New Delhi, March 8 -- BENGALURU: Bertelsmann India Investments (BII) is doubling down on startups targeting India's rural market, according to a senior executive at the firm.

"Our thesis is clear, the investments we make either have to help villages make money or help them spend money," Pankaj Makkar, managing director at BII told Mint.

For the early growth-stage corporate venture fund, there is a distinction between what venture capital like to call Bharat and rural India. While the term is all-encompassing, it doesn't account for the fundamental issues facing rural India. "The problem statement in villages isn't to outbid competitors through marketing. It's creating distribution and investing in infrastructure," said Makkar.

Rural In...