Startups, Mergers, Acquisitions and Funding Round-up this week

This week in Indian startup funding, investors are backing scalable, impact-first ventures, from sustainable facility management and GenAI breakthroughs to wearable tech and rural internet. The funding flows reflect a broader shift toward inclusive innovation, digital empowerment, and Bharat-led growth.

CLR Gets $15M to Redefine Blue-Collar Jobs with Dignity

CLR Facility Services, a Pune-based facility management company, has secured $15 million from British International Investment (BII). The funding will enable the company to expand its ESG-driven workforce model, focusing on inclusive hiring, skills training, and formal employment for women and marginalised communities across India.

Physis Raises ₹200 Cr to Back Founder-First Growth Stories

Physis Capital, the venture arm launched by the team behind Inflection Point Ventures, has raised more than ₹200 crore in funding. The fund will invest in 15–20 early-to-growth stage startups, with an eye on scalable businesses that value both innovation and sustainability. Physis positions itself as a long-term partner for Indian startups ready to scale responsibly.

Seven Raises ₹4 Cr to Bring Fintech to Your Fingertip

Mumbai-based fintech startup Seven has raised ₹4 crore in a pre-Series A round led by Venture Catalysts. Its flagship product, 7Ring, is a stylish smart ring that enables contactless payments via RuPay and Mastercard. With this funding, the company plans to ramp up manufacturing, launch a budget version of the ring, and expand its market reach to bring wearable fintech to the mainstream Indian consumer.

Nagaland Startups Win ₹1 Cr in Collective Support

Nine startups from Nagaland have secured a total of ₹1 crore in seed funding through YouthNet’s Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS). These early-stage ventures span across agritech, fashion, lifestyle, and local services, each with a focus on sustainability and regional identity. The funding not only supports their initial operations but also brings visibility to the growing entrepreneurial spirit in the Northeast.

Xportel Secures Seed Backing to Supercharge MSME Exports

Xportel, a tech platform helping Indian MSMEs navigate the global trade ecosystem, has raised seed funding from Rukam Capital, Sitara Ventures, Flipkart Ventures, and a group of strategic angels. The startup offers digital tools for market intelligence, logistics, compliance, and cross-border payments, empowering small businesses to go global with confidence and clarity.

WIOM Raises $35M to Democratise Digital Access

Delhi-based telecom startup WIOM has raised $35 million in Series A funding led by Accel and Prosus. WIOM is making high-speed internet accessible at just ₹10 per day through India’s PM-WANI initiative, focusing on low-income and under-connected areas. The fresh capital will support rapid infrastructure deployment, customer onboarding, and scaling the platform to serve millions.

Darwix AI Raises $1.5M to Bring GenAI to Indian Enterprises

Gurugram-based Darwix AI, co-founded by IIM alumni, has secured $1.5 million in seed funding from Rebalance, JITO Incubation, Inflection Point Ventures, and other angel networks. The company offers an AI-powered conversational platform tailored for businesses in retail, BFSI, and customer service, allowing enterprises to automate multilingual support and client interaction in a scalable, no-code environment.

Mergers & Acquisitions 

• ZOFF Foods partners with Reliance Retail to enter the ready-to-cook food market and boost national distribution.

• Madhvani Group kicks off its ₹10,000 Cr India investment with the acquisition of Hindusthan National Glass & Industries Ltd (HNGIL).

• Blackstone acquires South City Mall, Kolkata, as part of a ₹3,250 crore move into South Asian retail and real estate.

• CCI clears multiple deals, including Delhivery’s takeover of Ecom Express and Mahindra’s acquisition of SML Isuzu.

• ICRA acquires Fintellix India for $26 million to expand its fintech and risk analytics capabilities.

Other News 

• SEBI eases ESOP rules for startup founders and streamlines the angel fund framework to unlock early-stage capital.

• JPMorgan predicts a wave of Indian firms expanding overseas, eyeing strategic acquisitions for global growth.

• Tata Consumer Products looks outward, scouting new acquisitions across cooking aids, tea, and packaged foods.

• TCPL prioritises organic growth but remains open to selective M&A opportunities in the FMCG space.

• Israeli startup Coralogix eyes India, after raising $115M to deepen investments in the local SaaS ecosystem.

• Sarvam AI’s latest multilingual model sparks industry debate, as India’s top-funded GenAI startup eyes global scalability.