Quick commerce startup Zepto has raised $450 million in a funding round led by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), marking the U.S. pension fund’s first investment in the company. The round, consisting of both primary and secondary investments, also included participation from Avenir, Avra, Lightspeed, Glade Brook, The Stepstone Group, and Nexus Venture Partners. Following this round, Zepto has announced plans to go public next year, aiming to expand its footprint and scale operations further. While the latest valuation has not been officially disclosed, reports indicate the company was in discussions to raise funds at a $7 billion…
Author: Aman Atulya
Ola Electric has stepped into the clean energy solutions arena by launching Shakti, its new residential battery energy storage system (BESS). This marks the company’s debut beyond vehicles, signaling its ambition to leverage its battery technology expertise for homes and the grid. The Shakti lineup, manufactured at Ola’s Tamil Nadu Gigafactory, is built around the company’s in-house 4680 Bharat cells. Ola plans to use the gigafactory not just for automotive batteries, but to scale grid energy solutions. Four variants are being offered: 1.5 kWh, 3 kWh, 5.2 kWh, and 9.1 kWh, with introductory prices of ₹29,999, ₹55,999, ₹1,19,999, and ₹1,59,999 respectively. Deliveries begin Makar…
Audio and video content platform Kuku FM has secured $85 million in a Series D funding round led by Granite Asia (formerly GGV Capital). The round includes both primary capital and secondary share sales, with participation from existing investors Vertex Growth Fund, Krafton, IFC, Paramark, Tribe Capital India, and Bitkraft. Funding Snapshot:With this round, Kuku FM’s total funding has reached $156 million. Its last funding was a $25 million Series C led by IFC and Fundamentum Partnership in October 2023. The startup was valued at around $185 million post that round. Growth and Focus:Founded in 2018 by Lal Chand Bisu,…
FireAI, an AI-powered business intelligence (BI) startup, has raised Rs 4 crore ($480,000) in a seed funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV). The company aims to redefine how enterprises interact with their data through conversational analytics and real-time insights. Building the Future of Data Interaction Founded by Vipul Prakash, FireAI enables enterprises to go beyond static dashboards by offering interactive, AI-driven business intelligence. Its proprietary AI engine delivers descriptive and diagnostic analytics, integrating with more than 700 data sources. The platform already serves clients such as Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and operates with a 30-member team. The company’s upcoming…
Graph AI, a life sciences technology company specializing in pharmacovigilance and patient safety, has raised $3 million in seed funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners. The funding will be used to expand its engineering team, accelerate product innovation, and scale enterprise adoption globally. Founded in 2024 by Raghav Parvataraju, Vijay Ponukumati, Mohan Konyala, and Ashutosh Bordekar, Graph AI operates in the fast-growing $8 billion pharmacovigilance market, which involves monitoring and managing adverse drug events (ADEs) across a drug’s lifecycle. Pharmaceutical companies today face challenges in processing safety data spread across multiple unstructured sources — from clinical reports and call transcripts…
Emerging footwear brand RARA Barefoot has secured $500,000 (around Rs 4.2 crore) in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round led by founders and senior executives from Zomato, Urban Company, Tata 1mg, Shyft, and HexaHealth, along with managing directors and partners from ChrysCapital and BCG. The funding will be utilized to launch RARA’s national direct-to-consumer (D2C) rollout, build select offline retail partnerships, and scale local manufacturing as it prepares to introduce barefoot sneakers to Indian consumers. Founded in 2024 by Varun Mimani and Manas Tripathi, RARA Barefoot is redefining performance footwear through barefoot sneakers — shoes designed to mimic the body’s natural…
Everbright Health, a managed services platform for mental health providers, has secured $7 million in seed funding led by W Health Ventures and Sanos Capital. The fresh capital will help the company strengthen its technology infrastructure, accelerate expansion across the US, and introduce similar service models for other advanced therapies. Founded to bridge the operational and technological gaps in behavioral healthcare, Everbright Health offers AI-driven end-to-end support for mental health professionals. Its platform automates key functions such as patient eligibility identification, insurance authorization, billing, compliance, and treatment delivery — enabling clinicians to focus more on patient care. Unlike traditional provider…
Consuma, an AI-driven consumer research startup, has raised $1.3 million (around Rs 11.16 crore) in a seed funding round led by Equirus InnovateX Fund, with participation from prominent angel investors including Abhishek Goyal, Mekin Maheshwari, Bhavik Dholakia, Harsh Shah, Arnav Kumar, Shiv Kapoor, Biswa Kalyan Rath, and others. The Bengaluru-based company had previously secured $200K from Expert DOJO and early supporters in the same round. Founded in 2021 by Abhilash Madabhushi, Consuma aims to disrupt traditional market research methods such as surveys and focus groups by leveraging AI-powered analysis of digital consumer behavior. The platform enables brands to obtain faster,…
One Prastha, a real estate developer inspired by the ancient Indian concept of Prasthas, has raised Rs 80 crore from Capri Global to support the development of its flagship 57-acre integrated township in Sonipat. The funding reflects growing investor confidence in Tier-II cities around the Delhi NCR region, as developers increasingly target emerging urban hubs for premium residential projects. The capital infusion will be utilized for project development, infrastructure enhancement, and expansion of residential plots and community spaces, enabling One Prastha to deliver a high-quality township experience. The funds will also support land acquisition, allowing the company to expand the…
Amazon is planning to reduce its human resources (HR) workforce by up to 15%, affecting its People eXperience and Technology (PXT) division, which comprises over 10,000 employees globally. This move is part of a broader restructuring initiative aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and adapting to evolving business needs. The PXT team, led by Senior Vice President Beth Galetti, plays a crucial role in recruitment, compensation, and employee services. The upcoming layoffs are expected to impact various roles within this division, though specific details regarding the number of affected employees and the timeline for these changes have not been disclosed. This…