3F VC

Overview

3F VC, also known as Frugal Founder's Fund, is a pioneering micro-grant initiative focused on empowering India's next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. The fund identifies high-potential young founders who have moved beyond ideas and built validated prototypes, supporting them at a critical early stage of their journey. By offering equity-free grants, 3F VC enables founders to experiment, refine, and scale without the pressure of dilution or short-term investor expectations. Beyond capital, 3F VC provides hands-on mentorship, strategic guidance, and access to a vibrant community of builders, operators, and domain experts. This ecosystem-driven approach helps founders navigate challenges, accelerate learning, and make informed decisions as they grow. With a strong belief in frugal innovation and execution-led entrepreneurship, 3F VC aims to act as a catalyst—transforming ambitious ideas into sustainable, scalable ventures that create meaningful and long-lasting impact across India’s startup ecosystem. Operating under Malpani Ventures, 3F VC has established its first fund with a corpus of ₹50 lakhs, demonstrating its commitment to fostering innovation in India's startup ecosystem. The fund offers various grant programs, including Micro Grants ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh for early-stage projects with working prototypes, and Indie Grants of ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 for independent projects. Eligibility criteria include student founders, recent graduates (1-2 years), or dropouts under 25, with a functional prototype or detailed project timeline required. Wild card projects are eligible for base stipends of ₹10,000 per month. 3F VC's portfolio includes companies such as Oru'el, Incy Tech, LiteFold, ThreadScope, and Illume Bio, spanning sectors like renewable energy, biotechnology, and education. The fund's approach emphasizes frugal innovation and execution-led entrepreneurship, aiming to transform ambitious ideas into sustainable, scalable ventures that create meaningful and long-lasting impact across India's startup ecosystem.

Investment Focus

• Student founders, recent graduates (1-2 years), or dropouts under 25
• Functional prototype or detailed project timeline required
• Wild card projects eligible for base stipends of ₹10,000 per month

Portfolio Companies