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  • Oracle Layoffs 2025: US & India OCI Teams Cut Amid AI Expansion Push

    Approximately 10% of Oracle’s Indian workforce was let go by the American computer giant, Oracle, overnight, leaving dozens of talented individuals without jobs.

    Although the business has officially stated that the cuts were due to “restructuring”, industry observers are connecting the action to a change in US policy brought about by Donald Trump’s intensified efforts to limit outsourcing and lessen reliance on H-1B visas.

    US & India OCI Teams Face Job Cuts

    Many Indians are therefore in danger of losing their employment suddenly. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) staff in the US are still receiving layoff notices, while Oracle’s operations in India are among the most severely affected, according to Data Centre Dynamics. Cuts are also reported in Canada.

     Employees in other areas have reported being scheduled for undisclosed management meetings later this week, despite the fact that the US and India have been the first to experience job losses. This has fuelled concern that other workforce cutbacks may be imminent across Oracle’s global operations.

    Larry Ellison’s Meeting with Donald Trump

    On August 7, Larry Wilson, the CEO of Oracle, met with US President Donald Trump at the Oval Office, as per various media reports. According to reports, the conversation covered national data security concerns, technology alliances, and domestic hiring. Oracle and OpenAI announced a historic agreement shortly after, which will allow Oracle’s systems to process a significant amount of OpenAI’s data.

    The software community has expressed concern about the timing, especially as Oracle has started a massive hiring campaign at its Virginia office while reducing its workforce elsewhere. According to insiders, Oracle employees in Mexico have also received notice, and the country may experience layoffs akin to those in India. The layoffs are anticipated to have a major impact on India, where a sizable percentage of Oracle’s global staff resides.

    Oracle India had over 28,824 employees in 2024, which helped the business reach a global workforce of roughly 162,000 in 2025. The reductions will have a particularly large effect on the local talent pool because India has been a vital location for Oracle’s software development, cloud services, and technical support operations.

    In the Seattle region, which has historically served as the unit’s hub, the corporation is reportedly laying off about 150 employees. This week, affected workers received notice that their jobs were being cut. Although the precise number of job cuts is yet unknown, some with knowledge of the situation stated that performance-related concerns were a factor in the decisions. The division is still hiring for a few positions in spite of the cuts, indicating a targeted rather than comprehensive reorganisation.

    Oracle Cuts 10% of India Workforce After Trump Meeting and OpenAI Partnership Deal

    As per the recent update, Oracle, has laid off a significant portion of its personnel in India, affecting around 10% of the local workforce. There is conjecture over the motives for the abrupt reorganisation because the move coincides with the company signing a significant contract with OpenAI and having high-level discussions with US President Donald Trump.

    The timing of the layoff is what makes it more contentious. Oracle CEO Larry Wilson met with US President Donald Trump at the Oval Office just a few days before the announcement of the layoffs. The agenda covered technology collaborations, national data security, and domestic recruiting, according to a number of media reports.

    Oracle and OpenAI announced a historic agreement shortly after, which will allow Oracle’s infrastructure to process enormous amounts of AI data. Many in the tech sector think that the corporation is reallocating resources to the US market in accordance with Trump’s efforts to lessen reliance on H-1B visas and offshore.

    Global Tech Layoffs Trend in 2025

    Oracle’s action is in line with a larger pattern among large tech firms that are reducing employment elsewhere in order to offset the sharply increasing expenses of AI infrastructure.

    This year, Microsoft has laid off some 15,000 employees, and Amazon and Meta Platforms have also reduced their workforces as they reallocate funds to AI projects.

    Even the biggest companies are being forced to reevaluate their spending priorities due to the growing financial needs of AI development, which are fuelled by the requirement for enormous data centre capacity and processing power.

  • Weaver Services Secures $170M Investment in Landmark Funding Round led by Lightspeed and Premji Invest

    Mumbai, India; August 19, 2025 – Weaver Services, a technology-first housing finance platform aiming to transform affordable housing finance in India, announced today that it has executed definitive transaction documents to raise $170 million funding in a landmark investment round led by Lightspeed and Premji Invest, subject to regulatory approvals. Gaja Capital also participated in the round.

    Weaver is building a next-generation housing finance platform through use of technology and AI-driven workflows, to serve India’s vast underserved affordable housing segment with a focus on self-employed individuals. Earlier, Weaver acquired Capital India Housing Finance as an anchor asset for the platform. It is likely to acquire another asset for initial scale and is currently evaluating a few assets for this purpose. The investment will accelerate Weaver’s asset acquisition, fund technology development, and expand reach across tier-2 and tier-3 cities where the affordable housing gap is most acute. The team intends to combine strong market expertise in affordable housing with proprietary tech-driven underwriting models that leverage alternative data to assess creditworthiness beyond traditional parameters, enabling faster approvals and more inclusive lending.

    Leading Weaver’s transformation is Founder and Vice Chairman Satrajit Bhattacharya, an industry veteran with three decades of experience at HDFC Ltd. Alongside him, Co-Founder and CEO Anil Kothuri brings three decades of deep expertise in financial services, working at FedFina, Edelweiss and Citi.

    “We aim to make housing finance more accessible to the people of India by leveraging technology and placing customers at the centre of our focus thereby bringing in a new paradigm in the space” said Satrajit Bhattacharya, Founder and Vice Chairman of Weaver Services.

    “There is a clear opportunity to use technology mindfully to offer home loans to the informal segment, while achieving better customer selection, superior risk management, and enhanced productivity.” said Anil Kothuri, MD and CEO of Weaver Services.

    Investor Partnership

    The investment marks a significant commitment by Lightspeed and Premji Invest, both of whom have been investing in India for two decades. Lightspeed, a global multi-stage investment firm with over $30 billion in AUM and a strong track record of backing category-defining entrepreneurs, sees Weaver as an impactful force that could potentially reshape India’s housing finance market across Tier 1, 2 and 3 cities. 

    “We believe that India’s housing finance market remains under-penetrated and we see it as a tremendous opportunity. Weaver’s combination of deep domain expertise, AI-driven capabilities, and a tech-first approach that positions them to democratize home ownership for millions of underserved Indians. At Lightspeed, we partner with bold, visionary founders with conviction to build extraordinary category leading companies. We are excited to partner with Satra, Anil and the exceptional team to reimagine the housing finance landscape in India” said Anuvrat Jain, Principal – Growth Investments, Lightspeed.

    “At Premji Invest, we see a significant opportunity to leverage technology to transform the affordable housing finance sector in India. The acquisition of Capital India Housing Finance by Weaver Services marks an important first step toward delivering frictionless, scalable, and inclusive mortgage solutions for underserved segments. This investment reflects our commitment to backing differentiated and innovative platforms that use technology to drive meaningful, long-term impact in financial services” said Saravanan Nattanmai, Partner, Premji Invest.

    Gopal Jain, Managing Partner, Gaja Capital added “Weaver is addressing a deep-rooted gap in India’s housing finance ecosystem with a tech-led, customer-first approach. Their sharp focus on the self-employed segment, combined with disciplined execution, positions them well to emerge as a leader in the next phase of inclusive growth in financial services”

    About Lightspeed

    Lightspeed is a leading global multi-stage investment firm, investing across venture to late-stage growth, with a focus on accelerating disruptive innovations in AI, Enterprise, Financial Services, Consumer, Health, and B2B. Over the past two decades, the Lightspeed team has backed hundreds of entrepreneurs building some of the most innovative and category-defining companies in the world. Globally, Lightspeed has invested in more than 500 companies, including Anthropic, Affirm, Anduril, Epic Games, Nutanix, Snapchat, AppDynamics, MuleSoft, Rubrik, Wiz, Oyo, Zepto, Udaan, Razorpay, PocketFM, Physicswallah and many others. Today, Lightspeed and its global team manage over $30 billion in AUM across its platform, with investment professionals and advisors based in the U.S., Europe, India, Israel, and Southeast Asia. Lightspeed began investing in India in 2008, with a portfolio that now spans both early-stage startups and growth-stage market leaders.

    About Premji Invest

    Premji Invest (PI) is a leading global investment firm with a charter to back emerging and disruptive technologies, address sizable market opportunities and nurture the spirit of entrepreneurship. Its evergreen structure allows PI to make investments in India and the US with a long-term horizon. PI invests both in private and public markets. Its private investments include early stage, growth equity and buyouts and focus areas span financial services, technology, consumer, industrials, and healthcare. Public markets investments span listed companies with promising long-term prospects, sustainable returns and high standards of corporate governance across sectors. Investments are done using a structured quantamental (fundamental + quantitative) approach. The returns generated by PI primarily support the work of Azim Premji Foundation, a non-profit that works to improve the lives of the underserved and underprivileged in society.

    About Gaja Capital

    Gaja Capital is one of India’s leading PE/alternative asset management companies, focused on providing growth capital to ambitious entrepreneurs building the future champions of the Indian economy. Founded in 2004, Gaja Capital has established itself as India’s first institutional and independent private equity firm with a strong track record of performance and value creation. Gaja Capital is recognised as a partner of choice by emerging Indian companies and top-tier global and domestic institutional investors. Some of Gaja Capital’s investments include Teamlease, Lighthouse Learning, RBL Bank, John Distilleries, Xpressbees, Ei, Leadsquared, Signzy and Fractal Analytics.

  • Polestar Analytics Raises $12.5M to Advance AI Capabilities & 1Platform for Converged Data Ecosystems

    Polestar Analytics, a leading player in AI-driven data analytics & planning, announced today that it has raised $12.5 million in growth capital from a consortium of US-based Family Office and institutional investors. This significant fundraise will be used to further deepen Polestar Analytics’ AI capabilities and reinforce the development of its proprietary 1Platform, regarded as one of the industry’s best data convergence solutions for enterprise-scale analytics.

    “This investment marks a pivotal moment in our mission to redefine how enterprises harness data and AI,” said Chetan Alsisaria, CEO of Polestar Analytics. “The funding allows us to accelerate innovation and continue delivering measurable business outcomes that set new industry benchmarks.”

    With this investment, Polestar Analytics will expand R&D efforts in artificial intelligence and accelerate enhancements for its 1Platform.

    In parallel, Polestar Analytics is delighted to announce that Michel Combes has joined as a Chair of the Board. Michel Combes is an internationally respected technology and telecommunications executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience. He currently serves as Executive Chairman & Acting CEO at Brightspeed and as member of Executive Advisory Council at Apollo. Michel is Partner at Forgelight, an operating and investment company focused on the media and consumer technology sector.

    He serves on the boards of multinational firms, including Phillip Morris International, E& (Etisalat), F5 Inc. Previously, Michel Combes served as Executive Vice President at Claure Group, a global investment firm. He was the CEO and President of SoftBank Group International, CEO of Sprint in the US, CEO of Altice N.V., CEO of Alcatel-Lucent, and CEO of Vodafone Europe. He also held leadership roles at France Télécom and TDF Group. He will bring significant industry experience, client relationships and meaningful leadership experience to scale Polestar Analytics into a global powerhouse.

    Michel Combes said, “I am delighted to join Polestar Analytics as Chair of the Board at this pivotal moment in the company’s growth. Polestar Analytics has established itself as a leader in data analytics and AI, with its proprietary 1Platform setting new benchmarks for data convergence and intelligent insights. I have great confidence in the leadership team and their strategic vision. With the recent investment, Polestar Analytics is well-positioned to accelerate innovation, expand its AI offerings, and deliver even greater value to customers worldwide. I look forward to working closely with the entire Polestar Analytics team as we realize this tremendous potential together.”

    “We’re equally honored to welcome Michel Combes as Chair of the Board; his track record of scaling global technology leaders will be invaluable as Polestar Analytics enters its next phase of accelerated growth,” added Chetan.

    About Polestar Analytics

    Founded with a mission to simplify complex decision-making through intelligent, scalable solutions, Polestar Analytics develops cutting-edge AI, analytics & planning solutions for enterprises. The company’s flagship 1Platform enables organizations to converge diverse data sources and simplify data to outcome journeys for businesses. 

  • Apple Leases INR 1,010 Crore Office Space in Bengaluru for 10 Years – Expands India Operations

    According to various media reports, the smartphone giant Apple has rented approximately 2.7 lakh square feet of office space in Bengaluru for ten years, with a total outlay of approximately INR 1,010 crore for the duration, which includes rent, parking, and maintenance.

    The iPhone manufacturer will pay a monthly rent of INR 6.31 crore, or INR 235 per square foot, to occupy the fifth through thirteenth floors of Embassy Zenith on Sankey Road, Vasanth Nagar, in Bengaluru.

    A security deposit of INR 31.57 crore has been made by the corporation, with a 4.5% yearly rent increase. The lease was registered in July and started on April 3, 2025. According to the paperwork, Apple has paid stamp duty of INR 1.5 crore.

    Apple Retail Expansion in India

    The decision, according to industry executives, is a part of Apple’s larger development in India, where it is increasing its retail presence and growing its operations and technical teams.

    After opening stores in Delhi and Mumbai, Apple is getting ready to open its third location in India at the Phoenix Mall of Asia in the city’s north of Bengaluru.

    For a 10-year lease with an annual price of nearly INR 2.09 crore, the company has rented roughly 8,000 square feet of premises from Sparkle One Mall Developers. Rent payments started in August 2025 after the lease was recorded in November 2024.

    Apple’s R&D and Hiring in Bengaluru

    With Bengaluru evolving as a major R&D hub worldwide, Apple Operations India supports the larger Apple ecosystem while spearheading initiatives in engineering, hardware design, failure analysis, research, and testing.

    For positions like RF System Integration Engineer, Software Development Engineer in Test, Machine Learning Engineer, and Engineering Program Manager, the organisation is still actively hiring. A cutting-edge building in Prestige Minsk Square serves as the focal point of Apple’s engineering centre in the city. It has specialised labs and collaborative workspaces and is built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) sustainability standards.

    In addition to infrastructure, Apple has made investments in fostering local talent through programmes like the App Accelerator, which offers iOS developers specialised mentoring. Teams from Bengaluru contribute to several Apple businesses, including operations, IS&T, software, hardware, services, and customer support.

    Airtel–Apple Partnership: Free Apple Music

    It looks like Bharti Airtel is adding more bundled digital services for its Indian consumers. According to reports, the telecom operator has extended its collaboration with Apple, which was previously restricted to postpaid and broadband consumers, by providing free access to Apple Music for its prepaid customers.

    The action was taken only a few weeks after Airtel gained notoriety for giving its customers free access to the premium artificial intelligence application Perplexity AI Pro. Telecom Talk was the first to notice that some Airtel prepaid users have started to see the Apple Music offer within the Airtel Thanks app. Users can take advantage of the streaming service for free for a maximum of six months, according to the banner.

    Quick
    Shots

    •Apple has leased 2.7 lakh sq. ft.
    office space at Embassy Zenith, Bengaluru, for 10 years worth INR 1,010
    crore.

    •Monthly rent of INR 6.31 crore (INR
    235/sq. ft.) with a 4.5% annual hike; security deposit of INR 31.57 crore.

    •Third Apple Store coming up at
    Phoenix Mall of Asia, North Bengaluru, after Delhi & Mumbai.

    •Bengaluru acts as a global R&D
    base for Apple, with teams working on hardware design, testing, ML, software,
    and operations.

  • House of Biryan Raises ₹32 Crore to Fuel Global Expansion, Backed by MS Dhoni, Bestvantage Investments and Other Investors

    House of Biryan (HoB), India’s fastest-growing food-tech platform, announced an INR 32 crore growth round backed by marquee investors, including cricket icon MS Dhoni, strategic investor Bestvantage Investments and other participation from Mohit Goyal (ex-CVC Capital), Abhineet Singh (Al Siraj Holdings), and seasoned industry veterans from SoftBank, Kedara, and APAX.

    Founded by seasoned chefs Mohammed Bhol and Mikhail Shahani, who bring over 25 years of Michelin-starred culinary expertise, HoB is on a mission to make biryani the next global food phenomenon, alongside pizza, sushi, and burgers.

    “House of Biryan is not just another cloud kitchen, it is a consumer brand with global resonance. Their ability to build loyalty, demonstrate profitability, and execute at scale made this an easy decision for us. We are excited to back them in their journey of taking biryani global,” said Raman Sharma, Founder & CEO, Bestvantage Investments.

    Commenting on the fundraise, Mohammed Bhol and Mikhail Shahani, Co-founders of HoB, added: “With the support of our marquee investors we are building the Chipotle of Biryani, delivering personalised bowls of biryani across the world. This round fuels our ambition to scale from 22 kitchens today to 120–150 outlets over the next three years, targeting revenues of INR 450–550 crore.”

    With key investments from Bestvange and other investors, this milestone signals strong conviction in HoB’s capital-efficient, tech-enabled cloud kitchen model, which has already delivered impressive results. The brand has served 2.8 million customers across 4.9 million orders,

    boasting 47% repeat usage, an average rating above 4.3, and nearly half of Zomato traffic driven by direct searches for “House of Biryan”.

    Currently operating 22 kitchens across Mumbai, Delhi, and Dubai, HoB has achieved an ARR of ~INR 50 crore and is already EBITDA-positive in its core markets, a rare feat in the food-tech ecosystem. With the newly raised capital, HoB plans to accelerate expansion into Tier-1 cities in India, while also scaling globally. Its first international cloud kitchen recently opened in Dubai, with Australia, Japan, the UK, and North America next on the roadmap.

    This funding round marks not just a financial milestone but the beginning of a bold new chapter, creating a global biryani powerhouse from India, one bowl at a time.

    About Bestvantage Investments

    Bestvantage Investments is a boutique investment advisory firm that connects high-potential startups with strategic investors across India and the Middle East. Founded by Raman Sharma, Bestvantage specialises in deal sourcing, investment structuring, and capital raising for early to growth-stage companies. With a strong network of family offices, venture funds, and institutional investors, the firm enables businesses to unlock growth opportunities through strategic capital partnerships.

    About House of Biryan (HoB)

    House of Biryan (HoB) is one of India’s fastest-scaling food-tech platforms, founded by seasoned chefs Mohammed Bhol and Mikhail Shahani, who bring over 25 years of Michelin-starred culinary expertise. Built on a tech-enabled, cloud-first kitchen model, HoB has served over 2.8 million customers and fulfilled 4.9 million orders to date, establishing itself as a customer-favourite brand with strong product-market fit. With operations in Mumbai, Delhi, and Dubai.

  • VB Anatomy is Now on Miyagi Labs

    Renowned Indian anatomist and educator Dr. Vaishaly Bharambe has launched an in-depth, interactive online course titled “The Female Reproductive System: From Development to Surgical Anatomy” under her academic initiative VB Anatomy. The course is now available on Miyagi Labs, USA, an interactive, AI-powered learning platform.

    This new course marks a significant milestone for Dr. Bharambe, who has spent over 25 years teaching anatomy to medical students, surgical trainees, and young professionals. Her approach has always been to make anatomy more than just a subject to memorize. She believes it should be understood as a living science that connects theory, structure, and clinical practice. With VB Anatomy, she is creating a repository of structured, high-quality learning resources that reflect this philosophy.

    Why This Course Matters

    The female reproductive system is often considered one of the most complex yet fascinating areas of human anatomy. From the delicate stages of embryological development to the surgical nuances of procedures like C-sections and hysterectomies, every detail carries clinical importance. Dr. Bharambe’s course takes learners through this journey in a way that is both academically rigorous and easy to grasp, helping bridge the gap between textbook knowledge and real-world application.

    “Anatomy is not just about identifying structures; it’s about understanding their surgical and clinical significance,” Dr. Bharambe said. “My aim with this course is to present anatomy as a dynamic subject that directly connects to real-world medical practice. Through this collaboration with Miyagi Labs, we’ve created a learning experience that’s both academically rigorous and technologically intuitive using AI. With the help of AI trained in US-based medical norms, learners can now engage more deeply, ask better questions, and retain knowledge in a more meaningful way. I believe this course will be a valuable companion for anyone looking to strengthen their foundation in reproductive anatomy.”

    What truly sets this VB Anatomy course apart is its interactive format with AI integration. Learners can move at their own pace, revisiting sections as needed, while also engaging with “Lexy,” Miyagi Labs’ intelligent AI tutor. Lexy has been trained using the USA’s medical education framework, offering learners the chance to test their understanding through concept-based questions, guided feedback, and adaptive prompts.

    For medical students in India and abroad, this means a completely different way of learning. One that is not limited to passive lectures but instead sparks curiosity and conversation, much like sitting in a classroom with a teacher who knows when to probe, when to explain, and when to push a student to think harder.

    Founded in 2025 by two computer engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, Miyagi Labs has quickly emerged as a next-generation platform for professional education. While most online courses rely on one-way video delivery, Miyagi transforms passive watching into a two-way learning experience, making it especially relevant for technical and medical education.

    This collaboration between VB Anatomy and Miyagi Labs goes beyond just a single course. It represents a larger effort to make high-quality medical education more accessible to students across the globe and to practicing doctors who wish to revisit anatomy with surgical relevance. 

    Students and professionals can access “VB Anatomy: The Female Reproductive System — From Development to Surgical Anatomy” at: https://miyagilabs.ai/course/vb-anatomy-female

  • Cohere Secures $500M and a Star Hire: Joelle Pineau From Meta Joins…

    If you haven’t heard of Cohere before, it is an AI company that targets only business clients and not the general public, unlike ChatGPT or Gemini. Cohere Inc. is currently making headlines for two major reasons you should know. First, Cohere got a massive cash boost of $500 million, and second, they made a super hire with Joelle Pineau, former VP of AI Research and global lead for Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) at Meta. Why are they important, you may wonder? Right now, every company is literally racing to become the next major AI player, and Cohere has precisely what it takes to get there. Plus, Joelle Pineau’s views on responsible, non-hyped, and non-political AI are sure to surprise you. Learn more.

    What Happened?

    In a major announcement on LinkedIn dated August 14, 2025, Cohere shared that they have secured substantial funding of $500 million. On paper, Cohere’s valuation now rises to $6.8 billion, all thanks to its investors. Cohere reportedly has ambitious plans to strengthen its AI capabilities in 2025. And hiring Joelle Pineau is paving the way toward that goal.

    Replying to the post, Joelle Pineau said, “I’m thrilled to be joining Cohere in the role of Chief AI Officer, helping advance cutting-edge research and product development. Cohere has an incredible team, and this is an exciting moment in the company’s journey. I look forward to supporting the research teams in Cohere Labs and contributing more broadly to the goal of building and delivering the best AI solutions, while meeting the highest standards of security, privacy, robustness, and transparency…”

    Why Hiring Joelle Pineau Is Big for Cohere?

    Joelle Pineau is no ordinary candidate. Here’s an overview of her career:

    • She has been a respected computer science professor at McGill University since 2004.
    • She worked as a Research Manager and Director at Meta AI from May 2017 to February 2023.
    • Her talent advanced her career, and she became VP of AI Research and Global Head of Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) at Meta (from March 2023 to May 2025), which developed the Llama AI models.

    What Will Pineau Lead at Cohere?

    Cohere is opening a new office in Montreal in collaboration with Mila, a major Canadian AI research hub. Pineau will join Cohere’s Montreal office in September this year. According to her LinkedIn profile, Pineau is the Chief AI Officer and will soon lead Cohere Labs in the research domain.

    Cohere also made another notable hire, Francois Chadwick, a former Uber executive, as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

    Some Known Reasons Why Left Meta

    According to her farewell post in April on LinkedIn, she mentioned she wants to take some time off before jumping into a “new adventure.”

    Besides that, there are other known speculations around her departure. According to The Globe and Mail, she was more interested in building practical AI solutions. The article also notes that she didn’t want to get caught up in the hype and politics surrounding AI (citing how AI is aligning politically after Donald Trump took over the Presidency in the U.S.).

    Global Names Are Betting on Cohere…

    Backed by world-class investors, Cohere is the next big name, indeed. Some important investors include:

    1. Radical Ventures (Canada)
    2. Inovia Capital (Canada)
    3. AMD Ventures
    4. Nvidia
    5. PSP Investments
    6. Salesforce Ventures
    7. The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan has newly joined its global investors team.

    Nick Frosst, the co-founder, appreciated that the team is on the path to profitability by developing useful technology rather than comparing valuations with competitors.

  • Daily Indian Funding Roundup & Key News – 18 August 2025: DOBRA Raises ₹1.5 Cr, Hexafun Secures ₹4.5 Cr, & More

    India’s startup and business ecosystem saw a series of funding announcements on 18 August 2025, with activity spanning consumer brands, lifestyle, GovTech and renewable energy. The day’s highlights included early-stage seed rounds, a major growth capital infusion, and a large strategic investment by a prominent entrepreneur. Here’s your quick roundup of the top funding deals and key business news in India today.

    Daily Indian Funding Roundup – 18 August 2025

    Company Round/Type Amount Lead investor(s) Sector
    DOBRA Seed ₹1.5 crore D2C Insider Super Angels Fund F&B / Consumer
    Hexafun Seed ₹4.5 crore Prajay Advisors Lifestyle accessories / D2C
    Amnex Infotechnologies Growth capital ₹460 crore Wealth Company Asset Management (Bharat Value Fund) Digital infrastructure / GovTech, AI-IoT-GIS
    Goldi Solar Strategic investment ₹137.5 crore Nikhil Kamath (individual) Renewable energy / Solar manufacturing
    Stanza Living Debt ₹60 crore Alteria Capital, Innoven Capital Managed accommodation / Co-living

    DOBRA raises INR 1.5 crore seed round led by D2C Insider Super Angels Fund

    Bengaluru-based, F&B brand reimagining nostalgic Indian favourites (e.g., pop goli soda, artisanal cotton candy, tapioca crisps), DOBRA closed an INR 1.5 crore seed round led by the D2C Insider Super Angels Fund. The brand plans to accelerate an omni-channel push across modern retail, food services, quick commerce and D2C.

    Hexafun secures INR 4.5 crore seed funding from Prajay Advisors

    Design-led lifestyle accessories brand focused on items such as handkerchiefs and socks, Hexafun raised INR 4.5 crore in a seed round led by early-stage investor Prajay Advisors. Funds will support retail expansion, stronger marketing and wider distribution across metros and high-growth cities.

    Amnex Infotechnologies gets INR 460 crore growth capital from Bharat Value Fund

    Wealth Company Asset Management, the asset management arm of Pantomath Group, invested INR 460 crore in Ahmedabad-based Amnex via its Bharat Value Fund. This is Amnex’s first growth capital round; the company builds AI/IoT/GIS-driven platforms for mission-critical sectors including traffic, utilities, mining, logistics, agriculture and smart cities. The capital will help scale these solutions.

    Nikhil Kamath invests INR 137.5 crore in Goldi Solar

    Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath invested INR 137.5 crore in Surat-based Goldi Solar. The company, described as one of India’s largest PV module manufacturers, will use the funds to expand into solar cell manufacturing and scale module capacity.

    Stanza Living Secures INR 60 Crore Debt Funding from Alteria and Innoven Capital

    Managed accommodation provider Stanza Living has secured INR 60 crore (approximately $7 million) in debt funding from Alteria Capital and Innoven Capital. Alteria Capital invested INR 35 crore, while Innoven Capital contributed INR 25 crore. The funds were raised through the issuance of 6,000 non-convertible debentures at a face value of INR 1,00,000 each, as per the company’s regulatory filing with the Registrar of Companies. (reported exclusively by Entrackr)

    Key News Highlights for 18 August 2025

    ShareChat Appoints Google’s Neha Markanda as Chief Business Officer

    ShareChat has appointed Neha Markanda, formerly of Google India, as its Chief Business Officer. In this role, Markanda will lead the company’s revenue strategy, drive growth, and strengthen relationships with stakeholders across India. Prior to joining ShareChat, she spearheaded Google’s health strategy in India and led business transformation and AI-led solutions in retail and health tech.

    Parag Agrawal Launches AI Startup Parallel Web Systems

    Former Twitter (now X) CEO Parag Agrawal has launched a new AI startup, Parallel Web Systems, aiming to revolutionise how AI agents interact with the web. The company focuses on developing infrastructure and tools that enable AI applications to conduct real-time research on the internet, accessing and synthesising public web data to provide detailed citations. Parallel Web Systems has secured $30 million in funding from Silicon Valley investors.

    Zepto Ventures into Real Estate with ‘Land in 10 Minutes’ Offering

    Quick commerce platform Zepto has partnered with The House of Abhinandan Lodha to offer land plots with a promise of availability within 10 minutes. This venture marks Zepto’s expansion beyond traditional grocery and essential deliveries into high-value asset categories. The collaboration was highlighted in a recent advertising campaign.

    Boundless Ventures Launches INR 200 Crore Fund to Invest in AI Startups

    Former Kae Capital partner Natasha Malpani has launched Boundless Ventures, an early-stage investment fund with a corpus of INR 200 crore. The fund aims to support AI-native startups originating from India, focusing on sectors such as consumer, infrastructure, agent tooling, vertical applications in healthcare and logistics, and make-in-India hardware and deep tech. Boundless Ventures has already invested in six startups, including SuperHealth, Armatrix, Piersight, and Knot.

    Investor Neeraj Tyagi Passes Away

    Investor Neeraj Tyagi, known for backing startups like Oben and Zypp, has passed away. Tyagi was a prominent figure in India’s early-stage ecosystem, co-founding We Founder Circle (WFC), Avinya Ventures, and Invstt. At WFC, he helped build one of the country’s most active angel networks, facilitating over 100 startup deals in the last three years. He was also instrumental in creating Invstt, a marketplace for startups and investors, attracting over 27,000 investors across 66 countries and 900 cities.

    Indian Startup Funding Updates for 2025 (Updated Weekly)
    Get weekly updates on Indian startup funding for 2025! StartupTalky is here to provide you with a clear and simple overview of the latest funding news.
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  • IndiaAI to Procure 3,800+ GPUs in Third Tender to Boost AI Infrastructure

    In the third round, the IndiaAI Mission plans to add over 3,850 graphics processing units (GPUs) to increase its GPU capabilities. Abhishek Singh, the chief executive of the IndiaAI Mission, was quoted in an ET report as saying that IndiaAI possesses 1,050 Google Trillium tensor processing units (TPUs).

    From training to inferring large-scale models, Google’s sixth-generation TPUs, known as Trillium, are specially designed processors designed to enhance AI and ML workloads.

    Expressing his views on the developments, Deepak Gupta, Co-Founder, Style Lounge said, “India’s move to procure 3,800 GPUs in its third AI tender is not just about hardware—it’s about unlocking possibilities. For years, many Indian startups, researchers, and innovators have had the ideas, the talent, and the drive, but lacked the computing muscle to bring those visions alive. This step feels like a big green signal for innovation. GPUs are the fuel that power everything—from training large AI models to building practical solutions in healthcare, education, beauty-tech, recruitment, and even agriculture.”

    “With this kind of infrastructure, India is giving its innovators a fair chance to not just catch up, but actually lead with unique, world-first AI solutions. As someone working at the intersection of AI and industry, I see this as more than an investment—it’s a message that India is ready to dream bigger. Ready to create AI that is not just for India, but from India, for the world. Truly excited to see how this boost in compute capacity can transform ideas into breakthroughs and put India firmly on the global AI map,” he added further.

    Breakdown of GPU Suppliers and Contributions

    Google Cloud offers these customised processors for purchase. Additional GPUs supplied by already-embellished bidders include 1,300 NVIDIA H100 GPUs from Locuz, 50 Google Trillium TPUs from Ishan Infotech, and 2,500 GPUs from Sify (1,000 Google Trillium TPUs, 800 NVIDIA H200 GPUs, and 700 NVIDIA L4 GPUs), according to Singh, who was quoted in the story. Vensysco has reduced costs, but they haven’t supplied any more GPUs.

    Revisions in L1 Pricing and Financial Evaluation

    The ET report also stated that the third round’s financial bid evaluation was finished, with minor adjustments made to the L1 (lowest bidder) prices. It is anticipated that the empanelled bidders from the GPU tender’s first and second rounds will match these updated prices.

    India’s AI GPU Pool Crosses 34,000 Units

    The 34,333 GPUs in the current pool will be joined by these extra 3,850 GPUs from the third round. More than 17,300 GPUs have been installed in India as of June of this year under the IndiaAI Mission. Jio Platforms and CtrlS Datacenters have not yet started the deployment process, but providers like Yotta Data Services from the Hiranandani Group, E2E Networks, and NxtGen Cloud Technologies are making progress.

    Upcoming GPU Procurement Plans Under IndiaAI Mission

    At the CII Business Summit 2025 more than two months ago, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the minister of information technology, declared that the government would buy an extra 14,000 GPUs as part of the IndiaAI objective. The minister went on to highlight the increase in processing power, stating that the nation has surpassed the 34,000-GPU milestone after adding 15,916 GPUs to the 18,417 already-installed GPUs; however, these new units are not yet operational.

    In the second round, the MeitY shortlisted seven businesses: Ishan Infotech, Yotta Data Services, Locuz Enterprise Solutions, Vensysco Technologies, Cyfuture India, Sify Digital Services, and Netmagic IT Services. Four of the six applying companies—Locuz Enterprise Solutions, Ishan Infotech, Vensysco Technologies, and Sify Digital Services—passed the technical phase in the third round. Nevertheless, Rackbank Datacenters and Teleglobal International failed to get past the round.

    Quick
    Shots

    •IndiaAI Mission to procure 3,850+
    GPUs in its third round of tenders.

    •IndiaAI already has 1,050 Google
    Trillium TPUs in place.

    •IndiaAI’s GPU capacity rises to
    34,333 GPUs with new additions.

    •Govt to procure 14,000 more GPUs as
    announced by IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

  • Fast, Light, and Smart: Google Unveils Gemma 3 270M

    Google is accelerating the Gemma family for a boom, it seems. In the past few months, Google has launched Gemma 3, Gemma 3 QAT, Gemma 3n, and now Gemma 3 270M. The rapidly growing Gemmaverse is keeping developers worldwide on their toes with exciting new launches. According to the Google For Developers page, Gemma surpassed a million downloads about two weeks ago. The tool was introduced to the world of developers on August 14, 2025. The launch has turned several heads in wonder, and here’s everything you need to know about Google Gemma 3 270M. Learn more.

    What Is Google Gemma 3 270M?

    In simple terms, Google Gemma 3 270M is a small AI developed by Google (the obvious). This is the most miniature version of Gemma so far. Where 270M refers to 270 million parameters, let’s call these parameters, say, ‘brains’ or ‘knowledge knobs’, which Gemma uses to interpret and generate text. Which brings us to the following question: What do you need Gemma 3 270 for?

    Why Did Google Make Google Gemma 3 270M?

    Many wonder if this new development is just a fancy addition to the Google family or if it truly solves any major problems. Unlike ChatGPT or Gemini, which need significant computing power, money, and time to operate, Gemma 3 270M is lightweight and cost-efficient. It is designed for specific tasks (rather than open-ended conversations), such as for developers. Ideally, the model is perfect for developers building apps and tools that require fast, affordable, and reliable AI (that don’t need large servers).

    How Does It Work On a Technical Level?

    These 270M parameters function in two distinct ways:

    • 170M are dedicated to embeddings, meaning that this part of the model understands the world and meanings.
    • The remaining 100M are dedicated to transformer blocks, meaning this part of the model thinks and processes the text.

    The model has a large vocabulary, with 256,000 tokens, and can handle rare words, technical terms, and even specific languages, especially when compared to other models.

    What Is Google Gemma 3 270M Good At?

    It is important to note that Google Gemma 3 270M is not Gemini or ChatGPT, so don’t be surprised if the tool is straightforward with chit-chat. Here’s where the tool excels:

    • Sentiment analysis – the tool is good at determining whether the text is positive or negative, thanks to its extensive vocabulary.
    • Entity recognition – the tool can automatically identify names, places, organizations, and dates from the provided text.
    • Query routing – the tool intelligently directs queries to the right sources/systems for processing.
    • Compliance checks – the tool is rigid about checking if the text complies with the rules/laws to identify potential risks or harm.
    • Creative things – this is a bonus, but not a major one. The tool can create a small story, perhaps don’t expect long essays.
    • The tool is super efficient; it allows you to fine-tune a task in hours rather than days. For example, you can fine-tune it for sentiment analysis in product reviews or train it to understand legal jargon for compliance checks. When you give the same task to large AI models, which have billions of parameters, use expensive GPUs, and require a lot of computing energy, it takes much longer.
    • It’s convenient to use on your own computer or phone, especially if you’re a developer. The data doesn’t necessarily go to Google’s servers, so it’s perfectly fine in terms of privacy.
    • The tool doesn’t drain your device’s battery; when tested on the Pixel 9 Pro, it used only 0.75% of the battery for 25 conversations. That’s impressive.

    Versions available:

    The tool is available in two versions

    • Instruct model – this is developed to follow human instructions.
    • Pretrained model – this is a base model, developed for your customization.

    Where Is the Tool Available?

    • The tool is not available for download from Hugging Face, Ollama, Kaggle, LM Studio, or Docker.
    • You can also try the tool on Google’s Vertex AI or with tools like llama.cpp, Gemma.cpp, LiteRT, Keras, and MLX.
    • Additionally, if you want to customize the tool, Google supports tools including Hugging Face, UnSloth, and JAX.