The Earth Fund, India’s first real estate tech and sustainability-focused investment fund, established under Zoiros Projects Private Limited and backed by Brigade Group, has joined forces with Gruhas, the investment arm of Nikhil Kamath and Abhijeet Pai.
The ₹200 crore SEBI-registered Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) also has a green-shoe option of ₹100 crore, aiming to support high-growth startups that address sustainability and innovation challenges in the built environment.
The leadership of The Earth Fund comprises industry veterans, including Nirupa Shankar, Joint Managing Director of Brigade Enterprises Limited; Abhijeet Pai and Nikhil Kamath, Co-Founders of Gruhas; and Mohan Parvatikar, Independent Director of Zoiros Projects Private Limited. The leadership team, supported by a network of seasoned professionals with vast experience in real estate, venture capital, and entrepreneurship, aims to drive impactful investments in the PropTech space.
The Earth Fund plans to invest in Pre-Series A and Series A tech startups operating in the real estate, construction, and sustainability sectors. The fund’s strategy is to invest USD 1-2 million in startups with a strong product-market fit, helping them scale their solutions. The aim is to create a portfolio of 10 to 15 startups, with provisions for follow-on investments.
Key focus areas for The Earth Fund include UrbanTech—covering PropTech, construction tech, real estate solutions, and asset utilisation—and Sustainability—spanning climate tech, clean tech, smart mobility, and energy solutions. The fund is already evaluating multiple startups, with investment announcements expected soon.
The company stated that the partnership with Gruhas brings significant investment experience, having invested in over 50 startups across PropTech, climate tech, sustainability, and consumer sectors.
Additionally, Brigade’s REAP (Real Estate Accelerator Program) has mentored and invested in over 80 companies in the UrbanTech and sustainability value chain over the past eight years.
With this extensive experience, The Earth Fund will offer strategic support to its investee companies, providing access to industry networks, market expertise, go-to-market acceleration, and growth resources.
Commenting on the initiative, the Joint Managing Director of Brigade Enterprises Limited, Nirupa Shankar, said, “The uniqueness of Earth Fund is its focus on Urbantech and Sustainability solutions for the built world. By leveraging the resources and expertise of Brigade Group and Gruhas, our aim is to identify and support startups that will redefine urban development and drive long-term value. Our goal is to bridge the gap between traditional real estate and cutting-edge technology, fostering an ecosystem for sustainable and efficient urban solutions.”
He further added, “We will draw on our last 8 years of experience in running Asia’s first UrbanTech Accelerator, Brigade REAP, to ensure that investment decisions are backed by extensive industry research and hands-on engagement with our portfolio companies. This will enable Earth Fund’s startups to navigate the complexities of the real estate sector and scale faster than their counterparts. Brigade REAP has shown us the transformative potential of UrbanTech startups, and Earth Fund will further support these innovative ventures.”
The Earth Fund’s collaboration with Gruhas marks a step toward driving sustainable innovation in real estate.
On March 18, 2025, Brigade Enterprises share price (NSE: BRIGADE) opened at ₹939.55 and closed at ₹939.00, up by 0.25%. The stock price touched its day’s high at ₹953.35.
Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. This does not constitute a personal recommendation/investment advice. It does not aim to influence any individual or entity to make investment decisions. Recipients should conduct their own research and assessments to form an independent opinion about investment decisions.
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Published on: Mar 19, 2025, 8:33 AM IST
Nikitha Devi
Nikitha is a content creator with 6+ years of experience in the financial domain. Specialising in personal finance, investments, and market insights, Nikitha simplifies complex financial topics, making them accessible to readers.
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