This Week in Funding: Tessolve Leads the Pack CityMall, Seekho, Blue Tokai, and FirstClub also raised capital this week.

This week, we saw investors betting on diverse sectors— semiconductors, quick commerce, vernacular edtech, specialty coffee, and community-driven retail. From tech innovations to platforms that cater directly to consumers, startups have successfully secured substantial funding to scale their operations and expand their offerings. Here are the top funding highlights of the week (August 30–September 5).

Tessolve (Semiconductors & Embedded Engineering)
Inception: 2004
Founders: Srini Chinamilli and Raja Manickam
Headquartered: Bengaluru

Tessolve is a leading provider of end-to-end semiconductor and embedded engineering solutions. The company acts as a one-stop-shop for industries such as automotive, industrial, and IoT, offering services from chip design and hardware/software development to post-silicon support and advanced testing. With expertise in AI integration, IoT connectivity, and custom silicon platforms, Tessolve empowers OEMs and silicon firms globally.
Funding: USD 150 Million
Investor: TPG

CityMall (Community-led E-commerce)
Inception: 2019
Founders: Angad Kikla, Naisheel Verdhan, and Rahul Gill
Headquartered: Gurugram

CityMall is a community-commerce platform that caters to consumers in India's tier III and IV cities. By leveraging local community leaders, it brings affordable groceries, FMCG goods, white goods, electronics, and fashion to smaller towns. The platform bridges urban-rural retail gaps while creating entrepreneurial opportunities for local leaders.
Funding: USD 47 Million
Investors: Accel, Waterbridge Ventures, Citius, General Catalyst, Elevation Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, Jungle Ventures

Seekho (Edtech – Vernacular Learning)
Inception: 2020
Founders: Rohit Choudhary, Keertay Agarwal, and Yash Banwani
Headquartered: Bengaluru

Seekho delivers vernacular bite-sized learning content across business, career, and self-growth categories. With three-to-five-minute videos, it simplifies concepts like digital presence building, business operations, and language learning. Its app aims to make skilling and self-improvement accessible to India's mass market by focusing on short, engaging, and practical learning formats.
Funding: USD 28 Million
Investors: Bessemer Venture Partners, Goodwater Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Elevation Capital

Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters (F&B – Specialty Coffee)
Inception: 2013
Founders: Matt Chitharanjan, Namrata Asthana, and Shivam Shahi
Headquartered: New Delhi

Blue Tokai has established itself as a premium specialty coffee brand. Offering roasted beans, cold brews, and ready-to-drink coffee, it caters to consumers through cafes, online subscriptions, and retail stores. Known for sourcing high-quality beans, the company has cultivated a loyal base of coffee enthusiasts who value freshness and craft.
Funding: USD 25 Million
Investors: A91 Partners, Anicut, Verlinvest, 12 Flags

FirstClub (Quick Commerce – Premium Lifestyle)
Inception: 2025
Founder: Ayyappan R
Headquartered: Bengaluru

FirstClub is a membership-based quick commerce platform targeting India's affluent consumers. With a focus on premium offerings, its product portfolio spans fresh produce, packaged foods, dairy, bakery, FMCG, and nutrition. About 95% of items are locally sourced, with the rest imported. The company also plans to expand into pet care, children's food, nutraceuticals, and home care.
Funding: USD 23 Million
Investors: Accel, RTP Global, Blume Founders Fund, 2am VC, Paramark Ventures, Aditya Birla Ventures