Page 2 - Start- Ups

E-comm, tech start-ups lead fresher hiring with 88% intent in H2 2025

The shift is attributed to AI-led workforce restructuring, global trade uncertainties, and a strategic focus on retaining experienced talent in core industries

Govt-recognised startup count crosses 180K as of June 30: Jitin Prasada

The government has recognised more than 1.8 lakh firms as startups as on June 30, 2025, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. The recognised startups are eligible for a number of fiscal incentives, including income tax benefit announced under Startup India action plan. "Since the launch of the Startup India initiative, number of entities recognised as startups by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has increased from around 500 in 2016 to 1,80,683 as on 30th June 2025," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. Under Startup India initiative, the government is implementing flagship schemes, Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS), Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) to provide funding opportunities and support startups at various stages of their business cycle. He added that Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) supported under the FFS have invested Rs 23,6

Atomic Capital closes ₹400 cr first fund for early growth consumer startups

Venture capital firm to invest in 10-12 homegrown consumer and consumer-tech companies, with focus on capital-efficient, sustainable growth models

SuperGaming raises $15 mn in fresh funding at 5 times higher valuation

Homegrown online gaming company SuperGaming has raised USD 15 million in a fresh funding round at nearly five times the valuation of its previous round around 4 years ago, a top official of the company said on Wednesday. SuperGaming CEO and Co-Founder Roby John told PTI that the company had raised USD 5 million at a valuation of USD 21 million in 2021. The fresh funds have been raised at an enterprise valuation of about USD 100 million, he added. The fresh funding round was led by Skycatcher and Steadview Capital, with support from global strategic investors such as a16z Speedrun, Bandai Namco 021 Fund and Neowiz, as well as notable Web3 Investors, including Polygon Ventures. The round also saw strong participation from Web3 ecosystem pioneers like Polygon Ventures, Sandeep Nailwal, Decentralised.co, 4th Revolution Capital, 32-Bit Ventures, Ryze Labs, Ed3n Ventures and Visceral Capital. Existing investors SkyCatcher, AET Japan, and BACE Capital also participated in the new round.

GameRamp raises $5.4 mn pre-seed round to scale AI and launch tools

San Francisco-based GameRamp raises $5.4 million to expand AI and engineering teams in India and the US, and launch AI monetisation and embedded financing tools

Mitigata raises $5.9 million to scale cyber resilience platform in India

Mitigata, a cyber resilience startup, has secured $5.9 million in Series A funding to expand its integrated platform that combines cybersecurity, compliance, and insurance for India's digital economy

Startups, regional brands good for business, says Nestle India CMD

Startups and regional brands are not only good for providing variety to consumers but also give established players the push to improve their product offerings, Nestle India's outgoing Chairman & Managing Director Suresh Narayanan said. Stressing on the importance of startups and regional brands operating in small catchment areas, Narayanan said Nestle India is working with startups as part of its accelerator program, to identify their potential and see how to partner with them. "Startups and regional brands are good for the business. They do two things -one, they extend the variety for the consumer, and secondly, they give us additional inspiration for improving, making ourselves faster and smarter," Narayanan told PTI during an interview earlier this week. According to Narayanan, today every brand has to be relevant to Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers, who do not give much importance to the historical relevance of brands. "It goes by what is in it for me, so Maggi noodles have to ..

Over 200 startups have come up in space sector alone, says PM Modi

Hailing astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's return from space, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said a new wave of curiosity about space among children is sweeping across India and noted that today more than 200 startups have come up in the space sector alone. In his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, Modi said the road to Viksit Bharat passes through self-reliance and 'vocal for local' is the strongest foundation of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. "Recently, there was a lot of discussion in the country about the return of Shubhanshu Shukla from space. As soon as Shubhanshu landed safely on Earth, people jumped with joy, and a wave of happiness ran through every heart. The whole country was filled with pride," he said. A new wave of curiosity about space among children is sweeping across India, Modi said. Modi said space startups are also coming up at a fast pace in the country. "There were fewer than 50 startups five years ago. Today, there are more than 200 startups in the space sect

Clean-label food startup Khetika raises ₹154 crore for expansion

Clean-label food startup Khetika on Monday said it has raised USD 18 million, or about Rs 154 crore, from a clutch of investors for expansion. Narotam Sekhsaria Family Office and Anicut Capital, along with existing investors Incofin India Progress Fund, Rajasthan Gum, and Shree Ram India Gums participated in the funding round, a statement said. The company, which aims to make preservative-free food accessible to every Indian household, plans to use the funds to fuel growth, brand building and operational expansion, the statement said, adding that it will also provide secondary exit to early investors. The Mumbai-based company sells products through e-commerce platforms and large retail stores only, and is aiming to expand into new cities and build teams across innovation, marketing, and operations. The company's co-founder and chief executive, Prithwi Singh said at a time when the Indian food sector is grappling with "adulteration and high use of harmful chemicals" Khetika procures

Startup valuations back at 2020-21 levels, says Sanjeev Bikhchandani

In 2022, the average cheque size offered in our second fund was roughly 20 per cent lower than that in 2019-21 but with a 20% higher shareholding in companies, said Info Edge founder Bikhchandani

GobbleCube raises $3.5 million to expand AI tools for consumer brands

InfoEdge Ventures leads Pre-Series A round as GobbleCube targets growth in hyperlocal commerce with AI-driven solutions for top consumer brands

Beauty unicorn Good Glamm Group struggles to pay staff amid cash crunch

The Mumbai-based company has delayed employee salaries while seeking new funding, as three board directors from major VCs recently departed

Training, secure supply chains key to success of circular startups: Report

Good training and mentoring, helpful government policies and keeping supply chain data secure are among key factors that help "circular startups" succeed, according to a report by Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow. Circular startups are businesses that are designed from the start to reduce waste, reuse materials, and make efficient use of natural resources, rather than the traditional "take-make-dispose" model. The research published in the Business Strategy and Environment journal offers insights into the key factors that help such startups succeed. According to Suresh Jakhar, Professor, Operations and Supply Chain Management, with rising global temperature and fast-depleting natural resources, this study offers insights into circular models that have become critically important. Projections show that global usage of natural resources is expected to double by 2050, posing serious environmental and economic risks. "The Circular Economy (CE) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) ha

Five minute dash: Quick commerce cos tap spatial tech to cut delivery times

It has now caught the fancy of burgeoning quick commerce (qcom) firms - firms that compete to deliver goods ordered online within minutes across cities and towns

Agnikul, GalaxEye, ePlane Co among 10 Indian startups on WEF list

Indian startups in AI, space tech, energy and data analytics make it to WEF's 2025 top 100 list, affirming India's rising presence in deep-tech innovation

Evera Cabs secures $4 mn from Mufin Green Finance to speed up EV expansion

Homegrown EV cab firm Evera secures funding from Mufin Green Finance to double airport reach, scale operations with BluSmart fleet acquisition and new growth targets

Logistics startup Delhivery boosts capacity with Gateway Hub expansion

Logistics firm Delhivery expands its Chandigarh hub to increase storage capacity by 30 per cent and add green and automated systems to serve northern India more efficiently

Reloy FY25 revenue rises 60% to ₹28.5 crore on strong referral sales growth

HDFC Capital-backed proptech startup Reloy, which helps builders generate referral sales, has posted a 60 per cent growth in revenue to Rs 28.5 crore in the previous fiscal year on high demand for housing properties. The company posted a gross revenue of Rs 17.8 crore in the 2023-24 financial year. "We managed to grow 50 per cent in our core referral sales business," Reloy Founder and CEO Akhil Saraf told PTI. He noted that the company has cracked the code on referral sales and replicating this across all clients. Saraf said the company is working with almost all leading real estate developers across major states. Founded in 2015, Reloy specialises in real estate loyalty and referrals. It is a B2B2C homeowner and broker management platform that helps builders manage their customers and brokers more efficiently. Reloy has so far raised Rs 13 crore from various investors, including HDFC Capital, which owns around 10 per cent stake in the startup. The tech solutions offered by the

'Much-needed relief': Startups on Sebi reforms relaxing ESOP norms

The ease in norms from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) comes at a time when multiple Indian startups such as PhonePe, Zepto, Pine Labs

Digital competition Bill: Online cos tell Parl panel to protect innovation

The Parliamentary Panel is looking into the role of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in an evolving economy, particularly the digital landscape