30 Startups To Watch: Startups That Caught Our Eyes In January 2025

What a month it has been for the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem — from acquisitions that made founders millionaires to big-ticket fundraises to IPO buzz, January 2025 saw the Indian landscape continue to grow with renewed vigour and zeal. 

Despite the volatility in funding trends, Indian startups had much to cheer for. For starters, the country celebrated the 9th anniversary of the government’s flagship ‘Startup India’ initiative, which has bolstered the fortunes of the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem since its launch. 

In the last decade, the Indian startup landscape has grown to embrace 1.59 Lakh startups (DPIIT recognised), 119 unicorns, and more than 35 publicly listed new-age tech companies, all while raising a massive $158 Bn+ in funding. 

Despite the volatility in the funding trends, Indian startups continued to persevere and build on the momentum of the past years. 

With this in mind, we are back again with the 55th edition of Inc42’s “30 Startups to Watch”, powered by Google Cloud, to highlight the emerging talent in the Indian startup landscape.

The usual suspect, GenAI, continued to be the centre of attraction in this cohort, too, pointing towards the increasing entrepreneurial inclination towards the segment, as enterprises line up in droves to adopt the emerging technology. 

Meanwhile, seasoned founders building offerings in buzzing categories like quick commerce and cleantech also caught our eyes in the month of January. 

Now, without any further ado, let’s know more about the startups that caught our attention in January 2025. 

Editor’s Note: The list below is not a ranking of any kind. We have listed the startups alphabetically.

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BorderPlus: Taking Indian Talent Global 

After nearly a decade of building upGrad into a major player in the edtech space, Mayank Kumar has now shifted his focus towards the global talent mobility sector. In January 2025, Kumar cofounded BorderPlus with Ayush Mathur, OYO’s former president of European operations, to help skilled Indian workers secure healthcare jobs abroad.

BorderPlus specialises in placing blue-collar and grey-collar workers in nursing roles at healthcare facilities in Germany. The platform assists candidates in securing conditional offer letters and completing visa formalities, ensuring a smoother transition into international employment. 

Kumar, who left upGrad to pursue this new venture, describes BorderPlus as a “deeply personal and purpose-driven” initiative. He aims to help India’s young workforce overcome significant barriers in accessing global job opportunities. While the initial focus is on healthcare jobs in Germany, Kumar envisions expanding the platform to other countries and industries. 

He believes that BorderPlus can drive lasting change by providing skilled workers with pathways to international success, ultimately benefiting both the individuals and the industries they serve. 

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Cairovision: Giving Surveillance An AI Lens

While the video analytics space has existed for years now, it is the introduction of AI that has supercharged the ecosystem. Enterprises can now leverage this emerging technology to identify and analyse patterns in video footage to detect suspicious activity in real-time and reduce the need for manual surveillance. 

Cairovision is looking to capitalise on this trend. Founded in 2023 by deeptech startup CamfyVision’s cofounder Vedpal Singh, the startup leverages AI to provide industry-grade video analytics solutions for facial recognition, vehicle tracking, material tracking, and process automation. 

The platform’s offerings cater to multiple sectors, including renewable energy, logistics, hospitality, retail, and law enforcement. Cairovision’s notable clients include Adani Ports & Logistics, Siemens Gamesa, Bengaluru Police, Tata Solar, and more. 

Cairovision was also part of the maiden cohort for Games 24×7’s TechXpedite Accelerator Programme. With its cutting-edge AI capabilities, Cairovision aims to revolutionise video analytics across industries, helping clients leverage data for smarter and more efficient operations.

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Cancrie: From Waste To Batteries 

The Indian government has an ambitious target of generating 500 GW of electricity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. On the back of this regulatory push, reports expect the Indian energy storage market to breach the $21 Bn mark by 2030.

Helping spur this transition to clean fuels are two childhood friends from Jaipur, Mahi Singh and Akshay Jain, who are building their own energy storage startup with Cancrie. 

Founded in 2020, Cancrie is recycling a wide variety of wastes to develop a new high-quality material, which can serve as an eco-friendly and efficient alternative for manufacturing batteries and supercapacitors. 

The startup claims that its patented process involves adding nanacarbons, made from waste, as a component to existing batteries to increase the latter’s efficiency. It claims that its batteries have 12% to 15% higher watt-hour (Wh) efficiency and lower power consumption. 

So far, the Jaipur-based startup has launched paid pilots, including a 12V 110Ah (ampere-hour) energy storage system deployed at a childcare institution in Pune and monthly orders from battery manufacturer Laurus Batteries. 

The startup recently raised $1.2 Mn in its maiden funding round from Roots Ventures to scale production, accelerate research and development, and forge strategic partnerships to integrate its advanced nanocarbon materials into next-generation energy storage devices.

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Catalyx Space: Democratising Access To Space

From private rocket launches to developing innovative technologies in areas like small satellite constellations and satellite communication, Indian spacetech startups have truly come of age in the past decade. However, modular platforms for affordable access to low and high Earth orbits still remain a challenge. 

Looking to solve this problem, former Space Kidz India executives Clinton D Antony, Rifath Shaarook, Saqib Hussain and Keerthan Chand Aluvala founded Catalyx Space. Founded in January 2024, the spacetech startup offers unmanned space labs and re-entry capsules for multi-purpose operations, such as research, manufacturing, biotech, semiconductors, defence, AI-edge computing, advertising, among others. 

Its clients can simply install their payloads in Catalyx’s spacecraft with standard electrical & software interferences (API). Following this, its customers can access data directly from space on the web portal, through a ground station network.

This enables Catalyx’s customers to continue their research and exploration, while also leveraging a cost-effective way to transport materials and conduct experiments in microgravity environments.

Its clientele comprises Ariel University, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, AVS academy, among others. The startup recently secured $1.7 Mn in its pre-seed funding to build a 100 kg satellite bus and technology demonstration for re-entry capsules. 

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Consint.ai: AI-Powered Healthcare Fraud Management

Tech veteran Ashish Chaturvedi founded Consint.ai in 2020 to address fraud and risk management challenges plaguing the Indian healthcare sector. 

Chaturvedi, who previously held leadership roles in several tech companies like Optum and EXL Service, sought to leverage AI to optimise healthcare transactions and improve personalised care. 

In 2021, Swadeep Singh, former Director of Data Science at UnitedHealth Group, also joined as the second cofounder and CTO of Consint.ai. Singh brought in-depth expertise in healthcare analytics and AI technologies, further strengthening the startup’s capability to deliver cutting-edge solutions.

Consint.ai’s platform includes Risk.ai, designed to detect fraud and optimise insurance transactions, and CIPHR.ai, which enhances patient management and streamlines claims generation. 

In 2024, the startup expanded its reach to the Middle East and Africa, signing contracts worth over INR 10 Cr with leading insurance providers and hospital systems. 

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Edith Defense: A New-Age Defence Tech Company 

Amid the growing focus on advanced technology for national security, the Indian government has increasingly opened up the defence tech sector for private participation, all while fostering innovation through initiatives like Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX). 

Reaping the benefits of this support is Edith Defense, which was founded in 2021 by Rupesh Rupak and Deepesh Deepak. 

The Thane-based startup is developing AI-driven automated surveillance systems to enhance national border security and protect industrial zones. The company integrates cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, computer vision, and sensor fusion, to bolster threat detection and response.

Among its most notable innovations is a quadruped unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), also known as a robotic dog. With a 12 kg payload capacity and a four-hour endurance, this UGV serves as a frontline defence asset. 

Additionally, Edith Defense has developed miniaturised radar systems, micro-turbojet engines for high-speed UAVs, and a high-altitude drone to strengthen its defence offerings.

Edith Defense is paving the way for next-gen defence technology, with a focus on enhancing India’s security infrastructure through cutting-edge, locally developed solutions.

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LiaPlus AI: AI Workforce For Customer Support & Sales Functions 

Founded in 2023 by Shailesh Jaiswal and Smridhi Seth, LiaPlus AI provides AI-powered customer support solutions designed to streamline business operations. The startup’s AI employees handle key tasks like customer support, lead generation, and user engagement, claiming to attend 5,000 calls per hour in 18 languages with zero waiting time and human-like emotional responses.

LiaPlus AI’s flagship product, Lia, is an AI call assistant that performs tasks typically managed by human employees in sales and customer support. 

Lia is part of a broader vision by the startup to build a workforce of 100 AI employees, revolutionising how AI is used in global work environments.

The startup functions as a marketplace where businesses can hire AI-driven employees for both short and long-term tasks, with just three clicks. LiaPlus AI has expanded its reach across India, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia, focussing on industries like BFSI and ecommerce.

In September, LiaPlus AI raised INR 2 Cr ($238K) in a seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures to scale its team and enhance marketing strategies. It was also selected for Games24X7’s final cohort in January 2025.

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Mello: Curating Events & Experiences

The past few months have witnessed a whirlwind of events in India. Coldplay’s concerts saw an overwhelming response, proving that the enthusiasm for live experiences is only set to grow.

Tapping into this trend is Bengaluru-based startup Mello, which helps locals discover the best events and experiences in their city. Founded in 2021 by ex-Zetwerk Abhilash Bolla and ex-Accel Shrrinesh Bala, Mello curates activities across music, art, dance, fitness, and more.

What sets Mello apart is its video-based discovery platform, allowing users to explore and engage with experiences in their vicinity.

While Bolla continues as the startup’s CTO, Bala exited in May 2024 to join Zomato’s “District” vertical.

Mello was part of Accel’s Atoms accelerator programme in 2022, where it secured $250K in funding. It also gained access to mentoring opportunities and Accel’s global network.

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Mili: AI Wealth Management Assistant

Founded in 2023 by ex-Trifecta Capital’s founding team member Chirag Gandhi and ex-Meesho executives Siddharth Bulia and Vennela Miryala, Mili is an AI-based SaaS startup focussed on transforming wealth management services.

It claims that its chatbot, Mili, is the most secure meeting assistant for wealth advisors. Mili also supports in-person meetings, capturing real-time data and ensuring that wealth advisors have the most organised information at their fingertips. The startup has attracted clients like SFMG Wealth Advisors and Quent Capital.

The startup recently raised $2 Mn in its seed funding round to enhance and accelerate product development, scale up partnerships, and shore up the hiring of engineering and “customer success” teams.  

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Moonrider: Bringing EV Tech To Agriculture

While EV adoption in the commercial sector has been on the rise, ex-Volvo executives Anoop Srikantaswamy and Ravi Kulkarni are working to bring the technology to agriculture with their startup, Moonrider.

Founded in 2023, Moonrider has developed two EV tractors — Highforce 50HP and Maxforce 75HP — featuring the world’s first oil-cooled thermal solution. 

The tractors leverage the founders’ combined 30+ years of experience in vehicle engineering and EV R&D at companies like Volvo Group, Ola Electric, and Olectra BYD.

The startup’s patented technology includes in-house battery packs and active balancer technology, designed to enhance performance, affordability, and sustainability. 

Moonrider claims its EV tractors not only meet the needs of modern farmers but also reduce running costs by 75%, all while being reasonably priced.

Going forward, it plans to strengthen its capabilities in vehicle engineering, software development, and battery technology. 

In January, Moonrider raised $2.2 Mn in its seed funding round co-led by AdvantEdge Founders and Micelio Fund, along with participation from angel investors.

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Navanc: AI-Powered Asset Creditworthiness Platform

Founded by ex-Navi housing business head, Nagachethan S M, and ConcertAI’s senior engineer, Byomkesh Jha, in 2022, Navanc claims to be India’s first full-stack one-stop solution to underwrite mortgages in India.  

Navanc’s AI-powered tools help NBFCs, small finance banks, and BFSI entities determine the creditworthiness of applicants. Its tech stack streamlines secured lending, insurance and property aggregation practices for entities by reducing turnaround time and enhancing transparency. 

Its flagship product, Navanc, evaluates and assigns credit scores for properties based on advanced algorithmic learning. Meanwhile, Navanc Lite helps users get instant valuation estimates of properties through real-time property assessments. Besides, its Valle platform offers comprehensive aid for legal and technical assessments of properties. 

The startup, which was part of IIMA ventures’ Bharat inclusion Initiative, Brigade REAP and ShelterTech accelerator programmes, recently raised $1 Mn in its seed funding round from Prarambh Ventures, with participation from Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) and others. 

It plans to utilise the fresh capital to fuel expansion in urban and semi-urban India, as well as bolster its AI Fintech capabilities by incorporating GenAI and computer vision models.

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Naxatra Labs: Developing Advanced Motor Solutions For EVs

As India’s EV sector continues to evolve, tech entrepreneurs are driving innovations that could reshape the industry.

One such player is Naxatra Labs, an EV motor solutions provider developing lightweight, high-efficiency motors for electric vehicles, agriculture, and power tools.

Founded in 2021 by Abhilash Maurya, Piyush Verma, and Arnav Biswas, the Ahmedabad-based startup specialises in indigenously developed motor technology tailored for Indian roads and environmental conditions.

Naxatra Labs offers both axial and radial flux motor technologies, claiming to enhance vehicle efficiency by 10% while reducing weight by 20% compared to existing market solutions. Its product portfolio includes motors and controllers for two-wheelers like bikes, scooters, and mopeds.

Recently, the deeptech startup raised $1 Mn in a funding round led by GVFL. The fresh capital will be used to scale production, accelerate R&D, and secure international product certifications.

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Netrasemi: Building Powerful AI Chipsets

Founded by Jyothis Indirabhai, Sreejith Varma and Deepa Geetha in 2020, Netrasemi is a fabless semiconductor company that is building a range of System-on-chips (SOC) products.

The startup claims to have a power-efficient deep-neural AI acceleration core (NPU) and a rich portfolio of in-house silicon IPs that enable edge AI with greater power efficiency and performance. It is working on building a family of AI/ML capable SOCs and reference designs for solving 100+ AI/ML use cases.

The startup helps its customers achieve their embedded AI goals with a set of SOCs powered with differentiated IPs, AI software development frameworks, and solution reference designs. 

It also provides clients with early product prototyping support, product architecture guidance, early FPGA proof-of-concept (PoC), custom chip feature exploration, and joint research for advanced edge-AI applications.

The Thiruvananthapuram-based startup recently raised INR 10 Cr (about $1.2 Mn) in a pre-Series A round from Unicorn India Ventures to build edge AI for IoT products. 

It plans to utilise the funds for the fabrication of two machine learning systems-on-chips (Netra A2000 and Netra R1000).

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Neurofin AI: Automating Compliance With GenAI

Founded in 2023 by ex-Rupifi business head Vijay Makhijani, Neurofin.ai is a stealth-mode fintech-focussed GenAI SaaS startup that aids financial institutions in improving regulatory compliance.

Makhijani, who founded the company in April 2023, spent over a year scaling Rupifi’s offline B2B BNPL business. 

Before that, he led supply chain finance at SOLV for over three years. With a two-decade career in banking, Makhijani has worked with HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Citigroup. He is joined at Neurofin.ai by ex-Rupifi’s Hemanth Mahantu and ex-Bolt.Earth executive Sreemannarayana Ikkurthi.

The startup’s GenAI platform automates standard operating procedures for its clients, improving turnaround times, optimising sales team operations, and ensuring compliance.

Based in Bengaluru, Neurofin.ai claims that its platform delivers 10x faster turnaround rates, enables first-meeting sales closures, and ensures 100% compliant, accurate outputs.

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Pipeshift: Simplifying Open-Source AI Deployment

As many companies face the challenge of building their own AI tech stacks, a growing opportunity to support them in shaping their AI strategies has encouraged many tech professionals to venture into entrepreneurship.

Enrique Ferrao, Arko Chattopadhyay, and Pranav Reddy came together in 2023 to launch Pipeshift, a startup focussed on helping enterprises deploy their AI workloads more quickly and reliably.

Part of Y Combinator’s Summer 2024 batch, Pipeshift is a modular orchestration platform that enables the development of open-source AI components, such as embeddings, vector databases, LLMs, vision models, and audio models.

The startup claims that its cloud platform is the go-to solution for enterprises looking to fine-tune open-source LLMs. 

It helps companies replace models like GPT/Claude with specialised LLMs that deliver greater accuracy by using their data and logs.

The startup recently raised $2.5 Mn in its seed funding round led by Y Combinator and SenseAI Ventures.

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Quanfluence : Making General-Purpose Quantum Computer

Founded in 2021 by a team of scientists—Sujoy Chakravarty, Ravi Mehta, Biman Chattopadhyay, Anil Prabhakar, Aditi Vaidya, and Sandeep Goyal—Quanfluence is a quantum computing startup based in Bengaluru. 

The company leverages photonic quantum technology to build scalable computing systems. Incubated at the IITM Incubation Centre, Quanfluence aims to develop India’s first general-purpose quantum computer capable of solving complex problems beyond the reach of classical computers.

At the heart of Quanfluence’s innovation is an optical Ising machine, which uses light waves as computational units. 

This system can process hundreds of interconnected variables simultaneously, making it 100 times faster than traditional optimisation methods. 

Currently, the startup’s system can handle 128 interconnected variables, processing approximately 10,000 permutations. 

Quanfluence is now testing an advanced version capable of processing 10 to 25 Mn permutations, with plans to release it next quarter. It recently bagged $2 Mn (around INR 16.65 Cr) in a seed funding round led by pi Ventures to further its mission. 

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Quash: AI Agents For Mobile App Testing

Founded in 2023 by Ayush Shrivastava, Ameer Hamza, and Prakhar Shakya, Quash is a SaaS startup that develops autonomous AI agents to perform end-to-end mobile app testing. 

The SaaS startup offers an all-in-one platform for streamlined testing and bug management.

Its products include Quash Report, an open-source bug reporting tool that simplifies manual testing workflows, and Quash Automate, an AI-driven QA agent that automates end-to-end testing, reducing reliance on manual testers while accelerating software quality assurance.

Quash recently raised its pre-seed round led by Arali Ventures, with participation from Java Capital, PeerCheque, DeVC by Matrix Partners, and Tracxn’s Abhishek Goyal. The startup plans to dive headfirst into building AI Agents for testing and expanding its customer base to the US and European markets.

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Raaz: Breaking Barriers In Men’s Health & Wellness

Founded in 2023 by Akash Kumar and Harshit Kukreja, Raaz App is a Bengaluru-based startup focussed on addressing men’s sexual health issues in India. 

The platform provides evidence-based treatment plans for reproductive health concerns like erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.

Raaz offers a range of services, including teleconsultations, medications, diagnostics, counselling, and lifestyle guidance through dedicated doctors and personal health concierges. The startup’s unique selling point is its focus on tier II and tier III cities. 

Raaz also plans to collaborate with diagnostic providers to develop more treatment options and expand into the fertility space. 

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RaptorX.ai: Advanced AI Anti-Fraud Solution

Founded in 2023 by ex-Microsoft security head Pratyusha Vemuri, RaptorX.AI is an AI-driven platform designed to combat cyber fraud by helping its customers find hidden complex patterns much before they turn into fraud. 

With over 18 years of experience in cybersecurity, Vemuri’s personal experience with cyber fraud inspired the creation of the startup. The startup has filed 10 patents in the last seven months.

The platform uses advanced machine learning techniques to monitor behaviour metrics, assess risks, and detect fraudulent activities in real-time, offering businesses a proactive approach to fraud prevention.

RaptorX.AI integrates both supervised and unsupervised machine learning to deliver accurate, real-time transaction monitoring and risk assessment. Headquartered in Hyderabad, RaptorX.ai primarily targets businesses operating in the ecommerce and banking space. 

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RedBeryl: Redefining Luxury Concierge Services In India

Founded by Manoj Adlakha, a former executive of American Express, in 2023, RedBeryl is a luxury lifestyle management startup dedicated to providing curated experiences and personalised services to its members. 

Adlakha, who has over three decades of experience in the banking and finance world, started the concierge startup to offer high-level membership services in India, focussing on exclusive access and tailored experiences for the HNIs and UHNIs in India. 

The startup connects its members with a dedicated team of lifestyle experts to arrange services that cater to their preferences. It ensures that all member needs are met with attention to detail and timely service.

RedBeryl provides its members with exclusive access to curated travel experiences, including stays at over 15,000 luxury hotels, front-row seats at sporting events, entry to premium members-only clubs, luxury transportation, and 24/7 concierge services worldwide.

Its RedBeryl’s Black Membership was launched last year with an annual fee of INR 90,000 that Adlakha claims can lead to a gateway to benefits up to INR 11,70,000. 

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RePut.ai: Building A Circular Supply Chain

Founded in April 2024 by ex-Morningkart founder Anuj Bishnoi, Rohit Mahatma, and Amit Bishnoi, RePut.ai is a Bengaluru-based B2B SaaS startup that uses AI and blockchain technology to offer supply chain management solutions for businesses. 

The startup provides real-time analytics, tracks product procurement, monitors supplier watchlists, and helps businesses track carbon emissions throughout the supply chain. The startup also includes a verified recycling network, ensuring sustainable and transparent supply chain practices.

Its platform integrates blockchain to provide immutable and verifiable records of every transaction, while AI-driven insights and predictive analytics empower businesses to optimise their operations. 

With its presence in five countries, the platform has already helped divert over 8 Mn tonnes of emissions. It is working with over 12 brands and 112 suppliers to reshape supply chain transparency and sustainability.

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Revivo: Standardising Laundry & Dry Cleaning In India

Founded in 2022 by Khushboo Gupta and Vikas Agarwal, Revivo is a tech-driven laundry and dry-cleaning platform that aims to bring structure and convenience to an unorganised market. 

Drawing on personal experiences and an entrepreneurial background, the couple sought to address the inefficiencies they observed in the laundry industry, particularly the predominance of informal service providers. 

Revivo operates as an asset-light business, partnering with skilled local service providers and standardising processes to offer premium services, including laundry, dry cleaning, ironing, and shoe care. 

Their standout feature, a six-hour ironing service, has attracted strong customer loyalty. Sustainability is a key pillar, with organic, non-toxic chemicals and bio-compostable packaging used to protect both the environment and garment quality.

The startup, currently serving Gurugram and Delhi, has received pre-seed funding from Inflection Point Ventures (IPV). Revivo’s revenue model is based on both cost-based and market-driven pricing, with a steady 20% month-on-month growth. 

The platform currently has over 20,000 registered users and plans to expand within Delhi NCR by 2025, aiming to capture a significant share of the $1 Bn Indian laundry market by 2035.

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Sanlayan: Advancing Military-Grade Electronics

Founded in 2023 by former Zetwerk executives Abhijit Kothawale, Rohan Gala, and Rahul Vamsidhar, Sanlayan Technologies is an electronics startup specialising in advanced electronics systems for the aerospace, defence, and space sectors.

The startup designs and manufactures electronic systems for avionics, naval systems, radar systems, and space applications. 

It also provides space electronics for satellite communication, space exploration, and space situational awareness. 

Sanlayan Technologies claims to have contributed significantly to key defence and space projects, including India’s Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1 missions.

In 2022, the startup raised $4.4 Mn in seed funding which supported its expansion into embedded systems and the vertical integration of electronics solutions across India’s aerospace, defence, and space industries.

Last month, Sanlayan Technologies acquired Dexcel Electronics, a leading electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) firm.

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Sparkl Edventure: Cutting-Edge Live Tutoring Platform

After facing challenges with his first edtech venture, Aakash Chaudhry, founder of Aakash Institute, has shifted his focus to a new project, Sparkl Edventure.

Founded in October 2024, Sparkl is an online tutoring platform designed to provide personalised learning for students studying the International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge, and A-level curricula.

The platform uses AI-driven pedagogy and proprietary technology to offer one-on-one tutoring tailored to each student’s needs. 

Sparkl aims to deliver a holistic educational experience that not only promotes academic success but also prioritises students’ mental well-being.

In December, Sparkl raised $4 Mn (INR 34 Cr) in seed funding from prominent investors, including Zomato’s founder Deepinder Goyal and Zerodha’s co-founder Nithin Kamath. 

The platform has already attracted students from cities like Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad and plans to expand its tech-driven learning solutions further.

With its innovative approach and strong leadership, Sparkl is poised to become a major player in the growing demand for personalised education tailored to international curricula.

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SuperYou: Protein-Rich Snacking

Actor Ranveer Singh and Think9 Consumer’s founder Nikunj Biyani launched their protein supplement brand, SuperYou, in November 2023. 

The brand, developed under the Think9 Consumer venture studio, aims to combat India’s protein deficiency by offering protein-enriched products.

SuperYou’s first product is a protein wafer bar available in four flavours: chocolate, choco-peanut butter, strawberry crème, and cheese. 

Each bar provides 10g of protein with no added sugar, making them both nutritious and indulgent. 

The products are available on platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy Instamart, as well as offline stores like Reliance Fresh and WellnessForever.

The startup recently secured Series A funding from Rainmatter Capital, the venture capital arm of Zerodha, led by Nikhil and Nithin Kamath. The funding amount has not been disclosed.

With the new capital, SuperYou plans to scale production and expand its product range. 

The startup aims for INR 500 Cr in revenue within the next five years and intends to invest INR 40-50 Cr in expansion. It also plans to introduce products like protein breakfast cereals, biscuits, powders, and snacks.

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Sustainiam: Helping Businesses Meet Their Sustainability Goals

 

Founded in September 2023 by Sapna Nijhawan, Sustainiam is a climate tech startup that provides carbon footprint management solutions through its tech-enabled platform. The Noida-based startup enables enterprises to issue and trade carbon credits, including Renewable Energy Certificates (IRECs), to offset their emissions.

Sustainiam aims to support businesses in meeting their sustainability goals by facilitating carbon offsetting via its fully digital solution for managing carbon assets. It counts major clients such as Coca-Cola, ITC, and Brookfield, and has traded over 60 Cr kWh of assets to date.

The startup has received recognition from the Government of Karnataka, securing a grant of INR 25 Lakh and INR 75 Lakh in benefits through its Elevate 2023 Call 2 programme. It was also selected for the Greenr Sustainability Accelerator Program by the IKEA Foundation and VISA Foundation.

In its recently closed pre-Series A round, Sustainiam raised $1.45 Mn from investors like Orios Venture Partners, Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Rajesh Sawhney. The funds will drive the launch of the world’s first fully digital carbon credit exchange and support global expansion.

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Terractive: Redefining Everyday Activewear For Indian Consumers

Athlete sisters and techies Raena Ambani and Rahee Ambani-Choksi took the entrepreneurial plunge when they decided to interlink their sports passion with their careers. 

Founded in 2023, Terractive is an online activewear brand that aims to revolutionise India’s active lifestyle wear landscape by offering high-quality, comfortable, and performance-oriented apparel. 

The brand’s product offerings include a wide range of activewear, such as t-shirts, tops, bottoms, and shorts. The startup specialises in developing its own fabrics, such as Terrasoft and Coolknit, designed to solve specific problems and cater to the Indian climate. Its flagship fabric Coolknit offers the feel of premium cotton with a cooling sensation while being anti-microbial, anti-odour, and sweat patch-free. 

Terractive has raised INR 8 Cr in Pre-Series A funding led by Fireside Ventures and DeVC. The capital will support the brand’s category expansion, further fabric innovation, and its mission to redefine premium everyday activewear for Indian consumers.

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Trisu: Fine Silver Jewellery That Looks Like Solid Gold 

Founded by ex-BlissClub marketing executive Saloni Chopra, Trisu is a vermeil jewellery startup that offers gold vermeil jewellery, which features a sterling silver base with a thick layer of 18-karat gold plating. 

Trisu aims to provide an affordable yet luxurious alternative to traditional gold jewellery for customers aged 30-60. Vermeil jewellery, known for its durability and cost-effectiveness, is becoming an increasingly popular choice for those seeking gold-like aesthetics at a lower price point.

In its pre-seed funding round, Trisu raised an undisclosed amount led by All In Capital, with participation from JK Tyres, Amaanta Group, and a group of angel investors. The brand plans to use the funding to enhance customer acquisition, drive product innovation, and expand its market presence.

The startup claims to have witnessed a 24X increase in its business within just eight months. With ambitions to capture 10% of the $80 Bn Indian jewellery market by 2034, the company aims to generate $1 Mn in monthly recurring revenue by 2025. 

Future plans include the opening of 10 shop-in-shops and five exclusive outlets in the next two years, as well as expanding its presence on quick commerce platforms and major marketplaces.

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True Diamond: Diamonds Tailored To Your Specifications

Founded in 2024 by Parin Shah and Darayus Mehta, True Diamond is a D2C jewellery brand that offers 100% certified lab-grown diamonds that possess the same chemical composition, physical properties, and optical characteristics as natural diamonds. 

Its diamonds, which it reckons can serve as an affordable alternative to mined diamonds, are the bedrock of its catalogue of 5K customisable designs, making it easy for customers to create personalised jewellery.

In less than a year, True Diamond claims to have established a strong presence across the country, with a repeat customer purchase rate of 1.7X. 

The startup recently raised $1 Mn in its seed funding round which it plans to utilise to build its team, enhance brand visibility, and create a unique retail experience. It also has plans to open exclusive boutique outlets in Mumbai and Delhi NCR. 

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Zing: A New 10-Min Food Delivery Kid On The Block 

Founded in 2024 by childhood friends Tarun Arora and Rachit Sahi, Zing is bidding to revolutionise urban snacking by delivering freshly prepared food within 10 minutes. 

The idea was sparked by their own experiences of craving quick, fresh meals when their cook was unavailable. This led to the creation of Zing, which aims to cater to the fast-paced lifestyle of urban dwellers who want wholesome, convenient snacking options.

Zing operates through hyperlocal cloud kitchens, providing a focussed menu of everyday snacks like paranthas, sandwiches, poha, and chai. The company’s AI-driven operations optimise demand forecasting, inventory management, and delivery tracking, ensuring quick and efficient service. Zing’s core offering is the 10-minute delivery window, without compromising on the quality of food.

Zing has grown rapidly, achieving 150 daily orders within three months of its launch. The company plans to expand to 10 additional cloud kitchens by 2025, targeting an annual revenue of INR 60 Cr.

It claims a month-on-month revenue increase from INR 1.5 Lakh in November 2024 to INR 8 Lakh in January 2025 and now it is aiming for a revenue run rate of INR 40 Lakh for FY25.

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[Edited By Shishir Parasher]