Organisers say the show is designed to build trust with multiple stakeholders.
Startup Singam’s Season 2 secures Rs 100 cr in fresh investments
Organisers say the new season is designed to deepen reach into tier-2 and tier-3 towns and position startups as a driver of Tamil Nadu’s trillion-dollar growth ambitions
Baanhem Ventures, producer of Tamil Nadu’s startup reality show Startup Singam, has closed its second funding round, bringing some of the state’s most prominent business leaders on board as investors and advisors.
The new cohort includes TVS Capital’s Gopal Srinivasan, Freshworks founder Girish Mathrubootham, CaratLane founder Mithun Sacheti, TSM Group’s K Mahalingam, IppoPay’s Mohan Karuppiah, ithought’s Shyam Sekhar, Mad Street Den’s Ashwini Asokan, and M2P Fintech’s Madhusudanan Rangarajan. They join early investor and chief mentor Kumar Vembu.
Over 2,000 applications
Season 2 of Startup Singam has secured Rs 100 crore ($12 million) in fresh investor commitments. From over 2,000 applications, 75 startups have been selected for the expanded 26-episode run. Season 1 saw 35 startups secure more than Rs 40 crore in funding pledges, with Rs 13 crore already disbursed.
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Vembu said the platform is breaking barriers for founders by combining capital, mentorship and visibility. “Startup Singam connects entrepreneurs with investors, mentors, and advisors in one go. It’s like a speed-dating service where startups and investors meet the right match quickly,” he told The Federal.
Building trust with stakeholders
Co-founder Hemachandran said the show is designed to build trust with multiple stakeholders. “When an idea is showcased on stage, three things can happen: investment, new employees, or customers buying into the product. That ripple effect is what we created in Season 1, and Season 2 will be even bigger,” he said.
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Fellow co-founder Balachandar compared the new advisory board to an “Avengers team” for Tamil Nadu’s startup ecosystem. “This is not just financial support — it’s mentorship, guidance, and networks,” he said.
New investor Karuppiah, co-founder of IppoPay, noted the show’s cultural influence. “Watching the first episode with my nine-year-old daughter was unforgettable — she began asking about equity, investment, and how startups work,” he said.
Organisers say the new season is designed to deepen reach into tier-2 and tier-3 towns and position startups as a driver of Tamil Nadu’s trillion-dollar growth ambitions.
