Team Startupcity

· Wiom raises $40M in growth funding led by Bertelsmann India and Accel to scale affordable broadband        access.

· Innovative sachet-model offers internet access starting at Rs 5, benefiting 1M+ users in Tier II & III towns.

· Operates as India’s largest PDOA under PM-WANI, aiming to bridge the digital divide with tech-first                solutions.

Delhi-headquartered internet infrastructure startup Wiom has raised $40 million in growth equity funding led by Bertelsmann India Investments and Accel, with further backing from Prosus, Promaft Partners, and follow-on investor RTP Global. The round, which is 90% primary capital, will drive the company's growth in underserved markets, build out product development, and support hiring in its technology and operations teams.

Wiom is leading the way with an asset-light, technology-leading model of broadband distribution. It enables individuals and small Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to resell their home internet in sachet-sized access packs, priced from Rs 5. The micro-distribution model is meant to provide accessible and flexible internet access to India's unconnected and underconnected masses.

Established in 2015 under the name i2e1 and re-named Wiom in 2021, the startup is India's largest licensed Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA) by the country's government under the PM-WANI program. By loading its own software on home routers, Wiom allows users within proximity to connect through a hotel-like login page no app required. A share of income is passed on to the original owner of the broadband, essentially making their own internet charges negligible or zero.

Now serving approximately 1 million monthly users, Wiom collaborates hand-in-hand with 100+ small local ISPs, especially in Tier II and Tier III towns of Uttar Pradesh and Eastern India. Besides reducing internet expenses by 40-60%, its service also provides daily payment support, eliminating the initial financial cost of conventional broadband plans.

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"Wiom is addressing one of India's most pressing yet least-served challenges: affordable and limitless internet for the masses," stated Rohit Sood, Partner with Bertelsmann India Investments. Pratik Agarwal from Accel further added, "Just 10% of India's 200 million families have access to affordable, unlimited internet. Wiom is working to upend that."

Founder Satyam Darmora calls Wiom less of a traditional ISP and more of a tech enabler, dedicated to assisting legacy players extend their reach through next-generation technology. "Heavy investment in talent and tech is central to what we do," he said.

As part of its long-term strategy, Wiom is also searching for firmware and hardware innovation through an in-house "Tech for Future" program with the goal of doubling its footprint every year and bridging the digital gap for the next 500 million Indians.