Reo.Dev raised $4 million in seed funding led by Heavybit, with India Quotient and Foster Ventures participating. Founded by Achintya Gupta, Gaurav Jain, and Piyush Agarwal, funds will expand the team, establish a U.S. office, and enhance products. The AI-native GTM platform interprets developer signals from GitHub, providing sales and marketing insights. Over 100 companies, including Chainguard and LangChain, use Reo.Dev.

India proposed INR 7,300 crore incentive for domestic rare earth magnet production, awaiting cabinet approval. The plan allocates INR 6,500 crore for capital and INR 800 crore for operations, targeting 6,000 tonnes by 2030. China’s export ban on rare earth elements impacted EV sectors, prompting Ather Energy’s manufacturing adjustments. Improved India-China relations offer hope, with China seeking assurance against re-exports to the U.S.

SoftBank-owned Graphcore will invest £1 billion in India over ten years, establishing an AI engineering campus in Bengaluru creating 500 semiconductor jobs. Hiring has begun for 100 roles in silicon design and verification. Founded by Nigel Toon and Simon Knowles, Graphcore provides AI compute solutions. SoftBank, which acquired Graphcore in 2024, expands its Indian presence beyond its $12 billion startup investments.

Qapita raised $26.5 million in Series B funding led by Charles Schwab, with Citi and MassMutual Ventures participating. Funds will support U.S. expansion, new digital products, and fund administration platform scaling. Partnering with Schwab, Qapita will offer equity management services for U.S. private companies. Founded by Ravi Ravulaparthi, Lakshman Gupta, and Vamsee Mohan, Qapita serves 2,400+ companies across 60 countries.

NPCI launched four UPI solutions at Global Fintech Festival 2025: UPI Reserve Pay for pre-allocated credit, AI-powered UPI HELP for complaint resolution, IoT Payments for smartwatches and connected cars, and Banking Connect for unified net banking. NPCI also piloted an agentic AI framework allowing user-authorized chatbots to manage payments, enhancing UPI’s utility and user experience.

RBI launched a retail sandbox for its Central Bank Digital Currency, providing fintechs API access and testing capabilities. Governor Sanjay Malhotra emphasizes fostering innovation and improving user experience. The Unified Markets Interface will enable asset tokenization and wholesale CBDC settlements, including a pilot for tokenized certificates of deposit. Meanwhile, ULI has facilitated 3.2 million loans totaling INR 1.7 trillion since launch.

AWS’s Generative AI Accelerator (GAIA) selected 40 startups, including Indian firms Hyperbots, Smallest AI, and Stimuler. The program provides AI infrastructure access, enabling startups to scale models using AWS. It offers mentorship and global exposure for knowledge sharing and international benchmarking. AWS’s recognition strengthens India’s AI ecosystem, attracting investment and talent while accelerating generative AI adoption across industries. GAIA fosters innovation and strategic growth for Indian AI startups.

Bira 91 is planning a $132 million funding round, likely led by Global Emerging Markets (GEM). The mix of equity and structured credit will boost working capital, clear dues, and enhance the supply chain. CEO Ankur Jain confirmed receiving term sheets. Founded in 2015, Bira 91 India’s leading craft beer brand aims to expand distribution and operations amid rising craft beer demand.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has officially moved from Gmail to Zoho Mail, announcing his new email ID on X and urging its use for future correspondence. The switch symbolizes support for India’s homegrown tech ecosystem and the “Swadeshi tech” movement. Known for privacy and encryption, Zoho Mail’s adoption highlights India’s push for digital sovereignty, with experts suggesting broader institutional adoption could amplify its impact.

Climate-tech startup Newtral raised $600K from NOW to expand its enterprise sustainability software globally. Founded in 2022 by Avi Chudasama, Vinod Sonagara, and Anuraag Paul, Newtral helps firms track and cut carbon emissions. Over 100 companies, including Wockhardt and Metro Brands, use its platform for emission tracking, dashboards, and sustainability insights. The funding fuels its go-to-market strategy and global growth.

Meolaa, a tech-driven FMCG company, raised $6 million in pre-Series A funding led by General Catalyst, with participation from Claypond Capital and Kunal Shah. Founded by Ishita Sawant in 2023, Meolaa operates a D2C marketplace for sustainable brands. Leveraging AI and analytics, it streamlines brand creation and supply chains. Its flagship brand HIRA hit ₹1 crore MRR, with ₹100 crore ARR in 18 months.

Pontaq, a UK-India cross-border VC firm, secured ₹10 crore from Navyug Global for its India-focused fund. The capital will support 10+ deeptech startups in cleantech, fintech, and sustainability. Navyug’s participation as an LP reinforces Pontaq’s strategy of fostering AI, climate tech, and enterprise innovations across India and the UK. The fund emphasizes early-stage investments, offering startups mentorship, strategic guidance, and global market access.

AU Small Finance Bank, in collaboration with Mastercard, launched the AU Multi-Currency Forex Card at Global Fintech Fest 2025. Designed for global travelers, it supports six currencies with locked-in exchange rates and worldwide acceptance. Features include Chip & PIN security, travel insurance, and 24/7 support. CEO Sanjay Agarwal calls it a “comprehensive travel companion,” while Mastercard’s Gautam Aggarwal highlights its role in connecting Indian travelers globally.

Theia Ventures, founded by Priya Shah, announced the first close of its $30 million fund focused on deeptech, energy transition, and decarbonization. Backed by British International Investment (BII) as anchor investor, the fund has secured over 50% of its target. It will invest $500K–$1M in early-stage startups in green hydrogen, sustainable fuels, and clean mobility, targeting final close by FY26.

Jaagruk Bharat, founded by Akshit and Abhishek Goel, raised ₹1.5 crore in pre-seed funding led by AJVC to simplify access to government services. The platform enhances welfare scheme navigation through a multilingual, citizen-first interface. Funds will support product development, government partnerships, and accessibility for marginalized groups. Jaagruk Bharat leverages automation and vernacular support for seamless governance delivery.

Fintech startup Niro, founded by Aditya Kumar and Sankalp Mathur, has shut down after raising $20 million from investors like Elevar Equity. The B2B2C platform helped internet firms offer loans between ₹50,000–₹7 lakh, reaching 170 million users and $100 million AUM. Regulatory pressure, credit issues, and limited capital led to closure. Niro reported ₹7.86 crore revenue and ₹48.7 crore loss in FY24.

Contrails AI, founded by Digvijay Singh and Amitabh Kumar, raised $1 million in pre-seed funding led by Huddle Ventures and IAN Group. The startup develops multimodal AI with forensic analysis for real-time threat detection, combating deepfakes and phishing. Funds will support US and EU pilot programs across media, finance, and marketplaces. Contrails AI addresses growing cyber risks in the GenAI era.

OpenAI has signed a multi-year chip supply deal with AMD, involving six gigawatts of GPUs to meet rising AI demand. Deployment starts in 2026 with AMD’s Instinct MI450 chips. The deal, potentially giving OpenAI up to 10% of AMD via warrants, follows a $100B Nvidia contract. AMD expects billions in revenue as it strengthens AI infrastructure and diversifies OpenAI’s supply chain.

Deloitte is refunding part of a $440,000 fee to the Australian government after AI-generated errors were found in a report on the “Future Made in Australia” initiative. The report contained fabricated citations created using Azure OpenAI GPT-4o. Deloitte said AI was used only in early drafts. The incident highlights ethical concerns over AI use in consulting, prompting stricter oversight rules.

Zoho Payments launched its POS device suite, entering the fintech hardware market. Devices support cards, UPI via QR, integrated billing, receipts, and barcode scanning. They integrate with Zoho’s accounting and CRM tools for B2B merchants. Following RBI authorization as a payment aggregator, Zoho plans local device production and expanded fintech services like salary payouts and UPI Autopay. Zoho also plans to Integrate with its Arattai App in Future.

Thrustworks Dynetics, founded by Manan Joshi, Kalyani Shinde, and Vinith Shenoy in 2023, raised ₹7 crore in seed funding led by Jamwant Ventures. The Pune-based startup develops the ANYA liquid rocket engine and a Mobile Rocket Engine Test Bed. Funds will expand their Integrated Rocket Facility, R&D, and testing. Incubated at SINE-IIT Bombay, Thrustworks collaborates with ISRO and Bharat Forge, aiming to build modular, high-performance engines.

ZillOut, founded by Gaurav Sharma and Nayan Mishra, raised INR 2.75 crore in seed funding from Jindagi Live Angel Fund and Anshul Jhawar. Funds will boost AI and automation. Operating in 20 cities, ZillOut optimizes nightlife with AI-driven guest intelligence across Infra, Data, and Distribution layers. Managing INR 80 crore in transactions and 600,000 entries, the platform plans expansion to Dubai and Southeast Asia.

The Medical Travel Company, founded by Ankit Mehrotra and Sahil Jain, raised $4.5M in seed funding led by Nexus Venture Partners, with Kriscore Capital and athlete Ben Stokes via 4CAST. The funds will expand India/UK operations, enhance digital patient management, and build clinical partnerships. Offering UK oversight, accredited care, and post-surgery insurance, it aims to make cross-border healthcare affordable and seamless.

Legal tech startup Lucio raised $5M led by DeVC, with participation from Ashish Kacholia and Lashit Sanghvi. The funds will enhance AI models, expand global reach, and integrate legal databases. Based in India, Lucio provides an AI-native workspace for lawyers, streamlining drafting, research, and compliance. Over 200 organizations and 3,000 lawyers across nine jurisdictions use its platform.

August AI, founded in 2022 by Anuruddh Mishra, raised $3M from Accel and Claypond Capital to enhance its AI health companion. The funds will expand its medical knowledge base and user reach. Serving 3.5M users across 160 countries, August AI interprets reports, manages treatments, and connects users with doctors for reliable, AI-driven healthcare insights.

Intangles raised $30M in Series B funding led by Avataar Venture Partners, with participation from Baring Private Equity India and Cactus Partners. Founded in 2016, the AI-IoT company enables predictive vehicle health monitoring. Managing 400,000 vehicles across global markets, Intangles helps fleets save up to $10,000 per vehicle annually. The funding will boost technology upgrades and international expansion.

TrusTerra, an AI-driven used EV marketplace, raised ₹9 crore in pre-seed funding led by Finvolve and India Accelerator. The funds will scale TruEV Score, expand to Tier-2 cities, and strengthen OEM and NBFC partnerships. Founded by Tanvir Singh, Saurabh Arora, Madhu Reddy, and Chanakya Agarwal, TrusTerra offers TruEV Score, TerraCash, and TerraBid to boost trust and liquidity.

OpenAI launched “Apps in ChatGPT”, enabling users to access services like Spotify, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, Booking.com, and Zillow directly within ChatGPT. Announced at DevDay 2025, it lets users perform actions like booking hotels or creating playlists via chat. Developers can build apps using the new Apps SDK powered by Model Context Protocol (MCP). Future plans include DoorDash, Uber, and Instant Checkout monetization.

KGeN (Kratos Gamified Engagement Network) raised $13.5M from Prosus Ventures, Jump Crypto, and Accel, taking total funding to $43.5M. Founded by Manish Agarwal, Ishank Gupta, and Ritesh Arora, KGeN provides a blockchain-based user verification layer for AI, DeFi, and gaming, serving 39M users with $48.3M annualized revenue. Its K-Store supports decentralized storefronts, enhancing user acquisition across 60+ countries. The platform targets bot-resistant ecosystems amid India’s $62.5B blockchain market by 2033.

Morphing Machines, a Bengaluru-based semiconductor IP startup, raised $4.32M Series A led by IAN Alpha Fund, with Speciale Invest and others participating. Founded by Deepak Shapeti, Dr. Ranjani Narayan, and Prof. S.K. Nandy, the company is developing REDEFINE, a manycore processor for AI, data analytics, and HPC. Funds will support their first chip, expand the engineering team to 90+, and launch data center pilots, targeting proof-of-silicon and customer growth in 12–24 months.