Top Startup News Today: Key Policy Shifts, Big Funding Moves & Ecosystem Highlights | 26th Nov

In India’s fast-moving startup corridors, some days feel like a pulse check of the nation’s innovation engine. November 25, 2025 was one of those days—when policy shifts, funding surges, and boardroom decisions all converged into a narrative that hints at where India’s tech and entrepreneurial ambition is headed next.

From the government tightening payment assurance for electric mobility players, to early-stage AI startups catching global attention, to biotech innovators raising new capital for disease diagnostics—Tuesday brought an unusually wide sweep of developments. And at the heart of it all is one message: India’s startup ecosystem is accelerating, branching into deeper technologies, and pushing past old structural frictions.

Here’s your detailed feature-style look at the biggest updates shaping the ecosystem.

Top Startup News Today

A New Safety Net for India’s Electric Mobility Ambition

Direct Debit Mandate aims to eliminate delayed payments, restore OEM confidence

India’s dream of deploying 50,000 electric buses has often collided with a serious roadblock—OEMs unable or unwilling to supply buses due to the chronic issue of delayed payments from state transport authorities. The consequences were visible: several major players, including Tata Motors and JBM Auto, previously stepped back from government contracts.

To break this cycle, the Ministry of Heavy Industries has now rolled out a Payment Security Mechanism (PSM) under the PM e-Bus Sewa programme.

At the centre of this new architecture is a bold move: a Direct Debit Mandate that empowers the Reserve Bank of India to directly withdraw funds from a state or union territory’s account if a transport agency defaults. The money then flows into a dedicated fund managed by Convergence Energy Services Ltd. (CESL), which will ensure OEMs and operators receive timely payments.

For bus makers and financiers wary of risk, this could be the structural assurance they’ve long awaited.

Labour Codes: How India is Redefining Work in the New Era

After years of deliberation, India’s new Labour Codes are finally setting a uniform foundation for workers, employers, and the modern gig economy. Together, the four codes—the Code on Wages (2019), Industrial Relations Code (2020), Code on Social Security (2020), and Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Code (2020)—replace a long list of older, fragmented labour laws.

Their significance stretches across the workforce:

• Gig and contract workers are now formally recognised.

• Wages, gratuity, leaves, and benefits receive more clarity.

• Compliance systems become simpler, reducing overlapping filings.

• Employment relationships become more transparent, with wider social protection.

While operational details and notifications are still awaited, the direction is clear—India is restructuring its labour architecture for a digital, contractor-heavy economy.

A 50-Year Legacy Reinventing Eye-Care: The ENTOD Story

Long before India became a pharma powerhouse, ENTOD Pharmaceuticals began quietly building its niche in ophthalmics in the late 1970s. Founded by GV Masurkar, the company started as one of India’s first contract manufacturers for eye-care formulations.

Nearly five decades later, the organisation has evolved into a 1,000-member, multi-generational enterprise with 250+ products across ophthalmology, ENT, and dermatology.

When Nikkhil Masurkar joined in 2011—after completing his education in the UK—he pushed the company into deeper R&D. Today, ENTOD is developing world-first formulations for:

• corneal wound healing

• severe keratopathies

• insulin-based ocular therapies

It’s also integrating generative AI to accelerate drug discovery—turning ENTOD into a modern R&D-led pharma innovator rooted in a decades-old foundation.

Latest Startup Headlines

Google & Accel to Fast-Track India’s Next AI Wave

Two global ecosystem builders—Google’s AI Futures Fund and Accel Atoms—have joined hands to create a new support programme for early-stage AI startups in India. Designed for pre-seed founders, the cohort will begin in February 2026.

Jonathan Silber, Co-founder of the AI Futures Fund, said India’s young founders are poised to define the next era of global tech—and the programme is about giving them responsible access to Google’s most advanced AI models.

Funding Updates

Morphle Labs Raises $5M to Take Cancer Diagnostics Automation Global

Deeptech healthcare startup Morphle Labs, known for robotic and imaging systems for cancer diagnostics, has raised $5 million in Series A led by Inflexor Ventures.

The new capital will help scale:

• its flagship robotic microtomy system RoboTome

• its digital pathology platform MorphoLens

• and global market expansion across labs and hospitals

LabelBlind Raises $500,000 for AI-Driven Food Labelling

Founded in 2023, LabelBlind® Solutions has secured $500,000 in seed funding to build its AI-enabled food labelling SaaS platform.

Its key product, FoLSol®, is positioned as a regulatory intelligence solution that helps companies streamline:

• label creation

• validation

• compliance for packaged foods, fresh foods, e-commerce, and exports

CrisprBits Raises $3M at a $12M Valuation

Bengaluru-based biotech startup CrisprBits has raised $3 million in a pre-Series A round led by Spectrum Impact, the family office of Aarti Industries Chairman Rajendra Gogri.

The round includes participation from:

• founders

• early backers like Vijay Alreja Family Office (VJ Technologies Group)

• new investors including the HBL Engineering promoter family

Funds will accelerate:

• commercialisation of the PathCrisp molecular diagnostics platform

• manufacturing of tests for sickle cell, typhoid, AMR, food safety and animal health

• development of a next-gen strain engineering platform

KKR Deepens Investment in Lighthouse Learning

KKR-managed funds, alongside PSP Investments, have made a fresh investment in Lighthouse Learning, the company behind EuroKids, Kangaroo Kids, and EuroSchool.

Lighthouse currently serves 190,000 students across 1,850+ preschools and 60 schools. The latest infusion will power:

• network expansion

• academic excellence

• operational capabilities

KKR remains the majority shareholder.

Riverline AI Raises $825,000 to Scale Debt-Counselling AI Agents

Fintech startup Riverline, founded in 2024, has secured $825,000 in pre-seed funding led by South Park Commons.

The startup builds AI-based multilingual debt-counselling agents. In just seven months, the platform already manages collections on nearly ₹100 crore of bad loans each month, working with lenders like:

• CRED

• Freo

• Nira

• Propelld

The funds will expand engineering capacity and product development.

Definedge Secures First Institutional Funding

Pune-based brokerage firm Definedge Securities, known for analytical and trading tools like Opstra, has raised its maiden institutional/angel round from a group of industry veterans.

Founded by Prashant Shah and Rajesh Badiye, the firm began as an investor education platform and has now grown into a full-service broking business. Investors highlighted its domain expertise and product-first DNA.

Other Key Developments

Curefoods Introduces Paid Menstrual Leave Policy

Food services company Curefoods has launched a paid menstrual leave policy for women employees—adding momentum to the broader national discussion around workplace reforms and women’s health.

The move aligns Curefoods with a growing set of companies recognising menstrual health as a legitimate workforce well-being concern.

AgriVijay Delivers 400% Returns as Early Investors Exit

Renewable energy marketplace AgriVijay announced successful exits for two early investors—AIC JKLU and angel investor Sanvali Kaushik—delivering 400% returns.

The company has raised ₹2.47 crore since 2020 and was recently selected for the ANIC 2.0 Challenge by AIM & NITI Aayog, securing a ₹1 crore grant for solutions that help smallholder farmers adopt renewable energy.

StarAgri Appoints Kaizad Dastur as Group CFO

StarAgri Warehousing & CM has named Kaizad Dastur as its Group CFO, who will be responsible for finance, compliance, governance, and preparing the company for future expansion—including a potential public-market listing.

Xoriant (ChrysCapital) Acquires TestDevLab

Continuing its acquisition streak, Xoriant has picked up TestDevLab, a Latvia-headquartered software quality engineering firm. The deal strengthens:

• its European footprint

• its ability to integrate AI into quality engineering

• its capabilities in model validation, bias testing, explainability, and safety evaluations

This follows earlier acquisitions of FEXLE Services, MapleLabs, and Thoucentric.

750AD Healthcare to Expand Manufacturing Facilities

750AD Healthcare, part of the 750AD Group, is investing ₹2 crore to expand manufacturing in Ghaziabad and Bareilly. Founded in 2019, the company focuses on Ayurvedic formulations, wellness essentials, and childcare products.

The expansion aims to support large-scale, global-standard production for domestic and international markets.

Udemy Partners with Emtrain for Compliance Training

Udemy has partnered with Emtrain to bring skills-based compliance training—covering areas such as data privacy, anti-harassment, and AI governance—to Udemy Business customers.

The collaboration will allow organisations to build stronger workplace culture through labs, role play experiences, certifications, and integrated compliance training at scale.

CloudSEK Expands to the UAE via Seed Group Partnership

Threat intelligence company CloudSEK has partnered with Seed Group, part of the private office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, to enter the UAE market.

Through this partnership, CloudSEK will deliver a unified platform combining:

• threat intelligence

• brand protection

• attack-surface monitoring

• supply-chain security

for enterprises across the region.