Kuku FM key facts
- What it doesAudio and video content platform Story
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersMumbai
- Last roundon 30 March 2026 Story
- StatusIPO filed
$156 millionTotal raisedOct 2025 Profile
350M+App installsMar 2026
Funding rounds
| When | Round | Amount | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2020 | Series A | $5.5 million | Vertex Ventures, Shunwei Capital, 3one4 Capital, India Quotient | Entrackr |
| Sep 2022 | Series B | about $21.8 million | Fundamentum Partnership and others | Entrackr |
| Sep 2023 | Series C | $25 million | Fundamentum Partnership (lead), IFC, Vertex Ventures | TechCrunch |
| Oct 2025 | Late-stage round | $85 million | Granite Asia (lead), Vertex Growth Fund, Krafton, IFC, Paramark, Tribe Capital India, Bitkraft | Entrackr |
| Mar 2026 | Celebrity investment | Undisclosed | MS Dhoni | Indian Startup News |
Timeline
- 2023
- Sep 2023 Series C: $25 million led by Fundamentum Partnership TechCrunch
- 2025
- Jan 2025 BGMI: Lone Survivor audiobook, made with investor Krafton, goes live Moneycontrol
- Jul 2025 Delhi High Court pauses new episodes of five series in Pocket FM suit MoneycontrolEntrackr
- Oct 2025 Raises $85 million led by Granite Asia Entrackr
- Dec 2025 Names Kotak, Axis Bank and Morgan Stanley India for an IPO of up to $200 million Indian Startup News
- Dec 2025 FY25 revenue reported at ₹242 crore, up 175% Entrackr
- 2026
- Mar 2026 MS Dhoni invests an undisclosed sum and becomes Kuku TV brand ambassador Indian Startup NewsInc42
- Apr 2026 12 Hindi audiobooks launch with Penguin Random House India Moneycontrol
- Jun 2026 Files draft IPO papers in confidence for ₹3,500 crore The Economic Times
- Sep 2026 FY26 revenue of ₹1,484 crore and a pre-tax profit reported Entrackr
The short version
- Kuku FM sells audiobooks, audio series and short video dramas in Hindi and other Indian languages, mostly through paid subscriptions. Entrackr
- Lal Chand Bisu, Vinod Kumar Meena and Vikas Goyal started it in Mumbai in 2018. All three studied at IIT Jodhpur. EntrackrIndian Startup News
- It has raised about $156 million in total, with backers such as Fundamentum Partnership, Vertex, Krafton, IFC and Granite Asia. EntrackrInc42
- Its latest big round was $85 million in October 2025, led by Granite Asia. Part was new shares and part was existing holders selling. Entrackr
- Cricketer MS Dhoni became an investor and the brand face of its microdrama app Kuku TV in March 2026. Indian Startup NewsInc42
- Revenue grew from about ₹88 crore in FY24 to ₹242 crore in FY25, but heavy ad spending kept it loss-making that year. Entrackr
- In FY26 revenue reached ₹1,484 crore and the company reported a pre-tax profit of about ₹89 crore, after spending roughly ₹1,100 crore on marketing. Entrackr
- It filed draft IPO papers in confidence in June 2026 for an issue of ₹3,500 crore, after naming banks in December 2025. The Economic TimesIndian Startup News
- Rival Pocket FM sued it in 2025 over copying claims. A Delhi court paused new episodes of five series, and Kuku FM denied the broad claims. MoneycontrolEntrackr
Deals and partnerships
| When | With | What | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | KRKrafton | BGMI: Lone Survivor audiobook | Moneycontrol | |
| Mar 2026 | MDMS Dhoni | Brand ambassador for Kuku TV, plus investment | Undisclosed | Indian Startup News |
| Apr 2026 | PRPenguin Random House India | Exclusive release of 12 Hindi audiobooks | Moneycontrol |
Products
- Kuku FM: The audio app with audiobooks, series and podcasts in Hindi and other languages. Indian Startup NewsEntrackr
- Kuku TV: A microdrama app of very short video series. It makes over 150 new ones a month. Indian Startup NewsEntrackr
- Guru: An edutainment app that mixes learning with entertainment. Indian Startup News
People
Licences and legal
- Jul 2025 Delhi High Court told it to stop new episodes of five series until the next hearing in Pocket FM's copyright and trademark suit, which seeks about Rs 85.7 crore. MoneycontrolEntrackr
- Jun 2026 Confidential draft offer document filed with the market regulator for an IPO. The Economic Times
Every line links to the article it came from, written in our own words. Not investment advice. Profile updated 2026-11-08.
Kuku FM key numbers
Rs 1,484 CrRevenue · FY26Source: Kuku FM turns profitable as FY26 revenue jumps six-fold₹152.6 CrNet loss · FY25Source: Kuku FM adds MS Dhoni as investor and brand ambassador
As reported on the date of each story; tap a number for its source.
Stories cover its results, ipo, partnership, funding and news. Sectors: Consumer Internet & Media. Stages: DRHP filed, IPO preparation, Series D and Series C. Based in Mumbai. Stories run from 20 September 2023 to 1 October 2026.
The founders
- IIT Jodhpur electrical engineering graduate (B.Tech, 2008-2012); co-founded Kuku FM in 2018.
- IIT Jodhpur alumnus and Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia recipient; leads AI strategy and content production at Kuku.
VG
Vikas Goyal
Co-founder- IIT Jodhpur alumnus; co-founded Kuku FM in 2018.
Who put in money
MS DhoniUndefinedBitkraft VenturesGranite AsiaIFCKRAFTONArjun VaidyaIndia QuotientInternational Finance CorporationKraftonMS Dhoni (angel)Nandan NilekaniVertex Ventures SEA & IndiaVertex Growth FundTribe Capital IndiaParamark Ventures
Up against
Pocket FMAudibleSpotifyStorytelPratilipi FM
Every story on Kuku FM
- KFKuku FM · Results · 1 October 2026 · ₹1,484 CrKuku FM turns profitable as FY26 revenue jumps six-foldKuku FM runs subscription audio and video apps spanning business, self-help, religion and entertainment, plus a microdrama service called Kuku TV
- KFKuku FM · IPO · 4 June 2026 · ₹3,500 croreKuku FM parent files confidentially for IPOKuku Technologies quietly sent draft papers to the market regulator for an IPO worth Rs 3,500 crore
- KFKuku FM · Partnership · 30 April 2026Penguin Random House India and Kuku FM release 12 Hindi audiobooksPenguin Random House India launched twelve Hindi audiobooks through an exclusive tie-up with Kuku FM in April 2026
- KFKuku FM · Partnership · 15 April 2026Kuku FM adds MS Dhoni as investor and brand ambassadorKuku FM is an Indian audio content startup offering audiobooks, podcasts, and original shows in multiple languages
- KFKuku FM · Funding · 30 March 2026MS Dhoni invests in Kuku FMKuku FM runs Kuku TV (microdrama app), Kuku FM (audio), Guru (edutainment) and theatrical productions
- KFKuku FM · Results · 24 December 2025 · ₹242 croreKuku FM revenue nearly triples in FY25Operating revenue rose 175% to Rs 242 crore in FY25 from Rs 88 crore a year earlier
- KFKuku FM · IPO · 16 December 2025 · $200 millionKuku FM picks bankers for IPOThe company behind Kuku FM is preparing a stock market listing that could raise as much as $200 million
- KFKuku FM · Funding · 16 October 2025 · $85 millionKuku FM raises $85 million led by Granite AsiaGranite Asia, formerly GGV Capital, led a round mixing fresh capital with shares sold by earlier holders
- KFKuku FM · News · 10 July 2025 · ₹85.7 croreDelhi court halts Kuku FM episodes in Pocket FM suitThe Delhi High Court told Kuku FM to stop releasing new episodes of five audio series until the next hearing
- KFKuku FM · Partnership · 6 February 2025Krafton and Kuku FM launch BGMI audiobookGaming company Krafton, an investor in Kuku FM, announced an audiobook based on its game Battlegrounds Mobile India
- KFKuku FM · Funding · 20 September 2023 · $25 millionKuku FM raises $25 million Series CNandan Nilekani's Fundamentum Partnership led the round, joined by the World Bank's IFC and Temasek-backed Vertex Ventures
Read next on Kuku FM
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