30 Startups To Watch: Startups That Caught Our Eye In February 2026

Posted On March 3, 2026 | From Akshit Pushkarna

February marked the beginning of a new chapter in the evolving story of the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. The month saw a series of concrete developments that turned the government’s policy intent into visible, on-ground action.

The tone was set by the Union Budget 2026 that doubles down on deeptech and advanced manufacturing, from the launch of the Indian Semiconductor Mission 2.0 and a higher outlay for electronics manufacturing to tax holidays for hyperscalers and data centre players.

A ₹10K Cr growth fund for SMEs and continued backing for the Startup India Fund of Funds further underlined the Centre’s intent to build long-term capacity.

Days later, the government revised the definition of startups, allowing deeptech ventures to qualify for recognition and benefits for up to 20 years — a crucial move for R&D-heavy businesses with long gestation cycles.

The country also hosted the India AI Impact Summit 2026 last month. The summit hosted global tech leaders, who committed billions towards India’s AI infrastructure, while homegrown players such as Sarvam showcased indigenous large language models and cutting-edge innovations.

Funding trends echoed this strategic shift. While overall monthly funding remained measured, capital flowed steadily into AI, semiconductors, defence tech and advanced manufacturing.

Even on the public markets front, startups like Aye Finance and Fractal made their market debuts, amid a strong IPO pipeline.

Against this backdrop, the latest edition of Inc42’s flagship “30 Startups To Watch” reflects the new mood. From semiconductor fabs and sentinel robots to flying taxis and hearing-tech innovators, the 68th edition of the series captures an ecosystem that is building for depth, resilience and global relevance.

With that said, here’s the list of 30 startups that caught our attention in February 2026.

Editor’s Note: The list below is not a ranking but rather a window into startups that caught our eye last month.

Aexo Aerospace | Building The Future Of Urban Mobility

As Indian cities expand, urban infrastructure is struggling to keep pace. Congestion in tier I cities is worsening. Many believe electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft — commonly known as air taxis — could offer a practical solution.

While several global players are advancing commercial air taxi programmes, India’s ecosystem is still at an early stage, with limited indigenous development. Bengaluru-based Aexo Aerospace aims to change that.

Founded in 2024 by Sourav Samantara, Aexo Aerospace is building compact electric aerial vehicles capable of vertical take-off and landing. Its aircraft are designed to carry one to three passengers, targeting urban mobility, medical evacuations and defence use cases.

The startup’s single-seater prototype, Vyura, has already completed hundreds of controlled test flights to validate flight stability, propulsion systems, control algorithms and safety redundancies.

Beyond aircraft development, Aexo is also working on supporting infrastructure, including dedicated “vertiports” for landing and charging within cities.

As India steps up its focus on indigenous aerospace and next-generation mobility, Aexo could play an important role in shaping short-distance aerial transport. It will, however, face competition from emerging players such as LAT Aerospace and Sarla Aviation, which are also preparing to enter the air taxi market.

Ayukriyam | AI-Assisted Disease Diagnosis

Accurate and timely diagnosis of diseases remains a major challenge in India’s healthcare system, especially in smaller clinics and resource-constrained regions where access to advanced pathology infrastructure and trained specialists is limited.

Delhi NCR-based Ayukriyam Innovations is building AI-powered diagnostic systems to make disease detection faster, more accurate and accessible. Founded in 2024 by IIT Delhi professor Ravikrishnan Elangovan, the startup is a spin-off from the Molecular Imaging & Diagnostics Lab at IIT Delhi.

Ayukriyam is developing automated microscopy and diagnostic platforms that combine whole slide imaging with AI to streamline lab workflows. Its flagship product, Autoscope, is a digital pathology platform for cervical cancer screening.

It performs real-time, on-device AI inference, reducing reliance on high-bandwidth connectivity and cutting workflow delays. The platform is designed for use beyond large centralised labs, enabling advanced diagnostics directly in clinics and healthcare centres.

The startup showcased Autoscope at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi and received support from the Technology Development Board, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, to commercialise the platform and build manufacturing capabilities.

India’s AI-driven point-of-care and automated molecular diagnostics market is projected to reach $618.5 Mn by 2033, offering strong tailwinds for players like Ayukriyam.

Bubble Me | Magnesium‑Centric Wellness Brand

For many people, an after-work bath is more than routine. It helps ease stress, relax muscles and improve sleep. Warm water can lower cortisol levels and trigger the release of endorphins, making bathing a simple but effective way to unwind.

Building on this idea, Akshina Jindal, a former analyst at Goldman Sachs, founded Bubble Me in 2024. The startup is a magnesium-focused bath and body care brand aimed at promoting relaxation, better sleep and muscle recovery.

Using magnesium as its core ingredient, Bubble Me offers supplements, bath salts, balms and sachets. The company develops its formulations in-house and currently has a portfolio of 22 products.

Since launch, the startup claims to have shipped over 1 Mn sachets to more than 400K customers, generating ₹1 Cr in revenue so far.

Bubble Me is targeting India’s relatively underpenetrated bath salts market, which is projected to grow from $182.1 Mn in 2024 to $264.5 Mn by 2033.

BoxPay | Offering A Smarter Way To Manage Global Payments

As digital transactions surge, businesses are increasingly working with multiple payment providers to improve success rates, reduce costs and offer customers diverse payment options. But integrating and managing several gateways can be complex, resource-heavy and difficult to maintain. Delhi NCR-based fintech SaaS startup BoxPay aims to simplify this with a UPI.

Founded in 2022 by former Uber for Business enterprise head Puneet Singh and ex-Expedia Group APAC payments head Shobhit Mehra, BoxPay offers a payment orchestration platform that acts as a layer between merchants and payment service providers.

Instead of separate integrations with multiple gateways, banks and payment methods, businesses integrate once with BoxPay and gain access to several providers.

The platform enables dynamic transaction routing based on performance, cost or reliability, helping merchants improve authorisation rates and reduce failures.

By abstracting backend complexity, BoxPay allows companies to focus on growth rather than managing fragmented payment systems.

The startup has processed over $350 Mn in transactions and reached an annualised run rate of $1.5 Bn in 2025. Backed by DeVC and Axilor Ventures, it is expanding across sectors. India’s digital and merchant payments market processed $265 Tn in transaction value in FY24 and is projected to reach around $593 Tn by FY29.

Bravecore | Autonomous Security For Critical Infrastructure

As India pushes to indigenise its defence and internal security infrastructure, autonomous surveillance and AI-powered robotics are gaining traction. From border monitoring to securing transit hubs, there is a rising demand for intelligent systems that can detect threats in real time while reducing reliance on manual surveillance.

Defence tech startup Bravecore is building indigenous drones and robotic platforms for military and critical infrastructure use.

Founded in 2024 by former naval officers Atul Dharan and Uday Mathew, Bravecore develops AI-powered aerial and ground-based surveillance systems. Its high-speed drones are equipped with electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) payloads, enabling operations in low-visibility and high-risk environments. These platforms support reconnaissance, monitoring and real-time intelligence gathering.

The startup is also developing rail-mounted robotic surveillance systems for metro stations and transit hubs.

These autonomous units can monitor crowds, detect suspicious objects such as unattended baggage and strengthen public safety.

By combining AI, robotics and advanced imaging, Bravecore aims to reduce response times and improve operational efficiency for defence and security agencies.

The Indian defence UAV and autonomous systems market is projected to grow to $1.8 Bn+ by 2030 from $0.7 Bn in 2025, offering significant headroom for players like Bravecore to thrive.

Carbine Systems | Building Precision Lasers For Modern Warfare

With the pace of modern warfare evolving, directed-energy weapons such as high-energy lasers are becoming a strategic priority for militaries worldwide. They offer precision targeting and lower cost per engagement compared to conventional munitions.

Founded in 2023 by engineer-physicist duo Girish Joshi and Kedar Joshi, Carbine Systems is building high-precision engineering systems for aerospace and defence applications.

Its flagship prototype, H.A.R.A. Mk 1 (Hyper Amplification Radiant Array), is a 10 kW-class directed-energy laser designed for engagement ranges of up to 1–2 km.

Unlike kinetic weapons, directed-energy systems reduce logistical complexity while enabling accurate, rapid response. H.A.R.A. Mk 1 recently completed indoor validation tests focused on beam stability, thermal management and overall system integration, demonstrating the strength of its core architecture.

Carbine’s defence capabilities build on its origins in laser-based advanced manufacturing, particularly in laser–matter interaction. This technical foundation has allowed the startup to design and develop complex laser systems in-house.

Incubated at IIT Mandi Catalyst, Carbine Systems is targeting India’s precision aerospace and defence components market, projected to grow from $536 Mn in 2025 to $996.1 Mn by 2034.

CraftifAI | Craft, Code, Create Embedded Software With Agentic AI

As drones, robots, and smart cameras become more common, building the software that runs them remains complicated. Engineers usually have to write chip-specific code, which makes it difficult to switch hardware or scale products quickly. Bengaluru-based AI-native startup CraftifAI is trying to simplify this process.

Founded in 2024 by Pratik Sharda and Yashwant Dagar, CraftifAI has developed an AI-powered platform that automates software development for edge devices.

The platform generates and optimises code to control sensors, cameras, motors, and onboard intelligence systems. Abstracting hardware-level complexity, it allows manufacturers to deploy software across multiple chipsets without rewriting code from scratch.

Sharda previously led product development for PhonePe’s payment devices, while Dagar worked on system design at semiconductor firms.

Their experience highlighted inefficiencies in embedded software development, which shaped CraftifAI’s core thesis.

As sectors like defence, manufacturing, logistics, and smart infrastructure adopt connected and autonomous systems, CraftifAI is positioning itself as an enabling software layer for the edge ecosystem.

It is targeting India’s embedded software market, which is projected to grow from $488 Mn in 2024 to around $911 Mn by 2030.

CURAPOD | Non-Invasive Musculoskeletal Pain Solution

Musculoskeletal pain, which affects bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles, impacts millions of people worldwide. Yet treatment often depends on medication, which can come with side effects and limited long-term relief.

Hyderabad-based healthtech startup CURAPOD is developing wearable medical devices that offer drug-free, personalised pain management using light-based therapy.

Founded in 2022 by Sri Velliyur and Surya Prakash Maguluri, CURAPOD builds clinically validated devices powered by photobiomodulation. This therapy uses targeted red light wavelengths to stimulate cellular repair, improve blood circulation and reduce inflammation.

Its flagship wearable delivers non-invasive treatment for a range of musculoskeletal conditions, including back pain, joint disorders, muscle injuries and sports-related strain. By penetrating deep into tissue, the device supports natural healing, allowing users to undergo therapy at home through consistent daily use.

As interest in non-pharmaceutical and wearable healthcare solutions grows, CURAPOD is positioning itself at the intersection of medical devices, digital health and personalised therapy. The startup operates in the global phototherapy equipment market, expected to grow to around $22.7 Mn by 2030.

Ecohomely | Home Services Made Simple

Despite rapid urban change, many households still rely on informal and often unverified professionals for essential services such as repairs, maintenance and cleaning. While larger platforms like Urban Company, Pronto and Snabbit are organising this fragmented market, their presence in tier III and tier IV cities remains limited.

Vizag-based startup Ecohomely is targeting this gap with a localised services marketplace built for emerging urban centres.

Founded in 2025 by Satyanarayana Gottapu, Ecohomely connects users with verified professionals across 25 service categories, including electrical work, plumbing, carpentry, appliance repair, cleaning, gardening, painting, tuitions and driver services. Through its mobile platform, customers can browse providers, check ratings and reviews, and book services directly.

The platform acts as a facilitator, enabling customers and service providers to agree on pricing and timing. Ecohomely charges zero commission from professionals and enables direct, instant payments.

The startup has onboarded over 1,000 service providers after conducting background checks, skill assessments and credential verification. Currently bootstrapped, Ecohomely aims to empower local workers while improving access to reliable home services, betting on growing demand in India’s smaller and fast-expanding cities.

Flabs | Cloud-Based Pathology Lab Management System

Pathology labs are facing growing pressure to deliver faster and more accurate results as testing volumes rise. However, many labs still rely on fragmented systems, manual processes and outdated software, leading to inefficiencies and delays.

Healthtech startup Flabs is working to modernise this ecosystem with a unified, cloud-based operating system built specifically for pathology labs.

Founded in 2023 by Yash Chaudhary, Harsh Jha and Ayush Chauhan, the Delhi NCR-based startup offers a comprehensive laboratory information system (LIS) that digitises and automates the entire diagnostic workflow. Its platform manages patient registration, sample tracking, report generation and delivery through a single interface.

Flabs’ cloud-based architecture allows labs to access and manage data remotely.

A key feature is its AI-driven layer, which automates routine tasks and assists with diagnostic interpretation by analysing test results and generating preliminary insights. This helps reduce manual workload and speed up turnaround times.

The startup has onboarded more than 2,000 laboratories across India and international markets, including Zambia.

Flabs is targeting India’s LIMS and pathology lab software market, projected to grow from $127 Mn in 2024 to around $218.5 Mn by 2030, signalling strong demand for digital lab infrastructure.

Human Archive | Multimodal Data Provider for Robotics Learning

Unlike software AI models that can be trained on vast amounts of internet data, robots must learn through physical interactions on how people move, handle objects and navigate real-world environments. In India, this remains a challenge because such real-world datasets are scarce, expensive to collect and difficult to scale.

Y Combinator-backed Human Archive is building infrastructure to address this gap.

Founded in 2026 by Rushil Agarwal and Samay Maini, the startup develops specialised hardware systems fitted with cameras and sensors to capture detailed recordings of human activity in real-world settings.

These systems are deployed across homes and industrial spaces, generating structured datasets that help robots better perceive, understand and interact with their surroundings.

The goal is to accelerate the development of autonomous machines capable of performing complex physical tasks. The datasets can power a range of use cases, from industrial automation and warehouse robotics to household assistants and service robots.

As global investment in robotics continues to rise, Human Archive is positioning itself as a foundational data layer for the next generation of intelligent machines, enabling more capable and adaptable robots.

Krvvy | Comfort-First Functional Innerwears

Founded in 2023 by Yash Goyal and Anant Bhardwaj, Delhi NCR-based Krvvy is a D2C intimate apparel brand offering bras, shapewear, panties, bodysuits and related accessories.

The brand focuses on functional design and comfort-led materials, using features such as moisture-wicking and anti-odour fabrics to support all-day wear. Its products are available in an inclusive size range from XS to 7X, catering to a wider range of body types than many traditional innerwear brands.

Krvvy aims to bridge the gap between mass-market innerwear and premium labels by offering engineered, performance-driven products at accessible prices. Rather than focusing only on aesthetics, the startup prioritises fit, comfort and practicality.

The company has raised $837K in its pre-seed funding round from Titan Capital, All In Capital and Namita Thapar.

It has served over 75,000 customers and sells through its website as well as marketplaces such as Amazon and Myntra.

India’s women’s shapewear and functional innerwear market, valued at $49.6 Mn in 2022, is projected to reach around $220.8 Mn by 2032.

Ksham Innovation | Transforming Hearing Care In India

Founded in 2023 by Pratik Raghuwanshi, Amravati-based deeptech startup Ksham Innovation is developing non-invasive wearable technologies to make hearing assistance more accessible.

The startup builds smart assistive devices for individuals with hearing impairments. Its flagship product, Able Glasses, uses bone conduction technology to transmit sound vibrations directly to the inner ear, bypassing damaged parts of the auditory system.

Designed like everyday eyewear, the device offers a discreet, non-surgical alternative to traditional hearing aids, improving ease of use while reducing social stigma.

Supporting the hardware is the Able Assistant app, which enables users to conduct quick, AI-powered hearing assessments in line with globally recognised standards. Incubated at SIIC Kanpur, Ksham Innovation aims to tackle affordability and usability barriers in assistive healthcare. It operates in India’s hearing and assistive hearing devices market, projected to grow to around $389.1 Mn by 2034 from $247.9 Mn in 2025.

Meukron Technologies | Helping Microfluidics Medical Device Firms Spur Development Cycle

Microfluidics — the science of controlling tiny volumes of fluids through microscopic channels — plays a key role in making diagnostic devices smaller and more portable.

These components power rapid test kits, biosensors and lab-on-chip systems. However, designing and prototyping such miniature systems requires specialised capabilities that remain fragmented in India.

Karnataka-based deeptech startup Meukron Technologies is developing rapid-prototyping and manufacturing solutions for microfluidic components.

Founded in 2022 by former Unilever executive Neeraj Bagi, Meukron designs and fabricates micro-scale fluidic systems using materials such as glass and polymers. These systems enable precise handling of small fluid samples, which are critical for medical diagnostics, biotech research, and point-of-care healthcare devices.

A key differentiator is its rapid prototyping capability, which allows microfluidic components to be designed and manufactured in under 30 minutes.

As demand for rapid diagnostics and portable healthcare devices grows, Meukron is positioning itself as an enabling layer for indigenous healthcare innovation in the global microfluidics and glass micro-fabrication market, projected to reach around $3.04 Bn by 2033.

Muks Robotics | Building Enterprise Humanoids To Solve Labour Shortages

India’s robotics ecosystem is still at a nascent stage, with few domestic players building end-to-end robotic platforms tailored to local needs. Pune-based Muks Robotics is looking to change that by developing intelligent robots for real-world automation.

Founded in 2023 by Mukesh Bangar, the startup builds autonomous robotic systems that combine hardware, sensors and intelligent control software. Its robots are designed to automate tasks that typically require manual effort, improving efficiency and safety across industrial and commercial settings.

At the core of its stack is FusionMax, an omni-modal AI system that powers perception, reasoning and interaction.

This engine supports Spaceo, the startup’s family of humanoid robots: Spaceo Pro for industrial automation, Spaceo M1 for social interaction, and Spaceo Prime, a bipedal explorer built for planetary missions.

Muks has also developed a custom Awareness Processing Unit (APU) to enable real-time situational awareness and adaptive intelligence. The company gained attention after deploying Spaceo M1 at Pune Airport and at Sayaji Hotels in Pune.

It is also the first Indian company to deploy NVIDIA’s RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell 96 GB GPU to power its robots.

The humanoid and autonomous robotics market is projected to grow from $2.4 Bn in 2025 to around $11.6 Bn by 2031, signalling strong growth potential.

Nester | Homeware That Fits Seamlessly Into Your Life

Founded in 2025 by former ProGap chief growth officer Abhinav Singh, Nester is an India-focussed home-appliances brand that designs and manufactures products such as air fryers, toasters, and juicers.

Currently, production is handled through contract manufacturing partners. The startup plans to set up its own facility in the coming months to gain tighter control over quality, supply chains and margins.

Nester sells products such as steam air fryer ovens, wooden seasoning grinders, and kitchen aprons through its D2C website and Amazon.

It aims to expand to quick commerce platforms and offline retail stores, while also widening its product portfolio.

The startup is looking to tap into India’s fast-growing household appliances market, driven by rising disposable incomes, increasing adoption of smart appliances and the expansion of ecommerce and retail infrastructure. The market is projected to grow from $23.7 Bn in 2025 to over $30 Bn by 2030.

Nester competes with new-age brands such as Nuuk, Atomberg, Geek Technology and Wonderchef, while established players like Havells and USHA continue to dominate the broader home appliances space.

NeuroDx | A Brain Language Foundation Model

Electroencephalograms (EEGs), which record electrical activity in the brain, generate large volumes of data that require expert interpretation. This can lead to delays and, in some cases, misdiagnosis. Distinguishing between epileptic seizures and similar non-epileptic events remains particularly challenging, even for experienced clinicians.

Deeptech startup NeuroDx is building AI systems to accelerate and improve the accuracy of brain signal analysis.

Founded in 2022 by Siddharth Panwar, Kailash Sati and Puneet Agarwal, NeuroDx develops AI models to interpret EEG data and support neurological diagnosis. Its flagship platform, MANAS-1, analyses neural activity patterns to detect indicators of neurological disorders.

A key use case is differentiating epileptic seizures from non-epileptic episodes. Using advanced machine learning models, MANAS-1 analyses EEG signals with over 95% accuracy, enabling clinicians to make more timely and informed decisions.

Rather than replacing doctors, NeuroDx aims to augment clinical judgement by automating the interpretation of complex EEGs.

As AI reshapes healthcare diagnostics, the startup is operating in the AI-enabled neurodiagnostics market, projected to grow from $55.04 Mn in 2024 to around $546.95 Mn by 2033.

Octarange Technologies | Revolutionising EV Mobility

Even as EV adoption gathers pace in India, battery-related challenges around performance, safety and longevity continue to act as bottlenecks. Under high-demand conditions, batteries can overheat, degrade faster and lose efficiency, affecting reliability and overall lifecycle costs.

Pune-based Octorange Technologies is working to address this with its advanced battery systems focused on smarter performance management.

Founded in 2022 by Siddhesh Gosavi and Gaurav Rane, the startup designs battery systems integrated with advanced thermal management technologies.

Its proprietary cooling architecture helps regulate temperature more effectively, reducing the risk of overheating and extending battery life, especially in demanding operating environments.

Alongside hardware, Octorange offers software for real-time monitoring and analytics. The platform tracks battery health, optimises usage patterns and flags potential issues early, helping prevent failures and improve operational efficiency.

Incubated at the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FIIT), the startup is targeting India’s EV battery packs and energy storage solutions market, which is projected to grow from $39 Mn in 2025 to over $255 Mn by 2031.

OneARVO | Restoring Trust And Transparency In Marketplaces

Counterfeit products remain a serious issue across industries such as pharmaceuticals, automotive components and industrial manufacturing. While traditional tracking systems exist, they often lack transparency and can be manipulated, making it difficult to ensure authenticity across the supply chain.

Delhi NCR-based OneARVO is tackling this challenge with an end-to-end traceability platform powered by AI, blockchain and IoT.

Founded in 2023 by Sumit Goswami and Duke Banerjee, the startup enables manufacturers to track and verify products from origin to the end customer. It deploys tamper-proof smart labels embedded with AI-generated codes, tokenised on a blockchain network.

These labels act as unique digital identities for physical products that can be tracked and authenticated throughout their lifecycle.

At multiple checkpoints, cameras and IoT-enabled scanners verify these labels in real time, helping detect tampering and prevent counterfeiting. This gives manufacturers, distributors and regulators greater visibility and control.

OneARVO operates in the anti-counterfeit and product traceability solutions market, which is projected to grow from $5.5 Bn in 2024 to around $14.3 Bn by 2033.

Only What’s Needed | Community-Shaped Clean Protein

A few years ago, social media influencer Revant Himatsingka built a strong social media following by calling out misleading labels and hidden ingredients in packaged foods. His content increased consumer awareness, but also deepened scepticism about what people are actually consuming.

With health-conscious buying on the rise, many brands still rely heavily on marketing claims rather than ingredient transparency. To address this, Himatsingka has launched Only What’s Needed, a clean-label food brand focused on simplicity and openness.

Founded in 2024 by Himatsingka and Akhil Menon, former AVP at True Elements, Only What’s Needed offers whey protein supplements blended with coffee. The products are made with minimal ingredients, backed by lab testing, and supported by clear disclosure of sourcing, manufacturing, and nutritional values.

The brand invites customers to vote on flavours, formulations and product choices, allowing them to directly shape the portfolio.

Currently selling online, the startup is also exploring partnerships with F&B brands. The brand operates in the whey protein and clean-label supplements market, expected to grow from $266.6 Mn in 2024 to around $633.4 Mn by 2033.

RightChoice.ai | Intelligent Control For Store Networks

As businesses expand across cities, managing their online presence becomes more complex. Each outlet needs accurate listings, updated details, customer engagement and strong search visibility. Handling this manually across hundreds of locations is slow and often leads to errors.

RightChoice.ai is solving this problem with an AI-powered platform built for multi-location brands.

Founded in 2023 by Rishabh Karwa and Marouf Shaikh, the startup offers software that helps businesses manage listings across more than 20 online directories through a single dashboard. The platform automates tasks such as optimising profiles, generating AI-based descriptions, updating store details and maintaining consistency across platforms.

It also tracks performance metrics such as search rankings, calls, impressions, and engagement at each location. In addition, it automates customer workflows, including review responses and post scheduling.

RightChoice.ai works with brands that operate large physical networks, including Subway, OYO, Costa Coffee and KFC.

The startup operates in the fast-growing AI-powered local SEO and business listings software market, projected to grow to around $34.7 Bn by 2035 from $9.8 Bn in 2025.

Solyd Money | Making Treasury Management Simple For Businesses

Many businesses keep large sums in current accounts to manage day-to-day operations. However, this idle cash typically earns minimal returns. At the same time, companies are cautious about investing surplus funds in traditional instruments due to concerns around liquidity, risk and ease of access.

Ahmedabad-based fintech startup Solyd Money is looking to bridge this gap.

Founded in 2025 by Praveen Kavuri, Solyd Money offers a platform that helps businesses optimise surplus cash through liquid investment options. It enables companies to move idle funds from low-yield current accounts into carefully selected mutual funds to deliver better returns while maintaining high liquidity.

The platform is built to ensure quick access to funds whenever required, allowing businesses to meet operational needs without disruption. It also provides clear visibility into balances, returns and fund allocation, helping finance teams make more informed short-term capital decisions.

By combining liquidity with yield optimisation, Solyd Money aims to help businesses unlock value from idle cash without compromising financial flexibility.

Synergy Quantum | Delivering Quantum-Secure Communication Solutions

Most digital systems today rely on encryption to secure financial transactions, defence communications and enterprise data. However, rapid advances in quantum computing could eventually make many existing encryption methods vulnerable.

Founded in 2022 by Jay Oberai, Synergy Quantum is building quantum-resistant cybersecurity solutions to safeguard data against future quantum-enabled attacks.

The startup targets organisations that handle highly sensitive information, including government bodies, defence establishments, banks, and large enterprises.

Its solutions aim to help these institutions prepare in advance for emerging quantum-era cybersecurity risks, rather than reacting after vulnerabilities surface.

Operating in the fast-evolving Indian quantum tech and post-quantum security market, projected to grow from $68.6 Mn in 2024 to around $231.8 Mn by 2030, the startup is aligned with global efforts to develop next-generation encryption standards. As quantum computing capabilities mature, demand for quantum-safe infrastructure is expected to rise, particularly in high-security sectors.

TrueGradient | Real-Time AI For Retail Planning

Consumer brands still rely heavily on spreadsheets for demand forecasting, inventory planning, pricing and supply chain management. But spreadsheet-based planning is manual, slow and error-prone, often leading to stockouts, excess inventory and inefficient use of working capital.

At the same time, many brands lack in-house data science capabilities to make accurate, real-time decisions.

Bengaluru-based startup TrueGradient is addressing this gap with an AI-native planning platform.

Founded in 2023 by Namrata Gupta, Siddharth Shahi, Ankur Verma and Jasneet Kohli, TrueGradient offers a no-code Planning Operating System built specifically for consumer brands.

The platform uses deep learning and AutoML to analyse demand signals and operational data, helping businesses optimise inventory, replenishment, pricing and promotions.

By improving forecast accuracy, the system helps reduce excess inventory and stockouts while enabling faster, more informed decision-making. It also removes the need for complex spreadsheet workflows and large data science teams, allowing business users to manage planning through an intuitive interface.

This helps brands improve margins, reduce waste and run more efficient supply chain operations.

TrueGradient operates in the AI-enabled demand forecasting and supply chain analytics software market, which is projected to grow from $465 Mn in 2025 to around $2.4 Bn by 2034.

Vayve Mobility | Solar-Powered, Compact Electric Cars

While electric cars offer a clear alternative to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, their range limitations and dependence on charging infrastructure remain key concerns for urban users.

Pune-based EV startup Vayve Mobility aims to address this gap by developing compact, solar-powered electric vehicles designed specifically for city commuting. By integrating solar charging directly into the vehicle, the startup enables users to supplement battery charging using renewable energy.

Founded in 2021 by Nilesh Bajaj and Ankita Jain, Vayve Mobility’s flagship vehicle, Eva, is a compact two-seater solar-electric car designed for urban environments. The vehicle offers a driving range of up to 250 km on a single charge, with an integrated solar roof that can add meaningful daily range through solar energy.

Its compact design helps address parking constraints while reducing operating costs for users. Deliveries for the car are expected to begin in late this year.

The startup’s vehicles will feature liquid-cooled batteries, regenerative braking, and connected smart features to enable efficient, practical urban mobility. The cars feature monocoque chassis, airbags, rear parking cameras, and hill-hold assist.

Focused on solving urban parking and congestion issues, the company offers a Battery as a Service (BaaS) model to reduce upfront costs.

Vayve Mobility is vying for a share of India’s broader EV market, projected to become a $101 Bn opportunity by 2030.

Xinfiniti Aerospace | Turning Ageing Helicopters Into UAVs

The Indian defence forces continue to operate large fleets of legacy helicopters that were not built for today’s autonomy and mission demands. Limited smart capabilities and ageing control systems create performance gaps, while new aircraft procurement remains capital-intensive and slow.

To bridge this, Vishal Kumar Verma founded Bengaluru-based Xinfiniti Aerospace in 2025 to pioneer M2UC (manned-to-uncrewed conversion). It retrofits ageing Chetak and Cheetah helicopters with autonomous platforms, spanning rotary-wing upgrades, safety systems, advanced avionics and autonomous control systems.

Xinfiniti claims to have developed and tested an emergency floatation system (EFS), a critical safety apparatus that prevents helicopters from capsizing in the event of an emergency water landing.

It also offers drones for infrastructure checks, blending defence with civil aviation needs.

Unlike OEMs that prioritise new builds, Xinfiniti works on extending and modernising legacy airframes. This reduces lifecycle costs, shortens deployment timelines, and strengthens operational readiness, while aligning with India’s broader self-reliance agenda in aviation and defence technologies.

Positioned at the intersection of autonomy and retrofitting, Xinfiniti Aerospace is primarily targeting a portion of India’s growing unmanned aerial systems market, projected to become a $1.8 Bn opportunity by 2030.

Xterra Robotics | Quadrupeds For Demanding Field Ops

From refineries to disaster zones, inspection and monitoring tasks can put people in risky, physically taxing environments. Conventional wheeled robots falter on stairs and uneven soil, while imported quadrupeds remain expensive and rarely optimised for Indian conditions.

Founded in 2023 by Aditya Pratap Singh Rajawat, Amritanshu Manu, and Nimesh Khandelwal, IIT Kanpur-incubated Xterra Robotics builds autonomous, legged robots that are engineered and manufactured in India.

Its quadruped platforms, SVAN M1 and SVAN M2, are designed for stability, adaptability and operational flexibility. The nine-kg M1 can carry a load of up to 2 kg and moves at 0.7 m/s, while the 11-kg M2 supports payloads of up to 5 kg at speeds of 1 m/s.

Powered by AI, these robots dynamically adjust their gait, learn from terrain patterns, and assist human operators in inspection, perimeter security, and emergency response tasks.

It also manufactures Cobot C1, a lightweight, six-DOF (degrees of freedom) robotic arm designed for precision tasks like teaching and small-scale automation. It can carry payloads of up to 400 grammes and has a reach of 81 cm, enabling efficient human-robot interaction. Then there is SCORP, which integrates a robotic arm onto a quadruped for physical tasks such as object handling, under-vehicle checks, waste collection, and fire audits.

Xterra operates in India’s rapidly growing autonomous robotics market, which is expected to exceed $7.4 Bn by 2034, driven by demand for automation and safer operations across sectors.

Yaan Men | Redefining Men’s Grooming

Despite rapid growth in India’s personal care space, most grooming products lack formulations that suit male skin types and preferences. Cultural stigma around men using skincare and makeup further limits choices, leaving a large segment underserved.

Founded in 2022 by Rahul Shah, Yaan Men is looking to change this. The D2C brand sells a dedicated range of grooming, skincare and subtle makeup products tailored for Indian men’s needs.

Its product portfolio includes foundations, tinted moisturisers, face washes, and gel moisturisers.

Featured on Shark Tank India season four, the brand focuses on lightweight and functional products for daily grooming. Backed by sharks such as Aman Gupta and Anupam Mittal, the D2C brand has now set its eyes on expanding its product portfolio and going global, starting with exports to the Middle East and the UK.

Yaan Men operates in the men’s grooming category, which is witnessing healthy traction on the back of growing awareness, shifting norms, rising disposable income and demand for tailored products. On the back of this momentum, the brand is eyeing to capture men’s grooming market, projected to become a $4.3 Bn opportunity by 2033.

Zenma Coffee | Speciality Coffee On The Go

India’s coffee culture is evolving, but the choices remain predictable. Instant coffee dominates household shelves, while speciality cafés command premium prices. For many urban consumers, there’s still no clear middle ground that delivers quality coffee quickly without the high markup.

Sheena Khurana and Karan Khurana launched Zenma Coffee in 2023 to close this gap. Based in Delhi NCR, the startup sells flash-frozen, espresso shots designed to make coffee at home without a machine.

These single-serve pods can be melted and mixed with water or milk to create drinks like cappuccinos, americano, and mochas within minutes.

The brand claims to lean into convenience, flavours, no additives and a digital-first approach to tap into younger consumers, looking for quick coffee fixes at home. It sells its products via its own website as well as quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and Zepto.

The D2C brand operates within India’s expanding coffee market, where shifting urban habits are driving demand for higher-quality coffee beans for at-home consumption. With an eye on the emerging segment of consumers seeking everyday upgrades to what they drink, Zenma is targeting a piece of India’s ready-to-drink coffee market, which is on track to become a $4.5 Bn opportunity by 2032.

ZeroMoblt | Safe Transport For School Kids

Student commuting in India continues to spell chaos. Unreliable tracking, compliance lapses and fragmented rides expose kids to safety gaps, while parents continue to seek better campus transport options for their children.

Founded in 2024 by Sandeep Varaganti, Ashok Agrawal and Vijay Ganagam, ZeroMoblt is a mobility platform that caters specifically to students. With police-verified drivers and RTO-compliant vehicles, the startup offers parents complete visibility into their kids’ daily rides via GPS tracking and WhatsApp updates.

The startup, currently operational only in Hyderabad, claims to be building a decentralised intelligence layer using Edge AI to enable real-time monitoring and route optimisation.

As per its website, ZeroMoblt claims to have served more than 550 users so far, clocking 34,000+ rides. Going forward, the startup has set its eyes on scaling campus partnerships and fleet capacity in cities including Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, and Mumbai.

At the heart of ZeroMoblt’s ambitions is the global smart school bus platform market, projected to reach $997.6 Mn by 2035.

With inputs from Venu Rathore

Edited by Shishir Parasher

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