Maharashtra
eChai Pune
eChai's home for Pune founders. Free and open.
Pune blends an engineering and auto base with a fast growing SaaS, deeptech and consumer scene across Hinjewadi and the east. This is the map: who is building, where founders meet, and how to plug in.
Upcoming eChai events in Pune
eChai's free, open founder meetups across the city. RSVP and walk in.
Sat, 18 Jul · in 5 days
Startup Growth Social Meetup in Pimpri Chinchwad PCMC
6 going
Save your spot
Sat, 18 Jul · in 5 days
AI x Startup Open House Meetup in Pune
7 going
Save your spot
Sat, 25 Jul · next week
eChai Startup Demo Day in Pune
24 going
Save your spot
A look back at recent eChai gatherings in Pune, newest first.
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Shashank, Sugam + 15
went
Nimrat, Rohit + 8
went
Aakash, Nikita + 4
went
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Kiran, Pramod + 42
went
Krushna, Bhavesh + 9
went
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Aaleen, Psaxena + 5
went
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Chaitanya, Selina + 10
went
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Malav, Sparsh + 2
went
Malav, Chaitanya
went
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Malav, Naman
went
Malav
went
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Rushikesh, Chaitanya + 1
went
Malav
went
Vishal
went
People in the Pune eChai community
Some of the founders who've been to eChai meetups in Pune over the years. Always more to add.
Startups building in Pune
Find a company or founder, or filter by what they build.
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Prateek Srivastava
Drone-based surveying, geospatial-data services and drone-pilot training provider. Headquartered in Bavdhan, Pune, Maharashtra.
Supam Maheshwari, Amitava Saha
Kids and baby products e-commerce and omnichannel retail platform. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Ravi Pandit, Kishor Patil
Automotive software / software-defined-vehicle, middleware and electric-powertrain engineering company. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Anand Deshpande
Digital-engineering, cloud, data-analytics and AI software services company. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Pramod Chaudhari
Bioenergy and clean-water engineering company providing ethanol/biofuel plants, compressed biogas, bioplastics, and water-treatment solutions. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Sanjay Ghare, Dharmendra Ladi, Ajit Mulani, Ganesh Pawade, Sameer Lodha, Amol Raut
AI-driven hotel and room data-mapping and content-curation platform for online travel companies. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Jaspreet Singh, Milind Borate, Ramani Kothandaraman
SaaS platform for cloud data protection, backup and cyber-resilience across endpoints and workloads. Born in Pune (2008); moved HQ to Silicon Valley / Santa Clara, USA in 2009; retains large Pune R&D center.
Jaydeep Barman, Kallol Banerjee (Rebel Foods)
Multi-brand food-delivery app consolidating Rebel Foods' cloud-kitchen brands and partner restaurants under a single 'sure' quality promise. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Saurabh Nigam, Shitiz Bansal, Sandeep Deshmukh
Technology-led logistics and distribution platform connecting FMCG brands to kirana stores in underserved parts of India via a crowdsourced network. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Anurag Sinha, Rupesh Kumar, Vibhav Hathi (Vaibhav Hathi)
Mobile-first metal credit card (OneCard) and free credit-score app (OneScore). Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Samir Bodas, Monish Darda
Enterprise contract-lifecycle-management (CLM) SaaS platform (Icertis Contract Intelligence). Born in Pune (2009); HQ now Bellevue, Washington, USA; major Pune operations.
Krishna Depura, Mohit Garg, Deepak Diwakar, Nishant Mungali
AI-powered sales readiness and revenue-enablement platform (onboarding, training, forecasting). Founded in Pune (2012); HQ now San Francisco, USA; large Pune office.
Jaydeep Barman, Kallol Banerjee
World's largest cloud-kitchen operator running brands like Faasos, Behrouz Biryani, Oven Story, and the EatSure aggregator app; 450+ kitchens across 10 countries. Operations and EatSure brand headquartered i...
Amitava Saha, Supam Maheshwari
B2B/B2C e-commerce logistics and last-mile delivery company offering express parcel, cross-border, and 3PL services across India. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Vikrant Bhagwat, Ganesh Rao, Ashish Tewari
RBI-registered housing-finance company for low/medium-income first-time home buyers. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
STEM and innovation edtech company promoting hands-on robotics, IoT, and design-thinking learning for schoolchildren. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Srinivas Kantheti, V Karunakaran, Ratheesh B
Financing platform for new, used and electric two-wheelers with proprietary underwriting. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Sagar Apte
Connected-vehicle platform enabling automated in-car payments (fuel, tolls, parking), telematics, and vehicle diagnostics. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Nikunj Verma, Anubhav Gupta
AI-driven tech-hiring platform matching employers and candidates with trust-score verification to speed up recruitment. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Devendra Gupta, Prateek Singhal, Vivek Pandey
Climate-smart deeptech company making solar pump controllers (Ecotron), solar cold storage (Ecofrost), and motor-control/energy-storage systems for agriculture, EV, and mobility. Headquartered in Pune, Mahar...
Akshay Mehrotra, Ashish Goyal
Digital consumer-lending app offering personal loans, credit lines and financial-wellness products. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Vipin Raghavan, Arjunan P N, Priya Venkat
AI-driven autonomous operations / process-optimization platform for industrial and water-treatment plants. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Raunak Bhinge
AI/IoT industrial-intelligence platform for machine health monitoring and predictive maintenance. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Amit Mishra, Anup Patil (co-founders)
Digital-twin and AI-based vehicle-intelligence platform providing predictive maintenance, fuel analytics, and fleet management for commercial transport. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Sulajja Firodia Motwani
Electric vehicle manufacturer producing e-rickshaws, e-autos, e-scooters, golf carts, and battery-operated utility vehicles; part of the Firodia Group. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Amit Naik, Nitin Kumar (co-founders)
Insurance-technology company providing low-code platforms and digital transformation software for insurers. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Hasmukh Rawal, Shrikant Patole (Rahul Patil, exec director)
Molecular diagnostics company; developed India's first indigenous COVID-19 RT-PCR test kit approved in 2020; makes diagnostic kits and automation. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Sorin Grama, Sam White
Manufactures rapid milk-chillers and cold-storage using patented thermal-storage (thermal battery) technology for off-grid/dairy supply chains.
Harishanker Kannan, Arnab Chakraborty
Scalefusion MDM / unified endpoint-management SaaS for securing company and BYOD devices. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Vibhav Rajendra Bankar (founder)
Online insurance-comparison and distribution platform for motor, health, and other retail insurance products. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Utpal Isser, Sameer Mishra
Rural-household financial-services and digital-lending platform (business, farm, gold, housing loans). Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Satyajit Hange, Ajinkya Hange
Farm-to-fork D2C brand selling organic, regeneratively-farmed foods (ghee, honey, grains, snacks) built on restored ancestral farmland. Headquartered at Bhodani, near Pune, Maharashtra.
Praful Mehta, Robert Saunders (co-founders)
AI-based global B2B healthcare supply-chain and procurement marketplace matching medtech/pharma demand from buyers to suppliers across 100+ countries.
Ram (Ramaswamy) Iyer
B2B trade-credit and supply-chain finance network connecting SMEs and corporates to lenders. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
AI-driven ad personalization for video and display advertising.
Insurtech offering risk-analytics and data solutions for insurers (details unverified).
Shardul Sheth, Sitanshu Sheth
Agri-input e-commerce and advisory platform giving farmers access to quality seeds, crop protection, nutrition, and agronomy guidance via app and phone. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Siddharth Dialani, Sai Gole
Agri-advisory app giving farmers personalized crop guidance plus 'Krushidukan' e-commerce for seeds, fertilizers, and equipment. IIT Madras founders. Was headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra (now defunct).
Suchitra Hegde (and co-founder)
Medical-device manufacturer (endourology, cardiology and interventional devices). Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Raju Shivaji Bhosale
Solar-energy / clean-tech company. Listed among Pune startups (HQ Pune per Inc42; details lightly verified).
AI-driven technology ecosystem for logistics and supply-chain operations.
Semiconductor solutions for ADAS and EV control units / embedded controllers.
Ajit Patil, Amit Kharat
AI-powered medical imaging and radiology platform (Augmento/Genki) for chest X-ray, TB, and CT screening, with tele-radiology workflow tools. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Aniruddha Pant, Amit Kharat, Ajit Patil
AI-driven radiology and medical-imaging platform (X-ray/CT screening, TB detection, central reporting). Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Sanjeev Menon, Animesh Samuel, Sanjeev Nair
No-code cognitive process-automation platform deploying enterprise 'AI co-workers'. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Rohit Prasad, Vikram Kumar, Amit Kumar
SaaS payments and collections platform / payment aggregator for businesses. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Devendra Gupta, Prateek Singhal, Vivek Pandey
Climate-smart deeptech: solar-powered cold storage, irrigation and connected motor/EV controllers. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Sudhir Mehta
Electric bus, truck and commercial-vehicle manufacturer (subsidiary of Pinnacle Industries). Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra (Chakan plant).
Shailendra Tiwari, Ananda Verma
IoT-and-AI precision-farming platform for horticulture crops; on-farm sensors capture microclimate data to guide irrigation, spraying, and harvest. Headquartered in Pune region / Bengaluru presence; founded ...
Jitendra Chouksey, and co-founders (Bala, Rohit, Sonal, Jyoti)
Online fitness and nutrition coaching platform and community offering personalized plans and certified coaches; grew from a WhatsApp/Facebook community. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Sanjay Singh (CEO); part of Emcure Pharmaceuticals
Biotech firm advancing mRNA vaccine technology; developed Gemcovac-19, India's first mRNA COVID-19 vaccine using a self-amplifying platform. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
D Venkatesh, Ankur Handa, Sunil Pandurang Dalal, Rangarajan Vasudevan
Cloud lending / loans-as-a-service SaaS platform enabling banks to run digital lending. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Mayank Kale (see Loop Health)
Health-and-insurance platform (Series B, ~$39M raised) offering employer health plans and integrated care; frequently listed among Pune's top healthtech firms. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Mayank Kale, Amrit Singh, Shami Raj
Employer health-insurance and primary-care platform combining group insurance with in-house doctors and telehealth for SMEs. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Sandeep Sugla (with Vishal Vijay Gupta, Aman Gupta, Anoop Garg)
B2B market-research, revenue-impact and business-intelligence platform. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Jaydeep Kotecha (and team)
Mobile game-development studio; creator and publisher of the 'Real Cricket' franchise, a leading Indian cricket-simulation game series. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Pallavi Mohadikar, Amol Patwari (Shraddha Kapoor, co-founder/investor)
D2C demi-fine jewellery brand crafting gold- and silver-plated pieces at accessible price points, sold online and via retail. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Jose Thattil, Tushar Shankar, Anil Sharma, Rajesh Londhe, Ramkumar Subbaraj
Omnichannel digital-payment processing platform (PayPhi) for online, in-store and doorstep payments. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
AI/ML-powered data platform converting raw data into predictive insights and automation.
Anshul Gupta (co-founder)
Food-ingredients innovation company developing high-quality plant-protein ingredients with improved nutrition, functionality, and taste for food brands. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Aditi Bhosale Walunj, Chetan Walunj, Aparajit Subramanian
On-demand doorstep diesel and fuel delivery platform ('Mobile Petrol Pumps') plus an IoT/data energy-management ecosystem for industry. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Shashikanth Suryanarayanan, Amit Dixit, Manish Sharma, Pushkaraj Panse
Control systems and mechatronics for small engines and powertrains (genset controllers, injectors). Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Cyrus Poonawalla
World's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume; produces vaccines for measles, polio, and COVID-19 (Covishield). Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Ranjith Mukundan, Ravishankar G, Ramakrishna Adukuri, Praveena Rai, Venkatesh Seshasayee
End-to-end dairy-tech platform digitizing milk procurement, quality testing, cold chain, farmer payments, and financing. Operations across Maharashtra/Pune; primary HQ often cited in Bengaluru — flag as mult...
Kapil Shelke
Electric motorcycle manufacturer; flagship Kratos R offers ~180 km range. Claims to be India's first electric motorcycle maker. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Peeyush Asati, Adarshkumar Balaraman, Shivam Wankhede
Full-stack EV intelligence: battery-management systems, telematics, smart chargers, clusters. Commonly listed as New Delhi HQ, not Pune (flagged: NOT Pune-HQ, included for reference).
Small-satellite systems and end-to-end satellite mission solutions. Listed as headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra (details lightly verified).
Fitness-wearable and body-analytics device maker offering smart bands and body-composition tracking (details unverified). Reported Pune presence — HQ not fully verified.
Anushka Iyer, Rajh V Iyer, Rishi Tandulwadkar
Vet-curated D2C pet-care brand offering pet food, health products, grooming, and veterinary services through products and clinics. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Game-development studio building games on Unity3D and Cocos2d-x with international branches; core studio in Pune. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra (branches in Singapore/UK/USA).
Yogesh Shinde, Ashwini Shinde
D2C brand making bamboo-based everyday products such as toothbrushes, cutlery, and lifestyle goods as plastic alternatives. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Abhishek Saraf
Platform for renting and managing construction equipment and machinery, connecting equipment owners with contractors. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
D2C platform selling handmade, preservative-free food products (pickles, masalas, snacks) made by rural women self-help groups. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Amit Bhayani, Manjeet Singh
AI-driven online wellness and pain-management platform offering live yoga, physiotherapy, and nutrition sessions with posture-correction technology. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Sustainable activewear and bamboo-based essentials brand (socks, towels, sportswear) positioned as eco-conscious alternatives to synthetic products.
Vaidehi Todankar, Deepti Karnik (co-founders)
Bioprocess-technology startup producing sustainable, natural textile and cosmetic dyes via microbial fermentation as an alternative to synthetic dyes. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Mobile app platform enabling preschools to communicate with parents and manage classroom updates.
STEM edtech startup offering hands-on technology courses for children and young adults in robotics, drones, 3D printing, coding, IoT, ML, and AI.
Nitin Gupta, Yogesh Miharia, Abhishek Agarwal
AI/ML enterprise platform for anti-counterfeiting, supply-chain traceability and customer loyalty. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Runal Dahiwade, Miraj C Vora
Autonomous floor-cleaning and material-handling robots for commercial and industrial spaces. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Data & analytics consulting firm offering AI/ML, BI and geospatial analytics.
Anuya Nisal, Swati Shukla, Premnath Venugopalan
Regenerative medtech company using silk fibroin to create 3D scaffolds for orthopedic tissue repair, wound care, and breast-cancer reconstruction. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Dr. Vidhi Bhanushali, Rajat Kabade
AI-powered oral-health screening app connecting patients to remote dental assessment. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Ankit Tanna, Jigar Pujara
Face-recognition-based time, attendance and visitor-management SaaS for contract/multi-site workforces. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Anshoo Sharma, Aroon Ashish Khatter, Ajit Nair
Provider of contactless smart-vending software and hardware retrofits enabling automated retail via mobile payments and IoT. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
Satvik Jagannath, Akash Nidhi PS
GenAI platform to translate, dub and subtitle videos in 75+ languages in one click. Founder-linked to Pune/Bengaluru; HQ commonly listed as Bengaluru — Pune HQ unverified (flagged).
Anirudha Kotgire, Mandar Lande
Zero-commission, ONDC-integrated food-delivery app connecting restaurants directly with customers to reduce aggregator fees. Headquartered in Mumbai/Pune region (Maharashtra); operations began in Mumbai.
K-12 edtech platform offering interactive, visual online learning content to enhance school education.
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Who funds founders in Pune
The funding ladder here, from a first angel cheque up to later-stage funds. Jump to a rung, or browse the list.
Operator angels 10
Often a founder's first cheque, from operators who've built here.
Healthcare, women's health, consumer brands, education, D2C. Seed / early-stage angel (can lead rounds). Bummer, Auli Lifestyle, Rare Planet, Menstrupedia, JhaJi Store (25+ via Shark Tank India seasons). INR ~15L–75L typical per deal (eq...
Enterprise software, deep tech, therapeutic devices, B2B info services. Seed / early-stage angel. GrowthPal, Serigen, BlockFenders (~6 investments; latest GrowthPal, May 2024)
Enterprise applications, consumer, high tech, design-led brands. Seed / early-stage angel. WickedGud, InfoBay (~3 companies). Active in ecosystem since 1998.
Enterprise SaaS, B2B tech. Seed / early-stage angel. ~3 startups + 1 board seat (specific names unknown)
SaaS, sales enablement, B2B tech. Seed / early-stage angel. ~7 startups + 1 board seat (specific names unknown)
SaaS, B2B tech. Seed / early-stage angel. ~3 startups (specific names unknown)
SaaS, data protection, enterprise tech. Seed / early angel. Angel in 1 startup + 2 board seats (specific names unknown)
SaaS, deep tech, enterprise. Seed / early angel. Angel in 1 startup + 1 board seat (specific names unknown)
Deep tech, photonics. Seed / early-stage VC. $300 – $1,000,000
SaaS, B2B software. Seed / early angel. Angel in 1 startup (specific name unknown). Wingify acquired by Everstone for $200M (Jan 2025).
Angel networks 3
Syndicates that pool angel money into early rounds.
EV, DeepTech, D2C, HealthTech, SaaS, climate, fintech, consumer. Pre-seed, Seed, early-stage (monthly Pitch Day; syndicate structuring). Curates deals incl. Bione (D2C genomics), Nino Foods/KHA (QSR), GetMyCruise. Connects HNIs, family o...
Generalist / early-stage. Pre-seed, Seed angel
Halal economy / consumer, food, ethical-market startups. Early-stage angel
Micro-VCs 2
Small, fast funds writing the first institutional cheques.
B2B SaaS (pure-play focus); enterprise/digital transformation tech. Pre-seed, Seed to Series A. Portfolio of B2B SaaS startups across India; Fund I backed 20+ SaaS companies. Specific named Pune bets not fully verified in public sources ...
Sector-agnostic; deliberately targets 'non-trending' sectors; consumer, enterprise applications. Pre-seed, Seed. GP Akshay Bhansali's personal angel portfolio includes Yulu Bikes, Kawa Space, Paper.vc, DealShare, TapChief. Fund aims to b...
Venture capital firms 3
Multi-stage firms that lead Series A and beyond.
Enterprise/productivity software, high tech, hardware, deep tech. Pre-seed to Series A (early and mid-stage). IdeaForge (drone-tech, IPO exit), Skye Air, Datachamps, Atmax. ~28-36 investments, ~$30M AUM. Founded 2013.. unknown (early-sta...
Sector-agnostic, distribution-first / product-first; fintech, SaaS, consumer, AI. Pre-seed (fastest-moving; 150+ checks/year). Slice, Rupeek, Open, Khatabook, Bijak, Airmeet, Teachmint, Dukaan, Jai Kisan, M2P, Toddle (200+ companies). Le...
Deep tech, biotech, healthtech (~50%), cleantech/sustainability (~16%), agritech (~14%), materials/chemicals. Seed / pre-seed (grants + seed funds). Manages BIRAC SEED, TDB Seed, DST-NSTEDB Seed funds; 650+ entrepreneurs supported, 70+ r...
Corporate venture 2
Corporate venture arms investing off their own balance sheet.
Internet, technology, consumer, FinTech, Retail, Auto Tech. Seed, Series A (also angel/venture debt). CarIQ (Pune auto-tech, acquired), Quikwallet (acquired), LivQuik (acquired), Mplifire. ~18 portfolio companies. Founded 2012.
Enterprise tech adjacent to Persistent's interests (software, healthtech, AI). Strategic early-stage / growth (strategic not purely financial investor). Ustyme (US), DxNow (US). Strategic tech-alignment mandate.
Family offices 6
Private capital investing across stages.
Consumer, enterprise applications, retail, proptech, education infrastructure. Seed, Series A / early-stage VC. Bootstart, HooLiv; ~21 portfolio companies. Investment arm est. 2015 by the Kolte-Patil developer family.
Climate solutions, sustainability, responsible consumption, ESG, impact. Early to late-stage VC (can lead rounds); has done up to Series C. Dunzo, Smart Joules, Proklean Technologies (~7 companies). Founded 2017 by Leena, Abha & Vivek Da...
Retail, enterprise applications, consumer, fintech. Seed, Series A. InCred, OYO, PB Fintech, Bombay Shaving Company, Plush (~26 companies, 2 unicorns, 2 IPOs). Founder Amit Patni; CIO Benaifer Malandkar.
Broad; industrials-adjacent, tech, and as fund LP. LP into VC funds + direct venture investing (multi-stage). LP in Artha Group's INR 450 Cr micro-VC fund; decade+ of private-company/venture investing. Also operates Snow Leopard Ventures...
Financial services, real estate, pharma-adjacent, consumer; low VC profile. Prefers direct/late investments over fund commitments; occasional angel/growth. Adar Poonawalla angel portfolio (~15) incl. Rajasthan Royals, Svasti Microfinance...
Generalist; consumer, mobility, enterprise. Seed / early-stage (via SuprValue and direct angel). Anchors SuprValue micro-VC; Akshay Bhansali direct angel deals (Yulu, Kawa Space, DealShare).
Accelerator funds 2
Programs that invest as they take you through a cohort.
unknown / generalist. Seed (specializes in buyouts)
Generalist across Pune ecosystem. Early-stage (accelerator + charter-member angel connections). Runs Nurture Accelerator; connects startups to Pune angel/charter members. Specific deals unknown.. unknown (angel connections, not a pooled ...
Incubators & accelerators in Pune
Incubators, accelerators, corporate programs and institutions. Jump to a type, or browse the list.
Incubators 1
Deep science: materials, chemicals, biotech, pharma, healthtech, cleantech, medical devices, agri-biotech. Space (labs + offices), mentorship, scientific facilities, and multiple grant/funding routes (BIRAC BioNEST bio-incubator, BIRAC S...
Accelerators 3
B2B SaaS: enterprise digital transformation, fintech, vertical SaaS, applied AI, e-commerce enablement, healthtech, sustainable tech. Seed capital + hands-on mentorship; Fund I ~INR 80 Cr / 23 startups, Fund II ~INR 450 Cr targeting 25 e...
Cross-sector startups at any stage (founders must hold TiE membership; company must be Pvt Ltd or equivalent). Equity-free, no-fee 6-month structured mentorship: 15-week guru sessions, 15-week workshops, 6-week finishing school, 36-week ...
Idea-stage / pre-seed founders across sectors. Structured pre-seed accelerator curriculum, mentorship from local entrepreneurs, global Founder Institute network
Corporate programs 1
High-end manufacturing, advanced materials, defence, aerospace, automotive technology. Acts as incubator for new technologies; KCTI R&D centre DSIR-recognized, ISO17025 NABL certified; corporate R&D + prototyping resources. unknown (corp...
University & research 5
IoT, healthcare, cybersecurity, deep-tech, grassroots innovation; student and engineering startups. Co-working space, innovation lab, shared services, mentorship, training, events, investor/co-founder network; facilitates funding under S...
Technology startups converting technically feasible projects into commercially viable ventures. Space, mentorship, networking; SISFS grants up to INR 10 lakh (early stage) and seed loan/convertible debentures up to INR 30 lakh (mature). ...
Multi-unit incubation across BVDU units (e.g., BIC, CINHD, IRSHA); health, sciences, general innovation. University-coordinated incubation units, mentorship, institutional infrastructure
Idea, Innovation, IPR and Entrepreneurship; student-driven innovation. Incubation, mentorship, IPR support; part of VU innovation ecosystem (VU IIC rated 3 stars by MoE Innovation Cell 2022-23). Launched 1 Oct 2020; 20+ patents processed...
University research-driven startups and student entrepreneurship (broad sectors). Incubation space, mentorship, university lab/research access
Government & public 5
Deep-science R&D startups: biotech, pharma, healthcare, energy, environment, AI/ML, advanced materials. Grant-in-aid up to INR 10 lakh plus seed funding; shared/dedicated lab space, office space, maker's lab, AI & design studio, business...
General entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem building. Incubation, mentorship, and AIM/NITI Aayog-backed support (space, seed support)
Agri-tech and rural innovation (agriculture-focused). AIM/NITI Aayog-backed incubation support, mentorship, space
Early-stage manufacturing / technology startups from ideation to commercialization. Training, mentoring, prototyping and PoC-validation facilities, ecosystem access to SIU research labs, subject-matter experts and interns; SISFS-linked s...
State-wide startup and innovation ecosystem; govt-startup collaboration. Maharashtra Startup Week (24 winning startups get govt work orders up to INR 15 lakh to pilot with departments), Maharashtra Startup Yatra, acceleration programs, g...
Coworking spaces in Pune
Where founders and early teams set up.
Bootstrapped/early-stage founders and 1-3 person teams; no-frills, community-driven, affordable, friendly help-oriented crowd. WiFi, AC, meeting rooms, unlimited tea/coffee/water, pantry, breakout/recreation area, printer, power backup, ...
SMEs, mid-size teams and enterprises; large-format managed offices; professional/corporate feel. Fully managed flexible workspaces, WiFi, meeting rooms, reception, virtual-office options, cafeteria, power backup, housekeeping; enterprise...
Small independent, community-oriented; freelancers, small teams. WiFi, meeting rooms, coffee/tea, standard coworking amenities (specifics unverified). Genuinely Pune-run independent; small-scale, founder-led
Creative, community-driven Koregaon Park crowd; small teams, freelancers, consultants; open Mon-Fri 9am-9pm (closed weekends). WiFi, meeting rooms, coffee, premium cafes next door (specifics unverified). Long-standing premium independent...
Digital nomads, remote workers, freelancers; combined co-living + coworking; open Mon-Sun 9am-7pm. WiFi, co-living rooms, workspace, community events (specifics unverified). Rare co-live + co-work hybrid aimed at digital nomads in Korega...
Small independent; open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm (closed Sundays). WiFi, meeting rooms, coffee (specifics unverified). Boutique independent in Koregaon Park cluster
Small-to-mid teams; premium local independent. WiFi, meeting rooms, managed office fit-outs (specifics unverified). Pune-run independent premium operator across the western belt
Startups, tech teams, creative professionals, enterprises; polished, high-energy. High-speed WiFi, premium fit-out, meeting rooms, event spaces, micro-roasted coffee, printing, phone booths, community events, on-demand day passes. Flagsh...
Tech teams and enterprises near Magarpatta/Hadapsar IT belt. High-speed WiFi, meeting rooms, event space, coffee, phone booths, community events. Serves the Magarpatta/Hadapsar enterprise corridor. Premium (specifics unverified)
Startups and scale-ups on the Baner commercial belt. High-speed WiFi, meeting rooms, event space, coffee, phone booths, community events. WeWork's Baner presence in one of Pune's densest coworking corridors. Premium (specifics unverified)
Enterprise and startup mix across PCMC/western belt. High-speed WiFi, meeting rooms, event space, coffee, phone booths, community events. WeWork runs ~8 Pune buildings across Wakad, Baner, Kalyani Nagar, Kharadi, Magarpatta. Premium (spe...
Startups, SMEs, corporate satellite teams; colorful functional interiors. WiFi, meeting pods/rooms, cabins, fixed & flexible desks, wellness facilities, F&B, storage, courier. One of Awfis's ~19 Pune centres; startup-friendly since 2015....
Startups and SMEs; buzzing Baner startup energy. WiFi, cabins, fixed/flexible desks, meeting rooms, F&B, storage, courier. Top-rated Awfis Baner branch (5.0 on Google per aggregator). ~Rs 10,999/seat/mo
Startups/SMEs; contemporary cabins and desks. WiFi, cabins, fixed/flexible desks, meeting rooms, F&B, storage, courier. Additional Awfis Baner cluster; Baner has the densest Awfis concentration. ~Rs 10,999/seat/mo
Startups/SMEs near airport & Kalyani Nagar; well-rated. WiFi, cabins, fixed/flexible desks, meeting rooms, F&B, storage, courier. Highest-rated Awfis Pune branches; strong Viman Nagar presence. ~Rs 9,499-10,999/seat/mo
Startups/SMEs in the Magarpatta-Hadapsar IT belt. WiFi, cabins, fixed/flexible desks, meeting rooms, F&B, storage, courier. Awfis coverage in the Magarpatta/Hadapsar enterprise corridor. ~Rs 10,999/seat/mo
Startups, SMEs, satellite corporate teams; ~19 centres total across Pune. WiFi, cabins, fixed/flexible desks, meeting rooms, F&B, storage, courier, day passes. Awfis is one of the most widely distributed chains in Pune (~19 centres cityw...
Mid-to-large teams and enterprises; managed private suites, reception services. WiFi, private office suites, reception, meeting rooms, cafeteria, managed facilities, power backup. Smartworks concentrates heavily in Baner with multiple la...
Enterprise teams and scale-ups; large managed floors. WiFi, private suites, reception, meeting rooms, cafeteria, managed facilities, power backup. Also present in Balewadi, Koregaon Park and Magarpatta; enterprise-focused. Enterprise/man...
Purpose-built for startups — founders, early-stage teams, freelancers; strong community programming. WiFi, meeting rooms, events/community managers, cafe, printing, phone booths, member network. Most explicitly startup-community-oriented...
Tech startups and enterprises; design-forward, enterprise-grade managed workspaces. WiFi, meeting rooms, cafeteria, managed fit-outs, reception, ergonomic interiors, value-added services. Design-led enterprise operator spread across Bane...
MNC satellite offices, enterprise teams, professionals; formal serviced-office feel. WiFi, serviced private offices, meeting rooms, reception, business lounge, virtual office, global network access. Long-established global serviced-offic...
Designers, startups, professionals; more creative/coworking-styled than Regus. WiFi, coworking lounge, private offices, meeting rooms, cafe, business services. IWG's design-led coworking brand alongside Regus in Pune. Premium serviced/co...
Enterprises and larger teams; premium fit-out. WiFi, meeting rooms, event spaces, cafe, concierge, enterprise-grade facilities. Premium enterprise coworking brand; Baner (Pune Icon) presence. Premium/enterprise pricing (specifics unverif...
Startups and SMEs; ready-to-move ergonomic managed offices; also runs an accelerator. WiFi, ergonomic fit-outs, meeting rooms, cafeteria, managed services, accelerator/mentoring programs. Gujarat-HQ'd (Ahmedabad); coworking + accelerator...
Startups and small teams; vibrant design-led spaces. WiFi, meeting rooms, cafe, printing, phone booths, community events. OYO-owned coworking chain present in Pune. Mid-to-premium coworking pricing (specifics unverified)
Startups and SMEs; mid-market coworking. WiFi, meeting rooms, cafe, standard coworking amenities (specifics unverified). Present on the Baner belt and Viman Nagar
Freelancers, remote workers, small teams wanting flexible day-pass access. WiFi, workspace access across partner venues, meeting-room booking, flexi plans. Booking/day-pass network rather than an operator; useful for founders wanting fle...
Startup communities & events in Pune
The wider scene eChai is part of: communities, recurring meetups and annual conferences. Jump to a type, or browse the list.
Communities 15
IT/ITeS/tech industry advocacy, product ecosystem, startups. NASSCOM Product Conclave (NPC) Pune editions, NASSCOM Technology Confluence (NTC) sessions, industry-government-academia collaboration, member networking; historically ran the ...
Student & early-stage tech startups; IoT, healthcare, cybersecurity, grassroots innovation. Pre-incubation, Incubation for Growth, Acceleration programs; mentoring, co-working, innovation lab; Bhau E-Cell student activities; corporate in...
Science & deep-tech startups: biotech, chemicals, materials science, medical devices, clean energy. Incubation, mentoring, scientific/lab access, grant facilitation (BIRAC, DST), specialized resource centers, deep-tech mentoring under pr...
Business advocacy, industry networking, startup incubation & ecosystem glue. Innovation & Incubation Committee, startup incubation platform connecting founders with business leaders, ecosystem convening, events, publications (Incubation ...
Early-stage startup funding across tech, healthcare, fintech, consumer. Curated monthly Pitch Day connecting startups with angels/family offices/VCs, mentorship, curated deal flow. Active. Monthly pitch days.
Tech startup founders — connecting, resources, peer support. Monthly meetups, startup 'melas'/aspirant events, bootstrapping sessions; large online forum (10,000-16,000+ members incl. investors, lawyers, accountants); localized sub-clubs...
SaaS founders — pay-it-forward peer learning. Closed-door founder roundtables (12-15 curated founders sharing sales/product/CS playbooks), city bootcamps (~70 founders attended a Pune bootcamp), SaaSBoomi Annual conference. Active nation...
State-wide innovation & startup support: grants, incubation, policy. Grants, mentorship, incubator network support, Maharashtra Virtual Incubation Centre (MVIC, with 91springboard), Maharashtra Startup Week, implementation of state start...
AI/ML/Data Science upskilling, empowering women (and men) in emerging tech. Meetups, workshops, summit insights sessions (e.g., AI Impact Summit recap Mar 2026); community-driven since 2018. Active. Led by Sucheta Dhere since 2018; event...
Student innovators — idea validation, pitching, mentorship. Pune StartUp Fest (annual flagship conclave: startup expo, keynotes, competitions, networking), 5+ flagship initiatives/year, E-Cell meetups. Active. Annual Pune StartUp Fest + ...
Fostering entrepreneurship among students. Workshops, events, initiatives throughout the year to stimulate entrepreneurial thinking; strengthening campus startup ecosystem. Active. Student-run since Sept 2013.
Promoting entrepreneurial spirit among students. Student-run events, workshops; part of inter-college E-Cell meetup network. Active (student-run).
Entrepreneurship among students (women's engineering college). E-Cell activities, startup cell programs; part of Pune inter-college E-Cell network (with PVG, PICT, VIT, BMCC, AIT, SKNCOE). Active (student-run).
54-hour build-a-startup bootcamp for aspiring founders. Weekend event: pitch, form teams, build MVP, present to judges; ran simultaneously across Bengaluru/Pune/Delhi/Chennai (e.g., Aug 16-18, 2025). Recurring but episodic (organized whe...
Startups, freelancers, small businesses — community & networking. Startup Open House Pune, community meetups, networking events at hubs (Baner, Yerwada); runs MVIC virtual incubation with MSInS. Active as coworking network; event cadence...
Recurring meetups 23
Broad entrepreneurship: mentoring, networking, funding, incubation. TiECON Pune (flagship annual conference), 'My Story' speaker sessions (First-Gen, Social, Women, Inheritors-to-Innovators, Puneri Brands series), monthly interactive mee...
Early-stage startups, networking, product demos. Startup Saturdays (monthly meet, product/service demos, learning from founders), networking events. Nationally active (Startup Saturdays 2nd Saturday monthly across cities); Pune Meetup ch...
Google technologies, Android, web, AI/ML, cloud, general dev. DevFest Pune (flagship annual, JW Marriott ~Nov 30, 2025 edition; India's largest community-driven tech conference), tech talks, workshops, bootcamps, hackathons, study jams, ...
Google Cloud, GenAI, databases, cloud-native, AI. Monthly meetups (e.g., 'Cloud & AI', 'Gen AI and Graphs', 'Databases & AI'), Cloud Community Day Pune (annual), GCDC kick-offs, expert talks + live demos. Active. Monthly meetups through ...
Founders education, inspiration, networking. Monthly fireside-chat events with founders/investors (hosted guests like Rishika Chandan, Sowmya Iyer, Keerthi Kadam, Guy Kawasaki), pitch practice ('The Pitch Pit'), workshops on ARR growth/b...
Startup funding leveraging TiE charter member/investor base. Angel investment, connecting startups to TiE Pune charter members and global TiE investors. Active (tied to TiE Pune activity).
Artificial intelligence, applied AI. Tech talks, workshops, code labs; invites tech leads from companies and startups. Active (Meetup-based).
AI, MLOps, LLMOps, AI engineering. Meetups exploring/learning/mastering AI and MLOps. Active (Meetup-based).
Data science, ML. Hackathons, deep-dive workshops, expert-led lectures via partner orgs. Active (Meetup-based).
Generative AI, Agentic AI. Meetups for GenAI professionals, enthusiasts, innovators. Active (Meetup-based).
AI, ML, Deep Learning. Meetups, connections, referrals, knowledge sharing. Unknown — verify; Meetup group exists but recent cadence not confirmed.
Python programming. Meetups, tech Q&A, meeting minutes; primary interaction via PythonPune Google Group; GitHub org. Historically active; flag: recent in-person cadence appears low/intermittent — verify. Online group persists.
AWS cloud, developers, IT professionals. In-person meetups with expert sessions on AWS tech, hands-on demos, networking; collaborations with MongoDB UG Pune. Active. Regular meetups (e.g., July 2026 meetup listed).
Kubernetes, cloud-native (service discovery, networking, storage). Meetups for all skill levels; Docker & CNCF Pune collaborative meetups. Active (Meetup-based).
Docker, containers. Meetups and events (~5,845 members). Flag: was active (meetups through ~2022); recent cadence unclear — verify current status.
DevOps practices, tooling. Meetups for DevOps enthusiasts (~1,780 members). Unknown — verify recent cadence.
Ethereum ecosystem, Web3 development, blockchain education. Hackathons (inspired by ETH Mumbai's 200+ participant model), workshops (e.g., 'Ethereum 101' May 2026), technical sessions, College Ambassador program; venue e.g., Ideas to Imp...
Blockchain, Web3, crypto — developers, investors, startups. Meetups, workshops, hackathons; related groups: Chain Pe Charcha, Chainlink Pune, Hyperledger Pune, Pune DAO / MetaMask community nights. Active (multiple Web3 Meetup groups run...
UX/UI design — designers, researchers, enthusiasts. Free meetups (networking, UX discussions, workshops, feedback), Design Dinners. Active. Regular in-person meetups (e.g., 2024 meetups documented).
Product management — knowledge sharing, PM growth. Meetups with talks and networking (8+ meetups since Feb 2019, grew to 1,400+ members). Flag: was active (regular meetups from 2019); recent cadence uncertain — verify current status.
React, JavaScript, TypeScript, frontend architecture. Meetups with tech talks + networking; joint events with JSLovers Pune. Active. Recent meetups (e.g., June joint meetup with JSLovers).
Go programming language. Meetups with talks/presentations for novice-to-experienced devs. Unknown — verify recent cadence (group active on Meetup).
Rust programming language. Monthly meetups with talks and knowledge sharing; free to attend. Active. Meets ~once a month.
Annual conferences 1
Asia's biggest startup expo & conference. Mega conference, expo, government-industry roundtables, buyer meetings, awards, networking; 100,000+ attendees. Annual (e.g., April 2025 edition; 6.0 upcoming). Flag: held in New Delhi, NOT Pune ...
Cafes to work from in Pune
Laptop-friendly cafes founders actually work from. Jump to your area, or browse the list.
Hinjewadi & West Pune 11
solo work / small meetings
Cozy neighbourhood cafe; also offers printing facility
solo work / video calls / casual meetings
Global coffee chain; consistent amenities
solo work / community / team catchups
Book cafe + coworking + events across 3 Pune branches
solo work / casual meetings
Syphon/chemex/pour-over single-origin coffee
solo work / casual meetings / video calls
Specialty coffee chain, wide coffee menu
casual work / quick meetings near Hinjewadi
Indian-Korean fusion, donuts, coffee
solo deep work / reading / quiet meetings
Concept bookstore + chai cafe; conscious/alternate lifestyle theme
solo work / casual meetings
Specialty coffee, croissants, cinnamon rolls, sandwiches
casual work / quick meetings near Hinjewadi
Espresso bar with a following among Hinjewadi WFH crowd
solo work / video calls / quick meetings near office
Global coffee chain inside the IT park
Koregaon Park & Central 14
solo work / casual meetings
Cozy cafe good for solo outings and book lovers
solo deep work / casual meetings
Specialty coffee, good work seating
casual / short breaks / founder chai catch-ups (not laptop work)
Authentic Irani chai, bun maska, kebabs, fluffy omelettes
solo deep work / casual meetings
Specialty single-origin coffee, Vietnamese iced coffee, pastries
solo work / casual meetings / small founder catchups
Bagel sandwiches, hearty mains, fun drinks; bakery
solo work / casual meetings
Quiet work-friendly KP cafe (Voyage brand)
casual / solo work
Modern Indian & international cuisine, calm ambiance
casual work / relaxed solo sessions
Pet-friendly cafe with outdoor seating
solo work / coffee-focused meetings
Pune's own specialty coffee roastery; sea-salt latte, rose-pistachio latte
solo deep work / investor meetings
Australian-style coffee, health-forward menu (salads, sandwiches, bowls)
casual / light work / meetings
Stylish KP cafe with outdoor seating
solo work / video calls / casual meetings
Global coffee chain; consistent work amenities
solo work / team offsite / meeting travelling founders
Cafe + hostel + coworking combo; vegan options, pocket-friendly
Kharadi & Viman Nagar 5
solo work / video calls / quick meetings near office
Coffee chain; EON has open Starbucks sit-outs on landscaped podium
solo work / video calls / casual meetings
Indian-Korean fusion food, donuts, coffee; multiple Pune locations
solo work / budget-friendly long sessions
Budget work cafe with chai/coffee focus
Across Pune 15
solo deep work / coworking
Book cafe + dedicated coworking space
casual work / coworking / team catchups
Cafe + coworking blend
casual work / quiet meetings
Hotel cafe with free wifi and charging
solo deep work / creative work
Cafe + creative studio; fantastic ambiance
solo work / casual meetings
Neighbourhood kitchen cafe pitched at remote workers
Answers about the Pune startup scene
What does the startup ecosystem in Pune look like?
Pune's ecosystem is strongest in Deeptech, SaaS and AI, with a deep bench of companies building across the map. The Founder Circuit and vertical pages above list who is building what, filterable by vertical.
Where do founders network in Pune?
Mostly at community meetups rather than conferences, clustered around hubs like Hinjewadi (Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park). eChai runs free, open founder meetups in Pune, alongside the vertical communities listed below. The simplest first step is to RSVP to an upcoming event.
How do I find a co-founder in Pune?
Go where founders already gather. Most pairings start informally at meetups, not on platforms. Come to a few eChai events in Pune, meet people building adjacent things, and the conversations tend to find their own way to co-founder fit.
How do I join the startup community in Pune?
eChai is free and open: pick an upcoming Pune event above, RSVP, and walk in. There is no application or membership fee, and the meetups are built so first time founders and seasoned operators end up in the same conversation.
Which are the top startup verticals in Pune?
Deeptech, SaaS and AI lead, with active clusters in several more. Use the vertical chips above to browse the companies in each, or open a vertical page to see the names rising in that category.
Who are the active investors and VCs in Pune?
Pune has a working layer of VCs, micro VCs, family offices and angel networks. The investors section below lists the firms and networks active here, grouped by type.
Which incubators and accelerators are in Pune?
The city has a mix of university and institutional incubators, government backed programs and private accelerators. The incubators section below lists them, alongside the coworking spaces where early teams set up.
What are the best startup events and meetups in Pune?
The upcoming events block above is live: RSVP to the next Pune meetup. eChai's events are free and open, and the communities section lists the other vertical meetups and conferences worth following.
New to Pune's startup scene? Start here.
eChai runs free, open founder meetups in Pune. No membership, no fee, just show up. RSVP to the next one and meet the people building the city.
See upcoming Pune events