Over 20 Startups Set To Secure $110 Mn At 9Unicorns’ Fifth DDay

9Unicorns, a multi-stage accelerator fund, is all set to host the fifth edition of its Global Demo Day, or DDay 5, on May 15, 2024. 

On this year’s global demo day, portfolio startups of 9Unicorns and Venture Catalysts are projected to secure $110 Mn in funding. The flagship event will be hosted virtually across three time zones: The US and North America, the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle  East.  

More than 20 startups from diverse sectors, including ecommerce, energy, SaaS, fintech and financial services, consumer internet, and media and entertainment, among others, will present their disruptive ideas before 1.5K+ global investors, family offices and venture capital funds. 

During this event, participating startups will seize the opportunity to woo global investors from Dubai, London, Singapore, and the US. 

Founded by Dr Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, Anil Jain, Anuj Golecha and Gaurav Jain, 9Unicorns is a Mumbai-based accelerator fund for early stage startups. It believes in adding value to its portfolio startups, going beyond capital to help first-time founders and seasoned entrepreneurs build their next venture and become the leaders in their category. 

To date, 9Unicorns has invested INR 880 Cr in early and growth-stage startups across the upcoming sectors in India and globally. It has backed startups like ShipRocket, Videoverse, Blusmart, Join Ventures, Leverage Edu, Zypp Electric, Rooter, and Ethereal Machines, just to count a few.

There is a meticulous selection criteria for the startups attending the fifth edition of DDay. These startups must demonstrate a track record of scaling revenue by 4X to 12X within the past 12-18 months. Additionally, they must exhibit a strong product-market fit.  

Further, the fifth edition will allow startups to pitch their ventures to global investors. The startups will also get networking opportunities with the stalwarts in the angel investment and venture capital ecosystems. They will get a chance to be mentored by unicorn founders, CXOs and industry leaders to accelerate their growth journey.

On The DDay Launchpad

As per 9Unicorns, previous editions of DDay have drawn in over 70 participating companies, collectively raising over $472 Mn. Furthermore, more than 56 startups have secured additional financing rounds from global investors and family offices. The previous DDay events saw 60+ startup up-rounds and participation from 3.2K+ unique investors. 

Speaking about DDays, 9Unicorns Sharma said, “DDays are a great opportunity for startups to connect with investors all around the world and showcase their offerings. It helps startups gain international exposure and build further rounds for growth. We expect a good response from investors in the fifth edition.”

9Unicorns is the maiden fund out of the Venture Catalysts (VCats) group, India’s largest integrated incubator and angel fund backed by 10K+ angel investors. Since 2016, the group has incubated and invested in over 400+ companies, including OYO Rooms, BharatPe, RentoMojo, FYND, Beardo and Innov8, to name a few. More than 93 of its portfolio companies have experienced multi-bagger up rounds and exit opportunities, ranging from 3X to 80X.

DDay events serve as a pivotal platform for early and growth-stage companies to secure funding. The distinctive feature lies in their selection process, focussing on startups with impressive track records and a strong emphasis on profitability and growth. DDay events ensure that these startups get maximum exposure to the global investment landscape and can graduate as highly scalable and fundable ventures.  

During the DDay 4, early and growth stage startups pitched their business models to 1.5K global and Indian investors. It highlighted promising portfolio startups, making significant progress such as Vested Finance, LegalPay, ALYF, Numadic and Leverage Edu.

Note: The article has been edited to reflect the revised date for DDay 5 as May 15, 2024

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