Page 16 - Start-ups

Doomed mission behind Sam Altman's shocking firing from OpenAI by board

At the event on Nov. 6, Altman made a number of announcements that infuriated Sutskever and people sympathetic to his point of view, the source said

Physics Wallah may lay off up to 120 employees due to performance issues

Edtech firm Physics Wallah may lay off up to 120 employees due to performance issues, according to the company. The company in a statement said that less than 0.8 per cent of its total workforce will be impacted due to the performance review exercise. "At PW, we regularly assess performance through mid-term and end-term cycles. For the cycle ending in October, less than 0.8 per cent of our workforce, ranging from 70 to 120 individuals with performance concernsmay be asked to transition. "Our primary focus remains on fostering a dynamic, high-performing team. We plan to hire an additional 1,000 employees in the next six months," PW, CHRO, Satish Khengre said in a statement. The company has around 12,000 employees. Several edtech companies, including unicorns like BYJU'S and Unacademy had hired excess staff to meet the sudden spike in demand for online classes during the COVID period. This is the first mass lay-off that has been announced by Physics Wallah (PW). "We deeply value t

IndiQube leases 1,037-seater managed workspace to Ninjacart in Bengaluru

Ninjacart will use this new space to fuel its expansion plans as it now operates in new verticals

Dunzo says will hit profitability in 12 months, has reduced costs

Auditor Deloitte has expressed doubt about on-demand delivery platform's ability to continue as a going concern

Delhivery Q2 result: Net loss at Rs 103 cr, revenue up 8% to Rs 1,942 cr

The logistics firm also made a few leadership appointments aimed at creating experienced long-term leaders for key functions and business roles

A new beginning

Startups are showing the way in gender diversity

UP allocates Rs 1k cr to Startup Fund to support innovative biz ventures

Soonicorns, minicorns on radar

Paytm subsidiary inks pact with Startup Bihar to offer banking solutions

One97 Communications, which owns the Paytm brand, on Friday announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Paytm Payment Services Limited (PPSL) has signed a pact with Startup Bihar to promote the state's startup ecosystem. Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU), PPSL will help startups grow their businesses with the Paytm Startup Toolkit, which offers solutions in payments, payouts, banking, and distribution. Paytm Startup Toolkit will aid, simplify, and accelerate business ventures of youth in their early stages of growth, One97 Communications Limited said in a release. Additionally, the Paytm Incubation Centre will empower early-stage startups in their journey. It will help young entrepreneurs gain new user acquisitions, access funds, and access more facilities. Startup Bihar is the state government's ambitious initiative to promote startups. Since its inception in 2016, it has fostered a startup and innovation ecosystem in Bihar on a large scale. The Bihar Startup Policy 2022

No plan to enter banking sector: Mobikwik co-founder, CEO Bipin Preet Singh

Singh indicates that an initial public offering (IPO) is on the cards

Defer your tax liability from ESOPs by extending exercise period

For more favourable tax treatment at sale, hold the acquired shares for more than a year

STPI sets-up incubation hub to incubate 100 blockchain startups in 5 years

State-run Software Technology Parks of India has set-up an incubation facility at its Gurugram campus with a target to incubate 100 startups in five years, an official statement said on Friday. The incubation facility of Apiary Center of Entrepreneurship (CoE) at STPI-Gurugram was set up in collaboration with MeitY, STPI, Haryana government, Padup Ventures, IBM, Intel, GBA and FITT. "Apiary is one of the CoEs of STPI which is focused on Blockchain Technology. It targets to incubate an overall 100 startups in a period of five years," the statement said. The incubation facility was inaugurated by Electronics and Information Technology Secretary S Krishnan. "Meeting the young entrepreneurs was quite an enriching experience. The way these entrepreneurs have addressed real-world problems using cutting-edge technology is really commendable. "In the last three decades, the way we have used technology is the key benchmark for our country's exponential growth," Krishnan said. The CoE has

Why India's startup founders aren't gamers, or won't admit to it

Why India's startup founders are not known to spend much time playing video games, or won't admit to it. Chess, however, has a bit of a following

Uber announces challenge to fast track sustainable mobility adoption

Ride-hailing app Uber on Tuesday announced a startup challenge that searches for innovative solutions to fast track adoption of sustainable mobility in the country. The 'Uber Sustainovate', in partnership with startup India and Nasscom AI, is geared to award ventures that produce the best workable ideas to accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility in the country. "The winning startup would be awarded a grant of USD 120,000 (about Rs 1 crore), and the top 3 entries would be awarded mentorship sessions with the tech leadership of Uber in India in order to help them sharpen their skills and competencies," it said, announcing the startup challenge. "As the leading ridesharing company, Uber is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2040 and has been continuously working to reduce tailpipe emissions. With the aim to promote an ecosystem where startups are incentivised to work on emergence of sustainable solutions, Uber Sustainovate will provide a platform for visionary ...

24 agri startups recommended for support from pool of Rs 20 cr: Govt

In a boost to the agri-tech sector, experts have recommended 24 start-ups for both technical and financial support from a dedicated fund of Rs 20 crore, an official release said on Saturday

Flipkart Ventures invests in five early-stage technology startups

These investments are a part of the accelerator programme - Flipkart Leap Ahead (FLA)

Rapido aims to rope in over 200 women as auto-rickshaw 'captains'

Bike and auto-rickshaw aggregator Rapido has drawn up plans bring on board 200 women drivers over the next three months, the company said on Friday. Currently, Rapido Auto has engaged 50 female 'captains' hailing from diverse backgrounds in the city for its ride-hailing service, and it aims add more than 200 active captains in the next three months through collaborations with various Coimbatore-based non-governmental organisations, the company said in a release. Rapido will equip the women captains with essential safety and driving skills through the comprehensive training programme in collaboration with the NGOs. It also plans to launch micro-loans and family health insurance for women auto captains in Coimbatore, the release added. This initiative would enable women to earn between Rs 800 and Rs 1,000 a day, translating to a monthly income of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000, it added. "Rapido Auto, as a company, is deeply committed to fostering gender empowerment and inclusivity. Our jour

Pristyn Care looks to double revenue to Rs 2k cr, turn a profit by FY25

This comes at a time when firm has recently found itself in hot water after facing criticism from patients who claimed that the company forced them to undergo surgeries in a bid to rake in extra cash

Canada pension fund has big bets on Indian startups, shows Tracxn data

This includes online insurance and claims management venture Acko, education unicorn Byju's and Delhivery in logistics; according to data from start-up tracker Tracxn

Two-year-old edtech startup Infinity Learn crosses Rs 100 cr revenue

The company's revenue from operations reached Rs 100 cr in 2022-23 compared to just Rs 2.3 crore in 2021-22 and the firm said it has become PAT positive

Age-tech innovation aiming to tackle challenges faced by India's elderly

Welldercare's line of smart portraits and mirrors for vitals monitoring and fall detection are in advanced design and engineering stages and are expected to go on sale in the first quarter of 2024