A naukri.com initiative
Startup News
Inc42
1M
195
Image Credit: Inc42
Flipkart Adds NBFC Licence To Cart, India’s Drone Tech Moment & More
- Flipkart has finally obtained an NBFC licence after three years, becoming the first Indian online marketplace to offer loans directly to consumers and sellers on its platform.
- This new authorisation will reduce Flipkart's dependence on third-party players, open up alternate revenue streams, allow for external funding, and enhance customer experience.
- Although Flipkart aims to start its lending operations in a few months, it must complete numerous compliances, including appointing key management personnel, board members, and finalizing business plans.
- Following the demerger of PhonePe in 2022, Flipkart has ventured into various fintech initiatives, including super.money, UPI payments, and plans to enter broader financial services like lending and insurance.
- Despite launching new revenue streams, Flipkart continues to face losses, with its marketplace arm reporting a loss of INR 2,358 Cr in FY24.
- RBI's approval for direct lending is a boost for Flipkart, which is increasing hiring efforts amid leadership changes, positioning itself as India's first ecommerce platform with an NBFC licence.
- In other news, Groww is set to raise $202 million in funding, Arise Ventures focuses on AI investments, Navi Finserv's FY25 show reports a decline in PAT, and Zaggle plans to acquire enterprise spend management startup Dice.
- Artha Fund I has garnered impressive returns of 61%, Eon Space Labs aims to revolutionize Earth observation through compact, interoperable optical payloads for drones and satellites.
- Eon Space Labs plans to scale its Lumira product for long-range imaging, develop new satellite imaging systems, and collaborate with satellite companies to establish full-stack capabilities in the Earth observation market.
- With the global Earth observation market exceeding $3 billion in 2024, Eon Space Labs seeks to rapidly expand to become a trusted entity in India's aerial surveillance domain.
Read Full Article
11 Likes
Medium
1M
432
Image Credit: Medium
Can You Grow Your Business?
- Two entrepreneurs have grown their business by selling over 150 kits and reinvesting in the business.
- They have transitioned from hand-drawn flyers to printed flyers and even have a mini shelf display at the school library.
- They discussed the idea of growing their business and considered the possibility of others being involved and potentially messing things up.
- Through collaboration, drawing a growth map, creating contracts, and involving others with new ideas, they learned that growth doesn't mean giving up control but learning to lead.
Read Full Article
26 Likes
Medium
1M
263
Image Credit: Medium
What really is vibe coding, and why should non-technicals care?
- Non-technical individuals are increasingly turning to Vibe coding, a more accessible way to build software solutions from real-world problems.
- Unlike the whimsical approach often associated with technical builds, non-technical creators are driven by necessity and frustration, creating solutions that address practical needs.
- Advancements in AI tools have democratized the process of building, empowering individuals without extensive coding backgrounds to develop useful applications with ease.
- The key to success in non-technical building lies in being intentional, choosing the right AI tools, and focusing on creating personal, purposeful solutions.
Read Full Article
15 Likes
Economic Times
1M
182
Image Credit: Economic Times
VC company HealthKois plans $400 million fund for healthcare play
- Delhi-based VC company HealthKois plans to roll out a $400 million fund for investing in India's healthcare sector.
- The fund will target companies in AI-led healthtech, medtech, biopharma, healthcare delivery, and climate health.
- HealthKois aims for a first close at the end of this year or early 2026, with investments likely in the range of $7 million to $25 million.
- The fund will focus on backing early growth Indian healthcare companies using tech to solve healthcare system challenges.
Read Full Article
10 Likes
Economic Times
1M
223
Image Credit: Economic Times
Medibuddy eyes $130 million in pre-IPO
- Health-tech firm Medibuddy is looking to raise $130 million in a pre-IPO round, with Avendus Capital as an adviser.
- Founded by IIT Madras alumni, its shareholders include a Liechtenstein royal family fund and Quadria Capital.
- Contrary to reports, Medibuddy clarified that the pre-IPO round target is $60 million, not $130 million.
- The company stated that it is focused on building a profitable healthcare market leader and is not in a hurry for an IPO.
Read Full Article
13 Likes
Medium
1M
295
Image Credit: Medium
Most ‘Successful’ Startups Are Actually Built on Fragile Myths — And How True Giants Defy Them
- Many celebrated startups actually result from years of unglamorous hard work, iterations, and failures, debunking the myth of overnight success.
- Success in startups rarely happens overnight or in a single day, emphasizing the importance of patience and perseverance.
- The path to success for startups involves facing trials and tribulations, learning from predecessors, and understanding that success is a result of consistent efforts over time.
- Achieving success in the startup world requires acknowledging the reality that it takes weeks, months, and repeated iterations before reaching the desired level of success.
Read Full Article
17 Likes
Medium
1M
32
Image Credit: Medium
Why ‘Fail Fast’ Is Bad Advice in 2025
- "Fail fast, fail often" mantra in Silicon Valley is being reconsidered in 2025.
- Advancements like AI tools and no-code platforms have made building easier, shifting focus to the need for clarity over rapid execution.
- The concept of failing fast was rooted in Lean Startup principles but is now seen as outdated in the current landscape.
- The emphasis is now on strategic planning and clear direction rather than rapid experimentation.
Read Full Article
1 Like
Medium
1M
359
Image Credit: Medium
Founder Fuel: How to turn your roadmap into a portfolio before it becomes a graveyard
- Founder Fuel series offers guidance for founders in high-stakes markets.
- Article discusses how to manage roadmaps like a portfolio and not a to-do list.
- Encourages treating product decisions as investments and categorizing roadmap items.
- Introduces the concept of horizon planning for balancing short-term and long-term goals.
- Provides a framework (VITALS) for scoring and prioritizing roadmap initiatives.
- Suggests using a 3x3 Portfolio Matrix to make sharper decisions on bets.
- Emphasizes the importance of aligning roadmap items with a clear thematic focus.
- Encourages founders to prioritize building conviction and strategic clarity in roadmaps.
- Ultimately, the article urges founders to invest in the future with roadmap decisions.
- Roadmaps should earn attention, usage, and support for raising future funds.
Read Full Article
21 Likes
Gritdaily
1M
154
Image Credit: Gritdaily
Love as a Leadership Strategy? Kelly Winegarden Hall Makes the Business Case for Love
- Kelly Winegarden Hall highlights the importance of leading with love in startups for scalability and sustainability.
- Hall shares her realization about the abundance of love after a life-changing event in 2017.
- Leading with love fosters psychological and physical safety, enabling teams to perform at their peak.
- Love in the workplace includes recognizing colleagues' skills, encouraging risk-taking, and promoting trust and collaboration.
- Hall provides a real-world example where resolving conflicts with love reconnected a team and improved performance.
- She emphasizes focusing on outcomes rather than hours worked and supporting flexible schedules based on individual needs.
- Hall suggests founders pay attention to microclimates in teams and shift from fear to trust through open communication and understanding.
- She advocates for a circular leadership structure that empowers employees and values collaboration over hierarchy.
- Incorporating compassion in capitalism is seen as essential for creating a more equitable and sustainable future for all.
- Hall's guiding message for founders is, 'I see you, I love you, and it is my pleasure to serve you.'
Read Full Article
9 Likes
Siliconangle
1M
72
Image Credit: Siliconangle
Anysphere raises $900M for its AI-powered Cursor code editor
- Anysphere Inc. has secured $900 million in funding led by Thrive Capital, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, and DST Global, valuing the company at $9.9 billion.
- Anysphere's rapid sales growth has propelled it to $500 million in annual recurring revenue within three years of its launch, making it one of the fastest-growing software startups.
- Anysphere's code editor, Cursor, leverages AI to automate programming tasks, features an embedded chatbot, and integrates with VS Code for a seamless user experience.
- Cursor not only aids in code generation and task automation but also functions as a spell checker, identifies bugs, and offers paid Pro and Enterprise plans with varying features and pricing.
Read Full Article
4 Likes
Pymnts
1M
300
Image Credit: Pymnts
Former OpenAI Employees Launch Their Own Startups
- A growing number of former OpenAI employees are launching startups focused on the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.
- One startup, Periodic Labs, founded by former OpenAI VP Liam Fedus and ex-Google DeepMind scientist Ekin Dogus Cubuk, focuses on AI for material science.
- Another startup by ex-OpenAI employees Rhythm Garg, Linden Li, and Yash Patil is centered on reinforcement learning.
- Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati started Thinking Machines Lab, while ex-chief scientist Ilya Sutskever raised billions for an AI research lab.
Read Full Article
18 Likes
Pymnts
1M
446
Image Credit: Pymnts
OneSpan Acquires Passwordless Authentication Specialist Nok Nok Labs
- OneSpan acquires Nok Nok Labs, a provider of FIDO passwordless software authentication solutions.
- The acquisition aims to combine both companies' strengths into a unified authentication portfolio for banking and enterprise customers.
- OneSpan plans to incorporate Nok Nok's technology and FIDO expertise to offer a comprehensive customer authentication solution.
- Nok Nok Labs, a founding member of the FIDO Alliance, provides standards-based security solutions globally, supporting UAF and FIDO2 protocols.
Read Full Article
26 Likes
Medium
1M
250
Image Credit: Medium
Hiring Nearly Sank Our Startup — Here’s What Fixed It
- Many startups make the mistake of treating hiring as a reactive and instinctive process, rather than a strategic one driven by outcomes.
- Focusing on optics rather than outcomes in hiring can cost critical time and hinder a startup's progress.
- It is crucial to reframe hiring roles around outcomes, not just titles, to find the right talent quickly.
- Having a structured and intentional hiring process is essential for startups to build a scalable and repeatable system for growth.
Read Full Article
15 Likes
TechCrunch
1M
268
Image Credit: TechCrunch
Cursor’s Anysphere nabs $9.9B valuation, soars past $500M ARR
- Anysphere, the creator of AI coding assistant Cursor, raised $900 million at a $9.9 billion valuation, led by Thrive Capital and with the participation of other investors such as Andreessen Horowitz and Accel.
- This marks Anysphere's third fundraising in less than a year, with its annualized revenue reaching over $500 million, a 60% increase from mid-April.
- Cursor provides tiered pricing with options for individual users as well as businesses, with a $20 Pro offering and a $40 monthly business subscription.
- Anysphere is now focusing on enterprise licenses in addition to individual user subscriptions and declined offers from potential buyers earlier this year, including OpenAI.
Read Full Article
16 Likes
Siliconangle
1M
286
Image Credit: Siliconangle
Anduril raises $2.5B in funding to finance manufacturing initiatives
- Defense technology startup Anduril Industries Inc. raises $2.5 billion in new funding, with Founders Fund as the lead investor contributing $1 billion.
- The investment values Anduril at $30.5 billion, double its worth from the previous funding round in August, and will be used to address manufacturing and production challenges.
- Anduril's plans include building a factory called Arsenal-1, which is projected to cost over $1 billion, create 4,000 jobs, and produce tens of thousands of defense systems yearly using commercial manufacturing equipment.
- The company aims to expand its manufacturing capacity with a second factory, Arsenal-2, and the new funding will also support product development efforts, including recent products like the subsea sensor called Seabed Sentry.
Read Full Article
17 Likes
For uninterrupted reading, download the app