- Published on July 7, 2025
- In AI Startups
Subtl.ai Collapse Exposes Cracks in India’s AI Scene
“Some investors flirt A LOT with founders,” Vishnu Ramesh said. “But it doesn't mean s*** until they give you a term sheet.”
Image by Nalini Nirad
- By Mohit Pandey
Building an AI startup in India isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Startup founders often feel frustrated due to a multitude of factors, such as limited funding, a lack of investor expertise, and the high demand for free proof of concepts (POCs). As it turns out, there are far deeper reasons for this.
Last week, Vishnu Ramesh, founder of Subtl.ai, posted a heartbreaking message on LinkedIn, signalling the end of the road for the company. “TL;DR: we have started shutting down Subtl.ai,” he wrote.
That one line of update confirmed what many in India’s AI startup ecosystem are increasingly confronting—ambitious ideas hitting a wall faster than anyone expects.
Subtl.ai, the Hyderabad-based enterprise GenAI startup, had carved out a niche in RAG and AI. With clients like
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Mohit Pandey
Mohit writes about AI in simple, explainable, and often funny words. He's especially passionate about chatting with those building AI for Bharat, with the occasional detour into AGI.
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