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Google and Accel join forces to support Indian AI startups

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Alphabet’s Google and venture capital firm Accel will partner to fund at least 10 early-stage Indian AI startups, marking the U.S. technology giant’s first funding partnership, top executives at both companies said.

Furthermore, the move comes as major U.S. tech firms like Microsoft, Amazon, and OpenAI make a beeline for the world’s most populous nation, which they view as a critical growth market where nearly a billion people use the internet.

Under the partnership, Google’s AI Futures Fund and Accel will co-invest up to $2 million in each startup, Prayank Swaroop, partner at Accel, told in an interview, with the investments focusing on broad areas such as entertainment, creativity, work, and coding.

Additionally, the announcement follows Google’s statement in October that it would invest $15 billion over five years to build an AI data center in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, representing its biggest-ever investment in the country.

Moreover, its AI Futures Fund, launched six months ago, has funded more than 30 companies, including Indian webtoon startup Toonsutra and U.S.-based legal-tech firm Harvey. Google has also partnered with India’s largest telecom operator, Reliance Jio, to provide free access to Gemini AI for 505 million users.

“We firmly believe that the founders in India are going to be playing a leading role in defining that next era of global technology,” Jonathan Silber, co-founder and director of Google’s AI Futures Fund, said.

“…we think that it’s critical to invest in the early stage. Particularly in key markets like India, so that we can be at the forefront of investing in the next generation of AI leaders.”

IT industry body Nasscom and consulting firm BCG project India’s AI market to reach $17 billion by 2027. Meanwhile, market research firm Gartner estimates global AI spending will reach nearly $1.5 trillion in 2025 and exceed $2 trillion in 2026.

AI workflow startup Model ML raises $75 Mn in major funding round

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Chaz and Arnie Englander, co-founders, Model ML

Model ML, an AI-driven workflow automation startup that serves deal teams in financial services, has secured $75 million in Series A funding just one year after launching. FT Partners leads the round, with participation from Y Combinator, QED, 13Books, Latitude, and LocalGlobe, marking the raise as a follow-up only six months after the company’s seed round.

Based in San Francisco and operating additional offices in New York and London, Model ML equips deal teams to rapidly prepare pitch decks, investment memos, and diligence reports by offering AI Modules that generate client-ready Word, PowerPoint, and Excel deliverables directly from trusted data while matching exact prior formats.

CEO Chaz Englander says, “High-stakes business runs on documents: pitch decks, diligence summaries, and investment memos. But most firms still build them the hard way. Analysts spend entire weekends cross-checking numbers and formatting slides. Despite all that effort, mistakes still slip through because no one can realistically verify every data point in a 100-page deliverable. Our agents reason across data sources, write the code to extract and transform what’s needed, and generate finished, branded outputs with verification built in.”

He explains that the company recently executed a verification workflow, testing the AI against consultants from McKinsey and Bain on real Word and PowerPoint outputs. The consultants took more than an hour to finish the task, while Model ML completed it in under three minutes and still identified more errors.

Model ML operates under the guidance of a world-class advisory board that includes former HSBC CEO Noel Quinn and UBS chair Axel Weber. Moreover, the platform serves several of the world’s largest investment banks, asset managers, and consulting firms.

“Model ML is creating the blueprint for how modern financial services firms will operate,” says Weber. “In today’s world, precision and speed are essential; reputation and innovation are a must. Model ML delivers this at scale.”

Revolut hits €65 Billion valuation after latest share sale

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Nik Storonsky, CEO and co-founder, Revolut

Revolut, the London-based FinTech giant, has achieved a remarkable €65 billion ($75 billion) valuation after completing a major secondary share sale that brought several prominent new investors onto its cap table. This development further strengthens its position as Europe’s most valuable private tech company.

The share sale attracted participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Franklin Templeton, and NVentures, the venture capital arm of NVIDIA.

In a public statement, CEO and co-founder of Revolut, Nik Storonsky said, “This milestone reflects the remarkable progress we have made in the last twelve months towards our vision of building the first truly global bank, serving 100 million customers across 100 countries. I’d like to thank our team for their determination and energy, and for believing that it is possible to build a global financial and technology leader from Europe.”

Together, these rounds total €261.3 million, reflecting active investment across wealth-tech, SME finance, and payments infrastructure. Revolut’s new €65 billion valuation, however, stands far above typical sector funding levels in 2025. Activity in the UK remains notable, with both Zilch and Due also raising capital this year.

Revolut CFO Victor Stinga said, “The level of investor interest and our new valuation reflect the strength of our business model, which is delivering both rapid growth and strong profitability. We welcome onboard a series of world-class investors and look forward to working with them for the next stage in Revolut’s evolution.”

Founded in 2015 by Nik Storonsky and Vlad Yatsenko, Revolut has evolved from a prepaid card provider into a global financial super-app offering banking, trading, insurance, and crypto services.

Revolut recently secured its final banking approval in Mexico and obtained a banking incorporation license in Colombia. It also plans to launch in India, reinforcing its ambition to become the “world’s first truly global bank.”

The secondary sale marks a major turning point for the company, supported by top-tier US institutional investors. As part of the deal, employees received the option to cash out up to 20% of their equity, marking Revolut’s fifth employee liquidity event.

Alongside the sale, Revolut released strong 2024 financial results, reporting €3.4 billion ($4 billion) in revenue, up 72% year-over-year, and €1.2 billion ($1.4 billion) in pre-tax profit, representing a 149% surge.

Its global customer base has grown beyond 65 million users, and its business banking arm now generates €867 million ($1 billion) in annualized revenue.

Revolut’s jump from a €39 billion ($45 billion) valuation last year to €65 billion represents a 67% increase, placing it among the ten most valuable private companies in the world. The participation of NVIDIA-backed NVentures also underscores a stronger emphasis on AI, with Revolut positioning the partnership as part of a broader technology collaboration.

Looking ahead, Revolut continues to pursue an aggressive global roadmap. Storonsky stated that the company aims to reach 100 million customers and operate in 100 countries by 2030, with 30 new markets already in progress. The FinTech leader intends to scale globally while reinforcing its European foundation.

Mahindra Holidays unveils bold new vision for leisure hospitality

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Manoj Bhat, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd.

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited (MHRIL) has unveiled its vision to become India’s leading leisure hospitality brand. The company plans to drive this transformation by scaling its core business and elevating member experience, which includes rapidly expanding its inventory to 10,000 keys by FY30.

MHRIL has also introduced Keystone, a Privileged Access Program that offers premium benefits such as concierge services along with flexible and simplified membership plans. In addition, the company is moving toward premiumizing its resort portfolio and has refreshed its brand identity by rebranding Club Mahindra as Club M to align with its transformation.

The company further aims to enter the luxury leisure segment by launching Mahindra Signature Resorts. These properties will cater to families seeking immersive, high-end experiences delivered with sophistication. MHRIL plans to scale this brand to 2,000 keys by FY30, according to a company release.

Manoj Bhat, MD & CEO of Mahindra Holidays, said, “For almost three decades, Mahindra Holidays has shaped how Indian families holiday, which gives us a competitive edge. The demand for experiential holidays is rising swiftly due to increasing affluence. We recognize that family extends beyond the traditional sense to encompass meaningful connections and shared experiences. Hence, we are embarking on our two-brand strategy to gain a leadership position in the leisure market.”

Marico’s digital brands surpass ₹1,000-Cr in annual recurring revenue

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Saugata Gupta, Managing Director and CEO, Marico

Marico’s digital brands have crossed Rs 1,000 crore in annual recurring revenue, and the company expects its food and premium personal care segments to contribute 25% of India revenues, according to Managing Director and CEO Saugata Gupta.

Gupta said Marico’s digital portfolio—which includes Beardo, True Elements, Just Herbs, and Plix—continues to scale rapidly across premium personal care and food categories. He noted that these brands remain on strong growth trajectories and are likely to maintain their momentum.

“Our digital brands have crossed Rs 1,000 crore in ARR (annual recurring revenue), and we expect the diversified portfolio…including premium personal care, to contribute at least 25% to our overall India business over the next three years,” Gupta said.

He stated that Beardo, the men’s grooming brand, has nearly reached profitability and now delivers a double-digit EBITDA, while D2C wellness brand Plix has already achieved break-even.

“Our objective is to immediately take it to a mid-single-digit to high single-digit EBITDA,” Gupta said, adding that the company aims “to grow well, and at the same time, grow profitably.”

Gupta acknowledged that True Elements, the health foods brand, and Just Herbs, the Ayurvedic beauty and personal care label, have yet to achieve break-even.

“So, over the next 18 months, we need to ensure they break even and continue to grow. Our objective of achieving 2.5x of FY24 ARR and a 10% EBITDA by FY27 remains intact,” he said.

He added that Marico’s broader food business, which includes Saffola and Coco Soul, has also crossed the Rs 1,000 crore ARR milestone.

“We expect the Foods category to return to over 20% growth by Q4 and also continue that momentum into Q1 next fiscal year. Our focus remains on ‘fewer, bigger, better, and relevant’ for the food business, as we have learned that scale drives profitability,” Gupta said.

Gupta further noted that Marico has improved gross margins by 1,000 basis points over the last two years and intends to maintain this progress.

“It’s critical that the diversified part of our portfolio not only drives top-line growth but also becomes significantly profitable,” he emphasized.

FAE Beauty raises Rs 17-Cr in funding

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Karishma Kewalramani, Founder & CEO of FAE Beauty

FAE Beauty has raised Rs 17 crore (approximately $2 million) in fresh capital, with Spring Marketing Capital leading the round. Existing investors—including Titan Capital, Winners Fund, Arihant Patni, and several angel investors—also participated in the funding.

Founded by UC Berkeley alum and makeup artist Karishma Kewalramani, FAE Beauty focuses on color cosmetics crafted for Indian skin tones and undertones. The brand’s popular products—Lip Whip, Lush Blush, and Eye Deal Kajal—aim to address shade inclusivity while delivering strong performance. These formulations combine skincare-led benefits such as long-wear coverage, hydration, and anti-pigmentation properties to meet evolving consumer preferences in the Indian beauty market.

Karishma Kewalramani, Founder & CEO of FAE Beauty, said, “Going ahead, we plan to double down on product innovation, launch new face-forward categories, and strengthen our omni-channel presence across marketplaces, quick commerce, and offline retail.”

FAE Beauty will use the new capital to accelerate product development, expand into new face-focused categories, and strengthen its distribution across D2C channels, marketplaces, offline retail, and quick-commerce platforms. Kewalramani emphasized that consumer expectations continue to evolve, with buyers increasingly seeking makeup that delivers on “performance, care, and better shade representation.”

The brand continues to gain traction among millennial and Gen Z consumers, with availability across Amazon, Myntra, Tira, Nykaa, Blinkit, and its own e-commerce platform. While FAE has scaled its core lip and eye categories, it has recently expanded into face products such as skin tints.

Speaking about the investment, Kaushik Dasgupta, head of investments at Spring Marketing Capital, said FAE Beauty sits “at the intersection of skinification and self-expression” and noted the brand’s ability to build community and drive repeat usage “through product formulation and content-led engagement.”

AI-powered academic writing tool Paperpal surpasses 3 Mn users globally

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Akhilesh Ayer, CEO, Cactus Communications

Paperpal, the AI-driven writing and research assistant developed by Cactus Communications (CACTUS), has crossed three million users worldwide, marking a significant milestone in its mission to help students and researchers write with clarity, precision, and integrity.

Paperpal’s rapid rise demonstrates strong traction within the academic community as the demand for trustworthy AI tools grows. The platform has tripled its user base in the last 18 months by staying committed to ethical AI that enhances each user’s capabilities. With its deep expertise in academic writing, Paperpal continues to help researchers present their work confidently while maintaining their authentic voice.

Akhilesh Ayer, CEO, Cactus Communications, said, “As academia embraces AI, the focus remains on solutions that amplify human expertise. Crossing the three-million-user mark is more than a milestone for Paperpal; it is a testament to the growing trust in our vision to empower every academic with ethical, high-impact AI that advances scholarly communication.”

Nishchay Shah, Group CTO and EVP, Products & AI, Cactus Communications, added, “Researchers want more than generic AI; they seek intelligent, reliable partners that understand their academic journey. That’s what we offer. From polishing manuscripts and checking submission readiness to helping researchers find their scientific voice, Paperpal brings everything together in one intuitive platform. This milestone is not just about scale but about earning the trust of academics who see Paperpal as essential to their research journey.”

It promotes responsible authorship and supports academics throughout every stage of research and writing. Its technology powers submission workflows for major publishers, ensuring quality, integrity, and efficiency across the process. Students rely on it to strengthen their writing skills, enhance clarity, and build confidence in assignments and theses. With grammar checking, paraphrasing, plagiarism detection, AI summarization, and more, Paperpal enables users to save time and focus on advancing their research.

Academics consistently praise Paperpal’s simplicity, robust features, and field-aware accuracy as key reasons for adopting the platform. Many say it helps them “think and write confidently without compromising quality” and “refine writing and grammar without losing their unique style.”

Moreover, the platform continues to earn the confidence of students, researchers, and institutions worldwide. As a result, it keeps expanding as a solution that elevates writing quality, strengthens scientific communication, and helps academics overcome barriers to successful publication.

Wealthy secures ₹130 crore in funding led by Bertelsmann India Investments to scale its AI-powered platform for mutual fund distributors

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Aditya Agarwal & Prashant Gupta, co-founder, Wealthy

●      The company will use this capital to further invest in technology, expand into Tier 2 and Tier 3 geographies, onboard 50,000 distributors, and achieve ₹1 lakh crore in AUM.

●      Wealthy combines human trust with AI-powered technology to help independent professionals become sophisticated wealth entrepreneurs, making wealth management scalable, personalized, and accessible for millions of Indians.

Bengaluru, India, November 24— Wealthy.in, India’s leading wealth-tech platform for mutual fund distributors and wealth management professionals, has raised ₹130 crore in a Series B round led by Bertelsmann India Investments. The round also saw participation from existing investor Alphawave Global, new investor Shepherd’s Hill, and a group of prominent tech entrepreneurs.

Founded by IIT–IIM alumni Aditya Agarwal and Prashant Gupta, Wealthy’s platform processes over ₹300 crore in monthly transactions and works with a network of more than 6,000 mutual fund distributors serving over 100,000 clients across 1,000+ towns. It has also emerged as India’s second-largest recruiter of distributors, onboarding more than 350 every month. Client assets worth ₹5,000 crore are currently being managed on the platform.

Wealthy.in’s Series A was led by Alphwave Global in 2022, and in the last three years the company’s AUM has grown from ₹200 crore to ₹5,000 crore, underlying the rapid expansion of business. Wealthy has 20 offices across India, with a strong presence in major cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Surat, Jaipur, Gurugram, Delhi, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Kolkata—supported by a 250+ member team.

The fresh capital will accelerate Wealthy’s mission to empower India’s rapidly growing mutual fund distributors (MFDs) with advanced AI-powered tools and digital infrastructure, transforming how Indian investors save, invest, and build long-term financial wealth.

With mutual fund AUM at 75 lakh crore and India’s wealth management market projected to double to 200 lakh crore by FY29, independent MFDs have become the backbone and growth engine of the retail wealth industry. Their numbers have doubled to nearly 2 lakh in the last five years, as investors increasingly prefer independent distributors who are unaffiliated with product manufacturers and can offer unbiased guidance.

Yet, most lack the digital infrastructure, tools, and product access needed to compete with institutional players. MFDs continue to spend nearly 70% of their time on manual processes such as KYC and compliance, limiting their ability to scale and focus on client engagement.

“India has a fundamental advice gap that technology alone cannot solve. LIC serves over 40 crore customers, yet mutual funds have only 5 crore investors—this gap exists because we have too few advisors, and the ones we have lack the tools to scale,” said Aditya Agarwal, co-founder of Wealthy. “MFDs have done a phenomenal job building trust and relationships, but to scale to the next level, they needed technology investment that was missing from the ecosystem. We’ve built a mobile-first, India-made solution designed specifically for how Indians invest and how Indian advisors work. Our platform combines the irreplaceable value of human advice with AI-powered tools, enabling wealth partners to deliver institutional-quality service at scale. This is how we’ll bridge the advice gap and bring sophisticated wealth management to millions.”

According to RBI data on Household Flow of Financial Assets, equity mutual funds attracted ₹4.66 lakh crore in net inflows in FY25—an increase of more than seven times in the last five years. While existing portfolios continue to compound with market gains, new wealth creation is increasingly flowing through managed investment vehicles like mutual funds.

“Our vision is to unlock a completely new supply of wealth entrepreneurs across India,” said Prashant Gupta, co-founder of Wealthy. “We’re seeing relationship managers, ex-bankers, and finance professionals leave traditional roles to build independent practices. These professionals are becoming true wealth entrepreneurs, running their own businesses and building long-term equity. Wealthy provides everything they need: comprehensive technology, professional tools, and access to products across all asset classes—mutual funds, equities, bonds, PMS, and AIFs—combined with insurance and financial solutions. This holistic approach empowers distributors to serve as genuine wealth partners to their clients, not just product distributors. That’s the future we’re building.”

“Less than 15% of Indian households have any exposure to the Indian equities market, either directly or indirectly. As India marches on its way to being a developed country, we believe this number will move closer to 60% and catch up with developed markets. Wealthy will play a critical role in this mission as it provides cutting-edge technology, as well as access to multiple products to MFDs all over the country. We are excited to partner with Aditya and Prashant on this journey of financial inclusion and creation of the next big wealth-tech platform in the country,” said Rohit Sood, Partner at Bertelsmann India Investments.

Wealthy’s AI-powered platform offers a complete 360° solution, combining investments—mutual funds, stocks, PMS, FDs, fixed income securities—and protection products like term and health insurance in one place. With dedicated apps for both clients and distributors, it enables seamless access to 200+ financial institutions across a full range of financial products across multiple asset classes.

It empowers independent distributors with:

●      AI-Powered Advisory Workflows: Real-time alerts for pending tasks, portfolio insights, risk tracking, and client engagement—shifting them from reactive to proactive advisory.

●      AI-enabled onboarding: Clients can now complete KYC and start investing within two minutes.

●      Enterprise-Grade Distributor Tools: Personalized websites, branded client applications, and professional marketing resources that elevate MFDs to credible distributors with institutional-level digital presence.

●      Data-Driven Insights & Analytics: Advanced analytics that provide distributors with portfolio performance tracking, client behavior patterns, and business growth metrics to make informed advisory decisions.

About Wealthy.in

Wealthy is India’s leading wealth-tech platform that empowers Mutual Fund Distributors (MFDs) with advanced technology, dedicated support, and in-depth product research. Its platform enables wealth management professionals to deliver personalized investment solutions, data-driven insights, and a superior client experience. Founded by IIT–IIM alumni Aditya Agarwal and Prashant Gupta, along with a team bringing decades of wealth management expertise, Wealthy is headquartered in Bengaluru and is on a mission to make wealth management accessible, scalable, and technology-driven for millions of investors across India.

About Bertelsmann India Investments

Founded in 2012, Bertelsmann India Investments (BII) is a sector-agnostic venture capital fund backing India’s next generation of transformative business leaders. BII focuses on early-growth-stage startups (Series A to C), combining long-term capital with long-term growth partnerships to help founders scale sustainably. With AUM of around USD 1 Bn, its portfolio includes leading innovators like Shiprocket, Eruditus, Licious, Nat Habit, LetsTransport, and Orange Health Labs. As the India investment arm of Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA, BII leverages the strength of Bertelsmann Investments (BI)—one of the world’s largest VC ecosystems, with $2 billion invested across 250+ companies globally.

Starbucks and Tata Starbucks launch farmer support partnership in India

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Brian Niccol, chairman and chief executive officer of Starbucks

Starbucks Coffee Company, in collaboration with Tata Starbucks, has launched a Farmer Support Partnership (FSP) to strengthen India’s coffee value chain and empower 10,000 farmers by 2030. Meanwhile, Starbucks will also open its 500th Indian store this week in Delhi NCR—a Starbucks Reserve® coffeehouse offering a premium, immersive experience.

The FSP, based in Karnataka, brings together Tata Starbucks’ deep local insight, India’s coffee-growing legacy, and Starbucks’ global agronomy expertise. It will connect Indian farmers and agronomists with global best practices through open-source agronomy models. Additionally, it will support farmers in key coffee-growing states—Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala—by boosting productivity, enabling sustainability, and strengthening links to Starbucks’ global farmer network.

Furthermore, the partnership will set up “model farms” to test farming innovations, introduce new varietals, and embed sustainable agronomy techniques suited to Indian conditions. It will also draw on insights from Starbucks Farmer Support Centers in Indonesia, China, and Costa Rica. Through Starbucks’ upcoming 2026 digital training tools, farmers will gain access to online modules on agronomy, C.A.F.E. practices, coffee quality, regenerative agriculture, and climate-resilient methods.

Over the next five years, Tata Starbucks will additionally donate one million high-yield Arabica seedlings to enhance productivity and farmer profitability.

During his India visit, Brian Niccol, Starbucks CEO, said, “India is one of our fastest-growing markets… It’s a long-term commitment to build a stronger, more sustainable coffee ecosystem that benefits everyone, from bean to cup.” Sunil D’Souza, CEO of Tata Consumer Products, added, “We are pleased to pair Starbucks’ global agronomy expertise with Tata’s footprint in India to drive tangible impact.”

Moreover, Tata Starbucks continues expanding rapidly. The opening of its 500th store marks an important milestone in strengthening India’s coffee culture. The new Starbucks Reserve® location will highlight elevated store design, handcrafted beverages, and storytelling rooted in Starbucks’ coffee heritage.

Sushant Dash, CEO of Tata Starbucks, emphasized, “As the largest specialty coffee player in India, we are proud to bring the Farmer Support Partnership… Our commitment extends beyond growth to investing in farmers, partners, and customers.”

Since entering India in 2012 as a 50/50 joint venture, Starbucks has grown to nearly 500 stores across 81 cities, supported by more than 4,437 partners. Together, Starbucks and Tata Starbucks aim to continue shaping India’s vibrant, sustainable coffee ecosystem.

Buddy4Study poised to surpass INR 900-Cr in education funding in FY 25-26

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Ashutosh Burnwal, Founder and CEO of Buddy4Study

Buddy4Study, India’s leading technology-driven education funding platform, is poised to reach a major milestone in FY 2025-26 by enabling over INR 900 crore in cumulative education funding since launch.

In this financial year alone, the platform will support more than 60,000 new scholars, while an additional 30,000 existing scholars will continue receiving multi-year assistance. Consequently, this expansion will increase Buddy4Study’s total reach to over 2 lakh unique scholars, up from 1.40 lakh.

This year’s scale-up marks a significant jump from FY 2024-25, when the platform facilitated INR 230 crore in scholarships for over 60,000 students. Buddy4Study’s wide-ranging funding solutions—including scholarships, education loans, government schemes, and institutional aid—have already enabled INR 640+ crore for 1.40 lakh scholars so far, and these efforts have solidified its position as India’s most comprehensive education support ecosystem.

“These numbers represent more than metrics—they represent dreams realized and futures transformed,” says Ashutosh Burnwal, Founder and CEO of Buddy4Study. “Reaching this milestone will reinforce our mission to ensure that no deserving student is left behind. Of the 1.40 lakh scholars we’ve felicitated across 11,000+ institutions—including IITs, IIMs, and NLUs—57% are young women, over 20,000 come from orphaned or single-parent households, and nine out of ten are first-generation learners. This is the true measure of our impact.”

The INR 900 crore milestone reflects Buddy4Study’s multi-layered education funding strategy, which addresses diverse learner needs at scale. Scholarships remain the foundation, with the platform having partnered with over 200 organizations since inception, including HDFC Bank, L’Oréal India, Colgate-Palmolive (India), GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Kotak Education Foundation, Bharti Airtel Foundation, and Infosys Foundation. With 80+ active partners, the platform now facilitates customized scholarships designed for varied student communities. In the current fiscal year, Buddy4Study is broadening its reach by directing more support toward underserved groups through targeted programs.

Education loans provide additional support, with the platform having enabled over INR 2.90 crore in loans through collaborations with major banks like Punjab National Bank, ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank, as well as NBFCs such as Kuhoo Finance. These partnerships offer collateral-free loans of up to INR 20 lakh. Loan access has improved further through the Buddy4Loan platform, which now helps scale loan facilitation across the country.

Buddy4Study’s Student Financial Aid Offices (SFAOs) network—responsible for delivering verified funding opportunities directly on campuses—has expanded to 36 institutions and NGOs. Key partners include NIT Delhi, AISECT Group of Institutions, Lovely Professional University, IMT Ghaziabad, Sri Siddhartha School of Engineering, The Indian Agriculture College, Madras School of Social Work, and several colleges under the University of Delhi. Leading NGOs such as Teach For India, Avanti Fellows, the Gopalakrishnan Foundation for the Deaf, and the Dalmia Bharat Foundation are also using this model to support students. Buddy4Study now aims to scale the network to 1,000 SFAOs by March 2026, which will drive a major phase of its growth strategy.

Government partnerships further strengthen reach. Buddy4Study’s strong execution in the Free Coaching for DNT Students scheme under SEED—where it successfully onboarded 500 students from De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes in FY 2024-25—resulted in a large-scale expansion, with the program now targeting 4,000 students this year. This progress demonstrates the government’s confidence in Buddy4Study’s ability to deliver impact at scale.

Alongside institutional initiatives, Buddy4Study’s Kind Circle platform has expanded philanthropic access by allowing individuals to create scholarships directly. With over INR 2.16 crore raised from 136 contributors so far, the initiative aims to build a INR 10 crore fund by March 2026, thus broadening grassroots contributions.

Beyond financial aid, Buddy4Study addresses students’ holistic development needs, which positions it as more than just a funding platform. Its evolving mentorship programs connect scholars with industry professionals to offer career insights and practical exposure. Through structured learning modules focused on professional skills, career readiness, and life skills, the platform ensures students grow academically and professionally.

“We’re building more than a funding platform—we’re creating a comprehensive support system that nurtures talent from financial assistance through professional development,” adds Burnwal. “Our vision for 2030 is to empower 10 lakh students, ensuring that education becomes a right, not a privilege, and that first-generation learners become tomorrow’s mentors.”

The newly launched Buddy4Vidya platform supports intellectual development and soft skills, offering training in communication, leadership, and professional grooming—skills often missing in traditional education. Its strong alumni community creates a self-sustaining support ecosystem where former scholars mentor newer students, fostering continuous guidance and empowerment.

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