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Exclusive: Ixigo-backed FreshBus kicks off Series A round

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Exclusive: Ixigo-backed FreshBus kicks off Series A round
Medial

Ixigo-backed EV bus startup FreshBus has raised Rs 43.7 crore (approximately $5.3 million) in its Series A round. This is the first round of funding for the Bengaluru-based company this year. The board at Fresh Bus has passed a special resolution to issue 2 equity shares and 63,825 CCPS at an issue price of Rs 6,845 each to raise Rs 43.7 crore or $5.3 million, its regulatory filing accessed from the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. Maniv Mobility led the round with Rs 35.68 crore while the remaining sum has been invested by Riverwalk Holdings during the Series A round. The company was in discussions to raise Rs 100 crore in its Series A round. This appears to be an ongoing fundraising and the company is likely to mop up more funds in this round. According to the startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, Fresh Bus has been valued at around $20 million (post-allotment) in this round. The valuation may vary with the further capital injection. FreshBus has raised around $9 million to date including Rs 7.5 crore from Kunal Shah, TVS Motors MD Sudarshan Venu, and Rivigo CEO and founder Deepak Garg in October last year. FreshBus was founded by Sudhakar Reddy Chirra, who earlier built bus aggregator Abhibus which was acquired by ixigo in August 2021 in a cash and stock deal. According to the startup data intelligence platform TheKrediblle, the company was still in pre-revenue stage with a loss of Rs 2.1 crore during the fiscal year ending March 2023. The company is yet to file its annual financial results for FY24.

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ixigo-backed Fresh Bus raises $10.5 Mn in Series A round

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
ixigo-backed Fresh Bus raises $10.5 Mn in Series A round
Medial

All-electric intercity bus startup Fresh Bus has raised Rs 87.5 crore ($10.5 million) in Series A funding round led by international early-stage transportation-focused VC fund Maniv, with participation from Shell Ventures, Alteria Capital, and existing investor Riverwalk Holdings. Last month, Entrackr exclusively reported about Fresh Bus’ new round. Fresh Bus will utilize the new funds to add 15 routes and deploy 150 new electric buses, the firm said in a press release. Besides scaling ops, the funds will also be deployed towards raising technological capabilities, and strengthening its team. Fresh Bus was previously backed by notable industry leaders such as CRED founder Kunal Shah, TVS Motors MD Sudarshan Venu, and Rivigo CEO Deepak Garg. Earlier, the firm also secured Rs 16 crore ($2 million) from public company ixigo. FreshBus, which offers ticketing, real-time tracking of buses, loyalty program, among other services, was founded by Sudhakar Reddy Chirra. Chirra had built bus aggregator Abhibus which was acquired by ixigo in August 2021 in a cash and stock deal. The Bengaluru-based company claims to have ferried over 4 lakh passengers to date. According to Chirra, the firm expects to scale to 1000 electric buses pan-India over the next four years. As per startup data intelligence platform TheKrediblle, FreshBus was a pre-revenue stage firm with a loss of Rs 2.1 crore during FY23. The company is yet to file its annual financial results for FY24. Fresh Bus competes with IntrCity SmartBus, ZingBus, Yolobus, and gogoBus, among several organized travel agencies across regions.

Exclusive: The Whole Truth kicks off Series C with 3.6X valuation surge

EntrackrEntrackr · 7m ago
Exclusive: The Whole Truth kicks off Series C with 3.6X valuation surge
Medial

Exclusive: The Whole Truth kicks off Series C with 3.6X valuation surge Clean-label health food brand The Whole Truth is raising Rs 133.3 crore (approximately $15.8 million) in a series C round led by Sofina Ventures, with the participation of Peak XV and Matrix Partners. The board at The Whole Truth has passed a special resolution to issue 45,097 Series C preference shares at an issue price of Rs 29,556.5 each to raise Rs 133.3 crore or $15.8 million, its regulatory filing accessed from the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. Sofina Ventures is leading the Series C round with an investment of Rs 65.8 crore, while Peak XV and Matrix Partners will contribute Rs 25 crore and Rs 29.5 crore, respectively. Sauce Continued Fund will also participate with an investment of Rs 13 crore. The fresh funds will be used to meet financial requirements and support business expansion. According to Entrackr’s estimates, the Mumbai-based company will have a post-allotment valuation of approximately Rs 2,135 crore ($254 million). This marks a 3.6X increase in valuation compared to its previous Series B round, which closed at $70 million. According to the filings, after the fresh funding round, Peak XV will hold 21.14% of the firm, while Matrix Partners will own 21.4%. Sofina Ventures and Sauce Continuity will hold 3.08% and 3.77%, respectively. The Whole Truth was reportedly in discussions to raise $25 million in a new funding round. The company has secured $15.8 million so far and may raise additional funds as the round progresses. The Whole Truth offers a range of products, including protein bars, peanut butter, dark chocolates, energy bars, immunity balls, and muesli. The company provides subscription options and claims that 80-85% of its sales come from its website, with the remaining revenue generated through partnerships. The Whole Truth recorded an 81% year-on-year growth, with revenue rising to Rs 65.3 crore in FY24 from Rs 35.96 crore in FY23. The company reduced its losses by 33% during the same period.

Exclusive: Shadowfax kicks off Series F round at $712 Mn valuation

EntrackrEntrackr · 8m ago
Exclusive: Shadowfax kicks off Series F round at $712 Mn valuation
Medial

Exclusive: Shadowfax kicks off Series F round at $712 Mn valuation Logistics firm Shadowfax has secured Rs 34.2 crore (around $4 million) in its Series F round. The development has come nearly 11 months after raising $100 million in its last funding round. The board at Shadowfax has passed a special resolution to allot 5773 Series F compulsory cumulative preference shares at an issue price of Rs 59,320 each to raise Rs 34.2 crore or $4 million, its regulatory filing accessed from the Registrar of Companies shows. Mirae Asset invested Rs 17.4 crore, while Nokia Growth Partners contributed Rs 16.79 crore in the round. Shadowfax is reportedly aiming to raise $50 million, with this investment being part of a larger raise. According to Entrackr’s estimates, the Flipkart-backed company has been valued at around Rs 5,981 crore or $712 million post-allotment. The valuation might change with the flow of more funds. Shadowfax provides services to a vast network of customers with industry-leading Turnaround Time (TAT) at competitive prices. It boasts a unique crowdsourcing network comprising 125,000 monthly active delivery partners and 3.5 million registered users. The Bengaluru-based company has raised over $200 million to date. According to the startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, Eight Road Ventures is the largest external stakeholder followed by Flipkart, Newquest Asia and Nokia Growth Partners. Shadowfax reportedly plans to raise Rs 2500-3000 Cr IPO in the second half of the ongoing calendar year and the company also tapped JM Financial, Morgan Stanley and ICICI Securities as the lead bankers for the initial public offering. Shadowfax has reported a 33.2% year-on-year growth to Rs 1,415 crore during the previous fiscal year ended March 2024. Moreover, the company has managed to reduce its losses significantly by 91.7% to Rs 11.8 crore from Rs 142.6 crore in FY23. In terms of competition, Delhivery, a publicly listed company, reported Rs 8,594 crore in revenue for FY24. Ecom Express posted Rs 2,609 crore in revenue for FY24 and has secured board approval for a Rs 2,600 crore IPO. Other key competitors for Shadowfax include XpressBees, Shiprocket, and Blue Dart.

Exclusive: BetterPlace kicks off new round

EntrackrEntrackr · 7m ago
Exclusive: BetterPlace kicks off new round
Medial

Exclusive: BetterPlace, a blue-collar workforce management platform, is raising Rs 31.9 crore ($3.8 million) in its Series D round led by Jungle Ventures. This funding comes over two years after its $64 million Series C round. The board at BetterPlace has passed a resolution to issue 10,574 Series D CCPS at an issue price of Rs 30,174 each to raise Rs 31.9 crore or $2.8 million, its regulatory filing sourced from the Registrar of Companies shows. Jungle Ventures will invest Rs 20.7 crore, while the remaining amount will come from Capria Ventures. This investment is part of BetterPlace's ongoing Series D round, with the firm expected to raise additional funds. The funds will be used for general business operations, as per filings. According to Entrackr estimates, BetterPlace will be valued at approximately $250 million post-allotment, subject to change if further investments are secured. Founded in 2015, BetterPlace offers KYC-based digital employee onboarding, digitized employee records, background verification, skill development training and assessment. According to its website, the firm has provided full-stack workforce management solutions to over 1,000 enterprises, including Amazon, Ola, Uber, Swiggy, and Zomato. BetterPlace has acquired eight companies, including Oust Labs, AasaanJobs, OLX People, Waah Jobs, OkayGo, EzeDox, Troopers, and MyRobin. It competes directly or indirectly with platforms like Apna, GigIndia, and WorkIndia. The company has yet to file its FY24 annual results. In FY23, its revenue from operations stood at Rs 533 crore, while BetterPlace reported a loss of Rs 132 crore during the same period.

Exclusive: Emiza Supply Chain kicks off new funding round

EntrackrEntrackr · 8m ago
Exclusive: Emiza Supply Chain kicks off new funding round
Medial

Exclusive All Stories Exclusive: Emiza Supply Chain kicks off new funding round Emiza will use these proceeds to meet its growth objectives and to strengthen its financial position by generating long-term resources, the filing added. New Update Third-party logistics and warehousing company Emiza Supply Chain Services has raised Rs 50 crore (approximately $6 million), led by Evolvence India, with the participation of Mirabilis Investment. The board at Emiza has passed a special resolution to issue 4,327 compulsory cumulative preference shares at an issue price of Rs 115,569 each to raise Rs 50 crore or $6 million, its regulatory filing accessed from the Registrar of Companies shows. Evolvence India led the round with Rs 45 crore, while Mirabilis Investment Trust contributed Rs 5 crore during the latest funding. The company will use these proceeds to meet its growth objectives and to strengthen its financial position by generating long-term resources, the filing added. Entrackr estimates that the company will be valued at around Rs 370 crore or $44 million post-allotment. This seems to be part of an ongoing round, and the valuation may vary with further infusion. Emiza offers warehousing and fulfillment services for D2C brands, SMEs, and large businesses selling online. With 27 warehouses across 14 cities in India, it manages storage, picking, packing, and labeling, processing 3 lakh B2B orders daily. Emiza has raised over Rs 130 crore (approximately $16 million) to date, including Rs 37.5 crore (nearly $5 million) led by JM Financial Private Equity in 2022. Before the current investment, Mayfield was the largest external stakeholder with 26.42%, followed by JM Financial. The company has recorded 40% year-on-year growth to Rs 102 crore during the fiscal year ended March 2024. However, the profits for the firm dwindled to Rs 2.6 crore in FY24, compared to Rs 4.98 crore in FY23.

Celebal Tech kicks off Series B round with 2X valuation jump

EntrackrEntrackr · 4m ago
Celebal Tech kicks off Series B round with 2X valuation jump
Medial

Celebal Technologies, an IT Service provider, is set to raise Rs 125 crore (around $14.7 million) in its Series B round led by InCred Growth Partners Fund with the participation of existing backer Norwest Venture Partners. In June last year, Celebal Tech raised Rs 80 crore in debt from BlackSoil, following its $32 million Series A funding round in November 2022. According to regulatory filings accessed from the Registrar of Companies (RoC), Celebal Technologies’ board has approved a resolution to issue 1,04,000 Series B CCPS at an issue price of Rs 12,019 each to raise the sum. InCred Growth Partners Fund will lead the round with an investment of Rs 80 crore ($9.4 million), while Norwest Venture Partners will contribute Rs 45 crore ($5.3 million) to increase its stake in the company. The filing further mentioned that the proceeds from this round will be used to expand the company’s business operations, meet working capital needs, and support general corporate purposes. Founded in 2015, Celebal Technologies is a software services firm focused on digital transformation using generative AI, machine learning, cloud integration, and app modernization. It serves clients across the USA, India, APAC, UAE, Europe, and Canada. Following the allotment of this round, the Jaipur-based company’s valuation nearly doubled to Rs 1,795 crore or $211 million, as per Entrackr’s estimates. According to startup data platform TheKredible, Norwest Venture Partners will hold the largest external stake in the company at 28.83%, while new investor InCred will hold a 4.46% stake. In the fiscal year ended March 2024, Celebal Tech reported 43% year-on-year growth in operating revenue to Rs 275 crore. However, its losses ballooned to Rs 60 crore from Rs 1.3 crore. Notably, the Norwest Ventures-backed firm was profitable in FY22, posting a Rs 21.6 crore profit.

Phi Commerce kicks off Series B at over $150 Mn valuation

EntrackrEntrackr · 5m ago
Phi Commerce kicks off Series B at over $150 Mn valuation
Medial

Omnichannel payment solutions provider Phi Commerce is set to raise Rs 42.74 crore (approximately $5 million) through a rights issue from its existing investors, likely including BEENEXT and Opus Technologies. The board at Phi Commerce has passed a special resolution to issue 69,840 Series B compulsory convertible shares at an issue price of Rs 6,120 each to raise Rs 42.74 crore or $5 million. According to the filings, Phi Commerce plans to utilize the fresh capital for general corporate purposes. Entrackr estimates that the company’s valuation rose over 2X to Rs 1,310 crore or $154 million, compared to Rs 592 crore in its previous Series A1 round. Phi Commerce is a digital payment solutions provider offering a unified omnichannel payments platform for businesses, banks, and networks. Its flagship product, PayPhi, simplifies complex digital transactions across online, in-store, on-the-go, and doorstep channels. Phi Commerce has raised $14 million to date, including a $10 million Series A1 round led by BEENEXT and Opus Technologies in November 2023. As per the startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, prior to this round, Opus Technologies was the largest external shareholder holding a 25.91% stake, followed by BEENEXT, which commands 23.61% capital in the company. While Phi Commerce has yet to file its financial statements for FY25, the Pune-based company recorded a 2.3X surge in operating revenue to Rs 81.7 crore in FY24 from Rs 35.7 crore in FY23. The Beenext-backed firm recorded a loss of Rs 29 crore during the same period. In the payments space, Phi Commerce competes with major players such as Razorpay, which reported a revenue of Rs 2,500 crore in FY24, and Pine Labs, which posted Rs 1,384 crore in the same period, along with Cashfree and several other emerging fintechs.

Exclusive: Bare Anatomy parent Innovist kicks off Series B round

EntrackrEntrackr · 6m ago
Exclusive: Bare Anatomy parent Innovist kicks off Series B round
Medial

Innovist, the parent company of Bare Anatomy, Chemist at Play, and Sunscoop, is raising Rs 49.25 crore (approximately $5.7 million) in its Series B round. This marks the first round of investment for the Gurugram-based company in 2025. The board at Innovist has passed a special resolution to issue 72,223 Series B compulsory convertible preference shares at an issue price of Rs 6,819 each, raising Rs 49.25 crore, according to its regulatory filing accessed from the Registrar of Companies (RoC). IVen Amplifi Fund (managed by ICICI Ventures Fund) will lead the round with Rs 19.47 crore, while Mirabilis Investment Trust will contribute Rs 10.1 crore. Sauce.VC and Niveshaay Sambhav Fund will also participate, investing Rs 8.75 crore and Rs 10 crore, respectively. The fresh proceeds will be utilized for recruitment, operations, sales, marketing, and other general corporate purposes, as decided by the board. According to Entrackr estimates, the company will be valued at approximately $140 million post-allotment. This capital infusion appears to be part of a larger funding round, with the potential for additional investments that could further impact its valuation. Founded in 2018 by Rohit Chawla, Sifat Khurana, and Vimal Bhola, Innovist—formerly known as Onesto Labs—offers personal care products. It currently operates three brands: Bare Anatomy, Chemist at Play, and Sunscoop. Innovist has raised over $16 million to date, including a $7 million Series A round led by the Amazon Smbhav Venture Fund. According to the startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, prior to this round, Sauce.VC was the largest external stakeholder, followed by 72 Ventures, Accel India, and the Amazon Smbhav Fund. The company has not yet filed its annual statements for the previous fiscal year (FY24). In FY23, it reported operational revenue of Rs 36.53 crore, while its losses amounted to Rs 16.87 crore during the same period.

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