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  • Cureous Labs Raises ₹1.66 Crore in Seed Round Led by Inflection Point Ventures to Advance Pressure Injury Prevention Solutions

    Bangalore,August 13, 2025 – Cureous Labs, an innovative medical technology startup focused on improving patient care and nursing efficiency, has raised ₹1.66 crore in a Seed funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), with participation from Anthill Ventures.

    The funding will be used to manufacture the first batch of Cureous’ flagship automated patient repositioning systems (Eturnal™), build inventory, and scale commercial operations through strategic hiring in sales and business development. It will also support the launch of the company’s first disinfection Centre, enable product safety testing and certifications, and expand the product portfolio for B2B customers across India.

    Asish Mohandas, Founder & CEO of Cureous Labs, is a Biodesign Fellow from the prestigious School of International Biodesign at AIIMS & IIT Delhi and holds a Master of Design from IIT Kanpur. He is also the first National James Dyson Awardee for a medical device developed during his time at IIT Kanpur. With a strong foundation in healthcare innovation and user-centered design, Asish brings deep expertise in creating impactful medical technologies tailored to the Indian healthcare landscape.

    Vinay Bansal, Founder, IPV says, “What drew us to invest in Cureous Labs is their commitment to the ‘Prevention is better than Cure’ idea. Around the world there are several bedridden patients suffering from pressure injuries, adding to the already existing ailments. Additionally, it also puts strain on the caregivers making it tedious and risky for them to care for the patients. Cureous Labs has used technology to ease the burden of care while making pressure injury prevention more affordable and accessible to organizations across the globe.”

    Cureous Labs has developed India’s first retrofittable automatic patient repositioning system with advanced pressure relief, designed to help prevent bedsores and reduce caregiver injuries. Being priced at just 1/5th the cost of international alternatives, the solution becomes both accessible as well as cost-effective. The solution is built on more than 2 years of intensive clinical research and insight from across 100+ Hospitals in India and Australia.

    Cureous Labs’ devices are deployed across hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and home care settings which showcases its real-world usage. With over 30,000 hours of usage and more than 14,000 automated patient turns, this technology has proven its credibility and impact. The startup is currently running an active B2B and B2C sales and rental pilots across South India.

    Asish Mohandas, the founder and CEO of Cureous Labs added: “At Cureous, our mission is to create technologies that empower independent living. Eturnal™, our one-of-a-kind automated patient turning solution, helps prevent pressure injuries while reducing caregiver dependency and effort. We aim to build a portfolio of solutions for geriatric and long-term care. IPV’s early belief in our vision gives us the confidence and resources to scale Cureous into a category-defining company in this space.”

    The global market for pressure injury prevention and patient care is substantial, with over 1.1 billion people aged above 60 and 140 million over the age of 80, highlighting the growing need for elderly care solutions. An estimated 154 million people worldwide are bedridden and at risk of developing pressure injuries, contributing to a global market size of $277 billion. In India, the Total Addressable Market (TAM) stands at $8.34 billion, with a Serviceable Available Market (SAM) of $1.56 billion and a Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM) of $656 million, indicating strong potential for scalable impact and growth.

    About Cureous Labs:

    Cureous Labs is a MedTech spinoff from the prestigious Biodesign Fellowship at AIIMS & IIT Delhi, dedicated to developing intelligent, automated solutions for pressure injury prevention. Its flagship product Eturnal™ offers a first-of-its-kind repositioning system that minimizes caregiver effort while enhancing patient comfort and safety. Designed to seamlessly fit into homes, hospitals, and senior care facilities, Cureous is redefining standards in long-term and critical care support.

    About Inflection Point Ventures and Physis Capital:

    Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) is an angel investing platform with over 24,000+ CXOs, HNIs, and Professionals to together invest in startups. The firm supports new-age entrepreneurs by providing them with monetary & experiential capital and connecting them with a diverse group of investors. IPV has launched a $50 Mn CAT 2 VC fund, Physis Capital, to invest in Pre-Series A to Series B growth-stage start-ups. The fund has already deployed capital in six startups so far, with a few deals in advanced stages of pipeline.

  • Olee Space Secures $3 Million from Rockstud Capital & Global Investors to Advance Laser-Based Quantum Communications and Directed Energy Weapon Systems

    Mumbai, 13th August 2025: In a major boost to India’s defense and strategic communication capabilities, olee.space, a homegrown pioneer in laser-based communication and photonics defense systems, has secured $3 million in seed funding from leading international and domestic investors.

    Founded by IIT Bombay alumnus James Solomon and engineer Suman Hiremath, olee.space is developing breakthrough technologies in quantum-encrypted laser communications and directed energy weapon (DEW) systems—placing India firmly on the map of next-generation defense and satellite innovation.

    At the heart of  olee.space’s innovation is Free-Space Optical Communication (FSOC) , which uses low-powered infrared laser beams to deliver ultra-fast, secure data links across land, air, sea, and space. These systems provide unmatched speed, reliability, and security—critical for both civilian and defense networks. 

    What makes olee.space’s vision even more compelling is its indigenous DEW platform, under development for anti-drone/UAV and anti-satellite operations. These advanced systems are designed to deliver precision tracking, real-time targeting, and neutralization of aerial threats—forming the backbone of India’s future electronic warfare capabilities.

    “Have always been fascinated by how Lasers function. Working with light gives me happiness and I am here to do as much justice to this domain as any of my able team members. What we do here is rewarding to the country, would continue doing so,” said James Solomon, Founder & CEO.

     “This funding validates our belief that India can lead in photonics and laser-based technologies. We’re building not just for today, but for the future of national security, space, and strategic infrastructure,” said Suman Hiremath, Co-Founder and COO.

    With over five years of dedicated R&D, olee.space has already achieved several field-level deployments and is now poised to scale production, advance its quantum-secure communication protocols, and expand its defense tech roadmap. This also includes venturing deeply into DEW systems for the benefit of the country. 

    As India accelerates its space, satellite, and defense ambitions, olee.space stands committed to building sovereign capabilities that align with the country’s long-term vision for Atmanirbhar Bharat in strategic technologies. This includes secure communications and strong defense, both using lasers. 

    Abhishek Agarwal, Managing Partner of Rockstud Capital, said, “olee.space is building a future where freedom to communicate thrives under the shield of unbreakable security, and limitless data empowers organizations and individuals. James has a vision to build a self-healing, ultra-high-bandwidth mesh network composed of agile LEO, powerful MEO, and GSO satellites equipped with cutting-edge optical payloads adhering to ESA’s ECSS standards. We are truly in awe of the mission, and we are excited to make an impact on our cosmos and on mankind.”

    About olee.space
    olee.space is a photonics and defense technology company based in Pune, India. It builds next-generation systems in Free-Space Optical Communication (FSOC), quantum-encrypted networking, and directed energy weapons—catering to India’s defense, aerospace, and telecom sectors. Its advanced solutions include resilient systems for terrestrial, inter-satellite, and ground-to-space links, designed for low latency, maximum security, and optimized data throughput.

    About Rockstud Capital

    Rockstud Capital is a SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), currently deploying capital from its second fund, a ₹300 crore investment vehicle. Focused on high-potential opportunities from Seed to Series A stages, Rockstud Capital backs visionary entrepreneurs across five transformative themes—rising aspirations, healthy lifestyle, green planet, Industry 4.0, and national security. With a commitment to driving innovation and long-term value, the firm aims to build a diverse portfolio of 25 companies through this fund.

  • CRED’s Kunal Shah Backed Travel tech Startup Teleport Gets acquired by StampMyVisa

    Mumbai, 13th August: StampMyVisa, India’s fastest-growing B2B visa platform, has acquired Teleport, a new-age travel tech startup having significant presence in South India and backed by top Indian startup founders including Kunal Shah (CRED), Vidit Aatrey (Meesho), and Phanindra Sama (RedBus).

    This strategic acquisition marks a significant milestone in SMV’s mission to simplify and scale visa services across India and Southeast Asia — combining Teleport’s digital-first, Young travelers focussed product DNA with StampMyVisa’s operational strength and B2B depth.

    Adding an emotional note to the deal, StampMyVisa’s Co-founder & CEO Rahul Borude, a former CRED employee, shared, “This moment feels like coming full circle — from being part of CRED’s early team to now acquiring a startup backed by Kunal Shah. Teleport has built a loyal user base and strong brand affinity among young Indian travelers. With this acquisition, we are bringing together the best of both worlds: Teleport’s consumer innovation and SMV’s scalable visa infrastructure.”

    Nikita Dresswala, Founder, Teleport, added, “We built Teleport to reimagine global travel for new-age independent Indian explorers. In StampMyVisa, we’ve found the right partner to scale this mission. With their B2B muscle and deep visa expertise, we’re set to create the most seamless and trusted visa experience in the country.”

    The founding team at StampMyVisa brings a rare blend of experience, execution, and category expertise.

    Co-founder Pravin Wadekar, a MakeMyTrip alumnus with over 15 years of hands-on experience in visa and immigration, has led large-scale visa operations and partnerships, giving SMV a strong backbone in service reliability.

    Dhaval Mehta, CFO of StampMyVisa, is another key pillar of the core team. Previously Associate Director of Finance at Jupiter (neobank), Dhaval played a critical role in lending and credit card verticals. His deep understanding of fintech and regulated products have been instrumental in shaping SMV’s growth playbook and fundraising strategy.

    Founded in 2023, StampMyVisa has grown rapidly by solving a complex yet critical travel pain point — visa processing. The platform enables travel agents, corporates, OTAs, and MICE companies to process visas for over 60+ countries, with a 99.5% success rate. In just six months, the company has processed 50,000+ visas and scaled revenue 4X in eight months alone. SMV is currently in advanced talks to raise $3 million to fuel its next phase of growth.

    Pioneering the API Era of Visa Services

    StampMyVisa is also among the world’s first companies to build an API infrastructure for visa processing, through its developer product called Konveyor. This groundbreaking API stack enables any travel platform, bank, OTA, or fintech to embed visa services natively within their own ecosystem — unlocking a future where global travel access is built into every digital experience.

    This acquisition sets the foundation for India’s most comprehensive visa tech stack — combining AI-powered automation, deep distribution, and end-user delight.

    About StampMyVisa

    StampMyVisa is an AI-driven B2B visa platform that enables travel agents, corporates, OTAs, and MICE operators to simplify, automate, and scale their visa operations. With fast approvals, reduced errors, and global compliance, SMV is transforming how businesses manage cross-border travel for their customers and employees.

  • Banjo Communications Launches Go-to-Market UK to Help Indian Scaleups Break into Britain

    Banjo Communications, a leading UK PR agency for tech, digital and innovation sectors, has launched its Go-to-Market UK Accelerator Series – a pro bono program designed to support 50 international scaleups including India – to determine whether the UK and London are the right markets for their next expansion. 

    Positioned as a global hub for innovation, investment, and one of the world’s most digitally engaged populations – the UK remains a strategic launchpad for ambitious, internationally minded companies. In 2025, London is reported to have 8,922 startups, representing about 65% of all startups in the United Kingdom, establishing it as one of the leading ecosystems to enter and scale.

    However, while in 2024–25, the UK attracted 1,375 FDI projects (foreign direct investment) – this was coupled with a 12% drop in overall investment – a sign of the increasing pressures founders and leaders face when deciding when and where to scale.

    In response, the Go-to-Market UK Accelerator Series is designed to deliver high-impact strategic insight – pro bono – helping founders better understand the UK landscape before committing significant time or resources.

    Successful applicants will explore how their business fits within the UK market, identify opportunities to capture a unique market position, or determine if a pivot is needed to stand out from competitors. From there, the team will guide participants through the Go-to-Market UK Accelerator Series, focused on:

    • Understanding UK audience behaviours and regional cultural nuances
    • Navigating the UK media landscape with confidence and clarity
    • Messaging and positioning that resonates while staying true to your brand identity
    • Key dos and don’ts for successfully launching and scaling in the UK market
    • Pre-launch considerations, including which key stakeholders and associations to engage
    • Building a go-to-market roadmap to understand if your product and service is right for the UK market

    Lisa Wlodyka, Founder of Banjo Communications, comments, “We know leadership teams in India face immense pressure – navigating complex markets, shifting investor expectations, and high stakes in international expansion. That’s why we created Go-to-Market UK: to provide ambitious businesses with the strategic insight they need to decide if the UK is the right market before committing significant time and resources. Our goal as Go-to-Market specialists is to make UK market entry more accessible, informed, and ultimately successful for the next wave of global scale-ups.”

    Applications are now open until 31st October 2025 for leadership teams with Series A funding or beyond, planning UK expansion within the next 18 months.

    With three dedicated specialist hubs including Tech & Innovation, Digital, and Lifestyle – both B2C and B2B businesses can apply across a range of sectors. These include AI, health, wellness, food, beauty, eCommerce, greentech, sustainability, digital consumer, fintech, SaaS, and SpaceTech, as well as emerging areas such as cybersecurity, mobility, proptech, biotech, agritech, and deep tech.

    Terms & Conditions

    • Applications open: from August 2025 to 31st October 2025, or until all available places are filled.
    • Eligibility: Open to international scaleups planning to launch in the UK within the next 18 months. Companies should be at Series A stage or beyond.
    • UK companies: Up to 10 UK-based businesses will also be selected to take part.
    • Selection process: Participation is offered on a first-come, first-reviewed basis, with the first round of successful applicants notified in September 2025.
    • Fit for purpose: Banjo Communications reserves the right to decline applications from businesses that do not align with Banjo’s sector specialisms or go-to-market expertise.
    • Each business will receive a minimum of half a day of high level mentoring and training. Part of the training is generic and relevant to all businesses. The rest will be bespoke to that business. 
    • The program is also open for group training for venture capital, accelerator portfolios and founder networks. 
    • The accelerator will run sessions up until July 2026. 

    Banjo Communications, is a PR and marketing agency dedicated to empowering brands that are shaping the future. With over 18 years of founder experience, we operate through three specialist hubs: Tech & Innovation, Scaleups, and Lifestyle. Our team expertly guides companies from scaleup stages all the way through to IPO and beyond. As Go-to-Market specialists, we also partner with established global brands to help them pivot, reposition, and accelerate for their next phase of growth.

    With a London HQ – Banjo Communications has a global network of trusted partners in key territories across Europe, the U.S., Australia, Africa, Canada, India and Asia, to ensure each brand’s story resonates worldwide. www.thisisbanjo.com

  • Tata’s IHCL Snaps Up 150+ Hotels in ₹204 Crore Deal: Its Biggest Expansion Yet

    Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), which owns brands like Taj Hotels, is now acquiring a 51% stake in ANK Hotels and Pride Hospitality. According to The Clarks Hotels & Resorts’ website, the brand manages 135 hotels across 110 locations. Meanwhile, Pride (per their website) owns extensive banquet and convention centers with over 79 venues, more than 50 restaurants, lounges, and bars across India. After the deal was made public, IHCL’s share price increased by ₹10.50, or 1.43%, on the BSE as of August 11, bringing it to ₹745. Here’s a breakdown of why and how much IHCL spent to own these two well-off brands.

    Why IHCL Wants To Acquire ANK Hotels and Pride Hospitality?

    Notably, ANK Hotels and Pride Hospitality manage midscale hotels, and IHCL plans to expand in this sector. ANK operates approximately 111 midscale hotels, with 67 currently in operation. According to Angle One, Pride Hospitality owns 24 midscale hotels, with 13 currently operational. Adding them to the portfolio can broaden IHCL’s offerings.

    In its filing to BSE on August 11, IHCL stated, “The transactions aim to address India’s heterogeneous market landscape and provide deeper geographical penetration across India in the midscale segment while continuing to pursue its asset-light growth strategy.”

    Breakdown of IHCL’s ₹204 Crore Investment

    IHCL bought a 51% stake (across all its 135 properties) in ANK Hotels for ₹110 crore and Pride Hospitality for ₹94 crore. The total spend = ₹204 crore, and the deal is expected to close by November 15, 2025. Here’s how their revenues look in FY25:

    1. According to Angle One, ANK Hotels reported a turnover of ₹14.32 crore in FY25.
    2. According to the Economic Times, Pride Hospitality garnered revenue of 18.94 crore in FY25.

    It is IHCL’s biggest expansion yet. Post the deal, IHCL’s portfolio will cross 550 hotels with 55,000 rooms.

    Similar Deal By IHCL

    Working toward its goal, IHCL has also secured a similar marketing deal with Brij Hospitality Private Limited, which manages 19 hotels.

    Signing the agreement, Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, IHCL, said, “Our partnership with ANK, Pride and Brij Hospitality is a multi-pronged approach addressing India’s heterogeneous market landscape and is in line with IHCL’s five-year road map ‘Accelerate 2030’ of unlocking India’s tourism potential.”

    Final Thoughts…

    All is seemingly going well for IHCL after acquiring the deals from ANK Hotels, Pride Hospitality, and Brij Hospitality. Share price for IHCL grew by ₹10.50 and now holds a portfolio of 550 hotels with 55,000 rooms. It will be interesting to see how IHCL can improve the hospitality and tourism industry in India. What do you think, will these deals be it, or will they acquire more for a mega expansion?

  • Claude Gets a Memory Upgrade: No More Retyping Prompts And…

    AI chatbots assist us in almost everything, and some people use them so extensively that they become virtual assistants. According to reports by ‘Exploding Topics’ (a trend analysis platform), about 800 million people use chatbots each week. When using AI so widely, one thing every user wouldn’t appreciate is retyping the entire prompt. Bad Wi-Fi or an accidental reload (which often happens) can force users to retype it. Now, if you are a Claude user, you won’t have that problem anymore. Anthropic (the company behind Claude AI chatbot) has added a new “memory” feature to the tool. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest feature on Claude.

    Why Claude Added The New “Memory Feature?”

    If you have ever used Claude before, you’ll remember that the tool required you to either retype the entire prompt or copy and paste it. The tool wasn’t equipped to recall previous conversations. To address this issue, Anthropic introduced a new feature called “Memory Feature.” The feature was announced and made live on Monday (August 11). So, you can swiftly pick up from where you left off.

    Notably, Anthropic has followed OpenAI. In April, it introduced a similar feature, now setting a new benchmark for other AIs.

    How The New “Memory Feature” Works On Claude?

    Anthropic also added a YouTube video to show how the new feature works. It goes something like:

    • Let’s say you were working on a story, doing research, or making dinner plans; you can always come back and ask Claude, “What were we working on before I quit the app?”
    • Claude will then look into your previous conversations, give you a summary of the topics you worked on, and ask if you want to proceed from there.
    • It saves you time from repeating everything.

    More Features Added To Claude

    If you use Claude for coding, good news: Claude has introduced a new security tool. What does it do?

    • From now on, Claude will automatically check your code for security issues in real-time. It detects injection attacks (when attackers insert malicious code) and unsafe data handling methods.
    • The chatbot will warn you in advance and suggest fixes as you work. Additionally, an “always-on” mode will be added so Claude continuously monitors risks and suggests fixes immediately.

    A Few More Things…

    Interestingly, Claude’s new memory feature isn’t always on yet. Whereas OpenAI’s ChatGPT can recall old chats automatically. Unless the user prompts the tool to remember, it won’t.

    Anthropic spokesperson Ryan Donegan enunciated and said that Claude isn’t collecting personal information in the background. Doing so as effectively as OpenAI would be difficult.

  • Sam Altman Slams Elon Musk About His Accusations On Apple, says, “Elon does to manipulate…”

    Elon Musk’s accusation against Apple on the platform X is fueling more criticism. The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, didn’t hold back as the post directly targeted OpenAI. On August 12, Elon Musk posted a cryptic message indicating that Apple is showing favoritism by not ranking any AI company other than OpenAI at #1 on the platform. He also threatened Apple with legal action from his startup, xAI. The post took the internet by storm with more than 14.6 million views and an impressive 1,07,000 engagements. And Sam Altman’s reply alone garnered 4 million views and 25,000 people engaging with it.

    What Made Elon Musk Post About Apple?

    According to Elon Musk, he has long stood against Apple’s favoritism. Despite ‘X’ (a social media platform) being the world’s best news venue, App Store doesn’t suggest Grok in its “Must Have.” And now it is also happening with his new startup, xAI (the company behind the Grok chatbot).

    Today (August 12), he took to the platform ‘X’ and posted, “Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation.

    xAI will take immediate legal action.”

    One reason the post is drawing criticism is that Elon clearly mentioned OpenAI’s name. Although he vaguely referenced “competitors,” it still centers around his own AI chatbot, Grok.

    Netizens on the platform ‘X’ slammed back at Elon, they all added their views and posted articles that supported their viewpoints.

    People added that:

    • Back in January, DeepSeek topped the #1 charts on the App Store.
    • On July 18, Perplexity topped #1 on the platform.

    OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, Reply To Elon Musk

    Sam Altman openly calls out Elon Musk; he didn’t hold back at all.

    He replied with, “This is a remarkable claim given what I have heard alleged that Elon does to manipulate X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn’t like.”

    This harsh reply saw a full-blown engagement: 2,400 comments, 2,600 shares, 26,000 likes.

    Long-Standing Rivalry: Sam Altman Vs Elon Musk

    The rivalry between Elon Musk and Sam Altman is a long-running rivalry. Notably, Elon Musk helped establish OpenAI but stepped away in 2018. Later, he launched his own AI company called xAI in March 2023. Since then, Elon Musk has continuously criticized OpenAI, and Altman has clapped back when he felt it was necessary.

  • Daily Indian Funding Roundup & Key News – 12 August 2025: Pronto Raises $11M, ELIVAAS Secures ₹87Cr, Speciale Invest Closes ₹600Cr Fund & More

    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.

    Daily Indian Funding Roundup and Key News: 11 August 2025
    From multi-million-dollar raises in AI, biotech, and e-commerce to IPO market activity and regulatory updates, here’s your quick roundup for the top funding deals and key business highlights in India today.
    StartupTalkyStartupTalky News

  • Elon Musk Accuses Apple of Playing Favorites With OpenAI, Threatens Legal War

    Elon Musk is heading toward another legal battle, this time to sue Apple’s App Store. He posted yet another controversial message on ‘X,’ sparking heavy criticism online. He is taking the App Store to court for preventing any AI other than OpenAI from reaching #1 on the platform. Elon Musk’s new startup, xAI, is ranked #6 on the list, and he is certainly not happy about it. Today on the ‘X’ platform, he announced that xAI will take immediate legal action for its antitrust violation. The post went viral with 9.7 million views, with 7,200 comments all arguing whys and why nots of the situation.

    What Did Elon Musk Post on the ‘X’ Platform?

    Elon Musk said, “Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation. xAI will take immediate legal action.”

    Reasons Behind Such a Controversial Accusation?

    Harking back to 2024, Apple partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT with iPhones and iPads. Elon clearly didn’t like the deal and threatened to ban Apple devices across his companies (Tesla, SpaceX, etc.). Cut to 2025, AI Grok is still ranked at #6 on the platform, making him all the more furious. Despite’ X’ being the most popular news app in the world, it is not on the App Store’s “Must Have” list. He accused Apple’s App Store of engaging in favoritism and antitrust practices. According to him, the platform favours the competitors regardless of anything.

    Epic Games lawsuit (2021) – A federal judge in California, back in April, stated that the App violates California competition law by holding too much control over apps and payments. Later, the court ordered more freedom (to developers) for alternative payment options (to customers).

    European fine (€500 million in 2024) – The platform was penalized for restricting developers from informing users about cheaper payment options outside the App Store. Apparently, Apple is appealing that fine in court.

    Elon Musk’s ‘X’ Post Going 9.7 Million Views Viral

    The number is going up by every minute. For now, the post has gone viral with 9.7 million views, 7,200 comments, 10,000 shares, 95,000 likes, and 3,500 saves. The engagement on the post indicates how Elon sparked a considerable discussion around the topic. And we are yet to hear from Apple. Will they address it with a statement or take it to court with Elon Musk?

  • Atomic Capital announces final close of Rs 400 Crore maiden fund for consumer startups

    Mumbai, 12th August, 2025: Early growth investment fund Atomic Capital has announced the final close of its maiden fund with a corpus of over Rs 400 crore, focused on early growth-stage Indian consumer, consumer-tech, and consumer-enabler startups. This is one of the largest debut funds dedicated to fueling India’s next wave of consumer growth. With an average first cheque size of Rs 10 to 30 crore, the fund aims to build a curated portfolio of 10–12 companies, with a portion of the corpus reserved for follow-on investments.

    The fund would evaluate startups looking to raise Pre Series A to Series A with a PMF achieved. Atomic Capital distinguishes itself through deep operational engagement and a focused, “Operating VC” approach to backing bold founders. The fund’s philosophy has been designed keeping DPI at the centre of investment and exits decisions. 

    The fund reached its first close at Rs 155 crore in 2024, and has since received strong commitments for the remaining amount, taking it to full closure. Over the past 12 months, Atomic Capital has already invested ~Rs 50 crore across four startups:

    • ConsciousChemist, Gurgaon-based beauty and personal care brand
    • Doodhvale Farms, Delhi-based dairy and foods brand
    • Rio Beverages, Pune/Mumbai-based beverage brand 
    • Anny, Gurgaon-based women’s western apparel brand

    Speaking on the announcement, Apoorv Gautam, Founder and Managing Partner, says, “At Atomic Capital, we are not just investors—we are partners for the long haul, bound by a shared mission to shape the future of Indian consumption. Our commitment goes beyond capital; we bring hands-on support, strategic know-how, and the conviction that building enduring brands can transform lives and unlock significant value. Our focus is on capital-efficient businesses addressing large and expanding markets. Additionally, our investment decisions are driven by a strong rapport with the founding team, clear revenue momentum, and disciplined capital efficiency. We are firm believers in sustainable, capital-efficient growth — it’s the cornerstone of building enduring businesses.

    Over the next 2–3 years, we plan to deploy both initial and follow-on capital, aligned with our overall fund timeline of eight years. We are currently evaluating over 20 companies and have already issued a term sheet for our fifth investment,” he adds.

    The fund will be investing in early-stage Indian consumer, consumer-tech, and consumer-enabler startups. Some of focus areas include Food & Beverages, Nutraceuticals, Personal Care & Beauty, Jewelry, Apparel & Footwear, Pet Care, Travel & Accessories, Electronics Accessories, Home Furnishing, Logistics, Financial Services, e-Commerce SaaS, Omnichannel Infrastructure, Manufacturing.

    Atomic Capital works with the portfolio companies with a unique hands-on approach. The team goes beyond capital infusion and also provides support to its portfolio companies in senior level talent hiring, opening access for strategic partnerships, helps in GTM initiatives and structuring finances and more. 

    About Atomic Capital

    Atomic Capital is a Mumbai-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2024 by Apoorv Gautam, an industry veteran with over 18 years of experience in investing, consulting, and strategic leadership. Apoorv brings deep operating and strategic insight from his prior roles at Rivigo, McKinsey, Bain, and a leading VC fund — positioning Atomic as a high-impact partner for early-stage growth.

    The firm backs ambitious founders building high-potential consumer and consumer-tech brands, combining capital with hands-on support. With a unique operating VC playbook and collaborative approach towards working with founders to unlock scale.