AI Sports Tech StepOut Funding: FundTQ Advises Rainmatter-Led Round

StepOut, an AI-driven sports technology platform redefining football analytics and talent development, has successfully closed its recent funding round led by Rainmatter by Zerodha, with participation from SucSEED Ventures, Misfits Capital, and Marwah Sports Pvt. Ltd. FundTQ acted as the exclusive deal advisor to StepOut, supporting the company across the entire business fundraising process. StepOut is building a data-first football ecosystem using artificial intelligence to enable smarter performance analysis, talent identification, and scouting solutions for academies, clubs, coaches, and athletes. By combining deep football domain knowledge with scalable technology. The platform addresses a critical gap in objective decision-making within grassroots and professional football. The successful fundraise marks a key milestone in StepOut’s growth journey. The newly raised capital will be utilized to strengthen its AI and analytics engine, expand product offerings, scale operations, and build deeper relationships across football academies and leagues. The round also reflects strong investor confidence in StepOut’s fundamentals, market opportunity, and long-term vision—underpinned by disciplined financial planning and robust business valuation frameworks.

During the transaction, FundTQ worked closely with the StepOut founding team on multiple aspects of the raise. Including refining the equity narrative, preparing investor-ready pitch deck templates, validating financial models, and engaging with aligned strategic and institutional investors. The focus remained on building long-term value rather than short-term capital, ensuring the right fit between founders and investors.

The participation of Rainmatter by Zerodha brings strategic depth to StepOut’s cap table. Offering not just capital but also long-term guidance in building scalable, technology-led businesses. The investor consortium is expected to support StepOut. It accelerates product innovation and expands its footprint within India’s rapidly growing sports tech ecosystem.

Stepout Funding Round

Reflecting on the engagement, the FundTQ team shared that their early interactions with StepOut stood out due to the founders’ clarity of purpose, execution discipline, and strong understanding of both technology and the football landscape.

“StepOut represents the next generation of sports technology platforms—deeply analytical, mission-driven, and scalable. Working with founders who are open to feedback, data-oriented, and focused on long-term impact makes the fundraising journey highly collaborative. We are excited to have partnered with StepOut and look forward to seeing the platform transform football analytics and talent development.”

This transaction reinforces the idea that effective fundraising goes beyond capital infusion. It is about trust, alignment, execution quality, and founders who consistently show up to build enduring businesses. With a strong investor base and a clear growth roadmap. StepOut is well-positioned for its next phase of scale and impact.

About FundTQ

Founded in 2016, FundTQ is a full-service investment banking firm providing a wide range of investment banking services, including M&A advisory, VC/PE syndication, tax advisory, due diligence, and strategic capital raising. The firm follows a founder-first approach, focusing on seamless execution, long-term value creation, and outcome-driven advisory.

Recognized among the Top 10 Investment Banks, FundTQ has advised startups and MSMEs across their lifecycle. From early-stage business fundraising to growth capital, strategic investments, and acquisitions. Backed by deep industry expertise, strong investor relationships, and structured use of financial modeling. Business valuation software frameworks. FundTQ continues to be a trusted partner in high-impact transactions across sectors.

Secret Alchemist, a new high-end perfume company, has already reached the final round of its financing, which was leading by strategic investors to drive brand growth and expansion. FundTQ was the deal advisor to the company in the whole fundraising process and advised on the transaction.

Secret Alchemist is an award-winning actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and her two co-founders, Ankita Thadani and Akash Valia, have been gradually building a niche in the high-end fragrance market. The brand is characterized by well-developed products, excellent narration, and high knowledge of the changing consumer tastes and preferences. This capital is an important milestone in the development history of the company and will aid in brand building, portfolio diversification, and team-up-scaling.

Secret Alchemist has established itself as a contemporary, design-oriented perfume company with a focus on discerning consumers with differentiated and premium scent experiences. The company has experienced good traction in a competitive market segment with a keen eye on product innovation, design, and consumer interactions. The new capital will also help the brand increase its presence in the market, not to mention the ability of the brand to sustainably scale its operations.

The capital will be deployed strategically to diversify the product lines, enhance the channels of distribution, investing in brand-based marketing campaigns, and developing a high-quality staff to help the company in the next stage of development. Secret Alchemist has the resources to speed up its progress in the high-end consumer environment with the support of its marquee investors and a long-term perspective.

Ankita Thadani and Akash Valia, Co-founders of Secret Alchemist, shared their experience of working with FundTQ and said:

“Fundraising was a highly participatory and learning experience to us as founders. The FundTQ staff collaborated with us throughout the process – including polishing our pitch, fine-tuning financials, and getting us ready to undergo various rounds of investor meetings. This was their disciplined style of approach, responsiveness and empowered investor network, which enabled us to remain focused and assured during the process. The team deserves a special mention since it is well founder-first and always takes the extra mile when necessary.”

Reflectively, the FundTQ team described that their early communications with Secret Alchemist were significant because the founders had a clear vision and good familiarity with the consumer landscape.

“Secret Alchemist is a great brand that was developed strategically and in the long term. We find it incredibly rewarding to work with founders who are deeply engaged, open to feedback, and relentlessly hardworking. We’re grateful to the founders for trusting us as partners on this journey and are excited to see the brand grow with the support of new investors.” 

Pooja Malhotra and Aanchal Mahani were also given special appreciation due to their effort, organization and implementation during the process of fundraising.

This transaction supports the school of thought that effective fundraising is not only about capital, but it is also about trust, fit, execution quality and founders who turn up to work. Secret Alchemist has a solid investor base and a distinct growth strategy that will see it reach its next stage of growth and influence within the high-end fragrance market.

About FundTQ

Founded in 2016, FundTQ is an Investment Banking company that provides a wide range of services such as M&A advisory, VC/PE syndication, tax advisory and due diligence services. The company is motivated by the success-related strategy, and the focus on smooth implementation and value generation among its customers.

Having placed it as one of the Top 10 Investment Banks, FundTQ is known to have a profound expertise in diversified industries with a good record of home and cross-border transactions. The company provides startups and MSMEs through the lifecycle such as early and growth-stage capital raising, high-value strategic investments and acquisitions.

FundTQ has advised on several marquee deals over the last few years, including Emami’s investment in Alofut Beverages, Aditya Birla Group’s acquisition of NautiNati, and many others, earning a strong reputation as a trusted partner in high-impact transactions.