The Startup Buzz: This Week's Biggest Funding Headlines (November 16-22) This week, startups across quick commerce, consumer nutrition, insurance tech, cancer diagnostics, gaming, and logistics raised significant funding, showcasing strong investment activity from November 16 to November 22.
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1. Zepto
Funding Amount: USD 350 Million
Investors: Motilal Oswal Private Wealth, Raamdeo Agarwal, the Taparia Family Office, Mankind Pharma Family Office, RP Sanjiv Goenka Group, Cello Family Office, Haldiram Snacks Family Office, Sachin Tendulkar, Abhishek Bachchan
Zepto, a Mumbai-based quick commerce (Q-commerce) company, continues to dominate India's hyper-competitive grocery delivery space. Founded in July 2021 by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, the company operates over 250 dark stores across ten metropolitan areas in India. Now valued at over USD 5 billion, Zepto's latest funding round solidifies its position as a leader in the Q-commerce sector.
2. HealthKart
Funding Amount: USD 153 Million
Investors: ChrysCapital, Motilal Oswal Alternates, Neo Group, A91 Partners
HealthKart, founded in 2011 by Sameer Maheshwari, has emerged as India's leading consumer nutrition platform. Based in Gurugram, the company owns brands like MuscleBlaze, HK Vitals, and Gritzo, catering to protein supplements, dietary needs, and kids' nutrition. With over 200 retail stores across 90+ cities, HealthKart operates a robust omnichannel presence.
3. Zopper
Funding Amount: USD 25 Million
Investors: Elevation Capital, Dharana Capital, Blume Ventures
Noida-based Zopper has transformed into a SaaS platform enabling consumer internet companies to distribute insurance products. Founded in 2011 by Surjendu Kuila and Mayank Gupta, Zopper's pivot post-2018 acquisition by PhonePe has positioned it as a leader in insurance technology. With its APIs simplifying insurance distribution and partnerships with top insurance providers, Zopper aims to strengthen the insurance ecosystem with its USD 25 million funding.
4. OneCell Diagnostics
Funding Amount: USD 16 Million
Investors: Celesta Capital, Tenacity Ventures, Cedars Sinai, Eragon, Singularity Ventures
OneCell Diagnostics, headquartered in Pune, operates in the cancer diagnostics space. Known for its OncoIndx Alfa liquid biopsy test, the company delivers advanced biomarkers for cancer detection and monitoring. Operating under a B2B2C model, OneCell collaborates with oncologists and hospitals to deliver cutting-edge solutions.
5. Kratos Games Network (KGeN)
Funding Amount: USD 10 Million
Investors: Aptos Labs, Polygon, Game7
Founded in early 2023 by Manish Agarwal and Ishank Gupta, Kratos Games Network (KGeN) is building a decentralised gamer network. The Proof of Gamer (POG) Engine enables gamers to own, build, and monetise their gaming reputations, aggregating data across millions of micro-gaming communities. With operations across India, Brazil, Nigeria, Southeast Asia, and MENA regions, the company plans to use the funds to advance its Web3 capabilities and further integrate blockchain solutions into gaming ecosystems.
6. Blitz
Funding Amount: USD 6.3 Million (INR 52 Crore)
Investors: IvyCap Ventures, India Quotient, Alteria Capital, Ramesh Bafna (Zepto), Siddharth (Snitch), Bestseller CEO Vinit Gautam, Amitabh Suri (Arvind Fashion)
Blitz, a quick-commerce logistics enabler founded in 2020 by Gaurav Piyush, Mayank Varshney, and Yash Sharma, offers 60-minute deliveries and same-day shipments from urban warehouses. Operating in 10 cities, Blitz connects brands and consumers efficiently.
This week's funding highlights underscore the vibrancy and diversity of the Indian startup ecosystem. From healthcare and insurance tech to gaming and quick commerce, startups are innovating to address emerging market needs. These funding rounds not only fuel their growth but also strengthen their market presence and competitive edge.
