Pranav Mukul

This will be Amazon's first global launch of a 15-minute delivery service. Agarwal, who kept the name still under wraps, said the firm will sell 1,000-2,000 products ready to be delivered in 15 minutes in Bengaluru and then scale it to other cities.

This will be Amazon's first global launch of a 15-minute delivery service. Amit Agarwal, who kept the name still under wraps, said the firm will

The Mumbai-based wealth management firms Rs 500 crore fund will cut cheques of Rs 4-10 crore for 40-50 startups. The company's founder and managing director Manish Goel told us that the their objective is to capitalise on the increased acceptability among relatively smaller investors for startups as an asset class.

Bluestone, a jewellery retailer, has filed for an IPO, aiming for a valuation of ₹12,000-13,000 crore. The IPO will comprise ₹1,000 crore in new shares and ₹2,000-2,100 crore from existing investors. This represents a significant jump from its ₹8,100 crore valuation in August. Strong investor interest in the jewellery retail sector fuels this increase.

Balachandar stepping down has added another senior-level exit at the Ola group this year. In May 2021, Balachandar was appointed as the chief human resources officer of Ola Electric followed by his elevation to the group level later on in the same year.

Synopsis Indian food delivery giant Zomato received Rs 803 crore GST notice. The government says Zomato should pay tax on delivery fees. Zomato argues it passes fees to delivery workers. This dispute covers October 2019 to March 2022. Zomato plans to fight the demand. A similar notice was sent to Swiggy. This case could impact other delivery services.

India's venture capital landscape is experiencing a shift. Despite raising $2.5 billion in 2024, investments remain cautious, totalling $10.9 billion. Executive churn is high, with senior figures leaving established firms. Smaller funds are stepping up early-stage investments as global giants pull back. This cautious approach marks a reset from the 2021 boom, impacting deal flow and investment strategies.

Athera Venture Partners secures funding from HDFC Asset Management Company for its Rs 900 crore fourth fund. The fund, backed significantly by domestic investors, will focus on early-stage investments in consumer internet, enterprise software, AI, and deeptech startups. Athera has already invested in six companies from this fund, targeting seed and Series A rounds.

Indian startups raised slightly more funding in 2024 than in 2023, but the ecosystem remained slow. Fewer deals were closed. Several new unicorns emerged. Some existing unicorns saw valuation corrections. The IPO market surged, with some companies going public at lower valuations. Investors are cautiously optimistic about the future, citing improved public market performance and India's strong economic outlook.

Indian startups saw over $5 billion in exits through secondary transactions, IPOs, and block deals in 2024. This trend is expected to accelerate in 2025 with a projected doubling of IPOs. Secondary deals are providing liquidity for existing investors and entry points for new investors, even in younger companies preparing for public listings.