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Exclusive: Apollo Tyres shuts down car service platform Trumigo within 6 months

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Exclusive: Apollo Tyres shuts down car service platform Trumigo within 6 months
Medial

Multinational tyre manufacturing company Apollo Tyres has shut down its doorstep car service initiative, Trumigo, sources told Entrackr. Significantly, the platform has discontinued its services within six months of its launch. As per sources, the company failed to find traction and compete with other alternatives available in the market. “Trumigo has laid off nearly 100 employees (including 75 ground staff) in the process. It did not provide severance pay to the entire ground staff and several full time employees,” said a source on the condition of anonymity. Launched in February, Trumigo used to provide car maintenance services directly to a customer’s doorstep. Initially, it was launched for Gurugram with plans to expand to cover the entire Delhi (NCR) region. Trumigo’s website isn’t working for a while, point out sources. It has also been throwing error messages for the past three days. Several former employees also hinted at financial irregularities in the company which are currently being audited. Entrackr couldn’t verify these claims independently. Queries sent to Trumigo’s chief executive, head of product, CHRO and Apollo Tyres’ group head did not elicit any response until the publication of the story. We’ll update the post as and when they respond. Trumigo is the second company from the car servicing space to go down after GoMechanic which also had gone through a forensic audit. After establishment of financial irregularities and inflated revenue, several investors including Peak XV wrote off their investment in the firm. GoMechanic was eventually acquired by Lifelong Group’s Servizzy in a distress sale. GoMechanic, which was once seeking a billion dollar valuation, recently raised $6 million from a group of investors at a valuation of $20 million.

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Exclusive: Amazon shuts down refurbished platform Renewed

EntrackrEntrackr · 8m ago
Exclusive: Amazon shuts down refurbished platform Renewed
Medial

Exclusive: Amazon shuts down refurbished platform Renewed Amazon has decided to shut down its refurbished platform, Renewed, citing increasing challenges. The e-commerce giant has informed sellers of the immediate discontinuation of the service via email. Entrackr has reviewed the copy of the email. “We have made the decision to discontinue selling external refurbished products on Renewed due to high returns/rejects and the Contacts per unit impacting customer experience. Please stop inbounding any inventory to FCs and scheduling pickups from your SF location starting 7th March 2025. We understand this may be disappointing and would like to thank you for your partnership,” Amazon said in a note to sellers. Launched in 2017, Amazon Renewed is a platform where customers can buy refurbished, pre-owned, and open-box products that have been thoroughly inspected and tested to ensure they function and look like new. It offers a variety of items, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, cameras, and home appliances. Meanwhile, Newjaisa, a publicly listed company that used to sell on Amazon, has written to the NSE stating that the shutdown will impact them in the short term. However, Newjaisa is actively collaborating with other retailers to mitigate the effects. According to sources, over 50% of Newjaisa’s revenue came from Amazon Renewed. Entrackr has reached out to Amazon for comments. Amazon Renewed was a direct competitor to Yaantra, which was acquired by its arch-rival Flipkart for an undisclosed sum in January 2022. It’s worth noting that Amazon has also tied up and invested in Cashify, a prominent Indian re-commerce platform specializing in the buying and selling of used electronic devices. With the shutdown of Amazon Renewed, the refurbished space is left with these two prominent players.

Exclusive: Kavin Mittal’s Hike shuts down operations completely

EntrackrEntrackr · 2m ago
Exclusive: Kavin Mittal’s Hike shuts down operations completely
Medial

Exclusive: Kavin Mittal’s Hike shuts down operations completely After 13 years of operations, Hike is shutting down completely, including its US business, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Kavin Mittal informed investors in an email on Saturday. Mittal said the decision follows the recent ban on real money gaming (RMG) in India, which shortened the company’s runway from seven months to just four months. “After much reflection and speaking with a few of you, I’ve decided to wind down Hike operations completely, including the US,” he wrote. Entrackr has reviewed the copy of the email. Soon after the RMG ban in India, Mittal had announced that the company would exit the country to focus on the United States and other global markets such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. However, the decision to shut down entirely has come as an unexpected move for the gaming industry. The company, which started as Hike Messenger and pivoted to Rush, scaled to 10 million users and generated $500 million in gross revenue in four years. Despite the growth, Mittal said the challenges of taxes, regulation battles, and the India ban made continuation unviable. “Is it worth it? For the first time in 13 years of building Hike, my answer is no,” he said, adding that the company may have been too early for its vision of building a gaming nation, while also pointing to better opportunities in AI and other frontier technologies. According to Mittal, Hike has around $4 million left on its balance sheet, which will be used to settle vendor costs and employee severance. Any leftover funds will be returned to investors. Mittal acknowledged the fatigue within the broader team after years of pivots and regulatory hurdles. “RMG was never the destination. It was a means to prove unit economics and unlock the bigger vision. But we got locked into the Indian market in a tax/regulation battle,” he said. Reflecting on the journey, Mittal noted milestones such as Hike Messenger reaching 40 million MAUs and becoming one of India’s most loved consumer brands. He described the shutdown as a disappointment but emphasized the learnings as “invaluable.” Looking ahead, Mittal said he plans to focus on new frontiers like AI, energy, and personal growth. “This chapter ends, but the climb continues,” he wrote, assuring investors that Hike will be closed responsibly.

Exclusive: BharatAgri shuts down operations amid funding crunch

EntrackrEntrackr · 8d ago
Exclusive: BharatAgri shuts down operations amid funding crunch
Medial

**Exclusive: BharatAgri shuts down operations amid funding crunch** Agritech startup BharatAgri has shut down operations after failing to secure new funding and sustain its business amid mounting losses, Entrackr has learned from multiple sources. “Most of the team was let go, and operations have been winding down over the past few weeks,” said one of the sources requesting anonymity. “The company had been struggling to raise new capital for several months, and the management had no option but to gradually scale down operations.” Founded in 2017 by Siddharth Dialani and Sai Gole, BharatAgri offered AI-led farm advisory and agri-input e-commerce services to small and mid-sized farmers across India. Despite early traction and over a million registered users, the company struggled to achieve operating profitability. According to the company’s FY24 filings with the Registrar of Companies, BharatAgri’s operating revenue stood at Rs 5.37 crore, a marginal decline from Rs 5.65 crore in FY23. Losses, however, widened to Rs 22.04 crore in FY24 from Rs 17.89 crore a year earlier. Its total expenses rose to nearly Rs 27 crore, largely steered by employee costs and marketing spends. BharatAgri had raised around $6.5 million in September 2021 and another $6 million in extended Series A funding in October 2023 from Arkam Ventures, with participation from existing investors India Quotient and Omnivore. However, the company was unable to close its next round amid a slowdown in agri-focused investments. According to sources, the firm couldn’t grow much despite early traction. “BharatAgri’s growth slowed down over the past year. High customer acquisition costs and low repeat orders made it difficult to keep the business running,” said the second source, who also requested anonymity. The development comes at a time when India’s agritech sector is going through one of its toughest fundraising phases in recent years. As per data compiled by Entrackr, agritech funding, which peaked in 2022, has seen a sharp decline since then. Indian agritech startups raised $802 million in 2022, but funding plunged 78% to $178 million in 2023 and fell further to $96 million in the first half of 2025. BharatAgri will join the likes of Fraazo, Otipy, Deep Rooted, and ReshaMandi that shut operations even after securing substantial funding. The shutdown reflects the broader pressure on agritech startups that have struggled to demonstrate consistent margins despite growing farmer adoption. Investors have increasingly shifted focus toward downstream agri-supply chains and B2B input distribution models.

Exclusive: Flipkart shuts down ANS Commerce

EntrackrEntrackr · 8m ago
Exclusive: Flipkart shuts down ANS Commerce
Medial

url: https://entrackr.com/exclusive/exclusive-flipkart-shuts-down-ans-commerce-8765612 Content: Flipkart has decided to shut down ANS Commerce, its full-stack e-commerce enabler, three years after acquiring the Gurugram-based company, sources familiar with the matter told Entrackr. "Flipkart has decided to shut down ANS Commerce and has also laid off several employees associated with it," said a source familiar with the matter, requesting anonymity. Confirming the development to Entrackr, a Flipkart spokesperson said, “'After careful consideration, ANS Commerce, a full-stack e-commerce enabler that was acquired by Flipkart in 2022, has decided to close its operations. As we wind down operations, we stay committed to ensuring a smooth transition for all stakeholders, including employees and customers.” “To minimize the impact on employees during this transition, we plan to offer internal opportunities at Flipkart, outplacement services, and severance packages,’ the spokesperson added. Founded by Amit Monga, Vibhor Sahare, Sushant Puri, and Nakul Singh, ANS Commerce is a full-stack e-commerce enabler offering services such as store tech, performance marketing, marketplace management, e-commerce warehousing, and fulfillment. It collaborates with over 100 brands, including Jack & Jones, Vero Moda, HUL, Piramal, Lakme, Nivea, Oziva, CEAT, and Bikanervala. The firm raised $2.2 million in its pre-Series A round, led by Gokul Rajaram and Venture Catalysts in October 2021. According to sources, ANS Commerce was acquired in a deal worth Rs 250-300 crore ($35-40 million) three years ago. During FY24, ANS Commerce recorded a 39.4% increase in operating revenue to Rs 54 crore, compared to Rs 39 crore in FY23. However, the company's net loss widened by 27.1% to Rs 73.8 crore in FY24 from Rs 57.8 crore in the previous year.

Exclusive: Spinny set to acquire GoMechanic after its turnaround

EntrackrEntrackr · 13d ago
Exclusive: Spinny set to acquire GoMechanic after its turnaround
Medial

Exclusive: Spinny set to acquire GoMechanic after its turnaround Spinny is set to acquire car servicing platform GoMechanic from the consortium that currently owns and operates it, according to two sources aware of the discussions. This will be one of the notable consolidations in the used-car and auto services segment in the past few years. This will be the Accel-backed firm’s fourth acquisition after Truebil, Scouto and Autocar-operator Haymarket’s automotive titles in India. “The terms of the deal have been finalised, and it is expected to close by the end of this month,” said one of the sources requesting anonymity. “Discussions have been underway for the past two months, and Spinny issued the term sheet in the last week of October.” Sources indicated that the deal would primarily be a cash transaction. Entrackr could not ascertain the deal size. The deal will pave Spinny’s entry into the largely unorganised vehicle service and maintenance space. “It’s a natural extension for Spinny and a way to engage and monetise customers even after selling cars through the platform,” said the source quoted above. GoMechanic is owned and operated by a consortium including Hero Group, Lifelong Group, Stride Ventures, and others. It runs a garage network across 150 cities in India, partnering with independent workshops to provide standardized car services with e-booking and transparent pricing. It’s worth noting that GoMechanic was embroiled in corporate governance issues, including financial irregularities, which led to its acquisition by a consortium led by Lifelong Group in May 2023. In November 2023, the company raised $6 million at a $20 million valuation, followed by a $9 million tranche last month from Hero Enterprises and others, according to its regulatory filings with the Registrar of Companies (RoC). After the takeover, the consortium replaced GoMechanic’s founding team, restructured operations, and rebuilt the company into a scaled car service platform. Sources added that GoMechanic has turned around its business in the past two years. “The firm currently clocks an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of around Rs 350 crore and is near break-even,” said the second source. The episode shows that sound governance and disciplined execution are crucial to stabilizing a business, proving that with the right leadership and focus, even struggling startups can recover. According to TheKredible, the Gurugram-based startup reported revenue of Rs 4,657 crore in FY25, reducing its losses by 28% compared to the previous year. In March, Spinny acquired Haymarket SAC’s automotive publications in India. The Niraj Singh-led company had earlier taken over connected car startup Scouto in February 2022 and used-car platform Truebil in August 2020. With Autocar and GoMechanic now under its fold, Spinny appears to have integrated the entire value chain from content and discovery to transaction and ownership. This move positions the company to cover the entire car ownership journey through one platform.

Exclusive: BeepKart Fires 130 Employees In 5 Months To Cut Costs, Halves Store Count

Inc42Inc42 · 1y ago
Exclusive: BeepKart Fires 130 Employees In 5 Months To Cut Costs, Halves Store Count
Medial

1. BeepKart recently conducted three rounds of layoffs, resulting in the termination of approximately 60-70 employees last month. 2. The startup has been actively cutting costs and closed down six stores out of its total of 11 located in Bengaluru and Chennai within the past five months. 3. BeepKart offers a comprehensive platform for users to purchase and sell pre-owned motorcycles online, and counts Vertex Ventures and Stellaris Venture Partners among its backers. 4. The recent layoffs were part of the company's ongoing efforts to control expenses and streamline operations. 5. BeepKart's full-stack model enables a seamless experience for customers looking to buy or sell used two-wheelers. 6. The closure of six stores suggests a strategic shift towards focusing more on online sales rather than maintaining physical storefronts.

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