 "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
Blue Earth Capital backs Captain Fresh with €27 mn sustainability financing
Funding will help the seafood distributor expand global distribution while promoting traceable sourcing and reducing waste across the supply chain
 "Blue Earth Capital backs Captain Fresh with €27 mn sustainability financing")
Mozark raises $40 million to expand digital performance testing platform
Use proceeds for global expansion of its AI-enabled digital performance testing platform
 "Mozark raises $40 million to expand digital performance testing platform")
Flipkart's holding firm back home after Press Note 3 nod for Tencent
Walmart-backed ecommerce firm may target listing in 2026 end or 2027
 "Flipkart's holding firm back home after Press Note 3 nod for Tencent")
Cars24's India used-cars chief Himanshu Ratnoo resigns amid rejig
Cars24's India used-cars chief Himanshu Ratnoo has resigned as the SoftBank-backed firm restructures leadership while pushing for profitability targets and preparing for a potential IPO
 "Cars24's India used-cars chief Himanshu Ratnoo resigns amid rejig")
Snabbit rolls out Kavach, a safety system for women home-service workers
Snabbit has launched Kavach, a platform-embedded safety system that proactively monitors risk and triggers escalation during home-service jobs, strengthening protection for women workers
 "Snabbit rolls out Kavach, a safety system for women home-service workers")
StrideOne raises ₹100 crore, appoints Rajesh Sud co-founder, chairman
StrideOne has raised ₹100 crore in equity and structured debt and appointed industry veteran Rajesh Sud as co-founder and chairman as it strengthens governance and scales its MSME credit platform
 "StrideOne raises ₹100 crore, appoints Rajesh Sud co-founder, chairman")
Numeros Motors ties up with Royal Sundaram for rider insurance cover
With a premium of ₹1,200, the policy targets buyers of the n-First electric scooter, offering accident cover, hospital cash benefits, and a cancer plan for women riders
 "Numeros Motors ties up with Royal Sundaram for rider insurance cover")
Flipkart lays off 250-300 employees after reviewing performance
Layoffs affect roughly 2% of workforce as Walmart-backed e-commerce firm tightens operations and prepares for a potential IPO
 "Flipkart lays off 250-300 employees after reviewing performance")
Cent launches AI-led platform for early detection of cancer, heart risk
Founded by Practo's Shashank ND with Arpit Garg and Anshul Khandelwal, Cent combines advanced imaging, 120+ biomarkers and AI to detect cancer and cardiac risks before symptoms appear
 "Cent launches AI-led platform for early detection of cancer, heart risk")
Rozana raises ₹290 cr in Series B to scale rural retail across Bharat
Round led by Bertelsmann India Investments with participation from Fireside Ventures, Spark Growth Ventures, Bikaji Family Office, FE Securities
 "Rozana raises ₹290 cr in Series B to scale rural retail across Bharat")
"India missed out on chips, models but real opportunity is in applications"
Nitin Sharma, partner at venture capital firm Antler India, discusses where Indian AI startups can compete globally and why founder quality matters more than age
 "\"India missed out on chips, models but real opportunity is in applications\"")
Pronto raises $25 million to expand instant-home services across cities
Epiq Capital leads the round; Pronto's daily bookings surge to over 18,000
 "Pronto raises $25 million to expand instant-home services across cities")
SFO Tech raises ₹750 cr funding led by Trident Growth, Amicus Capital
The current capital-raise will be deployed to significantly expand manufacturing capacity over the next two years
 "SFO Tech raises ₹750 cr funding led by Trident Growth, Amicus Capital")
Amazon India announces zero-referral fees on over 125 million products
By eliminating referral fees across over 1,800 categories covering over 12.5 crore products, and reducing logistics costs, sellers can save up to 70 per cent in fees
 "Amazon India announces zero-referral fees on over 125 million products")
Groww builds AI-powered platform across trading, wealth and fixed income
The firm outlined its next phase of growth centred on building "responsible intelligence" for every kind of investor
 "Groww builds AI-powered platform across trading, wealth and fixed income")
Stride Ventures partners Saudi sovereign fund to scale global pvt credit
Stride Ventures partners with Saudi Arabia's PIF to deploy over $1 bn worldwide across venture and private credit, including $200 mn aimed at Saudi Arabia's entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem
 "Stride Ventures partners Saudi sovereign fund to scale global pvt credit")
Tattvam AI raises $1.7 million to speed up semiconductor chip design
Seedcamp-backed Tattvam AI is building a reasoning-driven AI system to automate complex semiconductor design tasks, aiming to compress multi-year development cycles into weeks
 "Tattvam AI raises $1.7 million to speed up semiconductor chip design")
MeltPlan raises $10 mn in seed funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners
Seed round led by Bessemer backs MeltPlan's AI 'planning engine' to optimise preconstruction decisions across code, cost, schedule and value systems
 "MeltPlan raises $10 mn in seed funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners")
Wootzwork raises $6.6 mn to bring predictability to offshore manufacturing
Wootzwork is scaling a new manufacturing model that gives global OEMs a single, accountable partner for complex industrial programmes across India and Southeast Asia
 "Wootzwork raises $6.6 mn to bring predictability to offshore manufacturing")
"Platforms that combine scale with sustainable unit economics will win"
Kapil Thirani, vice president for Shopsy and Flipkart Marketplace, shares insights about Flipkart's zero-commission push to capture India's value-conscious Gen Z and first-time rural shoppers
 "\"Platforms that combine scale with sustainable unit economics will win\"")