A – AI & Global Ecosystems
- Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2025 released at VivaTech (June 12), noting Riyadh jumped 60 places to 23rd, and Manila climbed 20 spots—highlighting rapid ecosystem shifts.
- Global Entrepreneurship Congress (June 2–5) held in Indianapolis featured startups like Capshock (concussion‑detecting mouthguard) and PetsAloud (AI-driven classical music) with keynote by Mark Cuban.
C – Conferences & Programs
- Entrepreneurship World Cup deadline June 30 for startups to apply for US $1.5 million prizes.
- KAIST Global Entrepreneurship Summer School concluded in Silicon Valley, training 40 participants from Korea in real-world startup practice.
- Free entrepreneurship training in Kochi (June 24–26): a three-day residential program for expatriate/returnee entrepreneurs in Kerala.
I – India
- India ranks 3rd globally in H1 2025 tech startup funding (~US $4.8 billion), overtaking Germany/Israel but down 25% YoY.
- June funding slowdown: Indian startups raised ~$738 million June 1–27, a sharp 60% drop from last June.
- Daily deal highlights (India):
- June 24: deals in textiles, FMCG, logistics, deep-tech, EVs, including Fantail, Skippi, Prozo, GoKwik, Evera Cabs.
- June 26: Raphe mPhibr ($100M), Wiom ($40M), ShopOS ($20M); Pine Labs IPO filing; Net1 exits MobiKwik.
- June 28 conference in Kozhikode by Kerala Startup Mission & FICCI focused on developing creative economy through culture and startups.
F – Funding Trends
🏭 Global Deep‑Tech Funding Wave
- Major global funding in June included headline deals like Abridge’s $300M Series E, Cyera’s $540M Series E, ForSight Robotics’ $125M Series B, plus Wispr Flow’s $30M Series A.
- Gaming startups underperformed, with only $627M raised globally so far in 2025—their weakest year in recent memory.
- Global VC for startups in June 2025 surged past US $10 billion, with major deals like Abridge ($300M Series E), ForSight Robotics ($125M Series B), Cyera ($540M Series E), SpliceBio ($135M), Neuralink ($650M Series E), Udaan ($114M).
- Helsing, a European defence‑AI startup, raised €600 million in June 2025, bringing its total funding to €1.36 b and valuation up to €12 b.
📉 India’s Funding Pause: June Slowdown
- Indian startups raised $738.5 million from June 1–27, a sharp 60 percent drop year-over-year ($1.8 B in June 2024).
- H1 2025 funding in India totaled $5.7 B, down 11 percent from H1 2024 ($6.4 B); but deal count remained steady, indicating fewer mega‑rounds.
🇮🇳 Raphe mPhibr – Drone Tech Giant Soars
- Bengaluru‑based Raphe mPhibr secured a record $100 million funding round led by General Catalyst—rated the largest private investment in India’s drone sector to date, bringing total funding to $145 million ($100 M new + $45 M prior).
- The capital boost will expand its manufacturing campus and R&D—focusing on swarm drones (mR10), high-altitude logistics platforms, and indigenous military-grade autopilot systems.
S – Startup Highlights
June 2025 showcased dynamic global startup activity: major ecosystem reports, deep-pocketed AI/health-tech funding, and a cooling funding trend in India. It’s a vivid snapshot: maturing ecosystems, AI and cleantech momentum, balanced by caution in emerging markets.
🇦🇺 Australia
- Gilmour Space Technologies prepped for Q2 2025 maiden orbital launch of its Eris‑1 hybrid rocket from Bowen, marking a breakthrough in local aerospace innovation.
🇪🇬 Egypt
- The government introduced a Strategic Startup Charter aiming to grow startup investment from $500 million to $5 billion, enhancing policy support, infrastructure, and public-private collaboration.
🇫🇷 France
- The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2025 was unveiled at VivaTech Paris on June 12, identifying Paris among rising top-15 ecosystems and highlighting global trends.
🇪🇺EU
- EU AI Action Summit & InvestAI initiative: European Commission unveiled €200 billion plan and coalition pledged €150 b for AI; Helsing & Mistral AI partnership announced.
🇫🇷 Germany
- EU policymakers released a mission-driven startup strategy on June 17, linking entrepreneurial growth with sustainability targets and the European Green Deal.
🇮🇳India
- India secured 3rd place globally for tech startup funding in H1 2025 with US $4.8 b — though down 25% YoY—highlighting resilience amid slower capital inflows.
- ONO, an agri-tech mandi digitization startup, appointed Anurag Sinha as Chief Business Officer to lead national expansion.
- Photom Technology introduced a waterless solar-panel cleaning robot, supporting India’s push toward clean energy efficiency.
- The Startup Ka Mahakumbh 2025, India’s largest regional startup expo, convened diverse founders to drive innovation across Tier 2/3 cities.
- Zilo, an Indian fashion‑tech quick‑commerce startup, raised $4.5 million seed from Info Edge Ventures and Chiratae.
- Bangalore-based Wiom inked a strategic US $40 m growth round to expand affordable broadband across India.
- Saswat Finance raised US $2.6 m pre‑Series A, targeting underserved rural financial inclusion via agent-led lending.
India – Strategic Product Launches & Collaborations
- PhonePe × HDFC Bank unveiled a co-branded credit card on RuPay, integrating UPI features and rewards tied to PhonePe usage—a strategic push into credit offerings and customer loyalty.
- PhonePe acquired GSPay IP from GupShup to extend UPI to feature phones, reflecting a targeted strategy to grow digital payments in rural areas.
- Jumbotail gained CCI approval to acquire Solv India, strengthening its supply-chain platform for kirana stores—a notable vertical consolidation move.
- Tracky, a healthtech startup, launched an India-first Bluetooth-enabled Continuous Glucose Monitor, marking a strategic leap into connected medical devices.
- Refrens launched “FREYA,” an AI accounting agent aimed at automating financial tasks—an example of product differentiation via AI in SaaS.
- MiStay partnered with HyperGuest to expand flexible booking distribution, leveraging marketplace integration to enhance reach.
🏢 Corporate–Startup Alliances
- HCLTech & AMD forged a strategic alliance to co-develop AI, cloud, and digital solutions, including labs and reskilling initiatives—positioning to serve enterprise transformation globally.
- IIT Bombay SINE & Ansys entered an MoU, giving hardware startups access to simulation tools and technical support—paving pathways for deeper tech innovation.
- Startbase reported partnerships like Enerix with Reonic (solar‑heat planning tools) and Lufthansa Innovation Hub with Munich Airport for robot deployment—significant steps in energy and aviation innovation.
🇮🇩 Indonesia
- Amartha, a women-centric rural fintech platform, secured a US $55 m debt facility from European DFIs to deepen microfinance outreach.
Ireland
🇮🇪 Nomupay – Fintech Growth
- Irish fintech Nomupay raised $40 million Series C from SoftBank’s SB Payment Service at a $290 million valuation.
- Aims to simplify cross-border payment flows across Asia, Europe, MENA, and the US.
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Agri-tech Winich Farms (Lagos) closed pre‑Series A funding to digitize farmer-market linkages and build financial infrastructure for 180k+ farmers.
🇵🇭 Philippines
- Manila jumped ~20 spots in the GSER 2025 rankings—now a top‑70 emerging ecosystem—driven by fintech, AI, and sustainability gains.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
- Darwinz AI (Riyadh) launched “dima,” an AI copilot for PR/marketing pros, following a US $325 k seed round to expand its MENA footprint.
- Saudi’s SITE, a cybersecurity & AI government arm under PIF, is reportedly considering an IPO, part of Saudi Arabia’s push to commercialize its digital assets.
🇪🇸 Spain
- Multiverse Computing (San Sebastián) announced strategic expansion of its quantum-inspired AI model compression via a €189 m Series B to reduce AI inference costs.
🇰🇷 South Korea
- NextRise 2025, Asia’s largest startup festival held June 26-27 in Seoul, featured global AI unicorns and major corporates, spotlighting eggheads like Anthropic and Rebellions.
🇺🇸 USA
- The Global Entrepreneurship Congress convened June 2–5 in Indianapolis, uniting global founders, policymakers, and venture experts.
- Applied Intuition, a U.S. autonomous-vehicle software supplier, raised $600 million Series F, supporting automotive safety and operations.
- Neuralink advanced its brain–computer interface efforts with a $650 million Series E, accelerating human implant trials.
Pano AI – Fire Alert Innovator
- U.S.-based Pano AI, using AI-driven panoramic cameras for wildfire detection, raised $44 million Series B.
- Its systems now monitor ~30 million acres and support 250+ emergency agencies globally.
🗺️ Onebrief – Military Planning AI
- Honolulu startup Onebrief raised $20 million in a Series C extension, valuing the company at $1.1 billion.
- It harnesses Anthropic’s Claude LLM to streamline military operational planning—year-over-year usage soared 19,600%.
🚲 Lime Readies IPO
- Micromobility firm Lime, backed by Uber, has tapped Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan to prepare for a U.S. IPO in 2026.
- With operations in 280+ cities and positive free cash flow, the planned offering will test public appetite for micromobility.
- Outset (Austin) launched an AI‑based research platform that automates customer interviews at scale via multilingual “AI moderators”.
- Aiera, a fintech AI startup, secured US $25 m Series B, backed by major Wall Street banks, to automate financial research and earnings analysis.
🏦 Meta & Cyera Play
- Meta is reportedly planning a $14.8B investment to acquire ~49% of Scale AI—raising antitrust scrutiny.
- Meanwhile, data-security startup Cyera secured $540 million in Series E at a $6 billion valuation, signaling investor appetite for AI cyber‑defense.
🇦🇪UAE / 🇲🇾Malaysia
- Presight AI (Abu Dhabi) struck a strategic agreement with Malaysia to deploy AI solutions ranging from smart cities to public health at ASEAN–GCC Economic Forum.
- UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change & Environment and MBZUAI are launching a new AI lab tackling climate-resilient agriculture—positioning the UAE as an innovation leader ahead of COP29.
🌐 International Expansion & Ecosystem Development
- ATechX (PropTech) launched its 2nd cohort in Germany, enabling PropTech startups to pilot in Aroundtown buildings—emphasizing real-world deployment.
- Byte Robotics appointed Chris Douglass as Head of Sales to drive their industrial robot programming software into global markets.
- Starcopter’s HIGHDRA drone became one of the first fully C3-certified drones in Europe, positioning it for commercial operations under new EU rules.
- UnitPlus introduced a digital CFO service for SMEs, in partnership with Goldman Sachs and DWS, aiming to optimize treasury strategies—highlighting fintech innovation in liquidity management.
🌍 Global / Regional Strategy
- Key tech startup events in June: Tech Open Air (Berlin), London Tech Week, VivaTech (Paris), and European Women in Tech Summit (Amsterdam) — major platforms for M&A, co-development, and cross-border collaborations.
🌐 Global / Regional Ecosystem Highlights
- GSER 2025 analyzed 5 million startups across 350+ ecosystems; highlighted growth in Hong Kong (+ biggest mover), Bengaluru (up 7 ranks to #14), Boston (#5), Philadelphia (#13), and multiple Chinese hubs (+1 to +13 ranks).
- EU Startup & Scaleup Strategy (released June 17) pushed mission-led regulation and capital for tech- and green-driven entrepreneurship.
- WIPO Global Awards 2025: The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) announced the winners of its 2025 Global Awards, recognizing SMEs and startups globally for their IP-driven innovation. Winners included:
* Carbfix (Iceland): For CO₂ mineral storage.
* Glovatrix (India): For sign-to-speech gloves.
* Hummingbird Bio (Singapore): For antibody therapeutics.
* PhageLab (Chile): For antibiotic alternatives in livestock farming.
* Planetary (Switzerland): For mycoprotein fermentation tech.
* **Quinas Technology (United Kingdom): For next-gen memory chips.
* Unitree Robotics (China): For advanced robotics.
* Urban Inventors (Sri Lanka): For an anti-flood drain system.
Notable Podcast episodes from June 2025 that focus on entrepreneurship, startups, founders, and the forces shaping modern business:
🎧 The Happy Entrepreneur Podcast
- Episode 159: “How to Make Your Idea Real” — Released June 3, this episode dives into ideation and initial execution strategies for aspiring founders .
- Episode 160: “Nurture Your Inner Rebel” — Out June 17, it explores the mindset shifts needed to challenge norms and launch innovative ventures.
🎧 The Official BNI Podcast
- Episode 914: “5 Important Things for Great Networking” (June 11) — Focuses on building relationships that can fuel business growth, referrals, and collaborative opportunities.
🎧 Undiscovered Entrepreneur
- Episode 110: “Unlock Your Potential: The Power of Happiness and Mindset” (June 10) — Features Spencer Jones from EO Fire, discussing mindset and growth—key for sustainable entrepreneurship.
🎧 Blue Collar StartUp
- Episode 82: “What You Can Build In 10 Years” (June 18) — Highlights long-term planning and vision-setting from tradespeople-turned-business owners.
🎧 Confessions of a Female Founder
- Final Episode release: June 3 — Meghan Markle wraps up her 8‑episode series featuring candid conversations with female entrepreneurs on brand-building (e.g., Bumble, Spanx).
🎧 Undiscovered Entrepreneur & The Happy Entrepreneur
These represent wider entrepreneurial deep-dives including mindset, resilience, ideation—great additions for your roundup.
Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Trends and Events
🇧🇷Brazil
- South Summit Brazil (Porto Alegre): Hosted one of Latin America’s top startup events in June 2025, showcasing regional leaders in tech entrepreneurship. The event connected startups, investors, and corporates, emphasizing Brazil’s growing role in venture investment and innovation. Brazil exemplifies strong startup policy performance in the APEXE Report’s Lab-to-Startup Conversion metrics, highlighting its ability to turn innovation potential into ecosystem success.
🇨🇦Canada
- Global Entrepreneurship Festival (Toronto): Scheduled for June 2025, this event is part of a global series celebrating entrepreneurial endeavors. It brings together thought leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to foster collaboration and innovation, reinforcing Canada’s position as a hub for tech and startup growth.
🇪🇪Estonia
- Latitude59 (Tallinn): Estonia’s flagship startup and tech conference took place in June 2025, focusing on the intersection of business and technology. The event attracted entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers, showcasing Estonia’s robust startup ecosystem, which boasts the world’s highest new business density rate (24.3 new LLCs per 1,000 adults in 2022). Estonia’s e-Residency program continues to drive foreign entrepreneurship, with 20% of annual company registrations by e-residents.
🇬🇲Gambia
- Global Entrepreneurship Congress (Indianapolis, USA): The Gambia participated in the GEC 2025, held from June 1–5 in Indianapolis, with representative Abdoulie M. Touray sharing insights to strengthen its entrepreneurial ecosystem. The event, attended by over 2,500 delegates from 200 countries, proposed strategies for The Gambia, including digital infrastructure development, public-private partnerships, and inclusive entrepreneurship for women, youth, and rural populations.
🇩🇪Germany
- Startup Ecosystem Growth: Germany’s startup scene, particularly in Berlin, remains a global leader, frequently ranking among the top in R&D and innovation. The APEXE Report highlights Germany’s effective conversion of innovation potential into startup ecosystem performance, driven by consistent startup-friendly policies since the 1990s.
🇬🇭Ghana
- Global Entrepreneurship Festival (Accra): Planned for November 2025 but promoted in June, this event at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel will be hosted by the Entrepreneurship Village, often called Africa’s Silicon Valley. It aims to unite global entrepreneurs and investors, spotlighting Ghana’s growing startup ecosystem during Global Entrepreneurship Week.
🇲🇦Morocco
- Emerging Startups: Startups like Talaty (AI-powered SMB financing), Inyad (business apps), and Yakeey (AI real estate tools) are gaining traction in Morocco’s tech and finance sectors, contributing to the country’s rising startup ecosystem. These developments were highlighted in posts on X as part of Africa’s growing tech landscape.
🇰🇷South Korea
- Seoul’s Ecosystem Value Surge: Seoul’s startup ecosystem grew from $40 billion to $237 billion in four years, driven by data-driven strategies and public investment. The city’s success was highlighted in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2025, showcasing its ability to leverage global benchmarking for adaptive policies. South Korea ranks high in the APEXE Report’s Lab-to-Startup Conversion metrics.
🇦🇪United Arab Emirates
- Abu Dhabi’s Growth: Ranked as the fastest-growing emerging startup ecosystem in the MENA region with 28% growth in ecosystem value ($4.2 billion since 2021), Abu Dhabi’s Hub71 tech ecosystem continues to drive innovation. The UAE also retained the top spot in the GEM National Entrepreneurship Context Index for the fourth year, despite a slight score decline from 7.7 to 7.1.
🇺🇸United States
- Global Entrepreneurship Congress (Indianapolis, June 1–5): Hosted by the Global Entrepreneurship Network, GEC 2025 convened over 2,500 delegates from 200 countries, including entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers. The event, the first in the U.S. since 2009, featured sessions on regulatory reforms, data-driven policymaking, and support for underrepresented groups.
- Philadelphia’s Ranking: Climbed 12 spots to #13 globally in the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, creating $76 billion in ecosystem value from July 2022 to December 2024. Philadelphia’s diverse talent pipeline and inclusive workforce initiatives, supported by organizations like Entrepreneur Works and the Welcoming Center, drive its growth.
Additional Notes
- Global Trends: The global startup ecosystem in June 2025 saw continued emphasis on AI-driven solutions, clean energy, and quick commerce. India remained a significant hub, with startups like SolarSquare and Bhindi AI gaining international recognition, while funding rounds reflected investor confidence in deeptech and sustainability-focused ventures.
- The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2025, launched at VivaTech Paris, analyzed data from over 5 million companies across 350+ ecosystems, noting a 14% global decline in ecosystem value but highlighting pockets of growth in emerging markets like Abu Dhabi and Seoul.
- Indian Ecosystem: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) signed MoUs with YourStory Media and L’Oréal India to foster inclusive entrepreneurship, particularly in Tier II and III cities and the beauty sector.
- Events and Rankings: June 2025 saw significant global startup events, such as the Global Entrepreneurship Congress and regional summits, fostering cross-border collaboration. The APEXE Report emphasized effective startup policies in countries like South Korea, Germany, and Brazil, while the GEM 2024/2025 Report noted rising fear of failure among entrepreneurs (49% in 2024 vs. 44% in 2019).
- Challenges: Despite growth, challenges like regulatory hurdles, low investor confidence in some regions (e.g., Russia), and muted growth expectations for startups globally persist, particularly in low-income economies with only 0.4 new companies per 1,000 adults.
