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5paisa Capital appoints Gaurav Seth as CEO
MUMBAI: 5paisa Capital has announced the appointment of Gaurav Seth as its CEO, effective immediately. With over two decades of experience in financial services and technology, Gaurav has a proven track record across the US, India, and southeast Asia. Prior to joining 5paisa, he served as chief product officer at Syfe, where he established it as a leading digital wealth player in southeast Asia. He also played a key role in propelling Paytm Money to prominence in India and led the digital transformation of Morgan Stanley’s wealth management division in New York.
Gaurav is an alumnus of the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, and holds a bachelor of engineering from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala.
5paise co-Promoter R. Venkataraman stated, “Seth’s experience in tech-driven innovations will enhance our digital transformation priorities at 5paisa Capital. We anticipate significant growth and innovation under his leadership.”
In response, Gaurav expressed, “5paisa Capital was the original disruptor in the Indian broking industry, democratizing equity investing for millions. I am excited to contribute to this legacy and spearhead the next phase of growth.”
5paisa.com stands as one of India’s largest discount brokers, boasting over 4.62 million customers and a reported net profit of Rs 219 million in Q2 FY25, with revenues reaching Rs 1008 million. The platform is widely used, with over 20.6 million users and a 4.3 rating on Google Play.
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SatLeo Labs raises $5.5m seed funding led by Unicorn India Ventures
Fresh capital to power thermal satellite mission and AI data platform
MUMBAI: SatLeo Labs has raised $2.2 million in a fresh seed round led by Unicorn India Ventures, taking its total funding to $5.5 million as it steps up efforts to scale its space-based thermal intelligence platform.
The funding round also saw participation from existing backers including Merak Ventures, Java Capital, IIMA-CIIE and deep-tech investor Manish Gandhi.
The capital will be used to accelerate SatLeo’s flagship thermal satellite mission and further develop its AI-powered platform designed to deliver high-resolution thermal and visible data from low Earth orbit. The company aims to turn this data into actionable insights for sectors ranging from climate monitoring to urban planning.
Over the past year, SatLeo has scaled rapidly, growing its team from 8 to 30 specialists across satellite engineering, thermal sensing and AI-led geospatial analytics. It has also achieved a key milestone with the development of its first experimental payload, TAPAS-1, which reached near flight-ready status within six months and is now positioned for launch.
On the ground, the startup has begun translating its technology into real-world use cases. Pilot projects in cities such as Ahmedabad and Tumakuru have focused on monitoring urban heat islands and air pollution, impacting over 400,000 citizens. At the same time, its commercial pipeline has expanded sharply, with letters of intent rising from around $15 million to over $42 million within a year.
SatLeo Labs co-founder and CEO Shravan Bhati said, “Sustainability has become imperative amid accelerating climate change and rapid urbanisation. This fundraise represents a critical milestone as we move into the execution phase of our next mission.”
He added that the company is focused on scaling its satellite constellation and enhancing payload performance to deliver thermal intelligence at a global level.
Backing the startup, Unicorn India Ventures managing partner Bhaskar Majumdar said, “Space is an arena where the next wave of technological innovation will emerge. SatLeo’s ability to combine thermal and visible satellite data into real-time insights positions it strongly for long-term growth.”
Looking ahead, SatLeo plans to focus on launch readiness, expanding commercial deployments and scaling its technology stack over the next 12 months.
As demand for climate and environmental intelligence grows, SatLeo’s latest fundraise signals rising investor confidence in space-tech solutions that bring data from orbit down to everyday decision-making.
