[Funding alert] Rockstud Capital invests in IoT automation solution startup Cubical Labs

Rockstud Capital is making its second investment in FY 2020 with an undisclosed, bridge round in Cubical Labs for a valuation of $11 million.

Dhruv Ratra and Swati Vyas set up Cubical Labs in their college days at IIT-Guwahati in 2013. The startup is an IOT home automation solution provider targeting the affordable homes segment. Its product range includes lighting controllers, temperature sensors, light sensors, gesture control and energy monitoring.

According to RoC filings, Cubical achieved a revenue of $1 million in FY19. The startup will utilise the funds for working capital as their current order book is building up and the cash will be needed to execute work.

Abhishek Agarwal, Managing Partner of Rockstud Capital, told YourStory,

“Youth in India are getting very tech savvy. Home buyers are, these days, under 40 and want to have best for their homes. Cubical provides a complete solution at a affordable price. A typical 2 BHK will cost roughly Rs 50,000 – Rs 75,000 for their solutions. The market opportunity is enormous but current players lack acceptability from distributors due to price and incomplete tech. Therefore, scalability has been a challenge in this segment.”

Earlier this year, Rockstud invested in Everest fleet from Mumbai, which supplies cabs and drivers to Ola and Uber on a round-the-clock basis.

“When I invest, I look at India’s growth in consumption, PPP, and the fact that technology can solve B2B and B2C startups. I simply believe that just like equities and bonds, one can also invest in startups because in the end it’s a risk. Only, in the startup’s case, you need to be ready to lose money because a lot of things can go wrong. But when it works, you can make a lot more money. I believe in a balance between stock broking and startup investing,” says Abhishek.

Rockstud Capital, which is sector-agnostic, will invest in several companies over the next two years.

(Edited by Evelyn Ratnakumar)