In an industry dominated by noise, trends, and fleeting attention, one Indian brand has chosen silence as its loudest statement. Everything Black isn’t merely a label; it’s an emerging luxury empire reshaping how the world perceives Indian design. The Philosophy of Discipline Founded by Vikram Singh , Everything Black was built on a simple but powerful belief luxury is not in excess, it’s in restraint. Every line, silhouette, and texture in its collections reflects meticulous intention. Each drop is limited, crafted to feel like an heirloom rather than a product. The emblem two warriors riding a rearing horse symbolizes the…
Author: Aman Atulya
Over the years, Bastian, founded by Ranjit Bindra, has evolved into one of India’s most recognizable names in hospitality synonymous with elevated dining experiences, bold flavors, and a distinct emotional touch. What started as a single concept in Mumbai has now grown into multiple venues, each carrying a refined yet approachable charm. In this exclusive Startup DOC Interview, we sit down with Ranjit Bindra, the visionary behind Bastian, to explore the brand’s guiding philosophy, evolution, and insights into India’s dynamic culinary landscape. Q1. Over the years, you’ve built Bastian into a well-known hospitality brand. What has been your guiding philosophy…
Snapmint, a rising fintech player in India’s buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) and equated-monthly-instalment (EMI) market, has secured $125 million in a new funding round led by General Atlantic, with participation from Elev8 Venture Partners and existing investors including Prudent Investment Managers and Kae Capital. Founded in 2017 by Nalin Agrawal, Anil Gelra, and Abhineet Sawa, Snapmint enables consumers to convert their online purchases into flexible EMI plans largely via UPI-based financing rather than traditional credit-card models. The company reports that it currently serves over 7 million monthly active users across 23,000 pincodes and processes over 1.5 million purchases per month. Strategic Growth and Use of…
In a major push to make artificial intelligence accessible to Indian consumers, Google has partnered with Reliance Jio to offer free AI Pro subscriptions for Jio Unlimited 5G users for the first 18 months. The rollout will initially target users aged 18 to 25, before expanding to the wider Jio customer base across India. Expanding AI Access Through Jio Under the new partnership, eligible Jio users will get access to Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro model through the Gemini app, along with premium tools such as Nano Banana and Veo 3.1 for image and video generation. Students and researchers will also…
Fintech major Razorpay, through its Malaysian arm Razorpay Curlec, has partnered with NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) to introduce Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments in Malaysia. The collaboration will allow Indian travellers to pay Malaysian merchants directly via UPI apps, with transactions settled in Malaysian Ringgit (RM). Simplifying Cross-Border Payments The integration eliminates the need for cash or international cards, enabling real-time digital payments for Indian visitors. Malaysian merchants will receive instant settlements in their local currency through Razorpay Curlec’s platform. The company plans to extend UPI acceptance across retail, hospitality, travel, and small enterprises, strengthening digital payment adoption in…
Climate-tech startup Beyond Renewables & Recycling has raised Rs 5 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by Momentum Capital, a US-based venture capital firm, with participation from Venture Catalysts, IIMA Ventures, Oorjan Cleantech, and angel investor Gautam Das. Funding Snapshot The fresh capital will be used to advance proprietary recycling technology, strengthen solar waste supply chains, and scale operations across India — addressing the nation’s emerging solar waste challenge. Building a Circular Economy for Solar Founded in 2024 by Manhar Dixit and Vedant Taneja, Beyond Renewables & Recycling focuses on creating a circular economy for the solar industry. Its…
Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL), the airport infrastructure arm of the Adani Group, has partnered with AIONOS, a venture by InterGlobe Enterprises, to introduce an AI-powered passenger support system across its airport network. The AI Leap in Passenger Services The partnership will integrate AIONOS’ Agentic AI platform, IntelliMate M, into Adani airports to deliver multilingual, 24×7 virtual assistance for travellers. The system will manage flight updates, gate information, baggage tracking, and airport navigation across voice, chat, web, and mobile available in English, Hindi, and regional languages. Building the Connected Airport Ecosystem According to AAHL CEO Arun Bansal, this collaboration is…
Gaming startup Exiles Interactives has secured $355,000 in a pre-seed funding round led by Chimera VC, with participation from Warmup Ventures, IndigoEdge, angel investor Dhruv Vohra, and existing shareholder Sourav Gupta. The freshly raised capital will be used to develop the company’s flagship gaming platform, Centarius, and expand marketing initiatives aimed at boosting player engagement and community growth. Building a Browser-Based Social Gaming Ecosystem Founded in Bengaluru, Exiles Interactives is developing Centarius, a browser-based social gaming platform that functions seamlessly across devices. The platform hosts mid-core games integrated with community, social, and competitive features, alongside reward-based systems designed to enhance…
Intercity mobility platform IntrCity SmartBus has raised ₹250 crore ($28 million) in a Series D funding round led by A91 Partners, marking a significant step in its expansion and technology development journey. This funding comes after the company’s $4.5 million round from Samsung Venture Investment and other investors in February 2024. According to data intelligence platform TheKredible, IntrCity has raised nearly $80 million to date, with its last valuation pegged at around $110 million. Strategic Growth and Expansion The newly raised capital will be directed toward enhancing customer experience, advancing fleet management technology, and expanding operations across India’s tier-II and…
Data privacy startup Redacto has raised ₹12 crore (approximately $1.4 million) in a seed funding round led by PeerCapital and Antler India, with participation from several angel investors. The company plans to utilize the capital to enhance its AI infrastructure, expand its product and engineering teams, and accelerate enterprise adoption across key regulated sectors such as banking, fintech, and insurance. Building AI-Led Privacy Infrastructure Founded in 2025 by Shashank Karincheti and Amit Kumar, Redacto offers an AI-based data privacy and governance platform designed to help enterprises automate privacy compliance, secure sensitive data, and monitor third-party data usage. The company is…