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Time of India
15 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
ET Soonicorns Sundowner 2025: How healthcare and HRTech are quietly powering Hyderabad's startup ascent
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Healthcare Booking Platforms have demonstrated remarkable capital efficiency, raising a massive $335.7 million across just 20 funding rounds from 58 unique investors. This translates to an average funding of $16.8 million per round, a testament to the high conviction investors have in the scalability and market potential of health-tech solutions emerging from the region. Companies are innovating in areas such as telemedicine, online diagnostics, and at-home healthcare services, addressing critical gaps in the healthcare landscape. Similarly, the HRTech sector has been a hotbed of activity, securing $311.7 million from 43 investors across 40 rounds. The sector is not only attracting significant capital, including a mega-round, but is also witnessing a phenomenal entrepreneurial boom, with 155 new companies founded during the period. This indicates an intense focus on creating innovative solutions for modern workforce management, from recruitment and payroll to employee engagement and upskilling. Hyderabad-based startup Darwinbox has already achieved unicorn status, paving the way for others in this space. While the titans of Bengaluru and Mumbai have long dominated India's startup narrative, a powerful new current of innovation is surging from the heart of Telangana. In a surprising twist, it's not the usual suspects of e-commerce or fintech leading the charge. Instead, the Healthcare Bookings and HRTech sectors have emerged as the unexpected engines driving capital, innovation, and immense growth in the Hyderabad cluster, signalling a major shift in India's technology month, the city's dynamic startup ecosystem is set for its most definitive pulse check yet. On July 31, 2025, The Economic Times, in collaboration with leading data intelligence platform Tracxn, will unveil the much-anticipated 'ET Top Soonicorns and Minicorns X Top Sectors AP-Telangana 2025' report at the inaugural ET Soonicorns Sundowner in Hyderabad. To be formally launched by Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana, the report signals the start of a new city-focused spin-off from the ET Soonicorns Summit , India's largest congregation for soonicorns or startups valued at or near $1 numbers speak for themselves. Between January 2020 and May 2025, the twin states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana saw a flurry of startup activity, but Hyderabad emerged as the undisputed epicentre. The city alone accounted for over 2,500 new startups and attracted a staggering $2.1 billion in funding. This represents an astonishing 99.7% of the total startup capital invested in the entire region, cementing Hyderabad's status as a complete and self-sustaining startup surge has transformed the city into a magnet for talent and investment, fostering a vibrant landscape that spans from early-stage seed ventures to scalable 'soonicorns' and 'minicorns' or startups valued between $100 million and $500 million. This growth hasn't gone unnoticed, with Hyderabad now ranking among the top startup hotspots in Asia The forthcoming 'ET Top Soonicorns and Minicorns' report, which analyzes over 1500 companies, reveals a compelling story about where the smart money is flowing. The analysis classifies sectors into priority tiers, with 'P0' representing the top 10 sectors with the highest number of active investors—a clear signal of broad market at the pinnacle of the P0 category are Healthcare Booking Platforms and HRTech. Together, these two sectors have attracted over $640 million in combined funding, drawing significant interest from a diverse range of are some key insights:Beyond the top two: A diversified and thriving ecosystemWhile Healthcare and HRTech command the lead, the report highlights a robust and diversified ecosystem. The EdTech sector, particularly K-12 EdTech and Continued Learning, has seen the birth of over 370 new companies. Though the total funding is more moderate, the sheer volume of new ventures and investor interest points to a highly competitive and innovative early-stage E-commerce and logistics verticals also feature prominently in the P0 list. Online Grocery and Logistics Tech have attracted significant investor attention, reflecting the region's strengths in consumer-facing and supply chain MarketingTech stands out for having produced the highest number of minicorns at four among the P0 sectors, signaling a healthy pipeline of companies poised for significant report also identifies 'P1' sectors, characterised by high total funding from a more concentrated group of investors. These include high-growth frontiers such as Electric Vehicles (EVs), Beauty Tech, and Alternative Lending, which are attracting substantial capital and producing a new generation of promising ET Soonicorns Sundowner: Where data meets dialogueThe evening of July 31st promises to be a confluence of the sharpest minds in the region, bringing together founders, investors, and policymakers for insightful discussions, storytelling-led sessions, and exclusive networking data and insights from the upcoming 'ET Top Soonicorns and Minicorns' report, in collaboration with Tracxn, to be launched at the ET Soonicorns Sundowner Hyderabad, will provide the first truly definitive look into the mechanics of this silent revolution. As the spotlight shifts to Hyderabad, one thing is clear: the city is not just building startups; it is building the future, one innovative solution at a time. The nation will be watching closely as this southern powerhouse takes its well-deserved place on the main stage of India's startup-innovation new ET Soonicorns Sundowner 2025 series aims to cast a spotlight on the nation's undercelebrated innovation corridors, with Hyderabad rightfully claiming the inaugural in its fourth year, the ET Soonicorns Summit 2025 is scheduled to take place on 22 August.360 One is the presenting partner of the ET Soonicorns Summit 2025 (This article is generated and published by the ET Spotlight team. You can get in touch with them at etspotlight@ .)
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
ET X Tracxn to unveil Andhra Pradesh-Telangana's next-gen startups and strategic sectors at Soonicorns Sundowner Hyderabad
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills P0 sectors – Denoting mature industries with a high number of unique active investors, indicating strong validation and stability. P1 sectors – Sectors that are still nascent but attracting high-conviction funding despite a smaller investor base, pointing to deep belief in future growth. Startup formation rates Capital flow trends and investor activity Exit pathways and acquisition dynamics Sectoral maturity vs momentum across AP and Telangana Venture-backed disruptors: NxtWave (EdTech): $232M valuation on $35.8M raised—an early signal of national reach and sector relevance. DhruvaSpace (NewSpace): Valued over $104M—reflecting long-term investor faith in capital-heavy DeepTech. Revenue-first engines: Hesa (Rural FinTech): $126M in reported revenue—proof of scale with deep Bharat roots. Next Education: $73M in capital raised across multiple rounds, signalling product-market fit and monetisation success. Which sectors are peaking vs. bubbling Where the next unicorns may emerge And how India's innovation geography is rapidly shifting On July 31, 2025, The Economic Times, in collaboration with leading data intelligence platform Tracxn, will unveil the much-anticipated 'ET Top Soonicorns and Minicorns X Top Sectors AP-Telangana 2025' report at the inaugural ET Soonicorns Sundowner in Hyderabad. Startups valued between $100 million and $500 million—popularly dubbed minicorns—may no longer be flying under the radar. In a strategic shift from focusing solely on unicorn-bound startups, the report brings to light the surge of minicorns, dominating the startup-innovation economy in Andhra Pradesh-Telangana across sectors such as electric vehicles (EVs), NewSpace, EdTech, and direct-to-consumer (D2C). This report promises to be a turning point in how South India's innovation corridors are mapped, measured, and be formally launched by Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana, the report signals the start of a new city-focused spin-off from India's largest congregation of soonicorns—the ET Soonicorns Summit. Now in its fourth year, the Summit is extending its geographic lens to spotlight India's undercelebrated but high-performance innovation corridors, with Hyderabad taking centre localised unveiling not only sets the tone for regional spotlighting but kicks off a new chapter in decoding India's startup heatmap with sharper granularity and sectoral report's findings are based on startup activity from January 1, 2020 to May 20, 2025, tracked via Tracxn's proprietary data. The report uses Tracxn's classification model to segment sectors into:Unlike previous editions that largely tracked soonicorns—startups nearing the $1B valuation mark—the latest report expands its scope to highlight both soonicorns and minicorns, offering insights into sectoral hotspots, capital flows, and business models poised to scale. The methodology anchors itself in a multi-dimensional ecosystem-first framework powered by Tracxn's proprietary data engine. It analyses:Against this dual-lens framework, the report identifies not just where money is flowing, but why. What emerges is a story of emerging sectoral champions, city-wise momentum, and next-gen minicorns that are becoming the backbone of India's future innovation centrepiece of this analysis is a curated list of 28 minicorns, primarily concentrated in Hyderabad. These aren't just valuation winners—they're category creators and deep-domain disruptors across EdTech, EVs, NewSpace, HRTech, and Digital unicorns that often emerge from later-stage funding and global market playbooks, these minicorns are tackling foundational Indian challenges—from digitising rural commerce to democratising access to education and space these minicorns follow two clear paths:This duality reflects the maturity of Hyderabad's startup base, where both high-burn tech bets and revenue-generating models are thriving side by report's P0 and P1 sectors reflect Hyderabad's strategic shift from being an outsourcing IT centre to a multi-sector innovation capital. Sectors such as Electric Vehicles, K-12 EdTech, and NewSpace are not only represented in the minicorns list but are also leading in active investor interest (P0) and deep funding concentration (P1).This convergence of capital, capability, and conviction marks Telangana's emergence as a minicorn breeding ET Soonicorns X Tracxn AP-Telangana report is not just a city ranking—it's a mirror to India's next growth wave. By moving beyond Bengaluru and Mumbai, the report underscores how cities such as Hyderabad are becoming critical to India's $1T digital economy also provides investors, policymakers, and founders with sharp insights into:The Hyderabad Sundowner is the first in a new regional spin-off of the flagship ET Soonicorns Summit, which returns to Bengaluru in August launching the city-focused data series at these intimate networking evenings, The Economic Times aims to build a year-round pulse on India's startup landscape, unlocking high-value insights from the ground July 31, the city's top founders, investors, policymakers, and operators will gather at the Sundowner for the exclusive unveiling, where the data meets the deal flow.360 One is the presenting partner of the ET Soonicorns Summit 2025.
Economic Times
21-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Make in Hyderabad: Economic Times X Tracxn's top sectors and startups report to launch at the inaugural ET Soonicorns Sundowner
ET Special Hyderabad's startup surge gets its definitive pulse check this month. On July 31, 2025, The Economic Times, in collaboration with data intelligence platform Tracxn, will unveil the much-anticipated 'ET Top Soonicorns and Minicorns X Top 10 Sectors AP-Telangana 2025' report at the inaugural ET Soonicorns Sundowner in be unveiled by Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana, the report marks the beginning of a new city-focused spin-off from India's largest congregation of soonicorns, the ET Soonicorns Summit. Now in its fourth edition, the summit extends its geographic footprint by turning the spotlight on undercelebrated innovation corridors, beginning with Hyderabad. Why this report matters: A region defined by one city While India's startup narrative typically tilts towards Bengaluru, Mumbai, or Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region), a silent revolution has been brewing in Telangana's capital. Between January 2020 and May 2025, Hyderabad alone accounted for over 2,500 startups, $2.1 billion in funding, and a staggering 99.7% of the region's total startup capital. The city has emerged as a complete startup ecosystem—from seed-stage ventures to scalable soonicorns. What makes this report unique is its expansive and ecosystem-first methodology that maps not just valuation but capital flows, sectoral density, investor behaviour, and ecosystem architecture. Unlike last year's Soonicorn analysis, which was limited to private companies nearing unicorn status based solely on valuation and revenue, this year's report takes a more holistic report analyses startup formation, capital concentration, investor activity, and exit trends across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana using data sourced from Tracxn, one of India's leading data intelligence platforms. The study spans January 1, 2020 to May 20, 2025, a five-year window that allows us to gauge both momentum and sectoral maturity. Methodology: From capital maps to sectoral maturity This isn't your typical ranking list. Powered by Tracxn's proprietary data, the report segments companies and sectors using a dual-priority framework: P0 sectors represent those with the highest number of active investors, indicating market maturity and validation. P1 sectors highlight those with high funding concentration despite a lower investor base, suggesting early conviction bets with outsized growth potential. The report covers over 1500 companies across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, spanning data from January 1, 2020, to May 20, 2025. Key metrics include: Number of startups founded Total capital raised Number of funding rounds Number of unique investors Count of Soonicorns (valued near or above $1 billion) Count of Minicorns (valued between $100 million and $500 million) City-wise capital flows and sectoral funding distribution This multi-dimensional lens reveals not just where capital is going, but also why, and what this means for AP and Telangana's long-term startup viability. Healthcare Booking Platforms and HRTech dominate investor mindshare In the P0 category, Healthcare Booking Platforms lead with $335.7 million in funding across just 20 rounds from 58 unique investors. That's an average of $16.8 million per round—an astonishing figure that signals deep market confidence in scalable health-tech on its heels is HRTech, which drew $311.7 million across 40 rounds from 43 investors. Notably, 155 new HRTech companies were founded in the region during this period, reflecting sustained entrepreneurial interest in solving workforce management and upskilling challenges. EdTech and E-Commerce power the startup engine K-12 EdTech and Continued Learning together gave rise to over 370 startups, supported by over $97 million in funding and participation from more than 80 investors. This signals a competitive, vibrant, and still-nascent Online Grocery and Logistics Tech continue to anchor Hyderabad's strong e-commerce backbone. With over $63 million in combined funding, these sectors demonstrate a reliable blend of demand-driven scale and operational tech sophistication. EVs, Beauty Tech, and Alternative Lending lead the P1 frontier While P0 sectors showcase the breadth of innovation emerging across India—ranging from agri-tech to assistive intelligence—P1 sectors reflect the depth of conviction driving sustained investment and strategic focus. These are the areas where founders, investors, and policymakers are placing their strongest bets, with sharper business models, deeper capital backing, and clearer policy alignment. The P1 distinction signals that these sectors are not just promising—they're pivotal to India's next big leap in the startup Electric Vehicles (EV) sector leads the P1 cohort with 50 funding rounds, $134.2 million in capital, five minicorns, and two soonicorns—all backed by only 30 investors. This suggests considerable maturity and scale and a decent degree of strategic investment with significant backing from the likes of Hyderabad Angels and Beauty Tech, with just 18 investors, still raised $260.4 million, driven largely by a mega round.* This translates to an average deal size of $16.3 million per funding round, making it the second highest across P0 and P1 cohorts and the highest in the P1 Lending secured $149.8 million from only 20 investors and produced two soonicorns.* This indicates a diverse and micro-focused fintech playbook with high-growth potential despite a lean investor base. The rise of Deep Tech and NewSpace ambitions The NewSpace sector, though still niche, brought in $125.8 million from just 14 investors. One soonicorn has already emerged in this vertical, showcasing Hyderabad and AP's ambitions in India's next frontier—private space tech. The bigger picture: What this launch means for India's startup cartography The unveiling of this report at the ET Soonicorns Sundowner Hyderabad marks more than a data milestone. It represents a narrative shift. As Indian startups decentralise, understanding the true gravity centres beyond Bengaluru becomes critical. This year's ET Soonicorns Summit on 22 August 2025 in Bengaluru expands its focus with the launch of the ET Soonicorns Sundowner series. These intimate, city-specific gatherings aim to bring capital, policy, and founders together in India's rising tech corridors. First stop: Hyderabad. On July 31, expect sharp panels, closed-door huddles, and the region's most data-rich startup report—all wrapped in one evening. And it all begins with the unveiling of this report by Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, setting the tone for India's next wave of unicorn builders.*As per the current inclusion criteria, only companies with revenue reported as of March 2023 or March 2024 have been considered. 360 One is the presenting partner of the ET Soonicorns Summit 2025. (This article is generated and published by the ET Spotlight team. You can get in touch with them at etspotlight@ .) Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. From near bankruptcy to blockbuster drug: How Khorakiwala turned around Wockhardt Paid less than plumbers? The real story of freshers' salaries at Infy, TCS. What if Tata Motors buys Iveco's truck unit? Will it propel or drag like JLR? As deposit ground slips under PSU banks' feet, they chase the wealthy If data is the new oil, are data centres the smokestacks of the digital age? Stock Radar: M&M likely to break out from 1-year consolidation range; time to buy? Will consumer stocks see a comeback this festive season? 12 stocks to keep an eye on even when analysts are not bullish Don't fear volatility, focus on businesses: 5 mid-cap stocks from different sectors with upside potential of up to 27% Best way to deal with volatility, just ' Hold' for wealth creation: 7 large-cap stocks with an upside potential of up to 41%
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Make in Hyderabad: Economic Times X Tracxn's top sectors and startups report to launch at the inaugural ET Soonicorns Sundowner
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills P0 sectors represent those with the highest number of active investors, indicating market maturity and validation. P1 sectors highlight those with high funding concentration despite a lower investor base, suggesting early conviction bets with outsized growth potential. Number of startups founded Total capital raised Number of funding rounds Number of unique investors Count of Soonicorns (valued near or above $1 billion) Count of Minicorns (valued between $100 million and $500 million) City-wise capital flows and sectoral funding distribution etspotlight@ Hyderabad's startup surge gets its definitive pulse check this month. On July 31, 2025, The Economic Times, in collaboration with data intelligence platform Tracxn, will unveil the much-anticipated 'ET Top Soonicorns and Minicorns X Top 10 Sectors AP-Telangana 2025' report at the inaugural ET Soonicorns Sundowner in be unveiled by Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana, the report marks the beginning of a new city-focused spin-off from India's largest congregation of soonicorns, the ET Soonicorns Summit. Now in its fourth edition, the summit extends its geographic footprint by turning the spotlight on undercelebrated innovation corridors, beginning with India's startup narrative typically tilts towards Bengaluru, Mumbai, or Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region), a silent revolution has been brewing in Telangana's capital. Between January 2020 and May 2025, Hyderabad alone accounted for over 2,500 startups, $2.1 billion in funding, and a staggering 99.7% of the region's total startup capital. The city has emerged as a complete startup ecosystem—from seed-stage ventures to scalable makes this report unique is its expansive and ecosystem-first methodology that maps not just valuation but capital flows, sectoral density, investor behaviour, and ecosystem architecture. Unlike last year's Soonicorn analysis, which was limited to private companies nearing unicorn status based solely on valuation and revenue, this year's report takes a more holistic report analyses startup formation, capital concentration, investor activity, and exit trends across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana using data sourced from Tracxn, one of India's leading data intelligence platforms. The study spans January 1, 2020 to May 20, 2025, a five-year window that allows us to gauge both momentum and sectoral isn't your typical ranking list. Powered by Tracxn's proprietary data, the report segments companies and sectors using a dual-priority framework:The report covers over 1500 companies across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, spanning data from January 1, 2020, to May 20, 2025. Key metrics include:This multi-dimensional lens reveals not just where capital is going, but also why, and what this means for AP and Telangana's long-term startup the P0 category, Healthcare Booking Platforms lead with $335.7 million in funding across just 20 rounds from 58 unique investors. That's an average of $16.8 million per round—an astonishing figure that signals deep market confidence in scalable health-tech on its heels is HRTech, which drew $311.7 million across 40 rounds from 43 investors. Notably, 155 new HRTech companies were founded in the region during this period, reflecting sustained entrepreneurial interest in solving workforce management and upskilling challenges.K-12 EdTech and Continued Learning together gave rise to over 370 startups, supported by over $97 million in funding and participation from more than 80 investors. This signals a competitive, vibrant, and still-nascent Online Grocery and Logistics Tech continue to anchor Hyderabad's strong e-commerce backbone. With over $63 million in combined funding, these sectors demonstrate a reliable blend of demand-driven scale and operational tech P0 sectors showcase the breadth of innovation emerging across India—ranging from agri-tech to assistive intelligence—P1 sectors reflect the depth of conviction driving sustained investment and strategic focus. These are the areas where founders, investors, and policymakers are placing their strongest bets, with sharper business models, deeper capital backing, and clearer policy alignment. The P1 distinction signals that these sectors are not just promising—they're pivotal to India's next big leap in the startup Electric Vehicles (EV) sector leads the P1 cohort with 50 funding rounds, $134.2 million in capital, five minicorns, and two soonicorns—all backed by only 30 investors. This suggests considerable maturity and scale and a decent degree of strategic investment with significant backing from the likes of Hyderabad Angels and Beauty Tech, with just 18 investors, still raised $260.4 million, driven largely by a mega round.* This translates to an average deal size of $16.3 million per funding round, making it the second highest across P0 and P1 cohorts and the highest in the P1 Lending secured $149.8 million from only 20 investors and produced two soonicorns.* This indicates a diverse and micro-focused fintech playbook with high-growth potential despite a lean investor NewSpace sector, though still niche, brought in $125.8 million from just 14 investors. One soonicorn has already emerged in this vertical, showcasing Hyderabad and AP's ambitions in India's next frontier—private space unveiling of this report at the ET Soonicorns Sundowner Hyderabad marks more than a data milestone. It represents a narrative shift. As Indian startups decentralise, understanding the true gravity centres beyond Bengaluru becomes year's ET Soonicorns Summit on 22 August 2025 in Bengaluru expands its focus with the launch of the ET Soonicorns Sundowner series. These intimate, city-specific gatherings aim to bring capital, policy, and founders together in India's rising tech stop: Hyderabad. On July 31, expect sharp panels, closed-door huddles, and the region's most data-rich startup report—all wrapped in one evening. And it all begins with the unveiling of this report by Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, setting the tone for India's next wave of unicorn builders.*As per the current inclusion criteria, only companies with revenue reported as of March 2023 or March 2024 have been considered.360 One is the presenting partner of the ET Soonicorns Summit 2025.
New Indian Express
19-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Nehru Zoo Park in Hyderabad to get India's mega aquarium
HYDERABAD: India's largest tunnel aquarium is set to come up within the premises of Hyderabad's Nehru Zoological Park as part of the Telangana government's Mir Alam Development Programme. The project, which has begun its preliminary feasibility studies, was recently reviewed in a virtual meeting chaired by Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan. Earlier plans considered a lakefront or external tunnel structure, but feasibility assessments now favour building the aquarium inside the zoo, due to its cost-effectiveness and practical viability. Confirming this, Director of Zoo Parks Sunil Niremath told TNIE that heritage sensitivities, particularly the 200-year-old bund in the vicinity, also influenced this shift. The walkthrough-style aquarium, designed to align with international standards, is projected to cost Rs 1,200 crore and will be developed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. It is expected to occupy around three acres and will feature a wide variety of aquatic species, with final details dependent on the feasibility report and upcoming PPP proposals. Construction is likely to commence within the year, with a tentative completion timeline set for late 2026.
