Optimist raises $12 Mn seed funding led by Accel and Arkam Ventures

Air conditioning company Optimist has raised $12 million in a seed and pre-Series A funding round led by Accel and Arkam Ventures, along with participation from prominent angel investors.

The startup will use the new funding to expand manufacturing, enhance research and development, and get ready for its market launch.

Read also- Lorazzo raises Rs 5 Cr in seed round led by Sprout Venture and First Cheque

“Heat levels are going up every year, and the country is not ready for it,” founder Ashish Goel said. “When we were growing up, coolers worked for most of the year. Today, they fail badly. ACs that are available are not designed for India’s heat, homes, or power conditions.”

According to Goel, during field studies conducted in cities such as Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, and Hyderabad, Optimist’s team found that 25-32% of ACs stop cooling effectively during peak summer days. “When an AC doesn’t cool on the hottest day, you’re stuck. That’s when the product has failed you,” he said.

“As a business, it’s a large opportunity. As a consumer-focused technologist, it’s a problem that clearly needs solving,” he said.

“Our goal is very simple for the first year,” Goel said. “Every customer should be comfortable, even on the hottest day. Their electricity bill should be the lowest in the market. And if there is any issue, it should be resolved quickly.”

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Prashanth Prakash, partner at Accel, said: “As cooling demand rises alongside climate pressures, efficient and reliable air conditioning will become critical infrastructure.”

“The Optimist team is reimagining how cost effective and efficient cooling can address heat stress impacting hundreds of millions of Indians,” said Bala Srinivasa, managing director at Arkam Ventures.

Founed in 2024 by Ashish Goel, former CEO and co-founder of Urban Ladder and Pranav Chopra, Optimist is making air conditioners designed for indian conditions where high temperatures, humidity and rising electricity costs make cooling both important and expensive.

The company will sell its ACs through its D2C platform and exclusive brand stores. The products will launch next month in Delhi NCR, Rajasthan, Telangana and Bengaluru, with plans to expand to other cities later.

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