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  • AI Music Platform Soundverse AI Bags Rs 1.35 Cr Deal on Shark Tank India

    AI Music Platform Soundverse AI Bags Rs 1.35 Cr Deal on Shark Tank India

    AI-powered music creation platform Soundverse AI took the spotlight on Shark Tank India, where founders Sourabh Pateriya (CEO) and Riley Williams (CTO) shared how they are building a creator-first and ethical alternative in the rapidly evolving AI music ecosystem.

    During the pitch, the founders shared that Soundverse AI was launched in January 2024 as an AI assistant for music and content creation, designed to give creators deeper control over how songs are generated, edited, and refined.

    They highlighted a key industry concern: many AI music tools are trained on copyrighted tracks without authorisation and offer limited creative flexibility. Soundverse aims to solve this by training its foundation model exclusively on licensed data from artists, labels, and publishers, ensuring legal compliance while protecting creator rights.

    Entering the Tank, the founders sought ₹1.35 crore for 1.5% equity, valuing the company at ₹90 crore.

    The founders demonstrated Soundverse’s growing suite of AI-driven tools, which includes full song generation, editing and modification of existing tracks, and a dedicated Soundverse Agent to support end-to-end creative workflows. One of the platform’s standout features is “Sharks’ Suggestions,” which allows users to guide the AI using mood and style descriptors such as Hans Zimmer, Excited, or Charm. They also pointed to industry credibility, including a professional connection to Ash Pournouri, a judge from Swedish Idol.

    Sharing traction metrics on the show, the founders revealed that Soundverse AI has crossed 25 lakh users (2.5 million) since inception, with around 1.7 lakh monthly active users as of May 2025. The platform is currently accessible via its website, the Apple App Store, and the Google Play Store.

    Revenue growth, as shared during the pitch, accelerated significantly toward the end of 2025. Monthly revenues increased from ₹11 lakh in September 2025 to ₹13.5 lakh in October, before jumping sharply to ₹86 lakh in November.

    Earlier in the year, revenues had grown steadily from ₹5.5 lakh in June 2025 to ₹9.5 lakh by August. Soundverse follows a subscription-led model, offering three monthly plans Creator (₹150), Pro (₹350), and Max (₹999) and currently operates at a monthly burn of around ₹15 lakh.

    https://app.ceotrail.com/wholeleaf-secures-rs-1-5-crore-deal-on-shark-tank-india/

    Looking ahead, the founders shared ambitious targets, aiming to reach ₹8–10 crore in ARR within the next 6–12 months.

    After discussions, Namita Thapar closed the deal by investing ₹1.35 crore for 5% equity, bringing Soundverse AI’s valuation down to ₹27 crore.

    Prior to its Shark Tank appearance, Soundverse AI was entirely bootstrapped, making Namita Thapar’s investment its first external funding.

  • Meat Marinade Brand Kilrr Bags Rs 1 Cr Investment on Shark Tank India

    Meat Marinade Brand Kilrr Bags Rs 1 Cr Investment on Shark Tank India

    Clean-label meat marinade brand Kilrr made a strong impression on Shark Tank India, where founder Hitesh Bhagia, an engineer and IIM Kozhikode alumnus shared his vision of simplifying meat cooking through preservative-free, ready-to-use spice mixes.

    During the pitch, Bhagia explained that Kilrr was launched in December 2023 to address a clear gap in the market: convenient, flavourful marinades made specifically for meat dishes, without preservatives or artificial additives.

    Positioned as an “unapologetically non-vegetarian” brand, Kilrr caters to fitness-focused consumers, modern home cooks, and convenience seekers. Its tagline, “Slay the mess, savour the taste,” reflects the brand’s promise of ease without compromising on taste.

    Entering the Tank, the founder sought ₹1 crore for 1% equity, valuing the company at ₹100 crore.

    Bhagia shared that Kilrr’s current portfolio includes 11 powdered marinade variants and three gravy mixes, each priced at ₹70, with an average order value of ₹660. All products use 100% vegetarian ingredients, with dehydrated vegetables blended directly into the masalas.

    The brand maintains a strict clean-label stance, with no preservatives, artificial flavours, additives, or added sugar, resulting in a six-month shelf life, lower than industry norms but aligned with its natural positioning.

    On the operations front, Kilrr set up its manufacturing unit in March 2024 and began scaling sales soon after. Financials shared on the show revealed ₹2.6 crore in net sales in FY24–25, with momentum picking up sharply ₹2.5 crore each in Q1 and Q2 of FY25–26. For the current fiscal year, the startup is projecting ₹13 crore in net sales, while operating at a projected -25% EBITDA as it continues to invest aggressively in growth.

    https://app.ceotrail.com/wholeleaf-secures-rs-1-5-crore-deal-on-shark-tank-india/

    The founder also outlined the company’s unit economics. Kilrr operates with 65% gross margins, while COGS account for 35%, logistics and packaging for 12%, and marketing spends exceed 50% of revenue. Monthly fixed costs stand at around ₹22 lakh. The brand has already fulfilled over 2,000 pilot orders and reports a 35% cumulative retention rate.

    Sales are currently driven largely through direct-to-consumer channels, with 55% of revenue coming from Kilrr’s own website and 35% via quick commerce platforms.

    After negotiations, Anupam Mittal closed the deal by investing ₹1 crore for 1.06% equity, bringing Kilrr’s valuation to approximately ₹94.3 crore, subject to customer-love and legal diligence.

  • Digital Striker Raises $1 Million in Funding from Foxhog Ventures

    Digital Striker Raises $1 Million in Funding from Foxhog Ventures

    Optical fiber equipment startup Digital Striker has secured $1 million (around ₹8.5 crore) in fresh funding from Foxhog Ventures, as it prepares to move beyond an import-heavy model.

    The Delhi-based company said a major portion of the capital, about ₹5-6 crore, will go towards building its manufacturing capabilities, expanding its workforce, and setting up offices in key metropolitan markets.

    The remaining funds will be used to sustain existing import and distribution operations while local production is phased in.

    Established in 2021 by Priyanka, Digital Striker works in the optical fibre tools and equipment segment, offering a range of products including fibre strippers, cleavers, visual fault locators, optical power meters, and fibre splicing machines.

    The company sells its offerings through a pan-India network of resellers, serving customers across the telecom and infrastructure sectors.

    https://app.ceotrail.com/zero-sugar-beverage-brand-chini-kum-bags-rs-1-cr-in-early-stage-funding/

    In the first stage of its manufacturing push, the company plans to locally produce five to seven products, with plans to widen the product range over time. Digital Striker says it has already built relationships with more than 450 resellers and end customers across the country.

    Prior to this funding round, the company was fully bootstrapped and recorded a turnover of ₹8.85 crore over 40 months of operations. Over the coming years, Digital Striker aims to scale manufacturing and strengthen its distribution footprint across India.

  • Wholeleaf Secures Rs 1.5 Crore Deal on Shark Tank India

    Wholeleaf Secures Rs 1.5 Crore Deal on Shark Tank India

    Cannabis wellness brand Wholeleaf made a significant appearance on Shark Tank India Season 5, where founder Shivraj Sharma shared the journey of building a government-licensed wellness brand utilizing Cannabidiol (CBD) as a hero ingredient.

    Inspired by the need for better relief for chronic conditions, the brand showcased its “hero products,” including Orthodexil for arthritis and inflammation and Migroheal for migraines and headaches.

    Entering the Tank, the founder sought ₹50 lakh for 2.1% equity, valuing the business at ₹23.8 crore. During the pitch, Shivraj revealed how the brand has built a high level of medical defensibility, procuring cannabis leaves from state government-licensed sources and holding all necessary manufacturing and free sales licenses.

    To further strengthen its scientific backing, Wholeleaf has engaged in 13 total clinical trials, with two already completed and one near completion. These trials, involving 50–75 participants each, have shown impressive results, with 76%+ of patients reporting significant pain relief. This clinical-first approach helped the brand stand out as a serious contender in the medicinal cannabis space.

    Sharing operational insights, the founder explained that Wholeleaf follows a robust multi-channel distribution strategy with a strong offline presence across 600 stores.

    The brand’s channel split currently stands at 60% online (where 85% of sales come from their own website and 15% from Amazon) and 40% offline. A major driver of their offline success is Apollo Pharmacy, which contributes 90% of their offline sales and operates on a 30-day credit period.

    On the financial front, Wholeleaf demonstrated an explosive growth trajectory. The brand’s annual run rate (ARR) skyrocketed from ₹50 lakh in April 2024 to ₹9 crore by October 2025. While the business currently reports a -17% EBITDA margin, the unit economics remain strong with a 75% gross margin and COGS at 25%. The current burn is primarily attributed to logistics and commissions (13%), aggressive marketing spends (49%), and overheads (30%).

    https://app.ceotrail.com/invogue-secures-rs-2-crore-deal-on-shark-tank-india/

    According to the founder, the brand is already seeing early signs of customer loyalty with an 18% repeat customer rate. This retention, combined with their sharp revenue jump, signaled high market potential to the Sharks.

    The brand successfully closed a deal on the show, securing ₹1.5 crore for 7.5% equity, valuing Wholeleaf at ₹20 crore. The investment was a joint deal backed by Aman Gupta, Kanika Tekriwal, and Namita Thapar, who were impressed by the brand’s clinical validation and scale.

  • Enterprise agentic AI startup Vibrium raises $1 Mn in seed funding

    Enterprise agentic AI startup Vibrium raises $1 Mn in seed funding

    Enterprise-focused agentic AI startup Vibrium has raised $1 million in a seed funding round from Bhavesh Gupta, former COO of Paytm, along with a group of other investors.

    The company said the capital will be used to advance product development, strengthen its goal-driven AI agent architecture, and expand enterprise deployments across sectors such as BFSI, e-commerce, SaaS, and operations-led businesses.

    Founded in 2025 by Akshat Saxena, Vibrium is building an end-to-end platform that enables enterprises to deploy autonomous, production-grade AI agents directly into existing workflows. The platform is designed to deliver measurable business outcomes, including improvements in revenue, efficiency, and customer experience, rather than acting as a standalone AI assistant.

    Based in Gurugram, Vibrium positions itself as a solution to common enterprise AI adoption challenges such as unclear return on investment, governance and compliance risks, and slow time-to-production. The startup aims to help organisations operationalise AI quickly while maintaining control, auditability, and reliability.

    Since it began operations, Vibrium says it has signed up over 25 enterprise clients spanning sectors such as banking, payments, retail, travel, and hospitality. Within just six months of going live commercially, the platform has logged more than one million minutes of AI-powered interactions, reflecting consistent adoption in real-world production use cases.

    Going forward, the startup plans to expand its AI agent portfolio, continue product innovation, and build a stronger presence in key international markets, with a focus on enterprise-grade performance, governance, and outcome-driven deployments.

  • Balaji Krishnamurthy promoted to CFO at Uber 

    Balaji Krishnamurthy promoted to CFO at Uber 

    Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies has promoted Balaji Krishnamurthy to the role of chief financial officer. Krishnamurthy will take over from Prashanth Mahendra Rajah, who is stepping aside from the position, with the change set to be implemented later this month.

    An Uber veteran since 2018, Krishnamurthy has held key positions across the company’s finance organisation, most recently overseeing corporate finance and investor relations. In these roles, he has been closely involved in shaping Uber’s financial strategy, managing capital deployment, and maintaining engagement with global shareholders and analysts.

    The announcement was made in conjunction with Uber’s latest earnings release, which delivered a mixed picture for investors. While the company posted strong top-line growth, its profit performance and outlook for the next quarter came in below market expectations.

    Beyond finance, Krishnamurthy has played an active role in discussions around Uber’s autonomous mobility initiatives, including its robotaxi partnerships. Uber has been steadily expanding collaborations with self-driving technology firms and has said it plans to introduce autonomous rides in several international markets in the coming years.

    Uber said Prashanth Mahendra Rajah will remain involved during the handover period to ensure a smooth transition, as the company balances near-term financial discipline with longer-term investments in areas such as autonomy and platform expansion.

  • Zero-Sugar Beverage Brand CHINI KUM Bags Rs 1 Cr in Early-Stage Funding

    Zero-Sugar Beverage Brand CHINI KUM Bags Rs 1 Cr in Early-Stage Funding

    New Delhi headquartered startup CHINI KUM, which focuses on sugar-free beverages, has raised ₹1 crore in a pre-seed funding round from a set of angel investors, with the founder also investing in the round.

    The funding saw backing from Shobhit Gupta of One8 Commune Restaurants, Varun Sachdeva, who leads e-commerce at boAt, and Eiti Singhal from Eiti Ventures, among other individual investors.

    The newly raised capital will be channelled into developing new formulations, introducing additional flavours, and building a wider distribution network across the country. The startup also plans to allocate funds towards expanding its reach on quick commerce platforms and strengthening its digital-first sales strategy.

    Founded by Priyank Jain, CHINI KUM is positioning itself in India’s beverage market with a range of low-calorie, sugar-free drinks intended for daily consumption. The brand has begun selling through its own website and has launched via an exclusive partnership with Swiggy Instamart in select urban centers.

    https://app.ceotrail.com/pet-healthcare-startup-dr-doodley-raises-3-3-mn-in-pre-series-a-funding/

    The company’s debut range includes sparkling and non-sparkling beverages offered in lemon and mango flavours. CHINI KUM says its drinks are formulated using plant-based sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit, include prebiotic fibre, and are designed as lighter alternatives to traditional sugary soft drinks.

    Products are priced from ₹30 for a 160 ml serving, with plans underway to scale presence across metro and Tier I cities. The startup is prioritising quick commerce-led distribution to tap into rising demand for healthier beverage choices.

  • Fibr AI secures $5.7 Mn seed funding in round led by Accel

    Fibr AI secures $5.7 Mn seed funding in round led by Accel

    Martech company Fibr AI has raised $5.7 million in a seed funding round led by Accel, with additional participation from WillowTree Ventures and MVP Ventures. The round also included angel investments from several Fortune 100 executives.

    Fibr AI said the newly secured capital will be deployed to advance its core technology, expand product functionality, and scale enterprise adoption across global markets.

    The startup has now raised a total of $7.5 million, factoring in its $1.8 million pre-seed round in 2024, which was also backed by Accel.

    Co-founded by Ankur Goyal and Pritam Roy in 2022, the company is developing an AI-driven web experience platform designed to make websites adaptive and responsive to real-time visitor behaviour. Instead of running manual experiments or sequential A/B tests, Fibr AI’s system places autonomous agents at individual web pages, allowing continuous optimisation based on contextual signals such as user intent, channel source, and audience profile.

    https://app.ceotrail.com/robotics-startup-octobotics-raises-rs-10-crore-in-a-seed-funding/

    According to the startup, its platform helps enterprises improve engagement and conversion outcomes while lowering customer acquisition costs. Fibr AI currently serves large organisations in sectors including BFSI, telecom, and healthcare, and competes with traditional website optimisation and experimentation tools.

    The company operates under FibrAI India Private Limited, is headquartered in San Francisco, and maintains its engineering operations in Bengaluru, focusing on building AI-native infrastructure for modern enterprise websites. 

  • Pet healthcare startup Dr. Doodley raises $3.3 Mn in pre-Series A funding

    Pet healthcare startup Dr. Doodley raises $3.3 Mn in pre-Series A funding

    Bengaluru-based pet healthcare startup Dr. Doodley has raised $3.3 million (around ₹30 crore) in a pre-Series A funding round, comprising ₹20 crore in equity and ₹10 crore in debt. The equity portion of the round was led by V3 Ventures.

    The funding round also saw participation from Campus Fund and Thackersey Family Office, along with angel investors including Yatin Shah and Karan Bhagat, founders of 360 ONE Wealth, and Gautam Dalmia, managing director of Dalmia Bharat Group.

    According to the company, the newly raised capital will be used to scale hospital infrastructure, deepen clinical capabilities, and prepare for expansion into additional Tier I cities.

    Launched in 2023 by Utsav Bisaria and Yash Jayprakash Ladda, Dr. Doodley follows a blended pet care approach that brings together on-demand veterinary home visits and 24/7 multispecialty animal hospitals. The startup operates three pet hospitals in Bengaluru, spread across Jayanagar, Yelahanka, and Whitefield, and is supported by a network of around 35 veterinary professionals.

    https://app.ceotrail.com/marine-robotics-startup-eyerov-raises-rs-13-crore-in-pre-series-a-round/

    In the coming year, the startup intends to scale its hospital network to seven locations, adding new centres in Bellandur, Indiranagar, Rajajinagar, and parts of North Bengaluru. As part of this expansion, Dr. Doodley is targeting care delivery for over one lakh pets each year and plans to expand its veterinary team to more than 100 professionals.

    The startup is also preparing to roll out 30-minute vet-at-home services and introduce a flat pricing model of ₹10,000 for surgical procedures, irrespective of complexity. Over the past year, Dr. Doodley claims to have treated more than 30,000 pets and performed over 1,000 surgeries.

  • Robotics startup Octobotics raises Rs 10 crore in a seed funding

    Robotics startup Octobotics raises Rs 10 crore in a seed funding

    Noida-based AI-enabled robotics startup Octobotics has raised around ₹10 crore in a seed funding round led by Navam Capital, with participation from BYT Capital.

    The fresh capital will be used to accelerate product development, strengthen field validation, and support international expansion. A portion of the funds will also be deployed towards global certification processes and scaling operations across India, Singapore, and the Middle East, the company said.

    Founded in 2020 by Ishan Bhatnagar and Gulshan Kumar, Octobotics builds AI-enabled non-destructive testing (NDT) robotics platforms for inspection in asset-intensive sectors such as oil and gas, chemicals, power, marine, and railways. The startup focuses on inspection use cases in hazardous and hard-to-access environments, where manual inspection is unsafe or inefficient.

    Octobotics’ client base includes the Indian Navy, Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), BPCL, HPCL, Aarti Industries, GSFC, and Saudi S-Chem. In the previous financial year, the startup posted revenues of around ₹2 crore.

    https://app.ceotrail.com/all-in-capital-launches-golden-ticket-program-toto-back-early-stage-founders/

    The company’s offerings span railway inspection solutions, automated weld inspection systems, and purpose-built non-destructive testing (NDT) tools for hard-to-access and elevated environments. These robotic platforms aim to replace manual inspection processes while transforming collected data into practical, decision-ready insights for asset owners and operators.

    Operated by Octobotics Tech, the startup positions itself as a deep-tech player in industrial inspection robotics, with a focus on improving safety, accuracy, and efficiency across critical infrastructure sectors.