Soonicorn Ventures’ Post

𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟎𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 1. Equirus 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐗 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 Pointo PointO, a lithium battery startup, secured Rs 6.2 crore in Seed funding led by Equirus InnovateX Fund. Founded by Riki Biswas and 𝐆𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐯 𝐉𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥, the company aims to revolutionize the e-rickshaw industry by providing high-performance lithium batteries. With a focus on tier-II cities, they plan to expand their operations to over 10 cities, capitalizing on the projected 32% CAGR of the e-rickshaw market and the growing demand for sustainable lithium batteries. 2. PharmEasy 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 $𝟐𝟏𝟔 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 MEMG 𝐚𝐭 $𝟕𝟏𝟎 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 API Holdings, parent company of PharmEasy, raised Rs 1,804 crore with a 90% valuation drop, led by MEMG and existing investors. The funding aims to repay debt and address financial challenges. Despite struggles, PharmEasy saw revenue growth and reduced losses in FY23, post its Thyrocare acquisition, signaling a potential turnaround amidst IPO postponement and valuation cuts. 3. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐀𝐀𝐒 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 Assert AI 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 $𝟒 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 Assert AI, a computer vision SAAS company, secured Rs 30 crore ($4 million) in funding led by investors including 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐡 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧 and 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫. The funds will fuel expansion in key markets, enhance R&D, and drive innovation in computer vision tech. Assert AI's suite of products, including Pratham, 𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚, and 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐧, empower businesses with automation, enhanced customer experiences, and improved operational insights, led by CEO Job Philip, with over 50 applications delivered to diverse clients. 4. 𝐄𝐕 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 CHARGE ZONE 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐮𝐩 $𝟏𝟗 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 Charge Zone, an EV charging network, secured a $19 million commitment from UK's British International Investment, adding to its previous $54 million Series A1 funding. The Vadodara-based startup plans to expand its high-speed charging network to over 10,000 stations by 2027, focusing on major Indian cities and highways. With partnerships with OEMs and e-mobility companies, Charge Zone aims to create a network of one million charging points by 2030, amidst rapid growth in operating revenue despite increased losses. 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 Corporate Valuations 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 #news #newshighlights #newsupdates #InvestmentNews #funding #Businessvaluation #investments #startup #valuation #equity #mergersacquisitions #funds #revenuegrowth #Seedfunding

Weekly Funding roundup (7th Oct to 12th Oct) Venture capital (VC) funding into Indian startups witnessed an in-flow of around $125M in the second week of October. The week witnessed an increase in the VC funding compared to the first week of October. The funding came from various sectors such as #IndustrialRobotics, #AI, #Healthcare, #Spacetech, #EV battery, Personal care, and Agri biotech. Industrial Robotics startup Haber recorded the highest funding of $38M in a Series C round led by Creaegis, Accel, and BeeNext Capital. Millennium Babycares Pvt. Ltd., a D2C personal care brand received funding of $14.5M led by Pantomath Capital's Bharat Value Fund. AI Fund, a California-based venture studio led by computer scientist & AI research pioneer Andrew Ng, has invested in the AI healthcare platform Jivi AI marking its first significant investment in India New Fund launches: D2C Insider, a community of D2C founders, launched the Super Angels Fund with a corpus of ₹ 25 crore. LC Nueva Investment Partners has launched the LC Nueva Momentum Fund, aiming for a target corpus of ₹150 crore with an additional greenshoe option of ₹100 crore.  Upcoming / Potential deals: Mobility startup Rapido is set to raise around $60 million in a mix of primary and secondary capital from Prosus. Amazon-backed payments startup ToneTag is in talks with Iron Pillar for raising funding of around $50 million NAYAN Beauté Secrets Frammer AI Holiday Tribe AEREO Bioprime™ XDLINX Space Labs Sorich Organics Pvt. Ltd Figr ZenStatement Swara Fincare Limited Dezy (Smiles.ai) - Dental, made easy. iRasus Technologies Urja Mobility Economy Process Solutions Private Limited Spry Therapeutics Haber Millennium Babycares Pvt. Ltd. Wokelo AI Datazip

Thanks to Nasscom Deeptech for recognition of our product innovation in Startup Mahakumbh. I had an opportunity to share insights about our product, GreenOps and its key impacts in ESG (Safety and Sustainability). Thanks to all the visitors who made a visit to our booth and giving me an opportunity to participate in panel discussions in both Deeptech and Climatetech. #nasscomstartups #startupmahakumbh #cleantech #innovation #entrepreneurship #climateaction #sustainability #networkingopportunity #startupindia #venturecapital #environment #startups #venturecapital #government #india

Decarbonization focuses IndusDC, a venture studio, has allocated ₹100 crore in blended financing to support Indian hard #techstartups. In fiscal years 2025 and 2026, the venture studio plans to find and develop deep-tech start-ups in the industrial and #energysectors. The studio intends to launch five start-ups in the next two years, and more than 50 globally during the next decade. It has already garnered commitments from Spectrum Impact, the family office of Aarti Industries promoters, as well as funding from #angelinvestors Ashish Gupta of Helion Ventures and Sri Myneni of Knoah Solutions. The venture studio will find #technology and lab-stage ideas for reducing CO2 emissions, with a focus on the energy and industrial sectors. The studio will act as co-founders, onboarding #entrepreneurs, and co-developing hard tech startups. Throughout FY25, the studio will enter into new commitment agreements with #strategicinvestors for grants, stock, and debt. IndusDC, created in 2023 by Kushant Uppal, Satyanarayanan Seshadri, and Hanmantgad, will serve as cofounder for each of the start-ups, collaborating closely with its entrepreneurs in residence (EIR) to develop lab-stage concepts and #intellectualproperties (IPs) through to product-market fit (PMF) stage. "The energy transition journey will provide $40 trillion in new #economicopportunities globally. The best methods for reducing CO2 emissions are developed in laboratories and by #innovators all over the world. The problem in establishing ventures is identifying the right IP, forming the proper teams and processes, maintaining customer focus, and infusing sufficient #money along the way. At IndusDC, we are developing platforms to support startups as they progress from lab to market. "Our team is deeply committed to establishing the benchmarks for an IP-focused decarbonization venture studio and making it an attractive asset class for investors," said Kushant Uppal, Founder & CEO of IndusDC. https://lnkd.in/fzpnPPW #DeepTech #StartupFunding #TechInnovation #VentureCapital #Cleantech #Sustainability #IndustrialTech #EnergyTech #TechEcosystem #finance  #TechInvestments #IndusDC #Decarbonization #HardTechStartups #InnovationEcosystem #entrepreneurs #businessopportunity IndusDC

𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 1. Onlygood (OGFPL).𝐚𝐢 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 Onlygood (OGFPL).ai, founded in 2022 by 𝐑𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐞𝐯 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐚 and 𝐕𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐤 𝐌𝐞𝐡𝐫𝐚, simplifies carbon management for businesses. Recently raising Rs 4 crore in seed funding, co-led by IIT Madras Incubation Cell, 𝐆𝐨𝐞𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩, and Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, it focuses on India and the Middle East, expanding into Europe in 2024. Its platform aids in carbon tracking and compliance, partnering with Maruti-Suzuki, delivering reports like 𝐁𝐑𝐒𝐑 and 𝐂𝐒𝐑𝐃.   2. 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 Social Hardware International 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐬 𝟑.𝟐 𝐂𝐫 Social Hardware International, co-founded by Abhit Kumar, Cameron Norris, and Raghavendran Arunachalam, raised Rs 3.2 crore in seed funding led by Inflection Point Ventures. Specializing in assistive devices, bionics, and teleoperated robotics for hazardous operations, the funds will drive GTM initiatives and R&D expansion. With a team of 17 in Bengaluru, Social Hardware aims to triple its production capacity by FY26, targeting Rs 24.76 crore in revenue.   3. Equirus 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 $𝟏 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 Datazip Datazip, co-founded in 2022 by Sandeep Devarapalli, Shubham Satish Baldava, and Rohan Khameshra, raised $1 million in seed funding, led by Equirus. The funds will support the development of their data lakehouse platform, designed to boost data engineers’ productivity. With 15 clients onboard, Datazip aims to scale its operations, tapping into the rapidly growing $11.1 billion lakehouse platform market.   4. Economy Process Solutions Private Limited 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 $𝟏𝟐 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀   Economy Process Solutions Private Limited, founded in 2015, raised Rs 100 crore in Series A funding led by Stakeboat Capital. Specializing in vacuum systems and process equipment, the funds will drive product expansion and global growth. With a focus on food and beverage solutions, Economy aims to boost its manufacturing and exports from Pune, serving over 600 customers across 30+ countries in industries like waste management and pharmaceuticals. 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 Corporate Valuations 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 #newhighlight #newsupdates #Startups #Investment #Growth #acquisition #Funding #StartupFunding #Investmen #funds #EquityFunding #Valuation #StartupNews #StartupInvestment #VentureFunding #ValuationServices #BusinessValuation #SeriesAFunding #Fintech #SeriesBFunding

🌟 Startups: The Engines of Job Creation & Innovation 🌟 According to the latest report from our Research and Analyst Wing at Datsol, every $1 million invested in startups creates 4.7 jobs, compared to just 1.8 in traditional sectors. 📈 Startups are not only driving job creation but also fueling economic growth. An increase in startup activity leads to a positive uplift in GDP. With over 116 unicorns, India’s startup ecosystem is thriving! 🚀 Our research also highlights a +24.6% increase in patent filings over the last 5 years, positioning India as a growing hub for global innovation. 📜 Whether it’s in fintech, agritech, or health tech, startups are transforming industries, improving accessibility, and contributing to sustainable development. 🌍 Special thanks to our amazing Datsol Research and Analyst Team: Siddharth Pandey, Pratham Kadam, Sowjanya Ponnada, Sushant Tarapure, Suchismita Sahoo, Sarthak Mutha, Tanisha Panda At Datsol, we are proud to support and highlight the critical role startups play in shaping our future. Let’s continue to champion these engines of growth and innovation! 💼💡 #Startups #Innovation #JobCreation #EconomicGrowth #IndiaStartups #TechForGood #FutureOfWork #Fintech #Agritech #HealthTech

Shoutout to #STARTUPS - Incubation program to transform your powerful ideas into a successful venture! Calling innovators and Startups with a product or validated MVP to join our incubation program at IDEAS TIH (Technology Innovation Hub) at the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. This is the third cohort for early-stage startups in product development or at least a ‘ready to pilot’ Minimum Demonstrable Product (MDP). Application areas of such products or technology may include but are not limited to Smart agriculture, Video surveillance, Smart Healthcare, Smart city and village design, Social data analytics, Environment and climate monitoring and Earth sciences. IDEAS-TIH encourages both new and existing start-ups to join our ecosystem and benefit from it. We support you with seed funding, technical and business mentorship by the top minds, and with infrastructure and business support. We also focus on enhancing your core competencies and provide you with training to nurture innovation. Come! Embark on your #startupjourney. Cohort 3 online form is available at: https://shorturl.at/dnG35. Registration is open now! Last date of application - March 20, 2024. Shortlisted Startups shall be intimated by April 5, 2024. #IDEASTIHKOLKATA #poweredbyIDEAS #startupincubation #Incubationprogram #entrepreneurship #techinnovation #startupjourney #startupgrowth #startupbusiness #startups #startupstories #futureleaders #savethedate #ISIKOLKATA Programme Office IDEAS Technology Innovation Hub

FAAD Capital invested $121K into four agritech startups through the AgriManch Accelerator: a. Aqin Biotech has introduced patented formulations for aquaculture and livestock feed. b. Godaam Innovations specializes in providing smart storage solutions. c. Mkelly Biotech develops premix powder comprising millets and mushrooms to enrich the nutritional profile of flour and associated products. d. Vedafit Foods produces healthy and natural products to combat artificial food behavior. Growth Stage Deals: Rays Power Infra Limited Infra, a solar energy solutions provider, raised INR 127 Cr in a round that saw participation from various investors, to invest in backward and forward integration. Auxilo Finserve Private Limited, an education-focused NBFC offering student loans for pursuing education, raised $12 Mn in debt from Dezerv, MAS Finance, and CredAvenue. Ather Energy, an EV startup, raised INR 60 Cr in debt from Stride Ventures, ahead of its IPO. Neo Financial, a wealthtech and asset management platform providing advisory services and yield-based investment solutions, bagged nearly $4 Mn from Morde Foods, SN Damani Developers, and Bridgemonte Advisors, for growth and business operations. Sources: YourStory Media, Entrackr

#WeeklyIndianStartupUpdates This week witnessed downfall in the Indian startup ecosystem, with 18 startups raising approximately $166.57 Mn in funding. Early Stage Deals: Unimech Aerospace & Manufacturing Limited, a spacetech startup specialized in manufacturing high precision tooling for aero-engines and airframes, raised INR 250 Cr in a round led by Steadview Capital, ValueQuest Scale, and Evolvence India. Stable Money, a fintech platform offering access to FDs, debt mutual funds, bonds, and other low-risk asset classes, raised $15 Mn in a new round from RTP Capital, Lightspeed India, and Matrix Partners. Incuspaze, a flexible workspace provider, raised $8 Mn in its maiden round led by India Inflection along with other financial institutions, for further expansion of its network of flexible workspaces and revamping its technological infrastructure. Charcoal, a B2C food tech startup offering quick-service restaurant service via its app, raised INR 45 Cr in a fresh funding round led by Girish Patel among other angel investors, to boost its brand operations and expand its footprint across India and overseas. Nasher Miles, a digital-first luggage startup, raised INR 40 Cr from more than 40 investors, to maximize its offline presence up to 1000 multi-brand outlets across India by the end of the calendar year and open 3-5 exclusive brand outlets within the present fiscal year. nhance, a provider of smart building solutions such as digital twin and building simulation, raised $1.5 Mn in a seed round from HNIs, for accelerating product development, recruiting talent, and exploring strategic partnerships. VOC Automotive India Private Limited, aiming to bring affordable, quality services for two-wheelers, raised INR 1.5 Cr from strategic investor Corporate Warranty India Private Limited, for expansion. Umwelt.AI, an HR technology platform providing analytics and unconventional employee experience, successfully received $125K in a seed funding round directed by Upekkha. Mayhem, a mobile gaming studio, secured an undisclosed amount of funding from Lumikai, to scale its operations, advance game development, grow its team of developers, and enhance its technological capabilities. Pneucons, a B2B industrial marketplace startup contracting ONDC-like infrastructure catering to SMEs and MSMEs, successfully closed its undisclosed Pre-series investment round from Tarun Mehta, Co-Founder & CEO of Ather Energy.

Awesome! Just had an incredible time at Startup Tamizha! 🎉 The Chennai Trade Center was abuzz with startup energy, connecting with awesome entrepreneurs and diving deep into the world of innovation. Here are some key highlights and takeaways that truly made this event a startup magic: 👉 Startup Arena: Engaged in insightful discussions with investors, learning what it takes for a startup to seek investments. An invaluable opportunity! 👉 Conversations with Industry Experts: Explored crucial aspects with Mrs.Induja Ragunathan and Mrs. Svetha Ravi Mam, from YourStory Media and Arali Ventures, shedding light on the essentials of PR, pitch perfection, and the significance of co-founders. 👉 Insights from Mr. Srinivas Baratam/Managing Director of Stakeboat Capital Capital: Explored key points for successful businesses, focusing on growth, competitive position, and the importance of ESG (Environment, Society, Gender equality). 👉 Wisdom from Mr. C K Kumaravel: Naturals Salon & Spa' founder shared insights on learning more to earn more, using minimal resources for great dreams, and the power of FFF (Friends, Family & Fools) for creating proof of concepts. 👉 Lecture by Dr Velumani Arokiaswamy: Thyrocare Technologies Ltd. Founder emphasized the importance of quality and affordability, along with the attributes investors seek - quality, cheap, management, trust & transparency. 👉 Insights from Mr. Avinash Ramanathan: Kalaari Capital's VP shared key takeaways on finding the right product fit, the iterative process of PMF, and the importance of a clear vision of IP/Tech Core. 👉 Conversation with Mr. Venkat Raju: YourNest Venture CapitalCapital highlighted Chennai as the SaaS Capital, the caution of taking money without purpose, and the emphasis on the "Cause" over "Money." 👉 Speech by Mr. MANOJ KUMAR AGARWAL : Seafund Capital Co-founder dissected investing opportunities, highlighting the importance of a strong market, red flags to watch for, and the significance of unit economics. 👉 Speech by Mr. SIVAPRAKASH RAMESHKUMAR: Director at Ielektron Technologies shared the formula for confidence, prerequisites for success (IACE), and the essential steps for idea qualification. Thankful for the enriching experience at Startup Tamizha! The inspiring speeches, engaging discussions, and live pitches have bestowed valuable insights. Great Initiatives. Share your thoughts! 🚀 #StartupTamizha #Entrepreneurship #InnovationJourney #TNGIM2024 StartupTN FaMeTN