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Exclusive: Propelld to raise $30 Mn from WestBridge and Stellaris

EntrackrEntrackr · 2m ago
Exclusive: Propelld to raise $30 Mn from WestBridge and Stellaris
Medial

Exclusive: Propelld to raise $30 Mn from WestBridge and Stellaris Propelld, an education-focused lending platform, is set to secure Rs 260 crore (around $30.5 million) in its Series D round led by WestBridge Capital with the participation of Stellaris Venture Partners. Propelld’s board passed a special resolution to allot 20,732 Series D compulsory convertible preference shares (CCPS) at an issue price of Rs 1,25,408 each to raise the aforementioned sum, its regulatory filing accessed from the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. Westbridge Capital will invest Rs 240 crore ($28 million) via Setu AIF Trust, Konark Trust, and MMPL Trust while Stellaris Venture Partners will contribute Rs 20 crore. The investment will be utilized to meet the company’s working capital needs and capital expenditure for business expansion, the filing added. According to Entrackr’s estimates, the company is valued at around Rs 860 crore or $101 million post-allotment. Founded in 2019 by Bibhu Prasad Das, Victor Senapaty, and Brijesh Samantaray, Propelld provides education loan financing through 'Study Now, Pay Later' products and Income Sharing Agreements (ISA) via its NBFC arm. The company also offers collateral-free education financing options. Following the latest fundraise, WestBridge will hold a 46.9% stake in the company while Stellaris Venture Partners will hold a 15.69% stake. Propelld competes with other education loans-focused fintech startups like Leap Finance and Grayquest.

Exclusive: A91 Partners backs Rare Rabbit in new round

EntrackrEntrackr · 5m ago
Exclusive: A91 Partners backs Rare Rabbit in new round
Medial

New-age fashion brand House of Rare (Rare Rabbit) has secured Rs 50 crore (approximately $6 million) from its existing investor, A91 Partners. This fresh funding comes just seven months after its $18 million round. The board at House of Rare has passed a special resolution to allot 23,073 preference shares at an issue price of Rs 21,670 each to raise Rs 50 crore (approximately $6 million), its regulatory filing sourced from the Registrar of Companies shows. In January, the company raised its authorized share capital, citing the need for funds to support expansion and working capital requirements, according to a separate resolution. Following the fresh process, A91 Partners' stake in the company has been increased to 14.17% compared to 9.65% in its previous round. According to Entrackr's estimates, the funding came at a flat valuation of $279 million for the Bengaluru-based company. Rare Rabbit is a premium fashion brand known for its designer clothing for men and women. With a presence in over 100 stores across India, the brand also offers its collections through its online store. Rare Rabbit showcased a 69% revenue growth from Rs 376 crore in FY23 to Rs 636 crore in FY24. Moreover, the company's profits surged over 2X to Rs 74.6 crore in FY24, compared to Rs 32.2 crore in FY23. Rare Rabbit competes with brands like Souled Store, which raised around $30 million and achieved a revenue of Rs 355 crore in FY24. Its other competitors Snitch and WROGN also raised $13 million and $15 million in December 2023 and June respectively.

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.

Exclusive: PhysicsWallah set to raise $150 Mn at $2.8 Bn valuation

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Exclusive: PhysicsWallah set to raise $150 Mn at $2.8 Bn valuation
Medial

While the edtech space has been going through a long spell of the so-called ‘funding winter’, PhysicsWallah (PW) appears close to raising a new large round. Fresh funding will be led by new investors whereas existing investors including Westbridge and GSV Ventures will also participate, three sources aware of the discussion told Entrackr. “PhysicsWallah is set to raise $150 million from new and existing backers,” said one of the sources requesting anonymity. “The terms of the deal have been sealed and the transaction is likely to be public soon.” This will be the second financing round for the Alakh Pandey-led firm in the past two years. PhysicWallah raised $100 million in a Series A round led by Westbridge and GSV Ventures in June 2022. “PhysicsWallah will be valued at around $2.8 billion in the new round,” said another source who also wished not to be named. This will be over a 2.5X jump in the company’s valuation as PhysicsWallah was valued at $1.1 billion in its Series A funding. Queries sent to PhysicsWallah and Westbridge didn’t elicit any immediate response. We will carry their comments in case they respond. According to the startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, WestBridge held a 2.4% stake in PhysicWallah while GSV owned 1.44% as of the Series A round. Its co-founders Alakh Pandey and Prayeek Maheshwari cumulatively command 86.54% of the company. PhysicsWallah started with online coaching for IIT/JEE but has now become a full-fledged education firm, offering offline coaching, schools, colleges, and upskilling programmes. According to sources, about 30% of its revenue comes from JEE and NEET coaching whereas offline coaching (via Vidyapeeth and Pathshala) contributes 35% of the collection. While the company is yet to disclose FY24 numbers, PhysicsWallah’s revenue surged 3.3X to Rs 779 crore in FY23. At the same time, the firm’s profit declined more than 90% to Rs 8.87 crore in FY23. In November last year, the company laid off 120-150 employees as a cost-cutting measure. Entrckr was the first to report the development. As per data compiled by TheKredible, edtech startups raised only $138 million across 21 deals during the first half of 2024. This is a sharp fall from $456 million in 2023, $2.3 billion in 2022, and $5.8 billion in 2021. The funding news is the strongest testament yet to the investor conviction in PhysicsWallah’s long-term strengths. This incredible loyalty and credibility with the student community other edtechs have simply not been able to earn for love or money. The valuation also indicates a relatively long time investors are willing to wait it out for the firm to deliver on its potential and declared ambitions. A funding round in this environment will not just buy PhysicsWallah time, but also provide the gunpowder to scale up at a much lower cost thanks to the emasculated state of the competition.

Exclusive: Mobility unicorn Rapido set to raise $60 Mn from Prosus

EntrackrEntrackr · 9m ago
Exclusive: Mobility unicorn Rapido set to raise $60 Mn from Prosus
Medial

Mobility firm Rapido is set to raise $50-60 million in a mix of primary and secondary capital from Prosus, according to three sources familiar with the deal. This tranche is part of its ongoing $200 million round. “Prosus will acquire a $60 million stake in Rapido. The terms of the deal have been finalized, and it will also enable partial exits for early backers,” said one of the sources, requesting anonymity. Rapido has already secured $120 million in its Series E funding round from WestBridge Capital, through investment vehicles including SETU AIF and Konark. Entrackr had exclusively decoded this tranche in August. “With Prosus’s $60 million, Rapido will conclude its Series E round,” said another source, who also wished to remain anonymous. Sources indicate that the company’s valuation will remain unchanged. According to estimates from startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, Rapido was valued at around $1.02 billion in the initial tranche of the Series E round, funded entirely by WestBridge. Queries sent to Rapido and Prosus didn’t elicit any immediate response. We will update the story in case they do. It’s worth noting that Prosus is the largest stakeholder in food delivery and quick commerce major Swiggy. Swiggy acquired over a 12% stake in Rapido after leading its $180 million funding round in November 2022. Prosus’s interest in Rapido comes at a time when Rapido has surpassed Ola and Uber to become the largest player in the overall ride-hailing space (covering bikes, autos, and cabs), according to Rapido’s internal documents reviewed by Entrackr. Rapido has yet to disclose its FY24 numbers, but the firm’s operating revenue tripled to Rs 443 crore in FY23. This steep growth in scale also led to a 54% increase in losses, reaching Rs 675 crore in FY23.

Exclusive: WestBridge to join Spinny’s ongoing round with $35-40 Mn

EntrackrEntrackr · 1m ago
Exclusive: WestBridge to join Spinny’s ongoing round with $35-40 Mn
Medial

Used car platform Spinny has expanded its ongoing funding round to $170 million with new backing from WestBridge Capital, according to two sources familiar with the matter. “WestBridge has joined the round with $35–40 million in primary capital, which will push the total fundraise to around $170 million,” said one of the sources, requesting anonymity. The investment follows Entrackr’s earlier report from May, which said that Spinny is raising $131 million led by the US-based Accel Leaders Fund. According to the sources, the valuation of the Niraj Singh-led company remained flat at $1.5–1.7 billion. The Gurugram-based firm became a unicorn in July 2021 with a valuation of $1.8 billion. So far, Spinny has raised more than $500 million from investors including Tiger Global, Elevation Capital, General Catalyst, and Fundamentum, among others. In December 2021, the company also roped in cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar as a strategic investor and brand ambassador. The firm enables both the buying and selling of quality used cars through a full-stack retail model. It manages the entire supply chain, including vehicle inspection, refurbishment, documentation, and financing. According to industry estimates, Spinny sells nearly 11,000 cars each month through its retail and B2B auction platforms. Recently, the company also acquired auto media and car content platform Autocar India and kicked off operations of its NBFC which is a fully owned subsidiary of the parent company. For the fiscal year ending March 2024, the firm’s revenue from operations increased to Rs 3,725.02 crore from Rs 3,259.78 crore in FY23. During the same period, its losses decreased by 28% to Rs 590.37 crore. Spinny’s core competitor Cars24 reported a 25% year-on-year increase in revenue in FY24 to Rs 6,917 crore. The SoftBank-backed company posted a net loss of Rs 498 crore and an adjusted EBITDA loss of Rs 318 crore for the same period.

Exclusive: IndiQube takes key step towards IPO, becomes public company

EntrackrEntrackr · 7m ago
Exclusive: IndiQube takes key step towards IPO, becomes public company
Medial

Workspace provider IndiQube has converted itself into a public company. This marks the company’s concrete step towards its planned initial public offering (IPO). The board at IndiQube has approved the resolution to change the company’s status from private to public. Its name has now changed from “Indiqube Space Private Limited” to “Indiqube Spaces Limited”. According to the media reports, the company is looking to raise Rs 1,000-1,500 crore in the IPO which will largely consist of fresh issues of shares. IndiQube provides workspaces to startups, offshore development centers, and large enterprises across India. The company derived 80% of its revenue from rental income. IndiQube has raised around $45 million to date and is valued at around over $200 million in its last round. According to the startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, WestBridge Capital is the largest external stakeholder with 27.67%. Its co-founders Rishi Das and Meghna Agarwal cumulatively hold over 30% of the company. For FY24, the company reported revenue of approximately Rs 840 crore with a net profit of Rs 80 crore. Several co-working startups are preparing to launch their IPOs. Awfis made its debut on the stock market earlier this year, while Smartworks recently secured SEBI’s approval for its proposed IPO. According to media reports, other players like WeWork India, Simpliwork, Table Space, and DevX are also gearing up to go public.

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