India's most funded young founders: Who raised the biggest cheques-and why

The U40 List features 51 of the youngest entrepreneurs, all aged 36, representing a diverse range of industries, including SaaS, FinTech, Healthcare, Energy, Aerospace, Logistics and Automobiles.

India’s startup funding story is increasingly being written by founders under 40 who are building scale-first businesses in sectors central to everyday consumption, logistics, fintech and AI. Data from the Avendus Wealth–Hurun India Uth Series 2025 shows that the country’s ten most well-funded young-led startups have together raised over $14 billion.

 

At the top of the list is PRISM (OYO), led by Ritesh Agarwal (31), which has raised $3.7 billion, making it the most capitalised company in the Uth Series. OYO’s funding reflects investor belief in its transition from a high-growth hospitality aggregator to a more disciplined, cash-flow-focused global travel platform after years of restructuring. 

Top Uth Series-Led Startups by Total Funding Raised

 

Close behind is Zepto, founded by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, both just 22, which has raised $1.95 billion. Zepto’s rapid rise highlights how capital is gravitating toward quick-commerce infrastructure rather than traditional consumer internet plays. Investors are betting on logistics density, repeat demand and speed as defensible moats in urban India.

 

Meesho, led by Sanjeev Barnwal (36) and Vidit Aatrey (35), ranks third with $1.36 billion raised. The social commerce platform has attracted sustained capital by targeting India’s value-conscious consumers and enabling small sellers, particularly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, reinforcing the shift toward mass-market digital consumption.

 

Rounding out the top five are ShareChat and CARS24, each with $1.3 billion in funding. ShareChat, founded by Ankush Sachdeva (32), has emerged as a major bet on vernacular content and creator-led ecosystems, while CARS24, led by Mehul Agrawal (38), reflects strong investor conviction in digitising large offline markets such as used automobiles.

 

Beyond consumer-facing platforms, enterprise and deep-tech startups are also attracting large cheques. Uniphore, founded by Umesh Sachdev (39), has raised $987 million, reflecting rising demand for AI-led automation and enterprise intelligence solutions globally. Improbable Worlds, led by Herman Narula (37), with $930 million in funding, showcases investor appetite for immersive technologies and virtual environments, even amid a broader reset in metaverse valuations.

 

AI-driven search startup Perplexity, founded by Aravind Srinivas (30), has raised $915 million, placing it among the most well-funded AI-native companies led by an Indian founder. Its rise mirrors a broader global shift toward AI-first consumer and enterprise tools.

 

Completing the top ten are OfBusiness, founded by Nitin Jain (40) and Vasant Sridhar (34), which has raised $890 million, and manufacturing marketplace Zetwerk, led by Amrit Acharya (36), Srinath Ramakkrushnan (37), Rahul Sharma (34) and Vishal Chaudhary (40), with $850 million raised. Both companies highlight how capital is flowing into B2B platforms that digitise supply chains, procurement and manufacturing—areas seen as critical to India’s industrial growth.

 

What unites these ten companies is not just the scale of funding, but a clear shift in investor priorities. Capital is increasingly backing first-generation founders, operating in high-frequency consumption, logistics, fintech, AI and enterprise infrastructure, rather than purely brand-led or discretionary startups. Many of these companies are now moving from growth-at-any-cost to profitability, public listings or global expansion, signalling a maturing phase for India’s startup ecosystem. 

U30 founders’ startups are mostly in the early growth stage, with 60% of their companies at this level and 19% already in the late stage. U35 founders’ ventures, by contrast, show a more balanced distribution across funding stages, with 48% in Series A & B and 29% in late stage, signalling a strong shift toward scaling.

 

Among U40 founders’ startups, the focus moves further toward maturity, with 50% of their companies in the late stage and 33% already listed, reflecting well-established enterprises approaching or operating in public markets. =