Founders shift from experimentation to execution, scale and accountability.
MUMBAI, Jan 7 (The CONNECT) – After a year of correction, clarity and course-correction, India’s startup ecosystem enters 2026 in a markedly different mood. The noise has faded. The focus has sharpened. Across sectors—from health and mental wellness to fintech, mobility, consumer tech and deep technology—founders describe 2025 not as a slowdown, but as a necessary reset. Experimentation gave way to discipline. Growth was tested against ethics, unit economics and trust. Technology moved from novelty to infrastructure. As capital grew cautious and customers more demanding, startups learned to execute, not just innovate. The consensus for 2026 is clear: less hype, more delivery—and building systems that last.
Here is a cross-section view from founders:
Vikram Labhe, Founder & CEO, Melooha: Astrology this year has reminded us that ancient wisdom does not fade with time—it gains relevance. At Melooha, the growing adoption of AI and technology is helping reinterpret this knowledge with greater depth, precision and accessibility. Rooted in India’s legacy of the Rishi–Muni tradition that viewed time, nature and human consciousness as one, this wisdom is now being embraced far beyond its origins. What is evolving is not belief, but how it is experienced—shifting from generic interpretations to deeply personal guidance that speaks to individual journeys. Looking ahead, we see the future in the responsible convergence of astrology and intelligent technology, where tradition retains its soul while gaining the scale and clarity required for a global generation.”
Dr Sheetal Jindal, MBBS, MD (OBG), EPHM (IIM Kolkata), Senior Consultant and Medical Director, Jindal IVF & Medical Genetics Program, Chandigarh: The year 2025 has been encouraging for us at Jindal IVF, as growing patient confidence and steady clinical performance strengthened our presence among leading fertility centres in North India. Our long-standing experience enabled us to enhance laboratory efficiency, strengthen treatment planning, and support a consistent rise in successful outcomes across IVF and IUI cycles, while maintaining a strong focus on ethical and transparent care. The increase in couples seeking advanced diagnostics reflects a shift toward informed decision-making, and we responded by expanding our capabilities to meet this evolving demand. The continued preference of families travelling from across North India reaffirmed our belief that dependable outcomes and clear communication form the core of sustainable growth.
Dr Preeti Singh, Chief Medical Officer, Lissun: The mental health landscape in 2025 revealed a clear shift toward structured, preventive and family-centric care. At Lissun, we observed rising demand for early-stage interventions, especially for children and young adults, with anxiety, developmental delays, burnout and parenting stress becoming increasingly prevalent. Families and caregivers played a far more active role in therapy, resulting in better engagement and measurable outcomes. There was also growing acceptance of technology-enabled support, allowing care to extend beyond clinic walls. As we look toward 2026, personalised care pathways, preventive mental health and hybrid models blending digital and in-person support will take centre stage—while empathy, clinical judgment and sustained human connection remain irreplaceable.
Mannuri Vamshi Krishna, Founder & CEO, MedScore: The year 2025 has been a defining year for MedScore as India’s healthcare supply chain moved from intuition-led credit decisions to real-time financial intelligence. We saw how disciplined data can transform access to essential medicines, particularly in markets long constrained by delayed payments and informal lending. Our work showed that stability in healthcare begins with stability in cash flows, and that a credible digital credit identity can be as powerful as inventory itself. As we step into 2026, we will continue strengthening this backbone by expanding our scoring infrastructure, deepening ERP integrations, and bringing structured credit discipline across India’s B2B pharma ecosystem.
Shishir Gupta, Co-founder & CEO, Oakter: The year gone by has marked an important phase in Oakter’s journey as a homegrown consumer IoT and smart home technology brand. More Indian households are choosing reliable, India-designed products to simplify everyday living. We reached one million B2C customers since inception, added 1,45,000 customers in 2025, and are on track to reach 2,00,000 by year-end—driving 55% year-on-year revenue growth while remaining profitable and bootstrapped. Strong demand across leading online platforms is encouraging us to expand categories, deepen retail presence and strengthen our direct-to-consumer channel. Our focus remains on building smarter, energy-efficient devices that deliver seamless connected experiences.
Amit Sharma, Whole-Time Director, Matrix Geo Solutions Limited: 2025 has been an exciting year as we strengthened our presence in geospatial technology and engineering consultancy. Adoption of our Drone-as-a-Service and GIS solutions continued to grow across domestic and international markets. Our team’s commitment to precision, efficiency and data-driven insights has allowed us to expand offerings while maintaining operational excellence. The momentum built this year gives us confidence as we continue innovating and shaping the future of geospatial applications.
Sameer Moidin, Founder & CEO, EVeium Smart Mobility: 2025 has been a defining year as we strengthened our position in India’s fast-growing electric two-wheeler segment through deeper localisation, product innovation and strategic partnerships. Manufacturing in India enabled tighter quality control, better cost efficiency and faster feature integration. Rising demand from Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets guided our focus on durability, performance and accessible technology. As we enter 2026, we remain committed to scalable growth and rider-focused innovations that support India’s transition to clean, intelligent and truly homegrown mobility.
Kunal Arya, Co-founder & Managing Director, Zelio E-Mobility: 2025 marked a major milestone with our successful SME IPO and BSE listing in September—a defining step in our evolution as a publicly listed EV brand. Strong fundamentals were reflected in a 77% increase in H1 FY26 revenue. Product innovation remained central, with new launches and facelifts across low- and high-speed electric two-wheelers, including the X-Men 2.0, Gracyi, Eeva series and Mystery models, laying a solid foundation for future growth.”
Akhil Nair, Founder & CEO, BigTrunk Communications: 2025 marked a clear shift as brands moved away from isolated digital solutions and sought clarity, accountability and long-term partners. This pushed us to strengthen how we work, not just what we deliver. Investments in data intelligence, integrated thinking and scalable creativity helped us add value across India, the Middle East and the US. The trust our clients placed in us reinforced a simple truth—digital maturity is as much about people and collaboration as it is about technology. Our focus for 2026 remains on building future-ready solutions and meaningful impact.
Amjad Raza Khan, Co-founder & CEO, Cashaa: Reflecting on 2025, I am proud of how Cashaa is evolving from a crypto-banking innovator into a pioneer of sovereign finance. This year, we laid the groundwork for DeoBank through compliant non-custodial wallets and AI-powered Earn and Borrow products built on over-collateralised, transparent architecture. With over 130 global payment corridors activated and progress toward Visa card integration, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, our 2026 roadmap is focused on delivering true financial sovereignty. The rollout of DeoBank and cross-chain deployment will transform our ecosystem into a fully functional, borderless economy.”
