Our Story

The journey of our founders started in different worlds: Paul had spent many years incubating impactful start-ups, Mukesh came from the world of global investing, while George had decades of experience in business operations and investing. As their paths aligned, they decided to leverage their combined expertise and the transformative power of investment to create scalable social impact. Thus, Menterra was born.

We seek to create positive and sustainable change in agriculture, healthcare and education by partnering with entrepreneurs who share our bold vision. We are inspired by innovation and breakthrough technology. We go early where others fear to tread. We make entrepreneurs successful.

We are Menterra.

2001

Paul Basil launches Villgro, incubated nearly 400 social ventures over two decades

2010

Mukesh Sharma joins Villgro. Seeds of Menterra are sown

2015

Menterra Fund 1 is launched as a demonstrator fund

2019

First exit from Biosense, a strategic buyout by a S&P 500 company at 34% IRR.
* Menterra strengthens team with Operating Partner George Thomas

2021

Second exit from Stones2Milestones at 30% IRR

2022

Menterra Fund 2 achieves first close of $30m

Our Vision

We seek to build an India that is educated, healthy, distress free and prosperous. We do that by investing in and partnering with impactful enterprises.

Impact Investing is expected to grow to $1 trillion globally, however, the core sectors of development — education, healthcare, and agriculture – have historically attracted less than 20% of the capital allocated for impact investing. And even where available, it is invested in later-stage businesses, leaving start-ups and innovators in these sectors virtually starved of risk capital.

Menterra's vision is to transform this and enable entrepreneurs to cross the valley of commercial death and achieve impact at scale.

Our Focus Sectors

Agriculture

With 58% of India depending on agriculture as a primary means of livelihood, the nation aims to double farm income

Menterra’s investments focus on improving efficiency of this production system; addressing the inherent diseconomies of scale; improving access to quality resources, markets, and credit; and reducing the disproportionately severe impact of climate change on smallholder farmers.

Healthcare

25% deaths in India are caused by communicable diseases, and 60% are caused by non-communicable diseases.

Menterra’s investments focus on providing access to affordable healthcare that improves the quality of life and helps the underprivileged avoid the vicious debt and poverty cycle while addressing the changing disease burden and emerging global health priorities.

Education & Skill Development

Out of 260 Million school-going children in India, 90 Million are in low-fee schools.

Menterra’s investments are focused on delivering affordable education that creates a level playing field for the underserved through improved learning outcomes and better linkage to skills required for jobs in a rapidly changing economy.

What Makes Us Invest?

We seek businesses with a passionate team, a strong commitment to impact, and a tangible pathway to scale. Essentially, we invest in businesses that fit the below criteria.

Deep & Scalable Impact

We seek early-stage businesses with deep, scalable impact that can be measured, and which cater to the economically poorer sections of society.

Exceptional Leadership

The promoters and management team of the company should be committed to impact, competent in scaling a business and function as a cohesive team.

Potential for commercial scale and returns

The business should have the potential to scale commercially, and present multiple exit and liquidity options that are tangible and aligned with our target return.

Fair entry valuation and financial discipline

The entry valuation must not be unsustainable. We only work with entrepreneurs who exhibit required financial discipline around capital efficiency while focusing on unit economics and cash flows.

View Our Portfolio