Kuku FM raises $85 million in funding round led by Granite Asia

Audio and video content platform Kuku FM has raised $85 million in its Series D funding round led by Granite Asia (formerly GGV Capital).

The round also saw participation from Vertex Growth Fund, Krafton, IFC, Paramark, Tribe Capital India, and Bitkraft.

The $85 million deal includes a secondary component, though the split hasn’t been disclosed. It stands among the largest in india’s niche audio and microdrama content sector which reflects growing interest in mobile-first platforms serving regional audiences.

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The new funds will be used to scale content production, grow the creator community, enhance platform technology, and expand reach among listeners across Bharat.

“We don’t require a lot of external capital to grow our core business. Over the past two years, since the last fundraise, we have been operating at near breakeven level, and we expect to turn profitable in FY26," Kuku, Founder and CEO, Lal Chand Bisu, said.

"We started producing content with Hindi and then launched Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. We will be launching more languages to strengthen our content library," Bisu said. "We also have to spend more on the tech side, on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools, as that is one of the most important aspects for creators today," he said, adding that about 70-80% of the content production on the platform happens through AI tools.

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"Kuku represents a new wave of Indian consumer platforms built on deep local insight and mobile-first innovation.We're excited to catalyse the team's vision to become India's leading storytelling platform -- drawing on our experience partnering with consumer tech leaders across Asia to turn local creativity into global platforms," said, Granite Asia, senior managing partner, Jenny Lee, said.

About Kuku FM

Founded in 2018 by Lal Chand Bisu, Vikas Goyal and Vinod Kumar Meena, Kuku FM earns revenue through paywalled subscriptions for its audiobooks, catering to both individual and business users. Its content spans diverse genres, including business, self-help, personal finance, history, religion, entertainment, and fitness.

The platform offers audiobooks, stories, courses, and podcasts in multiple Indian languages, targeting audiences across India and other global markets.

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