UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a major push to strengthen economic and fintech ties with India, inviting Indian companies to expand and operate in the United Kingdom. Speaking at the Global Fintech Fest 2025, Starmer emphasized that the UK is ready to “roll out the red carpet” for Indian businesses creating jobs and driving growth, while also encouraging British firms to expand in India. “I am here to extend an invitation to all of you to do business with Britain, to see the UK as your gateway to going global,” Starmer said. “We want leading Indian firms to flourish…
Author: Aman Atulya
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Razorpay, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and OpenAI have joined forces to launch Agentic Payments, a conversational payment solution that allows users to shop and pay directly within chat platforms like ChatGPT. The project is currently in a pilot phase. The collaboration combines Razorpay’s payment infrastructure, NPCI’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) network, which processes around 20 billion transactions monthly, and OpenAI’s conversational AI technology to enable seamless in-chat payments. Users can now discover products, select items, and complete purchases without leaving the chat interface or switching between apps. Agentic Payments will function through Razorpay’s…
Bharat Matrimony, part of the Matrimony.com Group, has invested $500,000 in Bengaluru-based AI startup Ask My Guru (AMG). This follows AMG’s earlier $1.2 million seed funding, bringing its total funding to $1.72 million. The investment will support the development of AI-driven astrology solutions and their integration into Bharat Matrimony’s matchmaking platform. About Ask My Guru Founded by Krishna Mohan Vedula and Vivek Sadamate, Ask My Guru leverages Vedic and KP astrology systems to provide personalized insights on relationships, careers, and life decisions. The platform offers compatibility assessments and astrological guidance, aiming to enhance matchmaking experiences with AI-powered predictions. Since its…
Rusk Media, a Gen-Z and Alpha-first digital entertainment company, has raised Rs 103 crore ($12 million) in its Series B funding round led by IvyCap Ventures, with participation from LC Nueva, InfoEdge Ventures, Woori Venture Partners, and the company’s promoters and family. This follows the company’s $9.5 million Series A led by DAOL Investment and Audacity Ventures, bringing total funding to approximately $12 million. Funding Purpose The fresh capital will support Rusk Media’s global expansion into the US, Europe, and EMEA markets while driving the creation of new entertainment IPs for international audiences. The company leverages AI-powered production and distribution…
Reo.Dev, a Bengaluru and San Francisco-based intent platform for developer-first software companies, has raised $4 million in a seed funding round led by Heavybit, with participation from India Quotient and Foster Ventures. This follows an earlier $1.2 million raised in February 2024 from India Quotient and other investors. With this new funding, Reo.Dev plans to double its workforce, set up its first U.S. office, and accelerate product development to meet the evolving needs of developer-centric businesses. Founded in 2023 by Achintya Gupta, Gaurav Jain, and Piyush Agarwal, Reo.Dev is building an AI-native go-to-market (GTM) platform that helps DevTool and software…
Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) has unveiled the 40 startups chosen for the third cohort of its AWS Generative AI Accelerator (GAIA), an eight-week global program aimed at scaling early-stage ventures developing foundational generative AI technologies. Each selected startup will receive up to $1 million in AWS credits, access to AWS’s generative AI tech stack, and mentoring from both business and technical experts. The program also equips startups with essential skills in ML performance optimization, infrastructure scaling, and go-to-market strategies, enabling them to accelerate growth and deliver impactful solutions. “Whether it’s in biotech labs, creative studios, or industrial applications, generative…
Singapore-based equity management platform Qapita has raised $26.5 million in a Series B funding round led by US-based Charles Schwab Corporation, with participation from existing investors Citi and MassMutual Ventures. The fresh capital will support Qapita’s expansion into the US market and enable the launch of its fund administration product across multiple regions. This marks a significant step for Qapita, which has raised nearly $50 million to date. The platform also plans a strategic collaboration with Charles Schwab on Schwab Private Issuer Equity Services, powered by Qapita, aimed at providing enhanced equity management solutions to private companies and investors. Founded…
SoftBank-backed semiconductor company Graphcore is making a bold entry into India’s chip ecosystem with a $1.3 billion investment plan spread over the next decade. The move aims to establish India as a key hub for advanced semiconductor design and AI infrastructure. Founded by Nigel Toon and Simon Knowles, the UK-based firm is known for its Intelligence Processing Units (IPUs) — processors built specifically for artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads. With this investment, Graphcore plans to set up operations across R&D, chip design, and data center infrastructure, marking one of the largest foreign commitments in India’s semiconductor sector to date.…
Singapore-based Sembcorp Industries has announced that its subsidiary Sembcorp Green Infra will acquire ReNew Sun Bright Pvt. Ltd. for approximately S$246 million (US$191 million or ₹1,690 crore), marking its third major acquisition in India’s renewable energy sector within three years. The acquisition adds 300 MW of operational solar capacity located in Fatehgarh, Rajasthan, to Sembcorp’s renewable energy portfolio. The project, commissioned in November 2021, operates under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. (MSEDCL) and is connected to India’s national grid via the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS). With this deal, Sembcorp’s total renewable…
Infrastructure and renewable energy player PVV Infra has announced the receipt of two major solar power contracts worth ₹799 crore, strengthening its foothold in India’s clean energy landscape. The company’s renewable energy arm, PVV EVTech, has signed a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) to develop a 100 MW solar power project across multiple sites in Baghpat and Moradabad districts. This project, undertaken in joint venture with Nacof Oorja, carries an estimated cost of ₹384 crore and is expected to generate annual revenue of about ₹53 crore. In a parallel…