 "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.
Page 3 - Peerzada Abrar
India holds fourth startup spot as funding slips, investors turn selective
India retains fourth position globally in startup funding, as deal volumes fall sharply and investors shift to fewer, high-conviction bets amid signs of ecosystem maturity
 "India holds fourth startup spot as funding slips, investors turn selective")
Flipkart's Ekart expands IKEA partnership to deepen last-mile delivery
Chennai added as a key market as Ekart deploys electric fleet for IKEA deliveries, signalling rising demand for sustainable and tech-enabled logistics solutions in India
 "Flipkart's Ekart expands IKEA partnership to deepen last-mile delivery")
AI key to India's $30 trillion economic goal: Bharat1.AI's Umakant Soni
A three-to-five-year window will decide whether India builds its own AI ecosystem or becomes a consumer, says Bharat1.AI chief Umakant Soni, warning of growth risks
 "AI key to India's $30 trillion economic goal: Bharat1.AI's Umakant Soni")
Uber boosts stake in Delivery Hero with €270 million share purchase
Prosus sells 4.5% stake in Delivery Hero to Uber as it trims holdings to meet EU conditions tied to its Just Eat Takeaway acquisition
 "Uber boosts stake in Delivery Hero with €270 million share purchase")
Emergent takes VibeCon hackathon to India, eyes next wave of founders
Bengaluru event offers direct Y Combinator access to winners after highly selective application process
 "Emergent takes VibeCon hackathon to India, eyes next wave of founders")
Yulu hits 1 bn km milestone in Bengaluru, deepens last-mile EV dominance
Shared EV operator expands last-mile dominance with 190 million deliveries and lower emissions, as it targets fleet growth and deeper penetration across Bengaluru
 "Yulu hits 1 bn km milestone in Bengaluru, deepens last-mile EV dominance")
GobbleCube secures $15 million to expand AI software for commerce
Funding will support product development, AI capabilities, and hiring as GobbleCube expands its presence across global digital marketplaces
 "GobbleCube secures $15 million to expand AI software for commerce")
Flipkart, Uber tie up to offer SuperCoins rewards on rides to boost loyalty
Users can earn SuperCoins on Uber rides by linking Flipkart accounts, as both platforms expand loyalty programmes into everyday services such as mobility and travel
 "Flipkart, Uber tie up to offer SuperCoins rewards on rides to boost loyalty")
CoRover claims 1.8 billion users globally as it expands agentic AI platform
Indian startup bets on agentic AI for governments and enterprises as adoption scales across sectors, driven by multilingual capabilities, high-volume interactions, and sovereign AI infrastructure
 "CoRover claims 1.8 billion users globally as it expands agentic AI platform")
'No pressure to go IPO': PhonePe doubles down on AI transformation push
With its listing paused amid West Asia tensions, the Walmart-backed fintech is racing to automate operations for 650 million users
 "'No pressure to go IPO': PhonePe doubles down on AI transformation push")
Everstone invests $270 mn in Apothecon-Navinta specialty pharma platform
The deal creates Apothecon Group, a specialty pharma company focused on regulated markets in the US, Europe and India, with plans to expand its pipeline, footprint and acquisitions
 "Everstone invests $270 mn in Apothecon-Navinta specialty pharma platform")
Myntra names Sharon Pais as head as Flipkart accelerates 2027 IPO plans
Myntra has appointed Sharon Pais as its new head as Flipkart accelerates plans for a 2027 IPO, with focus on quick commerce, AI and Gen Z-driven growth
 "Myntra names Sharon Pais as head as Flipkart accelerates 2027 IPO plans")
India's qcom boom runs into saturation roadblock in metros: Bernstein
Dense dark-store expansion and overlapping networks signal rising competition, as Bernstein flags profitability risks and shift in growth to smaller cities
 "India's qcom boom runs into saturation roadblock in metros: Bernstein")
India's e-retail market hits $66 billion as growth reaccelerates
Bain-Flipkart report highlights strong consumption, rising Gen Z demand and rapid quick-commerce growth, with market poised for sustained expansion
 "India's e-retail market hits $66 billion as growth reaccelerates")
Amazon expands Counterfeit Crime Unit to India to curb fake goods
Move brings global enforcement playbook to fast-growing market, deepening partnerships with brands and authorities to curb fake goods and boost trust in online shopping
 "Amazon expands Counterfeit Crime Unit to India to curb fake goods")
Flipkart accelerates AI push across business as it shifts to execution
E-commerce company moves to operationalise AI use cases at scale under senior leadership
 "Flipkart accelerates AI push across business as it shifts to execution")
AI investment hits $800 billion, India emerges as key applications hub
SenseAI report shows capital concentrating in mega-rounds, with Indian startups scaling AI applications rapidly and reaching revenue early as value shifts to the application layer
Health-tech firm Practo builds out leadership bench ahead of potential IPO
Health-tech firm hires senior executives across operations, AI and strategy as it targets $1 billion GMV and prepares for a potential IPO by year-end
 "Health-tech firm Practo builds out leadership bench ahead of potential IPO")
Razorpay partners OpenAI to enable instant payments in AI-built apps
Integration with Codex allows developers to embed payments instantly, enabling AI-built apps to monetise faster as Razorpay expands into agentic commerce and conversational payments
 "Razorpay partners OpenAI to enable instant payments in AI-built apps")
R&D is the only thing that can make you sustainable: Arundhati Bhattacharya
Salesforce's South Asia head on why Indian enterprises must move beyond AI pilots, what the Informatica deal changes, and the West Asia overhang on Indian IT
 "R&D is the only thing that can make you sustainable: Arundhati Bhattacharya")