With the year coming to an end, the deal momentum seems to have finally caught a break after recording three blockbuster funding weeks. Between December 25 and 30, 2023, Indian startups collectively raised $90 Mn across 10 deals, which is a 63% drop from $349 Mn funding raised across 25 deals in the previous week.

With no mega deal this week, the ecosystem embraced its second unicorn of the year with fintech startup InCred raising $60 Mn over a billion dollar valuation.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Dec 25 – Dec 30]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Fintech startup InCred, raised $60 Mn in Series D funding round led by Ranjan Pai, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by InCred’s funding, the fintech sector not only emerged as the most funded sector this week with a total funding of $74.4 Mn funding but also recorded the most number of deal counts –  three deals.
• EvolveX by We Founder Circle emerged as the busiest investor as it participated in three deals each.
• This week, $144 K was raised in seed funding across five deals.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Drone startup DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations acquiring 51% stakes in Pune-based PYI Technologies Pvt Ltd, a startup that offers camera drones, DIY kits and customised drones.
• DMI Finance and Aditya Birla Finance are in discussions to acquire Bengaluru-based fintech startup ZestMoney.
• Omnichannel marketplace FirstCry’s parent entity BrainBees Solutions Limited has filed a draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) and is looking to raise INR 1,816 Cr through fresh issues of shares.
• Cash-strapped edtech startup BYJU’S is looking to raise $300 Mn from investors. 

The post From InCred To Revfin— Indian Startups Raised $90 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

The funding momentum of the Indian startup ecosystem continued in the third week of December. Between December 18 and 23, Indian startups collectively managed to raise $349 Mn across 25 deals. Though this week’s funding was better than most of the weeks this year, it was 34% lower in comparison to the last week, when startups collectively raised $527 Mn across 21 deals. 

Meanwhile, this week saw one mega deal, with robotics startup GreyOrange raising $135 Mn in its Series D funding round.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Dec 18 – Dec 23]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Robotics startup GreyOrange raised $135 Mn in Series D funding round led by Anthelion Capital, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by GreyOrange funding, deeptech emerged as the most funded sector this week with a total funding of $136.4 Mn funding across two deals.
• At four deals each, ecommerce and fintech sectors saw the maximum funding deals this week. 
• Omnivore emerged as the busiest investor as it participated in three deals each.
• This week, $8.1 Mn was raised in seed funding across 10 deals. 

  

Startup Acquisitions This Week

• Coworking space BHIVE acquihired product-engineering firm Praemineo for an undisclosed amount.
• SAR Groups’ Livguard acquired Delhi NCR-based Euron Technologies to foray into the EV battery swapping space.
  

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Chennai-based coworking space Awfis filed its DRHP to raise INR 160 Cr via a fresh issue. The startup’s IPO will also comprise an OFS component of 10.02 Mn shares.
• Ola Electric has filed its draft red herring prospectus with the markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for an INR 7,250 Cr initial public offering (IPO).
• Flipkart is looking to raise a fresh funding of $1 Bn. Its parent Walmart has infused $600 Mn into the company as part of this round. 
• Ecommerce player FirstCry is likely to file its IPO papers this month to raise $500-$600 Mn from the public market. 
• Angel investment networking platform We Founder Circle’s (WFC) GIFT City Fund has raised $10 Mn and onboarded more than 250 investors.
• Fintech unicorn BharatPe is looking to secure INR 500 Cr debt through unlisted non-convertible debentures (NCDs).

The post From GreyOrange To Kitchens@ — Indian Startups Raised $349 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Continuing with its upward momentum in the second week of December, the Indian startup ecosystem managed to secure $527 Mn across 21 deals, marking one of the highest funding weeks in the past two years, ever since the funding winter set in early 2022. This marks a 520% jump from $85 Mn raised across 18 deals in the preceding week.

Besides, the week also witnessed a mega deal in the ecosystem with Udaan raising $340 Mn in its Series E funding round. 

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Dec 11 – Dec 16]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Business-to-business (B2B) ecommerce giant Udaan raised $340 Mn in its Series E financing round led by UK-based M&G Prudential, with participation from existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and DST Global, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Udaan’s funding, the ecommerce sector not only emerged as the most funded sector this week with $380.9 Mn funding but also witnessed a maximum number of deals with eight deal counts.
• Lightspeed Venture Partners emerged as the busiest investors as it participated in two deals each.
• Seed funding took a backseat this week with a mere $2.8 Mn across two deals.

Startup Acquisitions This Week

• US-and India-based CareStack, a cloud-based dental practice management platform acquired Kerala-based artificial intelligence (AI) startup Waybeo for an undisclosed amount.
• Direct-to-consumer (D2C) superfood brand Nourish You acquired Bengaluru-based One Good (erstwhile Goodmylk) for an undisclosed sum.
• Fintech startup M2P acquired big data analytics and intelligence platform Goals101 for $30 Mn in a cash-and-equity deal.
• Kunal Shah-backed Anq Finance acquired healthcare-focussed lending startup Kiwimoney for an undisclosed amount.
• Indian mobile gaming company Octro acquired Israel-based DGN Games for an undisclosed amount.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Aditya Birla Group’s Hindalco Industries will invest INR 800 Cr to set up a battery foil manufacturing facility in Odisha’s Sambalpur district.
• Climate-focused Asha Ventures marked the first close of its debut fund at $50 Mn, which will have a total corpus of $100 Mn.

The post From Udaan To VeGrow — Indian Startups Raised $527 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Kicking off the last month of the year on a positive note, Indian startup ecosystem saw a remarkable upward trajectory in terms of fundraise. Between December 4 and 9, the homegrown startups collectively raked in $85 Mn across 18 deals, marking a 37% jump from $62 Mn secured across 19 deals in the preceding week.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Dec 4 – Dec 9]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Five months old, Sarvam AI raised Series A funding of $41 Mn led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Sarvam AI’s funding, the enterprisetech sector not only emerged as the most funded sector this week with $44.9 Mn funding, but also witnessed maximum number of deals with six deal count.
• InfoEdge Ventures, 100x.VC and Google’s Women Founder emerged as the busiest investors as it participated in two deals each.
• Seed funding remained flat this week with a mere $2.6 Mn across eight deals.

  
  

Startup Acquisitions This Week

• CarDekho Group picked up a majority stake in Gurugram-based Revv, marking its foray into the shared mobility space. As a part of the deal, CarDekho Group will merge Revv with the rest of its offerings.
• Allen Career Institute acquired doubts solving platform Doubtnut for an undisclosed amount.
• PE firm ChrysCapital acquired 75% stake of B2B SaaS platform ProHance Analytics for an undisclosed amount to foray into the country’s SaaS space.
• Edtech startup Toprankers acquired Gurugram-based test preparation platform Chinar Law Institute (CLI) for an undisclosed amount. 

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Ahmedabad-based VC firm GVFL partnered with global venture accelerator Brinc to launch an accelerator programme for backing early-stage startups across four different sectors.
• Indian Angel Network (IAN) announced the first close of its second venture capital fund at INR 355 Cr.
• Bhavish Aggarwal’s Ola Electric to file its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) in the next two weeks as it gears up to go public early next year.

The post From Sarvam AI To The Sleep Company — Indian Startups Raised $85 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

The funding landscape for Indian startup ecosystem remained consistent this week, logging a collective raise of $62 Mn across 19 deals.

This reflects a marginal uptick from the previous week’s total funding of  $61 Mn raised across ten funding deals.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Nov 27 – Dec 2]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• EV startup EMotorad raised $20 Mn funding from Panthera Growth Partners, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by EMotorad’s funding, the cleantech sector emerged as the most funded space this week, raising $20 Mn across two deals.
• The ecommerce sector saw the highest deal count, with five transactions sealing $13.2 Mn.
• This week, the Indian startup landscape recorded seed funding worth $3.1 Mn across three deals.
• Sony Innovation Fund was the busiest investor this week as it participated in two deals. 

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Ananya Birla-led Svatantra Microfin Pvt Ltd concluded the acquisition of Sachin Bansal-backed fintech startup Navi’s subsidiary Chaitanya India Fin Credit Pvt Ltd.
• Google is likely to double down on AI startup Corover with another investment worth $4 Mn.
• Public listed startup MapmyIndia is eyeing to raise up to INR 500 Cr by issuing equity shares through a qualified institutional placement (QIP).
• Financial services firm Pantomath Financial Services Group marked the final close of its pre-IPO fund, India Inflection Opportunity Fund (IIOF), at INR 500 Cr ($60 Mn).
• Singapore’s Lighthouse Canton announced the final closure of LC Nueva AIF, a scheme of Luminere Investment Trust, at INR 350 Cr.
• Two years after shelving its IPO plans, fintech unicorn MobiKwik intends to hit the public bourses.

The post From EMotorad To PhiCommerce — Indian Startups Raised $62 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

A week after funding activity took a dive, both in terms of value and volume, Indian startup ecosystem managed to rebound this week with a $61 Mn fundraise across ten deals. This week’s funding is 38% mark up from the previous week, where startups collectively raised $44 Mn across 10 deals.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Nov 20 – Nov 25]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Fintech startup Scapia raised $23 Mn funding from Elevation Capital and Binny Bansal’s 3STATE Ventures, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Scapia’s and Kiwi’s funding, the fintech sector emerged as the most funded sector this week, raising $36 Mn across two deals.
• The ecommerce sector saw the highest deal count with five deals sealing $15.5 Mn.
• Seed funding nosedived with a mere $2.2 Mn across two deals.

Startup Acquisitions This Week

• B2B vendor management startup Bizongo acquired Noida-based FactoryPlus, a factory digitisation application for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), to offer digitisation solutions to MSMEs.
• Fintech startup Wint Wealth Group acquired a majority stake in an NBFC – Ambium Finserve for an undisclosed amount. 
• US-based giant Adobe acquired Bengaluru’s AI-powered video creation platform Rephrase.ai.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• SaaS startup Unicommerce, which is owned by AceVector Limited, the parent company of Snapdeal, has joined the list of Indian startups heading for a public listing next year. 
• Sorin Investments, a startup fund led by Sanjay Nayar, will receive investment worth INR 300 Cr from the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and the National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC).
• Insurance aggregator Policybazaar is raising INR 350 Cr from its parent company PB Fintech Ltd. 

The post From Scapia To Kiwi — Indian Startups Raised $61 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Following two weeks of substantial growth in startup ecosystem funding, the third week of November experienced a significant decline. 

Between November 13 and 18, the startup ecosystem collectively raised $44 Mn across 10 deals, marking a 72% decrease from the previous week’s $159 Mn raised across 18 deals.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Nov 13 – Nov 18]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Bakery goods startup Bakingo raised $16 Mn funding from private equity firm Faering Capital, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Slice and CoverShelf’s funding, the fintech sector emerged as the most funded sector this week, raising $17.2 Mn across two deals.
• The ecommerce and fintech witnessed the most number of deals – two each. While enterprisetech startups bagged $16.3 Mn, startups in the fintech sector raised $17.2 Mn.
• Seed funding saw an astronomical rise with $11.8 Mn in funding across four deals.

Startup Acquisitions This Week

• Media-focussed SaaS unicorn Amagi acquired UK-based Tellyo’s business for an undisclosed amount. 
• Agritech startup DeHaat acquired the fruit export business of Ahmedabad-based listed fruit export firm Freshtrop Fruits in an all-cash deal.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Ranjan Pai’s family office acquired the $250 Mn debt availed by BYJU’S offline coaching arm Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) from Davidson Kempner.
• Traveltech SaaS startup RateGain has launched a qualified institutional placement (QIP) to raise fresh capital worth INR 600 Cr.
• Bhavish Aggarwal’s Ola Electric has converted into a public entity, a mandatory step required before filing IPO papers.
• Lendingtech startup Moneyboxx Finance is set to raise INR 70 Cr ($9 Mn) from HNIs and family offices as a part of a strategic investment.

The post From Bakingo To Slice — Indian Startups Raised $44 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

The second week of November saw a revival in startup funding, aligning with the festive spirit.

Between November 6 and November 10, Indian startups garnered a collective $159 Mn across 18 deals, marking a 19.5% uptick from the previous week’s $133 Mn total funding.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Nov 6 – Nov 10]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Bengaluru-based B2B logistics startup Xpressbees bagged $80 Mn from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Xpressbees funding, the enterprisetech sector emerged as the most funded sector, raising $80 Mn.
• The ecommerce sector witnessed the most number of deals this week. The sector bagged $6.8 Mn across four deals.
• This week, the seed funding saw a marginal improvement with $3.9 Mn being raised across three deals. 
• Alteria Capital was the busiest investor of this week as it participated in two deals.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Rainmatter-backed Game Theory acquired sports analytics startup Matchday.ai for an undisclosed amount.
• India might get its second unicorn of 2023, as fintech startup Incred announced receiving commitments of $60 Mn, which will allow it to join the unicorn club.
• Travel Boutique Online, or TBO Tek Ltd, has filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) to raise upto INR 400 Cr through a fresh issue of shares. The IPO offer also includes an offer-for-sale (OFS) component of 1.56 Cr equity shares.
• In a big relief to BYJU’S, the family office of Manipal Group chairman Ranjan Pai has acquired the $250 Mn debt availed by Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL) from Davidson Kempner.

The post From Xpressbees To Zepto — Indian Startups Raised $159 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

After witnessing a V-shaped rebound in terms of startup funding last month, November kicked off on a sombre note. In the first week of the eleventh month of 2023, the startup ecosystem secured $133 Mn in funding across 18 deals, marking a significant 71% decrease from the $466 Mn raised in the previous week.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Oct 30 – Nov 4]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Karnataka-based precision manufacturing startup Aequs raised $54 Mn in a funding round led by Amansa Capital, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Aequs funding, the enterprisetech sector emerged as the most funded sector this week, raising $64 Mn across three deals.
• The enterprisetech and agritech sector witnessed the most number of deals – three each. While enterprisetech startups bagged $64Mn, startups in the agritech sector raised $3.6 Mn.
• Seed funding continued to see a decline this week as well. In the first week of November, seed funding stood at $2.1 Mn across three deals

Startup Acquisitions This Week

• Cloud kitchen startup Curefoods acquired foodtech startup Yumlane for an undisclosed amount.
• Peyush Bansal’s Lenskart acquired AI-powered computer vision startup Tango Eye for an undisclosed amount.
• Angel One acquired the team of Bengaluru-based learning app Dstreet Finance

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Healthtech unicorn PharmEasy recently conducted an INR 3,500 Cr rights issue that was oversubscribed, claimed cofounder Dhaval Shah.
• Java Capital closed its INR 50 Cr fund, with participation from startup founders and HNIs located in India, the Middle East, and the United States. 
• Anicut Capital received a commitment of over INR 30 Cr from HDFC AMC’s Fund of Fund, with possible additional allocation in the near future.
• Kratos Studios earmarked INR 50 Cr grant for Kratos Games Network to encourage gaming studios to migrate their games to its blockchain platform.
• JSW Ventures divested its stake in ecommerce unicorn Purplle by selling it to Manipal Education and Medical Group Family Office (MEMG)

The post From Aequs To Skyroot Aerospace — Indian Startups Raised $133 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Following a decrease in funding last week, Indian startups have regained the funding momentum. Between October 23 and October 28, Indian startups collectively raised $466 Mn in funding across 13 deals, a 96% upswing from $237 Mn raised by startups across 20 deals last week.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Oct 23 – Oct 28]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• EV unicorn Ola Electric raised $384 Mn Mn in a funding round from Temasek and SBI, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Ola Electric’s funding, the cleantech sector emerged as the most funded sector this week, raising $413 Mn across two deals.
• The enterprisetech and deeptech sector witnessed the most deal counts with three deals each. While enterprisetech baggage $10.2 Mn, deeptech sector raised $6.7 Mn.
• Seed funding activity saw a significant decline this week, falling to $3.8 Mn across two deals from $5.2 Mn raised last week.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• SaaS logistics platform Shipsy acquired inventory management platform Stockone for an undisclosed amount. 
• EV battery startup Log9 Materials announced an ESOP buyback plan worth INR 1.5 Cr for its employees. 
• Rahul Gupta, and Siba Panda jointly launched their sector agnostic venture debt fund – ValuAble, with a corpus of INR 850 Cr or $100 Mn
• InCred Asset Management, the asset management arm of InCred, closed its maiden credit fund, InCred Credit Opportunities Fund-I, at INR 660 Cr.
• Peak XV Partners have launched the ninth cohort of its startup accelerator programme – Surge, featuring 7 Indian startups. Click here to know more

The post From Ola Electric To PMI Electro Mobility — Indian Startups Raised $466 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Following two weeks of growth in funding, the Indian startup ecosystem witnessed a decline in the third week of October. From October 16 to October 21, 2023, the startup ecosystem raised $237 Mn across 20 deals, marking a 18% downfall compared to $288 Mn raised across 24 deals last week. 

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Oct 16 – Oct 21]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Enterpritech  startup Zetwerk raised $120 Mn in a Series F funding round from Avenir Growth, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Zetwerk’s funding, the enterpristech sector emerged as the most funded sector this week, raising $127 Mn across two deals.
• The fintech sector witnessed the most deals this week. The startups in the sector raised $40 Mn across seven deals. 
• Seed funding activity saw a significant decline this week, falling to $5.2 Mn across seven deals from $9.3 Mn last week.
• Gruhas was the busiest investor as it participated in two deals this week.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Video editing platform provider VideoVerse acquired AI-powered design system Optikka for an undisclosed amount.
• Singularity Growth announced the first close of its second fund – Singularity Growth Opportunities Fund II – at INR 500 Cr. The second fund’s total corpus is INR 1,500 Cr.
• Beleaguered healthtech startup Mojocare’s board decided that the startup will shut its operations and return remaining capital to investors.
• Fintech SaaS startup Perfios conducted an ESOP buyback worth INR 154 Cr, turning 62 of its employees millionaires.

The post From Zetwerk To Neo — Indian Startups Raised $237 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Continuing the funding momentum from the previous week, the second week of October witnessed Indian startups bagging $288 Mn across 24 deals. This week’s funding marks a 142% increase from the $119 Mn secured by Indian startups in the previous week across 11 deals. Additionally, this week also saw a mega deal, as fintech startup Zolve bagged $100 Mn in a debt funding round. 

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Oct 9 – Oct 14]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Fintech neobank startup Zolve raised $100 Mn in a debt funding round from the US-based impact investor Community Investment Management (CIM), making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Zolve’s funding, the fintech sector emerged as the most funded sector this week, raising $206.7 Mn across six deals
• Ecommerce sector witnessed the most deals this week. The sector saw seven deals with $16.4 Mn of funding. 
• Seed funding activity saw a marginal upswing this week, rising to $9.3 Mn across six deals. 
• Matrix Partners India was the busiest investor as it participated in two deals this week.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Warner Music India acquired E-Positive, an artist management company, to strengthen its presence in the country’s independent music space.
• Singapore-based Jungle Ventures launched First Cheque@Jungle programme to back early stage startups in idea to seed stage.
• Delhi NCR-based healthtech startup Zivov is in advanced talks to raise around $5 Mn in its pre-Series A funding round, sources told Inc42. 
• Nikhil Kamath, the cofounder of bootstrapped unicorn Zerodha, launched WTF Fund, a funding and mentorship programme for entrepreneurs under the age of 22.
• Kunal Shah’s CRED is in talks to acquire investech platform Kuvera to enter the fast-growing stock and mutual fund broking market. 
• WestBridge Capital has acquired a stake in Meesho in a secondary transaction from its early and long-term backer, Venture Highway.

The post From Zolve To InsuranceDekho — Indian Startups Raised $288 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

The month of October got off to a sluggish start in terms of funding for the Indian startup ecosystem. During the first week of the month, Indian startups have secured $119 Mn across 11 deals, marking a 38% decrease to the previous week when the ecosystem collectively bagged $194 Mn across 34 deals.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Oct 2 – Oct 7]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• B2B vendor management startup Bizongo raised $50 Mn in a Series E funding led by Schroder Adveq, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Mensa Brands & Bizongo’s fundraise, the ecommerce sector emerged as the most funded sector this week, raising $91.4 Mn. The sector also secured the most number of deals i.e. 4, making it the funded sector overall. 
• Seed funding activity saw a marginal dip this week with $8.75 Mn in infusion across 7 deals. Last week, $9 Mn was raised in a seed funding across 17 deals.

Startup Acquisitions This Week

• Listed caller identification app Truecaller acquired Bengaluru-based TrustCheckr, to help businesses verify customer information and detect the risk of fraud based on phone numbers.
• This week, Inc42 exclusively reported that gaming unicorn Dream11’s acquisition of fantasy cricket platform Sixer for an undisclosed amount.
• Nazara Technologies’ NODWIN Gaming acquired a 100% stake in PublishME for $2 Mn.
• After receiving an RBI approval fintech unicorn slice will be merging with North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB). 

Other Major Developments From This Week

• GVFL, formerly known as Gujarat Venture Finance Limited, has launched an accelerator programme – Xcelerate Program, in partnership with Marwari Catalysts for seed stage startups. The programme, will provide mentorship and investment in the range of INR 75 Lakh to INR 2.5 Cr
• Bengaluru-based car rental startup Zoomcar is eyeing to list on the American stock exchange Nasdaq in the ongoing quarter through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) deal.
• Chairman of Manial Group – Ranjan Pai is reportedly in talks to make a major investment in the beauty ecommerce unicorn Purplle.
• Everest Fleet has given 18.8X and 19X exits to its early backers – Rockstud Capital and Artha Venture Fund respectively after securing investment from Uber and Paragon Ventures

The post From Bizongo To Mensa Brands — Indian Startups Raised $119 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Following a brief dip in funding last week, the month of September is concluding on a notably stronger note. Indian startups raised $194 Mn across 34 funding deals, marking a substantial 113% increase from the $91 Mn raised in the prior week.

Throughout September, Indian startups garnered $995 Mn in funding over a span of four weeks.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Sept 25 – Sept 30]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Bengaluru and San Francisco-based Consumer fintech startup Bright Money raised $62 Mn funding in a mix of equity and debt, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Bright Money’s fundraise, the fintech sector emerged as the most funded sector this week, securing $67.5 Mn across two deals.
• Ahead of the festive season, the ecommerce sector witnessed the most number of deals. The sector saw ten deals and a total of $62 Mn being raised.
• Seed funding activity surged this week with $9 Mn in fund infusion across 17 deals, a substantial jump from $5.4 Mn raised across five deals a week prior
• Flipkart Ventures was the busiest investor this week as it participated in five deals.

Startup Acquisitions This Week

• SaaS firm KaarTech acquired Chicago-based customer experience solutions consultancy company Dunn Solutions for an undisclosed amount.
• D2C fashion startup Styched acquired performance wear brand Zymrat in a cash and equity swap deal. 
• Indian music giant Saregama is acquiring a 92.6% stake in the new-age digital entertainment startup Pocket Aces at a valuation of $40 Mn.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Debt VC firm Trifecta Capital announced the final close of its third venture debt fund, Trifecta Venture Debt Fund III, at INR 1,777 Cr.
• According to Inc42 sources, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure provider Bolt.Earth is in talks with investors to raise $20 Mn in its Series B round at a valuation of $100 Mn. 
• Hyderabad’s Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEA) launched its new startup fund with an initial corpus of INR 5 Cr for potential startups in the Hyderabad region. 
• Matrix Partners India has elevated three of its principals – Aakash Kumar, Pranay Desai, and Sudipto Sannigrahi  – to the managing director roles.
• Healthcare-focussed startup Affordplan this week saw a complete management buyout led by its CEO,  thus giving a complete exit to the founders and four private equity investors. 

The post From Bright Money To Doceree — Indian Startups Raised $194 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Following two weeks of consistent funding inflow, the Indian startup ecosystem witnessed a significant drop in funding during the third week of September. Indian startups raised $91 Mn across 15 deals during September 18 to 23, a substantial 78% decrease compared to the previous week’s $413 Mn across 21 deals.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Sept 18 – Sept 23]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Mumbai-based vernacular audio platform Kuku FM raised $25 Mn in its Series C round from The Fundamentum Partnership and IFC, making it the biggest funding deal of the week.
• Fuelled by Kuku FM and Eloelo’s fundraise, the media and entertainment sector emerged as the most funded sector this week, securing $47 Mn across two deals.
• There were a total of five seed funding deals amounting to a combined investment of $5.4 Mn during the week.
• Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) was the busiest investor this week as it participated in three deals.

Startup Fund Launches This Week

• Indian private equity (PE) firm Creaegis announced the final close of its maiden $425 Mn (INR 3,529 Cr) fund to invest in homegrown startups. 
• Japanese VC firm Incubate Fund Asia concluded the first close of its third fund with a target corpus of $50 Mn (around INR 416 Cr). It will deploy the funds in 20 pre-seed and seed stage startups.
• Antler India announced the first close of its maiden fund at INR 500 Cr and intends to complete the final close at INR 600 Cr. The fund will solely focus on funding early stage Indian startups.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Nikhil Kamath, the cofounder of Zerodha, is likely to join the captable of electric two-wheeler manufacturer Ather Energy via a secondary sale.
• Walmart-owned ecommerce giant Flipkart is planning to invest $15 Mn to $20 Mn for an in-house credit marketplace ahead of the festive season.
• Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola Electric has reportedly expedited its public listing plans and is likely to file the DRHP with the SEBI for its $700 Mn IPO before the end of October.
• Fintech SaaS startup Perfios has acquihired Chennai-based open finance platform Fego.ai.

The post From Kuku FM To Eloelo — Indian Startups Raised $91 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Maintaining a strong funding pace in the second week of September, Indian startups successfully garnered $413 Mn through 21 deals from September 11 to September 15. This represents a significant 61% increase over the $257 Mn secured in 18 deals during the prior week.

The week witnessed one mega deal, with fintech SaaS-based startup Perfios bagging $229 Mn in its Series D round from Kedaara Capital.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Sept 11 – Sept 16]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Bengaluru-based fintech SaaS startup Perfios raised $229 Mn from Kedaara Capital, making it the biggest fundraise of the week.
• Fueled by Perfios fundraise, the fintech emerged as the most funded sector this week, securing $231 Mn across four deals.
• Enterpristech reported the highest deal count, securing $85.6 Mn across five startup funding deals.
• Following an impressive number of seed funding deals last week, the Indian startup ecosystem witnessed meagre three deals.
• Kedaara Capital was the busiest investor this week as it participated in two deals each.

Startup Fund Launches This Week

• Early stage VC firm Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India has raised $541 Mn for its fifth fund – the VVSEAI Fund V.
• Xponentia Capital announced the first closure of  Xponentia Opportunities Fund II after raising INR 1,000 Cr from investors, exceeding the initial target of INR 750 Cr. 
• Early stage VC Kae Capital closed its Winners Fund II (KWF II) worth $50 Mn (INR 410 Cr) to co-invest in its portfolio startups.
• Artha Group has launched Artha Continuum Fund (ACF), a syndicate fund tailor-made for family offices and Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNIs).

Startup Acquisitions Of This Week

• Intercity food delivery startup JustMyRoots acquired regional packaged food delivery startup The State Plate (TSP) for an undisclosed amount.
• Fintech unicorn Razorpay marked its eighth acquisition. The fintech unicorn acquired BillMe, a Mumbai-based digital invoicing and customer engagement startup. 
• 1 Bridge acquired the technology assets of eSamudaay to build district commerce stack on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). 
• Sportswear brand Agilitias Sports, which raised $52 Mn in its maiden funding round, has acquired Mochiko Shoes, a domestic footwear brand. 

Other Major Developments From This Week

• AI-enabled matrimony startup Betterhalf announced its second ESOP buyback programme which will benefit 29 current and former employees. 
• Troubled BYJU’S has put two of its acquired companies – Epic and Great Learning, on sale and is looking to cash out $800 Mn – $1 Bn from it.
• Global investment major KKR is likely to invest INR 2,069.5 Cr in Reliance’s retail arm – Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL) for INR 2,069.5 Cr.  
• Lenskart-backed Neso Brands invested $4 Mn in Paris-based omnichannel eyewear brand Le Petit Lunetier for a significant stake.

The post From Perfios To Pixis — Indian Startups Raised $413 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

The month of September began with a positive upswing in funding for Indian startups. Between September 4 and September 9, 2023, Indian startups collectively secured $257 Mn across 18 deals.

This week’s funding further marks a significant increase of 394% compared to $52 Mn raised by Indian startups in the previous week.

The week witnessed one mega deal, with Ather Energy bagging $108 Mn from Hero MotoCorp and GIC.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Sept 4 – Sept 9]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Bengaluru-based EV scooter manufacturing startup Ather Energy raised $108 Mn from Hero MotorCorp and GIC, making it the biggest fundraise of the week.
• Fueled by Ather’s fundraise, the electric vehicle (cleantech) sector emerged as the most funded this week, securing $111 Mn across three deals.
• Ecommerce reported the highest deal count, securing $26.8 Mn. Notably, one-third of all funding deals were in the ecommerce sector, accounting for six out of the total 18 deals reported this week.
• After a lackluster performance in the past few weeks, the first week of September saw a marked resurgence in investor interest for seed funding. Over $20 Mn was raised across ten seed-stage funding deals.
• Elevation and Matrix Partners were the busiest investors this week as they participated in two deals each.

Startup Fund Launches This Week

• B2B SaaS-focused venture capital firm Pentathlon Ventures announced the launch of a second fund, Fund II, with a target corpus of INR 450 Cr. The fund plans to invest in 25 startups.
• Unicorn India Ventures announced the first close of its INR 1,000 Cr Fund III at INR 225 Cr. The VC firm is looking to close the fund by March 2024. The VC firm intends to invest in 25 startups from this fund.
• Soonicorn Ventures has received SEBI’s nod to launch an angel fund with a total corpus set at INR 250 Cr. It also has an additional INR 250 Cr green-shoe option. 
• National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) Maharashtra has announced the launch of INR 50 Cr RealTech Fund to back proptech startups. 
• Anicut Capital has secured an investment of INR 50 Cr from the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for the Anicut Equity Fund.

Startup Acquisitions Of This Week

• Delhi NCR-based omnichannel meat brand Good To Go acquired Chennai-based meat delivery startup TenderCuts in a distress sale.
• Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) is acquiring a majority stake (51%) in Alia Bhatt’s children’s wear D2C brand Ed-a-Mamma.
• Oneglint Media Solutions, a photography solutions company, acquired Memzo – an AI-powered photo-sharing product.
• PowerSchool, a cloud-based software for K-12 education, acquired Chennai-based enterprise resource planning software startup Neverskip for an undisclosed amount.
• After raising $2.5 Mn, Hybrid Shifting Solution is acquiring Pikkol, an AI-based technology-enabled logistics brand.
• GOAT Brand Labs has completed the acquisition of the remaining stake in Frangipani, in line with the terms initially set during their majority acquisition in 2021.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Delhi NCR-based fintech unicorn BharatPe is in talks with existing investors to raise $100 Mn in a new round of funding. 
• Bhavish Aggarwal’s Ola Electric has reportedly raised $140 Mn in a funding round led by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund Temasek with participation from other existing investors.
• The Odisha government has approved a grant worth INR 1.28 Cr for 10 startups with an aim to boost innovation and entrepreneurship in the state.

The post From Ather To Nazara — Indian Startups Raised $257 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

After a week of record-breaking investment, August ended on a quieter note with $341 Mn in startup funding. Following a surge in the third week of August, investment levels saw a significant decline in the fourth week. 

Between August 28 and September 2, Indian startups collectively secured $52 Mn across 12 deals — a 77.4% drop compared to the $231 Mn raised in the previous week, which also marked the emergence of a new unicorn after an 11-month hiatus. 

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Aug 28 – Sept 2]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Healthtech startup MediBuddy raised an additional funding of $18 Mn from its existing investors for strategic acquisitions, making it the biggest fundraise of the week.
• Boosted by Medibuddy’s investment, the healthtech sector emerged as the most funded this week, securing $18.5 Mn across two deals.
• Fintech and  enterprisetech were the front-runners with the highest deal count, securing $12.2 Mn and $4.5 Mn respectively across three deals each
• After a record seed funding of $14 Mn last week, this week, five early stage funding deals were recorded.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• The Indian government under the Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT) will provide a grant of up to INR 50 Lakh to startups to promote technical textiles in the country.
• Venture capital (VC) firm gradCapital launched its second fund with a total size of $6 Mn to invest in student startups. 

The post From MediBuddy To SatSure — Indian Startups Raised $52 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

The startup ecosystem in India has experienced a significant funding resurgence this week, following its lowest weekly funding levels since 2020. 

From August 21 to 26, Indian startups collectively secured $231 Mn across 16 deals, marking a staggering 5,151% increase compared to the previous week’s modest $4.4 Mn raised over seven deals. 

This week also put an end to an 11-month dry spell without a new unicorn, as Zepto secured $200 Mn in a Series E round, becoming the first startup of 2023 to achieve a billion-dollar valuation. We had previously reported that Zepto was on track to enter the exclusive unicorn club last month.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Aug 21 – Aug 26]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Quick commerce startup Zepto raised $200 Mn in a Series E round from StepStone Group, Goodwater Capital, making it the biggest fundraise of this week.
• This week, the consumer services sector secured $200 Mn in funding across two deals, making it the most funded sector. 
• Ecommerce emerged as the frontrunner with the highest deal count, securing $13.1 Mn across five deals.
• After recording a low of $1.9 M in seed funding the seed funding rose to $14 Mn.
• This week, Nexus Venture Partners was the busiest investor as it participated in two deals. 

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Tata-owned watchmaking giant Titan acquired an additional 27.18% stake in omnichannel jewellery startup CaratLane for a sum of INR 4,621 Cr, thus valuing the startup at around $2 Bn. This acquisition will result in Caratlane employees receiving INR 340 Cr to INR 380 Cr from ESOP buyback.
• Bengaluru-based early stage VC – Veda VC announced the first close of its INR 250 Cr fund led by family offices and startup CXOs. It will invest in technology and tech-enabled startups.
• Japan’s SoftBank has sold INR 435 Cr worth of its stakes in FirstCry to Manipal Group’s Ranjan Pai’s MEMG Family Office, Marico’s Harsh Mariwala’s investment office Sharrp Ventures and the DSP family office of Hemendra Kothari. 
• Westbridge Capital picked majority stake in digital investment platform FundsIndia for an undisclosed amount.
• According to media reports, PharmEasy is raising INR 3,500 Cr through a rights issue to repay a large portion of its debt to Goldman Sachs.
• Qatar Investment Authority is investing INR 8,278 Cr ($1 Bn) into Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) for 0.99% stake.
• Ahead of IPO, Mamaearth is raising about $120 Mn – $150 Mn in a new funding round at a valuation of $1.5 Bn. The unicorn is in talks with SoftBank, Singapore’s GIC, Qatar Investment Authority, and Fidelity Investments for this fundraise.

The post From Zepto To GradRight — Indian Startups Raised $231 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

During the third week of August, a significant decline in capital inflow hit the Indian startup ecosystem. Funding for Indian startups in this week amounted to only $4.4 Mn across seven deals, indicating a possible nadir in weekly funding not witnessed since 2020.

This week’s funding marks a staggering 95% drop compared to the collective $95 Mn raised by startups in the previous week across 17 deals.

Funding Galore: Indian Startup Funding Of The Week [Aug 14 – Aug 19]

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Speech AI startup Contiinex raised $2 Mn in Pre-Series A funding round from YourNest and Refex Capital, making it the biggest fundraise of this week.
• This week, the enterprisetech sector secured $2.5 Mn funding, making it the most funded sector. 
• Fintech emerged as the frontrunner with the highest deal count, securing $1.4 Mn across three deals.
• After recording $11.4 Mn last week, the seed funding plummeted to $1.9 Mn across three deals.

Startup Acquisitions Of This Week

• Logistics unicorn Xpressbees acquired New Delhi-based courier firm Trackon in an all-cash transaction to enter the SME courier space.
• InMobi has acquired San Francisco-based adtech company Quantcast Choice – a consent management platform (CMP) for an undisclosed amount.
• Former BharatPe cofounder Bhavik Koladiya-led venture capital firm Finix Partners has reportedly acquired fintech startup Slash.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Bengaluru-based hyperlocal delivery startup Dunzo is in advanced talks to raise $100 Mn in its Series G round of funding. 
• Nazara Technologies has invested $500K (about INR 4.15 Cr) in Israel-based game developer Snax Games Ltd via its wholly-owned Singapore-based subsidiary Nazara PTE Ltd.
• BHIVE is launching a new coworking-focussed category II alternative investment fund (AIF) of INR 400 Cr.
• Singapore-based healthech investor HealthXCapital (HXC) has merged with marquee venture capital (VC) firm Jungle Ventures.
• Weeks after completely exiting Flipkart with $1 Bn – $1.5 Bn, Binny Bansal is planning to launch a startup in cross-platform ecommerce space.
• Peak XV Partners has signed ten term sheets in the first ten weeks since the split from its US-based parent Sequoia Capital.
• Serial entrepreneur Mukesh Bansal is in talks to raise $50 Mn in Series A funding from Peak XV Partners for his new venture in the premium fashion space.

Update | 21st August, 13:20

Headline updated to include the value of the funding.

The post Indian Startup Funding Hits A New Low — Just $4.4 Mn Raised This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

After a sluggish start in terms of overall funding raised in August, the second week of the month appears to be a sigh of relief for the country’s startup ecosystem. 

During the period from August 7 to August 12, 2023, Indian startups have raised a total funding of $95 Mn across 17 deals, marking a 763% increase from the $11 Mn raised between July 31 and August 5, 2023, and a 126% increase from the $42 Mn raised between July 24 and July 29, 2023.

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Debt collection startup Credgenics raised $50 Mn in Series B funding round led by Westbridge Capital, and Accel, making it the biggest fundraise of this week
• This week, the fintech sector secured a whopping $55 Mn in funding, making it the most funded sector. 
• Ecommerce emerged as the frontrunner with the highest deal count, securing $4.3 Mn across six deals.
• After a week of minimal seed funding, this week the seed funding reported $11.4 Mn across eight deals
• Bombay Shaving Company founder Shantanu Deshpande proved to be the busiest investor, with two funding announcements for the week.

Startup Acquisitions Of This Week

• Enterprise upskilling startup Expertrons acqui-hired Bengaluru-based HRTech platform Foxmula.
• Ananya Birla-led Svatantra Microfin has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Chaitanya India Fin Credit Pvt Ltd for INR 1,479 Cr. 
• AnotherAcquisition acquired Delhi NCR-based AI-powered email solutions provider Nyxion.ai for an undisclosed amount.
• Bengaluru-headquartered GPS Renewables acquired Germany-based Proweps Envirotech GmbH.
• Global investment firm KKR is acquiring a majority stake in Indian pallet pooling platform LEAP India for an undisclosed amount.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• South Korean gaming giant KRAFTON has announced to invest $150 Mn in India over the next two to three years.
• Zerodha’s investment arm Rainmatter has earmarked an additional INR 1,000 Cr capital to invest in sectors such as health, education, and climate change.
• Japanese mobile entertainment company MIXI announced the launch of a $50 Mn corporate venture capital fund in India. The fund will invest in early stage entertainment and consumer services startups.

The post From Credgenics To Disprz — Indian Startups Raised $95 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

The first week of August proved to be disastrous for Indian startups in terms of funding raised. Between July 31 and August 5, Indian startups managed to secure a meager $11.5 Mn across nine deals, making it one of the lowest funding amounts raised in a week since 2020. 

This week’s funding is 73% and 89.6% lower than $42 Mn and $111 Mn raised by Indian startups in July last and third week respectively. 

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• The biggest funding round was raised by community engagement and hiring startup — Unstop. It raised $5 Mn in a funding round led by Japan-based job board Mynavi.
• With $7 Mn in total funding, enterprise tech sector secured the maximum funding
• Ecommerce, enterprisetech, and fintech recorded two deals each.

Startup Fund Launches This Week

• Bengaluru-based growth venture capital firm Elev8 Venture Partners has announced the first close of Elev8-Capital Fund 1 at $67 Mn. It plans to participate in Series B and Series C funding rounds (typically in the range of $10 Mn to $15 Mn) of startups in sectors such as consumer tech, enterprise software, fintech, and healthtech.
• pi Ventures announced the final close of its second fund with a total commitment of INR 702 Cr ($85 Mn). The fund will invest in startups working in spacetech, biotech, blockchain, and material science, among others.
• Former BharatPe executive Pratekk Agarwaal launched GrowthCap Ventures, a SEBI-registered category II alternative investment fund (AIF) and is now looking to raise INR 50 Cr to invest in early stage startups. 

Startup Acquisitions Of This Week

• Public listed EaseMyTrip will be acquiring 51% stake each in three Indian travel companies – Mumbai-based Guideline Travels Holidays, Jammu & Kashmir-based TripShope Travel Technologies, and New Delhi-headquartered Dook Travels.
• Global investment firm KKR is acquiring a majority stake in Indian pallet pooling platform LEAP India for an undisclosed amount.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Yudiz Solutions, a blockchain, artificial intelligence and game development company went to public listing on August 4th  to raise INR 44.84 Cr via the IPO.
• Foodtech major Zomato which turned profitable in Q1 of FY24 is allotting INR 2.52 Cr shares as employee stock option plans (ESOPs) to select employees of the company and its subsidiaries.
• The Netherlands-based investment firm Prosus said PayU is selling a part of its business to Israel’s Rapyd for $610 Mn to focus on the Indian market.
• Firstrcry’s logistics arm – Xpressbees is reportedly in talks with the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board to raise $100 Mn.

The post Indian Startup Funding Hits A Snag — Only $11 Mn Raised This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

After witnessing a pronounced V-shaped recovery in the third week of July, the Indian startup ecosystem witnessed a significant drop in funding between July 24 and July 29. In this week, Indian startups managed to raise a mere $42 Mn in funding across 16 deals. This is a 62% drop from $111 Mn raised by Indian startups between July 17 and July 22, 2023 across 19 deals. 

Further, this week’s funding is also 50% lower than the $85 Mn raised between July 10 and July 15, 2023 across 17 deals. 

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• Delhi-based telecom startup Wiom raised INR 140 Cr ($17.1 Mn) in a Series A funding round led by RTP Global, making it the biggest fundraise of this week
• Deeptech sector raised the highest amount of funding at $8.3 Mn this week across three deals
• With five deals, enterprisetech sector reported the highest number of investment deals with $4.6 Mn funding
• Early-stage startup funding dropped by 84% to $1.3 Mn this week from $8.1 Mn last week 
• Hyderabad Angels was the busiest investor of this week as it participated in three deals. 

Startup Acquisitions Of This Week

• Pantomath Financial Services Group acquired a 75% stake in global deal-making marketplace fundgini.com for an undisclosed amount
• FMCG major Marico signed a definitive agreement to acquire 58% – a majority stake – in D2C nutrition brand Plix for INR 369.01 Cr. 

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Girish Mathrubootham led Together Fund announced the first close of its $150 Mn second early stage fund, Together Fund II, which is focussed on SaaS and AI startups 
• GreenCell Mobility secured a debt funding of INR 3,000 Cr from state-owned REC Ltd (formerly Rural Electrification Corporation Limited)
• In a major development, troubled edtech decacorn BYJU’S lenders had reached a consensus in restructuring its $1.2 Bn term loan B 
• Food delivery giant Swiggy initiated the second tranche of its ESOP liquidity programme worth $50 Mn that will benefit around 2,000 employees
• EV startup Zypp Electric announced an ESOP buyback programme worth INR 1.5 Cr that will benefit 15 employees. 

The post From Wiom To Kapture CX — Indian Startups Raised $42 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.

The third week of July has witnessed a pronounced V-shaped recovery after a drop in funding momentum last week. Between July 17 and July 22, 2023, the startup ecosystem has raised $111 Mn funding across 19 deals. This is a 30.5% jump from $85 Mn funding raised by Indian startups last week across 17 deals.

However, this week’s funding is 28.3% lower than the $155 Mn raised by Indian startups between July 3 and July 8, 2023. 

Key Startup Funding Highlights Of The Week

• RenewBuy has bagged $40 Mn in its Series D funding round from Japanese insurance major, Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc. making it the biggest fundraise of this week
• Fintech sector raised the highest amount of funding at $47.2 Mn this week across four deals
• With six deals, ecommerce sector reported the highest number of investment deals with $43.2 Mn funding
• Early-stage startup funding stood at $8.1 Mn this week, a 237% jump as compared to the last week where early stage funding was $2.4 Mn.

Startup Acquisitions Of This Week

• Fashion startup Styched acquired online casual sneaker startup Flatheads for an undisclosed amount
• Bureau, a fraud detection startup besides raising an extended Series A funding round this week also has completed the acquisition of Y-Combinator backed identity verification startup inVOID
• Y Combinator-backed Decentro acquired Mumbai-based SaaS fintech platform Neowise Technologies for an undisclosed amount in a cash and share deal
• Plus91Labs, a cloud consulting and IT service,  acquired Pixely, a company specialising in customised solutions for the Southeast Asian market.

Other Major Developments From This Week

• Reliance Brands is in talks to acquire Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt’s children’s wear brand, Ed-a-Mamma for INR 300 Cr – 350 Cr
• Troubled quick commerce startup Dunzo is trying to raise $20 Mn from its existing backer Reliance Retail
• Ravi Lambah, sovereign fund Temasek’s India head and head of the investment group said that the fund intends to invest $9-10 Bn in India over the next three years 
• Beleaguered PharmEasy is in talks to raise INR 2,000 Cr-INR 3,000 Cr to repay the loan it took from Goldman Sachs.

The post From RenewBuy To Ati Motors— Indian Startups Raised $111 Mn This Week appeared first on Inc42 Media.