News on Medial

Exclusive: Peak XV-backed Jupiter expands ESOP pool

EntrackrEntrackr · 11m ago
Exclusive: Peak XV-backed Jupiter expands ESOP pool
Medial

Neobanking platform Jupiter has expanded its employee stock option plan (ESOP) pool by Rs 40 crore (nearly $5 million). With this, the firm has joined a host of growth and late-stage companies which have expanded their ESOP pool in the ongoing calendar year. Jupiter has approved the issuance of 21,665 ESOP options to the “Jupiter Employee Welfare Trust, its regulatory filing accessed from the Registar of Companies (RoC) shows. Each equity share is priced at Rs 18,826.29, including premium, making the total ESOP worth Rs 40.7 crore. In March 2022, Jupiter had its last ESOP buyback worth $4 million for 21 employees. According to the filing, Jupiter’s total ESOP pool formed 7.89% of the total share capital. The development comes at a time when Jupiter is expanding its product portfolio and it recently received wallet licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The firm also scooped up strategic funding from its existing investor for its non-banking financial (NBFC) business Amica Finance. Entrackr had exclusively reported the development in June. Jupiter was last valued at around $710 million during a $86 million Series C round in December 2021. It has raised over $160 million to date from QED Investors, Peak XV and Matrix Partners among others. As per startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, Jupiter achieved a total revenue of Rs 56 crore but reported a loss of Rs 327 crore in FY23. Jupiter competes with the likes of Niyo, Slice, and Fi among others.

Related News

Exclusive: Bluestone expands ESOP pool, COO Sudeep Nagar receives $11 Mn worth grant

EntrackrEntrackr · 21d ago
Exclusive: Bluestone expands ESOP pool, COO Sudeep Nagar receives $11 Mn worth grant
Medial

Exclusive: Bluestone expands ESOP pool, COO Sudeep Nagar receives $11 Mn worth grant Omnichannel jewellery retailer Bluestone has expanded its existing ESOP plan to $80 million by adding additional employee stock options for its employees. The board at Bluestone has passed a resolution for approval to add 42,43,312 employee stock options to its existing plan, bringing the total ESOP pool to 1,17,27,642 options, its regulatory filing accessed through the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. According to Entrackr’s estimates, the newly added ESOPs are worth around Rs 245 crore or around $29 million. Out of the newly added stock options, Rs 92.6 crore ($11 million) will be granted to the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Sudeep Nagar. This addition brings the total value of Bluestone’s ESOP pool to Rs 678 crore or around $80 million. Notably, these valuations are based on the company's last funding round, where it raised around Rs 900 crore pre-IPO round led by Prosus, out of which Rs 300 crore is secondary. Ahead of Bluestone’s IPO, Global consumer internet group Prosus values the company at $950 million, just shy of unicorn status ahead of its IPO. Prosus has valued its stake in BlueStone at $42 million, as per its latest annual report. The stake, held through its fund MIH Investments One B.V., represents a 4.43% ownership in the jewellery brand. As per ET report, Bluestone is all set to join the unicorn status with secondary transactions worth Rs 300-350 crore by private wealth management arms of 360 One and Centrum Wealth. This will value the company at $1.2 billion. In December 2024, Bluestone filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with SEBI for an IPO, comprising a fresh issue of equity shares worth up to Rs 1,000 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of up to 2.398 crore shares, allowing a full exit for Samma Capital, IvyCap Ventures, and Kalaari Capital. Founded in 2011, omnichannel jewellery brand BlueStone offers high-value gold and diamond jewellery, including rings, pendants, chains, and earrings, through its retail stores and online platform. As per its DRHP, the company operates over 203 stores across 86 cities. BlueStone has raised around $262 million across multiple funding rounds from investors such as Accel, Prosus, Peak XV Partners, 360 One, Kalaari Capital, and others, according to startup data intelligence platform TheKredible. In FY24, BlueStone’s revenue grew 64% year-on-year to Rs 1,266 crore, up from Rs 771 crore in FY23. The company also trimmed its losses by 15% during the same period, bringing them down to Rs 142 crore.

Exclusive: Curefoods gets Landmark Group backing, expands ESOP pool

EntrackrEntrackr · 4m ago
Exclusive: Curefoods gets Landmark Group backing, expands ESOP pool
Medial

Exclusive: Curefoods gets Landmark Group backing, expands ESOP pool Cloud kitchen startup Curefoods is raising Rs 37 crore (around $4.4 million) from Landmark Group. The funding comes just a month after Curefoods acquired Krispy Kreme’s South and West India operations from the same group. The board at Curefoods has passed a special resolution to issue 3,458 compulsory convertible preference shares at an issue price of Rs 1,07,526 each to raise Rs 37 crore, its regulatory filing accessed from the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. The Landmark Group is reportedly to invest an undisclosed amount in Curefood in its $40 million round of fundraising. After the latest funding, Landmark Group will retain a 0.96% stake in the company, which could increase with additional investments. Entrackr estimates the firm's post-allotment valuation at around $460 million. Curefoods has also increased its ESOP pool size by adding fresh 10,613 employee stock options worth Rs 114 crore or $13.5 million, the separate resolution shows. According to Entrackr’s estimates, Curefood’s total ESOP plan is now valued at approximately Rs 213 crore or 25 million, encompassing 19,842 employee stock options. Launched in 2020, Curefoods operates brands like EatFit, Yumlane, Aligarh House Biryani, Masalabox, and CakeZone. It has over 100 kitchens in over 200 locations across 15 cities serviced by a backend operation of over 7 food factories, and 150 multi-brand cloud kitchens. The company also acquired two brands – YumLane Pizza and Millet Express in 2023. Curefoods grew at a rapid clip with a 53% year-on-year growth in its revenue to Rs 585 crore in FY24 from Rs 382 crore in FY23. According to its annual report, the sharp decline in advertising costs helped Curefoods to control its losses by 50% to Rs 172.6 crore in the same period.

Exclusive: Lightspeed backs EkAnek’s Foxy almost after four years

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Exclusive: Lightspeed backs EkAnek’s Foxy almost after four years
Medial

Foxy, an online store that offers a wide range of beauty, grooming, and cosmetic products, has raised Rs 21.6 crore from existing investor Lightspeed India Partners. This is the first round of investment for the Delhi-based company since September 2020. Foxy’s parent EkAnek has passed a special resolution to issue 31,638 preference shares at an issue price of Rs 6827.24 each to raise Rs 21.6 crore or $2.6 million, its regulatory filing accessed from the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. The company will use these proceeds for expansion, growth, and general corporate purposes as decided by its board. The round appears to be an ongoing one and Foxy is likely to raise more capital in coming weeks. According to filings, Foxy also increased its ESOP pool by 7,520 stock options which took its total ESOP pool from 22,137 to 28,627 options. As per TheKredible’s estimate, the total pool size is worth around Rs 20 crore or $2.4 million and the company has been valued at around Rs 190 crore or $23 million post-money in the fresh round. Ekanek has raised $21 million to date including a $5.4 million in an extended Series A round led by Alpha Wave and AWI in September 2020. According to startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, Lightspeed India Partners is the largest external stakeholder with 22.4% followed by Peak XV, Alpha Wave, and Matrix Partners. EkAnek’s brand Foxy is a marketplace for beauty, grooming, and cosmetics products. Some notable brands on the platform include Mamaearth, Aqualogica, TheDerma, Garnier, B Blunt, and others. As per a Mint report, Foxy is shifting its focus to offer consultative services, including skincare advice to customers and its existing backers including Peak XV are expected to pump in $10 million in new round. Foxy’s revenue from operations grew 3.8X to Rs 36 crore while its losses stood at Rs 28 crore during the fiscal year ended March 2023. The company is yet to file its financial statements for FY24. Foxy’s early competitor SimSim was acquired by YouTube in July 2021 which shuttered operations in March 2023. Its another competitor BulBul consolidated with The Good Glamm Group.

Download the medial app to read full posts, comements and news.