illumine, a startup reimagining childcare through AI-driven solutions, has raised $2.5 million in seed funding, led by Prime Venture Partners, to accelerate product development and global expansion.
Headquartered in Bengaluru, illumine aims to become the global operating system for childcare centres, combining automation with deep empathy for both educators and parents.
The inspiration behind illumine came from a moment of personal loss for Co-founder and CEO Navneet Rastogi, who missed seeing his son’s first steps while he was at daycare. “I only found out weeks later.
That’s when I realised how broken communication in childcare really is,” he said. This moment led to the creation of a platform designed to ensure parents never miss a moment, while also supporting educators and preparing childcare centres for the future.
Now used by over 3,000 childcare centres across 56 countries—including the USA, UAE, Southeast Asia, Europe, and India—illumine offers a vertical AI-powered SaaS platform tailored to early childhood education.
With dual-income households on the rise, demand for quality childcare is booming, yet the industry remains under-digitised. “Parents spend thousands on early education, yet the tools used by centres are outdated,” said Shripati Acharya, Partner at Prime Venture Partners.
“illumine brings an AI-first approach that transforms daily operations and improves outcomes for children, parents, educators, and operators alike.”
The platform provides end-to-end digital infrastructure, from lesson planning and attendance to parent communication and compliance, built specifically for the complex workflows of preschools and childcare businesses.
“Unlike generic tools, every feature on our platform is purpose-built to elevate early learning,” said Sourabh Agarwal, Co-founder and CTO. Purva Goyal, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, added: “Whether it’s a standalone preschool or a chain, our system adapts and scales with real-world needs.”
The fresh capital will enable illumine to expand globally and boost R&D in AI and automation, enhancing features such as real-time learning insights, voice-enabled documentation, and predictive analytics for child development.
