Latest news with #IITMadras-incubated
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
IIT Madras-incubated Plugzmart develops platform connecting EV chargers to multiple networks
IIT Madras-incubated Smart EV Charger company Plugzmart has developed an indigenous EV charging platform that is designed to connect chargers with multiple Charging Management System (CMS) networks. According to the startup, 'Relay' is a first-of-its-kind platform that allows a single EV charger to connect to multiple CMS simultaneously. This means a charger is no longer restricted to a single app or network, giving it the freedom to be accessed by multiple platforms, all in real time. 'Relay' enables higher charging utilisation for fleet operations by connecting with multiple CMS platforms, including those specifically built for fleet management. 'If one network experiences downtime, others continue to operate, ensuring uninterrupted charging availability and smoother fleet operations,' the startup said. Currently, most EV chargers are locked to one CMS, meaning, customers of only that one EV brand could utilise the charger. Plugzmart's solution breaks this limitation by introducing an intelligent middleware that enables multiple CMS connections for a single charger. Raghavendar T.S., Director of Software Business Unit, Plugzmart, said, 'One of the biggest roadblocks for EV adoption is the limited availability of chargers visible on public platforms. Our solution maximises the visibility of each installed charger by allowing it to appear on multiple networks. This boosts charger utilisation and increases ROI for charger owners.' Plugzmart is an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of Electric Vehicle chargers and SAAS provider of electric charging infrastructure. Incubated at IIT Madras in 2019, Plugzmart has built its own IoT-enabled smart EV charging management system to integrate and communicate efficiently with chargers. Their portfolio of 18 products includes chargers for two, three, and four-wheelers.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Deeptech startup Plenome Technologies raises Rs 6.5 crore from Indian, global investors
IIT Madras-incubated deeptech startup Plenome Technologies has raised Rs 6.5 crore in seed funding from Indian and international investors, including Luxembourg-based Ovington Capital , UAE-based AADI, and Manish Gandhi , who has invested in ePlane and CynLr to GoStop, LegalKart, and by mechanical engineering professor Prabhu Rajagopal, the startup develops blockchain and AI-powered applications for secure data transfer in sectors such as healthcare and solutions include 'BlockVote,' a blockchain-based remote voting platform, which was deployed in IIT Madras student elections, and 'OrganEase,' a digital tool to manage organ donation databases, currently undergoing trial implementation in one of the southern Indian states. It is also piloting 'Ashwin,' an AI-powered voice-enabled data capture platform in dental healthcare, with plans to expand to eye care, cosmetic, and fertility said the startup's mission is to address the challenge of developing digital applications that can protect the privacy of users and security of records while ensuring interoperability across organisations, geographies and smooth operations at scale.'Our work on remote elections is very exciting, offering the possibility of voting through mobile devices from any location. We hope to grow organically with impact in the coming years,' the professor startup's core offering is built on a patent-backed distributed ledger technology (DLT) framework that allows secure, privacy-preserving data management across organisations and is also developing what it claims could be the world's first distributed AI protocol for structured data analysis in healthcare and e-governance. The funding will be used to scale existing pilots, accelerate product development, and expand into international of the investors, Marco Palacino of Ovington Capital Partners, said, 'The partnership brings strategic alignment, market access, and capital support to accelerate Plenome's mission. With a focus on breakthrough innovation and global impact, Ovington is well-positioned to support Plenome's vision for the future of digital health and e-governance.'
The Hindu
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
IIT Madras-incubated Plenome Technologies raises ₹6.5 crore in seed funding
IIT Madras-incubated startup Plenome Technologies, which develops disruptive solutions for secure data management at scale, has raised ₹6.5 crore in seed funding from Indian and foreign investors. The investors include Ovington Capital Partners, a Luxembourg-based investment firm, which has taken on the mantle of lead investor; AADI, an UAE-based firm that specialises in trading and distribution of plant, machinery, and capital equipment; and Manish Gandhi, who has previously invested in iconic startups, ranging from ePlane and CynLr to GoStop, LegalKart, and Fermbox. Founded by IIT Madras faculty Prabhu Rajagopal, a Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awardee, Plenome addresses the challenge of developing digital applications that can protect the privacy of users and security of records, while ensuring interoperability across organisations, geographies, and smooth operations at scale. The co-founders are: IIT Madras MS (Entrepreneurship) student Vijayaraja Rathinasamy, an embedded systems expert, and IIT Madras Graduate Anirudh Varna, a blockchain expert. The startup emerged from Mr. Rajagopal's research group on Automation and Data Engineering at IIT Madras' Center for Nondestructive Evaluation. Plenome's BlockTrack 'OraganEase solution' for managing sensitive organ donation databases is already being deployed in trial runs in partnership with the apex body for organ transplants in a South Indian State. Plenome is also pioneering a novel pay-per-use model for conducting remote elections in large organisations, using its record-setting blockchain-based 'BlockVote' software. This software was already successfully deployed for the IIT Madras student elections. Additionally, Plenome is conducting trial runs of 'Ashwin', a suite of AI-powered electronic data capture, record maintenance, and insight generation platforms in the dental specialisation within healthcare, and is seeking to extend this to eyecare, cosmetic, and fertility segments. Ashwin offers voice-enabled electronic data capture through input in several Indic and foreign languages. Prabhu Rajagopal, founder-chairman, Plenome Technologies, and faculty, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, said, 'Our work improves access to healthcare in remote locations while enabling interoperability and insight generation based on structured medical records. Our work on remote elections is very exciting, offering the possibility of voting through mobile devices from any location.' Vijayaraja Rathinasamy, co-founder of Plenome, said, 'At Plenome, we are driven by the conviction that technology should be purposeful and inclusive, reaching those at the margins and delivering outcomes that are tangible, equitable, and sustainable.' Anirudh Varna, co-founder of Plenome, added, 'By decentralising critical systems, from healthcare diagnostics to secure voting, we are putting power directly into people's hands. We are looking forward to scale our Ashwin and BlockVote platforms globally.'
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IIT Madras-incubated Plenome bags Rs 6.5crore funding
Plenome founders Anirudh Varna, Prabhu Rajagopal and Vijayaraja Rathinasamy and others. CHENNAI: IIT Madras-incubated Plenome Technologies, a blockchain-based data management startup, has raised a seed funding of Rs 6.5 crore from Ovington Capital Partners, a Luxembourg-based investment firm, UAE-based AADI, and veteran investor Manish Gandhi. Founded by IIT Madras faculty and serial entrepreneur Prabhu Rajagopal, along with Vijayaraja Rathinasamy and Anirudh Varna, it develops blockchain-based applications to protect users' privacy and security of records. Speaking to TOI, Rajagopal said the startup would initially focus on healthcare data, targeting customers in the US, the UK and the UAE market, where the regulatory environment is mature. 'Enterprises have started to increasingly focus on data security and cybersecurity after major security breaches. With the adoption of AI, there are more risks such as data poisoning, where AI models are deliberately fed with misinformation,' he said. Plenome plans to work with hospitals and clinics directly as well as with healthcare software platforms. It is developing an AI-SaaS platform for structured record creation and insight generation. The startup is conducting trial runs for an AI-based electronic data capture, record maintenance and insight generation platforms in the dental specialisation within healthcare, Rajagopal said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo Emerging from the research group on automation and data engineering at IIT-M, Plenome develops blockchain-based solutions for applications in safety-critical fields. It is based on a patented architecture. Plenome is also developing a distributed artificial intelligence (AI) protocol, where multiple agents work together to solve a problem. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Mint
17-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Sarvam, India's most-funded gen-AI startup, takes to the Big Tech playbook
Shouvik Das Amid government subsidies, Sarvam will focus on a full-stack AI approach to take its business to clients; more announcements are expected from the startup in the coming weeks. A person passes a billboard for an Artificial Intelligence company advertising AI employees on a London underground station platform in London, Britain, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe Gift this article Bengaluru: On 26 April, IIT Madras-incubated artificial intelligence startup, Sarvam, became the first to receive subsidized access to processing chips from the Union government to build Indian AI models. Now, after facing conjecture and criticism over government support and the startup's innovation route, its founder and investors believe that the way forward for India's most well-funded AI startup is to take a leaf out of the Big Tech playbook. Bengaluru: On 26 April, IIT Madras-incubated artificial intelligence startup, Sarvam, became the first to receive subsidized access to processing chips from the Union government to build Indian AI models. Now, after facing conjecture and criticism over government support and the startup's innovation route, its founder and investors believe that the way forward for India's most well-funded AI startup is to take a leaf out of the Big Tech playbook. 'We're not just a model builder," Pratyush Kumar, co-founder of Sarvam, told Mint on the sidelines of a gathering in Bengaluru last week. 'We have an application layer too, and we want to be focused on both (the model and the layer)." The startup has faced criticism after it last month released its AI model—Sarvam-M. While some hailed the 24-billion-parameter model for its native support for 10 Indian languages, others criticised it for not being a foundational model, but being based on a foundational model made by a French AI startup, Mistral. Also Read: How tech is transforming the Indian car market Kumar and his investors, however, do not believe that the criticism has been fair. 'It's hard to quantify how much of our efforts we are devoting to foundational models versus building applications—the models will be key because this will give us the foundational capability. The government funding is just incidental, but it will not define the way forward for Sarvam. Eventually, we're building a full-stack, deep-tech firm out of India," he said. To be sure, a foundational model is an algorithm built by a company from scratch, using its own data and AI infrastructure. Doing so requires significantly high amounts of capital—US Big Tech firms are currently spending billions on them—but also gives companies the advantage of having proprietary technology without being reliant on anyone else. Monetising tech An application layer, meanwhile, is key to ensuring that the models can be implemented within businesses, thus earning ventures commercial revenue. While this is secondary, it is key to monetisation. Big Tech firms, such as Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI, are making what Kumar cited above as 'full-stack" services—having their own models and applications to sell to enterprises. It is this that Kumar highlighted as Sarvam's key area of focus, and not its government backing for subsidised access to processing chips—which account for most of an AI firm's operating expenditure. 'The government's Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) grant helps, but it is only an episode for us. This is not what will fully define our way forward. We're continuing to build and innovate in various sectors of AI, which will create value by leveraging the support that the government has extended. We're building applications for Indian clients, and not just models or applications to sell abroad," Kumar said. Among its peers, investors and industry experts believe that Sarvam has a clear headstart. While Olacabs founder Bhavish Aggarwal's AI pivot, Krutrim, claimed to have become 'India's first AI unicorn" in January last year, the venture doesn't have much to show yet. 'Sarvam always had an aspiration of building population-scale AI. The goal is to scale up AI innovation to the entire Indian population, not to have the largest foundation model," said Harshjit Sethi, managing director at venture capital firm Peak XV. Peak XV led Sarvam's seed funding round, and also co-led the startup's $41-million series-A funding round in December 2023. The venture has raised $53 million in total funding so far, though Kumar said that it will 'definitely need a larger funding round" in the coming months. Also Read: Eye in the sky: India to set up satellites to spy on satellites Peak XV's Sethi underlined that the criticisms of Sarvam may not be accurate. 'Sarvam is already working with some of the largest Indian companies, and has already reached tens of millions of individuals who have used Sarvam's AI applications and models. The goal is bearing fruit, and we're seeing their impact already." Use of funds As a result, both Kumar and Sethi said that the public expectation that Sarvam is only building a 'sovereign' AI model for public utilities and government applications is misplaced. 'The government grant comes from public taxpayers' money, but the one thing to clarify is that this is not a grant, the Centre is making an investment in the company in exchange for a minority equity stake. As a shareholder, the return to the taxpayer will come from the appreciation of this equity stake, in addition to the strategic imperative that we, as India, should have our own AI models from scratch," Sethi said. Kashyap Kompella, author and AI consultant to large corporations, concurred. 'The entire criticism that Sarvam has faced is that it has the government's backing from public taxpayers' money, but its mission statement is not narrowly focused on building only India's sovereign AI. That comes across as unfair criticism because innovation cannot be restricted only to one area. Entities like Sarvam must therefore focus on gaps in the ecosystem that are not addressed by competitors such as Big Tech firms," he said. Also Read: Apple quietly opens AI gates to developers at WWDC 2025 To be sure, FY25 was the first full fiscal year for Sarvam as a commercial entity earning early-stage revenue from clients. The company is yet to file its financials for the previous fiscal. For now, Sethi said the startup is likely to make more product announcements 'in the coming weeks." 'There are no specific verticals that we're focusing on, and we're looking at technology and services quite horizontally, just like Big Tech ventures. Eventually, we'll work with partners in sectors to build domain-specific capabilities in AI applications and services," Kumar added. Topics You May Be Interested In
