Daily Indian Startup Funding Roundup & Key News - 26 March 2026: Plum Raises ₹193 Cr, Deccan AI Bags $25 Mn, Dream Sports Enters Broking
From health insurance and AI post-training to biotech probiotics, Indian startups secured significant funding across varied sectors today. The day was topped by Plum's ₹193 crore Series B round and Deccan AI's $25 million Series A, with Elmed Life Sciences' $2.7 million raise also drawing attention.
Here’s a quick roundup of the key startup fundings and business news in India on 26 March 2026.
Daily Indian Startup Funding Digest - 26 March 2026
| STARTUP | SECTOR | FUNDING | ROUND | LEAD INVESTORS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plum | Insurtech / Health Benefits | ₹193 Cr (~$23 Mn) | Series B | Peak XV Partners |
| Deccan AI | AI / Post-Training Data | $25 Mn (~₹210 Cr) | Series A | A91 Partners |
| Elmed Life Sciences | Biotech / Probiotics | $2.7 Mn (~₹23 Cr) | Series A | NABVENTURES (AgriSURE Fund) |
Plum Raises ₹193 Cr Series B Led by Peak XV Partners
Employee health benefits and insurtech platform, Plum, raised ₹193 crore (~$23 million) in a Series B round led by Peak XV Partners, with participation from existing investor Tanglin Venture Partners and new investor GMO Venture Partners.
The Bengaluru-based company achieved its first full year of EBITDA and cash flow profitability, focusing on insurance, healthcare, and employee wellbeing.
The fresh capital will fuel investments in talent, technology, enterprise-grade security, AI-driven claims operations, and integrations with HR and payroll systems.
Deccan AI Raises $25 Mn Series A Led by A91 Partners
Hyderabad-based Deccan AI, specializing in AI post-training services like data generation, evaluation, and RLHF, raised $25 million (~₹210 crore) in a Series A round led by A91 Partners, with participation from Susquehanna International Group (SIG) and Prosus Ventures.
Founded in 2024, the startup serves enterprise clients including Google DeepMind and Snowflake, offering an evaluation platform and AI agents for back- and middle-office automation.
The funds will support expansion to large enterprises and Fortune 500 firms, building on its 10+ customers and active projects.
Elmed Life Sciences Raises $2.7 Mn Series A from NABVENTURES
Hyderabad-based Elmed Life Sciences, a science-led firm developing probiotic and biological solutions for animal health, aquaculture, agriculture, and human health, raised $2.7 million (~₹23 crore) in a Series A round from AgriSURE Fund managed by NABVENTURES (NABARD's VC arm).
The company manufactures microbiome-based products to boost productivity, immunity, and sustainability, partnering with firms like Aurobindo and Apex Laboratories.
Proceeds will expand manufacturing, strengthen R&D, and scale distribution across key markets.
Key Business News for 26 March 2026
Dream Sports to launch stockbroking platform ‘Dream Street’
Dream Sports is entering stockbroking with ‘Dream Street’, aiming to diversify beyond fantasy gaming. The platform will target retail investors with a tech-led experience, as the company looks to offset regulatory headwinds in its core business.
Namma Yatri Parent Acquires Dutch Mobility Firm Automicle
Namma Yatri’s parent, Moving Tech Innovations, has acquired Netherlands-based Automicle to expand into Europe. The move will take its zero-commission mobility model global, strengthening its presence beyond India’s auto and cab ecosystem.
Zerodha raises intraday F&O charges to ₹40 per order
Zerodha has increased brokerage to ₹40 per order for select intraday F&O trades from April 1, mainly for users not maintaining 50% cash margin. The move reflects rising costs, regulatory pressure, and slowing derivatives volumes, and may trigger similar pricing changes across the broking industry.
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