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cs@rediff.co.in
Peak XV Partners has announced the 12th cohort of its seed-stage programme Surge, featuring 18 early-stage startups working across artificial intelligence, robotics, space technology,
healthcare, consumer technology, fintech and music.
The new cohort includes startups developing AI systems for healthcare, enterprise applications and personal computing, along with companies working on autonomous robotics, satellite-based radio-frequency sensing and AI-driven financial and insurance products.
Among the companies in the cohort are Alma, which is developing AI-native personal computing technology; August AI, which combines AI with physician-led healthcare; and Reinforce Labs, which is working on evaluation, red-teaming and remediation tools for enterprise AI systems.
Other startups include hiloop, which is developing infrastructure for adapting open-weight AI models; Kello, focused on people intelligence; Kindling, which is building an AI-based platform for startup storytelling; and Rosella, which is applying AI to commercial insurance brokerage.
The cohort also includes startups working on physical-world applications of technology. Puralink is developing autonomous robots for inspecting underground pipe networks, while ULOOK is developing satellites designed to detect and analyse radio-frequency activity from space.
The consumer and healthcare segment includes Ditto, an AI-based dating service; Wingit, a beauty-focused consumer platform; Hoola Health, which is developing a paediatric healthcare platform; Riffle, a browser-based platform for creating and collaborating on music; and GameStock, which is developing a social and competitive layer for financial market participation. Tribe Money is developing an AI-based platform for managing personal finances.
Three startups in the new cohort are operating in stealth mode. Peak XV said they are working in education, applied AI, and medical products, but did not disclose their names or further details.
The cohort also includes founders with backgrounds at major technology companies and startups. Mona Gandhi, co-founder of Kello, was previously an engineer at Airbnb and founded Upraised. Anish Das Sarma, founder of Reinforce Labs, completed a PhD at Stanford and previously led artificial intelligence and machine-learning teams as a director at Google.
Alma's founders, Nischith Shadagopan M N and Vinod Ganesan, previously worked at Microsoft Research and were founding engineers at Sarvam AI. GameStock founder Antoine Mistico is a former professional baseball player and a two-time founder.
Peak XV said the new cohort reflects a broader shift towards AI becoming part of the underlying architecture of technology products rather than being used only as an additional feature. The firm also pointed to increasing applications of technology in physical infrastructure, healthcare and other real-world settings.
Surge was launched by Peak XV Partners in 2019 as its seed-stage investment programme.The programme provides funding and support to early-stage companies across areas including product development, hiring, engineering, go-to-market, and international expansion.
The new cohort includes startups developing AI systems for healthcare, enterprise applications and personal computing, along with companies working on autonomous robotics, satellite-based radio-frequency sensing and AI-driven financial and insurance products.
Among the companies in the cohort are Alma, which is developing AI-native personal computing technology; August AI, which combines AI with physician-led healthcare; and Reinforce Labs, which is working on evaluation, red-teaming and remediation tools for enterprise AI systems.
Other startups include hiloop, which is developing infrastructure for adapting open-weight AI models; Kello, focused on people intelligence; Kindling, which is building an AI-based platform for startup storytelling; and Rosella, which is applying AI to commercial insurance brokerage.
The cohort also includes startups working on physical-world applications of technology. Puralink is developing autonomous robots for inspecting underground pipe networks, while ULOOK is developing satellites designed to detect and analyse radio-frequency activity from space.
The consumer and healthcare segment includes Ditto, an AI-based dating service; Wingit, a beauty-focused consumer platform; Hoola Health, which is developing a paediatric healthcare platform; Riffle, a browser-based platform for creating and collaborating on music; and GameStock, which is developing a social and competitive layer for financial market participation. Tribe Money is developing an AI-based platform for managing personal finances.
Three startups in the new cohort are operating in stealth mode. Peak XV said they are working in education, applied AI, and medical products, but did not disclose their names or further details.
The cohort also includes founders with backgrounds at major technology companies and startups. Mona Gandhi, co-founder of Kello, was previously an engineer at Airbnb and founded Upraised. Anish Das Sarma, founder of Reinforce Labs, completed a PhD at Stanford and previously led artificial intelligence and machine-learning teams as a director at Google.
Alma's founders, Nischith Shadagopan M N and Vinod Ganesan, previously worked at Microsoft Research and were founding engineers at Sarvam AI. GameStock founder Antoine Mistico is a former professional baseball player and a two-time founder.
Peak XV said the new cohort reflects a broader shift towards AI becoming part of the underlying architecture of technology products rather than being used only as an additional feature. The firm also pointed to increasing applications of technology in physical infrastructure, healthcare and other real-world settings.
Surge was launched by Peak XV Partners in 2019 as its seed-stage investment programme.The programme provides funding and support to early-stage companies across areas including product development, hiring, engineering, go-to-market, and international expansion.
