1. LocalHost
Location: India / USA
News:
Founded in 2023 by Suhas Sumukh, Hardeep Gambhir, and Kei Hayashi, LocalHost is an in-person founder launchpad that raised $2.5M in angel funding. The startup hosts labs for technical and creative builders working across software, hardware, and media.
Why It’s Interesting:
- Backed by Anthropic, InVideo, and RedBull India, LocalHost’s 50-day Bengaluru lab accelerates frontier tech like robotics and LLMs. The platform provides high-caliber cohorts with the capital, infrastructure, and community needed for rapid early-stage execution.
Potential:
- Expanding to San Francisco, Japan, and France, LocalHost bridges Indian talent with global markets. By institutionalizing hands-on founder environments, it aims to become a scalable infrastructure layer for deep-tech, solidifying India’s position as a global innovation hub.
2. W Health Ventures
Location: India / USA
News:
Founded by Sunil Wadhwani, W Health Ventures reached a ₹550 crore ($65M) first close for its second fund. The firm will back early-stage, Indian-led startups in the US–India corridor, focusing on tech-driven healthcare solutions for the global market.
Why It’s Interesting:
- Focused onAI healthcare and digital infrastructure, the firm leverages Sunil Wadhwani’s IGATE legacy to provide operational guidance and US market access. By combining capital with cross-border support, it enables founders to scale globally from inception.
Potential:
- As global healthcare digitizes, W Health Ventures catalyzes India-built innovation by backing Indian-origin founders in deep-tech. This systematic support strengthens India’s role as a leading hub for healthcare IP and cross-border leadership.
3. CraftifAI
Location: India / USA
News:
Founded in 2025 by Pratik Sharda and Yashwant Dagar, Bengaluru-based CraftifAI raised a $3M seed round led by Ankur Capital. The startup is building a silicon-agnostic platform to simplify embedded software and accelerate Edge AI deployment for hardware industries.
Why It’s Interesting:
- CraftifAI uses Multi-agent GenAI to automate the development lifecycle, replacing fragmented toolchains with a unified workflow. By streamlining hardware–software integration, it accelerates Edge AI deployment for drones, robotics, and IoT.
Potential:
- With pilots underway at Indian OEMs and a major US semiconductor firm, CraftifAI is scaling globally. The new capital will expand its engineering and go-to-market teams, aiming to become the foundational layer for Edge AI and solidifying India’s position as a deep-tech hub.