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Rocket.new Secures $15 Million to Redefine AI-Driven App Development

Overview Of Rocket.new’s Bold Mission

Indian startup Rocket.new, an innovative force in AI-powered app development, has successfully raised $15 million in a seed funding round led by Salesforce Ventures. The funding round, which saw participation from Accel and Together Fund, marks a significant step forward as Rocket.new challenges competitors like Lovable, Cursor, and Bolt. By offering a platform that creates full, production-ready applications through natural-language prompts, Rocket.new is moving beyond the rapid prototyping that has characterized the current wave of vibe-coding tools.

Impressive Growth And Market Traction

Since its beta launch in June, the platform has grown its user base to over 400,000 individuals across 180 countries, including more than 10,000 paying subscribers. With annual recurring revenue already at $4.5 million, CEO Vishal Virani has set ambitious targets—projecting $20–$25 million by the end of the year and reaching $60–$70 million by June next year. These rapid achievements underscore the platform’s potential, drawing the attention of leading companies such as Meta, PayPal, KPMG, PwC, and Times Internet.

Innovative Architecture And Superior User Experience

The Rocket.new platform distinguishes itself by integrating large language models from Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google’s Gemini with its own deep learning systems. Leveraging proprietary datasets from its previous venture DhiWise, Rocket.new has built an architecture that offers a comprehensive solution for production-ready applications. Although initial app generation takes approximately 25 minutes—longer than some competitors—the platform’s robust output is designed to include all essential modules, delivering a superior user experience that appeals to serious application developers.

Strategic Funding And Future Growth

Founder and CEO Vishal Virani, along with co-founders Rahul Shingala and Deepak Dhanak, have positioned Rocket.new to spearhead a shift in how organizations approach app development. The startup aims to develop a full-fledged agentic system capable not only of building apps and websites but also of conducting competitive research and product development, potentially eliminating the need for traditional product management roles. With around 58 team members based out of Surat—and plans to double its engineering and product staff in India—the company is set to broaden its presence, especially in pivotal markets like the U.S., where it has already secured 26% of its revenue.

Monetization Strategy And Global Reach

The company employs a freemium model, offering a free trial capped at one million tokens, with continued access available through monthly subscriptions starting at $25 for five million tokens. This pricing structure is designed to foster enterprise-level usage while maintaining healthy gross margins, with ambitions to improve these figures further in the coming months.

Conclusion

Rocket.new’s fresh infusion of capital, impressive early traction, and strategic market positioning not only set it apart from its rivals but also signal a significant evolution in AI-assisted app development. As it prepares to refine its go-to-market strategies and invest further in proprietary R&D, Rocket.new is poised to become a cornerstone platform for organizations seeking to harness artificial intelligence for production-grade applications.

EU Adopts New Package Travel Rules With 14-Day Refund Requirement

The Council of the European Union adopted updated rules on package travel, introducing stricter requirements for refunds, transparency and consumer protection across member states. Updated provisions revise the existing directive and define obligations for travel providers offering bundled services such as flights, accommodation and transfers.

Clarifying The Package Travel Directive

The updated directive clarifies the definition of package travel and excludes certain linked travel arrangements from its scope. Coverage applies to services sold as a single product, including combinations of transport, accommodation and additional services. This revision standardizes how travel products are classified and clarifies rights and obligations for both providers and consumers at the point of purchase.

Enhancing Transparency And Consumer Rights

New rules require providers to disclose key information before and during travel, including payment terms, visa requirements, accessibility conditions and cancellation policies. These disclosures aim to reduce disputes and improve consumer awareness. Defined refund timelines include a 14-day period for cancellations due to extraordinary circumstances and up to six months in cases of organiser insolvency. The measures address gaps identified in earlier versions of the directive.

Ensuring Accountability And Trust In Travel Services

Organisers must implement complaint-handling systems and provide clear information on insolvency protection under the updated framework. These provisions aim to improve accountability across the travel sector. Previous disruptions, including the collapse of Thomas Cook and travel restrictions during COVID-19, exposed weaknesses in refund processes and consumer protection. Updated rules respond to those issues.

Implications For Cyprus And The Broader Industry

Tourism accounts for approximately 14% of Cyprus’s GDP, with package travel playing a central role in visitor flows. Major operators such as TUI and Jet2 provide structured travel offerings that support demand. Such operators contribute to revenue stability and help extend the tourism season by securing transport and accommodation in advance. Greater regulatory clarity may support continued sector growth.

A Model For Future Consumer Protection

Clearer rules on vouchers, refunds and insolvency protection now apply across the European Union. These measures aim to reduce consumer risk in cross-border travel. Implementation across member states will determine the impact on both consumers and travel providers. The framework may influence future regulatory approaches in the sector.

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