New Delhi, June 23 (TIWN) Leading "chai" (tea) cafe chain Chaayos on Thursday announced it has raised $53 million in Series C funding led by Alpha Wave Ventures. The company said it will use the money for tech-enhancement, hiring and store expansion.

Founded in 2012 by Nitin Saluja and Raghav Verma, Chaayos runs 190 stores across six cities and plans to add 100 more by the end of this year.  "The latest capital raise will help us deepen our technology investments to further enhance our guest experience and build a ubiquitous brand that is an integral part of Indian society over decades to come," said Saluja, Founder and CEO.