 "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 deal helps Netflix log record quarterly subscriber gains in India
Netflix reported record quarterly paid subscriber additions in India and 18 per cent revenue growth in Q3 2026, aided by its transaction-based loyalty partnership with Flipkart
 "Flipkart deal helps Netflix log record quarterly subscriber gains in India")
Meesho's branded push reaches deeper into small-town India as demand grows
Meesho Mall's net merchandise value rose 93% year-on-year in the June quarter, while orders on the first day of its festive sale more than tripled as branded products gain traction in smaller towns
 "Meesho's branded push reaches deeper into small-town India as demand grows")
Swiggy Q2 net loss narrows 15.6% to ₹922 crore, revenue rises 36%
Swiggy's food delivery adjusted EBITDA rose ₹101 crore year-on-year to ₹341 crore in Q2FY27, while Instamart's gross order value grew 16.7 per cent sequentially to ₹9,230 crore.
 "Swiggy Q2 net loss narrows 15.6% to ₹922 crore, revenue rises 36%")
PharmEasy veterans raise ₹63 cr for home and kitchen startup Chapter Home
Backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, Stride Ventures and Tanmay Bhat, the company was valued at nearly Rs 1,000 crore and plans to expand categories and omnichannel distribution
 "PharmEasy veterans raise ₹63 cr for home and kitchen startup Chapter Home")
Flipkart's Big Billion Days draws 9 in 10 shoppers as orders rise 20-22%
Flipkart's 11-day festive sale saw orders, units and buyers rise 20-22% year-on-year, with nearly half of buyers from Gen Z and about 60% from Tier 2-plus cities
 "Flipkart's Big Billion Days draws 9 in 10 shoppers as orders rise 20-22%")
Zetwerk heads for stock market debut as alumni build manufacturing startups
Ventures founded by former Zetwerk executives are borrowing the company's playbook of orchestrating factories rather than owning them, attracting over $130 million in funding
 "Zetwerk heads for stock market debut as alumni build manufacturing startups")
Small-town shoppers drive strong start to India's festival online sales
Flipkart, Amazon and Meesho see strong demand from smaller towns and first-time buyers, while quick commerce and food delivery record limited festive gains, a BofA report finds
 "Small-town shoppers drive strong start to India's festival online sales")
Tonbo Imaging India IPO subscribed nearly 136 times, led by QIB demand
The issue drew 55,24,267 applications, according to Chittorgarh data, with qualified institutional buyers subscribing 293.56 times and non-institutional investors 170.94 times
 "Tonbo Imaging India IPO subscribed nearly 136 times, led by QIB demand")
Gen Z drives growth in India's online beauty market: Myntra report
Gen Z shoppers are spending more on beauty, embracing premium minis and driving demand beyond metros, while sunscreen and K-Beauty searches surge, according to a Myntra report
 "Gen Z drives growth in India's online beauty market: Myntra report")
Moneyview's first backer eyes India's next 500 million borrowers after IPO
Accel's Subrata Mitra backed the digital lender at a $6 million valuation in 2014. It listed this month at a market value of about $1.01 billion
 "Moneyview's first backer eyes India's next 500 million borrowers after IPO")
Even Healthcare raises $50 mn in Khosla Ventures-led Series B funding
The managed care company plans to open five hospitals across Bengaluru over the next six months as its valuation triples from its previous fundraise, taking total funding past $120 million.
 "Even Healthcare raises $50 mn in Khosla Ventures-led Series B funding")
India is shaping how OpenAI builds products, says CTO Vijaye Raji
Applications chief Vijaye Raji says the company is building Hindi voices and courting Indian developers and enterprises
 "India is shaping how OpenAI builds products, says CTO Vijaye Raji")
OfBusiness's AI-powered BidAssist expands reach beyond India's big cities
More than 60% of BidAssist's 1.7 million users are in Tier-II and Tier-III cities. The AI-powered platform tracks over 50,000 live tenders daily to help SMEs identify orders and assess bids
 "OfBusiness's AI-powered BidAssist expands reach beyond India's big cities")
Tonbo Imaging IPO subscribed 4 times on Day 1, led by strong NII demand
The defence electronics maker's ₹852 crore offer attracted strong demand across investor categories, while secondary share deals valued the Bengaluru-based firm at ₹4,000 crore
 "Tonbo Imaging IPO subscribed 4 times on Day 1, led by strong NII demand")
Flipkart narrows FY26 losses as revenue rises 18%, margins improve
Walmart-backed e-commerce company reports group results under Flipkart Internet after its move to India
 "Flipkart narrows FY26 losses as revenue rises 18%, margins improve")
Prosus Ventures leads $1.5 million funding in space startup Cosmochute
Cosmochute is developing its LEAP lunar mobility platform to support payload transportation and deployment on the Moon, with funding aimed at accelerating development and hiring.
 "Prosus Ventures leads $1.5 million funding in space startup Cosmochute")
Construction-robot startup Origin raises $20 mn to automate interior work
Accel and Zacua Ventures co-led the funding round, which will help Origin scale deployment of its OG-1 robot, expand its fleet and run customer pilots in overseas markets
 "Construction-robot startup Origin raises $20 mn to automate interior work")
Myntra customer base grows 30% in 2026, eyes 100 million monthly users
The fashion platform's Big Fashion Festival opened with four times its usual demand, with smaller cities accounting for more than half of first-day orders
 "Myntra customer base grows 30% in 2026, eyes 100 million monthly users")
Circle raises ₹25 crore from Nexus to expand pre-owned marketplace
The startup plans to expand beyond Bengaluru and invest in AI, verification and logistics after facilitating ₹25 crore in sales in its first year
 "Circle raises ₹25 crore from Nexus to expand pre-owned marketplace")
Shoes that grow with kids: Aretto eyes Rs 100 crore revenue by FY27
The children's footwear brand, backed by Peak XV Surge and Veltis Capital, plans to cross 100 retail touchpoints and expand internationally while exploring adult footwear using its patented technology
 "Shoes that grow with kids: Aretto eyes Rs 100 crore revenue by FY27")