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Source: inc42

India’s Microdrama Boom Is Here, But Can The Unit Economics Work?

Business

India is experiencing a surge in microdramas, short vertical videos designed for mobile screens. The market is projected to reach ₹650 crore by 2028, growing over 50% annually. While production costs are low, high customer acquisition costs and subscription challenges hinder profitability. Platforms are now focusing on regional content and building strong intellectual properties to attract diverse audiences from tier II and III cities across the country.

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Source: inc42

CCPA Fines Amazon Over Fake ‘Shree Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad’ Listing

Business

The Central Consumer Protection Authority fined Amazon ₹1 Lakh for allowing misleading listings that sold ordinary sweets as "Shri Ram Mandir Ayodhya Prasad" without authorization. Rejecting Amazon's safe harbour defense, the regulator ruled that marketplaces must prevent unfair trade practices. Amazon is now required to verify prasad listings for ten major religious institutions, prominently display seller information, and strengthen its systems to detect and remove deceptive listings.

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Source: inc42

Swiggy Shares Jump Nearly 5% As Jefferies Sees 60% Upside

Business

Swiggy shares surged nearly 5% after brokerage Jefferies issued a ‘Buy’ rating with a ₹435 target price. This positive outlook follows shareholder approval of a 49.5% foreign ownership cap, enabling Swiggy to become an Indian-owned and controlled company. This transition allows Instamart to adopt an inventory-led model to improve margins. In Q1, Swiggy's food delivery and Instamart revenues grew by 23% and 53%, respectively.

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Source: inc42

HUL-Owned Minimalist Turns Profitable In FY26, Revenue Up 36% YoY

Business

Hindustan Unilever-owned beauty brand Minimalist returned to profitability in FY26, reporting a net profit of ₹25.9 crore compared to a previous loss of ₹270.5 crore. Operating revenue grew 36.3% to ₹690.2 crore. HUL acquired a 90.5% stake in the company's parent, Uprising Science, for ₹2,706.44 crore in April 2025. The brand is now leveraging a "masstige" strategy and expanding its offline presence from 3,000 to 40,000 stores.

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Source: inc42

HUL Moves Delhi HC Against Beco Over ‘Misleading’ Campaign Targeting Vim, Surf Excel

Business

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) has approached the Delhi High Court seeking an interim injunction against D2C brand Beco. Beco's recent advertising campaign claimed that HUL's Surf Excel and Vim products contain chemicals causing skin irritation. HUL alleges commercial disparagement and misleading claims, arguing that Beco lacked conclusive proof. Beco maintains its claims are scientifically substantiated. The court has sought Beco's response, with the matter listed for hearing.

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Source: inc42

Shiprocket Soars Over 9% After Goldman Sachs Buys Shares Worth ₹52.7 Cr

Business

Shiprocket shares climbed up to 9.3% to ₹156.81 following a ₹52.7 crore bulk purchase of 40.24 lakh shares by Goldman Sachs India Equity Portfolio. The stock is trading significantly above its ₹97 IPO issue price after a strongly subscribed debut. While the ecommerce enablement platform reported a 24% revenue increase to ₹2,024.1 crore in FY26, its net loss widened to ₹79.2 crore during the same period.

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Source: inc42

Starlink Reapplies For IN-SPACe Nod For 30,000-Satellite Gen 2 Network: Report

Business

Elon Musk's Starlink has reapplied to India's space regulator, IN-SPACe, for authorization of its second-generation satellite constellation. The proposal involves nearly 30,000 low Earth orbit satellites featuring direct-to-device connectivity to enhance mobile access in remote regions. While the Gen 1 constellation was previously approved, the initial Gen 2 bid was rejected. Commercial operations remain pending as the company awaits spectrum allocation and final security clearances.

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Source: inc42

Inc42’s 7th D2C & Retail Summit, Shiprocket’s Stellar IPO & More

Business

At Inc42’s D2C & Retail Summit 2026, leaders discussed how quick commerce, AI-driven agentic commerce, and omnichannel strategies are reshaping India's consumer landscape. Key trends include the shift toward intent-led shopping and global expansion for local brands. Additionally, Shiprocket saw a successful IPO, Navi and CtrlS secured significant funding, and KKR invested in BookMyShow, highlighting robust investment activity across India's fintech, retail, and space sectors.

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Source: inc42

Baby-Focused Quick Commerce Startup Peeko Nets $7 Mn To Double Dark Store Count

Business

Babycare quick commerce startup Peeko has raised ₹67.4 crore in Series A funding led by Chiratae Ventures, bringing its total funding to ₹95 crore. The company plans to expand its presence in Bengaluru, enhance its product assortment, and upgrade its technology. Peeko offers 60-minute delivery of baby products and a unique "touch and feel" inspection service, aiming to become a comprehensive parenting partner for new-age parents.

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Source: inc42

How Indian D2C Brands Are Rewriting Their Playbook For Profitable Growth

Business

Indian D2C brands are shifting their focus from top-line revenue growth toward sustainable profitability and contribution margins. At Inc42’s D2C & Retail Summit, leaders from Neeru’s, The Bear House, and Elements Wellness discussed adapting channel strategies and store formats to reduce acquisition costs. Key tactics include leveraging experiential retail, optimizing channel mixes, and employing regional marketing to ensure long-term efficiency and protect gross margins over aggressive discounting.

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Source: inc42

Why Hammer Prefers Cables Over Premium Headphones For Quick Commerce

Business

For D2C consumer brand Hammer Lifestyle, quick commerce is not a channel for replicating its entire ecommerce catalogue. Instead, the.

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Source: inc42

D2C Brands Should Use Influencers Only After Finding PMF: Emami’s Dhruv Aggarwal

Business

D2C brands should scale influencer marketing only after establishing product-market fit, as creator-led campaigns cannot compensate for a weak product,.

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Source: inc42

The Playbook Behind Agilitas’ Global Sportswear Ambition

Business

Agilitas, a three-year-old Indian sportswear startup led by former Puma executive Abhishek Ganguly, aims to compete globally with giants like Nike and Adidas. Having raised ₹225 crore, the company is building an integrated ecosystem of manufacturing, retail, and brands. Its portfolio includes Mochiko Shoes, a 40-year Lotto licence, and One8, co-created by investor Virat Kohli. Agilitas seeks to leverage supply-chain control to establish a global Indian brand.

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Source: inc42

IPO-Bound Navi Raises $100 Mn From Prosus In Maiden Institutional Round

Business

"Global VC firm Prosus has invested $100 million in Sachin Bansal-led fintech startup Navi, marking the company's first institutional capital raise. This investment aims to scale Navi's lending and payments businesses, with the company reportedly reviving plans for a ₹3,000 crore IPO by December. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals, including clearance from the Competition Commission of India, as Navi continues expanding its financial services portfolio.".

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Source: inc42

Cashfree FY26: Revenue Inches Closer To ₹1,000 Cr Mark, Loss Narrows

Business

Cashfree Payments saw its operating revenue surge 51.1% to ₹967 crore in FY26, nearing the ₹1,000 crore mark. The fintech soonicorn reduced its net losses by 23.1% to ₹118.5 crore, driven by strong growth in payment gateway commissions. Despite rising total expenses of ₹1,090.9 crore, the company continues to diversify its offerings into cross-border payments and AI-driven agentic payments, serving over 20 lakh businesses globally.

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Source: inc42

Zaggle Shares Surge Over 12% After Vijay Kedia’s Firm Buys 1.48% Stake

Business

Zaggle shares surged over 12% after Kedia Securities, led by Vijay Kedia, acquired a 1.48% stake for ₹32.94 crore. This recovery follows a recent slump triggered by a sharp decline in Q1 FY27 net profit to ₹17.5 crore and a dismissed ₹4.09 crore income-tax appeal. The company attributed lower profitability to acquisition costs for Dice Enterprises and Rio.Money, alongside increased employee expenses and capitalized costs.

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Source: inc42

Why Dogsee Chew Refused A UK Distributor’s Demand To Drop ‘Made In India’

Business

Pet wellness brand Dogsee Chew rejected a UK distributor's request to remove "Made in India" labels, instead leveraging its Himalayan origins to build a global identity. Now operating in over 30 countries, the company generates 95% of its revenue from exports. This shift reflects a broader trend of Indian brands utilizing authenticity and craftsmanship to compete internationally, moving from simple exporting to establishing premium global brand recognition.

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Source: inc42

How AI Helped The Bear House Grow Its Conversions 5X

Business

AI shopping agents are transforming ecommerce by shifting from product discovery to intent-led shopping. By leveraging consumer preferences and context, platforms like Glance enable brands to personalize recommendations and streamline the purchase journey. For example, The Bear House saw conversions increase fivefold and returns drop by 20% after implementing these tools. This shift encourages brands to prioritize solving customer intent over traditional website traffic strategies.

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Source: inc42

Butterfly Learnings Raises ₹65 Cr To Scale Neurodivergent Care Network

Business

Butterfly Learnings, a Mumbai-based healthtech startup focusing on neurodevelopmental care, has raised ₹65 crore in a pre-Series B round led by Inflexor Ventures. The company plans to expand its network of therapy centers beyond Maharashtra and scale its AI-powered autism screening tool, Get SET Early. With over 90 existing centers, the startup aims to enhance accessibility for children with autism, ADHD, and other behavioral health challenges.

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Source: inc42

Why The Future Of Indian Retail Is Omnichannel

Business

Indian consumers are adopting a multi-channel shopping approach, blending Instagram discovery, ecommerce price comparisons, and offline trials before purchasing via D2C platforms. While quick commerce is replacing traditional kirana stores for convenience-led categories, products requiring physical trial still depend on offline retail. To achieve growth, brands must maintain a presence across all touchpoints, integrating quick commerce, ecommerce, and physical stores to meet diverse consumer behaviors.

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