Rocket.new Raises $15M to Power AI-Driven App Creation
Rocket.new Secures $15M to Accelerate AI-Powered App Development
Rocket.new, an Indian startup specializing in AI-driven app creation, has raised $15 million in a seed funding round led by Salesforce Ventures, with participation from Accel and Together Fund. This investment comes just three months after Rocket.new's beta launch and signals strong momentum for the company as it competes with other 'vibe-coding' platforms like Lovable, Cursor, and Bolt.
What Sets Rocket.new Apart?
Unlike typical AI code generation tools that focus on quick prototypes, Rocket.new enables users to build production-ready applications using natural language prompts. The platform aims to go beyond initial development, supporting the entire lifecycle of app building—including competitive research, product management, and scaling—entirely through AI agents.
Rapid Growth and User Adoption
- Launched: June 2025 (beta)
- Users: 400,000+ in 180 countries
- Paid subscribers: Over 10,000
- Annual Recurring Revenue: $4.5 million (aiming for $20–$25M by year-end)
The company was founded in Surat, India, by Vishal Virani, Rahul Shingala, and Deepak Dhanak. The team previously worked on DhiWise, a developer workflow tool, and has now pivoted to build Rocket.new as a comprehensive agentic system for organizations and entrepreneurs.
Platform Capabilities and Market Reach
Rocket.new’s agentic system is designed to help users build not only the source code but also product features and modules, all via natural language. The platform incorporates large language models from Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google, augmented by proprietary data and deep learning systems.
- App Types Built: E-commerce (12%), fintech (10%), B2B (5–6%), mental health (4–5%)
- Platform Split: 45% mobile apps, 55% websites
- Enterprise Users: Employees from Meta, PayPal, KPMG, PwC, and Times Internet
- Geographic Revenue: 26% U.S., 15–20% Europe, 10% India
Rocket.new distinguishes itself by focusing on building "serious" applications—beyond landing pages and simple sites. Many users integrate Rocket.new with platforms like Lovable or Replit to generate native mobile apps using existing backends such as Supabase.
Business Model and Future Plans
The platform offers a free trial with up to one million tokens, after which subscriptions start at $25 per month. This model is designed to attract serious developers and businesses, resulting in a reported gross margin of 50–55%, with ambitions to increase this to 60–70% soon.
With the new funding, Rocket.new plans to:
- Expand its engineering and product teams in India
- Establish a U.S. headquarters in Palo Alto
- Invest further in proprietary AI models and R&D
- Enhance its go-to-market strategies and deepen its presence in key global markets
Industry Impact
Rocket.new’s approach is resonating with product managers, solopreneurs, and front-end developers looking to accelerate app delivery and reduce the need for traditional product management. Its growth has so far been driven organically via word-of-mouth and social channels, with enterprise adoption on the rise.
Conclusion
In a rapidly evolving AI development landscape, Rocket.new’s funding and growth mark it as a startup to watch. By blending advanced AI models with practical app-building tools, the company is poised to redefine how businesses approach software creation—making advanced app development accessible with just a prompt.
