India

#54 Compute, Credit, Capital: India's Foundation Year | 20 - 26 July 2026

Hello Chai Lovers,This week's brew has a different flavour, less about flashy new toppings, more about the pot itself. Utho Cloud is steeping 10,000 GPUs into India's AI stack, SG Finserve and BharatPe Money are brewing RBI-aligned credit for MSMEs, and Transition VC just poured a ₹1,500 crore INR (~$155M USD) fund into the deeptech founders building India's energy backbone. Add 47 tech IPOs to the mix and it's clear: this isn't a one-off spike, it's infrastructure with staying power. Let's dive in.

#53 Unicorns, Chips and Flying Taxis | 13 - 19 July 2026

Hello Chai Lovers, this week's brew is strong! India's startup ecosystem served up a unicorn, a flying taxi prototype, and a ₹1.27 lakh crore (~13B USD) semiconductor bet, all while regulators steep on how to handle AI. Nineteen deals worth ~$271M USD crossed the table, but the real story isn't the volume, it's the shift towards fewer, richer cups: bigger cheques, more mature bets, and infrastructure taking centre stage over quick consumer wins. Whether you take your capital concentrated or with a bit of froth on top, there's plenty here to keep you steeped in India's momentum. Let's dive in.

#52 The Maturity Moment | 6 - 12 July 2026

Hello Chai Lovers,This week, India's ecosystem is steeping in some serious maturity, from upGrad finally absorbing Unacademy after a steep valuation correction, to Swiggy crossing the majority Indian-ownership threshold. Meanwhile, our retail global capability centre data shows India isn't just brewing back-office work anymore, it's running the whole kitchen. Add in a titanium-armed robotics raise, a live entertainment discovery play riding the Gen Z wave, and you've got an edition with plenty to sip on. Let's dive in.

#51 Selective Capital, Serious Builders | 29 June - 5 July 2026

Hello Chai Lovers, This week's brew is a strong one, from lab-grown diamonds to battery recycling, a compliance crackdown on messaging apps, and a fresh $676M USD AI funding surge, there's plenty steeping in India's startup pot. We're also getting into a bumper fund close from Sparrow Capital and catching up with Pixxel's satellite ambitions. Let's dive in.

Founder Interview: Archana Nanthakumar

#50 Capital is flowing. Regulation is the wildcard | 22 - 28 July 2027

Hello Chai Lovers, the chai is strong this week and so is the deal flow. We've got a $900M fintech blockbuster, OpenAI planting its flag in India, an EV policy that's putting petrol two-wheelers on borrowed time, and a regulatory warning that every founder and investor should be reading. Let's dive in.

#49 The next wave isn't coming. It's already here | 15 - 21 June 2026

Hello Chai Lovers, things are heating up and we're not just talking about the chai. This week, India's DeepTech scene earned its WEF stripes, solar is surging, and innovation is spilling well beyond the metros. No time to let this one steep too long. Let's dive in.

#48 Biogas, Bots, and Agentic Payments: India Means Business | 8 -14 June 2026

Hello Chai Lovers, India doesn't wait for the water to boil, it builds the kettle. This week, capital is flowing into the infrastructure layer: biogas plants, quantum chips, autonomous underwater vehicles, and now an agentic payments protocol that lets AI shop, negotiate, and pay on your behalf. The funding market is getting more selective, but the conviction behind each raise is stronger than ever. Steep in that for a moment. Let's dive in.

#47 The Next OpenAI Won't Come From India. Something Bigger Will | 1 -7 June 2026

Hello Chai Lovers, India had quite the week and much like a perfectly brewed cup, every layer had something to offer. From an AI defence firm gearing up for an IPO, to a $30B USD infrastructure commitment that just rewrote India's AI story, to a quality-first grocery startup doubling its valuation in nine months, the ecosystem is steeping with conviction. The smart money isn't just watching India anymore, it's moving in. Let's dive in.

#46 UPI’s 23 billion flex | 25 - 31 May 2026

Hello Chai Lovers, this week’s brew is especially strong - from a record-breaking UPI milestone to policy twists, funding rounds, and a few high-conviction bets across consumer, commerce, and deep science. There’s plenty to steep through, so pour yourself a cup and settle in for the latest on the startups, signals, and capital shaping India’s next chapter. Let’s dive in.

#45 India Isn't Just Playing Catch-Up Anymore | 18 - 24 May 2026

Hello Chai Lovers, While global markets have been a bit tepid, the surge in early-stage funding shows that investors have a real thirst for fresh innovation, especially as domestic LPs start to provide the perfect blend of stability and local expertise. We’re not just following a recipe anymore; India is crafting its own unique flavour of financial infrastructure that the rest of the world is eager to sip on. There is certainly no "chai-ing" to hide the fact that the momentum is shifting back to fundamentals. Let’s dive in.

#44 The Gig Is Up (And So Is the IPO Bar) | 11 - 17 May 2026

Hello Chai Lovers, this week's cup is full and it's a strong one. India's platform economy is feeling the heat from 15M+ gig workers, the IPO market is separating the patient from the hasty, and some of the most interesting capital of the year is landing in places you might not expect. Pull up a chair. Let's dive in.