Kaatil and LLUMO AI Raise Early-Stage Funding The startups listed below have disclosed investment rounds.

Hot Condiments Brand Kaatil Bags Seed Funding

Kaatil, an Indian-chilli-focused hot condiments brand under Smerc Food and Beverages, has secured an undisclosed amount in a seed funding round. This round was led by Prajay Advisors, alongside Shivaan Ghai and Romil Ratra of Mumbai's Graviss Group.

Kaatil plans to use the funds to expand its product range and distribution channels, both domestically and internationally, including e-commerce platforms, quick commerce, and retail outlets.

The company also plans to establish an independent B2B supply arm to cater to restaurants, hotels, and cafes.

Founded in 2021 by Sagar Merchant and Arjun Panwar, Kaatil offers a variety of hot sauces, ketchups, and chili oils, all made from Indian chillies. The brand recently gained recognition by winning the prestigious Great Taste Award 2024 from the Guild of Fine Foods, U.K.

Kaatil is available on its D2C website, Amazon, Big Basket, Nature's Basket, and in offline stores across Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad. The company claims to have also expanded to international markets, with its products now available in Canada, New Zealand, and Amazon USA.

Sagar Merchant, Founder of Kaatil, said, "Our observation from the last five years indicates that India's food consumption behaviour has drastically evolved and people are now willing to experiment with new brands and products than ever before. Most importantly, they are constantly seeking alternative products to upgrade their pantry and have moved beyond the loop of purchasing the same products every month for the sake of traditional loyalty."

"Keeping in mind the palette of Indian consumers, we have curated the most flavourful hot condiments with different levels of heat, all made using Indian chillies. Our aim hereon is to reach consumers who possess a strong liking for hot condiments, not only in India but also globally," he added.

AI Optimization Startup LLUMO AI Raises USD 1 Mn Seed Round

Artificial intelligence optimisation company LLUMO AI has raised USD 1 million (about INR 8 crore) in a seed funding round led by SenseAI Ventures, along with participation from India Quotient, AumVC, Venture Catalyst, IIM Indore Alumni Angel Fund, and other angel investors.

The funds will help LLUMO AI enhance its technology, expand its AI expert team, and accelerate its market strategy. The company offers a platform that significantly reduces LLM costs and time-to-market, making AI more accessible and profitable for businesses.

Founded by IIT alumni Shivam Gupta and Akshat Anand, LLUMO AI has quickly emerged as a leader in the enterprise SaaS space. Its platform cuts LLM costs by 80% and speeds up AI deployment by 10x, delivering substantial performance improvements and profitability to clients.

Shivam Gupta, Founder of LLUMO AI, said, "We founded LLUMO AI with a clear mission: to democratise access to generative AI and help businesses unlock its true potential. Our platform not only addresses the critical challenges of cost and performance but also empowers our customers to make data-driven decisions that accelerate growth and transform customer experiences. With this funding, we are one step closer to realising our vision of making generative AI accessible, affordable, and impactful for businesses worldwide."