A 20-minute pitch wins Indian startup Pronto backing from Lachy Groom
Source: TechCrunch
Lachy Groom, one of Silicon Valley’s most closely watched solo investors, decided to back Indian startup Pronto just 20 minutes into his first meeting with its 24‑year‑old founder.
Investment Overview
The February meeting, arranged through a mutual connection, led Groom to invest $20 million in Pronto as an extension of its Series B round. The funding valued the Bengaluru‑based startup at $200 million post‑money—double its valuation just over two months earlier, as TechCrunch previously reported. The deal was closed within weeks, bringing the solo investor on board as Pronto scales to meet growing demand for on‑demand home services in India.
Founder Background
Pronto was founded in 2025 by Anjali Sardana, who previously worked at Bain Capital and venture firm 8VC, gaining early exposure to investing and high‑growth startups. Pronto connects households with workers for everyday tasks such as cleaning and basic home services.
Connection and Network
The introduction was arranged by Paul Hudson, founder of Glade Brook Capital, who connected Groom and Sardana during her trip to San Francisco earlier this year. Glade Brook has backed both Pronto and Physical Intelligence, where Groom is a co‑founder. Hudson and Groom have also backed Indian quick‑commerce startup Zepto.
Investment Philosophy
Sardana said Groom’s investment approach is heavily founder‑driven:
“He indexes two things. One is the founder, and that’s 95 % of it. If he loves the founder, then he will invest.”
The remaining consideration comes down to the scale and potential of the business.
Market Landscape
A recent Bank of America note, reviewed by TechCrunch, estimates the instant home‑services market in India could grow into a $15 billion‑$18 billion industry by the end of the decade. Companies competing for share include Pronto, Snabbit, and Urban Company’s InstaHelp.
Competition is intensifying, with heavy capital inflows and aggressive pricing to attract first‑time users. Bank of America estimates that Snabbit and Urban Company’s InstaHelp each account for about 40 % of the market, while Pronto holds roughly 20 %, even as it scales rapidly. The category is expected to remain “burn‑heavy” over the next two to three years.
Growth Metrics
Pronto has been scaling quickly, increasing daily bookings from around 18,000 to 26,000 in just over a month. The startup focuses on driving repeat usage, noting that its top 10 % of users generate about 40 % of bookings.
Supply expansion has been a key challenge. The network of service workers grew to 6,500 from 1,440 in January, but demand continues to outpace supply, making forecasting and capacity management critical as the company grows.
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