• Startup Pulse
    EloElo Group raises $80 million in a Series C round led by Hornbill Capital and NBCUniversal, with MIT Investment Co. and existing investors participating. Peppermint Robotics raises ₹100 crore (approximately $10.5 million) in a Pre-Series B round led by pi Ventures and Crane Venture Partners, with Asiana Fund participating. Traversal raises $120 million in a Series B round at a $1 billion valuation, led by Kleiner Perkins, Redpoint and Khosla Ventures, with Sequoia Capital, Battery Ventures and Amex Ventures participating. GIVA raises over $100 million in a round led by Multiples Alternate Asset Management. The Croffle Guys raises ₹14 crore in a round led by V3 Ventures, with N.A.N Partners participating. Solgram raises over $1 million in a pre-seed round led by DSG Consumer Partners and Saama Capital, with Kapil Chopra participating. Sachin Tendulkar makes a strategic investment in Metasports Interactive, the company behind Hitwicket. The amount was not disclosed. Hyeglo Beauty raises ₹7 crore in a round led by Sauce, with Giga Capital, Consumer Collective, Reckitt's Arjun Purkayastha and The Patient Capital participating. Unify Foodworks raises ₹5 crore in seed funding through convertible debentures from Atrium Ventures, SailThru Ventures, Arjun Vaidya and Abhishek Goyal. OBSESS raises approximately ₹3 crore in an angel round from Pushpendra Singh, Amit Goel and Harshit Vij. EloElo Group raises $80 million in a Series C round led by Hornbill Capital and NBCUniversal, with MIT Investment Co. and existing investors participating. Peppermint Robotics raises ₹100 crore (approximately $10.5 million) in a Pre-Series B round led by pi Ventures and Crane Venture Partners, with Asiana Fund participating. Traversal raises $120 million in a Series B round at a $1 billion valuation, led by Kleiner Perkins, Redpoint and Khosla Ventures, with Sequoia Capital, Battery Ventures and Amex Ventures participating. GIVA raises over $100 million in a round led by Multiples Alternate Asset Management. The Croffle Guys raises ₹14 crore in a round led by V3 Ventures, with N.A.N Partners participating. Solgram raises over $1 million in a pre-seed round led by DSG Consumer Partners and Saama Capital, with Kapil Chopra participating. Sachin Tendulkar makes a strategic investment in Metasports Interactive, the company behind Hitwicket. The amount was not disclosed. Hyeglo Beauty raises ₹7 crore in a round led by Sauce, with Giga Capital, Consumer Collective, Reckitt's Arjun Purkayastha and The Patient Capital participating. Unify Foodworks raises ₹5 crore in seed funding through convertible debentures from Atrium Ventures, SailThru Ventures, Arjun Vaidya and Abhishek Goyal. OBSESS raises approximately ₹3 crore in an angel round from Pushpendra Singh, Amit Goel and Harshit Vij.
  • ChinniKrishnan Innovation Awards 2025 Now Open for Nominations from Startups and MSMEs

    ChinniKrishnan Innovation Awards 2025

    Pune: CavinKare, in partnership with the Madras Management Association (MMA), has officially invited nominations for the 14th edition of the ChinniKrishnan Innovation Awards 2025, a distinguished platform that recognizes India’s most disruptive and purpose-driven innovations emerging from startups and MSMEs.

    The ChinniKrishnan Innovation Awards are open to Indian enterprises with an annual turnover not exceeding ₹50 crores in the financial year 2023–24.

    Entrepreneurs and enterprises can apply online via www.ckinnovationawards.in or give a missed call to +91 63746 03433. The last date to submit nominations is July 1, 2025.

    Instituted in memory of Late Shri R ChinniKrishnan, a visionary known for pioneering the sachet revolution, the awards celebrate innovations that combine uniqueness, scalability, sustainability, and social impact.

    Key Highlights of the ChinniKrishnan Innovation Awards 2025:
    • Open to startups and MSMEs with turnover under ₹50 crore (FY 2023–24)
    • Winners receive ₹1 lakh cash prize

    Comprehensive business development support:

    • Branding, packaging, and marketing
    • Patent filing and R&D guidance
    • Financial and HR advisory
    • One-year mentorship by industry experts
    • Connections to banks and funding institutions

    “Innovation that improves everyday life and creates inclusive, transformative growth is at the heart of this initiative,” said CK Ranganathan, Chairman and Managing Director of CavinKare.

    “The ChinniKrishnan Innovation Awards serve as a platform to spotlight emerging changemakers who challenge the norm and redefine possibilities.”

    Since its inception in 2011, the awards have supported over 50 entrepreneurial ventures, nurturing a community of innovative problem-solvers dedicated to creating meaningful change across India’s socio-economic landscape.

    Author

    • Salil Urunkar

      Salil Urunkar is a senior journalist and the editorial mind behind Sahyadri Startups. With years of experience covering Pune’s entrepreneurial rise, he’s passionate about telling the real stories of founders, disruptors, and game-changers.

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