Page 15 - Start Ups

Startups tap technology to tackle anxiety with new tools and solutions

Other emerging tools also include virtual reality, which is being explored for exposure therapy and immersive stress reduction

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

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

Airports become key battleground for cab companies after BluSmart closure

With BluSmart suspending metro operations, Uber, Rapido, and others are intensifying their push into high-growth airport routes, driven by a steady rise in domestic air passenger traffic

Jobs platform Apna's interview prep tool records 760K AI interviews

Gen Z job seekers and metro city users are driving the rapid adoption of Apna's AI Job Prep tool, which simulates interviews and offers real-time feedback

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

Recur Club eyes early, mid-stage firms for Rs 2,000 crore FY26 bet

Recur Club plans to invest Rs 2 crore on average in early and mid-stage startups, aiming to fund 1,000 firms in FY26 through its debt marketplace platform and network of 50+ lenders

Flexiloans raises ₹375 crore in Series C funding led by BII, others

With total funds raised at ₹665 crore over six months, Flexiloans will scale operations, boost technology and expand reach across India's underserved MSME sector

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

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

BigBasket to launch 10-minute food delivery across India by March 2026

Tata Group-backed BigBasket plans to expand its dark store network and enter the quick-commerce space with a 10-minute food delivery service by March 2026

India remains key strategic market for global brands: Myntra CEO Sinha

After launching in Singapore, Myntra Global sees rising engagement, strong order values and repeat customers while focusing on the Indian diaspora and Gen Z users

Mohandas Pai flags lack of domestic capital for startups, calls for reform

Despite India being the world's third-largest startup hub, Pai cautioned that the country risks falling behind in global innovation unless these challenges are addressed

Fintech firm Decentro initiates reverse-flip process from Singapore

This comes at a time when the Bengaluru-based firm is raising about ₹30 crore as part of the Series-B funding round led by InfoEdge Ventures

Cricket icon Jonty Rhodes backs Indian sports and fitness brand UpUrFit

The company operates in a segment projected to reach $40 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual rate of 19 per cent

Snitch raises $40 mn to expand men's fashion brand in India, overseas

Snitch to double retail footprint, enter quick commerce, expand categories, and pilot international markets with fresh funding

Maharashtra FDA revokes Zepto's food biz licence in Dharavi, Mumbai

The suspension will remain in effect until the establishment achieves full compliance and receives clearance from the licensing authority, the FDA said

SC admits Byju's promoters' pleas, next insolvency hearing on July 21

SC admits cases filed by Byju's promoters challenging NCLAT ruling on BCCI insolvency plea despite settlement; interim relief to be taken up in July

IPO-bound ed-tech firm Imarticus Learning acquires MyCaptain in ₹50 cr deal

Prior to MyCaptain, in April 2023, Imarticus Learning acquired Hero Mindmine, the training arm of Hero Group

Tech service providers leverage financial sector expertise for new biz

TSPs have long been associated with the transformation of the financial services industry; now, they are using that domain knowledge to help digital commerce and startups hire the right people