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Unicorn India Ventures sells its stake in 6 startups to American fund

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Unicorn India Ventures is selling its stake in six startups to a US-based fund. The companies include technology, and healthcare startups Unicorn India Ventures is selling its share in six firms to a US-based investor for Rs 50 crore. With this the  early-stage investment has doubled returns  for its limited partners (LPs). Robotics company Genrobotics, cybersecurity firm Sequretek, customer experience analytics startup Clootrack, digital business newspaper Inc42, digital media startup Inntot, and healthcare startup NeuroEquilibrium are among the six firms involved. These were investments from the firm's first tranche of cash, which was raised in 2016 and distributed to 17 early-stage firms. The lifespan of this fund will conclude early next year. In 2019, the business exited Boxx.ai, an ecommerce personalization startup, and Pharmarack, a pharmaceutical supply chain startup, in 2021. Majumdar stated that the VC company will remain involved in two of its mos...

Govt's new digital platform to help investors & startups sign deals quickly

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The Indian government will establish a digital cooperation platform for businesses and investors to ease and rapidly conclude transactions. The new platform will first accept Indian investors and investment firms and will search for worldwide funding. The government will establish a specialized digital cooperation platform for businesses and investors in order to facilitate and rapidly conclude transactions. The platform will be launched in collaboration with the Small Industries Development Bank of India by the Department of Promotion for Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) (SIDBI). Shruti Singh, joint secretary of the DPIIT, stated, "This was accepted at one of the national startup advisory council sessions. It is a matchmaking tool for companies and investors that is nearing completion. We plan to publish it within the next two months." Singh stated that the platform will initially integrate Indian investors and fund firms before looking for global money aft...

5 startups that are helping MSMEs with business automation

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MSMEs play a critical role in rural development by creating jobs and fostering industrialization at the grassroots level. Find out five startups that are helping MSMEs with business automation, thereby boosting their productivity. India has 63 million Micro, Small, and Medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which generate around 6.11 percent of the manufacturing GDP, 24.63 percent of the GDP from service activities, and 33.4 percent of India's manufacturing output. The MSME sector is not being left behind as India undergoes a digital transformation. Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality, Data Analytics, Financial Accounting, and Machine Learning are examples of cutting-edge technology that have spawned new business models and empowered small enterprises. These technologies can assist MSMEs in automating and generating data from their everyday operations, as well as connecting with stakeholders (such as financial institutions, customers, or suppliers) in ord...

Govt to boost funding for startups with incentives for VC, PE funds

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The government is offering incentives to VC and PE funds, as it seeks to boost funding for startups. Among other things, the government will allow VC and PE funds go for a faster drawdown of the money they get from the state’s fund of funds. The government will let venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) funds to keep a larger portion of their profits, earn greater fees, and withdraw cash from the state's pool of funds more quickly. In 2016, the fund of funds for startups (FFS) was established to contribute to various alternative investment funds (AIFs) registered with the capital market regulator Sebi. The FFS, which is managed by the state-owned Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi), has invested over Rs 9,400 crore in 86 AIFs (the regulatory term for PE and VC funds). Sidbi is the largest limited partner (LP) or investor in the country, contributing to the capital of VC and PE funds. Sidbi informed AIFs in a letter dated April 29, 2022 th...

Defence Ministry to support Indian tech startups through new DISC Challenge

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has started the sixth edition of the Defence Indian Startup Challenge (DISC) under the iDEX program. The MoD aims to support Indian tech startups through the challenge. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will back startups that can provide the Indian military with software solutions such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), advanced imaging, sensor systems, big data analytics, autonomous unmanned systems, and secure communication systems through the sixth edition of the Defence Indian Startup Challenge (DISC) under the iDEX program. The MoD intends to encourage Indian businesses through this obstacle by providing financial assistance ranging from INR 1.5 Cr to INR 10 Cr. The challenge is being led by seven newly formed defense firms, the Indian Coast Guard, organizations working under the Ministry of Home Affairs, three services, and several defense public sector undertakings. Startups and innovators were invited to address 35 problem statements...

Suniel Shetty, other top Bollywood celebrities who invest in startups

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From Suniel Shetty backing a fitness startup to his daughter Athiya Shetty investing in a lifestyle startup, the startup culture is trending in Bollywood. Let's look at some of the Bollywood celebrities who have invested in new businesses. India boasts more than 100 unicorns, making it the world's third largest startup ecosystem. While venture capitalists, angel investors, businessmen, and high net worth individuals (HNIs) have funded budding firms, Bollywood celebrities have placed bets on the startup environment. Aside from acting, several intelligent superstars in India's entertainment business have become startup investors. The most recent addition to the club is Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan, who has invested an unknown sum in cloud kitchen startup Curefoods and also signed a "long-term association" that makes him the brand ambassador of EatFit, Curefoods' flagship brand. Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Shilpa Shetty, a...

Meesho, other startups boost flexibility with work from anywhere strategy

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Several startups, including Meesho, and Flyhomes, are pushing for the ‘work from anywhere’ model. The aim behind the move is to boost flexibility. Social commerce platform Meesho is allowing its employees to work from anywhere permanently. This comes at a time when India Inc. has asked more employees to return to the office after the number of Covid-19 cases decreased. Meesho, Flyhomes, NoBroker, Angel One (previously Angel Broking), ITC Infotech, Magicpin, and Springworks are just a few of the organizations that have gone completely remote or given some or all of their employees the option to work from anywhere. Their working methods may differ, but they all meet workers' rising desire for more flexibility and better work-life balance in a post-Covid atmosphere and competitive labor market. A startup in real estate Flyhomes, for example, is a remote-first company that has given employees the option of working entirely remotely or in a hybrid approach. Meanwh...

TiE Rajasthan to promote entrepreneurship with grants for startups

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A Rajasthan chapter of the non-profit community The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), Rajasthan is going to provide startups with grants. Finance, mentoring, networking, education, and incubation are all part of TiE Rajasthan's mission to promote entrepreneurship. TiE Rajasthan has decided to not only expose the companies to investment organizations, but also to distribute monies as grants to promising ventures, in order to meet one of their mandates. According to RaviModani, president of TiE Rajasthan, it is a foresightful move to assist new entrepreneurs in their early phases, when funds are most needed but scarce. Modani said, "Through our programs, we intend to assist aspirational youth in creating successful entrepreneurs and unicorns in Rajasthan. We also aim to establish a stronger economy, produce livelihoods, and improve employment on a large scale, through the programs." TiE's mission is to empower businesses through education and mentoring, as well as incubat...

LenDenClub launches new VC fund to support fintech startups

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LenDenClub, a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending business, has launched LenDenClub Alpha, a corporate venture capital fund focused on seed and pre-series stage fintech startups. LenDenClub has set aside a $2-$3 million fund for the current fiscal year in order to launch LenDenClub Alpha. According to LenDenClub, its new venture fund is geared at assisting early-stage entrepreneurs in designing their vision and developing a solid business strategy that offers tech-backed futuristic items to maximise customer impact. LenDenClub Alpha would prioritise companies in the lendingtech, wealthtech, neobanking, underwriting tools, and other related sectors. When asked about the source of funding for LenDenClub Alpha, Bhavin Patel, cofounder and CEO of LenDenClub, stated that the company is successful and has substantial assets parked to fuel these initiatives. Patel said, "The overall pool for LenDenClub Alpha will include a combination of the monies we raised as well as our own earn...

7 top healthcare and pharma startups in India

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The healthcare sector in India is rapidly expanding. Find out a list of 7 top healthcare and pharma startups in India. The desire for success causes you to disregard your health. You may be immersed in your startup, but don't push yourself to death in order to have a successful entrepreneurial career. Health is wealth for the wise men. In terms of income and market share, the healthcare sector in India is quickly expanding. The Indian healthcare business, which is currently valued at $100 billion, is anticipated to rise by 23% to $280 billion by 2020.This expanding sector has given birth to a slew of health-tech businesses in India. They serve numerous healthcare segments, assist with appointment scheduling, sell drugs online, and serve as the venture's marketed unit. In addition, we have compiled a list of Pharmaceutical Startups in India. In this piece, we will look at some of the most successful, promising, and rising health businesses in India. Here are ...

IndiaMART invested over Rs 900 cr to acquire startups; Here's why

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Since going public, Noida-based B2B platform IndiaMART has invested in over a dozen firms. Here's an in-depth look at what the company looks for in a startup. When IndiaMART InterMESH Ltd, an online business-to-business (B2B) marketplace, secured around Rs 1,070 crore from eligible institutional buyers in February 2021, it had a clear goal in mind: expansion. Inorganic growth, on the other hand, is difficult for IndiaMART, which supports buy-sell transactions in over 97,000 different categories. After all, it wanted to find firms that had a complementary synergy that would benefit its network of over 143 million customers and 7 million+ storefronts. Between February and November 2021, "we visited with over 200-300 companies and studied various areas," says Dinesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO of IndiaMART. While the Noida-based firm had made a few acquisitions previously, the buying spree truly began last year. It has invested about Rs 905 crore on 1...