YNOS Venture Engine

YNOS Venture Engine operates as a technology platform focused on providing business intelligence and fundraising analytics for the Indian startup ecosystem. Founded in 2017 by Professor Thillai Rajan of IIT Madras, along with Pradeep Kumar Venkataramu, Sangeetha Viswanathan, and Muthuraman Natarajan, the company was established to address the significant information asymmetry and high mortality rates prevalent among early-stage ventures. It was incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras Incubation Cell, which also participated in its seed funding. Professor Rajan's extensive academic background in finance and entrepreneurship, including a Ph.D. from IIM Bangalore and fellowships at Harvard and London School of Economics, directly informs the company's data-driven approach.

The firm's business model is centered on a B2B and B2B2C fee-for-service revenue stream, offering subscriptions to its suite of data-driven tools. Its target clients include nascent and early-stage entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, incubators, and academic institutions. YNOS provides these stakeholders with a platform to navigate the complexities of the startup landscape. For startups, the platform offers tools to identify suitable investors, estimate valuations, analyze the competitive environment, and access expert consultations. For investors and incubators, it serves as a deal discovery and due diligence tool, allowing them to screen and evaluate potential investments. The platform leverages technology, including AI and advanced data science, to deliver customized insights and recommendations. Data reliability is bolstered through a partnership with Venture Intelligence.

Key products offered by YNOS include 'Insight', a dashboard for exploring the startup ecosystem; 'Verve', a startup valuation estimation tool; and 'Discover', an AI-based tool for finding investors. The platform boasts an extensive database, tracking hundreds of thousands of startups and founders, alongside thousands of angel investors and VC firms across India. Significant milestones include receiving recognition from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in September 2019 and securing multiple rounds of seed funding. The company raised approximately ₹75 lakh in December 2019 and a further ₹2.5 crore in January 2022 from a consortium of angel investors and business leaders. This capital has been allocated to enhance technology and strengthen product development.

Keywords: startup analytics, venture capital intelligence, fundraising platform, business intelligence for startups, early-stage ventures, startup valuation tool, investor matchmaking, Indian startup ecosystem, Thillai Rajan, IIT Madras incubation, entrepreneurship support, deal discovery, market intelligence solutions, angel investor database, VC analytics, startup data platform, financial analytics, investment readiness, competitive landscape analysis, deep-tech startups