August 7, 2025: During the first week of August 2025, India’s startups fundraising saw robust activity, crossing sectors such as beauty, spacetech, clean energy, healthcare, fashion, and agri-export.
The increased participation of both established funds and emerging micro-VCs reflects a maturing ecosystem where diverse sectors and geographies, including tier 2 and 3 cities, are increasingly tapped for fresh ideas and expansion. Notably, advancements in AI and sustainability technologies continue to attract focused capital.
India’s Startups Fundraising Show Rising Trend: HYLENR, RENÉE, Aukera, Xovian & More
- RENÉE Cosmetics led with $30 million raised in a Series C round at a $200 million valuation, led by Playbook. The funds target offline retail expansion and doubling ₹500 crore annual revenue.
- Aukera secured $15 million in Series B funding from Peak XV Partners and Fireside Ventures, aiming to expand its lab-grown diamond retail footprint.
- Outzidr, a Bengaluru-based Gen Z fashion brand, raised approximately $3.1 million (₹27 crore) in pre-Series A, led by RTP Global and Stellaris VP, to open its first physical store and boost tech capabilities.
- Xovian Aerospace attracted $2.5 million in a pre-seed round from Piper Serica and TurboStart to scale AI-driven satellite radio frequency infrastructure and global pilots.
- Tryo, a fashion shopping platform, gained ₹3 crore in pre-seed funding from Zeropearl VC for scaling operations.
- HYLENR, focused on clean energy tech in Hyderabad, raised $3 million pre-Series A, led by Valour Capital and Chhattisgarh Investments Ltd, to develop low-energy nuclear reaction solutions.
- NPrep, an AI-powered nursing education startup, secured undisclosed pre-seed funding led by All In Capital, IIMA Ventures, and others to grow its learning platform.
- MangoPoint raised $1 million pre-Series A to scale chemical-free mango exports and diversify products.
Additionally, a Nasscom H1 2025 report highlights India’s GenAI startup ecosystem growth to over 890 startups with nearly $1 billion raised, noting challenges in late-stage funding and infrastructure remain.
Overall, the week reinforced continued diverse-sector investor interest in India’s innovation landscape despite July’s comparatively slower VC funding pace.
