Desi Space Tech, CEO Musical Chairs, Foreign Expansion, and Much More in Today's StartupChai

**Digantara Shoots For Stars, Zomato Gets Tax Demand, Top Deck Reshuffle At PayTM and More

Digantara To Clean Space Debris, Zomato Gets Tax Notice of Rs. 2 CR, Rakesh Singh set to become new CEO of Paytm**

From Digantara's space ambitions joining forces with Australia to PB Fintech's global acquisitions, and even Zomato's tax tussle, the scene's buzzing. Not to mention, ex-BharatPe COO Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl's hefty VC fund, and Zerodha's Nithin Kamath cheering Sebi's bond market boost. Amidst the chaos, a Delhi dentist boycotts Uber, and Paytm shuffles its top deck.

Grab your simmering cup of StartupChai and unwind with our memes.

What Matters

“Saathi Haath Badhana”: Digantara Joins Indo-Australian Joint Mission To Manage Space Debris

Digantara's hitching a ride on an Indo-Australian space cleanup mission. They're bringing their top-notch optical sensor tech to the table, teaming up with Space Machines Company to tackle space debri cleanup.

With a hefty grant in hand and a mission to revolutionize space operations, Digantara's making waves in the spacetech scene since its launch in 2018.

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“Touchdown”: PB Fintech Gets Board Approval To Acquire Stake In UAE-Based Insurance Broker

PB Fintech's making some power moves. They're gearing up to snag a chunk of the UAE insurance scene with a stake in Genesis Group, and they're not stopping there, divesting a slice of Visit Health for a sweet deal.

Besides, they're turning profits like nobody's business, hitting it home with INR 37.2 Cr in Q3 FY24.

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“Taxman Is Here”: Zomato Gets Tax Demand Order Of INR 2 Cr

Zomato's got a hefty tax bill on its plat. They've been hit with a demand for INR 2 Cr, but fear not, Zomato's firing back with all the paperwork to clear things up.

With their eyes on the prize and their paperwork in order, they're ready to tackle this bump in the road like the food-delivery champs they are.

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“Ab Humari Baari”: Former BharatPe COO Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl Floats INR 120 Cr Early Stage VC Fund

Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl, former BharatPe COO, is diving into the startup world with his very own INR 120 Cr venture capital fund, Eternal Capital. With plans to back 40 early-stage gems over three years, Bahl's already got big names like Suhail Sameer and Deep Kalra onboard.

Looks like Bahl's leading the charge in a wave of ex-BharatPe talent turning heads in the startup scene.

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“Khela Hobe”: Zerodha’s Nithin Kamath hails Sebi’s move that boosts retail participation in bond market

Zerodha's Nithin Kamath is singing praises for the new Rs 10,000 bonds, calling them a "stepping stone for most Indians" to jump into the investment game.

With more accessibility and retail-friendly options, it looks like Sebi's making moves to level the playing field for small investors, and Kamath's all for it.

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“Bilkul Ricks Nahi Lene Ka Bawa”: Delhi dentist says she is 'boycotting Uber' after an accident

Looks like Delhi dentist Dr. Ruchika is putting the brakes on Uber after a rocky ride left her shaken. Sharing her ordeal on X, she's waving goodbye to the ride-hailing giant, calling it quits over safety concerns. It's a reminder that for some, peace of mind outweighs the convenience of a quick ride.

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“Sabki Aayegi Baari”: Top Deck Reshuffle At Paytm

Paytm's playing musical chairs at the top. Rakesh Singh takes the reins as the new CEO of Paytm Money, stepping in for Varun Sridhar, who's shuffling into a different role within the company.

With Singh's recent arrival, it's a fresh start for Paytm's wealth management arm, shaking things up in the fintech world.

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Fundraising and Financials

1. Former Blinkit senior executive Deepank Bhandari's fintech startup Dexif secures $4 Mn in seed funding led by RTP Global, aiming to streamline bonds trading with innovative solutions.

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2. Go DESi, known for its traditional Indian snacks and sweets, secures INR 41 Cr in funding led by Aavishkaar Capital, gearing up to bring age-old Indian treats to a wider audience with its innovative packaging and distribution strategies.

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3. Dexif, the fixed-income investment startup based in Noida, secures $4 million in its maiden institutional funding round, courtesy of RTP Global.

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4. Bijak, the agritech trailblazer, sees its gross merchandise value (GMV) skyrocket to Rs 807 Cr in FY23, marking a whopping 13X surge from the previous fiscal year.

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5. Innovaccer, the healthtech unicorn under Abhinav Shashank's leadership, is in advanced discussions with Kaiser Permanente for a funding round estimated between $200 Mn to $250 Mn.

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6. Fresh From Farm, the organic produce startup, harvests $2 Mn in a Pre-Series A funding round, spearheaded by Inflection Point Ventures and angel investor Ashish Kacholia.

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7. Spearheaded by Saswat Ventures, Kolkata-based TalkEsport receives a $1 million investment to fuel its expansion and innovation endeavors.

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8. Kyari, a D2C (direct-to-consumer) brand based in Indore, is on the trajectory to success, seals a Rs 6.5 crore Pre-Series A funding round led by Agra Gwalior Pathways and Airen Holdings.

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9. Culture Circle, the hub for luxury and hype, receives pre-seed funding from IIMA Ventures, propelling its expansion into diverse categories including luxury fashion, watches, designer handbags, and collectible.

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