Start-Ups Eye Strategic Exits Amid Funding Drought

India’s startup ecosystem is visibly shifting gears today as mid-stage founders explore strategic sales and partial exits amidst a prolonged fundraising slowdown. With valuation corrections across tech verticals, founders are choosing defensive value realization over risky round-timing.

Executives from edtech, healthtech, and enterprise SaaS firms have initiated talks with strategic acquirers and secondary investors focused on locked-in growth metrics. This move is driven by downward pressure on cost of capital and limited late-stage funding, compelling stakeholders to crystallize partial returns.

The shift is filtering into private markets, with investment banks and corporate VC units recalibrating deal flows toward bolt-on acquisitions and consolidation plays. For investors, the emerging trend signals selective investment opportunity—focusing on profitable, scalable mid-stage units rather than early-stage growth bets.