Indian Startup News

Between December 30 and January 04, 2025, as many as 14 startups from diverse sectors raised $33.43 million in funding from investors. These sectors include Hospitality, Finance, NBFC, B2B SaaS, AI, OTT, Robotics, EV, and Wealth Management. Last week, Indian startups raised over $44 million, with EPACK Prefab raising $20 million alone. The period also saw strategic mergers and acquisitions. Curefoods acquired the South and West India operations of Krispy Kreme. #investors #delhi #startup #funding #innovation #indianstartupnews

Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu, in a recent post on X, emphasized the importance of economic policies that support family growth and long-term demographic sustainability. In a post, Vembu reflected on the demographic challenges faced by nations like Japan and China, highlighting how societal and economic shifts can lead to declining birth rates and aging populations. "Japan reached its peak technological prowess around 1990," Vembu noted. "Serious demographic decline" followed, he said, preventing the country from sustaining its earlier momentum. Similarly, Vembu pointed out that China, despite being a global technology leader, is also grappling with a demographic downturn "at least as bad as Japan." Vembu attributed these demographic issues to several factors, including rapid urbanization, lack of work-life balance, long commutes, and the erosion of traditional culture and family structures. "Demographic decline, once it sets in motion, is hard to reverse. I don't know any country that has reversed it," he said. "I actively embrace our traditional culture. I want to pursue economic development that is pro-babies. In the long term, nothing else really matters!" he added. #zoho #india #japan #economy #china #success Zoho #indianstartupnews

Transforming the way we live and experience luxury! Meet Hardesh Chawla, the visionary founder of Essentia Environments, who has dedicated over 30 years to redefining elegance and functionality in design. From crafting bespoke interiors to leading India’s premier design and build company, his journey is an inspiring story of passion, innovation, and perseverance. Hardesh shares his philosophy on creating timeless spaces, overcoming challenges, and elevating lifestyles through thoughtful design. Check out the full podcast : https://lnkd.in/dQur6_9m #indianstartupnews #podcast #startup #interior #video #homes essentia home

SaaS startup Zimyo has elevated its VP of Finance Naresh Gupta as a co-founder and Chief Finance Officer (CFO). Additionally, it has appointed Mayank Singh as Chief Business Officer (CBO), and Vinay Kumar as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to strengthen its leadership team as part of its broader strategy to accelerate global expansion. Read the full story here:👇 https://lnkd.in/dtBWBiPu #saas #finance #hrtech #product #leadership #management #startup #indianstartupnews

Mark Mobius, an American-born German emerging markets fund manager and founder of Mobius Capital Partners LLP, said that he believes India's export-oriented companies will benefit from a weakening Rupee as well as the incoming Trump administration, as the country stands to benefit from being the natural choice for manufacturing, after China, given the reforms that have been taking place. "We are on the cusp of more exports coming out of India, not only in software, but also in manufacturing," Mobius said. He also said that companies that are exporting, like Infosys, will be more competitive due to the weakening Rupee. #india #china #trump #exports #rupee #currency #manufacturing #indianstartupnews

Weighing in on the launch of Blinkit's 10-minute ambulance service, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on January 3 emphasized the importance of companies adhering to legal requirements. "My only submission would be that they have to ensure compliance with the law of the land, and all other legal requirements must be properly taken care of. No laws of the land should be broken," Goyal said during his address to the media on Startup India. Blinkit, Zomato's quick-commerce platform, introduced a 10-minute ambulance service in select areas of Gurgaon on January 2. The initiative, announced by CEO Albinder Dhindsa, currently features five ambulances, with plans to expand the service to other cities in the future. #blinkit #zomato #ambulance #gurugram #piyushgoyal #startup #indianstartupnews

Former Shark Tank India judge Ashneer Grover has successfully trademarked his name, as revealed by Delhi High Court lawyer Aditi Tuteja, who specializes in intellectual property rights and trademarks. Tuteja shared the trademark certificate on LinkedIn, confirming that Grover's name has been officially registered as intellectual property under class 41 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. Read the full story here:👇 https://lnkd.in/dchs4WyB #trademark #ashneergrover #delhihighcourt #startup #indianstartupnews

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), the fast-moving consumer goods giant, is reportedly in advanced discussions to acquire a majority stake in Jaipur-based skincare startup Minimalist for about Rs 3,000 crore, MC reported. If the deal proceeds, it would mark one of the largest acquisitions in India’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) segment in recent years, especially in the booming skincare space. Minimalist was founded by entrepreneurs Mohit Yadav and Rahul Yadav and specializes in skin and hair care products such as serums, toners and moisturizers. The brand sells its offerings through its own website and major e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Nykaa and Flipkart. Read the full story here:👇 https://lnkd.in/dEk8Duva #mamaearth #hindustanunilever #skincare #haircare #beauty #startup #indianstartupnews

EaseMyTrip co-founder Nishant Pitti took to X (formerly Twitter) and said that he will not sell any further stake in the company two days after quitting as CEO. Notably, Pitti planned to sell his entire 14% remaining stake in Easy Trip Planners through block deals but could only sell 1.4% of that the following day. The next day, he quit as the company's CEO. "I want to assure you this does not reflect any lack of confidence in EaseMyTrip’s bright future," Pitti wrote. "With a talented team and Rikant’s visionary leadership, EaseMyTrip is on a strong growth path. To honor your trust, I have thoughtfully limited my share sale and confirm there will be no further sales from my side," he added. Read the full story here:👇 https://lnkd.in/ddjBXyGi #easemytrip #traveling #investors #wealth #founder #indianstartupnews

Kotak Mahindra Bank's Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Milind Nagnur, has resigned due to personal reasons, according to a corporate filing. His resignation will be effective from February 15. "I am resigning for personal reasons and plan to relocate back to the US to care for family members. Our agreed-upon final date for me at the firm will be Feb 15, 2025," Nagnur said in the letter. "I am deeply grateful to you and to my former managers, Uday and Dipak, as well as to all the board members, for their unwavering support and guidance throughout this journey of tech transformation," he said. "An interim technology organisation structure has been put in place in the bank to ensure smooth functioning," the bank said in the filing. #kotakmahindrabank #bank #leadership #finance #business #indianstartupnews