Venture capital funding into Indian startups maintained its upward trajectory in the third week of January, with companies raising $373 million across 40 deals, according to industry data. The figure marks a sharp increase from $229 million raised across 25 deals in the previous week, signaling renewed investor confidence at the start of 2026.
Unlike the traditional January slowdown, the ecosystem witnessed strong deal velocity, supported by investments across fintech, electric mobility, climate tech, manufacturing, traveltech, and AI. Funding activity was evenly spread across early, growth, and late stages, while debt financing also picked up, reflecting improving cash-flow stability among startups.
Key Funding Highlights
GreenCell Mobility, an electric vehicle and sustainable transport platform, led the week by raising $89 million from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), British International Investment (BII), and Tata Capital. The capital will be used to scale electric buses and mobility solutions across Indian cities.
Fintech major Juspay followed with a $50 million round led by WestBridge Capital, reinforcing investor interest in digital payments and financial infrastructure.
Another fintech player, Namdev Finvest, secured $37 million from FMO, Impact Investment Exchange (IIX), Franklin Templeton Alternative Investments Fund India, and Symbiotics, strengthening its lending operations in underserved markets.
Mid-Size and Growth Rounds
Logistics automation startup Unbox Robotics raised $28 million from ICICI Venture, Redstart Labs, F-Prime, 3one4 Capital, Navam Capital, and Force Ventures, as it expands robotic warehousing solutions.
Traveltech startup Escape Plan attracted $25 million from Jungle Ventures, Fireside Ventures, and IndiGo Ventures, highlighting continued recovery and innovation in travel and tourism.
Wealth-tech platform AssetPlus raised ₹175 crore ($19.1 million) from Nexus Venture Partners, Eight Roads Ventures, and Rainmatter to scale its advisor-led investment platform.
Manufacturing startup Whizzo closed a $15 million round led by Fundamentum, Lightspeed, BEENEXT, and LB Investment, while Aerem Solutions, a climate-tech firm focused on solar infrastructure, raised $15 million from BII, Blume Ventures, Avaana Capital, and SMBC Asia Rising Fund.
Early-Stage and AI Deals
Cooling solutions startup Optimist secured $12 million from Accel and Arkam Ventures, while travel experience platform WanderOn raised ₹54 crore ($5.8 million).
Voice AI startup Ringg AI rounded off the week with $5.5 million from Arkam Ventures, Groww Founder Fund, Kunal Shah, White Venture Capital, and Capital2B.
In a notable cross-border deal, Emergent, an India-origin AI startup now headquartered in San Francisco, raised capital from Khosla Ventures and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, underscoring growing global interest in Indian-founded AI companies.
Outlook
While macroeconomic headwinds persist due to market volatility and global trade tensions, the strong deal volume and sectoral diversity suggest investors remain selective but optimistic. With January already outperforming historical trends, the Indian startup ecosystem appears well-positioned for sustained capital inflows as 2026 unfolds.
