TICE Funding Index: : Deeptech, AI, D2C & Impact Capital Signal a More Mature Startup Cycle

The first full funding week of January 2026 offers a sharp snapshot of where Indian startup capital is flowing—and, just as importantly, why. From spacetech and enterprise AI to D2C beauty, voice automation, crypto infrastructure and impact-led education finance, this week’s deals highlight a clear investor preference for execution-ready models, defensible technology, and scalable distribution over hype-driven growth.

Collectively, the ten deals span seed to Series A, equity and debt, and domestic as well as global capital, underlining the growing sophistication of India’s startup funding landscape.

Below is a detailed, analytical look at the most important funding announcements of the week—and the larger trends they reveal.

Top Funding News of the Week

Spacetech Bets Get Sharper: TakeMe2Space Raises $5 Mn

Bengaluru-based spacetech startup TakeMe2Space raised $5 Mn (INR 44.9 Cr) in a seed round led by Chiratae Ventures, with participation from Artha Venture Fund, SeaFund and Unicorn India Ventures.

What stands out is the clarity of capital deployment. The startup plans to expand its satellite constellation to six spacecraft, delivering nearly 5 kW of in-orbit compute capability—a critical metric as edge computing in space becomes commercially viable.

Beyond hardware, TakeMe2Space is also investing in engineering depth, global sales expansion, and accelerated R&D, signalling investor confidence in India’s ability to build not just launch vehicles, but full-stack space infrastructure platforms.

Why it matters: Spacetech funding is moving decisively from experimentation to capacity-building, with investors backing companies that can offer compute, data, and services—not just satellites.

Enterprise AI Gets Services-Led: Aivar Raises $4.6 Mn

AI services startup Aivar secured $4.6 Mn (INR 41.3 Cr) in seed funding led by Sorin Investments, with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners.

Aivar is positioning itself as a next-generation alternative to traditional IT services firms, offering end-to-end AI strategy, custom model development, deployment, and long-term operations. With over 80 active customers, the company plans to use the capital for international expansion across India, the US, and the Middle East, while building reusable AI components to improve margins.

Why it matters: This round reflects growing investor belief that AI-native services firms—not just SaaS tools—can scale globally from India, especially as legacy IT firms struggle to retool their delivery models.

Consumer Services + D2C Hybrid: &Done Raises $3 Mn

Personal care startup &Done raised $3 Mn in a round led by RTP Global, with participation from Suashish and All In Capital. Angel participation included Kitty Agarwal (Info Edge Ventures), Titan Capital founders Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal, and Mirae Asset CEO Puneet Kumar.

&Done operates at the intersection of product innovation and salon-led distribution. The funding will support portfolio expansion, brand marketing, and deeper salon partnerships across India.

Why it matters: Investors are backing hybrid distribution models that combine D2C brand-building with offline service networks, lowering CAC and improving retention.

D2C Beauty Continues To Attract Capital: Antinorm Raises INR 28 Cr

Beauty and personal care brand Antinorm (formerly Antithesis) raised INR 28 Cr ($3.1 Mn) in a seed round led by Fireside Ventures, with participation from V3 Ventures and Rukam Capital.

The company plans to launch up to seven new category-creating product lines, while strengthening R&D, omnichannel distribution, and hiring.

Why it matters: Despite tighter capital markets, differentiated D2C brands with strong product moats continue to raise capital—especially those moving beyond single-SKU strategies.

Voice AI Finds BFSI Use-Cases: Arrowhead Raises $3 Mn

Bengaluru-based voice AI startup Arrowhead raised $3 Mn (INR 27 Cr) in a seed round led by Stellaris Venture Partners.

Founded in 2022, Arrowhead builds voice AI agents for BFSI sales teams, targeting banks, NBFCs, and fintech platforms. The round also saw participation from CRED founder Kunal Shah and senior fintech executives.

Why it matters: AI funding is shifting decisively toward revenue-linked, workflow-specific use cases, especially in regulated sectors like BFSI where automation directly impacts conversion and cost efficiency.

Crypto Infra Sees Global Capital: Speed Raises $8 Mn

Blockchain payments platform Speed raised $8 Mn (INR 72.1 Cr) in a round led by Tether Ventures, with participation from Ego Death Capital.

Speed claims to process over $1 Tn in annual transaction volume, handling 10 Bn+ Bitcoin and stablecoin payments. The capital will fund global expansion and new product launches.

Why it matters: While consumer crypto remains volatile, infrastructure and payments-layer startups continue to attract institutional capital—especially those with real transaction scale.

Skincare & Science: SkinInspired Raises INR 24 Cr

D2C skincare startup SkinInspired raised INR 24 Cr in a round led by Spring Marketing Capital, with participation from Unilever Ventures, Lotus Herbals’ Beauty Innovation Fund, and Arihant Patni.

Funds will be used for R&D, marketing, and team expansion.

Why it matters: Strategic investors are backing science-first skincare brands, signalling a move away from purely influencer-led beauty plays.

Healthcare Micro-VC Deals Continue: OSSO Raises INR 4 Cr

Orthopaedic healthcare startup OSSO raised INR 4 Cr ($443K) in a seed round led by the Haldiram family office, with participation from prominent angels and early-stage investors.

OSSO is building a one-stop orthopaedics platform, targeting fragmented care delivery in India.

Why it matters: Family offices are increasingly backing healthcare startups with clear offline demand and service aggregation potential.

Impact Debt Grows: Varthana Secures $6 Mn Loan From WaterEquity

Education-focused NBFC Varthana secured a $6 Mn loan from WaterEquity to finance water and sanitation infrastructure in low-cost private schools.

This marks WaterEquity’s first global investment in the school finance segment.

Why it matters: Debt capital for social infrastructure is becoming more structured, blending financial returns with measurable developmental outcomes.

Martech Scales Up: Nitro Commerce Raises $5 Mn Series A

AI-led growth platform Nitro Commerce raised $5 Mn in a Series A round led by Cornerstone Ventures.

With $5 Mn ARR and 10x YoY growth, Nitro Commerce works with over 2,500 brands, offering identity resolution, intent-led advertising, and AI-driven engagement tools.

Why it matters: Investors are backing full-stack growth platforms that reduce dependence on walled-garden ad ecosystems.

The Big Picture

This week’s funding activity underscores five clear trends:

1. Execution > Vision: Investors are rewarding startups with operational traction and clear deployment plans.

2. AI Everywhere—but Applied: Vertical-specific AI is winning over horizontal tools.

3. D2C Isn’t Dead—It’s Disciplined: Capital flows to brands with product depth and distribution leverage.

4. Impact Capital Is Scaling: Debt and blended finance models are gaining momentum.

5. Global Capital, Indian Operators: More startups are raising with international scale in mind from Day One.

As 2026 unfolds, the message from investors is clear: build real businesses, solve real problems, and scale with discipline.