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Funding and acquisitions in Indian startups this week [01-06 Apr]

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Funding and acquisitions in Indian startups this week [01-06 Apr]
Medial

This week as many as 30 Indian startups raised $172.71 million in funding. These deals include eight growth-stage deals and 16 early-stage deals. As many as six early-stage startups did not disclose the amount raised. Last week, about 17 early and growth-stage startups collectively raised around $125.73 million. [Growth-stage deals] Among the growth-stage deals, eight startups raised $130.1 million in funding this week. Bhavish Agarwal-led Ola Electric led the list with $50 million in debt funding. The list was followed by hyperlocal marketing-to-commerce software platform SingleInterface, NBFC Infinity Fincorp, housing finance company Nivara Home Finance, payment gateway and point of sales (PoS) provider Innoviti, and digital banking infrastructure firm M2P Fintech which raised $30 million, $26 million, $10 million, $4.8 million, and $4.2 million funding, respectively. Further, D2C personal care brand Bombay Shaving Company and D2C luggage brand Assembly also secured funds this week. [Early-stage deals] Subsequently, 16 early-stage startups scooped funding worth $42.61 million during the week. D2C health and wellness brand Traya spearheaded the list followed by full-stack retailer of used two-wheelers BeepKart, AI platform SiftHub, deep-tech startup Planys, and full-stack metal supply-chain platform Metalbook. The list further includes the provider of in-school adventure programs Rocksport, construction and home improvement platform Wify, generation artifical intelligence (AI) startup Vodex, and Agritech startup ONO. For more information, visit TheKredible. [City and segment-wise deals] In terms of the city-wise number of funding deals, Bengaluru-based startups led with 11 deals followed by Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Chennai, and Hyderabad. The complete breakdown of deals across cities and segments can be seen below: [Series-wise deals] During the week, Series A funding deals are on the top spot with eight deals while Seed deals are on the second position both forming around 55% of the total funding. Further, Pre-Series A, Debt, and Pre-seed are next on the list among others. [Week-on-week funding trend] On a weekly basis, startup funding surged 37.4% to $172.71 million as compared to $125.73 million raised during the previous week. The average funding in the last eight weeks stands at around $252 million with 26 deals per week. The week-on-week funding trend can be seen below: [Departure] This week Indian startups witnessed around seven key exits. Notably, Sumit Mathur, CMO of Paytm, Kunal Kashyap, Risk Management Head of CRED, and Karan Arora, VP and Head of Supply Chain Management of Swiggy Instamart resigned from their respective positions. [Fund launches] Three startup-focused funds were launched this week. Centre Court Capital introduced a Rs 350 crore maiden fund for sports and gaming startups. Finance influencer Sagar Sinha initiated a Rs 10 crore fund for startups and budding entrepreneurs. Navy Veteran Navneet Kaushik established an early-stage fund to support defense tech startups. Visit TheKredible to see series-wise deals along with amount breakup, complete details of fund launches, and more insights. [Layoffs] Troubled edtech giant BYJU’S has fired 500 employees amid funding challenges and a legal battle with investors. The layoffs, part of an ongoing restructuring, were executed without a performance improvement plan (PIP) or notice period. Pune-based fintech SaaS startup Lentra also reportedly conducted a restructuring exercise, resulting in layoffs across departments, affecting approximately 70-80 employees. [ESOP Buyback] Audio series platform Pocket FM completed its first ESOP buyback worth $8.3 million, following a $103 million Series D funding round. Meanwhile, men-focused premium innerwear and lifestyle brand XYXX announced its first Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) buyback. [Mergers & Acquisitions] Zeno Health acquired online pharmacy startup Tablt Pharmacy in an all-stock deal. This acquisition allows the firm to expand its presence in West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand, where Kolkata-based Tablt operates, focusing on Tier 2 to Tier 6 geographies. In another development, listed business services provider and private sector employer Quess Corp Limited has acquired Bengaluru-based gig economy platform Taskmo for an undisclosed amount. [New launches] ▪️ Founders of CoinSwitch launch wealth-tech platform Lemonn ▪️ Zomato pilots new service for last-mile deliveries across corporate parks [Financial results this week] ▪️ Four-year-old Wiz Freight posts Rs 1,243 Cr revenue in FY23 ▪️ LS Digital nears Rs 700 Cr revenue in FY23; profits jump 3X ▪️ Winzo ends FY23 with Rs 674 Cr revenue and Rs 126 Cr PAT ▪️ Probo turns profitable as it posts 32X growth in FY23 ▪️ Bijnis records 100% growth in FY23; losses touch Rs 100 Cr ▪️ Bambrew’s revenue spikes 4.7X to Rs 44 Cr in FY23 [News flash this week] ▪️ Purplle is looking to mop up $100 Mn funding from ADIA ▪️ Rapido to raise $100 Mn from WestBridge and other existing investors ▪️ Sachin Bansal-led Navi in talks to raise funds at $2 Bn valuation ▪️ Zepto to raise fresh funds at $3 Bn valuation ▪️ RBI to incorporate an agency to curb illegal lending apps ▪️ Zomato receives an order to pay a service tax of Rs 92 Cr [Conclusion] After a significant drop in funding, the weekly funding again increased by over 30% this week. The week saw three fund launches namely Centre Court Capital, Sagar Sinha’s fund, and The Jamwant Venture Fund. The week also witnessed two layoffs as troubled BYJU’s and Lentra reportedly fired a part of their workforce. As per media reports, growth-stage players including Purplle, Zepto, Rapido, and Sachin Bansal’s Navi Technologies are looking to score some larger funding rounds. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is considering the establishment of a public register of whitelisted lending apps to combat illegal lending practices. The central bank aims to create the Digital India Trust Agency (DIGITA) to oversee the lending ecosystem and ensure credible operations. Lending apps without a ‘verified’ signature from DIGITA would be deemed unauthorized and face strict action. This initiative follows incidents of suicides linked to predatory lending practices. Additionally, Zomato faced another challenge as it was ordered to pay a service tax of Rs 92 crore. This comes after receiving a GST notice of Rs 23.26 crore for FY19 from Karnataka tax authorities.

Funding and acquisitions in Indian startups this week [08-13 Apr]

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Funding and acquisitions in Indian startups this week [08-13 Apr]
Medial

This week as many as 21 Indian startups raised nearly $105 million in funding. These deals include six growth-stage deals and 12 early-stage deals. Meanwhile one growth-stage startup and two early-stage startups did not disclose the amount raised. Last week, about 30 early and growth-stage startups collectively raised around $172.71 million. [Growth-stage deals] Among the growth-stage deals, the six startups raised $54.5 million in funding this week. Compliance automation platform Sprinto led the list with $20 million in funding. The list was followed by B2B waste management and recycling marketplace Recykal, Housing finance company AVIOM HFC, digital lender Axio, and medical diagnostics platform 5C Network which raised $13 million, $10 million, $6 million, and $3 million, respectively. Further, made-to-order furniture manufacturer Arrivae while D2C coffee brand Blue Tokai Coffee also and secured undisclosed funds this week. [Early-stage deals] Subsequently, 12 early-stage startups scooped funding worth $50 million during the week. AI cloud and platform-as-a-service startup Neysa spearheaded the list followed by AI-powered revenue enablement platform GTM Buddy, underwater visual inspection services provider Planys Technologies, underwater visual inspection services provider Planys Technologies, paediatric behavioural and developmental health firm Butterfly Learnings, and electric mobility platform AutoNxt Automation. The list further includes the full stack eyewear platform, EyeMyEye, health insurance assistance provider CalimBuddy, elder care startup Age Care Labs, healthcare startup PlatinumRx, and defence-focused deeptech startup Zulu Defence Systems among others. The list of early-stage startups also includes 2 startups that kept the funding amount undisclosed: Paytring and BlackCarrot. [City and segment-wise deals] In terms of the city-wise number of funding deals, Bengaluru-based startups led with 8 deals followed by Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kanpur. Segment-wise, healthtech startups are on top with four deals. The list further counts e-commerce, fintech, SaaS, Deeptech, and EV startups among others. The complete breakdown of deals across cities and segments can be seen below: [Series-wise deals] During the week, Seed funding deals are on the top spot with six deals while Series B deals are on the second position both forming around 52% of the total funding. Further, Series A, Pre-Series A, and Debt are next on the list among others. [Week-on-week funding trend] On a weekly basis, startup funding plummeted nearly 40% to $105 million as compared to around $170 million raised during the previous week. The average funding in the last eight weeks stands at around $243 million with 25 deals per week. The week-on-week funding trend can be seen below: [Departure] During the week, Surinder Chawla, the managing director and chief executive officer of Paytm Payments Bank, stepped down from his position, according to the disclosure filed by the associate entity One97 on the National Stock Exchange. [Fund launches] Three startup-focused funds were launched this week. Cornerstone Ventures, a venture capital firm, announced the launch of its second fund targeting $200 million with a green-shoe option of $50 million. Filter Capital, a technology-focused investment firm, closed its first fund at Rs 800 crore (approximately $96 million). Synapses also launched a $125 million VC fund at IIT Delhi’s Research and Innovation Park to back startups. [Layoffs] Tech upskilling startup Scaler has laid off approximately 150 employees, attributing the decision to a focus on long-term growth and sustainability. Co-founder Abhimanyu Saxena stated that the company is reevaluating its operations to achieve sustainable growth while ensuring the best learning experience for its users. [ESOP Buyback] Comfort-tech brand The Sleep Company announced the second tranche of ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) buyback for its employees this week. The current buyback will benefit a total of 105 employees, including 50% of women employees. [Mergers & Acquisitions] This week, Ghost Kitchens India acquired Shy Tiger Brands, a cloud kitchen company from Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) acquired majority stakes in iBUS, a digital infrastructure solutions company, in a $200 million deal. Additionally, Symphony Technology Group (STG) acquired Eka Software Solutions, a Bengaluru-based commodities trade and risk management (CTRM) software company, with plans to merge it into STG’s portfolio company Quor Group. Postman also acquired SaaS platform Orbit during the period. [New launches] ▪️ Reliance-owned Tira forays into beauty accessories, launches ‘Tira Tools’ ▪️ Flipkart rolls out bus booking services on its app ▪️ Agritech startup DeHaat launches agrifood consumer brand ‘Honest Farms’ [Financial results this week] ▪️ Ripplr posts Rs 740 Cr gross revenue in FY23; controls losses ▪️ Power2SME gross revenue crosses 1,000 Cr in FY23; cuts losses ▪️ Portea’s revenue stays flat in FY23; losses grow 32% ▪️ MoneyView posts Rs 577 Cr revenue in FY23; profit spikes 27X [News flash this week] ▪️ Swiggy offers 20% discount to HNIs in pre-IPO deal ▪️ Invesco marks up Swiggy’s valuation to $12.7 Bn ▪️ IPO-bound Swiggy converts itself into a public entity ▪️ PhonePe’s merchant app MAUs on rise as Paytm falls behind ▪️ Ola, Uber unveil subscription-undefined models for auto drivers ▪️ Ola ceases operations in UK, Australian, and New Zealand markets [Conclusion] The rally of ups and downs continues as after a significant rise in funding, the weekly funding again shrank close to 40% this week. The week saw three fund launches namely Filter Capital, Cornerstone Ventures, and Synapses. The week saw another layoff as tech upskilling startup Scaler reportedly fired a part of their workforce. Swiggy is gearing up for its IPO after the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, having recently converted into a public entity. The company has shortlisted bankers for its IPO syndicate and is offering shares to high net-worth individuals at a 20% discount on its current valuation of over $12 billion. This move follows a recent markup in Swiggy’s valuation by US-based investor Invesco. PhonePe has surpassed Paytm in terms of monthly active users (MAUs) of its merchant app, according to data from App Annie recorded between mid-January to mid-March. Paytm experienced a 20% decrease in MAUs in the last quarter, while PhonePe saw a 20% increase. In March, Paytm had approximately 9 million MAUs, whereas PhonePe had around 11 million. In another development, Indian ride-hailing giant Ola has exited from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, marking the end of its six-year stint in these markets. The decision reflects a strategic shift, with Ola focusing on its rapidly growing and profitable ride-hailing business in India. Meanwhile, Ola and Uber are shifting gears by offering subscription-based plans for auto-rickshaw drivers, a strategy reminiscent of their competitors Namma Yatri and Rapido. Instead of the traditional booking fee or commission per transaction, these plans aim to provide more stability and incentives for drivers.

Indian startups raise $1 Bn in July: Report

EntrackrEntrackr · 11m ago
Indian startups raise $1 Bn in July: Report
Medial

After closing the first half year on a promising note, Indian startups managed to cross the $1 billion monthly funding run rate in July too. Startups are also anticipating favorable market conditions with many set for their stock market debut in early August, be it Ola Electric or Infra.Market later in the year. Meanwhile, the Indian government has abolished angel tax which is seen as a positive for the entire ecosystem. As per data compiled by TheKredible, Indian startups raised over $1.03 billion across 126 deals in July. This consisted of 28 growth stage deals amounting to $725 million and 72 early stage deals worth $311.83 million. Meanwhile, there were 26 undisclosed transactions mainly in early-stage deals. [Y-o-Y and M-o-M trend] While the last month saw a sharp decline in funding from $1.93 billion in June, this is the highest funding for July in the past three years. The sudden jump in June was steered by Zepto’s $665 million megaround followed by Flipkart, PharmEasy and Lenskart. Indian startups have raked in $8 billion in the first seven months of 2024. If the trend continues, the overall funding is comfortably expected to cross the $11 billion milestone of 2023. To recall, Indian startups saw $38 billion and $25 billion funding in 2021 and 2022, respectively. [Top 10 growth stage deals] There were two $100 million plus deals in July with Purplle and Rapido raising $120 million each. Bike taxi firm Rapido also turned unicorn and became the third company to enter the billion dollar valuation club in 2024 so far. Hospitality firm Oyo’s $50 million came in third position followed by home service marketplace Urban Company, fintech company Navi, electric vehicle firm Matter, and wealthtech startup Dezerv, among others. It’s worth highlighting that Oyo saw a major haircut in its valuation while Urban Company raised the amount in secondary and Navi raised the sum in debt. [Top 10 early stage deals] As many as 72 early-stage startups raised $311.83 million funding last month. Manufacturer of high precision tooling for aero-engines and airframes, Unimech Aerospace led the list with a $30 million fundraise followed by renewable energy services company BluPine, electric vehicle and clean energy startup Simple Energy, gen-Z focused fast fashion D2C brand Newme, and wealthtech startup Stable Money which pocketed $28.8 million, $20 million, $18 million, and $15 million, respectively. Further, artificial intelligence startup UptimeAI, biotech firm Immuneel Therapeutics, community-led mobility app Namma Yatri, wedding service provider Meragi, and NBFC Seeds Fincap also raised funding among others. The list of early-stage startups also includes 26 startups that did not disclose their funding amount. For more information, visit here. [Mergers and Acquisitions] The month witnessed 17 acquisition deals. Gaming company Nazara Technologies acquired an additional 48.42% stake in Paper Boat Apps (PBA) from its promoters Anupam and Anshu Dhanuka for a sum of Rs 300 crore while its gaming arm Next Wave Multimedia acquired the intellectual property rights of Ultimate Teen Patti from Games24X7 for Rs 10 crore. The list further counts acquisition of Excelmax Technologies by IT giant Accenture, OneCare by Acko, Ekagrata by Adda247, Koral by Captain Fresh, Centcart by CASHe, BitOasis by CoinDCX, Galleri5 by Collective Artists Network, SiliConch Systems by L&T, and Munitalks by Melooha, among others. [City and segment-wise deals] City-wise, Bengaluru-based startups maintained the top position with 42 deals, contributing around 37% of the overall funding in July. Delhi-NCR and Mumbai followed with 33 and 24 deals, respectively. The list further counts Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Pune, and Kolkata, among others. Segment-wise, fintech startups led the show followed by e-commerce (including D2C brands) and SaaS with 15 and 10 deals, respectively. Healthtech, AI, and Agritech were next on the list. Visit TheKredible for more details. [Stage-wise deals] Series-wise, equivalent to 36 startups raised funding in the seed round followed by 27 Series A, 15 pre-Series A, 13 pre-Seed, and 4 Angel funding deals. Debt-only funding contributed $160.76 million or 15.5% of the overall venture funding across deals. [ESOP buyback] Adda247 and Swiggy announced ESOP buyback programs this month. Edtech platform Adda247 has initiated its first-ever ESOP buyback benefiting over 130 employees, following its acquisition of Ekagrata Eduserv. Meanwhile, food delivery giant Swiggy has rolled out its fifth ESOP liquidity program worth $65 million, providing an opportunity for employees to monetize their equity. These moves highlight the growing trend of startups rewarding employees through ESOP buybacks. [Layoffs, shutdowns and departures] Edtech major Unacademy laid off 250 employees as part of its cost-cutting measures. Similarly, agriculture supply chain firm Waycool underwent its third round of layoffs, affecting over 200 employees. In the content creation space, Pocket FM laid off nearly 200 contract writers based in the US. The startup ecosystem also saw three shutdowns. Vernacular microblogging platform Koo has ceased operations after failing to secure a buyer or sufficient funding. Apollo Tyres has also reportedly discontinued its doorstep car service, Trumigo, due to a lack of traction. In the edtech space, Bluelearn has shut down and will return a significant portion of its raised capital to investors. Edtech major Unacademy has seen the departure of its COO for offline centers, Jagnoor Singh. Similarly, Simplilearn’s Chief Product Officer, Anand Narayanan, stepped down after an eight-year tenure. Zoomcar’s global president has resigned amidst company restructuring while Medikabazaar’s co-founder Vivek Tiwari stepped down as CEO. Eight Roads Ventures’ Asia managing partner Raj Dugar also stepped down after 17 years with the investor, as per media reports. Visit TheKredible to see series-wise deals along with amount breakup, complete details of fund launches, and more insights. [Trends] It’s raining startup IPOs: This year quite a few internet companies such as TBO tech, Digit Insurance, Awfis and Ixigo have got listed on the Indian stock exchange, with all delivering spectacular returns post listing as well. Three more companies including Ola Electric, FirstCry and Unicommerce are all set to make their stock market debut. Moreover, Mobikwik, Swiggy and Avanse have been waiting for approval from the market regulator. Wealthtech on the rise: A clutch of wealthtech startups have managed to score decent funding in the ongoing calendar year. In July, Deserv and Stable Money raked in $32 million and $15 million respectively. As per reports, more wealthtech startups are on the verge of raising new rounds. Geographic expansion: Traditionally dominated by metros like Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai, the landscape is now witnessing a surge in entrepreneurial activity from smaller cities. Startups hailing from Ankleshwar, Bareilly, Bicholim, Nashik, Rupnagar, and Udaipur have recently secured funding, underscoring the growing potential of these regions. Family offices spreading out: Wealthy families are diversifying their portfolios. Traditionally focused on real estate and fixed deposits, they’re now actively seeking new investment avenues. This shift has led to the creation of separate investment pools and a growing interest in equity markets. In the past month, seven family offices participated in funding rounds. These include the family offices of Sunil Singhania, Jyothi Pradhan (CEO of Kurlon), MS Dhoni, Dr. A Velumani, Vasavi Family Office, Desai Family Office, and a Tamil Nadu-based family office. [Conclusion] As we had predicted in 2023, and earlier this year, the markets are expected to pick up by H2 this year, and here we are. Perhaps the last piece in the puzzle would be an interest rate cut by the Fed, to catalyse a whole chain of events that could lead to a mini-boom yet again. While expecting the highs of 2021 might be too much to hope for ($38 billion), it is not unreasonable to expect the Indian market to attract at least $15 billion in funding in 2025. The strong record of IPOs that is building up will not hurt investor confidence at all. The only thing to watch out for might be a rotation from Fintech and E-commerce to newer and important segments like Healthcare and Climate tech. Both are areas where India has large domestic markets, multiple use cases, and the crying need for solutions that can make a difference. With the kind of huge targets the country has in front, and massive schemes to get close, expect some large deals in the renewables space soon.

Indian startups mop up $2.77 Bn in March 2024 quarter: Report

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Indian startups mop up $2.77 Bn in March 2024 quarter: Report
Medial

Indian startups registered a steady growth in fund inflow during the first quarter of 2023 as they managed to cross $2.75 billion in funding. Importantly, funding in March stood out for crossing the $1 billion threshold for the first time in 2024. However, even as funding recovers, layoffs, shutdowns and departure of top-level executives continue to loom. Indian startups mopped up $2.77 billion across 326 deals in the March quarter or Q1 2024, as per data compiled by TheKredible. This included 74 growth-stage deals worth $1.87 billion and 213 early-stage deals amounting to $898 million. There were 39 undisclosed rounds. Unlike in the first quarter of 2023, two startups – Krutrim SI Designs and Perfios – entered the unicorn club after their latest fundraise in the first quarter of 2024. [Month-on-Month and Year-on-Year trend] March saw a decent jump in funding to $1.18 billion from $875 million in February and over $700 million in January. However, on a year-on-year basis, Q1 2024 recorded a fall from $12 billion in Q1 2022 and $3.4 billion in Q1 2023. [Top growth stage deals] Biotech startup Engrail scooped up $157 million in its Series B funding round to become the top-funded growth stage company in the first quarter of 2024. Audio series platform Pocket FM and logistics company Shadowfax managed to go past the $100 million funding mark in Q1 2024. Capillary Technologies, Perfios, Vivifi, Lohum, AiDash, ShareChat and Wow! Momo, were among the top 10 growth-stage deals. [Top early-stage deals] Digital lending platform mPokket, AI company Krutrim, energy tech company International Battery Company (IBC), blockchain company Avail, and generative AI startup Ema topped the list of early-stage startups. Check TheKredible for a full list. [City and segment-wise deals] City-wise, Bengaluru-based startups remain on top with 122 deals, contributing around 54% of the overall funding in the first quarter of 2024. Delhi-NCR and Mumbai followed with 77 and 54 deals, respectively. The list further counts Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Thane among others. Segment-wise, e-commerce startups (including D2C brands) led the list with 64 deals followed by fintech (47), healthtech (31), SaaS (26), EV (15), AI (13), and edtech (13) startups. The complete breakdown of the city and segment can be found at TheKredible. [Stage-wise deals] Series-wise, 95 startups raised funding in Seed round followed by 71 Series A, 35 Pre-Series A, and 33 Pre-seed deals. Among early-stage, as many as 4 startups raised funding in their angel round. While 22 startups raised debt funding worth $276.65 million during the period. [Most active investors] Early-stage venture capital firm Inflection Point Ventures and Blume Ventures have emerged as the most active investors in Q1 2024 with 11 and 10 investments, respectively. Venture Catalysts was next on the list with nine deals followed by Fireside Ventures, Anicut, Accel, and Stride Ventures. The full list can be found at TheKredible. [Mergers and acquisitions] The first quarter of 2024 registered 26 merger and acquisition deals. Acquisition of Tapasya Educational Institutions by Veranda, InSemi by Infosys, Qdigi Services by Onsitego were the top 3 disclosed mergers and acquisitions deals. During the period, listed gaming firm Nazara’s subsidiary Nodwin acquired two startups: Comic Con India and Ninja Global FZCO. Among the undisclosed deals, Kuvera was acquired by fintech unicorn CRED, Captain Fresh took over CenSea while OneVerse acquired three startups including Spartan Poker, BatBall11, and Calling Station. Check the full list here. [Layoffs, shutdowns and departures] Layoffs continued in the March quarter as more than 1,100 employees received pink slips. Among them, foodtech company Swiggy topped the list with laying off of 350 employees followed by Cult.fit, InMobi, and Pristyn Care with 150, 125 and 120 employees, respectively. During the first quarter, five companies shut their operations. The list includes Resso, Rario, OKX India, GoldPe, and Muvin. Rario, however, added that it will launch a brand new platform that will enable users to play new and engaging cricket-based games. Besides layoffs and shutdowns, nearly two dozen top-level executives hung up their boots. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of Paytm Payments Bank, resigned as the part-time non-executive chairman and board member of the company. Meanwhile, Third Wave Coffee’s chief executive officer Sushant Goel stepped down from his position to become a board member. The list also includes Indus Appstore CEO Rakesh Deshmukh, DealShare’s co-founder Sourjyendu Medda, and Fashinza’s co-founder Jamil Ahmed. [ESOP buyback] Amid all the ups and downs, the startup ecosystem witnessed employees stock buyback by growth and late-stage companies. For context, e-commerce company Meesho rolled out its largest ESOP buyback worth $25 million for 1,700 employees. Community management app MyGate and edtech company Classplus also announced their employee stock buyback program earlier this year. The full list can be found here. Visit TheKredible to see series-wise deals along with amount breakup, complete details of fund launches, and more insights. [Conclusion] As funding revives, it is safe to say that the trend in layoffs will also subside in the coming months, if not weeks. The strength in fintechs continues, and the category will continue to seek more money and throw up the next big startups, as scale arrives faster for many. Newer categories, be it AI, Chip Design, or niche parts of healthtech look set to emerge soon, going by the churning in the markets. The big hope is that the many corporate governance issues that have plagued the ecosystem in the past two years will also take a backseat now, thanks to lessons learnt hopefully. Looking at the numbers, especially for Q1 2022 ($12 billion), many would say that opportunities and capital have been wasted. But that is the very nature of the Startup world, with tiny amounts of money and a dollop of innovation sometimes achieving what no amount of money thrown at a problem doesn’t. We remain optimistic that by Q4 of this year, India’s startup ecosystem will be stronger and more diversified than ever before.

Startups rope in new CEOs amid cash crunch, layoffs, profitability and IPO plans

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Startups rope in new CEOs amid cash crunch, layoffs, profitability and IPO plans
Medial

Management rejig and layoffs at several prominent startups have continued to make headlines this year. For layoffs, startups have cited a familiar reason i.e. redundancies, efficiencies as well as getting a step closer to profitability. As far as management changes go, reasons and circumstances vary. For instance, DealShare’s CEO position was vacant for a long time. These changes, however, also bring a fresh wave of optimism in the ecosystem, which has of late faced a host of challenges, ranging from funding crunch to stringent regulatory actions. Data compiled by TheKredible shows that this year more than 10 Indian startups have appointed, elevated or are on the verge of naming their new chief executive officers (CEOs). The list includes the likes of DealShare, MyGate, Inshorts, Cult.fit, Third Wave Coffee, Byju’s, Ola, PhonePe, and Setu, among others. Interestingly, half of them have been elevated to the role of chief executive whereas some founders took charge as the operational leaders after the exit of the existing CEO. [Elevated CEOs] The year 2024 started with a new trend of appointing new CEOs and e-commerce platform DealShare was first when they elevated Kamaldeep Singh as the new chief executive of the company from being the president of their retail business. The firm faced several challenges during the second half of 2023 as its three co-founders left the firm in a short span of time and it also had to shut down its B2B vertical after a flat growth in FY23 with rise in losses. Community management app MyGate, news aggregator InShorts and fitness tech firm Cult.fit also elevated Abhishek Kumar, Deepit Purkayastha and Naresh Krishnaswamy, respectively, as their new chief executive officers. All previous CEOs of these three companies namely Vijay Arisetty, Azhar Iqubal and Mukesh Bansal have now taken the role of chairman. Iqubal recently joined Shark Tank India season III as a judge. Also, InShorts is pivoting from news aggregation to influencer led platform which could be the reason behind this reshuffle in leadership. Cult.fit also faced challenges early this year as it fired more than 150 employees. As per the company, it reduced some redundant positions with the aim of streamlining operations. Meanwhile, fintech unicorn BharatPe finalized Nalin Negi as its full time CEO. Negi, the former chief financial officer of the company, had been working as interim CEO since January last year. Freshworks also went through a reshuffle as the firm’s founder Girish Mathrubootham stepped down from the position of CEO after 14 years. Mathrubootham has transitioned into the role of executive chairman while the company’s president Dennis Woodside has been elevated as the new CEO. Freshworks went public in September 2021. It’s important to note that most of these companies in this list had losses until FY23. Though, a few of them managed to control losses during the fiscal year. For context, DealShare’s GMV remained flat but its losses jumped 14% to Rs 502 crore in FY23. InShorts posted flat scale with 33.6% jump in losses to Rs 310 crore in FY23. MyGate, Cult.fit and BharatPe also managed to control its losses. Check the graph below for more details. [New CEOs appointed in 2024] In January, PhonePe announced the appointment of Ritesh Pai as CEO of its International Payments business while Infibeam Avenues announced the appointment of Rajesh Kumar SA as CEO of its AI business venture Phronetic.AI. These appointments appeared to be a positive sign for both companies which are expanding their businesses. Third Wave Coffee’s co-founder and CEO Sushant Goel stepped down as the firm’s chief executive role and transitioned to a board member in March this year. The WestBridge-backed company named KFC India and Nepal CEO Rajat Luthra as Goel’s replacement. Before the exit of Goel, Third Wave Coffee also went through layoffs, firing more than 100 employees. In April, Aakash Educational Services, owned by edtech company Byju’s, appointed Deepak Mehrotra as its new managing director and chief executive officer. Mehrotra joined Aakash after the exit of its chief executive Abhishek Maheshwari. Recently, the firm raised money from Manipal Group’s Ranjan Pai to clear the debt raised from Davidson Kempner in May last year. Aakash has plans for a public listing this year. Last month, API infrastructure company Setu, owned by Pine Labs, named Anand Raisinghani as new CEO of the company. Raisinghani will succeed Sahil Kini, who is the erstwhile chief executive of Setu. Earlier this month, Paytm Money’s CEO Varun Sridhar also quit the position and Rakesh Singh has been appointed as the new chief executive of the stock trading platform. Before joining Paytm Money, Singh was the CEO of fintech company Fisdom. On Monday, Adda247 appointed Bimaljeet Singh as its chief executive for skilling and higher education business. Like several edtech firms, Adda247 also went through layoffs in the last quarter of 2023. It’s worth noting that Paytm Money and Phronetic.AI are owned by public companies One97 Communications and Infibeam, respectively. In terms of financial performance, Aakash reported profit in FY22 and expected to replicate same growth in FY23. Pine Labs reported more than Rs 1,600 crore revenue with control in its losses to Rs 227 crore in FY23. Third Wave Coffee reported a three fold jump in its revenue with same growth in losses to Rs 54 crore in FY23. During FY23, PhonePe as a group posted revenue of Rs 2,914 crore and Rs 1,755 crore loss. During the period, Adda247 reported Rs 115 crore revenue and Rs 110 crore loss. [Founders, executives took the charge after CEOs exit] Last month, Arjun Mohan, the CEO of Byju’s India operations, stepped down from his position seven months after joining the edtech firm. After his exit, the company’s founder Byju Raveendran returned as the operational leader to see day-to-day functioning. During the process, Byju’s also sacked more than 500 employees. It’s worth highlighting that Byju’s has been facing a cash crunch for a long time and failed to pay the salary of its employees on time. Recently, Ola Cabs’ CEO Hemant Bakshi left the firm after three months of joining. His departure came at a time when Ola is gearing up for an initial public offering (IPO). The company also fired 10% of its total workforce. In the interim, Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal will oversee operations until a new executive is appointed. In January, Indus Appstore’s CEO Rakesh Deshmukh announced quitting the firm. Since then, the firm has been led by ⁠its CPO and co-founder Akash Dongre, and CBO Priya Meenakshi Narasimhan. The firm is yet to announce the name of the official CEO. As per a media report, Beardo’s CEO has gone on a year-long sabbatical from April this year. During his absence, CBO Siddharth Vaya, and Koteshwar LN, head of digital first business, are expected to lead the company. Beardo was acquired by Marico Group in June 2020. In the ongoing calendar year, Sukhleen Aneja, CEO of The Good Glamm D2C vertical and Subramanyam Reddy, CEO of upGrad’s Knowledgehut also announced their departure from the company. While Knowledgehut is yet to name the new CEO, The Good Glamm has decided not to appoint a new CEO for the D2C vertical. As per reports. Ketan Bhatia and Ankita Bhardwaj will lead the brand’s business operations. Last month, The Good Glamm Group resorted to layoffs and went through top level restructuring as it is gearing up for public listing. More recently, Paytm Payments Bank’s CEO and MD Surinder Chawla decided to hang up his boots. He will be relieved from his positions on June 26 while the firm is yet to announce his replacement. Public company Paytm laid off more than 1,000 employees in December 2023 in a cost cutting effort. As per reports, the firm also went through layoffs amid back to back departures of top level executives and the recent diktat by RBI. However, Paytm denied any fresh layoffs at the company. When it comes to financial performance, Byju’s and Ola are in deep losses and Beardo slipped into the red in FY23. Edtech unicorn upGrad reported close to Rs 1,200 crore revenue in FY23 with Rs 558 crore loss in FY23. Good Glamm Group is yet to file its annual financial report for FY23. [Conclusion] For those who have sniped at CEO salaries at startups, the last year should be a good indication of just why salaries refuse to moderate. Besides the high turnover, it is no secret that many investors and even founders have considered CEO’s as a horses for courses option, taking in people with specific skill sets when they were relevant for the organisation. Thus, be it fundraising, cost cutting, or all out for growth mindset, we have seen how different CEO’s bring their own competencies, which, unfortunately, have a use by date in most cases. Many of course can simply struggle to adapt to the startup culture and the unstructured challenges it throws up, which can be the worst outcome for a startup with little achieved during their tenures. Perhaps the toughest ask of a startup CEO is what she is expected to do in what seems like compressed time to most, making it most challenging to attract quality personnel at times. That is also one reason why we see investors take over the job of bringing in the CEO when they feel a founder needs to move on to a more strategic role or simply take a break from the intense pressure. Don’t expect the CEO churn to slow down anytime soon for these reasons.

Funding and acquisitions in Indian startups this week [06-11 May]

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Funding and acquisitions in Indian startups this week [06-11 May]
Medial

During the week, 24 Indian startups raised around $320 million in funding. These deals include 7 growth-stage deals and 13 early-stage deals. Meanwhile, four early-stage startups did not disclose the amount raised. Last week, about 28 early and growth-stage startups collectively raised around $340 million in capital. [Growth-stage deals] Among the growth-stage deals, 7 startups raised $287 million in funding this week. Data and AI governance company Atlan led the list with $105 million followed by dialysis chain NephroPlus which scooped $102 million in capital. Shared electric mobility startup GreenCell Mobility, Provider of full stack education, content, and technology services K12 Techno Services, and lending firm Lendingkart are next on the list with $36.7 million, $27 million, and $10 million, respectively. Further, the list counts deeptech AI startup Myelin Foundry and an agritech firm focused on drone-based hyperspectral remote sensing BharatRohan. [Early-stage deals] Subsequently, 13 early-stage startups scooped funding worth $33 million during the week. Direct-from-farm produce supply chain startup Superplum spearheaded the list followed by a platform for wholesale buying and selling Poshn, log analytics startup Parseable, fodder ecosystem to support dairy cattle farmers, Cornext, and re-engineered tyre startup Regrip. Moreover, ICON, Atomgrid, Eternz, Knit, Select Brands, 50Fin, and Treacle also raised funding during the period. The list of early-stage startups also includes four startups that kept the funding amount undisclosed: GyanLive, QUE, trackNOW, and Food Square. For more information, visit TheKredible. [City and segment-wise deals] In terms of the city-wise number of funding deals, Bengaluru-based startups led with 9 deals followed by Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Indore, and Kolkata. Segment-wise, e-commerce and SaaS startups grabbed the top spot with four deals each followed by agritech startups. The list further counts AI, edtech, fintech, and foodtech startups among others. [Series-wise deals] During the week, Seed funding deals led the list with 11 deals followed by 3 Pre-Series A deals while debt, Pre-Seed, Pre-Series A, and Series F are next on the list among others. [Week-on-week funding trend] On a weekly basis, startup funding remained somewhat stable with a marginal 6.5% drop to $320 million as compared to around $341.5 million raised during the previous week. The average funding in the last eight weeks stands at around $249 million with 27 deals per week. [Key hirings and departure] Bhavesh Gupta, the chief operating officer and president of Paytm, has resigned citing personal reasons, marking the fourth high-profile exit at the Paytm Group in the last month. Among key hirings, Ishan Preet Singh, Co-founder of the now-defunct edtech startup FrontRow, has returned to Lightspeed Venture Partners as an investor after taking a year-long career break following the closure of his previous venture. Fintech unicorn Slice appointed Kotak Mahindra Bank’s group president and chief risk officer Arvind Kathpalia as its chief risk advisor, shortly after receiving Competition Commission of India (CCI) approval for its merger with North East Small Finance Bank. Additionally, Adda247 appointed ex-NIIT president Bimaljeet Singh as CEO to lead its skilling and higher education verticals. [Fund launches] InCred Alternative Investments, the alternative asset management arm of InCred Capital, marked the first close of its inaugural private equity fund. Concurrently, Client Associates, a wealth management and investment banking firm, also announced the first close of its inaugural Category II alternative investment fund at Rs 300 crore or approximately $36 million. [Layoffs] Unacademy Group’s medical entrance test preparation platform, PrepLadder, laid off around 145 employees, approximately 25% of the startup’s total workforce of roughly 560 employees. Fintech startup Simpl also underwent a restructuring, resulting in the layoff of around 100 employees. Visit TheKredible to see series-wise deals along with amount breakup, complete details of fund launches, and more insights. [New launches] ▪️ Zomato launches real-time hyperlocal weather info network ▪️ Zeta rolled out a digital credit-as-a-service product for banks [Financial results this week] ▪️ Urban Company turns profitable with Rs 7 Cr PBT in April ▪️ Gramophone posts Rs 316 Cr gross revenue and Rs 58 Cr loss in FY23 ▪️ WoodenStreet revenue nears Rs 200 Cr in FY23; remains profitable ▪️ Tiger Global-backed GOAT Brand Labs scales over 8X in FY23 ▪️ FreshToHome earns Rs 25 Cr net commission from India in FY23 ▪ Magicpin scales up over 83% in FY23; controls losses [News flash this week] ▪️ Groww moves domicile to India from the US ▪️ Digit Insurance to open IPO on May 15 with reduced size ▪️ PhonePe dominates UPI ecosystem with 49% market share in April [Conclusion] The weekly funding remained stable with a marginal 6.5% drop to $320 million. The week saw two new fund launches by VC firms namely InCred and Client Associates. The week also witnessed two layoffs as PrepLadder and Simpl fired a part of their workforces. Zomato has introduced a new service called ‘Weather Union’ that offers hyperlocal real-time weather information including temperature, humidity, wind speed, and rainfall. Currently accessible in 45 cities, the service will expand to other Indian cities soon. The data is sourced from over 650 on-ground weather stations, installed at locations like Zomato employees’ premises. Interested individuals can also host these solar-powered weather stations by signing up on the company’s website. Full-stack financial services platform Groww has transitioned its domicile back to India from the US, following the footsteps of PhonePe, which also relocated its domicile to India from Singapore. This move aligns Groww with a trend seen among several fintech companies, including KreditBee, Pine Labs, Razorpay, Meesho, and Zepto, which have been working on reverse flips. In another development, Go Digit General Insurance announced that its IPO will be open for subscription from May 15 to May 17. The company’s IPO consists of a fresh issue of shares worth Rs 1,125 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of 54,766,392 shares. It’s worth noting that the company has reduced its IPO size from the initial plan, which included a fresh issue worth Rs 1,250 crore and an OFS of 10.94 crore equity shares. Additionally, PhonePe has maintained its position as the leading player in the unified payments interface (UPI) ecosystem, holding a market share of nearly 49% in April 2024 for both P2M (person-to-merchant) and P2P (person-to-person) transactions.

Funding and acquisitions in Indian startups this week [25-30 Mar]

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Funding and acquisitions in Indian startups this week [25-30 Mar]
Medial

This week, as many as 17 Indian startups raised $125.13 million in funding. These deals include seven growth-stage deals and nine early-stage deals. These deals also include one early-stage startup which did not disclose the amount raised. Last week, about 23 early and growth-stage startups collectively raised around $447 million, including two undisclosed deals. [Growth-stage deals] Among the growth-stage deals, seven startups raised $103.43 million in funding this week. Vernacular social media platform ShareChat led the list with $49 million debt funding. The list was followed by three fintech firms namely Aye Finance, Sindhuja Microcredit, and KreditBee which raised $16.5 million, $14.5 million, and $9.4 million funding, respectively. Further, adtech startup AdOnMo, IPO-bound MobiKwik, and cybersecurity startup TAC Security also secured funds this week. [Early-stage deals] Subsequently, nine early-stage startups scooped funding worth $22.71 million during the week. Sustainable packaging startup Bambrew spearheaded the list followed by branded franchised retail chain SuperK, AI security and risk management startup SydeLabs, crypto exchange Nomoex Global, and proptech firm Aeria. The list further includes logistics solutions provider JustDeliveries, agritech startup Elevate Foods, AI-powered deep tech startup Daakia, and B2B footwear marketplace Kaarigar Mandi. The list of early-stage startups also includes edtech startup Aviotron Aerospace which kept the funding amount undisclosed. For more information, visit TheKredible. [City and segment-wise deals] In terms of the city-wise number of funding deals, Bengaluru-based startups led with 5 deals followed by Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Patna, Kolkata, and Agra. The complete breakdown of the city and segment can be found at TheKredible. [Series-wise deals] During the week, Seed funding deals are on the top spot with four deals while debt deals are in second position forming around 57% of the total funding. Further, Pre-Series A and Series A are next on the list among others. [Week-on-week funding trend] On a weekly basis, startup funding slipped 71% to $125.13 million as compared to $447.6 million raised during the previous week. The average funding in the last eight weeks stands at around $259 million with 27 deals per week. [Departure] This week, Praveen Sharma, senior vice president of business at Paytm’s parent entity One 97 Communications, resigned nearly after over four years, the company said in an exchange filing. Sharma, in his resignation letter, said he intends to pursue “other opportunities” after his exit from the company. [Fund launches] The week saw only one startup-focused fund launch. Mumbai-headquartered venture debt firm Alteria Capital has announced the final close of its third fund at approximately $186 million. The firm has backed startups such as Rebel Foods, BlueStone, OneCard, Ather, and Captain Fresh, and plans to continue its support for startups across various sectors including consumer brands, e-commerce, fintech, logistics, business-to-business platforms, rural and agritech, healthcare, and climate tech. [Shutdown] Investment tech startup GoldPe will cease to exist precisely one year after its inception on April 1, 2023. Co-founder Parth Shah stated that the decision was made due to the absence of a sustainable revenue stream, a flawed business model, and cash flow issues. Visit TheKredible to see series-wise deals along with amount breakup, complete details of fund launches, and more insights. [New launches] ▪️ Mamaearth parent Honasa launches Staze to foray into cosmetics space ▪️ Cars24 rolled out Autopilot service to get car drivers on demand ▪️ CarDekho Group’s fintech arm Rupyy forays into personal lending space [Financial results this week] ▪️ Bounce’s revenue surges 6X to Rs 91 Cr in FY23; cuts losses ▪️ BillDesk records Rs 2,678 Cr revenue in FY23; profits fall 5% ▪️ Man Matters-parent Mosaic Wellness crosses Rs 200 Cr revenue in FY23 ▪️ Myntra claims positive EBITDA in the last two quarters ▪️ IPO Prep: Swiggy paints a healthy financial picture in first 9 months of FY24 [News flash this week] ▪️ Ranjan Pai’s MEMG and 360 One get CCI nod to invest in API Holdings ▪️ ICICI Securities reiterated the ‘BUY’ rating on Zomato ▪️ Innoviti gets payment aggregator licence from the RBI ▪️ Chiratae Ventures sells stakes of portfolio startup to Madison India Capital [Conclusion] The weekly funding saw a significant drop in investment flow as compared to the last week when the funding crossed $440 million. This week only one VC firm Alteria Capital launched a startup-focused fund amounting to around $186 million. Additionally, the week also witnessed a shutdown as investment tech startup GoldPe shut down the shop within one year of its inception. CCI has approved the subscription to CCPS B of API Holding by Ranjan Pai’s MEMG (Manipal Education and Medical Group) and 360 One. This decision follows CCI’s previous approval, where multiple combination proposals entailed investments by marquee investors such as Goldman Sachs, Naspers, Temasek, and CDPQ in API Holdings Ltd., the parent company of PharmEasy. Brokerage ICICI Securities has reiterated a ‘BUY’ rating on foodtech giant Zomato and raised its price target (PT) to Rs 300 per share. This represents an upside of more than 67% from the stock’s last close of around Rs 182 on Thursday (March 28). The brokerage attributed the increase in PT to the company’s “sustained growth trajectory and sustained improvement in profitability metrics”. Digital payments solutions company Innoviti has secured an online payment aggregator (PA) license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Along with Innoviti, Navi Mumbai-based payment solutions provider Concerto Software and Systems also secured the PA license for its gateway ‘Vegaah’. This takes the tally of the number of entities to receive PA licenses in 2024 to 13. Earlier this month, Infibeam Avenues also secured final authorization from the central bank to operate as a payment aggregator via its payment gateway brand CCAvenue. Last month, Amazon Pay also received PA authorization. JusPay, Stripe, Tata Payments, and Mswipe are among the other players to receive the PA license this year.

Indian startups raise nearly $1.6 Bn in August

EntrackrEntrackr · 10m ago
Indian startups raise nearly $1.6 Bn in August
Medial

The Indian startup ecosystem seems to be bouncing back from the funding winter as venture capital investment has been steadily rising each month. August 2024 has been a standout, with several big funding rounds, important investments in growth-stage startups, many deals from tier II cities, IPOs, and major mergers and acquisitions. These factors make it unique compared to other months this year. Based on data compiled by TheKredible, homegrown startups raised nearly $1.6 billion across 112 deals in August. This total included 27 growth-stage deals worth $1.32 billion and 71 early-stage deals amounting to $267 million. Meanwhile, there were 14 undisclosed transactions mainly in early-stage deals. When compared, startups raised close to $1 billion in July. [Y-o-Y and M-o-M trend] The $1.6 billion raised in August is the second-highest funding amount of 2024, following June, and the third-highest in the past 12 months. On a year-over-year basis, August 2024 also ranked at the top for total funds raised. Also, Indian startups have raked in approximately $9.6 billion in the first eight months of 2024. If this trend persists, overall funding is likely to comfortably surpass the $11 billion achieved in 2023. For context, Indian startups received $38 billion in funding in 2021 and $25 billion in 2022. [Top 10 growth-stage deals] Among growth-stage deals, Zepto’s $340 million, DMI Finance’s $334 million, and OYO’s $175 million rounds together accounted for over 50% of the total funds raised last month. With the fresh funding, Zepto and DMI Finance attained $5 billion and $3 billion valuation milestones respectively. However, OYO saw more than 75% fall in its valuation to $2.4 billion from a peak of $10 billion. Just like in July, August saw the emergence of a new unicorn, as the Hero Moto-backed Ather Energy surpassed the $1 billion valuation mark with its latest funding round. Other notable growth-stage deals included Neo, Blue Tokai, Visit Health, Yubi, Livpure, and Syfe. Swiggy, which raised funds from Amitabh Bachchan’s Family Office, did not disclose the deal size. [Top 10 early-stage deals] EV startup Kinetic Green led the early-stage funding chart with a $25 million Series A round, followed by Even Healthcare with $20 million, FreshBus with $10.5 million, and both Beco and Investors AI, each raising $10 million. Agrizy’s $9.8 million funding was the fourth-largest in agritech for 2024, a sector that has been declining recently. Other major early-stage deals included Scimplify, a specialty chemicals firm; Kindlife, a new venture from ShopClues co-founder Radhika Ghai; automotive startup Kazam; and fintech startup Punch, all of which ranked among the top 10 early-stage investments. [Mergers and Acquisitions] In August, the number of merger and acquisition deals surged to 19, up from just 17 in July. Notably, the acquisition of Paytm’s movies and ticketing business by Zomato Limited for $244 million emerged as one of the largest M&A deals of 2024. Additionally, hospitality firm OYO acquired Checkmyguest for $27.4 million, and Fusebox Games Limited was purchased by Nazara in a $27.2 million deal. Some notable M&A deals in August included BrowserStack’s acquisition of Bird Eats Bug, Radio Mirchi’s parent ENIL’s purchase of Gaana, and VerSe’s acquisition of Valueleaf. Additionally, Emami Limited raised its stake in The Man Company from 50.4% to 100%, a development first reported by Entrackr in July. [City and segment-wise deals] In terms of city-wise funding, Bengaluru-based startups led with 38 deals totaling $265 million in August. However, startups in Delhi-NCR raised $724 million across 29 deals, more than double the amount raised by Bengaluru startups. Additionally, Mumbai-based startups surpassed Bengaluru in total funding, securing $453 million across 20 deals. Segment-wise, fintech startups led the show with 27 deals followed by e-commerce (including D2C brands), healthtech, SaaS, and proptech with 16, 8, 7, and 4 deals, respectively. Visit TheKredible for more details. Edtech was one of the least funded segments with 3 deals amounting to $5 million. It contributed only 0.3% to the total amount raised in August. [Stage-wise deals] Regarding funding stages, 35 startups raised capital in the seed round, 28 in Series A, 13 in pre-Series A, and 9 in Series B. Debt-only funding made up 2.56% of the total funding for the month. For the complete breakdown of stage-wise deals, visit TheKredible. [Layoffs, shutdowns, departures, and key hirings] Layoffs experienced a significant drop from 650 employees in July to 290 employees in August. Notably, Google and Reliance-backed Dunzo reportedly fired 150 employees, Beepkart let go of 100 staff, and ShareChat reduced its workforce by 30-40 employees. Additionally, Kenko Health, My Tirth India, and Airtel’s streaming app Wynk Music shut down their operations. Wynk’s closure is attributed to increasing competition, while Kenko Health and My Tirth India ceased operations due to funding difficulties. In August, there was an increase in both hiring and the departure of key executives. Notable exits included Manish Tiwary from Amazon India, Prashant Sinha from Metadome.ai, and Srinivasagopalan Ramamurthy from Freshworks. On the hiring front, Meesho, Swiggy Instamart, EvenFlow, Zetwerks, Perfios, and OYO brought new talent into roles such as chief executive, co-founder, and independent director, among others. [Trends] More IPOs in pipeline: In the first eight months of 2024, ten startups have gone public. In August alone, Ola Electric, Unicommerce, and FirstCry completed their IPOs. Swiggy is targeting a listing in the first week of September, while companies like Infra.Market, Bluestone, Ecom Express, OfBusiness, and OYO are also progressing on their IPO plans. Additionally, Zappfresh has filed draft IPO papers with SEBI to list on the BSE SME platform. Quick commerce in action: The quick commerce sector is intensifying in competition, highlighted by Zepto’s mega-round, Flipkart’s recent entry, and BigBasket’s complete shift to rapid delivery. Amazon is expected to enter the market early next year. The e-commerce giant was also in talks to acquire Swiggy’s quick commerce business. At present, Zomato-owned Blinkit stands as the leading player in quick commerce followed by Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and Tata Digital-owned BigBasket. Startups from tier II cities: In addition to major metro areas and startup hubs such as Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, there has been a notable influx of deals from cities like Mangalore, Raipur, Dehradun, Udaipur, Surat, Jodhpur, Nashik, and Lucknow. This indicates a significant, albeit minor, shift in traditional startup funding patterns. Founders fueling growth: OYO’s $175 million funding round included a significant $100 million investment from the company’s founder, Ritesh Agarwal, showcasing another instance of a founder investing in their own startup. Similarly, Yubi secured $30 million from its founder and CEO, Gaurav Kumar, while Cambrian Bioworks received an undisclosed amount from its founder during its seed round. This practice of founder investment has previously been seen with Ather Energy, Byju’s, and BluSmart. [Conclusion] While the decline of debt funding is something to be welcomed, as it doesn’t seem to sit well with the idea of backing startups, we would add a note of caution here on the sustainability of the current recovery. While, as indicated earlier, an expected interest rate cut by the US Fed will ensure the momentum stays well into 2025, the fact remains that significant parts of public markets are well into ‘exuberance’ territory in terms of valuations. Unlike the public markets, however, the private VC markets remain much more dependent on foreign fund flows, and that could yet be a disruptor in the ecosystem, despite the rise of domestic capital. Although with the US-China issues, and now, even Brazil moving arbitrarily against Twitter, India could find itself in a sweet spot yet again for global investors. It would perhaps be fair to say that the bottom has been reached, and a bounce is well on its way for Indian startups when it comes to their funding environment.

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