STARTUP
Gig hiring jumps 25% this festive season as quick-commerce drives record job demand
Early workforce planning, richer incentives, and stronger Tier-2 hiring helped e-commerce and logistics players manage record festive demand without major disruptions, staffing firms told Moneycontrol
STARTUP
Bombay Shaving Company raises Rs 136 crore from Sixth Sense; founder joins round as IPO prep begins
The founder’s participation in the round comes amid a broader shift in India’s startup ecosystem, where more entrepreneurs are turning investors in their own companies.
STARTUP
Myntra’s creator commerce bet drives 10% of revenue; aims to double share by 2026
The Walmart-owned fashion platform has doubled revenue from creator-led sales in a year and plans to scale its shoppable video and affiliate ecosystem
STARTUP
UpGrad’s CPTO Ankur Dhawan steps down amid Unacademy acquisition talks
Ankur Dhawan joined UpGrad in 2020 and was elevated to Chief Product and Technology Officer earlier this year.
BUSINESS
Spinny to acquire GoMechanic in Rs 450 crore cash-plus-stock deal
The used-car platform is deepening its push into after-sales services after narrowing losses and raising fresh capital
STARTUP
CarTrade set to acquire CarDekho in deal valued at over $1.2 billion
If completed, the merger will create one of India’s largest auto-tech platforms spanning car discovery, financing, insurance, and resale
BUSINESS
India's startup founders turn investors in their own firms amid valuation reset
Tightened ownership, attractive valuations, and a need to project long-term conviction are prompting more founders to invest personal capital into their startups, per several founders and investors Moneycontrol spoke with.
BUSINESS
We are a hyper-growth company, had no pressure to price up IPO, says PhysicsWallah co-founder Prateek Maheshwari
After narrowing losses and doubling cash from operations in FY25, PhysicsWallah expects to post PAT-level profitability soon,co-founder Prateek Maheshwari tells Moneycontrol in an interview, adding the company is focused on steady growth rather than aggressive expansion
STARTUP
Ronnie Screwvala's UpGrad in talks to acquire Unacademy for $300- $400 million
The move follows Unacademy’s leadership transition, with co-founder Sumit Jain heading test prep, and Gaurav Munjal and Roman Saini set to lead AirLearn independently.
STARTUP
Peak XV, Accel, Elevation and others set to cash in $1.5 billion as startup IPO wave unlocks big payouts
So far, Peak XV Partners is expected to gain over Rs 2,400 crore from Pine Labs and Groww, while Accel and Elevation together stand to gain over Rs 950 crore through Urban Company and Bluestone. The gains are expected to grow as Meesho, Amagi and others go public later this year.
STARTUP
Oyo rolls back controversial 6,000:1 bonus share plan after backlash
After drawing criticism over its complicated bonus ballot, PRISM, the parent of Oyo, has withdrawn the plan and promised a fresh, transparent version for all shareholders — signalling a course correction before its market debut.
STARTUP
Swiggy's Instamart, Zepto scrap handling charges, lower delivery fee thresholds as competition heats up
Swiggy, Zepto and Instamart follow Amazon’s quick commerce playbook via Amazon Now, which has already been offering zero miscellaneous charges to attract users in Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR.
STARTUP
Shadowfax IPO decoded: Issue size, profit rebound, investor exits and key risks
Backed by Flipkart and Eight Roads, the logistics firm has turned profitable ahead of its Rs 2,000-crore IPO but high client dependence, rising lease costs and gig workforce challenges could test its delivery on the bourses
EARNINGS
Urban Company Q2 results: Loss widens to Rs 59 crore, revenue up 37% YoY
The Gurugram-based firm said the swing back into the red was driven by heavy upfront investments in Insta Help, its newly launched daily housekeeping vertical, which offset otherwise strong growth in its core services and products businesses.
STARTUP
Swiggy’s Sriharsha Majety takes a swipe at Zepto: ‘Won’t chase volume growth with poor average order values’; Aadit Palicha responds
Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha, in an interview with Moneycontrol, hit back saying Instamart burns more cash per order than Zepto, escalating the face-off between India’s top quick commerce rivals.
STARTUP
BoAt IPO decoded: Smaller issue size, profit tailwinds, wearables slump and key risks
Backed by Warburg Pincus, the consumer-tech firm has bounced back to profitability but faces headwinds from a cooling wearables market, online channel dependence and thin margins.
BUSINESS
Snabbit raises $30 million in Series C funding led by Bertelsmann at $180 million valuation
This is Snabbit’s third fundraise in nine months, taking its total capital raised to $55 million. Snabbit currently operates in five cities — including Mumbai, Bengaluru and Gurugram — and plans to expand to the top 10 metros within the next two quarters.
BUSINESS
SBI Mutual Fund invests Rs 100 crore in Lenskart at $7.7 billion valuation ahead of IPO
The move follows RK Damani’s Rs 90-crore pre-IPO investment; Moneycontrol was the first to report on SBI MF’s planned investment earlier this month.
BUSINESS
AI to drive India’s IT industry to $400 billion by 2030; surge in AI-led outsourcing opens door for startups: Bessemer
Bessemer Venture Partners’ new report says automation will compress traditional IT pricing but expand overall outsourcing demand, creating new opportunities for AI-first startups alongside India’s tech giants.
STARTUP
Blinkit, Instamart, other quick commerce firms brace for higher competitive intensity after Zepto’s $450 mn fundraise: Analysts
Analysts say competitive pressure in India’s quick commerce space has been rising for several quarters, and Zepto’s recent fundraise is set to sharpen it further as Blinkit doubles store count, Instamart leans on discounts, and Reliance, Flipkart and Amazon expand into new city tiers
BUSINESS
Milky Mist gets SEBI nod for Rs 2,000-crore IPO; to use proceeds for debt repayment, expansion
The Tamil Nadu-based dairy major is gearing up for a Dalal Street debut as it looks to strengthen its balance sheet, diversify beyond southern markets, and take on larger FMCG and dairy rivals like Amul, Hatsun Agro and Britannia.
BUSINESS
Curefoods gets Sebi nod for Rs 800 crore IPO; Iron Pillar, Accel among key sellers
The EatFit and CakeZone operator has nearly doubled revenue in two years but continues to battle high attrition, platform dependence, and persistent losses as it gears up for a public debut.
STARTUP
How Vidit Aatrey, Meesho’s marathon man, turned pivots and discipline into an IPO-ready company
From WhatsApp boutiques to a billion orders, Vidit Aatrey’s Meesho cracked India’s value-conscious market. It will be the first major horizontal e-commerce platform to go public in India.
STARTUP
Cracker of a Diwali: Quick commerce drives record festive season sales for D2C brands
Sales are up two to three times from the previous year. Brands leaned on AI-driven forecasting, decentralised fulfilment and closer coordination with platforms to stay on schedule despite packed warehouses and worker shortages
