Reia Diamonds, a lab-grown diamond jewellery brand, has raised ₹2 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by Dinesh Talera and family, with participation from Venture Catalysts. The funding will support the brand’s retail expansion, omnichannel growth, and product innovation, particularly in engagement rings and versatile everyday jewellery. Launched in 2023 by Prapanjj S K Kota, Reia Diamonds specializes in ethically sourced, high-quality lab-grown diamonds, offering both original designs and fully customizable pieces. The brand also provides select natural diamonds, ensuring transparency in pricing and craftsmanship. Reia Diamonds has positioned itself as a modern jewellery brand that blends innovation with…
Author: Aman Atulya
Every startup begins with a spark. For Pradeep Kumar, that spark was faith — the belief that art can bring divinity into modern homes. What began as a small idea funded by personal savings has now evolved into Samvaachyam, a brand that beautifully blends Indian spirituality with modern digital artistry. The Name That Spoke to the Soul Pradeep wanted a name rooted in Indian heritage something poetic, meaningful, and timeless. After weeks of exploration, he discovered Samvaachyam, a Sanskrit word meaning “The Art of Conversation.” It perfectly expressed his vision: art that converses with faith and emotion.But the journey wasn’t…
SpeakX.ai, an AI-powered English learning startup, has raised $16 million (₹142 crore) in a funding round led by WestBridge Capital, with participation from Goodwater Capital and existing investor Elevation Capital. The round also saw participation from angel investors including Shyamal Anadkat of OpenAI and Ronnie Screwvala of upGrad. Founded in 2020 by Arpit Mittal and Anshul Gupta, SpeakX.ai began as YellowClass, a children’s learning platform that gained momentum during the pandemic. In 2023, the company pivoted to focus on AI-driven spoken English learning, targeting one of India’s largest unmet skill needs. Founder and CEO Arpit Mittal shared that the new…
Jio Payments Bank, a subsidiary of Jio Financial Services, has won a contract to roll out a Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling system on the Gurugram–Jaipur highway stretch, marking a significant step forward in India’s transition toward seamless, high-speed toll collection. Under this agreement with Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL)—the toll operations arm of NHAI—Jio Payments Bank will deploy an ANPR-based FASTag MLFF system at two toll plazas Shahjahanpur and Manoharpura, enabling vehicles to pass without stopping or slowing down. This marks Jio Payments Bank’s acquisition of two out of the five MLFF contracts awarded so far. Since July…
GoodScore, an AI-driven fintech platform focused on credit management, has raised $13 million in Series A funding, led by Peak XV Partners, with participation from existing investors Stellaris Venture Partners and Saison Capital. Founded in 2023 by Sanchit Bansal, GoodScore helps users monitor and improve their credit health through personalised, AI-based insights and expert recommendations. Since its launch, the Bengaluru-based startup has grown rapidly to serve millions of users across India, with strong adoption in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. The fresh capital will be used to expand its AI-led advisory services, scale its technology and operations teams, and enhance its…
In a groundbreaking move for sustainable fashion, Chupps Footwear, India’s homegrown open-footwear brand, has unveiled the country’s first biodegradable billboard in Bandra, Mumbai. Conceptualised by INTO Creative, the installation symbolizes Chupps’ bold commitment to reducing fashion waste—both in its products and its promotions. The billboard, crafted entirely from biodegradable materials, features a bamboo frame, a mixture of mud, clay, hay, and sawdust, and a headline drawn with fresh limestone instead of paint. Designed to naturally disintegrate when it rains, the structure mirrors Chupps’ latest innovation—biodegradable sliders that decompose within 24 months once discarded in landfills. “If our products can disappear…
Foxconn, the world’s largest electronics contract manufacturer, has announced a significant investment of ₹15,000 crore in Tamil Nadu. This initiative aims to establish advanced manufacturing facilities focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), value-added production, and research and development (R&D). The project is expected to generate 14,000 high-value engineering jobs across multiple locations within the state. A delegation from Foxconn met with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in Chennai to formalize the investment. During the meeting, the establishment of the first-ever “Foxconn Desk” in India was announced at Guidance Tamil Nadu, the state’s nodal agency for investment promotion. This dedicated desk…
IIMA Ventures, the technology-focused investment arm of IIM Ahmedabad, has partnered with Jaivel Aerospace to launch a dedicated aerospace and defence acceleration fund aimed at nurturing early-stage startups in the sector. The fund will support innovators developing cutting-edge technologies in areas such as autonomy, advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, and secure communication systems. Under this initiative, each selected startup will receive up to $400,000 (around ₹3.3 crore) in pre-seed or seed funding, along with access to mentorship, testing and development facilities, and Jaivel Aerospace’s global manufacturing network. The fund is designed to provide the first institutional cheque to promising new ventures,…
Indian Railways is set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with MapmyIndia to integrate its indigenous navigation platform, Mappls, into railway operations. The collaboration aims to enhance passenger experience and streamline operations using advanced mapping and real-time geospatial data. Union Minister for Railways and Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, recently tested the Mappls app, highlighting features such as 3D junction views, real-time alerts for speed limits, accident-prone zones, sharp curves, speed breakers, traffic signals, and camera locations. These tools are expected to improve route planning, safety, and operational efficiency for both passengers and railway staff. Mappls also offers…
Dezerv Secures ₹350 Crore in Series C Round to Expand Wealth-Tech Offerings Wealth management platform Dezerv has raised ₹350 crore ($40 million) in a Series C funding round co-led by Premji Invest and Accel’s Global Growth Fund, with participation from Elevation Capital and Z47 (formerly Matrix Partners India). Founded by Sandeep Jethwani, Vaibhav Porwal, and Sahil Contractor in 2021, Dezerv has now raised around $100 million to date, including a $32 million Series B last year and a $7 million seed round in 2021. Earlier this year, Dezerv initiated a $5.3 million ESOP buyback to reward both current and former…