Steep Your Curiosity in Today’s StartupChai: Mergers, Comebacks, and More!

Swiggy shakes up the game by merging its mall offering with Instamart, while BizDateUp fuels non-metro dreams with a hefty INR 200 Cr fund. Meanwhile, IIMA handpicks 14 trailblazers for its smart city accelerator, and Apple teams up with CleanMax to power up India's renewable energy drive.

Amidst the buzz, Paytm sees a boost, while VerSe Innovation expands its digital empire with Magzter. With Tata eyeing Fabindia and Vivek Sinha's edtech venture raking in millions, the landscape is ripe with possibilities. And as Binance gears up for a comeback, the startup scene thrives with buzzing fundraises, painting a dynamic picture of innovation and growth.

Pour yourself a steaming cup of StartupChai and unwind with our hand-brewed memes.

What Matters

“Yahan Ke Hum Sikandar”: Swiggy Merges Mall Offering With Quick Commerce Platform Instamart

Swiggy is bringing the mall to your fingertips by merging its Swiggy Mall with the quick-commerce platform Instamart. That means you can snag everything from sneakers to gadgets alongside your favorite eats, starting in Bengaluru and spreading to more cities soon.

They've even spiced things up by blending in their premium grocery brand InsanelyGood. IPO-bound and all, Swiggy's on a mission to be your one-stop shop, online.

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“Raising The Stakes”: Former Unacademy COO Vivek Sinha Rakes In $11 Mn For His New EdTech Venture

Looks like Vivek Sinha's cooking up something big in the world of EdTech. With $11 million in his pocket from heavy hitters like Lightspeed Venture Partners and Matrix Partners, plus some angelic backing from Ritesh Agarwal and Gaurav Munjal, his new venture's got some serious star power.

With the startup aiming to address the shortage of skilled labor in sectors like healthcare, education, hospitality, and construction, looks like Sinha is ready to raise the stakes.

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“Take Me Higher Higher, Set Me On Fire”: Angel Network BizDateUp Launches INR 200 Cr Fund To Back Non-Metro Startups

BizDateUp, the brainchild of Jeet Chandan and Meet Jain, is shaking things up with INR 200 Cr fund to empower startups outside the big cities. They're all about sustainability and social impact, targeting Tier-II and III cities for investment.

With a track record of backing game-changers like Passenger Drone Research and Twyn, they're set to make waves in the startup scene.

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“Ab Aayega Maza”: IIMA Picks 14 Startups For Its Indore Smart City Accelerator Programme

IIMA's Indore Smart City Accelerator Programme just picked 14 hot startups to ignite some serious innovation. They're all about coaching these startups on engaging with public sector clients and helping them land those crucial pilots.

After a rigorous bootcamp in Indore covering everything from business models to B2G sales, these startups are ready to make waves in the urban tech scene.

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“Eco-friendly Bharat Abhiyaan”: Apple Forms JV With CleanMax To Fuel India’s Renewable Energy Adoption

Apple's jumping on the green bandwagon, teaming up with CleanMax to power India's renewable energy drive. They're rolling out six solar projects to slash CO2 emissions by a whopping 207,000 tons.

Besides, word's out that they're gearing up to make iPhone camera modules locally with Murugappa and Tata Group's Titan.

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“Thoda Thoda Relief”: Paytm Gains 3% In Early Trade After Starting Customer Migration To PSP Banks

Paytm's parent company, One 97 Communications Ltd, is riding high with a 3% surge in early trading, hitting INR 404.55. Why the buzz, you’d ask? Well, they're all set to switch customers over to a new Payment System Provider (PSP) bank, and investors are liking what they see. It's a welcome sigh of relief after a bumpy ride for sure.

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“Jo Tera Hai, Wo Mera Hai”: OneVerse Marks Fourth Buy In Gaming Space With PokerSaint

Guess who's on a gaming spree? OneVerse just sealed the deal on their fourth buy, snapping up PokerSaint. While they're keeping mum on the cash flow, they're making sure to keep the current team intact, saying they're all about sharing that company DNA.

And they’re not stopping here, looks like they're gearing up for seven to eight more acquisitions soon.

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“Sarva Gunn Sampan”: DailyHunt Parent VerSe Innovation Snaps Up Magzter To Expand Digital Content Portfolio

VerSe Innovation, the brains behind DailyHunt, just added Magzter to its arsenal, gearing up to broaden its digital content selection. With the launch of DailyHunt Premium, users get a passport to premium content from global publishers in 60 languages.

Looks like DailyHunt's cementing its status as India's go-to hub for news and entertainment in every language under the sun.

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“Fashion Ka Jalwa”: Tata Eyeing Stake In Fabindia’s Apparel Business

Looks like Tata's got its eye on Fabindia's fashion realm. While they're still hashing out the details, word on the street is that Fabindia might come in at a lower valuation than expected, around $2.5 billion. For Tata, it's not just a shopping spree, it's a strategic move to beef up their ethnic wear game.

With Fabindia's expansion efforts and Tata's vision, who knows what stylish surprises await.

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“I’m Back”: Binance Likely To Resume India Operations As FIU-Registered Entity

Binance is making a comeback in India, and this time, they're playing by the rules. By getting the nod from the Financial Intelligence Unit, they're ready to roll while staying on the right side of the law.

After the commitments to follow regulations like the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and the VDA taxation framework, Binance is poised to make a responsible splash in the Indian crypto scene.

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Fundraising and Financials

1. Includ, a kidswear startup, secures seed funding from Incubate Fund Asia and others. The investment will fuel enhancements in supply chain, technology, and brand visibility, driving the company's rapid growth beyond INR 2 Cr monthly sales within a year of inception.

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2. Altum Credo, a housing finance startup, secures $40 million in Series C funding led by Z3Partners and Oikocredit, aiming to expand its distribution network with support from British International Investment and existing investors.

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3. Sapience Automata, an AI-driven driver assistance startup, secures Rs 1.75 crore in seed funding led by Inflection Point Ventures. The investment will propel sales, foster automotive partnerships, and advance the development of their ADAS technology while pursuing international patents.

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4. Circle of Games secures $1 million investment from Nazara Technologies and The Hashgraph Association. The funding will accelerate COG's market entry, enhance platform features, and expand its global footprint.

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