 "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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Anti-qcom startup is betting on India's price-conscious millions
CityMall says serving 'the belly of India' will drive its next level of growth
 "Anti-qcom startup is betting on India's price-conscious millions")
Flipkart approves second employee stock sale after meeting board milestones
The Walmart-owned ecommerce company will allow eligible employees to cash out up to 5 per cent of vested stock options at Rs 713.4 apiece, with payouts scheduled for August
 "Flipkart approves second employee stock sale after meeting board milestones")
Ola Electric faces insolvency petitions from two suppliers over unpaid dues
The suppliers allege the EV maker's operating arm owes more than Rs 40 crore in unpaid dues and have asked the NCLT to initiate insolvency proceedings
 "Ola Electric faces insolvency petitions from two suppliers over unpaid dues")
Amazon Now, Flipkart Minutes go full throttle in India's qcom space
Amazon Now and Flipkart Minutes are expanding aggressively to challenge Blinkit, Instamart and Zepto, betting on scale, Tier-II markets and existing customer ecosystems
 "Amazon Now, Flipkart Minutes go full throttle in India's qcom space")
ToneTag unveils AI banking assistant for millions of small merchants
The voice-enabled platform lets banks deliver services through existing payment devices, aiming to deepen merchant engagement without new infrastructure
 "ToneTag unveils AI banking assistant for millions of small merchants")
Amazon India legal chief steps up fight against fakes and AI-enabled scams
As Amazon commits $48 billion to India through 2030, legal chief Rakesh Mohan Bakshi says combating counterfeiting and AI-enabled fraud has become central to the company's strategy
 "Amazon India legal chief steps up fight against fakes and AI-enabled scams")
Flipkart hires former Tata Digital CTO Vaidya to lead supply-chain tech
Appointment bolsters the Walmart-owned e-commerce company's technology leadership as it expands AI and logistics capabilities
 "Flipkart hires former Tata Digital CTO Vaidya to lead supply-chain tech")
Udaan's S'pore Holding co faces insolvency proceedings over $170 mn default
Creditors filed a winding-up petition after debt-restructuring talks collapsed; Udaan says the proceedings are limited
 "Udaan's S'pore Holding co faces insolvency proceedings over $170 mn default")
Cult.fit gears up for IPO after turning Ebitda-positive, eyes expansion
The Bengaluru-based fitness chain has turned Ebitda-positive after recovering from the pandemic and is preparing for a stock-market listing as it expands across India
 "Cult.fit gears up for IPO after turning Ebitda-positive, eyes expansion")
Prosus' India revenue up 13%; PayU turns profitable, Swiggy offsets gains
Dutch technology investor reports $781 million India revenue in FY26 as PayU posts positive adjusted Ebitda for the first time, while Swiggy's quick-commerce investments weigh on profits
 "Prosus' India revenue up 13%; PayU turns profitable, Swiggy offsets gains")
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy visits India as quick-commerce battle heats up
The company plans to expand Amazon Now to more than 300 cities as rivals Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart and Flipkart race to build larger fulfilment networks
 "Amazon CEO Andy Jassy visits India as quick-commerce battle heats up")
Amazon turns water positive in India, meeting its 2027 goal ahead of time
Projects expected to replenish over 4 billion litres annually helped Amazon return 120 per cent of the water used across its Indian operations in 2025
 "Amazon turns water positive in India, meeting its 2027 goal ahead of time")
Flipkart Minutes hits 1K micro-fulfilment centres as qcom race heats up
Walmart-backed Flipkart expands its quick-commerce footprint across 130 cities and 8,000 pincodes, with plans to scale up to 1,500 fulfilment centres
 "Flipkart Minutes hits 1K micro-fulfilment centres as qcom race heats up")
Will Kunal Shah be able to deliver on Meta's goal to monetise WhatsApp?
Shah has a portfolio of about 298 companies, focusing primarily on sectors such as consumer tech, fintech, SaaS, climate tech, AI and edtech
 "Will Kunal Shah be able to deliver on Meta's goal to monetise WhatsApp?")
Cybersecurity startup Mitigata raises $15 mn in Bessemer-led Series B round
Bessemer-led funding will help the company expand its AI-powered platform as enterprises grapple with rising cyberattacks and growing security risks
 "Cybersecurity startup Mitigata raises $15 mn in Bessemer-led Series B round")
Amazon India's new engine: Everyday essentials, in minutes to next day
Half of all orders are now daily essentials, as the e-commerce giant sees speed and selection locking in shopper loyalty
 "Amazon India's new engine: Everyday essentials, in minutes to next day")
How robots, software and scale are powering Zepto's IPO ambitions
Ahead of a planned listing, Zepto's 23-year-old co-founder is betting that robots and software can narrow the cost of quick commerce delivery
 "How robots, software and scale are powering Zepto's IPO ambitions")
Amazon turns to smaller cities to drive next phase of Prime growth
About 70 per cent of new Amazon Prime members now come from Tier-II and Tier-III markets as the company expands Amazon Now and prepares for Prime Day 2026
 "Amazon turns to smaller cities to drive next phase of Prime growth")
Vetic raises $40 million to expand pet-healthcare network
The Bessemer-led funding will help the startup expand clinics and veterinary services, broaden insurance offerings and invest in technology
 "Vetic raises $40 million to expand pet-healthcare network")
Nutrition startup TruNativ raises $30 mn in Series B funding led by OrbiMed
The Mumbai-based nutrition startup plans to expand distribution and grow its ingredient business as demand rises for clean-label and preventive-health products in India
 "Nutrition startup TruNativ raises $30 mn in Series B funding led by OrbiMed")