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Entrepreneur
2 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Indian Gifting Startups Raise USD 115.9 Mn Since 2015 Amid Steady Sector Growth: Report
In 2025 so far, the sector saw only one deal, with Indigifts raising USD 57,600 in an angel round. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Indian gifting startups have raised a total of USD 115.9 million between 2015 and 2025 year-to-date, indicating a gradual yet consistent growth in the sector, according to a new report by Tracxn titled Gifting Platforms Wrap Report. Despite a subdued funding environment in recent years, the industry continues to attract selective investment, especially in personalisation, enterprise gifting, and curated digital experiences. According to the report, Indian gifting startups have collectively raised USD 159.4 million in all-time funding. In 2025 so far, the sector saw only one deal, with Indigifts raising USD 57,600 in an angel round. This marks a significant decline compared to previous years. In 2024, Indian startups secured USD 1.3 million, while 2023 and 2022 saw funding levels at USD 32.7 million and USD 63.9 million respectively. The steep drop signals an ongoing correction phase, as investors now prioritise sustainable growth and profitability over rapid scaling. Neha Singh, Co-founder of Tracxn, said, "The gifting and rewards sector has quietly evolved into a globally relevant, innovation-led category. Over the last decade, we've seen over USD 2.5 billion flow into gifting startups, not just to scale transactions, but to reimagine consumer experience, convenience, and loyalty." "India, while still maturing, has built a strong base of resilient, founder-led businesses that are defining new benchmarks in digital-first branding and operational efficiency," she added. On the global front, gifting startups raised USD 1.73 billion over the past decade, with USD 2.52 billion in all-time funding. In 2025 year-to-date, global players secured USD 66.2 million through four funding rounds. Top-funded international startups include Raise with USD 220 million, Floward with USD 190.2 million, and Bloom & Wild with USD 174.3 million. In contrast to India, three acquisitions were recorded globally in 2025, indicating ongoing consolidation in Western markets. The Indian market is currently led by seasoned companies that have established strong operational foundations. Xoxoday leads with USD 30.6 million in funding, followed by Ferns N Petals with USD 26.1 million and ZoomIn with USD 21 million. Bakingo and FlowerAura have each secured USD 16 million. These companies exemplify the increasing investor interest in personalised gifting, employee engagement solutions, and D2C platforms. While no Indian exits were reported in 2025 so far, historical acquisitions have included notable names like Xoxoday and ZoomIn. The sector's low exit volume continues to reflect a cautious approach among investors and founders, who are building for long-term value rather than quick returns. In India, investor activity in 2025 has been selective. Ritesh Agarwal and Vineeta Singh backed Indigifts, reflecting continued support for early-stage consumer brands. Globally, Raise's USD 63 million Series D round drew attention from both traditional venture capital firms and emerging tech-focused funds. The report concludes that the gifting sector may not command high volumes of funding, but it continues to evolve with specialised players attracting focused capital. The emphasis is shifting toward enterprise solutions, curated experiences, and digital innovation, setting the stage for deeper investment and long-term growth.
Entrepreneur
07-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
India's Fintech Funding Dips 26% in H1 2025, Retains Third Spot Globally: Tracxn
India's fintech sector attracted USD 889 million in funding during the first half of 2025, reflecting a 26 per cent drop from the USD 1.2 billion raised in the second half of 2024, according to market intelligence platform Tracxn. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. India's fintech sector attracted USD 889 million in funding during the first half of 2025, reflecting a 26 per cent drop from the USD 1.2 billion raised in the second half of 2024, according to market intelligence platform Tracxn. Compared to the same period last year, when the sector raised USD 936 million, funding has also declined. Despite the dip, India continues to hold the third position globally in fintech funding, behind the United States and the United Kingdom. Neha Singh, Co-Founder, Tracxn, said, "While the Indian fintech sector has seen a temporary dip in funding, the steady momentum in early-stage investments and growing acquisition activity indicate that investor interest remains strong, particularly in scalable, innovation-led models. Bengaluru's dominance and the continued emergence of breakout companies reinforce India's position as a global fintech powerhouse." The breakdown of funding stages in H1 2025 reveals a complex picture. Seed-stage startups raised USD 91.2 million, down 27 per cent from USD 126 million in H2 2024 and a 33 per cent fall from USD 137 million in H1 2024. In contrast, early-stage funding rose to USD 361 million, marking a 10 per cent increase from USD 329 million in H2 2024 and 9 per cent higher than the USD 333 million raised in H1 2024. Late-stage funding, however, declined to USD 437 million, a 41 per cent plunge from USD 745 million in H2 2024 and a 6 per cent decrease compared to USD 467 million in H1 2024. No fintech firms debuted on the public markets during this period, continuing the lull in IPO activity. However, one new unicorn emerged, matching the tally in H2 2024 and showing progress from H1 2024, which had none. The first half of 2025 also saw 16 fintech acquisitions, up 45 per cent from 11 deals in H1 2024, though slightly lower than the 17 recorded in H2 2024. Top investors in H1 2025 included Peak XV, AngelList, and LetsVenture. In the early-stage segment—where funding momentum was strong—leading investors were Peak XV, Accel, and Bessemer Venture Partners. Blume Ventures, Venture Catalysts, and 100Unicorns dominated seed-stage activity, while late-stage rounds were backed by SoftBank Vision Fund, Lathe Investment, and Sofina. Among VC firms, US-based Accel stood out with 34 investments, while India's Blume Ventures added seven new companies to its portfolio during the period. Geographically, Bengaluru remained the fintech investment hub, drawing 55 per cent of total funding, followed by Mumbai with 14 per cent.
New Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Fintech sector sees 5% y-o-y drop in funding to $889 million in H1 2025
Neha Singh, Co-Founder, Tracxn, said, 'Bengaluru's dominance and the continued emergence of breakout companies reinforce India's position as a global fintech powerhouse.' Bengaluru continued to lead the country's fintech funding landscape, as it accounted for 55% of total funding, followed by Mumbai at 14%. Interestingly, in H2 2024, Mumbai grabbed 29% of total funding compared to Bengaluru at 16%. The highest-valued deal in January-June 2025 was Groww's acquisition of Fisdom for $150 million, followed by Stocko, acquired by InCred Money for $35 million. IPO activity remained muted in the first half of this year as no fintech companies went public, one new unicorn emerged in the Indian fintech space during the period, consistent with H2 2024, but an improvement over H1 2024, which saw none. Juspay, a payment infrastructure company, became a unicorn in April 2025. The overall top investors in H1 2025 were Peak XV, AngelList and LetsVenture. In the early stage, which saw a surge in funding, the leading investors were Peak XV, Accel and Bessemer Venture Partners. Blume Ventures, Venture Catalysts and 100Unicorns led investments at the seed stage, while SoftBank Vision Fund, Lathe Investment and Sofina were the top investors in the late-stage round, Tracxn data showed. Among venture capital firms, US-based Accel led the highest number of investments with 34 rounds, and India-based Blume Ventures added 7 new companies to its portfolio during the period.
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Business Standard
04-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
India's fintech funding dips to $889 mn in H1 2025: Tracxn report
Indian fintech sector raised $ 889 million in the first six months of 2025, a drop of 26 per cent from $ 1.2 billion of H2 2024 and a five per cent slide from $ 936 million seen a year ago, according to a report by market intelligence platform Tracxn. As per the report, India ranked third globally, trailing only the United States and the United Kingdom. "While the Indian fintech sector has seen a temporary dip in funding, the steady momentum in early-stage investments and growing acquisition activity indicate that investor interest remains strong, particularly in scalable, innovation-led models," Neha Singh, Co-Founder of Tracxn, said. Bengaluru's dominance and the continued emergence of breakout companies reinforce India's position as a global fintech powerhouse, Singh added. Funding trends across stages in H1 2025 revealed a nuanced landscape for India's fintech sector as early-stage funding fared better than seed-stage and late-stage infusions. Seed-stage startups raised $ 91.2 million, a fall of 27 per cent from H2 2024 ($ 126 million) and 33 per cent from H1 2024 ($ 137 million). In striking contrast, early-stage funding saw a resurgence with $ 361 million raised. This marked a 10 per cent increase over $ 329 million in H2 2024 and a 9 per cent rise from $ 333 million in H1 2024, underlining renewed confidence in startups with initial traction. The late-stage funding, however, dropped to $ 437 million, a 41 per cent decline from H2 2024 ($ 745 million) and 6 per cent from H1 2024 ($ 467 million). The first half (H1) of 2025 witnessed 16 acquisitions, higher than 11 acquisitions in H1 2024, but a tad lower than 17 acquisitions in H2 2024. The highest-valued deal was Fisdom, acquired by Groww for $ 150 million, followed by Stocko, acquired by InCred Money for $ 35 million. "While IPO activity remained muted with no fintech companies going public, one new unicorn emerged in the Indian FinTech space during the period, consistent with H2 2024, but an improvement over H1 2024, which saw none," Tracxn said. Bengaluru, which cornered 55 per cent of total funding, continued to lead India's FinTech funding landscape, followed by Mumbai at 14 per cent. Overall, the top investors in H1 2025 were Peak XV, Angel List and LetsVenture. In the early stage, which saw a surge in funding, the leading investors were Peak XV, Accel and Bessemer Venture Partners. Blume Ventures, Venture Catalysts and 100Unicorns led investments at the seed stage, while SoftBank Vision Fund, Lathe Investment and Sofina were the top investors in the late-stage round. "Among venture capital firms, US-based Accel led the highest number of investments with 34 rounds, while India-based Blume Ventures added 7 new companies to its portfolio during the period," the Tracxn report said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Business Standard
04-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
India's fintech sector ranks 3rd globally in H1 2025 funding round: Tracxn
India's financial technology sector has ranked third in startup funding in the first half of 2025, even as overall capital inflows moderated. According to Tracxn's Geo Semi-Annual India FinTech Report H1 2025, Indian FinTech startups raised $889 million between January and June, behind only the United States and the United Kingdom. At $889 million, the funding figure marks a 26 per cent decline from the $1.2 billion secured in the second half of 2024 and a 5 per cent dip compared to the same period last year. However, early-stage funding climbed 10 per cent from H2 2024 to reach $361 million and a 9 per cent increase compared to H1 last year. In contrast, seed-stage investments slumped to $91.2 million, down 27 per cent from the previous half-year period. 'While the Indian FinTech sector has seen a temporary dip in funding, the steady momentum in early-stage investments and growing acquisition activity indicate that investor interest remains strong, particularly in scalable, innovation-led models,' said Tracxn Co-founder Neha Singh. M&A activity grows, fintech adds one new unicorn India's fintech sector also witnessed more mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the first half of the calendar year. The report recorded 16 M&A deals in H1 2025, up 45 per cent from the same period a year ago. Key transactions included Groww's $150 million acquisition of Fisdom and InCred Money's $35 million deal to buy Stocko. Despite the activity, no Fintech IPOs were recorded in H1 2025; however, one new unicorn did emerge during this period. One unicorn had emerged in H2 2024, while none had emerged in H1 2024. Bengaluru leads funding, Accel secures most deals Bengaluru remained the hub of FinTech innovation, drawing 55 per cent of the country's total funding, followed by Mumbai with 14 per cent. Peak XV, Angel List, and LetsVenture were among the most active investors overall. In early-stage rounds, Accel, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Peak XV led activity, while Blume Ventures, Venture Catalysts, and 100Unicorns dominated seed-stage funding. SoftBank Vision Fund, Lathe Investment, and Sofina topped the late-stage investment charts. US-based Accel led with 34 deals, while Blume Ventures expanded its domestic footprint with investments in seven new startups. RBI urges responsible fintech innovation In March, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) called on fintech firms and digital payment companies to pursue 'responsible innovation' while conforming to regulatory standards. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra's meeting with leaders from the fintech and non-bank payments sector signalled a notable shift in tone, following a period of crackdowns on non-compliant firms under the former governor's tenure. In a sign of regulatory easing, the RBI also reversed some of its previous measures, such as lifting additional risk-weight requirements for bank loans to top-rated non-banking financial companies.
