London’s Pantheon Ventures scouts for India deals but warns of emerging risks

ChrysCapital’s $700-million continuation fund alongside HarbourVest and LGT Capital Partners in 2024.Broadly, India has emerged as an increasingly attractive destination for LPs and its regional weight has increased amid China’s slowdown, according to a report by McKinsey that was released earlier this month.The report added that India accounts for more than a third of all Asia–Pacific investment exposure among surveyed LPs. Data notes that private equity and venture capital deals expanded 1.6-fold to $207 billion between 2016-20 and 2021-25 while exits for the same period more than doubled to around $120 billion, the consultancy firm said.Pantheon has also benefited from improving liquidity through India’s public markets.“Over the last year, we certainly got some liquidity from the IPO markets, and this has been very encouraging for us as global investors to be able to continue deploying capital,” Sood said.However, he struck a cautious note as geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic uncertainties continue to pose risks to deal activity across both public and private markets.“While we have a significant presence in Asia-Pacific, the risks are elevated in the short-term due to a confluence of factors.

But as every other long-term investor, we continue to navigate and find ways to make those returns,” he said.“If you look back at some of the track records or the best deals that have happened, it was when the markets were volatile. That is where experienced general partners (GPs) or CEOs and management teams can differentiate themselves.”Beyond macro risks, investors are also closely watching the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on traditional business models.