Peak XV Announces Surge 11 Cohort with 23 AI-Driven Startups Including Sachin Tendulkar’s Venture
Peak XV has revealed its 11th Surge cohort featuring 23 promising startups, marking a significant milestone as its most artificial intelligence-driven batch yet. The prestigious early-stage program welcomes companies including one co-founded by cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, alongside ventures led by an Olympic champion and seasoned industry professionals.
The Peak XV Surge 11 program demonstrates a strong AI orientation, with 12 out of 23 selected startups developing AI-powered solutions. These companies operate across diverse sectors including manufacturing, semiconductors, finance, and consumer marketing, representing the venture capital firm’s commitment to technology innovation.
Diverse Portfolio Spans Multiple Industries
The current cohort showcases remarkable diversity beyond AI ventures. Four fintech companies, four consumer brands, and three infrastructure and developer tool startups complete the selection. These enterprises operate across India, the Asia-Pacific region, and international markets.
Since its inception in 2019, Surge has established itself as a leading seed-stage platform in the region. The program has supported over 170 startups to date, with participants securing more than $3 billion in subsequent funding rounds. The top ten companies from previous cohorts now generate over $1 billion in combined annual revenues.
Notable Founders Across Various Ventures
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar co-founded Ten x You, a sportswear brand focusing on play and performance, alongside Karthik Gurumurthy and Karan Arora. Gurumurthy previously scaled Swiggy’s Instamart to $1 billion revenue, bringing valuable experience to the venture.
Olympic swimming medalist Grant Brits leads AIR Trading, an AI-powered trading platform. Rishi Kedia co-founded Pre6, an AI platform designed for manufacturing applications.
Other notable founders include Siddhant Jayakumar, formerly of Google DeepMind, who now heads Finster, an AI venture targeting financial services. Akanksha Jagwani and Avni Agarwal are building SixSense, developing AI-driven solutions for semiconductor manufacturing.
The cohort also features Bilal Abou-Diab and Sami Abdul Hadi, co-founders of Vault Wealth, representing Surge’s first Middle East-based fintech startup. Jeff Hara and Neha Mittal, former growth leaders at Pinterest and Twitter, are launching Just AI, a startup transforming personalized marketing through artificial intelligence.
AI Revolution Across Traditional Sectors
“At Surge, we believe the seed stage is where the magic begins, and Peak XV Surge 11 reflects the extraordinary entrepreneurial energy across our region,” stated Rajan Anandan, Managing Director at Peak XV and Surge. “AI is leading the charge, transforming traditional sectors like banking, healthcare, and manufacturing, and giving rise to new consumer-facing applications.”
The Peak XV Surge 11 program continues demonstrating diversification trends, with growing momentum in fintech and consumer innovation alongside AI development. Participants receive seed capital, mentorship, and operational guidance covering product development, sales, marketing, organizational culture, and fundraising strategies.
World-Class Mentorship Network
A distinctive feature of Surge involves its founder immersion experience, connecting participants directly with prominent tech leaders and entrepreneurs. Previous sessions included industry figures such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, and Workday CEO Carl Eschenbach.
Alumni from earlier Surge batches return as mentors for new founders. Past participants include Prukalpa Sankar of Atlan, Sagar Khatri of Multiplier, Bahadir Ozdemir of Airalo, and Dhvanil Sheth of Skillmatics.
The program connects startups with global investors, including Sequoia Capital’s Doug Leone, Vinod Khosla of Khosla Ventures, and Benchmark’s Chetan Puttagunta, providing guidance on scaling and fundraising strategies.
International Immersion Program
Peak XV Surge 11 companies will participate in an intensive program concluding with an international immersion experience. This year’s edition will culminate in the United States, providing global exposure and networking opportunities.
“Some of our speakers and mentors in previous cohorts include Sanjeev Bikhchandani of Info Edge; Harshil Mathur of Razorpay; Vidit Aatrey of Meesho; Amrish Rau of Pinelabs; Kunal Shah of CRED, Gokul Rajaram; Arvind Jain of Glean, and Aman Sanger of Cursor,” the firm noted.
The Peak XV Surge 11 program represents the venture capital firm’s continued investment in early-stage innovation, supporting entrepreneurs across AI, fintech, consumer brands, and infrastructure development throughout the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
