In the bustling world of Indian startups, where artificial intelligence is reshaping software development, a Surat-based company called Rocket.new has emerged as a standout player. The firm, which rebranded from DhiWise earlier this year, announced on September 23, 2025, that it secured $15 million in seed funding led by Salesforce Ventures and Accel, with participation from Together Fund. This investment comes at a pivotal moment for the company, which has rapidly scaled to 400,000 users and $4.5 million in annual recurring revenue within just three months of its public launch, as detailed in a report by TechCrunch.

Rocket.new’s platform leverages AI to transform natural language prompts into fully functional, production-ready applications, bypassing traditional coding hurdles. Founders Vishal Virani, Rahul Shingala, and Deepak Dhanak, all hailing from Surat—a city better known for its diamond trade than tech innovation—started the company to democratize app development. Virani, the CEO, emphasized in interviews that the tool isn’t just about generating code but ensuring it’s scalable and deployable, addressing a common pain point where AI prototypes often fail in real-world scenarios.

Rocket.new’s rapid ascent underscores a shift in how developers and non-coders alike approach app creation, blending intuitive “vibe-coding” with robust engineering. This approach, which the company pioneered in India, allows users to describe app ideas conversationally, with AI handling everything from UI design to backend integration, making it accessible for entrepreneurs without deep technical expertise.

The funding round values Rocket.new’s innovative edge in a competitive field dominated by tools like GitHub Copilot or Bubble, but with a focus on end-to-end production readiness. According to The Economic Times, the company has already enabled the creation of over 500,000 apps, many of which have gone live in sectors like e-commerce and healthcare. Investors, including Kartik Gupta from Salesforce Ventures, praised the platform’s ability to bridge the gap between AI-generated code and enterprise-grade software, noting its potential to accelerate development cycles by up to 10 times.

Posts on X (formerly Twitter) from industry observers highlight the excitement, with users like Vijay Kumar Bohra tweeting about Rocket’s viral growth driven by word-of-mouth and social media. This organic traction has propelled the startup’s user base, particularly in the U.S., which accounts for 26% of its revenue, followed by Europe and India, as reported in Observer Voice.

As Rocket.new eyes global dominance, its strategy includes establishing a Palo Alto headquarters to tap into Silicon Valley talent and better serve American clients, while doubling its 58-person team in India over the next year. This move reflects broader trends in Indian tech, where bootstrapped firms from non-metro cities are attracting top-tier venture capital amid a surge in AI investments.

Looking ahead, the $15 million infusion will fuel research and development, with a focus on enhancing AI models for complex enterprise needs. Virani told Entrackr that the goal is to make app building as simple as chatting with a colleague, potentially disrupting traditional software firms. Accel’s involvement, known for backing Indian unicorns like Flipkart, signals confidence in Rocket’s trajectory, especially as the startup navigates challenges like data privacy and AI ethics.

Critics, however, question whether vibe-coding can truly replace human oversight in mission-critical apps. Yet, with endorsements from heavyweights like Salesforce, which sees synergies with its own AI tools, Rocket.new appears poised to redefine developer productivity. As one X post from the company’s official account put it, this funding is about turning every imagination into production reality, not just prototypes.

In the broader context of India’s startup ecosystem, where venture funding has rebounded in 2025 after a sluggish period, Rocket.new exemplifies how AI-native companies from unexpected locales are capturing global attention. With plans for aggressive hiring and market expansion, the firm could soon challenge established players, marking a new chapter in accessible software innovation.