New Delhi | August 21, 2025 — Deep-tech-backed FMCG startup Mitra has raised ₹14 crore (approx. $1.6M) in a bridge funding round led by Bestvantage Investments, with participation from existing investors including a Dubai-based family office. How the Funds Will Be Used The capital will be deployed to launch a 3,000-tonne refined flour (maida) manufacturing plant in October. Mitra is also expanding its product portfolio to include millet-based, gluten-free, sugar-free, diabetic-friendly flours, and organic spices, and enhancing its presence in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets. The firm is integrating smart manufacturing technologies to improve efficiency and production. Impressive Growth Trajectory…
Author: Aman Atulya
New Delhi | August 21, 2025 – The Payments Council of India (PCI) has unanimously re-elected Vishwas Patel, Joint Managing Director of Infibeam Avenues Limited (CCAvenue), as Chairperson for the 2025–27 term. Alongside Patel, the PCI Executive Council also announced the appointment of M. N. Srinivasu, Co-founder & Director of BillDesk, and Nalin Bansal, Chief of Corporate Fintech Relationships & Key Initiatives at NPCI, as Co-Chairpersons. PCI’s Role in India’s Digital Push PCI serves as the apex industry body for the country’s digital payments ecosystem, representing banks, card networks, UPI players, wallets, gateways, and fintechs. The council plays a crucial…
New Delhi | August 21, 2025 – The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, finalizing its passage just a day after approval by the Lok Sabha. What the Bill Covers Government’s Perspective Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized the social costs of online money gaming, calling it a problem even worse than drug abuse. He said several young lives have been lost, and the bill will protect families and bolster legitimate gaming sectors like e-sports. Secretary S. Krishnan (MeitY) added that the real issue isn’t e-sports, but real-money games. He reaffirmed the…
New Delhi | August 21, 2025 – In 2022, Pankaj and Surbhi Garg sat in a quiet room with only a laptop, an idea, and unshaken belief. They weren’t chasing investors or headlines. They were chasing a vision: to give India its own homegrown footwear brand -Bersache No office. No warehouse. No team. Every order in the early days was packed by their own hands. Every delivery felt like a victory. Behind the late nights and silent doubts was one truth they refused to stop walking. The Product That Carried the Dream Bersache wasn’t built on hype. Each shoe was…
Bengaluru | August 21, 2025 – Edge AI hardware startup Edgehax has secured ₹1.39 crore in a Seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV). The funds will be deployed to scale manufacturing, accelerate new product development, and expand market presence across India, Singapore, the US, and Europe. Funding Snapshot Problem & Solution Founded in 2025 by Prabhu Stavarmath and Savitri Patil, Edgehax builds modular Edge AI computing platforms that integrate compute, connectivity, and storage on a single board. By enabling real-time AI processing closer to the device, the startup reduces cloud dependency and powers next-gen applications. Its boards are…
Bengaluru | August 2025 – Fintech startup Kiwi has closed a ₹208.5 crore (approximately $24 million) Series B funding round led by Vertex Ventures, with participation from Nexus and possibly other existing backers. Supercharging Credit on UPI Founded in 2022 by industry veterans Siddharth Mehta, Anup Agrawal, and Mohit Bedi, Kiwi empowers customers to access virtual RuPay credit cards that integrate directly with UPI apps like Google Pay and PhonePe. The startup’s full-stack platform working with Axis Bank and NPCI reinvents the credit experience on UPI, offering seamless digital credit at scale. What’s Ahead This fresh capital will fuel Kiwi’s…
Bengaluru, August 20, 2025 – The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has passed the Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2025, becoming a trailblazer in the South for gig worker protection. Key Provisions: Building the Gig Safety Net Why It’s a Game-Changer With the gig workforce in India projected to reach 23.5 million by 2029–30, and over 400,000 gig workers already in Karnataka, this legislation is timely and crucial.Labour Minister Santosh Lad noted the extreme working conditions many face, with delivery partners working 18-hour shifts for minimal pay highlighting the urgent need for reform. For founders building gig platforms especially…
Banswara, Rajasthan | August 20, 2025 – In a bamboo-rich corner of Rajasthan, two friends saw a double crisis unfolding: plastic pollution everywhere and local jobs disappearing fast. Their answer became Bamboo Anna, a small-town startup that is now reshaping how India thinks about sustainability. India generates over 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, much of it single-use. At the same time, rural artisans struggle for meaningful work. Bamboo Anna set out to solve both problems with one material—bamboo. By redesigning daily essentials like toothbrushes, tongue cleaners, shaving razors, pens, bottles, and eco-friendly hotel kits, Babmoo Anna created affordable…
New Delhi | August 2025 — Mithila Foods, an FMCG startup focused on bringing Bihari staples to modern consumers, has secured ₹1.5 crore in seed funding from Aviral Bhatnagar’s AJVC fund. Founded earlier this year (January 2025) by Shubham Sunderka, Ankit Kumar, and Anshu Kumar, Mithila Foods offers heritage products like sattu, roasted chana, makhana, and katarni chuda. The brand has rapidly scaled—launching over 20 SKUs, achieving an annualized revenue of ₹3 crore, and serving over 25,000 customers across 4,000 pin codes within just five months of operations. Aviral Bhatnagar’s A Junior VC (AJVC) follows its standard playbook investing ₹1.5…
Visakhapatnam | August 20, 2025 – PeelON, a biotech startup developing plant-based packaging solutions for fresh produce, has raised $1 million in a seed funding round led by growX Ventures, with participation from Boston Venture Group, Clean Energy Venture Group, and Climate Angels. Funding Snapshot The proceeds will be used to expand R&D and production facilities in Visakhapatnam, strengthen hiring across sales (USA and India), R&D, and compliance, and launch marketing campaigns in global markets. Tackling Food Waste with Biotech Co-founded in 2020 by Taraka Ramji Moturu and Venkata Ravi Sankar Ummidi, PeelON is addressing the challenge of food waste…