Krutrim Flexes AI Muscles, NODWIN Levels Up, and Alcatel Taps Flipkart

Krutrim flexes its AI muscles by hosting Meta’s Llama 4 on desi servers, while NODWIN levels up globally with a new US entity. BharatPe gets RBI’s nod to officially play in the payments aggregator league, and Zepto races toward a $4B GOV milestone with leaner burn. Meanwhile, Alcatel taps Flipkart to reboot its smartphone game—this time, proudly made in India. Besides, there’s also Startup Spotlight to savor.

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

“Badhai Ho Badhai”: Krutrim Starts Hosting Meta’s Llama 4 Models On Its Cloud In India

Krutrim is now hosting Meta’s Llama 4 models—Scout and Maverick—on Indian servers, starting at ₹7 per million tokens.

That makes it the first Indian AI company to pull this off, quietly flexing its cloud muscle. With Krutrim Assistant 2.0 and its “DeepSearch” tool also on the horizon, the startup seems to be setting the stage for a more self-reliant AI ecosystem.

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“Spread Your Wings And Fly Away”: NODWIN Gaming Bolsters Presence In US Esport Market With New Entity

NODWIN Gaming is quietly upping its global game—this time by setting up shop in Delaware with a new US entity.

It comes five months after a ₹64 Cr boost from parent Nazara Technologies to fuel its overseas push. For a brand built on youth-centric esports buzz, this feels less like a splash and more like a calculated opening move.

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“Humari Bhi Haan Hai”: BharatPe Gets RBI Approval For Payment Aggregator Business

BharatPe just got a green signal from the RBI—its arm, Resilient Payments, is now officially authorized to run as an online payment aggregator.

It’s a quiet but crucial move, especially as the fintech space tightens under regulatory scrutiny. For a company that’s seen its fair share of boardroom drama, this marks a rare moment of calm progression.

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“Ho Jaayegi Balle Balle”: Zepto Nears $4 Bn Annualised GOV, Says Aadit Palicha

Zepto's CEO Aadit Palicha says the company is closing in on a $4 billion annualised GOV—up 300% from last year.

It’s not just about speed anymore; they're also slowing their cash burn by half. In the race for quick commerce dominance, Zepto seems to be trading chaos for calculated growth.

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“Abhi Hum Zinda Hai”: Alcatel Partners Flipkart To Sell ‘Made In India’ Smartphones

Alcatel is making a quiet comeback—this time with ‘Made in India’ smartphones and a Flipkart partnership to take them across metros and small-town India.

The brand also plans a countrywide service network, hinting at long-term play. But with Flipkart under CCI’s lens for past OEM tie-ups, this launch may raise more than just eyebrows.

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1. Snack brand Let’s Try has scooped up $2.5M in fresh funding led by SWC Global, with backing from Wipro Consumer and boAt’s Aman Gupta. The bite-sized boost will go into widening its reach, building a stronger backend, and rolling out healthier munchies across India.
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2. AgroStar’s funding round pulled in big names like Aavishkaar, Bertelsmann, and Hero Enterprises, with CCPS issued at ₹3,965 per share. An extra ₹8.6 Cr came in from Bertelsmann alone, signaling strong investor confidence in the agri-tech play.
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3. Founded in 2024 by ex-Spinny exec Vivek Aalok, Amicco is picking up speed in Gurgaon. With fresh funding, it plans to rev up its tech, hire aggressively, and roll into more garages across major cities.
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4. Refurbished iPhone retailer, Grest has raised an undisclosed sum from iAngels to fuel its next growth phase. With plans to double revenue in two quarters, the focus is now on tightening ops, boosting engagement, and scaling smart.
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“Der Aaye Magar Durust Aaye”: AIgnosis Is Making Early Autism Detection Faster, Cheaper, and More Accessible

In a country where autism diagnosis often comes too late, AIgnosis is rewriting the script with a ₹700 AI tool that screens kids in just five minutes—using only a webcam.

Born from a real need and backed by Shark Tank India investors, the startup is now racing to take its tech to every corner of the country. For many families, especially in rural India, this could be the difference between years of uncertainty and a timely start to support.

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