Bandhan Mutual Fund has said its Bandhan Innovation Fund has completed two years of investing in innovation-led businesses, focusing on companies driving long-term growth through technology, research and differentiated business models. Launched with a specialised mandate, the fund invests in firms with strong research and development spending, high-skilled employee intensity, differentiated products and services, non-linear business models and strong brand presence. The strategy aims to identify businesses whose growth is driven more by innovation cycles than traditional economic or commodity cycles.
Prateek Poddar, Fund Manager of the fund, said innovation has become a key factor for companies seeking durable competitive advantage. “Businesses that innovate successfully are better positioned to compound independent of short-term economic cycles, improve productivity and expand market share,” he said, adding that the fund seeks to invest in emerging companies before they become major constituents of broader market indices. The fund said India’s next generation of market leaders is being built by engineers, software architects, chemists and entrepreneurs creating new-age products and services, offering long-term opportunities for investors willing to participate early in the value-creation cycle.
From a Kolkata market perspective, wealth managers and retail investors in the city are increasingly showing interest in thematic and innovation-focused investment products as younger investors look beyond traditional savings instruments. Market observers say innovation-led funds are gaining traction in Kolkata’s growing investment landscape, particularly among long-term investors seeking exposure to India’s evolving technology and business ecosystem.