How Indian Startups Captured Tata’s Attention Early On [Video]

Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, passed away on Wednesday, October 9, at the age of 86, according to a late-night statement released by the company. 

Tata, who ran the Tata Group’s charity trusts, was a philanthropist, a prolific investor, and a mentor to young businesses and startups. 

His foray into startup investment began in 2014 with a minority stake in the e-commerce platform Snapdeal when the startup industry was still in its early stages.

According to Tracxn data that AIM accessed, Tata has invested in nearly 54 startups in the past decade. He described these investments as a “learning experience” rather than merely financial aid. 

He made investments across diverse sectors, including fintech, e-commerce, healthcare, mobility, and cloud-based firms, all of which significantly impacted the Indian startup ecosystem. Prominent investments include Ola Electric, Paytm, and FirstCry, among others, which have achieved considerable success and got listed on the Indian stock exchange.

Among his investments, Tata’s notable stake was …