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.
Page 27 - Peerzada Abrar/undefined
Atlys' Mohak Nahta launches Skylane to modernise government visa systems
Through its innovative technology including 24/7 SkyPods, Skylane aims to process over 100 million visas in the next five years, making global mobility seamless for travellers everywhere
 "Atlys' Mohak Nahta launches Skylane to modernise government visa systems")
Innovaccer raises $275 mn to expand its healthcare AI capabilities
This funding will support Innovaccer's efforts to expand collaboration with existing customers, introduce new AI and cloud capabilities, and scale its developer ecosystem
 "Innovaccer raises $275 mn to expand its healthcare AI capabilities")
Lenskart gears up for IPO, aims to raise up to $1 bn from investors
"The pitch will happen next month. Lenskart is a profitable business," said a person familiar with the development
 "Lenskart gears up for IPO, aims to raise up to $1 bn from investors")
Swiggy Instamart expands to 75+ cities, unveils plans for standalone app
Swiggy Instamart will continue to be available on Swiggy's unified app
 "Swiggy Instamart expands to 75+ cities, unveils plans for standalone app")
Walmart-owned Flipkart hires Dunzo co-founder Kabeer Biswas to lead Minutes
Biswas' appointment is seen as a strategic move by Flipkart to help it compete with quick commerce players such as Zomato-owned Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto
 "Walmart-owned Flipkart hires Dunzo co-founder Kabeer Biswas to lead Minutes")
Swiggy launches new standalone app Snacc for 15-minute food delivery
The launch comes at a time when the food delivery apps in India are racing to deliver everything from biryani to hot beverages to customers' doorsteps in under 10-15 minutes
 "Swiggy launches new standalone app Snacc for 15-minute food delivery")
Have a strong pipeline of companies preparing to go public: Accel
India is on track to become an $8 trillion economy in 10 years and this will translate into growth in public markets, say Barath Shankar Subramanian and Abhinav Chaturvedi, Partners at venture capital
 "Have a strong pipeline of companies preparing to go public: Accel")
Microsoft to invest $3 bn in AI and cloud expansion in India: Nadella
The tech giant will also support the country's long-term competitiveness by training 10 million people over the next five years with AI skills
 "Microsoft to invest $3 bn in AI and cloud expansion in India: Nadella")
EMO Energy raises $6.2 million in Series A led by Subhkam Ventures
The company will utilise the raised funds to scale its two-wheeler energy solution to over 1 lakh vehicles over the next two years while advancing the deployment of 1 GWh of energy storage
 "EMO Energy raises $6.2 million in Series A led by Subhkam Ventures")
upGrad's Mayank Kumar, Oyo's Ayush Mathur unveil new venture BorderPlus
BorderPlus is a talent mobility platform dedicated to connecting blue-collar workers with global opportunities
 "upGrad's Mayank Kumar, Oyo's Ayush Mathur unveil new venture BorderPlus")
Accel's $650 mn India fund to focus on AI, fintech startups, manufacturing
One of the opportunities identified by Accel under the consumer theme is 'Bharat', where startups cater to the top 30 per cent of households in India's Tier-2+ regions
 "Accel's $650 mn India fund to focus on AI, fintech startups, manufacturing")
Govt, Startup Policy Forum team up to make India a global innovation hub
A highlight of this partnership is the upcoming SPF Startup Baithak, a flagship event scheduled to take place on January 15-16, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam
 "Govt, Startup Policy Forum team up to make India a global innovation hub")
NestAway co-founder accuses Tiger Global, Chiratae, Goldman Sachs of fraud
Sahu's complaint alleges that his signature as a company director was illegally used to finalise NestAway's Rs 90-crore sale to proptech firm Aurum on June 28, 2023
 "NestAway co-founder accuses Tiger Global, Chiratae, Goldman Sachs of fraud")
Venture capital firm Accel secures $650 million for eighth India fund
Accel earned a 35x gain on its investment in Swiggy's initial public offering (IPO), marking one of the biggest gains for the Silicon Valley fund
 "Venture capital firm Accel secures $650 million for eighth India fund")
Small towns' growing desires drove D2C and e-commerce growth in 2024
In 2024, India's Tier-II and -III towns and the hinterland emerged as key growth drivers for e-commerce companies and direct-to-consumer brands, with strong demand for their products and services
 "Small towns' growing desires drove D2C and e-commerce growth in 2024")
Tata's qcom enterprise Bigbasket expands offerings, boosts delivery speed
In 2024, Bigbasket Now demonstrated its ability to deliver not only staples but also a wide range of products across categories
 "Tata's qcom enterprise Bigbasket expands offerings, boosts delivery speed")
TCS, Infosys, Wipro on edge as H-1B changes loom with Trump's return
This may have an impact on India's $250 billion tech sector which plays an important role in the economy, employing about 5.4 million people
 "TCS, Infosys, Wipro on edge as H-1B changes loom with Trump's return")
AI, cybersecurity to drive 1 mn jobs by 2030: Quess IT Staffing report
Strategic investments in upskilling will remain pivotal as the workforce adapts to increasing demand for AI, cybersecurity, and cloud computing
 "AI, cybersecurity to drive 1 mn jobs by 2030: Quess IT Staffing report")
CAIT writes to Piyush Goyal, seeks action against quick commerce firms
CAIT national president BC Bhartia accused quick commerce platforms like Zomato-owned Blinkit, Instamart (Swiggy), and Zepto of misusing funds received through foreign direct investment
 "CAIT writes to Piyush Goyal, seeks action against quick commerce firms")
8 in 10 app taxi users report dark patterns like bait-and-switch, others
4 in 10 app taxi users also confirm experiencing drip pricing, according to the survey, which said price manipulation based on user information was experienced by the consumers
 "8 in 10 app taxi users report dark patterns like bait-and-switch, others")