Sarvam AI, an Indian full-stack sovereign artificial intelligence company, has achieved unicorn status after raising $234 million in a Series B funding round led by HCLTech and Bessemer Venture Partners, with HCLTech acquiring a 10.46 per cent stake.
Bessemer Venture Partners has closed $350 million in capital for its second dedicated India fund to back founders in the region, who build enduring companies.
Eighteen new-age technology firms went public during the year, a near triple increase from the five firms that debuted in 2023 and 38 per cent more than 2024's tally of 13.
Internet user base in India has touched 100 million.
Blue-chip names such as Bessemer Venture Partners, Google, JP Morgan Asset Management are taking strategic bets in the Indian market.
There are several discussions going around in the e-health sector for consolidation with key players being PharmEasy, 1mg, Medlife and Netmeds. According to reports, Reliance Jio is in talks with Netmeds to acquire the latter.
The company is in talks with investors and the deal could be closed in a few weeks. At present, it operates in 37 cities in India.
'In India, the GenAI startup ecosystem is unfolding with remarkable speed, signalling a new era of technological advancement and investment opportunities.'
Ola Cabs acquires TaxiForSure in $200-mn deal.
Ratan Tata has made investments in his personal capacity in more than 15 start-ups over the last 20 months.
Snapdeal has been on the deal street for raising fresh funds in order to muscle up for the growing competition in e-commerce.
Snapdeal had appointed merchant bankers for listing on an American stock exchange
Investments are at risk if operators are unable to resolve concerns of authorities and customers after the rape accusation.
Though startups find 17 mentions in the Budget speech of the finance minister, and have been promised tax exemptions, the reality is that only 2 per cent of the 4,648 applications received from startups for income tax exemption had been approved as of February 2019, according to an answer to a Parliament question. As India's startup space bubbles with activity - new, young players are tapping into opportunities opening up - there are local anti-portfolio stories circulating about investors missing opportunities in 'unicorns', or companies that have reached valuation of $ 1 billion, says Vandana Gombar.
After a recent spate of big-bang funding of food discovery and delivery apps, experts believe the sector's consolidation might be over and the remaining players are here to stay and thrive.
The ban on taxi aggregators can put at risk investments of at least Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion), made by private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) investors.
The past few years have seen the first cycle of mergers and acquisitions, exits, and track-records being created.
Meru Cabs' founder says they were a traditional company.
With aggressive brand-building initiatives, the companies' advertising budgets ahead of Diwali is understood to have seen a 15% spike
These workers have been asked to undergo a 30-day performance improvement plan.
The Kunal Bahl-led firm wants to add 1,000 sellers every three months in its loan scheme.
Relations between founders and investors in the start-up universe - remains as tricky as ever.
Venture capitalists are leveraging their experience to build something new.
A platform that helps retailers reduce failed transactions while keeping the cost down, Innoviti is all set for India's digital payments revolution.
The company runs 15 matrimonial websites under Bharat Matrimony and around 300 websites under Community Matrimony.
