Category: Funding

Ahmedabad-based spacetech startup SatLeo Labs has raised $3.3 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Merak Ventures, with participation from Huddle Ventures, GVFL, Java Capital, IIMA Ventures, PointOne Capital, and angel investors Manish Gandhi and Dheer Baldua.

Founded in 2023 by Ranendu Ghosh, Urmil Bakhai, and Shravan Bhati, SatLeo Labs is developing a proprietary thermal imaging payload designed to capture thermal and optical data from Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

The technology uses infrared radiation data to monitor crop health, track climatic conditions, detect wildfires, and support defence surveillance efforts.

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With the fresh capital, the company plans to accelerate R&D, scale its infrastructure, and fast-track pilot testing and regulatory clearances.

The startup’s core product is a dual-band fused multispectral imaging system tailored for climate-sensitive sectors.

SatLeo Labs believes its solutions can play a critical role in climate risk mitigation—reducing crop losses, preventing wildfires, and contributing to broader emission reduction and sustainability goals.

Edtech-focused laptop maker Primebook has secured $2 million in a pre-Series A funding round, combining equity and debt.

The round drew investments from Inflection Point Ventures, Auxano Capital, NexG Devices, and notable angel investors including EaseMyTrip’s CEO Rikant Pittie and fintech leader Bhavesh Gupta.

This fresh capital will be used to strengthen Primebook’s R&D capabilities, drive product innovation, boost brand visibility, and scale business operations.

The funding follows a $1 million seed round in December 2022, led by Kundan Group, Brindavan Group, and Infotel Business Solution.

Primebook also made headlines during its appearance on Shark Tank India Season 2, where co-founders Aman Verma and Chitranshu Mahant secured ₹75 lakh from judges Aman Gupta and Peyush Bansal.

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Launched in 2018 and based in Delhi, Primebook aims to bridge the digital divide by offering budget-friendly laptops built on its proprietary Android-based operating system, PrimeOS.

Tailored for students and digital-first learners, especially in tier II, III, and IV cities, PrimeOS supports Android app compatibility and enables seamless multitasking—making it a practical choice for education-focused use.

Over the last two years, the company claims to have achieved 5% market share in the sub-₹20,000 laptop segment and is witnessing 2x year-over-year growth.

With this new funding, Primebook is betting big on making digital learning more accessible across India.

Mugafi, an AI-powered content creation platform, has raised $3 million (around INR 25.5 crore) in a seed funding round led by StartupXseed.

The round also saw participation from Auxano, Proneur Network, Mars Shot Ventures—the venture capital fund launched by Razorpay’s founders—Beyond Venture Partners, and We Founder Circle, the startup said in a statement.

Based in Delhi NCR, Mugafi plans to use the fresh capital to strengthen its technology stack, expand into new markets, and build a larger team. The company said it is particularly focused on developing tools that make high-quality content creation more accessible to storytellers.

Founded in 2020 by Vipul Agrawal, Mugafi combines artificial intelligence with human creativity to assist filmmakers and writers in their creative journeys.

Its flagship tool, Ved, acts as a co-writer—helping users generate ideas, build plot structures, shape characters, and write dialogues.

Since its launch, Ved has been involved in creating over 500 original IPs, and Mugafi claims it aims to develop a library of more than 200,000 unique characters over the next two years.

The startup also produces its own IPs inspired by Indian history and epics, offering users the ability to interact with these creations.

Also Read | Metafin Raises $10 Million in Series A Funding

“We’re at a tipping point in how stories are made,” said Vipul Agrawal, Founder and CEO of Mugafi. “At Mugafi, we’ve always believed that AI should amplify creativity, not replace it. Our goal is to empower storytellers—help them break barriers, accelerate their process, and create magic on screen.”

Agrawal added that the funding would help the company take its vision to the next level. “We’re incredibly grateful for the trust our investors have placed in us, and we’re just getting started,” he said.

Mugafi claims to have helped over 10,000 writers create original content through Ved and human mentorship. The platform operates on a subscription-based model and has partnered with notable Indian production houses, including Excel Entertainment.

Metafin, a leading cleantech-focused non-banking financial company (NBFC), has successfully raised $10 million (approximately ₹85 crore) in its Series A funding round, spearheaded by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India, a subsidiary of Temasek.

Other notable investors, including Northern Arc, AU Small Finance Bank, Prime Venture Partners, and Varanium Capital, also contributed to the round.

This new funding follows a $5 million pre-Series A round in February 2023.

The company plans to use the capital to scale its operations, complete 10,000 solar installations in rural areas, enhance its technology infrastructure, and bolster its senior leadership team.

Founded in 2018 by Aditya Shah and Sandeep Chopra, Metafin specializes in providing financing solutions to rural customers for clean energy installations, such as rooftop solar panels, electric vehicles, and solar pumps.

To date, the company has partnered with over 600 solar installers and facilitated more than 2,600 solar projects.

Also Read | AI-Driven Hiring Startup EarlyJobs Raises Rs 1.2 Cr Seed Funding

The company aims to extend its reach to six to seven additional states, including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh, by the close of 2025.

This investment highlights the growing interest in NBFCs as India’s lending tech market is projected to expand into a $1.3 trillion opportunity by 2030.

EarlyJobs, a tech-enabled recruitment platform that combines artificial intelligence with a network of freelance recruiters, has raised Rs 1.2 crore in a seed funding round led by Power Tech Enterprises, with participation from angel investor N J Jacob.

The Bengaluru-based startup plans to use the funds to accelerate product development and strengthen its footprint across India, where it already operates in over 150 cities.

Founded in 2024 by Ravi Prakash Kumar, Asish Chakraborty, Surbhi Rani, and Saurav Kumar, EarlyJobs is positioning itself as a disruptor in the fast-evolving recruitment landscape.

Setting itself apart with a zero-subscription, pay-per-hire model, EarlyJobs offers a performance-driven alternative to traditional job portals and staffing agencies.

“Hiring should be outcome-driven, not fee-driven,” said Asish Chakraborty, CEO and Co-founder. “This fundraise validates our approach and will accelerate our mission to make recruitment more accountable and effective across India.”

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Unlike conventional platforms that charge upfront fees or subscription costs, EarlyJobs charges employers only once a candidate has been successfully onboarded. This model, the company believes, creates greater transparency and better aligns incentives between the platform and its clients.

EarlyJobs claims to currently serve over 50 enterprise clients, including Flipkart, Cogent, Bigbasket, HDFC, Justdial, Shaadi.com, JindalX, and Ebixcash. It also claims to have facilitated more than 13,000 interviews, completed over 1,000 successful job placements, and maintains a network of more than 200 freelance recruiters managing over 3,000 open roles.

With this fresh funding, EarlyJobs plans to further enhance its AI capabilities, empower its growing base of freelance recruiters, and expand support for internships and emerging talent across the country.

Malaki, a premium beverage startup, has raised ₹5.7 crore (around $669K) in a seed funding round led by Venture Catalysts, with participation from Maarc Ventures and the Dadachanji Family Office.

The Mumbai-based brand plans to use the funds to strengthen its presence in the quick commerce space, expand into premium hospitality sectors, and scale its Crystal Bottle product line.

It will also focus on enhancing its online channels, advancing sustainability initiatives, and boosting its reach across major metro cities including Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Jaipur, and Bengaluru.

Founded in 2020 by Mohit Bhatia and Ashish Bhatia, Malaki offers a range of premium beverages like tonic waters, alkaline waters, sparkling waters, and ginger ales, all packaged in sustainable glass bottles.

The brand rose to greater prominence after featuring on Shark Tank India and is recognized for its patented Crystal Bottle design.

Also Read | Lifestyle Brand Uni Seoul Raises Rs 5 Cr in Seed Funding

Today, Malaki operates in more than 500 premium HORECA (Hotel, Restaurant, Café) outlets and has built partnerships with global brands like Singapore Airlines, Ritz Carlton, and Hyatt in markets such as Mumbai, Pune, and Goa.

Venture Catalysts, which has previously backed companies like Beardo, Pee Safe, and BharatPe, sees significant growth potential in Malaki, especially as the Indian premium beverage market continues to expand with rising consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable options.

Uni Seoul, a lifestyle brand, has raised ₹5 crore (around $585K) in a seed funding round led by Sauce VC, with participation from Panthera Peak Ventures, Arun Venkatachalam, Sangeet Agrawal, Navin Parwal, and Yogesh Kabra.

The company plans to use the fresh capital to expand its offline presence in Tier I cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai.

It also aims to launch new private labels, upgrade its direct-to-consumer platform, boost marketing efforts, and strengthen its supply chain operations.

Founded by Gaurav Karmani and Mohit Khurana, Uni Seoul sells products across home and living, personal care, gifting, and fashion accessories.

The brand currently operates four profitable stores in Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Nashik, offering over 700 SKUs across its various categories.

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Around 40% of Uni Seoul’s products are manufactured in India through contract manufacturing partners, while the rest are sourced from more than 200 vendors across South Korea, India, China, and Vietnam.

In October 2023, Uni Seoul launched its online store, which now contributes 27% of the brand’s revenue without any marketing push. The brand claims to have built strong customer loyalty, with an average rating of 4.8 across channels, and is targeting to triple its growth over the next year.

Mumbai-based snack startup Phab has raised $2 million in a seed funding round led by OTP Ventures, with additional backing from Capri Global, Sim&San law firm, and other angel investors.

The fresh capital will be used to boost production capacity, expand the team, and strengthen its presence across both online and offline channels in India.

Founded in 2022 by Gayatri and Ankit Chona, Phab is known for its high-protein, high-flavour snacks designed to make healthy eating enjoyable.

Its product range includes protein milkshakes, powders, and energy bars, aimed at helping consumers easily increase their protein intake without compromising on taste.

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Phab takes a science-first approach to product development, with nutritionists, scientists, and chefs collaborating to ensure each item meets specific health needs.

The brand claims to have sold over 2 million products so far and is now preparing to expand nationwide through digital platforms, quick commerce, and modern trade outlets.

With a mission to address protein deficiency in India, Phab is also working with schools and organizations serving marginalized communities to improve access to essential nutrition.

Gurugram-based traveltech startup Visa2Fly has raised $2 million (approximately INR 17 crore) in a seed funding round led by M Venture Partners.

The round also saw participation from Flipkart Ventures, FinSight Ventures, and Thinkuvate.

The startup plans to use the funding to advance its tech-enabled verification tools, enhance automation across its visa processing systems, and expand partnerships with key players in the travel industry.

Founded in 2022 by Vijayendra Bawa and Dhruv Kumar, Visa2Fly offers AI-powered visa application services across more than 70 destinations, including the UAE, Singapore, Vietnam, Egypt, the UK, and several European countries. So far, it has processed nearly 1.5 lakh visa applications.

With the fresh capital, the company aims to tackle long-standing inefficiencies in visa processing by integrating AI-driven verification mechanisms and improving accessibility for users.

Also Read | Fintech Startup Bachatt Secures $4 Million in Seed Funding

Visa2Fly has already partnered with leading travel platforms such as ixigo, Acko, NiyoGlobal, SpiceJet, and WeGo to embed its solutions into their ecosystems.

Fintech startup Bachatt has secured $4 million (over INR 34 crore) in a seed funding round co-led by Lightspeed and Info Edge Ventures. While Lightspeed invested $2.8 million, Info Edge Ventures contributed $1 million, according to details exclusively reported by Inc42.

The round also drew support from industry leaders such as Urban Company cofounder Abhiraj Bhal, L&T Finance’s Sunil Prabhune, and OYO’s Abhinav Sinha and Maninder Gulati.

Founded in November 2024 by former BCG partner Anugrah Jain, ex-OYO executive Ankur Jhavery, and Mayank Agarwal from Urban Company, Bachatt is building a fintech platform tailored for self-employed individuals.

Its mobile app, currently in beta, helps users begin daily SIPs with investments starting as low as INR 51.

Bachatt has partnered with ICICI Prudential and SBI Mutual Fund to offer low-ticket investment options through UPI, targeting people earning between INR 30,000 and 70,000 per month.

The startup is registered with the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) as a mutual fund distributor.

Also Read | Travel-tech startup Rimigo has raised $550,000 in its pre-seed funding round

The fresh funds will be used to officially launch the app, expand the product suite, and scale operations.

Bachatt aims to reach 20–30 million users in the coming years by focusing on India’s vast self-employed and non-salaried population.