Market pulse › Startups and VC
Startups and VC
Today14 stories · 21 articles
Net tone● +10% today
Market check
Developing5 storylines
Startups and VC in three lines
- XED Executive Development is seeking $10 million through a private placement as its GIFT City IPO awaits lift-off
- Deeptech startups are seeking procurement reforms to improve access to government contracts and growth opportunities
- Black Forest Labs’ head says Europe needs more optimism about AI or risks falling further behind
2124 Sept
2925 Sept
1826 Sept
1027 Sept
628 Sept
Funding and debt● mixedBalwaan Krishi raises Rs 100 crore in Series B to accelerate affordable farm mechanisation in IndiaAgricultureStartup funding
Funding and debt● mixedPolish Space Startup Eycore Taps Demand for Satellite Intelligence as Era of ‘Peace Dividend’ EndsSatcom and spectrum
IPO● mixedIndia’s logistics & mobility startups warm up to IPOs as investor interest gathers pacePorter, Mahindra Last Mile and Rapido are exploring public-market listingsMahindra & MahindraRapidoShipping and logistics
Funding and debt● mixedRich turn to borrowing against private equity holdings as payouts slowWealthy individuals are borrowing against private equity holdings as payouts slowPrivate banksNuvama Wealth ManagementBlackRock
IPO● mixedThree SME IPOs set to list today: Robokidz, FX Multitech, Vivekanand Cotspin in focusThree SME IPOs sought to raise around Rs 98.53 croreStartup fundingListing rulesRobokidz
Funding and debt● mixedXED Executive Development takes private route as GIFT City IPO dream awaits lift-offMumbai-based XED Executive Development is seeking $10 million through a private placementListing rulesStock exchanges
Policy▲ bullishDeeptech startups seek easier route to government contractsDeeptech startups are seeking procurement reforms to improve access to government contracts and growth opportunities
● mixedAI startup Black Forest Labs urges optimism from Europe despite safety fearsBlack Forest Labs’ head says Europe needs more optimism about AI or risks falling further behindAIAI labs
IPO▲ bullishIndian Startup IPO Tracker 202618 Indian startups listed on the bourses in 2025Stock exchangesListing rulesStartup funding
IPO● mixedETMarkets NRI Talk| Want to invest in US IPOs? Ankita Pathak on what Indian investors need to knowIndian investors can participate in US IPOs, including Anthropic, under the Liberalised Remittance SchemeAnthropicRetailGlobal markets
IPO● mixedIPO Mania: 20 Issues To Hit The D-Street In A Single Week — Check Full List20 IPOs across mainboard and SME segments open this weekNSEStock exchangesSmall and midcaps
Funding and debt● mixedPrime Focus AI venture Brahma AI reaches $2 billion valuation with ₹1,437 crore fund raisePrime FocusAIStartup funding
IPO● mixedBig dreams and tiny revenue are the new norm for AI IPOsAI IPOs are marked by ambitious plans and tiny revenueAIMarket valuationsAI chips
Deal● mixedWOI India acquires SwiftSeed Ventures and names Amar Dixit CEOSwiftSeed’s founder-investor community will join WOI India’s entrepreneurship ecosystem
IPO▼ bearishNew-age IPOs: Five years on, still show-me storiesInvestors pay ₹260 for every ₹1 of profit earned by new-age IPO firmsMarket valuationsStartup fundingNSE
Policy● mixedFM Nirmala Sitharaman sets 10%+ growth target, pushes back against suggestion on ‘missed AI bus’Nirmala Sitharaman set a growth target of 10%+Nirmala SitharamanEconomic growthStartup funding
IPO▼ bearishSME IPO market revives, but listing gains lose sheenAbout 43 companies raised ₹1,702 crore in SeptemberSmall and midcapsMarket valuationsStartup funding
● mixedSitharaman says India could achieve economic growth above 10%Sitharaman said growth above 10% is possibleNirmala SitharamanEconomic growthGDP
● mixedFY26 Financial Tracker: Tracking The Financial Performance Of Indian Startups22 new-age tech companies made their public market debut in FY26Market valuations
Funding and debt● mixedAequs To Raise ₹650 Cr Via Preferential Issue To Bolster Manufacturing CapacityAequs approved a preferential issue to raise up to ₹650 croreAequsManufacturingStartup funding
Funding and debt● mixedIIT Madras–Unicorn India fund raises ₹450 crore at first closeThe fund has a ₹1,000 crore target and aims for final close by December 2026Startup fundingIIT Madras
Deal● mixedMonzo discusses sale to Nubank at about £10 billion valuationMonzo is in talks with Brazil’s Nubank about a saleFintech and paymentsUnited Kingdom
● mixedMoneycontrol Startup Conclave: AI valuations are definitely overstated, says PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam on AI hypePhonePeAIMarket valuations
Expansion● mixedMoneycontrol Startup Conclave: Rapido looks beyond ride-hailing, sees big opportunity in food delivery, says CEO Aravind SankaRapidoFood deliveryE-commerce
● mixedMoneycontrol Startup Conclave: AI safety concerns growing as models get smarter, says Emergent's Mukund JhaAIAI labsSaugata Bhattacharya
● mixedStartup Conclave 2026 Live: Immediate consequence of AI is usage of it by rogue players, says Sarvam co-founderSarvam AIAIAI labs
Funding and debt● mixedWeekly Funding Roundup: The startup deals you may have missed in the week of September 27Startup funding
Deal● mixedApax nears deal to buy Warburg Pincus out of €6.5bn telecoms group OdidoApax is nearing a deal to buy Warburg Pincus out of €6.5bn telecoms group OdidoTelecom
Funding and debt● mixedFrom Ultraviolette Automotive To GalaxEye — Indian Startups Raised Over $203 Mn This WeekStartups raised a combined $203.4 Mn across 21 dealsStartup fundingAutosGalaxEye
Policy● mixedIndia to consult industry on trade secrets law, whistleblower safeguards and contract enforcementIndia will soon consult industry and startups on whistleblower safeguards, contract enforcement and complianceTrade and tariffs
IPO● mixedVirtual pharma API firm HRV preparing for IPO, DRHP likely in H1 of 2027: SourcesHRV Pharma is preparing for an IPO, with a draft prospectus likely in H1 2027Pharma and healthcareListing rules
Leadership● mixedBlackstone private-equity chief Joseph Baratta prepares to leave after nearly three decadesJoseph Baratta is preparing to leave Blackstone after almost three decadesBlackstone
Funding and debt● mixedETtech Deals Digest: Ultraviolette leads weekly startup funding of $110 millionStartup funding
Legal● mixedFlorida Railroad Brightline Files for Bankruptcy to Cut Heavy Debt BurdenBrightline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reduce its heavy debt burdenInsolvency and defaultsRailways
Funding and debt● mixedRunwal Enterprises, German Green Steel and Power raise ₹149 crore, ₹91 crore from anchor investorsRunwal Enterprises raised ₹149 crore from anchor investorsRunwal EnterprisesOrient CablesSteel
Funding and debt● mixedGalaxEye Gets ₹63.8 Cr RDI Support For Multisensor Satellite TechGalaxEye secured ₹63.84 Cr in support under the Centre’s RDI FundGalaxEyeStartup funding
Funding and debt● mixedWhat is OpenEvidence, the ‘ChatGPT for doctors’ valued at $15 billion in a new funding round?OpenEvidence was valued at $15 billion in a new funding roundStartup fundingAI
IPO● mixedTrue North acquires minority stake in IPO-bound InMobi for $50–60 millionTrue North acquired a minority stake worth around $50–60 million in InMobiStartup fundingMarket valuations
Funding and debt● mixedDextr AI raises $6.7 million in seed funding led by Elevation CapitalThe hospitality-focused AI startup raised $6.7 million, about ₹64.2 croreHotels and travelStartup fundingAI
Funding and debt● mixedRivet Bags $10.5 Mn From Peak XV, Others To Scale Dating Platform In USRivet raised $10.5 Mn (about ₹100.6 Cr) in seed fundingStartup funding
Funding and debt● mixedHow Astrobase Is Building The Base For Tomorrow’s Medium-Lift RocketsThree spacetech startups were selected as the first cohort to receive funds in June 2026Startup funding
Funding and debt● mixedBengaluru tech startups raise $4.4 billion, outpace 5 rival cities combinedBengaluruStartup funding
Funding and debt● mixedExclusive: CodeKarma In Talks To Raise $6 Mn From Prosus, AccelEnterprise tech startup CodeKarma is in talks to raise $5 Mn to $6 MnStartup fundingProsus
IPO● mixedOmara Ventures India Files RHP Ahead of ₹41.99 Crore IPO on September 30, 2026Omara Ventures India filed its RHP ahead of a ₹41.99 crore IPOListing rulesMarket valuations
IPO● mixedAcevector IPO: Analysts assign 'avoid' tag amid stiff competition, lossesAcevector IPO price band is ₹30 to ₹32 per share; minimum lot is 468 sharesAceVectorMarket valuationsRetail
● mixedInside the deal engine room: VCs and PEs make the case for ERP as a governance variableVCs and PE investors argued that ERP and AI adoption, data governance, and cybersecurity matter in company assessmentsAIStartup fundingIT demand
IPO● mixedBrookfield-backed Avaada Electro starts roadshows for $793 million India IPO, sources sayMarket valuationsStartup fundingAvaada Electro
● mixedIndia’s semiconductor ecosystem may see gradual value creation over 3–5 yearsSemiconductorsChip plantsElectronics manufacturing
Funding and debt● mixedLightspeed targets $250M for new India fund, focusing on early-stage AIAIStartup funding
Funding and debt● mixedSolara in talks to raise $20-25 million led by Faering CapitalSolara is seeking $20–25 million in its first institutional funding round, led by Faering CapitalStartup fundingE-commerceNavitas Solar
IPO● mixedAcevector IPO: Can this marketplace player create value?AceVectorMarket valuationsStartup funding
Deal● mixedLegal advisers on private capital deals pick up the paceClients are seeking ways to ease access to locked-up investmentsStockbrokers
IPO● mixedNSE targets 250 SME IPOs a year, works with states to incentivise listingsNSEStock exchangesListing rules
Expansion● mixedChip startup Mythic AI enters India, eyes data centre, robotics opportunitiesSemiconductorsAI chipsData centres
Policy▲ bullishCentre considers ₹15,000–20,000 crore fund for frontier AI and computeThe Centre is considering an anchor investment of ₹15,000 crore to ₹20,000 croreAIStartup fundingData centres
IPO● mixedAnthropic seeks 50.1% voting control for co-founders ahead of IPOCEO Dario Amodei and six co-founders would hold 50.1% voting powerAnthropicAI labsAI
Deal● mixedSomeone was trying to sell Ondo Finance after founder Nathan Allman's deathOndo Finance denied that it was shopping for buyers after founder Nathan Allman's deathOndo Finance
Deal▼ bearishTPG Exits FirstCry With ₹202 Cr Bulk DealTPG exited FirstCry through a ₹202 Cr bulk dealBrainbees SolutionsFII flows
Order win● mixedDRDO inks first high-value deep tech project agreement with a start-up under TDF schemeDRDODefenceStartup funding
Funding and debt● mixedSnapdeal parent AceVector raises ₹189 crore from anchors ahead of ₹420-crore IPOAceVector raised ₹189 crore from anchor investors before its IPO openedStartup fundingMarket valuationsAceVector
Results▼ bearishIPO-Bound Navi’s FY26 Loss More Than Triples To ₹466 CrNavi's FY26 net loss widened 268.7% to ₹465.99 cr from ₹126.4 crFintech and paymentsStartup funding
Funding and debt● mixedSkyroot reportedly in talks to raise up to $300 million from Fidelity, General Catalyst and BenchmarkStartup funding
Data▲ bullishH2FY27 hiring intent seen at 5.4%, e-commerce leads growth: ReportTeamLease sees hiring intent at 5.4% in H2 FY27E-commerceJobs and layoffsIT hiring
Deal● mixedCathie Wood's ARK teams with Securitize to tokenize venture fund with OpenAI, Anthropic stakesARK Venture Fund is teaming with Securitize to tokenize a fund with OpenAI and Anthropic stakesOpenAIAnthropicEthereum
Funding and debt● mixedCybersecurity startup Island valued at $6.4 billion amid AI agent security risksAIStartup funding
● mixedSoftBank's growing bets on AI and semiconductor assetsMasayoshi Son aims to make SoftBank the world's leading AI platformSoftBankAISemiconductors
Deal▲ bullishNykaa and L’Oréal’s BOLD to invest jointly in Indian beauty brandsNykaa and L’Oréal’s venture fund BOLD will jointly invest in Indian beauty and personal-care brandsNykaaRetailE-commerce
Funding and debt● mixedEma Raises $77 Mn To Scale Its Universal AI Employee Platform GloballyAgentic AI startup Ema raised $77 Mn (over ₹738 Cr) in a Series B roundBengaluruStartup fundingAI
Funding and debt● mixedRio Health raises $4.5 million to expand quick-pharmacy networkRio Health raised $4.5 million in a pre-Series A round led by Version One VenturesStartup fundingQuick commerceE-commerce
● mixedPrivate equity could revolutionise US lawyer pay, law firm bosses sayMassumi + Consoli executives are betting private equity ownership can help attract law-firm partners with equity incentives
Funding and debt● mixedCarnelian launches ₹2,000 crore PE fund to target India’s mid-marketCarnelian launched a ₹2,000 crore PE fund targeting India’s mid-marketStartup fundingMarket valuationsCarnelian
Funding and debt● mixedIndian tech funding rises 7% to $10.3 billion in 9M 2026India's tech sector raised $10.3 billion in equity funding in the first nine months of 2026Startup funding
Funding and debt▲ bullishCab fleet operators attract fresh capital as EV, premium rides gain groundFunding for India’s cab fleet operators has nearly doubled in 2026 as EV and premium rides gain groundEVs and batteriesElectric cars
Data● mixedSpace investment more than doubled to $23 billion in year to June, report saysSpace investment more than doubled to $23 billion in the year to JuneStartup fundingStarlinkSpaceX