The Indian startup ecosystem has set a new record by bagging another round of funding in a few sectors like Guest management, SME-based Up-skilling, B2B Logistics Startup, Logistics-Tech, & EV 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, Series E & Loan Financing.

Sector: Guest management

Funding Round: Pre-Seed round

Startup: Guestara

Established Year: 2024

Funding News: Guest Management Platform 'Guestara' nets $500K in Pre-Seed Funding Round

Guestara, a guest management platform founded in 2024 by Akshay Dekate, Kajal Makhija, Neelaksh Gupta, and Rajat Maheshwari, has raised $500K in a pre-seed funding round led by Sanjay Ghare.

Investors: Sanjay Ghare.

The funding will support the development of AI-powered solutions aimed at enhancing hotel operations, improving guest satisfaction, and unlocking new revenue streams globally. Guestara's platform centralizes and automates essential hospitality functions, including unified inboxes, contactless mobile check-in, omnichannel guest engagement, personalized upselling, and smart checkout, all seamlessly integrated with leading Property Management Systems (PMS).

Guestara is redefining guest management by centralizing workflows and integrating intelligent AI-driven solutions for hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals. Its platform is designed to elevate guest experiences, improve operational efficiency, and foster guest loyalty.

With an ambitious goal of onboarding 2 million rooms globally, the company aims to transform the hospitality industry into a data-driven yet people-centric space.

Headquartered in Gurugram, Guestara has already partnered with hotels and short-term rentals in its beta phase, managing over 2,000 rooms, including properties from three international hotel chains.

Sector:  SME-based Up-skilling

Funding Round: Pre-Seed round

Startup: NumberOne Academy

Established Year: 2022

Funding News: SME-focused Platform 'NumberOne Academy' nets 3 crore in Pre-seed Funding

In a pre-seed funding round headed by T.I.G.E.R. Santosh Nair, NumberOne Academy, an enablement platform dedicated to enabling SME entrepreneurs, has attracted an investment of 3 crore.

Investors: T.I.G.E.R

In December 2023, the company raised 1 crore in the same round.

According to a news release from NumberOne Academy, the money raised will be utilized to further develop NOA into a Virtual Business Coach and broaden its offering of business courses in Hindi and other regional languages.

NumberOne Academy, which was co-founded in 2022 by Lajesh Kolath and Madhu Bhaskaran, is a platform that equips SMEs with business and technology skills. Growth strategies, sales, marketing, branding, finance, human resources, operations, and technology are all covered in the company's extensive learning platform, which includes more than 60 carefully chosen courses taught by more than 25 business coaches. A hybrid learning model that accommodates a range of learning preferences is produced by combining an AI-driven platform with live workshops and community gatherings.

Sector: B2B Logistics Startup

Funding Round: Seed round

Startup:  CargoFL

Established Year: 2020

Funding News: B2B Logistics Startup 'CargoFL' captures 6.75 crore in Seed round

YourNest Venture Capital led the 6.75 crore seed round for CargoFL, a B2B logistics technology ecosystem.

Investors:  YourNest, Real Time Angel Fund (RTAF), Peaceful Progress Angel Fund, Sanchi Connect Accelerator.

According to a press release from CargoFL, the money will be used to improve product capabilities, such as logistics and supply chain automation, client onboarding and implementation across geographies, and develop a sales engine for growth in India, Southeast Asia (SEA), the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and North America.

CargoFL is an AI decision intelligence platform for supply chain and logistics that was co-founded in 2017 by Wasim Khan and Deepesh Kuruppath. With an emphasis on major enterprise clients, the company provides an AI operating system especially made for the supply chain and logistics sector.

CargoFL is dedicated to changing the logistics industry and providing businesses with cutting-edge vertical artificial intelligence (AI) supply chain and logistics solutions. The business provides a full-featured logistics operating system that facilitates smooth cooperation between suppliers, distributors, and carriers.

Sector: Logistics-Tech

Funding Round: Series E

Startup: Shiprocket

Established Year: 2017

Funding News: Logistics-based Supply chain firm Shiprocket nets 219 crore in Series E

Shiprocket, a logistics and supply chain enabler, is extending its current Series E round by raising 219 crore, or around $26 million.

Investors: KDT Ventures, SAI Global, Tribe Capital, and MUFG Bank

According to its regulatory filing obtained from the Registrar of Companies, the Shiprocket board has voted a special resolution to issue 50,461 Series E3 CCPS at an issue price of 43,394 apiece in order to raise 219 crore.

With an investment of 124.5 crore, KDT Ventures will lead the round. Tribe Capital and MUFG Bank will each contribute Rs 6.23 crore and 49.8 crore. SAI Global India and Huddle Collective would contribute 38 crore and 34.7 lakh, respectively.

The money appears to be a component of a larger deal that will include more capital. Fintrackr estimates that the company's post-allotment valuation is around 10,195 crore, or $1.21 billion.

Saahil Goel, Gautam Kapoor, and Vishesh Khurana founded Shiprocket, a logistics and supply chain platform that helps companies expedite delivery through automated solutions, real-time tracking.

Sector: EV

Funding Round: Loan Financing

Startup: Mufin Green

Established Year: 2016

Funding News: EV Financier 'Mufin Green' secures $18 million Loan from US-based DFC

The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has granted an $18 million loan to electric vehicle (EV) financier Mufin Green. Ten years is the loan's duration.

Investors: US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)

"The funding will help us strengthen our position in the electric vehicle sector and expand our range of financial solutions for everyone involved in the EV ecosystem from vehicle manufacturers and dealerships to service providers and individual customers," Kapil Garg, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mufin Green stated in a press release.

"We are now expanding our portfolio to include solar financing, which will allow us to support the entire solar value chain OEMs, distributors, installers, and end users similar to how we’ve helped drive the adoption of electric vehicles," stated Garg.

Established by Kapil Garg and Rajat Goyal, Mufin Finance, a subsidiary of Hindon Mercantile Limited, commenced providing financing for e-rickshaws in the Delhi-NCR area in 2016.

With a loan portfolio that is currently active at 800 crore and cumulative disbursements exceeding 1,500 crore, Mufin Green asserts a strong presence in the EV industry.