Page 8 - Start-ups

Amazon doubles down on AI startup Anthropic with $4 billion investment

The e-commerce company's increased investment in Anthropic underscores the billions of dollars funneled into AI startups over the past year

Bengaluru Tech Summit: India's DPI has reached maturity level to go global

Countries showing interest in adopting India's digital public infrastructure model, which would help them deliver essential services, empower citizens, and improve lives by enabling digital inclusion

Physis Capital raises Rs 150 cr for Rs 400 cr fund, to invest in startups

Venture Capital firm Physis Capital has received commitment of Rs 150 crore for its around Rs 400 crore or USD 50 million venture fund, which it plans to invest in 12-15 startups, a senior official of the firm said on Tuesday. Physis Capital, General Partner, Vinay Bansal told PTI that the firm expects the final close of the fund by early 2026. "Our Rs 400 crore fund is split into four buckets comprising Rs 100 crore retail investors, Rs 100 crore family offices, Rs 100 crore from financial institutions and Rs 100 crore from the government. "We have closed Rs 100 crore from retail investors and half of the family offices bucket. We have received a total commitment of Rs 150 crore," Bansal said. Physis Capital was set-up by the founders of Inflection Point Ventures which has invested in companies like Bharat Pe, Blusmart, VideoVerse, Milkbasket, Samosa Party, Stage, and Otipy. "The final close of the fund is expected by early 2026. We will invest the fund in Indian start-ups. Physi

India's startups need more than growth; focus on governance also crucial

Some of the most prominent startups are struggling to build the governance structures they need to handle their rapid growth

Avaana raises $135 mn for climate fund to fuel climate-tech startups

Avaana Capital, India's climate-focused venture capital firm, has managed to infuse Avaana Climate and Sustainability Fund with USD 135 million, thanks to support from renowned institutional investors, including the Green Climate Fund (GCF), said a senior official from the company on Wednesday. In a press statement, Anjali Bansal, partner at Avaana Capital, said, "The support we've received from leading global and domestic institutional investors underscores the importance of innovation in driving climate action and delivering long-term impact. The Avaana Climate & Sustainability Fund will help build the next generation of climate-first companies to transform key sectors and make meaningful progress toward a sustainable future." According to her, the fund focuses on three core sectors that account for 90 per cent of India's carbon emissions: Energy and Resource Management, Mobility and Supply Chains, and Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems. Bansal said India is one of the ...

India banned drone imports to encourage local startups: Ram Mohan Naidu

Union Minister of Civil Aviation K Ram Mohan Naidu on Tuesday said India has totally banned the import of drones to encourage local talent to manufacture them. Addressing the two-day national drone summit at Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh, the Civil Aviation Minister noted that the government banned drone imports as it does not want some other country or company to benefit at the cost of India. We have banned the total import of drones, why did we do it? We want to encourage more startups to come in this drone sector. We want the people of this country to manufacture drones. We don't want to import drones and let the benefit go to some other country or some other company, said Naidu. According to the union minister, the government wants the young and bright minds of the country to develop new types of drones to cater to solutions which are indigenous to the country, so, with that mindset we banned imports'. The aviation minister highlighted that the Centre has liberalised rules for th

Dairy-tech startup Stellapps raises $26 million in series C funding

Stellapps' dairy-tech is deployed in over 42,000 villages, enabling the movement of more than 14 million litres of milk every day

Market, consumers best teachers for biz growth: Mamaearth co-founder

Market and consumer insights are the best teachers to learn from to grow business, a philosophy which has guided Mamaearth's decisions, contributing significantly to its growth, its co-founder Varun Alagh said on Thursday. Alagh, co-founder and CEO of beauty and personal care brand Mamaearth, speaking at the 119th Annual Session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) here, stressed the significance of consumer feedback in shaping business strategies. "I think the market and the consumer are the best teachers. As long as you're listening, they keep telling and teaching you. There is no better teacher than them. And we have treated the market and consumer like that, which has been very helpful because they have guided a lot of our decisions and got us to where we are today," he said. Alagh further highlighted the transformative impact of e-commerce and digital marketing in India, noting that these platforms are crucial for expanding access to products across diverse inco

Indian startups including Ola, Paytm, others mourn demise of Ratan Tata

Tata, after taking a personal interest in Agarwal's journey, decided to invest in Ola in 2015, as per Bhavish, Tata was also the inspiration behind Ola Electric

XDLINX Space Labs raises $7 mn in seed funding from Lucky Investments

Founded in 2022 in Hyderabad, XDLINX Space Labs aims to make satellite technology accessible to a broader range of clients

Arkam Ventures targets middle India: GenAI, space tech, EVs among key areas

Arkam believe that the biggest venture outcomes over the next 15 years are going to come from founders who are reimagining and rewriting many traditional industries

Wakefit enters Rs 1,000 crore revenue club, returns to Ebitda profitability

The sleep solutions company records a 24 per cent jump in revenue since the last financial year and remains on track to maintain its growth trajectory

LinkedIn's top Indian startups 2024: Zepto leads as India's newest unicorn

According to a report by Global Data, Indian startups raised around $7.5 billion in venture capital funding from January to August 2024 alone

Zepto retains first place in LinkedIn's 2024 list of India's Top Startups

Quick commerce platform Zepto, for the second consecutive year, has been ranked first in LinkedIn Top Startups India List 2024 -- an annual ranking of emerging companies where professionals want to work. The list draws insights from data based on actions of more than 1 billion LinkedIn members globally. It measures startups based on four pillars: employment growth, engagement, job interest and attraction of top talent. Zepto was followed by compliance firm Sprinto and cloud storage management platform Lucidity. "This year's Top Startups list is a true reflection of India's burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem. Bengaluru continues to thrive with half of the Top Startups headquartered in the city. "14 startups (out of 20) are new entrants in this year's list and several first-time categories like biofuel, compliance and mental health point to the diversity of career opportunities for professionals eyeing the world of startups," Nirajita Banerjee, Career Expert and Head of Editorial a

Capital A launches Rs 400 cr fund to target manufacturing, climate startups

Fund II will invest in 17-20 companies, offering initial investments between $750,000 and $1 million, with total commitments of $2-3 million per company over their growth cycles

PhysicsWallah raises $210 mn; valuation jumps 2.5 times to $2.8 bn

Edtech unicorn PhysicsWallah said on Friday it has raised USD 210 million in a funding round led by Hornbill Capital at a 2.5 times higher valuation of USD 2.8 billion. Lightspeed Venture Partners, along with existing investors GSV and WestBridge, also participated in the funding round. "PhysicsWallah Pvt Ltd (PW) has closed its series B funding round, raising USD 210 million. This investment brings the company's post-money valuation to an impressive USD 2.8 billion, 2.5x (times) jump over its last valuation of USD 1.1 billion," the company said in a statement. There has been a long dry spell of significant funding in the Indian edtech sector with a significant dip in the valuation of large edtech firms. "PhysicsWallah's funding round serves as a beacon of optimism amidst challenging times for the edTech sector, showcasing the unwavering confidence of both existing and new investors in PhysicsWallah's growth and its mission to democratise education across India," the company said.

54 new spacetech startups in 2023 represent new opportunities for India

Spacetech startups are harnessing artificial intelligence and 'deep technologies' like Blockchain and Internet of Things to transform industries and solve pressing societal challenges

Redcliffe Labs raises $42 mn in Series C funding to expand across India

The diagnostics service provider will use the funds to open more labs and collection centres, along with an expansion of its home collection network

Piyush Goyal to launch Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry on Monday

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will on Monday launch the Bharat Startup Knowledge Access Registry (BHASKAR) initiative which will serve as a central hub where startups, investors, service providers, and government bodies can come together to collaborate, exchange ideas, and accelerate growth. According to an official statement, it will also enhance collaboration among key stakeholders within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including startups, investors, mentors, service providers, and government bodies. The primary goal of BHASKAR is to build the world's largest digital registry for stakeholders within the startup ecosystem. To achieve this, the platform will offer several key features such as networking and collaboration. providing centralized access to resources, creating personalized identification, enhancing discoverability, and supporting India's global brand. "BHASKAR will bridge the gap between startups, investors, mentors, and other stakeholders, allowing for ..

OpenAI fundraising set to catapult startup's valuation to $150 billion

The funding round is slated to be led by Thrive Capital, Bloomberg previously reported. Thrive declined to comment on the latest valuation