Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (September 12, 2025)

From why Prosus is betting on AI startups in India to IFC’s investment to boost India’s e-bus fleet, YourStory brings you stories that highlight significant developments across industries. 

Featured news

Why Prosus is betting on AI startups in India to broaden its portfolio

At a time when foreign investors are looking away from India to back ambitious AI bets elsewhere, Dutch investment company Prosus is taking baby steps to invest in homegrown startups that are leveraging AI. 

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Funding news

IFC to invest $137M to boost India’s e-bus fleet; partners with JBM Group, GreenCell Mobility

International Finance Corporation on Thursday said it will provide $137 million in financing to electric bus makers JBM ECOLIFE, part of JBM Auto, and GreenCell Mobility.

According to the company, it will provide $100 million to JBM ECOLIFE and $37 million in mezzanine capital—a combination of equity and debt financing—to Eversource Capital-backed GreenCell.

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Unico Housing Finance raises Rs 120 Cr from Anicut Capital, UC Impower to fuel expansion

Chennai-based Unico Housing Finance Pvt. Ltd has raised Rs 120 crore from Anicut Capital and UC Impower to expand its footprint in India’s affordable housing finance market, which is seeing strong demand from first-time home buyers in smaller towns.

The funding, an equity infusion, will boost the lender's net worth beyond Rs 210 crore and help scale its operations across underserved Tier II and III cities, the company said in a statement.

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Also Read

Interior design firm Flipspaces raises $50M to expand, boost AI tech

blackNgreen invests Rs 40 Cr in AI product

Telecom solutions provider blackNgreen on Friday said it has invested Rs 40 crore into its new voice-first AI product, EVA.

The product can operate in over 95 languages and can adapt in real time across diverse enterprise platforms. It can equip customer care requirements, can provide daily help and specialised information with a phone call, act as an assistance, provide virtual receptionist services, and also perform AI-driven sales partners functions.

Homemade pickle brand FarmDidi raises Rs 7 Cr in seed funding

Direct-to-consumer brand FarmDidi on Friday said it has raised Rs 7 crore in a seed round led by Samved Ventures.

The round also saw participation from LetsVenture, Indigram Labs, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, and angel investors from IIM Calcutta and Symbiosis.

The funding will be used to strengthen the company’s team, invest in R&D, improve technology-led quality control systems, and expand its community of Didis (rural women entrepreneurs) from 2,000 to over 5,000 in the coming years.

Other news

C-CAMP-GoK Agri Centre of Excellence signs MoU with Bayer

The K-Tech Centre of Excellence for Agri Innovation (Agri CoE) of C-CAMP on Friday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bayer Science and Innovation Private Ltd.

The primary objectives of the MoU include startup identification, mentorship and handholding support, deployments or pilots with Bayer’s R&D facilities, market access support and co-development partnerships for mutually selected technologies.

The MoU also lays down a framework to explore potential investment or commercial partnerships, such as licenses or technology transfers, to enable and facilitate the idea-to-product journey of emerging agricultural technologies.

Sania Mirza becomes investor in Boldfit

Boldfit, a sports and fitness brand, has announced that Indian tennis icon Sania Mirza has joined this startup as brand athlete and investor. Together, Boldfit and Sania will co-create and promote a new range of tennis rackets and pickleball paddles, specifically designed for Indian players and sports enthusiasts.

Through this collaboration, Boldfit aims to expand its footprint in racket sports, combining product innovation with athlete-driven insights. The addition of Sania Mirza is aimed at strengthening Boldfit’s goal to make sports a lifestyle, not just a game.

“Tennis has given me everything in life, and now I want to give back by making the sport more accessible in India. Pickleball, too, is exploding as a sport for all ages. Partnering with Boldfit allows me to use my years of experience to help design equipment that is lighter, durable, and built for Indian players. I believe this will inspire more people to pick up a racket and fall in love with these sports,” said Sania Mirza.

With this partnership, the Boldfit Athlete roster now spans cricket, table tennis, tennis, pickleball, and more.

ShellKode partners with AWS for GenAI adoption

ShellKode, a GenAI and data industry focused solution company, has entered into a strategic collaboration agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to fast-track the adoption of Generative AI (GenAI) and Agentic AI technologies in India.

Under this agreement, ShellKode will leverage its expertise in AWS’s advanced Generative AI services, including Amazon Bedrock and Amazon Bedrock Agents, to help enterprises across sectors like financial services, retail, logistics, and healthcare accelerate GenAI adoption at scale and build GenAI solutions and specialised AI agents.

According to a statement, the collaboration with AWS will help ShellKode cut enterprise AI deployment timelines from months to weeks, helping businesses move faster from experimentation to production.

ICICI Bank opens branch dedicated to startups in Bengaluru

ICICI Bank opened a branch in Bengaluru aimed at catering to the banking needs of startups through a suite of digital and physical offerings. This branch is designed to serve as a one-stop destination for emerging businesses at various stages of the journey of startups. The key services being offered are business banking, personal banking, digital banking, API solutions and global services.

This branch will also serve as an experience and engagement centre by facilitating networking with venture capitalists. A dedicated relationship management team is also in place to provide startups with personalised support.