India, Oct. 1 -- September was a busy month for India's tech and startup ecosystem, with AI and deeptech dominating the conversation. Funding activity remained resilient, led by large rounds such as Pixxel's $100 Mn Series C, Ultraviolette Automotive's $85 Mn Series E and Simple Energy's $185 Mn fundraise.

Despite this, Indian startups could only raise $760.7 Mn across 210 deals during the month, down more than 11% from August's $857.4 Mn. In Q3 2026, Indian startups raised $2.2 Bn across 210 deals, marking a 5% YoY increase in funding even as deal activity fell 13%. Much of the capital continued to flow towards frontier technologies, while late stage funding remained relatively subdued.

The month also underscored India's growing ambiti...