This Week's Best Startup Funding Deals (Dec 14–20) This week's funding deals (Dec 14–20) spotlighted several innovative startups across various industries, raising significant capital to fuel their growth.

Bureau: Revolutionising Fraud Prevention

Bengaluru-based Bureau, an AI-driven platform founded by Ranjan R Reddy in 2020, offers real-time, contextual fraud prevention across customer lifecycles, going beyond traditional rule-based systems. Its proprietary identity knowledge graph, which encompasses over half a billion identities and behavioral data, provides actionable risk intelligence and insights. Serving industries such as banking, fintech, gaming, e-commerce, and consumer internet, Bureau's platform is designed to protect enterprises from various forms of fraud, including money mule detection, account takeover, fraud ring detection, and onboarding compliance.

Funding Amount: USD 30 Million

Investors: Sorenson Capital, PayPal Ventures, Commerce Ventures, GMO Venture Partners, Village Global, Quona Capital, XYZ Ventures

Veefin Group: Innovating Supply Chain Finance

Veefin Group is a Mumbai-based technology partner for banks, financial institutions, and corporates. Specialising in digital supply chain finance and lending solutions, Veefin is transforming how supply chain finance and digital lending are approached. Its white-labeled solutions cater to a diverse clientele, including banks, fintech firms, B2B marketplaces, and large corporations. With over 500 clients, including DBS Bank, IBM, and Jio Finance, Veefin's platform offers end-to-end solutions, from customer onboarding to underwriting, transaction management, and collections processes.

Funding Amount: USD 16 Million

Parafin: Empowering Small Businesses

The financial infrastructure platform Parafin, co-founded by Sahill Poddar and Vineet Goel, provides embedded financial products to small businesses, empowering them to navigate complex capital markets and regulatory frameworks. By offering integrated financial solutions for platforms like Amazon, Walmart, DoorDash, TikTok, and Worldpay, Parafin enables small business sellers to access capital, spend management tools, and savings solutions with a single integration. The company's mission is to help small businesses grow despite economic challenges.

Funding Amount: USD 100 Million

Investors: Notable Capital, Redpoint Ventures, Ribbit Capital, Thrive Capital, GIC

Bizom: Transforming Retail Intelligence

Bizom, a Bengaluru-based SaaS platform founded in 2008, specialises in optimising route-to-market operations for retail brands, with a focus on improving sales efficiency and distribution strategies. Bizom's AI-powered platform offers sales automation tools, predictive analytics, and distribution optimisation, providing actionable insights that help brands place the right products at the right outlets. Serving industries such as consumer packaged goods (CPG), dairy, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), Bizom is revolutionising the retail intelligence landscape.

Funding Amount: USD 12 Million

Investors: Pavestone, IndiaMART

Zetwerk: A Global Manufacturing Powerhouse

Zetwerk, a Bengaluru-based manufacturing platform founded in 2018, offers a comprehensive suite of manufacturing services, including CNC machining, die casting, 3D printing, and more, serving industries ranging from consumer electronics to aircraft engine components. Zetwerk aims to transform the manufacturing industry by helping its clients reduce costs, improve quality, and optimise inventory management.

Funding Amount: USD 90 Million

Investors: Khosla Ventures, IndiGo Airlines Co-founder Rakesh Gangwal, Baillie Gifford, Greenoaks, Avenir Growth

Perplexity AI: Redefining Search with AI

Perplexity AI, a conversational search engine founded in 2022, uses large language models (LLMs) to deliver personalised search results, citing web sources directly in the responses. Perplexity AI offers both a free plan, powered by GPT-3.5 with browsing capabilities, and a premium offering, Perplexity Pro, which includes advanced features like internal file search, API access, and the ability to analyse images. In November 2024, the company launched a shopping hub featuring product cards backed by Amazon and Nvidia, as well as finance tools and AI-powered collaboration.

Funding Amount: USD 500 Million

Investors: IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)

The funding rounds this week highlight a diverse range of startups that are driving innovation across industries. From fraud prevention and supply chain finance to retail intelligence, manufacturing, and AI-powered search, these companies are leveraging cutting-edge technologies to solve real-world problems. With substantial investments backing their growth, these startups are well-positioned to make a significant impact in their respective fields in the coming years