News for 'Unicorn'

'If anything goes wrong with Byju's...'

'If anything goes wrong with Byju's...'

Rediff.com22 Jun 2023

'India's edtech and start-up story will be in danger.'

Gameskraft faces Rs 21,000-crore tax notice for 'GST evasion'

Gameskraft faces Rs 21,000-crore tax notice for 'GST evasion'

Rediff.com26 Sep 2022

The Director General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI) has slapped its heftiest tax notice of Rs 21,000 crore on Bengaluru-based Gameskraft Technology (GTPL) for allegedly evading GST on the betting amount. Gameskraft has dubbed the notice a "departure from the well-established law of the land". The company is accused of promoting online betting through card, casual and fantasy games like Rummy Culture, Gamezy and Rummy Time.

Data will dictate history, says Modi

Data will dictate history, says Modi

Rediff.com16 Nov 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said data is information and it will dictate history in the future as he exhorted for strong and scientific audits to make systems strong and transparent. Speaking at the Audit Diwas event of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), he said in the past information was transmitted in form of stories.

Microsoft selects 54 startups in India's Tier 2 cities

Microsoft selects 54 startups in India's Tier 2 cities

Rediff.com14 Jan 2020

Some of them include Spider G, NeuroTags, Genrobotic Innovations, AI Aeronautics, Synersense, Dealshare and NanoHealth. 'Highway to a Hundred Unicorns,' the Microsoft for startups initiative, works closely with local governments to strengthen the startup ecosystem in each state.

Byju's lays off 500 and may drop more in latest edtech crisis

Byju's lays off 500 and may drop more in latest edtech crisis

Rediff.com30 Jun 2022

In continuation of the recent trend, another edtech major has issued pink slips to hundreds of employees. Bengaluru-based Byju's - valued at $22 billion - has laid off about 500 employees at its group companies -WhiteHat Jr and Toppr. It's a move to drive cost efficiency, according to the company. The number of layoffs, cutting across various department functions, may increase, sources said.

'After many rocking years, we needed a rocky year'

'After many rocking years, we needed a rocky year'

Rediff.com3 Jan 2023

'Criticism is one thing, and cynicism is quite another.' 'However, we are undaunted by this negativity because we know the truth.'

Volatility may challenge over Rs 2-trn IPO pipeline in 2022

Volatility may challenge over Rs 2-trn IPO pipeline in 2022

Rediff.com5 Jan 2022

The expected interest rate hike in the US and the resultant volatility in the domestic secondary market could play a dampener to the over Rs 2-trillion initial public offering (IPO) pipeline in 2022. IPOs in 2022 look promising, with as many as 35 companies holding the Securities and Exchange Board of India's approval to raise roughly Rs 50,000 crore. Another 33 companies are waiting for the regulator's nod to raise around Rs 60,000 crore next year.

Tech startups raise $6 bn in April-June, fintech leads the pack

Tech startups raise $6 bn in April-June, fintech leads the pack

Rediff.com16 Jul 2022

Two sectors, fintech and media & entertainment, attracted 45 per cent of total funding by value, led by large ticket deals such as CRED and Dailyhunt.

We may be heading for 7%+ growth

We may be heading for 7%+ growth

Rediff.com24 Aug 2021

The market price action seems to point in this direction. Let's hope we finally break out. It is about time! asserts Akash Prakash.

PE-VC investments Surge To Record $49 Billion

PE-VC investments Surge To Record $49 Billion

Rediff.com25 Oct 2021

IT and ITeS companies accounted for $28.1 billion of the total investment pie during the first nine months of 2021.

Real Heroes Of Web Revolution

Real Heroes Of Web Revolution

Rediff.com21 Mar 2023

The tech creators, or the ones who made billions, asks Ajit Balakrishnan.

Relationship with tennis will continue after retirement, says Williams

Relationship with tennis will continue after retirement, says Williams

Rediff.com30 Aug 2022

Serena Williams is leaving tennis but her love affair with the sport will continue assured the 23-times Grand Slam winner on Monday, after reaching the second round of the US Open which could be her competitive swan song.

E-commerce sector expected to create 500,000 jobs by Diwali: Report

E-commerce sector expected to create 500,000 jobs by Diwali: Report

Rediff.com10 Oct 2022

With the festival sales in full swing, e-commerce firms are ramping up hiring to meet the increasing consumer demand. Close to 300,000 new jobs have been created in the sector so far and over 500,000 more jobs are expected to be added till Diwali, according to a report by TeamLease. The demand for gig workers is, however, not restricted to tier-1 cities. Tier-2 and tier-3 cities have seen an increase of 40 per cent, with a higher demand for delivery workers, according to a TeamLease report.

'Dhoni gets the best out of the players'

'Dhoni gets the best out of the players'

Rediff.com7 Mar 2023

'It is Dhoni, Fleming and the support staff who decide on cricket.' 'The fans expect CSK to do well, and with Dhoni at the helm, CSK is capable of it.'

India is 'dangerously close' to Hindu rate of growth: Raghuram Rajan

India is 'dangerously close' to Hindu rate of growth: Raghuram Rajan

Rediff.com5 Mar 2023

Sounding a note of caution, former Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan has said that India is "dangerously close" to the Hindu rate of growth in view of subdued private sector investment, high interest rates and slowing global growth. Rajan said that sequential slowdown in the quarterly growth, as revealed by the latest estimate of national income released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) last month, was worrying. Hindu rate of growth is a term describing low Indian economic growth rates from the 1950s to the 1980s, which averaged around 4 per cent.

Sachin Tendulkar joins pre-owned car retailer Spinny as investor

Sachin Tendulkar joins pre-owned car retailer Spinny as investor

Rediff.com14 Dec 2021

Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has joined pre-owned car retailing platform Spinny as a strategic investor and lead brand endorser, the company said in a release on Tuesday. Spinny, however, did not disclose the amount of investment by Tendulkar in the company. Spinny recently became a Unicorn with the closing of a $283 million Series-E round of funding, which took the total capital raised by the platform to more than 530 million and giving it a valuation of $1.8 billion.

Paytm share allocation likely on Nov 16 at Rs 2,150 apiece

Paytm share allocation likely on Nov 16 at Rs 2,150 apiece

Rediff.com14 Nov 2021

Digital payments and financial services firm Paytm is likely to allocate shares at the upper price band of Rs 2,150 apiece on November 16 after market regulator SEBI's approval which is expected to come on Monday, sources aware of the development said. Earlier the allocation was expected to take place on Monday and the Paytm Money app also displayed the same.

'Reduce slavery to foreign goods': Modi calls for 'vocal for local'

'Reduce slavery to foreign goods': Modi calls for 'vocal for local'

Rediff.com6 May 2022

He asked to focus on the 'vocal for local' mantra during the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations.

A new fintech world is upon us amid funding drought, lower valuations

A new fintech world is upon us amid funding drought, lower valuations

Rediff.com29 May 2023

In January, Visa's chief executive officer, Al Kelly, said during an earnings call that "there's been a burst of the balloon in valuations in the fintech world". Noting that the trend of lower valuations "is a helpful characteristic of the current environment", he added: "We will look for capabilities and management teams that will bring more value to Visa than we can bring ourselves." Data from KPMG's Pulse of Fintech H2'22 shows that global fintech investment - via mergers and acquisitions (M&As), private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) firms - at $164.1 billion in 2022, was down 31 per cent over the year before. Indian fintechs held up better during this timeframe, attracting $6 billion, or a fall of 24 per cent.

Edtech sector in crisis as Covid curbs ease; hybrid model offers hope

Edtech sector in crisis as Covid curbs ease; hybrid model offers hope

Rediff.com10 Jun 2022

The reopening of schools and colleges has sparked a crisis in the edtech sector with falling valuations, slowing funding rounds and faltering investor sentiment. In a totally altered, post-pandemic landscape where students are back at school and colleges, companies are scrambling to revert to bricks-and-mortar tuition centres and adopting a hybrid model of offline and online education. Demand for online tuition has fallen, affecting the revenue of edtech companies in recent months. After two years of booming revenues, some experts say the sector is looking at a possible meltdown.

Step Inside Neha-Angad's Sweet Home

Step Inside Neha-Angad's Sweet Home

Rediff.com22 Mar 2022

In the fifth season of Asian Paints' Where the Heart Is, we take you inside Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi's home.

Queen Elizabeth II dies: What happens next?

Queen Elizabeth II dies: What happens next?

Rediff.com9 Sep 2022

The death of the Queen is known in official circles in the United Kingdom as Operation London Bridge, the protocol for which has been triggered when Buckingham Palace announced the death of the 96-year-old monarch on Thursday evening.

An Ill Wind Blowing Over Karnataka

An Ill Wind Blowing Over Karnataka

Rediff.com13 Apr 2022

This divisiveness is upsetting social cohesion and can throw the bright young people thronging to Bengaluru with billion dollar ideas in their creative minds off balance, warns Shekhar Gupta.

What Went Wrong For Adani Stocks

What Went Wrong For Adani Stocks

Rediff.com28 Feb 2023

The 'sudden volatility' in Adani stocks is entirely due to a series of events that was extreme and unique, and played out in too short a period. Investors and regulators pretended that it wasn't so. But then, along came Hindenburg, which forced some eyes to open, points out Debashis Basu.

How Will Economy Perform In Samvat 2079?

How Will Economy Perform In Samvat 2079?

Rediff.com10 Nov 2022

The likelihood is that India will maintain a moderately upbeat economic tempo -- well short of tearaway growth, explains T N Ninan.

'One must not exit equities completely'

'One must not exit equities completely'

Rediff.com29 Dec 2022

'Investors need to have a fairly diversified basket of funds within equities.' 'We want them to allocate to largecap funds, midcap funds and flexicap schemes.'

Are You At Risk Of LOSING Your JOB?

Are You At Risk Of LOSING Your JOB?

Rediff.com11 Jul 2022

Remember, the security of your job primarily depends on two major factors -- how relevant you are for the organisation and how the organisation is aligned to its stakeholders (investors, clients and employees)

SVB crisis: Start-ups seek govt's help to bring money to India

SVB crisis: Start-ups seek govt's help to bring money to India

Rediff.com22 Mar 2023

Indian start-ups raised issues, such as blockages in international wire transfers, disruptions due to threshold limits on withdrawals, lack of communication from US agencies, and the need for preferential access to credit, in a meeting with the government over the fallout of Silicon Valley Bank's collapse. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, minister of state for electronics and information technology, held a virtual meeting with over 450 members from start-ups, venture capitalists, and investors who have been directly affected by the closure of SVB. He assured them that the IT ministry would put together a list of suggestions and give it to the finance minister on behalf of start-ups.

IPO rush: Samvat 2078 set to break new records

IPO rush: Samvat 2078 set to break new records

Rediff.com11 Nov 2021

A total of 49 companies raised Rs 81,615 crore in Samvat 2077, more than the preceding four years and almost double the amount raised in the previous year. Samvat 2078 appears even more promising with mega issues of Paytm and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India. However, Paytm's record could be short-lived as state-owned LIC is planning to launch a Rs 1-trillion IPO by March 2022.

Gujarat bags Foxconn's Rs 1.54 lakh cr semiconductor project

Gujarat bags Foxconn's Rs 1.54 lakh cr semiconductor project

Rediff.com13 Sep 2022

A joint venture of the Indian conglomerate Vedanta and Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn signed a memorandum of understanding with the Gujarat government on Tuesday to set up a semiconductor and display manufacturing unit in the state.

PIX: Karan, Neha party with Rani Mukerji

PIX: Karan, Neha party with Rani Mukerji

Rediff.com10 Dec 2019

Rani Mukerji took a break from the promotions of her next film Mardaani and threw a party for her daughter Adira's fourth birthday on December 9.

SoftBank-backed Meesho lays off 150 employees from grocery vertical

SoftBank-backed Meesho lays off 150 employees from grocery vertical

Rediff.com12 Apr 2022

SoftBank-backed internet commerce firm Meesho has downsized its grocery vertical Meesho SuperStore (formerly Farmiso) in an attempt to drive efficiency. The Bengaluru-based firm did not reveal the number of laid-off employees. However, the company officials said that about 150 employees have been laid off.

Varisu Review: Packed With Vijay Magic!

Varisu Review: Packed With Vijay Magic!

Rediff.com11 Jan 2023

This is a film written for an audience that thrives on Vijay's stardom and it satisfies them thoroughly, observes Divya Nair.

Pine Labs' valuation tops $2 bn post funding

Pine Labs' valuation tops $2 bn post funding

Rediff.com22 Dec 2020

This makes it the most valued fintech company in the country after Paytm and Walmart-owned PhonePe.

Pandemic boom to layoff season: How Big Tech, start-ups got it wrong

Pandemic boom to layoff season: How Big Tech, start-ups got it wrong

Rediff.com17 Nov 2022

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Meta, summed it up well as he explained the reason for the company sacking 13 per cent of its employees. He said no one predicted that the boom for digital services during the Covid pandemic would die out. "Many people predicted this would be a permanent acceleration that would continue even after the pandemic ended.

Tiger Global, others invest $225 mn in parent of IPL title sponsor Dream11

Tiger Global, others invest $225 mn in parent of IPL title sponsor Dream11

Rediff.com15 Sep 2020

The new round values the company at $2.5 billion, more than double the over $1 billion valuation Dream 11 enjoyed in April 2019 when it was declared the country's first gaming unicorn.

PharmEasy buys Medlife, becomes largest e-pharma company

PharmEasy buys Medlife, becomes largest e-pharma company

Rediff.com26 May 2021

PharmEasy has acquired Medlife for an undisclosed amount, the e-pharmacy unicorn said on Tuesday. The deal will make PharmEasy the largest player in the domestic online pharmacy sector, with the combined entity set to serve 2 million customers a month.

'For us, there is no hurry to grow fast'

'For us, there is no hurry to grow fast'

Rediff.com10 Dec 2021

'In the business of money, where you are regulated, the liability lies on the head of the acquirer.' 'It is not a good thing when you cannot spot the risks.'

Byju's raises $200 mn in fresh funding; valuation surges to $12 bn

Byju's raises $200 mn in fresh funding; valuation surges to $12 bn

Rediff.com23 Nov 2020

While BlackRock is an existing investor in Byju's, T Rowe joined as a new investor.

'Investors are not coming to do charity'

'Investors are not coming to do charity'

Rediff.com9 Jan 2023

'Investment is continuously coming.'