[Weekly funding roundup Feb 8-14] VC inflows see a sharp rise

The second week of February turned out better for the Indian startup ecosystem, with venture capital (VC) funding showing a sharp increase, boosted by a couple of $50 million plus deals.

The total funding for the week came in $323 million spread across 30 deals. In contrast, the previous week the total amount was just $80 million. This is certainly a relief for the ecosystem.

This sharp increase in VC funding mirrors the uneven flow of capital into Indian startups in 2025, as the fund flow has dropped below the $100 million level on a weekly basis and is going all the way above $300 million.

The funding amount this week is the highest the ecosystem has witnessed for the year till now. There is no guarantee that there will be steady uptrend in the fund flow, as macroeconomic conditions continue to be challenging.

During the week, the maximum activity continues to be in the early stage category of funding with 24 deals. This is going to be a dominant theme right through the year, where investors will continue to place their bets on early stage startups.

At the same time, the Indian startup continues to witness interesting developments. Kinara, a semiconductor industry focused startup was acquired by NXP. On the other hand, Peak XV, which was formerly Sequoia India saw two of its partners leaving the firm.

Key transactions

Tech startup ToneTag raised Rs 674 crore ($77.5 million approximately) from ValueQuest S.C.A.L.E. Fund, Iron Pillar and Elevate Inflection Capital LLC.

Tech startup SpotDraft raised $54 million from Vertex Growth Singapore, Trident Partners, Xeed VC, Arkam Ventures, Prosus Ventures, and Premji Invest.

Fintech startup Zeta raised $50 million from Optum.

Ride-hailing app Rapido raised Rs 250 crore ($28.7 million approx.) from Prosus.

JQR (Just Quick Run), a footwear brand raised $25 million from Venturi Partners.

Tech startup Lucidity raised $21 million from WestBridge Capital and Alpha Wave.

D2C startup The Whole Truth raised Rs 133 crore ($15.3 million approx.) from Sofina Ventures, Peak XV Partners, Z47, and Sauce.vc.

BorderPlus, a HR tech startup raised $7 million from Owl Ventures and angel investors.

Sexual wellness brand Bold Care raised $5 million from AVT Group, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund, MGA Ventures LLP, Claris Capital Limited and others.