Startup news and updates: daily roundup (September 23, 2025)

From redefining the cost of the American dream for Indian students to making electric mobility accessible for India’s gig workers through EVeez, YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors.

Featured stories

A new price on the great American dream

The United States has introduced a $100,000 fee—a 50-fold hike—on new H-1B petitions for employers, a move the White House says will apply to new filings and not existing H-1B holders or renewals.

Due to the recent H-1B visa hike, many students know that their great American dream has become a lot more difficult to achieve. Many families are now running through various permutations and combinations of possible master’s programmes, potential employers, and the return on investment. Some students may also explore options in other countries, including India. Read more.

How EVeez is making electric mobility accessible to India's gig workers

India’s multitude of gig workers, including delivery riders and technicians, find it tough to own a vehicle. Loans are difficult to get, jobs are often unstable, and migration is rampant. Abhishek Dwivedi saw this as an opportunity to make mobility easier and more accessible. 

“The solution had to be shared and electric-based because it’s easier to access for a startup,” says Dwivedi, Co-founder of EVeez, an electric mobility-as-a-service (eMaaS) startup. Read more.

From dial-up networks to AI code: Swapna Bapat of Palo Alto Networks on 25 years in tech

Swapna Bapat first came across the internet during her master’s in computer science. Dial-up internet had just been introduced and the “possibilities looked enormous.”  

“My generation was at a point when the internet was taking off. The fact that we were able to communicate over a platform where everything could be connected was exciting,” she recalls. 

That early sense of boundless technological potential has fueled Bapat’s 25-year journey in the industry, from embedded systems to artificial intelligence applications in cybersecurity. Read more.

Funding news

Speciality chemicals startup Distil bags $7.7M in Series A funding

Speciality chemicals company Distil has raised $7.7 million in Series A funding as it plans to expand research and development, strengthen procurement and technical sales, and establish operations in the United States, the Middle East and Africa.

The funding round was led by Singapore’s Jungle Ventures and UAE-based CE-Ventures, the venture arm of Crescent Enterprises. The round also saw participation from investors with expertise in chemicals and manufacturing, including Rubamin, a Gujarat-based company active in metals refining, battery recycling and speciality chemicals, and Mayank Singhal, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of PI Industries, an agrochemicals company. Read more.

Sustainable startup Amwoodo raises $4M

Amwoodo, a developer of bamboo-based sustainable solutions, has raised $4 million in a pre-Series A round led by Rainmatter, with participation from Adventz Group, Thinkuvate, and Caspian. 

Founded in 2019, Amwoodo develops bamboo-based alternatives to single-use plastics, combining sustainability with everyday convenience. The company has established B2B partnerships with brands such as Himalaya Wellness, Bombay Shaving Company, and ITC Hotels, and has expanded into the D2C market through its Ecoconsious platform.

The funding will enable Amwoodo to scale production to meet domestic and global demand, expand into the D2C market through its Ecoconsious platform and other brands under the House of Amwoodo, and strengthen community engagement while creating livelihood opportunities in bamboo-growing regions.

VyomIC bags $1.6M from Speciale Invest

VyomIC, a deeptech startup founded by IIT Madras alumni, has secured Rs 14 crore (~$1.6 million) in a pre-seed round led by Speciale Invest, with participation from BYT Capital and DeVC. 

The funding will support the development of VyomIC’s LEO-based PNT (Positioning, Navigation, and Timing) payload, its spaceborne demonstration mission, and the expansion of team and business development efforts.

VyomIC’s system is designed to resist jamming and spoofing, supporting autonomous systems, critical infrastructure, and operations without relying on foreign networks. Integrating atomic clocks, encrypted signals, and AI-powered orbit algorithms, VyomIC aims to provide real-time, reliable navigation even in GNSS-denied environments, advancing India’s space-based technology capabilities.

VyomIC was co-founded by Lokesh Kabdal, Vibhor Jain, and Anurag Patil, who have previously led Avishkar Hyperloop, India’s top student-led hyperloop project, raising $1.25 million and building the world’s largest academic hyperloop test facility.

Zealthix secures $1.1M in seed round

Zealthix, a SaaS healthcare platform, has raised $1.1 million in a seed round led by Unicorn India Ventures, with participation from AlphaGen Venture Capital.

The funds will be used to support expansion and revenue growth, with a significant portion invested in strengthening technology and advancing the digitisation, streamlining, and interoperability of the Indian healthcare ecosystem.

Founded in 2023 by Abhishek Kumar and Avinash Gupta, Zealthix enables payers and insurers to offer OPD and comprehensive plans. Its cloud-based system connects fragmented healthcare networks, automates workflows, and supports a seamless cashless OPD experience.

Over the next 12 months, Zealthix plans to work closely with health providers, addressing their challenges and using technology to make their operations more efficient, compliant, digitised, and interoperable.

Wankel Energy raises $1M funding

IIT Madras-incubated deep-tech start-up Wankel Energy Systems has raised $1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Shastra VC, with participation from strategic angel investors.

The funding will support the startup, which seeks to prevent energy loss in pressure-reducing valves (PRVs), in expanding internationally. Over the next decade, it aims to deploy more than 1,000 units across India and other global markets, tackling a worldwide challenge.

Across India, 45,000+ steam boilers produce 1.26 billion tonnes of steam annually for key industries. Most passes through PRVs, losing up to 160 kW per valve. Wankel Energy’s Phoenix Expander captures this lost energy, converting it to electricity without altering plants.

The start-up aims to extend beyond steam into refrigerants, ammonia, hydrogen, and air systems, enabling industries to recover wasted energy. It also plans to launch next-generation compact compressors for multiple mediums.

Grest raises Rs 16 Cr in funding 

Grest (Radical Aftermarket Services Pvt Ltd), a consumer electronics re-commerce firm, has raised Rs 16 crore in a funding round led by Equentis with Rs 7 crore, alongside The Chennai Angels, Lead Invest, and India Accelerator. 

The funding, a mix of equity and debt, will be used to double Grest’s store network beyond 60 outlets, expand its 20,000 sq. ft. refurbishment lab, enhance e-commerce and B2B platforms, strengthen supply chain capacity, and extend reach into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.

This funding round follows Grest’s earlier raises of Rs 2.6 crore from HNIs and angel investors.

Founded in 2018 by Shrey Sardana and Nitin Goyal, Grest focuses on sourcing, refurbishing, and reselling smartphones, laptops, tablets, and smartwatches through online and offline channels. 

Venture Catalysts leads Rs 3.5 Cr pre-seed funding in Paar Autonomy

Venture Catalysts, a leading early-stage investor and incubator in India, has led a Rs 3.5  crore pre-seed round in Paar Autonomy, a robotics startup developing perception hardware and agentic AI for unmanned aerial, ground, and sea vehicles used in defence, policing, and industrial inspection. 

The startup previously raised an angel round with backing from two Indian drone industry pioneers.

Founded in 2024 by robotics engineer Vignesh Jayaraman, Paar Autonomy builds multi-sensor gimbal cameras with agentic AI that give drones and rovers advanced vision and real-time collaboration with humans. 

The funding will allow the startup to commission its first manufacturing line, deliver pilot units to defence and PSU customers, and recruit top talent in perception engineering, embedded AI, and business development.

Rannvijay Singha invests in Hammer

Hammer, a lifestyle and smart audio brand, has announced that Rannvijay Singha has joined as an investor, marking a new phase in the company’s focus on performance, portability, and style in lifestyle technology.

Since 2019, it has expanded its range to include wireless earbuds, headphones, smartwatches, and accessories, combining performance with everyday usability. With sleek designs and reliable quality, Hammer serves India’s tech-savvy generation.

Other news

Prosperr.io appoints Saibal Biswas as chief growth officer

Prosperr.io, an AI-driven tax and payroll platform, has appointed Saibal Biswas as chief growth officer.

Biswas brings over 20 years of experience in marketing, sales, and revenue operations at companies including Amazon Devices, Disney+Hotstar, Philips Lighting, Godrej Consumer Products, Hopscotch, and MediBuddy, with expertise in scaling businesses, building consumer brands, and driving revenue growth.

He will lead the expansion of Dynamic Payroll with CFOs, grow the B2C Super Saver subscriber base, and strengthen the brand around trust, innovation, and simplicity.

Dezerv appoints Susmit Patodia as group head of business, new initiatives

Dezerv, a wealth management firm, has appointed Susmit Patodia as Group Head of Business and New Initiatives.

At Dezerv, he will lead the company’s expansion strategy, working to improve service delivery across current offerings and identify new growth opportunities.

Patodia has over 21 years of experience in financial services, having held senior roles at Accenture, Edelweiss, Motilal Oswal, and most recently Antler. He brings expertise in institutional sales, portfolio management, and business development across varied market cycles.

byteXL launches national hackathon for engineering students

byteXL, an edtech company focused on engineering education, has launched its national hackathon, HacXLerate, aimed at connecting student innovators to real-world challenges using emerging technologies.

In collaboration with Qwipo, OneCompiler, and Vahan Bazar, HacXLerate offers undergraduate engineering students opportunities to gain practical experience, engage with industry professionals, and access internships and career prospects with participating companies.

HacXLerate will run in three stages: a 36-hour virtual round on September 27 and 28 2025 for prototype submissions, an onsite development round in Hyderabad on October 10 using byteXL’s Nimbus platform, and a final pitch on October 11.

SignDesk rebrands as Melento

SignDesk, a company specialising in digital workflow automation, has rebranded as Melento to focus on Agentic AI for enterprise operations.

The shift extends the company’s scope from document workflows to collaborative intelligence, where AI and human input work together to speed decision-making, reduce friction, and deliver measurable outcomes.

Melento has launched a low-code Collaborative Intelligence Platform aimed at regulated industries. The platform integrates structured and unstructured data to generate real-time insights, alerts, and recommendations. It includes an AI assistant that supports in-context collaboration, consolidating siloed data and manual approvals into a unified, actionable workflow.

EcoFuel receives order to convert 850 diesel buses to CNG in TN

EcoFuel, a provider of sustainable fuel solutions for the automotive sector, has received an order to convert 850 diesel buses to CNG in Tamil Nadu as part of the state’s clean transport programme.

The retrofit project will be carried out over the next 12 months, supporting Tamil Nadu’s efforts to advance sustainable public transport. With this order, EcoFuel Systems will have converted over 1,500 buses in India.

The company will carry out the retrofits across several State Transport Depots in Tamil Nadu using certified CNG conversion kits. Its technology is designed for safe integration and efficient fuel use.

Edtech Kruu launches two initiatives

Kruu, an edtech company focused on project-based learning, has launched two initiatives: the Kruu Youth Fellowship and College in the Cloud.

The Kruu Youth Fellowship is a 100-day pre-university programme for high school students. It guides participants through academic profiling, practical problem-solving, exposure to international universities, and involvement in industry or research projects, helping them compile a portfolio to support higher education and career planning.

College in the Cloud aims to integrate project-based learning into higher education. The programme includes masterclasses with international professors, mentored projects, skill-validated certifications, and access to internships, research opportunities, and startup incubation. Open to students across STEM, design, entrepreneurship, social sciences, humanities, and policy, it connects learners to a global network while providing practical skills for career development.

EV manufacturer Greaves expands B2B fleet operations

Greaves Electric Mobility, an electric vehicle manufacturer, has expanded its B2B fleet operations through a deeper partnership with TriEV, an electric fleet operator focused on last-mile delivery and sustainable mobility.

TriEV currently operates more than 850 Ampere Magnus SW S vehicles in Delhi and plans to increase the fleet to over 1,500 units in the coming months. The vehicles are deployed in collaboration with Indofast Energy, which provides energy infrastructure and battery-swapping solutions to improve fleet uptime and efficiency.

The partnership with TriEV marks a step in Greaves’ strategy to strengthen its B2B presence with vehicles and solutions tailored for fleet operations.

(This article will be updated with the latest news throughout the day.)