Page 2 - Start Ups

Venture funding slowed in September quarter; exit activity at 7-year high

Geopolitical uncertainty weighs on new investment, but strong IPO activity drives record exit value, says KPMG report

Biopeak bets bespoke longevity plans can go beyond bold-and-beautiful set

The company uses AI and cellular diagnostics to optimise performance for professionals by going to the root causes of poor health, with individually-targeted programmes starting at ₹40,000

AI-first FMCG startup Meolaa raises $6 mn in pre-Series A funding

The Bengaluru-based startup plans to deploy funds into AI infrastructure, brand expansion and supply chain agility to compress FMCG product cycles from years to months

Quest Global aims to triple revenue by 2030, work on 2-nm chip design, fab

The Singapore-headquartered product engineering firm's client roster spans automotive, aerospace and defence, energy, high-tech, industrial equipment, railways, and semiconductor sectors

Startups get a makeover, rename parent firms to signal scale, IPO readiness

The latest to join this rebranding wave is Oravel Stays Limited, the parent company of OYO, which earlier this month unveiled a new corporate identity - PRISM

Space startup Agnikul unveils plans to build fully-resusable rockets

Space start-up Agnikul Cosmos announced on Monday that the rockets it plans to build will be fully reusable, allowing it to offer satellite-launch services at globally-competitive prices. The Chennai-based start-up made the announcement at the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney and asserted that it is aiming to ensure that no part of its rockets is fully expended or left behind. Agnikul carried out its maiden sub-orbital test flight of its 3D-printed rocket, Agnibaan SOrTeD, last year and plans to carry out its orbital launch soon. "We have consistently designed our vehicles to ensure that affordability and flexibility are never afterthoughts but are built in from day one," Srinath Ravichandran, co-founder and CEO of Agnikul Cosmos, said. "We are grateful to the critical support from IN-SPACe and ISRO. Their willingness to allow us to explore rocket-stage recovery and reuse has empowered us to attempt this feat both from a policy friendliness and tech support standpoint

Urban Company plans to bet on instant home services to attract clients: CEO

As of June 30, Urban Company had 7.02 million annual transacting customers, according to its offer document

AI startup EvoluteIQ secures $53 mn to scale agentic automation tech

Enterprise automation startup EvoluteIQ has raised $53 million from Baird Capital to expand globally, scale R&D in Bengaluru and develop next-generation agentic AI systems

Nothing raises $200 million from Tiger Global, Nikhil Kamath, others

Consumer technology firm Nothing on Tuesday said it has raised USD 200 million (about Rs 1,762 crore) in a Series C funding round, valuing the company at USD 1.3 billion, to accelerate its efforts to build an AI-native platform where hardware and software converge. The funding round was led by Tiger Global, with support from existing shareholders, including GV, Highland Europe, and EQT. New strategic backing came from Nikhil Kamath and Qualcomm Ventures, the company said in a statement. The fresh capital will be used to accelerate the company's innovation roadmap and further scale its distribution network. The London-headquartered four-year-old company reported that it crossed USD 1 billion in total sales at the beginning of 2025. It also announced plans to launch its first AI-native devices next year. In the near-term, we believe that the smartphone will remain the only device shipping at a billion-unit scale each year. But soon, we'll all be carrying an additional device that wil

Three Indian startups among 19 selected for Commonwealth Startup Fellowship

Three Indian startups selected for the six-month Commonwealth Startup Fellowship, a flagship Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) programme funded by the UK government, pitched their ideas to top investors at the Capstone Showcase in London on Tuesday. The three startupsGhaziabad-based lifeandlimb.ai, Jaipur-based Hexpressions, and Maharashtra-based agritech startup AgrowSurewere chosen from more than 1,400 companies across 44 countries, said Stephen Johns, International Communications Manager, Imperial College London, which is partnering with the UK government through its Imperial Enterprise Lab to facilitate the fellowship. Nishant Agarwal, CEO and founder of lifeandlimb.ai, said when he won the President's Award for Best Outgoing Thesis at IIT Kanpur for his MS thesis on using myo-sensor technology for prosthetics in 2015, he realised he could take the project forward. So, after graduating, I worked in a manufacturing company for a bit to understand the nitty-gritties of ...

Flipspaces secures $50 mn funding to expand business in India, abroad

Interior design startup Flipspaces has raised USD 50 million (about Rs 439 crore) from investors to expand business in India and overseas. In a statement on Monday, the company has raised USD 50 million in its expanded Series C funding round with fresh participation from UAE-headquartered CE-Invests, Singapore-based Panthera Growth Partners, and Japan's SMBC Asia Rising Fund. "The capital will be deployed to scale the business in India, the US and the UAE, deepen supply chain integration and enhance the company's proprietary technology stack with AI-led interventions. Strategic acquisitions in adjacent categories are also on the roadmap," it added. The round also facilitated the successful exit of early-stage investor Carpe Diem. "The entry of new investors alongside the continued faith of current ones underscores Flipspaces' strong fundamentals and global growth potential. We are building not just a company, but a technology-first ecosystem that is reshaping the future of interior

E-commerce, tech startups likely to lead fresher hiring for Jul-Dec

E-commerce and technology startups are expected to lead fresher hiring in India in the second half of 2025, with 88 per cent of employers showing intent to recruit, a report said on Tuesday. The report titled 'Career Outlook Report (HY2 2025)' by TeamLease EdTech said that there is a strong job market for freshers, with retail (87 per cent) and manufacturing (82 per cent) following closely behind startups, which reflects broad demand for young talent across sectors. "The strong hiring intent in e-commerce & Technology startups reflects the dynamic growth in this sector, creating exciting opportunities for freshers. "As industries evolve with technology, freshers who blend technical expertise with adaptability and human skills will find themselves well-positioned. The rise in degree apprenticeship programmes further underscores the demand for practical, skill-based learning pathways," TeamLease EdTech founder and CEO Shantanu Rooj said. The Career Outlook Report (HY2 2025) by ...

E-comm, tech start-ups lead fresher hiring with 88% intent in H2 2025

The shift is attributed to AI-led workforce restructuring, global trade uncertainties, and a strategic focus on retaining experienced talent in core industries

Govt-recognised startup count crosses 180K as of June 30: Jitin Prasada

The government has recognised more than 1.8 lakh firms as startups as on June 30, 2025, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. The recognised startups are eligible for a number of fiscal incentives, including income tax benefit announced under Startup India action plan. "Since the launch of the Startup India initiative, number of entities recognised as startups by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has increased from around 500 in 2016 to 1,80,683 as on 30th June 2025," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. Under Startup India initiative, the government is implementing flagship schemes, Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) to provide funding opportunities and support startups at various stages of their business cycle. He added that Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) supported under the FFS have invested Rs 23,6

Atomic Capital closes ₹400 cr first fund for early growth consumer startups

Venture capital firm to invest in 10-12 homegrown consumer and consumer-tech companies, with focus on capital-efficient, sustainable growth models

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.

GameRamp raises $5.4 mn pre-seed round to scale AI and launch tools

San Francisco-based GameRamp raises $5.4 million to expand AI and engineering teams in India and the US, and launch AI monetisation and embedded financing tools

Mitigata raises $5.9 million to scale cyber resilience platform in India

Mitigata, a cyber resilience startup, has secured $5.9 million in Series A funding to expand its integrated platform that combines cybersecurity, compliance, and insurance for India's digital economy

Startups, regional brands good for business, says Nestle India CMD

Startups and regional brands are not only good for providing variety to consumers but also give established players the push to improve their product offerings, Nestle India's outgoing Chairman & Managing Director Suresh Narayanan said. Stressing on the importance of startups and regional brands operating in small catchment areas, Narayanan said Nestle India is working with startups as part of its accelerator program, to identify their potential and see how to partner with them. "Startups and regional brands are good for the business. They do two things -one, they extend the variety for the consumer, and secondly, they give us additional inspiration for improving, making ourselves faster and smarter," Narayanan told PTI during an interview earlier this week. According to Narayanan, today every brand has to be relevant to Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers, who do not give much importance to the historical relevance of brands. "It goes by what is in it for me, so Maggi noodles have to ..

Over 200 startups have come up in space sector alone, says PM Modi

Hailing astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's return from space, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said a new wave of curiosity about space among children is sweeping across India and noted that today more than 200 startups have come up in the space sector alone. In his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, Modi said the road to Viksit Bharat passes through self-reliance and 'vocal for local' is the strongest foundation of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. "Recently, there was a lot of discussion in the country about the return of Shubhanshu Shukla from space. As soon as Shubhanshu landed safely on Earth, people jumped with joy, and a wave of happiness ran through every heart. The whole country was filled with pride," he said. A new wave of curiosity about space among children is sweeping across India, Modi said. Modi said space startups are also coming up at a fast pace in the country. "There were fewer than 50 startups five years ago. Today, there are more than 200 startups in the space sect