DeepSeek Raises Concerns, IPO Dreams Of OfBusiness, and BYJU’S Faces Legal Heat

DeepSeek is poised to tackle privacy concerns by moving to Indian servers, while Meta is doubling down on AI with plans to invest billions. OfBusiness gears up for its IPO by going public, and HUL seeks CCI approval to acquire Minimalist. Meanwhile, BYJU’S faces legal heat as top execs are held in contempt of a US court.

Grab your simmering cup of StartupChai.in and unwind with our hand-brewed memes.

“DeepSeek Ne Machaya Bawal”: DeepSeek On Indian Servers Soon To Address Privacy Concerns, Says Union Minister, While Meta To Invest ‘Hundreds Of Billions Of Dollars’ In AI Amid DeepSeek Mania

India is set to host open-source AI models like DeepSeek on its own servers, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced, citing data privacy concerns.

As India moves towards AI sovereignty, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is making an even bolder bet—pledging investments in the "hundreds of billions of dollars" to dominate the AI race. With Llama 4 on the horizon, Meta’s ambitions signal an AI future where power, privacy, and policy will be at constant odds.

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“Aage Kuan, Peeche Khaai”: BYJU’S Top Exec, Business Ally Held In Contempt Of US Court

BYJU’S troubles deepen as a US court holds top exec Vinay Ravindra and business ally Rajendran Vellapalath in contempt.

Their refusal to disclose details about seizing assets from BYJU’S US subsidiaries—Epic! and Tangible Play—has only escalated the legal storm. With Voizzit defying court orders, the edtech giant’s global woes show no signs of easing.

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“Utsav Ki Taiyari Karo”: IPO-Bound OfBusiness Converts Into Public Company

OfBusiness has taken a crucial step toward its IPO by converting from a private to a public company, now officially OFB Tech Limited.

The board approved the move on January 27, signaling that the B2B unicorn is gearing up for the public markets. As one of India’s most valuable startups, all eyes are now on its next big financial play.

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“Kya Aapki Haan Hai?”: HUL Seeks CCI Nod For Minimalist Acquisition

Hindustan Unilever has officially sought CCI’s approval for its ₹2,670 Cr acquisition of D2C skincare brand Minimalist.

With a 90.5% stake secured and a full takeover planned in two years, HUL is making a bold bet on premium skincare. As regulatory wheels turn, the deal could reshape India’s beauty market under the FMCG giant’s umbrella.

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1. Spiritual tech startup Utsav App has secured ₹6.35 Cr in a Pre-Series A round led by Equanimity Investments. With plans to onboard more temples and integrate AI, Utsav is betting on tech to reshape digital spirituality.

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2. NBFC GrowXCD has raised ₹50 Cr from Lok Capital and UC Impower to expand its MSME credit portfolio. With plans to enter southern markets, the fresh funds strengthen its push for financial inclusion.
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3. Bootstrapped for over a decade, healthy food brand Salad Days has raised ₹30 Cr in its first institutional round. With this Series A funding, the company plans to scale operations and expand into new markets.
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4. Sankar Bora’s footwear startup CHK has secured $2.5 Mn in seed funding led by Accel to ramp up production. With plans to scale its go-to-market strategy, CHK is stepping up its game in the footwear space.
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5. Prudent Investment Managers is launching a ₹500 Cr fund for early-stage startups, with ₹250 Cr already committed. The sector-agnostic fund plans to back 10-15 startups with investments ranging from ₹30 Cr to ₹50 Cr each.
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6. Trifecta has announced the first close of its ₹2,000 Cr Venture Debt Fund IV, targeting over 100 startups. With investments in sectors like fintech, EV, and sustainability, the fund aims to back startups with an average ticket size of ₹25 Cr to ₹30 Cr.
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