The Indian startup ecosystem has set a new record by bagging another round of funding in a few sectors like Biomaterials, Smart Kitchen, Crypto, Professional Organizations & Robotics another win for the startupreneurs by raising funds and updating the growth probability and standardizing the products and services. The week went by successfully witnessing funds in every stage of funding from Pre- Seed, Seed, Pre-Series A, & Series C.

Sector: Biomaterials    

Funded Round: Pre-Seed

Startup: Ukhi

Established Year: 2019

Funding News: Delhi-based Biomaterials Startup 'Ukhi' gains $1.2 million in Pre-seed Funding

Ukhi, a biomaterials firm, has raised $1.2 million in its pre-seed round of funding. The funding round includes debt capital.

Investors: SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India), Angel investor Avtar Monga

In a prior angel round, the Delhi-based business raised $69.6K.

According to a press release from Ukhi, the new funding will be used to increase its production capacity, progress its materials research, and broaden its offering of environmentally friendly packaging options internationally.

Priyanka Chauhan, Vishal Vivek, and Sundeep Kumar Tyagi co-founded Ukhi in 2019 with the goal of creating biodegradable biomaterials from agricultural waste. With its patented, sustainable materials, the company hopes to empower the packaging sector, support the bioeconomy, assist sectors in making the shift to environmentally friendly methods, and promote a circular economy. It states that it operates in Uttarakhand and Haryana.

By providing biodegradable and compostable packaging solutions derived from agricultural waste, Ukhi hopes to make a difference and assist businesses in lessening their environmental effect.

Sector:  Smart Kitchen

Funding Round: Seed round

Startup: Beyond Appliances

Established Year: 2024

Funding News: Kitchen Appliance brand Beyond Appliances nets $2 million in Seed Round

Beyond Appliances, a smart kitchen appliance brand, has secured $2 million in its seed funding round.

Investors: Fireside Venture Investment Fund III, Dharana Capital and notable angel investors such as Shezan Bhojani (Founder of Design Cafe), Saurabh Jain, Ramakant Sharma (Co-Founders of Livspace), and Chandru Kalro (Former CEO of TTK Prestige).

The funds will be used to enhance Beyond Appliances' technology development and manufacturing capabilities.

Founded by Eshwar K Vikas and Rakesh Patil, Beyond Appliances has introduced innovative products like an Android-powered chimney that features a 7-inch display, functioning as a kitchen management system.

This product allows users to access OTT apps, listen to music, set reminders, and create grocery lists through integrated apps such as Zepto and Blinkit.

Additionally, the company offers smart hobs equipped with digital timers, whistle counters, and advanced safety features like Flame Failure Detection (FFD).

Beyond Appliances' products can be found on major e-commerce sites like Amazon and Flipkart, as well as in select retail stores throughout Bangalore. The company holds several patents and aims to broaden its product range by introducing eight new innovations in current categories before exploring new segments.

Sector: Cypto

Funding Round: Pre-Series A

Startup: BitSave

Established Year: 2022

Funding News: Crypto platform 'BitSave' bags 'Unrevealed Funding' in Pre-Series A

Leo Capital's pre-Series A funding round for BitSave secured an undisclosed sum.

Investors: Leo Capital

The funds will be used to secure necessary permits, enhance product offerings, and broaden brand recognition, according to a press release from BitSave.  

BitSave was Co-Founded by Zakhil Suresh, Sajal Sharma, Asif Kattakath, and Vishnu Karthkeyan, with a focus on long-term, passive investment options for professionals and non-traditional investors. There is a flagship crypto index product that tracks the Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index, with a monthly SIP service.

The company said in the press release that BitSave addresses key issues in the crypto investment landscape by simplifying asset selection, ensuring transparency, providing personalized support, and putting safety first.

The Bengaluru-based company claims to address critical pain points in the crypto investment landscape by simplifying asset selection, ensuring transparency, providing personalized support, and prioritizing safety. It aims to make crypto an appealing investment choice, easing long-term crypto investments with passive investment options.

Sector: Professional Organizations

Funding Round: Pre-Series A

Startup:  Ladies Who Lead

Established Year: 2021

Funding News: Women-focused Startup 'Ladies Who Lead' nets $1 million in Pre-Series A

Ladies Who Lead (LWL), a members-only network, has raised $1 million in a pre-Series A funding round.

Investors:  Rainmatter, Nithin Kamath's investment firm, with participation from Jayant Davar's Family Office.

According to a news statement from the platform, the financing will allow LWL to grow its network of women leaders and professionals in a variety of industries, providing them with tools and mentorship.

Ladies Who Lead (LWL), a members-only platform by Aditya Ghosh and Aabha Bakaya, aims to elevate and encourage the voices of women in leadership. Through its Titan and LWL Members clubs, the site gives women access to professional development opportunities, exclusive networking, and mentorship. It seeks to create a fair workplace environment where women may flourish and lead change.

Through tailored workshops, networking, mentorship programs, upskilling programs, and social events, LWL claims to have been actively fostering an inclusive environment for women veterans, professionals, and entrepreneurs across a range of industries. Pay inequality, networking restrictions, mentor inaccessibility, and the need for improved work-life balance for female professionals are some of the major obstacles to leadership growth that are addressed.

Sector: Robotics

Funding Round: Series C

Startup: Miko

Established Year: 2015

Funding News: Robotics firm 'Miko' bags 28 crore in Series C

As part of its Series C round, robotics firm Miko is raising 28 crore ($3.3 million) The Mumbai-based startup has just three months to complete its previous tranche.

Investors: Group of Angel Investors

The firm will allocate resources for corporate objectives and general corporate objectives, including ongoing research and product improvement, sales and marketing expenses, operational expenses and working capital.

Miko specializes in intelligent robots, and it integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) into its flagship products: Miko, Miko 2, and Miko 3. The firm's first-generation robots were so successful that they got an upgraded version with voice recognition technology, which allowed the gadgets to see, hear, feel, talk, and recognize faces.

The company claims to serve customers across 140 countries, including regions like the United States, Europe and the Middle East.

Over $60 million has been raised by Miko, including a $29 million Series B funding round led by IvyCap Ventures. Chiratae Ventures held the largest external stake at 13.77% before this round, according to startup intelligence platform TheKredible.

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