Published on 17 October 2026
StartupFeed Quick Take
- RapidCanvas raises $29 million in Series B funding.
- NetApp selects five startups for its 15th accelerator cohort.
- C-CAMP is reported to receive ₹500 crore under the RDI Fund.
The Morning Five for Saturday, 17 October 2026, covers developments in enterprise AI, deep-tech acceleration, fintech and startup funding.
1. RapidCanvas Raises $29 Million in Series B Funding
Enterprise AI company RapidCanvas has raised $29 million in a Series B funding round led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India. Hitachi Ventures participated alongside existing investors Accel, Peak XV Partners, Valley Capital Partners and Titanium Ventures. The round takes RapidCanvas’s total funding to $52.5 million.
The company plans to expand its go-to-market operations, grow its field AI engineering teams in the United States, Brazil and India, and strengthen its enterprise AI products. RapidCanvas says more than 75 enterprises have used its applications to make 1.4 million AI-led decisions in 2026.
Who should care: Enterprise AI founders and investors tracking the shift from experimental AI projects to production deployments.
2. NetApp Selects Five Startups for Its 15th Excellerator Cohort
NetApp has selected five startups for the 15th cohort of its Excellerator programme: LightSprint AI, Wald.ai, Lasso Security, Cogover and QUIPU AI. The companies work across AI-powered software development, AI security, workflow automation and enterprise data intelligence.
The six-month programme offers mentorship, access to NetApp’s technology experts and opportunities to explore proof-of-concept projects. Each participating startup receives a $15,000 grant for proof-of-concept exploration. Two startups, Cogover and QUIPU AI, are also part of the company’s ExcellerateHER initiative for women-led ventures.
Who should care: Early-stage deep-tech founders looking for enterprise validation, technical mentorship and potential commercial partnerships.
3. C-CAMP Reportedly Gets ₹500 Crore Under the RDI Fund
The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), a Bengaluru-based biotech innovation organisation, has reportedly been selected as one of five Focused Research Organisations under the Centre’s Research, Development and Innovation Fund, with ₹500 crore allocated to support deep-tech innovation and biotechnology startups.
The reported allocation could strengthen support for biotech research and help startups working on scientific and commercial applications. However, the available report is dated 16 October at 4:58 p.m. IST, before the edition’s required freshness cutoff. A qualifying later announcement or primary government document must be confirmed before publication.
Who should care: Biotech founders, research teams and investors monitoring government-backed capital for science-led startups.
4. Empirical Machines’ Reported Funding Round Expands to $20 Million
AI startup Empirical Machines is reported to be raising $20 million in a round involving Peak XV Partners and Mettle Capital. A Moneycontrol report says the round was increased from $15 million, with Mettle Capital joining the investor mix.
The reported deal also marks Mettle Capital’s first investment since its founding partners left Peak XV Partners and established the new fund. Because the available details rely on reporting rather than a confirmed company announcement, the final investment terms and qualifying event time should be independently checked before publication.
Who should care: AI founders and venture investors following new fund activity and changes in early-stage financing.
5. BharatPe Introduces Agentic AI for Business Users
BharatPe has introduced an Agentic AI assistant for users of its BharatPe for Business app. According to YourStory’s 16 October roundup, the feature is built using Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform and is designed to help merchants manage support requests, receive updates and identify relevant issues.
The assistant aims to bring support, context and task execution together in one app, reducing the effort merchants spend navigating routine business queries. Before this story is published in the edition, the original BharatPe announcement and its launch date should be checked to ensure it meets the freshness rule.
Who should care: Small-business owners, fintech founders and payments companies tracking AI-based merchant services.
That’s all for this morning. See you tomorrow.
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