Startup funding in India found a small-town story this week: Furtilo, a Bengaluru-based hyperlocal delivery startup, has raised seed funding from Trikona LLC, a US-based investment firm that backs early-stage startups. The amount was not disclosed.
Furtilo, formerly known as BelivMart, is building a zero-commission delivery app for restaurants and local shops in India's Tier-3 and Tier-4 towns. Customers can order food from local restaurants and products from neighbourhood shops — kirana, stationery, electrical, hardware, mobile, electronics, puja items and agri supplies — all on one app, with a Furtilo rider delivering to the door. Merchants pay a flat monthly subscription and zero commission on orders.
From 37 towns to 500+ by mid-2028
Since relaunching under its new name in January 2026, Furtilo has expanded to 37+ small towns across Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat, and now handles more than 6,000 orders a month. The funding will take it to 500+ towns by mid-2028, strengthen its technology and local operations, and add parcel delivery and bike-taxi services on the same network.
"Local merchants already have their customers' trust. What they lack is simple technology and a fair way to reach more people. Today our merchants save up to 30% of order value compared with commission-based platforms," said Ankit Agrawal, Co-founder and CEO, Furtilo. The company now launches about ten new small towns a month, up from three in its early months, and aims to reach 30 launches a month by June 2027.
Why it matters for founders
Furtilo's bet is that India's next big delivery market is not the metro but the 500 small towns incumbents ignore — and that a zero-commission, flat-fee model can win merchants there. For founders, the lesson: a clear enemy (30% commissions) plus a market everyone overlooked is a potent fundraising pitch.