Petpooja has become a shining example of innovation in India’s busy food and drink industry, where digital transformation is no longer a luxury but a must. On September 29, 2025, the Ahmedabad-based SaaS powerhouse announced a landmark ₹137 crore investment from Dharana Capital, a venture debt firm known for supporting fast-growing startups. This round of funding, which is structured as venture debt, is a turning point for Petpooja. It will help the company grow faster, improve its products, and solidify its position as India’s top restaurant management platform. As the F&B industry in the US tries to get back on its feet after the pandemic and deal with more complicated operations, this new investment shows that more and more investors believe in tech-driven solutions that make hospitality operations easier.
Petpooja, founded in 2015 by brothers Harsh and Saurabh Bansal, began as a modest point-of-sale (POS) system designed to simplify billing for small eateries. What began in the small streets of Ahmedabad’s food streets has grown into a huge network that serves more than 40,000 restaurants in more than 200 Indian cities. The platform’s set of tools, which includes inventory management, CRM, online ordering integrations, and analytics, has made enterprise-level technology available to both kirana-style dhabas and high-end chains. By 2024, Petpooja had processed billions of dollars in transactions and had an incredible 99.9% uptime. It also worked with big companies like Zomato, Swiggy, and Paytm. This new round of funding, which is worth about $16.5 million at current exchange rates, is more than just money; it shows how strong the company is in tough economic times.
Dharana Capital’s choice to lead this round with venture debt, which has both equity-like risk and debt-like returns, shows that they are in line with Petpooja’s growth path. Venture debt gives Petpooja non-dilutive capital, so the founders don’t lose any of their shares. This lets the company grow quickly while keeping control. Dharana is a company that specializes in these kinds of tools for late-stage startups. Its portfolio includes fintech darlings like Khatabook and healthtech player HealthifyMe. Rohit Kumar, Managing Partner at Dharana Capital, said, “Petpooja is at the point where technology meets real-world impact in India’s fragmented F&B space.” “Our investment is designed to empower them to capture untapped markets and innovate relentlessly.” This deal comes after Petpooja raised ₹81 crore in equity in 2022 from investors like AUM Ventures and Indian Angel Network. This brings the total amount of money it has raised to over ₹218 crore.
This investment is mainly about fixing the biggest problems in India’s restaurant industry. According to Statista, the sector is worth $75 billion and is expected to reach $110 billion by 2027. It is made up of 1.5 million stores, 70% of which are not organized. Owners have to deal with manual ledgers, unreliable supply chains, and compliance issues, which often leave them with very small margins—only 5–7%. Petpooja’s platform changes that by giving you an all-in-one dashboard that takes care of everything from payroll to table reservations. The company plans to use the ₹137 crore boost to get deeper into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where digital adoption is slow but there is a lot of potential. Some of the plans include starting AI-powered demand forecasting to cut down on food waste by up to 30% and growing its white-label ordering app, which already has over 5,000 partners.
One of the most exciting things about Petpooja is that it can work with many channels. After COVID, people’s eating habits have changed in terms of dine-in, delivery, and quick commerce. Recent updates to the platform make it easy to sync orders from multiple aggregators, which cuts down on mistakes and makes kitchen work more efficient. “This money will speed up our research and development,” said Harsh Bansal, CEO of Petpooja. “We’re looking at blockchain for supply chain transparency and machine learning for personalized menu recommendations—two tools that could help restaurants avoid losing thousands of dollars in revenue each year.” Early tests in Mumbai and Delhi have shown that integrated outlets can sell 25% more tickets on average, which shows that the platform has the potential to make money.
The investment has effects on the economy that go beyond just technology. Tracxn says that India’s startup ecosystem got $10 billion in funding in 2024. It is starting to favor sustainable models over hype that is based on chasing unicorns. Petpooja has been profitable since 2023, thanks to a freemium model and 20% year-over-year revenue growth. This makes it stand out in a field full of companies that are losing money. Dharana’s bet here is on the economics of each unit: Petpooja’s cost of getting new customers has dropped to less than ₹5,000 per outlet, and their lifetime value is more than ₹2 lakh. This level of efficiency is important because global inflation is eating into food and beverage spending, making operators look for ways to save money.
This is the perfect time. The Union Budget 2025 focuses on digital infrastructure for small and medium-sized businesses, which is good news for platforms like Petpooja. Working with the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) could help reach even more people. They could even add GST compliance modules directly to the POS. Also, as sustainability becomes more popular—think of kitchens that don’t waste anything—the money will go to green projects like menu carbon footprint trackers. Petpooja’s vision goes beyond India; there are rumors of a pilot program in Indonesia, where the food and beverage market is similar to India’s, which could lead to the company going global by 2027.
Some people might say that venture debt comes with strings attached, like pressure to pay back loans in a volatile market. But Petpooja’s track record lowers the risks. Its churn rate is only 8%, which is much lower than the industry average. This is because it has features that keep customers coming back, like real-time analytics that help owners see trends, like when they need more staff during peak hours. The company now has more than 300 employees and plans to double its tech team. This will encourage new ideas, such as voice-activated ordering for busy chefs.
This ₹137 crore milestone not only makes Petpooja a survivor, but it also shapes the future of Indian food. As more people in cities eat out—KPMG predicts a 15% CAGR—technology will level the playing field, turning small businesses into data-driven empires. Dharana Capital’s faith backs up a theory: In a country where food is culture, the right software can help things grow. Petpooja’s story is a guide for entrepreneurs who are watching from the sidelines: start small, grow smart, and let money help, not hurt.
This investment isn’t just a transaction; it’s a change. As Petpooja uses this money, you can expect a wave of improvements to spread through India’s restaurants, from busy chaat stalls in Lucknow to fancy restaurants in Bengaluru. The food and beverage revolution is here, and Petpooja is leading the way with Dharana’s help.
