Peak XV Partners Backs Five Early-stage AI Startups At Impact AI PitchFest

Peak XV Partners on Monday announced investments in five early-stage AI startups at Impact AI PitchFest, which was held during the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

The move highlights a growing focus on agent-driven AI solutions designed to solve real-world problems in India.

The investments were announced at the Impact AI PitchFest during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, where founders pitched their ideas to investors, operators, and other ecosystem leaders.

Read also- Stable Money secures $25 million from Peak XV Partners, others

The startups that received funding are:

Companion Labs: Founded by Akshay Jhanwar and Ajit Pol, the company creates interactive, entertainment-focused AI experiences for India’s diverse and regional language audiences. It allows users to explore different lives, careers, and ambitions through AI-driven storytelling.

Kello: Kello studies real-world skills and performance signals instead of relying only on degrees or job titles. This helps companies make smarter hiring decisions. It has already mapped over 32 million professionals and plans to add another 100 million in 2026.

Memfold AI: Co-founded by Vinod Ganesan and Nischith Shadagopan, Memfold AI is building AI-native workspaces aimed at changing how knowledge workers do their jobs.

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Round1: Founded by Saumil Tripathi, Shreeyash Dharmadhikari, and Jainam Talsania, Round1 partners with leading Indian startups and conducts more than 500 AI-powered interviews every day. It reports a 90% success rate of candidates moving from the first to the second interview.

Zoop: Zoop builds scalable AI agents that work with sellers’ existing systems. Its tools include voice-based product cataloguing, personalised AI live coaching, and AI agents for social media, marketing, and operations.

Rajan Anandan, Managing Director at Peak XV, said India’s AI opportunity will be defined less by the scale of foundational models and more by the ability to build products that operate at population scale. With over 900 million Indians online, he said, the focus must remain on addressing real user needs such as employment, income growth and business enablement through AI-led solutions.

He added that the five portfolio companies reflect this shift, applying AI in ways that drive tangible outcomes for Indian consumers and enterprises.

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