The Indian start-up landscape is facing a funding downturn amidst a global economic slowdown, challenging entrepreneurs in their quest for easy funding. A local report highlighted a significant decline in venture funding, dropping from $11.34 billion in the same quarter last year to $2.19 billion from January to March.
Despite this, certain sectors have demonstrated resilience amid these challenging times, such as fintech, which remains attractive to investors. This is reflected in LinkedIn’s “LinkedIn Top Start-ups 2023” list for India, which is largely dominated by fintech-related firms, with the inclusion of two new edtech entrants.
Out of the top start-ups listed, 14 are new entrants, showcasing the thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and spirit of innovation in India. LinkedIn compiled this list based on in-house data, measuring start-ups based on employment growth, jobseeker interest, engagement, and ability to attract talent from LinkedIn’s top companies.
Companies were eligible for the list if they were headquartered in India and had 50 or more employees. LinkedIn expanded its criteria to include companies five years and below in age to feature more companies in their earlier venture stages of growth. Here is the full list of India’s top start-ups for 2022, according to LinkedIn:
-
Zepto
Industry: Software development
Headquarters: Mumbai
Full-time headcount: 1,400
Most common skills: Business management, data science, development tools
Zepto is a start-up that promises to deliver groceries in less than 10 minutes. Co-founded by two 19-year-old Stanford dropouts, the company became India’s first unicorn of 2023 with a cash injection of $200 million in August.
2. BluSmart
Industry: Software development
Headquarters: Gurugram
Full-time headcount: 620
Most common skills: Development tools, business management, data science
BluSmart offers electric ride-hailing services in Delhi NCR and Bengaluru with its 4,500-strong electric car fleet. The start-up aims to expand its fleet to 10,000 cars by the end of this year and invest in more charging stations across India with its recent cash injection of $42 million.
3. Ditto Insurance
Industry: Financial services
Headquarters: Bengaluru
Full-time headcount: 252
Most common skills: Communication, business management, advertising
Founded in 2018, this fintech start-up helps users compare insurance plans, understand policies, and buy insurance through its online platform. Ditto Insurance is looking to hire “hundreds of freshers” in the coming year, according to LinkedIn.
4. Pocket FM
Industry: Software development
Headquarters: Bengaluru
Full-time headcount: 489
Most common skills: Writing, video, advertising Audio series platform
Pocket FM offers audio entertainment across multiple genres and Indian languages in its library, with more than 100,000 hours of content. The company serves around 80 million listeners globally.
5. Skyroot Aerospace
Industry: Defense and space manufacturing
Headquarters: Hyderabad
Full-time headcount: 260
Most common skills: Machining, aerospace engineering, manufacturing operations
Skyroot Aerospace was founded four years ago by engineers and former scientists from the Indian Space Research Organization. In 2022, it became the first private Indian company to launch a rocket into space. Skyroot Aerospace has plans for at least two launches in 2024, following the success of India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission.
6. Fasal — IT services and consulting
7. DotPe — Software development
8. TravClan — Software development
9. AccioJob — E-learning
10. Housr — Hospitality
11. Exponent Energy — Motor vehicle manufacturing
12. StockGro — Financial services
13. Teachnook — E-learning
14. Shyft — Wellness and fitness
15. Jar — Financial services
16. GrowthSchool — E-learning
17. Supersourcing — Software development
18. Sprinto — Software development
19. Fi — Financial services
20. GoKwik — Software development