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Catamaran, the family office of Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy, is setting its sights on precision manufacturing as the next frontier—aiming to replicate the success of its past joint ventures with global giants like Amazon and Aon. With a focus on building supply chains rather than just backing OEMs, Catamaran is exploring threeway partnerships that combine capital, local expertise, and global tech knowhow.
Key Highlights of the Strategic Shift
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Catamaran is actively scouting joint ventures in precision manufacturing, modeled after its successful Cloudtail partnership with Amazon
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The firm plans to bring capital and Indiaspecific operational knowledge, while partnering with domestic promoters and international manufacturing experts
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Target sectors include electric vehicle supply chains, electronics, aerospace, and other hightech verticals
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The goal is to build scalable, techenabled supply chains that create jobs and longterm value in India
Lessons from the Amazon JV and Cloudtail Experience
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Catamaran’s Cloudtail JV with Amazon, launched in 2014, trained sellers and became one of the top merchants on the platform
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Despite regulatory headwinds, the JV yielded Rs 915 crore in profits over eight years on a Rs 417 crore investment
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The success of Cloudtail has inspired Catamaran to pursue similar highimpact partnerships in manufacturing
Investment Philosophy and Capital Strategy
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Catamaran prefers patient capital over venturestyle funding, citing long gestation periods in manufacturing
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The firm has already invested in Sedemac (automotive electronics) and Aequs (aerospace and consumer goods contract manufacturing)
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With $1.3 billion in assets under management, Catamaran is positioned to support IPO journeys and scaleup plans without immediate exit pressure
Global Engagement and India’s Manufacturing Moment
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Catamaran is in talks with international firms to bring advanced manufacturing processes to India
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The firm sees India as a prime destination amid global supply chain diversification away from China
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Chairman Ranganath MD likens the current opportunity to a “Y2K moment” for Indian manufacturing, signaling transformative potential
As Catamaran prepares to stitch together capital, capability, and collaboration, its precision manufacturing push could redefine India’s industrial landscape—where global tech meets local ambition to build the factories of the future.
Sources: Moneycontrol, The Arc, DNA India, LiveMint, Business Today
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