 "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.
Peerzada Abrar
Beams Fintech Fund leads ₹215 crore investment in MSME lender BNF
The round also includes Baring Private Equity India, Saison Capital and Unleash, with Beams and its affiliates set to hold over 26% of BNF on a fully diluted basis
 "Beams Fintech Fund leads ₹215 crore investment in MSME lender BNF")
Adobe acquires Indian AI automation startup Rilo to boost agentic push
The deal marks Adobe's second known acquisition of an Indian firm as it expands its push into agentic marketing and AI-powered automation
 "Adobe acquires Indian AI automation startup Rilo to boost agentic push")
NCLT orders TLPL's RP to halt further disposal of auctioned assets
Bengaluru Bench directs TLPL's resolution professional and auction buyer Comprint to maintain status quo on disputed assets until the next hearing on September 21
 "NCLT orders TLPL's RP to halt further disposal of auctioned assets")
Alteon plans aircraft that can stay airborne for months without fuel
Bengaluru startup Alteon is developing autonomous aircraft that use dynamic soaring, inspired by albatross flight, to remain airborne for months and monitor oceans continuously
 "Alteon plans aircraft that can stay airborne for months without fuel")
India ecommerce market to nearly triple to $345 billion by 2030: Infisum
Quick commerce is projected to drive as much as half of incremental e-retail growth, while AI and smaller-city shoppers reshape digital retail, according to a report by research consultancy Infisum
 "India ecommerce market to nearly triple to $345 billion by 2030: Infisum")
Zetwerk pushes deeper into product design as ODM share nearly doubles
Design-led contracts accounted for 13.93% of manufacturing GMV in FY26, up from 7.65% three years earlier, as Zetwerk moves into engineering and co-creation
 "Zetwerk pushes deeper into product design as ODM share nearly doubles")
Unacademy completes deal with Screwvala's upGrad at $200 mn valuation
Unacademy CEO Gaurav Munjal said the company chose the upGrad deal despite having Rs 900 crore in cash and the option to continue independently, calling it "the more ambitious path"
 "Unacademy completes deal with Screwvala's upGrad at $200 mn valuation")
Purple Style Labs bets IPO on India's booming luxury wedding market
Founder Abhishek Agarwal is steering the Pernia's Pop-Up Shop parent away from mass discretionary spending and towards a narrower, wealthier customer base
 "Purple Style Labs bets IPO on India's booming luxury wedding market")
Ola Electric launches S1Z with homegrown LFP cells, starts at ₹79,999
The mass-market scooter comes with 3.1 kWh and 5.1 kWh battery options, offering up to 301 km of IDC range; deliveries are set to begin in December 2026
 "Ola Electric launches S1Z with homegrown LFP cells, starts at ₹79,999")
Pyaz kachori to Tunday kebabs: Swiggy's train food orders surge 12-fold
The service now covers 201 stations, up from 66 in 2024, with adoption in tier-2 and tier-3 cities growing twice as fast as in metros over the past two years
 "Pyaz kachori to Tunday kebabs: Swiggy's train food orders surge 12-fold")
TILT Capital launches ₹250 crore fund to back next-generation startups
The/Nudge Foundation's investment platform will provide ₹2 crore to ₹16 crore in patient capital to seed-to-Series A ventures serving India's Next Billion across livelihoods and climate resilience
 "TILT Capital launches ₹250 crore fund to back next-generation startups")
Blinkit expands beyond metros in India's quick-commerce market race
CLSA says Blinkit has the largest dark-store network in India's top cities and is the only major player expanding beyond them, positioning it to gain as adoption spreads
 "Blinkit expands beyond metros in India's quick-commerce market race")
Purple Style Labs sets price band, eyes ₹4,604 crore IPO valuation
The company will raise up to ₹680 crore in a fresh issue to fund lease liabilities, marketing and expansion, with the offer opening on August 31 and closing on September 2
 "Purple Style Labs sets price band, eyes ₹4,604 crore IPO valuation")
Runable raises $21 million to help small businesses grow with AI agents
The AI agent platform has reached 1.5 million users and $2 million in annual recurring revenue, and will use the funds to expand growth channels, its free academy and team
 "Runable raises $21 million to help small businesses grow with AI agents")
Aerospace startup Airbound raises $37 mn to expand autonomous aircraft biz
The Bengaluru aerospace startup will use the Series A capital to scale engineering and manufacturing, while its Andhra Pradesh network is planned to handle up to 10,000 daily flights
 "Aerospace startup Airbound raises $37 mn to expand autonomous aircraft biz")
IIM-B incubator tops $7 billion in startup value as it turns to AI
NSRCEL plans specialised sector centers and AI tools to expand its entrepreneur network toward one million
 "IIM-B incubator tops $7 billion in startup value as it turns to AI")
Uber expands into 100 more Indian cities, deepens push beyond major metros
The bike-taxi-led rollout spans 18 states and one Union Territory, taking Uber to 225 cities as it challenges Rapido and Ola in India's fast-growing smaller markets.
 "Uber expands into 100 more Indian cities, deepens push beyond major metros")
Accel bets $550 million on India's next wave of founders for AI era
Venture capital firm behind Flipkart and Swiggy closes ninth India fund as part of a record $3.5 billion global raise, betting AI lets homegrown startups build for the world from day one
 "Accel bets $550 million on India's next wave of founders for AI era")
AI materials startup Discovered Materials raises $9 million seed round
The IIT Madras alumni-founded company is using AI agents to accelerate the discovery of semiconductor materials and has released hundreds of AI-discovered materials alongside a new industry benchmark
 "AI materials startup Discovered Materials raises $9 million seed round")
Shiprocket bets IPO proceeds on AI as it expands beyond core shipping biz
Shiprocket plans to invest much of its IPO proceeds in AI and emerging businesses as it seeks to offer merchants technology spanning advertising, freight and commerce
 "Shiprocket bets IPO proceeds on AI as it expands beyond core shipping biz")