Vaave Raises ₹6.6 Crore To Improve Alumni Engagement And Networking Ecosystem
In a major milestone for India’s emerging edtech and enterprise networking ecosystem, Vaave alumni engagement and networking platform has completed its first significant round of outside investment and raised ₹6.6 crores. The round was led by Aditya Vuchi (lead investor for one of the oldest agreggator of platforms like Skillshare) with VCMint, and Raj Narayanam, Founder & Executive Chairman of Zaggle through RAN Ventures.
This is a significant moment for the Hyderabad-based company which has mostly bootstrapped its business for over a decade, before it opened itself to institutional funding. Building Alumni Networks into Powerful Communities
Founded with a vision to transform how institutions and organizations engage with their alumni, Vaave has become a trusted partner for over 1,200 institutions across 28 countries. Its clientele includes some of India’s most prestigious educational institutions such as IISc, five IITs, ten IIMs, thirteen NITs, and two IIITs, alongside a host of international universities.
Beyond academia, Vaave has also carved a niche in the corporate sector by powering 35 corporate alumni platforms, enabling organizations like Tata Steel, Deloitte, Virtusa, and Bosch to tap into the collective knowledge, experience, and networks of their former employees.
According to Paresh Masade, Founder & CEO of Vaave, the platform’s mission has always been rooted in the belief that alumni networks are far more than social groups – they are powerful catalysts for institutional growth. “At Vaave, we’ve always believed alumni networks are a transformative force for institutions, shaping not just their legacy but their future. The power of ‘alumni capital’ is now being recognized across India, and we’re proud to lead this movement,” he said.
Why This Investment Matters
For years, alumni engagement has been considered a passive function, often limited to occasional reunions or fundraising drives. However, the startup ecosystem and forward-thinking institutions are now realizing the strategic importance of alumni capital—a combination of intellectual, social, and financial resources that alumni bring back to their alma maters.
Investor Aditya Vuchi highlighted this changing trend while commenting on the deal: “The alumni engagement space is at an inflection point and poised for rapid growth. I greatly admire the resilience and persistence of Paresh and his team, which has put them in pole position to lead this transformation.”
Similarly, Raj Narayanam’s participation through RAN Ventures further validates the opportunity in alumni-driven ecosystems, especially as companies and institutions worldwide prioritize lifelong connections with their communities.
Backed by Strong Networks
Vaave itself has grown through strong backing from its own extended network. Over the years, it has been supported by early believers including Ramakrishna Pachigolla, Mandava Prabhakar Rao, Shashikant Chowdhary, Sanjay Jesrani, Murthy Aradhi, Naveen Vutha, Kunal Dikshit, Kapil Kunta, Dr. Anil Kolli, and several other alumni of the founders.
The startup is also a T-Hub Lab32 alumnus from Batch 2, which reminds us of its strong connections to India’s buzzing startup ecosystem.
The Road Ahead
With this new capital, Vaave is ready for the next level of growth. The company will focus on:
Alumni Ecosystems – Enhancing features that provide mentorship, job opportunities and knowledge exchange within alumni communities.
Market Growth – Continue with growth in the domestic and international market by signing up additional institutions and companies in new geographies
Product Growth – Continue investing in technology through creation of scalable, seamless, and AI-enabled engagement tools beyond traditional networking platforms.
As India and global markets move towards community-driven business and learning models, Vaave is uniquely positioned to redefine alumni engagement as a strategic asset rather than a side activity.
A Startup to Keep an Eye On
One of the strongest elements in Vaave’s story is resilience and organic growth over the last decade. There has been little external capital raised until recently, but Vaave has created credibility with some of the best institutions and corporates across the world.
Now with fresh capital and institutional investors on board, Vaave is entering a period of transformation: college, university, and corporate alumni engagement is no longer merely about reminiscences of the past, but generating real value for education, enterprise and innovation.
While Vaave accelerates its growth plans, it strives to not only engage alumni but open the next phase of opportunity, anchored by the strength of connected communities.
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