How India’s Young Innovators Are Changing the Tech Space?
In our last deep dive into India’s startup landscape, we explored the mounting challenges faced by young entrepreneurs, from funding roadblocks to lack of mentorship, and the struggle to transform ideas into viable businesses. But is there a solution to these hurdles?
Enter WTFund, an initiative by Nikhil Kamath, designed to tackle these very issues by empowering the country’s youngest entrepreneurs, building unique startups.
With a vision to fuel the future of tech-driven disruption, WTFund offers up to ₹20 lakh in grant funding, along with strategic mentorship and industry connections, to entrepreneurs under the age of 25. Now, in its second cohort, WTFund has brought together 22 remarkable entrepreneurs from nine startups across industries such as Robotics, AI, FinTech, EdTech, AgriTech, CleanTech, and more. These startups are not just businesses; they are problem solvers, changing the landscape of their respective fields.
Let’s take a closer look at how these young innovators are shaping the future.
Armatrix: Revolutionizing Industrial Inspections with Robotics
Born from a college project, Armatrix was the brainchild of three bright minds — Vishrant Dave, Ayush Ranjan, and Prateesh Awasthi. Their journey from academia to entrepreneurship was driven by an urgent need in high-risk industries like aviation, oil & gas, and defense: the lack of efficient and reliable inspection solutions.
Their answer? A 1.5-meter-long, snake-like robotic arm designed to automate industrial inspections, reducing errors and enhancing precision. With their technology already at TRL-4 (Technology Readiness Level 4), Armatrix is set to disrupt the way maintenance is conducted in highly regulated industries. The startup has garnered attention from major aircraft engine manufacturers and even the Indian Air Force, which recently issued a tender for automating internal engine inspections of the Mirage 2000. With commercial traction and significant funding secured, Armatrix is well on its way to revolutionizing industrial automation.
Modus AI: Fighting Financial Fraud with Artificial Intelligence
The financial sector is in a constant battle against fraud, with Indian banks losing over ₹20,000 crore annually to fraudulent activities. Recognizing the inefficiency of traditional fraud detection methods, Sunit Gautam and Somesh Lund founded Modus AI — a fraud detection co-pilot that automates financial crime investigations with AI-driven insights.
Modus AI is not just another fraud detection tool; it is an intelligent system designed to identify suspicious transactions in real-time, helping banks and fintech companies stay ahead of cybercriminals. By automating processes like merchant onboarding verification, mule account detection, and AI-powered risk assessment, the startup is setting a new benchmark in fraud prevention. Just as M2P and Lentra transformed banking and lending, Modus AI is pioneering fraud prevention as a service, ensuring that financial institutions are safeguarded against ever-evolving threats.
Ai.gnosis: A Game-Changer in Autism Screening
For decades, autism detection has relied on lengthy, subjective questionnaire-based screenings. Ai.gnosis is here to change that with an AI-powered, non-invasive diagnostic tool that uses a standard webcam to detect neurodevelopmental patterns in children. Founded by Divyansh Mangal and Raksheet Jain—both from medical families—Ai.gnosis was born from a realization that early intervention in autism is crucial yet often delayed due to the lack of accessible screening methods.
With just a five-minute video analysis, Ai.gnosis can assess a child’s eye movements and facial expressions to determine neurodivergent traits. This breakthrough eliminates biases, accelerates diagnosis, and makes autism screening scalable across schools, pediatric clinics, and community healthcare centers. As autism prevalence rises, Ai.gnosis is on a mission to democratize early detection, ensuring that no child’s potential goes unnoticed.
BYTES: Startup Preventing Accidents with AI-Powered ADAS
Road safety is one of India’s most pressing concerns, especially for two-wheelers, which account for 60% of all accidents. Aayush Kumar and Prakhar Agarwal have set out to change this with BYTES — India’s first AI-powered Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) for motorcycles.
Using advanced vision models, BYTES detects high-risk situations and alerts riders in real-time. In critical moments, the system can even take partial control, reducing reaction times and preventing collisions. With accidents claiming millions of lives every year, BYTES is bringing life-saving technology to the masses, ensuring that two-wheeler riders have an extra layer of protection on the road.
InnerGize: Wearable Technology for Mental Wellness
Workplace stress is at an all-time high, impacting productivity and overall well-being. Shalmali Kadu, Dr. Siddhant Bhargava, and Mitansh Khurana are tackling this crisis with InnerGize, a clinically validated wearable designed to provide real-time stress relief.
Unlike traditional mental health solutions that are costly and time-intensive, InnerGize combines wearable technology with a companion app to offer instant, science-backed relaxation techniques. Targeting both individuals and businesses, the startup is bringing mental wellness into the mainstream, ensuring that people have the tools to manage stress effectively in their daily lives.
Nasadya: The Future of Hydrogen Storage
The world is moving toward clean energy, but one major roadblock remains—efficient hydrogen storage. Chaitanya Gulati, Suhani Mohan, and Subhechchha Paul have founded Nasadya to solve this problem with a next-generation metal hydride system.
Nasadya’s solid-state storage technology is ten times safer, four times denser, and significantly more cost-effective than existing solutions. As industries like green steel, ammonia production, and data centers seek reliable hydrogen storage, Nasadya’s innovation is paving the way for a future powered by clean energy.
ReferRush: Transforming E-Commerce Growth with Referrals
As ad costs soar and ROI declines, e-commerce brands are struggling to scale efficiently. Enter Vikram Pai and Rohan Verma’s ReferRush — a platform that turns word-of-mouth marketing into an automated growth engine.
ReferRush helps D2C brands build seamless customer referral programs through WhatsApp, SMS, and email automation. With real-time tracking and effortless customer engagement, the startup is reshaping how businesses grow by leveraging the most trusted form of marketing: personal recommendations.
Neoperk: Revolutionizing Soil Testing for Precision Agriculture
Agriculture remains the backbone of India’s economy, yet farmers struggle with unreliable soil testing due to outdated infrastructure. Satyendra Gupta’s Neoperk is changing the game with fast, chemical-free soil analysis using NIR spectroscopy.
Traditional soil testing is expensive and slow, with only one lab available for every 88,000 farmers. Neoperk’s spectroscopy-based device delivers instant, high-resolution results, making precision farming more accessible. Beyond agriculture, the technology has applications in mining, GIS, and food testing, proving that scalable innovations can have far-reaching impacts.
Author’s Pick
What I find most exciting about this cohort of WTFund-backed startups is how they’re tackling real, urgent problems rather than just chasing trends. Two startups that I stood out for me are Ai.gnosis and Modus AI. One is making autism detection faster and more accessible, while the other is fighting financial fraud in a sector bleeding billions. And then there’s InnerGize, addressing India’s growing mental health crisis with a wearable solution. Given how stress and anxiety levels have surged, innovations like these aren’t just impressive — they’re necessary. It’s refreshing to see young entrepreneurs building for impact, not just valuation hype.
The Future of Indian Innovation
The cohort also consists F&B startup drnk. Raj Thakkar and Aryan Gandhi are redefining India’s beverage experience. With iced coffees, matcha, and slushies, drnk is shaping a mass-premium café culture that’s about more than just beverages. By prioritizing affordability, community, and immersive retail experiences, drnk is expanding rapidly, proving that India’s coffee revolution is only just beginning.
The startups supported by WTFund are more than just businesses; they are bold solutions to some of India’s biggest challenges. As India continues to establish itself as a global tech powerhouse, initiatives like WTFund ensure that the brightest minds have the resources and mentorship they need to turn their ideas into reality. For aspiring entrepreneurs, these stories serve as a testament to the fact that innovation has no age limit — only vision, passion, and the right opportunities to thrive.
WTFund has also announceed the opening of applications for its upcoming cohort, C1/25, aiming to support 20 innovative startups this time. If you’re developing a bold and impactful solution, seize this opportunity to join a founder-first ecosystem designed to accelerate your growth. We definitely would like to some more next-gen startups, rewriting India’s tech story. Applications are open now, with the deadline set for May 31, 2025.
