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Exclusive: Lenskart set to acquire location AI startup GeoIQ

EntrackrEntrackr · 1m ago
Exclusive: Lenskart set to acquire location AI startup GeoIQ
Medial

Exclusive: Lenskart set to acquire location AI startup GeoIQ Omnichannel eyewear retailer Lenskart is all set to acquire location artificial intelligence startup GeoIQ, sources aware of the development told Entrackr. “The deal is nearing completion, with Lenskart set to acquire a majority stake in GeoIQ,” said a source familiar with the matter. “Most of the existing investors are expected to exit as part of the transaction.” Lenskart, which had previously invested in GeoIQ, spearheaded a $2.25 million funding round in May 2022, joined by 9Unicorns (now 100Unicorns) and Ecosystem Ventures. In November 2020, the startup secured Rs 2.5 crore in funding from investors including 9Unicorns, Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), Kayenne, and LetsVenture, among others. Founded by Devashish Fuloria, Tushneet Shrivastava, and Ankita Thakur, GeoIQ utilizes proprietary algorithms to layer government data with other trusted public sources and satellite imagery into generating 100m x 100m geospatial grids. The startup specializes in providing businesses with actionable consumer insights to tap into offline demand and facilitate faster expansion. It already works with well-known brands like Lenskart, Zepto, Navi, HUL, Caratlane, GIVA, Swiggy, Licious, and CultFit. According to startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, GeoIQ is currently valued at around Rs 90 crore (over $10 million). Lenskart is the largest stakeholder in the company with a 17.11% stake while all three co-founders hold 16.57% each. For the fiscal year ending in March 2024, GeoIQ reported an operating revenue of Rs 6.7 crore against Rs 7.1 crore in FY23. Its net loss widened to Rs 6.1 crore from Rs 4.2 crore year-on-year. “The terms of the deal have been sealed, with GeoIQ expected to be valued anywhere between $15–20 million,” said the person quoted at the beginning of the story. This marks Lenskart’s second acquisition in the last two years. In October 2023, the Peyush Bansal-led company acquired TangoEye, an AI-driven computer vision startup in which it was already an investor. In June 2022, it bought a majority stake in Japan’s Owndays. Three months later, Lenskart’s subsidiary Neso Brands also acquired a minority stake in Paris-based omnichannel eyewear brand Le Petit Lunetier. The development comes as Lenskart gears up for its initial public offering (IPO) as it aims to raise $1 billion at a valuation of $10 billion. Last week, the company also transitioned its holding entity from a private limited to a public limited company. The move was exclusively reported by Entrackr.

Binny Bansal’s Three State Ventures invests $25 Mn in Curefoods

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Binny Bansal’s Three State Ventures invests $25 Mn in Curefoods
Medial

Cloud kitchen startup Curefoods has raised an additional capital of $25 million in its Series D round from Three State Ventures, a fund launched by Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal. The company raised $36 million in the first tranche of Series D and is now valued at $375 million, according to Curefoods founder and CEO Ankit Nagori. As per data intelligence platform TheKredible, it has raised more than $190 million to date. Bansal made the investment by buying out Cultfit’s remaining stake in the cloud-kitchen platform and from some angel investors, according to an ET report. Four-year-old 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. Also Read: Decoding the financial health of leading cloud kitchen startups Besides fundraising, the company also acquired two brands – YumLane Pizza and Millet Express in 2023. Curefoods competes with Rebel Foods and Box8, FreshMenu, and a host of independent brands such as Biryani Blues and Biryani by Kilo. Among the cloud kitchen brands, Curefoods is the second largest brand in terms of revenue after Rebel Foods. While Rebel Foods’ revenue from operations grew 39.2% to Rs 1,195 crore in FY23, Curefoods reported Rs 384 crore in revenue followed by EatClub with revenues exceeding Rs 300 crore in the same period. Biryani By Kilo also claims a revenue of around Rs 300 crore in the last fiscal year.

Exclusive: Lenskart sets stage for IPO with public entity conversion

EntrackrEntrackr · 1m ago
Exclusive: Lenskart sets stage for IPO with public entity conversion
Medial

Exclusive: Lenskart sets stage for IPO with public entity conversion Lenskart's board has passed a special resolution to change its parent company’s name from Lenskart Solutions Private Limited to Lenskart Solutions Limited, according to the company's filings. It looks like omnichannel eyewear retailer Lenskart’s draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) is around the corner, as the company has converted from a private to a public entity following board approval. Media reports suggest that Lenskart aims to raise $1 billion via a mix of primary and secondary capital, targeting a valuation of $10 billion in its Initial Public Offering (IPO). In June 2024, Lenskart secured $200 million through a secondary funding round, followed by a $20 million investment that included participation from founder Peyush Bansal. Over the past 18 months, the company has raised nearly $1 billion and was valued at $5 billion during the secondary deal. Recently, early investor Fidelity marked up Lenskart’s valuation to $5.6 billion. As of last year, Lenskart operated more than 2,500 stores worldwide, with about 2,000 in India. The company earned 42% of its revenue from international markets during FY24. Japan, Singapore, Taiwan (province of China), and Thailand are among its overseas markets. Lenskart’s revenue from operations rose by 43% to Rs 5,427.7 crore in FY24 from Rs 3,788 crore in FY23. During the period, the company reduced its losses by 84% to Rs 10 crore in FY24 from Rs 63 crore in FY23. The company’s FY25 result has yet to be reported.

Zee invests in Flutrr; Datazip, three others pocket early-stage cheques

VCCircleVCCircle · 9m ago
Zee invests in Flutrr; Datazip, three others pocket early-stage cheques
Medial

- Zee Akaash News Pvt. Ltd is investing Rs 3.75 crore in Flutrr Digimate Pvt. Ltd, a vernacular social media website and mobile app. - AI startup Wokelo has secured $4 million in seed funding from Array Ventures and KPMG Ventures. The funding will support the development of its technology that streamlines due diligence. - Data engineering startup Datazip raised $1 million in seed funding from Equirus Innovatex Fund. Their platform offers data ingestion, storage, transformation, and visualization solutions. - Social Hardware, a startup specializing in assistive devices and field robotics, raised Rs 3.2 crore in a seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures. - Onlygood.ai, a platform simplifying carbon management and sustainability reporting, raised Rs 4 crore in a seed funding round from IITMIC, Goel Group, and Daimler India Commercial Vehicles. The platform plans to expand its operations across India, the Middle East, and Europe.

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