Author: Shashank Prakash

Elevation Capital, one of India’s leading venture capital firms, has announced the launch of a $400 million late-stage fund — Elevation Holdings — to back IPO-bound startups. This marks a significant shift from the firm’s traditional early-stage focus to long-term bets on companies ready to enter the public markets. According to an ET report, Elevation Holdings will invest in 10–15 companies, with cheque sizes ranging between $20 million and $50 million. The focus will remain on consumer and financial services segments, with a strong emphasis on technology-driven businesses. “Our horizons for investments are much longer and we will hold long…

India’s clean-label nutraceutical brand Wellbeing Nutrition has reported over 100% year-on-year growth, closing FY25 with ₹170 crore in revenue. Despite strong topline growth, the company’s losses widened to over ₹30 crore, as confirmed by its spokesperson. FY25 Performance and FY26 Projections In Q1 FY26, the Avnish Chhabria-led startup recorded ₹80 crore in revenue, with contribution margin (CM3) losses at around 2%. The company expects these margins to improve in upcoming quarters. Looking ahead, Wellbeing Nutrition is targeting ₹350 crore in gross sales in FY26, while also working to reduce losses by 20–30%. For FY27, the brand has projected ₹600–650 crore…

Vutto, an innovative startup transforming the way Indians buy and sell used two-wheelers, has raised $7 million in a Series A funding round led by RTP Global, with participation from Blume Ventures. This fresh round of capital will help Vutto scale its phygital platform, enhance its certified inventory, and expand its showroom presence to reach millions of two-wheeler buyers across India. Backed by Industry Leaders Previously, Vutto had raised $1 million in seed funding led by Blume Ventures, joined by founders and leaders from Swiggy, OfBusiness, Tracxn, BatterySmart, SuprDaily, Panthera Peak Capital, and several other strategic angel investors. Founders with…

New Delhi — August 28, 2025 — In a bid to better serve India’s growing startup ecosystem, Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched its first-ever startup-centric branch in New Delhi, in partnership with the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI). The inauguration was graced by PNB MD & CEO Ashok Chandra and STPI’s Director General, Arvind Kumar.Deccan HeraldThe Tribune A Specialized Banking Hub for Startups This initiative marks PNB’s strategic shift toward offering tailored financial solutions for entrepreneurial ventures. Unlike traditional branches, the new outlet aims to function as a financial support hub, offering services aligned with the Startup India…

Bengaluru-based mobile gaming platform Matiks, which uses mathematics as its core theme, has secured $3.14 million (around ₹27 crore) in a pre-Series A funding round led by Tanglin Ventures. The round also saw participation from Info Edge Ventures and prominent angel investors including Aman Gupta (boAt), Unacademy co-founders Gaurav Munjal and Roman Saini, and Anil Goteti (Scapia). Founded in September 2024 by Sudhanshu Bhatia, Mohan Kumar, and Sushant Timmapur, Matiks builds engaging mobile games that test mathematical skills through speed, memory, and puzzle challenges. The platform currently offers: Recently, Matiks also launched a paid “Creators Programme”, enabling users to build…

India’s jewellery industry is getting a modern makeover, and Nuyug is leading the charge. The young jewellery startup has raised ₹2.5 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by early-stage venture firm AJVC, along with a group of strategic angel investors. The fresh capital will be channelled into expanding sales channels, scaling its product catalogue, and driving innovation in design—all with the goal of reshaping how Indians perceive and purchase jewellery for celebrations. A New Category Between Imitation & Fine Jewellery Founded in August 2024 by Ankur Dua and Manali Thareja, Nuyug positions itself in the “mass-premium” jewellery segment—a space…

Apple has officially partnered with Reliance Jio to roll out Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging for iPhone users in India, a move set to redefine how millions of Indians communicate. Why This Matters For years, Indian users have relied heavily on SMS for OTPs, banking alerts, and transactional messages. However, SMS has increasingly been seen as outdated and prone to spam and phishing attacks. With RCS, Apple and Jio aim to create a safer, richer, and more interactive communication ecosystem. What Is RCS? RCS is considered the next generation of SMS, offering: It essentially brings WhatsApp-like functionality directly into the…

New Delhi, August 28, 2025 – Banking infrastructure startup TransBnk has raised $25 million in Series B funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with strong participation from Arkam Ventures, Fundamentum Partnership, 8i Ventures, Accion Venture Labs, and GMO Venture Partners. The fresh infusion of capital will be directed towards geographical expansion and scaling up tech and product talent, as the company looks to deepen its footprint in India and beyond. Building the Backbone of Transaction Banking Founded in 2022 by Vaibhav Tambe, Lavin Kotian, Sachin Gupta, and Pulak Jain, TransBnk is reimagining how banks and enterprises handle transaction banking. The…

In a bold move that signals its growing ambitions, Eternal Capital, the early-stage venture capital fund founded by former BharatPe COO Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl, has officially rebranded itself as Sadev Ventures. The rebranding brings the fund’s identity in line with its long-standing family office name, while also showcasing its evolution from being viewed as just a “capital-only” investor to a true partner in building generational companies. Why the Rebrand? According to Bahl, the shift represents a deeper vision: “As our vision goes deeper into India’s entrepreneurial fabric while simultaneously tapping financial, social and intellectual capital pools across borders, it’s the…

India’s Leading Demi-Fine Jewellery Brand Sets Sights on 100 New Stores and Global ExpansionPalmonas, India’s leading demi-fine jewellery brand has raised ₹55crore in a Series A funding round led by Vertex Ventures SEAI. This strategic investment willfuel Palmonas’ vision to make demi-fine jewellery a household name in India, and take everyday luxury to global markets.Founded in 2022 by Shraddha Kapoor, Amol Patwari (Co-founders) and Pallavi Mohadikar(CEO & Co-founder), Palmonas is creating design-led, high-quality jewellery that fitsseamlessly into the daily lives of modern consumers. Built to bridge the gap between fastfashion and fine jewellery, its waterproof and skin-safe pieces combine fine…