In a resounding leap forward for India’s internet accessibility movement, Wiom secures $40 million in funding in a funding round that is anything but ordinary. This wasn’t your typical startup raise—it was a rallying cry for digital inclusion, headlined by Bertelsmann India Investments (BII) and Accel, with heavyweights like Prosus, Promaft Partners, and returning investor RTP Global joining the charge. Since its inception in 2015 and subsequent rebranding in 2021, Wiom has shaken up the idea of broadband access by refusing to follow the old playbook.
This funding is not just capital—it’s ammunition in Wiom’s battle to bring affordable, limitless internet to the forgotten millions across India’s semi-urban and rural zones. Wiom isn’t interested in digging trenches or laying cables. Instead, they’ve built a nimble, asset-light platform powered by local ISPs and everyday citizens acting as micro-WiFi providers. The goal? To light up 50 crore lives with data—one ₹5 internet sachet at a time.
The co-founders—Satyam Darmora, Nishit Aggarwal, Ashutosh Mishra, and Maanas Dwivedi—are hell-bent on proving that big dreams don’t need big infrastructure, just smart technology and relentless execution. With over a million monthly users and 70,000 hotspots already humming, this round signals the beginning of a much louder phase in Wiom’s story. Yes, the losses are real. So are the challenges. But so is the belief in connectivity, community, and the collective power of Bharat rising online.
1. Introduction: A Game-Changing Moment for Wiom
1.1 Wiom Secures $40 Million Funding to Close India’s Digital Divide
When Wiom secures $40 million in funding, it doesn’t whisper; it roars. This isn’t a footnote in India’s startup chronicles—this is a front-page shift. The deal, which is primarily a fresh capital injection, was anchored by Bertelsmann India Investments and Accel, and flanked by heavy-hitters like Prosus, Promaft Partners, and RTP Global.
The timing? Impeccable. As India sprints toward its digital destiny, Wiom is planting affordable internet flags across places long bypassed by broadband dreams. Their blueprint is clear: don’t build slower; build smarter.
2. The Wiom Model: Redefining Internet Access
2.1 From i2e1 to Wiom: A Vision Realised
Back in 2015, the idea behind i2e1 (now Wiom) wasn’t shiny tech or VC glamour. It was a rebellion against the notion that internet access was a privilege. Founders Satyam Darmora, Nishit Aggarwal, Ashutosh Mishra, and Maanas Dwivedi imagined a world where anyone could connect and earn, with what they already had: a WiFi connection and a willingness to share.
2.2 Leveraging PM-WANI for Mass Impact
Wiom didn’t stumble upon the PM-WANI framework—they charged into it. As India’s largest licensed Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA), they’ve made it possible for chaiwallahs, shopkeepers, and neighbours to become WiFi providers. No fancy app needed—just a router, some software, and the will to bridge a digital gap.
2.3 Asset-Light Yet Impact-Heavy
Let the telecom giants chase towers and fibre cables. Wiom bets on people. With an asset-light approach, the company empowers users to become internet hubs using hotel-style login screens installed via custom firmware. The result? Mass adoption without massive overhead.
3. Revenue Model: Monetising Shared Access
3.1 Sachet Pricing and Incentivised Participation
At the heart of Wiom’s playbook is a simple idea: make data cheap, and people will come. Their packs start at just ₹4–₹16 for two days of unlimited access. No contracts, no commitments—just plug, pay, and play.
3.2 Shared Earnings for Local Providers
It’s not just about access—it’s about earning. Wiom splits revenue with original subscribers, turning every router into a micro-business. For the host, it’s a cut in their bill. For the neighbour, it’s internet at street-level pricing.
4. Product Stack and Expansion Goals
4.1 Smart Tech for Rural India
Forget city-centric solutions. Wiom’s stack was made for the hinterlands. Cloud-managed routers, frictionless logins, and embedded firmware built under their “Tech for Future” program—all designed to run on patchy infrastructure with maximum efficiency.
4.2 Aggressive Growth Plans
The ambition? Breathtaking. 5 crore homes. 50 crore users. And they’re not throwing darts—Wiom has already touched a million users. Now, with fresh capital, they’re hiring, scaling, and storming into new territories—especially the underserved districts in Uttar Pradesh and Eastern India.
5. Market Landscape and Industry Trends
5.1 Growing Demand for Affordable Internet
India’s broadband puzzle isn’t about speed—it’s about reach. Despite 200 million households, just 10% access to affordable unlimited broadband. As online classes, job hunts, and e-health gain ground, the hunger for cheap, reliable internet is erupting beyond metros.
5.2 Industry Trends Fueling Wiom’s Growth
From UPI to edtech, from gig work to OTT streaming—the internet has become non-negotiable. Government initiatives like Digital India, BharatNet, and PM-WANI are laying the pipes. Wiom? They’re flipping the switch.
6. Competitor Analysis
The battlefield is packed. Think BSNL, Excitel, Netplus, RailWire, and telecom titans like JioFiber and Airtel Xstream. But while the big players fight in urban jungles, Wiom thrives in digital deserts.
Their edge? No cabling, no cities-only focus—just a community-powered platform that scales like software, not cement.
7. Financials and Funding History
7.1 Capital Raised and Utilisation
Before this round, Wiom secured $17 million in Series A (July 2023, RTP Global). Now with a $40 million raise, mostly primary, they’ve doubled down on their tech-first growth model.
7.2 Revenue and Losses
Sure, FY24 wasn’t rosy: revenue dropped to ₹10.8 crore from ₹12.08 crore, and losses ballooned to ₹44.5 crore. But investors aren’t flinching. They see what’s coming—a digital revolution powered by routers, not risk aversion.
8. The Founders: Visionaries Behind the Movement
8.1 Founding Team and Mission
These aren’t just founders—they’re insurgents with a cause. Satyam Darmora and team are taking a sledgehammer to old telecom models and building something far more human: the internet by the people, for the people.
8.2 Team Expansion and Hiring
The company is on a hiring spree. Engineers, ops pros, growth leaders—they’re all on the wishlist. If building Bharat’s broadband backbone excites you, Wiom’s waiting.
9. Challenges and Strategic Outlook
9.1 Overcoming Infrastructure Hurdles
No digital utopia is built without a few potholes. Literacy gaps, tech hesitancy, and inconsistent power supply can slow adoption. But Wiom’s simple UX and hyperlocal model act as powerful equalisers.
9.2 Building Sustainable Profitability
Unit economics aren’t perfect—yet. But scale changes everything. Wiom bets that a ₹5 sachet, multiplied by millions, will rewrite the rules of connectivity economics.
Learning for Startups and Entrepreneurs
There’s a playbook buried in Wiom’s journey:
- Solve real problems. Fancy tech fades. Affordability and access endure.
- Tap into policy. PM-WANI gave Wiom a rail track. They built the train.
- Asset-light doesn’t mean impact-light. The frugal scale is powerful.
- Reward your ecosystem. Let users win, and they’ll pull others in.
- Stay unreasonable. Vision trumps valuation—especially in Bharat.
About Foundlanes
At foundlanes.com, we don’t just cover unicorns—we chase the unconventional. From metro IPOs to mofussil moonshots, we tell stories that matter. Wiom’s mission is exactly the kind of grassroots disruption we champion: inclusive, tech-forward, and proudly Indian. As Bharat logs in, we’ll be right there reporting, analysing, and rooting for more game-changers like this one.