In a strategic move to strengthen industry–academia ties in India’s mobility sector, IIT Madras and Hero MotoCorp (HMCL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on research, education, and upskilling in areas including electric vehicle development, battery technology, AI, propulsion systems, and mobility solutions. The MoU was formalized in the presence of senior leadership teams: from Hero MotoCorp’s side—Vikram Kasbekar (Executive Director & Acting CEO/CTO), Anuj Dua, Jyoti Singh, Ananda Reddy, Rajat Kapoor, and Manish Singhal—and from IIT Madras—Director V. Kamakoti and Dean (Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research) Manu Santhanam. Key Focus Areas & Commitments Under the agreement,…
Author: Aman Atulya
Automotive servicing startup GaadiMech.com has secured ₹1.5 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by AJVC, valuing the company at $2 million. The fresh capital will help the startup expand operations beyond its Rajasthan stronghold into new markets while enhancing product and service quality. Building India’s Pit-Stop Service Network Founded in 2020 by Surakshit Soni and Sarvesh Kabra, GaadiMech is streamlining India’s highly fragmented car servicing industry. The company operates a hybrid model with online booking and physical service hubs, offering express car care in 90 minutes, live tracking, transparent pricing, and the use of genuine spare parts. “Car care…
Paras Defence and Space Technologies Ltd. an Indian defense startup specializing in electro-optics, has secured a $3.8 million (₹34 crore) international order from Elbit Security Systems, a leading Israeli defense technology firm. The contract is set for execution from February to November 2026. Strategic Edge Founded in India, Paras Defence designs and manufactures advanced electro-optics and precision systems for defense applications. The deal with Elbit Systems strengthens its global footprint, positioning the company as a key Indian supplier of high-tech defense equipment. This contract is part of Paras Defence’s ongoing strategy to expand its international collaborations while supporting the government’s…
Cloud kitchen operator Curefoods has raised ₹160 crore ($18 million) in a pre-IPO placement from 3State Ventures, the investment arm of Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal. The company allotted 1.28 crore equity shares at ₹124 per share as part of the transaction. The funding comes ahead of Curefoods’ planned IPO, where the Bengaluru-based firm aims to raise ₹800 crore through a fresh issue along with an offer for sale (OFS) of 4.08 crore shares from existing investors including Iron Pillar, Chiratae Ventures, Crimson Winter, Accel, and Curefit Healthcare. Founder and CEO Ankit Nagori will not dilute his stake in the OFS.…
CMF (Nothing’s sub-brand) and Indian manufacturing firm Optiemus Infracom have announced a joint venture to invest $100 million in India, with the aim to set up a global hub for smartphone operations, R&D, and manufacturing. The JV is expected to generate over 1,800 jobs over the next three years. Under the arrangement, Optiemus will hold a 65% stake, and the facility will be located in Noida. With an initial production capacity of 500,000 phones a month, the JV is not solely intended for manufacturing Nothing and CMF devices — it will also produce phones for other brands. Nothing currently holds…
Edtech firm Vedantu has announced that it has secured $11 million in a funding round led by Accel, with participation from ABC World Asia (a Temasek-backed impact fund) and Omidyar Network, among others. This infusion is part of a larger, ongoing capital raise and includes a secondary component aimed at enabling exits for certain early investors. Despite being cash-flow positive, Vedantu says the fresh capital will serve as a financial cushion as it charts a path toward an IPO. The company is expected to target a public listing in 2027, giving it time to rationalize its cap table and bring…
On the 11th anniversary of the Make in India initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi doubled down on the government’s ambition to turn India into a manufacturing powerhouse. Speaking at the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show 2025, he declared that India must be able to “manufacture everything from chips to ships,” reinforcing the tenets of Atmanirbhar Bharat — or economic self-reliance. A Broader Vision: Making India Self-Reliant Modi’s address came amid global economic turbulence, rising trade protectionism, and supply chain disruptions. He warned that continued dependence on external sources undermines growth and strategic autonomy. He emphasized that every product that can…
https://in.linkedin.com/company/handpickdHandpickd, a fresh commerce startup, has raised $15 million in a Series A funding round led by Bertelsmann India Investments (BII), with participation from Titan Capital Winners Fund (TCWF) and existing investors. The company plans to utilize the funds to expand its operations, enhance its technology infrastructure, and improve its supply chain capabilities. Business Model and Operations Founded in April 2024 by Anant Goel, Nitin Gupta, and Sahil Madan, Handpickd operates on a zero-inventory model. The platform collects customer orders a day in advance, procures the exact quantity and quality of produce from farmers overnight, and delivers it to customers…
Space-tech startup Cosmoserve Space has secured $3.17 million (₹26.5 crore) in a heavily oversubscribed pre-seed round led by Alan Rutledge, with participation from AUM Ventures and Shakti VC. The round drew strong interest from global backers, including Ram Shriram, Google’s early investor and long-time board member. The fresh capital will enable Cosmoserve to ramp up its R&D efforts, expand its engineering team, and begin work on prototypes for its robotic spacecraft designed to tackle orbital debris. With thousands of satellites being launched each year and an increasing volume of junk in orbit, the risk to global space assets is accelerating.…
Agritech startup Bharat Intelligence has raised ₹7 crore in pre-seed funding, led by Sahyadri Farms, to scale its operations across Western Maharashtra’s horticulture belts. The fresh capital will be used to expand its team, enhance product development, and embed AI-driven solutions into the value chains of grape, banana, tomato, and pomegranate farmers. Tackling Rural India’s Labour Gap Founded in 2024 by Azhaan Merchant and Gourav Sanghai, Bharat Intelligence is addressing one of Indian agriculture’s most pressing challenges—the farm labour crisis. Its platform uses advanced AI models to organise rural labour markets, ensuring farmers get timely access to skilled crews while…