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Unitus Seed Fund India Receives SEBI Approval for Impact Investing

Unitus Seed Fund India Receives SEBI Approval for Impact Investing

The Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has approved the start of investment activities for Unitus Seed Fund India (USFI), registered as a Category-I, Venture Capital Fund under SEBI Regulations (Alternative Investment Funds) 2012. While impact investing has been established in India for over a decade, attracting more than INR 4000 crore (US$800 million) of predominantly-overseas risk capital, Unitus Seed Fund India’s approval by SEBI marks the first time that Indian national investors have access to a seed-stage impact fund. USFI already has INR 20 crore (US$3.3 million) of committed capital and plans to raise up to a total of INR 50-75 crore (US$ 9-12 million) from local investors to take minority positions in “BoP Startups” – companies building scalable businesses delivering improved livelihoods and innovative affordable products & services to 100 crore (1 billion) low-income people in India.

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