Top Startup News Today: Green Hydrogen Push, IPO Surge & Global AI Shifts

India’s startup ecosystem is undergoing a pivotal transformation, powered by policy-led innovation, strategic funding, and record-breaking IPO activity. Globally, artificial intelligence dominates conversations, revealing both high-growth opportunities and operational challenges. Here’s a complete roundup of the most significant developments shaping startups in India and worldwide.

Top India Startup News

India’s entrepreneurial landscape is evolving rapidly, with fiscal discipline, regulatory reforms, and sectoral scaling driving this week’s momentum.

Hike Shuts Down After Real-Money Gaming Ban

Kavin Mittal’s Hike, once a celebrated unicorn, has permanently ceased operations following India’s ban on real-money gaming, its primary revenue stream. The move underscores regulatory risks confronting gaming and fintech ventures.

FY25 Startup Financial Scorecard

Key Indian startups reported FY25 results with varied outcomes:

• Myntra: Profit surged 18x to ₹548 crore, led by operational efficiency.
• Flipkart Internet: Revenue crossed ₹20,000 crore; losses fell 37%.
• LEAD: Losses dropped 70%, though revenue growth stalled.
• Indifi: Posted 22% revenue growth, reflecting strong SME lending demand.

These results highlight improving fiscal discipline and scalability across consumer-tech, edtech, and fintech sectors.

Duroflex Converts to Public Company

Sleep solutions brand Duroflex, backed by Lighthouse, has converted into a public company. The shift reflects maturity in India’s consumer goods space and IPO readiness among growth-stage firms.

Government Launches ₹100 Crore Green Hydrogen Scheme

The Indian government announced a ₹100 crore scheme for green hydrogen startups, offering up to ₹5 crore per project. At the Green Hydrogen R&D Conference, 25 startups showcased AI-driven electrolysers and biological hydrogen pathways. The initiative positions India as a climate-tech and renewable energy leader.

Venture Funding Highlights

Despite funding moderation, several deals stood out:

• Ripplr: ₹200 crore raised from Sojitz Corporation and others.
• PeakAmp: $1.37M secured in a seed round led by Caret Capital.
• FarmDidi: ₹7 crore raised from Samved Ventures.
• Biokraft Foods: Closed ₹2 crore pre-seed from GVFL.
• Snapmint: $57M in Series B to scale BNPL offerings.

These deals show investor focus on scalable, revenue-driven startups in logistics, fintech, D2C, and deeptech.

Consumer-Tech and Quick Commerce Expansion

Consumer-tech continues to scale beyond metros:

• Zepto Café crossed 1M monthly orders, setting new benchmarks in quick commerce.
• Porter expanded into Tier-2 cities, reinforcing logistics dominance.
• Samsung began laptop production in India, signaling opportunities for hardware-driven B2B startups.

Together, these moves highlight the shift toward mass-market demand and regional scaling.

SEBI Eases IPO and ESOP Norms

SEBI relaxed IPO disclosure and shareholding requirements, streamlining listing pathways for startups. This regulatory shift strengthens India’s IPO pipeline.

Urban Company IPO Oversubscribed 104x

Urban Company’s IPO drew massive demand, oversubscribed 104 times, reinforcing investor confidence in India’s consumer services sector and the broader public markets.

Top Global Startup News

Internationally, AI regulation, cybersecurity, and regional expansion define the week’s global startup narrative.

xAI Lays Off 500 Employees

Elon Musk’s xAI laid off 500 data annotation workers, spotlighting the cost pressures and volatility even among high-profile AI ventures.

California Passes AI Safety Bill

California lawmakers passed SB 53, an AI safety bill mandating risk disclosures and accountability frameworks. The bill awaits Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision but could set a precedent for U.S. AI governance.

U.S. Leads Global Startup Output

A StartupBlink report confirmed the U.S. as the world’s top startup hub, with output five times higher than China. The findings reflect America’s deep innovation infrastructure and funding ecosystem.

AI Reshapes Software Investment Benchmarks

According to Nexus Venture’s Arjun Gandhi, AI is reshaping SaaS investment benchmarks, raising expectations from $1M to $3–5M ARR for early-stage ventures.

Cybersecurity and Regional Expansion

• 1Kosmos: Raised $57M in Series B to expand its passwordless identity platform, reflecting growing demand for cybersecurity innovation.
• The Business Show Asia 2025: Returning in Singapore, the expo will spotlight ASEAN innovation and provide Indian founders with a gateway into Southeast Asia.

The Bigger Picture: India Startup Funding & Global AI Shifts

India’s startup landscape in September 2025 is being reshaped by policy reforms, from the ₹100 crore green hydrogen fund to SEBI’s IPO easing. Fintech, edtech, and consumer-tech firms like Mintifi, PhysicsWallah, and Urban Company are proving resilient, while investor appetite for IPOs grows stronger.

Globally, AI unicorns, cybersecurity startups, and regional hubs dominate attention. The turbulence at xAI, California’s AI bill, and massive cloud alliances highlight both risks and opportunities in the AI-driven economy. Cross-border flows—from ASEAN expansion to U.S.-India cybersecurity funding—signal widening global innovation corridors.

Together, these trends underline the momentum driving India startup funding September 2025, IPO activity, and AI unicorns’ global expansion, setting the stage for deeptech, sustainability, and cross-border growth.

About Top Startup News Today
Top Startup News Today is TICE’s daily briefing on India’s startup ecosystem and global innovation. From IPOs and AI breakthroughs to fintech, edtech, and deeptech, we deliver verified, insight-rich updates that go beyond headlines to explain why they matter.

Disclaimer: This update is curated from leading sources and verified reports. While TICE strives for accuracy and timeliness, we welcome readers to reach out with clarifications, fact updates, or story suggestions at editorial@tice.news.