News for 'unicorn'

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

'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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

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.

'Investors are not coming to do charity'

'Investors are not coming to do charity'

Rediff.com9 Jan 2023

'Investment is continuously coming.'

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.

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.

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.

Trust of crores of people my shield against Oppn abuse, says Modi in LS

Trust of crores of people my shield against Oppn abuse, says Modi in LS

Rediff.com8 Feb 2023

Raising slogans, members of the BRS, Left parties and some members of the Congress walked out of Lok Sabha in protest as the prime minister was speaking.

'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.'

India supports mutual trust among SCO members: Modi

India supports mutual trust among SCO members: Modi

Rediff.com16 Sep 2022

Modi's emphasises on transit for trade comes amid Pakistan's reluctance to provide such a facility for two-way trade between India and Pakistan.

Getting Laid Off? Know Your Rights

Getting Laid Off? Know Your Rights

Rediff.com1 Dec 2022

Companies today are taking a very fashionable way to reduce their workforce. Instead of the outright firing of employees, an alternative approach that some companies are using is the passive-aggressive method which is both deliberate and accidental, points out corporate lawyer Ishanee Sharma.

Queen Elizabeth II admired richness, diversity of India

Queen Elizabeth II admired richness, diversity of India

Rediff.com9 Sep 2022

Queen Elizabeth II, who died aged 96 on Thursday, was the first British monarch to accede to the throne after India's Independence from colonial rule in 1952 and admired the 'richness and diversity' of India where she made three State Visits over the course of her reign -- in 1961, 1983 and 1997.

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.

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.

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.

Modi's socio-nomics starts to pay off

Modi's socio-nomics starts to pay off

Rediff.com16 Nov 2021

Here's what could be ahead for India: A $10-trillion economy by 2030-32, a Sensex at 1,00,000 by 2025, monthly GST revenues at Rs 2 trillion by 2024-25, 100 new unicorns by 2025, and poverty below 5 per cent by 2030, predicts R Jagannathan.

Edtech: What Parents Need To Know

Edtech: What Parents Need To Know

Rediff.com15 Jan 2022

'Why is the government asking parents to be careful rather than coming up with strict rules and regulations for the companies?'

Tiger Global and SoftBank trim investments in India by over a third in 2022

Tiger Global and SoftBank trim investments in India by over a third in 2022

Rediff.com2 Aug 2022

US hedge fund Tiger Global and Japanese investment giant SoftBank have trimmed their investments in Indian start-ups by over a third - from $3.8 billion in the second half of 2021 to a mere $1.08 billion in H1 2022, according to data from Venture Intelligence. While SoftBank's investments in India dropped from $1.9 billion in H2 2021 by more than a fifth to only $0.33 billion in H1 2022, that of Tiger Global fell from $1.92 to $0.74 billion in the same period. Private equity (PE) fund trackers point out that this year most of the deals that Tiger Global has invested in are in the early stage (up to series D), and only a few are in the series E and above.

Udaan lays off about 180 employees in a move to drive cost-efficiency

Udaan lays off about 180 employees in a move to drive cost-efficiency

Rediff.com29 Jun 2022

Udaan - India's largest business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce company - has laid off about 180 employees, or 4-5 per cent of its workforce of 4,000, in a move to drive cost efficiency, revealed sources. They said the layoffs have happened across various department functions. The layoffs have happened at a time when the Bengaluru-based firm is trying to turn into a publicly listed entity in 18-24 months.

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.

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.

World Raises Its Voice. Will Leaders Listen?

World Raises Its Voice. Will Leaders Listen?

Rediff.com8 Nov 2021

Even as world leaders continue to debate, climate change activists took to the streets of Glasgow for the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice march.

Reimagining Venture Capital

Reimagining Venture Capital

Rediff.com18 Oct 2022

Ajit Balakrishnan on keeping an eye on democratising finance in India.

Founder of Tik-Tok's parent company steps down

Founder of Tik-Tok's parent company steps down

Rediff.com20 May 2021

Chinese tech unicorn ByteDance co-founder billionaire Zhang Yiming on Thursday announced that he will step down as CEO, in a surprise move that signalled a major leadership shake-up at the nine year-old technology firm which created popular global short-video app TikTok. Zhang, 38, who is one of China's wealthiest entrepreneurs, said he is ready to step down after nearly a decade of running the world's largest unicorn, becoming the latest among the country's technology founders to quit in their prime. Zhang will step down from his role as CEO of the Beijing-based ByteDance, giving up his day-to-day responsibilities to "be more impactful on longer-term initiatives," the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted the company announcement on Thursday.

PE inflows into proptech firms rise to $741 mn in 2021

PE inflows into proptech firms rise to $741 mn in 2021

Rediff.com14 Jul 2022

Private equity investments in proptech firms rose 35 per cent to $741 million last year as investors sought to tap huge opportunities amid rising use of technology in the realty sector, Housing.com said. Proptech firms that are providing solution in sales and marketing, and construction management got 69 per cent of the total funds. Inflow of funds into proptech firms stood at $551 million in 2020. Between 2009 and 2021, the proptech players in India received a total of $3.2 billion Private Equity(PE) investments.

The AMAZING life of Sara Ali Khan

The AMAZING life of Sara Ali Khan

Rediff.com12 Aug 2020

Sara Ali Khan celebrates her 25th birthday on August 12.

Ladakh Fallout: How India Bled Chinese FDI

Ladakh Fallout: How India Bled Chinese FDI

Rediff.com9 Feb 2022

In 2020-2021, the amount of foreign direct investment into India from China and Hong Kong plummeted to just $200 million -- its lowest in the recent past. In the first half of 2021-2022, FDI investments through these two nations stood at just $36 million.

Committed to bring Uniform Civil Code, but after discussions: Shah

Committed to bring Uniform Civil Code, but after discussions: Shah

Rediff.com24 Nov 2022

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Bharatiya Janata Party is committed to bring Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country but only after following all democratic processes and discussions on it.

It's just bad: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on CAA

It's just bad: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on CAA

Rediff.com14 Jan 2020

In a statement issued by Microsoft India, Nadella said: "Every country will and should define its borders, protect national security and set immigration policy accordingly. And in democracies, that is something that the people and their governments will debate and define within those bounds. "I'm shaped by my Indian heritage, growing up in a multicultural India and my immigrant experience in the United States. My hope is for an India where an immigrant can aspire to found a prosperous start-up or lead a multinational corporation benefitting Indian society and the economy at large".