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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Amazon steps up anti-counterfeit drive in India with AI and policing
India is a focal point in Amazon's global brand protection strategy, using AI tools, stricter seller checks and law enforcement partnerships to fight counterfeits
 "Amazon steps up anti-counterfeit drive in India with AI and policing")
Amazon to invest Rs 2,000 cr in India to expand logistics, improve safety
Money will be used for company's infrastructure, employee wellness initiatives, developing technology
 "Amazon to invest Rs 2,000 cr in India to expand logistics, improve safety")
Urban Company swings to profit ahead of planned IPO as revenue jumps 38%
Home services platform posts ₹240 crore profit in FY25, driven by tax credit and strong user retention
 "Urban Company swings to profit ahead of planned IPO as revenue jumps 38%")
BikeWo, Flipkart logistics arm partner on EV Push for last-mile delivery
BikeWo and Flipkart's Instakart launch over 1,300 EVs across seven states to boost sustainable last-mile logistics with AI-led route optimisation and real-time tracking
 "BikeWo, Flipkart logistics arm partner on EV Push for last-mile delivery")
Techfino raises ₹65 crore to expand MSME lending in smaller cities
Techfino to use fresh funding from Stellaris and Saison Capital to scale secured loans, expand branches, and boost tech-led lending in underserved MSME markets
 "Techfino raises ₹65 crore to expand MSME lending in smaller cities")
Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola rolls out nationwide zero-commission model
Phased rollout across autos, bikes and cabs lets over one million drivers retain 100 per cent of fares as Ola shifts away from traditional commission-based model
 "Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola rolls out nationwide zero-commission model")
Swiggy names Saurav Goyal SVP to head Driver and Delivery Organisation
Goyal, who led business finance and contributed to Swiggy's IPO, will now oversee delivery operations and drive partner empowerment as part of leadership transition
 "Swiggy names Saurav Goyal SVP to head Driver and Delivery Organisation")
Commuters feel pinch as bike-taxi firms halt ops after Karnataka HC order
Not just the customers, bike-taxi drivers are also left stranded as many depended on the service for their livelihood
 "Commuters feel pinch as bike-taxi firms halt ops after Karnataka HC order")
Bike taxi drivers in Bengaluru plead for relief as Karnataka ban begins
Workers urge lawmakers to regulate rather than shut down the sector as Karnataka's High Court decision enforces ban, hitting gig workers dependent on the service
 "Bike taxi drivers in Bengaluru plead for relief as Karnataka ban begins")
Amazon's entry into quick commerce faces scale, recall challenges
Jefferies says Amazon's late entry, app integration strategy and limited brand recall may hinder its Q/C push in India despite competitive pricing and Prime perks
Bhavish Aggarwal's Krutrim bets on India-first AI to rival global peers
Kruti, Krutrim's new AI assistant, focuses on multilingual voice-first design and India-specific service integration to stand out in the fast-growing AI assistant market
 "Bhavish Aggarwal's Krutrim bets on India-first AI to rival global peers")
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")
