All Founder Stories

Browse our complete archive of interviews with India's most inspiring entrepreneurs.

"Blinkit for Cement": HomeRun Raises ₹60 Cr to Deliver Construction Materials in 60 Minutes
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"Blinkit for Cement": HomeRun Raises ₹60 Cr to Deliver Construction Materials in 60 Minutes

Bengaluru-based HomeRun has secured ₹60 Crore in a Series A round led by Sorin Investments to bring the 'quick commerce' revolution to the construction site. Dubbed the "Blinkit for Cement," the startup is building a hyper-local logistics network designed to deliver heavy building materials—like cement, steel, and aggregates—within just 60 minutes. This capital injection will fuel their mission to organize India's massive $90 billion construction market, solving critical pain points around project delays and inventory mismanagement for contractors.

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Stable Money Secures $25M from Peak XV to Democratize Fixed-Return Investing
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Stable Money Secures $25M from Peak XV to Democratize Fixed-Return Investing

Bengaluru-based wealthtech platform Stable Money has secured a significant $25 million investment led by Peak XV Partners, betting big on the often-overlooked power of "boring but stable" returns. While most investment apps chase the volatility of the stock market, Stable Money is carving out a unique niche by aggregating high-yield Fixed Deposits (FDs) and Bonds. This capital injection will fuel their mission to democratize access to fixed-income assets, offering risk-averse Indian investors a streamlined, transparent alternative to traditional banking channels.

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RISA Labs Raises $11.1M to Build the "AI OS" for Cancer Care
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RISA Labs Raises $11.1M to Build the "AI OS" for Cancer Care

RISA Labs has secured $11.1 million in a funding round co-led by Cencora Ventures and Optum Ventures to solve one of the deadliest delays in healthcare: administrative red tape. The Palo Alto-based startup, backed by Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal, is deploying its "Business Operating System as a Service" (BOSS) to act as an AI-driven nervous system for oncology centers. By using autonomous agents to handle complex workflows like prior authorizations and benefits verification, RISA Labs aims to drastically reduce the time between diagnosis and treatment—ensuring that life-saving care isn't stalled by paperwork.

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Emversity Secures $30M to Bridge India's Skills Gap: Backed by Premji Invest
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Emversity Secures $30M to Bridge India's Skills Gap: Backed by Premji Invest

Emversity, the edtech venture founded by former Unacademy executive Vivek Sinha, has secured a robust $30 million in Series A funding led by Premji Invest. Addressing the critical disconnect between academic degrees and industry needs, the startup partners with universities to embed specialized, 'job-ready' training modules directly into the curriculum. Initially focused on healthcare and hospitality, this fresh capital will fuel Emversity's expansion into the manufacturing sector, aiming to fix the employability pipeline for India's blue and grey-collar workforce.

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Skild AI Hits $14 Billion Valuation After Massive $1.4B Funding Round
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Skild AI Hits $14 Billion Valuation After Massive $1.4B Funding Round

In a defining moment for the robotics industry, Pittsburgh-based Skild AI has catapulted to a $14 billion valuation following a massive $1.4 billion funding round. As capital aggressively shifts from text-based generative AI to physical automation, Skild AI is leading the charge for "General Purpose Robotics." The company is building a foundational "brain" capable of adapting to any robot hardware, promising to unlock a new era where AI doesn't just chat, but actively navigates and manipulates the physical world.

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Unacademy Exits Offline Operations: Shifts to Franchise Model to Cut Burn
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Unacademy Exits Offline Operations: Shifts to Franchise Model to Cut Burn

In a major strategic pivot, SoftBank-backed edtech giant Unacademy has announced its exit from direct offline operations, opting to shut down its company-owned centers by April. Following the collapse of high-profile merger talks with upGrad, the company is doubling down on financial discipline by transitioning to an "asset-light" franchise model. This move allows Unacademy to maintain a physical presence without the heavy operational burn of leasing and managing real estate, signaling a decisive shift away from the capital-intensive expansion strategies of the past.

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Flipkart-Backed Shadowfax Sets IPO Price Band at ₹118-124
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Flipkart-Backed Shadowfax Sets IPO Price Band at ₹118-124

Logistics unicorn Shadowfax, backed by e-commerce titan Flipkart, has officially set the stage for its public market debut by fixing the price band at ₹118-124 per share. Aiming to raise ₹1,907 Crore, the company enters the bourse with a compelling narrative of financial discipline, having successfully pivoted to profitability just ahead of the listing. This IPO is poised to be a litmus test for the markets, gauging investor confidence in logistics players that have prioritized sustainable unit economics over unbridled expansion.

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Truva Raises $9M to Digitize India's Resale Housing Market
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Truva Raises $9M to Digitize India's Resale Housing Market

Proptech startup Truva has secured $9 million in a Series A funding round led by Stellaris Venture Partners and Orios Venture Partners to modernize India's chaotic resale housing market. Unlike traditional listing portals, Truva operates as a "full-stack" platform, managing the entire transaction chain—from property verification to final documentation—in high-demand metros like Mumbai and Bengaluru. The fresh capital will fuel their ambition to hit ₹1,500 Crore in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) by organizing the fragmented secondary real estate sector.

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Quick Commerce Meets Beauty: DAZZL Raises $3.2M to Deliver Blow-Dries in 10 Minutes
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Quick Commerce Meets Beauty: DAZZL Raises $3.2M to Deliver Blow-Dries in 10 Minutes

Bengaluru-based DAZZL has secured $3.2 million to bring the instant gratification of quick commerce to the beauty industry. Backed by Stellaris Venture Partners and OYO founder Ritesh Agarwal, the startup is pioneering "Q-Commerce for Services," promising to deliver professional beauty treatments like blow-dries to your doorstep in just 10 minutes. This model aims to disrupt the traditional salon visit by solving for immediacy and convenience, effectively attempting to do for personal care what Blinkit and Zepto achieved for grocery delivery.

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PumPumPum Raises ₹18 Cr to Scale 'Used Car Leasing' for India Inc.
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PumPumPum Raises ₹18 Cr to Scale 'Used Car Leasing' for India Inc.

PumPumPum has secured ₹18 Crore in a Pre-Series A round led by LC Nueva to revolutionize how corporate India travels. Moving beyond its roots as a consumer-facing used car leasing platform, the startup is using this fresh capital to pivot into a full-stack corporate mobility provider. By offering an "asset-light" leasing model, PumPumPum allows companies to offer cars to employees as a retention tool without the heavy balance sheet burden of owning a fleet, effectively turning vehicle ownership into a flexible, service-based utility for the enterprise sector.

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Neeman's Secures $4M Series B2: Stepping Up the Offline Game
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Neeman's Secures $4M Series B2: Stepping Up the Offline Game

Hyderabad-based sustainable footwear brand Neeman's has successfully closed its Series B2 funding round, securing approximately ₹35.5 Crore ($4 million). Famous for disrupting the market with its Merino Wool shoes, the D2C pioneer is now aggressively pivoting towards a robust omnichannel strategy. This fresh capital is earmarked for expanding its physical retail footprint across key Indian cities, a critical move designed to bridge the online-offline gap and propel the company toward its ambitious ₹500 Crore revenue milestone.

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Beyond the Hospital: Sukino Raises $31M to Redefine Post-Acute Care in India
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Beyond the Hospital: Sukino Raises $31M to Redefine Post-Acute Care in India

Sukino Healthcare has secured a substantial $31 million investment to transform the often-overlooked post-acute care segment in India. With backing from heavyweights like Bessemer Venture Partners and Zerodha's Rainmatter, the profitable startup is capitalizing on the exploding demand for "step-down" facilities—bridging the critical gap between hospital discharge and home recovery. This fresh capital will fuel an aggressive expansion strategy, aiming to triple its footprint of rehabilitation centers and home-care services to manage chronic ailments and post-operative recovery outside traditional hospital settings.

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Dharana Capital Secures $250M Fund II to Back 'Missionary Founders'
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Dharana Capital Secures $250M Fund II to Back 'Missionary Founders'

Dharana Capital has successfully closed its second fund at $250 million, elevating its total assets under management to a robust $450 million. Backed by prestigious US endowments and major health systems, this fresh capital injection serves as a definitive vote of confidence in the Indian market from global institutional investors. The firm is now poised to double down on its thesis of backing "missionary founders"—entrepreneurs driven by deep purpose rather than quick exits—to navigate and define India's next transformative growth cycle.

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Bluecopa Raises $7.5M to Automate the CFO's Office with AI
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Bluecopa Raises $7.5M to Automate the CFO's Office with AI

Bluecopa has successfully raised $7.5 million in a Series A round led by Analog Capital Partners to modernize the 'Office of the CFO.' The platform leverages AI to automate the tedious, manual workflows that plague finance teams—specifically targeting the chaotic 'End-of-Month' reconciliation cycle. By unifying data across disparate systems, Bluecopa empowers finance leaders to shift focus from data gathering to real-time strategic decision-making.

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Ex-AWS Execs Raise $4.6M to Build Aivar: The 'AI-First' Alternative to Traditional IT
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Ex-AWS Execs Raise $4.6M to Build Aivar: The 'AI-First' Alternative to Traditional IT

Aivar, a new contender founded by former AWS executives, has successfully raised $4.6 million in Seed funding to challenge traditional IT service models. Backed by Sorin Investments and Bessemer Venture Partners, the startup is pioneering an "AI-First" approach to enterprise software. By blending bespoke AI development with a library of reusable, "Lego-block" components, Aivar aims to drastically reduce the time and cost of digital transformation, offering a scalable alternative to the slow, labor-intensive cycles typical of legacy IT consultancies.

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Namma Yatri Goes Corporate: Partners with OneBanc to Fix Office Commutes
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Namma Yatri Goes Corporate: Partners with OneBanc to Fix Office Commutes

Namma Yatri is expanding beyond consumer rides by joining forces with fintech player OneBanc to disrupt the corporate mobility sector. This strategic partnership leverages Namma Yatri's open-network, zero-commission framework to solve the chaotic office commute puzzle. By integrating OneBanc's automated compliance and payment rails, the initiative promises enterprises predictable, transparent pricing while ensuring drivers retain their full earnings—marking a significant shift in how Indian companies manage employee transportation.

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Game, Set, Merger: PadelPark Joins Forces with MS Dhoni's 7Padel
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Game, Set, Merger: PadelPark Joins Forces with MS Dhoni's 7Padel

The burgeoning Indian Padel landscape has witnessed its first major consolidation as PadelPark officially merges with 7Padel to create a racket sports powerhouse. This strategic union combines the operational expertise of PadelPark with the massive star power and corporate backing of cricketing legend MS Dhoni and JSW Sports scion Parth Jindal. Together, the merged entity is poised to dominate the market, accelerating the construction of courts and the grassroots adoption of what is currently touted as the world's fastest-growing sport.

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Arrowhead Raises $3M Seed to Replace Fintech Call Centers with AI Agents
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Arrowhead Raises $3M Seed to Replace Fintech Call Centers with AI Agents

Bengaluru-based Arrowhead has emerged from stealth with a $3 million Seed funding round led by Stellaris Venture Partners, with strategic backing from CRED founder Kunal Shah. The startup is targeting the massive operational inefficiencies in fintech by deploying advanced voice AI agents designed to replace traditional human call centers. Unlike standard chatbots restricted to customer support, Arrowhead’s "Agentic AI" is engineered specifically for revenue-critical tasks—such as sales and debt collections—promising to automate high-stakes interactions with human-like fluency and precision.

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Zepto Declares Independence from PhonePe & GPay with Native UPI Launch
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Zepto Declares Independence from PhonePe & GPay with Native UPI Launch

Quick commerce unicorn Zepto is making a strategic power play to reduce its reliance on external payment giants like PhonePe and Google Pay by launching its own native UPI layer. As the company gears up for a massive ₹11,000 Crore IPO, it is actively adopting the "fintech-embedded" playbook popularized by rivals Swiggy and Zomato. This move is designed to do more than just speed up checkout; by owning the payment stack, Zepto aims to slash transaction failure rates and significantly cut down on gateway fees, directly improving its unit economics right before hitting the public markets.

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Data as the New Fuel: Why CARS24 Spent ₹118 Cr to Acquire CarInfo
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Data as the New Fuel: Why CARS24 Spent ₹118 Cr to Acquire CarInfo

CARS24 is shifting gears from a purely transactional model to an engagement-first strategy with its ₹118 Crore acquisition of the bootstrapped RTO powerhouse, CarInfo. While competitors fight for the moment of sale, CARS24 is playing the long game by acquiring a high-frequency utility app that owners use for challans, insurance, and RTO details. This strategic bet allows the unicorn to build a massive "data moat," capturing potential sellers earlier in their lifecycle and drastically reducing customer acquisition costs in the cutthroat used-car market.

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Even Healthcare Raises $20M to Build the 'Kaiser Permanente' of India
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Even Healthcare Raises $20M to Build the 'Kaiser Permanente' of India

Managed care pioneer Even Healthcare has secured $20 million in a fresh funding round to execute a bold strategic pivot: moving from digital subscriptions to owning physical infrastructure. By deploying this capital to build and operate its own hospitals, the company aims to replicate the vertically integrated 'Kaiser Permanente' model in India. This move allows Even to control the entire patient journey—from insurance to treatment—thereby "closing the loop" on full-stack healthcare to ensure quality and control costs.

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End of an Era: Saurabh Dwivedi Steps Down as Editor of The Lallantop
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End of an Era: Saurabh Dwivedi Steps Down as Editor of The Lallantop

In a seismic shift for India's digital news landscape, Saurabh Dwivedi has officially stepped down as the Editor of The Lallantop, the platform he built from the ground up under the India Today Group. As the charismatic face who redefined Hindi journalism with his conversational style, Dwivedi’s departure marks the end of a defining chapter for the media giant. His exit has triggered widespread speculation regarding his next move and has reignited the intense industry debate on the "Creator vs. Institution" dynamic, as star journalists increasingly outgrow the legacy media houses that hosted them.

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MOM & Gimi Gimi Parent 'Alimento Agro' Raises ₹52 Cr Series A led by IvyCap Ventures
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MOM & Gimi Gimi Parent 'Alimento Agro' Raises ₹52 Cr Series A led by IvyCap Ventures

Kolkata-based Alimento Agro, the parent company behind the fast-growing instant food brands MOM and Gimi Gimi, has successfully raised ₹52 Crore in a Series A funding round led by IvyCap Ventures. This marks the company's first institutional capital injection, fueling its mission to capitalize on India's booming demand for convenience foods and the rising "K-Culture" culinary wave. The funds will be deployed to aggressively scale manufacturing infrastructure and deepen the brand's distribution footprint across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities.

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Zappfresh Acquires 51% Stake in Avyom Foodtech to Crack the 'Ready-to-Cook' Market
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Zappfresh Acquires 51% Stake in Avyom Foodtech to Crack the 'Ready-to-Cook' Market

Zappfresh, a prominent player listed on the BSE SME platform, is making a decisive pivot in its business strategy by acquiring a controlling 51% stake in Avyom Foodtech for ₹7.5 Crore. This deal, which effectively integrates the processing capabilities of Ambrozia Frozen Foods, signals Zappfresh's aggressive expansion into the high-margin 'Ready-to-Cook' segment. By evolving from a pure-play raw meat delivery service into a provider of value-added meal solutions, the company aims to capture a larger share of India's convenience-seeking consumer base while aiming for better unit economics.

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Knight FinTech Secures $23.6M to Build the 'Operating System' for India's Lenders
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Knight FinTech Secures $23.6M to Build the 'Operating System' for India's Lenders

Knight FinTech has successfully raised $23.6 million in a Series B round led by global venture capital firm Accel. This funding serves as a powerful validation of the startup's core mission: to modernize the antiquated "plumbing" of India's banking sector. By positioning itself as the critical operating system for lenders, Knight FinTech aims to move beyond simple capital disbursement and focus on upgrading the underlying infrastructure that powers financial institutions across the country.

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The $15 Billion Behemoth: PhonePe Files for India's Largest Fintech IPO
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The $15 Billion Behemoth: PhonePe Files for India's Largest Fintech IPO

PhonePe, the undisputed heavyweight of India's UPI revolution, has officially filed papers for what promises to be the country's largest fintech IPO, targeting a staggering $15 billion valuation. Founders Sameer Nigam and Rahul Chari, who successfully engineered the de facto operating system for India's digital economy, are now ready to transition from private dominance to public scrutiny. This historic listing not only cements their market leadership but also offers retail investors a rare chance to own a piece of the platform that powers billions of daily transactions across the nation

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The Rise of "Vibe Coding": Emergent Hits $25M ARR in 5 Months
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The Rise of "Vibe Coding": Emergent Hits $25M ARR in 5 Months

In a stunning display of product-market fit, Indian startup Emergent has skyrocketed to $25 million in Annual Recurring Revenue within just five months of launch. Backed by Google's prestigious AI Futures Fund, the company is pioneering the "Vibe Coding" movement—a paradigm shift that empowers non-technical founders to build complex, production-ready applications simply by interacting naturally with AI agents, effectively democratizing software creation for the masses

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The Profitable Exception: Deconstructing PhysicsWallah's ₹72 Cr Q2 Windfall
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The Profitable Exception: Deconstructing PhysicsWallah's ₹72 Cr Q2 Windfall

While the broader edtech sector grapples with mounting losses and consolidation, PhysicsWallah has emerged as a rare outlier of profitability. Riding high on founder Alakh Pandey's "Bharat-First" mission to democratize education, the company reported a remarkable ₹72 Crore profit in Q2, marking a 62% year-on-year jump. This deep-dive analysis unpacks the operational efficiencies and hybrid learning models that allowed PW to defy market trends and deliver sustainable growth where others failed.

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The ₹1,289 Cr Dream: Wakefit IPO Opens for Subscription
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The ₹1,289 Cr Dream: Wakefit IPO Opens for Subscription

Direct-to-consumer unicorn Wakefit has officially opened its doors to public investors with a ₹1,289 Crore IPO, marking a major milestone for the Bengaluru-based sleep solutions brand. Founders Ankit Garg and Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, who famously disrupted the market with viral campaigns like the 'Sleep Internship,' are now taking their omnichannel strategy to the next level. This public listing not only validates their 'sleep-first' philosophy but also signals a maturing D2C ecosystem in India as the company aims to capture a larger slice of the unorganized home and furniture market.

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The Rental Comeback: Furlenco Raises ₹125 Cr
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The Rental Comeback: Furlenco Raises ₹125 Cr

Bengaluru-based furniture rental pioneer Furlenco is staging a significant comeback, securing a fresh ₹125 Crore investment from industry giant Sheela Foam, the makers of Sleepwell. As the subscription economy matures, this strategic backing signals renewed confidence in the rental model, empowering Furlenco to scale its operations and further redefine how urban India accesses quality home furnishings.

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The 32X Frenzy: Inside Meesho's Blockbuster Anchor Book
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The 32X Frenzy: Inside Meesho's Blockbuster Anchor Book

Meesho has set a new benchmark for Indian IPOs with its anchor book witnessing an unprecedented frenzy. The allotment was oversubscribed by a staggering 32 times, drawing in bids worth a colossal ₹80,000 Crore from global financial titans including BlackRock and Fidelity. This massive institutional appetite underscores strong investor confidence in the soft-commerce unicorn, setting a bullish tone for what promises to be one of the most anticipated e-commerce listings in India’s history.

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Gamifying the Bull Run: StockGro Raises ₹150 Cr
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Gamifying the Bull Run: StockGro Raises ₹150 Cr

Bengaluru-based StockGro, famously known as the 'Instagram for Investors,' has secured ₹150 Crore in Series B funding to revolutionize retail investing. By blending social networking with stock market education, the startup aims to use this fresh capital to scale its gamified trading platform and empower a new generation of traders to navigate the markets with confidence.

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The IPO Countdown Begins: Zepto Becomes a Public Entity
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The IPO Countdown Begins: Zepto Becomes a Public Entity

In a pivotal step toward its highly anticipated market debut, Zepto has officially converted its status from a private limited company to a public limited entity. This regulatory milestone signals that the countdown to a 2026 IPO has begun in earnest, as India’s fastest-growing quick commerce unicorn restructures its board and governance to prepare for the scrutiny and scale of the public markets.

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Building India's Brain: Inside Sarvam AI's $100M Sovereign AI Bet
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Building India's Brain: Inside Sarvam AI's $100M Sovereign AI Bet

Sarvam AI is spearheading the charge for "sovereign AI" in India with a massive $100 million funding round led by global heavyweights Lightspeed and Khosla Ventures. Founded by visionary IIT Madras alumni, the startup is going beyond simple application layers to build a comprehensive, full-stack Generative AI platform specifically tailored for India's linguistic diversity. This high-stakes bet aims to democratize technology for the "next billion users," positioning Sarvam as a foundational pillar in India's rapidly evolving deep-tech ecosystem.

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The Return of the First Unicorn: InMobi Secures $350M War Chest
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The Return of the First Unicorn: InMobi Secures $350M War Chest

InMobi, celebrated as India’s first-ever unicorn, is setting the stage for a historic market debut with a fresh $350 million capital injection. Founder Naveen Tewari is utilizing this substantial pre-IPO debt round to strategically restructure the company's cap table, optimizing ownership ahead of a planned 2026 listing. This aggressive financial maneuver underscores InMobi's determination to streamline operations and maximize value as it prepares to transition from a veteran startup to a publicly traded technology powerhouse.

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The Consolidation Game: Why UGRO Capital's ₹1,400 Cr Bet Changes Everything
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The Consolidation Game: Why UGRO Capital's ₹1,400 Cr Bet Changes Everything

UGRO Capital is redefining the rules of the MSME lending game with a strategic ₹1,400 Crore acquisition that goes far beyond a simple asset purchase. Under the guidance of Shachindra Nath, the company is pivoting away from the industry's traditional "growth at all costs" mantra. Instead, this calculated move prioritizes "secured stability," allowing UGRO to fortify its balance sheet and signal a mature, long-term approach to scaling within India's competitive non-banking financial sector.

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Level Up: Nazara Buys UK’s Fusebox Games for ₹234 Cr
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Level Up: Nazara Buys UK’s Fusebox Games for ₹234 Cr

India’s listed gaming heavyweight, Nazara Technologies, is aggressively expanding its international footprint with the ₹234 Crore acquisition of UK-based Fusebox Games. Best known for its chart-topping Love Island titles, Fusebox adds a powerful engine for interactive fiction to Nazara's arsenal. This strategic all-cash deal is designed to accelerate Nazara’s penetration into developed markets like the US and UK while capitalizing on the high-engagement nature of narrative-driven mobile gaming.

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