India’s startup and business ecosystem saw a flurry of activity on 12 August 2025, with multiple funding rounds across consumer, fintech, space-tech and deep-tech sectors, alongside major venture capital fund closures. Corporate earnings from leading listed startups also made headlines, revealing strong growth momentum in Q1 FY26. Here’s your quick roundup for the top funding deals and key business highlights in India today.
Daily Indian Funding Roundup – 12 August 2025
| Company | Round | Amount | Lead investor(s) | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elever | Pre-Series A | $1.1M | CXOs, Brand Capital, existing investors | Wealth-tech / PMS |
| Pronto | Series A | $11M | General Catalyst, Glade Brook (co-led); Bain Capital Ventures continued | On-demand household services |
| ELIVAAS | Series B | ₹87Cr ($10.4M) | Vertex Ventures SEA & India (lead) | Luxury vacation rentals / travel tech |
| Seeds Fincap | Pre-Series B | ₹50Cr | Z47, Lok Capital (led) | NBFC — MSME lending |
| Spike AI | Pre-seed | $1.9M | Sorin Investments (lead), Principal Venture Partners, others | Marketing intelligence / AI |
| Fairdeal.Market | Pre-Series A | $3M | Incubate Fund Asia, Waterbridge Ventures | B2B quick commerce / marketplace |
| Dashverse | Series A | $13M | Peak XV Partners (lead) | AI entertainment / creator platforms |
| Brandworks Technologies | Series A | $7M | Cactus Partners (lead) | Electronics R&D & manufacturing |
| Ace Blend | Pre-Series A | $3.3M | Fireside Ventures (lead) | Nutrition / consumer health |
| Kimirica | Growth / strategic | $15M | Carnelian Asset Management (Vikas Khemani) | Luxury vegan self-care / hospitality amenities |
| Trackk | Seed | $1M | Mga Ventures, GSF Ventures, GNP Group, Paras Defence, family offices & angels | Trading platform / broking tech |
| Manastu Space | Growth | $3M | Capital A (lead) | Space-tech (green propulsion, in-orbit services) |
| Ultraviolette | Growth/investment | $21M | TDK Ventures (and others reported) | Electric vehicle (motorcycles) R&D & manufacturing |
Elever raised $1.1 million in Pre-Series A
Wealth-tech platform Elever secured $1.1 million in a Pre-Series A round from CXOs, Brand Capital and existing investors. The SEBI-registered PMS firm will use the funds to expand its portfolio management services, strengthen brand presence and enhance distribution channels.
Pronto raised $11 million in Series A
On-demand household services startup Pronto raised $11 million in a Series A round co-led by General Catalyst and Glade Brook Capital, with Bain Capital Ventures also participating. The funds will support expansion into Mumbai, Bengaluru and other major cities, while onboarding over 10,000 professionals.
ELIVAAS raised INR 87 crore in Series B
Luxury vacation rental platform ELIVAAS closed an INR 87 crore Series B led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, with participation from Peak XV Surge and 3one4 Capital. The funding will be used for technology upgrades, market penetration and international expansion.
Seeds Fincap raised INR 50 crore in Pre-Series B
MSME-focused NBFC Seeds Fincap secured INR 50 crore in a Pre-Series B led by existing investors Z47 and Lok Capital, with participation from Norinchukin Capital and Alteria Capital. The funds will be utilised for geographic expansion and strengthening technology and risk capabilities.
Spike AI raised $1.9 million in Pre-seed
Marketing intelligence platform Spike AI raised $1.9 million in a pre-seed round led by Sorin Investments, with participation from Principal Venture Partners and others. The company aims to unify fragmented marketing tools into an autonomous, self-driving marketing system.
Fairdeal.Market raised $3 million in Pre-Series A
B2B quick commerce platform Fairdeal.Market raised $3 million in a pre-Series A round led by Incubate Fund Asia and Waterbridge Ventures. The funds will help scale technology capabilities and expand into new operational territories.
Dashverse raised $13 million in Series A
AI entertainment and creator platform Dashverse, known for products like Dashtoon and Frameo.AI, raised $13 million in a Series A led by Peak XV Partners, with participation from Z47 and Stellaris Venture Partners. The funding will support product development and creator ecosystem growth.
Brandworks Technologies raised $7 million in Series A
Electronics R&D and manufacturing startup Brandworks Technologies raised $7 million in a Series A round led by Cactus Partners, with participation from GVFL, Legacy Assets and Hira Group. The funds will go towards R&D facilities, manufacturing scale-up and global expansion.
Ace Blend raised $3.3 million in Pre-Series A
Nutrition brand Ace Blend secured $3.3 million in a pre-Series A led by Fireside Ventures. The company will use the funds to enhance product offerings, scale operations and boost distribution networks.
Kimirica raised $15 million in strategic investment
Luxury vegan self-care brand Kimirica received a $15 million investment from Carnelian Asset Management, led by Vikas Khemani. The funds will support omnichannel retail expansion and growth in both hospitality and direct-to-consumer segments
Trackk raised $1 million in a Seed round
Trading platform Trackk raised $1 million in seed funding from Mga Ventures, GSF Ventures, GNP Group, Paras Defence and other investors. Recently approved by SEBI, Trackk will use the funds to scale its brokerage services on NSE and BSE.
Manastu Space raised $3 million in a Growth round
Space-tech startup Manastu Space secured $3 million in a growth round led by Capital A, with participation from Capital 2B, IAN, E2MC and others. The funds will be deployed to commercialise green propulsion and debris-avoidance technologies, and for international expansion.
Ultraviolette raised $21 million in growth investment
Electric motorcycle manufacturer Ultraviolette raised $21 million from TDK Ventures and other reported backers. The capital will be invested in vehicle R&D and scaling manufacturing operations.
Holiday Tribe Raised INR 25 Crore in Pre-Series A
Travel-tech startup Holiday Tribe has bagged INR 25 crore in a pre-Series A round co-led by Powerhouse Ventures and GSF, with participation from angel investors. The company offers curated luxury travel experiences and personalised itineraries for premium travellers. The funding will be used to enhance technology, expand service offerings, and strengthen marketing efforts.
Key News Highlights for 12 August 2025
Speciale Invest closes INR 600 crore Fund III to back India’s deep-tech and sovereign-tech future
Deep-tech investment firm Speciale Invest has successfully closed its third fund, at INR 600 crore, surpassing its initial target of INR 500 crore. The oversubscribed fund aims to back 18-20 early-stage deep-tech startups across areas like sovereign technology, AI, space-tech, quantum systems, advanced manufacturing, climate tech, and dual-use defence, spanning the period from 2025 to 2029.
Atomic Capital wraps up maiden fund at INR 400 crore to support consumer tech startups
Mumbai-based venture capital firm Atomic Capital has announced the final close of its maiden fund at INR 400 crore, targeting 10-12 early and growth-stage startups in the consumer tech and consumer-enabler spaces. The fund plans average initial cheque sizes between INR 10 crore and INR 30 crore, while reserving some capital for follow-on investments.
DPIIT and Zepto partner via ‘Zepto Nova’ to scale Indian manufacturing startups
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zepto Private Limited. Together, they have launched the “Zepto Nova” innovation challenge to mentor and scale early-stage manufacturing startups focusing on hardware, IoT, packaging, sustainable manufacturing, and more, including women-led and Tier-2/3 ventures. A separate pact with Hero MotoCorp is also expected to support mobility and clean-tech innovation.
Smartworks cuts losses by 82% in Q1 FY26; share hits all-time high
Managed office-space provider Smartworks achieved a significant reduction in its quarterly net loss, down by 82%, from INR 23 crore in Q1 FY25 to just INR 4.1 crore in Q1 FY26. This improvement came alongside 21% year-on-year revenue growth, rising from INR 313 crore to INR 379 crore, with total income (including non-operating contributions) reaching INR 388 crore. The company also saw its share price hit a record high following the results.
Nykaa profit surges 80% to INR 24.5 crore in Q1 FY26; revenue rises 23%
Beauty and fashion e-tailer Nykaa (FSN E-Commerce Ventures) reported a robust Q1 FY26 performance, with revenue climbing 23% to INR 2,155 crore and net profit soaring nearly 80 %, reaching INR 24.5 crore. The strong showing comes from sustained consumer demand and strategic segment execution.
Mamaearth parent Honasa posts INR 595 cr revenue; PAT grows 2.7 % in Q1 FY26
Honasa Consumer Ltd, the parent of Mamaearth, delivered year-on-year revenue growth of 7.4 %, with Q1 FY26 revenue rising to INR 595 crore from INR 554 crore in Q1 FY25. The company’s profit after tax (PAT) also posted a modest increase of 2.7 % during the same period.
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