Day Zero Ventures
Day Zero Ventures backs Indian founders building global AI-native technology companies.
Overview
Day Zero Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in Bengaluru, India. Founded in 2021, the firm backs Indian founders building technology companies for global markets. Its portfolio spans artificial intelligence, healthcare, SaaS, energy, mobility, robotics and other technology-driven businesses. The firm gets involved at the point when a company is still taking shape, often before incorporation or before an institutional lead investor enters the round.
Investment Focus and Stage
Day Zero primarily invests at the pre-seed and seed stages, with its first cheque reaching up to $1 million. Its investment thesis is organised around three areas: Applied AI, AI-native Services and Physical Intelligence. Applied AI covers products built around AI models for areas such as healthcare claims, accounting, sales and recruitment. AI-native Services focuses on businesses rebuilding traditional service operations around AI. Physical Intelligence covers technology applied to industries such as energy, mobility, construction and robotics.
The firm also looks for companies that can use India's technical and operating talent while selling into international markets. Its support extends beyond capital into early hiring, customer introductions, pricing, positioning and access to US buyers and investors.
Fund Size and Portfolio
Day Zero Ventures has made 14 investments tracked by CB Insights. Its portfolio includes RapidClaims, Exponent Energy, Spry Health, Requestly, Bytebeam, Binks, ChattyBao, Go Supernova, Riyalto, Zeno, Origin, Bento Labs and Rilo.
Recent activity includes a $1.5 million seed investment in Rilo in July 2026 alongside DeVC and Peak XV Partners. Adobe acquired Rilo in September 2026 in a deal involving the company's technology and team. Day Zero also backed Zeno's $9.5 million Series II round and has invested in Exponent Energy, which later raised a $21.1 million round co-led by 360 ONE and TDK Ventures.
The firm's broader network includes co-investors and follow-on funds such as Accel, Peak XV Partners, Y Combinator, Lightspeed, Lowercarbon Capital, Together Fund, Lumikai and Vertex Ventures.
Leadership
Abhishek Gupta is a principal investor at Day Zero and has more than 25 years of operating and investing experience. He previously built TLabs, an early Indian technology accelerator, and has backed more than 90 startups during his career. He holds a computer science degree from IIT-BHU.
Rahul Gupta is Managing Partner and brings experience from Amazon and Times Internet. He has spent the past decade working with founders on company building and brings an extensive network across India and the US. Together, Abhishek and Rahul have invested in more than 120 startups.
Day Zero also runs a founder network of more than 400 operators, angels and IIT alumni. Its Zero Shot program gives early Indian startups an opportunity to present to Valley-based operators before their businesses reach a wider investor market.