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Startup News
Inc42
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Electric Mobility Startup Kazam To Raise $6 Mn
- Electric mobility startup Kazam is set to raise $6 Mn (around INR 51 Cr) in a fresh funding round led by existing investor Vertex Ventures, with participation from Avaana Capital and Chakra Growth Capital.
- The funding round will involve issuing 36,410 Series B compulsory convertible preference shares at an issue price of $165.06 each, with Vertex Ventures leading the investment of $4.9 Mn, followed by contributions from Avaana Capital and Chakra Growth Capital.
- The fresh capital will support Kazam's growth and expansion plans, with key investors holding stakes in the company post the funding round: Vertex Ventures and IFC VVSEA Co-Invest (22.88%), Avaana Capital (17.02%), and Chakra Growth Capital (1.51%).
- Kazam, founded in 2020, operates an EV charging software platform offering hardware and software solutions. The startup aims to support various electric vehicles and has achieved significant milestones in charger installations, charging sessions, and carbon emissions reduction.
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Startup Pedia
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KiranaPro CEO reveals sacked employee took revenge by deleting data of grocery delivery app
- KiranaPro crisis turns out to be an internal sabotage incident by a former employee seeking revenge.
- The CEO, Deepak Ravindran, confirmed no external hacking but an internal data breach by the ex-employee.
- The culprit, identified as Lava Kumar, deleted critical server logs intentionally after being removed from the company.
- Ravindran expressed commitment to strengthen controls and systems for better security after the incident.
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Economic Times
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Nexus Venture to invest Rs 125 crore in Rapido ahead of food delivery launch
- Nexus Venture Partners to invest Rs 125 crore in Rapido ahead of its food delivery launch.
- Rapido plans to challenge Zomato and Swiggy in the food delivery sector with lower commission rates for restaurants.
- Rapido raised $200 million last year with funding from WestBridge Capital and Dutch investor Prosus.
- Rapido is expanding into insurance distribution and maintaining market share with millions of daily orders in multiple transport segments.
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Alleywatch
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The Weekly Notable Startup Funding Report: 6/9/25
- The Weekly Notable Startup Funding Report for the week ending 6/7/25 covers funding details for startups like Trustifi, Aerones, Impart Security, and more, totaling $3.3B in funding.
- Trustifi, based in Las Vegas, raised $25.0M for its patented email encryption service, bringing its total funding to $29.0M.
- Aerones, a San Jose-based company focusing on robotic technology for wind turbine maintenance, secured $62.0M, reaching a total of $107.4M in funding.
- Infleqtion, a Louisville-based quantum information firm, raised a substantial $100.0M, with total funding now at $261.7M.
- SignalRank, located in Palo Alto, received $14.7M in funding for its investment indexing platform, bringing total funding to $19.8M.
- Anduril Industries, a Costa Mesa defense product company, raised a significant $2.5B, totaling $6.2B in funding.
- Spyglass Pharma in Aliso Viejo secured $75.0M for ophthalmic medicines, reaching a total of $184.8M in funding.
- AgentSmyth, a New York-based AI finance startup, raised $8.7M, with total funding at $11.2M.
- Impulse Space in Redondo Beach raised a substantial $300.0M for in-space transportation technology, totaling $525.0M in funding.
- MIND, a cybersecurity company in Seattle, raised $30.0M, with total funding now at $41.0M.
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Inc42
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Inside Rapido’s Food Delivery Play: Can ‘Ownly’ Break Zomato-Swiggy Duopoly?
- Rapido is set to launch its food delivery platform Ownly, partnering with NRAI-affiliated restaurants and taking on Zomato and Swiggy's duopoly.
- Ownly will not charge commissions from restaurant partners and will have fixed delivery charges per order, starting its pilot in Bengaluru by June 2025.
- The platform aims to provide a level-playing field for restaurants, offering affordable meal options and no pricing differences between offline and online menus.
- Rapido plans to monetize through nominal delivery fees from restaurants and may introduce a flat subscription fee in the future.
- Unlike Zomato and Swiggy, Rapido focuses on price and product value for consumers, rather than discounts.
- The company aims to disrupt the food delivery market with its transparency in pricing and data, challenging the dominance of the existing players.
- Rapido's success in the ride-hailing sector with zero-commission models suggests potential success in the food delivery space.
- Rapido's foray into food delivery comes after raising $200 Mn in funding, aiming to close FY25 with INR 1,000 Cr in revenue.
- Rapido Ownly's model mirrors NRAI's past efforts like ONDC, but aims to provide a more integrated and competitive alternative to Zomato and Swiggy.
- While challenges exist, including previous failed attempts by others in the industry, Rapido's approach with Ownly presents a new contender in the food delivery market.
- If successful, Rapido's entry could potentially disrupt the dominance of Zomato and Swiggy, providing a credible challenge to the existing duopoly.
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AllTopStartups
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HR Software for Startups: What to Look For
- HR software is essential for startups to manage people effectively, especially as teams grow and complexities arise.
- Onboarding, payroll, and time off requests can become overwhelming without proper HR systems in place.
- Small teams also require HR software for structure and organization, preventing missed deadlines and errors.
- Key features to look for in HR software include simplicity, centralized storage, quick setup, and remote accessibility.
- Affordability, customization options, and scalability are crucial considerations when selecting HR software for startups.
- Must-have features in HR tools include employee profiles, time off tracking, onboarding tools, performance notes, and basic reporting.
- Avoid common pitfalls like choosing overly complex systems or paying for unnecessary features at the startup stage.
- Selecting the right HR software early on can streamline processes, save time, and prevent costly mistakes as the business grows.
- Prioritize tools that support current needs and offer room for expansion to meet future requirements.
- Putting a solid HR system in place from the beginning can facilitate smoother operations and allow startups to focus on growth and development.
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Insider
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3 tips to help your startup survive the age of AI, from Anthropic's product chief
- Startups in areas like law or biotechnology can defend themselves from large AI incumbents by focusing on domain expertise and customer relations, according to Anthropic's CPO Mike Krieger.
- Krieger advised startups to not just know the company they are selling to, but also the individuals within the company, and to have founders with domain knowledge.
- He suggested that startups should explore new AI interfaces to differentiate themselves and avoid being categorized as simple AI model add-ons.
- Krieger's insights aim to help startups survive the competitive age of AI and avoid being overshadowed by giants like OpenAI in the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
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Economic Times
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Shares of Eternal, Swiggy drop as Rapido undercuts food delivery commission
- Shares of Zomato parent Eternal and its rival Swiggy dropped due to Rapido planning to launch food delivery services with significantly lower commissions.
- Rapido will charge a flat commission of Rs 25 for orders below Rs 400 and Rs 50 for higher orders, translating to 8–15% commission from restaurants, compared to 16–30% charged by Zomato and Swiggy.
- India’s online food delivery market is expected to more than double to $15 billion by March 2029, according to a report by JM Financial.
- Morgan Stanley noted that online food delivery penetration in India is still in the early stages, implying a long runway for growth, with price targets set for Eternal and Swiggy.
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Inc42
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How AntiNorm Plans To Disrupt India’s Beauty Market With Multipurpose Products
- Aparna Saxena, inspired by transformative brands in Silicon Valley, founded AntiNorm, a minimalist and multifunctional beauty and personal care brand in India.
- Recognizing the chaos in the beauty market, Saxena aimed to create products suitable for the Indian context, addressing the disconnect between consumer needs and product offerings.
- AntiNorm focused on creating multipurpose solutions for urban Indian women, launching with three offerings - dry shampoo, hair cream, and lip treatment.
- With a product-first mindset and a tech lens, AntiNorm deconstructed existing products to develop effective, multifunctional formulations.
- The brand emphasized user friction at the center of product development and aimed to simplify beauty care through innovation and efficacy.
- AntiNorm secured INR 5 Cr in pre-seed funding, with half the amount coming from Rukam Capital, recognizing the brand's potential in the cluttered beauty market.
- Its marketing strategy focuses on customer education, simplification, and myth-busting, while prioritizing D2C sales for customer retention and feedback loop ownership.
- Future plans for AntiNorm include launching more multifunctional products, maintaining focus on solving real problems with fewer solutions, and expanding into skincare, haircare, and men's personal care categories.
- Following a selective expansion strategy, AntiNorm aims to stay true to its brand values, quality standards, and customer intimacy.
- With the vision to be a category-defining brand in the next five years, it stands out in an industry conditioned for excess by offering just enough to meet user needs elegantly.
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UX Design
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Jony Ive’s next frontier, AI can’t touch taste, the UX butterfly effect
- Jony Ive aims to move design forward by focusing on innovation and evolving society.
- AI is recognized for its growing impact but still cannot replicate human taste, giving designers an edge.
- The concept of the UX butterfly effect emphasizes understanding unintended consequences in design.
- Weekly curated resources for designers include articles on quality, management boundaries, and the UX of AI.
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Inc42
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1.7k
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Paytm Launches Personalised UPI IDs To Boost Payment Privacy
- Paytm has introduced personalised UPI IDs to enhance payment privacy for users.
- Users can now hide their mobile numbers while sending and receiving money with this new feature.
- The feature is initially available for Yes Bank and Axis Bank-issued UPI handles.
- To set up a personalised UPI ID, users can access the feature via the Paytm app and choose a custom ID for transactions.
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Medium
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The Hidden Metrics VCs Should Be Tracking (But Rarely Do)
- Start-ups need to focus on second-order metrics like founder resilience, go-to-market efficiency, community momentum, and retention for long-term success.
- Investors should prioritize betting on founders who can pivot, weather storms, and maintain morale during setbacks.
- Pivoting shows adaptability and resilience, critical for start-ups to navigate challenges.
- Founder resilience can be a key factor in the success of start-ups, often revealing more than spreadsheets during due diligence.
- GTM efficiency, community momentum, and retention are crucial for sustainable growth in start-ups.
- Fast growth without financial stability can lead to unsustainable expenses in start-ups.
- Community-driven start-ups benefit from organic growth through user evangelism and engagement.
- Retention is a key metric that indicates the long-term sustainability of a start-up.
- Nurturing user communities and focusing on retention can lead to sustainable business growth.
- Investors should look beyond vanity metrics and focus on indicators like GTM efficiency, community momentum, and retention for long-term success.
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ISN
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Infosys inaugurates new development center in GIFT City, Gandhinagar
- Infosys inaugurates a new Development Center at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) in Gandhinagar, offering a facility for over 1,000 employees in a hybrid working model.
- The center will serve as a key TechFin hub for global BFSI clients, focusing on digital banking, regulatory affairs, trade finance, capital markets, and risk & compliance management.
- Leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI, cloud, cybersecurity, blockchain, the center aims to deliver seamless cross-border digital services and enhance India's position in the financial technology sector.
- The inauguration ceremony was attended by Gujarat's Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel and Infosys Leadership, showcasing the company's ESG commitments with a focus on green office design features and a future-ready hybrid workplace.
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TechJuice
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Digital Growth Accelerates in Pakistan: IT Exports Hit $2.825B, Yet Startup Ecosystem Faces Capital Crunch
- Pakistan's digital and technology sectors have shown significant growth in FY 2024-25, with IT exports reaching $2.825 billion, reflecting the country's strengthening digital economy.
- The IT sector maintained the highest trade surplus among services, highlighting its importance in stabilizing Pakistan's external account.
- While the startup ecosystem in Pakistan has made progress, challenges such as limited venture capital and underdeveloped infrastructure outside major cities persist.
- Despite ambitions to integrate AI across various sectors, Pakistan's readiness, as per the IMF's AI Preparedness Index, shows deficiencies in infrastructure and skills development.
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Startup Story
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Lenskart Becomes Public Company Ahead of Anticipated $1 Billion IPO
- Eyewear giant Lenskart has become a public company in preparation for a potential $1 billion IPO.
- Lenskart's board approved the name change to Lenskart Solutions Limited, indicating readiness to list on Indian stock exchanges.
- The company is in talks with investment banks to lead the IPO process, setting sights on a public issue exceeding $1 billion.
- Founded in 2008, Lenskart operates over 2,000 stores in India, entered the unicorn club in 2019, and recently raised funds at a valuation of $5 billion.
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