4 rising startups from India today

In a country of over a billion people, on-demand healthcare platforms are bound to go big. The same is true of startups that put offline merchants in touch with online buyers. Here are some of the Indian startups that made it to the news today.

RentoMojo

Online rentals site RentoMojo has raised US$2 million in series A funding from venture capital firms IDG Ventures India and Accel Partners India, the startup said today. From furniture to kitchen appliances to laundry essentials to adventure equipment, it puts a lot on the table.

Barely a year after it was started by Geetansh Bamania and Ajay Nain, RentoMojo has a team of 50 and operates in Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Pune, as well as Bangalore where it is headquartered. Funding for the startup is seen as a sure sign that India’s sharing economy is growing.

NumberMall

NumberMall, a startup that helps offline merchants sell things online, today announced the acquisition of analytics platform BankSmarts for an undisclosed sum.

Startups like NumberMall call themselves an “assisted ecommerce service.” Connecting offline retailers with the world of ecommerce, it is a hugely promising sector in India where less than 20 percent of people buy things online.

Acting as a payment gateway, NumberMall allows merchants to process things like credit top-ups, bill payments, and bus tickets. With the acquisition of BankSmarts, merchants can now analyze customer behavior based on their purchases.

Medikoe

Healthcare startup Medikoe today announced the launch of an online service that will connect consumers to four major healthcare pillars: hospitals, diagnostic centers, pharmacies, and wellness centers.

The Bangalore-based online platform recently raised US$100,000 in angel funding from Anil Menon, the CEO of CMS Computers, to fuel expansion in Mumbai and the National Capital Region by the end of the year. It plans to reach 20 cities by the first quarter of 2016.

Started last month by Sreevalsan Menon and Raman Shukla, it aims to disrupt the US$100 billion healthcare market in India by digitally consolidating search and discovery of services in the sector.

Portea Medical

Home healthcare company Portea Medical has acquired specialty pharmaceutical distributor MedybizPharma for an undisclosed amount in a cash and stock deal, the Economic Times reported today.

The move will help Portea provide better care for patients suffering from chronic diseases in India. “While hospital-based treatments are important, continuing care delivered to patients at home is a key prong of effective treatment,” said Meena Ganesh, the startup’s CEO and resident MD.