Daily Indian Startup Funding Roundup & Key News – 23rd January 2026: Dhun Wellness Raises $4 Mn, Varthana Secures $16.5 Mn, CaratLane Joins Gullak & Amazon Plans Major Layoffs
India’s startup ecosystem saw notable momentum on 23rd January 2026, with fresh capital flowing into wellness and education-focused finance. Luxury wellness startup Dhun Wellness raised $4 Mn, backed by corporate giants SRF Ltd and Havells India, signalling growing investor interest in the longevity and premium wellness segment. Meanwhile, NBFC Varthana Finance secured $16.5 Mn in international debt financing to scale affordable education lending and strengthen school infrastructure with a focus on WASH initiatives. Alongside funding, key business updates included CaratLane onboarding onto Gullak’s jeweller savings marketplace and reports of Amazon’s upcoming layoffs.
Daily Indian Startup Funding Roundup - 23rd January 2026
| Company | Amount | Round | Lead investor(s) | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhun Wellness | $4 Mn | Funding round | SRF Ltd; Havells India (also angels incl. Arushi Aayush Agrawal, Ash Lilani, Abhishek Goyal, Sanjay Kapoor, others) | Wellness / Longevity / Urban wellness sanctuary |
| Varthana Finance | $16.5 Mn | International debt financing | WaterEquity ($6 Mn loan); Symbiotics ($5 Mn NCD); Triple Jump (€5 Mn ECB) | NBFC / Affordable education finance / School infrastructure (WASH) |
Dhun Wellness raises $4 Mn led by SRF and Havells India
Wellness startup Dhun Wellness has raised $4 million in a funding round co-led by SRF Ltd and Havells India. The capital will be used to expand its presence into new cities including Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad. Founded in 2023 by Mira Kapoor, Dhun positions itself as a luxury urban wellness destination offering integrated healing programs that blend traditional Indian practices (Ayurveda, sound healing) with modern longevity science (cryotherapy, infrared sauna).
Varthana secures $16.5 million funding to expand affordable education in India
Affordable education-focused NBFC Varthana Finance has secured $16.5 million through strategic international debt financings to scale school infrastructure and education lending across India. The tranche includes $6 million from WaterEquity, $5 million via Symbiotics (NCDs), and €5 million via Triple Jump (ECB financing). A key focus of the funding is improving WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) facilities in schools, supporting safer learning environments—especially benefiting attendance and outcomes for students in underserved communities.
Key Business News for 23rd January 2026
CaratLane comes onboard Gullak’s jeweller savings marketplace
Digital gold savings platform Gullak has launched India’s first jeweller savings scheme marketplace, bringing multiple jeweller savings schemes onto one app for easy comparison and management. CaratLane has joined as the first listed jewellery brand, with two more large jewellers expected to go live soon, and 15–20 additional brands planned over the year. The initiative aims to simplify discovery and selection of jewellery savings schemes, which are otherwise scattered across individual jewellers.
Amazon plans major layoffs next week
E-commerce and tech giant Amazon is reportedly planning another large round of job cuts starting as early as 27 January, targeting its corporate workforce. The report suggests the company could eliminate nearly 30,000 corporate jobs, following earlier reductions (including approximately 14,000 roles cut in October as per reports). Amazon has not made an official public statement on the fresh layoffs in the article.
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