Granite Asia leads $85 mn Series C funding in Kuku content platform

Granite Asia led Kuku's $85 million Series C round joined by Vertex Growth, IFC, Krafton, and others, to expand AI infrastructure and grow its vernacular storytelling ecosystem

Granite Asia, a leading multi-asset investment platform in Asia (formerly known as GGV Capital), has led an $85 million Series C funding round for Kuku, one of India’s fastest-growing mobile-first vernacular content platforms. Other investors include Vertex Growth Fund, Krafton, IFC, Paramark, Tribe Capital India, and Bitkraft.

 

With its scale advantages, vertically integrated content engine, and AI-driven efficiency, Kuku said it is well positioned to lead this rapidly expanding market. The funds will be used to strengthen its AI and data infrastructure, attract top talent across technology and content, deepen creator partnerships, and accelerate growth in India and overseas. The company declined to disclose its valuation following the latest round.

 

 

Kuku to expand creator network and content formats 

“Granite Asia's backing, combined with the trust of over 10 million paid subscribers, positions us for exceptional growth,” said Lal Chand Bisu, founder and chief executive officer of Kuku. “With this investment, we’ll bring celebrated actors and television personalities into our shows. This will help create more shows that surpass 100 million views while delivering premium content to our audience.”

 

Founded in 2018, Kuku aims to become India’s largest storytelling platform across multiple formats, uniting creators and audiences through serialised, language-first entertainment. The company operates two flagship products — KukuTV, which presents long-form stories as bite-sized vertical microdramas, and Kuku FM, which offers audio-first shows across entertainment and knowledge. Together, these platforms deliver premium content in more than eight Indian languages.

 

Investors see potential in vernacular storytelling 

“Kuku represents a new wave of Indian consumer platforms built on deep local insight and mobile-first innovation,” said Jenny Lee, senior managing partner at Granite Asia. “We’re excited to catalyse the team’s vision to become India’s leading storytelling platform, drawing on our experience partnering with consumer tech leaders across Asia to turn local creativity into global platforms.”

 

Kuku has also developed an in-house generative AI studio to transform the content creation process by reducing turnaround time and production costs. The AI tools streamline every stage of development — from ideation and scripting to production, distribution, and audience engagement — and are used for multilingual translation, advertisement creation, and sentiment analysis.

 

India’s digital content boom fuels investor interest 

“Kuku’s rapid rise in the audiobook and microdrama space is a testament to their creative vision and execution. We see immense potential in these segments and support their continued innovation in digital entertainment for millions in India,” said James Lee, general partner at Vertex Growth Fund.

 

India’s digital content market is witnessing exponential growth, driven by more than 700 million smartphone users, data costs of under $0.10 per GB, and seamless micropayments through UPI. Kuku estimates that India’s short-form audio and video market could reach about $2 billion annually within five years, reflecting trends seen in China and the United States.