Naukri.com Parent Info Edge Named India’s Most Successful Venture Investor

New Delhi, Sep 27, 2025 (PTI): Naukri.com’s parent company, Info Edge, has been recognized as India’s most successful venture investor, thanks to its early bets on startups like Zomato and Policybazaar, which delivered blockbuster returns.

Helmed by Sanjeev Bikhchandani, often called India’s Warren Buffett, Info Edge invested ₹3,959.16 crore in various startups over the past 15 years. Today, the fair market value (FMV) of these investments is several times higher.

A report by Economic Times highlights that Info Edge’s stakes in Zomato and Policybazaar between 2011 and 2015 are now valued at approximately ₹53,000 crore.

From Internet Trade Fair to Serial Investing
Bikhchandani’s chance encounter with the internet at a Delhi trade fair 28 years ago inspired the creation of Naukri.com and set him on a journey as a serial investor.

Investments in Zomato (12.40% in Eternal) and Policybazaar (19.63%) became monumental wins as both companies’ IPOs soared. Info Edge emerged as the largest beneficiary of India’s startup boom.

In his FY25 shareholder letter, Bikhchandani noted that Info Edge’s early financial investing, starting in 2007, has yielded an estimated 36% gross IRR across all investment vintages.

Key Investments and Market Impact

• Info Edge invested ₹483.78 crore in Zomato and ₹591.40 crore in Policybazaar.

• Current shareholding values: Zomato ~₹38,350 crore, Policybazaar ~₹15,133 crore.

• Combined market capitalization of both firms exceeds ₹3.8 lakh crore.

Other notable investments include Ustra (men’s grooming), Shopkirana (B2B e-commerce), Adda247 (edtech), Zingbus (inter-city bus platform), ixigo (travel tech), and many more. To date, Info Edge has backed 111 companies.

Phases of Investment Journey

1. 2007–2012: Early-stage bets, including breakout successes Zomato and Policybazaar.

2. 2012–2015: Cautious investing while Phase 1 winners matured.

3. 2016–2019: Expanded portfolio with companies like Adda247 and Shipsy, aiming for multi-bagger returns.

4. 2019 onwards: Launched Info Edge Venture Fund (IEVF), a SEBI-registered AIF, investing via multiple schemes including IEVF, Info Edge Capital, and Capital 2B.

Bikhchandani emphasized that emerging winners from recent phases have raised funding from global investors like Westbridge Capital, Google, Peak XV Partners, and A91 Partners, ensuring robust capital for future growth and potential IPOs.

Founded in 1995, Info Edge operates across sectors including recruitment (Naukri), real estate (99acres), matrimony (Jeevansathi), and education (Shiksha), making it one of India’s oldest and most diversified internet companies.