Nia.one Raises $2.4 Mn To Build Physical Infrastructure For Gig Workers

SUMMARY

Nia.one raised this seed funding from Elevar Equity to offer end-to-end solutions for the gig worker economy

The Mumbai-based startup plans to deploy the fresh funds to accelerate the process of setting up its Nia.one hubs (Niadel) across several blue-collar employment corridors in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, and Pune

Founded in 2024 , Nia.one offers a full-stack platform for India’s gig and bluecollar workforce. It connects the gig workers to employers, offers accommodation and meals, and upskilling

Gig worker infrastructure startup Nia.one has raised a seed funding of $2.4 Mn (around INR 21.3 Cr) from Elevar Equity to offer end-to-end solutions for the gig worker economy.

The Bengaluru-based startup plans to deploy the fresh funds to accelerate the process of setting up its Nia.one hubs (Niadel) across several blue-collar employment corridors in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, and Pune. Additionally, it plans to use the capital to enhance its AI stack, Rafiki, and for talent acquisition.

“We’ve proven the model works with 80%+ retention and unit economics that improve with scale. Our focus now is to prove, city by city, that a network of Niadels can deliver better lives for workers and stronger economics for enterprises,” said Nia.one founder and CEO Sachin Chhabra.

Founded in 2024 by Chhabra and Pushkar Raj, Nia.one offers a full-stack platform for India’s gig and bluecollar workforce. It connects the gig workers to employers, offers accommodation and meals, and upskilling. Its AI-based platform Rafiki collects data from gig workers and connects them to the employers which aligns with their skill set and area of interest.

The startup claims to convert migration into stability by improving worker retention, increasing savings, and delivering reliable manpower to enterprises across logistics, ecommerce, manufacturing, and services sectors.

Nia.one is currently present in more than 50 cities and claims to supporting 3,000+ gig workers. Following the funding, it is targeting to increase this number to over 8,000 gig workers in the near future.

With rising digitisation and increasing demand of ecommerce and quick commerce, the country’s gig economy is also booming. According to NITI Aayog, India would have 23.5 Mn gig workers by 2029-30.

However, lack of social security, low wages, and lack of opportunities for upskilling continue to be a challenge faced by the gig workers. In the Union Budget 2025, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a comprehensive social security scheme for gig workers, which is expected to benefit nearly 1 Cr gig workers by providing essential health insurance, as well as death and disability cover.