In the second week of September, Indian startups raised a total of $288.5 million across 28 deals, reflecting a notable 35.13% decline compared to the previous week. This contraction is attributed to fewer high-value deals in the market.

Despite the downturn, several significant investments were made, with InMobi, Slice, and FlexiLoans securing prominent deals. InMobi led the charge, raising $100 million, followed by Slice with $36 million, and FlexiLoans with $34.5 million. Together, these three accounted for 59% of the total funding during the week.

Key Highlights For Indian Startups From [Sept 9-14]:

  • Total investment: $288.5 million raised across 28 deals, marking a 35.13% decline compared to the previous week.
  • Top three investments: InMobi ($100 million), Slice ($36 million), and FlexiLoans ($34.5 million), together making up 59% of total funding.
  • Growth-stage startups raised $234.65 million, with prominent deals from InMobi, Slice, and FlexiLoans.
  • Early-stage startups secured $53.85 million across 15 deals, with notable investments in Centricity ($20 million) and Nestasia ($8.35 million).
  • SaaS and FinTech sectors led the market with 4 deals each, followed by HealthTech with 3 deals.

Startups that Received Funding

  • InMobi (B2C, Media & Entertainment) – $100 million, led by MARS Growth Capital
  • Slice (B2C, FinTech) – $36 million, from Blume Ventures and 8i Ventures
  • FlexiLoans (B2B, FinTech) – $34.5 million, Series C, funded by Accion and Maj Invest
  • Onsurity (B2B, HealthTech) – $26.5 million, Series B, led by Creaegis
  • AppsForBharat (D2C, SpiritualTech) – $18 million, Series B, led by Fundamentum Partnership
  • Moneyboxx (B2C, FinTech) – $11 million, equity round from undisclosed investors
  • Centricity (B2C, WealthTech) – $20 million, Seed round led by Lightspeed
  • Nestasia (B2C, E-Commerce) – $8.35 million, funded by Susquehanna Asia VC, Stellaris Venture Partners, and angel investors
  • Clean Electric (B2C, EV) – $6 million, Series A, from Info Edge Ventures, Pi Ventures, and Kalaari Capital
  • Track3D (B2B, AI) – $4.3 million, Seed round, led by Endiya Partners

& others.

Sector-wise and Business Model Analysis

SaaS and FinTech were the leading sectors, each securing 4 deals. HealthTech followed closely with 3 deals, while sectors like BioTech, E-Commerce, AI, and Wellness each saw 2 deals. Other industries that received attention included EV, SpiritualTech, AdTech, CleanTech, FMCG, Media & Entertainment, WealthTech, Gaming, and FashionTech.

From a business model perspective, B2C startups dominated, closing 16 deals. The D2C model followed with 7 deals, while B2B startups secured 5 deals, showcasing the continued investor preference for direct consumer engagement.

City-wise Analysis

Bengaluru continued its reign as the top city for startup investments with 9 deals. Mumbai and Gurugram followed with 6 deals each, while Hyderabad recorded 3 deals. Other cities that saw startup investments included Pune, Kolkata, Delhi, and Noida.

Conclusion

Despite a noticeable dip in overall funding, Indian startups continued to attract substantial investments, particularly in the SaaS, FinTech, and HealthTech sectors. The dominance of B2C business models and Bengaluru’s status as the top destination for funding highlight current market trends.

With key players like InMobi, Slice, and FlexiLoans leading the way, the Indian startup ecosystem remains resilient, even amid market contractions. The coming weeks will reveal whether this dip is a short-term correction or part of a larger trend.

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