Page 5 - Start- Ups

OYO estimates Rs 1,100 cr PAT, Rs 2K cr Ebitda for FY26: Ritesh Agarwal

Travel tech unicorn OYO estimates its profit after tax to touch Rs 1,100 crore in the next financial year 2025-26, according to projections shared by Founder Ritesh Agarwal with the company's leadership on Wednesday, sources said. The company expects EBITDA of Rs 2,000 crore for the same period, on the back of a strong top-line growth, buoyed by the recent Motel 6 acquisition. EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) is a financial metric that measures a company's profitability and cash flow. Motel 6 is projected to contribute an EBITDA of over Rs 630 crore in the coming financial year, which will be the first full year of its integration, according to sources. "This contribution is anticipated to push OYO's combined EBITDA to over Rs 2,000 crore in FY26," said a person aware of the financial projections. OYO recorded a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs 166 crore in the third quarter ended December, up nearly six times from Rs 25 crore in the year-ago ..

Women borrowers up 22% since 2019, majority from semi-urban, rural: Report

Women borrowers in India have grown at a compounded growth rate of 22 per cent over the last 5 years with majority of them from semi-urban and rural areas, who are also actively monitoring their credit scores, a report said on Monday. The report titled 'From Borrowers to Builders: Women's Role in India's Financial Growth Story', released by NITI Aayog CEO B V R Subrahmanyam also showed bulk of their loan was for meeting consumption demand and comparatively less for businesses. The report has been published by TransUnion CIBIL, Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) of NITI Aayog and MicroSave Consulting (MSC). "The number of women availing credit in India has increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22 per cent between CY 2019 and 2024. While consumption loans continue to be the preferred products held by women borrowers, the report's insights show that more women are also availing business loans," a statement said. As per the report, credit availment for financing ...

'Bharat consumer' is driving India's digital and startup boom: India Inc

Digital revolution is sweeping across India, particularly among consumers in smaller towns and lower-income segments, startup leaders say at BS Manthan

Agri water technology startups need Rs 500-600 crore investment: Report

India's agriculture water technology sector requires investments of Rs 500-600 crore to achieve widespread adoption of smart irrigation solutions even as the country faces a deepening water crisis, according to the latest report. The study by DCM Shriram on "The Investment Mismatch in AgWater" highlights that despite agriculture consuming the largest share of water resources while contributing 16 per cent to GDP and employing 55 per cent of the workforce, the sector struggles with efficiency and adequate funding. India has between 70-100 active AgWaterTech startups, but many risk closure due to investment hurdles, according to the report. "Limited data, long gestation periods, and the high proportion of small and marginal farmers make AgWaterTech less attractive to investors," it added. Ajay S Shriram -- Chairman and Senior Managing Director, DCM Shriram and Director of DCM Shriram Foundation -- emphasised the severity of the situation, saying, "Water is the most critical resource

Wipro to invest $200 mn in Wipro Ventures to accelerate startups funding

IT major Wipro on Wednesday said it will invest USD 200 million (about Rs 1,740 crore) in its arm Wipro Ventures to accelerate its funding for startups in the technology innovation space. This marks the fourth funding round for Wipro Ventures since it began operations ten years ago, and is aimed at speeding up investments in startups at the early to mid-stage level, a company statement said. "This latest investment reaffirms our commitment to helping startups grow faster, innovate, and collaborate with the IT services industry to support large enterprises. We envision a collaborative ecosystem, where these emerging technologies can be deployed globally, drive progress, and create sustainable value for all stakeholders involved," Wipro CEO and MD Srini Pallia said. Established in 2015, Wipro Ventures focuses on identifying and investing in promising early-stage startups that drive technological innovation. The Wipro Ventures team connects Wipro and its clients to a global ecosystem o

NewMe plans to launch 20 new stores by 2025, aspires for IPO in 3-5 years

Jasoria highlighted that the brand aims to bridge the gap between pricing and aesthetics, focusing mainly on Gen Z

Swiggy to invest Rs 1K crore in Scootsy Logistics in one or more tranches

This investment is for working capital and other capital expenditures as part of the company's business expansion, said the food and grocery delivery firm

Flipkart Ventures picks AI startups for third accelerator programme

Companies will get financing and business advice from e-commerce giant's leaders

Brahma's $1.43 bn artificial intelligence play: Metaphysic acquisition

Abu Dhabi-based investor United Al Saqer Group (UASG) and DNEG (Double Negative) will invest $25 million into Brahma

Pocket Entertainment launches AI-powered comics platform, Pocket Toons

The company is leveraging AI to produce content 20x faster at a third of the cost, making high-quality comics more accessible than ever

Indian startup unicorns grow far beyond IIT, IIM, and ISBs: Study

At the top of non-IIT/management institutes is Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), which has produced 10 startup unicorn founders in the US

Couples invite global guests to weddings via innovative startups, for a fee

From dressing in colourful lehengas and sherwanis to dancing to Bollywood tunes during the baraat, these startups are offering an immersive journey into the world of Indian weddings

Cognida.ai raises $15 million to transform enterprise AI adoption

Cognida says its practical approach reduces AI implementation time from eight months to just 12 weeks, making AI adoption predictable and profitable

Make OpenAI affordable for developers: Top Indian startup chiefs to Altman

The importance of India to OpenAI was stated by Altman, when he said that India is the second largest market for OpenAI

Budget 2025: ME-Card announced for credit access to MSMEs; key features

To facilitate credit accessibility, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced a customised credit card scheme for micro enterprises registered on the Udyam portal

Ed-tech firm upGrad to build Institute of AI Excellence in Maharashtra

Under the 'Educity' initiative of Maharashtra, upGrad will also establish an Urban University and Campus Hubs in partnership with three global universities -

Quick-service app Snabbit raises $5.5 million led by Elevation Capital

Snabbit aims to simplify urban living by connecting households with trusted and trained professionals for everyday home tasks

Startup India made country a vibrant startup hub, says PM Modi

Lauding 'Startup India' as a transformative programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on its ninth anniversary on Thursday that the initiative has propelled India to become one of the largest and most vibrant startup ecosystems globally. It is a landmark initiative that has redefined innovation, entrepreneurship and growth, he said, describing the programme as "very close to my heart," as it has emerged as a powerful way of furthering youth empowerment. He said on X, "Over the past nine years, this transformative program has empowered countless youngsters, turning their innovative ideas into successful Startups." People would doubt India's ability to thrive in this system just a decade ago, he added. The prime minister said this "transformative" programme has empowered countless youngsters, turning their innovative ideas into successful startups. From tech-driven solutions to rural innovations, healthcare advancements to biotech breakthroughs, Fintech to EdTech, clean energy to

From 500 to over 159,000 and counting: Nine years of Startup India

As the country celebrates the 9th edition of Startup India, the ecosystem now boasts over 1.59 lakh DPIIT recognised startups and 110 unicorns, making it the third-largest globally

AIFs seek specific funds from govt for new-age, sunrise, deep-tech startups

Alternate investment funds (AIFs) have sought from the government specific funds for investments in new-age, sunrise and deep-tech startups with a view to promote innovation in the country, an official said. They have also urged the government to announce a fresh round of funds under the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) scheme. These demands were raised during a meeting between AIFs and the officials of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) here last week. The department held discussions with AIFs on ways to promote funding for startups in the country, the official said. "In the meeting AIFs demanded more funds under FFS. They demanded an increase in the duration of FFS from the existing 12 years," the official added. At present FFS is sector agnostic. The AIFs have suggested specific funds for the sunrise and new-age sectors. Issues like capital mobilisation and promoting funding for startups in smaller cities were also discussed during the meeting.