Unacademy Promotes Abhishek Pipara, Coldplay Concert Controversy, Tiger Global Eyes Stake In Zepto and more

Three Flipkart sellers take legal action against the CCI, echoing Amazon’s woes, while Unacademy promotes Abhishek Pipara to CFO of its offline business. Swiggy’s shareholding dynamics come under the spotlight, even as it grapples with a hefty INR 327 Cr GST demand and child labor allegations. Meanwhile, the Coldplay concert controversy has the Mumbai Police summoning BookMyShow's CEO over black market ticket claims.

Amidst this, Tiger Global is eyeing a stake in quick commerce player Zepto, and Ola Electric is revamping its after-sales service for quicker repairs. Lastly, Paytm's founder reflects on his IPO banker choices as the industry navigates these challenges and opportunities.

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

What Matters

“Waqt Rehte Sudharna Tha”: After Amazon, Three Flipkart Sellers Sue CCI

Three major Flipkart sellers—CIGFIL Retail, Wishery Online, and Xonique Ventures—have filed petitions challenging a CCI report that found them guilty of violating competition laws. This comes on the heels of former Amazon seller Appario taking similar action, seeking to dismiss the CCI probe into Amazon.

With the CCI tightening scrutiny on e-commerce giants and their partners, the legal landscape for online marketplaces in India appears increasingly fraught.

Read more here

“Badhai Ho Badhai”: Unacademy Elevates Abhishek Pipara As CFO Of Its Offline Centres Business

Unacademy has promoted long-time team member Abhishek Pipara to CFO of its offline Centres business, marking a significant move in the edtech's expansion strategy.

With over six and a half years at Unacademy, Pipara's experience as a Chartered Accountant and Company Secretary will now guide the financial future of its brick-and-mortar initiatives. This shift highlights Unacademy's growing focus on blending online and offline education.

Read more here

“Raaz Ki Baat Hai”: A Look At Swiggy’s Shareholding Pattern & Top Guns

Swiggy's Draft Red Herring Prospectus reveals its shareholding structure, offering a glimpse into the stakes of its key players. OFI Global China Fund holds 1.78%, Alpha Wave Ventures 1.21%, and INQ Holding leads with 2.95%.

Among the cofounders, Sriharsha Majety holds the largest stake at 6.23%, followed by Lakshmi Nandan Reddy Obul at 1.76% and Rahul Jaimini with 1.14%, showcasing the startup's tightly-knit ownership.

Read more here

“Viva La Vida”: Coldplay Row As Mumbai Police Summons BookMyShow CEO Over Alleged Black Marketing Of Tickets

Mumbai Police has summoned BookMyShow’s CEO following a complaint alleging the platform enabled black market ticket sales for Coldplay's 2025 concert.

Advocate Amit Vyas accused the company of involvement, but BookMyShow has denied any connection to resale platforms like Viagogo and Gigsberg. Just days earlier, the ticketing giant had filed its own complaint regarding illegal resales, adding a twist to the controversy.

Read more here

“Janmo Ke Saathi”: Amid Quick Commerce Boom, Tiger Global Looking For A Stake In Zepto

Amid the quick commerce boom, Tiger Global is eyeing a stake in Zepto, reportedly conducting due diligence at the startup's dark stores in Bengaluru. The investment giant's visits hint at serious interest in Zepto’s operational strengths.

Meanwhile, Zepto has begun discussions with merchant bankers, aiming for an IPO by August 2025, adding to the excitement in the fast-growing sector.

Read more here

“Jung Ki Tayyari”: IPO-Bound Swiggy Facing INR 327 Cr GST Demand, Allegations Of Employing Child Labor

As Swiggy gears up for its IPO, it’s grappling with a hefty INR 327 Cr GST demand from DGGI, Pune, over alleged unpaid taxes on delivery fees. Adding to the pressure, CEO Sriharsha Majety was previously served a notice regarding allegations of employing child labor.

Despite these challenges, Swiggy’s IPO plans remain on track, with a fresh share issuance of up to INR 3,750 Cr and an additional offer for sale.

Read more here

“Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin”: Ola Electric Revamps After-Sales Service Model, To Offer One-Day Service

Ola Electric is overhauling its after-sales service, promising one-day repairs as part of its revamped model. CEO Bhavish Aggarwal announced plans to train 1 Lakh third-party mechanics under the “Network Partner Program” and introduce AI-driven proactive maintenance with MoveOS 5 in October.

This comes shortly after an Ola showroom fire incident in Karnataka, sparked by customer dissatisfaction over service.

Read more here

“Breakdown Horeya Si Menu”: Paytm Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma Laments His Choice Of Investment Bankers For IPO

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma recently expressed regret over his choice of investment bankers for the company’s IPO, pointing to missed opportunities for broader wealth creation. He contrasted Paytm's limited returns with Infosys' widespread success, highlighting the disparity.

With Paytm’s shares having plunged over 65% since their IPO issue price of INR 1,950, Sharma’s reflections come amid ongoing market challenges for the fintech giant.

Read more here

1. Vedantu has raised INR 19.25 Cr through a mix of debt and equity financing from Stride Ventures, with INR 17.5 Cr in debt and INR 1.75 Cr in equity. The edtech's revenue dipped 8% in FY23, reaching INR 152.5 Cr.

   Read more here

2. Astrotalk's profit surged over threefold to INR 94 Cr in FY24, up from INR 27 Cr the previous year, while revenue more than doubled to INR 659 Cr, marking a 133.6% increase. The Delhi NCR-based astrology platform continues to capitalize on the growing interest in online fortune-telling services.

   Read more here

3. Ten-year-old Josh Talks reported a revenue of Rs 19 Cr in FY24, primarily driven by partnerships, sponsorships, and events, while successfully cutting losses by 25%. The platform also generated an additional Rs 65 lakhs from interest on fixed deposits and income tax refunds, boosting its total income to Rs 19.37 Cr.

   Read more here