India’s Cleantech Funding Boom, The AI Safety Drill & More

What happened

The Cleantech Boom: As per Inc42 data, Indian cleantech startups raised a record $433 Mn in Q3 2026, nearly 3X from $118 Mn in the year-ago quarter. Just three EV startups – River, Yulu and Ultraviolette – raised a combined $298 Mn, nearly 69% of the sector’s total haul in the quarter.

EVs Power Cleantech Funding Boom India’s cleantech story accelerated in Q3 2026. The quarter saw the sector nearly triple its funding volume on the back of big-ticket electric mobility rounds and rising deal activity.

Although funding remained heavily concentrated in one segment, the sector’s broader momentum was evident: deal count rose 44% YoY to 23, while average cheque size zoomed to $19 Mn from $7 Mn in Q3 2025. The EV Concentration: Within cleantech, electric mobility dominated funding charts in Q3.