Welcome “India” Bulls!

India's startup ecosystem saw a funding surge this week, with Udaan leading the pack by raising $114M to enhance B2B supply chains, while men's fashion brand Snitch secured $40M to scale its D2C model. EV startup Battery Smart charged up with $29M to expand its battery-swapping network, and fintech platform Stable Money raised $20M to simplify investing for first-time users. Agri-fintech Samunnati attracted $6M to support small farmers, and furniture marketplace Pepperfry brought in $5M to strengthen its omnichannel presence. These investments signal strong investor confidence across diverse sectors from commerce and fashion to EVs and agri-tech highlighting India’s vibrant and rapidly evolving startup landscape.

Dive in to stay ahead!

P.S. The Sunday Special is designed to help you discover the most important Startup insights outside of Share Markets. Our regular Share Market updates will resume as usual on Monday.

Startup Menu

• Startups this Week

• Funding Space

• Special

• Everything else you need to know

• Life Hack in Video

• Making Money

STARTUPS THIS WEEK

Lenskart is officially gearing up for the big leagues.

The eyewear unicorn has transitioned from private to public status marking the first formal step toward a long-awaited IPO. Insiders suggest Lenskart is aiming for a potential $10 billion valuation, and the timing could align perfectly with the festive buzz of Diwali 2025.

What’s fueling the optimism:

📈 Global expansion is working: international markets now contribute 42% of total revenue, a testament to Lenskart’s cross-border momentum.
💸 Profitability is in sight: the company has slashed its losses by 84%, signaling tighter execution and improved unit economics.
🏛️ Structural shift: the conversion into a public entity simplifies IPO formalities and sends a strong signal to institutional investors.

Founded in 2010, Lenskart’s journey has been one of constant reinvention from online-first to omnichannel, from local brand to global player. With marquee investors like Temasek and SoftBank on board, this IPO could reshape how India’s D2C brands think about scale and public markets.

👀 All eyes are now on the stock exchanges. Will the Lenskart listing become Diwali’s brightest spark?
We’ll be watching through clearer lenses.

FUNDING SPACE

💰 Weekly Funding Spotlight: Major Startup Investments (May 31 - Jun 06)

The past week witnessed significant investments across various sectors:

▪️ Power Surge: EV-tech startup Vecmocon has secured $8.7M in fresh capital, while Tessellate Ventures makes a 10X exit. With a $63M valuation, it’s charging ahead in the electric mobility space.

▪️ Longevity Unlocked: Healthspan startup Biopeak raised $3.5M to advance its AI-powered diagnostics. Think cellular-level scans, not symptom-level checkups.

▪️ Voice Revolution: Ringg AI, a no-code voice tech startup, raised $1M to make voice the default UI. From fintech to healthcare, it's helping businesses talk smarter.

▪️ Healing Capital: HealthKois has unveiled a $300M fund to back scalable innovations in HealthTech, MedTech, and Climate Health. With hands-on support and impact-driven goals.

POLICY TALKS

⚡ Policy Jolt: The RBI shocked markets with a bold 50 bps rate cut its steepest in five years offering much-needed relief to fintech lenders amid a credit crunch. Liquidity injection and lower borrowing costs could revive lending momentum.

🧠 Future Factory: Nvidia is teaming up with the Andhra govt to launch an AI University and train 10,000+ students. With AI factories and startup support in tow, the state’s betting big on tech-led growth.

📜 Regulatory Reboot: SEBI has extended the deadline for older VC firms to migrate to AIF norms until July 2026. The move offers relief to funds stuck with unliquidated assets post expiry.

⚠️ Crypto Caution: RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra reiterated concerns that crypto poses a threat to financial stability. With legal gray zones and taxation in play.

FROM THE WAR ZONE

Everything else you need to know

💡 Creative Disruption: Ixigo just dropped a fully AI-generated ad for less than 0.1% of traditional costs. The spot features a lifelike man in an airplane reciting poetry, built entirely with AI prompts. No actors, no sets, no crew.

🏦 Fintech Powerplay: Flipkart just scored an NBFC license from the RBI, unlocking the power to lend directly to consumers. Already active in UPI and credit cards, this bold move marks a deeper push into fintech right as it readies for an India listing.

🔁 AI Upgrade: Genpact is supercharging its AI strategy by acquiring XponentL Data, a firm known for data architecture and AI deployment. With ties to AWS, Databricks, and Microsoft, XponentL brings serious tech clout.

🌍 Scaling Smart: Zaggle is snapping up Dice Enterprises for ₹123 Cr to beef up its spend management game and court global expansion. Dice’s clients include the likes of Britannia and BigBasket and now, they're part of Zaggle’s arsenal.

LIFE HACKS

MAKING MONEY

Ride-to-Riches: Cracking the Two-Wheeler Rental Code in India

India’s urban mobility puzzle might just have a two-wheeled solution and savvy entrepreneurs are taking notice. With rising congestion, gig economy demands, and millennial preferences leaning toward rental over ownership, the bike and scooter rental market is accelerating fast.

Thinking of starting your own fleet? Here's what matters:

🔑 Licensing & Compliance: From aggregator permits to local transport norms, getting this right is your legal launchpad.
💸 Smart Pricing: Hourly or subscription-based models? Balancing affordability with margins is the name of the game.
🧑‍🔧 Team & Tech: Build a lean crew, digitize inventory, and focus on seamless app UX customer retention hinges on convenience.

Platforms like Bounce and Vogo proved the model. But now, with tier-2 and tier-3 cities opening up, the second wave belongs to operators who move fast and local.

Your Opinion Matters!

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Thanks for reading.

Until tomorrow!

Mohit & the OneZero-F team

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