STARTUP
‘Quick is not the only reason they exist’: Lightspeed’s Rahul Taneja on the rise of vertical quick commerce
As vertical quick commerce platforms scale across fashion, home services and baby care, Lightspeed's Taneja says the real edge lies in supply chain control and consumer loyalty — not just speed. The firm is backing founders solving large, unorganised category problems through tech-led formalisation.
STARTUP
Blinkit revamps seller model, to hold inventory and sell directly to customers
As part of the transition, which will come into effect from September 1, Blinkit will no longer require sellers to maintain multiple Additional Places of Business (APOBs) under their GST registrations for every state where the company operates.
BUSINESS
Curefoods IPO: Exit feasts, attrition alarms, and growth plans decoded
The DRHP reveals sharp attrition, mounting expenses and a business model heavily reliant on aggregators despite strong topline growth.
BUSINESS
BigBasket to appoint Tata Consumer’s Deepika Bhan on board in place of TCS COO Aarthi Subramanian
The change comes just days after the Tata Group-backed online grocer named Manish Bajoria as its new CFO in a broader leadership refresh
BUSINESS
Filed and loaded: Startup DRHPs swell as firms eye Rs 20,000 crore in IPO proceeds
India’s startup IPO party is spilling over into 2025, with a fresh wave of DRHPs signaling continued momentum — and deeper market maturity.
STARTUP
Swiggy to shut down seller storefront platform Minis by August 10
Launched in 2022, the tool helped small businesses set up online stores without paying commissions
ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE
Meesho open-sources in-house ML platform BharatMLStack to help startups scale AI faster
Meesho has begun open-sourcing its internal AI stack with the release of a production-grade feature store on GitHub. More modules are set to follow as the company looks to support real-time, cost-efficient machine learning development across India’s startup ecosystem.
STARTUP
From cuts to comebacks: Indian startup layoffs fall 67% in H1 2025 as hiring outlook brightens
Hiring activity among startups has rebounded meaningfully across sectors by 35–40% in H1 2025, according to industry experts and recruitment platforms.
BUSINESS
Aukera raises $15 million from Peak XV Partners, Fireside Ventures
Aukera plans to use the capital to double expand offline retail, omnichannel offerings and invest in product innovation and brand-building
BUSINESS
Wakefit IPO: Issue size, exit bonanza, financials and key risks decoded
The D2C brand's IPO filing reveals strong revenue growth, aggressive capex plans, a huge founder and investor windfall.
STARTUP
Former Oura CEO Harpreet Singh Rai joins Loop Health to lead healthcare business
The move marks a return to full-time startup operations for Rai, who left Oura in 2021. Rai will oversee product, telehealth, diagnostics, and clinical services as Loop deepens its healthcare focus
BUSINESS
The rise of the 2-minute thriller: Startups chase India’s $10-billion micro-drama boom
Startups are racing to build mobile-first platforms for short, serialised fiction as VCs pour in capital, users binge cliffhanger-led episodes, and AI slashes production costs. Monetisation is in early stages, but the format is gaining serious traction.
STARTUP
‘Founder-friendly at last’: Sebi’s ESOP reform draws praise across startup ecosystem
Startup industry stakeholders lauded Sebi's new rule where founders can now hold or exercise ESOPs after going public, but only if the stock options were granted at least one year prior to filing the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP)
BUSINESS
The cost of Y Combinator backing? Meesho, Razorpay, Groww to cumulatively pay $600 million in taxes
Meesho, Groww and Razorpay are among a wave of Indian startups unwinding US-based corporate structures to meet regulatory norms and list locally here in India.
STARTUP
Retail orders slip to 12-month low on ONDC even as total transactions hit all-time high in May
Retail’s share of ONDC transactions has dropped to 25% in May from 47% in October, while mobility has surged from 40% to 61%, emerging as the key driver of overall volume growth
STARTUP
FamApp co-founder Kush Taneja to step down, in talks to sell stake
Taneja’s exit comes amid an overhaul at FamApp, which has restructured operations, shifted away from its teen-focused model and grappled with funding challenges
BUSINESS
Spinny raises $40 million from WestBridge in extended funding round
WestBridge has joined Accel, Elevation, Tiger Global in Spinny’s extended round at flat $1.7 billion valuation. This marks the largest fundraise in India’s used-car startup space since 2021
STARTUP
From shipments to software: Delhivery eyes new growth via Transport One
After posting its first full-year profit in FY25, Delhivery is doubling down on SaaS with Transport One — an AI-powered freight management platform built for India’s manufacturing backbone.
STARTUP
Didn’t know Zomato, PolicyBazaar would become so big: InfoEdge Ventures partners on finding generational companies
In a freewheeling chat with Moneycontrol, partners Chinmaya Sharma and Kitty Agarwal break down why small funds outperform, how they spot billion-dollar bets early, and why quick commerce and “Bharat” are top of mind.
STARTUP
Maharashtra FDA flags Blinkit dark store in Pune for operating without food safety license
The action against Blinkit’s partner store comes barely a week after the Maharashtra FDA suspended the food business license of Zepto’s parent company, Kiranakart Technologies Pvt Ltd, over serious lapses at one of its Mumbai dark stores.
STARTUP
KiranaPro’s week of chaos: Code wiped, salaries delayed, and a founder’s reckoning
With a partial fund infusion, an app rebuild underway, and leadership changes on the table, KiranaPro is trying to steady the ship. Founder and CEO Deepak Ravindran said the company is focused on fixing internal lapses, completing salary dues, and restoring trust – both within the team and with users.
BUSINESS
Titan Capital former partner Bipin Shah's ZeroPearl nears $30-million maiden fund
In under a year, ZeroPearl has written 13 cheques for startups, including health-tech venture Curacare, sneaker brand Gully Labs, and AI-powered product experience management startup Catalogus
STARTUP
Zepto auto-activates ad campaigns for inactive brands, sellers flag consent and billing concerns
Zepto informed sellers that it has proactively launched ad campaigns for them to help “maximize reach and performance.” However, sellers say the move, which appears to allow Zepto to automatically debit from pre-approved budgets or ad wallets, lacks transparency and raises concerns about platform overreach.
STARTUP
Fast fashion, faster delivery: 30-minute style becomes quick commerce’s new obsession
Fueled by Gen Z’s demand for spontaneity and social media trends, startups and major platforms are racing to deliver the latest fashion in under 90 minutes, reshaping India’s quick commerce landscape.
