• The new program (VIPP) invites industrial partners worldwide to join Varaha’s carbon removal platform

Varaha, Asia’s largest developer of high-integrity carbon removal projects, today announced its Series B financing round of ~$45M, and close of the initial tranche of $20M, led by WestBridge Capital.

The new capital will accelerate Varaha’s geographic expansion, strengthen its scientific and MRV capabilities, and scale a new industrial partnership model that extends its capabilities to partners worldwide.

Founded in India, Varaha develops carbon removal projects across four pathways: Biochar, Afforestation, Reforestation and Revegetation (ARR); Regenerative Agriculture, and Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW).

The company has built strong commercial traction, executing long-term carbon offtake agreements with U.S. technology leaders Google and Microsoft, as well as a major U.S.-based aviation company. Varaha has also delivered one of the highest volumes of durable carbon removal credits of any project developer globally as on date.

This investment marks WestBridge Capital’s first climate tech investment.

Varaha Founders

• Neverinstall enables secure, low-latency cloud desktops on any device, eliminates expensive hardware, vendor lock-in and complex VDI deployments.
• Funding to accelerate Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI), BYOI model, and an enterprise secure browser for BFSI and healthcare use cases.
• The company records 3x growth in FY26, serves enterprises like Tally, Porter and Primebook, addresses a $21–23Bn VDI, DaaS and GPU virtualisation market.
• Ramesh Gopal Krishna joins as CRO, strengthening go-to-market execution for India and global enterprise expansion.

Equirus InnovateX Fund (EIF), an early-stage venture fund backing next-generation enterprise and infrastructure technologies, has participated in the seed round of Neverinstall, a Cloud PC platform enabling enterprises to stream any application to any device directly through a web browser. Founded in 2021 by Ram and Lakshman Pasala, Neverinstall decouples the operating system from hardware, allowing organisations to access virtual desktops and applications through any device—browsers, thin clients, mobile apps, or native desktop clients.

The investment reflects a broader enterprise shift away from traditional VDI platforms, which are increasingly costly, complex, and restrictive, often exceeding $2,000-3,000 per user annually while delivering limited flexibility and user experience. Neverinstall tackles these gaps with a cloud-native, protocol-agnostic platform powered by its proprietary CloudLink architecture, enabling secure virtual desktop access across web browsers, mobile applications, thin clients, and zero clients without local installations, ideal for GPU virtualization, VDI workloads, application streaming, developers, designers, BYOD setups and distributed teams.

The seed funding will be deployed to accelerate deep-tech infrastructure development and strengthen enterprise security capabilities. Key focus areas include the development of Neverinstall’s Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI) platform, enabling a “Bring Your Own Infrastructure” model on commodity hardware, and the launch of an Enterprise Secure Browser with an embedded eBPF-based security layer for compliant workflows including in regulated sectors such as BFSI and healthcare.

Equirus InnovateX Fund (EIF) focuses on backing post-product companies building core enterprise, infrastructure and deep-technology platforms. The fund invests in founders solving structurally complex problems with clear technological defensibility, distribution advantages and the potential to become long-term category leaders, particularly in markets undergoing fundamental transformation.

Commenting on the investment, Mr. Sunder Nookala, General Partner, Equirus InnovateX Fund said,“The enterprise desktop market is going through a fundamental reset. As hybrid work becomes the default, organisations are questioning the cost, rigidity and complexity of legacy VDI platforms. Neverinstall stands out for its browser-native, cloud-agnostic approach that materially lowers total cost of ownership while improving performance and user experience. This aligns strongly with EIF’s focus on backing founders who are re-architecting core enterprise systems for the next decade.”

The VDI and DaaS market is undergoing a structural reset as enterprises move toward multi-cloud environments and browser-first experiences, while legacy platforms remain single-vendor by design and dependent on static provisioning models. This gap has created an opportunity for cloud-agnostic platforms that combine enterprise-grade security with consumer-grade simplicity.

Mr.Lakshman Pasala, Co-Founder and CEO, Neverinstall, added, “Traditional desktop virtualisation is broken for modern enterprises—it’s expensive, inflexible, and complex to run at scale. We took a different path by building a unified stack from the ground up, backed by years of deep R&D across streaming, infrastructure orchestration, and security. EIF’s investment validates our belief that enterprises want technology that truly works, without vendor lock-in. With Ramesh Gopal Krishna joining us, we’re combining deep technology with strong go-to-market execution to build enterprise infrastructure for the next decade.”

Neverinstall is seeing strong enterprise momentum, recording threefold growth in FY26 and building a growing enterprise pipeline for FY’27. The platform is already being used by organisations such as Tally, Porter, Alliance Broadband and Primebook, supporting thousands of employees and validating its ability to deliver high-performance cloud desktops at scale over consumer-grade internet and affordable hardware. With a $21-23 billion total addressable market across VDI, DaaS and GPU virtualisation still largely untapped, EIF believes the company is well positioned to disrupt enterprise desktop provisioning at scale.

To support its next growth phase, Neverinstall has appointed Ramesh Gopal Krishna, a 25+ year sales leader from Microsoft, Meta and Salesforce, as Chief Revenue Officer. The company is now focused on scaling its enterprise presence across India and global markets while evolving into a full-stack workspace orchestration platform.

About Equirus InnovateX Fund (EIF)

Website: https://www.equiruswealth.com/eif

NeverInstall

Neverinstall is a next-generation virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) platform that delivers cloud desktops, virtual applications, and digital workspaces to any device—browsers, mobile apps, thin clients, or desktop clients—without downloads or installation. Our cloud-native VDI solution eliminates hardware limitations through desktop virtualization, application streaming, and GPU virtualization technologies, making virtual desktop access truly universal. With Neverinstall, organizations can deploy secure virtual workspaces, remote desktop services, and cloud-based desktop infrastructure without the complexity of traditional VDI deployment or on-premises data centers.

Website: https://neverinstall.com

• Eight visionary startups selected to advance Africa’s intra-continental trade and industrialisation goals
• Finalists are eligible subject to selection criteria to receive up to US$250,000 in equity investment, expert mentorship, and exclusive market access. 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) is excited to announce the selection of the top 8 finalists of the first cohort for its pioneering Afreximbank Accelerator Program. This dynamic three-month initiative, that kicks off in March 2026 is designed to empower Africa’s most promising startups that are driving innovation in intra-African trade.

The finalists were carefully selected from a highly competitive pool of over 1,600 applications, showcasing the continent’s most promising entrepreneurial talent. The rigorous process included detailed business assessments, interviews, and pitch sessions, overseen by a panel of Afreximbank trade specialists alongside leading external experts from the venture capital and innovation ecosystem.

The selected finalists embody Afreximbank’s mission to drive measurable progress in intra-African and global African trade. Representing innovations in sectors such as agriculture, e-commerce, market access, financial technology solutions, supply chain enhancement and manufacturing, these startups are poised to address critical trade challenges affecting both continental and diaspora markets, while also advancing intra-African trade and industrialisation.

The geographic diversity of applications, from across Africa, the diaspora, and CARICOM demonstrates the programme’s broad reach and stands as a testament to Afreximbank’s commitment to integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). By prioritising solutions from Seed to Series A - maturity and applying a robust three-stage evaluation that combines expert insight, practical business assessment, and strategic innovation criteria, the programme aims not only to accelerate start-ups growth but also to foster a sustainable ecosystem for trade-led development across Africa.

Afreximbank Accelerator Program will provide finalists with a comprehensive package of support including:

• Equity Investment: Equity financing- subject to selection criteria-of up to $250,000 through Afreximbank’s impact equity investment arm, Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), enabling rapid scale-up and operational growth.
• Mentorship: Access to seasoned experts, as well as industry leaders to refine business strategies and accelerate market entry. These include leading investors, trade specialists, and industry thought leaders committed to fostering Africa’s economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
• Market Access: Connection to Afreximbank’s pan-African trade ecosystem, including trade facilitation programmes, regulatory pathways as well as exclusive opportunities to leverage Afreximbank’s extensive network of government stakeholders, private sector players, and multilateral partners to secure partnerships and funding.

Over the course of the program, finalists will engage in virtual learning modules, hands-on workshops, and in-person sessions hosted across regional hubs such as Abuja, Nairobi and Afreximbank’s headquarters in Cairo. This immersive experience will culminate in a high-profile ‘Demo Day’, where startups will showcase their innovative solutions to an influential audience of global investors, policymakers, and industry champions.

Mr. Haytham Elmaayergi, Executive Vice President, Global Trade Bank at Afreximbank commented:

• Collaboration to advance research, education, and innovation in Critical Minerals, Mining technologies, and Sustainable industrial processes
• Mahindra University to serve as a SPOKE Institute for IIT Hyderabad’s Centre of Excellence in Critical Minerals
• Focus on Mining 4.0, AI-driven Mining, Autonomous Systems, and Start-up incubation aligned with national priorities

Mahindra University and the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) have entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a long-term partnership in research, education, training, and innovation, with a strong emphasis on Critical Minerals, Sustainable Mining, and Advanced industrial processes.

The collaboration aims to strengthen India’s capabilities in Critical Mineral exploration and processing—an area of growing national importance—by combining Mahindra University’s interdisciplinary academic approach with IIT Hyderabad’s strong research ecosystem. The partnership will span frontier domains including Iron ore beneficiation, Coal and mineral processing, Ironmaking and Steelmaking, Mining waste utilisation for infrastructure, extraction of Critical and Rare Earth Minerals, and Process modelling and simulation.

Beyond conventional mining research, the MoU also covers emerging areas such as AI and data analytics in Mining, Mining 4.0, Autonomous systems including Drones and Self-driving vehicles, and Incubation support for Start-ups and Innovators. These efforts are designed to translate advanced research into scalable technologies and skilled human capital for India’s Mineral and Manufacturing sectors.

Under the agreement, Mahindra University will function as a SPOKE institute for a Centre of Excellence (CoE) at IIT Hyderabad, enabling structured collaboration between faculty, researchers, and students of both institutions. The engagement will be operationalised through joint research projects, faculty and student exchanges, and shared access to laboratories and academic infrastructure.

The Ministry of Mines, GoI, has recognized 7 institutes – 4 IITs and 3 R&D Labs – as Centres of Excellence (CoE) under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) and IIT Hyderabad is one among the 4 IITs. The recognition of CoEs is an important step for fulfilling a key objective of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), which is research and technology development in Critical Minerals.

Speaking on the partnership, Dr. Yajulu Medury, Vice Chancellor, Mahindra University, said that the collaboration directly addresses national priorities related to India’s Critical Mineral mission and promotes sustainable, indigenous technological solutions through research-led education.

Prof. B S Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad, noted that India’s transition towards self-reliance in Critical Minerals and resource-efficient industrial processes requires sustained academic collaboration. He said the partnership would expand IITH’s research and training ecosystem, enabling multidisciplinary engagement and the translation of scientific knowledge into real-world technologies and skilled manpower.

The MoU places strong emphasis on capacity building and skill development, with planned initiatives including specialised training programmes for Mining professionals, elective and certificate courses in the Critical Minerals sector, a proposed master’s programme in Minerals and Coal processing, and short-duration programmes for working professionals. The collaboration also envisages seed support and incubation for Start-ups and MSMEs, along with engagement with venture capital firms to support commercialisation of research outcomes.

Designed as a long-term engagement governed by the academic frameworks of both institutions, the partnership seeks to advance knowledge, nurture skilled professionals, and support Atmanirbhar Bharat by strengthening India’s leadership in Critical Minerals and Sustainable industrial technologies.

About Mahindra University:

Mahindra University, Hyderabad (India), is a multidisciplinary, private university with a vision of “Educating future citizens for and of a better world”. It aims to play a significant role in driving globally acclaimed innovation in higher education in the coming years. Mahindra University’s special focus is on generating new knowledge through engagement in cutting-edge research, creating a spirit of research and discovery, experiential learning and entrepreneurship, whilst forging collaborations with industry and global academic institutions. The university is established by the Mahindra Group, one of the largest and most admired multinational federations of companies with presence in over 100 countries and with a turnover of over 25 billion.

Raana Semiconductors Pvt Ltd, a Tamil Nadu-based deep-tech startup, has raised $3 million in a seed funding round led by Equirus Innovatex Fund and Artha Venture Fund, with participation from IvyCap Ventures, PointOne Capital, CIIE Initiatives (IIMA Ventures), and angel investor Garimella Laxminarayana. The funds will accelerate R&D and product development of indigenous silicon ingot growth systems.

Key Highlights of the Funding Round

• Amount Raised: $3 million (Seed round, pure equity)
• Lead Investors: Equirus Innovatex Fund, Artha Venture Fund
• Other Participants: IvyCap Ventures, PointOne Capital, CIIE Initiatives (IIMA Ventures), Garimella Laxminarayana (angel investor)
• Advisory Partner: Prequate Advisory served as the sole strategic advisor

Company Profile

• Name: Raana Semiconductors Pvt Ltd (RSPL)
• Location: Tamil Nadu, India
• Sector: Deep-tech, semiconductor manufacturing equipment
• Specialization: Czochralski (CZ)-based crystal growth systems and single-crystal materials
• Experience: Over a decade in semiconductor technology

Strategic Use of Funds

• Product Development: Building indigenous Czochralski monocrystalline silicon ingot growers capable of producing 10–12 inch diameter silicon ingots.
• Applications: Defence, semiconductor, solar, and medical technologies.
• Roadmap:
  • Short-term: Solar-grade silicon ingots.
  • Long-term: Semiconductor-grade wafers for chip manufacturing.

Why This Matters

• Reducing Import Dependence: India relies heavily on overseas suppliers for silicon ingot growth systems. RSPL aims to localize this critical technology.
• Boost to Semiconductor Ecosystem: Aligns with India’s national semiconductor mission to strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity.
• Cross-Sector Impact: Vital for renewable energy (solar panels), electronics, defence systems, and medical devices.

Quick Comparison: RSPL vs. Global Context

Aspect	RSPL (India)	Typical Global Players
Funding Stage	Seed ($3M)	Series A–C, often $50M+
Focus	Indigenous CZ ingot growers	Advanced wafer fabs, lithography
Market Gap	Local equipment manufacturing	Mature ecosystems in US, Taiwan, Korea
Strategic Value	Reduces import reliance	Expands global dominance

Delhi has launched a new collateral-free loan scheme for small entrepreneurs, offering up to ₹10 crore in credit through a government-backed guarantee program. The initiative, announced on January 28, 2026, aims to boost startups, traders, and micro-enterprises by removing barriers to financing.

The Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) plays a crucial role in enabling collateral-free loans for India’s MSMEs by providing credit guarantees to banks and financial institutions. This reduces the risk for lenders and makes it easier for small businesses and startups to access formal credit.

In the Delhi Government’s collateral-free loan scheme for small entrepreneurs, the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) plays the central role of providing the primary credit guarantee.

CGTMSE covers 75–90% of the loan amount extended by banks/NBFCs to small entrepreneurs under this scheme. By absorbing most of the risk, CGTMSE makes lenders more confident in disbursing loans without collateral.  

Bridgit Mendler, former Disney Channel actress and singer, has raised $100 million for her space startup Northwood Space, which builds advanced ground infrastructure and phased array antennas to improve satellite connectivity. The Series B round was co-led by Washington Harbour Partners and Andreessen Horowitz.

Founded in 2023, by Bridgit Mendler, Shaurya Luthra, and Griffin Cleverly, Northwood Space is positioning itself as the “ground infrastructure backbone” for the new space economy, aiming to solve one of the least glamorous but most essential problems in satellite operations: how data gets back to Earth efficiently.

The California–based startup builds next‑generation ground infrastructure—specifically phased array antennas and mobile ground stations—to improve satellite‑to‑Earth connectivity. It has already raised more than $136 million in funding, including a $100 million Series B announced now hip?  

(Left to Right) Dr. V. Ramanujachari, Co-founder & CTO, D-Propulse Aerospace; and Saurav Jha, Founder & CEO, D-Propulse Aero

IAN Alpha Fund, the 2nd in the series of IAN Group’s VC fund, has invested ₹25 crores in D-Propulse Aerospace Private Limited to support the development of next-generation aerospace propulsion systems. The investment reflects IAN Group’s commitment to support deep-tech startups aligned to India’s strategic imperatives. D-Propulse’s advanced propulsion technologies bring critical innovation to India’s long-term defence strength and industrial resilience.

D-Propulse is building indigenous Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) based propulsion systems that fundamentally change how high-speed platforms are designed, manufactured, and deployed. Unlike conventional jet engines, RDEs have no moving parts. In fact, they are mechanically simpler, easier to manufacture, and more reliable at scale than even traditional ramjets and scramjets. They also deliver 25% or higher thermal efficiency gains, enabling smaller engines to deliver higher performance.

This combination brings down system costs significantly. By offering performance comparable to today’s high-speed weapons at a fraction of the cost, the company seeks to enable “mass in precision”, the ability to deploy fast, accurate systems at scale.

Founded in July 2025, D-Propulse was created to address a long-standing weakness in India’s defence ecosystem: advanced aero-propulsion. As integrated air and missile defence systems mature globally, traditional radar stealth is losing effectiveness. In the unipolar world of today, there is a need for countries to shift to build self-dependence in critical areas of defence and adoption of high-supersonic and hypersonic platforms is one such need., Existing propulsion technologies make the systems large, expensive, and difficult to scale which is the problem that D-Propulse is targeting to solve for in both defence and industry.

The company is led by an experienced team with strategic insights drawn from India’s defence and research ecosystem. Dr V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog and former Chairman of DRDO, serves as Chief Mentor. Founder and CEO Saurav Jha is a defence expert who advises the Indian government and leading Indian companies on strategic technology issues. Co-founder and CTO Dr V. Ramanujachari, a former senior DRDO scientist, led India’s scramjet engine programme and played a key role in the propulsion system used in the Akash missile. Prof. S. Chakravarthy, Head of NCCRD at IIT Madras, is Chief Advisor.

This depth of experience translates directly into execution on the ground. D-Propulse has already achieved a significant technology readiness level in air-breathing rotating detonation combustors and is progressing to flight-capable versions for technology demonstration.

Saurav Jha, Founder & CEO, D-propulse Aerospace, said, “We have entered an era where speed is the new stealth. Defence budgets across the major power centres of the world are pivoting in recognition of this new reality. Our vision is to ensure that India is fully equipped to not merely navigate but potentially dominate this emerging era of high-supersonic and hypersonic systems and platforms. Towards that end, we are progressing indigenous air-breathing rotating detonation engine technology and also building bespoke systems around it. Our plans are not limited to developing RDE-powered effectors but extend to the creation of high-supersonic drones as well.”

Rajnish Kapur, Managing Partner, IAN Alpha Fund, said, “Propulsion is the hardest and most capital-intensive problem in high-speed aerospace systems, and it has historically been the limiting factor for scale. What excites us, at IAN, about D-Propulse is not just the choice of Rotating Detonation technology, but the way it fundamentally changes system economics, simpler engines, higher efficiency, and dramatically lower costs. Affordability is the real unlock if India is to move from a few exquisite platforms to true scale. We see D-Propulse’s team that understands both the physics and the strategic context, and are delighted to back them as a long-term partner in building this for India.”

The seed capital from IAN Alpha Fund will be used to expand the engineering team, strengthen computing and simulation capabilities, and set up limited testing infrastructure. The company is also integrating AI into both operations and technical development to accelerate design and validation cycles. Initial engagements with the Indian military are underway, with export markets to be addressed in close consultation with the government at a later stage.

Globally, rotating detonation combustion is emerging as a general-purpose technology with applications across propulsion, rockets, gas turbines, and power generation, representing a potential $100 billion market by 2035. While India currently has limited activity in this space, global interest is accelerating, creating a timely opportunity for indigenous leadership.

With this investment, IAN Alpha Fund reinforces its role as a conviction-driven investor in deep technology, backing teams that combine scientific depth, execution capability, and a clear understanding of how technology shapes strategic needs to deliver high ROIs.

About D-Propulse Aerospace:

Deeppropulse Aerospace Private Limited is an Indian aerospace startup focused on developing next-generation high-speed propulsion systems for defence and civilian applications. The company is working on proprietary rotating detonation engine (RDE) technology, which has the potential to significantly improve propulsion efficiency and performance in advanced aerospace platforms. Through its innovation-led approach, D-Propulse aims to support the development of faster, more efficient, and mission-ready aerospace solutions for the future.

About IAN Group:

IAN Group is India’s largest horizontal platform for early-stage investments, comprising the IAN Angel Fund, BioAngels, and a series of SEBI-registered Venture Capital Funds, the latest being a US$100mn VC Fund, IAN Alpha Fund. IAN enables entrepreneurs to raise from Rs. 50 lakhs to Rs. 50 crores, supported by high-quality mentoring by successful entrepreneurs, enabling access to global markets. IAN Group backs founders across domains and helps them scale their companies across India and beyond. Forbes has recognised IAN as one of the most iconic business and economic developments of Independent India over the last 75 years, alongside institutions such as LIC, NASSCOM, the RBI, and Naukri.com.

Indian fintech startup Mysa has raised $3.4M in a Pre-Series A round of funding co-led by Blume Ventures and Piper Serica, with participation from new investors Ikemori Ventures, Raise Financial Services, QED Innovation Labs, and existing investors Antler, IIMA Ventures & Neon Fund. This brings the total funding raised so far to $6.2M.

Mysa gives companies tighter control, built-in auditability, and savings of lakhs each year by eliminating manual inefficiencies, fraud, and tax leakages. Mysa achieves this by simplifying Vendor Management, Accounts Payable, Expense Management, GST ITC checks and Multi-bank payment operations for India’s fast growing mid-size companies.

The company will deploy the new capital to deepen its AI capabilities and its banking product offerings, including AI-enabled procurement, UPI-driven expense management, and a corporate credit card offering. Mysa also plans to unlock embedded financing opportunities by leveraging its growing vendor network, helping businesses access capital more efficiently, while continuing to expand bank partnerships and scale distribution across India’s mid-market segment.

In less than a year of its public launch, Mysa has scaled to processing ₹1,500+ crore in annualized transaction volume, driving payments to over 40,000 bank accounts across the country.

Since launching a year ago, Mysa has rapidly expanded its banking footprint, enabling integrations with 15+ banks—including key players such as Axis Bank, YES Bank, IDFC First Bank, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank.

Mysa is currently used across sectors, including omni-channel commerce brands, quick commerce, manufacturing, hospitality, fintechs, and real estate companies with customers such as Dhan, Wint Wealth, Swish, DrinkPrime, Vaaree, Handpickd, Guru & Jana, Accel Data, Atomic Work, DPDZero, Material Depot, and more.

“Finance teams today are expected to move faster while managing more complexity, but the underlying infrastructure hasn’t evolved,” said Arpita Kapoor, co-founder and CEO of Mysa. “We’re building an AI-driven automation platform that plugs seamlessly into legacy ERPs and banks, enabling teams to scale without adding operational risk—at zero upfront cost and with no migration required.”

“We are excited to co-lead this investment. This is a massive, under-served opportunity in India, where mid-size businesses continue to struggle with fragmented and inefficient financial & banking workflows, paying service companies upfront fees to solve for gaps in legacy ERPs. Mysa is creating a new category by combining AI-driven automation with deep bank integrations. Backed by an exceptional founding team, the company is well-positioned to redefine financial infrastructure for India’s backbone economy”, added Ajay Modi, Director Investments at Piper Sercia.

Joseph Sebastian, VP at Blume Ventures, mentioned, “We’re excited to double down on our investment in Mysa. The team has a deep, first-principles understanding of finance teams’ real-world pain points—reflected in strong customer referrals and near-zero churn in the product’s first year cycle. The platform’s multi-banking architecture and AI-first approach make it a natural upgrade layer over legacy systems.

“We welcome Blume and Piper Serica, and are excited to double down on Mysa, where we’ve seen Arpita and Mohit’s clinical execution since Day 1. Mysa’s product suite will be the best AI-enabled operating system for the modern Indian finance teams - solving automation in the right way, from AP to expense management and more”, added Nitin Sharma, Partner at Antler India.

In the next 5 years, over a million mid-sized Indian companies will need intelligent, bank-integrated finance spanning payments, tax, treasury, and embedded financial services. Mysa is uniquely positioned to serve this market and emerge as a category-defining B2B fintech company.

IAN Group, the country’s single largest early-stage investment platform, has invested in Chargeup’s ₹22 crore funding round along with Cap-A and existing investors.

Chargeup is building India’s driver-first EV Tech platform, enabling loan security for lenders, and earning security for drivers to run more and earn more — connecting all in one seamless platform.

The funding will support the company’s expansion into high-demand markets and further strengthen its technology platform for drivers, NBFCs, and scale operations across high demand EV focused markets.

Interestingly, Chargeup’s scale-up plans align with India’s continuously accelerating shift to electric mobility, where easy ownership and earning security are critical for last-mile drivers.

Founded in 2019 by Varun Goenka (Co-founder & CEO) and Satish Mittal (Co-founder & CDO), Chargeup works with India’s last-mile drivers, many of whom earn under ₹800 per day due to high financing costs, frequent battery replacements, and consequently vehicle downtime. EV 3W drivers lose almost half their daily income on EMIs, loss days due to breakdowns, and maintenance of batteries.

The investment aligns with the IAN Group’s focus on backing technology-led, scalable businesses that solve structural challenges in India’s economy. With a strong emphasis on platforms that enable financial inclusion, asset efficiency, and sustainable mobility, the group has been actively supporting companies building critical infrastructure for the next phase of India’s growth, particularly across deep-tech, mobility, and climate-linked sectors.
Varun Goenka, Co-founder & CEO, said, “Charge, and climate-linked sectors.

Varun Goenka, Co-founder & CEO, said, Chargeup is building a high-growth, profitable company focused on empowering last-mile drivers with better earnings and financial security. The IAN Group’s investment will accelerate our journey toward our Mission Million milestone, enabling a million drivers to become financially independent.

Chargeup has already onboarded over 10,000 EV drivers and plans to add 20,000 more by FY27. The company operates in a fast-growing market, with the opportunity estimated at $12 billion, driven by the rising adoption of electric three-wheelers in logistics and passenger mobility.

As India’s gig economy and urban mobility needs continue to expand, the company aims to play a key role in building the financial and operational backbone for the country’s EV ecosystem, improving credit access, asset utilisation, and long-term driver sustainability through a single, data-driven platform.

• Emergent’s ARR has grown from $100K to $50 million in just seven months, driven by more than 5 million users worldwide

Emergent, the fast-growing AI software creation platform that helps anyone build full-stack, production-ready web and mobile applications, announced it has raised $70 million in Series B funding from Khosla Ventures and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with participation from Prosus, Lightspeed, Together, and Y Combinator. In total, Emergent has now raised $100 million within seven months of launch. The funding comes as more than 5 million users are already building and shipping real products on Emergent across more than 190 countries.

The funds will be deployed to fuel continued team expansion, accelerate product development, and drive entry into new markets, as demand for AI-powered software creation surges among entrepreneurs and small businesses globally. The backing from Khosla Ventures and SoftBank Vision Fund 2 reflects growing confidence in Emergent’s long-term vision and execution.

In just seven months, Emergent has scaled to $50 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and is on track to surpass $100 million ARR by April 2026, cementing its position among the fastest-growing AI companies worldwide and the fastest-scaling technology startup in India by revenue.

Emergent’s Series B comes less than three months after its Series A, marking one of the fastest Series A–to–Series B progressions in the category. The round also follows Google’s recent backing of Emergent, underscoring strong validation from leading global technology and capital partners. Notably, the investment marks SoftBank’s return to AI investments in India, signalling renewed conviction in the country’s next wave of AI-led companies.

Software creation is undergoing a structural shift,” said Mukund Jha, co-founder and CEO of Emergent. “It used to be that only people with technical training or capital got to turn ideas into real products. Emergent flips that model. We are seeing millions of people build and ship real businesses, workflows, and products in days. As a result, many are generating new sources of income. By helping everyday people build and monetize their ideas, Emergent is stepping in to power the most crucial segment of the economy – small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Emergent is growing at a pace we rarely see because it is tapping into a segment that has never been served,” said Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures. “When barriers to software creation fall this quickly, behavior changes across industries, not just within the technology sector. Emergent is early in shaping how software gets created and monetized over the next decade, not just the next product cycle, and its users are quick to share their success.

Emergent is harnessing AI to unlock a massive wave of entrepreneurship by removing the technical and capital barriers that have historically limited who can build software,” said Sarthak Misra, Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers. We are excited to partner with Mukund, Madhav and the Emergent team on a shared vision to help entrepreneurs worldwide turn ideas into businesses.

Emergent works like a full development team with agents that design, build, test, and scale software end to end. The result is real, dependable software built in a fraction of the time and cost, giving both established and first-time business owners the speed, confidence, and leverage of the world’s most advanced technology companies, without the overhead. Most importantly, business builders can monetize their creation, going from idea to cash flow in hours. Emergent produces production-grade software, engineered to ship, paired with Stripe and other built-in billing providers, so your product is monetization-ready on launch.

Emergent is available at https://emergent.sh/, enabling anyone to start building and launching applications instantly.

About Emergent:

Emergent is the fast-growing platform that lets anyone create full-stack, production-ready applications using autonomous AI agents. Emergent’s vision is to enable ambitious people to move at the speed of their thought — to build faster, go bigger, and be unblocked from technical limitations. Launched in 2025, Emergent is backed by Khosla Ventures, SoftBank, Lightspeed, YC, Prosus, Together, and Google’s AI Futures Fund. Its mission is to democratize who gets to build software and bring new ideas to life.

• INR 3.2 Crores of funding raised in the pre-seed funding round
• Titan Capital invested in For Real, backing its approach to branded value shopping in India.
• Funding to scale technology, expand brand collections, and drive early user adoption

For Real, an online factory outlet marketplace redefining branded value shopping in India, has raised INR 3.2 crore in a Pre-Seed funding round from Titan Capital. The fresh capital will be utilised to build and scale the company’s technology platform and drive early user adoption.

As India’s fashion and D2C ecosystem moves at fast-fashion speed, with more frequent collections and greater experimentation, inventory creation has evolved far faster than inventory clearance. While merchandising has modernised, liquidation in many cases remains anchored in legacy practices reminiscent of the early 2000s, opaque, fragmented, and often reliant on unorganised channels, highlighting the need for more structured approaches to managing unsold inventory.

Founded by Anurag Sheth and Mohit Sheth, For Real is building a dedicated online factory outlet marketplace that separates liquidation from primary commerce. The platform enables brands to liquidate excess inventory in a predictable and transparent manner, without impacting their core sales channels. For consumers, it offers a discovery-led value shopping experience focused on branded products rather than random discount-led browsing.

“We have backed Anurag and Mohit because they have a clear understanding of a real and persistent problem brands face with excess inventory. They are building a structured, tech-led off-price marketplace with a strong focus on brand integrity, rather than short-term liquidation. As the industry evolves, their clarity of thinking and disciplined approach to solving this problem gives us confidence in For Real’s long-term potential.” - Titan Capital Spokesperson.

Anurag Sheth, CEO and Co-Founder, For Real, said, For Real is India’s first online factory outlet marketplace, built to fundamentally change how brands liquidate inventory and how consumers discover value. We’re building a paradigm shift; a brand-safe channel that separates liquidation from fresh merchandise and cuts the need for brands to hoard unsold inventory for months or dilute their primary channels

While most e-commerce marketplaces in India are optimised for fresh inventory with predictable replenishment cycles, liquidation inventory behaves very differently. Forcing both inventory types into the same browsing and discovery flows has resulted in cluttered feeds, poor discovery, and friction-heavy experiences for value-first shoppers, given the long-tail nature of off-price inventory with a high number of styles and limited stock per style. For Real is designing its platform with this context in mind, building a purpose-led discovery experience tailored specifically to off-price inventory.

Mohit Sheth, CTO and Co-Founder, For Real, said, Value shopping in India has been broken for years; cluttered feeds, poor discovery, and experiences that make finding the right product at the right price harder than it should be. At For Real, we’re building a purpose-designed discovery engine that simplifies choice, surfaces the right products faster, and removes friction for value-first shoppers. The result is a significantly faster shopping journey that translates into a superior customer experience

About For Real:

For Real is an organised off-price marketplace built to help brands liquidate excess inventory efficiently while protecting long-term brand equity. Designed as a dedicated channel separate from primary commerce, the platform enables legacy and D2C brands to clear unsold inventory in a structured and predictable manner. For consumers, For Real offers access to premium brands at compelling prices through a discovery-led value shopping experience. By bringing transparency, reliability, and scale to off-price retail, For Real aims to reshape how branded excess inventory is managed in India.

Anurag Sheth’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anurag-sheth/

Mohit Sheth’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohitshethh/


About Titan Capital:

Titan Capital is a venture capital firm which invests behind world-class entrepreneurs aiming to create a wide-scale positive impact on India and the world. Titan Capital typically partners with founders at the pre-seed and seed stages and supports them through the entire company-building journey. Titan Club’s portfolio spans over 250+ companies across India and the US covering sectors such as consumer internet, AI, SaaS, brands, fintech and logistics. Titan Capital’s notable investments include Mamaearth, Ola, Razorpay, Urban Company, Shadowfax, OfBusiness, Credgenics, Giva, Invideo and many others.

Intellend Founders

Intellend Technologies Advisors Private Limited, a fully digital and embedded lending technology platform focused on bridging India’s MSME credit gap, has raised $1.2 million (INR 10.6 crore) in a seed funding round. The round was led by Incubate Fund Asia, with participation from M Venture Partners, Atrium Angels, and angel investor Dhananjay Tiwari. Intellend will use the funds to strengthen the team, build on the product roadmap, and execute on the envisioned GTM strategy.

Founded in May 2025 by Brotish Das (CEO), Som Chatterjee (COO), and Bodhisattwa Gupta (CBO), Intellend is building a full-stack “lending-as-a-service” platform designed for digital merchant ecosystems. The company enables seamless, embedded credit access for underserved MSMEs using advanced data analytics, AI-driven underwriting, and technology-led risk assessment.

India’s MSME sector faces an estimated credit gap of over $500 billion, with more than half of MSMEs lacking access to formal lending and often resorting to high-cost, informal borrowing. Intellend addresses this challenge by partnering directly with digital merchant ecosystems and financial institutions to offer affordable loans at the point of need in a risk-balanced manner. As its initial focus, the company has already tied up with merchant ecosystems collectively serving over one lakh merchants, unlocking credit access with minimal friction.

The fresh capital will be used to strengthen the core team, accelerate product development, and execute the company’s go-to-market strategy. Intellend also plans to expand partnerships across multiple merchant platforms and financial institutions, broaden its product suite, and, over the medium to long term, explore opportunities in other underserved segments and select international markets.

Commenting on the fundraise, Brotish Das, Som Chatterjee, and Bodhisattwa Gupta, Founders of Intellend, said, “We are excited to close our seed round as we work towards reimagining the future of embedded B2B2C lending for India’s MSME ecosystems. This funding allows us to deepen our partnerships with leading ecosystems, strengthen our AI-led credit underwriting capabilities, and scale instant financing solutions that can meaningfully improve credit access for millions of underserved businesses pan-India.”

Mr Rajeev Ranka, India Partner, from Incubate Fund Asia added, “Intellend’s embedded financing platform addresses a critical gap in the digital commerce ecosystem. By integrating AI-driven underwriting, analytics, and active cash flow data, Intellend is building foundational credit infrastructure for underserved businesses. The founding team brings deep expertise in fintech and risk management, having previously scaled billion-dollar lending platforms. Their ability to integrate data and distribution at scale positions the company uniquely.”

The founding team brings decades of collective experience across global and Indian financial institutions, including Citi, Standard Chartered, HSBC, SMFG, Axis Bank, Medical Protective (a Berkshire Hathaway company), and Toast Inc., with proven track records in scaling digital and embedded lending platforms profitably.

About Intellend Technologies Advisors Private Limited

Founded in 2025 and headquartered in Mumbai, Intellend is a technology-led lending platform focused on solving India’s MSME credit gap. By leveraging data, AI, and deep domain expertise, Intellend enables seamless, embedded lending for digital merchant ecosystems, helping financial institutions and platforms unlock new revenue streams while providing affordable, accessible credit to underserved businesses.

To know more, check https://intellendtech.com/

GVFL, one of India’s pioneering venture capital firms, has led a Rs. 6 crore Pre-series A funding round in insideFPV, an indigenous defence drone technology startup, demonstrating its focus on backing high-impact, homegrown deep-tech ventures in the national security space.

The early-stage funding round is aimed at product development and capability building. It has enabled insideFPV to deepen its core engineering work, strengthen manufacturing readiness and advance its defence drone platforms, with a strong emphasis on reliability and operational performance in real-world battlefield conditions.

A significant portion of the capital is being invested in strengthening insideFPV’s core platforms, including FPV drones, kamikaze and surveillance systems, and interceptor drones. The startup is also expanding manufacturing capacity and building working capital to prepare its production lines for higher volumes while maintaining defence-grade consistency. Investment is also being made in rigorous testing and validation to ensure performance during demanding operating conditions, as well as deployment support such as FPV drone operator training, spares and rapid repair capabilities to ensure sustained field readiness.

Commenting on the investment, Mihir Joshi, Managing Director of GVFL, said, “insideFPV represents the kind of deep-tech, mission-driven entrepreneurship that India urgently needs in the defence space. The team has demonstrated a clear understanding of real operational requirements and has built strong in-house Tech capabilities We are pleased to support insideFPV as it scales indigenous and reliable drone platforms for national security.”

Founded in 2020 in the aftermath of the Galwan clash, insideFPV was established to address the critical lack of reliable, combat-ready, indigenous drone systems in India’s defence ecosystem. The company focuses on building battlefield-first drones designed to perform under pressure, rather than lab prototypes. Its platforms have already demonstrated performance in extreme environments, including high-altitude operations with the Indian Army. insideFPV was also the winner of the Him Dron-a-thon, a high-altitude drone competition organised by the Indian Army at an altitude of approximately 16,000–17,000 feet at Wari La Pass in Ladakh.

Arth Chowdhary, Co-Founder and CEO of insideFPV, said, “GVFL’s backing is a strong vote of confidence in our vision to build drones that actually work in real combat situations. This funding allows us to accelerate product development, scale our manufacturing readiness and ensure our platforms remain mission-ready. Our focus has always been to build trusted defence drones that soldiers can depend on when it matters most.”

With this fundraise, insideFPV plans to scale production and strengthen its product portfolio over the next 12 months. Over the next three to five years, it aims to emerge as a globally recognised Indian deep-tech defence drone manufacturer serving domestic and allied forces. The other Co-founders of insideFPV are Deyvant Bhardwaj, who serves as CTO, and Oshi Kumari (COO).

Bharat Ke Super Founders, India’s founder-first entrepreneurial television series launched on Amazon MX Player, has facilitated a ₹3.5 crore funding commitment for Aloe Ecell, a climate-focused startup addressing the environmental impact of disposable dry-cell batteries.

The funding structure includes ₹2.5 crore raised through equity for a 4.16 percent stake and ₹1 crore in debt financing by Recur Club, aimed at supporting scale-up through quick commerce distribution and operational expansion. The deal reflects the show’s approach of matching capital structures to real business requirements, rather than symbolic investments.

The funding round on Bharat Ke Super Founders saw participation from the show’s Tycoons, a panel of seasoned business leaders backing high-potential founders. Dr. Velumani committed ₹1.25 crore for a 2.08 percent equity stake, while Nitish M invested ₹50 lakh for 0.83 percent equity. Aditya S participated with ₹25 lakh for 0.42 percent equity, and Shanti M committed ₹50 lakh for 0.83 percent equity. The remaining capital was structured as debt financing by Recur Club, enabling faster market access and operational scale-up.

Aloe Ecell works on sustainable alternatives in the primary battery segment, having developed 100 percent eco-friendly AA and AAA batteries that replace toxic chemical electrolytes with an aloe vera extract-based electrolyte. The batteries are targeted at low-power household devices such as remotes, clocks, toys, and cameras, and are positioned as leak-proof, longer-lasting, and cost-effective, with an integrated recycling programme.

The startup’s innovation addresses a largely overlooked environmental issue. In India, an average individual discards 15 to 20 batteries annually, resulting in nearly 230 crore used batteries each year. Studies indicate that a single discarded battery can contaminate up to 1.67 lakh litres of water, highlighting the need for scalable, consumer-friendly alternatives to conventional dry-cell batteries.

With this funding, Bharat Ke Super Founders continues to reinforce its positioning as a platform that goes beyond pitch-led entertainment, enabling founders to secure serious capital aligned with sustainability, scale, and long-term impact. The Aloe Ecell deal underlines the show’s focus on backing businesses that combine commercial viability with measurable environmental outcomes.

About Bharat Ke Super Founders:-

Bharat Ke Super Founders is India’s founder-first entrepreneurial television series that brings real, growth-stage capital to businesses solving meaningful, real-world problems. The show moves beyond symbolic pitch formats by facilitating structured funding outcomes, including equity and debt, aligned with the operational needs of each startup.

Hosted and mentored by Suniel Shetty, the series features a panel of seasoned business leaders, referred to as Tycoons, who evaluate founders on fundamentals such as market relevance, scalability, unit economics, and long-term impact. Investment decisions on the show are rooted in business viability rather than entertainment-driven moments.

About Aloe Ecell:-

Aloe Ecell manufactures the world’s first 100 percent eco-friendly primary batteries, using an aloe vera extract-based electrolyte in place of the toxic and hazardous chemicals commonly found in traditional dry-cell batteries. The company currently offers 1.5V AA and AAA batteries, designed for low-power devices such as remotes, clocks, toys, and cameras. These batteries are engineered to be leak-proof, long-lasting, and cost-effective, while also supporting a built-in recycling programme.

Growthpal founders (L to R) - Maneesh Bhandari, Shalu Mitruka, Amaresh Shirsat

GrowthPal, co-founded by Maneesh Bhandari, Shalu Mitruka and Amaresh Shirsat today announced a $2.6 million funding round to accelerate its AI-powered M&A copilot for deal sourcing and execution. The round was led by Ideaspring Capital with participation from prominent angel investors globally. The new capital will support product development and expand GrowthPal’s presence across international markets as demand grows for faster, more programmatic approaches to inorganic growth.

The announcement comes as M&A teams face increasing pressure to do more with less. For most companies, inorganic growth depends on timing, context, and access. Yet M&A deal origination from mid-market and early stage companies, has changed little in decades, still driven by banker networks, static databases, and fragmented research workflows. Buyers often see only what is already on the market, while high-quality, off-market opportunities remain hidden.

Corporate development teams are leaner, timelines are compressed, and competition for quality assets is intensifying. While platforms like PitchBook, D&B, Datasite, and Tracxn have made company data more accessible, they largely stop at aggregation. GrowthPal addresses a different need by applying AI-driven reasoning to help teams identify which companies actually matter, based on strategic intent, sector context, and readiness to transact.

“M&A sourcing is where most time and effort is wasted, especially for smaller and mid-market deals,” said Maneesh Bhandari, co-founder and CEO of GrowthPal. “Teams spend weeks researching, filtering, and chasing opportunities that never go anywhere. We built GrowthPal to help buyers focus only on high-intent, high-fit targets and move from mandate to meaningful conversations far faster.”

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