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Here’s a quick recap of this week’s top startup news 🚨👇 🔸Zomato’s quick commerce arm Blinkit has now launched a 10-minute ambulance service. The ambulance service is starting from Gurugram with five vehicles, and will be expanded to more areas soon. 🔸 Quick commerce unicorn Zepto has set up a new entity, Zepto Marketplace Private Limited, as part of its restructuring plans ahead of its much-anticipated initial public offering (IPO), sources close to the company told Inc42. 🔸 Education OTT platform Klassroom Edutech has secured an undisclosed amount in a Pre-Series A funding round led by ah! Ventures, along with participation from LetsVenture, Hem Securities, Meteor Ventures and Growth Sense Fund. 🔸 Amid the ongoing quick commerce frenzy, Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola Consumer has launched a pilot of a 10-minute grocery delivery service in select pin codes in Bengaluru. This comes days after the company began the pilot of quick food deliveries👇 #startups #startupnews #newsmakers #zomato #blinkit #Albinderdhindsa #growth #marketing #strategy #India #Inc42 #olaelectric #trending #trendingnews

“If we can detect water on the Moon, why not use the same technology to tackle water scarcity on Earth?” With groundwater making up 25% of global irrigation, read how Aumsat Technologies LLP is redefining water management. By identifying subsurface water sources, the startup empowers farmers to optimise resources, ensuring sustainable practices and addressing global water challenges.

🛵 Ather Energy: Gearing Up for IPO and Growth 🛵 . As Ather Energy prepares for its INR 3,100 Cr IPO in 2025, it’s at a crossroads. Here's a quick look at the challenges and opportunities ahead: 📉 Sales Growth Lagging: Ather’s growth in 2024 (20%) trails behind competitors like Ola Electric (52%). 🔋 Production Expansion: Plans to increase manufacturing capacity to 900,000 units. 💡 Investing in R&D: 25% of the IPO proceeds dedicated to innovation and product development. 🏢 New Opportunities in B2B: Targeting the growing demand for low-speed electric scooters in the delivery market. 📣 Marketing Shift: Ather needs to ramp up its marketing to compete in a crowded EV space. . Can Ather accelerate its growth and make the most of its IPO? 🚀 Click to read below 👇

Twenty of the 31 new-age tech stocks under Inc42’s coverage gained in a range of 0.12% to over 10% this week👇 🔸Just like the past few weeks, shares of NSE SME listed cybersecurity firm TAC Infosec ended the week at an all-time high of INR 1,410.55. This was a gain of 10.40% from the closing price of the shares on the previous Friday (December 27). 🔸ideaForge emerged as the second biggest gainer this week, with its shares rising 9.86% to end Friday’s trade at INR 647.25. The stock is recovering steadily from the crash it witnessed after an underwhelming financial performance in the second quarter of FY25. 🔸Other gainers this week included PB Fintech, Zaggle, Nykaa, FirstCry, Zomato, among others. 🔸Meanwhile, 11 new-age tech stocks ended the week in the red. Shares of companies like IndiaMART, Swiggy, Delhivery, Yudiz, among others, fell in a range of 0.19% to a little over 15%. 🔸Logistics company BlackBuck saw the biggest decline this week, with its shares plummeting 15.02% to INR 453.35. To read the in-depth article, click here: https://4-2.co/3Wa53Rl #news #techstocks #startups

A country of nearly 1.4 Bn people, India currently produces almost 50 Mn metric tonnes (MMT) of solid municipal waste, 28% of which heads to landfills unsegregated. This poses a huge risk to the environment, and lays bare the state of an industry in need of innovation. Discover how Jaipur-based startup ECOWRAP is implementing AI-based solutions to streamline waste management. 

The Indian startup ecosystem experienced a rollercoaster ride over the past two years, with 2023 seeing a dramatic funding slowdown, followed by a steady recovery in 2024. Here’s a detailed comparison of the key trends that have shaped the Indian startup funding landscape, highlighting the key areas of change—total funding, unicorns, deal activity, M&As, and investor sentiment. Will this upward trajectory continue into 2025, or will we see another shift in investor sentiment? Only time will tell. P.S. For more insights, check out our latest report "The Tech Startup Funding Report, 2024", Click here: https://4-2.co/49Tyj4u #IndianStartups #Funding #Trends #DealActivity #Mergers #Acquisitions #2024Recovery #StartupEcosystem #Inc42

After experiencing a seven-year funding low during the prolonged funding winter of 2023, the Indian startup ecosystem is showing promising signs of recovery in 2024. Total funding raised by Indian startups jumped 20% year-on-year (YoY) to $12 billion, returning to levels last seen in 2020. This increase in overall funding has not only provided founders with a reason for optimism but has also raised expectations for a stronger 2025. A notable shift in the 2024 funding landscape is Mumbai surpassing Bengaluru to become the country's top startup hub, as revealed by Inc42’s Indian Startup Funding Report 2024. With an impressive 154% YoY growth, Mumbai's startup funding surged to $3.7 billion in 2024, up from $1.5 billion the previous year. Will this trend continue as we head into 2025? #India #Startups #Funding #StartupEcosystem #Mumbai #Bengaluru #Entrepreneurship #StartupSuccess #Inc42

Hospitality giant OYO has raised INR 550 Cr (about $65 Mn) from its founder Ritesh Agarwal’s Redsprig Innovation Partners👇 Redsprig Innovation is a venture capital firm headed by Agarwal. In November last year, Inc42 reported that Agarwal was looking to increase his stake in the company with a fund infusion of INR 550 Cr. OYO issued 12.91 Cr equity shares at an issue price of INR 42.6 each for the fundraise, as per its filings with the corporate affairs ministry. OYO plans to utilise the funds to drive growth, support global expansion initiatives (including acquisitions), enhance its business strategies, and undertake other corporate activities. The new equity issuance will result in a 1.728% dilution of the company’s total stake. To read the in-depth article, click here: https://4-2.co/40hZrXE #news #Oyo #startup #funding

D2C fashion brand SNITCH saw its net profit zoom 1.3X to INR 4.4 Cr in the financial year 2023-24 (FY24) from INR 3.1 Cr in FY23, on the back of a strong increase in its top line👇 The startup’s operating revenue surged 127.89% to INR 243 Cr during the year under review from INR 106.6 Cr in FY23. Founded in 2019 by Siddharth DUNGARWAL, Snitch started its journey as an offline retail brand. It pivoted to online sales a year later as stay-at-home mandates amid the pandemic shut physical retail stores across the country. Snitch sells a range of men’s apparels, including shirts, jackets, hoodies, co-ords, sweaters, innerwear, among others. The startup appeared on Shark Tank India 2023, securing an all-shark deal of INR 1.5 Cr from Aman Gupta, Namita Thapar, Anupam Mittal, Peyush Bansal, and Vineeta Singh. To read the in-depth article, click here: https://4-2.co/4jhf75d #news #d2c #fashion #profit

#Inc42InDepth Two years. That’s all it took for Zepto to disrupt India’s quick-commerce market and leave giants like Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart in the dust. From becoming India’s first unicorn of 2023 to clocking a massive ₹4,454 Cr in revenue last year—Zepto’s story is nothing short of remarkable. But here is the real game-changer, reducing losses per order! Now, with 1,200 dark stores in the pipeline and the ambitious Zepto Café eyeing food delivery, Zepto is stepping into uncharted territory. Can this bold bet pay off, or is Zepto biting off more than it can chew? Join the conversation in the comments below, and don’t forget to check out the full story at inc42.com. Inc42 In-Depth– Takes you beyond the headlines, revealing the insights, tactics, and stories behind India’s fastest-growing startups and transformative technologies. Stay tuned for more! #Zepto #QuickCommerce #StartupNews #Swiggy #Zomato