Indian deeptech startup CIMware raises $2.3 million in a pre-Series A funding round

CIMware, a deeptech startup reimagining data center architecture, has raised $2.3 million in a pre-Series A round led by Transition VC. The funding marks the startup's first institutional raise and will support its scale-up efforts across hardware production, research and development, and go-to-market operations in key global markets.

Founded in 2022 by Rajiv Ganth, a veteran of distributed systems and hyperscale infrastructure, CIMware is targeting the next evolution of data center computing with its flagship Composable Infrastructure Module (CIM).

The CIM is a patented, smart switching device that combines compute, storage, and networking into a single rack-level unit, enabling modular deployment and more energy-efficient architecture. It is designed specifically for AI, machine learning, social media, and video streaming workloads.

“Today’s data centers are increasingly constrained by power, space, and outdated infrastructure,” said Ganth, who previously led CloudSimple India (acquired by Google) and held senior engineering roles at Intel, EMC, LSI, and DEC. “Our technology slashes total cost of ownership by 80% and reduces carbon footprint while enabling modular upgrades—making it ideal for a wide range of deployments across public, private, and edge cloud environments.” 

CIMware's approach departs from traditional server-centric design by allowing memory to act as the interconnect backbone. This enables the CIM switch to unite CPUs across servers with minimal latency and energy overhead. The product has been granted multiple patents developed entirely in India and is seen by investors as a viable leap forward in data center modernization.

Commenting on the investment, Shoeb Ali, cofounder and managing partner of Transition VC said, “Data centres have become increasingly power and energy hungry due to the rising demand for artificial intelligence and data-intensive applications. They face challenges related to physical space, power supply, and outdated infrastructure.”

The funds will help CIMware scale its engineering and software teams, enhance product deployment cycles, and complete the initial production batch of 20 CIM units, which are scheduled to be deployed in customer sites by December 2025.

Ganth said the startup aims to increase production to 80–100 units initially, followed by thousands, depending on demand. It has received prior grant funding of Rs 1.5 crore from India’s Department of Telecommunications and is currently in active talks with data centers in South Korea, the US, and the U.K. for pilot rollouts.

Its go-to-market strategy includes direct sales in India and North America, white-labeled deployments in Southeast Asia, and affiliate-driven expansion in Europe. CIMware’s commercial roadmap targets a revenue milestone of $175 million by fiscal 2026–27. Longer term, the startup is planning an IPO within the next five to six years.