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.
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One in three Indians duped by festive scams as AI, deepfake frauds surge
Nearly one in three Indians has faced festive season fraud as AI-powered scams, deepfake celebrity endorsements, and phishing cons target Diwali shoppers
 "One in three Indians duped by festive scams as AI, deepfake frauds surge")
Eyewear major Lenskart unveils smart glasses with UPI payments ahead of IPO
Planned for launch over the next few months, the Lenskart B Camera Smartglasses integrate advanced eyewear design with operational convenience
 "Eyewear major Lenskart unveils smart glasses with UPI payments ahead of IPO")
Myntra adds 2 million new shoppers as non-metros power festive sale
Ethnic wear, beauty, and sportswear drive growth as smaller cities account for 70% of orders during Myntra's Big Fashion Festival, reflecting strong festive sentiment
 "Myntra adds 2 million new shoppers as non-metros power festive sale")
AI-first FMCG startup Meolaa raises $6 mn in pre-Series A funding
The Bengaluru-based startup plans to deploy funds into AI infrastructure, brand expansion and supply chain agility to compress FMCG product cycles from years to months
 "AI-first FMCG startup Meolaa raises $6 mn in pre-Series A funding")
Amazon Pay India revenue drops 7% in FY25 amid festive surge in usage
Despite ₹866-crore loss, platform sees strong consumer adoption during Great Indian Festival
 "Amazon Pay India revenue drops 7% in FY25 amid festive surge in usage")
Sebi nod for Lenskart, Wakefit IPOs marks strong startup pipeline
Lenskart to raise ₹2,150 crore in fresh equity while Wakefit plans a ₹468-crore issue to fund new stores, marketing and capital expenditure
 "Sebi nod for Lenskart, Wakefit IPOs marks strong startup pipeline")
Ola Electric's ferrite motor gets nod, cuts rare-earth dependence
India's largest EV maker secures certification for a ferrite motor that removes rare-earth magnets, tackling cost and supply-chain challenges in electric mobility
 "Ola Electric's ferrite motor gets nod, cuts rare-earth dependence")
As battleground tactics shift, startup Unmannd bets on autonomous drones
Company develops AI-powered platforms as recent conflicts expose vulnerabilities of traditional defence systems to drone swarms
 "As battleground tactics shift, startup Unmannd bets on autonomous drones")
Meesho's sale draws 2.06 bn visits, signals surge in Bharat e-commerce
Shoppers spend 117 mn hours; prepaid orders up 57%, seller count and Tier-4 growth soar ahead of Diwali
 "Meesho's sale draws 2.06 bn visits, signals surge in Bharat e-commerce")
Sellers passed on over ₹100 cr in GST relief to customers: Amazon India
The performance comes as recent GST reforms reduced rates on appliances and electronics, enabling sellers on Amazon to pass through over ₹100 crore in savings to customers
 "Sellers passed on over ₹100 cr in GST relief to customers: Amazon India")
E-commerce giants pass on ₹300 crore tax cuts to festival shoppers
Amazon and Flipkart channelled over Rs 300 crore in GST savings to festive shoppers as sellers adopted new tax rates, boosting demand for appliances and electronics
 "E-commerce giants pass on ₹300 crore tax cuts to festival shoppers")
GST cut drives ecom infra push in smaller cities amid quick delivery boom
Platforms expand infrastructure to smaller cities as GST reforms and instant delivery reshape retail landscape.
 "GST cut drives ecom infra push in smaller cities amid quick delivery boom")
Amazon Fresh expands to 270+ cities in India, adds tier-2 and tier-3 towns
Amazon Fresh has expanded its reach to more than 270 cities across India, including tier-2 and tier-3 towns, with 40,000 products and partnerships with 13,000 farmers
 "Amazon Fresh expands to 270+ cities in India, adds tier-2 and tier-3 towns")
Licious expands 30-minute meat delivery to 60% of its customer base
Licious expands express delivery, boosts hubs by 40% and taps India's $55 bn protein market, aligning with rising consumer demand for on-demand fresh meat and seafood
 "Licious expands 30-minute meat delivery to 60% of its customer base")
Curefoods secures ₹160 crore pre-IPO placement from 3State Ventures
Curefoods allots 12.8 million equity shares at Rs 124 each to Binny Bansal's 3State Ventures in a pre-IPO placement, ahead of its Rs 800 crore fresh issue and OFS under SEBI norms
 "Curefoods secures ₹160 crore pre-IPO placement from 3State Ventures")
Amazon festival sale clocks record 380 million visits in 48 hours
Amazon's Great Indian Festival saw 380 million visits in 48 hours, led by tier 2-3 demand, GST savings, premium product sales and record participation from SMB sellers
 "Amazon festival sale clocks record 380 million visits in 48 hours")
Lightspeed leads $23 mn funding in Emergent AI app-building platform
AI startup Emergent raises $23 million Series A led by Lightspeed as platform hits $15 million ARR in 90 days with 1.5 million apps built from natural language prompts
 "Lightspeed leads $23 mn funding in Emergent AI app-building platform")
Flipkart reports 21% rise in user visits during Big Billion Days sale
Flipkart's Big Billion Days sale recorded 21 per cent growth in visits, 26 per cent surge in premium demand and strong Cleartrip bookings as festive shopping gained pace
 "Flipkart reports 21% rise in user visits during Big Billion Days sale")
Meesho, Shopsy see festive sales boom as smaller cities drive demand
Meesho recorded 240 million visits and Shopsy saw 70% of orders from tier-3 towns as India's festive e-commerce battle shifts to smaller cities and value shoppers
 "Meesho, Shopsy see festive sales boom as smaller cities drive demand")
Flipkart, Amazon race in premium ecommerce with iPhones, fast delivery
Flipkart, Amazon and Bigbasket reported record festive sales of iPhones and premium devices, with fast deliveries and GST reforms boosting growth in metros and Tier-II cities