Top Startup News Today: A Power-Packed Day of Fundraises, New Launches & High-Impact Innovations

In India’s ever-accelerating startup universe, some days feel quieter—slow-burning, steady, predictable. And then there are days like today: a cascade of major fundraises, bold new product launches, leadership moves, and global market expansions that collectively paint a vivid picture of an ecosystem pushing relentlessly toward scale and sophistication.

From Swiggy arming up for the quick-commerce battle with a massive infusion of fresh capital, to a young startup like Pronto reimagining something as fundamental as domestic help, and giants such as Zoho, Infosys Foundation, and Pine Labs unveiling next-gen solutions—the Indian startup landscape today feels alive, expansive, and racing ahead with purpose.

Here’s a deep dive into a day that reflects both the ambition and maturity of India’s innovation economy.

Top Startup News

Swiggy’s Rs 10,000 Cr War Chest: Quick Commerce Battle Gets Fierce

The quick-commerce battleground has been heating up for months, but now Swiggy has signalled a decisive push. The food-delivery and quick-commerce giant has secured approval for a Rs 10,000 crore fundraise via Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP)—a move that dramatically strengthens its liquidity and competitive firepower.

The filing, cleared on Monday, gives Swiggy the leverage it needs at a time when capital requirements in food delivery and instant commerce have skyrocketed.

Here’s how Swiggy’s liquidity stands:

• Cash reserves (September quarter): Rs 4,605 crore

• Expected proceeds from 12% stake sale in Rapido: ~Rs 2,400 crore

• Total liquidity before QIP proceeds: Over Rs 7,000 crore

The infusion couldn’t come at a more strategic moment. With competitors aggressively scaling dark stores, diversifying assortments, and pushing ultra-fast delivery models, Swiggy’s latest fundraise ensures it stays firmly in the race for dominance.

Pronto: Redesigning Domestic Help for Urban India With 10-minute Services

In the heart of India’s busiest metros—where finding reliable domestic help remains a daily challenge for millions—Pronto is quietly rewriting an entirely broken system.

Founded in Gurugram in April 2024, Pronto promises something radical: on-demand household services delivered within 10 minutes, covering cleaning, laundry, dishwashing, and even meal prep.

The idea took shape when founder Anjali Sardana realised that despite a vast underemployed workforce and high urban demand, there was no structured, reliable, and efficient supply model in place.

What makes Pronto stand out?

• A hyper-curated workforce—only about 50 out of 300 applicants make the cut

• A rigorous five-day training programme

• Mandatory background checks, exams, and a Police Clearance Certificate

• ‘Pros’ (service providers) can earn up to Rs 40,000 per month

• Real-time tracking and time-based pricing via the Pronto app

The numbers underscore its rapid acceptance:

• Raised $13 million from top investors like Bain Capital Ventures, General Catalyst, and Glade Brook Capital

• Operational in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune

• Achieved 50x growth since May 2025

• Now clocks four-figure daily bookings

In a space long dominated by unstructured arrangements, Pronto is bringing order, dignity, and speed—turning domestic assistance into a modern, tech-enabled experience.

Leadership Moves: InCred Capital Names Sanjay Singh as Head of Investment Banking

InCred Capital—the institutional arm of the InCred Group—has hired industry veteran Sanjay Singh as its Head of Investment Banking. Singh brings more than 20 years of deep experience across Investment Banking, PE, M&A, and Corporate Finance.

His past roles include:

• 13 years at KPMG India as Partner, Deal Advisory & Head of Life Sciences

• Partner & India Head at BDA Partners

InCred Capital has consistently advised on major deals across consumer, financial services, and new-age sectors, and Singh’s appointment signals the firm’s intent to accelerate its growth ambitions.

Wellbeing Nutrition Enters Kids’ Category With ‘Wellbeing Kids Superfuel’

Clean-label wellness brand Wellbeing Nutrition is expanding its portfolio with the launch of Wellbeing Kids Superfuel, a premium daily nutrition mix for milk targeted at children aged seven and above.

Key highlights:

• Priced at Rs 949 for a 400g pack

• Available on the brand’s website and Amazon

• The firm, founded in 2019, offers FDA-approved, non-GMO, gluten-free products across multiple health segments—sleep, immunity, gut, vitamins, beauty, and more.

The move marks a strategic entry into the high-growth children’s nutrition category, strengthening the brand’s presence in functional wellness.

Zoho Unveils Enterprise Billing & Spend Management Solutions

Chennai-based SaaS powerhouse Zoho continues its streak of innovation with two new enterprise-grade finance tools:

1. Zoho Billing Enterprise Edition

Tailored for enterprises handling complex, high-volume billing, this solution supports:

• Usage-based, tiered, project-led, and flexible pricing models

• 15 country-specific editions, including GST-compliant India

• E-invoicing support in nine countries

2. Zoho Spend

A unified platform covering:

• Payroll

• Procurement

• Travel

• AP automation

• Employee expenses

It offers features like vendor onboarding, OCR-based bill capture, multi-level approvals, and batch payments—giving enterprises a sharper grip over spending.

With over 55 global apps, Zoho is cementing itself as a full-fledged enterprise finance ecosystem.

Infosys Foundation & GoSports Scale Up Support for Athletes With ‘Gear for Gold’

What began as a focused initiative for women athletes—‘Girls for Gold’—has now evolved into the broader, inclusive ‘Gear for Gold’ programme.

The Infosys Foundation and GoSports Foundation partnership will now support:

• Male and female athletes

• Para-athletes

• Across six high-performance disciplines: badminton, table tennis, weightlifting, boxing, athletics, and shooting

The expanded programme will strengthen sports academies nationwide with:

• Infrastructure upgrades

• Sports science interventions

• Modern equipment

• Nutrition support

• Injury management

• Global exposure

• Coaching and staff training

This academy-first approach aims to create a structured, long-term athlete development ecosystem backed by transparency and measurable impact.

Setu by Pine Labs Introduces Agentic Bill Payment Assistant

Setu, a Pine Labs brand, has launched a next-gen agentic bill payment experience, addressing two common consumer anxieties:

1. Fear of incorrect or inflated charges

2. Missing payment deadlines

The assistant can:

• Fetch every bill in real-time

• Compare current charges with historical patterns

• Flag anomalies

• Pay securely using pre-blocked funds

• Follow preset limits and approvals

• Provide spending insights

This marks a big leap in automated financial convenience.

Int2Cruises Launches AI Cruise-Search Chatbot

Int2Cruises has introduced an AI-powered conversational interface for cruise discovery and booking. Travelers can now search itineraries using text or voice, without navigating complicated filters or endless lists.

Co-founder Akansha Agarwal says the goal is to make cruise planning “as simple as having a conversation.”

Nawgati Expands Into Sri Lanka

Fuel-tech startup Nawgati, operational across India and the UAE, has now entered Sri Lanka—a market it calls ripe with potential due to:

• Structural similarities with India

• Compliance frameworks

• Presence of Indian fuel retailers

• Familiar customer behavior patterns

Nawgati is deploying both its flagship products:

• Aaveg – a congestion & compliance intelligence platform

• Nawgati Fueling App – real-time fuel availability and wait-time visibility for consumers

Astranova Mobility & Zingbus Roll Out Electric Intercity Buses

EV financing platform Astranova Mobility has partnered with Zingbus to deploy fully electric buses on the Delhi–Dehradun route.

Highlights:

• First buses are already operational

• Strong passenger adoption reported

• Zingbus aims to scale up to 1,000 EV buses in the coming years

This partnership blends financing, asset management, and operations to accelerate India’s shift toward cleaner intercity travel.

Days like today reflect the expansive breadth of India’s startup movement—where hyperlocal domestic help solutions, enterprise-grade SaaS, athlete development programmes, EV fleets, and quick-commerce giants all share the same stage of innovation.

It’s an ecosystem that refuses to slow down—one that’s constantly iterating, scaling, and pushing boundaries. And if today’s developments are any indication, India’s entrepreneurial engine is gearing up for an even more explosive 2026.