TLDR: A daily roundup of significant developments in the Indian startup landscape, including Prosus’s strategic investments in AI, major funding for electric bus infrastructure, affordable housing finance, and interior design, alongside new AI product launches and strategic partnerships in Generative AI.
YourStory.com has published its daily roundup of startup news and updates for September 12, 2025, highlighting several key movements within the Indian ecosystem.
Strategic Investments and Funding Rounds:
Dutch investment firm Prosus is making notable strides by actively investing in Indian AI startups, a strategic move to diversify its portfolio at a time when other foreign investors are exploring AI opportunities elsewhere. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced a significant commitment of $137 million to bolster India’s electric bus fleet, with $100 million allocated to JBM ECOLIFE (part of JBM Auto) and $37 million in mezzanine capital for Eversource Capital-backed GreenCell Mobility.
In the affordable housing sector, Chennai-based Unico Housing Finance Pvt. Ltd successfully raised Rs 120 crore in an equity infusion from Anicut Capital and UC Impower. This capital injection is earmarked for expanding its reach into India’s burgeoning affordable housing finance market, particularly targeting underserved Tier II and III cities, and will boost its net worth beyond Rs 210 crore. Additionally, interior design firm Flipspaces secured $50 million in funding, intended for expansion and to enhance its AI technology capabilities.
Homemade pickle brand FarmDidi successfully closed a Rs 7 crore seed funding round. The round was led by Samved Ventures, with participation from LetsVenture, Indigram Labs, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, and a consortium of angel investors from IIM Calcutta and Symbiosis. The funds will be utilized to strengthen its team, invest in research and development, improve technology-led quality control systems, and expand its network of rural women entrepreneurs (‘Didis’) from 2,000 to over 5,000 in the coming years.
New Products and Partnerships:
Telecom solutions provider blackNgreen has invested Rs 40 crore into its new voice-first AI product named EVA. This innovative product boasts the ability to operate in over 95 languages and adapt in real-time across various enterprise platforms. EVA is designed to handle diverse functions, including customer care, providing daily assistance and specialized information via phone calls, acting as a virtual receptionist, and performing AI-driven sales partner roles.
In a significant collaboration for the agricultural sector, the K-Tech Centre of Excellence for Agri Innovation (Agri CoE) of C-CAMP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bayer Science and Innovation Private Ltd. The MoU outlines objectives such as identifying and mentoring startups, facilitating deployments and pilots at Bayer’s R&D facilities, providing market access support, and fostering co-development partnerships for mutually beneficial agricultural technologies. It also explores potential investment or commercial partnerships, including licenses or technology transfers.
ShellKode, a company specializing in Generative AI (GenAI) and data solutions, has entered into a Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services (AWS). This partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of GenAI and Agentic AI technologies across India. ShellKode will leverage AWS’s advanced GenAI services, including Amazon Bedrock and Amazon Bedrock Agents, to assist enterprises in sectors like financial services, retail, logistics, and healthcare in building and deploying GenAI solutions and specialized AI agents, significantly reducing deployment timelines from months to weeks.
Other Notable Developments:
Indian tennis icon Sania Mirza has joined sports and fitness brand Boldfit as both a brand athlete and an investor. This collaboration will see Boldfit and Mirza co-create and promote a new line of tennis rackets and pickleball paddles specifically designed for Indian players and sports enthusiasts. Sania Mirza commented, “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.”
Also Read:
- India’s Generative AI Landscape: Key Players and Driving Forces
- ShellKode and AWS Forge Strategic Alliance to Propel Generative AI Adoption Across Indian Enterprises
ICICI Bank has inaugurated a new branch in Bengaluru, exclusively dedicated to serving the banking needs of startups. This branch offers a comprehensive suite of digital and physical banking services, including business banking, personal banking, digital banking, API solutions, and global services. It is also designed to function as an experience and engagement center, facilitating networking opportunities between startups and venture capitalists, supported by a dedicated relationship management team.
