Despite these headwinds, investor confidence remained undeterred. The Indian startup ecosystem reached the $1 Bn funding mark in September, up more than 36% from $733 Mn raised in August, while the blockbuster IPO of Urban Company brought much-needed cheer for Indian founders. Prominent late stage startups preparing for their own D-Street debuts doubled the optimism. Fintech giants like Groww and edtech behemoth PhysicsWallah inched closer to their public listings, while others like LEAP India, PhonePe and Purple Style Labs filed their DRHPs with the SEBI. While the spotlight firmly remains on these late stage giants making their way to the bourses, early stage startups continue to hum with transformative energy and innovation. From AI and deeptech to SaaS and defence tech, homegrown new-age tech ventures continue to push the boundaries and fuel India’s growth story. Against this backdrop, we are back with the 30 Startups To Watch — Inc42’s monthly roundup of some of the most-promising early stage ventures — for September 2025. In the 63rd edition of Inc42’s flagship series, we have yet again spotlighted startups breaking every ground — from spacetech to AI and from D2C to quick commerce. Read in-depth article here: inc42.com/startups/30-startu…

We are proud to welcome #PaarAutonomy to the Venture Catalysts portfolio as it advances from lab innovation to reliable field deployment. With pre-seed funding secured, Paar Autonomy is advancing clearer perception and faster decision cycles across air, land and sea through stabilised multi-sensor payloads paired with proprietary agentic AI. What this round scales: • Commission the first manufacturing line and build a reliable supply chain • Fulfil defence & PSU pilots; validate at fleet scale • Ship the first 100 units and standardise core payload SKUs • Complete key certifications and compliance • Expand engineering and business development • Formalise partnerships with defence bodies, PSUs and global OEMs We’re excited to partner with the team as they move toward India’s standard in mission-ready autonomy. #VentureCatalysts #VCats #PaarAutonomy #InvestmentAnnouncement #DeepTech #Robotics #IndiasDeepTech #StartupFunding