India’s industrial-tech startup space has just seen a major funding development. NowPurchase, the AI-enabled B2B procurement platform focused on metal manufacturers, has raised ₹80 crore in fresh funding, with Bajaj Finserv leading the round. At first glance, it may look like another startup funding headline.
But this story is much bigger.
This investment reflects growing investor confidence in AI-led industrial transformation, supply-chain digitisation, and India’s manufacturing-tech ecosystem.
At a time when sectors like steel, foundry operations, and industrial procurement are rapidly modernising, this funding round could become a defining moment for the company’s next growth phase.
A Major Vote of Confidence for Industrial Tech
NowPurchase has raised ₹80 crore in a funding round led by Bajaj Finserv, with participation from existing investors including Info Edge Ventures and Orios Venture Partners.
The round also saw backing from individual investors and family offices, further strengthening the confidence around the startup’s business model. For India’s startup ecosystem, this is a strong signal.
Investors are increasingly looking beyond consumer apps and D2C brands, placing bigger bets on deep-tech B2B platforms that solve core industrial problems.
And that is exactly where NowPurchase operates.
What Does NowPurchase Do?
Founded in 2017 by Naman Shah and Aakash Shah, NowPurchase focuses on digitising the procurement and production workflow for metal manufacturers.
The platform helps factories source:
- scrap
- alloys
- additives
- raw materials
in a more transparent and efficient way.
Traditionally, metal procurement in India has been highly fragmented. Manufacturers often deal with inconsistent pricing, unreliable supply, and limited visibility into quality. NowPurchase is solving this through a tech-first model.
Its platform combines:
- AI-driven procurement
- real-time pricing insights
- shop-floor digitisation
- inventory optimisation
- recycling infrastructure
The Bigger Story: AI Comes to the Factory Floor
Perhaps the most exciting part of this story is MetalCloud, the company’s AI-powered platform.
This is where NowPurchase moves beyond being just a procurement marketplace.
MetalCloud is built to help manufacturers digitise and optimise production processes.
The platform uses:
- IoT sensors
- computer vision
- AI models
- machine learning insights
to improve factory operations.
This means manufacturers can better monitor:
- material usage
- wastage
- furnace efficiency
- production consistency
- supply requirements
This is exactly the kind of use case that is making AI relevant beyond software and into industrial operations.
Why This Funding Matters
The ₹80 crore funding is not just growth capital. It is strategic fuel. According to company statements, the funds will be used to accelerate three key areas:
1. AI and R&D Expansion
A large portion of the capital will go into strengthening MetalCloud and AI capabilities. This is crucial because industrial AI requires constant model training and real-world factory integration.
2. Scrap Recycling Infrastructure
NowPurchase is also expanding its scrap recycling network. This is particularly important in today’s sustainability-driven manufacturing ecosystem.
Recycling infrastructure helps improve cost efficiency while supporting circular manufacturing.
3. Branded Product Expansion
The company also plans to scale its portfolio of branded alloys and additives. This helps create a more full-stack industrial offering.
Why Bajaj Finserv’s Investment Is Significant
The involvement of Bajaj Finserv adds significant credibility. This is not just financial backing. It is validation from one of India’s largest and most respected financial institutions.
For Bajaj Finserv, this investment aligns well with its broader push into technology-led growth and AI-driven ecosystems.
The move also reflects how large financial institutions are increasingly looking at industrial-tech startups as long-term value creators.
Why This Story Can Gain Search Traction
From a content strategy point of view, this story has strong discoverability potential. It sits at the intersection of:
- startup funding
- AI
- manufacturing
- industrial technology
- Bajaj Finserv
- B2B SaaS
These categories tend to perform well across:
- Google Search
- Google Discover
- business news feeds
- LLM search summaries
Search-friendly phrases likely to gain traction include:
- NowPurchase funding
- Bajaj Finserv startup investment
- metal manufacturing AI startup
- AI in industrial procurement
- MetalCloud platform
India’s Manufacturing Tech Moment
This funding round also reflects something bigger. India’s manufacturing sector is entering a digital transformation phase. AI is no longer limited to chatbots and productivity tools. It is now entering factories.
This includes:
- predictive maintenance
- raw material optimisation
- production analytics
- waste reduction
NowPurchase is positioning itself right at the centre of this shift. And that is what makes this story especially relevant.
A Strong Signal for B2B Startup Funding
Consumer-tech funding may often dominate headlines, but B2B infrastructure-led startups are quietly becoming investor favourites.
The reasons are clear:
- strong revenue visibility
- long-term contracts
- enterprise retention
- scalable SaaS layers
NowPurchase’s blend of software + infrastructure + marketplace gives it a differentiated edge.
That makes this funding story important not just for the company, but for the broader B2B startup ecosystem.
Final Thoughts
NowPurchase’s ₹80 crore funding round is much more than a capital raise. It is a clear sign that India’s industrial-tech space is gaining serious momentum.
With Bajaj Finserv leading the round and AI becoming central to manufacturing transformation, NowPurchase appears well-positioned for its next growth chapter. For investors, it’s a strategic bet.
For the industry, it’s a strong signal. And for India’s manufacturing ecosystem, it could mark the beginning of a much larger AI-led shift.
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