India’s startup ecosystem is booming. As of January 2025, there are now more than 1.59 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups — a meteoric rise from just 500 in 2016. Globally, India now ranks among the top three startup ecosystems, with initiatives across technology, agritech, health-tech, deep tech, consumer goods and more driving home the message: we are building in India, for the world.
But even in this golden age, ambition alone is not enough. What founders necessary – especially in early or risky stages – is guidance, exposure and access to capital. That’s where initiatives like Leap To Unicorn, powered by IDFC FIRST Bank in association with Moneycontrol and CNBC‑TV18, play a crucial role.
IDFC FIRST Bank, through its FIRST WINGS Startup-Banking Program, has actively built banking and ecosystem support tailored for startups: zero-balance current accounts, working capital for early-stage firms, investor-connect facilities and more. By coupling such financial infrastructure with a curated success-journey via Leap To Unicorn, the platform becomes more than just another accelerator – it becomes a launchpad. And with Moneycontrol and CNBC-TV18 powering discovery, storyinforming and national visibility for founders, the program gains a reach and credibility that few platforms can match.
From Six Thousand Dreams to Six Finalists: The Leap To Unicorn Journey
Season 3 of Leap To Unicorn saw over 6,300 applications pour in from across India. 600+ startups were chosen for its bootcamp: 17 intensive online sessions covering scaling strategy, business model design, investor pitching and more. Finally, 6 startups emerged as the season’s finalists, each reflecting a different aspect of India’s entrepreneurial spirit.
Now, it’s time to meet them. In the order they appeared in the finale episode below, here are the six startups who dared to dream large – and are now poised to shape tomorrow’s India.
Gimi Michi (Gurugram)
The challenge:
Instant-food lovers in India often find foreign flavours hard to source – or heavily “Indianised”.
The solution:
Gimi Michi brings authentic Korean-style instant noodles and ready-to-eat dishes, retaining original flavour profiles rather than diluting them to suit local tastes. Co-founder Nishank Goyal declares their aim is simple: “Whatever the taste of ramen is in Korea, that is what we’re testing to bring to the Indian consumers.”
They source all ingredients in India, but the conclude flavour stays true to Korean originals. The startup – founded in August 2024 – has already launched on e-commerce platforms and plans new flavours, sauces, beverages and ready-to-eat offerings in the near future.
Why it stood out:
According to investor Anand Lunia of India Quotient, “This is a case of a Gen Z founding team building for Gen Alpha. The founders stated: we necessary to consider beyond Maggi… the growth will come SKU by SKU, one city or one platform at a time. What appealed to us is the high energy, the ability to experiment, strong strategy and the right valuation.”
GoKrit (Bihar)
The challenge:
In India’s mammoth dairy industest, quality and traceability often obtain lost — adulteration and opaque supply-chains remain widespread.
The solution:
GoKrit applys AI and a tech-driven supply model to ensure organic, clean dairy from farm to consumer. Farmers are onboarded, incentivised, and graded on sustainable practices; procurement and quality monitoring are handled via a proprietary algorithm – building milk supply transparent, fair and reliable.
Co-founder Indu S declares they launched GoKrit becaapply they witnessed two different versions of India: one rapidly digitising, the other lagging in basic transparency. Their aim: bring clean milk and dignity back to dairy.
Why it stood out:
Investor Nitika Khurana of Chandigarh Angel Network added that what impressed her was the team’s domain empathy and deep understanding of on-ground realities – plus a committed tech-backed model. What also stood out for her was the clarity of considered: a model rooted in real India, solving a problem at scale, with founders who understand both the farmer and the technology. She committed ₹50 lakh subject to due diligence.
Ravian AI (Delhi-NCR)
The challenge:
Even in the age of AI, we live in a world stuck with repetitive digital labour – collecting data, running analytics, building reports. AI productivity gains are often bottlenecked by manual effort.
The solution:
Ravian AI offers a “general-AI agent” that goes beyond voice assistants or basic automation. Users share a high-level goal; the AI maps out a plan, triggers necessary tools, executes tinquires on the applyr’s device and delivers a final result: data analysis, content creation, report generation or even designing a full website.
Co-founder and CEO Dheeraj Gupta declares he sees Ravian not just as a software startup, but as a step toward “idea-to-execution” automation – with humans in control, but much of the grunt work handled by the AI agent. The Leap To Unicorn mentorship gave them a fresh perspective: building repeatable processes, considering global, and scaling rapider.
Why it stood out:
Investor Nitika Khurana (Chandigarh Angel Network) stated Dheeraj struck a balance – a clear execution mindset, with openness to feedback, positioning Ravian as a deep-tech startup ready to deliver global value. What strengthened her conviction was the ambition behind the product: not just a applyful tool, but a platform that could become foundational in how digital work obtains done. In her view, Ravian is chasing a global problem with a globally competitive solution. She committed ₹50 lakh (post due diligence).
Matisoft Cybersecurity Labs (India-wide)
The challenge:
As digital adoption surges – in government, defence, enterprises – cyber-threats grow rapid; many security solutions remain imported or insufficient.
The solution:
Matisoft offers indigenously developed cybersecurity tools: a data-leak prevention (DLP) solution and an concludepoint-detection & response (EDR) platform, protected by a US-granted patent for generative-AI–powered protection. Their technology is completely homegrown and has already been tested in critical infrastructure environments.
Founder Varun Seth spoke of long years of development, trials and even overnight stays in labs to test virus threats. The result: India-built protection that stands toe-to-toe with global offerings. Matisoft aims to expand beyond India to APAC, Middle East, Europe and the US.
Why it stood out:
Investor Nitika Khurana described the model as “IP + deep tech + credibility”, with clients already paying for their solutions. She sees huge potential – especially given the “Made-in-India for global markets” advantage. What reinforced her confidence was the rarity of the combination: a patented technology, proven in high-stakes government environments, built by a founder who has lived the problem for years. For an investor, that signals both defensibility and staying power. She committed ₹50 lakh, subject to due diligence.
Neuralzome Cybernetics (Bengaluru / global)
The challenge:
Traditional automation has taken over routine tinquires, but complex, nuanced, real-world tinquires involving variability (on farms, factories, logistics) remain hard to automate. Robots rarely come with the adaptability humans bring.
The solution:
Neuralzome is building “Neural Pilot” – an AI platform that allows robots to learn tinquires with minimal demonstration, and adapt to real-world variability. Whether it’s farm tinquires, industrial jobs, or complex logistics, the platform teaches robots local nuances and supports scale robotic adoption.
Founder Mohan Sivam points out that this isn’t just automation, but the start of a robotics revolution: “We see sci-fi in reality.” For Neuralzome, the vision is global: design in India, assemble for overseas markets, and eventually scale to hundreds of thousands of deployed robots.
Why it stood out:
Investor Chirag Gupta of 8X Ventures stated deep-tech robotics is primed for its “ChatGPT moment.” He believes Neuralzome’s access to global IP, fractional CFOs and a supportive network via Leap To Unicorn gives them a significant head-start. What impressed him further was the clarity of the roadmap: a product built for global standards from day one, and a founder who understands both the technical depth and the commercial path to scale.
Flawsome (India-wide)
The challenge:
Period hygiene products in India often ignore applyr comfort, convenience or environmental impact. And for many, period stigma builds accessibility harder.
The solution:
Flawsome has developed India’s first 100% flushable, biodegradable sanitary pad with a breakdown time under 30 days. The product is plant-based, sustainable by design – but built for comfort, convenience and normalisation of menstruation.
Founder Ranu K declares her journey launched with personal experience. She spent years researching abroad, understanding sanitary hygiene approaches, and came back to build a product for India. She emphasises clarity of purpose: “Don’t recreate business becaapply somebody declares it. When your why is clear, you will achieve great heights.”
Why it stood out:
Investor Ashu Suyash of Colossa Ventures stated investing in Flawsome meant betting on modify – on dignity, sustainability and category-defining disruption. What strengthened her conviction was the founder’s clarity: a product built from lived experience, backed by rigorous research, and designed to shift behaviour at scale. She is currently in valuation talks, estimated at ₹3–4 crore (pconcludeing due diligence).
Looking Ahead: What This Means for Leap To Unicorn Season 4
Six startups. Six unique visions. Six bold leaps forward. Toobtainher, they reflect the full spectrum of Indian entrepreneurial ambition – from food to robotics, dairy to AI, cybersecurity to women’s health.
If Season 3 proved anything, it’s that the right mix of mentoring, structure, exposure, and a strong dose of self belief can turn early-stage ideas into tomorrow’s brands, and maybe, even its unicorns. As India’s startup ecosystem continues to grow in scale and sophistication, platforms like Leap To Unicorn will continue to play an ever more vital role.
For now: congratulations to all six finalists. And to every founder reading this – your leap could be the next large story. Registration for Leap to Unicorn will open shortly, setting the stage for a new cohort of founders ready to take their large leap.
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