Startup funding activity in India slowed during the first full week of 2026, reflecting a cautious start to the year. However, capital continued to move into startups solving fundamental challenges across agriculture, financial infrastructure, healthcare, industrial operations, and e-commerce enablement.
According to Tracxn, total funding during the week declined by nearly 36 percent week-on-week, though investors remained active in platforms focused on efficiency, access, and large-scale impact.
Agritech firm Arya.ag emerged as the largest deal of the week, raising $80.3 million from GEF Capital Partners. The company operates an integrated grain commerce platform spanning pre-harvest advisory, warehousing, financing, and structured trade, helping farmers improve price realisation and reduce wastage.
In fintech infrastructure, Knight FinTech raised $23.6 million from investors including Accel, Prime Venture Partners, 3one4 Capital and IIFL, backing its digital platforms for co-lending, embedded finance, and treasury operations for banks and NBFCs.
Healthcare continued to attract strong investor interest. Even Healthcare secured $20 million from Lachy Groom, Alpha Wave and Sharrp Ventures to expand its managed-care, membership-based healthcare model. FutureCure Health raised $11.5 million from Carnelian Asset Management to scale technology-led treatment for chronic neurological conditions.
Industrial AI startup Spector.ai raised $6.7 million from IvyCap Ventures, supporting its AI-powered reliability and performance solutions for asset-heavy industries.
In the commerce and marketing technology space, Nitro Commerce raised $5 million from a consortium including Cornerstone Ventures, Razorpay Ventures and India Accelerator & Finvolve, as it builds privacy-first AI tools for e-commerce and D2C brands.
Despite the slower pace, the week’s deals highlight sustained investor conviction in startups addressing core infrastructure, productivity, and long-term demand across India’s digital economy.
