Baanhem Ventures, the company behind TN’s upcoming reality show Startup Thamizha, has raised ₹3.3 crore from Mudhal Partners, a tech executive firm newly launched by Kumar Vembu.
Baanhem Ventures was launched earlier this year by Hemachandran L and Balachandar R and the company aims to discover and support first-generation native entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu. The company is working with TN’s nodal entrepreneurship agency StartupTN in conceptualising the TV show StartUp Thamizha, a Shark Tank-like business reality show.
The show is said to have already secured commitment of over ₹200 crore in investments from various industry leaders. The program, whose launch date is still unclear, will identify promising entrepreneurs and startups, providing the necessary financial support along with mentorship to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the state.
“I was impressed by Baanhem’s vision to specifically develop first-generation & native entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu for the future, and their scientific-approach to produce successful start-ups. It is for this very reason that I decided to be the first to join this novel initiative, which led to the establishment of Mudhal Partners,” tech executive Kumar Vembu said.
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“At Baanhem, our mission is to be a dependable resource for these entrepreneurs to showcase their talent and turn their ideas into successful businesses. Through our maiden IP program, Startup Thamizha, we are committed to helping the want-to-be entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality, contributing to Tamil Nadu’s economic growth and enhancing a lasting entrepreneurial culture in the state,” Baanhem founders said in a statement.