General Catalyst leads $20 mn seed funding in Primus Senior Living

By Aman Rawat

  • 16 Oct 2024
Adarsh Narahari, founder and MD, Primus

Primus Senior Living has raised $20 million (about Rs 168 crore) in seed funding, marking one of the largest early-stage financing rounds by an Indian startup this year. 

The round was led by US-based venture capital firm General Catalyst, Primus said in a statement. Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath and Gruhas, the investment firm that Kamath and Abhijeet Pai co-founded, also joined the round. 

Primus said it will use the funding to develop a comprehensive eldercare platform that offers a wide range of services, including healthcare, wellness, lifestyle, and social engagement. 

“As India grows older, we need to reimagine how we service our elders in a manner that preserves their agency and expands their quality of life,” said Priya Mohan, Partner at General Catalyst. 

Primus claims it is building an eldercare ecosystem that extends the health span and improves the quality of life for India’s aging population. It integrates healthcare, lifestyle support and aging services, all delivered directly to the home. The company says it is also building intergenerational communities where people of all ages can live together.   

“At Primus, we envision a future where aging is not seen as a burden but as a cherished phase of life. Our goal is to create a vibrant, inclusive ecosystem where seniors are not only cared for but celebrated—surrounded by love, connection, and purpose,” said Adarsh Narahari, Founder and managing director of Primus.   

Primus joins a handful of other startups that focus on senior care to raise funding. Earlier this year, the family office of Manipal Group’s Ranjan Pai invested Rs 45 crore as Series A capital into Kites Senior Care. Last year, Age Care Labs raised $11 million in a pre-Series B round from Zerodha arm Rainmatter Capital and Gruhas while a fund managed by Morgan Stanley invested in Athulya Assisted Living. VCCircle reported earlier this year that a number of private equity firms and pension funds were looking to invest in Antara, the senior living arm of Max India Ltd. 

Referring to the investment in Primus, Kamath said the eldercare space could be a huge entrepreneurial opportunity.  

“India is getting older, and with the rise of nuclear families, we need to rethink how we take care of our elderly. The traditional approach doesn’t always work anymore. We need new-age solutions—like what Primus is creating—to give people the care, comfort, and dignity they deserve as they age,” he said.