startup funding news: ETtech Deals Digest: Startups raised just $86 million this week

While people across India are reeling under the heat of an intense summer, things have been no better for startups across the country, which continue to shiver amid a prolonged funding winter, with no signs of a groundhog emerging to signal its end. New-age companies mopped up just $86 million this week across 17 rounds, recording a sharp fall of 58% from the same period last year, according to data provided by market research firm Tracxn.

Sequentially, funding activity for Indian startups plunged 85%, compared to the $571 million raised across 59 rounds last week.

More than half of the funding came in the form of early-stage investments totalling $46 million. Late-stage investments stood at $30 million, while seed-stage funding accounted for a meagre $9.8 million.

Here’s a look at some of the startups that got funded this week:

HealthifyMe raises $30 million via convertible notes: Health and wellness startup HealthifyMe said it has raised $30 Million in a pre Series D funding round led by impact investor LeapFrog Investments and OpenAI investor Khosla Ventures. The company declined to comment on the valuation. The funding round includes venture debt of about $5 million.

Fintech SaaS firm Lentra bags $27 million in extended Series B: Cloud-based lending software provider Lentra has raised $27 million in an extended series B round to make way for strategic investors on its cap table, founder and CEO D Venkatesh told ET in an interaction. He added that MUFG Bank and Dharana Capital have invested in the company at a $400 million dollar valuation, the same level at which the company had raised $60 million in its series B round in November 2022.EV maker River raises $15 million: Electric scooter maker River has raised $15 million in a funding round led by UAE-based Al-Futtaim Group. Existing investors, including Silicon Valley investor Chris Sacca-owned Lowercarbon Capital, Toyota Ventures, Maniv Mobility and Trucks VC, also participated in the round, the company said in a statement.

Cleantech startup Proklean Technologies raises $4 million: Proklean Technologies has raised $4 million in funding from the Raintree Family Office, which invests in startups promoting innovation in climate solutions, sustainability and responsible consumption. More than a decade ago, the Chennai-based company had raised angel funding of Rs 3.5 crore (in 2012). Three years later, it raised another Rs 5 crore from Infuse Ventures and other investors, just before the 2015 floods that devastated the Tamil Nadu capital.

Upstox founder Raghu Kumar raises $3.5 million for gaming startup TradingLeagues: Raghu Kumar, who had cofounded the stockbroking startup Upstox with his brother Ravi Kumar, has raised a pre-series round of funding for his next venture, TradingLeagues. A fantasy gaming application that enables users to play the financial markets, TradingLeagues has raised money from Leo Capital, the Jeejeebhoy Family Office, the KPB Family Trust, and the family office of KP Balaraj, founder of Sequoia India and Westbridge Capital.

Climate tech startup Sentra World raises $2 million: Sentra.world, an ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance)-focussed startup, has raised seed funding of $2 million in a round led by Avaana Capital, an early-stage climate-tech venture capital firm. RPG Ventures and Golden Sparrow Ventures also participated in the round, said a statement from the company announcing the infusion.

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While people across India are reeling under the heat of an intense summer, things have been no better for startups across the country, which continue to shiver amid a prolonged funding winter, with no signs of a groundhog emerging to signal its end. New-age companies mopped up just $86 million this week across 17 rounds, recording a sharp fall of 58% from the same period last year, according to data provided by market research firm Tracxn.

Sequentially, funding activity for Indian startups plunged 85%, compared to the $571 million raised across 59 rounds last week.

More than half of the funding came in the form of early-stage investments totalling $46 million. Late-stage investments stood at $30 million, while seed-stage funding accounted for a meagre $9.8 million.

Here’s a look at some of the startups that got funded this week:

HealthifyMe raises $30 million via convertible notes: Health and wellness startup HealthifyMe said it has raised $30 Million in a pre Series D funding round led by impact investor LeapFrog Investments and OpenAI investor Khosla Ventures. The company declined to comment on the valuation. The funding round includes venture debt of about $5 million.

Fintech SaaS firm Lentra bags $27 million in extended Series B: Cloud-based lending software provider Lentra has raised $27 million in an extended series B round to make way for strategic investors on its cap table, founder and CEO D Venkatesh told ET in an interaction. He added that MUFG Bank and Dharana Capital have invested in the company at a $400 million dollar valuation, the same level at which the company had raised $60 million in its series B round in November 2022.EV maker River raises $15 million: Electric scooter maker River has raised $15 million in a funding round led by UAE-based Al-Futtaim Group. Existing investors, including Silicon Valley investor Chris Sacca-owned Lowercarbon Capital, Toyota Ventures, Maniv Mobility and Trucks VC, also participated in the round, the company said in a statement.

Cleantech startup Proklean Technologies raises $4 million: Proklean Technologies has raised $4 million in funding from the Raintree Family Office, which invests in startups promoting innovation in climate solutions, sustainability and responsible consumption. More than a decade ago, the Chennai-based company had raised angel funding of Rs 3.5 crore (in 2012). Three years later, it raised another Rs 5 crore from Infuse Ventures and other investors, just before the 2015 floods that devastated the Tamil Nadu capital.

Upstox founder Raghu Kumar raises $3.5 million for gaming startup TradingLeagues: Raghu Kumar, who had cofounded the stockbroking startup Upstox with his brother Ravi Kumar, has raised a pre-series round of funding for his next venture, TradingLeagues. A fantasy gaming application that enables users to play the financial markets, TradingLeagues has raised money from Leo Capital, the Jeejeebhoy Family Office, the KPB Family Trust, and the family office of KP Balaraj, founder of Sequoia India and Westbridge Capital.

Climate tech startup Sentra World raises $2 million: Sentra.world, an ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance)-focussed startup, has raised seed funding of $2 million in a round led by Avaana Capital, an early-stage climate-tech venture capital firm. RPG Ventures and Golden Sparrow Ventures also participated in the round, said a statement from the company announcing the infusion.

Stay on top of technology and startup news that matters. Subscribe to our daily newsletter for the latest and must-read tech news, delivered straight to your inbox.