Page 14 - Startups

India-US CEO Forum working group launches knowledge-sharing platform

A working group of the India-US CEO Forum on Tuesday launched a bilateral knowledge-sharing platform. The group is focused on entrepreneurship, inclusive growth, and promoting small businesses. The platform was launched in partnership with United Services Institute (USI) and CyberPeace Foundation, during the dialogue on inclusive growth, unlocking trade, empowering Startups and MSMEs in the Digital Age at USI. The dialogue also saw the launch of Prakshepan, an innovation Hackathon, and Cybersecurity & AI Capacity Building and Skilling Workshops for MSMEs and startups. The workshops will focus on protecting MSMEs and startups from online threats, and provide these businesses with the knowledge and tools necessary to build resilient security structures. Subi Chaturvedi, Chief Corporate Affairs & Public Policy Officer, Global Senior Vice President, InMobi, and Sherpa, Working Group 7, said, "The dialogue and the knowledge-sharing platform will enhance the bilateral relationship ..

Musk's startup xAI raises $6 bn in fresh round of funding, valued at $24 bn

The funding round was backed by investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital

Flipkart to Swiggy: Valuations of top startups on path to recovery in 2024

After inflated valuations in 2022 and subsequent markdowns, the companies are on the path to recovery to keep their valuations realistic as they aim for profitability

40 start-ups extend support to Digital Competition Bill in a letter to MCA

In the letter, the start-ups have also requested an upward revision of the thresholds for designating Systematically Significant Digital Enterprises (SSDEs)

Life and leave: 84% of startups allow employees to accumulate earned leave

Most startups don't give leave for menstruation but many do for miscarriage

Byju's slashes course fees by 30-40%, ups sales incentives by 50-100%

Edtech firm Think and Learn -- owner of Byju's brand -- has slashed course subscription fees by 30-40 per cent and hiked sales incentives by 50-100 per cent, according to sources. Byju's Founder and CEO Byju Raveendran, who has started handling the company's daily operations, in a meeting with 1,500 sales associates and managers, has announced change in sales strategy inclined towards scalability and flexibility. "The annual subscription for the Byju's Learning App is now available at a yearly early price of Rs 12,000 (inclusive of taxes), while Byju's classes and Byju's Tuition Centres (BTC) are priced at Rs 24,000 and Rs 36,000, respectively, for a complete year of classes," sources privy to the development said. This is almost a 30-40 per cent reduction in rates, they said. Byju Raveendran has also promised to settle all dues of the sales team with higher incentives. "The average sales salary is Rs 40,000 per month. So, close a couple of sales, and you can get not just your sal

Legacy firms outperform modern, got 75% of PE-VC investments in 2023

75% of PE-VC investments were directed towards conventional sectors such as healthcare, retail, energy, advanced manufacturing

From startup to prominence: Wheebox rewriting talent assessment with AI

Wheebox's assessments leverage extensive datasets to identify skills and traits crucial for success, while also ensuring a secure AI-driven evaluation system

Setu unveils Sesame, India's first domain-specific LLM for BFSI sector

Developed in collaboration with indigenous AI research firm Sarvam AI, the company said this marks a "ChatGPT moment" in financial services

Nandan Nilekani-backed people+ai partners with 24 tech organisations

It stands out as one of the select technology-driven consortia dedicated to addressing and facilitating large-scale computing access

Former BharatPe COO Bahl-led Eternal Capital launches Rs 120 crore VC fund

The fund has been uniquely structured to democratise and simplify access to early-stage institutional deals in start-ups

CII asks startups to keep their valuations 'as realistic as possible'

It further stated that the start-up should be maintained as a separate legal entity with the organisation's assets distinct from the founders' assets

Indian startup funding declines 3.1% to $2.3 billion in Q1 CY2024

The country saw the creation of two unicorns - companies valued at over $1 billion - during the quarter, namely Ola Krutrim and fintech Software as a Service (SaaS) firm Perfios

Startups want more funds, tax relief once the new govt takes office

Lack of significant funding, heavy tax deductions and import duties and red tape are some of the biggest hurdles that startups want the new government to address once it comes into power after polls

Transforming agriculture with drone tech: The rise of Thanos Technologies

The agricultural drones automate the hazardous task of pesticide spraying, thereby improving the lives of Indian farmers

Pine Labs' Setu names former SAP India executive Raisinghani as its CEO

He will work closely with Setu's co-founder Nikhil Kumar, the company said in a release

Defence space startups need boost from forces, industry to hit higher orbit

Armed forces personnel, space & defence industry heads and sector experts came together at Indian Space Association's Indian DefSpace Symposium 2024 to find ways to bolster defence-space capabilities

Google-backed Cropin launches AI tool to boost climate-smart agriculture

The Bengaluru-based company has launched 'akṣara', the agriculture sector's first purpose-built open-source Micro Language Model for climate-smart agriculture

B2B marketplace ProcMart raises $30 mn in series B funding from Fundamentum

The company is set to enter newer industries beyond MRO consumables such as Biofuel and packaging, expand its distribution network in India and strengthen international operations in Southeast Asia

Green shoots in private capex are visible: Assocham President Sanjay Nayar

Nayar talks about Assocham's priorities, pick up in private capex and the startup ecosystem