Weekly Roundup: Top Startup Fundings Deals (August 23–29) Diverse Sectors See Fresh Capital Inflows
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The startup ecosystem in India continues to attract strong investor interest, with companies across fintech, housing finance, and lifestyle brands raising significant funding this week. From empowering small businesses with financial access to enabling new-age digital banking and redefining jewelry for millennials, these startups represent diverse sectors shaping India's growth story. Here are the week's top funding highlights.
Vistaar Financial Services – MSME Lending
Inception Year: 2010
Founders: Brahmanand Hegde, Ramakrishna Nishtala
Based-out: Bengaluru
Vistaar Financial Services provides secured loans to micro, small, and medium enterprises that often struggle with access to organised finance. Its customer base ranges from shopkeepers and power loom operators to small manufacturers, kirana stores, and home-based businesses. By enabling financial inclusion for underserved segments, Vistaar has become a critical enabler of grassroots entrepreneurship in India.
Funding Amount: USD 164 Million
Investors: Motilal Oswal Alternates, ABC Impact, and others
TransBnk – Transaction Banking Infrastructure
Inception Year: 2022
Founders: Vaibhav Tambe, Lavin Kotian, Sachin Gupta, Pulak Jain
Based-out: Mumbai
TransBnk builds transaction banking infrastructure for enterprises and banks, delivering API-led solutions for escrow management, reconciliation, and cash flow automation. By working with banks to offer escrow-as-a-service, the company helps startups, lenders, and fintech players onboard faster and operate with greater efficiency. Its services are increasingly vital in a digital-first economy.
Funding Amount: USD 25 Million
Investors: Bessemer Venture Partners, Arkam Ventures, Fundamentum Partnership, 8i Ventures, Accion Venture Labs, GMO Venture Partners
Kiwi – Fintech Startup
Inception Year: 2022
Founders: Siddharth Mehta, Mohit Bedi, Anup Agrawal
Based-out: Bengaluru
Kiwi integrates RuPay credit cards with UPI, giving users the flexibility of credit alongside the widespread merchant acceptance of UPI. The platform currently offers rewards and is working on new features such as EMI options and add-ons for credit cards. Positioned at the intersection of credit access and UPI's scale, Kiwi is unlocking new possibilities for digital payments in India.
Funding Amount: USD 24 Million
Investors: Vertex Ventures South East Asia and India, Nexus Venture Partners, Stellaris Venture Partners, Omidyar Network
Altum Credo Home Finance – Housing Finance
Inception Year: 2016
Founders: Vikrant Bhagwat, Ganesh Rao, Ashish Tewari
Based-out: Pune
Altum Credo Home Finance focuses on affordable housing loans, particularly for low-income and first-time buyers in urban and semi-urban areas. With loan sizes ranging from INR 4 lakh to INR 40 lakh and flexible tenures of 5–20 years, the company empowers customers who traditionally face challenges accessing formal housing finance.
Funding Amount: USD 19.5 Million
Investors: British International Investment (BII)
CredRight – NBFC for Micro Enterprises
Inception Year: 2016
Founders: Neeraj Bansal, Vineet Jawa
Based-out: Hyderabad
CredRight operates a unique "phygital" model combining physical presence with digital lending to support India's underserved micro and small businesses. Leveraging machine learning algorithms and alternate data, the company ensures faster loan disbursals for shopkeepers, traders, and micro-entrepreneurs lacking traditional credit histories.
Funding Amount: USD 10 Million
Investors: Abler Nordic, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Unleash Capital
Palmonas – Jewellery Brand
Inception Year: 2022
Founders: Pallavi Mohadikar, Dr Amol Patwari; Shraddha Kapoor (Co-founder, 2023)
Based-out: Pune
Palmonas brings demi-fine jewelry to Indian consumers, bridging fine jewelry's luxury with the affordability of fashion accessories. Crafted with sterling silver, stainless steel, and 18K gold plating, the brand offers modern, durable, and stylish collections that appeal to contemporary buyers seeking everyday elegance.
Funding Amount: USD 6.6 Million
Investor: Vertex Ventures SEAI
This week's funding deals highlight the diversity of India's entrepreneurial landscape, from fintech to financial inclusion and lifestyle brands. With strong backing from global and domestic investors, these startups are well-positioned to scale and create lasting impact in their respective domains.
