India’s streetwear market, projected to cross $26 Bn in 2026, has traditionally been a game of trade-offs. On one hand, large fast-fashion retailers claim to offer trendy clothes but often produce copycat designs. On the other hand, global streetwear labels provide the ‘cool’ factors that young consumers want, but at price points that remain out of reach. Bonkers Corner was established in 2020 to address this friction, focussing on original, culturally grounded clothing without charging a premium.

The brand’s founder, Shubham Gupta, realised that Indian youth were plugged into global pop culture as much as their overseas peers, but their fashion choices did not reflect that pace and variety. What began as a passion project soon became a full-blown venture, setting out to mirror the youth mood, humour, music and internet trends. It has since emerged as a brand with a point of view instead of chasing quick sales spikes.

Design Integrity Backed By In-House Production

In the early years, Bonkers Corner relied heavily on the typical D2C playbook of digital-first sales and performance marketing. But as the brand began to scale, it moved away from the digital-only hustle. Aware that streetwear, by nature, is deeply rooted in community and culture, the brand started investing in experience-led stores to meet its customers where they live.

While oversized graphic T-shirts are the brand’s signature, the product line has grown to include everything from hoodies and sweatshirts to co-ord sets and women’s wear, as well as licensed collections built around global pop culture. By partnering with icons like Disney, Marvel and Smiley, Bonkers Corner stands out in a crowded D2C market, signalling that it is playing a much longer game than its competitors.

The backbone of its quality is the vertical integration strategy. The brand offers original designs and makes everything in-house at a dedicated manufacturing unit at Padgha, in Thane, Maharashtra. Owning the manufacturing allows for tight quality control over every garment. This is especially critical for oversized silhouettes, where the technical aspects — the fabric’s specific weight, how it falls and its durability after multiple washes — determine whether a piece feels premium or merely ill-fitting.

Scaling Offline Without Losing Control

The brand’s edge stems from its unique designs instead of trend replication, a strategy that has resulted in a YoY repeat customer rate of 35-40%.

Its move into physical retail was intended to retain control over margins and the customer experience. Today, the brand operates 22 stores across India, which contribute 35% of revenue. Its website and app account for 60% of sales, while marketplaces make up the remaining 5%.

In FY25, Bonkers Corner’s revenue reached ₹125.77 Cr, a 26% increase from the ₹99.5 Cr recorded in FY24. 

For FY26, the business is tracking towards ₹180-190 Cr in revenue, driven by stronger offline performance, improved repeat rates on D2C and tighter inventory management.

Building For Legacy, With Culture As A Moat

The near-term focus is on retail expansion, deeper IP- and artiste-led collaborations and strengthening women’s wear. Supply chain speed and inventory turns will remain priorities to balance fashion freshness and efficiency.

Its long-term ambition moves beyond scale. Bonkers Corner aims to become India’s most culturally relevant youth fashion brand. In a market flooded with fast fashion, it is betting that culture, when treated as a serious business pillar, can serve as a durable moat, leading to permanent relevance in the youth zeitgeist.

[Authored By Anirudh Trivedi]

The post How Bonkers Corner Grew To ₹125.77 Cr By Building Drop-Led Demand appeared first on Inc42 Media.

In India, milk is more than a staple; it is also a trust problem in many homes. As the media digs deep into antibiotic-laden dairy, adulterated milk and synthetic paneer, consumer trust has begun to fray. Although brands continue to assure their buyers about product quality, they often fail to back up ‘purity’ claims with verifiable evidence.

The concept of Sid’s Farm took shape when Dr Kishore Kumar Indukuri returned to India after years in the US. He was not looking to disrupt an industry; he was a father trying to buy good-quality milk for his two-year-old son. What he found instead was a maze of tall claims and very little supporting evidence.

With a background in quality engineering at Intel, an IIT Kharagpur degree and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Indukuri did not view this as an inherent flaw in the dairy industry, but as a systems failure. More importantly, he realised that if milk was not safe enough for his child, it should not be sold to anyone else. That principle became the foundation of the venture when it was launched in 2016.

Multi-Stage Milk Testing For Quality And Safety

Quality assurance at Sid’s Farm is built around a structured testing system embedded across procurement and processing. The brand sources milk from small and marginal farmers in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, with procurement taking place twice a day at village-level collection centres. The milk undergoes quality checks at three stages: collection centres, bulk milk coolers and processing units.

In total, close to 10K tests are run daily, allowing the team to trace a quality glitch down to a single 40-litre can. Milk is tested across 45 quality parameters before meeting internal benchmarks, confirming it is free of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, preservatives and common adulterants.

Today, the brand operates two processing units, one in Shabad, near Hyderabad, and a second one in Tumkur, near Bengaluru. Its core products include cow’s milk, buffalo’s milk, curd and ghee.

Scaling On Word Of Mouth And Capacity Discipline

For the first six years, Sid’s Farm scaled without external capital, relying on personal savings and bank loans. Capacity was added gradually as demand increased via word of mouth. The brand’s credibility strengthened during the Covid-19 pandemic, when it continued home deliveries and expanded its chilling capacity to meet rising demand. 

In FY25, Sid’s Farm reported revenue of ₹167.58 Cr, up 33.6% from ₹125.41 Cr in FY24. During the period, it also secured ₹95 Cr funding and launched its Tumkur manufacturing facility.

Momentum stayed strong into FY26: by November 2025, revenue had already reached ₹156 Cr, and the brand is tracking towards ~₹260 Cr for the full year. 

Disciplined Expansion On The Cards

The next phase centres on disciplined expansion into Pune and Vijayawada, alongside the addition of new SKUs, including toned milk, high-protein DailyPro+ lines and a cheese launch planned for early 2026.

While Sid’s Farm is already present in Mumbai through ecommerce and quick commerce, the longer-term intent is to leverage its subscription-led model and expand its footprint in the city.

[Authored By Anirudh Trivedi]

The post How Sid’s Farm Grew To ₹167.58 Cr By Making Freshness The Differentiator appeared first on Inc42 Media.

For decades, the Indian spices market has presented a paradox. Valued at a robust $17.3 Bn in 2024, homegrown masalas are steeped in ancient culinary traditions known for their rich flavours and health benefits. However, consumer trust has gradually slipped away, as concerns about adulteration, excessive processing and murky sourcing now cast a shadow.

Today, most people buy their masalas based on brand familiarity or price point, rather than genuinely trusting the contents of the pack. Raipur-based ZOFF (Zone of Fresh Foods), launched commercially in 2018 by brothers Akash Agrawalla and Ashish Agrawal, recognised this complacency among modern consumers and decided to challenge it, as spice purity had become an assumption rather than a verified fact. While labels claimed to offer quality, very few brands allowed consumers to see, smell, or judge what they were buying.

ZOFF took a contrarian approach to legacy FMCG brands, leading with whole spices rather than powders, where adulteration and loss of natural oils are hardest to detect. The rationale: if consumers could visually verify the product, trust would follow.

Coping With Killer Heat & Freshness Trap

Coming from a family of steelmakers, they soon spotted an opportunity as they expanded their portfolio beyond whole spices.

For powdered spices, which traditionally require aggressive grinding, friction can generate high heat, effectively ‘cooking’ the spice and evaporating the essential oils that give it its flavour and aroma.

To counter this, ZOFF adopted cool-grind processing using air-classifying mills (ACMs) to keep grinding temperatures low and protect the spices’ natural oils and aroma. Each batch is quality-checked, and multi-layer aroma-lock packaging helps retain freshness.

ZOFF sources spices from origin regions and has built backward integration into growing regions across Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to strengthen quality control at the source.

But the bigger challenge was behaviour, not supply. 

India’s spice aisle is shaped by habit: legacy brands dominate, and price often drives the purchase. ZOFF countered this with patient, ground-up execution: retail advocacy, sampling and education-led selling to shift how consumers evaluate masalas. 

Its messaging stayed consistent across channels, making the case that spices deserve the same scrutiny as any everyday food staple, with celebrity endorsements used sparingly to reinforce credibility.

Scaling Via Q-Commerce And Multi-Channel Distribution

ZOFF began with a strong general trade presence and a limited range. As distribution grew, it made calculated expansions. Whole spices were reinforced as the hero category, while ecommerce and quick commerce were scaled aggressively to match changing urban buying patterns.

The brand now reaches 25 Lakh households, with more than 100 SKUs. It also extended into ready-to-cook gravies and marinades and claimed to be the fastest-growing spice brand on quick commerce platforms in 2025.

Today, 50% of ZOFF’s sales come from quick commerce, 20% from ecommerce and the remaining from modern and general trade. In FY25, its revenue surged from ₹92.6 Cr in FY24 to ₹102.7 Cr, up 11% year-on-year. 

For FY26, ZOFF has already clocked around ₹110 Cr in revenue and is projecting ₹160 Cr for the entire year.

Building An ₹1K Cr F&B Brand

In the near term, the focus remains on profitability, tighter working capital cycles, and deeper penetration across quick commerce and modern trade. 

In the long term, ZOFF wants to build an ₹1,000 Cr+ food brand that stands for trust, transparency and modern Indian cooking.

[Authored By Anirudh Trivedi]

The post How ZOFF Grew To ₹102.7 Cr Within Seven Years appeared first on Inc42 Media.

For decades, the global electric motor industry has rested on an uncomfortable truth. Nearly every modern EV, industrial machine, robot, and automated system relies on permanent magnets made from rare-earth materials. 

These magnets, primarily neodymium-based, deliver high efficiency and torque density. But they also come with a hidden cost. More than 80% of rare-earth processing is concentrated in China. As EVs scale worldwide, this dependency has quietly turned into a structural vulnerability. Automakers and OEMs face volatile input prices. Supply chains swing with geopolitics. Manufacturing timelines hinge on mineral availability. 

The irony is that motors are everywhere, yet innovation around them has been slow. For years, permanent-magnet synchronous motors have been treated as a solved problem. Improvements focussed on packaging, power density, and cost optimisation, not architectural reinvention. There was little incentive to question magnets until disruptions forced the industry to confront its growing dependence.

That reckoning is now underway, and Bengaluru-based deeptech startup Vimag Labs believes it has found a way out.

Rather than trying to secure alternative sources of rare-earth materials, Vimag is attempting something far more radical — eliminating magnets from motors entirely.

The Rare Earth Wake-Up Call

Manish Kumar did not start out wanting to disrupt electric motors. He comes from a traditional automotive engineering background and has worked on vehicle programmes across India, Europe, and North America. Most of his career was spent within large OEM ecosystems, where product cycles take years and supply chains stretch across continents.

But by 2020, Kumar began noticing a pattern. Electrification was accelerating. Governments were mandating EV adoption. Automakers were committing billions. Yet beneath the headlines, two key components, batteries and motors, were emerging as future choke points.

Batteries, Kumar realised, were already attracting massive capital and policy attention. Motors were not. “Everyone was talking about battery chemistry, gigafactories, charging networks,” Kumar recalled. “But nobody was talking about motors and controls, even though every electric vehicle depends on them,” he added.

The insight inspired him to launch his first venture in 2020 under the brand Volectra, focussed on building electric motors and control systems.

Initially, the company followed industry norms, designing permanent magnet motors like everyone else. The larger plan, however, was to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and build differentiated electronics around conventional architectures.

Then, the Covid-19 pandemic froze global logistics. Supplies of rare-earth magnets became unpredictable. Prices spiked. Projects stalled. 

“Suddenly, you realise your entire product depends on something you don’t control. And it’s not just availability: it’s quality, thermal limitations, design constraints. Magnets lock you into a box,” Kumar said.

That moment triggered a fundamental rethink. Instead of asking how to build better magnet-based motors, Kumar thought about doing away with magnets altogether.

Reimagining The Electric Motor

The idea of magnet-free motors isn’t entirely new. Engineers have explored alternatives like induction motors and switched reluctance motors for decades. Tesla itself famously used induction motors in early models. But these approaches often compromise on efficiency and torque density. None has emerged as a true replacement for permanent magnet architectures across applications.

Kumar took a different route. Rather than redesigning motor physics from scratch, Kumar and his team attempted to recreate the function of magnets using software, electronics, and electromagnetic control.

The core insight: magnets exist to create magnetic fields inside motors. If those fields could be generated dynamically using controlled electromagnetic energy, physical magnets could be removed entirely.

This became the foundation of what Vimag now calls its “virtual magnet” technology.

Inside a Vimag motor, traditional rare-earth magnets are replaced by copper, silicon steel, proprietary power electronics, and real-time control algorithms. The system transfers energy wirelessly to the rotor core, inducing magnetic behaviour that mimics permanent magnets.

For practical purposes, the motor operates like a PMSM. Except there is no magnet.

“We create magnetic fields using software-defined control,” Kumar explains. “So instead of fixed hardware magnets, you have virtual magnets that can be adjusted in real time.”

This shift turns motors into programmable systems. Torque curves can be tuned through code. Performance can be optimised dynamically. Behaviour can adapt based on load, temperature, or application. Updates can be pushed over the air.

What was once static hardware becomes living software. By 2023, the technology had matured enough for Kumar to spin out Vimag Labs as a dedicated deeptech company, marking a transition from experimental R&D to commercial ambition.

How Vimag’s Tech Works

At the heart of Vimag’s platform is a tightly integrated stack spanning motor architecture, power electronics, embedded software, and optimisation algorithms.

Instead of relying on physical sensors, the system uses software sensors to infer rotor position, current flow, torque demand, and electromagnetic states in real time. These signals are processed on edge hardware inside the motor controller.

Traditional motor control requires continuous heavy computation. Vimag bypasses this by training proprietary neural models on millions of simulations and real-world operating scenarios. The result is a motor that continuously adjusts itself. Current is modulated dynamically. Magnetic fields reshape in response to load. Thermal behaviour is managed proactively. Performance adapts as conditions change.

All of this happens locally, without cloud connectivity. The motors also support over-the-air updates, allowing Vimag to improve performance, deploy diagnostics, and add safety features after deployment.

From a customer’s standpoint, Vimag’s motors match and in many cases exceed the efficiency of conventional magnet-based systems, without relying on rare-earth materials. On the manufacturing side, the use of standard inputs like steel, copper, and electronics simplifies production and brings much-needed predictability to supply chains. Servicing also becomes easier, with motors no longer containing fragile embedded magnets, making repairs and replacements far more straightforward. 

But the biggest shift lies in flexibility. Vimag turns motors into programmable systems, allowing performance to be tuned, adapted, and upgraded through code rather than hardware redesigns.

From Vehicles To Motion Systems

Kumar doesn’t see the company as a motor manufacturer. He sees it as a motion technology platform. Anything that moves requires motors: two-wheelers, cars, buses, factory machines, robotics platforms, warehouse automation systems, and even defence equipment.

Vimag’s architecture is designed to scale across all of them. The company is currently preparing production deployments across multiple EV categories, starting with India. Two-wheelers and three-wheelers will lead, followed by passenger vehicles and heavy-duty commercial platforms.

Parallel pilots are underway for industrial machinery. Customers already exist across India, the US, and Europe, with initial production expected to begin over the next few months.

India remains central to the strategy. “Our first products will be in India. This is our home market, and it’s one of the largest EV markets emerging globally,” Kumar said. To support this, Vimag operates R&D centres in Germany, Poland, and the US, while keeping its headquarters and manufacturing development anchored in Bengaluru.

Building In India For The World

If building magnet-free motors is hard, building them in India adds another layer of complexity. Unlike China, where manufacturing ecosystems are tightly clustered, India’s supply chains are fragmented.

Copper comes from one region. Steel from another. Electronics are often imported from abroad. High-quality printed circuit boards (PCBs) still depend on imports. Skilled motor engineers are scarce. “You can’t just walk into one industrial park and build everything. You spend months coordinating with suppliers,” Kumar says.

Vimag has adopted a hybrid manufacturing approach. Commodity parts like housings and shafts are outsourced. Core components such as electronics, system integration, and final assembly remain tightly controlled. The company partners with Genmark for assembly line development while keeping critical IP in-house.

Over time, Vimag plans to internalise more of the stack as volumes increase. For now, execution is the priority.

The Road Ahead

Vimag does not sell standalone motors or software licences. Instead, it delivers fully integrated motion systems combining motors, controllers, and embedded software. This ensures performance and safety across the stack, especially for a new technology.

Customers pay for the complete solution. Over time, as the platform matures, Kumar envisions more flexible models, potentially licensing electronics or opening parts of the ecosystem to partners. But in the near term, control is essential.

Recently, Vimag raised $5 Mn in Series A funding led by Accel. Unlike many hardware startups, Vimag did not raise on concept alone.

By the time it approached investors, the company had spent nearly four years building and validating its platform. It had working prototypes, patent filings across markets, customer pilots, and a lean engineering team.

The technical risk was largely addressed. Roughly half of the capital will go toward production readiness and technology maturation. The remainder will support manufacturing scale-up, supply chain development, and team expansion.

Over the next 12 to 18 months, Vimag plans to bring products to market across multiple EV categories, expand manufacturing capacity in India, and deepen global customer deployments.

Longer term, Kumar envisions motors becoming fully software-defined platforms, capable of continuous improvement without hardware redesign. He wants Vimag to become the world’s leading motion technology company: free from rare-earth dependence and built on programmable control. 

Indeed, it is a bold ambition. But as the world races toward electrification, Vimag Labs is betting that the future of movement will not be anchored in magnets.

Edited by Shishir Parasher

The post Why Vimag Labs Is Betting On Virtual Magnets To Solve The Rare Earth Problem appeared first on Inc42 Media.

When artificial intelligence (AI) became mainstream with the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, the headlines were filled with fears of machines taking over human jobs. A few years later, the narrative has shifted. AI is no longer a futuristic concept — it is embedded in how we work, shop, build and even govern.

With the global AI market now standing at a valuation of $346 Bn, India is pushing the paddle hard on building the infrastructure needed to develop and scale homegrown AI.

Recent policy moves by the Central Government stand witness to this. Investments in semiconductors, chip manufacturing, quantum computing and secure data centres are laying the groundwork for long-term AI growth. The policy focus, too, has evolved — from simply encouraging AI adoption to building domestic capabilities.

To support this ambition, the government has announced incentives such as a tax holiday until 2047 for companies building data-centre infrastructure in India to serve global markets. At the same time, global technology players are expanding their footprint in the country through partnerships with Indian conglomerates. Groups such as Reliance Industries, Tata Group and Larsen & Toubro have tied up with companies like OpenAI and NVIDIA to boost India’s compute strength.

The momentum is visible in the startup ecosystem as well. 

According to Google and Inc42’s Bharat AI Startups Report 2026, India’s AI market could become a $126 Bn opportunity by 2030, with a potential GDP impact of $1.7 Tn by 2035. Enterprise AI is expected to lead this growth, while consumer AI will scale rapidly on the back of strong adoption.

Investor confidence is rising. The Centre is confident that the sector could attract over $200 Bn in capital over the next two years. Funding momentum is already building. 

With major elements like policy clarity, capital inflows and investor confidence brewing together, Indian AI startups are now building in India for the world.

With that said, here are the Indian startups putting India on the global AI map.

(Note: The startups below have been listed in the order of the amount of funding raised since their incorporation. This is not an exhaustive list, we will be updating it periodically. If you would like to refer a GenAI startup to be featured in this list, write to us at editor@inc42.com. View our methodology and disclaimer here.)

Meet The AI Startups Putting India On The Global AI Map

1. Observe AI

Founded in 2017 by Sharath Keshava Narayana and Swapnil Jain, Observe AI is a conversational intelligence platform for contact centres. The startup claims to have trained its proprietary AI model on 40 Bn parameters. 

Its conversational AI platform helps companies automate customer service calls and inbound queries. Voice AI agents of the US-based startup also provide real-time and post-interaction insights to sellers and telecallers to improve their chat with customers.

In March 2025, the startup acquired text-to-speech AI startup Dubdub.ai to double down on its conversational AI playbook.

Observe.AI has raised a total of $214 Mn in funding over 6 rounds. It bagged $125 Mn in its last funding round in 2022. 

The platform is supported by marquee investors such as Zoom, Bossanova Investimentos, Y Combinator, Menlo Ventures, and Nexus Venture Partners. It competes with the likes of companies like Noogata, TUNGEE, Osense Technology, Slang Labs, among others.

2. Pixis

Founded in 2020 by Harikrishna Valiyath, Shubham A Mishra, Vrushali Prasade, Pixis provides a codeless AI infrastructure platform for brands to monitor and orchestrate their marketing campaigns.

Since its inception, the startup has raised $209 Mn in capital. It raised $85 Mn in its last funding round in 2023.

Pixis is backed by startups like Grupo Carso, General Atlantic, Celesta Capital and Chiratae Ventures. It competes with the likes of Utilidata, HeadSpin and Navikenz.

3. Ola Krutrim 

Founded in 2022 by Ola and Ola Electric founder Bhavish Aggarwal, Krutrim is experimenting with GenAI to develop an India-specific LLM. The startup’s family of LLMs is said to be capable of working with 10 Indian languages.

The AI unicorn plans to develop India’s first homegrown family of chips for AI, general compute and Edge. The startup has also joined forces with Lenovo to build a supercomputer.

So far, it has secured $74 Mn in funding, becoming one of the most well-funded AI startups in the country, from backers such as Z47.

The startup competes with the likes of SarvamAI, Mistral AI, and DeepMind.

4. InVideo

Founded in 2019 by Sanket Shah, and later joined by Anshul Khandelwal, InVideo initially operated a web-based video editing platform that allowed users to convert existing pieces of static content into videos.

However, it has come a long way since then. Currently, the startup operates a full-fledged AI-powered video editing platform that leverages GenAI to create videos with just text prompts. Users just have to input the topic and the platform generates a script, adds scenes and voiceovers, among other things.

The startup has raised capital to the tune of $52.5 Mn to date and is backed by marquee names such as Peak XV Partners, Tiger Global, Hummingbird, RTP Global and Base. It competes with the likes of Kapwing, Synthesia, Veed, and Rephrase.ai, among others.

5. SarvamAI

Founded in 2023 by AI4Bharat creators Vivek Raghavan and Pratyush Kumar, SarvamAI aims to develop custom-made LLMs, specifically designed for India-centric use cases.

The Bengaluru-based AI startup’s full-stack GenAI platform comprises multiple products — Sarvam Agents (AI agent), Sarvam 2B (small language model), Shuka 1.0 (voice language model), Sarvam Models, and A1 (AI agents for lawyers). The AI major also rolled out its LLM in 2024, built specifically for 10 Indian languages including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu, besides English.

Backed by names such as Peak XV Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Khosla Ventures, the Bengaluru-based AI startup has raised  $41 Mn till date. 

In April 2025, the central government picked Sarvam AI to build India’s first homegrown sovereign LLM under the IndiaAI Mission. During the India AI Impact Summit 2026, the AI startup unveiled two LLMs  Sarvam-30B and Sarvam-105B. 

6. QpiAI

Founded in 2019 by Dr Nagendra Nagaraja, QpiAI is a Bengaluru-based deeptech startup working in the areas of both AI and quantum computing. The startup’s key product, QpiAI Pro, helps deploy AI solutions at the production stage.

The startup also manufactures hardware solutions for quantum computers, including compute architecture, quantum processors and cryogenic controllers, and also offers quantum computing as a service (QCaaS) software. 

With subsidiaries in the US and Finland, QpiAI has so far raised over $65 Mn in funding to date and is backed by the likes of We Founder Circle, YourNest Venture Capital and HEM Angels.

It recently partnered with Alliance University to set up a quantum computing centre in Bengaluru.

7. Avaamo

Founded in 2014 by Ram Menon and Sriram Chakravarthy, Avaamo operates a conversational AI platform for enterprises. Its flagship product is a low-code/no-code platform that allows businesses to build, deploy, and manage AI assistants without extensive technical expertise. 

Avaamo has also built domain-specific AI assistants catering to sectors such as banking, healthcare and HR. These chatbots support interactions across multiple channels, including voice, text, and messaging apps, and have strong multilingual capabilities.

Avaamo is also building fundamental AI technology across a broad area of neural networks, speech synthesis and deep learning to make conversational computing for businesses a reality.

Over the years, Avaamo has raised more than $27.5 Mn from the likes of Wipro Ventures, LIQUiDITY Group, Intel Capital, Alchemist Accelerator. It raised $7 Mn in its last funding round in 2021.

Avaamo counts PolyAI, Zira, Odeza, and wrnchAI as its competitors.

8. Spyne

Founded in 2018 by Deepti Prasad and Sanjay Kumar, Spyne is helping businesses and marketplaces create and upgrade high-quality product images and videos at scale with AI.

The growth stage company has so far raised $23.6 Mn from Vertex Ventures, Accel Partners, Storm Ventures, and other investors. In its last funding round, it raised $16 Mn to develop a GenAI suite for automotive developers.

The Gurugram-based startup competes with companies like zapero.ai, Dresma, Ayna, Blend, and Orbo AI.

9. Murf AI

Founded in 2020 by IIT-Kharagpur graduates Sneha Roy, Ankur Edkie, and Divyanshu Pandey, Murf AI leverages AI to enable its customers to create high-quality voiceovers without recording equipment in minutes.

The growth-stage startup has raised a total funding of $11.5 Mn. In its last funding round, it raised $10 Mn in 2022.

It is backed by investors like Z47 and Elevation Capital. It counts Imaginario AI, VideoDubber, and Rephrase AI as its competitors

10. DhiWise

Founded in 2021 by Vishal Virani, DhiWise is an AI-enabled programming platform where developers can convert their designs into developer-friendly code for mobile and web apps.

It automates the application development lifecycle and instantly generates readable, modular, and reusable code.

The Accel Atoms-incubated startup has raised a total of $9.5 Mn since its inception. It raised $7 Mn in 2022. DhiWise is supported by marquee investors like Accel, India Quotient and Together Fund. It competes with the likes of Observe AI, Pixis, QpiAI, and Kombai.

11. Wokelo

Founded in 2022 by Siddhant Masson and Saswat Nanda, Wokelo leverages OpenAI’s GPT and open source models such as LLaMA to produce detailed due-diligence reports for enterprises in a matter of minutes from publicly available data.

Its proprietary “cognitive engine” sifts through the tonnes of data to build concise and customised reports and presentations without hallucinations.

Backed by investors such as KPMG Ventures, Untapped Capital, Pack Ventures, SeaChange, Array Ventures, Upsparks and Geek Ventures, the Seattle-based startup has raised $5.5 Mn in funding since inception.

Its solutions cater to clients in private equity, venture capital, investment banking, and management consulting. It counts names such as Tata Group, Deloitte, Seven Seven Six, among others as its customers

12. LimeChat

Founded in 2020 by Aniket Bajpai and Nikhil Gupta, LimeChat leverages AI to enable enterprises to instantly respond to its customer queries throughout the buying journey across mediums such as WhatsApp, Meta Messenger and Instagram.

When it comes to WhatsApp commerce, it claims to be working with 300+ brands like HUL, ITC, Mamaearth, Wow Skin Science, Neemans Shoes, and Snitch.

Backed by investors like Stellaris Venture Partners, Google, IFC, and Pi Ventures, the Faridabad-based company has raised a total funding of $4.9 Mn to date.

The seed stage startup competes with Noogata, TUNGEE, Osense Technology, Slang Labs, among others

13. Kombai

Founded in 2022 by Dipanjan Dey and Abhijit Bhole, Kombai has built an AI agent for frontend development. The Ai platform can transform designs from platforms like Figma, or even simple text prompts and images, into clean, production-ready code.

Unlike generic AI models, Kombai’s models are purpose-built to understand design nuances like a human developer. It automatically handles logical structures, uses human-like naming conventions for classes and components, and ensures code is production-ready.

It has so far raised a total of $4.5 Mn from Foundation Capital and Stellaris Venture Partners, and competes with the likes of Locofy.ai, Adobe XD and Relume

14. Maieutic Semiconductor

In an era where digital chip design is highly automated, the creation of analog chips remains a slow, manual process. This lack of automation drives up costs and delays innovation. To solve this, Maieutic Semiconductor was founded by Gireesh Rajendran, Ashish Lachhwani, Rakesh Kumar, and Krishna Sankar in 2025. 

The company is building a GenAI-powered copilot to automate the early stages of analog IC design. The startup streamlines the process of architecture selection, anomaly detection, and design simulations to reduce the chip design cycle from 15–24 months to a fraction of that.

The platform is built on a customised AI model trained on the know-how of the semiconductor design process. The model is trained on data sets which can aid designers to make their work more efficient.

The Bengaluru-based startup has raised $4.2 Mn till date and counts the likes of Endiya Partners and Exfinity Venture Partners as its investors.

15. Gnani AI

Founded in 2017 by Ganesh Gopalan and Ananth Nagaraj, Gnani.ai offers a unified voice-first agentic AI platform that helps businesses automate and enhance customer support across all digital and conventional communication channels.

It also caters to the fraud detection market with its voice biometrics product, which is largely centred on its clients in the BFSI sector. 

The B2B platform claims to have a customer base of over 100 companies including multiple Indian lending companies such as TVS Credit, Muthoot Finance, and Fibe (formerly Early Salary). 

The startup is also involved in developing India’s indigenous AI model under the IndiaAI mission. It launched Vachana STT in December 2025, a speech-to-text model built for Indian languages.

The Bengaluru-based startup has raised $4 Mn in funding till date and counts the likes of names such as Info Edge and Samsung Ventures.

16. Phot.AI

Founded in 2022 by Venus Dhuria, Akshit Raja and Aneesh Rayancha, Phot.AI is a full-visual design platform that leverages GenAI to enable users and brands to generate images from just text.

Catering to both B2B and B2C users, Phot.AI allows customers to generate photos, create design concepts and visualise them with GenAI. It also leverages this technology to help users enhance their images and turn their “PDF” documents into any format.

It caters to businesses operating in areas such as ecommerce, packaging and branding, advertising and marketing, media, and BFSI, among others.Its clients include names such as Shiprocket, Fashinza, and Dukaan, among others. 

The startup has raised $3.7 Mn since its inception and is backed by the likes of Info Edge Ventures and AWS.

17. Highperformr.ai

Founded in 2023 by former Freshworks executives Ramesh Ravishankar and Srivatsan Venkatesan, Highperformr.ai is a martech startup that leverages AI to enhance the efforts of marketing and sales teams. 

It scans intent signals from a large database and then automates and orchestrates go-to-market (GTM) workflows. Its offerings also help enterprises engage with prospects on social media, enrich their CRM data, and track competitive activities.

Its flagship offering, Highperformr for Teams, helps B2B companies streamline their social media workflows, manage social publishing at scale, enable team collaboration, drive social selling, and monitor performance with social AI-driven analytics and insights.

The martech SaaS startup has raised $3.5 Mn since its inception and is backed by Venture Highway, The Neon Fund, Matrix Partners-anchored DeVC and others. It competes with the likes of Hootsuit, Buffer and Sprout Social.

18. Nexstem

Founded in 2020 by BITS Pilani graduates Siddhant Dangi and Deepansh Goyal, Nexstem is an AI-powered neurotech startup building a full-stack brain-computer interface (BCI) platform to decode and digitise neural activity for real-world applications.

Its flagship product, Instinct, is an EEG-based headset embedded with AI and edge computing capabilities. Paired with proprietary software, SDKs, and APIs, it enables real-time brain signal processing for use cases such as adaptive gaming, emotion detection, and mental health diagnostics.

The Bengaluru-based startup is backed by Info Edge, Gruhas, Zupee, and Smile Group and has raised $3.5 Mn to date. The startup claims to have generated $850K in CY24 revenue.

With plans to launch EXG sensors and integrate tACS stimulation soon, Nexstem aims to standardise cognitive signal capture at scale. Its long-term goal is to embed its AI-driven BCI infrastructure into chips, positioning itself as an AI-native neurotech stack for researchers, developers, and enterprise innovators.

19. Scalenut

A brainchild of Mayank Jain, Gaurav Goyal, and Saurabh Wadhawan, Scalenut was founded in 2020. The startup is an AI-powered generative engine optimisation and content marketing platform.

Its AI co-pilot handholds businesses through the entire content lifecycle, from keyword planning and content creation to SEO optimisation and competitive analysis.

The California-based startup has raised $3.5 Mn in funding till date and is backed by the likes of names such as Titan Capital, First Principles VC, AngelList, among others.

It claims to have so far catered to more than 200 businesses including homegrown startups such as PharmEasy and LeapScholar.

20. Blend

Founded in 2021 by Vaibhav Prakash, Vishwanath Kollapudi and Jamsheed Kamardeen, Blend is a GenAI-powered design tool that helps ecommerce sellers create social media graphics, product photos and SEO-optimised content.

Incubated by Peak XV Surge and Google For Startups, the Bengaluru-based SaaS platform has raised $3.14 Mn in funding till date. Catering largely to ecommerce sellers, Blend is backed by names such as 3one4 Capital, Blume Ventures, PointOne Capital, among others.

The startup boasts of 15 proprietary AI models that have been trained on more than 80 Mn visuals and keywords.

21. Zocket

Founded in 2021 by serial  entrepreneurs – Karthik Venkateswaran, Nandha Kumar Ravi, Sundar Natesan, and Mukund Srivathsan — Zocket, with Gen AI, helps businesses launch their digital ads in less than 30 seconds.

The startup was part of the maiden cohort of Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) Global Generative AI Accelerator programme in September 2024. Prior to that in December 2023, the company was also one among the 20 AI-first startups chosen for the eighth batch of Google’s startup accelerator initiative in India.

It has secured $3 Mn in its overall funding with support from investors like Kalaari Capital, PointOne Capital, Kettleborough VC, among others.

It competes with the likes of Hexo, Metabrix, Predis.ai, and PostifyAI in the digital ads space.

22. KOGO AI

KOGO began in 2018 as an AI stack developer catering specifically to the travel tech industry. However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, founders Raj K Gopalakrishnan and Praveer Kochhar pivoted to developing their in-house AI operating system, KOGO OS.

Built on large action models (LAMs), KOGO OS enables companies across industries, including travel, mobility, retail, and manufacturing, to create their own AI agents. Clients can customise and integrate KOGO OS with their existing CRM systems and workflow applications. 

In November 2023, the Bengaluru-based startup launched its AI Store, providing developers, SMEs, and large system integrators with advanced AI agents, tools, and plugins to build, deploy, and manage their own AI solutions. 

In 2022, MapmyIndia invested INR 10 Cr in KOGO for a 26.37% stake. The startup has also secured backing from angel investors, raising $2.7 Mn since its inception.

In February 2026, KOGO partnered with Arinox AI to launch a sovereign AI device called CommandCore that is intended to aid enterprises in keeping their data secure by providing offline and on-prem capabilities.

23. NeuralZome Cybernetics

Founded in 2023 by Mohan Kumar Paramasivam and Aditya Shriwastava, NeuralZome Cybernetics has built a no-code, teachable AI agent to power autonomous robots. 

The company’s core AI system, NeuralPilot, is capable of driving a 335 kg autonomous vehicle at speeds of up to 10 kmph, making it suitable for a range of applications from precision agriculture to logistics. NeuralZome has also built an autonomous off-road ATV that runs on its proprietary platform, NeuralBox.

The startup has raised $2.7 Mn till date and counts 8X Ventures, SIDBI, IIM Ahmedabad, Turbostart and Avinya Ventures as its investors.

24. Orbo AI

Orbo leverages AI and augmented reality (AR) to help consumers virtually try-on products in real-time without stepping foot outside their homes.

Catering to the ecommerce and retail sectors, the startup’s flagship product, BeautyGPT, offers immersive solutions such as makeup try-ons, deep skin analysis, embedded hairstyle, hair colour augmentation, among others.

Founded in 2015 by Manoj Shinde, Abhit Sinha and Danish Jamil, Orbo AI also featured on the third season of the popular TV show Shark Tank India and went home with an INR 1 Cr deal from SUGAR Cosmetics cofounder Vineeta Singh.

The startup has raised more than $2.6 Mn since its inception and counts names such as AWS, Venture Catalysts, YourNest Venture Capital and GenNext Ventures as investors.

25. NeuralGarage (VisualDub)

Founded in 2021 as NeuralGarage, VisualDub is the brainchild of IIT Kanpur alumni Mandar Natekar, Subhabrata Debnath, Anjan Banerjee and Subhashish Saha. The GenAI startup has developed a proprietary tool that can sync recorded voiceovers with lip movement and visual cues.

It claims to provide visual lip-sync delivered at 2K to 4K resolution with zero artefacts. VisualDub claims to transform the face under the eyes, including jaws, mouth, chin, smile lines and micro muscles in the cheeks and upper neck to offer a glitch-free video.

Apart from lip synchronisation, the product also offers voice cloning technology where the voice of the dubbing artist can be matched with the original actor maintaining its distinct tone, timbre, and style. It claims to support more than 30 global languages including Hindi, English, Korean, Turkish, Japanese, among others. 

VisualDub claims to cater big-ticket clients such as Amazon, Coca-Cola, Britannia, Microsoft, GSK, and Ultratech Cement. Backed by Exfinity Venture Partners, AWS and Google, it has raised $2.5 Mn in funding to date.

26. Alltius

Founded in 2022 by Vibhanshu Abhishek and Siddhant Mishra, Alltius offers an agentic AI platform specifically designed for the financial services industry. The startup’s AI agents can handle a wide range of tasks such as customer support, sales and lead generation through both voice and chat.

Its AI agents can also perform complex tasks such as processing loan requests, handling insurance claims, create pitches and even automating compliance and document reviews.

The Bengaluru-based horizontal AI startup has raised $2.4 Mn to date and is backed by the likes of names such as Stellaris Venture Partner, Blume Ventures, Gemba Capital, peercheque, among others.

27. Beatoven.AI

Founded In 2021 by Mansoor Rahimat Khan and Siddharth Bhardwaj, Beatoven.ai’s genesis lay in the vast demand for original, royalty-free music suitable for commercial use.

Beatoven.AI addressed this issue by simply leveraging GenAI to create background music for video, podcast, and game creators. Riding on the AI wave, the startup now boasts close to 1 Mn registered users worldwide, majority of them outside India.

Backed by the likes of Entrepreneurs First, Redstart Labs, Google and JioGenNext, the Bengaluru-based startup has raised more than $2.4 Mn in funding to date.

28. Vodex

Founded in 2022 by Anshul Shrivastava and Kumar Saurav, Vodex enables companies to deploy AI-powered sales agents, which can engage in human-like conversations and automate sales processes.

The company claims to eliminate the need for traditional call centres and allows businesses to streamline operations and improve efficiency while interacting with end customers.

The startup has raised $2.3 Mn in funding to date and is backed by 100X.VC. It competes with names such as Drift, SquadStack and Homebot among others.

29. Slang Labs

Founded in 2017 by Satish Chandra Gupta, Giridhar Murthy, and Kumar Rangarajan, Slang Labs allows brands to easily integrate AI assistants into their mobile and web apps without the need for specialised data science or machine learning teams. 

Its flagship platform (CONVA.ai) allows businesses to enable multilingual, voice-based interactions on their respective platforms. It can understand user queries in a number of languages, including Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Backed by the likes of Google, Endiya Partner, 100X Entrepreneur, the startup has raised $2.2 Mn in funding till date. It competes with the likes of major players such as Observe.AI, Senseforth.ai, Yellow.ai, and ConveGenius.

30. GoodMeetings

A brainchild of Srinivasan Narayan and Abhijeet Sahoo, GoodMeetings is a remote sales platform that leverages video, AI and analytics to help teams sell effectively.

The startup’s proprietary platform helps users automate sales processes, generate human-level summaries and derive insights and actionable pointers from a real-time video. It also nudges the sales person about what to say and when during the video call itself.

Founded in 2020, GoodMeetings has raised $1.7 Mn in funding till date. It is backed by marquee names such as Chiratae Ventures, FortyTwo.VC, First Check, Adept Ventures, 100X Entrepreneurs, among others.

31. Floworks

Founded in 2022 by Sudipta Biswas and Sarthak Shrivastava, Floworks offers an end-to-end sales automation for enterprises. Its AI assistants can research potential clients and build prospect lists to write personalised emails, handle objections, and book sales calls, without human intervention.

It also helps sales teams manage their schedules, emails and meeting logistics through simple, natural language commands while also automating tasks like post-call note-taking and maintaining an updated CRM database.

Incubated by Y Combinator, the startup raised $1.5 Mn in seed funding in August 2023. The US-based GenAI startup also counts names such as Sense AI, Gaingels, Entrepreneur First and ThinKuvate as investors.

32. Unscript.ai

Founded in 2021 by Ritwika Chowdhury and Apurv Jain, Unscript.ai’s AI-powered platform allows businesses to create personalised marketing videos at scale without expensive equipment or time-consuming editing.

The platform claims to remove technical barriers and streamline the video creation process for its clients. Its flagship offering also includes creating AI presenters and automating dubbing and translation to create videos in more than 140 languages.

The startup claims to have so far worked with more than 10,000 companies including the likes of Mahindra, Kapiva, Unilever, CEAT, Max Life Insurance, among others.

The startup is backed by VC firms such as Exfinity Venture Partners, Entrepreneurs First and other angel investors such as Mamaearth cofounder Ghazal Alagh, among others. Unscript.ai has raised nearly $1.25 Mn in funding to date.

33. Expertia AI

Founded in 2020 by Akshay Gugnani and Kanishk Shukla, Expertia AI is an AI-powered HR tech platform that offers end-to-end hiring solutions for companies, , from finding talent to making the final decision.

Going beyond a simple resume, the platform’s AI tool analyses a candidate’s skills, personality, and background to generate an “Expertia score”. Not just this, it also identifies skill gaps in an applicant and actively engages with candidates on various fronts and makes them offer-ready.

It claims to cater to companies such as Cognizant, Decathlon, Tech Mahindra, Reliance Jio, Justdial, among others.

Incubated by Google For Startups, Expertia AI is backed by Chiratae Ventures and Endiya Partners. It has raised more than $1.2 Mn in funding till date.

34. OnFinance AI

Founded in 2022 by BITS Pilani alumnus Anuj Srivastava, OnFinance is a GenAI SaaS startup that has built vertical AI copilots for financial institutions. 

The Bengaluru-based startup’s proprietary LLM, NeoGPT, is designed to handle tasks in sales, wealth management, and client servicing. It is deployed as an on-premise solution, ensuring privacy, speed, and relevance for its clients.

NeoGPT is trained using open-source LLMs like Llama and is customised for financial workflows. Its copilots reduce turnaround time and boost employee productivity by up to 7.5X, according to the company.

OnFinance currently serves clients like EY, Oister Global, LetsVenture, and Motilal Oswal. To date, it has raised over $5 Mn in funding, most recently raising $4.2 Mn in a pre-series A round led by Peak XV’s Surge. Other backers inlcude Silver Needle Ventures, Indian Angel Network, Swadharma Source Ventures, LetsVenture, and CRED’s Kunal Shah.

35. Hypergro.ai

Founded in 2022 by Rituraj Biswas, Neha Soman, Abhijeet Kumar and Arijit Mukhopadhyay, Hypergro.ai leverages AI to help brands conceptualise and create compelling video ads

The startup’s proprietary AI platform helps its clients understand market trends and behaviour of their target customers, thereby optimising campaign performance. The platform then connects brands with creators who can craft videos that resonate with their target audience.

The SaaS startup’s platform also offers its clients visibility into the entire video creation process and to monitor campaign results.

Backed by the likes of Silverneedle Ventures, Huddle, TDV Partners, HME Ventures, Dholakia Ventures, among others, the martech startup has raised more than ₹7 Cr in funding since its inception.

36. Dubpro.ai

There’s a massive demand for vernacular content in the country. Studios dub their films in multiple languages for higher reach, while marketers and internet content creators also aim to reach a wider audience with multi-language content.

While big film studios have the resources and capital, most local content creators lack the capital to dub their videos in multiple Indian languages. To solve this, Ishan Sharma and Rishikesh founded Dubpro.ai in 2020.

The AI-powered startup helps content creators dub their videos in multiple languages such as Hindi, English and Tamil. To ensure quality, the startup’s human experts also then verify the quality of the output, thereby ensuring accurate and in-sync audio dubbing.

The startup is backed by the likes of Venture Catalysts, Anicut Angel Fund, First Cheque and has raised $800K since inception.

37. Dubverse.ai

Founded in 2021 by Varshul Gupta and Anuja Dhawan, Dubverse.ai harnesses the power of GenAI to help brands and video producers dub their video content. The platform helps its clients convert text into “natural-sounding” voiceovers in multiple languages and generate subtitles.

It currently claims to offer the functionality in 60 Indian and other global languages. Dubverse.ai’s text-to-speech engine also offers a broad range of AI voices as per the tone and style needs of its customers.

The SaaS platform claims to have so far worked with brands like Mahindra FInance, Zupee, Netflix, BluSmart, Ola Electric, among others.

The startup has raised $800K till date and counts Kalaari Capital and JioGenNext as its investors.

38. Quash

In today’s dynamic world, backend maintenance and customisation has become a necessity for product-based SaaS platforms. From building a product to rolling it out for clients requires thorough testing. Manual testing takes time and often becomes a tedious task for quality assurance teams.

To quicken this process, Ayush Shrivastava, Ameer Hamza, and Prakhar Shakya founded agentic AI Quash in 2023 to streamline the quality testing process for mobile apps.

With its AI-powered tech stack, the startup helps testers detect bugs, which cause malfunctions in SaaS products. The company uses a blend of proprietary and industry-standard AI and ML models for code analysis, test generation, and bug detection.

Backed by Arali Ventures, Java Capital, PeerCheque, DeVC by Matrix Partners, among others, the Bengaluru-based startup has raised $650K since its inception.

39. Vitra.ai

A brainchild of Satvik Jagannath and Akash Nidhi PS, Vitra is a SaaS startup that helps creators and businesses leverage GenAI to instantly translate, dub and add subtitles to videos in 75+ languages in just one click.

The site also allows enterprises to create optimised videos, from scripts and voiceovers to effects, for various social media platforms from scratch with a simple input. 

Founded in 2020, Vitra.ai was incubated by Google India and was part of the tech major’s seventh cohort of Google for Startups Accelerator. The startup claims that it can be integrated with 250+ apps and services, including Adobe Photoshop, Figma, Shopify, HubSpot, and Google Drive, among others, to offer a seamless experience to the end users.

The startup has raised more than $537K in funding to date and is backed by the likes of 100X.VC, IIFL Fintech Fund and Inflexor Ventures.

40. Passprt Trips

Recognising that most travel agents offer rigid, pre-packaged trips, Ujjwal Garg and Manoj Rai founded Passprt Trips in 2023 to cater to customers who want personalisation, spontaneity and social media-worthy moments.

The platform acts as a personal travel advisor, helping users craft their own flexible journeys. Passprt Trips handles every step of the process, from discovering new destinations to seamless booking and on-trip support. 

The platform also gives its customers complete control over their itineraries, ensuring flexibility in everything from accommodations to activities.

Backed by Aroa Venture Partners, the Delhi NCR-based startup has raised about $500K in funding to date.

41. Intellemo

Founded in 2018 by Saurabh Gupta, Tusha Agrawal and Shivam Gupta, Intellemo is a martech platform that leverages AI agents to automate the manual workflow of creative, marketing and sales teams.

Its AI-powered products enable businesses to launch marketing campaigns on the fly, generate product images and publish the campaign on multiple online advertising platforms. Additionally, brands can also gather insights and seek recommendations from its AI Agent to fine-tune their media campaigns.

The company claims to have so far worked with names such as Urban Company, Virohan, Neetprep, and Footprints, among others.

Backed by the likes of Inflection Point Ventures, CRED founder Kunal Shah, among others, Intellemo has raised more than $350K in funding till date.

42. Eubrics

Managing and retaining talent can be a tricky task for enterprises. It is fraught with issues such as aligning performance with company values, ensuring best practices, identifying skill gaps within teams, and flagging attrition risks before they become a major issue.

Realising that there is a big whitespace in the segment, Nikita Jain and Maxim Dsouza founded Eubrics in 2021. The SaaS platform claims to leverage AI and behavioural science to help companies drive employee performance through action nudges and GenAI-powered coaching.

Its proprietary platform helps businesses derive actionable analytics, build tailored assessment profiles of their workforce, and spur engagement levels. From streamlining onboarding for new hires to enhancing workforce competence, Eubrics caters to employees at all levels.

The startup also offers AI-powered sales tools such as customer bots to help teams build sales skills and improve call quality. Eubrics can also be integrated with existing CRM and cloud telephony platforms to analyse calls, streamline call tracking and lead analysis.

The startup last raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding in March 2023. Eubrics claims to cater to the likes of Royal Enfield, Gulf, Airtel, ITC, Jindal Steel Limited, among others.

43. AuraML

Acquiring and labelling high-quality training datasets for machine learning tasks can be a cumbersome task. However, this issue becomes even more time consuming, costly and complicated when it comes to sourcing data for self-driving cars and robotics.

Realising that manual efforts to collect and label thousands of images require extensive fieldwork and laborious processing, Ayush Sharma and Arjun Gupta founded AuraML in 2023 to solve this problem.

The startup’s flagship platform, AuraSIM, creates realistic, physics-accurate 3D environments from text prompts. This allows developers to virtually test and train robots in a wide range of real-world scenarios to ensure they can handle unexpected situations.

AuraML monetises its platform via a monthly subscription plan and supports diverse use cases in areas such as warehouse automation, drone inspection, agritech, manufacturing and autonomous vehicles.

AuraML has raised more than $1.2 Mn in funding to date and is backed by startups such as Turbostart, DeVC, GSF Accelerator, Indian Angel Network and others.

44. Boltzmann

Harnessing the power of GenAI, Boltzmann is revolutionising drug discovery and improving the success rates of clinical trials. Founded in 2019 by Sarath Kolli, the Bengaluru-based company uses a blend of proprietary and open-source models to design novel drugs and optimise R&D processes for Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Boltzmann’s technology suite includes four distinct platforms that support a wide range of applications, from aiding in clinical trials and disease diagnosis to the design and discovery of new vaccines and antibodies.

Backed by AngeList India, the startup has raised $100K in funding since inception. Boltzmann currently competes with global companies such as Insilico Medicine, Recursion AI, and Exscientia

45. Kroop AI

Founded in early 2021 by Jyoti Joshi, Kroop offers a suite of AI tools that enable users to detect whether an image, video, or voice is real, AI-fabricated, or AI-generated. The startup’s proprietary platform is trained on high-quality synthetic data with a diverse set of identities to help decipher what content is fake.

Kroop also operates a platform to enable users to generate videos in various languages simply by inputting text. The video generation platform supports over 25 languages, including English, French, Korean, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.

So far, it caters to clients in the ecommerce and pharma industries as well as the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector. Backed by the likes of 100X.VC and LetsVenture, the startup has raised $34K since its inception.

46. Babblebots

Recruiting top talent is a constant struggle for businesses, and for Roli Gupta, it was a problem worth solving. In 2022, she launched Babblebots, an AI-powered platform designed to make hiring less time-consuming and easier.

Babblebots acts as an all-in-one hiring assistant, automating tasks like scheduling interviews, screening resumes, and even collecting feedback. The platform also offers an AI co-pilot that helps recruiters conduct interviews and assessments more effectively.

The B2B SaaS startup counts more than 100 clients on its rolls, including Alkem Laboratories, Welspun Enterprises, MJ Biopharm, Ajmera Realty, IPS Staffing Indus Towers, and IIT Bombay’s Development and Relations Foundation (DRF), among others.

Based in Mumbai, Babblebots is backed by investors like Anchorage Capital Partners and Ahead VC and is making its mark in the competitive HR tech space, where it goes up against players like Keka and Darwinbox.

47. JarvisLabs.ai

Founded in 2019 by Vishnu Subramanian, JarvisLabs is a Coimbatore-based AI infrastructure startup that offers GPU compute solutions to data scientists, businesses and researchers.

It offers GPUs on rent for training, fine-tuning, and deploying AI models. JarvisLabs says it keeps costs under control by avoiding expensive GPUs such as NVIDIA H100, and instead offering alternative hardware that delivers comparable performance.

As per its website, it uses GPUs such as Nvidia’s RTX5000, A5000, RTX6000 Ada, among others, to offer competitive rates to small startups looking to fine-tune their AI models.

48. Superjoin.ai

Founded in 2023 by Vinayak Jhunjhunwala and Abhinav Das, Superjoin.ai is a codeless SaaS platform that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to help users import live data into spreadsheets and perform actions on top of this data.

Users can create complex formulas and generate charts with simple text commands on the platform to accelerate data analysis. This enables enterprises to automate workflows, streamline forecasting, and build complex reports within the familiar environment of spreadsheets.

Additionally, Superjoin offers scheduling capabilities to automatically update Google Sheets with the latest data from various sources, eliminating the need for cumbersome CSV exports.

Backed by Better Capital, the Bengaluru-based startup counts names such as Chargebee, Truecaller, CallHippo among others as its clients.

49. Arrowhead

Founded in 2022 by Devyani Gupta and Vengadanathan Srinivasan, Arrowhead is an AI startup that builds and deploys voice AI agents to aid sales functions for banks, NBFCs and fintech companies.

These AI agents handle end-to-end sales and service calls, often running for up to 20 minutes, without customers realising they are speaking to an AI bot.

It currently claims to work with over 50 BFSI clients, including Bank of Baroda, Aditya Birla Capital, Paytm, Turtlemint, Kissht, InsuranceDekho and others. Beyond India, Arrowhead operates in Southeast Asia and has active deployments with a large bank and a collections firm in Malaysia.

The Bengaluru-based startup is backed by investors like Stellaris Venture Partners, CRED’s founder Kunal Shah, M2P Fintech’s cofounder Madhusudanan R, along with senior executives from fintech firms like Turtlemint and Kissht, who contributed to its $3 Mn seed round in January 2026. 

50. OrbitShift

Founded in 2022 by Saurabh Mishra and Swapnil Saykar, OrbitShift is an AI-based SaaS startup that helps businesses improve their sales processes. 

It provides a variety of tools that provide sales teams with account insights, actionable recommendations, account planning, and targeted pitch content generation, thereby driving coordinated GTM motion.

The startup claims to cut down the time companies spend on research and sales planning by 40-50% and increase sales productivity by 20-30%. For this, it speeds up tasks like client outreach and creating high-quality responses. 

OrbitShift has raised $8.5 Mn to date, with the latest being a $7 Mn seed round announced in June 2024 led by PeakXV and Stellaris Ventures, which was also a part of its $1.5 Mn pre-seed round in 2023. 

Updated on: February 20, 2026

[This is not an exhaustive list, we will be updating it periodically. If you would like to refer a GenAI startup to be featured in this list, write to us @ editor@inc42.com]

[Edited by Shishir Parasher]

The post Indian AI Startup Tracker: 170+ Startups Putting India On The Global AI Map appeared first on Inc42 Media.

For most Indians, brewing speciality coffee at home can feel intimidating, as if you need equal parts barista skill and gadget expertise. Cafés have introduced many consumers to better beans and artisanal drinks, but home brewing hasn’t become as effortless or familiar as instant coffee; most people still prefer to sip it out-of-home rather than make it themselves. 

When the pandemic hit in 2020 and cafés shut overnight, that dependence became obvious. People wanted to brew good coffee at home and searched for better beans, the right tools and knowledge from a coffee-loving community. What they found instead was fragmentation.

Despite a global market of $880 Mn at the time, products were scattered across platforms, guidance was limited, and there was no online destination that understood coffee as both a product and a culture.

Abhinav Mathur, a coffee enthusiast from Bengaluru, experienced this pain point first-hand and saw an opportunity to build around it. On World Coffee Day that year (October 1, 2020), Mathur launched Something’s Brewing as an e-retail store built for home brewers. 

Demystifying The ‘Professional’ Pour

As India’s coffee consumption matures, home brewers need trusted access to high-quality machines, brewers and accessories, without navigating multiple sellers or questionable imports.

Something’s Brewing differentiates itself by dismantling the gear-anxiety that keeps most drinkers tied to instant coffee. The platform curates products across price points and brewing styles, sourcing these from India, Germany, Italy and China. Its catalogue features espresso machines, grinders, manual brewers, accessories and coffee beans. Flagship products include the Budan One Touch Machine, La Marzocco Micra, Wacaco NanoPresso and Fellow Carter Mug.

The brand’s insight was that coffee adoption does not happen solely through equipment. It needs education, exposure and shared enthusiasm. This thinking led to the creation of India’s first Coffee Experience Centre, a physical space where customers can try machines, understand brewing techniques and interact with fellow coffee enthusiasts.

Instead of pushing volume through discounts, the focus has been on selection, education and long-term usage, reflected in a relatively high repeat rate for a category with long product lifecycles.

Channel Mix & Measured Scale Driving Growth

Something’s Brewing operates through a blended distribution model. Around 59% of sales come from its website, 28% from ecommerce marketplaces and 13% from retail stores. This balance allows the brand to retain control over customer experience while expanding reach.

In FY25, it recorded its highest revenue of ₹12.4 Cr, rising 58% from ₹7.83 Cr in FY24. 

By Q3 FY26 (December 2025), its revenue has surpassed ₹10 Cr, with an expected total of ₹18 Cr by the year-end.

Building A Trusted Coffee Ecosystem

The brand’s near-term goal is to expand its retail presence in 10 additional locations and use stores as experience hubs rather than pure sales points. Each store is intended to deepen engagement, education and community-building. 

In the long term, Something’s Brewing aims to become India’s most trusted home-coffee ecosystem.

[Authored By Vandana Batra]

The post How Something’s Brewing Grew To ₹12.4 Cr By Productising The Coffee Hobby appeared first on Inc42 Media.

For years, India’s baby care market has sold a dominant narrative: modern parenting requires disposable diapers. Aggressive marketing made them the default choice, leaving parents stuck between synthetic convenience and traditional cloth options that often feel impractical today.

But the trade-offs are hard to ignore. Made with plastics and chemical additives such as dyes and fragrances, disposables can trigger rashes and add to an escalating waste problem.

When Pallavi Utagi faced the same dilemma, she decided to create a better alternative. As existing cloth diapers felt clunky and obsolete, she and her spouse, Salil Utagi, decided to build a modern reusable ‘bumwear’ range from scratch. Using technical textiles and real-world engineering, they launched SuperBottoms, a high-performance reusable alternative in a market dominated by disposables.

Building A Category & Supply Where None Existed

SuperBottoms started with high-performance, reusable cloth diapers designed to be skin-safe, reliable and easy to use. But as adoption grew, the team realised that the need for better diapers went beyond infancy. 

This led the brand to expand into categories such as langots for newborns, padded toilet-training underwear and SuperSoft everyday underwear. Together, this line created a reusable baby-and-kids bottomwear category that supports multiple age groups and reduces the need to switch brands frequently.

However, production hit an immediate wall, as few Indian suppliers were equipped to deliver technical textile products at the time. Larger manufacturers refused to work with a small-volume startup like SuperBottoms or a bootstrapped, first-time founder like Pallavi Utagi.

SuperBottoms overcame the deadlock by partnering with small, ambitious companies willing to co-develop products. The brand established a proprietary supply chain, gradually built its own manufacturing capabilities, and ensured that all processes and quality measures were developed in-house and implemented across partner facilities. Today, the network has grown to 18 active facilities, all of which operate under close operational guidance and quality checks.

Scaling Through Trust, Technology And Reach

The brand’s sales mix reflects its carefully built D2C foundation. Around 46% of revenue comes through its website, followed by ecommerce marketplaces (42%), quick commerce (8%) and a small but growing retail presence. Repeat behaviour remains a core strength, with monthly repeat rates consistently hovering between the high-30s and mid-40s in 2025.  

In FY25, it reported revenue of ₹84 Cr, up 52% from ₹54.41 Cr recorded in FY24. By Q3 FY26 (December 2025), revenue reached ₹65 Cr, and SuperBottoms is now on track to close the current financial year at ₹95 Cr.

Making Reusables A Sustainable Business 

SuperBottoms commands around 60% share of India’s reusable bottomwear market, which is likely to grow as India’s baby diapers market is expected to reach $3.18 Bn by 2034. Although disposable brands maintain volume leads, the D2C player is converting parental awareness into a conscious preference for high-performance reusables. 

The brand’s near-term goal is to turn EBITDA-positive, proving that premium quality and customer trust can scale without a permanent burn. In the long term, SuperBottoms plans to evolve into a one-stop brand for baby and kids’ clothing, extending its presence well beyond cloth diapers.

[Authored By Vandana Batra]

The post How SuperBottoms Grew To ₹84 Cr By Offering Cloth Diapers For Modern Parents appeared first on Inc42 Media.

India is the world’s second-largest footwear producer and consumer, with domestic demand soaking up 90-95% of its output. It is a massive landscape on a steep trajectory, projected to grow from $17.9 Bn in 2024 to $45.5 Bn by 2032. Yet, for years, the brand landscape was split between two extremes: mass-market labels competing in the sub-₹1,000 segment and industry giants dominating the ₹5,000-plus category.

In 2015, Anuj Nevatia and Natwar Agrawal launched Bacca Bucci to claim this underserved middle ground. The duo bypassed the race for the lowest price and the exclusivity of high luxury. Instead, they focussed on a homegrown brand that could match the comfort, durability and style of giants like Puma, RedTape and Woodland.

The founders positioned Bacca Bucci as a design-led alternative that delivers premium cues without a premium price tag. Its 3.7K SKUs span casual sneakers, boots, and performance footwear, positioning it as a lifestyle footwear brand rather than a single-category specialist.

Staying Asset-Light To Manage Margins & Demand

Bacca Bucci adopted a lean model and outsourced manufacturing, so that internal resources could focus on design, demand planning and channel performance rather than managing factory floors. It is undoubtedly critical, as footwear is a brutally competitive segment, where supply chains, logistics and inventory planning can make or break margins.

The brand also faced significant challenges in 2024, as geopolitical conflicts and climate issues affected many trade corridors, hindering supply chains and increasing logistics costs. This created a sustained strain on fulfilment and in-stock availability.

It responded by tightening operational controls. It doubled down on marketplace-led distribution, strengthened its presence across multiple fulfilment centres and used platform insights to fine-tune its inventories and adjust pricing and promotions. These measures helped stabilise delivery timelines and keep inventory flowing across major marketplaces. 

Growth Via Marketplace Mastery

The brand’s digital-first playbook has turned it into a high-volume footwear business. To date, it has served around 45 Lakh users and sold nearly 50 Lakh pairs of footwear, maintaining a 29% repeat customer rate annually.

While most D2C brands treat marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart and Myntra as interchangeable sales channels, Bacca Bucci takes a more calibrated approach. It runs platform-specific collections and adjusts pricing based on channel-specific user behaviour. This strategy has enabled it to scale efficiently, maintaining high visibility and conversion rates wherever it sells.

The brand clocked ₹81.6 Cr in revenue in FY25, a 22.3% YoY jump from ₹66.7 Cr. It is now targeting ₹125 Cr for FY26 and entered quick commerce last year to sustain the momentum.

Stepping Offline And Broadening The Portfolio

Bacca Bucci will open its first exclusive brand outlet in Delhi NCR, marking a strategic shift away from its digital-only operations. It will also enter related lifestyle segments to capture a larger share of the wardrobe. 

In the long term, it will evolve into a hybrid brand, combining the agility of D2C sales with a strong brick-and-mortar retail presence and select global markets.

[Authored By Vandana Batra]

The post How Bacca Bucci Grew To ₹81.6 Cr By Owning Mid-Premium, Design-Led Shoes appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Biryani is comfort food in India — a dish people argue about, swear by, and keep coming back to. But unlike the QSR sector, where a handful of players dominate nationally, the ₹30K Cr biryani market continues to challenge businesses seeking pan-India scale. Despite its mass appeal, the category lacks a single defining national brand, remaining a patchwork of fragmented local players.

In 2017, Lokesh Krishnan launched Potful to challenge that constraint, betting that India’s favourite comfort food could be standardised for a modern audience without losing its traditional soul. The playbook was simple: avoid bulk-cooked batches. Each order is cooked fresh in an individual claypot and prepared traditionally without cutting corners. Potful focusses on claypot dum biryani in regional styles, prepared to order and delivered via a cloud-kitchen model designed for consistency and capital efficiency.

Growing With Flavours & Without A Marketing Crutch 

Potful has embraced variety and authenticity from the beginning. Instead of pushing a single recipe, it has mastered regional flavours like Hyderabadi, Lucknowi, Kolkata, Ambur and Bengaluru’s Donne biryanis.

Potful scaled without big-budget advertising, leaning on word-of-mouth and a tight customer-feedback loop as its main growth lever. That feedback then translated into operational muscle: the team invested in kitchen SOPs, training and audits, alongside simpler cooking methods, to drive consistency and protect repeat rates. 

By December 2025, Potful had built a multi-city backbone with two central kitchens and two warehouses across Bengaluru and Hyderabad, supported by 29 cloud kitchens across Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Consistency Is Driving Scale

Potful’s core distribution runs through quick-commerce partners and the brand’s direct ordering channels. Its sustained focus on consistency has turned the brand into a high-performance outlier. It reports a 56% repeat customer rate and an average order value above ₹700. Same-store growth stood at 42% in 2025, among the highest in the Indian food services market. 

Its revenue grew from ₹41.4 Cr in FY24 to ₹58.72 Cr in FY25, a 42% increase. 

By December 2025, Potful had generated around ₹80 Cr in FY26 revenue, with an EBITDA of ₹4.8 Cr. 

To date, it has served more than 30 Lakh customers and expects to cross an annualised run rate of ₹100 Cr by Q4 FY26.

Potful has also built an ecosystem around its claypots. More than 100 potters are currently involved in crafting the handis used for cooking and delivery. This has not only eliminated single-use plastics but also promoted the reuse of claypots that come with coriander seeds.

Focussing On Offline Growth

In the next two years, Potful plans to scale to 102 cloud kitchens across eight Indian cities, with a revenue target of over ₹400 Cr. It is also piloting dine-in formats to test whether a delivery-first, product-led model can be extended into the physical space. 

The larger bet goes beyond mere expansion. In a category that has long lacked structure, Potful is aiming to build a competitive moat around consistency.

[Authored By Vandana Batra]

The post How Potful Grew To ₹58.72 Cr By Scaling SOPs Through Cloud Kitchens appeared first on Inc42 Media.

IIM Calcutta alumni Nikita Barmecha and Udit Sood shared a long-standing love for nature’s goodness and the belief that sustainable choices should fit into everyday living. In practice, however, eco-friendly products struggled to scale in India. Even basic reusables like cotton totes remain niche.

Barmecha soon realised that, across food, fashion, or accessories, most everyday products carry an environmental cost most brands don’t design for. Sustainable alternatives are often expensive or impractical. Affordable options often treat sustainability as a surface-level cue, falling short on design, durability, and real-world impact. That gap led the duo to launch Ecoright in 2019, combining utility with reasonable pricing to make sustainability a daily choice.

From Bags To A Lifestyle Basket

Ecoright began with a simple product: tote bags. As the brand evolved, it looked at fast fashion and saw an edge in bags. Unlike apparel, bags are used more frequently and tend to remain in use for longer.

That insight led to a shift in approach. Instead of offering a small ‘eco’ line, it set out to make responsible bags the default choice. Whether it is for work, travel, errands or gifting, the intent is to make sustainability part of everyday use rather than an occasional purchase.

Its bags are designed to be fashion-forward, functional and affordable, while using materials such as organic cotton, jute, recycled plastic bottles and other alternatives. By targeting a mass-market utility item, the brand makes sustainability a default feature of everyday consumption rather than asking people to adopt new habits. It now offers 300+ SKUs across totes, utility bags, handbags, cross-body bags, backpacks and combos.  

Working with sustainable materials has its own challenges, though. Unlike conventional materials, eco-friendly inputs are less standardised and they behave differently from batch to batch. As material behaviour varies, processes take longer to stabilise and quality control requires learning the quirks firsthand.

Ecoright turned these production hurdles into specialist know-how by working closely with its manufacturing partners in Ahmedabad and building process-level understanding. Over time, it didn’t just master organic cotton but also built expertise in handling tougher materials like recycled plastic (rPET) and jute. This hands-on approach allowed the brand to grow without compromising its standards, proving that sustainability can actually scale if one is willing to go deeper.

Driving Growth Through Marketplaces, Faster Fulfilment

Marketplaces account for 53% of Ecoright’s sales, quick commerce contributes 27%, while the brand’s own website brings in 16% of total sales. Its revenue grew around 60%, rising from ₹8.82 Cr in FY24 to ₹14.08 Cr in FY25. 

In 2025, Ecoright improved its return on ad spend, launched 60-minute delivery in Bengaluru, doubled its quick commerce revenue and reduced logistics costs by 20-25% through tighter inventory planning and route optimisation.

While tote bags continue to anchor volumes, premium cross-body bags, socks, bag charms and backpacks are emerging as incremental growth drivers, expanding the brand’s presence beyond its core category without diluting its focus on everyday use.

Going Beyond Niche Adoption

Ecoright is on track to post ₹18-19 Cr in revenue for FY26, building on the ₹11.85 Cr already clocked by November 2025. 

In the near term, the brand will expand its collections, strengthen corporate gifting and improve its D2C experience. Beyond that, Ecoright’s ambition is to move past bags and enter more lifestyle segments, including jewellery, home décor and travel. The brand will also explore international markets and build an offline retail presence, focussing on both B2B and B2C channels.

[Authored By Vandana Batra]

The post How Ecoright Grew To ₹14.08 Cr By Making Eco Materials Affordable appeared first on Inc42 Media.

For Priyanka Nawani, make-up was more than looking good. Coming from an apparel background and having run her family business, she understood how quality cosmetics could elevate confidence and reflect personal style. But when she began assembling her own beauty kit, a familiar dilemma surfaced. Affordable make-up often fell short on performance, while high-quality options priced many Indian consumers out. 

In 2017, Nawani joined forces with Mohit Pardasani (her spouse-to-be at the time) to set up FLiCKA Cosmetics. Their aim was to serve the ‘missing middle’ in India’s beauty market, which was largely split between mass products and global premium labels. Positioned as an affordable-luxury label, FLiCKA aims to bridge the gap between price and performance in India’s beauty and personal care market, estimated to reach $44.6 Bn by 2032.

Designing Base Make-Up For Everyday Use  

FLiCKA blended luxury with affordability, offering quality products without breaking the bank. Its vegan and cruelty-free, FDA-certified formulations are designed for Indian skin tones and climatic conditions, making routines feel more personalised and effective. 

Instead of overwhelming users with an endless product line, the brand focusses on base make-up and skin preparation suitable for everyday use. Its catalogue spans 550+ SKUs across five major categories, including essential face care, cosmetics for eyes, lips and nails, and make-up accessories. 

With more than 250 retail counters across the country and a growing online footprint, the brand is increasingly visible beyond metro-heavy beauty consumption hubs. This approach targets what the founders describe as an underserved market, a 285 Mn-strong middle market that premium-first beauty players have historically overlooked.

Pull-Led Growth In A Crowded Market

India’s beauty and personal care market is among the most competitive consumer categories today, crowded with both global incumbents and fast-scaling new-age brands. But FLiCKA’s USP isn’t discounting or rapid SKU growth. The brand focuses on product performance, a strong customer feedback loop and discovery through creators. Its standout products, including the primer and moisturiser, foundation and HD foundation, have sold out repeatedly, with pre-booking cycles, indicating a demand-led traction.

FLiCKA currently runs a team of 300+ people and sells its products through multiple channels, including: beauty advisor-led retail counters, its D2C website, marketplaces such as Amazon, Nykaa, Flipkart, Myntra, and Tira, and quick commerce platforms such as Blinkit and Zepto. 

FLiCKA’s revenue grew from INR 10.9 Cr in FY24 to INR 15.2 Cr in FY25, a 39% uptick. 

Since its launch, the brand has served around 7 Lakh users and reports a repeat customer rate of 30%. In 2025, it ranked No. 1 in the face primer category on both Nykaa and Amazon, expanded its pan-India reach and doubled down on influencer-led launches.

Taking Mass-Premium Beauty Beyond Metros

FLiCKA aims to achieve INR 50 Cr in revenue in FY26 and scale to INR 100 Cr by FY28. FLiCKA is committed to making high-quality make-up available outside Indian metros without compromising on price or performance. The focus will be on consistency, utility, and reach rather than pursuing exclusive, high-end products. 

As India’s beauty market continues to expand, FLiCKA bets that the next phase of growth will come from brands that understand Bharat as deeply as they know beauty and build for its consumer realities.

[Authored By Vandana Batra]

The post How FLiCKA Cosmetics Grew To ₹15.2 Cr By Owning Base Categories appeared first on Inc42 Media.

StarAndDaisy did not begin as a venture built around spotting a market gap. It took shape when its founders became parents. While navigating the baby products market as new parents, brothers Akshay and Anshul Arya encountered a category defined by a binary choice: premium international brands priced out of reach for most households, or mass-market products that optimised for price, but weak on safety and design.

Overall, the baby care products market in India is projected to reach $15.8 Bn by 2032, from $12.1 Bn in 2024. However, baby care (cots, cradles, carriers and more) still lags on safety-first engineering, functional designs and cost efficiency. Recognising this gap, the Aryas launched their brand in 2020 to develop baby gear and other products for infants and toddlers that meet global-grade quality at local price points.

Turning Constraints Into Advantage

The baby care industry is heavily regulated, and the introduction of stricter BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) norms in 2021 raised the compliance bar across the category. At the same time, India’s dependence on China for innovative baby products exposed supply-chain vulnerabilities and limited control over design and quality.

StarAndDaisy turned these constraints into a competitive advantage by localising its entire value chain. The brand designed its products in-house, established manufacturing facilities in Ghaziabad, and set up a dedicated testing laboratory to comply with BIS standards. Its physical infrastructure reduced reliance on imports and made safety-first engineering an enforced, end-to-end discipline, from raw material selection to final assembly.

StarAndDaisy now offers 150 SKUs across high chairs, walkers, bath tubs, strollers, nappy bags and kids’ scooters. The wider mix (furniture, carriers, safety gear, essentials, toys, toiletries and apparel) helps it tap multiple touchpoints across the baby-care journey.

Digital-First Approach Is A Moat For Driving Growth

StarAndDaisy is a digital-first brand, anchored by its mobile app, which has crossed 3 Mn downloads and functions as a core commerce and engagement channel for parents.

The brand closed FY25 with ₹108.5 Cr in revenue. In the first nine months of FY26, it has already crossed ₹100 Cr and is targeting ₹150 Cr by the end of the fiscal year. 

In 2025, the venture introduced 90-minute delivery for essential baby products in Delhi NCR, which was positively received. In addition, the brand provides free nutrition and well-being consultations through its SND Care initiative.

Fast Delivery At Scale For The Road Ahead

In the next phase of growth, the brand will focus on expanding rapid-delivery services to more cities, improving hyperlocal fulfilment and refining the digital experience. It will also complete the integration of AI-led tools across recommendations, demand forecasting and customer support to enhance responsiveness and personalisation.

In the longer term, StarAndDaisy plans to launch experience centres in metro cities, make multi-functional products with longer lifecycles (like modular furniture designed to adapt across a child’s early years) and set up a new manufacturing unit to support scale.

[Authored By Vandana Batra]

The post How StarAndDaisy Grew To ₹108.5 Cr Within Five Years By Re-Engineering Baby Gear appeared first on Inc42 Media.

When it comes to AI, it’s never about what’s achieved so far, the more important question is what’s worth building next. The realisation also gripped CP Gurnani after he called it quits to his corner office at IT giant Tech Mahindra. 

The realisation turned stronger by the day as he saw AI’s sweeping change unfold before him. The seasoned corporate executive eventually took the plunge in the $13.99 Bn AI orchestration market with dogged determination to develop a technology that transcends simple scalability using AI. The idea resonated with Rahul Bhatia, group MD of InterGlobe Enterprises, which flies international carrier IndiGo.

Gurnani and Bhatia eventually rolled out AIONOS in 2024 with the goal of building AI that is fundamentally purposeful, ethically accountable, and synced to the increasing complexity in  modern-day businesses.

While AIONOS focussed primarily on travel, transportation, logistics, and hospitality, and telecom, its secondary focus areas included BFSI and healthcare. In an era of rapid digital shifts, driving the AI orchestration market at a 22% annual growth rate to reach $82 Bn by 2035, the Agentic AI startup claims to be playing the “steady guide for businesses” towards meaningful transformation.

“Most organisations have data, analytics, automation, and human expertise operating in silos, limiting the real impact,” Gurnani said.

“The key opportunity lies in unifying this intelligence into orchestrated systems that connect insights to decisions and actions.”

AI orchestration is the coordination and management of AI models, systems and integrations, and covers the effective deployment, implementation, integration and maintenance of the components in a greater AI system, workflow or app.

AIONOS does not seek to compete in the crowded race of building raw AI models. Instead, it defines itself as an Enterprise AI Orchestration firm. The company’s core philosophy is rooted in a simple but profound observation: the modern corporation is not suffering from a shortage of AI tools, rather from a lack of cohesive, responsible systems that can bridge the gap between a digital insight and a real-world result.

The Four Pillars Of The AIONOS Stack

At the heart of AIONOS lies a hybrid AI stack that combines external foundation models with in-house orchestration and vertical intelligence layers. CTO Arjun Nagulapally explained the company’s architecture through a modular, four-layer stack. 

The Models Layer 

AIONOS doesn’t tether itself to a single AI provider. Instead, it utilises a best-of-breed approach, mixing high-end commercial models with flexible open-source Large Language Models (LLMs).

• Purpose-Built: Models are chosen based on the specific task at hand.
• Enhanced Intelligence: To ensure accuracy, these models are fine-tuned or use Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), which allows AI to look up for private enterprise data before answering.
• Future-Proof: The system is model-agnostic, where a better, cheaper, or faster model is released and an enterprise can swap it without having to rebuild their entire infrastructure.

Data And Integration Layer: UniWeave 

For AI to be useful, it needs to understand the business on a real-time basis. UniWeave serves as the link between AI and the core legacy systems like ERPs for finance or CRMs for customer data.

• Live Data Streams: Rather than relying on old training data, UniWeave feeds live, structured, and unstructured information into the AI.
• Operational Backbone: This ensures that AI agents make decisions based on what is happening right now such as current inventory or flight delays, rather than static, outdated prompts.

Orchestration And Control Layer: UniStack 

Think of UniStack as the Mission Control of the enterprise. As AI becomes more complex, businesses need a way to manage, monitor, and restrict it.

• Smart Routing: It directs every request to the most cost-effective and efficient model.
• Safety And Compliance: It enforces guardrails to ensure the AI stays on brand and follows company policy.
• Auditability: Crucially, UniStack records the reasoning pathway behind every major decision. If AI makes a material choice, the business can look back and see exactly why it did so, ensuring full accountability.

Agentic Application Layer: UniVerity 

This is the last mile where AI turns into a functional worker. While the lower layers handle the tech, this layer focuses on vertical skills that are specific AI agents designed for niche industry problems.

• The Marketplace: Through UniVerity, companies can package and even monetise specific data-driven skills.
• Industry Expertise: AIONOS builds specialised agents for complex tasks, such as:
  • Airlines: Managing Irregular Operations (IROPs) like mass cancellations
  • Marketing: Automating SEO and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
  • Operations: Coordinating maintenance or dynamic pricing in real-time

In effect, AIONOS does not compete at the foundation model layer. It competes at the orchestration and domain layer, turning enterprise stacks into AI-native, self-optimising systems without ripping and replacing legacy platforms.

Large Businesses In Complex, Regulated Space

AIONOS is not targeting early-stage startups or AI-native digital players. Its primary customer base consists of large and upper mid-market enterprises undergoing AI-led transformation. These include Fortune 500 corporations, global telecom operators, airlines and aviation groups, hotel chains and hospitality brands, travel management companies, large service organisations, BFSI institutions, and transport and logistics operators.

There are some common traits among these sectors such as legacy technology stacks, complex workflows, high regulatory oversight, and significant operational scale.

Rather than replacing the existing ERP, CRM or reservation systems, AIONOS aims to integrate them. Enterprises get reusable AI skills, governed rollout, and closed-loop optimisation across customer journeys and operations.

Nagulapally highlighted one of the use-cases to help understand where it intervenes. “Imagine a passenger calling to ask, ‘Can I move to a slightly later flight?’ The AI agent will identify the passenger, PNR, journey context, and status tier in real time by reading data from the airline’s reservation, loyalty, and revenue systems,” he said.

The agent resolves the request end-to-end, surfaces contextual ancillary offers, collects payment, updates backend systems and logs preferences for future personalisation.

“From the traveller’s perspective, one ‘Can I change my flight?’ call becomes a single, smooth experience,” he added. “For the airline, that same inbound service call shifts from pure cost to incremental ancillary revenue, higher CSAT/NPS, and better data on passenger preferences that feeds future personalization.”

For enterprises, the value proposition this example brings is to move from fragmented tools and manual workflows to a unified, agentic operating model.

An Inside View Of The AI Hype Cycle

The 2025-2026 AI hype cycle is shifting from general, experimental, Generative AI (GenAI) to specialised, agentic (AgenticAI) systems. And, Gurnani takes a measured approach to the evolving dynamics. 

Are companies over-indexing on scale? “In many cases, yes,” he said.

“There is a strong push to scale AI quickly, driven by market excitement and competitive pressure, but not enough focus on whether these systems are actually delivering lasting business value.”

He believes that AI provides lasting worth only when it addresses genuine challenges and fits seamlessly into professional operations. In his view, growth should naturally follow the value a tool provides, rather than being used as a metric to mask a lack of utility.

On the home turf, as the $7.63 Bn AI market grows 42.2% a year to reach $131.31 Bn by 2032, India emerges as the third-largest contributor to the global AI talent pool, attracting investment commitments of $20 Bn. “Yet, a significant share of the value being created still flows to foreign markets,” Gurnani said. 

“The next wave of Indian AI unicorns won’t come from copying Silicon Valley prompts, they’ll come from founders who treat India as the primary market, and not a pilot market.” 

For newer founders, Gurnani has a piece of pragmatic advice. “Don’t build AI just because you can, build it because it solves a real problem. Enterprises don’t buy AI, they buy outcomes.” With AIONOS, he is betting that the enterprise AI race will not be won by the largest model, but by the most accountable system.

Edited by: Kumar Chatterjee

The post The AI Orchestration Stack: How AIONOS Is Engineering Accountability Into Enterprise Models appeared first on Inc42 Media.

India’s gig economy is scaling fast. But in categories where trust and personal safety shape every interaction, scale does not automatically translate into stability. 

At-home salon work sits right at that intersection. Professionals are expected to deliver consistent quality, follow hygiene standards, and manage customer expectations — while dealing with variable demand, platform commissions, and limited progression. 

The ease of at-home beauty services has helped turn the category into a $1.2 Bn market that’s expected to roughly double by 2033. But that convenience is powered by a workforce that absorbs most of the volatility. 

For service professionals, the job isn’t just about skill, it’s about navigating uncertain demand, platform commissions, and the safety risks that come with entering unfamiliar homes. How steady is their income? What protections kick in when something goes wrong? And who is accountable in the moments that matter?

India’s 12 Mn-strong gig workforce is no longer a niche segment. The count is likely to reach 23.5 Mn by 2030, driven by a surge in quick commerce. This, in turn, is expected to contribute 1.25% to India’s GDP by FY30. 

But scale hasn’t translated into stability for gig workers, especially in trust-heavy categories like at-home salon services. The sector continues to grapple with deep structural cracks.

Training remains inconsistent, resulting in uneven service quality, especially in categories such as skincare and hygiene. Product transparency is often missing, with instances of reused or low-grade materials eroding customer trust. High platform commissions squeeze professional earnings, resulting in burnout and low retention.

At-home salon professionals also face unpredictable income, no social security and limited growth paths, which lead to poor service standardisation, low repeat rates, and persistently high customer acquisition costs.

The at-home salon services market staggered over these issues for years. In 2016, mariners-turned-entrepreneurs Mayank and Aditya Arya faced this broken system first-hand when their spouses suffered severe skin irritation after an at-home beauty service. They realised that the home salon space needed a structural reset. This is where the idea of Yes Madam germinated. 

By 2019, the Aryas were joined by Akanksha Vishnoi as a cofounder and CMO, with a shared goal of building a platform that wouldn’t merely enable gigs but help them build sustainable careers.

From introducing a zero-per-cent commission model for top performers to enforcing safety protocols, standardised training, and the use of mono-use products with strict hygiene norms, Yes Madam tried to redraw the rules for its more than 7.5K active professionals.

Flipping The Commission Script

At the heart of the at-home salon ecosystem lies the workforce. Nearly 95% of Yes Madam’s service professionals are women. For many of them, the platform has evolved from a gig marketplace into a reliable income engine. 

The company claims that its partners earn an average monthly income of ₹50,000. While the top 10% fetch upwards of ₹1 Lakh a month, the next 20% make more than ₹90,000. According to Yes Madam’s director of human resource management and training of partners, Garima Sharma, who works closely with the platform’s partners, these earnings are significantly higher than what most professionals make at traditional salons.

“Our premium beauticians also earn more compared to regular ones. For example, Platinum partners earn ₹8 per minute, while regular partners earn ₹6 per minute. So, the commission becomes lower, while the overall income increases,” Sharma told Inc42.

Yes Madam also promotes partners to take on multiple services, which eventually adds to their incomes. “For beauty partners, we also train them for new services that we launch. Makeup is one of them, and offering it helps increase their overall income,” added Sharma.

Yes Madam uses a performance-based system, tracking three-four key metrics to identify top professionals. Those who qualify enter a 0% commission bracket, allowing them to keep all their earnings. Partners also retain full control over their schedules, choosing when and how much they work. 

While this may seem unusual for a business, the company generates revenue through product margins and platform fees. By supplying single-use mono-dose kits like facial and cleanup sets, produced in-house, to their partners, Yes Madam earns on every product used during a service. Additionally, a nominal platform fee per booking ensures the tech infrastructure remains self-sustaining without needing to dip into the professional’s wages.

The logic is simple but strategic. The founders believe long-term scale will come not from squeezing platform margins but from increasing partners’ income. Lower commissions reduce churn, attract better talent and create a more stable and reliable workforce.

This approach is aided by a structured growth ladder — the GDPTQ framework — categorising partners as Gold, Diamond, Platinum, Titanium, and Queen. As professionals move up these levels, their commission keeps dropping. The idea is to encourage partners to see themselves as independent business owners, not platform workers. The result has been stronger partner retention and improved service metrics month after month.

An on-demand payout system, allowing partners to withdraw earnings anytime, instead of waiting for fixed settlement cycles, supports this mechanism. 

Standardising Safety And Skill 

“Yes Madam is built on the belief that service professionals deserve safety, dignity, respect and recognition — not just work. We go beyond the limitations of traditional salons and unorganised setups to ensure that partners can work confidently and professionally,” said cofounder and CEO Aditya.

Yes Madam has embedded safeguards directly into its app. Every booking is tied to verified customer profiles, GPS-tagged addresses and stored digital identities. Professionals are advised not to enter a home unless another woman is present and they are free to exit immediately if they feel unsafe.

In case of emergencies, a one-tap SOS feature connects the partners to a dedicated safety team and even to the founders. A strict customer conduct policy ensures accountability for any misconduct.

On the other side, customer trust is built through transparency. Users can view a professional’s background verification, reviews and service ratings, turning each profile into a personal brand. The company claims that clear pricing and service breakdowns ensure that there are no last-minute surprises — critical when inviting someone into your home.

When it comes to building skill, Yes Madam puts its every professional through a mandatory 15-day training programme before they are put to job, covering SOPs, hygiene standards and Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council (BWSSC) certification. 

Yes Madam also invests in personality development and advanced makeup training to help them unlock higher earnings. Regular interactions with the founders further align the workforce with the company’s growth vision.

All of this is anchored to what it calls the RRR philosophy of rewards, recognition and respect.

Redefining Home Salon Services 

Long before the government was jolted awake to formalise social security for gig workers, Yes Madam took a proactive stance that went beyond the proposed norms.

The startup offers accident and safety coverage during active duties. Its transparent commission model ensures partners know exactly what they earn per service, with no hidden deductions, unlike many traditional platforms.

The company plans a local hub-and-spoke model, setting up neighbourhood hubs to reduce travel time and enable location-based job allocation. The goal is to ensure that customer convenience doesn’t come at the cost of partner well-being.

The real impact of these policies shows up in lived experiences. Seema Saini, a 41-year-old partner from Ghaziabad, recalls earning just ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 a month at a local salon, with no control over her work schedule or growth. “There was no sense of progress,” she said. 

Partners like 25-year-old Anjali Rohit earn between ₹35,000 and ₹50,000 a month. “This steady income has reduced stress at home and helped me plan my life better,” she shared.

As India’s at-home salon market gathers momentum, various platforms are experimenting with new commission structures, safety norms and career pathways. There’s no clear standard yet, but the emergence of startups like Yes Madam has certainly begun grooming up a rather shattered segment of the gig economy. 

The post How Yes Madam Is Rewriting Commissions Playbook In Home Salon Services appeared first on Inc42 Media.

India grows 60 of the 109 spices recognised by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and shipped out $4.45 Bn worth of spices in FY25, anchoring a global market projected to reach $34.31 Bn by 2030. Yet for all that scale, the export story is still held together by an old operating system: fragmented sourcing, layers of middlemen, and processing that often sits far from where the crop is grown.

That complexity was tolerable when buyers were willing to accept paperwork and broad assurances. It is far less workable now. As regulation tightens in markets such as the EU and the US, importers increasingly want batch-level traceability, not just where a spice was sourced, but how it was processed, tested and handled along the way.

This is where the cracks show up. Batch mixing, inconsistent quality testing, pesticide-residue risks and paper-heavy records make it hard to prove provenance at scale. The fallout is costly: shipment rejections, margin pressure and reputational risk that travels faster than any container.

Kochi-based Growcoms is attempting to solve this by tightening control over two weak links in spice exports: processing and proof. Instead of building large factories, the B2B startup works with underutilised local processing units near sourcing regions, upgrades them to export-grade standards and embeds its own quality supervision into daily operations. It then layers on batch-level digital traceability from farm to shipment, giving buyers verifiable data on origin, processing and compliance.

Founded by George Kurian Kannanthanam, Bibin Mathews and Narendranath P, Growcoms positions itself as an end-to-end value-chain partner rather than a conventional trader. The company’s thesis is that decentralised processing, backed by auditable traceability and select value-added supply channels, can deliver export-ready spices that meet stringent regulatory requirements while preserving quality closer to the source and compete with legacy, centralised supply chains on both compliance and consistency.

“Primarily, we supply to the most complex of markets through a traceable supply chain, going light on physical assets like self owned factories but owning the supply chain through tech interventions. We ensure the quality of the product specification, the sensory parameters and the requisites of the importing country norms are met,” Kannanthanam told Inc42. 

Today, the startup operates across categories such as spices, dehydrated products, oils, oleoresins and seasonings, with a portfolio of over 50 SKUs. Growcoms exports to over 10 geographies outside India, including Europe, the US, UAE, Africa and Southeast Asia. The company has so far raised $4.5 Mn funding from investors like InfoEdge, JSW Ventures and Arali Ventures. “Since FY22, our revenue has grown nearly 50-fold, and we are now targeting breakeven in the next six months,” he said.

Identifying What’s Spoiling The Broth

Growcoms was not conjured up in the boardroom. The idea was built on years of experience in the spice trade. Kannanthanam worked for nearly 17 years at companies such as ITC and Synthite, handling international sourcing and exports. He had seen up close how Indian spices travelled across states before they were even processed. Mathews, on his part, understood the nuts and bolts of how raw spices moved from farms to finished products. 

But to make Growcoms work at scale, they needed someone on the tech front. That’s where the third cofounder, Narendranath P, who helped build the key moats of traceability and quality in a decentralised setup.

The more they looked at the industry, the gap seemed clearer. Processing was largely centralised in large, capital-intensive factories, often located far from where spices were actually grown. In such setups, scale becomes a compulsion, rather than a choice.

“Your number one priority becomes keeping lines at 30–40% capacity humming,” Kannanthanam said. “Run at 50% utilisation, and you pass idle costs to clients to recover them somehow.”

That pressure, the founders realised, often shifts the focus from quality and efficiency to simply keeping the machines running. So they built Growcoms around a simple idea: process spices closer to where they are grown, use existing local infrastructure, preserve quality and traceability from the start. 

Instead of owning large factories, the company decided to work with local units close to sourcing regions. They conduct detailed gap analyses, upgrade facilities to export-grade standards and embed their own quality supervision into daily operations. 

While the facilities continue to be owned by local entrepreneurs, process oversight is handled by Growcoms. This helps ensure hygiene, compliance and traceability without owning the plants outright.

The agritech startup has partnered with multiple local small processing units across more than 10 states and works with over 100 aggregators and Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) as suppliers.

 “So, it’s been five years, and we have steadily grown. We are further looking at new markets and value-addition possibilities in spices. We are not just a whole or a powdered spices player; we are moving across the spectrum, we are trying to go global and evaluating other options for forward integration, maybe reaching the customers directly. So we are at that stage now,” he said.

Seasoning A Decentralised Model

The Growcoms model rests on three interconnected components: identifying and upgrading the right facilities to process spices near sourcing regions, building end-to-end traceability for export buyers, and developing value-added supply channels within the B2B spice market.

The selection of the facility depends entirely on the spice. If it is cumin, the team looks at Gujarat or Rajasthan. For chillies, it is Andhra Pradesh. For other categories, it could be Tamil Nadu or Maharashtra. The logic is to process the spices where they are grown.

Once a facility is identified, Growcoms conducts a detailed gap analysis along with auditors, often in alignment with the target client’s audit team. This helps identify the gaps in hygiene, equipment, certifications and compliance. The company then co-invests with a local entrepreneur to upgrade the setup to export-grade standards. Then the facility undergoes a joint audit by the client and Growcoms before going on stream.

Kannanthanam said Growcoms does not own the machinery, but it takes ownership of process control. The company typically co-invests with the local unit to upgrade the facility, embeds its own quality personnel into daily operations, and participates in the certifications process — with many finished-product certifications issued in Growcoms’ name because of its role in bringing the plant up to export-grade standards. In effect, the factory may sit with a local entrepreneur, but Growcoms retains control over quality supervision and output consistency.

This ensures that, even though the company does not own large factories, it governs output, maintaining control over hygiene, compliance, and unadulteration.

Upgrading facilities solves one part of the puzzle. The next bigger question is how to build trust. Even if an exporter owns a factory, how does a global buyer know where the spice actually came from or whether value addition truly happened there?

That is where the company’s traceability platform comes into play. Its blockchain-based mobile app Agrilin tracks every batch from farm to export. The app records the source location down to the growing zone to the processing facility. Certifications are uploaded for that plant and each conversion stage. Since the same facility was audited by the end client, buyers can verify the entire journey without having to conduct repeated physical inspections.

Instead of relying on periodic audits, clients can access real-time, verifiable data. This not only builds confidence but also reduces unnecessary costs. “Traceability isn’t a premium add-on that raises costs – it’s a tool to improve planning, cut waste and lower overall prices,” Kannanthanam said.

This asset-light model, scaled by embedding oversight into partners’ sites, turns traceability into a core strength that builds the buyer’s confidence.

As part of its value-added supply channels, the company also operates The Yum Loop (TYL) — an offering tailored to the food-services segment — through which it supplies customised seasoning solutions to the HoReCa industry. Currently focused on the savoury and seasonings category, TYL enables chefs and food businesses to deliver consistency, operational efficiency and distinctive flavours at scale.

Peppering Up For Compliance Frontlines 

The journey for Growcoms has not been frictionless. One of the earliest hurdles has been farmer adoption. While the company built blockchain-backed traceability systems, implementing them at the farm level required behavioural changes. 

“The biggest challenge was farmer training,” Kannanthanam said. Growcoms deployed agronomists on the ground to manually collect data, maintaining dual records, one with the farm and one with the company, before gradually introducing digital processes. Moving towards IoT-enabled tracking, especially in spices where farm-level digitisation is still limited, involved sustained education and handholding. 

Market entry posed another test. Growcoms chose to kick off with Europe, one of the most tightly regulated spice markets globally. If they could clear the toughest scrutiny, it would become their strongest credibility marker, the founders thought. But, displacing suppliers with 70-100-year legacies was far from easy. Competing with deeply entrenched players meant proving consistency, compliance and cost discipline from day one.

At the same time, the founders were clear that they would not operate like a valuation-chasing startup. The focus was on staying lean, breaking even early and building efficiently, rather than scaling at any cost. Headquartered in Kochi, with sourcing offices in smaller towns, Growcoms consciously avoided a metro-heavy footprint, choosing instead to tap talent in Tier-II cities and build differently from the ground up.

Expanding The Basket Without Diluting Focus

Growcoms has expanded into more than 10 overseas markets and plans to continue its global expansion, albeit with a cautious approach. In fact, international business makes up about 65% of its topline, while the rest comes from the domestic market. 

“We were exploring the US market. But, the timing isn’t right at the moment. That’s one market we will definitely not let go of – we’re just waiting for the right time to enter,” he said. “We are clear on whom to target, where to supply, who the clients are and what the quality requirements look like. We’re prepared – it’s just about letting things settle before we move containers.”

Till then, Growcoms is firming up its presence in Europe while evaluating longer-term sourcing opportunities beyond India. According to Kannanthanam, the company may eventually source spices from markets such as Vietnam and China to better serve global customers.

It is also investing selectively. While Growcoms is close to breakeven, it is currently burning capital due to planned investments in new verticals such as seasonings. “Excluding these investments, the core business is operating near profitability, and we expect to reach breakeven within the next six months,” he said. Growcoms refused to share the financials, citing company policies, and restricted itself to the breakeven target.   

The agritech startup is also expanding into adjacent product segments such as oils and oleoresins, a category that continues to perform strongly. Over time, it aims to evolve into a broader supplier across spice formats while cautiously evaluating forward integration, including a potential move into consumer-facing products, building on its existing strengths in quality, traceability and B2B relationships.

The post How Growcoms Is Rewiring India’s Spice Market Value Chain For Exports appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Labourers pushing wheelbarrows to move cement, sand, stones and bricks to different locations is ubiquitous in India’s construction sites. It costs both human labour and time by keeping precious manpower resources occupied. But that’s the old way. 

An AI-powered wheelbarrow can now do the job without any manual labour and with precision that can challenge human dexterity. That’s how Flo Mobility rolled into the construction sector, promising to avert both time and cost overruns. 

Companies like Flo Mobility are charting a way to automate this final stretch like how warehouses use robots to move around boxes with precision and efficiency. They make compact movers that chart a course to get the construction materials from the drop-off point to the point of use by deploying AI and sensors. The result is simple: the internal logistics of the construction site becomes more efficient, human labour is freed up, and the project timeline is shortened. 

Manesh Jain and Pratik Patel designed Flo Mobility in 2021 to build Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) for the construction industry. The solutions help achieve six-fold efficiency in material movement, claims the company’s website.

“We found that a lot of the activities on a construction site today are still very manual, compared to a warehouse or manufacturing plant, even in many developed markets. The construction industry struggles with labour availability and productivity, but technological solutions haven’t been adopted,” Jain said. 

The Bengaluru-based startup recently raised a mix of primary and secondary funding in a $2.5 Mn (around ₹23 Cr) pre-Series A round, but refused to disclose the investors. It had earlier raised ₹6.5 Cr from DevX Ventures, IISc ARTPARK, and LetsVenture, as well as from angels like Vivek Lodha, Saurabh Runwal of Runwal Realty and Kaivan Shah of Ratna Group. 

Flo competes with startups like Ati Motors, Sakar Robotics, and Hachidori Robotics in the $314.7 Mn AMR market in India, which is expected to average nearly 20% growth rate to reach $1,321.8 Mn by 2033. The company claims in its website that its devices have improved visibility using dashboards and reduced accidents by 67%. 

For customers, the solutions fetched up to 50% cost savings and 45% time savings, according to case studies cited by the company. 

Trundling Down A Rough Patch 

Flo Mobility positions itself as an Autonomy-as-a-Service provider with a tech stack that is affordable, compute-lite and interoperable. The startup has deployed 55 robots across 24 projects. But navigating the road was not an easy task. 

The Flo story began flowing from Reliance in 2018, when Jain was serving Jio after the conglomerate acquired an edtech startup he had founded earlier. That was one of his two early entrepreneurial ventures. Patel, on the other hand, had his EV venture grounded before taking off. 

But, the entrepreneurial bend they shared led to the germination of Flo Mobility. “When we thought of Flo, Tesla’s Autopilot and iRobot’s Roomba had started gaining ground,” Jain said. They incorporated Flo Mobility in 2019, initially aiming to add autonomous navigation capabilities to conventional industrial equipment. 

The flow, however, was flogged by the COVID pandemic soon after it started. The lack of domain expertise in the autonomous mobility space added to the woes of the founders. “We went to many robotic events to find like-minded people from the industry. Our first team members were hired through these events and warm intros. Another thing that helped us early in our journey was getting a lot of interns. Many of them turned out to be really useful resources and we hired them full-time,” Jain recalled. 

By early 2023, their ‘retrofit autonomy’ thesis began proving too difficult. Yet, Jain and Patel were convinced of the need to introduce autonomous mobility into industrial environments. Instead of giving up, they pivoted from converting conventional hardware into a smart robot and began building their own AMRs from scratch. 

Spotting The Gaps In Brick-And-Mortar 

Flo experimented with different use cases across industries in the early days. The team built multiple prototype AMRs like autonomous lawnmowers, robots for warehouses, and crop sprayers for agriculture, rather than perfecting any one of them. 

It helped the founders identify which industry had the right combination of demand, willingness to pay, and potential to scale. By October 2023, Flo zeroed in on construction. The construction industry has historically lagged behind sectors like logistics and manufacturing in adopting automation. 

The Flo team studied all activities taking place at construction sites – from preparing the land to building the structure to the electrical and plumbing work. Then they considered which activities were the most repetitive and labour-intensive, and what kind of problem statement matched their capabilities. The answer led them to material movement. 

Unlike a diesel-powered dumper, which vibrates constantly due to its internal combustion engine (ICE), Flo’s electric material mover is battery-powered. Apart from lower emissions, this means more stability while moving and no hazardous fumes in narrow or enclosed spaces.Its lighter, more compact design also makes it easier to transport to higher floors using a hoist. 

Early customers were hesitant, questioning whether the hardware was strong enough for the harsh, hazardous conditions of a construction site. To address this, Flo Mobility came up with a subscription business model that Jain described as ‘robots-as-a-service’. It charges customers an all-inclusive fee, covering a rental charge for the machine (based on the project type and scope of work), deployment and operation by Flo’s team, and maintenance. While some customers opted to buy their product, 80% sought subscriptions to avoid a hefty capex burden. 

And, Robot-As-A-Service Kicks In 

After the material mover is brought to the site, the first task is for the deployment team to pre-program it with the relevant stations where it needs to go. Every movement of the robot is a result of the four-step SPDA cycle. The model, sense, perceive, decide and actuate (SPDA), runs dozens of times a second. The first step is to receive input data from the onboarded sensors, including a camera for visual imaging, RTK GPS for precise positioning, inertial sensors, and LIDAR.

Then comes the on-board compute module which, essentially, is the robot’s AI brain. It handles the ‘perceive’ and ‘decide’ steps – processing the data to identify obstacles and points of interest around the robot and, accordingly, planning the optimal path. The compute module finally instructs the vehicle control unit (VCU), the part that operates the machine’s motors and controllers, to take an action, such as turning, braking, or unloading. All processing happens locally, without any reliance on the internet or cloud servers.

Since Flo Mobility uses a full-stack approach, nearly every bit of the entire machine is designed and fabricated in-house. Some components and sensors are off-the-shelf, sourced through vendors, but the electronics such as the circuit boards, wire harness, and VCU, are completely built in-house, according to Jain. As for the software on the compute module, Flo uses multiple open-source AI models trained on its own data. 

Integrating all these complex systems has been the biggest challenge the company faced. “Building a robot is a multidisciplinary challenge that requires expertise in mechanical engineering, electronics, electrical engineering, and software,” said Jain, comparing it to cooking a recipe that requires a careful blend of multiple ingredients in exact quantities and ratios. 

Cementing The Future With A Global Vision  

To fuel its economic growth at 6.8-7.2% in FY27, the government has budgeted a record capital expenditure of ₹12.2 Lakh Cr for the fiscal beginning April 1. The construction sector, spanning industrial, commercial, institutional facilities and civil works, continues to be one of India’s largest employment engines and economic growth drivers. With a projected acceleration of 8.8%, India’s ₹25.31 Tn construction market is likely to reach ₹39.10 Tn by 2029, creating potential for the digital startups like Flo Mobility.

In this growing market, Flo Mobility competes with the likes of Israel-based Okibo and American ventures Built Robotics and SafeAI. Flo claims that its material mover is unique, though a few homegrown startups are working on AMR for wall finishing such as Pidilite Industries-backed Pace Robotics. Jain seemed confident of developing a competitive product. “The use case is quite big as every building needs wall finishing and painting. The market is large enough for 10-15 large players,” he added. 

It took until early 2024 for Flo to finally deploy the market-ready version of its product and find its first customer – Bengaluru-based luxury builder Total Environment. A year on, its biggest customer is homegrown infra giant L&T, while it also serves major developers like Sobha, Godrej Properties, and Embassy Group. These customers have deployed Flo’s material mover in a wide range of projects, including airports, data centres, hospitals, and high-rise residential complexes. 

Flo Mobility’s annual revenue run rate hovers at ₹4 Cr, backed by a robust order book with 30-40 more machines likely to be deployed in the next six months. “In FY27, our plan is to do at least five times our revenue and four times the number of deployments,” Jain shared. 

To reach its lofty goals, the startup is aiming at global expansion. It has recently made its first international deployments in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and plans to enter the US market in the next 18 months. It is also developing products to address more use cases in construction. “We are building a wall finishing and tiling robot as well as a painting robot,” Jain said. 

The construction industry in India often throws up challenges for tech companies because of its reliance on subcontractors. A customer who pays for the technology is not the same as the person on-site who has to use it. Besides, introducing advanced technology is a difficult proposition for an industry that has spent decades without much of a change. 

If Flo can crack the adoption puzzle, its robots could make the construction sites of the future safer, greener, and more efficient.

The post How Flo Mobility’s AI Stack & Robots Are Disrupting The Construction Sector appeared first on Inc42 Media.

India’s manufacturing renaissance is unfolding in real time. While global manufacturing output grew a modest 0.7% in Q3 2025, India recorded 1.3% growth in the same period, helped by a strong domestic and export demand, as well as China+1 supply chain shift.

Factory floors are humming louder each quarter as Indian manufacturers produce everything from batteries and chemicals to composites for indigenous jets and electric vehicles. 

As many as 7.47 Cr MSMEs and small startups form the industrial backbone of the country, delivering 35.4% of the total output, accounting for 48.6% of the exports, and employing 32.8 Cr people. 

But the biggest silver lining, as per Economic Survey 2025-26, is that medium- and high-technology industries now contribute 46.3% of India’s manufacturing value added. This signals a gradual shift towards more sophisticated production structures. 

This also places India among a smaller group of middle-income economies steadily advancing up the manufacturing value chain. On its part, the government, too, is also leaving no stone unturned to shift the country from a services-led economy to a product-led one. 

The Union Budget 2026 further paves this trajectory. From announcing India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 and rare earth corridors to container manufacturing and ₹10,000 Cr SME Growth Fund support, the economic blueprint recognised India’s need to push both frontier technologies and manufacturing-led scale. 

Startups are seizing this moment and tackling India’s manufacturing gaps with precision. These new-age tech companies are creating jobs and spurring exports, while building ground-breaking technologies at competitive prices. 

Having kept a hawk’s eye on India’s startup ecosystem for a decade now, we, at Inc42, realised that there was an innate need to shed light on budding startups that are breaking ground in India’s manufacturing arena. 

As part of this endeavour, we are introducing the first edition of Inc42’s “5 Manufacturing Startups To Watch”. 

For our maiden edition, we are spotlighting five manufacturing startups that are building products in sectors like defence tech, clean mobility, semiconductor packaging and electronics hardware. 

Editor’s Note: This list is not a ranking. It is a curated selection of manufacturing startups that have stood out to the Inc42 editorial team this month.

RF Nanocomposites | Developing Cutting-Edge Radar Absorber Materials

As India strengthens its defence manufacturing ecosystem under Atmanirbhar Bharat, materials innovation has become critical. Radar cross-section (RCS) reduction, stealth capability and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding are now central to modern military and aerospace systems.

Founded in 2021 by Vishal Kumar Chakradhary and incubated at IIT Kanpur and IIT Patna, RF Nanocomposites operates in the defence and advanced materials manufacturing sector.

Its specialised manufacturing stack includes radar absorber materials (RAMs) for drones, missiles, tanks, frigates and aircraft, and EMI shielding solutions for defence, space, telecom, medical devices, EVs and consumer electronics. The startup focuses on eco-friendly, high-performance nanocomposite materials engineered to meet stringent operational and regulatory standards.

It operates in the Advanced Nanocomposite EMI shielding materials for the defence, aerospace & telecommunications segment. India’s EMI shielding market reached $700 Mn in 2024 and is projected to grow to $1 by 2033. 

With defence indigenisation accelerating and semiconductor electronics becoming more sensitive to interference, EMI protection and stealth materials represent a high-barrier manufacturing niche closely aligned with national security priorities.

Gascomp Fueltech | Manufacturing Clean Gaseous Fuel Equipment   

India’s clean mobility transition is expanding beyond EVs into CNG, Bio-CNG, LNG and hydrogen ecosystems. Founded in July 2020 by Darshan Soni, Rushirajsinh Jadeja and Avirat Majmudar, Gascomp Fueltech operates in the clean energy and gaseous fuel equipment manufacturing sector. The company manufactures compressors and dispensing systems under the Make in India initiative.

Its core manufacturing capabilities include hydraulic booster compressors for CNG and bio-CNG, CNG dispensers and clean fuel infrastructure systems. Besides, it also manufactures hydrogen-ready equipment to support future mobility expansion.

With a 30,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Vadodara capable of producing over 100 compressors annually, Gascomp is targeting City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks as well as industrial clean fuel adoption.

The company caters to the gas compressors and clean fuel equipment market. In 2024, this market was valued at $166.7 Mn and is projected to grow to around $226.2 Mn by 2033, reflecting a CAGR of approximately 3.5%. As India expands its gas grid infrastructure and explores hydrogen corridors, equipment manufacturers like Gascomp are positioned at the intersection of energy transition and industrial hardware scale-up.

RRP Electronics | Driving India’s Semiconductor Momentum With Scalable OSAT Infra 

Semiconductors remain central to India’s strategic manufacturing ambitions under Semiconductor Mission 2.0. Founded in 2024 by Rajendra Chodankar, RRP Electronics positions itself as Maharashtra’s first operational outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facility. The company operates in the semiconductor packaging and testing segment, strengthening India’s backend chip manufacturing capabilities.

Its key capabilities include ball grid array packaging for high-pin-count chips and thermal management solutions for high-performance applications. It also does assembly and testing services for telecom, automotive, EV, industrial, medical and advanced computing sectors.

By focusing on backend semiconductor manufacturing, RRP Electronics supports domestic ecosystem development without relying solely on wafer fabrication. As electronics demand rises across EVs, telecom networks and industrial automation, OSAT capacity is emerging as a strategic layer in India’s semiconductor value chain.

Globally, the OSAT market is expected to grow to $3.0 Bn by 2032 from $1.7 Bn in 2025. For India, strengthening OSAT capacity offers a faster and more capital-efficient path to semiconductor self-reliance compared to wafer fabrication.

Invariance Automation | Scaling Multi-Layer & Flexible PCB Manufacturing In India

Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) form the backbone of every electronic device, from automotive systems to consumer hardware. Founded in 2020 by Arunava Karmakar and Chintu Gurbani, Invariance Automation operates in the PCB manufacturing and electronics assembly sector. The company provides fabrication and assembly services to engineers, startups and OEMs.

Its product & service stack includes single-sided, double-sided and multi-layer PCBs; flexible PCBs for compact and wearable devices, and testing and automated optical inspection.

Based out of Technopark@IIT Kanpur and recognised under Startup India and MSME schemes, the company focuses on fast-turnaround prototyping and small-to-mid-scale production.

As electronics localisation gathers pace under PLI schemes, PCB manufacturing startups play a critical role in reducing import dependence for core hardware components. 

The global PCB market is projected to grow to $25.48 Bn by 2034 from $7.26 Bn in 2025, highlighting the strategic importance of domestic PCB manufacturing as countries look to localise electronics supply chains.

ANFT | Tailored Lithography And Mask Writing Solutions

Semiconductor solutions continue to evolve rapidly, with constant improvements in energy efficiency, throughput and fab design. However, traditional lithography systems are approaching physical and performance limits. This is where Advanced Nano Fabrication Technologies (ANFT) steps in.

Founded by Angshuman Roy, Advanced Nano Fabrication Technologies (ANFT) operates in the semiconductor capital equipment and lithography technology space. The early stage venture is building next-generation mask writing and fabrication solutions.

Its technology stack comprises:

• Integrated Emission and Optics Array (IEOA) Writing Module
• Monolithic integration of the field emission array with the projection lens array
• 180 nA electron beam capability
• Sub-10 nm resolution output
• Reduced beam interaction for improved positional accuracy
• Enhanced efficiency and mitigation of stochastic defects

Headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, ANFT seeks to carve a place within India’s expanding semiconductor ecosystem by contributing to advanced fabrication and capital equipment innovation.

ANFT caters to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment market, which is projected to breach the $4.9 Bn mark by 2032.  

[Edited by: Shishir Parasher]

The post Manufacturing Startups To Watch: 5 Indian Manufacturing Startups That Caught Our Eye In February appeared first on Inc42 Media.

In a narrow lane in Indore, a local spice brand packs its orders at dawn. By evening, those packets are coursing through sorting centres en route to Mumbai, Kochi, and occasionally, Dubai. A decade ago, such reach would have been beyond the scope of most businesses. But today, it is routine. Though understated, this shift is consequential, reflecting how India is edging towards a $400 Bn ecommerce opportunity by 2030, underpinned by expanding logistics networks.

Tier II and III cities in India are producing their own digital-native brands, often bootstrapped and frequently led by founders with little formal exposure to ecommerce playbooks. Although affordable Internet access and widespread digital payments have lowered entry barriers, running an online business from a smaller city still carries structural disadvantages.

Sellers from those cities often face fragmented logistics access, limited warehousing infrastructure and less exposure to digital commerce best practices, and this is what Shiprocket, an ecommerce enablement platform, is trying to solve.

Shiprocket, originally started as KartRocket in 2012, helped micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) go digital through its B2B SaaS services. In 2017, Saahil Goel, along with Gautam Kapoor, set up Shiprocket as a third-party logistics (3PL) aggregator, streamlining order processing, warehousing and transportation. It has since expanded into an end-to-end ecommerce enablement platform, allowing online merchants to manage logistics, fulfilment and customer experience across India and overseas markets.

The ecommerce unicorn has evolved into an integrated operating system for online sellers, particularly those based outside Tier I cities. The platform bundles shipping, checkout, returns management, analytics and access to working capital into a single system, positioning it to address this service gap for ecommerce startups. For small-town entrepreneurs, it will reduce the need to build an in-house logistics or tech team or to negotiate with multiple service providers separately.  

Shiprocket’s idea is simple: let sellers focus on products and customers, while it handles the rails of commerce. According to the platform, it now powers more than 4 Lakh merchants, a large proportion of whom operate outside the top metros. These merchants collectively drive $3 Bn+ in gross merchandise value (GMV) and shipment volumes each year through the platform.

Over the years, Shiprocket’s system has integrated with more than 250 ecosystem partners, including Shopify, WooCommerce, Zoho, and Razorpay, supporting merchants across the ecommerce value chain.

How Shiprocket Empowers Small-Town Sellers

For many entrepreneurs in Tier II and III cities, ambition is not the limiting factor; access to logistics infrastructure, technology capabilities and working capital is. Hence, Shiprocket aims to be the operating backbone that eases these constraints.

The platform acts as a unified commerce enablement layer where sellers gain access to multiple courier partners, automated shipping workflows, checkout optimisation tools, returns management, customer communication and analytics, without building these capabilities internally.

Shiprocket uses AI to route each order to the most suitable courier partner, while automated workflows manage everything, from shipment processing to returns. For businesses without in-house technology teams, the majority in Tier II and III cities, that consolidation is significant. Checkout pages, customer messaging and analytics dashboards are bundled into a single interface, available in vernacular languages.

However, logistics alone cannot address growth constraints. Working capital still remains one of the biggest hurdles for small-town entrepreneurs. And through Shiprocket Capital, the company analyses seller transaction data to extend collateral-free financing for inventory, marketing and expansion.

Additionally, automated COD (cash on delivery) reconciliations and speedy payments help improve cash flow visibility. For many small-town businesses running on thin buffers, predictable payment cycles are as important as steady sales.

Traditional marketing that requires manual intervention also poses a major constraint unless one has a specialised team. Shiprocket’s product philosophy iterates that only automation could democratise market access, with tools for managing customer engagement, performance analytics and post-purchase communication. Shiprocket’s data layer identifies high-demand regions and optimises delivery predictions, functioning as an embedded business analyst. For merchants without dedicated teams, these systems provide functional capability rather than incremental optimisation.

Cross-border operations bring in further complexity. Taking a business global has always been tough due to paperwork, compliance checks and tax calculations. By consolidating these processes into a single workflow, Shiprocket reduces administrative friction for sellers seeking to expand beyond domestic markets. 

Some of Shiprocket’s valuable outreach programmes happen offline, though. It conducts Shiprocket Yatra, in-person workshops held across Indian cities and delivered in local languages. These sessions provide hands-on exposure to digital tools and help dispel sellers’ doubts. 

To align with India’s evolving digital commerce architecture, Shiprocket joined ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) to function as a logistics app on the network, enabling intercity, intracity and hyperlocal deliveries for businesses across the ecosystem. Apart from this, Shiprocket has also partnered with India Post, DGFT and Startup India to simplify cross-border trade, regulatory compliance and nationwide fulfilment for sellers looking to scale.

The Road Ahead For Bharat’s Ecommerce Ecosystem

Shiprocket positions itself to ride India’s expanding D2C ecommerce opportunity with what it calls a “tech-enabled, asset-light platform” designed to scale efficiently while optimising fixed costs. The company’s strategy now centres on deepening merchant engagement, widening its product stack and expanding into newer logistics corridors.

The logistics company is building operational infrastructure that allows businesses from smaller cities to compete at a national and global scale without the resources, networks and institutional advantages long associated with metropolitan sellers.

For now, that spice brand in Indore continues to pack orders at dawn, shipping to Mumbai and Dubai by evening. After all, what was exceptional just a few years ago is now routine. And platforms like Shiprocket aim to ensure that location no longer determines who participates in India’s digital commerce boom.

The post How Shiprocket Is Building The Backbone Of Bharat’s Ecommerce Growth appeared first on Inc42 Media.

With over 332 Mn online shoppers and a rapidly expanding digital economy, India’s ecommerce sector is on track to surpass $400 Bn by 2030. Investor interest has closely followed this growth. In 2025 alone, ecommerce ranked among the most funded sectors, attracting $1.7 Bn across 203 deals, while D2C brands accounted for nearly 23.7% of total ecommerce funding between 2014 and 2024.

This surge has transformed D2C from a niche into a mainstream pathway for building consumer brands centred on ownership, community and control over distribution. However, the journey to scale remains complex. Early stage founders face mounting customer acquisition costs, fragmented channels, inventory challenges and shrinking margins — pressures that demand far more than capital to overcome.

To address these hurdles, Inc42 launched D2CX two years ago — a structured 12-week programme designed to help emerging D2C brands sharpen execution, unlock operational efficiencies and accelerate towards their next phase of growth through hands-on mentorship and operator-led insights. Over the course of time, the programme has enabled over 300 D2C brands across cohorts.

The recently concluded sixth cohort brought together 40 founders for intensive learning across strategy sessions, peer exchanges and personalised guidance from seasoned D2C founders, operators and investors. As the seventh cohort gets underway, here are the 40 brands that formed the sixth edition of D2CX.

Note: This is not a ranking. The brands are listed alphabetically.

Meet The D2C Brands From D2CX’s 6th Cohort

1. Aglo

Founded in 2024 by Aakarsh and Anita Agarwal, Aglo is an FMCG food brand offering a wide range of staples and dry fruits. The brand operates across both retail and bulk formats, catering to households as well as institutional buyers.

The Kolkata-based startup brings together essential kitchen staples and premium dry fruits under one umbrella. Its B2C portfolio includes retail packs (250 Gm) of California almonds, pistachios, cashews, long raisins, walnut kernels, dry dates and figs. On the staples side, it offers flours such as chakki atta, besan, maida and makki atta, along with pulses like tur dal, chana dal, masoor dal and green peas. Sourced from trusted farms and hygienically processed, Aglo also provides customisable bulk solutions for B2B buyers.

Aglo claims to have an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹2.5 Lakh. The brand runs a portfolio of 21–50 SKUs, with 60% of its sales coming from offline channels and the remaining 40% from marketplaces. Its own website contributes negligibly. 

2. Besharam

New Delhi-based Raj Armani and Salim Rajan set up Besharam in 2012 as an adult wellness and pleasure products retailer. The brand offers a wide range of products for men, women, and individuals across diverse gender identities and sexual orientations.

Positioned in India’s evolving sexual wellness segment, Besharam focuses on normalising conversations around intimacy while offering discreet access to curated pleasure products. Over the years, the brand has expanded its portfolio to build trust and accessibility in a space that has traditionally remained underpenetrated and socially sensitive.

Besharam offers over 50 SKUs with an average MRR of ₹1.5 Cr. Around 90% of its sales come from its website, while 5% each come from offline channels and marketplaces.

3. Clumsy Bumsy

Krishanu Kona and Nitika Sangal launched Clumsy Bumsy in August 2022 as a pet food brand specialising in fresh, homemade meals for cats. The company focuses on using real, recognisable ingredients to create healthier and tastier alternatives to conventional packaged food.

The New Delhi-based startup aims to simplify daily feeding for cat parents by offering ready-to-serve meals that prioritise nutrition and convenience. By positioning itself as a fresh-food brand in the pet care segment, Clumsy Bumsy seeks to address concerns about ingredient quality and processing commonly associated with mass-market pet food.

The startup averages an MRR of ₹35 Lakh through running 6–10 SKUs and generates 100% of its sales through its own D2C website.

4. Cycle of Samsara

Founded in 2025 by Khyati Jain and Vanshika Modi, Cycle of Samsara is a curated marketplace for buying and selling pre-loved luxury and ethnic fashion. The platform focuses on enabling trusted resale by onboarding verified sellers and ensuring quality-checked listings.

The Kolkata-based startup aims to bring structure and credibility to India’s growing luxury resale segment. By offering secure payments, seamless logistics and authenticated listings, Cycle of Samsara seeks to make premium fashion more circular and accessible, while giving sellers a reliable channel to monetise their wardrobes.

Cycle of Samsara clocks an average monthly recurring revenue of ₹15,000 and runs through more than 50 SKUs.

5. Dimorra Club

Mumbai-based Dimorra Club is a brainchild of Priti Vanigotta. She unveiled the luxury fashion and lifestyle brand for women and children in September 2025, positioning it as a ‘mini to mama’ label. The brand offers curated collections spanning premium women’s wear, children’s apparel and playful DIY kits.

Dimorra Club blends contemporary design with comfort to create accessible luxury for both fashion-forward women and families. From high-fashion silhouettes and everyday luxury staples to imaginative children’s partywear, the brand focuses on bold, expressive styles while fostering creativity and self-expression through its lifestyle-led positioning.

The company offers 21-50 SKUs, with an average MRR of ₹3.6 Lakh. The brand operates entirely online with 100% sales generated through digital channels.

6. Druzy Dust

Pallavi Singh set up Druzy Dust in 2025 as a contemporary jewellery brand specialising in handcrafted natural stone pieces. The brand focuses on creating colourful, bold and statement jewellery collections produced in small batches.

Positioned in the niche of artisanal fashion jewellery, the Bengaluru-based startup stresses on craftsmanship and individuality. Its designs are woven around natural stones, offering distinctive pieces for consumers seeking expressive accessories that stand out from mass-produced alternatives.

According to the company, Druzy Dust offers over 50 SKUs with an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹50,000. Around 65% of its sales come from offline channels, while the rest comes from its website. 

7. EatNack

Founded in August 2025 by Akshat Agrawal and Kanha Rathi, EatNack is a clean-label food brand offering ready-to-eat and ready-to-snack products. Built on the pillars of nutrition, convenience and transparency, the company leverages advanced processes such as freeze-drying and steam-roasting to retain natural taste and nutrients without relying on artificial additives.

The Indore-based startup is trying to bridge the gap between fast convenience and healthy food for modern consumers. Catering to retail, travel, hospitality and everyday consumption, EatNack positions itself at the intersection of clean ingredients and time-saving formats.

It clocks an average monthly recurring revenue of ₹3.5 Lakh. The brand operates with 11–20 SKUs and garners 70% of sales from marketplaces, 25% from offline channels and 5% from its own website.

8. Esthe Essentials

Founded in 2025 by Dr Piyush Borkhatariya, Esthe Essentials is positioned as India’s first dermatologist-developed, therapeutic-grade jelly mask collection. The brand combines Korean formulation science with clinical expertise to create products that go beyond cosmetic appeal, positioning its offerings as at-home therapeutic rituals designed to deliver both instant glow and long-term skin benefits.

The Junagadh-based startup aims to bridge the gap between professional dermatological treatments and everyday skincare. By focusing on clinically informed formulations and specialised jelly mask formats, Esthe Essentials seeks to offer consumers a results-driven alternative to conventional sheet masks and topical skincare solutions.

The startup averages a monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹2 Lakh and operates with 4–5 SKUs.

9. Frais Farms

Frais Farms has been selling fresh food by combining sustainable agriculture with curated culinary experiences since 2019. The company aims to elevate everyday food consumption by delivering products that are positioned as fresh, trustworthy and thoughtfully designed.

Mumbai-based Khushboo Agarwal and Shashank Agarwal blended farm-level sourcing with a premium consumer-facing approach to create food experiences that feel both luxurious and accessible. By integrating sustainability with quality control and brand-led presentation, Frais Farms positions itself at the intersection of conscious consumption and convenience-driven modern lifestyles.

According to the founders, it clocks an average MRR of ₹10 Lakh. The brand operates with 21–50 SKUs and generates 100% of its sales through online channels.

10. GAMTA Organic Incense

Founded in January 2020 by Upasana Sawant and Ajit Sawant, Mumbai-based GAMTA Organic Incense is a D2C brand offering natural incense sticks rooted in traditional Indian formulations. The company manufactures incense using the Panchagavya blend, comprising cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd and ghee, and combined with organic herbs and plant extracts.

Positioned in the spiritual and wellness segment, GAMTA focuses on chemical-free incense products, free from charcoal and potassium nitrate. The brand stresses on eco-friendly, Ayurveda-inspired formulations aimed at promoting mindfulness, meditation and holistic well-being, catering to consumers seeking natural alternatives in everyday rituals.

According to the company, GAMTA Organic Incense offers 11-20 SKUs, with an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹4 Lakh. Around 70% of its sales come from offline channels, while marketplaces and its website contribute 15% each to the overall revenue mix.

11. Godhuli

Positioned at the intersection of tradition and contemporary styling, Godhuli is a creation of Nishant and Parul Sharma of Ahmedabad. Godhuli earned its fame as an online fashion brand specialising in sarees and blouses, designed to reflect the richness of Indian craftsmanship while catering to modern consumers seeking occasionwear rooted in heritage aesthetics.

According to the Sharmas, Godhuli offers over 50 SKUs with an average monthly recurring revenue of ₹5 Lakh. The brand operates on a fully digital model, with 100% of its sales generated through its website.

12. Great Outdoors

Mumbai-based Lagu family set up Great Outdoors as a retail and D2C brand catering to trekking and adventure enthusiasts in 2019. Parag, Dilip, Asavari and Kunal have positioned the company as a one-stop shop for outdoor needs, offering products spanning across apparel, backpacks, footwear, camping gear, accessories and technical equipment.

The brand provides curated gear suited for varied terrains and conditions. By bringing multiple product categories under one roof, Great Outdoors seeks to simplify access to reliable and functional adventure equipment for both beginners and seasoned trekkers.

Great Outdoors has an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹1.25 Lakh. Around 80% of its sales come from offline channels, while the remaining 20% are generated online.

13. HS925

HS925 is a fine silver jewellery brand specialising in 925 sterling silver pieces that blend aesthetics with spiritual symbolism. Built around the themes of aura, abundance and assurance, the brainchild of Akshay and Richa Gadia positions its jewellery as an extension of personal energy and identity, rather than just an accessory.

The Bengaluru-based startup curates gold-plated 925 silver collections spanning kundan, Victorian, moissanite and CZ designs, along with statement necklace sets. Combining modern styling with traditional motifs, HS925 aims to offer elevated everyday elegance while retaining the craftsmanship and detailing of classic Indian jewellery.

The startup maintains an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹3 lakh and operates with more than 50 SKUs.

14. iAMORY

Launched in 2025 by Archit and Anokhi Jain, iAMORY is an affordable fine jewellery brand offering silver and lab-grown diamond gold pieces designed for everyday wear. The brand centres on themes of authenticity and self-expression, positioning fine jewellery as accessible luxury rather than an occasional indulgence.

The Mumbai startup blends contemporary aesthetics using lab-grown diamonds in silver and gold designs. It claims to be making refined, elegant jewellery that are more approachable for modern consumers seeking statement pieces that transition seamlessly from daily wear to special occasions.

The startup has an MRR of ₹1.5 Lakh and operates with more than 50 SKUs. 

15. ID Shoes 

New Delhi-based ID Shoes has come up as a national footwear brand, offering a wide range of styles across categories. The brand is known for its focus on material quality and design detailing, and positioned itself as a value-driven yet quality-conscious player in a competitive market.

ID Shoes has built a strong offline presence, with its products available across over 3,000  stores nationwide, including multi-brand outlets (MBOs) and large-format retail chains. Having established its footprint in physical retail, the company is now sharpening its focus on expanding its digital presence and scaling its online operations.

ID Shoes offers over 50 SKUs with an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹30 Lakh. Nearly 90% of its sales come from offline channels, while the remaining 10% is split equally between marketplaces and its own website.

16. JiViSa Wellness 

Sarika Panchhi and Snehi Sungh set up JiViSa Wellness as a clean-label wellness and BPC (beauty and personal care) brand in 2020. Led by an all-women team and operating out of Dehradun, the company is built around a simple brand promise: it does not take to market anything it would not offer to its own families.

JiViSa focuses on clean formulations and quality-first manufacturing, catering to both individual consumers and institutional clients. The New Delhi-based brand claims to have built credibility through partnerships with names such as IndiGo, Vistara and Taj Hotels, reflecting its strong presence in the B2B segment alongside its direct-to-consumer operations.

JiViSa Wellness offers over 50 SKUs with an average MRR of ₹15 Lakh. While B2B channels make up 92% of its topline, the remaining 8% comes from D2C sales.

17. Kokos Natural

Founded in July 2017 by Anuja Jadhav and Chirag Aggarwal, Kokos Natural is a clean-label foods brand focussed on bringing natural, minimally processed and nutrient-rich alternative ingredients to Indian kitchens. Its portfolio spans everyday essentials such as natural sweeteners, flour, salt, and superfoods, aimed at consumers seeking transparency and better-for-you options.

By offering clean, accessible substitutes for regular pantry staples, Kokos Natural aims to make mindful eating easier for households that care about ingredient sourcing, purity and nutritional value.

According to the startup, it clocks an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹7 Lakh. The brand operates with 21–50 SKUs, with 60% of its sales coming from marketplaces and the rest from offline channels.

18. Lesscare

Harshavi founded Lesscare in 2025 as a minimalist skincare brand built on the philosophy of underconsumption rather than overindulgence. The company focuses on simplifying skincare routines by offering products that address essential skin needs without unnecessary steps or excess.

The Mumbai-based startup claims to be the first in India to introduce a tube-in-tube dual cleanser format, combining innovative packaging with formulations inspired by both Ayurveda and Korean skincare science. By blending ancient wisdom with modern ingredient innovation, Lesscare aims to deliver streamlined routines that reduce waste while maintaining efficacy.

The startup clocks an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹1.64 Lakh. It operates with 1–2 SKUs, with 95% of its sales generated from its own website and the remaining 5% from Amazon.

19. Little Future Founders

Sonia Agarwal Bajaj floated Little Future Founders in 2024 as an edtech-led D2C brand focussed on simplifying financial literacy for children aged 5 to 12 years. The company develops books and learning toys designed to introduce young minds to foundational money concepts in an age-appropriate manner.

Positioned at the intersection of education and play, the Agra-based brand aims to make conversations about saving, spending, and financial responsibility more accessible to children and parents alike. Through interactive content and activity-driven products, Little Future Founders seeks to bridge the gap in early financial education, an area often overlooked in traditional curriculum.

The company offers 11-20 SKUs, with an average monthly MRR of ₹1.5 Lakh. Sales are driven largely through online channels, with the company indicating no offline presence.

20. MIJA

Set up in 2025 by Kushal Jaimin Shah, Mumbai-based MIJA is a D2C jewellery brand offering a curated range of lab-grown diamond jewellery. The brand crafts its pieces in 18 karat gold vermeil over sterling silver, combining contemporary aesthetics with classic design sensibilities.

Positioned at the intersection of accessibility and sophistication, MIJA caters to modern consumers seeking fine jewellery that aligns with evolving values around sustainability and self-expression. Its collections are designed to mark personal milestones — from self-love and friendship to family and romance — while offering versatility suited to everyday wear in a fast-paced lifestyle.

According to the company, MIJA offers over 50 stock keeping units (SKUs) and with an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹25 Lakh. The brand operates on a fully digital model through its website.

21. MyORL-Care Pvt Ltd

Founded in July 2025 by Dr Snehal Dhatrak, MyORL-Care Pvt Ltd is an oral healthcare startup designed to disrupt a system that has stagnated for over 200 years through innovation-led solutions. The brand focuses on rethinking conventional dental and oral care products with a more modern, science-backed approach.

The Nashik-based startup positions itself as a next-generation oral care brand, seeking to improve everyday dental hygiene practices. By combining clinical insight with contemporary product design, MyORL-Care aims to introduce differentiated solutions in a market largely dominated by legacy players and traditional formats.

The startup clocks an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹70,000 and operates with 6–10 SKUs. Online channels make up its entire sales.

22. Nari’yal Cosmetics

Nari’yal Cosmetics is a coconut-based beauty products brand built around the philosophy of ‘Traditional Rituals, Transformational Results’ and ‘Soul Deep, Not Skin Deep’. 

Founded in 2022 by Bhumesh Patel and Rahul Patil, the brand blends heritage-inspired formulations with modern innovation to enhance natural beauty through coconut-led skincare solutions.

The Pune-based startup has positioned itself as an inclusive skincare brand designed for all skin types, genders and age groups. Drawing from the cultural significance of coconut in traditional rituals, Nari’yal Cosmetics aims to deliver effective, everyday skincare that celebrates authenticity and feminine strength while remaining accessible and versatile.

The startup clocks an average monthly recurring revenue of ₹45 Lakh and operates with 11–20 SKUs.

23. Nazrana Chikan

D2C fashion brand Nazrana Chikan specialises in authentic handcrafted Chikankari garments for both men and women. The startup was launched in November 2020 by Yash Khairajani, Mohnish Khairajani, Dilip Khairajani and Dinesh Khairajani. While the legacy of the brand traces back to 1981, the current entity operates with a renewed focus on organised retail and direct-to-consumer expansion.

Rooted in Lucknow’s traditional embroidery heritage, Nazrana Chikan offers a wide range of intricately hand-embroidered apparel, along with a recently introduced line of Chikankari accessories. The brand seeks to preserve and promote the craft while catering to contemporary tastes, blending traditional artistry with modern silhouettes and styling preferences.

Nazrana Chikan runs over 50 SKUs and records an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹1.5 Cr. About 80% of its sales comes from offline channels, while its website, and Instagram make up the rest.

24. Pexpo

Pexpo began its journey in November 2015 as a consumer brand specialising in stainless steel bottles and hydration products. Over the years, the startup floated by Aparna Dani and Vedant Padia has built a strong presence across online marketplaces, positioning itself among the leading players in India’s steel bottles category.

The New Delhi-based startup has emerged as the second-largest brand in the steel bottles segment in marketplaces, competing with established names such as Milton. While it has scaled distribution and volumes significantly, Pexpo is now focussed on strengthening brand recall and consumer awareness as it aims for the top slot.

With more than 50 SKUs, the startup clocks an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹20 Cr. It generates 55% of its sales from marketplaces and 45% from offline channels. Its own website contributes negligibly to the topline.

25. PROMUNCH

D2C snack brand PROMUNCH is focussed on protein-rich, better-for-you products. The company, floated by Parth Mutha of Indore, aims to tap into the growing demand for healthier alternatives by offering snacks that are both nutritious and flavour-forward.

Operating in the health and fitness nutrition segment, PROMUNCH seeks to address the gap between indulgent snacking and functional nutrition. Its portfolio centres on protein-packed offerings designed for consumers looking for convenient, guilt-free options without compromising on taste.

With 11-20 SKUs, the startup clocks an average MRR of ₹27 Lakh, from sales diversified across channels, with 50% coming from offline distribution, 45% from marketplaces and 5% from its own website.

26. Sanjana Reddy Designs

Sanjana Reddy Designs has been specialising in luxury menswear labels in the premium occasionwear segment since 2023. Siblings Varun and Sanjana Reddy Nimma floated the company with a focus on curated collections spanning partywear shirts, wedding ensembles, bespoke blazers, bandhgalas, tailored trousers and complete ceremonial sets.

Positioned in the premium menswear segment, the brand blends contemporary Indian design sensibilities with structured tailoring and detailed craftsmanship. Its offerings cater to consumers seeking statement occasionwear and personalised styling, particularly in the wedding and celebration segment.

Sanjana Reddy Designs operates 11 to 20 SKUs and averages a monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹1.2 Lakh. 

27. SEXSEA & Billion Dollar Club 

Founded in 2025 by Gurshant Bhatia, SEXSEA and Billion Dollar Club operate under Nexdo Enterprise Pvt Ltd, with a vision to build category-defining Indian beauty and grooming brands. While SEXSEA focuses on high-performance skincare and haircare for women, Billion Dollar Club (BDC) targets the men’s grooming segment with luxury, results-driven formulations.

The New Delhi-based venture positions SEXSEA as a playful luxury brand developed over two years in collaboration with dermatologists and cosmetic scientists, offering formulations tailored for Indian climates and housed in precision airless bottles to maintain potency. Billion Dollar Club, on the other hand, blends skincare with a hustle-driven ethos aimed at modern men seeking performance and precision in grooming.

The startup’s portfolio spans 21–50 SKUs, with 100% of sales routed through the brand’s website.

28. Sitaram Ayurveda

Traditional wellness and healthcare formulations brand Sitaram Ayurveda is a brainchild of Janani Ramanathan and Vignesh Devraj. Launched in 2020, the brand has its portfolio built around Ayurvedic principles and delivers time-tested remedies in modern, accessible formats.

The Hyderabad-based startup has its products in personal care and wellness categories. By emphasising authenticity, ingredient purity and adherence to traditional preparation methods, Sitaram Ayurveda seeks to cater to consumers looking for holistic and natural healthcare alternatives.

The startup averages a recurring revenue of ₹30 Lakh per month from over 50 SKUs. Around 80% of its sales come from offline channels, while marketplaces and its own website equally share the rest.

29. Sockscarving

Founded in 2023 by Viren Zalavadiya, Yaxit Mandaviya and Yash Sukhadiya, Ahmedabad-based Sockscarving offers a wide range of designs across various categories of socks. The D2C startup has positioned itself as a comfort-led essentials brand with an emphasis on durability and fit.

Sockscaving differentiates itself through bold design aesthetics, strong elastic construction and what it describes as a customer-first approach. Targeting daily wear consumers, the brand aims to combine functionality with visual appeal in a category often treated as a basic wardrobe staple.

Sockscaving runs over 50 SKUs and has recorded an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹1.5 Cr. 

30. Taazo Paneer

Taazo Paneer is a New Delhi-based direct-to-consumer dairy brand, focussed on producing and delivering fresh, pure dairy products such as paneer, ghee and dahi – made from 100% pure milk delivered directly to the doorstep. 

Kshirodh Aggarwal, Rohit Garg, Sumant Aggarwal and Anamika Aggarwal set up the brand in 2022 and positioned it around the belief that purity in everyday food matters, particularly for families that prioritise freshness and quality in staple dairy products. By cutting out intermediaries and controlling production and delivery, Taazo aims to ensure consistent quality and taste in its core dairy offerings.

According to the company, Taazo Paneer operates four-five stock keeping units (SKUs) and records a recurring revenue of ₹3 Lakh a month. Sales are currently driven entirely through WhatsApp.

31. The Cocktail Shop

Archit Singhal brewed up the idea for The Cocktail Shop, a specialised barware and hospitality supplies brand operating under AMM Brands LLP, in 2022. The company caters to bar owners, bartenders and hospitality businesses seeking professional-grade tools and accessories to elevate beverage service. 

The New Delhi-based startup positions itself as a one-stop destination for high-quality barware, offering an extensive product range designed to equip bars and restaurants with everything – from essential tools to premium service accessories. By focusing on durability, functionality, and professional standards, The Cocktail Shop aims to support hospitality businesses in delivering a seamless, elevated customer experience.

The startup clocks an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹5 lakh across more than 50 SKUs, with sales split evenly between offline and its website.

32. The Pony and Peony Co.

Vasudha and Jaspreet Ahuja founded The Pony and Peony Co. in 2020 as a premium kidswear label focussed on creating timeless, high-quality outfits for children. The brand designs and produces occasionwear that balances comfort with refined aesthetics, and has settled itself in the premium segment of the children’s fashion market.

The New Delhi-based startup carefully selects fabrics and oversees sourcing and production to ensure its garments prioritise a child’s comfort without compromising on style. With a focus on special occasions and statement pieces, The Pony and Peony Co aims to offer thoughtfully designed ensembles that stand out for both craftsmanship and elegance.

The startup posts an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹40 Lakh and operates over 50 SKUs, with 50% of its sales coming from its own website, 45% from marketplaces and 5% from offline channels.

33. Tiny Jewels

Roshni Deshmukh named her startup Tiny Jewels after its target group. The Pune-based company makes fine jewellery for children. The brand crafts its pieces in 14kt and 18kt gold, offering lightweight, child-friendly designs to mark special milestones.

Tiny Jewels chose a niche business segment, bridging a gap with safe, high-quality and thoughtfully designed gold jewellery. Its collections feature personalisation options such as initials, names and symbolic motifs, while the brand also emphasises experience-led packaging designed to make gifting more memorable.

Tiny Jewels has over 50 SKUs and has an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹2 Lakh. 

34. Urbanrac

Bengaluru-based Urbanrac is a children’s apparel brand focussed on everyday wear crafted from organic cotton and natural fabrics. The company aims to raise the standard of children’s daily clothing by combining comfort, functionality, and premium-quality materials.

Founded in 2024, Urbanrac positions itself as a brand of breathable, skin-friendly garments designed to be gentle on newborns and toddlers. Emphasising export-quality standards and sustainable fabric choices, the brand blends comfort with durability, catering to modern families seeking safe and practical wardrobe essentials for their kids.

According to founder Teja Reddy, Urbanrac has over 50 SKUs with an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹1 Lakh. 

35. VaYou

Founded in 2025 by Gaurav Agarwal, Amit Goyal, and Nishu Shorewala, VaYou is a clean and conscious Ayurvedic skincare brand that develops formulations inspired by traditional Ayurvedic principles while aligning with modern preferences for ingredient transparency and mindful beauty.

The Mumbai-based startup aims to bring plant-based, holistic skincare solutions to consumers seeking gentler, more natural alternatives to chemical-heavy products. By positioning itself at the intersection of ancient wisdom and contemporary clean beauty trends, VaYou seeks to offer everyday skincare that prioritises both efficacy and long-term skin health.

The startup clocks an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹1 Lakh. The brand operates with 11–20 SKUs, with 90% of its sales coming from online channels, as per the company’s reported split.

36. Vaanaya Health

Arjun Kohli’s Vaanaya Health is a children’s nutrition brand focussed on delivering age-specific formulations that combine traditional wisdom with modern research. The company develops products tailored to various developmental milestones, using clean ingredients and carefully designed blends.

The Gurugram-based startup aims to simplify wellness for families by offering targeted nutrition solutions from early childhood through adolescence. By listening to parents, rigorously testing its formulations and focusing on clarity in communication, Vaanaya Health seeks to provide effective, trustworthy products that support children’s growth and overall well-being.

According to the startup, its average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) stands at ₹1.25 Lakh. The brand operates with 1–2 SKUs and generates 100% of its sales through its own website.

37. Vito Moda

Vinayak Tamshete floated Jalna-based Vito Moda, is a premium menswear brand specialising in formal wear. The label focuses on garments crafted from imported fabrics, positioning itself within the “silent luxury” segment of the market.

Vito Moda aims to cater to men seeking understated sophistication, with an emphasis on clean tailoring, refined finishes and premium materials. Its collections are designed to reflect minimalism and elegance, rather than overt branding, aligning with the growing demand for subtle, high-quality formal attire.

Vito Moda offers over 50 SKUs. In terms of channel mix, 90% of its sales are generated through offline channels, while 10% comes from online platforms.

38. Wave Of Wellness

Mumbai-based Wave Of Wellness is a science-backed, ritual-led wellness and body care brand focussed on combining functional efficacy with sensorial pleasure. The brand develops clinically tested formulations designed to address often-overlooked body concerns such as rough texture, body acne and ingrown hair, positioning skincare as a long-term commitment rather than a quick fix.

A brainchild of Aarti Palaniaims, rolled out in May 2025, tries to bridge the gap between performance-driven body care and emotionally grounding self-care rituals. By blending research-led ingredients with mindful usage routines, Wave Of Wellness seeks to make effective body care both accessible and enjoyable. 

The startup clocks an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹25,000 from 6–10 SKUs and generates all of its sales through online channels.

39. YELL

Vipul Gupta and Divya Gupta set up YELL as a premium linen apparel brand in 2010, centred on thoughtful design and everyday comfort. The company focuses on creating breathable, minimalist garments tailored for daily wear.

Operating in the contemporary apparel segment, YELL emphasises fabric quality and understated aesthetics, with linen as its core material. The brand caters to consumers seeking relaxed silhouettes and functional wardrobe staples that balance comfort with refined styling.

According to the New Delhi-based company, YELL offers over 50 SKUs and has an average monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹50 Lakh. The brand’s revenue is heavily offline-driven, with 99% of sales coming from physical retail channels and 1% generated through its website.

40. Ytaminz Fashion

Founded in 2024 by Kirpal Singh and Deepal Singh, Ytaminz Fashion is a D2C women’s ethnic-wear brand offering handcrafted kurtas and dresses that blend traditional Indian aesthetics with contemporary comfort. The brand focuses on delivering silhouettes for everyday wear and special occasions.

The Ahmedabad-based startup aims to bridge heritage craftsmanship with modern sensibilities by creating versatile pieces rooted in Indian design traditions. Through carefully curated collections, Ytaminz Fashion seeks to cater to women looking for culturally inspired apparel that does not compromise on comfort or practicality.

The startup averages a monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of ₹1.03 Lakh with 21–50 SKUs and generates 100% of its sales through its own website.

The post Meet The 40 D2C Brands From Inc42’s Sixth Cohort Of D2CX appeared first on Inc42 Media.

With the biotech boom radically changing the definition of life and the meaning of our existence over the last couple of decades, businesses have turned to labs to recreate the building blocks of life, rapidly bringing in a fundamental transformation in the way humanity survived down the centuries. 

The rush, in effect, sent the global bioprocessing industry on an 11.39% growth trajectory to scale a height of $228.73 Bn by 2033. 

The exploding demand for bio-based ingredients in industries like cosmetics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and foods has fostered a 16-fold surge in India’s bio-economy to $165.7 Bn in the last 10 years. Projecting a $300 Bn business opportunity unfolding by 2030, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Union Budget for FY27 thrashed out a ₹10,000 Cr outlay for the government’s Biopharma Shakti scheme to bolster India’s ecosystem for production of biologics and biosimilars through the next five years.

But, scaling up bioprocessing from the experiment stage to commercially viable volumes remains challenging. Lemnisca took a leap into this soaring demand in the bioprocessing industry. Founders Pushkar Pendse and Shilpa Nargund planned to plug the gaps they spotted between the lab and the factory. 

“Biotech has been around for 20 years but has only been successful in developing things like insulin, which sells at $10,000 per kilo. How do you make biotech accessible at $10 per kg?” Nargund wondered during an interaction with Inc42. 

The Bengaluru-based startup is building a digital twin platform for fermentation to help biotech manufacturers ramp up bioprocesses and reach industrial scale. Essentially, they combine a biological understanding of microbes along with modelling different physical conditions to predict how bioprocesses behave at scale. This speeds up the experimentation. 

Inside The Bioprocess Bottlenecks

A doctorate in chemical engineering and a bioprocess industry veteran, seasoned for 15 years, Nargund was deeply familiar with the challenges that manufacturers encounter while trying to scale up production in India, the third-largest biotech market in the Asia-Pacific and among the top 12 globally. Resolving the hurdles will help India raise its share in the global biotech market beyond 3%. 

In a lab environment, conditions like temperature and oxygen are much easier to control at a 1 litre volume scale. But in an industrial setting, the same conditions can’t be uniformly guaranteed at a scale of 1 Lakh litres. That means the microbes driving these bioprocesses may not consistently behave the same way. 

As a result, finding the most efficient and reliable way to commercialise biotech processes depends heavily on trial and error. 

“Customers care about achieving the maximum productivity from the fermentation process and maintaining the same productivity as they scale up. When they are trying to evaluate the best productivity they can get, they are screening a lot of experiments in the wet lab, but no matter how much effort you put in, you may not be able to do more than 100 experiments,” she said. 

The range of possible parameters and inputs for designing the right experiment is, however, so vast that getting the optimal approach continues to be a harder challenge. 

During her stint with the Singapore branch of Insilico Biotechnology, Nargund was introduced to the concept of digital twins and how they could solve problems. She decided to start up in this space and teamed up with Pendse for his expertise in modelling chemical processes. 

In Search Of A Solution In Digital Twins 

Their expertise led to the making of the tech stack – a ‘hybrid model’ that simulates the behaviour of living cells – the building blocks of our body, in other words – as well as the physical conditions around them to understand how they respond to changes in their environment. 

Digital twins organise bioprocess development, suggest experimental designs, and manage new knowledge. This drastically lowers process development costs by combining previous platform knowledge to predict future process results. 

Lemnisca’s concept of digital twins for bioprocessing isn’t unique globally, as companies like Germany-based Differential Bio and America’s Invert Bio offer similar services. Nargund herself worked for Insilico, another German firm in the same space. In the Indian context, Lemnisca’s was one of a kind. 

“Instead of running experiments in the lab that takes both time and effort, we can run these experiments virtually and complete thousands in the time that it could take to do just one in the lab. This reduces both costs and time to take it to the market, and ends the uncertainty,” Nargund said. 

What further sets Lemnisca apart is that the startup paired its tech solution with physical infrastructure by building in-house wet lab capabilities. This is a crucial part of the company’s value proposition, as it enables a feedback loop of ‘learning’. Running experiments in the wet lab generates data that can be used to improve the accuracy of the models that power their digital twin platform. 

As the model gets better at simulating how different parameters change the outcomes of the fermentation processes while scaling up, its outputs can be used to design better physical experiments. 

But this approach created yet another problem. “Before we could get data from our wet lab, we needed the working algorithms,” Nargund pointed out. Due to the lack of available standardised data, the team had to resort to “creative solutions” like generating synthetic data through mechanistic models or using public datasets from Kaggle, a global data science community.

Plus, having to build both the wet lab capabilities as well as developing a digital twin platform is a much bigger task than focusing on only one or the other. “Doing both at the same time is like trying to build 1.5 startups,” she said. 

Towards The Next Hurdle And Beyond

The next milestone for Lemnisca would be to prove that its tech is innovative and fit to be deployed in a manufacturing setting. In 2025, its first year of having a viable solution, it plans to take on just one or two programmes or microbial processes, creating a specific product like a chemical or protein. 

From there on, Lemnisca can focus on either horizontal or vertical growth. That means either taking on more processes across different customers or different types of molecules; or taking control of multiple steps in the manufacturing process for a particular molecule, beyond fermentation. 

Nargund declined to share any details on the company’s customers, citing confidentiality agreements, but clarified that the startup plans to cater to both Indian and international customers in equal measure. 

That said, the company isn’t tied down to any particular industry or type of product. “Any molecule that is naturally made can today be made with microbes. We are agnostic to what products the customers are making,” Nargund said. 

She added that Lemnisca could take on a diverse variety of customers – its platform could work for anything from making squalene (an organic compound used in cosmetics) to Omega-3 fatty acids for nutraceuticals players, to food colouring and flavouring. 

Lemnisca is poised to ride the biotech boom, if its ambitious approach combining wet-lab infrastructure and digital twin platform can deliver speed and cost advantages. Yet, at the same time, betting on two highly complex endeavours doubles the risk of failure.

[Edited by Kumar Chatterjee]

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Deep beneath the sea, an industry has prospered over the years, driving thousands of skilled personnel who dare the waves to take a deep dive to secure oil and gas infrastructure, maintain underwater pipelines, and various climatic activities. 

Commercial diving is today an $8.50 Bn global industry, growing at 3.91% a year to reach $11.12 Bn by 2032, but it never ceased to haunt the divers, claiming up to 18 lives out of every 10,000 taking the plunge every year. While battling ocean currents and low visibility under the water, the divers encounter an increasing atmospheric pressure that can cause barotrauma or decompression sickness while ascending too fast or nitrogen narcosis that distorts their mental state and judgement at depths beyond 30-40 m. 

Hydropower or oil and gas infrastructure is often installed as deep as 100-120 m underwater or even more. Any damage to the structure can result in power disruptions or environmental hazards. This makes executing undersea inspections and repairs more critical, exposing the divers to extreme risks. 

If humanoids could replace humans in such extreme conditions, lives could be saved. The thought had prompted Johns T Mathai and Kannappa Palaniappan P to work on remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). They went on to set up EyeROV in Kochi back in 2016 to develop robots for undersea inspections. The startup raised ₹10 Cr ($1.2 Mn) in pre-Series A round in 2024, led by AWE Funds and Unicorn India Ventures. 

Marine robotics deeptech startups like EyeROV attained greater importance with the $3.5 Bn global subsea maintenance services market averaging a 13.5% growth rate to reach $11 Bn by 2032 and India emerging as a major player in this entire orchestration. 

EyeROV is not the only one going deep down with its robots. The government’s push for ‘Make in India’ technologies has also fostered the growth of companies like Xera Robotics and Planys Technologies heightening competition in India’s $108.86 Mn undersea robotics market that’s likely to reach $309.60 Mn by 2032 with an annual expansion rate of 18.27%.

“Our vision is to become a global leader in marine robotics. As the prime minister says, we want to build in India and sell to the world,” said Johns, thrashing out the company’s vision during an interaction with Inc42. 

What supports this vision is an increasing demand for underwater robotics, fuelled by an escalating need for environmental research, as well as applications in the energy and defence sector. The volatile geopolitical environment makes local manufacturing of advanced hardware like robots a strategic priority, reaffirming both EyeROV’s narrative and aspiration. 

Innovation That Solves Marine Reality 

“We started up in 2016 to build underwater vehicles or robots to do quick inspections of structures like ship hulls, dams, bridges, and port structures,” said Johns. “These assets typically are at a depth of 100 m or more. So, it is a very risky and harsh environment for humans to dive that deep.” 

That’s how EyeROV began its journey, triggered largely by an incident that made Kannappa intrigued in subsea robotics during his stint as a marine scientist at the National Institute of Ocean Technology. While he was travelling on a ship, there was the need for an inspection of the hull after a collision. As the inspection called for specialised divers, it took a couple of days before they could arrive and let the ship resume its journey. 

Johns was working at industrial automation startup GreyOrange at that time. The two old friends, who had earlier founded a robotics club together in college, went on to float EyeROV. It took them six-nine months to build the proof of concept prototype, which turned into their first underwater vehicle Tuna, an ROV designed for underwater inspections at up to 100 m depth. Within 18 months, they had developed the first commercial-grade version which was delivered to a laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). 

EyeROV claims it has so far completed more than 100 inspection projects. “We are operating in India, Middle East, and Europe with a team of over 65 employees and expanding to Southeast Asia. We are scaling aggressively in terms of team size and revenue now,” Johns said. 

He, however, declined to share specific business figures. “We have been growing 2-3-fold almost every year. We were EBITDA positive and PAT positive last year, and look forward to being profitable this year as well,” he said.

While Tuna remains a core product in the company’s portfolio, EyeROV has expanded its offerings with iBoat Alpha, an unmanned surface vehicle, essentially an autonomous boat designed to collect water samples and measure water depth at ports, which is a crucial task to enable vessels to move properly and not get grounded in unexpectedly shallow water. 

EyeROV Eyes Bigger Portfolio 

As EyeROV began skating, it started working with dams and the hydropower sector, maritime and port organisations, and oil and gas companies like ONGC, BPCL, and GAIL, as well as government research organisations. According to Johns, 75% of the company’s customers are government bodies and PSUs. 

This led to one of the company’s major achievements – a collaboration with the Indian Navy through the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) scheme. “We were selected for Defence India Startup Challenge and asked to build an advanced underwater ROV for military and civilian applications,” Johns said. 

The company built Trout – a specialised, advanced version of Tuna that can operate in open waters up to a depth of 300 m. While Tuna is suitable for onshore applications, Trout can be used for inspections of offshore structures, like deep-sea pipelines or oil rigs in open water. After EyeROV conducted a series of trials and demos, the Indian Navy placed a ₹47 Cr order with the startup for the procurement of Trout models. 

EyeROV also has launched a specialised ROV called TS-ROV, built for the inspection of long-range tunnels and pipelines. “TS-ROV is mainly used to inspect very long tunnels and pipelines which carry water between dams or from a dam to a power generation turbine. These tunnels don’t have multiple entry points, so you need to travel long-range in and out,” Johns said. “TS-ROV has a range of 10 km. Tuna and Trout can go 500-800 m while most of the other underwater ROVs in the industry have a maximum range of 1 km.” 

EyeROV believes its TS-ROV has an edge over competitors due to this high range, as well as its ability to carry multiple sensor payloads, which enables advanced inspection capabilities. 

A point of pride for the startup is its highly localised supply chain. It designs its ROVs in-house and claims that 70-80% of the final product is manufactured locally. Only the payloads – the highly specialised on-board sensors – are imported, as there are no India-based vendors for the same. “We have been awarded around five patents and five more are under evaluation,” he added. 

“We also have an advanced software analytics platform. For example, from a dam inspection, typically you will have 200 hours of video and you need someone to look at the entire data and identify issues, which is very difficult. We have built a system using AI that can automatically identify and tag cracks and anomalies in the video footage, and we also do post-processing that enhances images and videos. Essentially, we are generating a digital twin of the structure to spot defects.” 

The Business Model Of ROVs 

EyeROV operates on a dual business model. Clients can hire the startup under the Robotics-as-a-Service model, as part of which EyeROV sends in its crew who operate their products to conduct an inspection of the asset, which could be a dam, port, ship, or any other type of infrastructure. Based on the resulting analysis, the client receives an inspection report identifying any issues and recommending the appropriate measures such as repairing cracks or failures. 

EyeROV also offers a direct sale option where customers can buy the equipment and are trained to use it. “We sell the equipment mostly to defence organisations and disaster response forces like the NDRF or police, where they don’t have time to call us for our services when incidents like drowning occur,” Johns said. 

The direct sale model is also used by research organisations like the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research. “NCPOR does research in remote locations like Antarctica and they cannot take our crew as transportation comes at a high cost so they prefer to operate the product themselves. Plus, the data is confidential.” 

While working mainly with government organisations is a point of prestige, it also raises challenges from the perspective of meeting investor expectations. 

“Investors used to shy away from defence due to long lead cycles. It is getting better with recent changes to the procurement policy but it still needs to be improved. The acceptance of new technologies and our clients’ risk appetite in the procurement process has to increase. It takes 10-12 years to scale a deeptech company, but if VCs are coming in, their timeline is 5-6 years for generating returns. To meet that, our end-clients have to speed up in terms of technology acceptance,” said Johns. 

The founders started out focussed on building an innovative product. But as the company matured, they realised one of them had to take over the business side. Johns stepped into the shoes of the CEO, while Kannappa took the lead on product development as the CTO. 

India’s 7,517 km coastline runs through nine states and touches 1,382 islands. The government’s vision of New India by 2030 highlights the Blue Economy as one of the 10 core dimensions of growth. The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) devised the Deep Ocean Mission with an allocation of ₹4,077 Cr for five years to 2028. The aim is to help India achieve its target of building a ₹10,000 Cr blue economy. 

Backed by an increasing push for a Digital India, the Deep Ocean Mission has unleashed a great opportunity for deeptech startups like EyeROV. The founders believe their products have the edge to drive business, while government policies pave the way for more deeptech players to ride the raging waves into India’s booming blue economy. 

The post How EyeROV Is Taking India Through The Unchartered Waters Of Marine Robotics appeared first on Inc42 Media.

February marked the beginning of a new chapter in the evolving story of the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. The month saw a series of concrete developments that turned the government’s policy intent into visible, on-ground action.

The tone was set by the Union Budget 2026 that doubles down on deeptech and advanced manufacturing, from the launch of the Indian Semiconductor Mission 2.0 and a higher outlay for electronics manufacturing to tax holidays for hyperscalers and data centre players. 

A ₹10K Cr growth fund for SMEs and continued backing for the Startup India Fund of Funds further underlined the Centre’s intent to build long-term capacity.

Days later, the government revised the definition of startups, allowing deeptech ventures to qualify for recognition and benefits for up to 20 years — a crucial move for R&D-heavy businesses with long gestation cycles. 

The country also hosted the India AI Impact Summit 2026 last month. The summit hosted global tech leaders, who committed billions towards India’s AI infrastructure, while homegrown players such as Sarvam showcased indigenous large language models and cutting-edge innovations.

Funding trends echoed this strategic shift. While overall monthly funding remained measured, capital flowed steadily into AI, semiconductors, defence tech and advanced manufacturing.

Even on the public markets front, startups like Aye Finance and Fractal made their market debuts, amid a strong IPO pipeline.

Against this backdrop, the latest edition of Inc42’s flagship “30 Startups To Watch” reflects the new mood. From semiconductor fabs and sentinel robots to flying taxis and hearing-tech innovators, the 68th edition of the series captures an ecosystem that is building for depth, resilience and global relevance.

With that said, here’s the list of 30 startups that caught our attention in February 2026.

Editor’s Note: The list below is not a ranking but rather a window into startups that caught our eye last month.

Aexo Aerospace | Building The Future Of Urban Mobility 

As Indian cities expand, urban infrastructure is struggling to keep pace. Congestion in tier I cities is worsening. Many believe electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft — commonly known as air taxis — could offer a practical solution.

While several global players are advancing commercial air taxi programmes, India’s ecosystem is still at an early stage, with limited indigenous development. Bengaluru-based Aexo Aerospace aims to change that.

Founded in 2024 by Sourav Samantara, Aexo Aerospace is building compact electric aerial vehicles capable of vertical take-off and landing. Its aircraft are designed to carry one to three passengers, targeting urban mobility, medical evacuations and defence use cases.

The startup’s single-seater prototype, Vyura, has already completed hundreds of controlled test flights to validate flight stability, propulsion systems, control algorithms and safety redundancies.

Beyond aircraft development, Aexo is also working on supporting infrastructure, including dedicated “vertiports” for landing and charging within cities.

As India steps up its focus on indigenous aerospace and next-generation mobility, Aexo could play an important role in shaping short-distance aerial transport. It will, however, face competition from emerging players such as LAT Aerospace and Sarla Aviation, which are also preparing to enter the air taxi market.

Ayukriyam | AI-Assisted Disease Diagnosis

Accurate and timely diagnosis of diseases remains a major challenge in India’s healthcare system, especially in smaller clinics and resource-constrained regions where access to advanced pathology infrastructure and trained specialists is limited. 

Delhi NCR-based Ayukriyam Innovations is building AI-powered diagnostic systems to make disease detection faster, more accurate and accessible. Founded in 2024 by IIT Delhi professor Ravikrishnan Elangovan, the startup is a spin-off from the Molecular Imaging & Diagnostics Lab at IIT Delhi.

Ayukriyam is developing automated microscopy and diagnostic platforms that combine whole slide imaging with AI to streamline lab workflows. Its flagship product, Autoscope, is a digital pathology platform for cervical cancer screening.

It performs real-time, on-device AI inference, reducing reliance on high-bandwidth connectivity and cutting workflow delays. The platform is designed for use beyond large centralised labs, enabling advanced diagnostics directly in clinics and healthcare centres.

The startup showcased Autoscope at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi and received support from the Technology Development Board, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, to commercialise the platform and build manufacturing capabilities.

India’s AI-driven point-of-care and automated molecular diagnostics market is projected to reach $618.5 Mn by 2033, offering strong tailwinds for players like Ayukriyam.

Bubble Me | Magnesium‑Centric Wellness Brand

For many people, an after-work bath is more than routine. It helps ease stress, relax muscles and improve sleep. Warm water can lower cortisol levels and trigger the release of endorphins, making bathing a simple but effective way to unwind.

Building on this idea, Akshina Jindal, a former analyst at Goldman Sachs, founded Bubble Me in 2024. The startup is a magnesium-focused bath and body care brand aimed at promoting relaxation, better sleep and muscle recovery.

Using magnesium as its core ingredient, Bubble Me offers supplements, bath salts, balms and sachets. The company develops its formulations in-house and currently has a portfolio of 22 products.

Since launch, the startup claims to have shipped over 1 Mn sachets to more than 400K customers, generating ₹1 Cr in revenue so far.

Bubble Me is targeting India’s relatively underpenetrated bath salts market, which is projected to grow from $182.1 Mn in 2024 to $264.5 Mn by 2033.

BoxPay | Offering A Smarter Way To Manage Global Payments

As digital transactions surge, businesses are increasingly working with multiple payment providers to improve success rates, reduce costs and offer customers diverse payment options. But integrating and managing several gateways can be complex, resource-heavy and difficult to maintain. Delhi NCR-based fintech SaaS startup BoxPay aims to simplify this with a UPI.

Founded in 2022 by former Uber for Business enterprise head Puneet Singh and ex-Expedia Group APAC payments head Shobhit Mehra, BoxPay offers a payment orchestration platform that acts as a layer between merchants and payment service providers.

Instead of separate integrations with multiple gateways, banks and payment methods, businesses integrate once with BoxPay and gain access to several providers.

The platform enables dynamic transaction routing based on performance, cost or reliability, helping merchants improve authorisation rates and reduce failures.

By abstracting backend complexity, BoxPay allows companies to focus on growth rather than managing fragmented payment systems.

The startup has processed over $350 Mn in transactions and reached an annualised run rate of $1.5 Bn in 2025. Backed by DeVC and Axilor Ventures, it is expanding across sectors. India’s digital and merchant payments market processed $265 Tn in transaction value in FY24 and is projected to reach around $593 Tn by FY29.

Bravecore | Autonomous Security For Critical Infrastructure

As India pushes to indigenise its defence and internal security infrastructure, autonomous surveillance and AI-powered robotics are gaining traction. From border monitoring to securing transit hubs, there is a rising demand for intelligent systems that can detect threats in real time while reducing reliance on manual surveillance.

Defence tech startup Bravecore is building indigenous drones and robotic platforms for military and critical infrastructure use.

Founded in 2024 by former naval officers Atul Dharan and Uday Mathew, Bravecore develops AI-powered aerial and ground-based surveillance systems. Its high-speed drones are equipped with electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) payloads, enabling operations in low-visibility and high-risk environments. These platforms support reconnaissance, monitoring and real-time intelligence gathering.

The startup is also developing rail-mounted robotic surveillance systems for metro stations and transit hubs.

These autonomous units can monitor crowds, detect suspicious objects such as unattended baggage and strengthen public safety.

By combining AI, robotics and advanced imaging, Bravecore aims to reduce response times and improve operational efficiency for defence and security agencies.

The Indian defence UAV and autonomous systems market is projected to grow to $1.8 Bn+ by 2030 from $0.7 Bn in 2025, offering significant headroom for players like Bravecore to thrive.

Carbine Systems | Building Precision Lasers For Modern Warfare

With the pace of modern warfare evolving, directed-energy weapons such as high-energy lasers are becoming a strategic priority for militaries worldwide. They offer precision targeting and lower cost per engagement compared to conventional munitions.

Founded in 2023 by engineer-physicist duo Girish Joshi and Kedar Joshi, Carbine Systems is building high-precision engineering systems for aerospace and defence applications.

Its flagship prototype, H.A.R.A. Mk 1 (Hyper Amplification Radiant Array), is a 10 kW-class directed-energy laser designed for engagement ranges of up to 1–2 km.

Unlike kinetic weapons, directed-energy systems reduce logistical complexity while enabling accurate, rapid response. H.A.R.A. Mk 1 recently completed indoor validation tests focused on beam stability, thermal management and overall system integration, demonstrating the strength of its core architecture.

Carbine’s defence capabilities build on its origins in laser-based advanced manufacturing, particularly in laser–matter interaction. This technical foundation has allowed the startup to design and develop complex laser systems in-house.

Incubated at IIT Mandi Catalyst, Carbine Systems is targeting India’s precision aerospace and defence components market, projected to grow from $536 Mn in 2025 to $996.1 Mn by 2034.

CraftifAI | Craft, Code, Create Embedded Software With Agentic AI

As drones, robots, and smart cameras become more common, building the software that runs them remains complicated. Engineers usually have to write chip-specific code, which makes it difficult to switch hardware or scale products quickly. Bengaluru-based AI-native startup CraftifAI is trying to simplify this process.

Founded in 2024 by Pratik Sharda and Yashwant Dagar, CraftifAI has developed an AI-powered platform that automates software development for edge devices. 

The platform generates and optimises code to control sensors, cameras, motors, and onboard intelligence systems. Abstracting hardware-level complexity, it allows manufacturers to deploy software across multiple chipsets without rewriting code from scratch.

Sharda previously led product development for PhonePe’s payment devices, while Dagar worked on system design at semiconductor firms.

Their experience highlighted inefficiencies in embedded software development, which shaped CraftifAI’s core thesis.

As sectors like defence, manufacturing, logistics, and smart infrastructure adopt connected and autonomous systems, CraftifAI is positioning itself as an enabling software layer for the edge ecosystem.

It is targeting India’s embedded software market, which is projected to grow from $488 Mn in 2024 to around $911 Mn by 2030.

CURAPOD | Non-Invasive Musculoskeletal Pain Solution

Musculoskeletal pain, which affects bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles, impacts millions of people worldwide. Yet treatment often depends on medication, which can come with side effects and limited long-term relief.

Hyderabad-based healthtech startup CURAPOD is developing wearable medical devices that offer drug-free, personalised pain management using light-based therapy.

Founded in 2022 by Sri Velliyur and Surya Prakash Maguluri, CURAPOD builds clinically validated devices powered by photobiomodulation. This therapy uses targeted red light wavelengths to stimulate cellular repair, improve blood circulation and reduce inflammation.

Its flagship wearable delivers non-invasive treatment for a range of musculoskeletal conditions, including back pain, joint disorders, muscle injuries and sports-related strain. By penetrating deep into tissue, the device supports natural healing, allowing users to undergo therapy at home through consistent daily use.

As interest in non-pharmaceutical and wearable healthcare solutions grows, CURAPOD is positioning itself at the intersection of medical devices, digital health and personalised therapy. The startup operates in the global phototherapy equipment market, expected to grow to around $22.7 Mn by 2030.

Ecohomely | Home Services Made Simple

Despite rapid urban change, many households still rely on informal and often unverified professionals for essential services such as repairs, maintenance and cleaning. While larger platforms like Urban Company, Pronto and Snabbit are organising this fragmented market, their presence in tier III and tier IV cities remains limited.

Vizag-based startup Ecohomely is targeting this gap with a localised services marketplace built for emerging urban centres.

Founded in 2025 by Satyanarayana Gottapu, Ecohomely connects users with verified professionals across 25 service categories, including electrical work, plumbing, carpentry, appliance repair, cleaning, gardening, painting, tuitions and driver services. Through its mobile platform, customers can browse providers, check ratings and reviews, and book services directly.

The platform acts as a facilitator, enabling customers and service providers to agree on pricing and timing. Ecohomely charges zero commission from professionals and enables direct, instant payments.

The startup has onboarded over 1,000 service providers after conducting background checks, skill assessments and credential verification. Currently bootstrapped, Ecohomely aims to empower local workers while improving access to reliable home services, betting on growing demand in India’s smaller and fast-expanding cities.

Flabs | Cloud-Based Pathology Lab Management System

Pathology labs are facing growing pressure to deliver faster and more accurate results as testing volumes rise. However, many labs still rely on fragmented systems, manual processes and outdated software, leading to inefficiencies and delays.

Healthtech startup Flabs is working to modernise this ecosystem with a unified, cloud-based operating system built specifically for pathology labs.

Founded in 2023 by Yash Chaudhary, Harsh Jha and Ayush Chauhan, the Delhi NCR-based startup offers a comprehensive laboratory information system (LIS) that digitises and automates the entire diagnostic workflow. Its platform manages patient registration, sample tracking, report generation and delivery through a single interface.

Flabs’ cloud-based architecture allows labs to access and manage data remotely.

A key feature is its AI-driven layer, which automates routine tasks and assists with diagnostic interpretation by analysing test results and generating preliminary insights. This helps reduce manual workload and speed up turnaround times.

The startup has onboarded more than 2,000 laboratories across India and international markets, including Zambia.

Flabs is targeting India’s LIMS and pathology lab software market, projected to grow from $127 Mn in 2024 to around $218.5 Mn by 2030, signalling strong demand for digital lab infrastructure.

Human Archive | Multimodal Data Provider for Robotics Learning

Unlike software AI models that can be trained on vast amounts of internet data, robots must learn through physical interactions on how people move, handle objects and navigate real-world environments. In India, this remains a challenge because such real-world datasets are scarce, expensive to collect and difficult to scale.

Y Combinator-backed Human Archive is building infrastructure to address this gap.

Founded in 2026 by Rushil Agarwal and Samay Maini, the startup develops specialised hardware systems fitted with cameras and sensors to capture detailed recordings of human activity in real-world settings. 

These systems are deployed across homes and industrial spaces, generating structured datasets that help robots better perceive, understand and interact with their surroundings.

The goal is to accelerate the development of autonomous machines capable of performing complex physical tasks. The datasets can power a range of use cases, from industrial automation and warehouse robotics to household assistants and service robots.

As global investment in robotics continues to rise, Human Archive is positioning itself as a foundational data layer for the next generation of intelligent machines, enabling more capable and adaptable robots.

Krvvy | Comfort-First Functional Innerwears

Founded in 2023 by Yash Goyal and Anant Bhardwaj, Delhi NCR-based Krvvy is a D2C intimate apparel brand offering bras, shapewear, panties, bodysuits and related accessories.

The brand focuses on functional design and comfort-led materials, using features such as moisture-wicking and anti-odour fabrics to support all-day wear. Its products are available in an inclusive size range from XS to 7X, catering to a wider range of body types than many traditional innerwear brands.

Krvvy aims to bridge the gap between mass-market innerwear and premium labels by offering engineered, performance-driven products at accessible prices. Rather than focusing only on aesthetics, the startup prioritises fit, comfort and practicality.

The company has raised $837K in its pre-seed funding round from Titan Capital, All In Capital and Namita Thapar.

It has served over 75,000 customers and sells through its website as well as marketplaces such as Amazon and Myntra.

India’s women’s shapewear and functional innerwear market, valued at $49.6 Mn in 2022, is projected to reach around $220.8 Mn by 2032.

Ksham Innovation | Transforming Hearing Care In India 

Founded in 2023 by Pratik Raghuwanshi, Amravati-based deeptech startup Ksham Innovation is developing non-invasive wearable technologies to make hearing assistance more accessible.

The startup builds smart assistive devices for individuals with hearing impairments. Its flagship product, Able Glasses, uses bone conduction technology to transmit sound vibrations directly to the inner ear, bypassing damaged parts of the auditory system. 

Designed like everyday eyewear, the device offers a discreet, non-surgical alternative to traditional hearing aids, improving ease of use while reducing social stigma.

Supporting the hardware is the Able Assistant app, which enables users to conduct quick, AI-powered hearing assessments in line with globally recognised standards. Incubated at SIIC Kanpur, Ksham Innovation aims to tackle affordability and usability barriers in assistive healthcare. It operates in India’s hearing and assistive hearing devices market, projected to grow to around $389.1 Mn by 2034 from $247.9 Mn in 2025.

Meukron Technologies | Helping Microfluidics Medical Device Firms Spur Development Cycle

Microfluidics — the science of controlling tiny volumes of fluids through microscopic channels — plays a key role in making diagnostic devices smaller and more portable. 

These components power rapid test kits, biosensors and lab-on-chip systems. However, designing and prototyping such miniature systems requires specialised capabilities that remain fragmented in India.

Karnataka-based deeptech startup Meukron Technologies is developing rapid-prototyping and manufacturing solutions for microfluidic components.

Founded in 2022 by former Unilever executive Neeraj Bagi, Meukron designs and fabricates micro-scale fluidic systems using materials such as glass and polymers. These systems enable precise handling of small fluid samples, which are critical for medical diagnostics, biotech research, and point-of-care healthcare devices.

A key differentiator is its rapid prototyping capability, which allows microfluidic components to be designed and manufactured in under 30 minutes. 

As demand for rapid diagnostics and portable healthcare devices grows, Meukron is positioning itself as an enabling layer for indigenous healthcare innovation in the global microfluidics and glass micro-fabrication market, projected to reach around $3.04 Bn by 2033.

Muks Robotics | Building Enterprise Humanoids To Solve Labour Shortages

India’s robotics ecosystem is still at a nascent stage, with few domestic players building end-to-end robotic platforms tailored to local needs. Pune-based Muks Robotics is looking to change that by developing intelligent robots for real-world automation.

Founded in 2023 by Mukesh Bangar, the startup builds autonomous robotic systems that combine hardware, sensors and intelligent control software. Its robots are designed to automate tasks that typically require manual effort, improving efficiency and safety across industrial and commercial settings.

At the core of its stack is FusionMax, an omni-modal AI system that powers perception, reasoning and interaction.

This engine supports Spaceo, the startup’s family of humanoid robots: Spaceo Pro for industrial automation, Spaceo M1 for social interaction, and Spaceo Prime, a bipedal explorer built for planetary missions.

Muks has also developed a custom Awareness Processing Unit (APU) to enable real-time situational awareness and adaptive intelligence. The company gained attention after deploying Spaceo M1 at Pune Airport and at Sayaji Hotels in Pune.

It is also the first Indian company to deploy NVIDIA’s RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell 96 GB GPU to power its robots.

The humanoid and autonomous robotics market is projected to grow from $2.4 Bn in 2025 to around $11.6 Bn by 2031, signalling strong growth potential.

Nester | Homeware That Fits Seamlessly Into Your Life

Founded in 2025 by former ProGap chief growth officer Abhinav Singh, Nester is an India-focussed home-appliances brand that designs and manufactures products such as air fryers, toasters, and juicers.

Currently, production is handled through contract manufacturing partners. The startup plans to set up its own facility in the coming months to gain tighter control over quality, supply chains and margins.

Nester sells products such as steam air fryer ovens, wooden seasoning grinders, and kitchen aprons through its D2C website and Amazon.

It aims to expand to quick commerce platforms and offline retail stores, while also widening its product portfolio.

The startup is looking to tap into India’s fast-growing household appliances market, driven by rising disposable incomes, increasing adoption of smart appliances and the expansion of ecommerce and retail infrastructure. The market is projected to grow from $23.7 Bn in 2025 to over $30 Bn by 2030.

Nester competes with new-age brands such as Nuuk, Atomberg, Geek Technology and Wonderchef, while established players like Havells and USHA continue to dominate the broader home appliances space.

NeuroDx | A Brain Language Foundation Model  

Electroencephalograms (EEGs), which record electrical activity in the brain, generate large volumes of data that require expert interpretation. This can lead to delays and, in some cases, misdiagnosis. Distinguishing between epileptic seizures and similar non-epileptic events remains particularly challenging, even for experienced clinicians.

Deeptech startup NeuroDx is building AI systems to accelerate and improve the accuracy of brain signal analysis.

Founded in 2022 by Siddharth Panwar, Kailash Sati and Puneet Agarwal, NeuroDx develops AI models to interpret EEG data and support neurological diagnosis. Its flagship platform, MANAS-1, analyses neural activity patterns to detect indicators of neurological disorders.

A key use case is differentiating epileptic seizures from non-epileptic episodes. Using advanced machine learning models, MANAS-1 analyses EEG signals with over 95% accuracy, enabling clinicians to make more timely and informed decisions.

Rather than replacing doctors, NeuroDx aims to augment clinical judgement by automating the interpretation of complex EEGs.

As AI reshapes healthcare diagnostics, the startup is operating in the AI-enabled neurodiagnostics market, projected to grow from $55.04 Mn in 2024 to around $546.95 Mn by 2033.

Octarange Technologies | Revolutionising EV Mobility

Even as EV adoption gathers pace in India, battery-related challenges around performance, safety and longevity continue to act as bottlenecks. Under high-demand conditions, batteries can overheat, degrade faster and lose efficiency, affecting reliability and overall lifecycle costs.

Pune-based Octorange Technologies is working to address this with its advanced battery systems focused on smarter performance management.

Founded in 2022 by Siddhesh Gosavi and Gaurav Rane, the startup designs battery systems integrated with advanced thermal management technologies. 

Its proprietary cooling architecture helps regulate temperature more effectively, reducing the risk of overheating and extending battery life, especially in demanding operating environments.

Alongside hardware, Octorange offers software for real-time monitoring and analytics. The platform tracks battery health, optimises usage patterns and flags potential issues early, helping prevent failures and improve operational efficiency.

Incubated at the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FIIT), the startup is targeting India’s EV battery packs and energy storage solutions market, which is projected to grow from $39 Mn in 2025 to over $255 Mn by 2031.

OneARVO | Restoring Trust And Transparency In Marketplaces

Counterfeit products remain a serious issue across industries such as pharmaceuticals, automotive components and industrial manufacturing. While traditional tracking systems exist, they often lack transparency and can be manipulated, making it difficult to ensure authenticity across the supply chain.

Delhi NCR-based OneARVO is tackling this challenge with an end-to-end traceability platform powered by AI, blockchain and IoT.

Founded in 2023 by Sumit Goswami and Duke Banerjee, the startup enables manufacturers to track and verify products from origin to the end customer. It deploys tamper-proof smart labels embedded with AI-generated codes, tokenised on a blockchain network.

These labels act as unique digital identities for physical products that can be tracked and authenticated throughout their lifecycle.

At multiple checkpoints, cameras and IoT-enabled scanners verify these labels in real time, helping detect tampering and prevent counterfeiting. This gives manufacturers, distributors and regulators greater visibility and control.

OneARVO operates in the anti-counterfeit and product traceability solutions market, which is projected to grow from $5.5 Bn in 2024 to around $14.3 Bn by 2033.

Only What’s Needed | Community-Shaped Clean Protein

A few years ago, social media influencer Revant Himatsingka built a strong social media following by calling out misleading labels and hidden ingredients in packaged foods. His content increased consumer awareness, but also deepened scepticism about what people are actually consuming.

With health-conscious buying on the rise, many brands still rely heavily on marketing claims rather than ingredient transparency. To address this, Himatsingka has launched Only What’s Needed, a clean-label food brand focused on simplicity and openness.

Founded in 2024 by Himatsingka and Akhil Menon, former AVP at True Elements, Only What’s Needed offers whey protein supplements blended with coffee. The products are made with minimal ingredients, backed by lab testing, and supported by clear disclosure of sourcing, manufacturing, and nutritional values.

The brand invites customers to vote on flavours, formulations and product choices, allowing them to directly shape the portfolio.

Currently selling online, the startup is also exploring partnerships with F&B brands. The brand operates in the whey protein and clean-label supplements market, expected to grow from $266.6 Mn in 2024 to around $633.4 Mn by 2033.

RightChoice.ai | Intelligent Control For Store Networks

As businesses expand across cities, managing their online presence becomes more complex. Each outlet needs accurate listings, updated details, customer engagement and strong search visibility. Handling this manually across hundreds of locations is slow and often leads to errors.

RightChoice.ai is solving this problem with an AI-powered platform built for multi-location brands.

Founded in 2023 by Rishabh Karwa and Marouf Shaikh, the startup offers software that helps businesses manage listings across more than 20 online directories through a single dashboard. The platform automates tasks such as optimising profiles, generating AI-based descriptions, updating store details and maintaining consistency across platforms.

It also tracks performance metrics such as search rankings, calls, impressions, and engagement at each location. In addition, it automates customer workflows, including review responses and post scheduling.

RightChoice.ai works with brands that operate large physical networks, including Subway, OYO, Costa Coffee and KFC.

The startup operates in the fast-growing AI-powered local SEO and business listings software market, projected to grow to around $34.7 Bn by 2035 from $9.8 Bn in 2025.

Solyd Money | Making Treasury Management Simple For Businesses

Many businesses keep large sums in current accounts to manage day-to-day operations. However, this idle cash typically earns minimal returns. At the same time, companies are cautious about investing surplus funds in traditional instruments due to concerns around liquidity, risk and ease of access.

Ahmedabad-based fintech startup Solyd Money is looking to bridge this gap.

Founded in 2025 by Praveen Kavuri, Solyd Money offers a platform that helps businesses optimise surplus cash through liquid investment options. It enables companies to move idle funds from low-yield current accounts into carefully selected mutual funds to deliver better returns while maintaining high liquidity.

The platform is built to ensure quick access to funds whenever required, allowing businesses to meet operational needs without disruption. It also provides clear visibility into balances, returns and fund allocation, helping finance teams make more informed short-term capital decisions.

By combining liquidity with yield optimisation, Solyd Money aims to help businesses unlock value from idle cash without compromising financial flexibility.

Synergy Quantum | Delivering Quantum-Secure Communication Solutions

Most digital systems today rely on encryption to secure financial transactions, defence communications and enterprise data. However, rapid advances in quantum computing could eventually make many existing encryption methods vulnerable.

Founded in 2022 by Jay Oberai, Synergy Quantum is building quantum-resistant cybersecurity solutions to safeguard data against future quantum-enabled attacks. 

The startup targets organisations that handle highly sensitive information, including government bodies, defence establishments, banks, and large enterprises.

Its solutions aim to help these institutions prepare in advance for emerging quantum-era cybersecurity risks, rather than reacting after vulnerabilities surface.

Operating in the fast-evolving Indian quantum tech and post-quantum security market, projected to grow from $68.6 Mn in 2024 to around $231.8 Mn by 2030, the startup is aligned with global efforts to develop next-generation encryption standards. As quantum computing capabilities mature, demand for quantum-safe infrastructure is expected to rise, particularly in high-security sectors.

TrueGradient | Real-Time AI For Retail Planning 

Consumer brands still rely heavily on spreadsheets for demand forecasting, inventory planning, pricing and supply chain management. But spreadsheet-based planning is manual, slow and error-prone, often leading to stockouts, excess inventory and inefficient use of working capital.

At the same time, many brands lack in-house data science capabilities to make accurate, real-time decisions.

Bengaluru-based startup TrueGradient is addressing this gap with an AI-native planning platform.

Founded in 2023 by Namrata Gupta, Siddharth Shahi, Ankur Verma and Jasneet Kohli, TrueGradient offers a no-code Planning Operating System built specifically for consumer brands.

The platform uses deep learning and AutoML to analyse demand signals and operational data, helping businesses optimise inventory, replenishment, pricing and promotions.

By improving forecast accuracy, the system helps reduce excess inventory and stockouts while enabling faster, more informed decision-making. It also removes the need for complex spreadsheet workflows and large data science teams, allowing business users to manage planning through an intuitive interface.

This helps brands improve margins, reduce waste and run more efficient supply chain operations.

TrueGradient operates in the AI-enabled demand forecasting and supply chain analytics software market, which is projected to grow from $465 Mn in 2025 to around $2.4 Bn by 2034.

Vayve Mobility | Solar-Powered, Compact Electric Cars

While electric cars offer a clear alternative to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, their range limitations and dependence on charging infrastructure remain key concerns for urban users.

Pune-based EV startup Vayve Mobility aims to address this gap by developing compact, solar-powered electric vehicles designed specifically for city commuting. By integrating solar charging directly into the vehicle, the startup enables users to supplement battery charging using renewable energy.

Founded in 2021 by Nilesh Bajaj and Ankita Jain, Vayve Mobility’s flagship vehicle, Eva, is a compact two-seater solar-electric car designed for urban environments. The vehicle offers a driving range of up to 250 km on a single charge, with an integrated solar roof that can add meaningful daily range through solar energy. 

Its compact design helps address parking constraints while reducing operating costs for users. Deliveries for the car are expected to begin in late this year.

The startup’s vehicles will feature liquid-cooled batteries, regenerative braking, and connected smart features to enable efficient, practical urban mobility. The cars feature monocoque chassis, airbags, rear parking cameras, and hill-hold assist. 

Focused on solving urban parking and congestion issues, the company offers a Battery as a Service (BaaS) model to reduce upfront costs. 

Vayve Mobility is vying for a share of India’s broader EV market, projected to become a $101 Bn opportunity by 2030.

Xinfiniti Aerospace | Turning Ageing Helicopters Into UAVs

The Indian defence forces continue to operate large fleets of legacy helicopters that were not built for today’s autonomy and mission demands. Limited smart capabilities and ageing control systems create performance gaps, while new aircraft procurement remains capital-intensive and slow.

To bridge this, Vishal Kumar Verma founded Bengaluru-based Xinfiniti Aerospace in 2025 to pioneer M2UC (manned-to-uncrewed conversion). It retrofits ageing Chetak and Cheetah helicopters with autonomous platforms, spanning rotary-wing upgrades, safety systems, advanced avionics and autonomous control systems.

Xinfiniti claims to have developed and tested an emergency floatation system (EFS), a critical safety apparatus that prevents helicopters from capsizing in the event of an emergency water landing.

It also offers drones for infrastructure checks, blending defence with civil aviation needs.

Unlike OEMs that prioritise new builds, Xinfiniti works on extending and modernising legacy airframes. This reduces lifecycle costs, shortens deployment timelines, and strengthens operational readiness, while aligning with India’s broader self-reliance agenda in aviation and defence technologies.

Positioned at the intersection of autonomy and retrofitting, Xinfiniti Aerospace is primarily targeting a portion of India’s growing unmanned aerial systems market, projected to become a $1.8 Bn opportunity by 2030.

Xterra Robotics | Quadrupeds For Demanding Field Ops

From refineries to disaster zones, inspection and monitoring tasks can put people in risky, physically taxing environments. Conventional wheeled robots falter on stairs and uneven soil, while imported quadrupeds remain expensive and rarely optimised for Indian conditions.

Founded in 2023 by Aditya Pratap Singh Rajawat, Amritanshu Manu, and Nimesh Khandelwal, IIT Kanpur-incubated Xterra Robotics builds autonomous, legged robots that are engineered and manufactured in India. 

Its quadruped platforms, SVAN M1 and SVAN M2, are designed for stability, adaptability and operational flexibility. The nine-kg M1 can carry a load of up to 2 kg and moves at 0.7 m/s, while the 11-kg M2 supports payloads of up to 5 kg at speeds of 1 m/s. 

Powered by AI, these robots dynamically adjust their gait, learn from terrain patterns, and assist human operators in inspection, perimeter security, and emergency response tasks.

It also manufactures Cobot C1, a lightweight, six-DOF (degrees of freedom) robotic arm designed for precision tasks like teaching and small-scale automation. It can carry payloads of up to 400 grammes and has a reach of 81 cm, enabling efficient human-robot interaction. Then there is SCORP, which integrates a robotic arm onto a quadruped for physical tasks such as object handling, under-vehicle checks, waste collection, and fire audits. 

Xterra operates in India’s rapidly growing autonomous robotics market, which is expected to exceed $7.4 Bn by 2034, driven by demand for automation and safer operations across sectors. 

Yaan Men | Redefining Men’s Grooming 

Despite rapid growth in India’s personal care space, most grooming products lack formulations that suit male skin types and preferences. Cultural stigma around men using skincare and makeup further limits choices, leaving a large segment underserved. 

Founded in 2022 by Rahul Shah, Yaan Men is looking to change this. The D2C brand sells a dedicated range of grooming, skincare and subtle makeup products tailored for Indian men’s needs.

Its product portfolio includes foundations, tinted moisturisers, face washes, and gel moisturisers. 

Featured on Shark Tank India season four, the brand focuses on lightweight and functional products for daily grooming. Backed by sharks such as Aman Gupta and Anupam Mittal, the D2C brand has now set its eyes on expanding its product portfolio and going global, starting with exports to the Middle East and the UK.

Yaan Men operates in the men’s grooming category, which is witnessing healthy traction on the back of growing awareness, shifting norms, rising disposable income and demand for tailored products. On the back of this momentum, the brand is eyeing to capture men’s grooming market, projected to become a $4.3 Bn opportunity by 2033.

Zenma Coffee | Speciality Coffee On The Go

India’s coffee culture is evolving, but the choices remain predictable. Instant coffee dominates household shelves, while speciality cafés command premium prices. For many urban consumers, there’s still no clear middle ground that delivers quality coffee quickly without the high markup. 

Sheena Khurana and Karan Khurana launched Zenma Coffee in 2023 to close this gap. Based in Delhi NCR, the startup sells flash-frozen, espresso shots designed to make coffee at home without a machine.

These single-serve pods can be melted and mixed with water or milk to create drinks like cappuccinos, americano, and mochas within minutes. 

The brand claims to lean into convenience, flavours, no additives and a digital-first approach to tap into younger consumers, looking for quick coffee fixes at home. It sells its products via its own website as well as quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and Zepto.

The D2C brand operates within India’s expanding coffee market, where shifting urban habits are driving demand for higher-quality coffee beans for at-home consumption. With an eye on the emerging segment of consumers seeking everyday upgrades to what they drink, Zenma is targeting a piece of India’s ready-to-drink coffee market, which is on track to become a $4.5 Bn opportunity by 2032. 

ZeroMoblt | Safe Transport For School Kids 

Student commuting in India continues to spell chaos. Unreliable tracking, compliance lapses and fragmented rides expose kids to safety gaps, while parents continue to seek better campus transport options for their children. 

Founded in 2024 by Sandeep Varaganti, Ashok Agrawal and Vijay Ganagam, ZeroMoblt is a mobility platform that caters specifically to students. With police-verified drivers and RTO-compliant vehicles, the startup offers parents complete visibility into their kids’ daily rides via GPS tracking and WhatsApp updates.

The startup, currently operational only in Hyderabad, claims to be building a decentralised intelligence layer using Edge AI to enable real-time monitoring and route optimisation.

As per its website, ZeroMoblt claims to have served more than 550 users so far, clocking 34,000+ rides. Going forward, the startup has set its eyes on scaling campus partnerships and fleet capacity in cities including Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, and Mumbai.

At the heart of ZeroMoblt’s ambitions is the global smart school bus platform market, projected to reach $997.6 Mn by 2035.

With inputs from Venu Rathore

Edited by Shishir Parasher

The post 30 Startups To Watch: Startups That Caught Our Eye In February 2026 appeared first on Inc42 Media.

With nearly 50,000 joints across organised and unorganised formats, India’s $27.80 Bn quick service restaurant (QSR) industry is sizzling at 9.25% to reach $47.28 Bn by 2031. As the industry scales, reducing food waste without hurting margins or customer satisfaction remains a key challenge. 

QSRs worldwide typically waste 4% to 10% of the food they purchase before it reaches the table. Studies show that prep waste – ingredients wasted in peeling, trimming, batching, mis-estimation of demand, spoilage, and quality discards – is the single-largest contributor to food waste in QSR kitchens. 

Delhi-NCR-based agri-food supply chain startup Fambo saw business opportunities in this faultline. Akshay Tripathi and Sushant Kumar launched the venture in 2022, armed with their experience in the power of advanced automation systems at Addverb and 20+ years in food processing, respectively. The duo discovered the large untapped areas in India’s agri-perishable market. 

“In India, conventional agricultural supply chains lose anywhere between 25% and 35% of produce. That is despite India being a food-surplus country with some of the most fertile land in the world. The problem was infrastructure,” Tripathi told Inc42.

This insight brought the engineering graduates closer to finding that the solution was not to grow more food or deliver faster with cold chain supply systems, but to build a modern, perishability-focused supply chain that could move the produce from farms to institutional kitchens.

Unlike Waycool, Ninjacart and their ilk, which focus on moving fresh produce in its raw form from farms to retailers or kiranas, Fambo operates further downstream in the food value chain. It processes agricultural produce into customised, ready-to-use formats designed specifically for quick service restaurants and chain dining brands. The company does not distribute to kiranas or end-consumers. Its focus is on removing labour and complexity from commercial kitchens.

Fambo today feeds 40 SKUs and serves over 50 institutional clients, including Burger King, McDonald’s, Barbeque Nation, California Burrito, Burger Singh, Haldiram, Third Wave Coffee and Blue Tokai Cafe. It has raised ₹2.63 Cr in a Series A round led by Nabvenutres, with participation from EV2 Ventures. The startup turned net profitable in November 2024 and closed FY25 with revenue of ₹20 Cr. 

Rival Jubilant Agri posted a 1% rise in net profit to ₹21.5 Cr on a year-on-year revenue growth of 13.5% to ₹449.6 Cr. 

“Large QSR and dining chains account for about 60% of Fambo’s revenue, while quick commerce platforms contribute close to 30%. The remaining share comes from food processors and a small number of standalone outlets,” he said.

Resolving The Structural Double Whammy 

QSR operators have been struggling to find reliable fixes for structural inefficiencies, such as taste inconsistencies across outlets, labour-intensive kitchens, and processing waste. Most brands still depend on local vendors, volatile mandis and buffer stocking to keep their daily operations running.

These fragmented, manual workarounds were built for smaller, slower systems and have become increasingly unfit for the QSR industry, which demands scale, speed and standardisation.

When Tripathi and Kumar started, they had two problems. First, for restaurants, reduce the need for large kitchens, skilled labour and in-house food preparation. Second, for the supply chain, build a solution which can limit speculative processing, shorten handling time, and reduce wastage by aligning production volumes closely with actual demand.

The founders adopted a two-pronged approach. Fambo partnered with farmers through Chain of Custody (CoC) agreements, under which crops are grown in line with the company’s demand forecasts and purchased at pre-agreed prices. It primarily works with Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to reduce supply volatility and currently operates a network of around 5K farmers.

Then they adopted the cross-docking principle, a lean logistics approach in which goods move in and out with minimal storage. Instead of holding inventory in the hope it would sell, Fambo created an automation- and order-led model in which produce is processed for specific customers and dispatched quickly. As a result, instead of supplying whole foods, they supply cut, chilled, frozen, pre-cooked, or base-processed products, customised to the customer’s needs. 

“Fambo’s automated and integrated tech stack makes the farm-to-kitchen supply chain predictable by linking intelligence across every stage,” Tripathi said.

Building The Strategy Around Automation 

The founders embedded automation at the core from day one, enabling Fambo to handle growing volumes without losing efficiency or control. At the farm level, Fambo uses forecasting models to integrate demand signals and external variables, enabling it to anticipate what will be available, when it will be ready, and how reliable the supply is likely to be. 

“The first part is predicting when the farm produce will come in. These predictions are automatically synced with weather updates, which help determine crop failure risk, when the produce will be ready, and how we plan the supply chain further,” Tripathi explained. 

This input flows into production planning. Instead of processing food speculatively, decisions are made based on downstream demand and shelf-life constraints, helping Fambo align processing volumes closely with what customers will actually consume. And in the final layer, a centrally managed fulfilment system coordinates deliveries across locations and dynamically adjusts plans as conditions change.

“From planning production to logistics, every step is automated based on the agents. In fact, the entire information flow is handled in an automated way,” Tripathi said. These layers allow Fambo to operate less like a traditional distributor and more like a demand-synchronised food infrastructure.

Waste Control By Optimised Manufacturing

Fambo cuts wastage by deciding early how each ingredient should be handled — cut, chilled, frozen, pre-cooked, pre-fried, or converted into a paste or base gravy. This ensures food is processed only when there’s clear demand, avoiding unnecessary prep that may never be consumed.

In the micro-processing facility, Fambo tightly controls wastage in two steps. First, continuous data monitoring and second, using imported processing machinery that limits human handling, one of the biggest causes of waste and inconsistency. “We track wastage very closely because even a small increase directly eats into our margins,” Tripathi told Inc42. 

For preservation, Fambo prioritises freezing over chemical shelf-life enhancers or heavy pasteurisation. “There’s a common myth that frozen food is unhealthy. In our experience, freezing preserves nutrition better. Because the produce is not pre-heated or heavily pasteurised, the taste remains more consistent after thawing, and the nutritional value is retained.” 

The company also uses a proprietary controlled-vacuum process that slows spoilage by pushing microorganisms and enzymes into a low-activity state rather than killing them outright. This allows food to retain its structure while extending shelf life without the use of chemicals.

These systems help Fambo keep wastage below 2% while supplying standardised food inputs to restaurants operating at scale.

Looking Ahead After Crossing Early Hurdles

One of the biggest hurdles for Fambo was to convince institutional kitchens to move away from long-standing suppliers. “When you’re operating with somebody for years, like getting milk from the same vendor for 20 years, changing that supply chain is difficult,” Tripathi pointed out. 

On the supply side, Fambo had to develop a mechanism to avoid crop failures. It expanded its geographic reach within its farmer network. “If one geography fails, the second or third has to kick in. That’s how supply continuity is maintained,” Tripathi explained, pointing to the 2025 floods in Himachal Pradesh that did not disrupt customer deliveries because alternate sourcing was activated.

Fambo has spread across Delhi NCR and into parts of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, and is pushing deeper into Tier II cities in North India. 

The western market is also on Fambo’s roadmap, besides efforts to build an export vertical. Tripathi said the groundwork and market research for this is largely complete, and execution is expected to follow once domestic scale stabilises.

The agritech startup aims to achieve ₹50 Cr in revenue for FY26 and claims to be on track to meet the target. In the long run, Fambo sees itself as more than a supply chain operator. The ambition is to help build a category around processed, time-sensitive agri-food infrastructure. 

Rather than competing with existing agri-marketplaces, Tripathi believes the real opportunity lies in creating a missing middle layer between farms and institutional kitchens, where technology, predictability, and processing come together at scale.

The post How Fambo Is Fixing The Broken Supply Chain For India’s QSR Boom appeared first on Inc42 Media.

In 2020, Hyderabad-based Neeru’s was on a strong growth trajectory. The women’s ethnic wear brand, built over four decades, had reached an annual run rate of INR 100-150 Cr. It was growing steadily and projected to sustain a year-on-year growth rate of 30–40% over the next two to three years.

The business followed a familiar pattern: opening new stores across cities, welcoming walk-in customers and driving sales via physical retail.

Then the shutters came down. Everywhere.

The Covid-19 pandemic did more than slow the business — it brought Neeru’s to a standstill. Revenues declined sharply, with topline sales contracting by nearly 50% as stores were forced to shut and strict retail protocols limited operations. For a brand built around the in-store shopping experience, there was no playbook for navigating a crisis of this scale.

“Many of our stores were shut down, and we had zero sales,” Avnish Kumar, MD and CEO of Neeru’s, told Inc42. “I never imagined days like that would come. But somehow, we found the strength to get through it, keep the business afloat and move forward.”

The crisis forced the team to ask tough questions. Could a business tethered to brick-and-mortar stores survive when customers could no longer visit those shops? Neeru’s had a website, but it was not set up for commerce. As Kumar put it, “The domain was not up there for building brand awareness; it was not a sales engine.”

Before the pandemic, Neeru’s had the necessary infrastructure, including warehouses, inventory systems and a loyal customer base that had grown up with the brand. As the retail sector shifted towards an omnichannel model, the company made a phased integration of necessary components at the store and product levels. The goal was not to displace its store-first DNA but to ensure that more people could shop at Neeru’s, online and offline.

Today, Neeru’s has emerged as an omnichannel brand aiming to reach INR 500 Cr in revenue in the next two to three years, with online sales accounting for 25-30% of its business. Its strategy hinges on a hybrid future grounded in physical retail.

“We are looking at an average run rate of at least INR 7-8 Cr just from our website in the next 12-18 months,” said Kumar, marking the brand’s push for digital commerce.

Neeru’s Journey From A 150 Sq Ft Tailoring Shop To A 30K Sq Ft Store

Kumar’s grandmother, Basant Kaur, launched the family business in 1971 from a modest 150 sq. ft tailoring shop in Hyderabad’s King Koti district. Her son, Harish, quickly stepped in to manage daily operations. When Harish married in 1979, he renamed the shop after his wife, Neeru. Working side by side, the couple devoted their energy and vision to growing the business.

At the time, traditional sarees dominated South Indian fashion. Ready-made ethnic wear — like salwar suits inspired by Bollywood and emerging styles favoured by young women — was almost unheard of.

“Tailoring was the only way you could get those outfits,” said Kumar. “People were keen to try Punjabi suits and salwar kameez, the kind of modern clothes that were rare in Hyderabad. My parents saw that gap in the market, and that’s how Neeru’s story really began.”

For the next 20 years, the brand flourished, as the family explored the rich heritage of Indian handloom and used classic fabrics to make stylish, ready-to-wear pieces. The brand soon started wholesaling to shops across India, putting Hyderabad firmly on the country’s fashion map, but the spotlight stayed on Mumbai and Delhi.

“We didn’t just sell clothes; we made handloom cool again,” said Kumar. “That’s when people really began to notice Hyderabad for its unique take on ethnic fashion.”

In 1996, Neeru’s made a bold move by opening its first large store spanning 3K sq. ft. It came at a time when most stores were no bigger than 40 or 50 sq. ft, and it served as a game-changer. “Back then, everyone talked about chain stores, not brands. Branding remained uncharted territory — nobody really understood what it meant,” recalled Kumar. “We wanted to break that mould and transform our ethnic fashion story into a true brand.”

Later, in 2012, Kumar joined Neeru’s after completing a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from Royal Holloway, University of London. By then, he had visited iconic department stores like Selfridges and Harrods, wondering why Hyderabad, a city defined by culture and global ambitions, could not host a shopping destination equally grand.

One day, while chatting with his father, Kumar voiced his thoughts. “Why can’t we create that kind of retail magic here in Hyderabad? People shouldn’t have to travel to Mumbai or Delhi for a world-class experience.”

That idea led to Neeru’s Emporio. On December 12, 2012, the flagship store opened in Jubilee Hills, a quiet neighbourhood at the time. The sprawling 30K sq. ft space introduced an entirely new retail standard: a destination as grand as a luxury hotel, complete with Italian marble floors, sparkling chandeliers and LED-lit interiors. “We wanted people to step in and instantly feel that they are at a place where craft, fashion and vision meet,” said Kumar.

The Emporio transformed the area into a coveted retail destination, and Neeru’s grew from a family shop into a city landmark.

“As we expanded, branding became critical. Initially, we put our logo everywhere and focussed on the look and feel, making sure Neeru’s stood out. That’s how we started, from a simple carry bag to a recognised label to full-fledged Neeru’s stores,” he added.

How Neeru’s Scaled Beyond Hyderabad, Pursued Pan-India Branding

For a long time, the ethnic wear market thrived on a deep-rooted sense of consistency. Users found comfort in familiarity, and eventually it dictated their buying behaviour. Most women would visit the same stores their mothers and grandmothers favoured, shopping more out of habit than genuine loyalty or brand recall.

However, Neeru’s wanted to break that cycle and build an ethnic wear brand that could move beyond Hyderabad, connect with people in new cities, and emerge as a well-known national name.

Celebrity endorsements became the lever in this endeavour. In 2013-14, Kumar joined forces with Karishma Kapoor for one of the brand’s first big campaigns, signalling a new chapter. Store launches became grand events, attracting celebrities and massive crowds. When Neeru’s opened in Vijayawada with Kajal Agarwal, around 8K people turned up, excited to catch a glimpse of the star and explore the new store.

Neeru’s even managed to sign Sonam Kapoor as a brand ambassador for three years, but the negotiations were anything but easy. Her team was initially hesitant due to her long associations with high-end designer labels. Ultimately, the brand finalised the partnership.

“It was before the Instagram days, although social media has now changed how we all discover brands,” said Kumar. “In those days, if you wanted people to notice you, you put up billboards, ran ads in newspapers and magazines, and made sure your name appeared everywhere on the street. Between 2012 and 2014, we focussed on creating a pan-India identity for Neeru’s, and then gradually expanded to new cities.”

By 2015, the impact was evident. Neeru’s opened its first international outlet in Dubai, a strategic move that demonstrated the brand’s departure from its regional origins.

“At first, we thought we had to be a strong regional retailer, a trusted local name in ethnic fashion that people would recognise,” said Kumar. “But by 2015, everything shifted. We began dreaming bigger, wanting to become a global brand, not just stay where we were.”

Between 2016 and 2018, Neeru’s partnered with a couple of multi-brand stores and entered new cities, especially across southern India. Kumar felt he had finally cracked the ethnic wear market, but he had no idea just how much the trajectory was about to change.

When The Pandemic Shaped Neeru’s Digital Shift 

During the pandemic, Neeru’s confronted a reality it had long resisted. With a business model built almost exclusively on physical retail, operations came to an abrupt halt during lockdowns. However, the brand’s absence from the digital marketplace was not due to inertia; it was rooted in conviction.

Neeru’s believed that ethnic wear was tethered to tactile experience — look and feel, fit and the nuances of an in-store environment. While ecommerce suited commodity retail or everyday purchase, it was ill-equipped for high-ticket occasion wear. In this segment, customers wanted to check fabric quality, assess the craftsmanship and feel confident about the value before committing INR 10K or more for an outfit.

“We were a hardcore brick-and-mortar brand and didn’t trust online then. It worked for a purchase worth INR 3-4K. But Neeru’s is an occasion-wear, experience-led brand. When you are buying an INR 30K lehenga, you want to see the fit, the blouse/bodysuit and the stitching. We believed that experience mattered,” said Kumar.

Market conditions also reinforced its offline-first business strategy. Online fashion, especially the occasion-specific ethnic wear segment, was nascent during 2017-2020. While major marketplaces aggressively pursued exclusive partnerships, Neeru’s maintained a cautious distance. Its digital presence was not ignored; it was a calculated deferral.

“The online market was, and still is, very small for Neeru’s. But about a year ago, we began evaluating our digital footprint. We are currently doing extensive testing and backend integration for online growth,” said Kumar.

Three Strategies Pushing Online Retail At Neeru’s

Neeru’s aims to grow its digital revenue to 20-25% of total turnover. Although the brand is in the early stages of this transition, it has implemented three core initiatives to bolster direct-to-consumer (D2C) growth. These include:

Marketplace integration without ceding website’s value

During the pandemic, the brand was forced to rethink its operational framework and transition to online commerce. The company began by listing its inventory on platforms such as Amazon India and Meesho, a strategic move to break the inertia that stemmed from its long-cherished offline business model. But this time, it was not an aggressive push for scale, but a strategy to grow its digital competency. The intent was simple: show up, learn and stop overthinking the operational shift.

“We thought, even if we make only INR 10K a day in sales, that would be fine. But we have to be there, adapt fast and stop thinking so much about our offline business and physical stores,” said Kumar.

In the past, Neeru’s website was mainly a place for people to discover the brand. Customers would browse collections and learn about the brand, then contact the company via social media or other online channels to make a purchase. Meanwhile, the team tracked all critical data, from traffic sources to ad performance to how online buzz drove offline sales. Over time, these insights started to pay off, confirming a massive, untapped digital demand.

Orders also surged as a new class of aspirational customers emerged — shoppers who coveted the brand but did not live near a Neeru’s store. From smaller hubs like Bilaspur and Nellore to global markets like Singapore, consumers recognised the brand’s craftsmanship and authenticity. Price resistance softened as buyers’ trust grew, and investing INR 25K in a lehenga for Diwali celebrations no longer felt like extravagance, as shoppers prioritised the product’s intrinsic value.

This change in consumer behaviour led Neeru’s to rethink digital commerce. Online sales were not meant to supplant physical retail. Instead, ecommerce could build consumer trust, broaden reach and enhance the overall shopping experience.

“We are there with marketplaces, but we are totally focusing on our own Neerus.com, you know. That is the place where we are trying to make a good mark… Because people have that trust factor on Myntra and Amazon… But when they come back to Neerus.com, the same person is buying a 20,000-rupee lehenga very easily on our website,” said Kumar.

This underscores a sophisticated customer acquisition strategy. Neeru’s effectively borrows aggregators’ volume to initiate discovery and build consumer trust. But the brand also ensures that high-margin, high-trust conversions eventually flow to its proprietary platform, thereby retaining its premium identity and long-term loyalty.

Turning social media into a sales channel

For years, social media worked as Neeru’s digital lookbook but not as its point of sale. Even as late as 2022-23, it was spending heavily on Instagram, Facebook and performance marketing but refused to introduce a ‘buy’ button for direct transactions. The reason: premium ethnic wear would require reassurance and handholding, not online impulse buying. The management remained convinced that high-ticket items were too personal to be purchased via a digital interface.

That logic soon collapsed as consumer behaviour shifted. By late 2023, Neeru’s recorded a surge in high-value digital transactions that defied the traditional retail playbook. “People were ready to buy a lehenga worth INR 40K online. But before 2023, we only sold those in stores,” observed Kumar.

The shift forced a total re-engineering of the brand’s digital infrastructure. By 2024, Neeru’s kickstarted its social media channels as a business engine, upgrading its product lines, payment systems, packaging and logistics to help customers choose and buy premium items online.

Combining celebrity endorsements, content and digital marketing for growth

For nearly two decades, Neeru’s leveraged a marketing model built on huge print media ads, prominent billboards and celebrity endorsements that signalled how the brand had grown and travelled across cities. Kumar recalled a time when Neeru’s was ‘the king of hoardings’, with a visibility so high that billboard models frequently transitioned into leading Tollywood actresses. But that playbook has expired.

But in recent years, the brand has shifted its entire marketing engine online. Today, nearly 95% of its marketing spend flows into digital, including content creation, social platforms, influencer collaborations and WhatsApp and SMS marketing. Neeru’s now prioritises ecommerce-led discovery, marking a quiet yet complete shift from offline to online promotional tools.

But there’s more to it, explained Kumar. Earlier, in-store staff helped shoppers with styling, telling them how to drape a saree or wear a lehenga. Today, those conversations are missing, but creators and influencers share those tips online. “The content they make is amazing,” he added.

This digital-first strategy achieved a significant milestone in a recent campaign. Instead of a traditional photoshoot, Neeru’s produced a one-minute Telugu song featuring its brand ambassador Sreeleela, a well-known Indian film actress. The content debuted during the festive season and gained 2 Mn views within 24 hours without any paid promotion.

“That has never happened before at Neeru’s,” said Kumar. “And it shows how digital content can reach a huge audience for less money.”

Neeru’s Early AI Advantage After Delayed Ecommerce Entry

Although Neeru’s took a cautious route to online commerce, the brand chose not to repeat that delay with artificial intelligence (AI). Over the past 10 months, the company has begun adopting AI across marketing, content creation and backend operations, recognising how quickly the technology has matured.

Initially sceptical, the team at Neeru’s saw firsthand that AI-driven visuals could match — and at times rival — traditional photoshoots. While its website currently features real shoots, the brand is already planning a gradual transition towards AI-generated content to save time, cost and creative effort. This shift is already reflected in the balance sheet. Neeru’s has allocated at least 10% of its marketing spend to AI operations, a figure expected to rise steadily as the technology matures.

Beyond marketing, AI is being tested across inventory management, ERP systems, logistics and distribution through technology partners. As an offline-focussed ethnic wear brand, Neeru’s maintains that its physical stores remain vital for real-life retail experiences. However, the company is betting on AI to overhaul its backend operations. In the next 18-24 months, the leadership team expects these tools to drive significant improvements in margin efficiency, discounting strategies, stock movement and backend decision-making.

“At one point, my team showed me a visual, and I said it’s very good. Then they told me it was AI,” said Kumar. “That’s when I realised if this is what AI can do, we should spend our time and energy on it.”

Will Neeru’s Lead The Race To Brand Indian Ethnic Wear?

Ethnic wear in India has long been defined by intricate craftsmanship, thriving on the high-stakes demand of wedding and festive calendars. But in spite of its legacy, the sector has remained fragmented. Most shoppers still swear by their local weavers or trusted boutique designers for a Diwali ensemble or a bridal trousseau. Hence, it is difficult for national labels to scale, especially in categories such as sarees and occasion wear. Neeru’s sees this lack of structure as a chance to build a household name that offers the reliability of a brand with the soul of bespoke luxury.

The landscape is shifting, though. In recent years, quite a few legacy and digital-first brands, including BIBA, W, Global Desi, Manyavar, Fabindia, Suta and online-led players like House of Indya and Koskii, have expanded their market presence and redefined customer expectations. Their entry and operations have brought much-needed structure, visibility and credibility to the segment.

While many brands focus on specific segments such as everyday ethnic wear, wedding-oriented menswear or niche sarees, Neeru’s is among the few offering a full spectrum, from entry-level kurtas to silks and bridal lehengas, while preserving consumer trust throughout.

Neeru’s remains bootstrapped, bypassing the rapid, venture-funded expansion and subsequent losses. Instead, it wants to ‘go deeper into the existing cities’ and win those markets. By cautiously expanding in India and abroad, Neeru’s aims to build a brand through consistency, ensuring a strong footprint, brand recall and operational depth.

Neeru’s has also forayed into Silver Jewellery and has launched a new brand “TARASYA – Silver Jewellery) from the House of Neeru’s.  This sub-brand has already reached a 3-store mark in Telangana itself and is planning to expand at its own pace, meeting the demands of affordable jewellery.

Even as it expands, the brand remains wary of the quick commerce craze. In a world of 10-minute deliveries, Neeru’s is betting that for ethnic wear, craftsmanship and the perfect fit still matter more than speed. For the leadership, the path forward is defined by endurance rather than urgency and a bid to prove that traditional fashion can scale without losing its soul.

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