30 Startups To Watch: Startups That Caught Our Eyes In June 2025

The Indian startup ecosystem isn’t just surviving global turbulence — it’s thriving with renewed momentum. Despite persistent market volatility and cautious investors, the first half of 2025 has painted a surprisingly vibrant picture.

Third-largest startup ecosystem, India is now home to more than 70,000 tech startups, collectively valued at over $650 Bn, and this engine shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Since 2014, Indian startups have raised a total of $164 Bn+ in funding, generated 1.6 Mn+ direct jobs, and attracted more than 9,500 active investors. Symbolic of this growth are the 124 unicorns that have emerged, alongside 42 listed new-age tech companies.

In H1 2025 alone, startups in India raised over $5.7 Bn, registering an 8% YoY growth. While the uptick may appear modest, it’s a healthy rebound, especially after the prolonged funding winter. 

This performance signals a more strategic investment climate, where founders with clear revenue paths and strong fundamentals are gaining the most traction.

One sector, in particular, has shot into the spotlight — defence tech. In the wake of the recent India-Pakistan conflict and growing national security imperatives, the sector is finally commanding the attention it deserves. Homegrown defence startups are stepping up to deliver critical innovation for India’s strategic needs.

Against this backdrop, Inc42 returns with the 60th edition of its flagship series — 30 Startups To Watch.

This edition features a curated mix of promising ventures from across the innovation spectrum — spanning AI, defence, mobility, biotechnology, gaming and quick commerce — along with heavyweights in ecommerce, fintech, and healthtech that continue to drive India’s startup momentum.

So, without further ado, here are 30 promising Indian startups that caught our attention in June 2025.

Editor’s Note | The list below is not a ranking of any kind. We have listed the startups alphabetically.

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Ammunic Systems | Fuelling India’s Defence Self-Reliance

India’s defence sector has long relied on foreign imports for advanced weapon systems. However, growing geopolitical uncertainties and complex global macroeconomic conditions have highlighted the need for technological sovereignty and national self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

To address this, ex-DRDO intern Priyanka Singhal launched Ammunic Systems in 2024. The Bengaluru-based startup focusses on designing and developing advanced weapon systems tailored to the needs of Indian defence forces, contributing to India’s push for indigenous innovation.

The core competence of the Bengaluru-based startup lies in electronic fuzes, warheads, and munition integration across land, air, and naval platforms.

The startup’s portfolio comprises smart firing systems for land operations, gravity drop munitions for aerial warfare, and underwater electronic fuzes for naval applications — all built with a focus on precision, safety, and compatibility with Indian defence standards.

In the country’s $18.4 Bn defence tech market, the one-year-old startup, Ammunic, counts the Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force, and DRDO, among others, as its clients.

With India ramping up its “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” defence initiatives, the homegrown defence tech startup is set to get a boost like no other.

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Allo Health | Breaking The Silence On Sexual Health 

In India, sexual health is often surrounded by stigma, misinformation, and silence. This discourages people from seeking timely treatment for several issues related to sexual health, which, in turn, leads to poor health outcomes and mental stress. 

To bridge this gap, Ola’s founding partner Pranay Jivrajka started Allo Health, a sexual wellness platform that offers confidential, personalised care. The company offers AI-powered treatment protocols to over 35 physical clinics across cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Mysuru.  

Allo Health provides end-to-end support for sexual health concerns, starting from assessment and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. The startup helps patients with diseases like herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and hepatitis C, along with treating cases of erectile dysfunction.

In India’s sexual wellness market, projected to grow from $1.4 Bn in 2024 to $2 Bn by 2030, Allo Health claims to offer evidence-based care with empathy and privacy at its core.   

Along with consultations, medications, diagnostics, and therapy, the startup also trains healthcare professionals through certification programmes and workshops. It competes with the likes of CupidCare, Vvox, Kama Clinics, and Veera Health.

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Arctan AI | Bridging Global Communication Gaps

Global customer-facing teams often struggle with communication gaps caused by diverse accents, tonal differences, and background noise. These barriers can negatively impact rapport, business outcomes, especially in sales and support roles.

Bengaluru-based Arctan AI addresses this challenge with its AI stack, eliminating communication friction in real time. 

Founded in 2023 by ex-Udaan engineer Aditya Singh Rathore, the startup helps people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds communicate more clearly and effectively.

Arctan’s real-time speech models adjust accents, tone, and inflexion with ultra-low latency. For example, someone speaking English in an Indian accent can sound more familiar to a US listener by acquiring an American accent during the conversation. The platform also removes filler words and enhances speech clarity, seamlessly integrating with most existing dialers and calling tools.

As businesses continue to globalise, the need for smooth, cross-cultural communication is more critical than ever.

With the rising adoption of AI in enterprise tools and customer engagement, Arctan is focussed on becoming a go-to solution for sales, support, and remote communication teams worldwide. Besides, the startup will look at realising gains from the rapid growth of the global enterprise AI market, which is projected to breach $155 Bn by 2030.

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Armory | Shielding Indian Skies

The recent India-Pakistan conflict revealed how intrusions by unmanned aerial vehicles pose a serious threat to national security. While many of these threats were neutralised, the incident brings to the fore the urgent need for advanced defence systems capable of detecting and disabling rogue drones.

Recognising this need, Amardeep Singh, a founding member of listed drone tech firm ideaForge, launched a startup focussed on building counter-UAV defence systems.

After his tenure at ideaForge and two startup attempts, Singh returned to the defence tech space with Armory, a ground-based system designed to detect, deny, and destroy unauthorised aerial threats.

Armory is powered by Samaritan OS, the startup’s proprietary AI-first operating system. It enables real-time adaptability and continuous learning, which are vital for keeping pace with fast-evolving drone technologies. 

Operating in India’s anti-drone system market, projected to grow at a staggering CAGR of 33.5% by 2031, the startup is building a self-reliant and responsive solution for India’s defence ecosystem. 

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Aurassure | Mapping India’s Climate Risk

As debates over climate change and global warming intensify, there’s a growing need for accurate, hyperlocal, and real-time environmental monitoring — especially in India, where declining air quality threatens both public health and economic stability. 

However, current environmental impact tools often fall short in terms of granularity, accuracy, and actionability.

Founded by Akanksha Priyadarshini and Vamsi Krishna, Aurassure fixes this with its AI- and IoT-powered environmental monitoring solutions through a Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) model. 

The startup develops sensor-based monitoring, analysis, reporting, and tracking (SMART) devices to collect and analyse real-time data across parameters like air quality, weather, and floods.

Aurassure’s sensors track 25 environmental parameters and generate 4.8 Bn actionable data points through advanced analytics and customisable reports. This enables better decision-making for governments, industries, and large institutions. 

The startup deploys its smart environmental sensors in strategic, hyperlocal locations — urban neighbourhoods, industrial zones, construction sites, flood-prone areas, and near sensitive public infrastructure (like airports or hospitals). 

Besides, its AI/ML models fuse sensor data with satellite imagery, weather models (WRF), GIS layers, and historical trends to detect anomalies, make predictions, and simulate scenarios.

This enables Aurassure to predict short-range and long-range forecasts, enable urban heat island mapping, and provide flood risk alerts, among other environmental alerts. The startup claims that its products have seen use in cities like Kolkata and Chennai during monsoons. Besides, it became Google’s largest Indian partner for its Air View+ program and is now looking to expand in Brazil.

With global expansion on the cards, Aurassure will be eyeing a piece of the global climate tech market, which is experiencing rapid growth at the moment. The market is expected to expand to $218.3 Bn by 2033,  growing at a CAGR of 22.87%.

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Bullet | Bringing Soap Operas To The Scroll Generation 

India’s media and entertainment landscape is undergoing a major shift. With younger audiences glued to their smartphones, long-form, periodic TV content has seen a sharp decline in appeal. 

The traditional family viewing format has faded, giving way to snappier, mobile-first entertainment. Yet, the emotional pull of TV soap operas hasn’t disappeared — it’s just waiting for the right format.

Bullet, a microdrama platform launched in June 2025 by TV industry veterans Azim Lalani (ex-Network18 COO) and Saurabh Kushwah (ex-product head, ABP Network), is bringing soaps back by reimagining them for the digital age. 

The platform delivers fast-paced, vertical-format episodic stories under 2 minutes that blend the drama of TV serials with the addictive pace of short-form video.

Bullet enables creators to build high-emotion, soap-style stories in a short-form, mobile-friendly format. It has already partnered with Zee Entertainment (now ‘Z’), and its shows will soon stream on Zee’s OTT platform Z5.

On the monetisation front, the startup is currently developing proprietary dynamic pricing models and AI-based viewer behaviour models. As of now, it has introduced ‘BulletCoins’, a gamified virtual currency to unlock content.

India’s short-form video market already engages 250 Mn monthly users and is projected to reach $8–12 Bn by 2030. In this high-octane market, Bullet locks horns with players like Reelies, ReelSaga, and Kuku TV.

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Cleevo | Home Cleaning Reimagined

Often used for cleaning widely across India due to their perceived affordability, potent acids and pungent phenyls pose many problems, including health risks, limited efficacy, and heavy environmental cost.

When college friends Mayank Jain and Karan Shah went out to look for alternatives, the duo soon realised that most liquid cleaners, even premium ones, were almost 90% just water. Believing it was unfair for Indian consumers to pay a premium to ship and store water, the two founded Cleevo in 2022 to reimagine home cleaning.

The D2C brand sells a range of powder-to-liquid concentrates for floor, dish, and toilet cleaning, claiming to offer premium performance at half the price, without harsh chemicals. By mixing this powder with water, users can generate their own floor cleaner, dish, and kitchen cleaners in minutes.

Cleevo claims that its powder-to-liquid concentrates are non-toxic, cost-effective, and refillable. The startup manufactures its powders in-house and sells them via its website and marketplaces.

The D2C brand claims that its in-house research and development and manufacturing help it register better margins and ensure tighter quality control. It claims to have hit a revenue run rate of INR 4 Cr in FY24.

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Darwix AI | Automating Enterprise Conversations

Enterprises — especially in sales and customer service — often face fragmented, inefficient communication across voice, chat, email, and offline channels. 

While automation has improved digital interactions, real-time, offline conversations remain largely manual and unoptimised, creating gaps in customer experience and operational efficiency.

To bridge this gap, IIM alumnus Ajay Pal Sethi, along with Hanit Awal and Kushal Kumar Das, founded Darwix AI in 2022The startup offers an omnichannel conversational AI platform, Transform+, which helps enterprises analyse, assist, and automate real-time conversations across both online and offline customer touchpoints.

Darwix AI’s platform runs on a secure, multi-tenant LLM infrastructure and supports voice, chat, email, and even in-person conversations.

Its combination of real-time conversational intelligence, agent assistance, and workflow automation, along with the option to build personalised enterprise LLMs, makes it a robust solution for large-scale deployments.

In India’s enterprise AI market, projected to breach the $28.36 Bn mark by 2030, Darwix AI locks horns with Knowbl and Mindtickle. 

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Defendron Technologies | Crafting Lightweight Payloads For Defence Drones

Modern warfare is changing fast, with armies using more drones and unmanned systems. These drones need light, smart, and reliable tools (called payloads) to do tasks like spotting targets and tracking movement. But many existing payloads are either too heavy or not advanced enough for today’s needs.

Defendron Technologies, started in 2024 by BITS-Pilani graduate Omkar Ashok Lad, is building advanced payloads for small drones. Based in Pune, the startup designs and makes electro-optic stabilised systems that help drones see clearly and track targets during missions.

Defendron’s payloads are light, starting at just 280g, but still packed with features like dual EO-IR cameras, 30x zoom, thermal imaging, and optional laser range finders. The startup also builds custom test rigs to check the performance and reliability of defence systems used in aircraft, vehicles, and weapons.

The global market for drone payloads is expected to grow to $22.95 Bn by 2032. The Imaging and mapping segment, a key part of the drone payloads ecosystem, is set to grow from $2.6 Bn in 2024 to $7.2 Bn by 2029.

Defendron aims to tap into this fast-growing space with its lightweight, high-tech solutions for the future of defence.

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DocRack AI | AI Desktop Assistant For Smarter File Management 

In document-heavy industries like finance, law and consulting, professionals often deal with chaotic, manually managed file systems. This leads to wasted time, reduced accuracy and inefficiencies in daily workflows, especially as teams grow and files pile up.

To fix this, IIT-Bombay students Yogesh Kumar, Tejash Chauhan and Kedar Sharma launched DocRack AI in early 2025. The desktop platform acts as an AI-powered FileOps system that streamlines document organisation, classification, and automation directly from the user’s local setup.

DocRack AI emerged from a winning prototype built at Techfest IIT Bombay’s 2025 Hackathon.

Today, the platform offers AI-based file classification, local document processing and agentic workflow automation, helping teams stay organised and collaborative without cloud dependencies.

Since its launch in February 2025, DocRack claims to have been adopted by over 10,000 enterprises. With its promise of saving up to 40% of document processing time and delivering 80%+ accuracy, DocRack AI is tapping into a massive and growing demand for intelligent document management in high-stakes industries.

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First Coffee | Affordable Speciality Coffee For Gen Z

India’s $500 Mn coffee market is dominated by traditional players and expensive large-format cafés, leaving a gap for affordable, high-quality speciality coffee that appeals to younger consumers. In particular, Gen Z coffee lovers seek convenience, quality, and value over café ambience.

Founded in 2023 by Sohrab Sitaram and Shiv Dhawan, First Coffee offers a grab-and-go model that delivers speciality coffee at competitive prices. Sourced from the Harley Coffee Estate and scoring up to 91 on the Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) scale, its coffee prioritises quality, consistency, and accessibility.

First Coffee targets Gen Z through tech-enabled outlets, advanced Eversys machines and a strong merchandise strategy. With only three stores, the brand has already generated INR 1 Cr in revenue and plans to expand to 30–35 stores by the end of 2025. With 25% MoM growth and delivery services launching soon, it eyes INR 40 Cr in FY25 revenue.

With its focus on quality, price, tech and youth culture, First Coffee is well-positioned to disrupt India’s premium coffee space and build a scalable, youth-first QSR brand.

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Gully Labs | Reimagining Sneakers Through Indian Culture

India’s sneaker market is flooded with mass-produced, West-inspired designs that often lack originality and cultural relevance. Despite India’s rich heritage in textiles and craftsmanship, only a few homegrown brands are crafting sneakers that could reflect Indian identity.

Founded in 2023 by engineers-turned-entrepreneurs Arjun Singh and Animesh Mishra, Gully Labs is a D2C sneaker brand on a mission to reimagine premium sneakers through the lens of Indian culture. Their products blend traditional art and storytelling with contemporary design, offering everything from Phulkari-embroidered trainers to Onam-inspired silhouettes.

Gully Labs designs and manufactures 100% in-house, using raw materials sourced entirely from India.

Unlike mass-produced or globally templated brands, Gully Labs is rooted in authentic Indian craftsmanship and design, positioning itself as proudly Indian, product-obsessed, and globally aspirational. This sets it apart from both international brands and local players like Fizzy Goblet and Waywen.

As Indian consumers increasingly seek products that reflect their culture and values, Gully Labs sits at the intersection of fashion, heritage, and identity. With rising interest in artisanal, made-in-India fashion, the brand aims to carve out a niche in India’s growing sneaker market, projected to grow from $3.8 Bn in FY24 to $5.9 Bn in FY32.

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Iksa AI | Bringing AI To The Frontlines Of Indian Healthcare

There is a severe shortage of healthcare professionals in India. Doctors are burdened with fragmented data systems and overwhelming administrative tasks, leaving little time for patient care. 

This inefficiency not only affects clinical outcomes but also contributes to rising burnout among medical staff.

To address this, Shaurya Verma, Thobith Abraham, and Dr Manthan Mehta founded Iksa AI in 2022. The startup offers a vendor-neutral AI operating layer for healthcare that integrates directly into existing clinical workflows. Its platform connects with hospital data systems, orchestrates workflows using AI agents and delivers compliant, in-workflow AI actions.

Iksa AI unifies fragmented health data and uses AI to offer personalised recommendations, automated reminders and patient monitoring, improving medication adherence and overall engagement. 

Its AI agents handle routine admin tasks, freeing up clinicians to focus on patient care. India’s AI market is projected to grow to $45.72 Bn by 2034, and with a focus on reducing clinical burden and enhancing outcomes, Iksa AI could become a core layer in India’s AI-powered healthcare transformation.

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Indrajaal | Building Drone Defence Dome For India

As drones become more advanced, critical infrastructure and defence assets in India face growing threats from rogue UAVs. 

Most existing counter-drone solutions are fragmented, locally focussed and unable to provide wide-area, real-time protection. This leaves key military and urban zones exposed.

Founded in 2023 by Kiran Raju Sunil Kalidindi and Mallela VN Sai, Indrajaal is a Hyderabad-based startup spun out of Grene Robotics. 

It has developed an autonomous drone defence dome, a networked AI-powered system that can detect, identify, and neutralise aerial threats over areas as vast as 4,000 sq km, offering complete 360-degree protection for high-value targets.

Indrajaal’s system integrates 12 proprietary technologies to offer wide-area, fully autonomous defence. Its platform is designed to protect military assets, urban centres, and critical infrastructure.

India’s anti-drone system market is expected to grow from $65.73 Mn in 2024 to $496.71 Mn by 2031. Meanwhile, the broader military drone market is projected to cross $4 Bn by 2030. With its deep-tech IP and focus on national security, Indrajaal is expected to lead India’s next wave of autonomous airspace defence.

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Iom Bioworks | Gut-First Healthcare

Chronic lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes and poor gut health are on the rise, yet most solutions offer generic advice rather than addressing root biological causes. 

There’s a growing need for science-backed, personalised healthcare that targets the microbiome — a key determinant of overall well-being.

Founded in 2022, Bengaluru-based Iom Bioworks offers personalised, microbiome-driven healthcare. Using AI, DNA sequencing and mathematical modelling, the startup provides gut profiling kits and detailed reports that include tailored nutrition, prebiotic and lifestyle plans to modulate gut bacteria for better health.

Iom Bioworks operates in India’s biotech sector, which is set to reach $300 Bn by 2030.

Its patented platform leverages AI and biological network mapping, large-scale knowledge graphs, and personalised interventions to address the root causes of chronic ailments, offering a deeptech edge in preventive health.

With a differentiated, IP-driven approach and focus on personalised, data-backed wellness, Iom Bioworks is well-positioned to ride the biotech boom and become a leader in gut microbiome-based healthcare in India.

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Khiladi Pro | Empowering Aspiring Athletes With AI

India’s aspiring athletes face a lack of structured platforms for performance tracking, personalised coaching, talent discovery, and access to professional opportunities. 

Founded in 2023, Lucknow-based Khiladi Pro is an AI-powered sportstech platform that provides real-time posture analysis, performance tracking, and AI-driven coaching. It helps athletes find sponsors and scout for opportunities through domestic and global sports networks.

India’s youth population and growing interest in sports present a large market for tech-led athlete development. The Indian sports technology market is experiencing rapid growth and is projected to reach INR 49,500 Cr by FY29, according to a report by Deloitte and FIFS.

By combining AI with a data-driven ecosystem for coaching, discovery, and advancement, Khiladi Pro aims to modernise grassroots sports development.

With its full-stack approach, AI features and focus on accessibility, Khiladi Pro aims to democratise sports training and talent discovery in India.

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Kreo | Hardware Built For Gamers, By Gamers

India’s growing gaming and content creation community lacks access to high-quality, affordable gear made specifically for local users. Most products are either too expensive or not designed with Indian gamers in mind.

Founded in 2023, Kreo is a D2C brand that creates gaming hardware and accessories. The startup offers products that focus on performance, comfort, and customisation. Kreo controls the full product journey, from design to delivery, ensuring quality and a strong user experience.

With India’s gaming market rapidly expanding, there’s a huge demand for purpose-built, affordable gear.

Kreo has already served over 3.6 Lakh customers and reached INR 50 Cr in annual revenue (FY24), all while staying profitable. It now plans to scale to INR 200 Cr and build an R&D and testing centre.

By focussing on Indian gamers’ needs, offering stylish and high-performance gear and keeping prices fair, Kreo aims to become India’s most loved gaming hardware brand.

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Nuvie | Targeting India’s Growing Clean Nutrition Market

People looking for healthy, high-protein supplements often end up with products that are too sugary, cause bloating, or don’t taste good. This makes it hard for them to stick to a routine and achieve their fitness or wellness goals.

Founded in May 2024 by Prashant Paliwal and Hem Narayan, Nuvie offers a range of high-protein milkshakes and bars that are sugar-free, bloat-free, and taste like dessert. By combining nutrition with indulgence, Nuvie makes it easier for people to enjoy healthy eating.

Nuvie uses lactase enzymes in its process to break down lactose, making its products completely lactose-free — a major benefit for people with dairy sensitivity. 

With a focus on zero sugar and good taste, Nuvie is tapping into India’s fast-growing personalised nutrition and supplements market, expected to hit $1.66 Bn by 2030, growing at 19.8% CAGR. With plans to close 2025 with INR 10 Cr ARR, Nuvie aims to become a trusted brand for everyday health-conscious consumers.

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Pazy | Finance Hub For Entrepreneurs

Finance teams in Indian companies often use manual and scattered systems to manage bills, purchases and reimbursements. This leads to mistakes, delays and missed tax benefits, making it hard to close books on time.

To solve this, Pratik Chhajed and Devyanshu Shukla started Pazy in 2023. Based in Bengaluru, Pazy is a platform that brings together all business payments — like accounts payable, procurement, and reimbursements — in one place. It lets companies manage purchase orders, track invoices, connect with their ERP, report expenses, and use UPI for business payments. Pazy is built specially for Indian businesses.

It helps with GST reconciliation, digital invoice approvals and UPI payments, making it easier for finance teams to follow Indian rules.

Pazy is working in a fast-growing space. The global expense management software market is expected to reach $16.69 Bn by 2032, growing at 10% every year. As more Indian companies go digital, Pazy aims to be the go-to solution for business payments.

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Repello AI | Building GenAI-Native Security Tools

As enterprises rapidly adopt GenAI tools, traditional cybersecurity systems fall short in handling the unique and evolving threats these technologies introduce. From prompt injections to model hallucinations and data leakage, there’s a critical need for security solutions purpose-built for AI systems.

Founded in 2023 by IIT Roorkee alumni Aryaman Behera and Naman Mishra, Repello AI is developing an AI-native security suite to protect GenAI systems. Its flagship product, ARTEMIS, offers automated adversarial testing through attacker-centric “red teaming” to uncover system vulnerabilities.

Repello Guard provides runtime monitoring and AI-specific guardrails, filters unsafe inputs and outputs, flags prompt leaks and competitor mentions, and ensures real-time compliance, helping organisations secure their AI pipelines proactively.

Repello AI is addressing a fast-emerging segment at the intersection of GenAI and cybersecurity, operating within India’s growing AI market, projected to reach $45.72 Bn by 2034. With the Indian cybersecurity market expected to hit $20.48 Bn by 2030, Repello AI offers enterprises the tools needed to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated AI-related threats.

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Sakar Robotics | Fusing Machine Vision With Mobile Automation

Founded in 2023 by IIT Roorkee alumni Karan Patil, Dhruv Patil and Manoj Pochat, Pune-based Sakar Robotics specialises in providing innovative automation solutions. The startup develops cutting-edge mobile robots and advanced machine vision systems, focussing on 3A (Automated, Affordable & Agile) solutions. 

Its core innovation lies in mobile robots and advanced machine vision systems that fuse inspection, decision-making, and action in one adaptive unit. 

By focussing on “single machine, multiple tasks” and integrating cognitive capabilities, Sakar’s robots are designed to navigate unpredictable environments and handle various functions across industries.

With an eye on disrupting five major sectors through a single versatile product, Sakar Robotics aims to make high-impact automation more accessible and cost-effective. 

The startup is strategically positioned in India’s growing industrial robotics market, projected to reach $8.26 Bn by 2030. 

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Sthyr Energy | Solving Energy Storage Crisis With Zinc-Air Batteries

As the world accelerates towards net zero, energy storage has become as vital as renewable energy generation. Lithium-ion batteries dominate the market but are costly, short-duration, and heavily reliant on rare earth materials. This creates volatility and sustainability concerns.

Founded by Gunjan Kapadia, Akhil Kongara, Muhammed Hamdan, Bengaluru-based startup Sthyr Energy has developed a mechanically rechargeable zinc-air battery system, a safer and cost-effective alternative for long-duration and seasonal energy storage. 

Unlike lithium, zinc is abundant, cheaper, and recyclable. After years of R&D at IIT Madras, Sthyr’s battery modules are now ready for pilot testing and promise over 100 hours of energy storage.

Backed by Speciale Invest and Antares Ventures, Sthyr aims to serve renewable-rich but sunlight-scarce regions like Europe, Canada, and Australia. 

With plans to set up a 2–3 GWh facility by 2028, the startup eyes defence, data centres, and power producers as key markets. As energy storage demand surges to 442 GWh by 2030, Sthyr is betting big on stabilising global grids with its zinc-air technology to capture the $169 Bn energy storage market.

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Tailblaze | Solving Pet Health with Organic, Functional Snacks

India’s pet nutrition market lacks organic, low-carb and health-focussed treat options, leaving pet owners with limited options that support specific health needs like anxiety and muscle development.

Founded in 2022, Tailblaze is India’s first organic pet nutrition brand. Cofounded by Manaal Maniyar and Einstein Entreprador, the startup offers low-carb, organic dog treats designed to support better health outcomes, including improved immunity, reduced anxiety, and enhanced brain and muscle function.

India’s pet care market is projected to cross INR 10,000 Cr by 2028. With increasing pet ownership and health-conscious spending, Tailblaze’s premium positioning in organic pet nutrition addresses a growing niche in this expanding market.

By combining first-mover advantage with a clear focus on organic and low-carb formulations, Tailblaze is working on capturing a loyal customer base in India’s premium pet care segment.

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takeme2space | In-Orbit Data Processing

Access to space infrastructure, particularly for Earth observation and AI-powered data processing, remains limited and expensive in India. 

This restricts innovation for researchers, startups and space enthusiasts, who need affordable and flexible satellite-based solutions.

Founded in 2024, Hyderabad-based takeme2space is building AI-inferencing infrastructure in Low Earth Orbit. Its “Made-in-India” satellites enable users to upload models and process data directly in space via its OrbitLab platform — at just $2 per minute.

India’s spacetech market is set to grow to $77 Bn by 2030, as per Inc42 research. Takeme2space’s unique pay-per-minute model, indigenous satellite manufacturing and orbit-based AI lab open up new possibilities for Earth observation, research and SME innovation in both upstream and downstream segments.

With $629.5K in pre-seed funding and its first satellite launches scheduled for 2025, Takeme2space is democratising space access in India. Its blend of AI, affordability and local hardware gives it an edge in India’s fast-growing spacetech race.

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Tensoic AI | Indic Language & Vision Models For Enterprises

Founded in September 2023 by Adarsh Shirawalmath & Raghav Ravishankar, Tensoic AI specialises in fine‑tuning and deploying LLMs, multimodal vision‑language inference stacks, research and tooling around synthetic data, domain‑specific LLMs as well as text-to-speech models.

The startup’s working model blends open‑source community contributions with enterprise deployments. Its flagship product, Kannada LLaMA, is a 7 Bn LLaMA‑2 fine‑tuned model trained on Indian languages.

The startup claims that the fine-tuned model is publicly tested by about 90K participants in Microsoft’s Pariksha platform. Besides, the startup has launched a Cerule vision‑language model.

The startup operates on a B2B SaaS and a support revenue model, with enterprise subscription and licensing and on‑premise inference deployments supporting its revenue streams. Operating out of Mumbai, along with active pilot clients in the US, the startup has secured $178K in MEITY 2.0 grant support for Indic research.

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Triple Tap Games | Building AI-Powered Casual Mobile Games 

India’s mobile gaming market is booming, with over 500 Mn gamers. However, to keep players hooked, game developers need to constantly innovate, improve retention and monetise better. 

Launched in 2024 by Karan Khairajani and Surojit Roy, Triple Tap Games is a Mumbai-based gaming studio creating fun and relaxing hyper and hybrid casual mobile games. The startup uses AI-driven development to build a fast and steady stream of new content that keeps players engaged.

The team behind Triple Tap has over a decade of experience and has built hit titles like Soap Cutting, Acrylic Nails and Hair Dye, which together have over 400 Mn downloads.

After being acquired by Crazy Labs in 2021, the founders are now leveraging that success and their AI-led game development process to create India’s next wave of global mobile hits.

With PM Modi encouraging the youth to make India a global gaming leader, the Indian gaming market is expected to hit INR 66,000 Cr by 2028, growing at 14.5% CAGR. Backed by deep expertise and AI innovation, Triple Tap Games aims to take Indian-made games to the world.

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Unbound | Preventing AI Sprawl And Data Leaks

Many companies want to use Generative AI tools, but face challenges like keeping data safe, controlling costs and managing how employees use these tools. This problem is often called AI sprawl.

To solve this, Rajaram Srinivasan and Vignesh Subbiah started Unbound in 2023. Their startup helps companies use AI tools safely by acting as an LLM Gateway — a system that controls how AI tools are used inside the company.

Unbound connects with over 50 popular AI apps, giving companies a clear view of how these tools are being used. It can also automatically hide or reroute sensitive information (like passwords or personal data) based on company rules.

With Unbound, companies can use their own AI keys on the tools they prefer, while keeping an eye on usage, preventing data leaks, enforcing policies, and saving money by optimising how AI tools are used.

As more businesses start using AI, platforms like Unbound are becoming essential. It helps companies stay innovative while also staying safe and following the rules.

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Vaimanika Aerospace |  Agri Meets Aerospace

Indian agriculture continues to face major challenges like inefficient farming methods, high labour costs and limited access to precision technology. Farmers also struggle with security threats and a lack of skilled drone operators.

Founded in 2022 by Manish Dixit, Vaimanika Aerospace builds next-gen drone solutions for agriculture, surveillance, delivery, and defence.

Its agri-drones can spray pesticides over an acre in under 7 minutes, using 90% less water. The startup also runs a DGCA-certified drone pilot training programme.

As drone adoption rises across sectors, agritech stands out with massive demand. Vaimanika, already serving clients like UPL, IFFCO, and the Bihar government, is tapping into a booming UAV market and exploring innovations like hydrogen-powered drones.

Profitable from day one and backed by strong institutional clients, Vaimanika Aerospace aims to lead India’s agricultural drone revolution, with strong tech, growing training capabilities and future-ready R&D.

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ZILO | Quick Commerce Get A Fashion Makeover

While quick commerce has transformed how Indians buy groceries and essentials, fashion remains largely untouched by this revolution.

For impulse-driven fashion shoppers, the wait for deliveries, uncertainty around sizing and the hassle of returns are a few key pain points.

Founded in 2025 by ex-Flipkart VP Padmakumar Pal and former Myntra executive Bhavik Jhaveri, ZILO enables customers to order trending outfits from top brands and get them delivered in minutes. It blends online and offline retail with a “home trial” experience.

Customers can order multiple sizes, and a ZILO representative waits 30 minutes at the doorstep for the user to try and return what doesn’t fit.

This instant gratification model solves for convenience, fit issues, and return friction — something only a few fashion platforms offer right now.

India’s quick commerce market is expected to become a $40 Bn market opportunity by 2030, and ZILO is positioning itself to carve out a niche by making sure that convenience meets style.

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Zulu Defence: Arming India With AI-Powered Tactical Air Defence Drones

India requires homegrown, rapidly deployable tactical air defence systems with advanced ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance) and precision strike capabilities to strengthen national security in evolving threat environments.

Founded in 2023, Bengaluru-based Zulu Defence builds advanced drone-based air defence systems. Its flagship product, VOLUME35, is a weaponised unmanned aerial system capable of carrying missiles. The system offers high mobility, long-range engagement and automated operations.

Zulu is tapping into a growing defence tech sector, when it is poised for rapid growth. Its integration of AI and computer vision into UAS platforms adds a strategic edge to its offerings.

Backed by $987K in funding and support from Finvolve, Zulu Defence aims to become a key player in India’s indigenous defence ecosystem, providing advanced, AI-powered tactical air defence solutions.

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[Edited by: Shishir Parasher]