In a world where giants like OpenAI dominate the landscape, it’s easy to assume that smaller players, especially from countries with less capital, might struggle to keep up. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently remarked that competing with OpenAI on foundational models was “pretty hopeless” for Indian startups. However, this statement has ignited a fire among Indian entrepreneurs who are determined to prove that innovation and resilience can defy even the most daunting odds.
India has a track record of overcoming challenges. As Bill Gates highlighted, the country has eradicated polio, lowered HIV transmission rates, reduced poverty, and made significant strides in financial inclusion. The rapid development of India’s internet infrastructure through initiatives like Aadhaar, Digital India, and UPI, coupled with affordable mobile connectivity provided by Jio, has set the stage for a new era of technological growth.
Despite the challenges, Indian entrepreneurs are rising to the occasion. The AI market in India, which was valued at $680 million in 2022, is projected to grow to $4 billion by 2028. While this figure may seem modest compared to the U.S. market, which is expected to surpass $100 billion, India’s potential to surprise the world with rapid AI adoption and innovation is immense.
India’s AI landscape is rapidly evolving, with startups making significant strides in the field. As AI continues to shape the future, several Indian startups are leading the charge, bringing innovative solutions and groundbreaking technologies to the global stage.
1. Orbo AI (Mumbai) Founded in 2019 by Mano Shinde, Abhit Sinha, and Danish Jam, Orbo AI gained recognition through their appearance on Shark Tank India Season 3. This startup is revolutionizing the personal care and beauty industry by offering virtual makeup and hair styling products. Their AI-powered solutions help customers try products virtually, reducing customer acquisition costs and boosting conversion rates. Orbo AI’s flagship product, Beauty GPT, combines their virtual try-on products to recommend the best beauty products for users. With over 20 enterprise customers and a pipeline of 123 more, Orbo AI is a standout in the AI startup ecosystem.
2. Models Lab (Bengaluru) Founded by Adhik Joshi, Models Lab offers a one-stop shop for AI needs, providing APIs for text-to-image generation, LLM training, and voice cloning. With more than 800 million images generated through their platform and over 150,000 paid users, Models Lab is a self-funded, profitable startup. Adhik’s ambition to build an AI data center to enhance operations further showcases the potential of this startup. Additionally, Models Lab offers a GPU grant to support other AI entrepreneurs, demonstrating their commitment to the AI community.
3. Neural Garage (Bengaluru) Founded in 2021 by Mandar Narayan, Anjan Banerji, Sub Debnath, and Subh Saha, Neural Garage is solving the problem of misaligned facial expressions in dubbed content. Their patent-pending AI technology, Visual Dub, aligns facial expressions with dubbed audio, creating a more authentic viewing experience. With clients like Amazon, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft, Neural Garage is quickly becoming a key player in AI-driven content localization.
4. Ni Robotics (Bengaluru) Ni Robotics, founded by Jayam Haral, is making waves in the agricultural sector with its AI-enabled precision spraying technology. The startup’s AI cameras analyze crops in real-time, determining whether they need pesticide spraying. This technology reduces pesticide use by up to 90%, significantly lowering chemical costs for farmers and improving food safety. With over 8.2 million images captured across seven crops, Ni Robotics is a game-changer for Indian agriculture.
5. Suvam AI (Delhi) Launched in 2023 by Aditya and Bhushan Kumar, Suvam AI is focused on developing AI models for Indian languages. Their first product, Open Hotti, is a Hindi fine-tuned LLM built on Meta’s LLaMA model. Suvam AI’s goal is to build foundational models for Indian languages from scratch, reducing the cost of AI content creation in these languages. With $41 million raised, Suvam AI is poised to become a leader in the Indian AI space.
6. Babble Bots (Mumbai) Babble Bots, founded by Rohit Gupta and Dhruv Jugani in 2022, is revolutionizing the hiring process with AI-powered recruiters. These AI recruiters can conduct entire interviews, assess candidates, and provide detailed reports, streamlining the hiring process and saving companies valuable time and resources. With over 70 companies using their platform to conduct more than 10,000 interviews, Babble Bots is transforming recruitment in India.
7. Unscript AI (Bengaluru) Founded by Ritvik and Abhijit Jain in 2021, Unscript AI allows content creators to generate digital avatars that can produce videos even when the creator is unavailable. This AI technology enables personalized video creation at scale, making it a valuable tool for marketing and content creation. With over 40 companies using their platform, Unscript AI is helping businesses increase conversion rates and produce more content efficiently.
8. Qure.ai (Mumbai) Qure.ai, founded by Prashant Warier and Bhavya Mittal in 2016, uses AI to interpret X-rays and CT scans with high accuracy. Their AI solutions can detect conditions like tuberculosis and heart failure in under a minute, addressing the shortage of radiologists in India. With their technology already serving 1.6 crore patients across 85+ countries, Qure.ai is making a significant impact on global healthcare.
9. Kruum AI (Bengaluru) Kruum AI, founded by Olas Biswajit in 2023, is India’s first AI unicorn. The startup is developing large language models for Indian languages and has already begun public beta testing. Kruum AI aims to build a complete AI stack for India, from the chips powering the AI to the applications built on top of their models. Despite some controversies, Kruum AI’s ambitions and achievements make it a key player in India’s AI future.
10. Beatoven.ai (Bengaluru) Founded by Mansoor Ahmed Khan and Siddharth Bharadwaj in 2021, Beatoven.ai uses AI to create premium royalty-free music for content creators. Their platform simplifies the music selection process, allowing creators to generate custom tracks based on their specific needs. With over 600,000 users and $2.4 million in funding, Beatoven.ai is helping creators worldwide find the perfect soundtrack for their content.
India’s AI landscape is rapidly evolving, with startups across the country pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Despite the challenges posed by limited capital and infrastructure, these companies are proving that innovation can thrive even in the face of adversity. As India continues to develop its AI capabilities, the world should keep a close eye on these startups—they may soon lead the next wave of global technological advancements.
These Indian AI startups are not only driving innovation but are also playing a crucial role in shaping the future of AI on a global scale. With groundbreaking technologies and ambitious visions, these companies are poised to lead the way in the AI revolution. Keep an eye on these startups as they continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI.
