Nia.one, a full-stack platform for India’s gig and blue-collar workforce, has raised $2.4 million in its seed funding round from Elevar Equity.
The funds raised will be used to scale its Niadel hubs across key corridors in NCR, Bengaluru, and Pune. The funds will also be used to deepen Rafiki’s proprietary technology stack, standardise a replicable operating playbook for hub expansion and strengthen its team. The capital will also enable Nia.one to expand from over 3,000 gig workers today to more than 8,000 in the coming quarters.
Founded in August 2024 by Sachin Chhabra and Lt Col Pushkar Raj (Retd), Nia.one (Umoja Marketplace Technologies) is a full-stack migration infrastructure platform for gig and blue-collar workers. It combines jobs (Flow), essential services and housing (Studio), community and outcomes (Tribe), and an AI-led guide (Rafiki) into Niadel hubs located within walking distance of major work sites.
Nia.one provides stability by improving worker retention, increasing savings, and delivering reliable manpower to enterprises across logistics, e-commerce, manufacturing, and services.
Nia.one currently operates across 50+ cities, serving over 3,000 gig-workers, with retention rates exceeding 80% – more than double the industry average of 40%.
Sachin Chhabra, Founder and CEO, Nia.one, said, “Infrastructure for migrant workers has been treated as an afterthought for too long. We’ve proven the model works with 80%+ retention and unit economics that improve with scale. Our focus now is to prove, city by city, that a network of Niadels can deliver better lives for workers and stronger economics for enterprises. With Elevar on board, we are set up to build what lasts, not just what trends, a trusted home for India’s migrating workforce.”
Lt Col Pushkar Raj (Retd), Co-Founder and COO, Nia.one, said, “At Nia.one, we are building the missing physical layer between the road and the rented bed. Every Niadel hub is designed so that a worker can walk to work, return to a safe, affordable bed, access hot meals, and upgrade their life without debt traps or brokers. Elevar’s partnership strengthens our ability to build this infrastructure with discipline, speed, and long-term intent.”
Jyotsna Krishnan, Managing Partner, Elevar Equity and Co-founder and CEO, EPIC World, said, “Most platforms see gig workers as transactions; Nia.one sees them as entrepreneurial workers needing infrastructure. By placing workers at the center – solving for where they live, what they eat, and how they work – Nia.One has built a model where worker wellbeing directly drives business performance. It’s a bold and fresh approach to this segment and we are excited about the potential it holds.”
