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Exclusive: Zepto expands ESOP pool by $169 Mn; total pool at $527 Mn

EntrackrEntrackr · 5m ago
Exclusive: Zepto expands ESOP pool by $169 Mn; total pool at $527 Mn
Medial

Exclusive: Zepto expands ESOP pool by $169 Mn; total pool at $527 Mn Quick commerce company Zepto has expanded its existing ESOP plan by adding additional employee stock options worth over $169 million. The board at Zepto has passed a resolution for approval to add 39.39 lakhs ESOP options to its existing plan, bringing the total ESOP pool to 122.90 lakhs, its regulatory filing with the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. According to Entrackr’s estimates, the newly added ESOPs are valued at around Rs 1,486 crore (around $169 million), taking the total ESOP pool to Rs 4,637 crore ($527 million). As per the filings, the company is extending an interest-free loan of up to Rs 700 crore to the Zepto Employee Stock Option Trust to facilitate the purchase or subscription of its equity shares under the Zepto Share Option Plan I (ESOP Plan), as approved by the Board. This ESOP expansion coincides with the company’s $450 million Series H funding led by California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). As per filings, the company has received a primary injection of Rs 2,562 crore or $291 million from the likes of GC Holdings, Gladebook, Stepstone, Springblue, Goodwater, Lightspeed, and others. The company has raised a total of $2.3 billion since its inception, including $1.8 billion since January last year. Zepto’s revenue for FY24 was Rs 4,454 crore, more than double the Rs 2,026 crore reported in FY23. The company’s losses narrowed slightly from around Rs 1,272 crore in FY23 to Rs 1,249 crore in FY24. As per filings, Zepto clocked a turnover of Rs 11,110 crore ($1.3 billion) in FY25.

Zepto raises $450 Mn led by CalPERS; plans IPO next year

EntrackrEntrackr · 5m ago
Zepto raises $450 Mn led by CalPERS; plans IPO next year
Medial

Zepto raises $450 Mn led by CalPERS; plans IPO next year Quick commerce company Zepto has raised $450 million in a funding round led by California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), a U.S.-based pension fund making its first investment in the company. The round, comprising a mix of primary and secondary investments, also saw participation from existing investors including Avenir, Avra, Lightspeed, Glade Brook, The Stepstone Group, and Nexus Venture Partners. Following this round, Zepto plans to go public next year. While the Mumbai-headquartered firm did not disclose its latest valuation, it was in talks to raise funds at a $7 billion valuation. Co-founder and CEO Aadit Palicha said the company has shown strong growth, scaling from about 500,000 daily orders five quarters ago to 1.7 million, and expects this momentum to continue. Recently, Zepto also raised Rs 400 crore (around $48 million) from Motilal Oswal Alternates, as part of its ongoing capital expansion ahead of the planned IPO. The company has raised a total of $2.3 billion since its inception, including $1.8 billion since January last year. Zepto’s revenue for FY24 was Rs 4,454 crore, more than double the Rs 2,026 crore reported in FY23. The company’s losses narrowed slightly from around Rs 1,272 crore in FY23 to Rs 1,249 crore in FY24. As per filings, Zepto clocked a turnover of Rs 11,110 crore ($1.3 billion) in FY25. However, the company hasn’t disclosed its last year’s financial results. Besides grocery and food items, Zepto has also started focusing on delivering medicines like its arch rivals Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, and Flipkart’s Minutes. The firm has launched Zepto Pharmacy in select areas of Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, and Hyderabad.

Zepto to raise $500 Mn at $7 Bn valuation: Report

EntrackrEntrackr · 8m ago
Zepto to raise $500 Mn at $7 Bn valuation: Report
Medial

Zepto to raise $500 Mn at $7 Bn valuation: Report Quick commerce firm Zepto is in advanced talks to raise $500 million in a new funding round led by existing backers General Catalyst, Avenir, and others, according to a Moneycontrol report. The round is expected to value the Mumbai-based startup at around $7 billion, a significant jump from its previous valuation of $5 billion when it raised $350 million in November 2024. In total, the Aadit Palicha-led company raised $1.35 billion in 2024. This development comes shortly after Zepto postponed its planned initial public offering (IPO) to 2026. The company had already completed its reverse flip to India in January this year. Zepto is currently prioritizing lower cash burn and stronger profitability ahead of its public listing. In response to rising operational costs, the company has temporarily shut down its food service arm, Zepto Cafe, in several smaller North Indian cities such as Agra, Chandigarh, Meerut, Mohali, and Amritsar. Zepto is also facing strong competition from rivals including Blinkit and Swiggy. According to an ICICI Securities report, Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart surged ahead in Q1 FY26, expanding gross order value by over 25% and 22%, respectively. The duo outperformed the overall quick-commerce sector’s sub-20% growth. In April, Palicha said the company is approaching an annualized Gross Order Value (GOV) of $4 billion. According to him, Zepto scaled from $1 billion to $3 billion in GOV within eight months, reflecting around 300% year-on-year growth and a 30% increase since January 2025. Recently, Palicha added that a majority of Zepto's dark stores are expected to become fully EBITDA-positive in the next quarter. Earlier this year, it closed a $665 million Series F round followed by a $340 million top-up, raising over $1 billion in 2024 alone. Zepto claims a majority of its dark stores have turned EBITDA positive, with deeper expansion planned across metros and Tier II/III cities. The upcoming funding is likely to support operational scale, enhance its tech stack, and sharpen its supply chain efficiencies. While earlier reports suggested a delayed IPO timeline, Zepto has clarified it is targeting a late-2025 to early-2026 window, contingent on market conditions. The company is also said to be aligning its cap table to include more domestic investors in preparation for a potential India listing. Founded in 2021, Zepto competes with Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket in India’s fast-evolving quick commerce space.

Ninjacart expands ESOP pool to $55 Mn

EntrackrEntrackr · 1y ago
Ninjacart expands ESOP pool to $55 Mn
Medial

Ninjacart, a B2B agritech firm, has expanded its existing ESOP plan, 63Ideas Infolabs Private Limited ESOP Plan-2023, by granting additional employee stock options to its employees. The board at Ninjacart has approved a special resolution to add 2,397 employee stock options to its existing plan, bringing the total ESOP pool to 8,919 options, its regulatory filing accessed through the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. The ESOP pool expansion aims to enhance employee ownership and extend welfare opportunities to a broader group of employees, the filing further added. As per Fintrackr’s estimates, the newly added ESOPs are worth around Rs 127 crore or $15 million while the value of the total ESOP pool stood at Rs 472 crore or $55 million. Notably, these valuations are based on the company's last funding round. Ninjacart is a marketplace that connects farmers, traders, and retailers, using technology to address supply chain challenges. Its approach includes targeted solutions like Ninja Mandi for traders and Ninja Kisaan for farmers. Ninjacart has secured over $400 million in funding from investors such as Tiger Global, Walmart, Accel, Tanglin Ventures, and others. The ten-year-old startup, considered a soonicorn, was last valued at approximately $815 million. Notably, the company has not raised any funds in the past three years. In terms of valuation, it competes with DeHaat, Absolute, and Wacool which have been valued at around $500 million, $500 million, and $460 million, respectively. Ninjacart has recorded a 74% year-on-year growth in its gross revenue, which increased to Rs 2002 crore in FY24 from Rs 1,153 crore in FY23. According to the company, it reported a 20% reduction in adjusted losses which came down to Rs 260 crore in FY24 from Rs 326 crore in FY23.

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

EntrackrEntrackr · 9m 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.

DMI Finance expands ESOP pool to $105 Mn

EntrackrEntrackr · 11m ago
DMI Finance expands ESOP pool to $105 Mn
Medial

Digital lending company DMI Finance has expanded its existing ESOP plan, DMI ESOP Plan 2018- Extended, by granting additional employee stock options to its employees. The board at DMI Finance has passed a special resolution to add 1,18,29,695 employee stock options to its existing plan, bringing the total ESOP pool to 3,44,29,695 options, its regulatory filing accessed through the Registrar of Companies (RoC) shows. As per Entrackr’s estimates, the newly added ESOPs are worth around Rs 306.6 crore or $36 million, while the value of the total ESOP pool stood at Rs 892 crore or $105 million. Notably, these valuations are based on the company's last funding round, where it raised $400 million through a mix of primary and secondary transactions, led by Japan’s MUFG Bank. In addition to ESOP pool expansion, DMI Finance also appointed Arjun Malhotra and Tammir Amr as Independent Directors of the company. Founded in 2008 by Shivashish Chatterjee and Yuvraja C Singh, DMI Finance is a digital lender offering consumption, personal, and MSME loans. It partners with leading platforms like Samsung, Google Pay, and Airtel to deliver embedded financial products to customers across India. In October 2024, the RBI barred four NBFCs, including DMI Finance, from sanctioning and disbursing loans due to non-compliance with pricing regulations, citing excessive lending rates and interest spreads. The restriction was lifted in January 2025. While it is yet to disclose its FY25 numbers, DMI Finance reported over 60% year-on-year growth in operating revenue to Rs 2,654 crore in FY24 as compared to FY23, along with a profit of Rs 397 crore during the same period.

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