The startup ecosystem in Chennai is growing rapidly, and the city has emerged as a core hub in the state of Tamil Nadu, highlighting its pivotal role in India’s broader entrepreneurial landscape. Over a period of eight years, from 2014 to 2022, Chennai emerged as the fastest-growing startup hub in India. In 2023, despite a funding winter, Chennai’s startups impressively raised $211 million across 32 deals, highlighting the unwavering confidence of investors in the city’s innovative potential.

The city has created dozens of successful startups, many of which are worth billions of dollars, including Yubi and Chargebee.

Though Tamil Nadu’s Startup and Innovation Policy is making strides toward positioning the state as a leader in the startup ecosystem, this growth of Chennai-based startups would not have been possible without the crucial backing from angel investors.

Top 7 Most Active Angel Investors in Chennai

Supporting entrepreneurs in their early stages, these angel investors have backed Chennai-based startups across fintech, SaaS, and trending segments like AI and ML.

Dedicated to these angel investors who help build the city’s business legacy, we have prepared a list of 7 top most active Angel Investors in Chennai. If you’re an entrepreneur in Chennai seeking angel investment, this list offers invaluable insights into the city’s most active Angel Investors, guiding you to potential backers for your venture.

1. Gopal Srinivasan

One of the prominent members of The Chennai Angels, Mr.Gopal Srinivasan, serves as a Board Member at TVS Group.  A management graduate from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Mr. Srinivasan is the Chairman & Managing Director of TVS Capital Funds Limited and Chairman of TVS Electronics.

Mr. Srinivasan has made 39 investments across diverse sectors such as healthtech, enterprise applications, Consumer, fintech, business support services, edutech, and other professional services. A few notable startups in which Mr. Srinivasan has invested include HealthifyMe, Ekam Online, WebEngage, and Kandee Factory, with Mensa Brands and Chargebee being the 2 unicorns in his portfolio.

2. Rajaraman Santhanam

Entrepreneur and an angel investor, Mr.Rajaraman Santhanam is the co-founder of Chargebee, a cloud-based subscription billing and revenue management solution for businesses. Mr.Santhanam backs innovative startups, with Software, AI and ML, Sales and Marketing being his core investment sectors.

In addition to Chargebee, Mr.Santhanam is the founder of RevenueStory (a platform for revenue analytics solutions) and SISAR CAMS (a cloud-based workforce management software solution). As an investor, Mr.Santhanam has made 17 investments in startups like Bluecopa, Threado, Rocketlane, Rattle, PrivateCircle, Nanonets and factors.ai.

3. Lakshmi Narayanan

A prominent name in the angel investing ecosystem, Mr.Lakshmi Narayanan is the President and CEO of Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. Mr.Narayanan played a pivotal role in the growth of Cognizant from 1998 to 2003. Before joining Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., from 1975 to 1994, Mr.Narayanan was the regional head of Tata Consultancy Services, highlighting his extensive experience and leadership capabilities in managing large-scale operations and strategic initiatives within the country’s most prestigious firms.

The founder of Mani’s Dum Biryani, Mr.Narayanan has made 20 investments across life sciences, enterprise applications, and fintech. Some notable companies in Mr.Narayanan’s investment portfolio include Waterfield Advisors, Velbiom Probiotics, Switchon, Astrome, AiSteth, and Rang De.

4. Krish Subramanian

Mr.Krish Subramanian is an entrepreneur and angel investor from Chennai who invests in cutting-edge startups with a focus on Enterprise Applications, FinTech, and Consumer segments.

Founder of three startups, namely- Chargebee, SaaSBOOMi, and RevenueStory, Mr.Subramanian, in addition to growth capital, provides a wealth of experience to startups in which he invests. Mr.Subramanian has made 5 investments in his journey as an angel investor. Some notable companies in his investment portfolio include Threado, Rocketlane, Drivetrain, and Bluecopa.

5. Prabhu Rangarajan

Next on our list of the most active angel investors in Chennai is Mr.Prabhu Rangarajan. An influential Angel Investor based in Chennai, Mr.Rangarajan primarily invests in startups operating in Fintech, Media and Entertainment, Enterprise Applications and infrastructure, and Sales & Marketing segments. 

Before co-founding M2P Fintech, Mr.Rangarajan worked as an Associate Operations Manager at Cognizant Technology Solutions in the United States. As an angel investor, Mr.Rangarajan has invested in 7 rounds, with Ticket9 being his most recent investment. Some notable firms in Mr.Rangarajan’s investment portfolio include IppoPay, PickMyAd, Finsire, and Cookr.

6. Vellayan Subbiah

A renowned businessman and investor, Mr.Vellayan Subbiah holds leadership roles in multiple top-established companies. Chairman at Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Co. Ltd. and Managing Director and Executive Director at Tube Investments of India Ltd., Mr.Subbiah is known for his ability to leverage business opportunities with astute financial prudence. 

An active angel investor, Mr.Subbiah backs innovative startups operating in AI & ML, Agritech & Farming, and Clean tech segments. He has founded CherryTin, an online gifting platform offering multi-category products for corporate gifting, and has invested in 16 rounds, TractorJunction being his latest investment.

With one unicorn in his portfolio, Zetwerk, some notable companies in which Mr.Subbiah has invested include Porter, Monsoon FinTech, Recykal, and Cashfree Payments.

7. Sunilkumar Singhvi

A prominent member of The Chennai Angels, Mr.Sunilkumar Singhvi is a second-generation entrepreneur from the esteemed Singhvi Family and a leading Angel Investor, Mentor and Growth specialist. 

After completing his studies at RKM Vivekananda College in 2002, Mr.Singhvi found his calling in the family’s handloom manufacturing venture, South Handlooms, where he dedicated over 15 years to mastering the craft and intricacies of the business. 

Serving as the Managing Partner of the firm, Mr.Singhvi leverages his business experience to back disruptive startups operating in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Agritech, mobile applications, and Clean-Tech segments. Mr.Singhvi has made 8 investments, including Sanfe, Chaiwaale, Stops, and Kiko.

Final Words:

To fully leverage this list of active angel investors in Chennai, prioritize approaching those with experience in your domain. In doing so, you gain not just capital but also invaluable guidance. Remember, before approaching investors, ensure you have a comprehensive business plan and a clear understanding of the market trends in your industry. In your pitch deck, use storytelling to connect emotionally with your investors. Prioritize precision and impact, for it’s the subtle details that truly distinguish your work.

[Read: Top 5 Most Active Angel Investors in Bangalore]

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