Chai Shots Nears $5M Round, Pehle Jaisa Secures $300K as Early-Stage Startups Attract Investor Attention Both Chai Shots and Pehle Jaisa reflect a broader shift in the startup landscape—toward hyperlocal, purpose-driven innovation that blends cultural relevance with scalable business models.
You're reading BIZ Experiences India, an international franchise of BIZ Experiences Media.
Hyderabad-based microdrama OTT platform Chai Shots is in the final stages of raising $5 million in its maiden funding round, even as Gurugram-based waste-to-fertilizer startup Pehle Jaisa has secured $300,000 in a pre-Series A round.
According to sources who spoke to Entrackr, the Chai Shots funding round is being led by General Catalyst and Info Edge, with a few angel investors expected to join. "General Catalyst along with Info Edge are in advanced stages of closing a new funding round in Chai Shots," said one person aware of the deal. The platform, yet to launch officially, delivers short-form video content—episodes under two minutes—across multiple Indian languages. It comes from the creators of Chai Bisket, a widely-followed digital storytelling venture in South India.
With a content legacy spanning reels, regional films, podcasts, and platforms like Studio Panchatantra and First Show, the Chai Bisket team is positioning Chai Shots as a mass-market entry into India's fast-growing microdrama segment. "The official launch and funding announcement might take a few weeks," a second source said, adding that investor interest in the short-form OTT space is intensifying. Recent moves in the segment include Flick TV raising $2.3 million and growing competition from players like Kuku TV, QuickTV, Reel Saga, and Reelies.
Meanwhile, Pehle Jaisa, founded in 2022, is taking a grassroots approach to sustainability. The startup has developed a decentralized rural waste management model that converts organic waste into high-quality fertilizers, aiming to build a circular economy in Indian villages. Its latest $300,000 raise was co-led by Pantnagar Capital and Climate Angels, following a previous seed round of $169,000.
Pehle Jaisa says it has already sold over 2,000 metric tons of fertilizer, generating more than INR 2.5 crore in revenue in FY25. By eliminating the high costs of the "first mile" in manufacturing and tailoring products to local soil conditions, the company aims to empower villages to become self-sustaining in energy and agricultural inputs. It plans to scale its operations to cross INR 100 crore in revenue in the coming years.
