Mredul Sarda, founding partner, Riceberg Ventures
Early-stage venture capital firm Riceberg Ventures has launched a $20 million fund to back deep-tech startups in sectors such as space-tech, biotech, nuclear energy and robotics. Founded in 2023, the firm has invested in Manastu Space, EtherealX, Signatur Biosciences, Keyron Medical and Arch0, among others. Mredul Sarda, founding partner, dwells on the fund’s investment thesis, deep-tech opportunity, patient capital and how the country is at the start of a long innovation cycle.
What is your investment thesis?
We invest primarily at the pre-seed and seed stages. Our focus is on research-heavy companies where breakthrough science eventually translates into industry-relevant products. We are particularly bullish on Indian-origin founders globally, because they combine strong technical capabilities with an execution-oriented mindset. We look for founders solving difficult research problems with a clear path to commercialisation.A good example is EtherealX, which is building reusable rockets. The idea is to identify strong technical teams early in their research journey and support them as they transform research into scalable businesses. We believe some of the most valuable companies of the future will emerge from deep scientific innovation rather than incremental improvements.
