 "Peerzada Abrar")
Peerzada Abrar
Peerzada Abrar
Peerzada Abrar is a technology and business reporter at Business Standard. He covers the intersection of technology, AI, business and society, and their impact on our lives. This includes tracking top tech firms and startups. He joined Business Standard in 2019 after having worked at The Economic Times and The Hindu, where he covered the entrepreneurship ecosystem, start-ups, new technologies, venture capital, and private equity. A storyteller at heart, he is captivated by the potential of innovation to address global challenges. His narrative spans from resilient communities combating epidemics and natural disasters to groundbreaking initiatives that empower the underserved and transform humanitarian landscapes.
Peerzada Abrar is a technology and business reporter at Business Standard. He covers the intersection of technology, AI, business and society, and their impact on our lives. This includes tracking top tech firms and startups. He joined Business Standard in 2019 after having worked at The Economic Times and The Hindu, where he covered the entrepreneurship ecosystem, start-ups, new technologies, venture capital, and private equity. A storyteller at heart, he is captivated by the potential of innovation to address global challenges. His narrative spans from resilient communities combating epidemics and natural disasters to groundbreaking initiatives that empower the underserved and transform humanitarian landscapes.
Peerzada Abrar
Flipkart lays off 250-300 employees after reviewing performance
Layoffs affect roughly 2% of workforce as Walmart-backed e-commerce firm tightens operations and prepares for a potential IPO
 "Flipkart lays off 250-300 employees after reviewing performance")
Cent launches AI-led platform for early detection of cancer, heart risk
Founded by Practo's Shashank ND with Arpit Garg and Anshul Khandelwal, Cent combines advanced imaging, 120+ biomarkers and AI to detect cancer and cardiac risks before symptoms appear
 "Cent launches AI-led platform for early detection of cancer, heart risk")
Rozana raises ₹290 cr in Series B to scale rural retail across Bharat
Round led by Bertelsmann India Investments with participation from Fireside Ventures, Spark Growth Ventures, Bikaji Family Office, FE Securities
 "Rozana raises ₹290 cr in Series B to scale rural retail across Bharat")
"India missed out on chips, models but real opportunity is in applications"
Nitin Sharma, partner at venture capital firm Antler India, discusses where Indian AI startups can compete globally and why founder quality matters more than age
 "\"India missed out on chips, models but real opportunity is in applications\"")
Pronto raises $25 million to expand instant-home services across cities
Epiq Capital leads the round; Pronto's daily bookings surge to over 18,000
 "Pronto raises $25 million to expand instant-home services across cities")
SFO Tech raises ₹750 cr funding led by Trident Growth, Amicus Capital
The current capital-raise will be deployed to significantly expand manufacturing capacity over the next two years
 "SFO Tech raises ₹750 cr funding led by Trident Growth, Amicus Capital")
Amazon India announces zero-referral fees on over 125 million products
By eliminating referral fees across over 1,800 categories covering over 12.5 crore products, and reducing logistics costs, sellers can save up to 70 per cent in fees
 "Amazon India announces zero-referral fees on over 125 million products")
Groww builds AI-powered platform across trading, wealth and fixed income
The firm outlined its next phase of growth centred on building "responsible intelligence" for every kind of investor
 "Groww builds AI-powered platform across trading, wealth and fixed income")
Stride Ventures partners Saudi sovereign fund to scale global pvt credit
Stride Ventures partners with Saudi Arabia's PIF to deploy over $1 bn worldwide across venture and private credit, including $200 mn aimed at Saudi Arabia's entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem
 "Stride Ventures partners Saudi sovereign fund to scale global pvt credit")
Tattvam AI raises $1.7 million to speed up semiconductor chip design
Seedcamp-backed Tattvam AI is building a reasoning-driven AI system to automate complex semiconductor design tasks, aiming to compress multi-year development cycles into weeks
 "Tattvam AI raises $1.7 million to speed up semiconductor chip design")
MeltPlan raises $10 mn in seed funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners
Seed round led by Bessemer backs MeltPlan's AI 'planning engine' to optimise preconstruction decisions across code, cost, schedule and value systems
 "MeltPlan raises $10 mn in seed funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners")
Wootzwork raises $6.6 mn to bring predictability to offshore manufacturing
Wootzwork is scaling a new manufacturing model that gives global OEMs a single, accountable partner for complex industrial programmes across India and Southeast Asia
 "Wootzwork raises $6.6 mn to bring predictability to offshore manufacturing")
"Platforms that combine scale with sustainable unit economics will win"
Kapil Thirani, vice president for Shopsy and Flipkart Marketplace, shares insights about Flipkart's zero-commission push to capture India's value-conscious Gen Z and first-time rural shoppers
 "\"Platforms that combine scale with sustainable unit economics will win\"")
Xflow raises $16.6 mn in Series A at $85 million valuation led by GC
General Catalyst leads Xflow's $16.6 mn Series A at an $85 mn valuation, as the fintech backed by Stripe and PayPal Ventures plans expansion after a breakout year
 "Xflow raises $16.6 mn in Series A at $85 million valuation led by GC")
How Meesho's co-founder built e-commerce for price-conscious India
Sanjeev Kumar engineered AI-led systems tailored to low-end smartphones, regional languages and first-time shoppers, helping Meesho scale to 250 million annual transacting users
 "How Meesho's co-founder built e-commerce for price-conscious India")
India's single-specialty healthcare market to triple to over $12 bn by 2030
Report points to a structural shift in India's $54 billion healthcare market as focused, asset-light providers scale alongside large hospitals
 "India's single-specialty healthcare market to triple to over $12 bn by 2030")
Ather Energy narrows Q3 loss as revenue, volumes and margins improve
The electric two-wheeler maker reported record quarterly deliveries and higher revenue in Q3 FY26, helping narrow losses as operating leverage, margins and market share strengthened across regions
 "Ather Energy narrows Q3 loss as revenue, volumes and margins improve")
Budget 2026 boosts startups, MSMEs with ₹10,000 crore funds, credit push
FM Nirmala Sitharaman announced a ₹10,000 cr SME Growth Fund and additional credit and equity support for micro enterprises and startups to cushion them against global economic uncertainty
 "Budget 2026 boosts startups, MSMEs with ₹10,000 crore funds, credit push")
Meesho swings to ₹490 crore Q3 loss as costs outpace revenue growth
Recently listed e-commerce firm reports higher logistics, employee and restructuring costs in the December quarter despite strong revenue growth
 "Meesho swings to ₹490 crore Q3 loss as costs outpace revenue growth")
Swiggy revenue rises to ₹6,148 cr in Dec quarter as losses widen 33%
December-quarter revenue surged across food delivery and logistics, though aggressive spending on quick commerce widened losses year-on-year
 "Swiggy revenue rises to ₹6,148 cr in Dec quarter as losses widen 33%")