Following India’s complete prohibition on real-money gambling (RMG), Bharti Airtel scion Kavin Bharti Mittal is closing his 13-year-old firm Hike. In order to concentrate on international markets, including the US, UK, and Australia, Mittal had already announced ambitions to leave India.
In a statement on the mailing platform Substack, Mittal stated, “After regrouping with our investors and the team, I’ve made the difficult decision to wind down Hike completely.” He said that the company’s US operations, which were only started nine months ago, are going well. But following the ban in India, expanding internationally would necessitate a complete overhaul, which is not the most efficient use of time or money.
According to Mittal, Rush employed over 100 people and functioned as a group of “SWAT teams” in India, the US, Dubai, and Singapore, as he told Moneycontrol last month. Small, highly competent, and agile teams that swiftly resolve complicated or urgent issues are frequently referred to as SWAT teams in the corporate world.
Hike’s Network and Growth in India
Before shutting it down in January 2021, Hike, which began as a messaging service in 2016 to compete with market leader WhatsApp, reached 40 million monthly active users. Later, the business changed course and started developing Rush, a casual RMG platform. In addition to including Web3 technologies that allow user ownership and play-to-earn principles, it included 14 mobile games with a financial component.
India’s Real-Money Gaming Ban and Its Impact
The new online gaming law in India forbids online money games in which a user deposits money, either directly or indirectly, in the hopes of making a profit. “RMG was never the destination,” Mittal said in the piece, but rather a “way to test unit economics and traction in India while working towards a bigger vision.” “In hindsight, starting in India locked us into the model and regulatory headwinds, turning a temporary path into a more permanent one,” he stated. Although it may be ahead of its time, Mittal stated that the “vision for Gaming Nation is real.”
“In gaming and Web3 Company 2.0, the world will eventually shift towards a nation-type model. We don’t want to recreate India, where we hoped for clarity that never materialised, but crypto legislation is still evolving globally,” he said. He went on to say that there are greater chances to use outstanding talent and money, as well as more pressing issues to address. Sunil Bharti Mittal, the founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, the parent company of Bharti Airtel, is the father of Kavin Bharti Mittal.
Quick
Shorts
•Hike was planning expansion in US, UK, Australia,
but ban forced full wind-down.
•Rush (Hike’s gaming unit) had 100+ employees across
India, US, Dubai & Singapore.
•India’s new online gaming law bans
money-deposit-based games.
•Launched in 2016 as a messaging app; Hike hit 40M
MAUs before shutting in Jan 2021.
Easy Home Finance Limited (“Easy”), a leading tech native housing finance company in India, has availed long-term financing through NCD issuance with Franklin Templeton Alternative Investments Fund, India (Franklin Templeton AIF). This marks a significant step forward in Easy’s mission to accelerate access to affordable housing finance for underserved families across the country.
The investment has been funded through Franklin India Credit AIF, an alternative investment fund focused on private credit opportunities.
Franklin Templeton AIF’s investment reflects its conviction in Easy’s technology-first, inclusive approach to lending — combining AI-enabled underwriting, multilingual digital journeys, and an embedded distribution model that bridges Bharat and India. The investment will support Easy’s expansion in high-potential housing districts and enhance its capital strength.
The investment has been structured and funded through Franklin India Credit AIF, an alternative investment fund focused on high-quality private credit opportunities
“Franklin Templeton’s backing is a clear validation of our robust credit architecture, inclusive business model, and disciplined growth strategy,” said Bikash Mishra, Chief Financial Officer, Easy Home Finance. “This long-term partnership enables us to deepen our reach and serve more aspiring homeowners with certainty, speed, and simplicity.”
Founded in 2018, Easy has enabled over 15,000 families to achieve homeownership through its mobile-first lending platform and is on track to double this number by FY26. Operating across 13 Indian states that collectively represent more than 85% of national mortgage demand, Easy is helping bridge the credit access gap in Tier II & III towns and peri-urban clusters.
Easy is making the journey for the customer simpler — allowing customers to avail a home loan disbursement without visiting a branch. The company’s alignment with government initiatives such as Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY) 2.0 positions it as a key enabler in India’s affordable housing roadmap, with a focus on homes under ₹50 lakh.
A spokesperson for Franklin Templeton Alternative Investments, India commented, “We are pleased to extend funding to Easy, which is seamlessly blending digital innovation with financial inclusion. At Franklin Templeton, we believe in building a long-term association that aligns with India’s structural growth story — and housing is a fundamental pillar of that vision.”
Northern Arc Capital Limited acted as the exclusive advisor in facilitating this transaction. Since 2009, Northern Arc has been focused on enabling financial inclusion], facilitating over ₹2.2 trillion in financing and impacting more than 124 million lives directly and through its originator and retail lending partners as of June 30, 2025.
About Easy Home Finance
Easy Home Finance is a tech-native housing finance company committed to making home loans simple, fast, and transparent for India’s underserved households. Regulated by the National Housing Bank, Easy leverages smart technology and inclusive design to enable digital mortgages across Bharat. It is backed by marquee institutional investors including Xponentia Capital, Harbourfront Capitat, Claypond Capital and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) ARF
About Franklin Templeton Alternatives
With more than 40 years of experience in alternatives and nearly 400 alternative investment professionals around the world, Franklin Templeton is one of the largest managers in alternative assets globally. The firm’s specialist investment managers, each with deep domain expertise, provide a diverse range of alternative asset capabilities including private equity secondaries and co-investment funds (Lexington Partners), private credit (Benefit Street Partners and Alcentra), real estate (Clarion Partners), as well as hedged strategies, venture capital and digital assets. Franklin Templeton manages over US $257 billion# in alternative assets as of 31 July 2025.
About Franklin Templeton
Franklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 150 countries. Franklin Templeton’s mission is to help clients achieve better outcomes through investment management expertise, wealth management and technology solutions. Through its specialist investment managers, the company offers specialization on a global scale, bringing extensive capabilities in equity, fixed income, alternatives and multi-asset solutions. With more than 1,500 investment professionals, and offices in major financial markets around the world, the California-based company has over 75 years of investment experience and US$1.62 trillion in assets under management as of July 31, 2025.
Franklin Templeton Alternative Investments (India) Pvt Ltd is the investment manager of Franklin India Credit AIF – Scheme I (Fund), the first Cat-II AIF launched by Franklin Templeton in India (Franklin Templeton AIF). Franklin Templeton AIF shall seek to achieve its investment objective by identifying and investing in securities of Portfolio Companies through a robust investment management process.
In an effort to facilitate business dealings and spur the practice of “reverse flipping”, which involves Indian start-ups and other companies moving their domicile from abroad to the country, the government has expanded the fast-track route for approval of mergers and amalgamations to include more categories of companies.
More company types are now eligible for the fast-track merger process under Section 233 of the Companies Act of 2013 thanks to changes to the relevant rules that the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has notified. The National Company Law Tribunal is not involved in this approval process.
How Fast-Track Merger will Help the Companies?
When the total borrowings, including loans, debentures, and deposits, are less than INR 200 crore and there is no default, the revisions have made it possible for mergers between (unrelated) unlisted companies to proceed more quickly.
Additionally, unless the transferor company is listed, the fast-track scheme will now apply to a variety of additional transactions, including mergers between a holding company (listed or unlisted) and its subsidiary (listed or unlisted). Additionally, if the transferor companies are not listed, mergers between subsidiaries of the same holding company may receive expedited clearances.
Key Changes in MCA Rules
Up until a year ago, inbound cross-border reverse mergers needed NCLT permission. To expedite the approval of such bids, the government modified Rule 25A for cross-border deals on September 17 of last year. To eliminate any ambiguity, the most recent revision has brought this rule into compliance with Rule 25, which deals with expedited approvals, according to sources.
Since many Indian-born or Indian-connected start-ups have chosen to establish their headquarters here, cases of combining a foreign holding company with its Indian fully owned subsidiary have increased in frequency in recent years. The possibility of exiting at a greater valuation in India was one of the attractions.
According to analysts, global firms who intend to relocate their operations to India in order to take advantage of the thriving capital markets for possible listings and to combine group companies stand to gain from the move to expedite and simplify clearances for such mergers. Flipkart, Dream11, Meesho, PhonePe, Zepto, Razorpay, Pepperfry, and Groww have all relocated their parent firms from foreign jurisdictions back to India throughout the last two to three years.
Government Push for Flexible Corporate Restructuring
The enlarged and modified regulations, according to experts, demonstrate the government’s intention to increase the flexibility of business restructuring procedures. At the moment, only start-ups and “small” businesses, as determined by turnover, etc., are eligible for fast-track merger approvals.
Special start-up promotion programmes and easier access to funding have also contributed to the rise in popularity of reverse flipping. It has been helpful to loosen some of the limits on round-tripping. The expedited approach would still require requesting approval from the MCA’s regional director.
Quick
Shots
•Boost ease of doing business & encourage
reverse flipping (Indian start-ups shifting domicile back to India).
•Revision brings Rule 25A (cross-border mergers) in
line with Rule 25 (fast-track mergers).
•Start-ups like Flipkart, Dream11, Meesho, PhonePe,
Zepto, Razorpay, Pepperfry & Groww have shifted parent firms back to
India.
•Global firms may relocate to India to tap into
thriving capital markets & higher valuations.
This article has been contibuted by Bharat Bafna, CEO & Co-founder, Ameya Perfomatt, Chairman TiECon Vadodara’25 & Vice-President, TiE Vadodara
India has launched an ambitious $10B+ semiconductor mission to capture value in chip manufacturing and design, with major government incentives focused on fabs, design houses and packaging. This push mistakenly targets only the visible parts of the stack—fabs, foundries and fabless design—but risks overlooking a quieter, indispensable layer: the chemicals and materials ecosystem. From photoresists and etchants to high-purity gases and specialty polymers, these inputs determine yield, performance and cost.
Without a domestic supply of these high-end materials, fabs will remain exposed to supply shocks, foreign pricing power and long lead times. The semiconductor story in India will be incomplete unless materials are deliberate part of the national strategy. This has been story Sector after sector, the visible parts which possibly policy makers are able to comprehend well are addressed by this Pro-Reforms, extremely Proactive Government & critical parts for the whole picture are essentially missed.
Let’s understand the Semiconductor Value Chain beyond Chips
A simplified semiconductor value chain runs from design and IP, through wafer fabrication, to assembly, testing and packaging. But tucked into wafer fabrication are hundreds of specialized consumables and materials: high-purity gases, ultra-pure chemicals, photoresists, developer solutions, CMP slurries, specialty adhesives, barrier films and advanced polymers. Each of these is formulated to exacting purity and contamination tolerances measured in parts per billion. Small chemical variations can cause catastrophic yield loss or reliability failures. In other words, fabs are the machine, but materials are the fuel and lubricants that decide whether that machine runs efficiently. Building reliable, high-quality materials Eco-System is therefore as critical as building the fabs themselves.
The Global Reality Check
Leading semiconductor nations—Taiwan, Korea, Japan and the United States—didn’t just build fabs; they nurtured domestic chemical and materials ecosystems over decades. Japanese and Korean suppliers dominate high-end photoresists, CMP slurries and specialty gases; U.S. firms lead in advanced process chemicals and packaging materials. As a result, these countries insulated their fabs from geopolitical disruptions and captured upstream value. By contrast, India today remains heavily import-dependent in any chemical sector, I still recall when Modi Govt took charge in 1st term, how they emphasised on API production in India.
The dependence on critical missing parts in overall supply chain for any product creates risks: sudden export controls, freight bottlenecks, currency swings and premium pricing. For an industry that prizes predictable yields and just-in-time supply, a fragile external supply chain isn’t just inconvenient—it can stall entire fabs and increase the cost of domestic chip production dramatically.
Why Chemicals & Materials are the Missing Piece
Semiconductor fabs operate at microscopic tolerances; contamination at trace levels destroys dies and ruins wafer lots worth millions. Meeting these demands requires precision chemistry, ultra-clean manufacturing, and rigorous quality assurance—capabilities that sit at the intersection of chemical engineering and advanced materials science. India’s specialty chemicals sector is large but there are no visible investments in foreseeable future in semiconductor-grade formulations and ultra-high-purity processes. The opportunity is twofold: India can upgrade existing chemical supply chains to semiconductor tolerances, and it can innovate in adjacent niches such as greener solvents and recyclable resist systems. Leveraging India’s deep talent pool in chemistry.
Building the Ecosystem: What Needs to Happen
Building a Resilient Materials Ecosystem
Creating a resilient materials ecosystem requires huge policy push, capital and coordinated industry action. First, policy incentives must broaden beyond fabs: expand PLI to include specialty chemical manufacturers, surface-engineering firms and gas purification units for Fabs—providing capex support & tax benefits. In phase II, industry–academia collaboration is essential: create joint labs, fellowship programs and test-beds where universities, research institutes and companies co-develop formulations and contamination control techniques.
Third, startups and corporates must form R&D pipelines—small, agile ventures developing novel chemistries with established firms providing scale and market access. Dedicated seed funding, matched grants and incubation programs will accelerate commercialization. Fourth, set national quality and contamination standards aligned with international semiconductor norms to make Indian materials plug-and-play for global fabs. Fifth, promote global partnerships and technology transfer—encourage captive joint ventures and licensing agreements with established players to bridge near-term capability gaps. Finally, Govt’s to create shared infrastructure, analytical labs, and certification centers—so new entrants can validate product purity without prohibitive upfront investment. Together, these actions reduce supply risk, build domestic capability and unlock downstream value capture for India’s semiconductor ambitions.
Role of Indian Entrepreneurs & Startups
For entrepreneurs, the materials gap is a huge white space. Startups can move fast on specialized niches. These focused innovations can achieve product-market fit quicker than trying to replicate entire global suppliers. Corporate partners bring scale, regulatory experience and glazed client relationships; startups bring experimentation and R&D agility. Ameya Perfomatt’s journey exemplifies how a focused materials firm can serve broad industry needs—today serving roughly 70% of Indian industrial segments—highlighting the potential for similar firms targeting semiconductor grade requirements. With targeted support entrepreneurs can build supply chains that turn India from an importer to a reliable domestic source.
Looking Ahead: India’s Opportunity Window
Semiconductors are one of the Country’s strategic economic opportunity for 2030 and beyond—but chips without the materials that make them reliable are an incomplete story. The current global re-ordering of supply chains gives India a narrow window to build upstream capabilities while demand grows, which the policymakers cannot afford to miss, which will allow India can capture a larger share of the semiconductor value chain—moving from assembly and design toward true end-to-end capability. This would reduce import vulnerability, create high-skilled manufacturing jobs, and keep more value inside the country as its domestic fabs scale.
Chemicals and materials are the invisible backbone of any semiconductor ecosystem; they decide whether fabs deliver the promised yields and quality. India’s $10B+ mission is a powerful start, but to realize its full potential it must pair fab incentives with deliberate investments in material science, specialty manufacturing and standards. Policymakers, universities and entrepreneurs must seize these opportunities. Together, India can build a full-stack semiconductor ecosystem—that turn ambition into production and leadership. This is the need in each and every segment where India’s supply chain has major gaps & depends for those gaps to be filled perennially on imports & hence is vulnerable.
E-commerce has changed the way people shop online in India. Leading this change is Vidit Aatrey, the co-founder and CEO of Meesho. With his vision, Meesho has grown into one of the country’s top online shopping platforms, helping millions of small businesses and entrepreneurs.
An IIT Delhi graduate, Vidit blends strong technical skills with smart business sense. Under his leadership, Meesho has reached new heights and he is now seen as one of the most popular entrepreneurs in India’s startup world.
Along with building Meesho, Vidit is also an active angel investor. He has supported many young startups across different industries, showing his belief in India’s growing wave of entrepreneurship.
In this article, we will explore Vidit Aatrey’s investment portfolio and see the range of companies he has backed.
Who is Vidit Aatrey?
Vidit Aatrey is a prominent Indian entrepreneur, angel investor, and the co-founder & CEO of Meesho, one of India’s leading e-commerce platforms.
He studied Electrical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, graduating in 2012. Before Meesho, he held roles in operations and strategy at companies like ITC Limited and InMobi, which helped him build experience in digital products, operations and mobile advertising.
In addition to his full-time work at Meesho (which he helped launch in 2015), he is a founding angel at The/Nudge Institute since 2021.
Vidit Aatrey is the co-founder and CEO of Meesho. He is also an active angel investor supporting multiple startups.
What is Vidit Aatrey’s background?
Vidit Aatrey graduated in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi in 2012. Before starting Meesho, he worked at ITC and InMobi.
What startups has Vidit Aatrey invested in?
Vidit Aatrey has invested in several startups such as Snabbit, Pratilipi, Kuku FM, Infra.Market, Raise, Wishlink, Mesa School of Business, SolarSquare, along with many others across different sectors.
After failing to agree on a valuation, the family office of billionaire Sunil Mittal has pulled out of talks to buy a 49% share in Haier Appliances (India). The Chinese parent business of Haier India, Haier Group, was looking for a valuation of roughly $2 billion (INR 17,100 crore).
However, various media reports claimed that the bids the company received were much lower, with offers of about $600 million (INR 5,280 cr)—much less than the ask. Owing to these developments and due to a decline in valuation, Korean electronics powerhouse LG Electronics India may reduce the size of its initial public offering (IPO) from INR 15,000 crore to perhaps INR 12,000-13,000 crore, according to a source. Instead of selling a 15% interest as originally planned, the Korean corporation may now sell less than 15%.
Chinese Companies Scaling Back in India
According to media sources, Haier India may also think about going public, but no decision has been made yet. The Chinese business has been considering an exit for a number of months, and it has even had initial discussions with the biggest conglomerate in India, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). The proposed transaction was a part of a larger trend of Chinese companies reducing their exposure to India.
The Sajjan Jindal group agreed to purchase the majority of MG Motor India from Chinese automaker SAIC Motor last year. The Ant company used block transactions to withdraw its $246 million investment in Paytm in May.
Haier’s Journey in India
Since its 2004 entry into the Indian market, Haier has had a 14% market share in the refrigerator industry. It is still seen in single digits in air conditioners, televisions, and washing machines.
Its net sales in the calendar year 2023 (CY23) were INR 6,305.5 crore, up from INR 5,429 crore in 2022, and its net profit was INR 155.6 crore, up from a loss of INR 63.5 crore in 2022. The global statistics and business intelligence firm Statista projects that the Indian household appliances market will reach $64.3 billion in 2025 and increase at a 7.3% cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2030.
Quick
Shots
•Haier sought around $2B (INR 17,100
crore), offers came in at around $600M (INR 5,280 crore).
•LG Electronics India may cut IPO size
from INR 15,000 crore to INR 12,000–13,000 crore.
•Haier exploring IPO; Reliance was in
early talks. Part of broader trend of Chinese firms scaling back in India.
•Sajjan Jindal group buying MG Motor
India stake; Ant Group exiting Paytm with $246M block deal.
•Haier’s net sales around 6,305.5
crore (vs. INR 5,429 crore in 2022); Net profit INR 155.6 crore (vs. INR 63.5
crore loss in 2022).
According to the Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2025, the number of privately held unicorns worldwide has increased by 70 from the previous year to a record 1,523 companies valued at over $1 billion each. India now boasts 73 unicorns in 2025, up from just one in 2011, securing its place as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally.
According to the Hurun India Unicorn Report 2025, the nation welcomed 11 new unicorns this year, including well-known ones like Rapido, DarwinBox, Moneyview, and others.
Unicorns Raining Job Opportunities for Indians
OfBusiness and PhysicsWallah were the top unicorn employers. With well-known female founders like Garima Sawhney (Pristyn Care), Vineeta Singh (Sugar Cosmetics), and Ruchi Kalra (OfBusiness), the ecosystem is becoming more diversified.
Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra of Zepto, both 22 years old, are notable for being the youngest unicorn founders. With 26 unicorns valued at $70 billion, Bengaluru is the geographic leader in India. Delhi-NCR comes in second with 12 unicorns worth $36.3 billion, while Mumbai has 11 unicorns worth $22.8 billion.
With Zerodha ($8.2B), Razorpay ($7.5B), and Lenskart ($7.5B) at the top of the list of India’s most valuable unicorns in 2025, fintech and e-commerce remain the main drivers of the country’s startup scene.
Unicorns Making Large in India’s Startup Ecosystem
Navi Technologies, Vivriti Capital, Rapido, Netradyne, Jumbotail, DarwinBox, Moneyview, Veritas Finance, Juspay, and Drools are some of the other notable acquisitions. With these newcomers, India’s unicorn count currently stands at 73 in 2025, representing a variety of industries from sustainability and finance to technology and mobility.
Due to the effects of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, real money gaming businesses Dream11, MPL, Gameskraft, Games24x7, Zupee, and WinZO have currently been removed from the list. The number of investors has increased dramatically, from 182 in 2021 to 1,014 in 2025. With 42 wagers, Peak XV Partners is in first place. With AI, SpaceTech, and New Energy growing from nine businesses in 2022 to 19 in 2025, the emergence of new-age industries is remarkable.
In just three years, the valuation of New Energy startups alone has increased by 1,389%, while SpaceTech has established a $1.8 billion presence. With 26 unicorns totalling $70 billion, Bengaluru remains the hub of India’s startup scene. For Indian start-up founders, IITs and IIMs continue to be the best breeding grounds. IIM Ahmedabad has the most postgraduate founders (27), whereas IIT Delhi has the most undergraduate founders (42).
Quick
Shorts
•India ranks 3rd globally with 73
unicorns in 2025, up from just 1 in 2011.
•11 new unicorns this year: Rapido,
DarwinBox, Moneyview, and more.
•Youngest founders: Aadit Palicha
& Kaivalya Vohra of Zepto, both just 22.
Remember how the Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, made everyone go ‘aww’ announcing the launch of Nano Banana on the platform ‘X’ on International Dog Day (26 Aug, 2025)? The Nano Banana trend is taking off now, but the true trendsetter was Sundar Pichai’s dog, Jeffree. The tool made him look like a cowboy, a surf star, a chef, and a ‘woof-sain Bolt’ (pun intended). Sundar may have dropped 3 bananas on the launch of Nano Banana, but here’s how the internet is going bananas. So, how can you be part of the trend? Want good prompts to play around with the tool a little? Learn more.
Sundar Pichai’s annoucement of Nano Banana on ‘X’
What Is a Nano Banana Tool?
It’s Google Gemini’s free AI image editing tool; the trend now calls it collectible toy figurines. So what does it do?
The trend started with people turning their images (normal ones like images of themselves or their pets) into 3D figurines, which are little collectible toy models.
Basically, these figurines are presented as real-life miniature toys on a clear acrylic (plastic) base. And these images are shown next to the packaging box, just like the ones in the toy stores.
These quickly pleased the crowd on Instagram and platform ‘X’ and became a big buzz.
Note: The tool runs on Google Gemini 2.5 Flash (it’s an AI image generator). The tool helps you create these cool shareable images all for free.
Example:
Upload an image of your dog or yourself, and ask the tool to make them look like a tiny toy, like with a box beside it.
Image generated via Nano Banana. Image Credits Google India
How to Use the Nano Banana Trend (Step-By-Step)
Open Google Gemini → You can access the tool on Android/iOS or on the official website.
Log in with your Google Account.
Upload the image you want → Better use a picture of your pet, your family, or yourself, or anyone.
Enter a prompt → Tell the tool (AI) what you want, like how you want the image to look.
Now here’s a prompt shared by Google:
“Create a 1/7 scale commercialized figurine of the characters in the picture, in a realistic style, in a real environment. The figurine is placed on a computer desk. The figurine has a round transparent acrylic base with no text on the base. The content on the computer screen is a 3D modeling process of this figurine. Next to the computer screen is a toy packaging box, designed in a style reminiscent of high-quality collectible figures, printed with original artwork. The packaging features two-dimensional flat illustrations.”
Once you are done with the prompt, you are good to click “Run” (meaning generate).
Note: You can tweak the prompt anytime you like (in case you want to be more specific about the outfits, the pose, background, etc.).
13 Prompts Famous Prompts to Play Around With the Tool
A plush toy version of the character, with an oversized head and soft, fuzzy fabric, + a plain background and soft lighting.
Turn this photo into an anime figurine + vibrant pose + neon background + manga-style background.
Turn the image into a superhero action figure + dynamic stance + a cape and comic book packaging beside the figurine.
Turn the image into a 3D video game character + standing on a platform + pixelated environment + video game props.Turn the image into a businessperson figurine, suit + laptop + books.
Turn the image into a designer pet collectible + collar.
Turn the image into a historic figure figurine + old map + on a “Limited Edition” base.
Turn the image into a cartoon-style toy + oversized shoes + a playful background.
Turn the image into a star collectible + in a stadium holding a trophy.
Turn the image into a sci-fi hologram model + transparent glowing lines.
Turn the image into a fantasy warrior + holding a sword + a magical forest in the background.
Turn the image into a pop star figure + singing on a mini stage + concert lights in the background.
Turn the image into an astronaut collectible + on a moon base + galaxy backdrop.
Turn the image into a pet figurine + with tiny accessories like food bowls or toys.
Kashmir, often dubbed “India’s Switzerland,” is much more than scenic beauty, says Anupam Mittal, Founder and CEO of People Group and investor on Shark Tank India. Speaking in a recent LinkedIn post, Mittal argued that the region’s real charm lies in its resilience rather than mere aesthetics.
“Switzerland is pretty, but at times, sterile. Kashmir is raw, rustic, ravishing,” he wrote. Mittal emphasised that the region’s progress over the past few years has been remarkable, with economic growth and tourism picking up despite historical challenges.
Economic and Tourism Growth
According to Mittal, Kashmir’s economy is currently valued at $35 billion and is growing at over 10% annually. Tourism has surged dramatically, from just over 20 lakh visitors in 2019 to 2.5 crore in 2024. Agriculture, particularly apples, saffron, nuts, and honey, has also seen a boom. “Incomes [have risen] 2–3x, anecdotally,” Mittal noted.
He highlighted the efforts of local startups, such as FastBeetle and Bayaan, which have been promoting Kashmiri products and tourism. However, Mittal also drew attention to the fragility of progress. Following a recent attack in Pahalgam, tourism plummeted by 90%, demonstrating the vulnerabilities the region still faces.
Observations from On-the-Ground Visit
Mittal recently visited Kashmir and shared his observations, highlighting the region’s spirit of hope and resilience:
Kashmiris are “beautiful inside and out” and extremely hospitable.
Government measures and security forces are ensuring full safety.
Locals, initially shaken, have regained confidence and are continuing their economic activities.
“The terrorists attacked the very engine of progress, the economy, deliberately and mercilessly. But instead of breaking Kashmiris, it gave them a steely resolve to unite,” he wrote. A shopkeeper in Gulmarg shared a message of optimism, pointing to the sky, “Woh dega…he will provide,” reflecting the community’s enduring faith.
Resilience as Kashmir’s True Appeal
Mittal drew a broader lesson from his visit, noting that while Switzerland markets perfection, Kashmir exemplifies resilience. “Faith in the face of uncertainty. Gratitude even after loss. Resilience is the real beauty of Kashmir,” he said.
He concluded by inviting readers to experience Kashmir firsthand, highlighting that it is “80% cheaper and infinitely more beautiful than Europe.”
Kashmir’s story, as observed by Mittal, is not just about natural beauty. It is about the people’s ability to recover, adapt, and thrive despite adversity, a lesson that resonates across careers, businesses, and nations.
India’s startup and corporate ecosystem witnessed a dynamic mix of funding activity, strategic investments, and market-shaping developments on 12th September 2025. From D2C brands and EV battery circularity startups securing fresh capital to IFC’s major bet on India’s electric bus expansion, the day also saw Infosys announcing its largest-ever share buyback and strong IPO oversubscriptions for Urban Company and DevX. Additionally, the government unveiled a INR 100 crore scheme to boost green hydrogen startups, marking a significant push toward sustainable innovation.
Daily Indian Funding Roundup – 12th September 2025
Company
Amount
Round
Lead investor(s)
Sector
FarmDidi
Rs 7 Crore
Seed
Samved Ventures
D2C / Food / Pickles
PeakAmp
INR 12 Crore
Seed
Caret Capital
Battery circularity / EV battery recycling & second-life solutions
JBM ECOLIFE & GreenCell Mobility
$137 Million
Financing / Investment
IFC (International Finance Corporation)
E-mobility / Electric buses & charging infrastructure
Unico Housing Finance
INR 120 Crore
Equity infusion
Anicut Capital & UC Impower
Affordable housing finance
FarmDidi raises Rs 7 Cr led by Samved Ventures
Tech-enabled D2C pickle brand FarmDidi has raised INR 7 crore in a seed funding round led by Samved Ventures, with participation from LetsVenture, Indigram Labs, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, and angel investors from IIM Calcutta & Symbiosis. The funds will be used to scale the team, invest in R&D, introduce tech-led quality systems, and grow its rural women entrepreneur base (“Didis”) from ~2,000 to 5,000.
PeakAmp raises INR 12 crore in Seed round led by Caret Capital
Battery circularity startup PeakAmp has secured INR 12 crore in a seed round led by Caret Capital, along with IIM Ahmedabad Ventures, Basant Sharma & Group, and others. The company is building a full-stack solution for end-of-life (EOL) EV battery management — safe collection, second-life reuse, high-purity materials recovery — aiming to support India’s clean energy transition and resource circularity.
IFC invests $137M in JBM ECOLIFE & GreenCell Mobility to boost India’s e-bus fleet
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is providing $137 million in financing to JBM ECOLIFE and GreenCell Mobility to accelerate deployment of electric buses and charging stations across India. Of this, $100 million is for JBM ECOLIFE and $37 million (mezzanine capital) for GreenCell. The initiative aims to deploy 4,000 e-buses and build charging infrastructure across 39 municipalities, generate 12,000 jobs (with focus on women), and introduce a payment security mechanism to mitigate risks for state transport undertakings.
Unico Housing Finance raises INR 120 Cr from Anicut Capital & UC Impower
Chennai-based Unico Housing Finance Pvt. Ltd has raised INR120 crore from Anicut Capital and UC Impower via an equity infusion to scale its operations within India’s affordable housing finance segment. The funding will help the company increase its footprint, particularly in Tier II & III cities, catering to first-time home buyers and underserved markets.
Key Business News for 12th September 2025
Infosys announces largest ever INR 18,000 crore share buyback at INR 1,800 per share
IT major Infosys has approved a massive buyback plan worth INR 18,000 crore, purchasing 10 crore shares at INR 1,800 per share, which works out to about 2.41% of its paid-up equity capital. The buyback comes at a 19% premium over its market price.
Urban Company IPO issue oversubscribed ~15X on Day 3
On its third day of bidding, Urban Company’s IPO was oversubscribed about 15.3×, with investors placing bids for 164 crore shares against ~10.6 crore shares on offer.
DevX IPO issue oversubscribed ~26X on Day 3
The IPO of coworking space provider DevX (Dev Accelerator Ltd.) saw very strong demand, being oversubscribed nearly 26× by Day 3, with ~34.34 crore shares demanded vs ~1.31 crore shares on offer.
Government launches INR 100 crore scheme for green hydrogen startups
The Indian government, via Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, has introduced a ₹100 crore scheme aimed at boosting innovation among green hydrogen startups. The scheme offers up to INR 5 crore per project for pilot initiatives in technology areas such as hydrogen production, storage, transport and utilisation. A safety panel under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) has also been announced.
