InMobi, India’s first unicorn and a global ad tech leader, has secured $100 million in debt funding from Mars Growth Capital, a joint venture between MUFG and Liquidity Group. This move comes as InMobi prepares for its initial public offering (IPO), aiming for a $10 billion valuation. The fresh capital will enhance its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and fuel AI-focused acquisitions, marking a significant leap in the company’s growth strategy. The SoftBank-backed ad tech startup, founded in 2007 by Naveen Tewari, Piyush Shah, Mohit Saxena, and Abhay Singhal, plans to...

AppsForBharat, the parent company of India-based devotional app Sri Mandir, has raised $18 million in Series B funding, led by tech billionaire Nandan Nilekani’s Fundamentum Partnership, to scale operations globally and expand its technology stack for temples and religious tourism market. The round saw participation from Susquehanna Asia VC, and existing investors like Elevation Capital, Peak XV, and Mirae Asset VC. Sri Mandir’s Global Reach Launched in 2021 by AppsForBharat. Sri Mandir connects users to over 50 temples, enabling virtual pujas, offerings, and consultations with astrologers and priests. With 30...

Omnichannel jewelry retailer Bluestone has raised INR 600 crore (approximately $72 million) in its latest funding round, led by Prosus through MIH Investments with participation from Steadview Capital, Think Investments and Pratithi Growth Fund, showcasing strong investor confidence in Bluestone’s growth trajectory. According to internal filings, Bluestone’s board approved the issuance of 1,03,80,622 Series H compulsory cumulative preference shares at INR 578 per share to raise the capital. Prosus contributed INR 351 crore, while Steadview Capital, Think Investments, and Pratithi Growth Fund invested INR 80 crore, INR 84 crore, and...

The Indian government has introduced the $90 million AgriSURE fund, a financial initiative that aims to boost agritech startups by leveraging modern technology and innovation to transform agriculture to support agritech startups and rural enterprises. This move underscores the government’s focus on modernizing agriculture and providing necessary capital to innovators in the farming sector. The AgriSURE fund, registered under SEBI as a Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), will offer startups equity and debt funding. The fund receives contributions from various sources with a total corpus of INR 750 crore....

Blue Tokai, a specialty coffee and bakery brand, has secured $35 million in a Series C funding round led by Verlinvest, a Belgium-based investment firm, for accelerating its expansion into Tier I and Tier II cities, positioning itself firmly against competitors like Third Wave Coffee. This round also saw participation from Anicut Capital and A91 Partners, boosting the brand’s valuation to approximately INR 1,500 crore ($180 million). Blue Tokai, founded by Matt Chitharanjan, Namrata Asthana, and Shivam Shahi in 2013, plans to use the new funds to strengthen its presence...

AGRIM, a leading B2B platform for agri-inputs in India, has secured $17.3 million in a Series B funding round led by Asia Impact to revolutionize agri-input market, benefiting agriculture through innovative solutions and expanding its reach to meet diverse needs nationwide. This significant investment aims to transform the fragmented agri-input market in India, which provides essential resources like seeds, pesticides, and tools to over 42 percent of the country’s population. AGRIM connects retailers directly with manufacturers, addressing challenges like supply chain inefficiencies and complex logistics, especially in remote areas. “We...

Quick commerce startup Zepto has raised $340 million in a follow-on financing round led by General Catalyst, pushing its valuation to $5 billion and involving new investors like Dragon Fund and Epiq Capital; highlights the growing interest in quick commerce within India, as the startup plans to double its dark stores and continue reshaping the market. Existing investors StepStone, Lightspeed, DST, and Contrary increased their stakes. Additionally, Zepto aims to strengthen its presence in metro cities, where the demand for instant deliveries continues to surge. Zepto’s latest funding comes just...

Beauty and personal care D2C firm Pilgrim has raised INR 75 crore ($9 million) in an extended Series B round led by Fireside Ventures and Vertex Ventures, driving its valuation to approximately INR 2,075 crore ($250 million) with significant contributions from NSFO Ventures, Mirabilis Investment, and NABS Vriddhi. According to regulatory filings, the company’s board approved the issuance of 854 Series B1 and B2 preference shares, priced at INR 8,77,655 each. Fireside Ventures contributed Rs 25 crore, while Vertex Ventures invested INR 23 crore. Additionally, NSFO Ventures, Mirabilis Investment, and...

Mumbai-based Miko, a robotics company under the Emotix umbrella, has successfully raised $2.5 million in fresh equity from a group of angel investors. This funding round marks a significant milestone for Miko after a two-year pause and pushing its post-funding valuation to $206 million. Miko Robotics approved a special resolution to issue 679 Series C CCPS at INR 3,02,695 each, totaling INR 20.55 crore or approximately $2.5 million. According to regulatory filings with the Registrar of Companies, Moneycrew Fintech contributed INR 4.5 crore, with the remaining amount invested by prominent...

Dehradun-based health-tech startup Sunfox Technologies has secured INR 15 crore in a pre-Series A funding round led by Venture Catalysts to drive global expansion, focusing on scaling its health-tech innovation, the Spandan ECG device, which plays a critical role in early detection of heart conditions. Finvolve, through the IA Growth Opportunities Fund I and Brew Opportunities Fund, Universal Group, RP Singhvi Group, and several high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), also participated in the round. The funding is set to drive Sunfox’s expansion within India and internationally. This fresh investment follows a previous...