Rukam Sitara backs Xportel to digitize India’s cross-border trade ecosystem in seed round co-invested with Flipkart Ventures

India, 17 June 2025: Xportel, a tech-first platform enabling Indian businesses to go global through cross-border logistics and export solutions, has raised capital in its ongoing seed funding round. The round saw co-investment from Rukam Sitara and Flipkart Ventures, with additional backing from venture catalysts and a group of notable angel investors from the trade-tech and logistics space. The presence of notable early backers sets a strong foundation for Xportel, positioning it well to accelerate growth and drive India’s export ambitions forward.

Founded by Anshul Mahindru, Darpan Lamba and Sanchit Narang with a vision to make global selling as seamless as domestic commerce, Xportel is helping Indian SMEs and emerging digital-first brands expand beyond borders by offering a full-stack platform to manage everything from export opportunity discovery and documentation to logistics and compliance. 

The capital infusion will be deployed toward expanding Xportel’s tech capabilities and strengthening the operations and sales teams, onboarding a wider network of exporters over the next year, and investing in marketing and product innovation. The company also aims to deepen its tech stack to further automate compliance workflows, customs documentation, and post-shipment tracking, making the entire export journey seamless and efficient for Indian businesses. 

Speaking on the investment, Archana Jahagirdar, Founder & Managing Partner, Rukam Sitara, said: “At Rukam Sitara, we are constantly looking for value driven ventures that solve real friction points for underserved but high-potential markets. The export readiness gap in India, especially for MSMEs and digitally native brands, is an opportunity waiting to be unlocked. Xportel’s vision of simplifying and digitizing exports directly aligns with India’s ambition to become a global export powerhouse. We are excited to partner with them in building a cross-border trade ecosystem that is inclusive, intelligent, and truly scalable.”  

Commenting on the fundraise, Sanchit Narang     , Co- Founder of Xportel said, “We’re building Xportel to make exports as easy as domestic selling for Indian businesses. The eventual  goal is to create a cross-border ecosystem for anything and everything ranging from pre-order processes to post order logistics. This partnership is a huge boost to our mission of putting Indian products on every global shelf” 

India’s export landscape is at a critical inflection point. With the government setting an ambitious target of $2 trillion in total exports by 2030, the focus has sharply shifted to strengthening infrastructure that can enable micro, small and medium businesses to compete globally. Despite contributing nearly 45–50% of India’s export volume, Indian MSMEs often face major hurdles from fragmented documentation processes to opaque logistics and limited access to international buyers. 

Xportel is building for this very gap. By digitizing the entire export workflow from compliance and paperwork to seamless booking and real-time shipment tracking, the platform aims to be a one-stop solution for India’s next generation of global sellers. Its offering becomes even more critical in the context of a global sourcing reset, where buyers across the world are increasingly diversifying away from traditional hubs and turning to India as a credible alternative. 

The rise of platforms like Xportel also coincides with a broader policy and infrastructure shift in the country. Government programs like RoDTEP, PLI schemes, and initiative to integrate international trade into ONDC reflect India’s seriousness in nurturing export-ready businesses. Alongside, new courier-focused measures like CSB-IV and CSB-V have streamlined customs clearance for international courier shipments, particularly benefiting low- to mid-value goods. This has made cross-border trade more accessible to individuals, small businesses, and D2C brands.  With the rise of cross-border e-commerce, increasing digital infrastructure, and growing interest from institutional investors, the export-tech sector is rapidly becoming a key pillar supporting India’s goal of establishing itself as a global trade leader.

Rukam Sitara, through its Fund I, continues to focus on early-stage investments in high-impact consumer and technology companies that are aligned with the evolving aspirations of New India. Its investment in Xportel is not only a bet on a fast-scaling startup but also a commitment to the long-term potential of India’s role in the global trading system. 

About Rukam Sitara 

Rukam Sitara is a venture capital (VC) fund located in New Delhi, committed to fostering the growth and development of early-stage technology startups. It focuses on investment activities of enterprises founded by innovative and ambitious Indian entrepreneurs. Rukam Sitara’s mission is to identify, invest in, and accelerate the progress of the most promising tech ventures in India. Its purpose extends beyond financial investment; we are committed to supporting and nurturing the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation in India. We believe in the power of ideas, the strength of determination, and the potential of technology to create a better future. 

About Xportel 

Xportel is an export enablement platform helping Indian businesses identify global opportunities, access compliance guidance, manage logistics needs, and digitize the entire export process. We intend to support Indian SMEs and E-commerce brands for global growth through seamless export and cross-border logistics with a vision to empower every Indian product to find a global market.