Daily Indian Funding Roundup & Key News – 18th December 2025: Oben Electric Raises $10.2 Mn, CuePilot AI Secures $1.8 Mn, WorkIndia Bags INR 97 Cr & More

StartupTalky News

18 Dec 2025 — 3 min read

Daily Indian Funding Roundup & Key News – 18th December 2025

India’s startup ecosystem closed the day on a strong note on 18th December 2025, with multiple funding announcements spanning electric mobility, AI-driven education, industrial manufacturing, and workforce hiring platforms. Electric motorcycle maker Oben Electric led the funding highlights with a sizeable pre-Series B round, while early-stage AI startup CuePilot AI attracted investor interest in the edtech space. Industrial B2B player Magma and blue-collar recruitment platform WorkIndia also secured fresh capital to scale operations and technology capabilities. Alongside funding updates, the day featured key business developments, including senior leadership appointments at Thyrocare and potential workforce restructuring at global consulting firm McKinsey, reflecting broader shifts across industries.

Daily Indian Startup Funding Roundup - 18th December 2025

Company	Amount	Round	Lead investor(s)	Sector
Oben Electric	$10.2 Mn	Pre-Series B	Indian-American family offices including Raj K Soin, Musa Dakri, Ramesh Bhutada (with participation from existing investors)	Electric motorcycles / EV manufacturing
CuePilot AI	$1.8 Mn	Pre-seed	Unilazer Ventures, Eximius Ventures, Titan Capital	AI / Edtech (voice-first preschool management)
Magma	$8 Mn	Series A (extended)	Capria Ventures, Avinya Ventures, GVFL, AVNM Ventures	Industrial B2B solutions / Manufacturing tech
WorkIndia	INR 97 Cr	Series B	Aavishkaar Capital (with participation from BEENEXT Capital)	Blue & grey-collar recruitment platform

Oben Electric raises $10.2 Mn in pre-Series B round

Bengaluru-based electric motorcycle maker Oben Electric has raised INR 85 crore (around $10.2 million) in a pre-Series B funding round led by Indian-American family offices along with continued support from existing investors. The fresh capital will be used to expand its retail footprint across India, strengthen brand presence, and accelerate new product development as the company works towards scaling revenues and improving operational efficiency.

CuePilot AI raises $1.8 Mn in pre-seed round led by Unilazer Ventures

Early childhood education-focused startup CuePilot AI has secured $1.8 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Unilazer Ventures, with participation from Eximius Ventures and Titan Capital. The startup offers a voice-first, AI-driven platform for preschools and daycare centres to automate administrative workflows. The funds will support product development, AI capability enhancement, and market expansion across domestic and international regions.

Magma closes Series A round at $8 Mn

Industrial B2B solutions company Magma has closed its Series A funding round at $8 million, including an extension over its earlier raise. The round saw participation from multiple early-stage and growth investors. The capital will be used to scale operations, expand its manufacturing network, strengthen its industrial materials portfolio, and develop new factory-focused solutions across key Indian markets.

WorkIndia raises INR 97 Cr in latest funding round led by Aavishkaar Capital

Blue and grey-collar hiring platform WorkIndia has raised INR 97 crore in its latest Series B funding round led by Aavishkaar Capital, with participation from existing investors. The funding will be deployed towards improving platform technology, enhancing job-matching algorithms, expanding into new regions, and supporting product innovation as the company deepens its presence in India’s employment ecosystem.

Key Business News for 18th December 2025

Thyrocare appoints Dr Ramesh Kinha as Chief Operating Officer

Thyrocare Technologies has appointed Dr Ramesh Kinha as its new Chief Operating Officer, strengthening its leadership team as the diagnostic company continues to scale operations across India. Dr Kinha brings over 17 years of experience in the healthcare and diagnostics sector, with expertise in laboratory operations and quality systems. In his new role, he will oversee lab operations and enhance quality standards across Thyrocare’s wide network, focusing on diagnostic accuracy and service delivery excellence. Before joining Thyrocare, he held senior leadership roles at firms including Vijaya Diagnostic Centre, Apollo Health & Lifestyle, Medall Healthcare, Metropolis Healthcare, and SRL Ltd, and holds an MBBS, MD in Pathology, and advanced management credentials.

McKinsey considers thousands of job cuts as AI reshapes work

Global consulting firm McKinsey & Company is reportedly considering cutting thousands of jobs over the next 18–24 months as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes workplace dynamics and increases automation in support functions. Internal discussions have reportedly focused on reducing headcount in non-client-facing roles by roughly 10%, with potential layoffs to be implemented gradually. While no final decisions have been made on the exact scale or geographies affected, the consideration reflects broader industry trends of leveraging AI to enhance operational efficiency and streamline business processes.