India Startup News Today: Unicorns, IPOs & Global AI Trends

TICE presents a curated roundup of India and global startup developments as of October 7, 2025. This edition spotlights unicorn milestones, IPO filings, funding rounds, government initiatives, and global tech trends shaping innovation across Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai.

India Startup Momentum

India’s startup ecosystem continues to thrive despite global funding headwinds. Fintech, AI, EVs, and biotech led the charge this week with landmark investments and regulatory milestones.

Mumbai-based fintech platform Dhan became India’s newest unicorn after raising $120 million in a Series C round led by Hornbill Capital. The company, offering stock broking, mutual funds, and wealth management tools, now boasts a valuation exceeding $1 billion and plans to expand into insurance and lending.

In AI, voice tech startup GreyLabs secured ₹85 crore to scale conversational AI solutions for banking, financial services, and insurance, while Bengaluru-based legal tech firm Lucio raised $5 million to expand its AI-powered workspace, automating drafting, research, and translation for over 3,000 lawyers across nine jurisdictions.

Consumer tech also saw movement. Skincare startup Asaya raised ₹28 crore in pre-Series A funding to expand its hyperpigmentation-focused product line and strengthen both D2C and offline retail presence. Zomato partnered with HDFC Pension to launch a retirement savings plan for delivery partners, addressing long-standing gaps in gig worker financial security.

IPO Activity Heats Up

India’s IPO calendar was active this week, reflecting renewed investor interest in consumer and tech brands.

Lenskartreceived SEBI approval for its ₹2,150 crore IPO, which includes a fresh issue and an offer-for-sale of 13.2 crore shares. The eyewear unicorn reported a net profit of ₹297 crore in FY25, positioning it strongly ahead of its public debut.

Home furnishings brand Wakefit is raising ₹468.2 crore through fresh equity while selling 5.84 crore shares via OFS, with proceeds earmarked for retail expansion, marketing, and manufacturing upgrades.

Not all IPOs saw strong early traction. WeWork India’s ₹3,000 crore IPO registered only 13% subscription by Day 2, with retail demand at 0.37x. Analysts cited valuation concerns and high fixed costs. In contrast, Urban Company gained momentum, raising ₹853.87 crore from anchor investors including Goldman Sachs, GIC, and Norges Bank, following a ₹135 crore net profit in FY25.

Government and Industry Initiatives

India’s biotech and AI sectors received a boost from government-backed programs and regulatory insights.

The BioVerse Challenge, launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific, aims to accelerate 500 biotech startups over three years, supporting India’s goal of building a $300 billion bioeconomy by 2030. Training hubs in Hyderabad’s Genome Valley and mentorship programs across the country will help scale emerging biotech firms.

Meanwhile, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) released a study identifying barriers for Indian AI startups, including high compute costs, dominance of large tech firms in cloud infrastructure, and limited access to quality datasets. The CCI recommends open data access, AI system self-audits, and inter-regulatory coordination to level the innovation playing field.

EV and Automotive Innovation

India’s electric mobility sector saw notable developments this week. Ola Electric received government certification for its ferrite-based in-house motor, reducing reliance on rare earth magnets and strengthening domestic EV manufacturing. In Chennai, EV startup Raptee.HV announced that commercial production of its T30 electric motorcycle will begin in November 2025, reflecting rising consumer interest in sustainable transport.

Global Startup and Tech Trends

Globally, AI, mobility, and retail tech continue to attract significant investment:

• DoorDash acquires UK food delivery firm Deliveroo for $3.9B

• Amazon commits up to $4B in AI startup Anthropic, integrating with AWS

• Chinese AI firm Baichuan raises $300M for large language models and Southeast Asia expansion

• London-based smartphone maker Nothing secures $200M to expand into AI-driven consumer electronics

• OpenAI acquires personal finance app Roi, bringing onboard CEO Sujith Vishwajith

• Unconventional Inc., led by ex-Databricks AI head Naveen Rao, targets $5B valuation for brain-efficient AI chips

Other notable developments include SoftBank reducing its workforce by 20% to focus on strategic AI investments, Heidi Health raising $65M Series B to scale its AI-powered clinical documentation platform, Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology deployed at a K-Pop pop-up in LA, fully driverless robotaxi rides in Las Vegas, and Oracle’s stock surging 36% after multi-billion-dollar AI cloud deals, including a $300B contract with OpenAI.

Strategic Takeaway

This week underscores India’s growing influence in global innovation. Unicorn milestones, strategic IPOs, and government-backed initiatives in fintech, biotech, and EVs demonstrate resilience and forward momentum. Globally, AI infrastructure, autonomous mobility, and retail tech continue to drive venture capital flows and shape the future of digital transformation.

For entrepreneurs, investors, and tech professionals in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai, these trends highlight where the next wave of high-impact opportunities lies—both domestically and internationally.