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Tag: #news

  • Google Pixel 10 Production to Begin in India, Exports Likely to US & Global Markets

    India is quickly becoming a major production location for Google Pixel smartphones. The Economic Times said that Alphabet is planning to export its high-end Pixel 10 Series devices in addition to expanding local production of these devices.

    The company is taking this action in an effort to strengthen its supply network outside of Taiwan and lower the risks associated with US tariffs. The US tech giant is in advanced talks with Dixon Technologies and Foxconn, its current Indian manufacturing partners, as well as possible new suppliers like Bhagwati Products, which is owned by Micromax.

    According to the news article, Alphabet may soon phase out the Pixel 9a model, which these vendors now assemble.

    Pixel Likely to Follow Apple’s Export Model

    According to the news article, industry insiders have suggested that India may be used as a production hub for global markets, including the US, even though Alphabet has not confirmed particular export destinations.

    Pixel 10 Production Partners: Dixon, Foxconn & Micromax’s Bhagwati Products

    According to an executive cited in the news story, Pixel exports may follow a similar trajectory if Apple is able to ship large quantities of goods from India to the US. Additionally, Alphabet is attempting to increase its visibility in India. In addition to selling handsets through Reliance Digital, Croma, Sangeetha Mobiles, Poorvika, and more than 2,000 smaller retail locations, the business has hired 18 distributors.

    Since local production began a year ago, import taxes have been lowered by 16.5%, increasing the competitiveness of Pixel smartphones against Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s high-end Galaxy models.

    Pixel’s Distribution Network in India

    With the help of 18 distributors, including Reliance Digital, Croma, Sangeetha Mobiles, and Poorvika, the company is also increasing sales in India. These phones are sold in more than 2,000 small, multi-brand retailers.

    Alphabet began manufacturing Google Pixel smartphones in India a year ago because local manufacturing lessened the burden of duties, allowing these phones to compete with the iPhone and Samsung’s high-end Galaxy models. Smartphone import taxes in India are 16.5%.

    Alphabet Layoffs: Reorganization in Platforms & Devices Unit

    According to a media report, this year Alphabet’s Google has let go of hundreds of workers from its Platforms and Devices business. This division is in charge of important products like the Chrome browser, Pixel devices, and Android software.

    The layoffs come after a voluntary departure programme that was made available to staff members in January. The action is a component of a continuous reorganisation that started last year when Google combined its Chrome and Android teams under the Pixel and Devices group. This group is headed by Rick Osterloh, a company executive. The combined company employed around 20,000 people at the time of the merger.

    Quick Shots

    •Move aims
    to reduce reliance on Taiwan and mitigate risks from US tariffs.

    •Manufacturing
    partners include Dixon Technologies, Foxconn, and    Micromax-owned Bhagwati Products.

    •Pixel 9a
    may be phased out, as vendors shift focus to Pixel 10 assembly.

    •Exports
    from India may follow Apple’s model of shipping iPhones to the US.

  • Delhi High Court Urges Centre to Form Authority, Frame Rules for New Gaming Law

    In order for the recently passed Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act to be effective, the Delhi High Court ordered the Centre on 2 September to establish an authority and publish the regulations. On a suit contesting the new online gaming law, a bench consisting of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela issued the rulings.

    The Act, which was approved by Parliament on August 21, encourages e-sports in addition to “safe online social and educational games” and outlaws all types of online money games.

    The judges pointed out that the Centre had not yet established a body to supervise the law’s application. “Until you constitute the authority and promulgate the rules, you will not be able to work on the act,” the court stated. After eight weeks, the matter was scheduled for hearing.

    Sharing his views on the development, Kamal Karanth, Co-Founder Xpheno- A specialist Staffing Firm stated, “While the focus and buzz has been on real money gaming (RMG), it is important to note that most gaming enterprises operate across three verticals—RMG, social gaming, and eSports. The skills and talent deployed across these lines are highly adjacent and transferable. This adjacency provides a talent agility which has helped the sector remain resilient despite regulatory uncertainties.”

    “Gaming tech skills—ranging from AR/VR and app development to AI and immersive design—are not just central to gaming but are also critical to emerging sectors like fintech, edtech, and healthtech. The potential is hence high for redeployment and absorption of talent within the enterprise or within gaming and other adjacent sectors,” he added.

    Argument in the Court

    The government is now establishing an authority under the Act, according to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who spoke on behalf of the Centre during a brief session. According to him, the Central Government is now creating regulations and establishing its authority. Although online gaming is encouraged by the government, youngsters who play for real money become addicted and commit suicide.

    The online carrom game platform Bagheera Carrom (OPC) Private Limited filed the petition, arguing that the new law was enacted in excessive haste and without adequate stakeholder participation, violating fundamental rights. The new rule, according to the petition, indiscriminately prohibits all online real-money games, regardless of whether they are skill-based or chance-based.

    Already, Many Players Shutting Real Money Gaming From System

    Shortly after the Indian government’s online gaming bill was approved by both Houses of Parliament, India’s leading real money gaming (RMG) companies, including Dream11 parent company Dream Sports, Gameskraft, Mobile Premier League (MPL), Zupee, and Nazara-backed PokerBaazi, started to stop holding money-related competitions and games on their platforms.

    The measure forbids online money games, which are those in which players deposit money either directly or indirectly in the hopes of winning.

    All ‘Pay to Play’ competitions on Dream Picks, a newly released fantasy sports app that allows users to create four-player teams and compete in both innings, have been suspended by Dream Sports. Additionally, Dream Play, the company’s casual RMG app, is being discontinued.

    Wave of Layoffs in the Indian Online Gaming Sector

    The Mobile Premier League (MPL), one of the largest gaming businesses in India, has announced significant employment layoffs as a result of the country’s decision to ban paid online games. Reuters reports that the Bengaluru-based startup will lay off roughly 300 employees, or 60% of its India workforce, because the new rule eliminates revenue from its primary fantasy and card gaming business.

    Moonshine Technology, which was supported by Nazara Technologies and ran PokerBaazi, began firing its staff. According to sources who spoke to several media sites, the business has begun to lay off workers, with up to 50% of its personnel potentially affected.

    Quick
    Shots

    •Delhi High Court directs Centre to
    constitute an authority and frame rules for the new Promotion and Regulation
    of Online Gaming Act.

    •Act, passed on August 21, promotes
    e-sports and safe social/educational games but bans all real-money online
    games.

    •Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar
    Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela stressed law cannot function without
    rules and authority.

    •Government assured it is working on
    setting up the authority and framing regulations.

     

  • NDTV Board approves Rights Issue of upto INR 400 Crore

    The Board of Directors of New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV), one of India’s leading entities in news broadcasting and digital journalism, at its meeting held on 2nd September 2025, approved the capital raise of up to INR 400 Crore through a Rights Issue to its eligible shareholders.

    This proposed capital raising will mark a significant step in strengthening NDTV’s balance sheet and enhancing its financial flexibility. The additional resources will enable the Company to pursue its growth agenda with greater resilience, including expansion of distribution to widen its domestic and international presence, investment in brand-building, development of new intellectual properties, reduction of debt, and other general corporate purposes.

    NDTV has an established track record of delivering news content in both English and Hindi, with a legacy of credible journalism. The Company is focused on digital-first growth through branded content, data-driven advertising, and partnerships with global platforms to expand its reach. It is also exploring opportunities in regional language news, international broadcasting through NDTV World, and live events.

     

    ‘This rights issue is a decisive step in strengthening NDTV and preparing it for its next phase of growth. With the resources we raise, we will expand our reach and deepen our impact while staying true to the kind of journalism we have always stood for – credible, trustworthy, and uncompromising. This investment will also help us explore new areas of growth, with the digital world opening up new possibilities and new audiences for us. Our vision is to build a stronger, future-ready NDTV that reflects the aspirations of a new India,’ said, Rahul Kanwal, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, NDTV.

    About NDTV

     NDTV operates as a division of AMG Media Networks Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited. Incorporated in 1988, NDTV is engaged in the business of news broadcasting and digital journalism in India. The Company operates television channels and digital platforms with distribution in India and internationally. NDTV and its journalists have, from time to time, received national and international awards in recognition of their work in the field of journalism.

  • Google DeepMind Chief Scientist Claims AI Now Outperforms Humans in Most Tasks

    The question of whether the new models will soon be able to outperform humans in the majority of jobs we perform now or achieve a level of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) has been a hot topic in the AI community as artificial intelligence systems continue to advance.

    Although he avoids using the term ‘artificial general intelligence’ (AGI), Jeff Dean, the chief scientist at Google DeepMind, thinks that, with few exceptions, current AI models may already have outperformed humans in the majority of daily jobs.

    Dean claims that the existing models are “better than the average person at most tasks” that don’t involve physical exertion on an episode of the Moonshot Podcast. “You know, some of the models we have today are actually pretty reasonable at most things,” Dean said, “but most people are not that good at a random task if you ask them to do something they’ve never done before.”

    What did Jeff Dean say about AI vs humans?

    “How far away are the current models from making breakthroughs faster than humans?” the host then asked Dean. In response, Dean stated that AI models are currently on the verge of becoming perfect in a few areas and that he believes we will expand that range.

    ‘That’s a very different concept,’ Dean warned, ‘because most people will fail at many things; they’re not human experts in some areas.’ “There will be a lot of domains where automated search and computation actually can accelerate progress — scientific progress, engineering progress,” he stated. “All these things I think are going to be important for advancing what we as people can do over the next five, 10, 15, or 20 years,” he said.

    The AGI Debate

    However, Dean decided to avoid the AGI controversy, partly due to the lack of a precise definition for the term in the artificial intelligence community. “The difficulty of the problem varies by factors of a trillion, and many people have very different definitions of it, which is why I tend to avoid AGI conversations.”

    More upbeat about AGI is Dean’s boss, Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, who stated in a recent interview with WIRED that the breakthrough would be made within the next five to ten years.

    Quick
    Shots

    •Dean notes current AI models are
    “better than the average person” at many non-physical tasks.

    •He highlights AI’s ability to
    accelerate scientific and engineering progress in coming years.

    •Avoids using the term AGI due to lack
    of clear definition in the AI community.

    •Dean stresses that humans fail at
    many random tasks, while AI shows consistent performance.

    •DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis is more
    bullish, predicting AGI within 5–10 years.

  • Wooden Street Reinvents Entertainment Spaces with Multifunctional TV Units

    In present-day homes, the living room is more than just about a gathering space. It is said to be the heart of entertainment, a place where you enjoy your relaxation time as well as family bonding. And when we talk about the center of it all, there stands the TV unit. By not simply being a place to keep your television, modern TV units are expected to bring to you style, storage, and functionality in one. Wooden Street understands this changing need and preference, which is why its collection of TV units is designed in such a way to uplift your living space with elegance, organization, and smart design. 

    Design that Complements Every Living Room

    The TV unit often becomes the centerpiece when it comes to living rooms that rightly set the mood for the entire space. At Wooden Street, we offer you an exclusive selection that easily matches with diverse decor preferences, be it that you love simple and detailed interiors or want to go for warm and classic designs. 

    From smooth modern styles to classic wooden feels, every TV unit is built to add charm to your living room. Smooth finishes, well-arranged layouts, and fine detailing make sure that these pieces serve as functional furniture while being stylish statements, whether it’s about wall-mounted or floor-standing. 

    Why this matters to you

    • A smart TV unit enhances the overall look and feel of your entertainment area.
    • The right design helps you create harmony as well as balance with your other living room furniture.
    • Brings in a modern and well-organized touch to your interiors.

    Comfort of Organized Living

    Clutter is one of the biggest distractions in any living room, and TV unit at Wooden Street address this with smart organization solutions. These units hold your television and help you to neatly store all your accessories, gadgets, books, or decorative items. 

    Spacious cabinets and drawers make it easy for you to tuck away items that you don’t want to display, while open shelves are perfect when it comes to showcasing decor pieces, family photos, or collectibles. Cable management features ensure that any type of unsightly wires stay hidden, therefore giving your space a clean and sophisticated look. 

    Organization benefits you can enjoy

    • Trouble-free storage where you can keep remotes, consoles, and other media accessories.
    • Proper dedicated space to place books, décor, or essentials so that you reach them easily as and when required.
    • Well-defined look with wires and clutter neatly managed.

    Smart Storage for Smarter Homes

    When we talk about modern homes, every inch counts. So, here multi-purpose TV units at Wooden Street shine with their great storage features. Many designs come with extra space for keeping all your entertainment gadgets, such as set-top boxes, speakers, gaming consoles , and more, while some units have vertical cabinets or glass-door shelves for a premium-grade look. 

    For compact spaces, wall-mounted TV units are a smart add-on when it comes to maximizing your floor space, thus providing you with a sufficient amount of room for storage. On the other side, larger units are perfect for families who are looking for both storage and display solutions in one place.

    Smart storage highlights

    • Cabinets and drawers to help you organize all your daily-use items.
    • Open and closed shelving that gives you flexibility.
    • Wall-mounted options for space-saving solutions.

    Durability That Lasts Through Everyday Use

    A TV unit is not something you’re going to buy often. So, that’s what makes durability a major factor here. Wooden Street TV units are well-built from strong materials to hold out against everyday use and at the same time, maintain their look for years. The fine workmanship make sure that each unit delivers you both quality and functionality, while the finishes are designed to protect from wear and tear, requiring very little maintenance. 

    This makes them the best fit for busy households, where furniture needs to balance durability with design. With Wooden Street, you get more than just a piece of furniture. You invest in reliability that grows with your home. 

    Benefits of durability

    • Strong build for long-lasting use.
    • Easy-to-maintain finishes that fit in well with Indian homes.
    • Classic designs that stay relevant through changing trends.

    Conclusion

    In today’s way of living, furniture is expected to go beyond its basic purpose. At Wooden Street, TV units are not just about your television. They are complete entertainment solutions that bring to you the perfect combination of design, comfort, as well as storage so as to make your living room both beautiful and useful. 

    Why just talk about TV units here? Wooden Street continues to create furniture that easily adapts to all kinds of needs and tastes. From TV units and shoe rack to wardrobes, sofa sets, dining tables, and many more, each piece is made with giving full attention to detail, durability, as well as style. Therefore, choosing Wooden Street means choosing furniture that simplifies your life by beautifying your dream home in the years to come.

  • Edge AI Computing Startup Edgehax raises ₹1.39 Crore in seed funding, strengthens ‘Make in India’ vision with STPI’s NGIS support

    Edgehax, an Edge AI hardware platform, has raised ₹1.39 crore in a seed funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV). The funds will be used to boost manufacturing, accelerate product development, and scale into international markets across Singapore, US and Europe. The milestone not only boosts India’s indigenous hardware ecosystem but also reflects the impact of the Next Generation Incubation Scheme (NGIS) by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI).

    Edgehax is among the beneficiaries of NGIS, STPI’s flagship initiative designed to nurture promising startups from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. By providing structured mentoring, market linkages, and funding support of up to ₹25 lakh, NGIS ensures that innovative ventures like Edgehax can scale globally while contributing to the government’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’ missions. Edgehax has recently won NXP Silicon Seeds Startup Program 2025 to build an exclusive low-cost Edge AI compute module based on NXP chips for global automotive and consumer IoT applications and also secured the MeitY Bhashini Startup Velocity 1.0 program award to build hardware that enables mass-market adoption of the Digital India Bhashini Voice AI platform.

    Speaking about the achievement, Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General, STPI, said: “Edgehax’s success reinforces the mission of NGIS to empower startups from across India with the resources, mentorship, and funding needed to scale globally. By building a domestic Edge AI hardware platform, Edgehax is addressing a critical gap in India’s technology ecosystem, reducing reliance on imports and strengthening our ‘Make in India’ journey. At STPI, we are committed to ensuring that talent from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities gets equal opportunities to innovate and compete on the world stage.”

    Over the past three years, NGIS has supported more than 680 startups, of which about 138 have received direct financial assistance. These ventures span sectors such as healthcare, agritech, edtech, and Industry 4.0, generating high-skilled employment, attracting investors, and strengthening India’s innovation landscape. The scheme is operational across 12 STPI centres, including Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Dehradun, and Guwahati, creating a truly inclusive startup ecosystem beyond the traditional metro hubs.

    Founded in 2025 by Prabhu Stavarmath and Savitri Patil, Edgehax positions itself as a full-stack Edge AI hardware platform, integrating compute, connectivity, and storage on a single board. This enables startups, OEMs, and enterprises to bring hardware products to market faster, without depending on overseas supply chains. The company already serves over 150 startups, OEMs, and large enterprises who use its boards for rapid prototyping and scaling. Edgehax has also distributed developer kits to 100,000 students and faculty across 30 universities and IITs, contributing to India’s skilling ecosystem. With locally manufactured hardware, assured long-term supply, and on-ground technical support, the startup is helping reduce import dependency and strengthening India’s hardware innovation base.

    Prabhu Stavarmath, CEO and Co-founder of Edgehax added, “At Edgehax, our goal is to become a global pioneer in Edge AI Gateways and Single Board Computers by delivering fully integrated hardware platforms with open-source firmware and scalable cloud software – enabling rapid product development for startups, enterprises, and OEMs worldwide. By 2029, Edgehax aims to empower over 100 million developers using its boards and tools across APAC, the US, and Europe.”

    The infusion of seed capital will allow Edgehax to further scale manufacturing, accelerate product development, and expand into international markets across Singapore, the US, and Europe. Its trajectory highlights the role of STPI and NGIS in turning ideas into global products and demonstrates how a robust incubation ecosystem is crucial for India’s emergence as a trusted player in next-gen hardware solutions.

  • Layoffs Again? Ola’s Krutrim Says Goodbye to 50 Employees

    September starts with another round of layoffs, this time at Krutrim. 50 people from its linguistics team had to say goodbye to the company. This is their third since 2024. Krutrim is an AI company founded by Ola. There seem to be gaps in their technology, and that’s the reason why their AI advancements haven’t taken off. Is this the reason why Krutrim is laying off people now? Or are they cost-cutting for some reason? Learn more.

    What Happened at Krutrim?

    Approximately 50 linguists (transcribers and team leaders were included) from the team, who were working on regional languages such as Bengali, Malayalam, Punjabi, etc., were laid off. Notably, this is their third layoff since June 2024.

    Bigger Picture of Layoffs at Krutrim

    • From 2024 to date, more than 200 employees have been laid off, and a few of them left the company themselves at Krutrim.
    • In their second round of layoffs in July 2024, over 100 people were let go.
    • At least six senior executives of Krutrim left the company (these executives are heads of AI data, software engineering, cloud, and finance teams).
    • Just from these layoffs and resignations, 20+ other employees had already resigned.

    Why Is Krutrim Cutting the Jobs?

    According to Krutrim, these layoffs were crucial for their “strategic realignment,” meaning they are restructuring the company to focus only on specific work.

    Furthermore, its linguistics work (data annotation) related projects are done, and the jobs no longer serve any purpose to the company. So, they were let go.

    The company mentioned that it is currently looking for a smaller, leaner team as it works towards its major AI projects in 2025.

    What Is Krutrim Building? The Big AI Project…

    Apparently, Krutrim and the team are focused on Krutrim 3. Notably, it’s their biggest AI language model so far. The model will have billions of parameters (meaning the brain size of an AI). Other than this huge project in hand, they also have two other AI products that they want to work on:

    • Krutrim Cloud and Kruti. Kruti, it’s their AI assistant app (similar to Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and others).
    • Although the app was launched in June 2024, it has 207,000 downloads, but it is still not that popular.  
    • To make the project a big success, the company has recently acquired BharatSahAIyak. It’s a public-sector AI solution.
    • It has plans to advance its data center capacity to 1 GW by 2028 and set $1.2 billion in funding to make it a success. 

    Krutrim’s Money and Investments

    • Interestingly, Krutrim became a unicorn in January 2024 after raising about $75 million in funds.
    • Big investors, such as Z47 and the Sarin family, and others. Yet, the company didn’t experience huge popularity for its products in the market.
    • In December 2023, Bhavish Aggarwal, the company’s founder, decided to give his Ola Electric shares to raise debt funding for Krutrim. And the amount was rumored to be $300 million and more, but Krutrim dismissed the claims. 

  • TCS Announces Salary Hikes for Employees to Boost Retention and Morale

    Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the biggest IT business in India, announced its most recent round of pay increases on September 2.

    According to news agency PTI, the increases would range from 4.5% to 7% for the majority of its employees. Employees of the Tata Group company began receiving letters of increment on the evening of September 1st, and those with knowledge of the development told the news agency that the pay increases will take effect in September 2025.

    This comes after discussions on a possible pay increase were put on hold for the past two months due to uncertain market conditions. Additionally, the investigation noted that the corporation did not respond to the email enquiries.

    Pay Increases for Middle & Junior Employees

    The article claims that TCS has raised the pay of its middle- and lower-level workers. The news agency was informed that the company’s best achievers received pay increases exceeding 10%.

    Milind Lakkad, the executive vice president and chief human resources officer of TCS, stated in July that the business has not decided to raise staff salaries. “We have not yet made any decisions regarding wage hikes,” Lakkad stated during the company’s quarterly news conference.

    Attrition and Retention Strategy

    The company was working to reduce its attrition rate, which hit a two-year high at the conclusion of the first quarter of the fiscal year 2025–2026, the top human resources officer also told the media. According to Milind Lakkad, TCS attrition exceeded its comfort limit of 13% as it reached a two-year high. At the news conference, he stated, “We are working to bring it down.”

    TCS Layoffs 2025

    TCS plans to lay off 2% of its workforce this year, or around 12,000 mid- and senior-level personnel. This is at a time when many of its competitors have put compensation increases on hold or postponed them.

    Lakkad and CHRO-designate K Sudeep sent out an internal message on 6 August stating that the pay increase will take effect on September 1. In response to a question from the media, the corporation stated that it can affirm that, as of September 1, 2025, it will be raising wages for almost 80% of its employees.

    Future Outlook for TCS & IT Sector

    TCS is nevertheless hopeful about a recovery and expects demand to pick up in the second part of the year. When discussing compensation increases, Indian IT CEOs have taken a cautious stance. Salil Parekh, the CEO of Infosys, stated that the company has completed its pay increases for the fourth and first quarters of the previous fiscal year when discussing the schedule for wage increases.

    As it always does at the end of a cycle, Infosys is now starting to assess the timing for the next one. Two rises over 18 months resulted from the disruption of the normal cycle during COVID-19. Nothing is going to change. The company will continue using its current procedure and promptly disclose the upcoming cycle.

    Quick
    Shots

    •4.5%–7% for most employees; top
    performers get over 10%.

    •Around 80% of staff to benefit from
    wage increases.

    •Middle- and junior-level employees
    prioritized in this increment cycle.

    •Move aims to address rising
    attrition, which crossed TCS’s comfort limit of 13%.

  • Flipkart Acquires Majority Stake in Pinkvilla to Strengthen Infotainment & Lifestyle Content Play

    The e-commerce company Flipkart announced that it had purchased the majority of Pinkvilla India Private Limited, a well-known online infotainment platform. The purchase is a component of Flipkart’s plan to use Pinkvilla’s reputation, skills, and devoted following to increase its content presence and improve interaction with Gen Z and millennial consumers.

    Pinkvilla’s Role in Flipkart’s Content Strategy

    The deal’s value was not disclosed by the companies. Flipkart’s acquisition of a controlling stake in Pinkvilla is a crucial step in the company’s objective to strengthen its relationship with Generation Z, according to senior vice-president, corporate, Ravi Iyer.

    Flipkart’s ambitions to use content as a major growth engine will be accelerated by Pinkvilla’s strong content intellectual property and close relationship with its devoted user base.

    Exploring the Gen Z Angle

    Trends and consumption patterns are greatly influenced by films and celebrities. Since most Gen Z users consume content with these themes, Flipkart’s acquisition of a top infotainment platform makes sense as it looks to increase its appeal to this demographic.

    Additionally, the agreement strengthens Flipkart’s presence in the Indian market by providing it with the chance to develop content for commerce prospects and acquire trend insights.

    The founder and CEO of Pinkvilla, Nandini Shenoy, stated, “We are sure that with Flipkart’s help, we will be able to scale our operations and continue to deliver high-quality content that resonates with our millions of users, further strengthening our position as a leader in infotainment.” The deal has been completed and is pending the usual closing requirements. The businesses anticipate closing the agreement soon.

    Flipkart Spreading its Wings in India

    Flipkart has made a number of purchases in recent years as it grows its online business nationwide. These include online fashion retailer Myntra, digital payments company PhonePe, and eBay’s Indian division.

    With the purchase of Walmart India, which ran the Best Price cash-and-carry division, it further enhanced its wholesale presence. Flipkart also purchased Sastasundar Marketplace, which owned and ran an online pharmacy and digital healthcare platform, and Scapic, an augmented reality firm, to improve its shopping experience.

    Quick
    Shots

    •E-commerce giant acquires majority
    stake in infotainment platform Pinkvilla.

    •Not disclosed; agreement pending
    standard closing requirements.

    •Aimed at boosting Flipkart’s content
    strategy and consumer engagement.

    •Acquisition targets younger audiences
    who consume celebrity and film-driven content.

    •Strong IP and loyal user base to fuel
    Flipkart’s content-commerce synergy.

    •Ravi Iyer, Flipkart SVP, calls it a
    step to deepen bonds with Gen Z.

    •Strengthens Flipkart’s presence in
    lifestyle, entertainment, and digital content commerce.

  • Daily Indian Funding Roundup & Key News – 2nd September 2025: Tuco Kids Raises $4M, CityMall Secures $47M, Urban Company & boAt Get SEBI Nod for IPOs & More

    September 2, 2025, was an active day for India’s startup ecosystem with key fundraises across consumer care, EV mobility, and e-commerce. Highlights include Tuco Kids raising $4M, Offgrid Energy Labs securing $15M, LeafyBus expanding with $4.1M, and CityMall bagging $47M. On the business front, Urban Company and boAt got SEBI IPO approval, Goldman Sachs trimmed its stake in BlackBuck, Flipkart acquired Pinkvilla, and PhonePe launched loans against mutual funds.

    Daily Indian Funding Roundup – 2nd September 2025

    Company Amount Round Lead investor(s) Sector
    Tuco Kids $4 Mn Fresh funding RTP Global Children’s personal care
    Offgrid Energy Labs $15 Mn Funding Archean Chemical Industries Battery / Energy storage
    Venturi Partners $150 Mn First close (Fund II) Existing & new investors Venture Capital Fund
    LeafyBus $4.1 Mn Pre-Series A Enetra EV (backed by ICAM) Intercity EV bus transportation
    Zanskar ₹2.8 Cr Seed Zeropearl VC Pain-care & wellness
    CityMall $47 Mn Series D Accel E-commerce (value, Tier-II/III towns)

    Tuco Kids raised $4 million in fresh funding

    Bengaluru-based personal care brand Tuco Kids secured $4 million in fresh funding led by RTP Global, with additional participation from Fireside Ventures, Whiteboard Capital, and MG Investments. The startup plans to channel the funds into boosting brand awareness, expanding its offline retail footprint, and introducing a new category in children’s personal care.

    Offgrid Energy Labs raised $15 million in funding

    Noida-based battery startup Offgrid Energy Labs raised $15 million in a funding round led by Archean Chemical Industries, with participation from Ankur Capital. The startup will use the capital to set up a pilot manufacturing unit in the UK, expand R&D efforts, and commercialize its zinc-bromine gel (zincgel) batteries— with plans for a future facility in India as well.

    Venturi Partners closed $150 million in the first close of Fund II

    Singapore-based consumer growth investment firm Venturi Partners completed the first close of its second fund at $150 million, backed by both existing and new investors. The fund targets a final close of $225 million by June 2026. Fund II aims to invest $15–40 million each in 10 high-growth consumer brands across India and Southeast Asia, with an option for co-investment on a 1:1 basis for investors.

    LeafyBus raised $4.1 million in pre-Series A

    Delhi-based intercity EV bus startup LeafyBus raised $4.1 million in pre-Series A funding from Enetra EV, which is backed by Singapore’s Impact Capital Asia Management (ICAM). The fresh funds will help expand its electric bus fleet and services. LeafyBus currently operates routes including Delhi–Dehradun and Delhi–Agra and plans to add 100 more buses over the next two years while expanding to Chandigarh and Jaipur.

    Zanskar raised ₹2.8 crore in seed round

    Gurugram-based pain-care and wellness brand Zanskar raised ₹2.8 crore in a seed round led by Zeropearl VC, with participation from angel investors including Pawan Gupta (Fashinza), Amit Baid (10X Growth Ventures), and Nidhish Mundra (Oaktree Capital). The funds will be used to broaden the product line, ramp up R&D, scale digital marketing, and strengthen offline retail presence, alongside its D2C business.

    CityMall raised $47 million in Series D

    Gurugram-based value e-commerce startup CityMall raised $47 million in its Series D round, led by Accel, with participation from existing backers like Waterbridge Ventures, Citius, General Catalyst, Elevation Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, and Jungle Ventures. The startup plans to use the capital to deepen its footprint in existing geographies, enter adjacent markets, fortify its supply chain, and invest in private labels and brand partnerships, while also ramping up hiring across technology, product, and operations.

    Key Business News for 2nd September 2025

    Urban Company & boAt get SEBI nod for IPOs

    At-home services platform Urban Company and consumer electronics brand boAt have both received approval from SEBI to proceed with their initial public offerings (IPOs). This signals a renewed momentum in India’s IPO market and allows both companies to begin raising capital through public share offerings.

    Goldman Sachs trims stake in BlackBuck; Nomura steps in with ₹247 cr buy

    Goldman Sachs reduced its stake in logistics firm BlackBuck (Zinka Logistics Solutions) via a bulk deal, triggering a share price drop of up to 3.5%. Meanwhile, Nomura has entered the fray with a fresh investment of ₹247 crore, indicating renewed investor interest in the company.

    Flipkart acquires majority stake in Pinkvilla

    E-commerce giant Flipkart has acquired a majority stake in digital infotainment platform Pinkvilla. While the financial terms were not disclosed, the deal positions Flipkart to tap into Gen Z and millennial audiences for enhanced engagement and future content-driven commerce strategies.

    PhonePe launches loan service against mutual funds

    Fintech platform PhonePe has introduced a new loan facility allowing users to borrow against their mutual fund holdings—up to ₹2 crore—without redeeming investments. Launched in partnership with NBFC DSP Finance, the entire onboarding process is digital and can be completed in under 10 minutes via the PhonePe app.

    Daily Indian Funding Roundup and Key News: 1st September 2025
    From fresh capital inflows into consumer electronics, semiconductor services, and venture funds, to large-scale layoffs, retail consolidation, and UPI’s record-breaking performance. Here’s your quick roundup for top funding deals and key business news in India on 1st September 2025.
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