Lightspeed launches $250m india AI fund with focus on early-stage investments

Lightspeed, a Silicon Valley venture firm, has launched a $250 million early-stage AI fund focused on India, aiming to capitalize on the region's growing tech ecosystem. The fund, named Lightspeed India Partners V, is half the size of its $500 million predecessor from 2022 and has already secured 80% of its target. The firm plans to begin investing within two months, with an investment period of about two and a half years. The fund marks a shift toward AI-focused investments, with Lightspeed emphasizing its potential to create more value in India than the internet did. The firm has already invested in notable AI startups like Sarvam AI and is expanding its focus to Southeast Asia. Lightspeed’s global assets exceed $65 billion, and the new fund is part of a broader strategy to align its India operations with its global fundraising cycles. The move follows similar steps by rival firm Accel, which raised multiple funds simultaneously in August 2026.