As 8 new startups join the 2018 club, average time taken to be a $1 billion firm now stands at 5-7 years, next only to China, says a Nasscom report
Over the last 12 months, thanks to bold bets by venture capital firms like Sequoia, SoftBank Vision Fund, and foreign strategic investors like Naspers, pipeline of start-ups with potential to achieve $1 bn in valuation is at an all-time high.
US-based telecom infrastructure company, Unicorn Communications, is planning to enter the Indian market. It intends to commence operations in about three months and will offer telecom infrastructure such as mobile towers.
These unicorns, or startups valued at over USD 1 billion, are across industries, beyond technology and tech-enabled sectors as well, like pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods, Credit Suisse India equity strategist Neelkanth Mishra told reporters in Mumbai.
'The Indian developer community is one of the most vibrant communities.' 'Indian builders are incredibly passionate, curious, and excited to embrace new technologies.'
'I told myself, I will be 23 next year. Why can't I be a billionaire too?'
Indian startups received about $6.5 billion in funding in the April-June 2021 quarter, while 11 of them entered the coveted unicorn club, a report by Nasscom-PGA Labs said. During the second quarter, 160 funding deals were closed -- up 2 per cent from the January-March period. "Q2 2021 has been impeccable for the start-up growth story. From being the most funded quarter, it has also added the most number of unicorns. "Standing tall during the pandemic second wave headwinds, Indian start-up ecosystem has shown a strong resilience in this quarter," the report said.
The IPO wave of 2025 is here, and it's bigger than ever. From fintech unicorns to financial powerhouses and infrastructure giants, some of India's biggest names are all set to make their stock market debut. PhonePe, Zepto, Tata Capital, NSE, NSDL, and JSW Cement are just a few of the highly awaited listings that have investors and analysts buzzing with excitement.
So, how is it different from the 150cc Honda CB Unicorn? Naveen Soni reports on what the Unicorn 160 has to offer!
MobiKwik employees exercised their ESOPs (Employee stock ownership) in a recently opened window by selling part of their shares in a secondary sale. "The secondary round was led by ex-Blackstone India head, Mathew Cyriac, who topped up his holding at almost double of his previous price," the sources said.
There seems to be no dearth of funds to fuel this growth, report Peerzada Abrar and Shivani Shinde.
$47.6 bn capital invested across 921 deals in India in 2020, despite pandemic.
Sonakshi relives her holiday mood... Sonam shares a late New Year post... Aahana rides a unicorn...
Quick commerce startups hope to race towards better days. Can they crack the execution code?
Over 10,000 km in a year but the bike still offers adequate amount of power on tap and a fuel efficiency figure to keep the pocket happy, says Naveen Soni
'India is a very strategic geography. The business is growing over 37-38 per cent year-on-year.'
Anmol Singh Jaggi and Puneet Singh Jaggi, once hailed as rising stars in India's clean energy sector, are now facing serious regulatory action.
'Today, we have 2 million active drivers earning through our platform every month.'
Adam Griffith has been tasked with grooming the next generation of Australian pace bowlers for bigger assignments like Test cricket.
Indian startups raised a total of $1.65 billion (about Rs 14,418 crore) in funding at a median valuation of $83.2 million in February 2025, according to data from Traxcn. This brings the total funding in FY25 (April-February) to $25.4 billion, spread across 2,200 rounds, the data showed.
From the launch of the 'Startup India' initiative in 2016, to the abolition of angel tax and easing of reverse flipping norms, the startup ecosystem is evolving.
For India startups, pulling in the reins now may enable them to live longer - even if it means shedding their unicorn status, says Una Galani.
Dubai is positioning itself as a springboard for Indian companies looking to tap into fast-growing emerging markets, including Africa, banking on low tariffs, long-standing trade relations, and a shared vision for regional economic growth, said Mohammad Ali Rashid Lootah, president and chief executive officer, Dubai Chambers, at the Dubai-India Business Forum in Mumbai.
A 2014 study had ranked IITs as fourth among the top 50 universities globally, whose graduates were entrepreneurial.
Ride-hailing unicorn Rapido is quickly scaling up its four-wheeler segment, which now contributes up to 25 per cent of its total bookings. Aravind Sanka, Rapido's cofounder, in a video interview with Udisha Srivastav/Business Standard, shares insights on the company's plans to expand into the segment, how BluSmart's exit has created an opportunity for the company, its push towards green mobility, and navigating state-specific policies.
A large part of the work that CEO Sumit Gupta does is focused on educating users and the larger community about investing in cryptocurrencies, reports Neha Alawadhi.
Physics Wallah has filed Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), a precursor to hitting the primary market from where the edtech Unicorn reportedly plans to raise around Rs 4,500 crore through IPO.
Gensol Engineering's promoters treated the listed company as a proprietary firm, diverting corporate funds to buy a high-end apartment in The Camellias, DLF Gurgaon, splurging on a luxury golf set, paying off credit cards, and transferring money to close relatives, Sebi revealed in its interim order.
Companies have been approached to set up incubation centres that will offer financial and non-financial support to manufacturing startups at various levels.
Co-founders of India's latest unicorn expected Covid-19 to be a speed breaker; instead it accelerated sales. Cars24 now enjoys more than 90 per cent market share among all other similar online transaction platforms. Dhruv Munjal traces the birth of this used-cars platform.
Cummins is one of cricket's most recognised players as a top performer in all three formats (test, one day and T20) who led Australia to the test and one-day world championships last year.
Fintech unicorn Razorpay has raised $375 million in the Series F round of funding at a $7.5-billion valuation, making it India's second-most valuable start-up in this space, after Paytm. The company valuation has surged over seven times in 15 months, helping it push Walmart-owned digital payments firm PhonePe to the third spot on the country's most-valuable fintech list. Razorpay's latest round of fundraising was led by Lone Pine Capital, Alkeon Capital, and TCV.
Kunal Shah has funded over 266 startups including Razorpay, Snapdeal, Zetwork, BlueSmart, Unacademy, Bliss Club, and Spinny, amongst others.
As AI becomes central to upskilling, a growing number of learners -- from seasoned professionals to school students -- are eager to explore and experiment with technology.
'Cricket as a pathway in the US was not something people thought about 10 years ago, even like five years ago.' 'But now that there is a pathway you can see.'
Honda, the largest manufacturer of two-wheelers in the world, unveiled its Unicorn model, its first motorcycle to ever enter the Indian market.
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) today launched a new variant of its 150 cc bike - CB Unicorn Dazzler, priced up to Rs 66,198 (ex-showroom, Delhi).
'We handle close to 3 million rides daily, making us one of the largest players in this segment'
Sanayi Gupta is a chameleon when it comes to style.
The firm has raised $204 million from nine investors such as Sequoia Capital, Light Speed Ventures, and Aarin Capital, and hopes to hit the $ 1 billion valuation mark this year.
