Startup Spotlights

A seismic shift is underway in the Indian startup ecosystem, moving the conversation from billion-dollar valuations to billion-dollar exits. In a watershed moment for the nation’s tech landscape, homegrown new-age companies have unlocked a staggering ₹15,000 crore (approximately $1.8 billion) in cash exits for venture capitalists and early investors through IPOs in 2025 so far.

The Indian startup ecosystem continues to demonstrate its robust health and diverse character, with the week of November 10-15, 2025, witnessing a significant infusion of over $135 million across 25 deals. This flurry of activity, spanning sectors from fintech and edtech to deeptech and D2C, pushes the year-to-date (YTD) funding total past the $15 billion mark, firmly positioning 2025 as a year of resilient growth and strategic capital deployment.

In a resounding endorsement of India’s climate-tech potential, Bengaluru-based startup Varaha has secured a monumental $30.5 million (€26.4 million) investment from Mirova, a leading French sustainable asset manager. This isn’t just another venture round; it’s a landmark transaction that represents Mirova’s first carbon project deal in India and the largest single carbon transaction ever for the fund, backed by global giants Kering and Natixis.

In a resounding validation of India’s burgeoning developer tools and AI ecosystem, Chennai-based startup Devzery has been strategically acquired by San Francisco’s AI-native video infrastructure platform, VideoDB. This undisclosed deal marks a significant milestone, representing not just a successful exit for an Indian SaaS startup, but also VideoDB’s very first acquisition, underscoring the immense value the US company sees in Devzery’s technology and team.

In a stunning turn of events that underscores a major shift in India’s digital landscape, a homegrown contender has stormed the citadel of instant messaging. Arattai, the “Made in India” messaging app from Chennai-based SaaS pioneer Zoho Corporation, has taken the nation by storm, amassing a staggering 7.5 million downloads in under two months and decisively topping the charts on the App Store, overtaking global giants like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal.