Two fresh startup funding stories show how India’s digital economy is moving beyond metro-focused apps. Furtilo wants to bring delivery services to hundreds of smaller towns, while Even Healthcare is building a hospital network around a technology-enabled care model.

The companies work in different sectors, but both are using funding to control more of the customer experience. Furtilo is building local delivery networks, while Even is combining membership healthcare, insurance partnerships and its own hospitals.

Furtilo raises seed funding for small-town delivery

Bengaluru-based Furtilo, formerly known as BelivMart, has raised undisclosed seed funding from US-based early-stage investor Trikona LLC. The company was founded in 2025 by Ankit Agrawal, Sumit Rathore and Vaibhav Rathore, and relaunched under the Furtilo name in January 2026.

Furtilo operates a hyperlocal delivery app for Tier-3 and Tier-4 towns. Customers can order meals from neighbourhood restaurants as well as products from local kirana, stationery, electrical, hardware, mobile and agricultural-supply shops.

Its main difference is the merchant model. Instead of taking a percentage from every order, Furtilo charges shops a flat monthly subscription starting at Rs. 99. Merchants keep the full listed value of each order, while customers pay a delivery charge.

According to the company’s announcement, Furtilo is live in more than 37 towns across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. It says it handles over 6,000 monthly orders and has onboarded more than 650 restaurants and shops.

As per startupsuccessstories, the new funding will support expansion to over 500 towns by mid-2028, along with technology development, hiring and local operations. Furtilo also plans to add parcel delivery and bike-taxi services where state rules permit them.

The company will compete indirectly with large delivery platforms such as Zomato and Swiggy, but its real focus is towns where those services may have limited coverage. For a local shopkeeper, the attraction is simple: digital orders and delivery support without a large commission on every sale.

Even Healthcare’s $50 million hospital expansion

Bengaluru-based Even Healthcare has raised $50 million in a Series B round led by Khosla Ventures, with Alpha Wave participating. The funding values the company at about $300 million, according to TechCrunch.

Even Healthcare was founded in 2021 by Mayank Banerjee, Matilde Giglio and Alessandro Ialongo. Its model brings together primary care, diagnostics, preventive care, chronic-condition management and cashless hospitalization through insurance partners.

The company’s stated use of funds is mainly hospital expansion. Even currently operates two hospitals in Bengaluru and plans to open five more over the next six months. Its longer-term aim is to place an Even hospital within five kilometres of every member in Bengaluru before expanding into other major cities.

The company differs from a traditional hospital chain because it says doctors receive fixed salaries, with incentives linked to patient outcomes rather than the number of tests or procedures performed. The idea is to make money by keeping patients healthier and avoiding unnecessary treatment.

Three Indian startups have raised fresh capital in very different markets: lab-grown diamond jewellery, AI-led frontline hiring and green hydrogen. While the businesses serve different customers, all three are using funding to expand products, teams and real-world operations.

So/Facet raised Rs. 10 crore in seed funding, Hunar.AI secured Rs. 39.3 crore in a Series A round, and Greenzo Energy received Rs. 130 crore in its latest financing. Greenzo says it has now raised about Rs. 251 crore across three rounds.

So/Facet plans premium lab-grown diamond stores

So/Facet, a lab-grown diamond jewellery brand, has raised Rs. 10 crore in a seed round led by consumer-focused investor Sauce. This is the company’s first institutional fundraise.

The company was founded in 2026 by Aarushi Agrawal Naulakha and Abhishek Naulakha. It wants to position diamonds as everyday personal accessories, rather than jewellery bought mainly for engagements, weddings or special occasions.

As per Entrepreneur India, The new capital will be used for brand building, product design, technology, hiring and an omnichannel launch. Omnichannel simply means serving customers both online and through physical stores. So/Facet plans to launch online in November 2026 and aims to open more than 30 premium stores within three years.

The brand will compete with established jewellery chains as well as newer lab-grown diamond labels. Its challenge will be to build trust, especially when buyers are comparing designs, certification and resale expectations.

Hunar.AI expands voice-led frontline hiring

Bengaluru-based Hunar.AI has raised Rs. 39.3 crore in a Series A funding round led by Blume Ventures. Seedstars, Hyderabad Angels Fund, AVNM Ventures, and Physics Wallah co-founders Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari also participated as per Peepals Global.

Founded in 2022 by Krishna Khandelwal and Shantanu Bhattacharyya, Hunar.AI builds voice-based AI tools for companies hiring frontline workers. These include delivery partners, warehouse workers, retail staff, field sales employees and customer-service teams.

Its system can speak with candidates in multiple languages, help screen applicants, guide onboarding and support training. For instance, a large retailer hiring staff across several cities could use a voice agent to answer routine questions and schedule the next step without requiring every candidate to fill a long English-language form.

The company’s post-money valuation is estimated at about Rs. 180 crore, up more than 71 percent from its earlier estimated valuation of Rs. 105 crore. The funding is expected to support working capital, technology spending, operations and wider business expansion.

Hunar.AI operates in a competitive HR technology space alongside recruitment automation companies such as Vahan.ai. Its focus on voice interaction is particularly relevant for workers who prefer speaking in their own language.

Greenzo Energy builds green hydrogen capacity

Greenzo Energy India has raised Rs. 130 crore in fresh funding led by investor Ashish Kacholia and associates. The company says its cumulative funding across three rounds has reached about Rs. 251 crore, with the latest round valuing it at around Rs. 1,030 crore after the investment.

Greenzo Energy was founded by Sandeep Agarwal and registered in India in 2022. The company works on green hydrogen projects and makes electrolysers, equipment that uses electricity to split water and produce hydrogen.

As per Energetica India, the fresh capital will support expansion of its domestic electrolyser manufacturing, research and development, working capital and project execution in India and overseas. Greenzo operates a 250MW-per-year electrolyser manufacturing facility at Sanand in Gujarat.

The company is competing in an emerging clean-energy market where local manufacturing, dependable project delivery and cost control will matter as much as technology. Its work is aimed at industries seeking lower-emission energy options, including sectors where direct electrification is difficult.

Indian startup funding is no longer limited to apps, fintech and food delivery. The latest funding updates show money flowing into defence manufacturing, healthcare delivery, clean energy hardware and preventive wellness.

Hughes Precision Manufacturing, Rio Health, Eapro Global and Betterhood are very different businesses, but their fundraising tells a common story. Investors are backing companies that solve real-world problems, from faster medicine delivery to local ammunition production and better pain care.

Hughes Precision Manufacturing – Building defence manufacturing capacity

Hughes Precision Manufacturing has raised more than Rs. 250 crore to expand its ammunition manufacturing business. The company was incorporated in 2016 and is focused on small-caliber ammunition for defence, law enforcement and approved global customers.

Its latest funding will mainly support capacity expansion. As per the company announcement, Hughes plans to increase small-caliber ammunition capacity from about 80 million rounds to 220 million rounds. It also wants to enter medium-caliber ammunition manufacturing.

The company is led by Managing Director Sanjay Soni.

The aim is simple but important. India wants stronger local defence production, and Hughes wants to become a serious private-sector player in that space. Its competitors and peers include public-sector defence manufacturers and private defence firms such as Munitions India, Solar Industries and other ammunition suppliers.

Rio Health – Fast medicine delivery through WhatsApp

Rio Health has raised Rs. 43.08 crore in a pre-Series A round led by Version One Ventures. Existing investors Xeed Ventures, Good Capital and Amplify Partner also joined the round.

Founded by Ankur Agrawal and Amit Ahuja, Rio Health is building a quick-commerce platform for medicines and healthcare essentials.

The company lets customers order through WhatsApp and aims to deliver medicines and healthcare products in around 15 to 30 minutes. Its operating entity, Rapidsurge Innovations Private Limited, was incorporated in 2023.

The fresh money will be used for working capital, capital expenditure, business expansion and strengthening the company’s capital base.

Rio is entering a crowded but useful market. Competitors include Tata 1mg, Apollo 24/7, PharmEasy, Netmeds and local pharmacy delivery services. Its WhatsApp-first approach may help customers who do not want to download another app.

Eapro Global – Power backup and clean energy growth

Eapro Global has raised Rs. 40 crore in pre-IPO funding. The Roorkee-based company makes solar inverters, batteries and energy storage systems.

It was founded in 2012 by Jagdeep Chauhan, who is also its Founder and Managing Director.

The funding round included Aarth AIF Growth Fund, NAV Bharat Investment Opportunities Fund, VentureX Fund, Kyro India Opportunities Fund – I and the JK family office. The company is reportedly preparing for a possible FY28 IPO.

Eapro plans to use the funds to expand manufacturing capacity, improve technology and grow in India’s clean energy and power-backup market. This is practical money for a practical business. Homes, shops and factories need reliable power, and solar-plus-storage products are becoming more relevant as energy demand rises.

Its competitors include Luminous, Microtek, Livguard, Exide and other inverter, battery and solar equipment companies.

Betterhood – Preventing pain before it becomes serious

Betterhood has raised Rs. 11.5 crore in a seed round led by Sauce, with participation from existing investor Kairon Capital.

The brand was founded by Vikram Kadam and Neha Zade and launched in October 2024.

Betterhood focuses on preventive pain care. Its products cover posture support, back support, knee and wrist support, recovery products and other musculoskeletal health needs. In simple words, it wants people to take care of body pain early instead of waiting until it becomes a bigger daily problem.

As per ET, the startup had earlier raised Rs. 5 crore led by Kairon Capital. That money was meant for product development, team expansion and wider online and offline distribution.

Betterhood competes with brands such as Tynor, Vissco and other pain care, posture and wellness product companies. Its edge may come from combining products with education and physiotherapist-led awareness.

Conclusion with key takeaways

These four funding rounds show how broad India’s startup and growth-company market has become.

Hughes Precision is scaling defence manufacturing. Rio Health wants to make medicine delivery faster and simpler. Eapro Global is preparing for clean energy and power-backup demand. Betterhood is trying to build a new habit around early pain care.

For beginners tracking startup funding, the main lesson is clear. Investors are not just chasing flashy ideas. They are looking at capacity, trust, distribution, repeat demand and real customer problems.

References- PR Newswire, Newzchain, The Financial World, Deccan Founders

Lavni Ventures has closed its Rs. 200 crore target for Fund II, its second early-stage deeptech impact fund. The fund reached this target in committed capital about a year after its first close in August 2025.

The fund also has a Rs. 100 crore green-shoe option, which means Lavni can raise additional capital beyond the base fund size if investor demand and fund strategy support it. This gives the firm more room to back promising companies as they grow.

What Lavni Ventures does

Lavni Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2020. Its Fund II is a scheme of Lavni Ventures Trust, a SEBI-registered Category II Alternative Investment Fund.

The firm focuses on foundational technologies in health and climate. In simple words, it looks for startups that are building deep technology products with real-world use, not just software layers or short-term trends.

These could include medical devices, diagnostic tools, waste recycling technologies, clean-tech systems or health monitoring platforms. Such companies usually need more patient capital because product testing, validation and market adoption can take time.

Fund II aim

The main aim of Lavni Ventures Fund II is to back Indian deeptech founders who can build globally scalable health and climate solutions in a capital-efficient way.

As per Entrackr, Fund II will invest Rs. 2 crore to Rs. 6 crore per opportunity at the seed stage. It will also deploy Rs. 8 crore to Rs. 15 crore in follow-on rounds, fresh Series A rounds and beyond.

This structure is important because deeptech startups often need support beyond their first cheque. A startup may build a prototype with seed money, but it may still need more capital for testing, certification, manufacturing, hiring and global expansion.

First investments from Fund II

Lavni Ventures Fund II has already made its first three investments. These include Padcare Labs, Monitra Healthcare and Vidcare.

Padcare Labs works on sanitary waste recycling. Monitra Healthcare builds remote cardiac monitoring devices. Vidcare develops portable at-home diagnostic tests.

These examples show the kind of problems Lavni wants to support – practical, serious and linked to health or climate impact. They are not just digital convenience products. They are companies trying to solve deeper issues with science and engineering.

Why this fund matters for India

India has many strong deeptech founders, but early-stage funding remains a challenge. Many investors prefer businesses that can scale quickly with lower risk. Deeptech does not always work that way.

A health device may need clinical testing. A climate solution may need field trials. A diagnostic product may need regulatory approvals and trust from doctors or users. This takes time.

Funds like Lavni’s can help bridge the gap between early invention and real commercial growth. If more such startups succeed, India can build stronger companies in healthcare, climate technology and advanced manufacturing.

Competitors and market context

Lavni Ventures is part of a growing deeptech funding ecosystem in India. Other investors such as Speciale Invest, pi Ventures, Ideaspring Capital and deeptech-focused arms of larger venture funds are also backing science-led startups.

This is good for founders because deeptech needs investors who understand long development cycles, hardware challenges and technical risk.

Drivn India has raised $4.7 million, or around Rs. 45 crore, in seed funding from Avaana Capital. The Gurugram-based startup is working in the commercial electric vehicle space, with a focus on electric buses, heavy-duty trucks, leasing, charging support and fleet operations.

This is not a typical consumer EV startup story. Drivn is not trying to sell scooters or cars to individual buyers. Its aim is to help large fleet owners, logistics companies, intercity operators and industrial users move from diesel vehicles to electric commercial vehicles in a more organized way.

What Drivn India does

Drivn Transition Private Limited was founded in 2025 by Manav Bansal, Alpna Jain and Madhujeet Chimni.

The company calls itself a full-stack e-mobility platform. In simple words, this means it does not only provide vehicles. It also works on financing, leasing, charging infrastructure, battery lifecycle management and fleet operations.

For example, a logistics company may want to shift from diesel trucks to electric trucks but may worry about high vehicle cost, charging points, battery health and daily uptime. Drivn wants to solve these problems together instead of offering only one piece of the puzzle.

Funding purpose

Drivn’s Indian entity raised Rs. 45 crore from Avaana Capital through a seed round. The company approved the allotment of 33,98,792 compulsorily convertible preference shares at Rs. 132.40 per share as per the report.

The fresh funding is expected to support business requirements and general corporate purposes. In practical terms, this can help the company build its technology systems, strengthen operations, support team growth and prepare for larger commercial EV deployment.

The round also follows an earlier financing commitment of up to $80 million from Nomura in February 2026, which was linked to electric buses and trucks. That makes Drivn’s capital strategy interesting – equity capital for the company, and separate financing support for vehicle deployment.

Why Drivn’s model matters

India wants cleaner transport, but commercial vehicles are a tough segment to electrify. Trucks and buses run for long hours, carry heavy loads and need reliable charging. A breakdown or charging delay can hurt business.

That is why fleet electrification needs more than just electric vehicles. It needs route planning, leasing structures, battery monitoring, maintenance support and charging access. Drivn is trying to build around these real-world needs.

If executed well, its model can reduce diesel dependence, lower emissions and make electric mobility more practical for businesses.

Competitors and market view

Drivn operates in a space where competition may come from EV fleet operators, leasing companies, charging infrastructure firms and commercial vehicle makers. Companies such as GreenCell Mobility, Euler Motors, Switch Mobility, Tata Motors, EKA Mobility and other EV ecosystem players are active in nearby areas.

Drivn’s challenge will be execution. Commercial EVs are capital-heavy, and customers will judge the company on uptime, cost savings and reliability.

Conclusion with key takeaways

Drivn India’s $4.7 million seed funding from Avaana Capital shows growing investor interest in commercial fleet electrification. The startup is targeting a difficult but important part of India’s clean mobility shift.

Key takeaways –

• Drivn India has raised $4.7 million, or around Rs. 45 crore, in seed funding.
• The round was led entirely by Avaana Capital.
• Drivn was founded in 2025 by Manav Bansal, Alpna Jain and Madhujeet Chimni.
• The startup focuses on electric buses, heavy-duty trucks, leasing, charging and fleet operations.
• Its larger aim is to make commercial EV adoption easier for fleet owners and operators.

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Physioplus Healthcare has raised seed funding at a valuation of $800,000, giving the Jaipur-based healthtech startup fresh support for its next stage of growth. The round comes at a time when more Indians are becoming open to digital healthcare, home-based care, and structured rehabilitation services.

The startup is focused on physiotherapy, an area that often gets less attention than doctor consultations or medicine delivery. For many people, finding the right physiotherapist is still a slow process. Physioplus Healthcare wants to make that search easier, while also giving physiotherapists better digital tools to manage patients and treatment records.

What Physioplus Healthcare does

Physioplus Healthcare is a digital-first physiotherapy platform based in Jaipur. As per recent funding reports, the startup was founded in 2022 and its co-founders include Samit Saxena, Jaswant Singh, and Madhukar Pareek.

The company connects patients with certified physiotherapists and supports care areas such as chronic pain, sports injuries, post-surgery rehabilitation, and musculoskeletal problems. In simple terms, these are issues related to bones, muscles, joints, posture, and movement.

For example, someone recovering after knee surgery may need regular physiotherapy sessions, progress tracking, and exercise guidance. A platform like Physioplus can help that patient find a suitable physiotherapist and continue treatment in a more organized way.

Funding purpose and growth plan

The fresh seed investment is expected to help Physioplus Healthcare improve its technology platform, grow its physiotherapist network, and expand across India. The funding came from HBF Direct Limited, according to recent reports and company-linked updates.

This is important because physiotherapy is not just about booking one session. Good recovery usually needs assessment, follow-up, exercise plans, records, and regular monitoring. Physioplus is trying to bring these parts into one digital system.

The company’s wider aim appears to be building a more structured physiotherapy ecosystem where patients can discover care easily and physiotherapists can manage their work better.

Why this matters for patients

Physiotherapy is often needed after injuries, surgeries, long-term pain, or mobility problems. But many patients delay treatment because they do not know whom to visit, how often to go, or whether home care is available.

A digital platform can reduce some of this confusion. If done well, it can help patients find verified professionals, book care faster, and keep track of their recovery.

This is especially useful in India’s smaller cities, where access to specialist rehabilitation services may not be as smooth as in metro areas.

Competitors and market context

Physioplus Healthcare is not alone in this space. Other startups and healthtech companies are also working around physiotherapy, rehabilitation, and musculoskeletal care. Reports mention names such as FlexifyMe, Stance Health, and Rebee Health in the broader digital physiotherapy and rehab-tech market.

The competition shows that investors are watching this category more closely. Still, the market is early, and trust will matter a lot. Patients will not choose a physiotherapy platform only because it is digital. They will choose it if the care feels reliable, affordable, and consistent.

Factrika has raised Rs.8.9 crore in a seed funding round led by Info Edge which was confirmed earlier, the company behind Naukri.com, 99acres and other internet businesses. The investment gives Info Edge an early stake in a startup working on one of India’s practical manufacturing problems – finding reliable factory workers when they are needed most.

Founded in July 2024 by Kshitij Puri and Gaurav Asthana, Factrika is an on-demand industrial workforce platform.

It connects manufacturers with verified workers across different factory skills, helping companies manage sudden demand, absenteeism and shift-based hiring.

What Factrika is trying to solve

Factories do not always need the same number of workers every day. A production line may need extra hands during a rush order. Another plant may face sudden absenteeism before a key delivery deadline. Traditional contractor-led hiring can be slow, scattered and hard to track.

Factrika wants to make this process more organized. Its platform matches factories with skilled workers based on availability, location and skill category. Workers can accept shifts digitally, while the company manages attendance, payments and worker records.

For a simple example, if a factory in Manesar needs packaging workers for an urgent night shift, Factrika can help find verified workers faster instead of the factory depending only on local middlemen.

Why the funding matters

The fresh funding will be used to strengthen Factrika’s technology, expand its team and enter more industrial clusters. The company is starting with locations such as Bhiwadi, Manesar, Bawal, Noida and Bahadurgarh.

This expansion is important because India’s manufacturing growth depends not only on factories and machines, but also on worker availability. If a factory has orders but not enough workers on the shop floor, production slows down.

Factrika says it has more than 10,000 registered workers across over 20 skill categories. The platform also claims a show rate of more than 90 percent, which means most workers who accept shifts actually turn up.

How workers may benefit

Factrika is not only solving a factory problem. It is also trying to give workers better access to verified jobs. Many blue-collar workers still depend on informal networks, local contractors or word of mouth.

A digital work record can help workers build proof of experience over time. If a worker regularly completes shifts in machine operation, packaging or assembly, that record may support better job opportunities later.

Factrika also says workers on its platform can earn 20 percent to 30 percent more through skill progression. This will matter if the company can keep job quality, payments and reliability strong as it scales.

Competitors and market challenge

Factrika competes with traditional labour contractors, staffing agencies and blue-collar job platforms. Its broader rivals may include BetterPlace, Apna, WorkIndia, Vahan and local manpower firms working with factories.

The biggest challenge will be ground execution. Industrial staffing is not a pure app business. Factrika will need strong local teams, employer trust, worker verification, quick replacements and smooth payment systems.

Why Info Edge’s backing is important

Info Edge understands hiring deeply through Naukri.com and JobHai. Its investment in Factrika shows interest in a more specialized hiring category – industrial workforce supply.

For Factrika, Info Edge’s backing can bring credibility, hiring market knowledge and long-term support. For Info Edge, it is an early bet on the future of manufacturing jobs and blue-collar workforce technology.

Facts Input- CapitalMarket, ET-Entrepreneur

Hang Ten Systems has raised an additional $53 million in seed funding, led by Xora, a Temasek-backed fund. With this new round, the company’s total funding has reached $85 million.

The startup was founded in 2026 by Dr. Vishal Sikka, former CEO of Infosys and former SAP executive.

Hang Ten Systems is based in the US and works with large enterprises that want to use AI for real business work, not just small experiments.

What Hang Ten Systems does

Hang Ten Systems helps big companies build, modernize and run enterprise software using AI. In simple words, it wants to make business software development faster, cheaper and more useful.

Large companies often spend years and huge budgets on software projects. They may need systems for finance, human resources, analytics, operations, supply chains or customer support. Hang Ten says its AI-native model can help companies build such systems with smaller teams and shorter timelines.

The company uses agentic code generation, a reusable skills library and domain experts. Agentic code generation means AI tools can help plan and create software tasks with human supervision. The reusable skills library helps the company avoid starting from zero every time.

Why the new funding matters

This is not Hang Ten’s first seed round. The company had earlier raised $32 million, and the latest $53 million came only a few weeks later. That quick follow-on funding suggests investors are seeing strong demand from enterprise customers.

The new capital will be used to expand delivery capacity, hire more engineering and consulting talent, and improve the company’s platform and AI skills library.

For example, if a global manufacturer wants to replace an old internal software system, Hang Ten can help design and build a modern AI-supported version. If a finance team wants better analytics, the startup can help create tools that reduce manual work and improve decision-making.

Startup aim

As per TechCrunch, Hang Ten’s larger aim is to help enterprises move beyond AI pilots. Many large companies have tested AI tools, but turning those tools into reliable business systems is harder.

This is where Hang Ten wants to create value. It wants to become a trusted partner for companies that need production-grade AI software, not just demos or trial projects.

The company says it already has multi-million-dollar contracts with global enterprises. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy is among the companies mentioned in its announcement.

Investors and board update

The latest round was led by Xora. Mayfield, which led the first seed round, also participated, along with Aramco Ventures.

Other investors linked to the company include Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra and Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang. Yang has also joined Hang Ten Systems’ board of directors.

Competitors and market challenge

Hang Ten Systems is entering a crowded but fast-growing market. It may compete with traditional IT service firms such as Accenture, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Cognizant, IBM and Deloitte.

It may also face indirect competition from AI companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Microsoft, which are expanding enterprise AI tools.

Hang Ten’s challenge will be execution. Big companies need security, reliability, compliance and long-term support. If Hang Ten can deliver real software faster and at lower cost, it may find strong demand.

India’s AI startup market has received another strong signal from investors. VC firm Activate has closed its maiden AI-focused fund at $105 million, with a plan to back young companies building around artificial intelligence.

Activate was founded in December 2025 by Aakrit Vaish, former CEO and co-founder of Haptik, and Pratyush Choudhury, a former partner at Together Fund.

The firm calls itself an India-native AI venture firm and wants to support founders from the very beginning, sometimes even before a company is formally incorporated.

Activate fund – What the $105 million includes

As per Dealroom, Activate’s maiden fund includes an $85 million early-stage vehicle and $20 million through dedicated growth investment vehicles. The fund has reportedly closed above its original target, which shows strong investor confidence in India’s AI opportunity.

The firm plans to back around 25 to 30 startups. Its first cheques are expected to be in the range of $500,000 to $3 million. These investments will mostly go into pre-seed, seed and idea-stage AI startups.

In simple words, Activate is not waiting for startups to become big before investing. It wants to work with founders when the idea is still being shaped.

What Activate wants to invest in

Activate is focusing on three broad areas – AI applications, foundational models and physical infrastructure.

AI applications are tools that solve real business or consumer problems using AI. For example, an AI tutor for students, an AI sales assistant for small businesses or an AI tool for doctors to manage patient notes.

Foundational models are deeper technology plays, such as language, voice, video or coding models built for specific needs. Physical infrastructure can include compute, robotics or hardware-linked AI systems.

The firm believes India can create strong AI companies in sectors where the country already has scale, such as commerce, financial services, education, healthcare and services.

Why this fund matters for Indian AI startups

AI startups need more than money. They need access to models, cloud credits, technical feedback, hiring help and customer introductions. Activate is trying to build that support system around its fund.

The firm says its network includes a GenAI community of more than 15,000 technical practitioners. It has also listed partnerships with major AI and cloud companies such as NVIDIA, OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud and Notion. Portfolio companies may get up to $1 million in credits and benefits.

For an early-stage startup, this can be useful. A small team building an AI product may spend heavily on cloud and model usage before earning revenue. Support like credits and technical access can reduce early pressure.

Investors and early bets

Activate’s limited partners include founders, AI researchers, family offices, enterprises, global VC partners and well-known technology investors. Names mentioned across reports and the firm’s website include Vinod Khosla, General Catalyst, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Ronnie Screwvala and Ranjan Pai.

The firm has already made investments in startups such as Sarvam AI, ElevenLabs and Wispr Flow. It has also backed several early-stage companies through its Inception strategy, though some of them are still in stealth.

Competitors and market context

Activate is entering a busy space. Other investors are also increasing their focus on AI and deeptech. Accel has launched a large AI and deeptech fund, while Elevation Capital has also moved strongly toward AI-focused investing.

The difference Activate wants to create is early involvement. Its aim is to work closely with founders at day zero, help refine the idea and then support product, hiring and future fundraising.

VerifAIX has raised $5 million in seed funding to build its AI-native semiconductor verification platform. The round was co-led by Endiya Partners and Bluehill VC, marking the startup’s first institutional funding round.

Founded in 2024 by Madhulima Tewari, Kenneth Roe and Avner Landver, VerifAIX is working in a highly technical but very important part of the chip industry. Its main aim is to help semiconductor companies check whether their chip designs are correct before they move ahead with production.

Why chip verification matters

A chip is not something a company can casually fix after manufacturing. If there is a design mistake, the cost can be huge. It can delay launches, waste money and affect products like smartphones, cars, data centres, AI systems and consumer electronics.

That is where verification comes in. In simple words, verification is the process of checking whether a chip design behaves the way engineers intended.

Today, chips are becoming more complex because of AI processors, custom silicon, chiplets and advanced computing needs. At the same time, AI tools are also helping engineers create designs faster. But faster design creates a new question – who checks if the design is actually right?

This is the problem VerifAIX wants to solve.

What VerifAIX is building

VerifAIX is building a platform that combines AI with formal verification. Formal verification means using mathematical methods to prove whether a design follows the expected rules.

The startup calls the heart of its system a “Formal Brain”. It studies chip specifications, design code and verification data to find gaps, mismatches and possible errors.

For a simple example, imagine an engineer writes that a chip should behave in a certain way when two signals arrive together. VerifAIX’s platform can help check whether the actual design follows that rule, instead of depending only on manual review or selected test cases.

This can save time for engineering teams and reduce the risk of missing hidden bugs.

How the funding will be used

As per reports, the $5 million seed funding will be used for product development, customer deployments and hiring engineering talent across the US, India and Israel.

The company also plans to improve its platform for larger and more complex chip designs. This is important because semiconductor companies need tools that can handle real-world design problems, not just small demos.

VerifAIX says its technology is already being used by semiconductor companies for complex control logic and protocol-related verification work.

Who are its customers and competitors

VerifAIX is targeting semiconductor companies, chip IP firms, processor makers, AI accelerator developers, hyperscalers and companies building custom silicon.

Its broader market includes established electronic design automation players such as Cadence, Synopsys and Siemens EDA. These companies already offer design and verification tools, but VerifAIX is trying to stand out by building an AI-first verification layer focused on trust, traceability and mathematical checking.

The challenge will be customer confidence. Chip companies are careful about adopting new verification tools because mistakes are expensive. VerifAIX will need to prove that its platform can work at scale and fit into existing engineering workflows.

Hyderabad-based game publishing startup 1312 Interactive has raised $1 million in seed funding led by Chimera Venture Capital and T-Accelerate Capital, also known as TAC. The round also saw participation from Ventana Ventures and angel investors.

The company was founded in 2024 by Deepak Gurijala and Raviteja Mantena.

It works with indie and AA game developers, mainly those building PC and console games for global audiences. In simple terms, 1312 Interactive wants to become a launch partner for small game studios that have strong ideas but need help with funding, production, marketing and distribution.

What 1312 Interactive does

A lot of small game developers know how to build interesting games, but they often struggle when it is time to launch. Publishing a game is not only about uploading it to Steam or a console store. Developers need trailers, testing, localization, platform support, community building and marketing.

This is the gap 1312 Interactive is trying to fill. The company helps studios from early development to launch and post-launch support. Its focus is on premium PC and console titles, especially games from India and other emerging markets.

For example, a small Indian studio may have a story-driven game ready, but may not know how to reach players in Europe, North America or Southeast Asia. A publisher like 1312 Interactive can help with store placement, creator outreach, pricing, testing and release planning.

Why the funding matters

The fresh $1 million seed funding will be used to expand 1312 Interactive’s publishing work across emerging markets. As per reports, the money will support marketing, quality assurance, localization and production for partner developers.

These are practical spending areas. Quality assurance means testing a game properly before release so bugs do not spoil the player experience. Localization means adapting text, language and cultural details for different countries. For global PC and console games, both can make a big difference.

The company also plans to launch 1312 Playground, a community platform where players can test games earlier and give feedback before final release. This can help developers understand what players enjoy, where they get stuck and what needs fixing.

Founders and startup aim

Deepak Gurijala is the CEO and co-founder of 1312 Interactive. He has earlier worked in gaming through Street Lamp Games. Raviteja Mantena, the other co-founder, also comes with experience in game design and production.

Their larger aim is to help India become more visible in the global premium gaming market. India has many mobile game users, but PC and console publishing is still a smaller space. 1312 Interactive wants to help change that by backing games that can travel beyond India.

Competitors and market challenge

1312 Interactive competes with indie game publishers and gaming support platforms that help developers launch globally. Its broader competitors may include international publishers working with indie studios, regional game accelerators and platform-led programs from Steam, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo.

The challenge is simple but tough. A publisher must pick the right games, spend carefully and create real demand before launch. One strong game can build reputation, while a weak launch can hurt trust with both players and developers.

Conclusion with key takeaways

1312 Interactive’s $1 million seed round shows growing investor interest in India’s gaming ecosystem beyond mobile games. The startup is not just building games. It is trying to build a publishing bridge between talented developers and global players.

Key takeaways –

• 1312 Interactive raised $1 million in seed funding led by Chimera Venture Capital and T-Accelerate Capital.
• The startup was founded in 2024 by Deepak Gurijala and Raviteja Mantena.
• It focuses on publishing indie and AA PC and console games.
• Funds will support production, marketing, localization, testing and developer partnerships.
• Its bigger aim is to take games from India and emerging markets to global audiences.

India’s startup funding market is seeing money move into very practical businesses again. Fashion, furniture, restaurants and worker housing may look unrelated at first, but all four sectors are tied to everyday spending and real customer problems.

The latest funding updates around UniqYou, Furnishka, Popo Global and HerSpace Manufacturing show that investors are not only chasing software stories. They are also backing brands that need capital for products, stores, kitchens, factories, housing units and better supply chains.

UniqYou – Fast fashion with a personal touch

D2C fashion startup UniqYou has reportedly raised Rs.15.8 crore in a seed round. Publicly available details show that UniqYou Innovation Private Limited was incorporated in April 2026, with Sneha Priya and Nishanth Kammardi Nagaraj listed as directors.

The company describes itself as a real-time fashion brand that uses trend signals and personalization to create fresh designs faster. In simple words, the aim is to reduce the delay between what people are seeing online and what they can actually buy.

The funding need here is clear. Fashion startups need money for design, sampling, inventory, technology, marketing and delivery. UniqYou will compete with fast-moving fashion and D2C brands such as Newme, Snitch, Urbanic, Myntra-backed labels and social-commerce fashion sellers.

Furnishka – Making furniture buying less painful

Furniture startup Furnishka raised around Rs.27 crore in its pre-Series A round led by IndiaQuotient, with participation from BEENEXT, Sparrow Capital and angel investors. The Bengaluru-based company was founded in 2023 by Ganesh Pawar, who earlier co-founded Spinny.

Furnishka is trying to solve a familiar home problem. Buying furniture in India can mean long waiting times, unclear pricing and uneven quality. The startup sells through online and offline stores and offers more than 1,000 furniture designs.

The funds are expected to support product development, manufacturing, supply chain improvement and retail expansion. Its competitors include Pepperfry, Urban Ladder, IKEA, Wakefit, WoodenStreet and local furniture stores.

Popo Global – Food brands need scale, not just taste

Popo Global, the company behind The Pizza Bakery, Paris Panini and Smash Guys, has raised about $56 million, or around Rs.532 crore, from Artal Asia. The Bengaluru-based company was founded in 2017 by brothers Nikhil Gupta and Abhijit Gupta.

This is a large deal for a restaurant business. Popo Global’s need for funding is different from a small cafe. It needs capital for new outlets, kitchen systems, staff training, real estate and stronger delivery operations.

The company competes with food chains and QSR brands such as Domino’s, Burger Singh, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, PizzaExpress and several premium local restaurant brands.

HerSpace Manufacturing – Housing as worker infrastructure

HerSpace Manufacturing has secured a fresh $40 million commitment from existing investor Gray Matters Capital. Reports say the wider commitment from Gray Matters Capital stands at $50 million, including an earlier $10 million investment in 2025.

Founded in 2023 by Bob Pattillo and Puneeth Thimmegowda, HerSpace builds and operates managed housing for industrial workers near manufacturing hubs. Simha Nagaraj serves as CEO.

This is not a regular real estate play. The startup is trying to help factories house workers closer to job sites, with a focus on safety, women workers, food, housekeeping and compliance. Its capital will go into expanding across Greater Bengaluru, Hosur, Chennai and Andhra Pradesh.

Conclusion with key takeaways

These four funding stories show a simple shift. Investors are backing startups that solve visible, everyday problems.

UniqYou wants to make fashion faster and more personal. Furnishka wants to make furniture buying smoother. Popo Global wants to take Bengaluru-born food brands to more locations. HerSpace wants to make worker housing more organized and safer.

The common thread is execution. Funding gives these startups room to grow, but the real test will be quality, pricing, customer trust and how well they scale without losing control.

Facts curated from web and social media updates

Marmalade, the company behind Brightside Craft Whiskey, has raised Rs. 6 crore in an early-stage funding round. The round was backed by angel investors from the alcoholic beverage, consumer brand, and startup ecosystem.

The story is interesting because Marmalade is not trying to sell whiskey only through old ideas of heritage and heavy branding. Its aim is to make whiskey feel smoother, more approachable, and more relevant for India’s new generation of legal-drinking-age consumers.

What Marmalade Does

Marmalade is a new-age alco-bev startup building flavour-led spirits for Indian consumers. Its first product is Brightside Craft Whiskey, which was launched in Pune in January 2026.

Brightside is positioned as a craft whiskey for people who may find regular whiskey too harsh, bitter, or difficult to enjoy. The brand is built around an easier-drinking experience, while still staying in the whiskey category.

A simple way to understand this is to think of a first-time whiskey drinker at a casual house party. Instead of choosing a very strong, smoky, old-school bottle, they may prefer something smoother and easier to mix or sip. Marmalade is trying to serve that kind of consumer.

Founders and Startup Background

Marmalade was founded in 2025 by Udit Mediratta and Surojit Bhattacharya.

Udit Mediratta has experience in marketing and sales, including past roles at HomeLane and AB InBev. Surojit Bhattacharya comes from a finance and strategy background. Together, they are building Marmalade as a modern Indian drinks company, starting with Brightside.

The startup has also developed Brightside Craft Whiskey in partnership with Amrut Distilleries and master blender Ashok Chokalingam.

Funding Details and Investors

The Rs. 6 crore round saw participation from around 20 angel investors. Reported names include Ashok Chokalingam, COO of Amrut Distilleries; Robert Sellares from the Don Q Rum founding family; Ishank Gupta, former AB InBev director and founder of Humyn Labs; HomeLane founders Srikanth Iyer and Tanuj Choudhry; and founders of Malt Society Arabia.

For a young alcohol brand, this kind of investor mix matters. It brings not only capital, but also experience in spirits, distribution, branding, and consumer behaviour.

Funding Purpose

Marmalade plans to use the fresh capital for distribution expansion, brand building, and strengthening sales and operations.

The company’s near-term focus is Mumbai and the broader Maharashtra market. This makes sense because the brand started in Pune and can use Maharashtra as a strong base before entering more states.

As per ETRetail, Brightside is priced at Rs. 1,750 for a 750ml bottle in Maharashtra. The company is also targeting Rs. 15 crore annualized revenue run rate by December 2026, after reaching a reported Rs. 5 crore run rate in September 2026.

Competitors and Market Context

Marmalade is entering a crowded but exciting market. India already has recognized whiskey brands such as Amrut, Paul John, Indri, Rampur, Godawan, and other premium Indian labels. At the same time, mass-market whiskey brands continue to dominate large parts of the category.

Brightside’s challenge will be clear. It has to stand out in taste, packaging, pricing, and availability. The opportunity is also clear. Many younger legal-age consumers are open to trying Indian brands if the product feels modern and easy to enjoy.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Marmalade’s Rs. 6 crore funding gives the startup a chance to move from a promising Pune launch to a wider Maharashtra play. The brand is still young, but it is entering the market with a sharp consumer idea and backing from people who understand alcoholic beverages and consumer brands.

Key takeaways –

• Marmalade raised Rs. 6 crore in early-stage funding.
• The startup was founded in 2025 by Udit Mediratta and Surojit Bhattacharya.
• Its first brand, Brightside Craft Whiskey, launched in Pune in January 2026.
• The funding will support distribution, brand building, sales, and operations.
• Mumbai and wider Maharashtra are key focus markets.

India’s startup funding mood stayed active between August 10 and September 4, 2026, even though the flow was uneven from week to week. Some weeks were led by one large cheque, while others showed smaller but wider investor interest across AI, EVs, healthtech, D2C, fintech, spacetech and hardware.

Indian startups raised about $759.5 million across four reported weekly windows from August 10 to September 4. The biggest names in this period included Yulu, Navi, Third Wave Coffee, Airbound, MATTER, Ultrahuman, Yuma Energy, SUGAR Cosmetics and Comet.

Big funding trend – Large cheques are selective

**August 10 To August 14, 2026 – 12 Startups**

The August 10 to 14 week was led by Yulu, which raised $93 million in Series C funding. Yulu was founded in 2017 by Amit Gupta, R K Misra, Naveen Dachuri and Hemant Gupta. The startup works in shared electric mobility, a space where players such as Zypp Electric, Bounce and Battery Smart are also active in different ways.

1. Yulu – $93 Mn – Series C – Raised from GEF Capital Partners – Founders – Amit Gupta, R K Misra, Naveen Dachuri and Hemant Gupta – Sector – EV and clean tech

2. Centricity – $29 Mn – Raised from SMBC Asia Rising Fund, Lightspeed India Partners, Burman Family Office, RAAY Investments, Kuldeep Rathi Family Office, Stride Ventures and Innoven Capital – Sector – wealthtech

3. Discovered Materials – $9 Mn – Seed – Raised from Lightspeed India Partners, Y Combinator, Peak XV Partners, Paul Graham, Gokul Rajaram and Thariq Shihipar – Sector – semiconductors

4. Scrubsy – $3 Mn – Seed – Raised from V3 Ventures – Sector – D2C ecommerce

5. Ayati Devices – $1.6 Mn – Pre-Series A – Raised from Inflexor Ventures – Sector – healthcare devices

6. Wippi – $1.2 Mn – Seed – Raised from 12 Flags, Warmup Ventures, Ventana Ventures and Ruvento Ventures – Sector – AI

7. Lane – $891K – Raised from Kae Capital, DeVC, Antler India and Panthera Peak – Sector – consumer services

8. Vecton AI – $629K – Pre-seed – Raised from Zeropearl VC – Sector – AI

9. FreightFox – $524K – Pre-Series A – Raised from HighLeaf – Sector – logistics SaaS

10. Invisel – $420K – Raised from IAN Group, BeyondSeed and FAAD Capital – Sector – D2C ecommerce

11. Quarkitech – $210K – Pre-seed – Raised from Artha Access and Finvolve – Sector – advanced hardware

12. KshatraLabs – Amount undisclosed – Raised from Finvolve and India Accelerator – Sector – defence tech

**August 17 To August 21, 2026 – 19 Startups**

From August 17 to 21, Navi took the spotlight with a $100 million investment from Prosus. Navi was founded in 2018 by Sachin Bansal, best known as the co-founder of Flipkart. For a fintech company, outside capital of this size matters because lending, insurance and financial services need deep money, trust and strong compliance.

1. Navi – $100 Mn – Raised from Prosus – Founder – Sachin Bansal – Sector – fintech and lending

2. BookMyShow – $40 Mn – Raised from KKR – Founders – Ashish Hemrajani, Parikshit Dar and Rajesh Balpande – Sector – ticketing and discovery

3. CtrlS DataCenters – $26.1 Mn – Raised from Nikhil Kamath and Sreeram Reddy Vanga – Founder – Sridhar Pinnapureddy – Sector – data centres

4. NeoGeo – $20 Mn – Series A – Raised from SBI Ventures and Aavishkaar Capital – Sector – IoT and hardware

5. Rezolv – $12.5 Mn – Series A – Raised from Norwest Capital, Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India, and 3one4 Capital – Sector – fintech SaaS

6. Peeko – $7 Mn – Series A – Raised from Chiratae Ventures and Stellaris Venture Partners – Sector – quick commerce

7. Butterfly Learnings – $6.7 Mn – Pre-Series B – Raised from Inflexor Ventures, Enzia Ventures, Insitor Impact Asia Fund and IIMA Ventures – Sector – therapy and healthtech

8. Greenjoules – $6.5 Mn – Ongoing round – Raised from Amazon and Singularity AMC – Sector – climate tech

9. LISSUN – $5 Mn – Series A – Raised from Colossa Ventures, Physis Capital, RPSG Capital Ventures, IvyCap Ventures, Rainmatter and others – Sector – mental health

10. DeHaat Honest Farms – $3.6 Mn – Pre-Series A – Raised from OTP Ventures, Sadev Capital and Maiuni Ventures – Sector – D2C ecommerce

11. AlgoFET – $1.5 Mn – Pre-Series A – Raised from Piper Serica – Sector – defence tech

12. First Coffee – $1.3 Mn – Pre-Series A – Raised from DG Daiwa Ventures, BEENEXT and angel investors – Sector – QSR and foodtech

13. Yantra Packs – $1.2 Mn – Seed – Raised from Caret Capital and Impact Infracap – Sector – logistics

14. Bruno Milano – $731K – Raised from Sauce VC, Titan Capital and angel investors – Sector – D2C ecommerce

15. Zaydn – $681K – Seed – Raised from Inflection Point Ventures and BeyondSeed – Sector – D2C ecommerce

16. Zenalyst – $314K – Pre-seed – Raised from SKIL Cabs, GERP Technologie and angel investors – Sector – AI

17. Digidukan – $209K – Raised from Vinay Gupta and Shubham Gupta of United Plywood Group – Sector – quick commerce

18. Tross – Amount undisclosed – Pre-seed – Raised from All In Capital and DeVC – Sector – AI

19. Neuromod Aqua – Amount undisclosed – Pre-seed – Raised from Porush Jain of Sportskeeda – Sector – IoT and hardware

**August 24 To August 28, 2026 – 23 Startups**

The August 24 to 28 period was led by Third Wave Coffee, which raised $43 million. The coffee chain was founded by Sushant Goel, Ayush Bathwal and Anirudh Sharma in 2016. Its competitors include Blue Tokai, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Costa Coffee and many local cafe chains.

1. Third Wave Coffee – $43 Mn – Raised from WestBridge Capital and Creagis – Founders – Sushant Goel, Ayush Bathwal and Anirudh Sharma – Sector – D2C coffee chain

2. Airbound – $37 Mn – Series A – Raised from Greenoaks, DoorDash, Lachy Groom, Lightspeed and Humba Ventures – Sector – aerial vehicles

3. MATTER – $25 Mn – Raised from Helena, Capital 2B, Japan Airlines and Translink Innovation Fund, and others – Sector – EV

4. Runable – $21 Mn – Series A – Raised from Susquehanna Venture Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, Together Fund and Array VC – Sector – AI

5. Nexedge Capital – $20 Mn – Raised from Mirae Asset Venture Investment and Elev8 Venture Partners – Sector – investment tech

6. InstaAstro – $12 Mn – Series A – Raised from Singularity AMC, Artha Venture Fund and angel investors – Sector – astrology services

7. InspeCity – $10.4 Mn – Pre-Series A – Raised from Ashish Kacholia, Speciale Invest, Antler India and Shastra VC – Sector – spacetech

8. Ringg AI – $10 Mn – Series A – Raised from Peak XV Partners, Arkam Ventures and Capital 2B – Sector – AI

9. Asaya – $9.1 Mn – Series A – Raised from RPSG Capital, OTP Ventures, Huddle Ventures, Hyperscale Ventures and 72 Ventures – Sector – D2C ecommerce

10. Omega Seiki Mobility – $5.2 Mn – Raised from Abhishek Misra, Sanjeev Agarwal Family Office and Brijesh Parekh Family Office – Sector – EV

11. Curaa – $4.2 Mn – Series A – Raised from 3one4 Capital, Kae Capital, Lumikai Fund and Better Capital – Sector – D2C ecommerce

12. Utsav App – $3.8 Mn – Series A – Raised from Atomic Capital, India Quotient and Equanimity Investments – Sector – eDarshan services

13. WATER Robotics – $2.5 Mn – Raised from Endiya Partners, Pullela Gopichand, Rohit Chennamaneni and Nandan Reddy – Sector – robotics

14. Be Clinical – $2.2 Mn – Seed – Raised from Sauce VC and angel investors – Sector – D2C ecommerce

15. CarbonStrong – $1.3 Mn – Raised from IAN Group, Rainmatter, Social Alpha, Spectrum Impact and Full Circle Ventures – Sector – climate tech

16. Echovane – $1 Mn – Pre-seed – Raised from Titan Capital and Neon Fund – Sector – AI

17. OORJAA – $1 Mn – Series A – Raised from Equentis Angel Fund and Inflection Point Ventures –  Sector – logistics SaaS

18. Biryani Bees – $1 Mn – Raised from Vivek Oberoi Family Office – Sector – QSR foodtech

19. Edgeverse – $314K – Raised from GVFL – Sector – AI

20. Scooby’s Club – $250K – Pre-seed – Raised from TDV Partners – Sector – pet care services

21. LightFury Games – Amount undisclosed – Raised from Rohit Sharma – Sector – gaming

22. Staywell.Health – Amount undisclosed – Raised from Equanimity Investments – insurtech

23. Brisil Technologies – Amount undisclosed – Pre-Series A – Raised from Peak Sustainability Ventures – Sector – climate tech

**August 31 To September 4, 2026 – 22 Startups**

In the latest tracked week, Ultrahuman led the pack with $70 million. The Bengaluru-based healthtech startup was co-founded by Mohit Kumar and Vatsal Singhal. It competes in the smart wearable and health tracking space, where Oura, Whoop, Garmin and Apple are strong global names.

Yuma Energy raised $35 million, led by Magna International. The company works in battery swapping for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers. This is useful for delivery riders and fleet operators because swapping a battery can be faster than waiting for a vehicle to charge.

Other funded startups in the August 31 to September 4 week included SUGAR Cosmetics, Cradlewise, Comet, Kepler Aerospace, Aeron Systems, Zenergize, Minimac Systems, Alteon, Medulance, YOGa Clean Air, DocPharma, Leanwatts, Makr Microsystems, 72 Street, Oppex AI, Creedom, CHINI KUM, SpeakX, WLDD and xStep.

1. Ultrahuman – $70 Mn – Raised from Qualcomm Ventures, Alpha Wave, Blume, Nexus and Alteria – Founders – Mohit Kumar and Vatsal Singhal – Sector – healthtech and wellness

2. Yuma Energy – $35 Mn – Series A – Raised from Magna International – Sector – EV battery swapping

3. SUGAR Cosmetics – $15.3 Mn – Raised from A91 Partners – Founders – Vineeta Singh and Kaushik Mukherjee – Sector – D2C beauty

4. Cradlewise – $12 Mn – Series A – Raised from 3one4 Capital and Prudent Investment Management – Sector – D2C baby products

5. Comet – $10.6 Mn – Series B – Raised from Verlinvest, Elevation Capital, Nexus Venture Partners and angel investors – Founders – Utkarsh Gupta and Dishant Daryani – Sector – D2C sneakers

6. Kepler Aerospace – $8 Mn – Seed – Raised from Blue Ashva Capital, Finvolve and India Accelerator – Sector – spacetech

7. Aeron Systems – $4.7 Mn – Pre-Series B – Raised from Riverwalk Holdings and MGF-Kavachh – Sector – spacetech

8. Zenergize – $4 Mn – Pre-Series A – Raised from Giraffe Studios and angel investors – Sector – EV

9. Minimac Systems – $3.2 Mn – Raised from Rainmatter – Sector – climate tech

10. Alteon – $2.5 Mn – Pre-seed – Raised from Lachy Groom and Together Fund – Sector – aerial vehicles

11. Medulance – $2.5 Mn – Series A – Raised from Auxano Capital, Alkemi and Equentis – Sector – healthtech

12. YOGa Clean Air – $2.1 Mn – Series A – Raised from Info Edge Ventures, Deepinder Goyal and Three Words Capital – Sector – climate tech

13. DocPharma – $2 Mn – Pre-Series A – Raised from Equentis, 100Unicorns and Vinners – Sector – healthtech

14. Leanwatts – $2 Mn – Seed – Raised from Trivest Partners, Abraham George and Alok Rungta – Sector – EV charging

15. Makr Microsystems – $1.1 Mn – Seed – Raised from Bluehill VC and Artha Venture Fund – Sector – semiconductors

16. 72 Street – $480K – Sector – investment tech

17. Oppex AI – $445K – Pre-seed – Raised from Info Edge Ventures – Sector – AI

18. Creedom – $434K – Sector – AI

19. CHINI KUM – $174K – Sector – D2C ecommerce

20. SpeakX – Amount undisclosed – Raised from MS Dhoni – Sector – edtech

21. WLDD – Amount undisclosed – Raised from Adfactors and Vikas Khemani – Sector – advertising

22. xStep – Amount undisclosed – Raised from Titan Capital – Sector – healthtech

AI funding – Smaller rounds, but clear investor interest

AI did not dominate only through mega deals in this window. It appeared through many focused startups solving specific problems.

From August 10 to 14, Wippi and Vecton AI raised funding. From August 17 to 21, Zenalyst and Tross appeared in the funding rounds. From August 24 to 28, Runable, Ringg AI, Echovane and Edgeverse raised money. In the latest week, Oppex AI and Creedom were part of the funding list.

This tells us one simple thing. Investors are not backing “AI” as a buzzword alone. They are looking for AI tools that can fit into real work, such as sales, automation, workflow support, communication, analytics or industry-specific use cases.

Founders and startups to watch

Ultrahuman is worth watching because it is trying to move beyond basic fitness tracking. If smart rings become more useful for health signals, AI prompts and daily wellness, the company could build a serious global consumer hardware story from India.

Comet, founded by Utkarsh Gupta and Dishant Daryani in 2023, is another interesting name. The sneaker brand raised funding in the latest week and is trying to build an Indian lifestyle footwear label in a market long dominated by Nike, Adidas, Puma, Campus and Redtape.

Airbound, Runable, Ringg AI, InspeCity and Kepler Aerospace also stand out because they sit in deeper technology areas like drones, AI, spacetech and hardware. These businesses may take longer to build, but their impact can be large if the products work at scale.

Conclusion with key takeaways

India’s startup funding between August 10 and September 4, 2026, was not quiet. It was selective. Investors backed large names like Navi, Yulu, Third Wave Coffee and Ultrahuman, while also placing smaller bets on AI, D2C, EV, healthtech and spacetech startups.

Key takeaways –

• Indian startups raised about $759.5 million across the four Inc42 weekly funding windows.
• Yulu, Navi, Third Wave Coffee and Ultrahuman saw some of the biggest cheques.
• AI funding was spread across smaller, focused startups rather than only one large deal.
• EV, battery swapping, D2C, healthtech and spacetech remained active sectors.
• Founders to watch include Sachin Bansal of Navi, Amit Gupta and the Yulu team, Mohit Kumar and Vatsal Singhal of Ultrahuman, and Utkarsh Gupta and Dishant Daryani of Comet.

Note- List curated from Web/Social Media

Bengaluru-based Makr Microsystems has raised Rs. 10.2 crore in seed funding led by Bluehill VC. Artha Venture Fund also participated in the round.

The startup is working in semiconductor metrology, a highly specialized but very important part of chip manufacturing. In simple words, metrology means measuring and inspecting chips during production. As chips become smaller and more layered, manufacturers need better tools to find defects that are not visible on the surface.

What Makr Microsystems does

Makr Microsystems builds 3D metrology tools for semiconductor manufacturers. Its technology helps chipmakers inspect structures and defects hidden below the surface of semiconductor devices.

This matters because modern chips are no longer simple flat designs. They are becoming more complex, with advanced packaging, chiplets, hybrid bonding and many tiny layers packed together. If a defect is buried inside, normal inspection tools may miss it.

Makr is developing a platform that combines Acoustic Atomic Force Microscopy, optical tomography and 3D data analytics software. Put simply, it uses sound, light and software to help manufacturers look deeper into chips without damaging them.

Founder and founding year

Makr Microsystems was founded by Dr. Ashwin Lal and Paritosh Kumar in 2024, and incorporated in April 2025.

Dr. Ashwin Lal is the founder and CEO. He has an M.Sc. in Physics from IIT Kanpur and a PhD in Microtechnology from EPFL. He has also worked at Applied Materials and earlier founded Shilps Sciences.

Paritosh Kumar is the co-founder and CTO. He brings experience in AI, data science and software engineering.

Aim of the startup

Makr’s aim is to make hidden chip structures measurable at nanoscale precision.

A practical example makes this easier. Imagine a chipmaker producing advanced chips for AI, phones or cars. Even a tiny hidden defect can reduce output or affect performance. If Makr’s tool can detect such problems early, manufacturers can improve quality and reduce waste.

This is valuable because chip manufacturing is expensive. Better inspection can help companies produce more usable chips from each batch.

Purpose of the funding

The fresh Rs. 10.2 crore funding will be used for technology development, customer validation and commercial development.

That means Makr will work on improving its core product, testing it with potential semiconductor customers and moving closer to real-world deployment. For a deep-tech hardware startup, this stage is important because lab success is only the first step. The product also has to work reliably inside demanding semiconductor manufacturing environments.

Competitors

Makr operates in a global market where large companies such as KLA, Applied Materials, Onto Innovation and Hitachi High-Tech already provide semiconductor inspection and metrology tools.

Its challenge will be to prove that its subsurface measurement technology can offer something meaningfully better for next-generation chipmaking. Its opportunity is also large, because India is trying to build a stronger semiconductor ecosystem, and fab-side tools are still a relatively underdeveloped startup area in the country.

Conclusion – Key takeaways

Makr Microsystems’ Rs. 10.2 crore seed round shows growing investor interest in India’s semiconductor equipment space.

The startup wants to help chipmakers see below the surface, detect hidden defects and measure advanced chip structures without damaging them. The funding will help Makr improve its technology, validate it with customers and move toward commercial use.

Facts Input- SMEStreet

Hyderabad-based Leanwatts has raised around $2 million in seed funding to grow its EV charging and power electronics business. The round was led by Trivest Partners, with participation from angel investors Abraham George and Alok Rugta.

The startup is working on a practical but important part of India’s electric vehicle journey which is chargers. While most people talk about EV scooters, bikes, cars and batteries, the charger inside or outside the vehicle is just as important. If charging is slow, unreliable or not suited for Indian conditions, EV adoption becomes harder.

What Leanwatts does

Leanwatts designs and manufactures EV chargers and power electronics systems. Its products include portable chargers, onboard chargers and charging solutions for electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, L2 and L5 category vehicles, e-tractors and other new EV use cases.

In simple terms, the company builds the systems that help electricity flow safely and efficiently into an electric vehicle’s battery.

The company’s product range reportedly covers chargers from 500W to 6.6kW, while its public profiles also mention solutions starting from 300W. These chargers are meant for vehicle makers and fleet operators that need reliable, cost-effective hardware.

Founder and founding year

Leanwatts India Private Limited was incorporated in October 2022 by Pradeep Chowdary, Abhilash Reddy and Sujith Kumar as the founding team.

The company is based in Hyderabad and focuses on designing and manufacturing its products in India. That matters because Indian EVs often face tough daily use, including heat, dust, voltage fluctuations, humidity and long running hours.

Aim of the startup

Leanwatts’ main aim is to build reliable and affordable EV charging products for Indian conditions.

For example, an e-rickshaw may run for long hours every day. An electric scooter may be charged in areas where voltage is not stable. An e-tractor may work in dusty farms. A charger built only for clean lab conditions may not survive this kind of use for long.

Leanwatts wants to solve this gap with locally designed hardware, firmware, testing and manufacturing. Firmware means the small built-in software that controls how the charger behaves.

Purpose of the funding

The $2 million seed funding will be used to expand manufacturing capacity, strengthen research and development, improve testing infrastructure and build new power electronics platforms.

The company also plans to work on public charging solutions, rectifiers, power modules and broader power conversion systems. These products can serve not only EVs, but also energy and industrial applications in the future.

Reports say Leanwatts already works with EV companies such as Ultraviolette, Baxy Mobility, Clean Electric, Ruchira Green and Moonrider. The company is also targeting an annualized revenue run rate of about Rs. 60 crore by March 2027.

Competitors in the market

Leanwatts operates in a competitive EV charging hardware space. Its competitors and adjacent players include Exicom, Servotech Power Systems, Delta Electronics, Zenergize Technologies and other Indian EV charger manufacturers.

Its edge may come from local product design, customization for OEMs and a sharper focus on compact power electronics for smaller EV categories.

Conclusion – Key takeaways

Leanwatts’ $2 million seed funding shows growing investor interest in India’s EV component ecosystem.

The startup’s aim is to make EV charging hardware more reliable, affordable and suitable for Indian use. The funding will help it scale manufacturing, improve R&D, expand testing and build newer charging products.

As India’s EV market grows, companies like Leanwatts can play a quiet but important role behind the scenes.

Facts Input- FinSMEs

Creedom has raised Rs. 4.1 crore in a seed funding round at a valuation of Rs. 42 crore. The Bengaluru-based AI content creator platform is building tools for creators who want to grow on platforms like Instagram, YouTube and TikTok without depending only on guesswork.

The round was led by angel investors Leigh Hopkins, Raghunandan G and Kartheeswaran KK, co-founder and CEO of Ninjacart. Raghu Nathan Sethuraman, Senthil Kumar T P and Govindaswamy Megavarnan also participated through Startup Singam.

What Creedom does

Creedom is an AI growth coach for social media creators. In simple words, it studies a creator’s content, audience behaviour and performance data, then gives suggestions on what to improve.

Many creators face the same problem. They post regularly, follow trends and still do not understand why one reel gets views while another one fails. Creedom wants to answer that “why” in a simple way.

Its AI companion, called Cree, lets creators ask questions about their content in normal language. Instead of reading a complicated analytics dashboard, a creator can ask what went wrong with a post, what topic to try next, or which content format is working better.

Founder and founding year

Creedom was founded by Naveen Murugan, Naveen Sowriraj and Aswin Dhananjai Krishnaswamy in 2024,

Naveen Murugan is the co-founder and CEO. The founding team has links to Ninjacart, which also explains why Kartheeswaran KK’s participation is notable.

Aim of the startup

Creedom’s aim is to make creator growth more informed and less stressful.

A beginner creator may know how to shoot a reel, but may not know why people stopped watching after the first three seconds. A small business owner may post daily but may not understand which videos bring followers or sales. Creedom tries to give this feedback in plain language.

For example, if a food creator posts five videos in a week, Creedom can study which hook worked, which video had better retention, and what kind of script may perform better next time. This makes the platform more like a coach than a simple caption-writing tool.

Purpose of the funding

The fresh seed funding will likely help Creedom improve its AI product, strengthen creator analytics, expand its team and reach more users in India and overseas markets.

The company says it connects through official platform channels and has highlighted Meta and YouTube partner status in its own updates. This matters because creators are often cautious about giving third-party tools access to their social accounts.

Funding can also support new features such as better content feedback, script support, trend signals, competitor tracking, comment replies and DM automation.

Competitors in the market

Creedom competes with creator tools like YouTube Studio, Instagram Insights, VidIQ, TubeBuddy, ChatGPT, Gemini, Canva and other AI content tools.

Its challenge is clear. Free tools already give basic numbers. General AI tools can write captions and scripts. Creedom has to prove that personalized creator feedback is useful enough for creators to pay for it.

Conclusion – Key takeaways

Creedom’s Rs. 4.1 crore seed funding shows growing investor interest in India’s creator economy and AI tools.

The startup wants to help creators understand their own content better, not just create more posts. Its focus on analytics, feedback and personalized growth advice could appeal to serious creators who want clarity instead of random posting.

The real test will be whether Creedom can turn creator data into practical advice that helps users grow consistently.

Facts Input- 1, 2

Bengaluru-based spacetech startup Kepler Aerospace has raised $8 million in a seed funding round led by Blue Ashva Capital. Finvolve and India Accelerator co-led the round, with other investors also taking part.

This is Kepler Aerospace’s first external funding round since it was founded in 2018. The company is working on a very focused mission which is building satellite systems that can support defence, surveillance, space infrastructure and mission operations.

What Kepler Aerospace does

Kepler Aerospace builds space infrastructure and mission operations technology. In simple words, it helps satellite operators manage space missions through hardware, software, ground systems and control support.

The startup works across satellite avionics, ground infrastructure, mission operations and intelligence platforms. Avionics means the electronic systems used inside satellites and spacecraft. Mission operations means tracking, controlling and managing satellites after they are launched.

Kepler also runs a network of more than 70 ground stations, which help with satellite communication, tracking and command operations.

Founder and founding year

Kepler Aerospace was founded in 2018 by Navneet Singh and Kiran V. Sharma.

Navneet Singh is the co-founder and CEO, while Kiran V. Sharma is the co-founder and chief strategy officer. Reports say both founders met during their time at ISRO, which gives the company strong roots in India’s space ecosystem.

Aim of the startup

Kepler Aerospace wants to build autonomous satellite swarms for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, also called ISR.

This sounds complex, but the idea is simple. Instead of one satellite waiting for instructions from Earth, a group of satellites can work together in orbit. They can share information, coordinate tasks and respond faster.

For defence use, this can be important. If a country needs to monitor movement across land, sea or border areas, faster satellite intelligence can help decision-makers act quickly. Kepler wants to reduce the time taken to collect and process such intelligence from weeks or months to much shorter timelines.

Purpose of the funding

The fresh $8 million funding will be used to launch Kepler’s first six swarming ISR satellites. These satellites are expected to form an autonomous constellation that can support India’s defence space needs.

The company will also use the money to scale its Mission Operations as a Service and Avionics as a Service businesses. This means Kepler can support other satellite companies with operations, hardware systems and mission infrastructure.

Over the next 12 to 24 months, Kepler also plans to expand its engineering team, move into a new facility and strengthen its commercial offerings.

Why this matters

India’s private space sector is growing quickly. Earlier, most space activity was led by government agencies. Now, private startups are building launch vehicles, satellites, imaging tools, propulsion systems, ground stations and defence-linked space platforms.

Kepler Aerospace fits into this larger shift. Its focus is not only on building satellites, but also on making them smarter, more connected and easier to operate at scale.

Competitors and market space

Kepler Aerospace operates in a space where Indian startups such as Pixxel, Digantara, GalaxEye, Dhruva Space, PierSight, OrbitAID and InspeCity are also building different parts of the space technology stack.

Globally, it may be compared with companies working on satellite intelligence, mission operations and space infrastructure. Kepler’s defence-linked autonomous swarm focus gives it a distinct place in India’s spacetech market.

Conclusion – Key takeaways

Kepler Aerospace’s $8 million seed round is a strong signal for India’s deeptech and spacetech ecosystem.

The startup aims to build autonomous satellite swarms that can improve defence surveillance and space-based intelligence. The funding will help it launch six satellites, grow its mission operations business and expand its avionics services.

If Kepler can prove its technology in orbit, it could become an important Indian player in the future of defence-focused space infrastructure.

Facts Input- ToI, Kepler-Aerospace, StartupTalky, Entrepreneur India

The/Nudge Foundation has launched TILT, a Rs. 250 crore impact-focused venture fund for early-stage startups in India. The fund is meant for businesses that are not only chasing growth, but also trying to solve everyday problems for low-income and underserved communities.

TILT will mainly invest in Seed to Series A startups. Its cheque size will range from Rs. 2 crore to Rs. 16 crore, which gives young companies enough room to build, test, hire, and expand without rushing only for short-term numbers.

What is TILT impact fund

TILT is an impact-first investment platform backed by The/Nudge Foundation. In simple words, it is a fund for startups that want to create social value along with business value.

The fund will look at companies working in areas such as livelihoods, agriculture, MSMEs, climate resilience, employability, financial inclusion, informal work, market access, and tech-led solutions for income growth.

This means TILT is not looking only for apps made for urban users. It is more interested in startups that can help farmers earn better, small businesses become more productive, workers find reliable jobs, or families access useful financial services.

The/Nudge founder and background

The/Nudge Foundation was founded in 2015 by Atul Satija. The Bengaluru-based organization works on poverty alleviation and livelihood improvement.

Over the years, The/Nudge has supported many social enterprises through grants, mentoring, and ecosystem support. According to reports, it has backed over 190 social enterprises and deployed around Rs. 180 crore in grants. TILT now takes that experience into a venture investment model.

Richa Singh is the co-founder and managing partner of TILT, while Atul Satija is also associated with TILT as founder and managing partner.

Who can benefit from this fund

The biggest beneficiaries will be early-stage founders building for India’s “next billion” users. These are people who may not always be served well by mainstream digital products, banks, job platforms, or supply chains.

For example, a startup helping small shop owners manage inventory and credit could benefit. So could a company building climate-resilient tools for farmers, a platform connecting rural youth to jobs, or a fintech startup making credit easier for low-income workers.

Startups serving MSMEs may also find this fund useful. Many small businesses in India still depend on informal systems for finance, sales, and operations. If a startup can improve their income or efficiency with a practical product, it fits the larger TILT vision.

Purpose of the Rs. 250 crore fund

The purpose is not just to write cheques. TILT wants to offer patient capital, which means funding that gives startups more time to build in difficult markets.

Impact startups often need longer timelines because their customers may be spread across rural areas, low-income groups, or informal sectors. Distribution is harder, trust takes time, and revenue may grow slowly at first.

Along with capital, TILT plans to support startups with research, partnerships, market access, and ecosystem-building help. That extra support can matter a lot when a founder is working in agriculture, jobs, climate, or financial inclusion.

Competitors and similar funds

TILT will operate in a space where funds like Aavishkaar Capital, Omnivore, Elevar Equity, Acumen, Ankur Capital, and Unitus Ventures have also backed impact-led or inclusion-focused startups.

The difference TILT may try to bring is The/Nudge’s long experience with livelihood-focused social enterprises and its network across philanthropy, entrepreneurs, and development work.

Conclusion – Key takeaways

The/Nudge’s Rs. 250 crore TILT impact fund could become an important funding source for founders solving practical problems for underserved India.

It will benefit early-stage startups working in jobs, agriculture, MSMEs, financial inclusion, climate resilience, and market access. For founders building serious businesses with social impact at the core, TILT brings both capital and patient support.

Zaydn has raised US $681K in seed funding to scale its sneaker business, giving the homegrown footwear brand fresh support at a time when India’s sneaker culture is growing fast.

The brand is focused on trendy, affordable sneakers for young Indian buyers. Its pitch is simple – sneakers should look stylish, feel comfortable and still remain within reach for everyday customers. That matters in a market where many college students and young professionals want fashionable shoes but may not want to spend Rs. 4,000 or Rs. 5,000 on one pair.

Zaydn was founded in 2021 by Ankit Dass, also known as Ankit Singh Dass. The company is based in New Delhi and operates as a direct-to-consumer sneaker brand.

What Zaydn does

Zaydn sells sneakers through its online platform. The brand focuses on men’s sneakers, streetwear-inspired designs and affordable pricing.

The idea behind Zaydn is not to sell luxury sneakers. Instead, it wants to offer good-looking daily sneakers that young people can wear to college, casual outings, office, travel or social events.

For example, a student who wants sneakers to match different outfits may not want to buy one expensive pair. Zaydn’s positioning gives that customer a more budget-friendly choice.

The brand also has a manufacturing background. Reports suggest that Zaydn benefits from in-house production, which helps it keep costs under control. This is important because footwear is a tough category. If a brand depends too much on outside suppliers, pricing and quality can become harder to manage.

Why Zaydn raised funding

The new seed funding is expected to help Zaydn scale its sneaker business. For a D2C footwear brand, scaling usually means improving production, building inventory, reaching more customers, strengthening marketing and making the shopping experience smoother.

Sneakers are not like basic utility footwear anymore. For many young buyers, shoes are part of identity and style. A brand must keep launching fresh designs, maintain comfort, manage sizes properly and deliver on time.

Funding can help Zaydn invest in these areas. It may also help the brand expand its product range, improve its website experience, work on brand campaigns and serve more customers across India.

The timing is interesting because Indian sneaker culture is becoming more local. Buyers are no longer looking only at global brands. Many are also open to Indian sneaker labels if the product looks good, feels reliable and is priced fairly.

Zaydn’s aim as a startup

Zaydn’s broader aim is to build an Indian sneaker brand for the mass market.

The brand appears to be targeting a gap between cheap, basic shoes and expensive branded sneakers. This is a large space. Many young customers want stylish footwear, but they also think carefully about price.

Zaydn wants to make sneakers more accessible without making them look ordinary. Its brand language is built around youth, confidence and everyday fashion.

The company’s LinkedIn profile says it focuses on trendy and comfortable sneakers with quality and design. The founder has also spoken publicly about building a brand that gives Indian consumers better options at reasonable prices.

In simple words, Zaydn wants to give buyers a reason to choose an original Indian sneaker brand instead of buying first-copy or counterfeit shoes.

Why this space is growing

India’s sneaker market is changing because fashion habits are changing.

Sneakers are no longer only sports shoes. People now wear them with jeans, cargos, shorts, oversized shirts, streetwear and even semi-casual outfits. Young buyers want shoes that can move between college, cafés, office Fridays and weekend plans.

Social media has also made sneaker choices more visible. A shoe is not just something people wear. It often appears in photos, reels and outfit videos.

This shift gives Indian D2C brands a chance. If they understand local pricing, Indian feet, youth style and online buying behaviour, they can build loyal communities.

Zaydn is trying to ride this change with affordable sneakers and a direct online model.

Competitors in the sneaker market

Zaydn competes with both Indian and global brands.

Its direct competitors include Indian sneaker and footwear brands such as Comet, Gully Labs, 7-10, Neeman’s, RapidBox, The Souled Store footwear range, Campus and Red Tape. In the wider market, it also competes with Nike, Adidas, Puma, Reebok, Skechers and New Balance.

However, Zaydn’s strongest fight may not be with only premium brands. It also competes with unbranded shoes and first-copy sneakers. Many price-sensitive buyers choose fake versions of popular global shoes because they want the look without the high cost.

If Zaydn can offer original designs, decent comfort and fair pricing, it can attract customers who want style but do not want counterfeit products.

What Zaydn needs to get right

Footwear is a repeat business only when the first product experience is good.

Zaydn will need to focus on comfort, sizing, durability and returns. A sneaker may look attractive online, but if it feels uncomfortable after a few days, the customer may not return.

The brand also needs strong inventory planning. Popular sizes can sell out quickly, while slow-moving designs can block money. Funding can help, but execution will decide how well the money is used.

Marketing is another key area. Sneaker brands do not grow only through discounts. They grow through identity, design stories, creator partnerships, customer photos and community. Zaydn will need to keep building a strong youth connect.

Conclusion with key takeaways

Zaydn’s US $681K seed funding is a useful step for the Indian sneaker startup. The brand is working in a growing category where young buyers want affordable, stylish and original footwear options.

Founded in 2021 by Ankit Dass, Zaydn is trying to build a homegrown sneaker label that can stand against both expensive global shoes and first-copy alternatives. The funding should help it scale production, improve reach and strengthen its D2C business.

Key takeaways –

1. Zaydn has raised US $681K in seed funding.
2. The startup was founded in 2021 by Ankit Dass.
3. Zaydn sells affordable and trendy sneakers through a D2C model.
4. The funding will help the company scale its sneaker business.
5. Its competitors include Comet, Gully Labs, Neeman’s, Campus, Red Tape, Nike, Adidas and Puma.

Facts Input- Apparel Resources, Zaydn-LinkedIn profile, ThePrint report on Indian sneaker subculture