
Escape Plan and Plenome Technologies Raise Early-Stage Funding
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Travel Startup Escape Plan Secures USD 5 Mn Funding
Escape Plan has raised USD 5 million in a seed round from Jungle Ventures' First Cheque@Jungle initiative and Fireside Ventures.
The Bengaluru-based travel and lifestyle startup plans to use the funds to deepen its inventory, form strategic brand partnerships, and expand its quick commerce and retail presence.
Founded in 2025 by Abhinav Pathak and Abhinav Zutshi, Escape Plan operates as a multi-brand travel platform. It offers a wide selection of travel products including luggage, backpacks, passport covers, and neck pillows, all with an aim of two-hour delivery.
"Our focus is not just on luggage but on solving every small travel need with a tailored approach. We are building a platform that includes a rewards system and services such as second-hand purchases and refurbishments," said Abhinav Pathak, Co-founder and CEO.
Pathak earlier founded Perpule, a retail tech firm acquired by Amazon in 2021. Zutshi brings more than ten years of experience in retail, having worked with Landmark Group and Forever 21.
Escape Plan aims to scale through a hybrid retail model combining physical stores, local delivery, and immersive shopping experiences. The startup is targeting over 100 stores in the next two years.
Rishab Malik of Jungle Ventures said the founders' approach stands out in an underserved category for Indian consumers seeking global-quality travel products.
IIT Madras-Incubated Plenome Secures INR 6.5 Cr Funding for Global Push
Plenome Technologies has secured INR 6.5 crore in a seed funding round from a mix of Indian and international investors. The round was led by Ovington Capital Partners from Luxembourg, with participation from UAE-based AADI and angel investor Manish Gandhi.
The funds will be used to fuel the company's expansion into global markets and strengthen its blockchain and artificial intelligence solutions across healthcare, organ donation, and remote voting sectors.
The company was founded by Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award recipient Professor Prabhu Rajagopal along with Vijayaraja Rathinasamy and Anirudh Varna. Incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Plenome Technologies focuses on developing secure, scalable, and interoperable digital infrastructure for managing sensitive data.
Its key offerings include BlockTrack OrganEase, a platform currently in pilot testing with a state transplant authority to manage organ donation systems. Another product, BlockVote, is a remote voting solution that has already been deployed at IIT Madras and is now being considered for use in enterprise elections.
Plenome is also piloting Ashwin, an AI-powered suite for capturing structured and multilingual health data in dental clinics. Plans are underway to extend this technology to areas such as eye care, fertility, and cosmetic treatments. The startup integrates distributed ledger technology with artificial intelligence to ensure secure data management and user privacy.
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