STARTUP FUNDING INDIA
From rejecting Rs 4 cr job offer to founding a Rs 570 cr startup: How this IIT alumnus from a poor background convinced parents to make a big bet
An IIT-Kharagpur graduate rejected a ₹4.3 crore job and Stanford PhD to co-found Giga, an AI startup that recently raised $61 million. Despite the success, the company faces allegations of malpractices and misleading employees from a former worker, which Giga denies as an extortion attempt.
Semiconductor design, AI to drive India’s next innovation wave: Founders Forum CEO
Founders Forum CEO Carolyn Dawson highlights India's potential to become a global tech anchor by building connective tissue with innovation hubs. She emphasizes the need for late-stage capital and a global mindset for Indian startups to scale internationally, with AI and semiconductor design poised to drive future trade.
Razorpay eyes IPO; Sarvam's $1.5 billion leap
Happy Monday! Razorpay is planning an IPO at a lower valuation than its $7.5 billion peak. This and more in today's ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Glade Brook in talks to join Sarvam’s funding; AI startup may hit $1.5 billion valuation
US-based Glade Brook Capital is in discussions to invest $20-25 million in Sarvam AI's $320-350 million funding round, valuing the AI startup at $1.5 billion. Strategic investors like Nvidia, Amazon, and HCLTech, alongside venture capital firms, are also participating in the round.
Every rupee saved in supply chain costs goes back to customers: Zepto's Aadit Palicha at YC Startup School
Zepto aims to be India's top grocery delivery platform in the next four to five years. Cofounder Aadit Palicha believes this success could position Zepto as India's own Amazon. The company is preparing for a significant IPO, engaging with investors. Palicha highlighted the importance of early focus and operational efficiency in their growth strategy.
Regulations slow growth but reward patient founders: Razorpay’s Harshil Mathur at YC Startup School
Razorpay CEO Harshil Mathur highlighted the advantages of operating in regulated spaces, noting the company's explosive growth in India's payments market, now exceeding $180 billion in volume. He shared early challenges, including a bank pulling support, but emphasized how adaptability, like embracing UPI, fueled their success, especially during the pandemic's D2C boom.
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Kiwi cofounder Mohit Bedi steps down from executive role after four years
In a LinkedIn post on Saturday, Kiwi cofounder Mohit Bedi said he would shift focus to "personal and family” commitments while remaining closely associated with the company as an advisor and long-term shareholder.
Govt recognised over 55,200 startups in FY26
India has recognised more than 55,200 startups in FY26, a 51.6% rise over last year, while the direct jobs created by them increased 36.1%, the “highest” in a single year since the launch of the Startup India initiative in 2016, the government said on Friday.
Nimble companies are succeeding in the AI era: YC's Jared Friedman
AI startup founders are pivoting faster and more often in the era of AI, and strong engineering talent in India gives them an edge, said Jared Friedman, managing partner, Y Combinator.
ET Most Innovative AI Product Awards 2026: what it is, why it matters and who it is for
As India’s AI ecosystem moves from experimentation to execution, the need to recognise real, measurable innovation has become critical. The ET Most Innovative AI Product Awards 2026 is designed to evaluate AI products based on architecture, deployment, and business impact across startups, SMEs, and enterprises. Here is a clear breakdown of what the programme stands for and why it matters now.
One Of A Kind Startup Awards 2026: Finally, something for early-stage founders
India is teeming with early-stage startups, but very few awards are built for them. One Of A Kind, presented by Cashfree Payments and The Economic Times, is changing that.
AI firms scout for startup buyouts to boost full-stack tech capabilities
AI firms are actively acquiring startups to build full-stack capabilities as enterprises move towards large-scale AI deployment. This consolidation is driven by the need for complementary product capabilities and intellectual property in a rapidly evolving market.
Industrial AI startup Intellithink raises Rs 17 crore in round led by Pentathlon Ventures
Anicut Capital and Veltis Capital participated in the round. The Bengaluru-based industrial AI startup serves over 50 enterprises, including Jindal Steel, Jindal Stainless, JSW Steel, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel, Adani, Ultratech, Dalmia, Ducab, and L&T, and is expanding in international markets. The fresh funds will primarily be used to expand its footprint across India and the GCC.
IndiGo takes equity stake in air-taxi startup Sarla Aviation, backs eVTOL push
IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has invested in Bengaluru-based Sarla Aviation, which is developing an electric aircraft to be used as flying taxis. The carrier picked up equity worth Rs 10 crore through its investment arm IndiGo Ventures in the startup in January, as per the Registrar of Companies filings.
IndiGo takes equity stake in air-taxi startup Sarla Aviation, backs eVTOL push
India's largest airline, IndiGo, has invested Rs 10 crore in Bengaluru-based Sarla Aviation, a startup developing electric flying taxis. This move follows IndiGo's previous non-binding partnership with Archer Aviation, which has now fallen through due to timeline issues. Sarla Aviation's Shunya eVTOL is designed for urban environments and aims for a 2028 launch in Bengaluru.
Karnataka unveils India's first quantum ecosystem map
Karnataka became the first state in India to unveil a comprehensive Quantum Ecosystem Map. The Science & Technology minister N S Boseraju said the initiative formally marks the launch of Phase-I of the State's Quantum Roadmap.
Proptech startup Helium raise Rs 5 crore from Kunal Shah, Albinder Dhindsa, others
The startup will use the fresh funds for product development and marketing. The tech-led real estate rental management startup leases homes directly from owners and pays the full security deposit upfront, allowing tenants to rent from the platform. The deposit a tenant pays is linked to their credit profile.
Layoffs hit tech, GCCs; Startups rewrite summer rules
Happy Wednesday! Tech and GCC talent are facing more layoffs as they move up the value chain and integrate into global operations. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Power equipment startup Ayr Energy in talks to raise $25-30 million: sources
US-based Ayr Energy is in talks to raise $25–30 million from Energy Impact Partners, which could value the startup at around $200 million. Founded by former Zetwerk and Ather Energy executive Anirudh Reddy, the company is betting on rising power infrastructure demand driven by artificial intelligence workloads and data centres.
Brain health startup Ivory develops 'treadmill test' for brain; focusses on cognitive health in India
The AI-powered startup offers cognitive assessments measuring attention, memory, and executive function, providing users with benchmarked scores and actionable insights. The company aims to embed cognitive testing across healthcare touchpoints, helping clinicians distinguish early cognitive decline from lifestyle-driven issues through more objective, data-driven tools. It has partnered with Metropolis Healthcare and is in talks with diagnostic chains, insurers, and wellness platforms, including Ultrahuman.
TCS Nashik case escalates; Zepto’s road to IPO
Happy Tuesday! TCS COO Aarthi Subramanian will head the investigation into a sexual harassment case at its Nashik unit. This and more in today's ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Inside the investment strategy of the government’s new Fund of Funds
The government has launched Fund of Funds 2.0 with a Rs 10,000 crore corpus. This new scheme aims to boost startup investments by supporting SEBI-registered alternative investment funds. It focuses on deeptech, micro VCs, manufacturing, and sector-agnostic funds. The initiative will deploy capital over upcoming Finance Commission cycles. SIDBI will lead implementation.
Physical AI startups out to play the big game
ET writes how robotics AI startups are seeing increased investments, signalling growing confidence in this space in India.
Govt notifies establishment of Rs 10,000 crore Fund of Funds 2.0
This second tranche of the Fund of Funds will seek to mobilise venture capital and support deeptech, tech-driven, innovative manufacturing startups, and early-growth stage enterprises.
India has strong pipeline of ideas, keen to back local founders: Y Combinator’s Ankit Gupta
In an exclusive interview ahead of Y Combinator’s Startup School India 2026 event, Ankit Gupta, the accelerator’s general partner, said the firm remains keen on backing Indian founders, adding that the country has an abundance of great startup ideas because of its ``raw technical talent’’.
Large AI firms hoovering maximum funding, not enough for smaller startups: Y Combinator’s Ankit Gupta
Ankit Gupta spoke to ET ahead of the accelerator’s Startup School event in Bengaluru on April 18 — the first in India. In order to tap aspiring entrepreneurs across colleges and universities, Gupta said YC will be visiting IIT Delhi this week and holding a programme there.
ETtech Deals Digest: Startups raise $370 million this week, up 80% on-year
The number of deals during the week was down to 22 transactions, compared to 42 in the corresponding week last year.
Masters’ Union launches Rs 100 crore venture fund to back founders under 25
Masters’ Union has launched MU Ventures, a Rs 100 crore fund to support founders under 25. It will invest small early-stage amounts and offer mentorship and resources. Led by Partham Mittal, the initiative aims to address the lack of initial funding for young startups in India.
Indian tech startups' funding declines 18% to $11.7 billion in FY26: Tracxn
Indian tech startups raised USD 11.7 billion in FY 2025-26, an 18% drop from the previous year. Despite this, early-stage funding saw a 33% surge. India remained the fourth-highest funded country globally. FinTech and Enterprise Applications led sector funding. The year also saw a significant rise in IPOs and unicorn creation.
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