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 its 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. There, he covered the entrepreneurship ecosystem, including startups, 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 its 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. There, he covered the entrepreneurship ecosystem, including startups, 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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TVS Capital revamps board to boost focus on India's $10 trn growth path
Firm appoints three independent directors, including veterans from banking and consumer sectors, as it sharpens sectoral strategy and reinforces governance across portfolio companies
 "TVS Capital revamps board to boost focus on India's $10 trn growth path")
Krutrim looks to go beyond chatbots with 'first of its kind' Kruti
India's first agentic AI, Kruti, launched by Bhavish Aggarwal's Krutrim, can book cabs, pay bills, generate images and support 13 Indian languages using a localised LLM
 "Krutrim looks to go beyond chatbots with 'first of its kind' Kruti")
Fireflies hits $1 bn valuation, adds real-time search with Perplexity
Voice assistant expands features with Perplexity tie-up as Fireflies crosses $1 bn valuation and sees sharp growth in enterprise AI-powered meeting productivity tools
 "Fireflies hits $1 bn valuation, adds real-time search with Perplexity")
Rapido pilots food delivery in Bengaluru; analysts see limited impact
Rapido's entry into food delivery comes with low take rates and scale ambitions, but Bernstein sees limited disruption to Zomato and Swiggy's duopoly in the near term
 "Rapido pilots food delivery in Bengaluru; analysts see limited impact")
Flipkart CEO joins delivery run as firm scales quick-commerce push
Flipkart expands its Minutes unit with a fresh produce strategy, dark store rollout and tier-2, tier-3 penetration to compete with Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart
 "Flipkart CEO joins delivery run as firm scales quick-commerce push")
Cred's valuation slump signals caution for India's fintech companies
The sharp markdown despite backing from existing investors reflects growing investor caution and a broader recalibration in the Indian fintech and credit-led ecosystem
 "Cred's valuation slump signals caution for India's fintech companies")
Stride Ventures lends Rs 85 crore to Wow! Momo for national expansion
Backed by strong unit economics and omnichannel momentum, Wow! Momo plans to enter 100+ cities and scale its store network to over 1,500 in the next three years
 "Stride Ventures lends Rs 85 crore to Wow! Momo for national expansion")
Free run to bumpy ride: Ola Electric faces challenges on road to future
Unlike services, Ola's foray into product manufacturing comes with a different set of expectations
 "Free run to bumpy ride: Ola Electric faces challenges on road to future")
NCLAT dismisses appeal by Think & Learn RP in Aakash shareholding row
NCLAT refuses to interfere with interim order in Aakash shareholding case, saying it was consensual and interlocutory; matter returns to NCLT Bengaluru for hearing
 "NCLAT dismisses appeal by Think & Learn RP in Aakash shareholding row")
India's IT giants can't afford to sit out the AI race, says senior official
Infosys, TCS ramp up GPU investments and staff upskilling to pivot from service delivery to proprietary AI products. "Surviving without AI will be very difficult," says MeitY's Abhishek Singh
 "India's IT giants can't afford to sit out the AI race, says senior official")
India doubles down on AI with Rs 10,000 crore fund, 50,000 GPU ambition
With another round of bidding closing in early June, Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary at the MeitY anticipates an additional 15,000 to 16,000 GPUs will be secured
 "India doubles down on AI with Rs 10,000 crore fund, 50,000 GPU ambition")
Amazon India adds flat ₹5 fee on all customer orders, Prime included
Amazon India introduces ₹5 marketplace fee across all orders including Prime, following Flipkart and quick-commerce peers; exemptions apply to digital purchases
 "Amazon India adds flat ₹5 fee on all customer orders, Prime included")
Meesho deepens personal care focus with HUL, P&G, Himalaya tie-ups
Partnerships with major FMCG brands bring personal care staples like Dove, Gillette, and Himalaya to Meesho Mall as demand grows in price-sensitive Indian markets
 "Meesho deepens personal care focus with HUL, P&G, Himalaya tie-ups")
Bessemer names Pankaj Mitra as partner to bolster India investments
Tech veteran to focus on AI, enterprise software, and cybersecurity for private equity firm
 "Bessemer names Pankaj Mitra as partner to bolster India investments")
Aakash Educational moves NCLT to implead EY in edtech firm Byju's dispute
Aakash urges NCLT to add EY and its partner as parties in Byju's dispute, citing conflict of interest and alleging professional misconduct in corporate advisory role
 "Aakash Educational moves NCLT to implead EY in edtech firm Byju's dispute")
Flipkart may exit Aditya Birla Fashion through ₹600 crore block deal
Walmart-owned e-commerce firm to offload remaining 6 per cent stake as part of strategic shift; Goldman Sachs managing the transaction
 "Flipkart may exit Aditya Birla Fashion through ₹600 crore block deal")
Cricket icon Jonty Rhodes backs Indian sports and fitness brand UpUrFit
The company operates in a segment projected to reach $40 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual rate of 19 per cent
 "Cricket icon Jonty Rhodes backs Indian sports and fitness brand UpUrFit")
Udaan raises $114 mn from M&G Investments, Lightspeed ahead of planned IPO
The funding is expected to bolster Udaan's balance sheet and provide added financial flexibility ahead of its planned IPO
 "Udaan raises $114 mn from M&G Investments, Lightspeed ahead of planned IPO")
Snitch raises $40 mn to expand men's fashion brand in India, overseas
Snitch to double retail footprint, enter quick commerce, expand categories, and pilot international markets with fresh funding
 "Snitch raises $40 mn to expand men's fashion brand in India, overseas")
Flipkart expects 200 million visits as 'End of Season Sale' begins
The Walmart-backed firm is offering products from over 70,000 brands and sellers, featuring 1,000-plus curated style trends across apparel, beauty, and lifestyle