GURUGRAM — Delhi NCR-based pain care startup Zanskar is in talks to raise about $6 Mn in a fresh funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, according to sources familiar with the discussions. The talks are ongoing and the final cheque size could change before the round closes; Zanskar and Bessemer did not respond to queries about the development. The development comes roughly ten months after Zanskar raised ₹2.8 Cr in a seed funding round led by Zeropearl VC, with participation from angel investors including Fashinza co-founder Pawan Gupta, 10X Growth Ventures managing partner Amit Baid, and Oaktree Capital SVP Nidhish Mundra.
Founded in 2022 by IIT Delhi alumni Anshul Mittal and Manu Kumar Mittal, Zanskar operates a technology-led pain management platform offering personalised at-home care protocols through its app, alongside a product line of pain relief items including oils, roll-ons and nutritional supplements sold through its own website and marketplaces including Blinkit, Tata 1mg, Amazon and Flipkart. The startup has said it is also exploring pilots for physiotherapy-led wellness centres in select metro cities as part of a broader pain-management ecosystem strategy.
A Large, Underserved Chronic Pain Market
According to industry data cited alongside the fundraise reporting, nearly 47% of Indians aged 45 and above experience joint pain, while about 31% suffer from persistent back pain — and untreated chronic pain combined with prolonged dependence on painkillers can lead to disability and other serious health complications. India's broader pain-relief market has roughly doubled over the past five years to approximately ₹16,000 Cr, growing at an estimated 18% CAGR, nearly three times faster than the overall over-the-counter market.
Part of a Broader Wave of Chronic Pain Startups
Zanskar's prospective raise comes amid growing investor appetite for startups tackling chronic pain management specifically, as distinct from the broader digital health category. Earlier this year, Nivaan Care raised $7 Mn in a Series A round led by Sorin Investments, with participation from W Health Ventures and other investors. Last year, FlexifyMe secured ₹20 Cr in a pre-Series A round to expand its online physiotherapy platform for chronic pain management, suggesting investors increasingly see standalone value in category-focused pain-tech businesses rather than treating pain management as a feature within general wellness or healthtech platforms.
According to Inc42's Annual Indian Startup Trends Report 2025, India's broader healthtech market is projected to grow at a 39% CAGR from 2025 to cross $37 Bn, providing a large addressable backdrop against which category-specific players like Zanskar are positioning themselves. Bessemer Venture Partners' reported interest in leading the round would mark a significant step up in investor pedigree for Zanskar, given Bessemer's global reputation as a healthtech and consumer-technology-focused growth investor.
What the New Capital Would Likely Fund
Building on the direction set by its seed round — which funded product portfolio expansion, digital marketing and the establishment of a dedicated R&D vertical for chronic pain and recovery solutions — a Series A round of this size would likely accelerate Zanskar's plans to introduce new solutions for arthritis and muscle recovery, expand its AI-driven physiotherapy app, and move forward on its exploration of physical wellness centres in metro markets, transitioning the company from a primarily digital-and-D2C model toward a hybrid, omnichannel pain-care business.
Zanskar has said its products have already reached over 50,000 customers across India, giving the company an established base from which to expand into higher-touch, in-person service offerings if the new funding materialises as expected.
Why It Matters
A prospective raise from Bessemer just ten months after a modest seed round would signal unusually fast investor conviction in Zanskar's category thesis, reflecting broader momentum behind India's chronic pain management sector as a distinct, investable healthtech vertical rather than a niche within general wellness. For India's aging population and the large share of adults already experiencing joint and back pain, continued capital inflow into this space could meaningfully expand access to structured, technology-supported pain care beyond ad hoc over-the-counter treatment.
• Zanskar is reportedly in talks to raise $6 Mn led by Bessemer Venture Partners.
• The round comes about 10 months after its ₹2.8 Cr seed round led by Zeropearl VC.
• Founded in 2022 by IIT Delhi alumni Anshul Mittal and Manu Kumar Mittal.
• India's pain-relief market has doubled in five years to ~₹16,000 Cr, growing at 18% CAGR.
• Nearly 47% of Indians 45+ experience joint pain; ~31% suffer persistent back pain, per cited industry data.
