PC: Inc42
During the week of February 10 to February 15, 2025, Indian startups raised a total of around $375.52 million in 32 deals, including both growth-stage and early-stage investments. This is a major improvement from the previous week, where 23 startups raised about $137 million. The increase in funding this week indicates increased investor confidence and strong demand for innovative solutions across industries.
Growth-Stage Funding Highlights
Major Fundraising Events
1. ToneTag: The provider of contactless payment solutions raised $78 million in a Series B funding round headed by ValueQuest S.C.A.L.E. Fund. The investment will help ToneTag further develop its technology and widen its market reach.
2. SpotDraft: The contract lifecycle management platform raised $54 million in a Series B funding round, which was led by Vertex Growth Singapore and Trident Partners. The financing will facilitate SpotDraft to expand its product capabilities and refine the process of managing contracts for enterprises.
3. Zeta: Next-gen banking technology company Zeta raised $50 million, taking the valuation of the company to $2 billion. The capital will facilitate Zeta’s continued development of next-gen banking products.
Other growth-stage startups of note that were funded this week include:
- 75F (AI startup)
- Rapido (mobility company)
- PMI Electro Mobility (electric bus manufacturer)
- JQR (D2C footwear brand)
Early-Stage Funding Insights
Notable Early-Stage Deals
22 early-stage startups raised a total of $64.82 million worth of funding in the week. Some of the highlights include:
- Lucidity: SaaS startup led early-stage funding with $21 million in a Series A round.
- BorderPlus: A cross-border workforce mobility platform that was also funded.
- Boldcare: A men’s sexual health brand gaining popularity in its segment.
- CapGrid Solutions: A B2B manufacturing startup that has demonstrated promising growth.
Besides, online English tutoring app Bambinos.live, patient monitoring startup Lifesigns, and flexi-talent financial research platform Rubyworks raised funds but didn’t specify the amounts.
City and Segment-Wise Funding Breakdown
City Highlights
Bengaluru led in terms of funding activity with 15 deals, followed by Delhi-NCR and Mumbai. The trend confirms Bengaluru’s position as India’s startup capital.
Segment Insights
Fintech startups led the funding with 5 deals, while others such as SaaS, AI, and Healthtech saw 3 deals each. Other segments such as Edtech, EV, and e-commerce also attracted investor interest.
Notable Acquisitions
There were notable acquisitions this week in the startup space as well:
- KiranaPro: The commerce platform for quick shopping bought Joper.app, a hyperlocal grocery delivery app that links tiny Kirana stores with consumers.
- MSys Technologies: An IT solutions and digital transformation firm that bought fintech company Gophers Lab.
Major Leadership Appointments
Leadership dynamics-wise, the following important appointments were made:
- Navi inducted Rajiv Naresh as Navi Technologies’ CEO and Abhishek Dwivedi as CEO of Navi Finserv, as Sachin Bansal took up the position of Executive Chairman.
- Euler Motors promoted Ashish Tandon as customer excellence’s global head.
- Actor Pankaj Tripathi came aboard as audio platform Velevet’s co-founder.
- Razorpay appointed Khilan Haria as Chief Product Officer.
The period between February 10 and February 15 has been historic for the Indian startup ecosystem, reflecting a strong rise in funding and drastic leadership shifts. The fundraising successes, especially among growth-stage startups, reflect a renewed investor enthusiasm and an optimistic future outlook. With aggressive plans for expansion and innovative offerings, Indian startups are poised to perform well in the competitive market environment.
