Companion Labs, nailinit, and Wholeleaf Raise Early-Stage Funding

Companion Labs Raises USD 2.5 Mn Seed Funding

Companion Labs, a consumer AI startup focused on interactive entertainment for India’s diverse vernacular audiences, has raised USD 2.5 million in a seed funding round. The round was led by Peak XV Partners’ Surge, with participation from All In Capital, Untitled Ventures, DeVC, and several angel investors.

The announcement comes shortly after the company’s participation in the India AI Impact Summit held in Delhi, where Companion Labs was featured at the summit’s flagship Impact AI PitchFest.

The funds will be used to accelerate product development, strengthen its AI capabilities, and refine its offering as it works toward achieving product–market fit.

Founded in early 2025 by Akshay Jhanwar and Ajit Pol, the Bengaluru-based startup develops AI-powered characters and narratives that enable users to explore alternate lives, careers, and aspirations in culturally relevant settings. The company positions AI as a creative medium, offering immersive, character-driven experiences shaped by language, culture, and personal ambition.

Companion Labs is building its platform with India’s tier II, tier III, and tier IV audiences in mind. Its experiences are designed to reflect linguistic and social nuances, with support for vernacular languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Punjabi, Marathi, and Bengali. The startup primarily targets a young, aspirational, and digitally native population.

Over the long term, Companion Labs aims to define a new category of AI-native entertainment tailored specifically for India’s rapidly expanding vernacular internet user base.

nailinit Bags INR 2.5–3 Cr in Pre-Seed Round

nailinit, a nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennial consumers, has raised INR 2.5–3 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, along with participation from angel investors. Gruhas is backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath. The round also saw participation from consumer, technology, and operator angels.

The Mumbai-based brand was founded in 2024 by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal. It operates as a direct-to-consumer beauty startup offering reusable, instant press-on nails designed for Gen Z and millennial customers. The company provides a variety of designs aimed at delivering salon-style manicures through online platforms, quick commerce services, and express kiosks.

The new funds will be used to expand distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, strengthen brand-building initiatives, and accelerate product innovation. nailinit has reported early traction on platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a planned launch on Instamart. Its products are also available on Amazon, supporting its omnichannel presence.

The startup aims to address gaps in India’s nail care market while scaling its operations.

Ayurvedic Startup Wholeleaf Secures INR 1.5 Cr Seed Funding

Wholeleaf, an all-natural pain therapeutics startup, has raised INR 1.5 crore in a seed funding round on Shark Tank India. The round was backed by investors including Aman Gupta, Namita Thapar, and Kanika Tekriwal.

The startup had previously secured INR 4 crore from institutional and angel investors.

Founded in 2020 by Shivraj Sharma, Wholeleaf Organics Pvt. Ltd. develops Ayurvedic, plant-based pain relief products using Vijaya (cannabis leaf extract). Its portfolio includes oils, sprays, balms, and roll-ons aimed at managing chronic pain, inflammation, insomnia, and anxiety.

The Gurugram-based startup said the new funds will support D2C expansion, offline retail presence in key cities, doctor engagement, and clinical collaborations for research-led product development. Wholeleaf combines cannabinoids with Ayurvedic herbs to create formulations for joint, muscle, and nerve pain.

Since its launch, the brand claims to serve over 100,000 customers and build a repeat user base supported by medical practitioners. Its products are available via e-commerce platforms and the Apollo Pharmacy network, with expansion planned across major metro markets in the next 12–18 months.