PhysicsWallah’s IPO Dreams, Groww To Acquire Fisdom, and DPIIT Teams With Estée Lauder

Edtech unicorn PhysicsWallah gears up for IPO by adding heavyweight independent directors, while PhonePe’s Indus Appstore joins hands with Xiaomi to challenge Google’s turf. Groww is eyeing a major move into wealth management with a possible Fisdom buyout, and Swiggy Instamart sneaks in a festive handling fee for Holi shoppers. On a larger canvas, India’s much-anticipated Space Bill inches closer to reality, and DPIIT teams up with Estée Lauder to give beauty startups a serious lift.

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

“Aapda Mein Avsar”: Swiggy Instamart Introduces ‘Festive Handling’ Fee For Holi Week

Swiggy Instamart has rolled out a ‘festive handling’ fee on orders during Holi week, marking its first attempt at a surge charge matching its regular platform fee. The move mirrors a broader trend in quick commerce where platforms quietly add such fees during high-demand periods.

As consumers turn to Instamart for last-minute festive essentials, this added cost may signal a new normal in how quick commerce platforms navigate seasonal rushes.

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“Choo Loo Ye Aasman”: Final Draft Of Space Bill Ready, Under Approval Says IN-SPACe Chief

The long-awaited Space Bill is finally in its last draft stage and awaiting approval, according to IN-SPACe chief Pawan Goenka.

While this marks a crucial step for India’s private space sector, Goenka stopped short of committing to a timeline for its passage. As startups and private players wait on policy clarity, the bill’s journey through the corridors of approval seems far from over.

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“Aaiye Aapka Intezaar Tha”: IPO-Bound PhysicsWallah Onboards Three Independent Directors

IPO-bound edtech firm PhysicsWallah has quietly strengthened its board by onboarding three independent directors ahead of its public listing. The new appointments include Nitin Savara, former deputy CFO at Zomato, Rachna Dikshit, ex-RBI regional director, and Deepak Amitabh, a former bureaucrat, signaling a cautious move to bolster governance.

As the company navigates regulatory scrutiny and prepares for life as a public entity, these seasoned names may offer much-needed credibility and oversight.

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“Hum Saath Saath Hai”: PhonePe’s Indus Appstore Partners Xiaomi India To Boost Accessibility

PhonePe’s Indus Appstore has struck a major partnership with Xiaomi India to become the default app store on all Xiaomi smartphones.

The deal means Indus will now come pre-installed on new devices and even replace Xiaomi’s GetApps on older phones. As PhonePe quietly takes on Google Play, this move could give Indus a significant push in reaching millions of users across India.

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“Janmo Ke Saathi”: Groww In Talks To Buy Wealthtech Startup Fisdom

Groww is reportedly in talks to acquire wealthtech startup Fisdom in a deal that could value the company between $140 to $160 million. As Groww eyes a bigger play in wealth management, it's also exploring other online and offline firms for potential acquisitions.

With Fisdom’s suite of investment and portfolio services, this move could quietly mark Groww’s shift beyond stock broking into full-stack financial advisory.

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“Hum Dono Hai Juda Juda”: DPIIT Partners Estée Lauder To Boost India’s Beauty Startup Ecosystem

In a quiet yet significant move, DPIIT has partnered with Estée Lauder to give a push to India’s growing beauty startup ecosystem. The collaboration will link Startup India with Estée Lauder’s BEAUTY&YOU programme, now featuring a special category for women-led ventures.

As India’s startup landscape swells past 1.61 lakh registered firms, this tie-up signals a focused effort to nurture innovation in the beauty and personal care space.

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1. Fintech unicorn InCred Finance has quietly raised $30 million in debt from investors led by Neo Group. The funding, secured in multiple tranches since January, signals InCred’s push to strengthen its lending play.
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2. Purple Style Labs has raised $40 million in a fresh round led by SageOne, Alchemy, Minerva, and Bajaj Holdings to boost its omnichannel presence. With plans to expand globally and in key Indian cities, the company’s total funding now stands at $78.37 million.
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3. Speciality chemical startup Scimplify has secured $40 million from Accel and others to fuel global expansion and strengthen its platform. Founded in 2023, the B2B player is already active in markets like New Zealand, UAE, and Vietnam.
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4. Cybersecurity startup Neural Defend has raised $600K in pre-seed funding from IPV, MIT SBXI, Techstars San Francisco, and Soonicorn Ventures to advance its AI-driven deepfake fraud detection tech. The startup is already piloting its solutions with financial institutions and security agencies in New York and Singapore.
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