Venture Catalysts has completed a full exit from nutrition and wellness start-up TruNativ, realising significant returns across two separate funding rounds in June 2026.
The firm’s initial June 2021 investment yielded a 12.73x return multiple and an approximate 67 per cent Internal Rate of Return (IRR) over a five-year holding period. A subsequent follow-on investment made in September 2024 through its angel fund generated a 1.34x multiple and an 18 per cent IRR over 21 months.
Dr Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, Managing Director of Venture Catalysts, said, “This exit reflects our commitment to disciplined investing, active portfolio management, and creating meaningful liquidity opportunities for our investor ecosystem.”
Pranav Mehrotra, Founder of TruNativ, added, “Their partnership has helped us strengthen our business and scale our presence in India’s rapidly evolving nutrition and wellness market.”
Macronutrient deficiencies
Founded in 2019, TruNativ operates as a direct-to-consumer brand specializing in functional foods, most notably a heat-resistant, flavourless whey protein designed to blend seamlessly into everyday Indian cooking. The start-up aims to address widespread macronutrient deficiencies through accessible, clean-label products that also include natural sugar replacers, collagen and prebiotic fibers.
For Venture Catalysts, India’s first multi-stage VC firm and one of the country’s most active early-stage investor networks, the TruNativ exit highlights its broader strategy. The firm typically invests between $100,000 and $2 million across various sectors, focusing on backing scalable, category-defining start-ups while driving targeted liquidity events for its investor base.