Moneymint

Dyumna Madan, a 19-year-old founder of Project Clay, started her journey at just 15, aiming to provide affordable summer school options. She created Project Clay with a unique approach, connecting students with mentors from top universities. After receiving guidance from entrepreneur Ankur Warikoo, the startup grew significantly. Dyumna’s venture now has over 500 mentors from 10+ study-abroad locations. Her initiative also offers personalized support at an affordable price, starting at Rs 2,500. In 2024, Dyumna and her co-founder Shivom Sood appeared on Shark Tank India and secured an investment of Rs 15 lakh from Namita Thapar. Now, with clients securing admissions in top universities, Project Clay is on a growth path, targeting Rs 37 lakh in revenue for FY25, with projections for even higher growth in FY26. Dyumna is currently studying at Northeastern University in Boston, while Shivom is at Emory University, Atlanta. #ProjectClay #Entrepreneurship #SharkTankIndia #Mentorship #StartupSuccess

Sridhar Vembu, the founder of Zoho, believes the problems in the software job market are caused by inefficiencies in the industry, not just by AI. He explains that over the years, too much venture capital and marketing has led to bloated IT systems and unnecessary hiring. Many companies, especially in the West, spent heavily on new software, only to create complex systems that required more maintenance, which was outsourced to India. This made the job market reliant on inefficiencies rather than true productivity. Vembu also points out that Indian companies have been more efficient because of limited funding, compared to their Western counterparts. While AI isn't yet replacing jobs, it is improving productivity and exposing these inefficiencies. The software industry is now facing a difficult situation as the era of easy funding is over, and companies must confront their unsustainable business models. Vembu remains concerned about the future of software jobs. #Software #Inefficiency #AI #JobMarket #Zoho #TechIndustry #Outsourcing #Productivity

Deepinder Goyal, CEO of Zomato, has invested $20 million in a new startup called LAT Aerospace. The company was co-founded by Surobhi Das, Zomato’s former Chief Operating Officer (COO). Das will lead the company’s operations, while Goyal will take on a non-executive role, providing investments and mentorship. LAT Aerospace plans to develop affordable short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft, each carrying up to 24 passengers. These planes are designed to improve regional air travel and can land and take off from small airstrips, even in compact spaces like parking lots. The startup is also raising $50 million in seed funding and hiring engineers in areas like aerodynamics and hybrid propulsion systems. Unlike air taxis, which are used for short city trips, STOL aircraft are meant for longer intercity journeys. LAT Aerospace aims to challenge established aircraft makers like ATR and Bombardier, whose planes are used by Indian airlines such as IndiGo and SpiceJet. Surobhi Das left Zomato in November 2023 after working there for over a decade. She had also worked at Blinkit, Zomato’s quick commerce platform, before starting LAT Aerospace. #Zomato #Startup #Investment #Aerospace #STOL #Innovation #Aircraft #Tech

Change Engine founded by Varun Aggarwal, a startup accelerator, has announced plans to invest over $5 million in early-stage AI startups in India over the next five years. The initiative will support six promising AI startups each year, focusing on machine learning and AI-based business applications for global markets. Building India’s Next-Gen AI Products. Change Engine aims to go beyond basic AI by encouraging deep-tech innovations that are strong, scalable, and competitive globally. Their 6-month accelerator program offers startups: ✅ A safe space to test AI ideas ✅ Support in product development ✅ Access to a global network of mentors Each year, the program will fund six startups with $50K each, and an additional $150K can be raised through partnerships, totaling over $5M in investment over the next three years. AI Ecosystem & Success Stories Change Engine has played an important role in building India’s AI ecosystem, especially in Delhi NCR, where it has hosted events like the AI Product Bootcamp at IIT Delhi, helping train AI enthusiasts with experts from Google, Meta, and Amazon. Some success stories from previous cohorts include: 🚀 Rapture Innovation Labs (Sonic Lamb) – Featured on Shark Tank Season 4, securing ₹50L in funding. 🚀 CallPrep (callprep.io) – Chosen for Nikhil Kamath’s WTFund list. Industry-Backed Customer Advisory Board. A unique feature of the accelerator is its Customer Advisory Board, which includes leaders from Amazon, Google, McKinsey, and Adobe. This panel helps startups by: 🔹 Getting real-world feedback on their ideas 🔹 Refining marketing strategies 🔹 Ensuring their products are ready for global markets Driving India’s AI Leadership Based in Gurugram, Change Engine is focused on strengthening India’s position as a global AI hub by offering startups capital, mentorship, and industry connections. #AI #Startups #IndiaAI #MachineLearning #Innovation #GlobalExpansion #TechAccelerator #StartupSupport #ChangeEngine

Bengaluru-based mobile game publisher Felicity Games has raised $3 million (₹25.8 crore) in a seed funding round. The investment was led by 3one4 Capital, with participation from T-Accelerate Capital, MIXI Global Investments, and existing investors DeVC and Visceral Capital. Founded in 2023 by Anurag Choudhary, Felicity Games focuses on global game publishing by leveraging India’s gaming ecosystem. The company uses a data-driven approach to game development and publishing. Key Highlights: Previously raised $700K in pre-seed funding in December 2023. Plans to expand publishing infrastructure and strengthen ties with Indian game studios. Aims to scale existing titles and test new games by 2025. Performance: Surpassed $1M in annual recurring revenue (ARR). Crossed 1M downloads for top games like Seek & Find and Nova Solitaire. Achieved $100K gross revenue in February 2025, a 4X growth since November 2024. Felicity Games competes with global publishers like Voodoo, Homa, Rollic, and Supercent. With this funding, the company aims to accelerate its growth and establish itself as a leading mobile game publisher from India. #Gaming #Startup #FelicityGames #MobileGames #Funding #IndianStartups #GameDevelopment

Ashwin Malwade and Nupur Agarwal, a couple passionate about the environment, turned their love for sustainability into a mission. After organizing their own zero-waste wedding in 2020, they founded Greenmyna, a startup that helps plan eco-friendly events. From reusable decor to composting waste and planting trees, Greenmyna ensures celebrations are both joyful and planet-friendly. Since its launch, Greenmyna has composted 40,900 kg of waste, distributed 11,600+ meals, planted 1,850 trees, and recycled 30,350 kg of dry waste. Their work inspires couples across India to rethink traditional weddings and embrace sustainability. Despite challenges like convincing clients to adopt eco-friendly practices, Ashwin and Nupur have proven that sustainable weddings can be just as beautiful and memorable. Their dream? To make zero-waste celebrations the norm and inspire more people to care for the planet. #Sustainability #EcoFriendlyWeddings #Greenmyna #ZeroWaste #IndianWeddings #EcoConsciousLiving

goSTOPS, a leading community-driven travel brand, has announced a major milestone in its journey with a ₹35 crore Series A funding round. Founded by Pallavi Agarwal and Pankaj Parwanda, goSTOPS has grown from a single location to over 30 vibrant hubs, offering 2500+ beds designed for young, budget-conscious travelers. The brand’s mission is simple: to make travel accessible, immersive, and transformative for India’s youth. With its unique "goMORE. beMORE." ethos, goSTOPS creates social spaces where travelers connect, explore, and grow. This funding will fuel expansion, innovation, and the brand’s vision to redefine youth travel. The co-founders expressed gratitude to their guests, team, investors, and community, emphasizing that this achievement is a shared victory. From humble beginnings to becoming a trusted name in travel, goSTOPS continues to inspire young adventurers to break boundaries and embrace new experiences. The future looks bright as they aim to make travel not just memorable, but truly life-changing. #Travel #Startup #Funding #YouthTravel #goSTOPS #Innovation

Two childhood friends. One big dream. And a ₹6 lakh investment. That’s how Rohan Verma and Shubhangi Pandey started JustWravel in 2016. They saw a gap: young travelers wanted affordable, safe group trips. But no one was doing it right. So they quit their corporate jobs. Built a platform for fixed-departure tours. And created a community of 50,000+ travelers. But it wasn’t easy. No funding. No team. Just grit and a belief in their vision. Then came 2020. The pandemic hit. Revenue dropped to zero. Most would’ve quit. But not them. They pivoted. Introduced long-stay packages for remote workers. Kept their community engaged. And when travel bounced back, so did they. Today, JustWravel generates ₹12 crore in revenue. They’ve won awards. And are now expanding to 150 destinations with AI-powered travel planning. What’s the lesson here? Dream big. Start small. But never, ever give up. Because when you solve a real problem, success follows. P.S. If you’re looking for affordable, safe group trips, check out JustWravel. Trust me, it’s worth it. #Entrepreneurship #StartupJourney #TravelGoals #JustWravel #DreamBig #NeverGiveUp

GovEagle is thrilled to announce that it has raised $2.5 million in seed funding from Strategic Cyber Ventures, Y Combinator, Sequoia Scout, and a group of angel investors. Gabe Villasana and Akash M. are the Co-founders of GovEagle. Over the past year, many of the largest and fastest-growing government contractors have chosen GovEagle to improve their proposal process. Thanks to GovEagle, these customers are now submitting proposals 10 times faster while also improving the quality and depth of their responses. Responding to a government RFP is a complicated and high-stakes process. That’s why GovEagle doesn’t aim to replace humans. Instead, the company focuses on creating tools and experiences that help proposal teams work more effectively, using the latest AI technology to enhance their capabilities. This new funding will help GovEagle continue its mission of delivering top-quality solutions that its customers depend on. The company is grateful for the support and confidence from its investors, partners, customers, and new team members. With this backing, GovEagle is excited to keep pushing forward. #business #funding #startups

D2C jewellery brand GIVA  has raised ₹102 Cr (around $11.7 Mn) in a mix of equity and debt funding. The funding includes ₹52 Cr from Alteria Capital and ₹50 Cr from Northern Arc Capital. The company plans to use these funds to open new stores across Tier I and II cities like Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and others. Backed by Premji Invest, GIVA has seen strong growth, with its revenue reaching ₹273.6 Cr in FY24, a 66% increase from the previous year. However, its net loss also grew by 30% to ₹58.7 Cr due to rising metal costs. Founded in 2019 by Ishendra Agarwal, Nikita Prasad, and Sachin Shetty. GIVA started with fine silver jewellery and later expanded into gold and lab-grown diamonds. It competes with brands like CaratLane, Kushal’s, and Voylla in India’s growing online jewellery market, which is expected to hit $3.7 Bn by 2025. This funding comes as the industry sees increased activity, with BlueStone preparing for a ₹1,000+ Cr IPO. #success #startups #business