Page 3 - Indian Startups

SuperGaming raises $15 mn in fresh funding at 5 times higher valuation

Homegrown online gaming company SuperGaming has raised USD 15 million in a fresh funding round at nearly five times the valuation of its previous round around 4 years ago, a top official of the company said on Wednesday. SuperGaming CEO and Co-Founder Roby John told PTI that the company had raised USD 5 million at a valuation of USD 21 million in 2021. The fresh funds have been raised at an enterprise valuation of about USD 100 million, he added. The fresh funding round was led by Skycatcher and Steadview Capital, with support from global strategic investors such as a16z Speedrun, Bandai Namco 021 Fund and Neowiz, as well as notable Web3 Investors, including Polygon Ventures. The round also saw strong participation from Web3 ecosystem pioneers like Polygon Ventures, Sandeep Nailwal, Decentralised.co, 4th Revolution Capital, 32-Bit Ventures, Ryze Labs, Ed3n Ventures and Visceral Capital. Existing investors SkyCatcher, AET Japan, and BACE Capital also participated in the new round.

TurboHire raises $6 mn Series A to scale AI-led hiring platform globally

TurboHire plans to strengthen product capabilities and expand its global reach after securing $6 million in Series A funding led by venture capital firm IvyCap Ventures

Startup coalition builds IPO runway for 40 firms eyeing $90 bn market

Startup Policy Forum launches Centre for New-Age Public Companies to guide tech firms through IPOs as India's markets attract listings worth over $90 billion

QpiAI raises $32 million from Avataar, NQM to build quantum computers

Bengaluru-based QpiAI raises $32 million to build utility-scale quantum systems as India pushes ahead in emerging technologies through public and private backing

Uber's India ambitions face challenge from rival Rapido's pricing model

India is crucial for Uber because its massive population of more than 1.4 billion people represents an unparalleled opportunity for expansion

Zetwerk rides China+1 wave, eyes 80% revenue from global companies

Startup plans IPO in 12-18 months as global order book swells

Eggoz raises $20 mn in series-C funding to scale India's branded egg biz

Backed by Gaja Capital, Eggoz aims to expand its footprint, build supply chain tech, and compete in India's $12 bn egg market with traceable, hygienic products

Startups use AI, omnichannel push to expand globally, reach deeper locally

A report by Meta in collaboration with Alvarez & Marsal India outlines six key strategies fueling scale, as young firms expand globally and deepen domestic reach

India startup funding falls 25% in H1 2025, ranks 3rd globally: Tracxn

India saw a funding slowdown in H1 2025 but rose to third globally as sectors like transportation tech and retail attracted major investments; Bengaluru and Delhi led in total capital raised

Mohandas Pai flags lack of domestic capital for startups, calls for reform

Indian startups are being held back by a lack of adequate domestic investment due to restrictive regulations of the government, according to industry veteran and Aarin Capital Chairman Mohandas Pai, who called for policy reforms and R&D investments to strengthen the ecosystem. Despite India being the world's third-largest startup hub, Pai cautioned that the country risks falling behind in global innovation unless these challenges are addressed. "We have 1,65,000 registered startups, 22,000 are funded. They created USD 600 billion in value. We got 121 unicorns, maybe 250-300 soonicorns. "The biggest issue for startups is the lack of adequate capital. For example, China invested USD 835 billion in startups and ventures between 2014 and 2024, US invested USD 2.32 trillion. We just put in USD 160 billion, out of which possibly 80 per cent came from overseas. So local capital is not coming in," Pai said in an interview to PTI. Pai pointed out that, unlike the US, where insurance ...

Cricket icon Jonty Rhodes backs Indian sports and fitness brand UpUrFit

The company operates in a segment projected to reach $40 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual rate of 19 per cent

CII Summit 2025: Startup founders urge for domestic capital, tech push

Startup leaders at the CII Annual Business Summit 2025 highlighted India's skilled talent and urged stronger domestic investment and innovation to build global tech champions

India VC deals rise 19%, funding up 20% in early 2025: GlobalData

India's VC ecosystem grew strongly in early 2025 with deal volumes up 19% and funding up 20%, bucking the global trend of slowdown in markets like China and the UK

Bengaluru startup Frinks AI raises $5.4 mn to expand Vision AI solutions

Frinks AI, which builds Vision AI tools for visual inspection in sectors like automotive and medical devices, will use funds to expand in the US and boost R&D

360 ONE Asset launches Rs 500 cr VC fund to tap early-stage startups

360 ONE Asset's Rs 500 crore VC fund will invest in seed and Series A startups across sectors including AI, fintech, spacetech, defence, and precision manufacturing

Prosus CEO Bloisi visits India to launch flagship 'Luminate' event series

Bengaluru hosts Prosus's inaugural Luminate forum as the firm strengthens its ties with India's tech ecosystem and explores AI, digital commerce, and frontier tech

CloudSEK raises $19 million for AI-led innovation, global expansion

CloudSEK secures funding from Indian and US investors to boost AI capabilities and expand internationally, with the US emerging as its fastest-growing revenue region

Myntra expands the 'Rising Stars' programme to back D2C home brands

Homegrown brands like Sleepyhead and Chumbak join Myntra Rising Stars Home Edit with curated selections across decor, furnishings, smart cookware and more

Indian startups face funding, regulation, trust challenges: Rukam founder

Indian startups today contend with a range of hurdles, including access to consistent funding, navigating intricate regulatory and tax frameworks, overcoming bureaucratic obstacles, retaining talent, and earning consumer confidence in a price-sensitive market, according to Rukam Capital's Archana Jahagirdar. Jahagirdar -- the Founder and Managing Partner of the venture capital firm, which has invested in startups like Beco, Sleepy Owl, Indus Valley, GO Desi, Burger Singh, and Antithesis -- believes that while ambition and innovation of Indian startups are undeniable, access to consistent funding, especially at the early stage, remains a major roadblock. "Unlike more mature ecosystems, India still sees uneven distribution of capital, with non-metro startups facing even steeper barriers. Operating within a maze of complex rules and taxing systems is another industry challenge. "Beyond funding, Indian startups often grapple with regulatory bottlenecks, talent retention, and building ..

Zopper eyes expansion after raising $25 mn, IPO likely in 3-5 years: COO

Insurtech firm Zopper is currently focussed on scaling up its operations and may consider going public in the next 3 to 5 years, a top company official said. The company has recently raised USD 25 million in growth capital from investors to accelerate its expansion and invest in new-age technology. "As such, our business has a positive gross margin. But in a growth company, you keep investing the profits into future growth, which we have also been doing for many years," Zopper co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Mayank Gupta told PTI. He also said the company is not looking to break even at this stage but is instead investing every earned money towards expansion. "If we want, we can break even today, but that will mean that we stop investing in the future, and growth will become stunted," he said. The B2B insurance infrastructure company is even open to inorganic routes for expansion. "We are not actively looking at any acquisition, but keep doing a sense check of the market.