STARTUP
Restaurants add ‘LPG surcharge’ to bills as cooking gas concerns hit kitchens
Eateries have introduced temporary charges and revised prices as the ongoing West Asia war has disrupted LPG supply and pushed up commercial cylinder costs.
BUSINESS
Eternal injects Rs 450 crore into Blinkit via rights issue as quick commerce battle intensifies
The capital infusion follows Rs 2,600-crore investment in 2025 as Eternal continues funding Blinkit’s expansion amid rising competition from Zepto and Instamart
BUSINESS
TIDCO to invest in Raptee, Agnikul Cosmos, iVP Semiconductor as Tamil Nadu positions itself as startup hub
The state-run industrial agency has invested Rs 25–30 crore each in electric motorcycle startup Raptee Energy and spacetech firm Agnikul Cosmos and around Rs 10–15 crore in chip design startup iVP Semiconductor
STARTUP
Iran war: Trade routes disrupted, exporters delay shipments as freight costs surge
Exporters and logistics executives told Moneycontrol that shipments to the Gulf are being delayed, cargo is piling up at major air hubs and freight rates have surged as the US and Israel–Iran war disrupts key trade routes linking India to West Asia
STARTUP
The Israel–Iran war is coming for your masala dosa
Cooking gas shortages linked to the Israel–Iran war has had a ripple effect through restaurant kitchens across India, pushing up LPG prices, forcing menu changes and prompting industry bodies to seek government intervention.
BUSINESS
IPO-bound Captain Fresh secures Rs 288 crore debt from Blue Earth Capital
Debt financing from the Switzerland-based investor will be used to expand the seafood startup’s global distribution network and strengthen its supply chain operations, sources told Moneycontrol.
STARTUP
NRAI flags LPG supply disruption at restaurants, urges govt to ensure availability of commercial cylinders
The restaurant body has written to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, warning that a halt in commercial LPG supply could impact restaurant operations and food availability.
STARTUP
Startup hiring to rise 8-15% in FY26 as AI talent demand surges
Recruitment firms told Moneycontrol that growth-stage startups are stepping up hiring across AI, product and engineering roles, while quick commerce and fintech also contribute to demand.
STARTUP
Flipkart lets go of 300 employees as part of annual performance review
The Walmart-owned e-commerce firm’s latest round of exits impacts about 1.5 percent of its roughly 20,000-strong workforce
BUSINESS
Practo founder, former Lenskart and Ola executives raise $5 million from South Park Commons for healthcare startup Cent
The AI-led early detection platform backed by South Park Commons said it is at $2 million annualised revenue and plans dedicated screening centres across major metros
BUSINESS
Rozana raises Rs 290 crore led by Bertelsmann, to expand rural commerce network
The rural commerce startup plans to expand across new states in the Gangetic belt, deepen product assortment and build private labels, co-founder Ankur Dahiya has told Moneycontrol
BUSINESS
Pronto raises $25 million in funding led by Epiq Capital as 10-minute home services scales up
The round values the company at $100 million post-money; with Pronto now clocking 18,000 daily bookings across 10 cities, founder Anjali Sardana told Moneycontrol.
STARTUP
The Whole Truth’s slow-burn rise: How a label-reading blog built an unlikely food brand
In a D2C market chasing quick exits and faster growth, The Whole Truth is betting on in-house manufacturing, discipline and consumer trust — not just protein hype — to build a lasting food brand
BUSINESS
AI rollout far more complex than it appears, says Wipro COO Sanjeev Jain
Jain told Moneycontrol that enterprise AI requires integration across client and internal systems along with responsible-AI layers, even as automation improves productivity in select functions.
BUSINESS
AI not plug-and-play, enterprises need open-heart surgery, says Infosys’ Satish HC
Execution challenges, legacy tech stacks and data readiness — not model capability — are the biggest barriers to scaling AI in enterprises, Infosys chief delivery officer tells Moneycontrol
STARTUP
Walmart-owned Flipkart to appoint Nivea India’s Somnath Das as VP of supply chain
The appointment comes as the e-commerce major strengthens operational leadership and governance structures following its domicile shift to India, part of a build-out ahead of a potential public listing
BUSINESS
AI edtech startup Arivihan in talks to raise $10–12 million from Accel, Prosus
The proposed round comes within a year of its previous fundraise led by the same investors, as venture firms begin selectively backing AI-driven education startups amid an uneven recovery in the sector.
STARTUP
Snacks, sunscreen and speed: How Zepto plugged into India AI Impact Summit
Set up within weeks outside Hall 3, Zepto ran a compact dark store and café for AI Summit delegates, processing over a hundred orders an hour despite restricted hours.
STARTUP
AI Summit: Revenue not critical for early AI startups; investors seek 'proof of progress', says Activate’s Aakrit Vaish
Vaish told Moneycontrol that AI investing in India remains experimentation-led, with capital flowing to very early-stage startups still validating products and use cases.
BUSINESS
Gen AI, agentic AI boosting productivity 10X at Lenskart, says CEO Peyush Bansal
The eyewear retailer is deploying AI to analyse thousands of demand signals, from store data to what consumers wear on Instagram, watch in local content and follow online, to sharpen products, plan store expansion, Bansal told Moneycontrol
BUSINESS
SoftBank bags $7.4 billion from India exits; portfolio value stands at $13.7 billion
The Japanese investment major has made 24 investments in India through its Vision Funds, with eight portfolio companies listing on public markets and four full exits
BUSINESS
SoftBank posts $1.6-billion Q3 profit, Vision Fund gains $2.4 billion on OpenAI valuation boost
Over the nine months through December, SoftBank booked $19.8 billion in cumulative gains tied to OpenAI, reflecting the sharp rise in the company’s fair value
BUSINESS
Showroom B2B in talks to raise $17 million in funding from Cactus Partners, others
The funding round, raised through a mix of equity and debt, will help the B2B apparel sourcing platform scale manufacturing-led execution and deepen partnerships with organised retailers and brands, sources told Moneycontrol.
BUSINESS
Supertails raises $30 million led by Venturi to expand clinics, vet care, quick delivery
The Bengaluru-based company plans to expand its veterinary clinic network from four to 15 locations in the next six months and scale its dark store footprint to around 60 facilities across Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai by the March quarter-end, as it sharpens its focus on faster growth and deeper engagement in India’s pet care market, co-founder Vineet Khanna told Moneycontrol.
