Tinseltown Tycoons: Bollywood's Startup Surge & India's Space Ambitions 🛸💼

Bollywood celebs following Hollywood celebs’ trail? Clensta, Parineeti Chopra's personal care startup, reports 300% growth in FY24, and Palmonas, a jewelry startup, adds Shraddha Kapoor as a cofounder

After Bob Dylan started selling whisky and Ryan Reynolds started selling gin, it seems like Bollywood celebs have also picked up the habit of investing in startups. Clensta, a personal care brand founded by Parineeti Chopra, is gaining attention after experiencing an incredible 300% increase in FY24. Meanwhile, Palmonas, a jewelry startup, adds Shraddha Kapoor as a cofounder.

Bollywood celebrities like Alia Bhatt and Shilpa Shetty frequently choose to join as investors rather than active founders, while Hollywood celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Bob Dylan have used their star power to start successful companies. This explosive, Bollywood-star-powered development shows that Bollywood's influence goes well beyond the big screen and highlights the possibility for celebrity-backed firms to succeed in this extremely competitive sector.

As more Bollywood celebrities become involved in the startup scene, they not only provide financial support but also priceless awareness that helps startups like Clensta and Palmonas reach dizzying heights of success.

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Naye daur mein likhenge milke nayi kahani: AI4Bharat, a lab at IIT Madras, releases the IndicVoices dataset, which spans 22 languages

Remember the song “Chhodo kal Ki Baatein, Kal Ki Baat Puraani” that used to be played on your grandpa’s radio? Well, now it seems like this song is coming to fruition in the Indian startup scene. The IndicVoices dataset, which spans a remarkable 22 languages, was released by the AI4Bharat team at IIT Madras as a ground-breaking step toward linguistic inclusion.

AI4Bharat has set a lofty goal with IndicVoices: creating IndicASR, an Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) model that can recognize all 22 of the languages listed in the Indian Constitution's 8th schedule.

This project aims to empower millions of people by removing obstacles to communication and providing them with digital resources in their mother tongues. The steadfast commitment of AI4Bharat to democratizing technology highlights the revolutionary potential of what could be a boost to Indian AI startups.

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Will India have its own SpaceX? This year, space startup investments in India have exceeded $12 million

Move over, Elon Musk, there's a new space race in town, and it's got some serious desi swag!

That's right, folks! Our very own Indian private space sector startups have rocketed past the ₹1 billion mark in investments in just the first nine months of this financial year. Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Minister of Space, Science, Technology, and Atomic Energy, is practically doing the moonwalk with excitement!

And there's more! India has already earned a whopping $174 million from launching a staggering 424 foreign satellites. Talk about a celestial side hustle!

And to further fuel the space frenzy, the government recently said, "Foreigners, come on in!" They're now allowing overseas companies to invest 100% directly in making parts for Indian satellites, no questions asked.

Get ready, world, because India is ready to blast off as a major player in the space race. Just remember, pack your desi snacks for the journey, because we're doing it Bollywood style!

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Crypto fever catching up? CoinSwitch Rockets Past 2 Crore Users as Bitcoin Hits Peaks

CoinSwitch, the crypto sensation in India, hits a whopping milestone, gathering more users than a Bollywood blockbuster premiere.

Indian cryptocurrency sector is exploding with excitement as Bitcoin soars to unprecedented heights. CoinSwitch is leading the charge, having become the first platform to surpass a staggering 2 crore registered members.

The excitement around Bitcoin's historic rise is having a tangible knock-on effect for Indian cryptocurrency companies, bringing with it a rush of hope and unheard-of expansion. The quick ascent of CoinSwitch to the top of India's cryptocurrency scene highlights the growing usage and interest in digital assets among Indian investors.

Thanks to events like Bitcoin ETFs taking off in the US, Ethereum ETFs possibly on the horizon, and the upcoming Bitcoin Halving, CoinSwitch is riding the crypto wave like a pro surfer on monsoon tides. Their recent growth is so rapid, it's like they've discovered a stash of magic masala! According to CoinSwitch, they're making more profits than our chai wallah during a winter chill!”.

Now, only time will tell if it is merely a chaar din ki chandni or something that will alter the very fabric of the Indian financial sector.

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Fundraising and financials

Say "Namaste" to Hunch: Hunch announced a $23 Million Series A to Let You Speak Your Mind (Anonymously)! Hunch is the second founder of Indian descent led startup based in Dubai that secured investment in 2023

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Mufin Green Finance Gets Financial Spinach! BlueOrchard Injects $5 Million to Power Up Green Growth!

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Inflection: Forget Sharmaji ka Beta, Now Learn from Cool Professionals! MyCaptain Secures ₹14 Crore Funding from Point Ventures!

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Free Samples to Sampling Revolution: FreeStand Gets ₹3 Crore to Change the FMCG Game! FreeStand is a B2B marketing platform that is redefining product sampling campaigns for top FMCG companies in India.

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