Cheerio AI, ThunderPlus, and Peping Raise Fresh Funds

Cheerio AI Raises INR 8 Cr Seed Funding

AI-powered customer engagement platform Cheerio AI has raised INR 8 crore in a seed funding round led by Artha Venture Fund through its Artha Venture Fund II.

The round also saw participation from Hyderabad Angels, TiE Angels, LetsVenture, Invention Engine and several angel investors.

The fresh funds will be used to build multi-modal AI capabilities, including the development of a proprietary small-model large language model (LLM) designed for advertisement generation. The startup also plans to expand its platform to voice and video channels while strengthening automation features and enterprise-grade infrastructure.

Founded by Nishant Das, Avinash and Priam, Cheerio AI offers a customer engagement platform that integrates marketing, support and sales workflows across channels such as WhatsApp, email, SMS, social messaging and in-app communication.

The company currently works with more than 150 enterprise customers across six industries. It claims its retention automation tools have helped clients generate over INR 500 crore in additional revenue. Cheerio AI also reported revenue growth of 450% year-on-year over the past two years.

The startup plans to hire across engineering, AI, enterprise sales and customer success roles over the next six months as it prepares for global expansion.

ThunderPlus Secures INR 3 Cr Debt From SBI

ThunderPlus has secured INR 3 crore in structured debt funding from State Bank of India to expand its electric vehicle charging infrastructure across high-demand corridors in India.

The fresh funds will be used to increase the number of charging stations, expand ultra-fast charging capacity and improve working capital management. It also plans to strengthen partnerships within the electric mobility ecosystem.

Founded in 2024 by Rajeev YSR, ThunderPlus operates as a full-stack EV charging infrastructure provider. The startup manufactures AC and DC chargers and installs and operates charging stations for two-, three- and four-wheelers. Its offerings include franchise-based charging stations, mobile charging vans and battery-as-a-service solutions.

ThunderPlus said it has surpassed its first-year performance and expects to close INR 16 crore in revenue by March 2026, reflecting around 60% growth while remaining profitable.

The company also highlighted environmental impact from its operations. Its network dispenses around 16,000 units of clean energy daily, enabling nearly 60 million green kilometres annually and offsetting about 10,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

IAN Angel Fund Leads INR 2.5 Cr Funding Round in Peping

Peping, an FMCG startup focused on functional beverages for Indian consumers, has raised INR 2.5 crore in a funding round led by IAN Angel Fund, the evergreen fund of Indian Angel Network. The round also saw participation from several angel investors.

The funds will be used to expand its distribution network, strengthen supply chain operations, invest in brand building and introduce new product flavours.

Founded by Chirag Maheshwari and Prateek Maheshwari, Peping produces low-calorie prebiotic fizzy drinks and probiotic digestive shots intended for daily consumption. The startup aims to offer affordable and shelf-stable functional sodas tailored to Indian taste preferences.

Its product range includes sodas for everyday drinking and probiotic shots designed for digestive support.

Peping currently sells through platforms such as Swiggy Instamart, Zepto and BigBasket, along with over 200 retail outlets across Bengaluru. The brand is also available in gyms, cafés and corporate offices through catering partnerships.