
Mr.Vishnu Rajeev | Investment Principal - Speciale Invest
Innovation Mission Punjab · Vishnu Rajeev
Images
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Co-investors · 7
Anicut Capital is an investment firm that connects scalable and innovative ideas with capital, supporting entrepreneurs through flexible funding solutions and strategic partnerships.
Rocketship.vc is a data-driven venture capital firm that uses data science and a large database of startup activity to identify and invest in promising companies globally.
Peak XV Partners is a multi-stage venture capital firm that partners with founders from seed through venture and growth stages.
HOF Capital is a New York-based venture capital firm investing in companies transforming foundational industries through advanced software and AI.
BioGeneration Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage biotech companies in Europe, with a focus on healthcare innovations.
An early-stage investment ecosystem that connects entrepreneurs with angel investors and institutional capital. Venture Catalysts organizes pitch events, provides deal screening and due diligence support, and facilitates syndicated investments across multiple sectors.
Artha is an early-stage venture capital firm operating a self-sustaining model: it invests in high-yielding renewable energy assets and channels the returns into startup investments, then reinvests exit proceeds back into renewable energy assets.
Firms observed investing alongside Speciale Invest, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Speciale Invest's recorded portfolio.
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