Startups

Edtech major BYJU's is in advanced stages to raise $250 million at a valuation which is "lower than the $22 billion valuation" it last announced as the company struggles to repay a $1.2 billion term loan and turn profitable in 2023, reliable sources said on Thursday. However, the $250 million round comes at a lower valuation and according to sources, it cannot be at a "flat valuation" and this is why the edtech company is unable to raise funds it was widely expected to (to the tune of $500 million as reported earlier).

A report by BCG, TiE Delhi-NCR and Times Bridge named ‘Road to Hyperscaling in India’, defines hyperscaling as a phase where...

Setting up a startup is just the first step in a long journey, and late-stage startups which have found their footing need to undertake several measures to make sure they can go from being just good to great. Now, a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Times Bridge and TiE Delhi-NCR has decoded these learnings of startups from diverse sectors.

Amid a liquidity crunch, sixteen startups laid off 100 percent of their employees in 2023 so far. Three of these startups we...

The French say "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose" - which means that the more things change, the more they stay the same. When SVB Bank failed, it was a repeat of the panic that gripped markets in 2008 after the Lehman crisis. This sent shockwaves across the Indian startup community, as many startups, especially those incubated by American accelerator YCombinator, had deposited money with the bank.

Hyugalife.com, a health and wellness platform backed by Sequoia India's Surge, has teamed up with leading Indian actor and fitness icon Katrina Kaif to promote a healthier lifestyle in India. The platform, founded by ex-Nykaa CFO Sachin Parikh and co-founders Anvi Shah and Neehar Modi, offers over 6,000 health and wellness products including supplements, health foods, sports nutrition, weight management, and women's health. The platform sources products directly from leading brands such as Gynoveda, MuscleBlaze, Optimum Nutrition, Oziva, Plix, and Power Gummies.

The IT ministry will take up woes of Indian startups impacted by the Silicon Valley Bank collapse with the finance ministry to help them navigate through the crisis and address the immediate liquidity crunch they are facing, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Tuesday.

​Smart defecation chair, interactive mirror & wheelchair bike -innovations on Shark Tank S2...

Shan Kadavil, the co-founder and chief executive officer of FreshtoHome, a start-up that sells fresh meat and fish, refuses to talk about valuations even after raising $104 million in a Series D funding, led by Amazon Smbhav Venture Fund. Kadavil says: “Valuations cannot be the only North-star metric. Media has so far focused on unicorns. For the start-up community in India, we have to push for proficorns, which are tailored to be profitable.”

Bengaluru, India’s Silicon Valley, accounts for four of five layoffs by Indian companies in 2023 so far, according to data f...

In search of financial freedom, Ilesh Kumar Sharma developed three income streams - a salaried job, providing coding services for apps, and running a business selling momos. He developed Same Notification, a monitoring app that can share the notifications received on one device with another if both devices are paired and permission is provided.

Chinu Kala, founder of Rubans Accessories, is a former Mrs. India participant who ran away from home at 15. A TedX speaker, Kala talked about hustling to survive and build a life for herself - she left home with only ₹300 but today is running a business that sharks valued at ₹100 crore.

Much like its first season, Shark Tank India S2 also saw multiple female entrepreneurs pitch their startups on the show. Her...

Startup funding by private equity and venture capital firms hit an eight-month low of $596 million in February — registering a decline both on a month-on-month and year-on-year basis, says Morgan Stanley. The slowdown in PE-VC funding has been drastic both in terms of the funds raised as well as the number of deals.

Payments and banking technology firm Cashfree on Tuesday announced its strategic acquisition of Zecpe, a one-click checkout company, to enhance its Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) checkout capabilities, giving its merchants elevated end-to-end checkout and payment experience.

From paper furniture to DNA jewellery: Products that got no takers on Shark Tank India S2...

Twisting Scoops is an ice cream chain selling Turkish ice cream made from goat milk. Founded in 2016 by childhood friends Kunwarpreet Singh Juneja and Manmeet Singh Batra, the brand’s monthly average sales lie between ₹2.5-₹2.75 crore. Since its inception, the startup has been bootstrapped, and the duo walked away after refusing a deal from the sharks.

Va Perfumes manufactures “night incense sticks” which, its founder claims, leave the room fragrant enough to evoke romance. Before founding Va Perfumes, Amit Hotchandani ran a business of rice exports. The sharks were left thoroughly amused by the founder’s constant references to the sticks’ mood-setting capabilities. However, the company did not find an investor on the panel.

On Thursday, Pharmallama, a startup providing a smart medicine box, received an all-shark deal on season 2 of Shark Tank Ind...

OYO’s focus on premium hotels started in October-December 2022, when it added 400 such properties. Its premium hotel brands include Townhouse Oak, OYO Townhouse, Collection O, and Capital O. It plans to add 1,800 premium hotels and expand in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.

​Vikas D Nahar: New judge on Shark Tank was rejected 20 times before his first fund raise​...

Zoe is a Gurgaon-based startup branding itself as a health and wellness brand. The startup saw a steep decline in its sales after Covid — from ₹10 crore in FY21 to ₹3 crore in FY22. Shark Anupam Mittal called the product ‘a sin’ and said that founders lacked the requisite knowledge.