BUSINESS
West Asia tensions weigh on startup IPO plans, late-stage companies brace for reduced valuations
GCC-based sovereign wealth funds have invested $9 billion in Indian firms over five years, accounting for about 8% of total ecosystem funding, across 30 rounds, data accessed by Moneycontrol showed.
BUSINESS
West Asia war: Swiggy, Eternal brace for impact as gas shortage hits restaurants in India
Even if tensions ease soon, restaurants could need 30–60 days to normalise operations, and potential price hikes in the interim may pressure food delivery platforms, stakeholders told Moneycontrol
TECHNOLOGY
Why digital gold savings startup Jar is under Karnataka police scanner
The Karnataka CID is probing Jar Gold Retail Pvt Ltd under the BUDS Act, following regulatory alerts and a police FIR alleging that the platform collected money from public through an unregulated scheme.
BUSINESS
Drone startup Kalam Labs in funding talks with Deepinder Goyal, Globaz Technologies
For the company, also backed by Lightspeed, Y Combinator and others, Goyal's investment is part of a larger $5-7 million round, sources told Moneycontrol.
BUSINESS
FirstClub in talks to raise $50 million from Peak XV, Sofina and others doubling valuation in under six months
The company is being valued at around $250 million more than double from $120 million just six months ago, showing businesses with a layer of quick commerce continue to be a favourite among investors, sources told Moneycontrol
BUSINESS
Goat Brand Labs puts Pepe innerwear business up for sale; XYXX and Damensch also feel the squeeze
Several players, from established brands like Jockey to new-age startups, are grappling with a tepid retail environment amid muted consumer demand in the category, industry stakeholders tell Moneycontrol
BUSINESS
Supertails claims to have lost all inventory stored in a Bengaluru warehouse as fire engulfs facility
The incident has disrupted supplies and even prompted the company to pause an ongoing sale event. It is assessing the extent of the damage and initiating recovery measures, as per Supertails' claims
BUSINESS
Digital gold savings startup Jar searched by Karnataka CID over potential violations
Jar is being searched at a time when digital gold, as a category, is gaining popularity among both customers and investors, as reported by Moneycontrol.
BUSINESS
Livspace churn continues: CBO Lalit Mittal quits after 1,000 layoffs, co-founder exit
Mittal's exit follows days after Moneycontrol exclusively reported Livspace India CEO Saurabh Jain had also quit the company. Jain and Mittal worked together closely on multiple projects.
BUSINESS
Livspace shakeup: 1,000 employees fired as company focuses on AI; Co-founder Saurabh Jain quits
While Livspace reduces its workforce by around 12%, one of its co-founders Saurabh Jain, who was elevated from the role of Chief Business Officer (CBO) only in 2022, has also quit the company, sources told Moneycontrol.
BUSINESS
Swiggy shuts down Snacc as 10-minute food delivery becomes less profitable
“While the product market fit was emerging, the broader economics made it challenging to scale,” the email, sent on February 19, reviewed by Moneycontrol, said.
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
App Jaisa Koi Nahin: How India’s AI companions are redefining love and loneliness
As more people turn to screens not just for information, but for affirmation and emotional support, these platforms are likely to deepen their footprint, but they need to ensure the technology does not outrun the responsibility that must come with it.
TECHNOLOGY
How Flipkart hit a six with Rs 1-crore Namibia deal
Flipkart also got a cracker of a deal because this is an off-season period for e-commerce companies
BUSINESS
Exponent Energy, Calligo Tech, Qosmic, Sanyark seek fresh funding amid rising deep tech appetite in India
Fresh cheques from investors such as 360 One, BIG Capital, Accel, South Park Commons and Avaana Capital signal renewed deal activity in deep tech as startups across EV infrastructure, semiconductors and space tech line up new rounds.
BUSINESS
Bengaluru EV startup River in talks for $80 million investment from A91 Partners, Claypond Capital and Elev8
This will be River's first fundraise where Indian investors take large positions. The company is being valued at around $200 million, sources told Moneycontrol.
FUNDING
Former Premji Invest Partner, ICICI veteran Bijith Bhaskar in talks to raise Rs 1400 crore for NBFC startup
Notable investors including Premji Invest, Norwest, and Gaja Capital are likely to participate in the round, sources told Moneycontrol.
BUSINESS
Groww payout, carry row: Inside the avalanche that triggered partner exits at Peak XV
All partners were aligned until about a week ago. But tensions began building over the last five to six days, which led to Ashish Agrawal deciding to quit abruptly, with the other two following suit, sources told Moneycontrol.
BUSINESS
Mithun Sacheti weighs Orra Fine Jewellery acquisition, years after selling CaratLane to Titan
Sacheti is likely to team up with Plutus Wealth Management to acquire Orra. He told Moneycontrol in 2023 that a non-compete clause which barred him from starting up again for more than 24 months was 'criminal'
BUSINESS
Davos 2026: Look to deploy $250 million in India this year, says Investcorp’s CIO Rishi Kapoor
“India, both in terms of performance and growth, has been actually one of our stronger performing markets…it continues to be one of our top three conviction markets going forward,” Kapoor told Moneycontrol
BUSINESS
Twice at the brink, now at the top: Albinder Dhindsa’s astronomical rise at Eternal
Bound by a two-decade friendship and deep personal ties to Zomato — including Dhindsa’s wife Akriti Chopra being among its early co-founders — Deepinder Goyal's trust in Albinder Dhindsa has endured doubt, tension and testing to culminate in the group’s biggest leadership bet yet.
BUSINESS
Davos 2026: B Capital to do more AI services deals in India, says co-founder Raj Ganguly
The Indian startup ecosystem will also need to see more IPOs and M&As as it matures, Ganguly said in the interview to Moneycontrol
BUSINESS
Emergent raises $70 million from Khosla Ventures and SoftBank at $300-million valuation as AI funding stays hot
Emergent will use the funds to launch new products, strengthen offerings to smartphone users, kickoff enterprise relationships (B2B sales), hire more employees and set up an office in Europe, Mukund Jha, co-founder and CEO, told Moneycontrol.
BUSINESS
Davos 2026: Many CEOs today don’t know what to do next: PwC Global Chairman Mohamed Kande as AI, Trump tariffs uncertainty looms
However, from an attractiveness standpoint, jointly with the UK and Germany, India is now the second most wanted investment destination by global investors, Sanjeev Krishan, Chairperson, PwC India told Moneycontrol
