Category: Funding

Gramiyaa, a Bengaluru-based cold-pressed oil brand, has raised ₹7.2 crore in a pre-Series A funding round led by Homegrown Ventures, with additional participation from Campus Fund and Mumbai Angels.

The fresh capital will be used to boost production capacity to 4 lakh litres per month, enhance sourcing capabilities, optimize manufacturing processes, and strengthen distribution through its direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform and other channels.

This funding follows a previous seed round where the company secured $1.14 million from Homegrown Ventures and other investors.

Founded in 2016 by Sibi Manivannan, Gramiyaa specializes in wood-pressed oils made from premium seeds, including groundnut, sesame, and coconut oil.

The brand has established a strong presence in Tamil Nadu through offline retail stores and online platforms.

Unlike traditional cold-pressed oil producers operating on a small scale, Gramiyaa has built a vertically integrated business with its own state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. This ensures consistent product quality, hygiene, and process efficiency.

Also Read: Pizza Wings Raises $2.8 Million to Expand Across India

By combining traditional wood and stone milling techniques with modern manufacturing standards, Gramiyaa offers consumers authentic, high-quality oils.

The company’s expansion plans, supported by this recent funding, will further strengthen its market presence across retail, e-commerce, and quick-commerce platforms, catering to the growing demand for natural and chemical-free cooking oils.

Homegrown quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand Pizza Wings has secured $2.8 million in a fresh funding round from notable investors, including Gruhas, the investment firm of Nikhil Kamath and Abhijeet Pai, alongside Udaan co-founder Sujeet Kumar and other strategic backers.

This follows the company’s $4 million seed round in 2024.

The latest funding will fuel the brand’s expansion across Northern and North-Eastern India, with a goal of adding 50 new stores and reaching 100 outlets by the end of 2025.

Additionally, Pizza Wings plans to strengthen its corporate structure by making key hires in finance, logistics, and marketing.

Founded in 2014 by Aditya Dhanda, Rajpal Sangwan, and Vikas Nain, Pizza Wings has carved a niche in the competitive QSR space by blending global quality standards with Indian flavors.

The brand follows strict food safety protocols using cold fermentation processes, FSSAI-compliant practices, and high-quality certified ingredients.

Its customizable menu appeals to diverse regional tastes, developed under the expertise of experienced chefs.

Also Read: Firefly Diamonds Secures $3 Million in Seed Funding

Pizza Wings has also embraced technology to streamline operations. Its in-house rider and store management applications enhance efficiency and reduce reliance on third-party delivery platforms.

With over 500,000 app downloads, the brand has built a solid customer base and established a strong presence in multiple cities.

With this fresh capital, Pizza Wings is set to expand its footprint and continue its growth journey, solidifying its presence in the evolving Indian QSR market.

Firefly Diamonds, an emerging name in the lab-grown diamond jewellery sector, has raised $3 million in a seed funding round led by WestBridge Capital.

The Mumbai-based brand plans to use the fresh capital to accelerate its retail expansion, strengthen its digital presence, and invest in research and development for innovative jewellery collections.

Founded by brothers Adit Bhansali and Aayush Bhansali, Firefly Diamonds offers lab-grown diamonds that are identical to natural ones in appearance and composition, with significantly reduced environmental impact.

The brand specializes in fine jewellery crafted with 14K and 18K gold.

Currently, Firefly Diamonds has stores in Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, with ambitious plans to expand to over 20 cities within the next two years.

Also Read: Milind Sharma Joins Delhivery as Head of Rapid Commerce and D2C Brands

The lab-grown diamond market in India is witnessing increased competition, with Firefly Diamonds going up against brands like COLUXE, Fiona Diamonds, Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds, and Jewelbox. GIVA, backed by Aditya Birla, has also entered the segment with its own lab-grown diamond collection.

With this funding, Firefly Diamonds aims to solidify its position as a leading sustainable luxury jewellery brand in the growing lab-grown diamond industry.

Apna Mart, a franchise-driven omnichannel grocery and FMCG chain has raised ₹214.5 crore (approximately $25 million) in a mix of equity and debt funding, as exclusively reported by Entrackr.

The round was led by Fundamentum Partnership Fund and Accel, with participation from existing investors.

As per regulatory filings sourced from the Registrar of Companies (RoC), the company has issued 6,342 Series B compulsory convertible preference shares at ₹2,78,402 each, raising ₹176.5 crore ($20.5 million). Additionally, it has raised ₹38 crore ($4.5 million) through 3,800 debentures.

Fundamentum led the investment with ₹84 crore, while Accel India, Peak XV, and Sparrow Capital contributed ₹60.88 crore, ₹17.4 crore, and ₹4 crore, respectively. Other investors include 2 AM Ventures, Disruptors Capital, and Alteria.

Also Read: Qila Games Raises $1 Million in Pre-Seed Funding Led by Chimera VC

With this fresh capital infusion, Apna Mart’s post-allotment valuation has surged to ₹738 crore ($87 million), marking an 81% increase from its previous round.

Founded in 2021 by Abhishek Singh and Chetan Garg, Apna Mart operates across 14 cities, including Ranchi, Hazaribagh, and Bilaspur.

The company follows a franchise-led model while promising grocery and FMCG deliveries within 15 minutes, alongside its physical store network.

Apna Mart has raised around $40 million across multiple funding rounds. Following this latest investment, Accel India holds the largest external stake at 20.91%, followed by Peak XV (13.06%) and Fundamentum (11.39%).

The Bengaluru-based startup reported a revenue of ₹59.6 crore for the fiscal year ending March 2024, reflecting an 85.6% year-on-year growth.

However, its losses also widened by 51.4% to ₹33 crore in the same period.

With strong backing from investors like Nandan Nilekani’s Fundamentum and Accel, Apna Mart is steadily expanding in a competitive grocery and quick commerce sector dominated by Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto.

Hybrid-casual gaming startup Qila Games has secured $1 million in pre-seed funding, with Chimera VC leading the round.

Other investors, including Visceral Capital, Atrium Angels, Ventatana Ventures, 91 Ventures, Untitled Ventures, and several angel investors, also participated.

The funding will be used to develop new intellectual properties (IPs), expand Qila Games’ portfolio, and enhance its technology and design capabilities.

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Founded in 2024 by Dhananjai Hari and Neeraj Mishra, Qila Games specializes in hybrid-casual games—blending the accessibility of casual gaming with the depth of mid-core experiences.

The company launched its first title, Ludo Hero, in February 2025, which reimagines the classic board game with strategic battles, conquests, and hero powers.

Iyaso, a speech therapy startup, has raised $500,000 in a pre-seed funding round led by Malpani Ventures, with additional support from angel investors.

The funds will be used to develop AI-powered digital therapeutics aimed at transforming speech and communication therapy worldwide.

Founded in 2023 by Viraj Kulkarni, the Pune-based company offers AI-driven solutions designed to help people overcome stuttering.

Its platform provides structured, personalized interventions, guiding users through speech therapy techniques and helping them build confidence in real-world communication.

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Iyaso’s flagship product, Eloquent for Stuttering, has already made an impact, with over 20,000 users across 150 countries since its launch in July 2024.

Early results show a 53% reduction in stuttering severity and a 34% boost in communication confidence, with most users experiencing significant improvements.

With over 400 million people worldwide struggling with speech and language disorders, Iyaso aims to make therapy more effective, engaging, and accessible using AI-powered solutions.

Everhope Oncology, a joint venture between Narayana Health, W Health Ventures, and 2070 Health, has raised $10 million in seed funding.

The funds will be used to establish medical and surgical cancer care facilities in Delhi and Mumbai, with plans to expand to 10 cities within the next three years.

The new centers aim to provide comprehensive cancer treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and palliative care.

Additionally, Everhope will offer mental health counseling, nutritional guidance, and pain management services to support patients throughout their treatment journey.

Also Read: Swiggy Launches B2B Platform ‘Assure’ to Compete with Zomato’s Hyperpure

Viren Shetty, Vice Chairman of Narayana Health, highlighted the need to change misconceptions around cancer care.

“Many people avoid cancer screenings and turn to unproven treatments due to fear. We want to create a positive experience that encourages early diagnosis and effective treatment,” he said.

With one in nine Indians projected to develop cancer in their lifetime, as per the National Cancer Registry Program, the demand for accessible and efficient cancer care is increasing.

Everhope’s fundraising follows similar developments in the sector, with MOC Cancer Care & Research Centre recently raising $18 million, led by Elevation Capital.

Navadhan, a rural-focused fintech startup, has raised INR 111 Cr ($12.8 Mn) in its Series A funding round, led by NABARD’s venture capital arm NabVentures.

Prime Ventures co-led the round, with participation from LNB Group, Varanium NexGen Fintech Fund, Gemba Capital, Faad, VC-Grid, and Anicut.

The initial funding target was INR 80 Cr, but the round was oversubscribed to INR 111 Cr.

The fresh capital will be used to enhance Navadhan’s tech platform, AceN, expand its presence, and diversify its loan offerings.

Founded in 2019 by Nitin Agrawal, Vijay Haswani, Anirudh Ramakuru, and Amit Biswal, Navadhan provides financial solutions to small businesses and microenterprises in rural areas.

Through its AceN platform, it offers digital onboarding, underwriting, payments, and collections, while connecting borrowers to banks and NBFCs.

The platform uses data science-powered underwriting to assess borrowers’ digital footprints and cash flow patterns.

It claims to have access to over INR 700 Cr in debt lines from 25 financial institutions and operates across 700 pincodes in five states – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Odisha.

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Expressing his enthusiasm, Navadhan co-founder Nitin Agrawal said, “We are happy to find investors who share our mission of creating new wealth for rural entrepreneurs.”

NabVentures CIO Ashish Choudhary highlighted the startup’s significant growth, noting a 12x increase over three years while maintaining strong asset quality. With the fresh funding, Navadhan aims to further its commitment to empowering rural MSMEs.

Mumbai-based social commerce startup Broadway has received a strategic investment from Nikhil Kamath and Abhijeet Pai’s investment firm, Gruhas, to strengthen its omnichannel retail presence. The financial details of the investment remain undisclosed.

With this investment, the startup plans to enhance its retail infrastructure and offer brands an immersive shopping experience.Looking ahead, the company plans to expand into major cities like Mumbai, Gurugram, and Pune.

Founded in March 2023 by Vivek Biyani, Rana Daggubati, Anuj Kejriwal, and Apurva Salarpuria, Broadway aims to facilitate a seamless transition for direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands between online and offline retail through its experiential superstores.

Positioning itself as “A Theatre for Brands,” Broadway enables customers to engage with D2C products in an interactive retail space.

The startup launched its first store in a Delhi mall last year, followed by a second outlet in Hyderabad, which houses products from over 200 D2C brands, including CosRX, Minimalist, The Good Bug, Cosmix, Rareism, and Mokobara.

“This partnership will not only provide emerging brands with strategic growth opportunities but also create a more seamless transition between the online and offline retail experience. With this support, we aim to nurture innovative brands and scale their presence in a rapidly evolving consumer landscape,” said Biyani.

Broadway’s experiential retail concept includes features such as salons, event stages, a longevity clinic, a nail bar, a pet spa, a sneaker studio, and food and beverage zones, creating an engaging shopping environment.

Also Read: Harvested Robotics Raises Rs 5 Crore in Seed Funding

The investment comes as the omnichannel retail model gains momentum among D2C brands like Mamaearth, Lenskart, and Pepperfry.

Investors are also backing this shift, with Purple Style Labs recently securing $40 million to enhance its omnichannel presence.

As per BCG, India’s retail sector is set to grow 9-10% annually, reaching $2 trillion by 2032. Broadway aims to leverage this growth to redefine D2C retail.