Pune is a fast-evolving start-up and entrepreneurs’ paradise city but there are a host of reasons why. Having top-notch vocational schools, a large store of proficient people, and a bright tech community.
2021 marked a turning point in the growth of the Pune startup ecosystem. For starters, according to DPIIT, the number of startups in Pune has now reached nearly on par with 3,274 registered in India’s financial capital-Mumbai.
This year, Startup Companies in Pune not only caught the attention of venture capital firms but also attracted about USD 538 million in total investment. Incidentally, newly minted unicorns raked in USD 213 million.
Financial services, agriculture, health, and SaaS dominated this year’s funding, with some action in education, logistics, electric vehicles, food, robotics, and the biotechnology sector.
4 Unicorns founded in Pune:
∙ Firstcry
∙ ElasticRun
∙ Rebel foods
∙ OneCard
In this blog, we’ve collected the best start-up companies in the city, one of which could probably be the place for your next step in your career.
Key points for starting a start-up in Pune
â–ª Identify a Novel Idea: Look for a gap in the market or a problem to solve
â–ª Create a Business Plan: Outline your business model, target audience, and growth strategy
â–ª Conduct Market Research: Understand the competitors, customer needs, and the trends in that industry
â–ª Register Your Startup: Choose the legal form and complete all other registrations if needed
â–ª Secure Funding: All investment is personal; one may depend on his individual savings, angel investors, and finally, government grants.
â–ª Build a Mighty Team: Assemble a motivated team with complementary skills.
â–ª Select a Location of Strategy: Chose a place that meets your business requirement.
â–ª MVP: Develop the minimum viable product to experiment and gain feedback for your idea
â–ª Set an Online Presence: Build a website or campaigning channels through social media.
â–ª Network and Adapt: Join the community of startups; make alternatives according to feedback.
List of Top 20 Startups Companies in Pune
1. Xpressbees
Xpressbees is an ambitious logistics startup company, founded in the year 2015 by Amitava Saha and Supam Maheshwari. E-commerce logistics truly seems to have discovered a leader in Xpressbees.
is a Pune-based startup that provides full-range logistical services, including delivery services, supply chain management, and e-commerce.
| Services Provided | Full-range logistical services, including delivery services and supply chain management |
| Coverage | Over 3,000 cities |
| Employees | 10,000+ |
| Funding | $277 million from investors like Alibaba Group and Norwest Venture Partners |
| Unicorn Status | Achieved in 2022 |
2. Rebel foods
Founded in 2011 by Jaydeep Barman and Kallol Banerjee, Rebel Foods is one of the leading food delivery and e-commerce startups operating out of cloud kitchens, counting Faasos, Behrouz Biryani, and Oven Story as some of the popular brands under its roof.
Rebel Foods revolutionarized the food business with the standardization of operations and cutting down on the delivery without the burden of a traditional brick-and-mortar setup.
| EmployeesBusiness Model | Operates out of cloud kitchens, with popular brands including Faasos, Behrouz Biryani, and Oven Story |
| Employees | Over 5,000 |
| Funding | More than $342 million across 20 funding rounds |
| Notable Investors | Goldman Sachs, Sequoia Capital India, Gojek |
| Achievements | Recognized as the world's largest cloud kitchen operator, transforming the food delivery and processing industries through innovation. |
3. Earlysalary
EarlySalary is now rebranded as Fibe, founded in 2015 by Ashish Goyal and Akshay Mehrotra. This is a FinTech enterprise that provides financial services including instant personal loans, salary advances, and BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) to young working professionals and salaried employees.
With advanced AI and machine learning capabilities, Fibe evaluates a person’s creditworthiness in real time to make loan approvals as fast as possible and repayments as flexible as possible.
| Employees | 101-250 |
| Funding | $33 million |
| Funding Rounds | 7 |
| Notable Investors | Northern Arc, Eight Roads Ventures, Chiratae Ventures, Dewan Housing Finance, GenNext Ventures |
| Business Model | Provides financial services including instant personal loans, salary advances, and BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) solutions tailored for young working professionals. The company utilizes AI and machine learning for real-time credit evaluation, enhancing loan approval speed and repayment flexibility. |
| Achievements | Recognized for transforming digital lending in India and promoting financial literacy among users. |
4. Pariksha
Pariksha – The Success App was created by Deepak Choudhary, Karanvir Singh Shekhawat, Utkarsh Bagri, and Vikram Shekhawat in the year 2015. It is an emerging test preparation local player for India’s mobile-first internet users, targeting tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
Courses are prepared and mock tests are given on a state-level as well as government exams, which are conducted in many regional languages; more people are brought to the fold of education. The company aims at democratizing education and providing millions of aspirants with localized content and technology-driven solutions.
| Employees | 51-100 |
| Funding | $6 million |
| Funding Rounds | 7 |
| Notable Investors | Venture Catalysts, LetsVenture, 9Unicorns Accelerator Fund, Nikhil Vora, Bharat Inclusion Seed Fund |
| Business Model | Focuses on test preparation for state-level and government exams through localized courses and mock tests, delivered in regional languages to cater to tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The platform aims to democratize education using technology-driven solutions. |
| Achievements | Recognized for increasing accessibility to education among aspiring candidates in smaller cities and towns, thereby contributing to the democratization of education in India. |
5. GigIndia
GigIndia is a startup company from 2017, started by Aditya Shirole and Sahil Sharma that connects corporations with on-demand work fulfillment via a gig workforce of job seekers.
The company operates in crowdsourcing, freelance, internet, outsourcing, and sharing economy and offers its platform as an efficient way businesses can tap into a pool of gigs for accomplishing different kinds of tasks to give flexible job opportunities for people.
The GigIndia promises to simplify work fulfillment for businesses in the country while empowering a growing gig economy workforce in India.
| Employees | 11-50 |
| Funding | $971,278 |
| Funding | $277 million from investors like Alibaba Group and Norwest Venture Partners |
| Funding Rounds | 3 |
| Notable Investors | Beyond Next Ventures, Incubate Fund India, Shantanu Deshpande, Hiro Mashita, Subramaniam Ramadorai |
| Business Model | Connects corporations with on-demand work fulfillment via a gig workforce, providing flexible job opportunities to job seekers. The platform enables businesses to efficiently access a pool of gig workers for various tasks. |
| Achievements | Played a significant role in empowering the gig economy in India by simplifying work fulfillment for businesses and offering flexible employment opportunities. |
6. LoanTap
LoanTap is a startup launched in 2016 by Satyam Kumar and Vikas Kumar, which functions as an online marketplace offering flexible lending products to salaried professionals.
The platform offers customized loans for personal loans, EMI-free loans, holiday loans, and credit line products under the financial services and data visualization businesses to cater to the varied requirements of the new generation of employees who look for convenient and quick funding solutions.
The venture is planning to redefine the personal lending space in the country, making credit accessible as well as flexible for its users.
| Employees | 1-10 |
| Funding | $26,819,990 |
| Funding Rounds | 5 |
| Notable Investors | Northern Arc, 3one4 Capital, Shunwei Capital, Kae Capital, India Quotient |
| Business Model | Functions as an online marketplace offering flexible lending products like personal loans, EMI-free loans, holiday loans, and credit line products, tailored for salaried professionals seeking quick funding solutions. |
| Achievements | Ties technology to fast-track loan approvals, aiming to redefine the personal lending space by making credit more accessible and flexible for users. |
7. Pharmarack
Founded in 2015, Pharmarack is a startup created by Amit Backliwal, Bhavik Parmar, and Pradyumn Singh.
Operating as India’s largest business-to-business network in the healthcare industry, the platform specifically focuses on the pharmaceutical industry, integrating information technology into the supply chain between pharmacies, distributors, and manufacturers.
It offers automated order processing, inventory management, and digital invoicing solutions to improve efficiency and transparency within the health ecosystem.
| Employees | 101-250 |
| Funding | $3,749,624 |
| Funding Rounds | 2 |
| Notable Investors | IvyCap Ventures, Unicorn India Ventures, Currae Healthtech, Patni Group |
| Business Model | Operates as India's largest B2B network in healthcare, focusing on the pharmaceutical industry. Provides automated order processing, inventory management, and digital invoicing to enhance supply chain efficiency and transparency. |
| Achievements | Aims to transform pharmaceutical supply chains by leveraging technology for a more connected and efficient healthcare network in India. |
8. Haber
Founded by Vipin Raghavan in 2017, Haber is a startup that provides an integrated platform built on visibility for industrial, utility, and water systems.
The industrial automation and Internet of Things (IoT) specialized platform gives further impetus to the optimization and monitoring processes within those industries by enhancing efficiency and sustainability as well as resource management.
Real-time data analytics allows clients to make decisive business decisions and improve performance according to operational requirements.
| Employees | 51-100 |
| Funding | ₹497,900,000 |
| Funding Rounds | 5 |
| Notable Investors | BEENEXT, SAIF Partners, Accel India |
| Business Model | Provides an integrated platform focusing on visibility for industrial, utility, and water systems. Enhances efficiency, sustainability, and resource management through real-time data analytics, aiding clients in performance improvement and business decisions. |
| Achievements | Aims to transform industrial and utility management globally, particularly in water systems, through IoT and automation solutions. |
9. MedCords
MedCords, founded in 2016 by Nikhil Baheti and Shreyans Mehta, is one of the firms putting a new dimension to the health care and wellness landscape of India.
MedCords has an employed workforce of 51-100. The company shall have an innovative platform that would enable patients to connect with healthcare providers, pharmacies, and diagnostic centers, thereby improving accessibility to medical services.
| Employees | 51-100 |
| Funding | ₹26,400,000 |
| Funding Rounds | 1 |
| Notable Investors | Info Edge, WaterBridge Ventures |
| Business Model | MedCords provides an innovative platform enabling patients to connect with healthcare providers, pharmacies, and diagnostic centers. Focuses on telemedicine consultations and tailored health plans, all accessible via a mobile application, to improve healthcare accessibility and outcomes. |
| Achievements | Aims to enhance healthcare accessibility across India and is positioning itself as a key player in the Indian health tech ecosystem. |
10. Fitternity
Fitternity comes under the list of top startup, and the largest online fitness platform in India. The website was co-founded in 2013 by Jayam Vora and Neha Motwani.
Users will be guided step by step to help them begin and then continue their fitness journeys. It promises an integrated ecosystem that has on offer personalized workout plans, nutrition coaching, access to fitness classes, and a vibrant community for motivation and support.
| Employees | 101-250 |
| Funding | $7,500,000 |
| Funding Rounds | 6 |
| Notable Investors | Sixth Sense Ventures, Exfinity Venture Partners, Arihant Patni, Anjali Bansal, The Saha Fund |
| Business Model | Fitternity offers a comprehensive online fitness platform that includes personalized workout plans, nutrition coaching, access to fitness classes, and a community for motivation. The platform helps users track progress, find fitness centers, and connect with health professionals, promoting a fitness culture in India. |
| Achievements | Recognized as one of the top 10 startups and the largest online fitness platform in India, contributing to the growing fitness culture and active lifestyles. |
11. Noccarc Robotics
Noccarc Robotics, the startup incubated at SIIC IIT Kanpur, was set up in 2017 by Harshit Rathore and Nikhil Kurele.
The company designs innovative solutions for MedTech and CleanTech industries and is specialized in robotics and solar technologies.
| Employees | 51-100 |
| Funding | ₹124,000,000 |
| Funding Rounds | 1 |
| Notable Investors | Indian Angel Network, IAN Fund |
| Business Model | Noccarc Robotics focuses on designing innovative solutions for the MedTech and CleanTech sectors, utilizing robotics and solar technologies to address health-related and clean energy challenges. |
| Achievements | Successfully incubated at SIIC IIT Kanpur, receiving funding to advance robotics in healthcare and promote sustainable practices in CleanTech. |
11. Nurserylive
Nurserylive is a startup that was founded in 2014 under the e-commerce sector of India and deals with huge varieties of natural plants and gardening accessories. The company supports the popular interest among home gardening and green living individuals, encouraging an amicable approach to an online platform through which numerous customers can browse and buy a diverse range of plants, seeds, pots, and tools.
Enthusiasts and Homeowners looking at beautification of their surroundings The platform has become rather popular among the gardening enthusiasts and homeowners who have come forth to beautification of their surroundings. Now, it has emerged as one of the significant players in this Indian home and garden retail market
| Employees | 11-50 |
| Funding | ₹25,900,000 |
| Funding Rounds | 1 |
| Notable Investors | Guild Capital |
| Business Model | Nurserylive operates as an e-commerce platform offering a wide range of natural plants and gardening accessories. It encourages home gardening and sustainable practices by providing customers with the tools they need to beautify their living spaces. |
| Achievements | Emerged as a significant player in the Indian home and garden retail market, gaining popularity among gardening enthusiasts and homeowners. |
13. True Elements
True Elements is a startup that Puru Gupta and Sreejith Moolayil founded back in 2014. It was conceived as a company catering only to the food and beverage space with a thrust in healthy snack options.
The founders want people to be consuming healthier foods, and True Elements has worked upon an assortment of products that range from whole grain snacking options, muesli, granola, and other superfoods meant to present various snacking options to health-conscious consumers seeking guilt-free snacking options.
| Employees | 101-250 |
| Funding | ₹150,000,000 |
| Funding Rounds | 2 |
| Notable Investors | SIDBI Venture Capital, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group |
| Business Model | True Elements focuses on providing healthy snacking options, including whole grain snacks, muesli, granola, and other superfoods. The company emphasizes clean label products, free from additives and preservatives, to promote healthier eating. |
| Achievements | Established itself as a leader in the healthy snack food niche, inspiring consumers to make better dietary choices. |
12. Biddano
Biddano is a pioneering start-up founded by Talha Shaikh in 2016. It is considered to be India’s first complete health care supply chain platform. Biddano focuses on streamlining healthcare supply chains and medical equipment in the country..
| Employees | 101-250 |
| Funding | ₹75,000,000 |
| Funding Rounds | 2 |
| Notable Investors | Venture Catalysts, LetsVenture, Windrose Capital |
| Business Model | Biddano focuses on streamlining healthcare supply chains and medical equipment in India. It employs technology to enhance efficiency and transparency, addressing core challenges faced by healthcare providers in managing supply chains for service delivery and patient care. |
| Achievements | Recognized as India's first complete healthcare supply chain platform, significantly changing healthcare logistics in the country. |
15. Infinite Uptime
Founded by Raunak Bhinge in 2015, Infinite Uptime is a forward-thinking startup that specializes in industrial Internet of Things solutions customized for the engineering and processing industries.
With an array of applications encompassing analytics, big data, industrial automation, and predictive analytics, Infinite Uptime employs the latest technology to further productivity and operational efficiency for manufacturers.
| Employees | 11-50 |
| Funding | $11,291,143 |
| Funding Rounds | 5 |
| Notable Investors | Berkeley SkyDeck, Mayfield Fund, Pear VC, Plug and Play Tech Center, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited |
| Business Model | Infinite Uptime specializes in industrial IoT solutions tailored for engineering and processing industries. The company employs cutting-edge technology to enhance productivity and operational efficiency through applications in analytics, big data, and predictive maintenance. |
| Achievements | Recognized for innovative solutions that enable real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance, contributing to a revolution in data quality and process improvement within the industrial sector. |
16. Ecozen
Ecozen is a pioneering startup in the perishables technology sector and also enables a seamless farm-to-fork value chain that has been initiated by Devendra Gupta, Prateek Singhal, and Vivek Pandey, in the year 2010.
Being part of the agriculture, AgTech, and CleanTech sectors, Ecozen designs solutions that are innovative enough to improve the efficiency of this agricultural supply chain while creating a sustainable one.
| Employees | 101-250 |
| Funding | $8,710,380 |
| Funding Rounds | 7 |
| Notable Investors | Caspian Impact Investments, Omnivore, Villgro, GenNext Ventures, Sathguru Catalyzer Advisors |
| Business Model | Ecozen focuses on improving the agricultural supply chain by leveraging technology for minimal post-harvest losses and optimal storage and transportation of perishable products, ensuring that fresh produce reaches consumers in optimal condition. |
| Achievements | Recognized for creating a sustainable farm-to-fork value chain, improving efficiency in the agricultural supply chain. |
17. UGAOO
Founded by Siddhant Bhalinge in 2015, Ugaoo is an innovative startup dedicated to making an online platform green for all gardening and farming needs.
Situated right at the nexus of agriculture, e-commerce, and community engagement, Ugaoo offers a wide variety of gardening products, tools, and other resources while fostering a community where people can share reliable information and tips.
| Employees | 11-50 |
| Funding | ₹30,000,000 |
| Funding Rounds | 1 |
| Notable Investors | Namdeo Umaji |
| Business Model | Ugaoo provides an online platform for gardening and farming needs, offering a variety of gardening products, tools, and resources while fostering community engagement through shared information and tips. |
| Achievements | Successfully established a community-driven platform promoting sustainable gardening and farming practices. |
18. Easebuzz
Launched in 2015 by Rohit Prasad, Easebuzz is a dynamic startup that acts as a software platform for businesses and startups in B2B to transform themselves into fintechs and scale their operations.
At this crossroad of intersection between business development, developer APIs, e-commerce, and fintech, it brings to the table certain instrumental tools and services that help companies streamline their financial processes and offer better payment solutions in the broader process.
| Employees | 101-250 |
| Funding | $4,000,000 |
| Funding Rounds | 1 |
| Notable Investors | Amrish Rau, Guild Capital, Jitendra Gupta, 8i Ventures, Varanium Capital Advisors |
| Business Model | Easebuzz provides a software platform that allows businesses to integrate fintech solutions, streamline financial processes, and improve payment solutions using developer APIs and e-commerce tools. |
| Achievements | Successfully raised significant funding to enhance its technology offerings and help businesses transition into fintechs efficiently. |
19. Krsnaa Diagnostics
Krsnaa Diagnostics was established in the year 2011 as a healthcare diagnostics startup aimed at improving the accessibility and quality of medical testing services.
Krsnaa Diagnostics engages in the health care, health care diagnostics, and life sciences industries; hence it enables a significant number of diagnostic services, such as lab tests, with imaging solutions accessible to patients and providers in India.
| Employees | 251-500 |
| Funding | ₹1,651,400,000 |
| Funding Rounds | 3 |
| Notable Investors | Phi Capital, Somerset Indus Capital Partners, Kitara Capital |
| Business Model | Krsnaa Diagnostics provides accessible and quality diagnostic services, including lab tests and imaging solutions, leveraging advanced technology to enhance patient care and health assessments. |
| Achievements | Raised significant funding to expand services and improve healthcare diagnostics accessibility in India, aiming to transform the diagnostics landscape. |
20. WheelsEMI
WheelsEMI Pvt. Ltd., founded in 2017 by Karunakaran Vadakkepat and Srinivas Kantheti, constitutes one of the substantial start-ups that function as a subsidiary of the NBFC, namely, WheelsEMI Pvt. Ltd.
The company majorly engages in the sectors of financial services and fintech for its potential under the provision of innovative financing solutions for consumers who intend to acquire vehicles.
| Employees | 51-100 |
| Funding | $14,000,000 |
| Funding Rounds | 1 |
| Notable Investors | Faering Capital |
| Business Model | WheelsEMI provides innovative financing solutions for consumers looking to acquire vehicles, making vehicle ownership more accessible and affordable in India. |
| Achievements | Raised significant funding to enhance auto finance solutions and promote vehicle ownership among consumers in India. |
Conclusion
It can be said that Pune is an innovative hub for Startup Companies in Pune, where several young entrepreneurs are coming up with a wide variety of innovations and making tremendous strides, be it technology or health sectors, thereby contributing not only to the local economies but also helping solve global issues with its creative offers.
As one looks through the top startup companies in Pune, it becomes apparent that the entrepreneurial spirit of the city is driven by a strong workforce, a facilitative infrastructure, and an ecosystem supportive of and prompting collaboration. A good ground to grow and seek opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs and investors, Pune.
Whether you are looking to invest, collaborate, or perhaps just get inspired, startups in Pune are a testament to the power and the relentlessness of innovation as a pursuit of excellence. Watch out for these pioneers while they continue to set new heights in shaping the future of business in India, and beyond.
FAQs Regarding Startup Companies in Bangalore
1. What does the city of Pune have that makes it suitable for startups?
Pune has an ecosystem that provides access to world-class educational institutions for a talented workforce, with very supportive government policies.
2. Which sectors in Pune play a significant role in the startup industry?
Pune is represented by key industries such as IT, fintech, healthcare, and edtech.
3. Are there government programs for supporting startups in Pune?
Yes, through initiatives like the Maharashtra Startup Policy and more, which provide financial assistance along with infrastructure and mentorship support to ensure that startups are successful.
4. Where can one locate an investor in Pune?
Startups can find investors through networking events and pitching competitions as well as being part of angel networks and venture capital companies, among others.
