Indian Startups

From funding winter to liquidity surge, 2025 turns pivotal for startups

After a prolonged funding slowdown, 2025 emerged as the year of liquidity for Indian startups, marked by a revival in public listings, improved deal quality and a decisive shift toward disciplined growth. If 2023 was defined by a "funding winter" and 2024 by cautious optimism, 2025 will be remembered for a historic rise in exits, particularly through the public markets. While overall funding volumes declined, the average median deal size nearly doubled to about USD 1.4 million in 2025, from roughly USD 700,000 in 2024, signalling greater investor selectivity and maturity. India's technology startups raised USD 10.5 billion in 2025, down 17 per cent from USD 12.7 billion in 2024 and 4 per cent from USD 11 billion in 2023, according to Tracxn. The number of USD 100 million-plus funding rounds fell to 14, compared with 19 in 2024, though large deals included Erisha E Mobility (USD 1 billion), Zepto (USD 450 million) and GreenLine (USD 275 million). Despite lower funding, liquidity eve

Axiado raises over $100 million to scale AI-driven security globally

Digital infrastructure security firm Axiado has raised over $100 million in an oversubscribed Series C+ round to expand globally, deepen India-based R&D

PowerUp Money raises over ₹107 crore in funding from Peak XV, others

PowerUp Money, a mutual fund advisory wealthtech platform, on Monday said it has raised USD 12 million (about Rs 107.4 crore) in a Series A funding round led by Peak XV, with participation from existing investors Accel, Blume Ventures, and Kae Capital. The funding comes just six months after the company raised USD 7.2 million in seed funding. With the latest funding, PowerUp Money intends to enhance its research and advisory offerings, expand its flagship offering PowerUp Elite, introduce PowerUp Infinite (a fully managed investment advisory product offering), and allocate resources toward financial literacy and investor education, according to a company statement. Over the next three years, the company targets onboarding 10 million users to further cement its position in shaping the future of retail wealth management in India. "This fundraise enables us to strengthen our advisory and research capabilities, scale PowerUp Elite, and launch PowerUp Infinite, as we work towards buildi

Right4Paws raises ₹14 crore in Series A round; eyes exports to EU

Right4Paws also plans to onboard specialised talent, introduce new product categories across functional and life-stage nutrition, and expand its distribution footprint across Indian markets

Sisir Radar bags $7 million Series A to launch India's private SAR by 2026

Chennai-based Sisir Radar has raised $7 million in a Series A led by 360 ONE Asset. It is targeting India's first private L-band SAR satellite launch by 2026 for 24/7 imaging

Indian Angel Network announces final close of $100 million fund

Since its launch, the fund has already invested in 10-12 startups, with several being led by first-generation founders in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, according to the firm

India's quick commerce bubble may be close to bursting, warns Blinkit CEO

Global investors including SoftBank, Temasek. and West Asian sovereign funds have poured billions into the sector, making it the world's most closely watched experiment in rapid deliveries

Budget 2026-27: Integrated Customs platform on cards in digitisation push

ICEGATE enables e-filing and customs payments by traders; RMS automates risk-based scrutiny; and ICES handles backend assessment and clearance workflows at Customs locations

Spurring innovation: BIRAC, TDB may manage key tranches of ₹1 trn RDI fund

BIRAC and TDB are expected to be named second-level fund managers for the ₹1-trillion RDI fund, enabling long-term low-cost capital flow to biotech and deeptech startups

Dream Sports open-sources core stack under Dream Horizon to aid scale

Dream Sports' Dream Horizon will release its in-house tech stack-tested at peak scale-to help developers and startups build large systems, as the company refocuses after the real-money gaming ban

Mirana Toys raises ₹57.5 crore Series A funding to scale production

Mirana Toys has secured ₹57.5 crore in Series A funding to set up a new factory, expand design and sales teams and meet rising domestic and global demand for smart and educational toys

Spacetech major Agnikul raises $17 mn in funding round at $500 mn valuation

The company will use this capital in scaling production units of aerospace and rocket components and advance its stage-recovery programme

Karnataka govt, VCs to launch ₹1,100 cr fund for deeptech, AI startups

Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge on Tuesday said the state government is investing Rs 600 crore in Deep Tech and AI and along with leading venture capital firms, it aims to create a joint fund of over Rs 1,000 crore to support start-ups in these sectors in the state. According to him, Karnataka is set to make a major push in emerging technologies during the first Future Makers Conclave on November 20 at the 28th edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit here. "We are concentrating heavily on DeepTech and AI. For the first time, we are having the Future Makers Conclave where we have tied up with private venture capitalists, and together we are disbursing close to around Rs 1,100 crore on a single platform on November 20 to DeepTech startups," he told reporters here. According to officials, the Future Makers Conclave will be the flagship event of the summit and the launchpad where Karnataka shifts from "leapfrogging" to "pole-vaulting" into its DeepTech Decade. The conclave will have .

Job-tech platform Masai aims to triple revenue, plans overseas expansion

The company offers both pre-paid and pay-after-placement models, and has partnered with leading Indian institutions like IITs and IIMs for its upskilling programmes

Porter, HealthKart deliver multi-fold returns on Kae Capital's first fund

Maiden Fund I achieves more than 3x distribution to paid-in capital, establishing one of India's strongest early-stage track records

DPIIT signs pacts with over 50 firms to boost mfg, startup innovation

Firms, which have entered into these MoUs with the DPIIT, include boAT, HDFC Capital Advisors, Hero Moto, Zepto, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Yes Bank, Paytm, Walmart, and Ather Energy

Will the vibrant capital market bring the next Nvidia from India?

As US startups stay private longer, India's open, vibrant capital markets are letting younger companies list sooner - and inviting retail investors to join the compounding early

India's deep-tech investors back collective intelligence over competition

At TiEcon Delhi-NCR 2025, founders, investors, and policymakers agreed that India's deep-tech future hinges on collaboration - across labs, capital, and policy

Pluro secures ₹125 crore Series A funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners

The company raised the funds at a valuation of Rs 1,000 crore, which will help it expand its network of fertility specialists, invest in technology, and deepen clinical capabilities

Snabbit raises $30 mn Series C to expand into child, elder and cooking care

The Bertelsmann-led funding marks Snabbit's third raise in nine months, helping the women-led quick services startup expand into new home care categories