Startup Roundup: Ecosystem, Mergers, Acquisitions and Funding News this week

This week, India’s startup ecosystem stayed active as policy direction, steady funding flows, regulatory action and selective public market movement shaped the narrative. From Economic Survey cues and deep-tech investments to AI-led product experimentation, IPO filings and consolidation in consumer brands, the updates pointed to an ecosystem growing more disciplined while continuing to attract long-term capital.

Startup World: What’s New

India’s startup ecosystem witnessed a steady week marked by policy cues, funding milestones, regulatory developments and gradual movement towards public markets. From fintech and deep-tech investments to tighter scrutiny of large platforms, the week reflected both growing maturity and increasing oversight across the ecosystem.

On the policy front, the Economic Survey 2025–26 positioned India as a relative bright spot amid global uncertainty, projecting GDP growth of 6.5–7% for FY26 on the back of strong domestic demand and sustained public capital expenditure. The survey highlighted macroeconomic stability, with moderating inflation, a declining fiscal deficit and robust foreign exchange reserves. It also emphasised the role of manufacturing-led growth, PLI schemes and infrastructure spending in crowding in private investment, while flagging the need for deeper capital markets and long-term funding to support startups, MSMEs and emerging technology sectors.

Deep-tech and fintech remained in focus as payments infrastructure firm Juspay became a unicorn after raising $50 million from WestBridge Capital, underlining continued investor confidence in India’s digital payments stack. In the semiconductor space, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Tata Group’s upcoming Dholera fabrication facility will support chip startups with tape-outs, a move seen as critical for building domestic design and manufacturing capabilities.

Within the investor ecosystem, Navam Capital closed its maiden deep-tech fund at over Rs. 315 crore, reflecting growing institutional interest in long-gestation technologies such as AI, robotics and advanced engineering. Separately, IPV announced free angel investor accreditation aligned with SEBI regulations, aimed at formalising early-stage investing and improving transparency.

Consumer internet platforms continued to experiment with new technologies. Swiggy announced that users can now place orders via conversational AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, signalling early adoption of generative AI interfaces for commerce and discovery.

Public market activity showed incremental progress as insurtech firm Turtlemint filed its draft red herring prospectus with SEBI, adding to the pipeline of digital-first companies preparing for listings amid cautious but improving market sentiment.

Regulatory scrutiny remained a key theme. The Enforcement Directorate filed a Rs. 3,522 crore chargesheet against gaming platform Winzo, highlighting ongoing concerns around compliance in the online gaming sector. Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly challenging requests from India’s competition authority seeking access to its global financial data, reflecting heightened oversight of large technology firms operating in the country.

Overall, the week underscored a familiar balance for India’s startup ecosystem — continued policy support and capital inflows alongside increasing regulatory accountability — as the market gradually shifts from rapid expansion to more disciplined, sustainable growth.

Funding News

OneARVO Raises Rs. 12.3 Mn Pre-Seed Funding

Deep-tech startup OneARVO raised Rs. 12.3 million in a pre-seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures to develop its technology-led industrial solutions.

The Stack Raises Rs 5.5 Cr Pre-Seed Funding

Science-first supplements startup The Stack raised Rs 5.5 crore in a pre-seed round to build evidence-backed nutrition products for Indian consumers.

TakeTwo Secures Pre-Seed Funding at Rs. 100 Cr Valuation

AI-driven film studio TakeTwo secured pre-seed funding at a valuation of around Rs. 100 crore to scale AI-led content creation for films and media.

Qure.ai Secures $8 Mn Grant from Gates Foundation

Health-tech startup Qure.ai received an $8 million grant from the Gates Foundation to expand access to AI-powered diagnostic solutions in low-resource settings.

Vimag Labs Raises $5 Mn Funding Led by Accel

Semiconductor startup Vimag Labs raised $5 million in a funding round led by Accel to accelerate chip design and product development.

Easy Home Finance Raises $30 Mn

Affordable housing finance firm Easy Home Finance secured $30 million from Investcorp, Claypond Capital and SMBC Asia to expand its lending operations.

D-Propulse Aerospace Raises Rs. 25 Cr from IAN Alpha Fund

Aerospace startup D-Propulse Aerospace received a Rs. 25 crore investment from IAN Alpha Fund to advance its space and defence technology programmes.

Agrani Labs Raises $8 Mn Led by Peak XV

AI semiconductor startup Agrani Labs raised $8 million in a funding round led by Peak XV to scale chip development for AI workloads.

ScrapUncle Raises Rs. 22 Cr Pre-Series A

Waste management startup ScrapUncle raised Rs. 22 crore in a pre-Series A round led by Orios Venture Partners and Acumen to strengthen its recycling operations.

Entellus Raises Rs. 50 Cr

Advanced materials startup Entellus raised Rs. 50 crore to scale rare earth manufacturing capabilities within India.

4baseCare Raises Rs. 90 Cr Series B

Precision oncology startup 4baseCare raised Rs. 90 crore in a Series B round to expand its AI-powered cancer diagnostics and treatment platform.

Mysa Raises $3.4 Mn Funding

B2B fintech startup Mysa raised $3.4 million in a round co-led by Blume Ventures and Piper Serica to grow its credit and payments offerings.

SpotDraft Raises $8 Mn Series B Extension

Contract lifecycle management startup SpotDraft raised $8 million from Qualcomm Ventures as part of a Series B extension to support global expansion.

Dhun Wellness Raises $4 Mn

Wellness brand Dhun raised $4 million to expand its product portfolio and strengthen distribution across domestic and international markets.

Troovy Raises $5 Mn Series A

Snack brand Troovy raised $5 million in a Series A round led by Fireside Ventures and Sharrp Ventures to scale manufacturing and brand presence.

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Menhood parent Macobs Technologies has entered a share purchase agreement to acquire a 50.01% stake in health and wellness D2C brand Getmymettle for Rs. 10.5 Cr, marking its entry into the protein supplementation segment with control of the brand’s whey protein and allied nutrition products.