Kovid Kapoor

Natasha Malpani Launches ₹200 Crore Fund to Power India’s AI Startups Former Kae Capital partner Natasha Malpani has launched Boundless Ventures, an early-stage venture fund with a corpus of ₹200 crore, dedicated to supporting homegrown AI-native startups across India. The fund will focus on pre-seed and seed-stage investments in companies innovating across consumer AI, infrastructure, agent tooling, healthcare, logistics, deep tech, and make-in-India hardware. Boundless has already written its first cheques to startups including Superhealth, Armatrix, PierSight, Knot, and two stealth ventures in AI infrastructure and consumer AI. Beyond capital, the fund promises to bring narrative and network support to founders. As Malpani puts it, India today has a once-in-a-generation advantage talent density, digital rails, and ambition to build global AI leaders from day one. At Startup Veda, we’re thrilled to see local capital fueling the AI frontier. This fund signals rising maturity in India’s venture ecosystem—placing conviction behind AI-first founders well before the rest of the world catches on. Join the conversation: Which early-stage AI ventures excite you the most? How powerful is the mix of capital + storytelling for building AI startups? #Startup #AI #VentureCapital #DeepTech #StartupIndia #FounderStories

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Once upon a time, in 2020, Prashant Sachan walked away from his first startup, Trell. Burnt out from conflicts, and the brutal grind of building at scale, he carried the sting of failure with him. For months, he questioned whether he even belonged in the startup world anymore. And then a new question found him: “What if technology could serve not just commerce, but devotion?” That’s how AppsForBharat was born. Its first product, Sri Mandir App, looked nothing like a shiny consumer app. It was simple with digital aartis, scriptures, mantras. Some mocked it, calling it “ancient, like a flash card from the early 2000s.” But Prashant wasn’t building for product-hunt applause. He was building for his audience, devotees who wanted accessibility, authenticity, and trust. Armed with that conviction, he pressed on despite the naysayers and hardships that plague anyone creating a revolution: - Skepticism: Investors dismissed faith as “not scalable.” - Authenticity vs. usability: How do you digitize centuries-old rituals without diluting them? - Retention: How do you make an app feel like a temple you return to daily, not one you delete after a week? He and his team Pulkit Pujara, Alpesh Bupkya, Ameya Sahasrabudhe, Viraj Verma, Tanvi Lal, and others kept listening, testing, and rebuilding. Slowly, the tide turned. A grandmother in New Jersey cried during a live streamed aarti. A priest wrote to say the platform gave his temple new life. The product that was once mocked for looking outdated was exactly what the audience wanted. By 2025, Sri Mandir had crossed 4 crore downloads, facilitated 52 lakh rituals across 70+ temples, and attracted a diaspora user base that contributed nearly 20% of revenues. The investors followed, Elevation Capital, Peak XV Partners, The Fundamentum Partnership, Susquehanna Asia Venture Capital, Kunal Shah, Sanjeev Barnwal, Scott Shleifer, Ankush Sachdeva, Farid Ahsan and many more angels. In total, over $50M raised to build temple-tech infrastructure across Ayodhya, Varanasi, Ujjain and more. Alongside it, startups like Sutradhar, Utsav App, DevDham Devotional Platform, VAMA App and many more platforms began to emerge, experimenting with puja bookings, prasad delivery, and spiritual content. Even traditional platform players like BookMyShow and Paytm dabbled in religious services during festivals. Together, they’re shaping a new category: Devotion-as-a-Service (DaaS), where rituals, temple visits, and spirituality meet tech at scale. Analysts believe this could become a multi-billion-dollar category, spanning diaspora markets, temple partnerships, and even AI-driven spiritual companions. Moral of the story: Great founders build only for customer applause, they build for conviction. AppsForBharat proved that even when a product is dismissed as “ancient,” if you know your audience and build with empathy, you can turn ridicule into reverence and in the process, create not just a company, but an industry.

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Shivakumar Ganesan, Co-founder & CEO of Exotel, joins The Neon Show. A 14-year journey from bootstrap to scale, Exotel’s story is one of India’s most remarkable SaaS journeys. We discuss: 1. How Exotel grew for 8 years post-seed round without external funding 2. What happened when COVID slashed revenues from $10M to $5M. 3. The bold strategic moves: 3 funding rounds & 2 acquisitions that followed. 4. The tough transition of customer base from SMBs to enterprises. 5. Building a ₹2500 crore+ business without leaving India. 6. Why Shivku chose to stay focused on India despite advice to go global first. 7. How automation could cut contact center jobs by 80%. 8. The challenge of building voice AI across 30+ Indian languages. And much more on timing, reading the market, and creating moats in overlooked opportunities. The episode drops today on The Neon Show.

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When we started in 2022, we didn’t have giant warehouses, celebrity endorsements, or billion-dollar funding. Sumit Jasoria, started with just ₹50 lakh pooled together — savings, small loans, and belief. The pain point was clear: 👉 Women in India, especially Gen Z and millennials, wanted trendy, affordable, fast fashion. 👉 But the choices were either overpriced international brands or outdated local offerings. The struggle was real. We were rejected by early investors who said, “Fashion is too competitive.” Suppliers didn’t trust us with bulk orders. Customers doubted if a new brand could deliver both quality and trend. Our first collection barely sold. We thought of shutting shop. But we decided to listen — really listen — to what young Indian women wanted. Bold fits, vibrant colors, and global styles at Indian prices. That pivot changed everything. Within 6 months, we were shipping thousands of orders daily. By the end of year one, we had crossed ₹100 crore in revenue. In just 2 years, NEWME became a ₹250 crore brand. Not because we had deep pockets, but because we built a brand that spoke the language of Bharat’s new-age women. #startup Today, NewMe has millions of loyal customers, a strong presence across e-commerce, and is backed by investors who once said “no.” We’ve built not just a fashion label, but a movement of self-expression for Indian women. 📌 What Indian Founders Can Learn from NewMe’s Journey. Listen to your customers, not just investors. Pivot when needed. Feedback is free market research. Solve for Bharat, not just metros. The biggest opportunities lie in Tier II & III cities Culture sells. Build a brand that connects emotionally with young India, not just logically.

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💡 A perspective for founders on angel money Many founders ask for very small cheques from angels — ₹5–10L. Nothing wrong with that, but here’s the reality: 👉 The smaller the cheque, the lesser the involvement. Why? Because time is also an investment. If the stake is tiny, the incentive to spend hours guiding, mentoring, and opening networks naturally reduces. As angels, we love to support founders. But meaningful guidance, regular reviews, and network push usually come when there’s meaningful skin in the game. So if you’re raising, think beyond “let me collect 20 small cheques.” Instead, ask yourself: “Which 2–3 angels can back me meaningfully with both money and time?” ⚡ Funding isn’t just about filling the cap table. It’s about building the right circle of believers who walk with you. #AngelInvestor #FounderTips #Fundraising #StartupInsights #DeepakBhagnaniFamilyOffice

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Bangalore is India's most overhyped startup city. I have been analyzing exit data across Indian cities, and the numbers surprised me. Bangalore receives 47% of India's startup funding. But generates only 31% of successful exits. Meanwhile, Delhi NCR shows a 0.67 cost-to-success ratio compared to Bangalore's 1.52. What does this mean? Every rupee invested in Delhi produces nearly 2x more exit value than in Bangalore. Here's what the data reveals: → Average operational costs 3x higher in Bangalore → Talent costs inflated by 40-60% due to competition → Infrastructure challenges are reducing productivity by 25% → Burn rates 200% higher than tier-2 cities Even established unicorns are rethinking their location strategy. BlackBuck recently relocated operations, citing 90-minute commutes affecting team productivity. This isn't about Bangalore vs other cities. It's about efficiency and sustainability. Some interesting patterns I have noticed: Tier-2 cities produce 26% of startups with 500+ employees despite receiving only 7% of total funding. That's remarkable efficiency. Companies in Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai are building lean, profitable businesses from day one. Lower costs mean longer runways. Longer runways mean better decision-making. Better decisions lead to sustainable exits. The opportunity here isn't to abandon Bangalore. It's to recognize that great startups can emerge from anywhere. Founders in tier-2 cities often have advantages: → 2-3x longer runways with the same capital → Less competition for talent → Stronger focus on unit economics → Government support and incentives Maybe it's time we looked beyond the traditional startup hubs. Innovation doesn't need a Bangalore pin code. It needs the right problem, the right team, and the right execution. Curious to hear from founders across different cities, what's been your experience with costs and growth? #StartupEcosystem #IndianStartups #VentureCapital #Bangalore

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My co-founder Gautam has literally found errors in 99% of the cap tables we have come across! And has always fixed them — sometimes saving the a** of fellow stakeholders. He has now productized an “error free” template that anyone can use — esp while raising their first round in India. You can access it here: https://lnkd.in/dYnH_uBi

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🚀 Affluense AI Raises ₹3 Crore Pre-Seed to Empower Advisors Serving Affluent, HNI & UHNI Clients Across Industries This didn’t start as just another idea — it came from real pain I faced myself. Coming from an engineering background and working closely with leading players in the wealth industry, I saw the daily struggle of advisors and relationship managers. Wealth managers would come to me and ask: “Rishi, can your algorithm give me more insight about this client or prospect?” Every day, they were digging through fragmented data from multiple sources — GST and company filings, property records, Google search, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, news articles — yet still struggled to get a complete, real-time picture. Valuable time was lost, and opportunities were often missed. This wasn’t a one-off — it was an everyday story across financial services, luxury, real estate, and premium lifestyle sectors. That’s why Affluense exists. Our AI-powered Wealth Intelligence Platform transforms public and social data into actionable insights, helping advisors: -> Spot opportunities as they happen -> Build stronger, deeper client relationships -> Serve clients with clarity and confidence One of our early customers — a giant wealth management firm — says: “It has reduced our research time from hours—or even days—to just a few minutes, delivering real, actionable insights that were previously hard to uncover manually. The team has been incredibly agile, continuously building and refining the product with powerful features that add real value for us.” We’re thrilled that this mission is being supported by our ₹3 crore pre-seed round, led by Zeropearl VC, with participation from Kunal Shah (Founder, CRED), P J (Founder, Raise AI / Dhan), and our early design partners and customers. A heartfelt thank you to our investors — your trust lets us solve real problems for the professionals who manage and grow wealth every day. The journey is just beginning, and we can’t wait to see the impact we’ll create! 🚀 Sumit Sahu Bipin Shah Dhruv Gupta Economic Times article - https://lnkd.in/gCjYSFcm #AffluenseAI #ZeropearlVC #FundingAnnouncement #AIStartups #WealthTech #RealEstateTech #VentureCapital

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Most poeple don’t get Boba Bhai right. But, as an investor via Titan Capital Winners Fund, I’ve had the fortune to see this story play out very closely. It is not just winning the bubble tea market in India - It is creating it. - Before their explosive entry, the category was a fragmented, niche curiosity-a handful of scattered outlets with no cohesive market identity - And Boba Bhai’s strategic execution is a live case study in transforming a fringe trend into a dominant, mainstream consumer category Their first move was to define the product for the Indian masses. By fusing Korean formats with Indian flavours, they created an accessible, craveable version of bubble tea and street food that could achieve broad appeal, moving it out of the niche corners of K-culture enthusiasts. Next, they built the physical infrastructure for the category at an unprecedented speed. Scaling to over 70 outlets, they are single-handedly putting bubble tea on the map in cities across the country, building the distribution network that is making the drink a household name. But their most visionary move in category creation is happening right now, in the digital aisle. The launch of Ready-to-Drink (RTD) canned bubble tea on quick commerce platforms like Blinkit and Zepto is another big bet. Effectively, they are not just entering a new channel - they are creating an entirely new FMCG category from scratch - packaged bubble tea. This allows them to own the "at-home" occasion, building brand salience far beyond their physical footprint. And this is very inspiring, because this is how categories are built. A single brand becomes so dominant in the consumer's mind that it becomes synonymous with the product itself. Think Xerox for photocopying or Maggi for instant noodles. With a stated goal to make K-Pop culture mainstream in India across food, drink and more, Boba Bhai, and its amazing founder, my friend Dhruv (in pic), are not shy about their ambitions. - And having read this whole thing, I am sure you would now get that they are not aiming to be a player in the bubble tea space - They are building the entire stadium and positioning themselves as the home team And that’s why I always say with pride and confidence, that Boba Bhai isn't just another QSR. What do you think? ---- I've begun to share my learnings from the world of startups more frequently to gain wider perspective. Thus, if you hold any additions or differences to the thoughts I shared above, do share in the comments. That will help widen my thinking horizons. Thanks! Best, Shiv

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🚨 Big Change for Angel Investors in India SEBI has raised the bar for who qualifies as an Accredited Investor: 📉 Earlier: ₹2 Cr net tangible assets (excluding primary residence) was enough to start angel investing. 📈 Now: Net worth ≥ ₹7.5 Cr (with ₹3.75 Cr in financial assets) OR Income ≥ ₹2 Cr annually OR Income ≥ ₹1 Cr + Net worth ≥ ₹5 Cr (with ₹2.5 Cr in financial assets) Corporates/Trusts need ₹50 Cr net worth This raises a crucial question: 💭 What happens to those who met the earlier requirements, began their angel journey, but no longer qualify under the new rules? 👉 Will they be locked out of funds? 👉 Does early-stage capital shrink? 👉 Or will new models emerge to keep them engaged? I’d love to hear perspectives from founders, fund managers, and fellow investors. Drop your thoughts ⬇️ #AngelInvesting #StartupEcosystem #IndiaStartups #VentureCapital #AngelInvestors #SEBI #InvestingInIndia

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🚨 Urban Company’s existing investors are backing its Rs 1,900 crore IPO in a big way - Steadview Capital, Singapore’s Arohi, Think Investments and DF International have subscribed to 10% of the Rs 854 crore anchor book. All of the have been investors in Urban Company since at least 2021 - This comes after Elevation Capital has picked up additional shares through its late-stage fund from Tiger Global

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A lot of folks that we have spoken to have always yearned for a big screen home projector experience but never got around to doing it. This review (1/n) by Manas Tiwari articulates the common concerns and how the Lumio Arc 7 (https://amzn.in/d/g1kPMwW) addresses them all True plug-and-play simplicity -> setting it up is almost laughably easy.Everything you need is built-in as well: certified Netflix, native Google TV, Google Assistant, Chromecast, and even YouTube Music integration via TLDR Immersive Display -> It was evident that Lumio Arc 7 is clearly tuned for low-light environments and when used in a dark room, it delivers a genuinely immersive experience that feels well worth the asking price. Solid Audio - > The projector has built-in speakers, backed by Dolby Audio processing and they are surprisingly capable. Dialogues were clear, background music has presence, and casual viewers won’t feel the immediate need to plug in an external soundbar. Lumio Arc 7 delivers more than just a decent home entertainment upgrade: it delivers peace of mind. It ticks off all the boxes that typically trip up mid-range projectors: setup is refreshingly simple, the software experience is smooth and certified and the picture quality holds up surprisingly well whether you're bingeing shows or watching a live match. https://lnkd.in/e54jy2U2

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