Indian Startup Funding Roundup: Rusk Media, Karo Sambhav, Troovy and New Funds Worth Crores
Indian startup money was busy in the middle of June 2026. Six money deals happened in just a few days. (A crore is an Indian way to count money. One crore is 10 million, or 1 followed by 7 zeros.)
Some deals were big money going into companies. Others were brand-new “funds.” A fund is a big pot of money set up to give to startups later. In this roundup we explain each deal in easy words.
We cover six names: Karo Sambhav, Rusk Media, Lissun, Troovy, YourNest and the Ideabaaz-BeyondSeed fund.
Why put them all together? Because as a group they tell a story. Money is going into recycling, online shows, mental health and kids’ snacks. New funds are also being built to feed the next set of startups. Let us look at each deal one by one.
Operating-company raises
These are real companies that sell something today. They raised money to grow bigger. (“Raised money” means they got money from investors. An investor is a person or group that gives money to a company, hoping the company grows and is worth more later.)
Karo Sambhav: Rs 56 crore for recycling
Karo Sambhav got Rs 56 crore. That is about $6 million in US dollars. This was a “pre-Series A round.” A funding round is one batch of money a company gets at one time. A pre-Series A round is an early round, before the bigger round called Series A.
The round was led by Rainmatter, which is backed by Zerodha. A lead investor is the one who puts in the most money and helps set the deal terms (the rules of the deal).
Karo Sambhav works in recycling. It handles e-waste, old batteries, glass and other trash. (E-waste means old electronics, like dead phones and computers.) The company is in Gurugram and started in 2017.
It runs two recycling plants. It has sent over 150,000 tonnes of waste to be recycled. It works with big names like Apple, Dell, Cisco and Canon. The new money will help it pull out valuable bits, like rare earth metals, from old electronics. (Rare earth metals are special metals used to make many gadgets.)
Rusk Media: Rs 100 crore for digital entertainment
Rusk Media got Rs 100 crore. That is about $10.6 million. This was a “pre-Series C round.” It is a round that comes just before the bigger Series C round.
Nazara Technologies led the round. Info Edge Ventures, IvyCap Ventures and a group led by Audacity VC also put in money.
Rusk Media makes “mobile-first” content. That means shows made mainly for phones. It puts out videos on social media, on OTT apps, and on its own app, Alright! TV. (OTT means apps you watch on the internet, like streaming apps.)
It makes fiction, unscripted shows, cartoons and short upright dramas. The startup began in 2019. In total it has now raised about $32 million. As part of this deal, Nazara and Audacity VC will get seats on the board. (The board is the small group that helps guide a company.)
Lissun: fresh funds for mental health
Lissun got a small “follow-on round” of Rs 2.77 crore. A follow-on round is extra money added after an earlier round.
It was led by Rainmatter, the same Zerodha-backed investor that funded Karo Sambhav. India Foundation Fund and some single investors also joined.
Lissun is a mental health platform. It gives therapy, counselling and wellness help. It helps both single people and companies. (Therapy and counselling mean talking to a trained helper about your feelings.)
This deal valued the company at Rs 101 crore. Valuation is how much money a company is said to be worth. That is up 40% from its earlier worth of Rs 72 crore. Lissun says it has done over 35,000 therapy sessions in more than 40 cities.
Troovy: up to Rs 200 crore for kids’ snacks
Troovy is in late talks to raise Rs 150-200 crore. This is a “Series B round.” A Series B round is a later round, used when a company is already growing fast.
It is led by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). ADIA is a very large money fund from Abu Dhabi. Fireside Ventures, an investor that backed Troovy before, is also likely to join.
Troovy sells “clean-label” snacks for kids. (Clean-label means simple food with few added chemicals.) Its products include chips, puffs, cookies and milk mixes.
The deal is in its last steps, with the paperwork being finished. But note this round is not fully signed yet. So the final amount may land anywhere from Rs 150 crore to Rs 200 crore.
New funds
These next two are not company raises. They are new pots of money set up to invest in startups over time.
YourNest: Rs 400 crore continuation fund
YourNest closed a Rs 400 crore “continuation fund.” A continuation fund is a new fund that keeps backing a firm’s best startups for longer. It also lets early investors take their money out.
The anchor investor is HDFC AMC’s Select Fund of Funds I. An anchor investor is the first big backer who helps a fund get started.
YourNest is a “deeptech” venture firm. (Deeptech means startups built on hard science or new tech. A venture firm is a company that invests in young startups.) It was started in 2011 by Sunil Goyal.
The fund will give out about Rs 60-90 crore to its portfolio. A portfolio is the set of startups a fund has already put money into. Companies named include Miko, Dozee, Exponent Energy, Twid, Opkey and Thriwe.
Ideabaaz and BeyondSeed: Rs 100 crore startup fund
Ideabaaz and BeyondSeed started a Rs 100 crore fund for startups. Ideabaaz is a platform that helps founders find ideas and grow. (A founder is the person who starts a company.) BeyondSeed is a platform that links startups with investors in India and abroad.
The fund is called IdeabaazBeyondSeed100. It will back early-stage startups from the Ideabaaz group. (Early-stage means very young, new companies.) These startups come from events like Ideabaaz Season 2 and the Ideabaaz Startup Fest 2026.
The plan was shown at a pitch day at the National Stock Exchange in Mumbai. (A pitch day is an event where founders explain their idea to investors. The National Stock Exchange is a big market in India where company shares are bought and sold.) Founders here get money, mentorship (help and advice from experts) and investor contacts.
Key facts at a glance
Here is a quick table of each deal. It shows the money each one got, in Rs crore.
| Startup / Fund | Round size | Type / Stage | Lead investor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karo Sambhav | Rs 56 crore | Pre-Series A (raise) | Rainmatter (Zerodha) |
| Rusk Media | Rs 100 crore | Pre-Series C (raise) | Nazara Technologies |
| Lissun | Rs 2.77 crore | Follow-on (raise) | Rainmatter (Zerodha) |
| Troovy | Rs 150-200 crore | Series B (in talks) | ADIA |
| YourNest | Rs 400 crore | Continuation fund | HDFC AMC (anchor) |
| Ideabaaz + BeyondSeed | Rs 100 crore | New startup fund | Ideabaaz, BeyondSeed |
Why it matters (especially for India and founders)
These six deals show how wide Indian startup money has become. Money is not only going to tech. It is also going into recycling, snacks and mental health. That means founders in everyday fields can raise money too.
The two new funds matter just as much. A continuation fund like YourNest’s lets early investors take their money out while good startups keep growing. The Ideabaaz-BeyondSeed fund makes a fresh flow of money for first-time founders. More funds today often means more deals tomorrow.
For students and young business owners, the lesson is simple. Investors back clear, useful ideas that solve real problems. Recycling old electronics, helping people’s mental health and feeding kids healthier snacks are all real needs.
FAQ
What is a pre-Series A or pre-Series C round?
It is a funding step that comes just before a bigger named round. A pre-Series A comes before Series A. A pre-Series C comes before Series C. Companies use it to grow a little more before the bigger raise.
What is a continuation fund?
It is a new fund that keeps backing a firm’s strong startups for longer. It also lets early investors take their money out. YourNest set up one worth Rs 400 crore.
Is the Troovy deal final?
Not fully. Troovy is in late talks to raise Rs 150-200 crore, led by ADIA. The paperwork is being finished, but it is not signed yet.
The takeaway
Mid-June 2026 was a strong time for Indian startup money. Four companies got fresh money, and two new funds were born. The mix of fields shows investors are spreading their bets. For founders, the door to money is open in many fields, not just tech.
Sources: Karo Sambhav (Entrackr), Rusk Media (Entrackr), Lissun (Entrackr), Troovy (Entrackr), YourNest (Entrackr), Ideabaaz and BeyondSeed (Entrackr).
