The year 2023 tested the limits of the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. Faced with regulatory hurdles and dwindling funding numbers, Indian new-age tech companies navigated a terrain fraught with uncertainty.
Unfortunately, little has changed despite stepping into the financial year 2024-25 (FY25). As per Inc42, funding raised by Indian startups receded to a seven-year low, falling 33% year-on-year (YoY) to $2 Bn in Q1 2024.
Further, the first week of April 2024 (between April 1 and 6) saw a week-on-week (WoW) decline of 38% in funding. Similar was the trend towards the end of the month when the startup funding was down 33% WoW.
The repercussions of this funding winter continue to reverberate throughout the ecosystem, prompting a fundamental shift in focus towards sustainability. However, on the positive side, the vagaries of this two-year-long capital drought have not dampened the innovative spirit of the Indian startup landscape.
Lately, we have witnessed that the Indian startup ecosystem is experiencing a surge in early stage cleantech ventures, reflecting a collective commitment towards environmental stewardship. Alongside this, a diverse array of ventures spanning sectors such as direct-to-consumer (D2C), agritech, and AI are contributing towards the spirit of disruption pulsating within the ecosystem.
But, what truly sets Indian founders apart is their unwavering focus on creating value rather than raising funds. This is probably what is keeping Indian startups going despite the gloom.
Against this backdrop, we are happy to present the 46th edition of ‘30 Startups to Watch‘ — Startups That Caught Our Eyes In April. This latest edition is also the first edition of FY25.
Imperative to note that we gave the March edition of ‘30 Startups to Watch’ a conscious miss as the whole of the Indian Startup ecosystem was busy concluding FY24.
With that said, here is the full list of the startups that caught our eyes in April 2024.
(Editor’s Note: The list below is not a ranking of any kind. We have listed the startups alphabetically.)
Aeria
Transcending Traditional Office Spaces
Founded by Priyanka Gera and Piyush Kateja, Aeria is transforming traditional office spaces with technology and AI. From access and parking management to visitor engagement and community services, Aeria offers a holistic solution tailored as per modern workplace demands.
By integrating data, technology, and customer interactions, Aeria enables convenient and contactless building entrance through mobile devices, improving the overall workplace experience. The platform offers simplified access control management, enhanced asset and tenant security, and streamlined operations with inventory accuracy.
Moreover, its full-stack analytics suite empowers real estate developers and asset managers to make informed, data-driven decisions, potentially boosting financial performance by up to 15%. By providing insights into asset risks, demand forecasting, space utilisation, rental optimisation, and tenant segmentation, Aeria enables stakeholders to unlock hidden value within their properties.
Arivihan
Using AI To Offer Personalised Tutoring
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing a pivotal role in transforming the Indian edtech landscape, and Arivihan, an automated learning platform, seems to be leading this shift.
Leveraging AI, Arivihan provides personalised tutoring to K-11 and K-12 students, essentially placing a personal tutor in each student’s pocket.
This platform is adept at guiding, teaching, and instantly resolving doubts, tailored to individual learning paces and comprehension levels. With the use of AI, Arivihan ensures high-quality learning experiences at affordable rates, fostering academic improvement.
Arivihan employs GenAI to craft text responses, scripts, and tailored study plans. Notably, it utilises open-source text and audio generation models to create AI-driven video lectures, akin to those delivered by human tutors.
With a Google Play rating of 4.7 and a substantial daily user base, Arivihan claims to have impacted over 1,500 students, whose average session duration lasts more than 65 minutes on the platform.
Basil
Redefining Lunchbox Standards
The genesis of Basil lies in Harini Rajagopalan and Mahesh Muraleedharan’s quest to find the perfect lunchbox for their children. The duo’s expedition of finding a leakproof, aesthetically pleasing lunchbox got intense when they found out that other parents also shared their peeves.
Understanding the gap, the duo started working in stealth mode. They then launched Basil in May 2023. The startup crafts aesthetically pleasing and leak-resistant lunchbox solutions.
While Basil’s current product line is only restricted to lunchboxes and water bottles, it aims to establish a new standard of excellence within the home and kitchen product sphere. Basil’s short-term goal for 2024 is to solidify its position as a leader in the lunchbox market.
The brand operates primarily through ecommerce channels, Basil targets the Indian market since launching their product line in February 2024. Basil has rapidly gained traction, securing a position within the top 100 in the Lunchbox category on Amazon.
Basil’s long-term vision is to build an INR 100 Cr business by 2026 and establish itself as a beloved brand in the often-overlooked home and kitchen category.
BlackCarrot
Health-Conscious Cutlery
BlackCarrot plans to redefine the way we approach dining experiences. Founded by the father-son duo of Vishal Gupta and Yadupati Gupta, BlackCarrot offers animal bone ash-free cutlery.
By not using traditional materials like bone china and prioritising 304-grade stainless steel for cutlery, and lead-free glassware, the startup wants to ensure that every meal is served with purity and peace of mind.
BlackCarrot, with trademarks in three categories, uses a revenue model combining D2C and marketplace sales, delivering across India. Their recent launch featured over 70 SKUs, backed by Bollywood star Neha Dhupia’s endorsement and investment.
Bummer
Disrupting Men’s Innerwear Segment
Founded by Sulay Lavsi in 2020, Bummer is trying to create a niche in the men’s underwear market with its innovative approach and contemporary designs. Offering a wide range of products, including hipsters, shorts, boxers, trunks, briefs, pyjamas, and loungewear, Bummer sets itself apart by using micromodal fibres sourced from beechwood trees, ensuring softness, lightweight comfort, and sustainability.
The startup has witnessed strong growth, boasting a 175% year-on-year revenue increase in FY23. It was also featured in Inc42’s FAST42 list of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands in 2024. With plans to expand into other Asian markets in the next two years, Bummer has earmarked 5% of its budget to pilot projects in these regions while maintaining India as its primary focus.
Primarily driving sales through its website, which accounts for 85% of revenue, Bummer also leverages online channels like Amazon and Myntra to drive sales.
Chaotix AI
Text-To-Game AI
Founded by brothers Ankur and Chirag Goel in 2021, Chaotix AI is a gaming startup that enables people to bring their gaming ideas to life in only two minutes. The startup’s genesis stems from Ankur’s journey in game development.
Recognising the potential of AI technology, Ankur envisioned the text-to-game AI platform to democratise game creation. The AI-driven platform takes the game concept via text prompts submitted by the user and, through contextual analysis, selects mechanics that align perfectly with the idea.
Subsequently, it generates all necessary audio and visual assets, tailoring each element to fit the game’s narrative and mechanics. The platform then assembles and deploys the game on its platform, allowing anyone to access and enjoy it easily.
The startup works on a freemium model. For advanced functionalities, users could opt for a monthly subscription plan. The startup also looks at advertisement revenue and in-app purchase monetisation.
The Delhi-based startup aims to onboard 1 Lakh creators. In the long term, ChaotixAI has set its sights on becoming the ‘YouTube of Games’, hosting 10 Mn creators. It envisions creating 100 Mn games by 2026.
EcoRatings
An ESG Rating AI Startup
Founded by Aditi Balbir, Aqeel Ahmed, and Shruti Anand in 2023, EcoRatings is a cleantech startup that utilises AI/ML and Big Data to quantify the environmental impact of products and services.
EcoRatings’ methodology, based on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals and ESG norms, resonates with consumers’ increasing demand for transparency in product sustainability.
In recent years, consumers have increasingly embraced ‘greener’ purchasing habits, demanding high-quality, sustainable, and ethically sourced products at competitive prices.
EcoRatings’ methodology, based on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals and ESG norms, resonates with consumers’ increasing demand for transparency in product sustainability.
Each product undergoes a rigorous assessment, receiving a rating on a scale of 10, derived from verified data sources. By providing numeric sustainability ratings, EcoRatings empowers consumers to make informed, eco-friendly choices, aligning with the global shift towards greener purchasing habits.
Elevate Foods
Creating A Sustainable Food Supply Chain
Founded by serial entrepreneur Gayatri Bhatia in March 2024 and owned by Singapore-based GBN Food Solutions, Agritech startup Elevate Foods is a platform supporting small- and medium-sized farm-gate processors.
Rather than focussing solely on building infrastructure, the startup aims to empower existing micro and small farm-gate food processors. By providing them with the necessary resources, assistance, and cutting-edge technology, Elevate Foods enables these processors to upgrade their operations and deliver products that meet stringent global standards. The startup is not only focussed on enhancing the sustainability of food processing but also minimising food waste.
With a focus on cross-border trade opportunities, the company aspires to be the largest food processing organisation without owning any factory assets of its own. Instead, it prioritises upgrading existing processors, thereby ensuring that sustainability and traceability are embedded in every product that reaches global markets.
GobbleCube
AI-Based Revenue Platform For Brands
During their tenure at quick commerce platform Blinkit, Manas Gupta, Srikumar Nair and Nitesh Jindal extensively utilised data to maximise ROI on every rupee spent on marketing and supply chain optimisation.
While collaborating with consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, they observed significant discrepancies — the expenditure scale was much larger and the granularity of data and its freshness were notably inferior, often limited to the previous month.
Recognising this unmet market need as a significant opportunity for disruption, they founded GobbleCube in November 2022. GobbleCube is the revenue decoding platform for quick commerce players and marketplaces. It automates data and decision-making processes across the entire ecommerce value chain to prevent revenue leakages.
Its flagship product GobbleCube Micro-Market Intelligence is a proprietary system for real-time market share that can help brands make better strategic decisions.
For 2024, the startup’s focus is on integrating more ecommerce channels to enrich its product offering and refining insights based on user feedback. Looking ahead to 2026, GobbleCube aims to expand into new markets, establish a global GTM team and integrate with ecommerce platforms worldwide. It envisions becoming a leading revenue monitoring platform for CPG brands.
Hack2skill
An All-In-One Hackathon Platform
Founded in 2021 by Samkit Sharma, Hack2skill is a technology platform dedicated to innovation management and Product evangelism. It offers an all-in-one hackathon platform, providing an effective and personalised suite of tools designed to help communities and corporations better manage their hackathons and innovation funnel.
Hack2skill claims to connect a community of over 3 Mn technology innovators, encompassing startups, corporate professionals, freelancers, and student developers via its routinely organised hackathons. The mission of these hackathons is to accelerate innovation through effective collaboration and knowledge sharing, harnessing the collective genius of these talents to usher in the next generation of technological solutions.
Its clientele includes the likes of Google, Microsoft, Gifthub, and Meta, among others.
Jeh AeroSpace
Pioneering Defence & Aerospace Component Manufacturing
Jeh Aerospace (JAI) wants to transform the aerospace and defence industry by leveraging India’s robust capabilities and competitiveness in manufacturing and supply chain solutions.
Per its website, the startup offers manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain management solutions to the global aerospace & defence industry at all tiers, from OEMs to tooling manufacturers.
JAI was founded by ex-Tata Boeing COO Vishal Sanghavi and ex-Tata Sikorsky Aerospace’s Venkatesh Mudragalla in August 2022. The startup raised $2.75 Mn in a seed funding round led by General Catalyst in January 2024. The funds were raised to build infrastructure, fuel growth and set up a team.
It recently inaugurated its first facility in Hyderabad. Short-term plans for 2024 include developing cutting-edge capabilities and assembling a world-class team to deliver unparalleled customer experiences.
Looking ahead to 2026, Jeh Aerospace wants to achieve an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of $20 MN.
JustDeliveries
Hyperlocal Delivery For Perishables
Founded in 2022 by Mansi Mahansaria, JustDeliveries offers last-mile B2B logistics for F&B brands. The startup provides logistics for perishables — from primary pick-ups to same-day deliveries to outlets, retailers or end customers, real-time delivery updates, reverse logistics, and MIS & Data.
JustDeliveries tackles the last-mile challenge for B2B logistics involving perishable F&B products. Their asset-light approach leverages existing cold storage, warehouse, and vehicle capacity. This allows clients to scale up within cities and expand to new regions without the burden of owning infrastructure.
It aims to deepen networks in existing cities and net break even in Mumbai. It plans to launch in four more cities in the next two years.
Liquidnitro Games
Live Services & Game Production Studio
Having worked with EA’s India Studio for several years, Sandeep Kowdley, Arun Kunchala, Suresh Manthena and Dhanekula Krishna Phani recognised a significant opportunity to establish a world-class game development and live services studio in India. Thus, they founded Liquidnitro Games in December 2023.
Funded by Nexus Venture Partners and several renowned game industry veterans, Liquidnitro partners with game companies and publishers worldwide to produce and coproduce compelling games and live services.
Liquidnitro claims to craft fun, engaging, and meaningful experiences for players across the globe by leveraging the potential of data, AI, and technology.
It holds expertise in running live services for AAA games, geo adapting games and live services for new untapped markets.
In 2024, Liquidnitro Games plans to establish a live services and game production studio in Hyderabad. It aims to recruit top-tier game development talent from India. Discussions with major global game publishers are ongoing to explore partnership opportunities, while negotiations with top 10 AAA game companies are underway to adapt their games and services for the Indian market.
Medial
Next-Gen Professional Social Media Platform
Founded in 2023 by Niket Raj Dwivedi, Medial is a professional social media platform, which distinguishes itself by focussing on technical/knowledge-based content over traditional networking features.
The platform’s identity-switching feature allows users to toggle between real and anonymous profiles, fostering open dialogue and transparency.
Since its launch in August 2023, Medial has amassed over 20,000 registered users. Medial’s long-term vision encompasses global expansion, monetisation through subscriptions and micro-transactions, and establishing itself as the premier alternative to conventional professional social media platforms.
Minus Zero
Welcome To The Future Of Autonomous Driving
Founded in 2021 by Gagandeep Reehal and Gursimran Kalra, Minus Zero claims to be the first Indian startup to have launched a fully autonomous vehicle in the country with its in-house AI solution.
On its website, the startup claims to be the industry’s first software-defined platform that seamlessly integrates with next-gen vehicles, allowing automakers to enable autonomy beyond ADAS.
Minus Zero is currently in the pre-revenue stage. The company plans to integrate advanced autonomous driving technology into their vehicle models through collaboration with various OEMs.
Its goal is to establish strong OEM-supplier relationships at the Tier-1 level and generate revenue per unit sale of vehicles equipped with its technology.
By 2026, Minus Zero plans a commercial launch, transitioning pilots into full deployment with OEM partners. It is looking at global market expansion. It also plans to collaborate with regulators to advocate for autonomous vehicle policies and standards, accelerating the deployment and acceptance of its technology.
Nurturev
B2B Revenue Intelligence Platform
Founded by Sayanta Ghosh, Nikhil Ojha, and Rajat Jain, Nurturev is a Pune-based venture that aims to transform B2B industries with its AI-enabled revenue intelligence platform.
The startup captures crucial insights from diverse third-party sources, enabling B2B companies to tailor revenue pipelines effectively. Focussing on scaling its operations and increasing average contract value, Nurturev aims to demonstrate significant value by securing multimillion-dollar expansion sales and cementing its position in the B2B services and SaaS landscape.
Since launching its go-to-market strategy in January, Nurturev has swiftly gained traction, acquiring paid customers predominantly from mid-market and upper-mid-market segments.
The startup’s short-term objectives for 2024 include bolstering customer retention and satisfaction while steadily expanding its customer base. In the long run, it wants to become a global leader in revenue intelligence, providing actionable insights to facilitate expansion opportunities for key accounts, particularly in the US market.
ONO
Multisided Agritech Platform
Founded in 2021 by Rama Rao Kancharapu, ONO is a crop price and mandi discovery platform for farmers.
It offers services like price and market discovery platform ONO Connect, credit facilitation platform ONO Cash, SaaS platform for commission agents and traders that provides price and market intelligence, payments, collections and digitisation of market operations ONO Click and mid-mile trading platform ONO Mandi.
Over the last few months, ONO has expanded its access from seven to over 45 Mandis, with five now operationally profitable. Along with launching two new products, It aims to scale operations to 100+ mandis and 20+ commodities this year.
Looking ahead to 2026, ONO aims to scale to over 1,000 Mandis and 100+ commodities, solidifying its position as a leader in agritech platforms within Mandis.
Paytring
Payment Orchestration Platform For All Businesses
Two high school friends, Keshav Munjhal and Debal Chakraborty, after gaining experience in product development services and recognising a gap in the market for payment orchestration solutions, incorporated Paytring in 2023.
The Paytring platform integrates payment providers and acquirers worldwide, offering a unified communication, control, and management interface. The platforms support a wide array of payment methods, including major cards and alternative payment methods (APMs).
Paytring’s main feature is its AI-based rule engine, which lets businesses enable
businesses to customise transaction routing based on various parameters such as MDR
(merchant discount rate), transaction volume, SKU (stock keeping unit), card type,
bank, network, and transaction amount. The platform aims to facilitate and process 1 Mn transactions per day in the next two years.
PlatinumRx
Making Medicines Accessible For All
Inadequate healthcare infrastructure, market dynamics, government regulations and taxes, limited availability of generic alternatives, supply chain inefficiencies, and high manufacturing costs contribute to the high cost of accessing essential medication for chronic patients in India.
Despite playing a leading role in generic drug production and exports, India faces challenges when it comes to the domestic adoption of substitute medicines.
Bengaluru-based PlatinumRx aims to redefine the way chronic patients access essential medications by curating and offering best-value substitutes from top brands like Cipla, Abbott, Alkem, among others. It aims to offer affordability and quality by leveraging technology and innovation to bridge the gap in healthcare.
Founded by Ashutosh Pandey and Piyush Kumar, PlatinumRx’s substitution engine helps consumers find the exact substitute medicine with the same composition, strength, and effectiveness at a fraction of the cost
PlatinumRx claims to deliver to more than 20,000 pincodes and even offers same-day delivery in Bengaluru. They have also partnered with multiple old-age homes and rehab centers across the startup hub to help decrease medical expenses for patients.
Protecto AI
Making AI Interactions Safer
Founded by Amar Kanagaraj in 2021, Protecto is a data privacy solution that bids to safeguard interactions with GenAI softwares. It claims to guard against privacy breaches and unauthorised data access by filtering sensitive data from prompts given to AI applications, preventing privacy violations.
It offers end-to-end protection throughout the GenAI project lifecycle, from cleansing training data to securing interactions with LLMs.
Protecto’s efficacy spans across key AI touchpoints, including filtering sensitive data from prompts, retrofitting enterprise models to prevent leaks, and ensuring clean and secure training data.
By prioritising privacy as a fundamental right, Protecto empowers enterprises to harness the transformative potential of AI without compromising confidentiality or regulatory compliance.
QuID
Working Capital Solutions Provider
Founded in 2023 by Vikram AG and Subhash Gupta, QuiD is a B2B supply chain fintech. It provides anchor-led supply chain financing solutions.
It provides a B2B supply chain fintech marketplace platform, empowering businesses with a 0% interest B2B BNPL-based working capital solution. While the product is not patented or patent-pending, its revenue model revolves around transaction fees or subscription-based services.
Currently operational in major cities in South India, the Bengaluru-based startup aims to acquire 3 Lakh app users and achieve a disbursal book of INR 1,500 Cr by 2026.
Relso
Cloud Factory For Furniture
Founded in 2023 by Anshul Choubey, Abhinav Agarwal, and Jay Trivedi, Relso is pioneering a cloud factory for furniture with the vision to ‘make in India and sell globally’. This model offers medium and small-sized furniture companies a plethora of benefits.
These benefits include increased design opportunities, the ability to order low quantity orders at attractive prices, eliminate middlemen commissions, reliability, and scalability ensured through standardised, SOP-driven operations across cloud factories with multiple quality checks.
Relso captures demand from the US and European markets by employing local sales teams and participating in top furniture fairs such as the High Point Market and Las Vegas Fair. After a meticulous capability assessment, Relso places orders to its cloud factories.
The startup is targeting an ARR of $5 Mn predominantly through export orders, while it works on establishing a US sales team and launching a tech platform for lead generation. On the supply side, the focus is on meeting delivery timelines, maintaining quality, and expanding the Relso cloud factory network. The startup intends to explore manufacturing opportunities in Vietnam and Malaysia, broadening its manufacturing base.
SkinQ
Customised Dermatologist Formulated Solutions For Indian skin
Founded in 2021 by Dr. Chytra Anand and Meera Iyer, SkinQ is carving out a distinctive niche in the dermo-cosmetic industry with its proprietary formulations.
Operating primarily in India, the US, and the Middle East, SkinQ offers a diverse range of products addressing various skin concerns.
Among its offerings, the Acne Control Mask is clinically proven to significantly reduce acne size and sebum production within a short timeframe.
Meanwhile, its brightening serum targets uneven skin tones and hyperpigmentation, reduces melanin and enhances brightness.
Additionally, SkinQ provides sunscreen formulated to diminish tanning and enhance skin luminosity across all skin types and tones.
In the short term, the company aims to streamline operations and secure additional funding to fuel further growth and innovation. Looking ahead to 2026, SkinQ aspires to establish a robust global presence.
Sprih
Make Decarbonisation Your Competitive Edge
As sustainability becomes a key theme for businesses, many climate tech startups are emerging in India to provide solutions that streamline carbon emissions management, enhance energy efficiency, and promote eco-friendly practices across industries.
Founded in 2022 by Akash Keshav, Ravi Singhal, Rohit Toshniwal, and Hemant Joshi, Sprih leverages AI infrastructure to help companies achieve sustainability. Sprih is a carbon emissions management platform that enables enterprises to efficiently reach their decarbonisation goals through simplified measuring, benchmarking, and reporting of emissions across various scopes.
Operating on a SaaS model and fostering a robust ecosystem of climate solution providers, Sprih equips businesses with data-driven insights to formulate proactive sustainability strategies surpassing regulatory compliance. By simplifying emissions measurement, benchmarking, and reporting across operations and supply chains, Sprih facilitates efficient decarbonisation and enhances brand reputation.
Catering to diverse sectors such as manufacturing, construction, pharmaceuticals and IT, Sprih’s top clients include names like Indigo Paints, Hero Motors, and InfoBeans.
Looking ahead, Sprih aims to expand its footprint in India while targeting growth in key international markets such as the US and Europe.
TapFin
Access To Green Financing Made Easy
The clean mobility industry in India is expected to reach $110.74 Bn by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 26.05% from $34.80 Bn in 2024. This growth is expected to be driven by Tier 2/3 cities and urban centres, collectively contributing to the rapid expansion of the sustainability ecosystem.
Founded in 2023 by Terniza Berry, Aditya Singh, and Pramod Marar, TapFin aspires to emerge as India’s premier Sustainability Platform, empowering MSMEs and startups.
Currently, TapFin actively supports and advances the nation’s Net Zero ambitions. It facilitates financing, offers value-added services, and creates income-generation opportunities for participants in the clean mobility ecosystem. Over time, TapFin plans to expand its scope into other sustainability verticals such as solar and wind energy.
Troovy
Chemical-Free Nutritional Solutions For Kids
Founded by Mansi Baranwal and Aditya Mukherjee in 2023, Troovy is the result of the duo’s endeavour to address nutrition gaps in children.
It offers a range of chemical-free, nutrition-loaded sauces. One of Troovy’s standout products is its nutri milk mix, the result of over 12 months of research and development. This mix incorporates a blend of 13 millets, grains, lentils, nuts, and seeds, providing a comprehensive nutritional profile.
The company’s sales have predominantly been through direct-to-consumer channels. However, Troovy is now ramping up its presence on popular marketplaces such as Amazon and quick commerce platforms like Blinkit and Instamart.
Troovy has set a goal of achieving INR 10 Cr in annualised sales by expanding its product range and intensifying community engagement and marketing efforts.
Looking ahead, the company aims to achieve an annualised sales figure of INR 100 Cr in the next three to four years. This growth strategy involves a focus on optimising its hero products, expanding distribution channels, and bolstering marketing initiatives.
Urja Sathi
Sustainable Energy Platform
End users, small businesses, dealers, and distributors in the renewable energy sector often face challenges such as lack of awareness, technical knowledge, difficulty accessing quality products, and issues with warranties and aftersale services.
Urja Sathi, founded with a vision to address these challenges, aims to create a unified platform where manufacturers, suppliers, vendors and end users converge to streamline processes and enhance the adaptability of renewable energy solutions.
The startup assists stakeholders in the solar business community and end users by delivering comprehensive business solutions and facilitating product promotion. Through services ranging from technical validation to customer support, UrjaSathi ensures easy access to resources and fosters understanding and evaluation of solar system components and integrators.
The platform also plans to organise awareness campaigns and offer technical assistance to end users and small businesses, while providing a one-stop-shop for design, procurement, installation, warranty, and operations and maintenance services through verified partners.
Its revenue model encompasses advertisement/promotions and subscription services for businesses seeking leads. In the short term, Urja Sathi aims to onboard 2,000 companies and 1 Lakh users in Uttar Pradesh.
Vobble
Podcasts For Kids
Sowmya Jagganth and Neha Sharma, mothers and friends, founded Vobble in 2022 to combat screen-time struggles with kids.
Launched in 2023, Vobble is an audio OTT platform that offers an immersive storytelling experience to kids between 4 and 12 years of age. Its content library stacks story series, music, audio shows, and kids’ podcasts.
Published weekly, the content is either created in-house by Vobble or by renowned publishers like HarperCollins, Scholastic, Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha, and Tulika.
Vobble also partners with brands such as Hasbro, Rebel Girls, Australian Broadcasting Company, and Owl Field, using their content IPs.
Additionally, to kickstart kids on their audio journey, Vobble has crafted The Vobble Box, containing not only the Vobble App subscription but also kid-safe headphones for the best immersive experience.
Vobble generates its revenues from subscriptions. Customers have the option to purchase a 3, 6, or 12-month plan with prices starting as low as INR 199 a month.
In addition, Vobble offers its flagship Vobble Box, which includes the Vobble App Subscription. This product is available at INR 2,900 (includes a 3-month subscription) and INR 3,500 (includes a 6-month subscription).
Yenmo
Instant Loan Against Mutual Funds
Founded in 2022 by Ashutosh Purohit and Aryan Agarwal, Bengaluru-based Yenmo is a platform that allows individuals to take loans against mutual funds. The founders vision behind the startup stems from its founders’ vision that debts or loans should be affordable, accessible and convenient.
Yenmo reduces interest rates of individual borrowers by 50% by offering an opportunity to utilise investments as collateral.
Customers can retrieve all their mutual fund holdings, select which investments they wish to pledge and apply for a loan in under 3 minutes.
Its plans for 2024 involve disbursing over INR 3 Cr in loans daily. By 2026, it aims to expand its services and reach while optimising its operations to maximise efficiency and profitability.
Zulu Defence
Advanced Air Defence Systems
Bengaluru-based Zulu Defence Systems specialises in advanced air defence aerial systems. Its technology focusses on rapid deployment, resilient ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance), precision strike, and countermeasure capabilities in contested environments.
Zulu has developed a niche, patentable technology that caters to the needs of both the Indian Armed Forces as well as militaries across the globe. With in-house capacity for hardware and software development, they claim to hold a significant three-year advantage over competitors in similar technology.
Led by founder Nagendran Kandasamy, Zulu aims to reduce India’s reliance on expensive foreign military procurement while offering innovative air defence solutions globally. Its team boasts expertise in aviation, drone technology, computer vision, AI, and software development. Zulu’s USP lies in developing technologies that address the evolving challenges related to national security, focussing on providing reliable and impactful air defence solutions.
[Edited by Shishir Parasher]
