Singapore, January 14, 2026 — GrowthPal, an AI-powered M&A (mergers and acquisitions) platform transforming how companies discover and execute deals, has raised $2.6 million in a new funding round led by Ideaspring Capital, with participation from a group of global angel investors.
The fresh capital will help the company expand its presence across the U.S. and international markets, enhance its AI-driven M&A copilot, and further develop tools for data-led deal sourcing and execution.
Co-founded by Maneesh Bhandari, Shalu Mitruka, and Amaresh Shirsat, GrowthPal aims to simplify inorganic growth for mid-market and early-stage companies — helping buyers identify high-intent, off-market opportunities with precision and speed.
Solving the M&A Discovery Problem with AI
While digital tools like PitchBook and Tracxn have made company data easier to access, most M&A teams still rely on manual research, banker networks, and static databases to find acquisition opportunities. GrowthPal was created to change that.
“M&A sourcing is where most time and effort is wasted, especially for smaller and mid-market deals,” said Maneesh Bhandari, Co-founder and CEO of GrowthPal. “Teams spend weeks chasing opportunities that lead nowhere. GrowthPal helps them focus only on high-fit, high-intent targets and move from mandate to meaningful conversations much faster.”
The platform acts as an AI-driven M&A copilot, allowing buyers to input growth objectives — such as entering new markets or acquiring specific capabilities — which are then translated into structured acquisition theses. Using AI reasoning and enriched data, GrowthPal scans over four million technology companies worldwide to identify precision-fit targets, many of which are off-market and unavailable through traditional channels.
Transforming the M&A Workflow
GrowthPal integrates public filings, web activity, hiring data, funding history, and transaction patterns to build a holistic picture of each company’s growth signals and readiness to transact. The system generates a shortlist of relevant targets instead of overwhelming users with large, unfocused databases.
This AI-assisted discovery process has proven to be a game-changer for M&A and corporate development teams that are under growing pressure to deliver results with leaner resources.
“GrowthPal is addressing one of the most under-optimized areas of the M&A lifecycle,” said Naganand Doraswamy, Managing Partner at Ideaspring Capital. “By using AI to streamline deal sourcing and compress timelines, they’re enabling a more systematic and efficient approach to inorganic growth.”
Strong Market Traction Across Global M&A Ecosystem
Since its launch, GrowthPal has facilitated over 42 completed M&A deals and supported more than 210 LOI (Letter of Intent)-stage conversations across North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
Its clients include mid-market enterprises, private equity-backed companies, fast-growing startups, and corporate development teams from sectors such as IT services, SaaS, fintech, and vertical software.
In one case, a GrowthPal client completed seven acquisitions within 18 months using the platform — a testament to the company’s ability to deliver meaningful results in a traditionally fragmented market.
A New Model for the Future of Deal-Making
GrowthPal’s founding team built the platform to bridge a structural gap in global M&A. While millions of promising startups exist worldwide, less than one percent achieve successful scale — often due to a lack of access to timely exits or partnerships. Meanwhile, buyers seeking sub-$70 million deals are often underserved by traditional investment banks.
GrowthPal connects these two sides through a data-driven, proactive, and confidential approach to deal sourcing — transforming M&A from a reactive process to a strategic growth function.
The company also offers features such as intent analysis, competitor benchmarking, and AI-guided valuation reasoning, helping dealmakers make more informed decisions at every stage of the process.
Looking ahead, GrowthPal plans to extend its intelligence deeper into the transaction lifecycle, supporting valuation modeling, deal structuring, and negotiation readiness.
“Our long-term vision is to become the system of intelligence that helps teams make better M&A decisions earlier — from discovery all the way to deal execution,” added Bhandari.
About GrowthPal
GrowthPal is an AI-powered M&A copilot designed to help companies identify off-market acquisition targets, validate strategic fit, and accelerate deal execution. Its data and intelligence-driven digital investment banking platform enables corporates to acquire small and mid-sized companies across the U.S., LATAM, UK, Europe, and Asia, particularly in Business Services and Software sectors.
The platform combines machine learning algorithms, data analytics, and human expertise to deliver the most relevant opportunities for each client’s growth mandate. To date, GrowthPal has supported over 100 clients and facilitated 40+ completed transactions.
Key Highlights
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Funding Raised: $2.6 million
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Lead Investor: Ideaspring Capital
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Other Investors: Global angels including Eash Sundaram and Arvind Lakshmikumar
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Founders: Maneesh Bhandari, Shalu Mitruka, Amaresh Shirsat
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Founded: 2020
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Headquarters: Singapore
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Focus: AI-driven M&A sourcing, deal discovery, and execution
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Use of Funds: Product development, market expansion, AI enhancement

Ankitt Yadu is the Editor at Entrepreneur News Network and TVW News India, where he leads editorial strategy, brand storytelling, and startup ecosystem coverage. With a strong focus on innovation, business, and marketing insights, he curates impactful narratives that spotlight India’s evolving entrepreneurial landscape.