Startups In India

Nexus raises $700 million fund to back AI, consumer, fintech startups

Nexus Venture Partners has closed its $700-million Fund VIII to invest in early-stage AI, enterprise software, consumer and fintech startups across India and the US

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

'Go slow, stay clear on purpose,' Shiprocket co-founder urges entrepreneurs

Aspiring entrepreneurs should embark on their startup journey with clarity of purpose, a clear understanding of why they are building the venture, and a well-calibrated approach, not haste, advises Shiprocket co-founder and CEO Saahil Goel. India's market dynamics, amplified by the potential of technologies such as AI, create a wealth of opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs. "You could pick anything, from engineering tech to health tech or fintech to stocks...You think about it, and there's a new way to leverage an AI tool or an AI app...to be able to cater to that demand. So any industry with the new AI toolkit available is a great opportunity now for people to build in India," Goel told PTI. His advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: "always ask yourself why you want to do it." Goel says he often meets people who lack clarity on that basic question. The early days of an entrepreneurial journey are as much about a clarity of purpose as pitting one idea against the next. "All ...

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

93% of Indian biz surveyed see positive returns on AI investment in 3 years

Nearly 93 per cent of Indian organisations surveyed expect positive returns on their AI investments in less than three years, underlining the rising confidence of businesses in value and potential of Artificial Intelligence, according to SAP Value of AI Report 2025. Driving the AI momentum, businesses across the country are investing an estimated USD 31 million in AI this year - ahead of global average - with focussed spending on software, infrastructure, talent, and consulting, SAP said. "Indian businesses are investing USD 31 million in AI across IT, infrastructure, talent, and consulting, ahead of the USD 26.7 million global average," said the report released by enterprise application software and business AI firm. Unveiled at SAP's flagship event, TechEd 2025, the Value of AI Report 2025, in collaboration with Oxford Economics, surveyed 1,600 senior business leaders across eight countries, including 200 respondents from India, according to a release. The AI adoption study relea

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

India eyes collaboration with Israeli startups to boost innovation: Goyal

India and Israeli startups can collaborate in areas such as cybersecurity and medical devices to boost innovation ecosystem, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday. He said one of the key elements of the proposed trade agreement between the two countries will be technology and innovation collaboration. "We can collaborate with Israel to promote our own startup ecosystem, which we are aspiring to take it to the levels of deep tech and high quality innovation at competitive prices, given the economies of scale that India has to offer," Goyal told reporters here. The minister is here to hold bilateral trade talks with his Israeli counterpart Nir Barkat. Goyal is leading a 60-member business delegation here. "We are looking at deep partnership with Israel who has one startup with every 1,000 people," he said. Israel has converted adversity into opportunity and their agriculture requirements and modern technologies developed in the field for health and climate chang

Maruti Suzuki picks up 8% stake in technology-led startup Ravity Software

Maruti Suzuki India on Friday said it has acquired around 8 per cent stake in technology-led startup Ravity Software Solutions, which specialises in providing connected mobility insights. The company has invested around Rs 2 crore in the startup for 7.84 per cent stake through Maruti Suzuki Innovation Fund. The auto major invests in startups through the Maruti Suzuki Innovation Fund, an initiative to undertake strategic investments in startups that exhibit high levels of innovation and potential to devise solutions relevant to the company's operations. This is the third investment under the fund with it having invested nearly Rs 2 crore each in Amlgo Labs in March 2024 and Sociograph Solutions in June 2022. "Startups are ideal partners as they bring agility, fresh thinking, and cutting-edge solutions, to support our goal of ensuring customer delight. Our investment in Ravity Software Solutions Private Limited will enable us to elevate customer experience through data-driven insight

Karnataka government bets big on AI with ₹400 crore push at tech summit

Government teams with venture investors to back deeptech startups as Bengaluru seeks to fortify its position as India's premier innovation hub

India can be the most important country in the world for AI: Kirthiga Reddy

Former Facebook India (now Meta India) MD Kirthiga Reddy shares insights on building AI-native companies and why established tech firms must move 100x faster

Statsguru: Indian Cloud infrastructure firms face bottomline haziness

The annual trend in Cloud company formation reveals notable growth over the years. However, in 2024, the number dipped, both globally and in India

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

MeshDefend raises $2.3 million to bring AI intelligence to enterprise data

Kalaari Capital leads the pre-seed round as the startup, founded by former Dell executives, builds an AI-native platform to secure and automate enterprise data infrastructure

Nvidia joins $850 million India Deep Tech Alliance to boost AI startups

Nvidia has joined Indian and US investors in the India Deep Tech Alliance, which has raised over $850 million to support startups in AI, space, semiconductors and robotics

Urban Company reports 37% revenue growth as core business stays profitable

Adjusted Ebitda loss of ₹35 crore driven by investments in new vertical Insta Help; international markets achieve breakeven

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

IntrCity SmartBus secures ₹250 crore as India's intercity travel booms

Asset-light aggregator plans to double fleet and reach Rs 1,000 crore revenue as sector grows 10-13% annually

Unicorn India Ventures to close ₹1,200 cr Fund III by December 2025

The VC firm has raised over ₹1,000 crore and plans to invest 80% of Fund III in deep-tech, defence, and semiconductor startups across 20 companies

Kerala's climate tech startup gets ₹75 lakh grant from Cochin Shipyard

Deep-tech climate startup Neiox Eco Cycle has won a prototyping grant of Rs 75 lakh from Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) under the USHUS Maritime Innovation Scheme, company officials said on Friday. The cheque for the amount was handed over at a function at IIM-Kozhikode, where the official agreement was signed with the startup founded by CEO Akhil Raj Pottekkat, a statement by the firm said. According to Nieox Eco Cycle, the grant will support the development of the world's first sustainable, non-toxic, carbon-negative marine hull coating a breakthrough material with anti-corrosive and anti-biofouling properties The coating is derived from captured air pollutants, which would otherwise contribute to lung damage and cardiovascular diseases. Neiox's innovation converts climate and health liabilities into economic assets, while enhancing ship's fuel efficiency, reducing CO2 emissions and protecting marine ecosystems representing a Kerala model on the global canvas, the statement ...