D2C Jewellery Is Entering Its Scale-Up Phase India’s D2C jewellery space has moved beyond experimentation. What started as online-first silver brands has now evolved into full-stack omnichannel businesses spanning gold, lab-grown diamonds, and offline retail. As consumer trust improves and repeat purchases increase, capital is flowing toward brands that have cracked both aspiration and operations. Funding Snapshot Bengaluru-based jewellery brand Giva is in advanced talks to raise ₹150–200 crore in a new funding round at a valuation of around ₹4,200–4,400 crore, according to reports. The round is expected to be led by existing investors Premji Invest and Creaegis, with participation…
Author: Aman Atulya
Why This Matters for India’s Semiconductor Push As global companies rethink supply chains and reduce dependence on single geographies, semiconductors have become a strategic priority for India. Government incentives, geopolitical shifts, and rising domestic electronics demand are accelerating the country’s transition from a chip importer to a manufacturing destination. What Was Announced at Davos US memory chipmaker Micron Technology will begin commercial semiconductor production at its $2.75 billion facility in Sanand, Gujarat, by the end of February, Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Vaishnaw added that pilot…
Wellness in Cities Is Becoming Preventive, Not Indulgent For many urban Indians, wellness is no longer about occasional spa visits or short detox breaks. Fatigue, poor sleep, gut issues, and stress have become everyday problems, pushing demand toward structured, preventive care that fits into city life. This shift is giving rise to wellness formats that combine medical thinking, longevity science, and traditional practices, without requiring people to step away from their routines. Funding Snapshot and Expansion Push Mumbai-based wellness startup Dhun Wellness has raised $4 million (approximately ₹36.6 crore) in a funding round co-led by SRF Ltd and Havells India.…
Plastic Replacement Is Becoming a Materials Science Problem As regulations tighten and consumer pressure builds, replacing plastic in food and consumer packaging is no longer just a sustainability narrative, it is a materials science challenge. High-volume categories like QSR packaging, coated paperboards, and food wraps demand alternatives that match performance, safety, and scalability, areas where many bio-based materials have struggled to deliver consistently. Funding Snapshot and Investor Confidence Pune-based materials science startup Zerocircle has raised ₹5 crore in a pre-Series A funding round co-led by 3one4 Capital and Rainmatter Capital, with participation from other investors.Zerocircle had earlier raised ₹20 crore…
Industrial Materials Are Under Pressure to Decarbonise As global manufacturing tightens sustainability norms, even legacy materials like silica are being re-evaluated. Conventional silica production depends heavily on river sand and quartz and comes with high carbon emissions. With tyre, footwear, and industrial manufacturers facing ESG pressure, demand is rising for low-carbon, circular alternatives that can scale without disrupting performance or supply chains. Funding Snapshot and Capital Deployment Climate tech startup Brisil Technologies has raised ₹3 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by Momentum Capital, with participation from Fondation Botnar.The capital will be used to expand production capacity using Brisil’s…
Climate-Smart Agriculture Is Becoming a Policy Priority As climate volatility intensifies and farm productivity comes under pressure, Indian states are increasingly looking beyond subsidies toward technology-led agricultural transformation. Governments are now prioritising large-scale, climate-resilient agri-infrastructure that combines private capital, digital systems, and institutional support to improve farmer incomes and long-term sustainability. MoU Snapshot and Investment Scope The Government of Maharashtra has signed a ₹2,500 crore Memorandum of Understanding with Rural Enhancers Group and Nutrifresh Farm Tech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.The agreement was signed in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and is among the first…
YC-backed platform processes over 200,000 daily calls across 10+ Indian languages Funding to Accelerate Multilingual Voice AutomationBolna, a Bengaluru-based enterprise voice AI startup, has raised $6.3 million in a seed funding round led by General Catalyst, as enterprises increasingly look to automate large-scale voice interactions across India’s multilingual market. The round also saw participation from Y Combinator, Blume Ventures, Orange Collective, Pioneer Fund, Transpose Capital, Eight Capital, and several prominent angel investors. Building a Self-Serve Voice AI Platform for EnterprisesFounded in 2024, Bolna is developing a self-serve platform that enables enterprises to design, deploy, and monitor AI-powered voice agents without…
Strong Month for Platform EconomicsBengaluru, January 20, 2026: Zoomcar Holdings, Inc., India’s leading peer-to-peer self-drive car-sharing marketplace, reported record contribution profitability and improved revenue efficiency for December 2025, based on preliminary internal data. The performance underscores the company’s focus on strengthening unit economics and operating leverage. Value-Led Growth Over Volume ExpansionDuring December, Zoomcar recorded a modest 2 percent month-on-month increase in bookings compared to November 2025. However, the quality of bookings improved significantly, with Gross Booking Value (GBV) rising 27 percent month-on-month and Net GAAP Revenue increasing 34 percent. The growth was driven primarily by longer trip durations and higher…
India’s EV Adoption Depends on Driver Economics Electric three-wheelers are rapidly becoming the backbone of last-mile mobility across Indian cities. However, for drivers, EV adoption is still weighed down by high financing costs, battery downtime, and income uncertainty. As lenders and OEMs push adoption, the real challenge lies in making EVs economically viable for drivers who rely on daily earnings. Funding Snapshot and Investor Context Delhi-based EV mobility startup Chargeup has raised ₹22 crore (around $2.4 million) in a fresh funding round backed by IAN Group, along with Capital-A and existing investors.This marks Chargeup’s third funding round and comes after…
India’s Heat Problem Needs New-Age Cooling India is entering an era of extreme summers, rising electricity costs, and overloaded power grids. Traditional air conditioners, largely designed for global markets, struggle to perform efficiently under India’s heat intensity, voltage fluctuations, and long usage cycles. As cooling becomes a necessity rather than a luxury, there is growing demand for air-conditioning systems that are energy-efficient, resilient, and designed specifically for Indian lifestyles. Funding Snapshot and Scale-Up Plans Technology-led cooling startup Optimist has raised $12 million (around ₹100 crore) in a seed and pre-Series A funding round led by Accel and Arkam Ventures, with…