AI code-testing startup Blacksmith’s valuation jumps almost 10x in less than a year

Source: Tech Crunch

AI code-testing startup Blacksmith’s valuation jumps almost 10x in less than a year

Startups

Blacksmith has raised $45 million in a Series B round led by Peak XV Partners, valuing the startup at $550 million. The company focuses on testing and validating software code to address bottlenecks caused by AI-generated coding tools. Serving over 5,000 customers, Blacksmith offers CI workloads and an AI agent called Codesmith. Despite heavy competition from tech giants, the firm aims to expand its suite of developer tools.

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Milky Mist IPO to close tomorrow; price band fixed at Rs 133-140

Startups

"Milky Mist Dairy Foods' Rs 1,553-crore IPO closes on August 13, having been fully subscribed by its second day. With a price band of Rs 133-140, the offering includes a fresh issue and an offer for sale. The Tamil Nadu-based company focuses on high-margin, value-added dairy products rather than liquid milk, positioning itself as an FMCG-style business. The shares will list on the BSE and NSE.".

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Indian physicist Deepak Dhar wins the 2026 Dirac Medal

Startups

"Deepak Dhar, an INSA Distinguished Professor at ICTS-TIFR, has been awarded the 2026 Dirac Medal by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics. He is the second scientist working in India to receive this honor. Recognized for his pioneering work in statistical mechanics and complex systems, Dhar's research bridges physics with artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and optimization. He shares the prestigious award with three other internationally renowned researchers.".

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Exclusive: AI Healthtech Startup August AI In Talks To Raise $4 Mn From Peak XV

Business

August AI, an AI-powered health companion startup, is reportedly in discussions to raise approximately $4 million from Peak XV Partners. Founded in 2022, the company provides personalized health insights and symptom analysis across 30 languages. This potential funding follows a $3 million seed round from Accel and Claypond Capital. The move highlights increasing investor interest in AI-driven healthcare solutions for disease detection and clinical workflow efficiency.

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Lenskart Q1: Profit Zooms 3.7X YoY To ₹228.4 Cr, Revenue Up 43%

Business

Lenskart, the omnichannel eyewear giant, reported a significant surge in its consolidated net profit for Q1 FY27, reaching ₹228.4 crore. This represents a 273% year-on-year increase and a 12% sequential rise. Operating revenue grew 43% year-on-year to ₹2,714.2 crore, while total income rose to ₹2,782.7 crore. Despite these gains, total expenses increased by 35% year-on-year to ₹2,483.5 crore during the quarter.

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Reservoir raises $8M to make water heaters that people — and the grid — will actually want

Startups

Reservoir, a startup that recently raised $8 million in seed funding, is launching smart heat pump water heaters in the Boston area. These devices use predictive heating and ultrasonic leak detection to increase efficiency and reduce energy costs. By optimizing heating times, Reservoir aims to stabilize the power grid. The company offers Core and Max models and operates its own plumbing service to streamline installation and sales.

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Duroflex Airboost aims to solve India's biggest wellness challenge: Deep Sleep

Startups

Deep sleep is essential for physical and cognitive recovery, yet many Indians suffer from fragmented sleep. To address this, Duroflex launched Airboost, a mattress technology focusing on spinal alignment, breathability, and energy restoration. Using an open-matrix design with over one lakh fibers, Airboost is accredited by the Indian Society for Sleep Research for increasing deep sleep by 30%. The range offers various models tailored to different budgets and preferences. (69 words) -.

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Delhi HC Says Personality Rights ‘Going Out Of Hand’, Flags Free Speech Concerns

Business

"The Delhi High Court is seeking clearer limits on personality rights to prevent them from infringing upon free speech. While hearing actor Janhvi Kapoor's plea against unauthorized commercial exploitation and AI-generated content, Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani declined a blanket takedown of fan pages. The court emphasized that public figures must tolerate some scrutiny, urging a balanced approach to protect individuals without restricting legitimate expression or digital creativity.".

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Exclusive: Astrotalk Joins Unicorn Club After ESOP Buyback At $1 Bn Valuation

Business

Delhi NCR-based astrology platform AstroTalk has become India’s 133rd unicorn following an ESOP buyback at a $1 billion valuation. The company reported an annual revenue run rate exceeding ₹2,500 crore, with FY25 net profits rising to ₹250 crore. Beyond its core consultation services, AstroTalk is expanding into spiritual ecommerce through its Astrotalk Store, with plans for offline retail in Delhi NCR and international expansion into the US market.

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Accel Closes Ninth India Fund With $550 Mn Corpus To Invest In AI, Deeptech

Business

Accel has closed its ninth India-focused fund with a $550 million corpus, part of a broader $3.5 billion global raise across four funds. This new capital will target artificial intelligence, deeptech, and early-stage startups, bringing Accel's total India commitments to over $3 billion. The firm continues its strategy as a primary institutional investor, leveraging its extensive history in the region to back the next generation of tech innovators.

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Ola Electric secures 5-year PLI window, to get upto Rs 7,240cr in incentives

Startups

Ola Electric has secured a revised timeline under the government's Production Linked Incentive scheme for advanced chemistry cells, extending its window through 2031. The company is eligible for cumulative incentives of up to Rs 7,240 crore, with quarterly disbursements beginning next quarter. Currently possessing 2.5 GWh of capacity, Ola aims for 6 GWh by quarter-end and plans to unveil its broader energy product roadmap this Independence Day.

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Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran to step down

Startups

"Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran will not seek reappointment when his term ends on February 20, 2027. Despite recommendations from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust, a lack of board unanimity led to his decision. Chandrasekaran emphasized the need for leadership clarity for stakeholders. This transition occurs as the Tata Group faces intense competition and internal shifts following Ratan Tata's passing.".

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Shiprocket IPO Subscribed 35% On Day 1; Retail, Employee Quotas Fully Booked

Business

Shiprocket's ₹1,617 crore IPO was subscribed 0.35X in its early hours, driven by retail and employee demand. While retail investors subscribed 1.35X and employees 2.48X, institutional interest remained low. The offering, priced between ₹92 and ₹97 per share, values the company at approximately ₹7,000 crore. Proceeds will fund technology, marketing, and debt repayment. The IPO closes Friday, August 14, following a ₹727.4 crore anchor round.

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5 Books that uncover why we struggle to make decisions

Startups

Decision-making is often complicated by psychological barriers like fear, perfectionism, and cognitive biases. To address these challenges, several influential books offer insights into the science of choice. Works by Daniel Kahneman, Barry Schwartz, the Heath brothers, Dan Ariely, and Greg McKeown explore how intuition, excessive options, irrationality, and a lack of priority affect our judgments. Understanding these mental patterns enables individuals to make more confident and thoughtful decisions.

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EV mobility service startup Yulu raises $93M led by GEF Capital

Startups

Electric mobility-as-a-service startup Yulu has raised $93 million in a Series C funding round led by GEF Capital Partners. The company plans to quadruple its electric vehicle fleet to 200,000 units within two years and launch Yulu Express for e-commerce logistics. With revenue growing sevenfold and positive EBITDA since April 2025, Yulu is now positioning itself for an initial public offering while expanding its urban transport infrastructure.

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5 Books that uncover the reasons behind emotional exhaustion

Startups

Emotional exhaustion often stems from chronic stress, perfectionism, and unresolved trauma rather than single events. Five influential books explore these hidden causes, highlighting the importance of completing stress cycles, processing past wounds, setting healthy boundaries, practicing self-compassion, and fostering meaningful connections. By understanding these psychological patterns and the emotional weight they carry, individuals can develop better habits and establish a more balanced, healthier lifestyle.

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Ola Electric Eyes Up To ₹7,240 Cr Battery Cell PLI Incentives After Timeline Revision

Business

"The Ministry of Heavy Industries has revised the PLI timelines for Ola Electric’s battery subsidiary, extending the incentive window through 2031. This allows the company to potentially claim up to ₹7,240 crore for its 20 GWh allocation. Ola currently has 2.5 GWh of installed capacity and expects to reach 6 GWh by the September quarter, significantly improving the economics of its cell manufacturing business after missing original deadlines.".

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From cyber defence to care and contracts: AI100's eighth cohort puts AI to work

Startups

"The eighth cohort of AI100, an AWS and YourStory initiative, highlights three leaders integrating AI into enterprise infrastructure. David Gildea of Druva simplifies cloud security and data protection, Ankit Maheshwari of Innovaccer focuses on unifying healthcare data for better patient care, and Aditya Gupta of Sirion transforms static contracts into actionable systems. Together, they emphasize that responsible engineering and sound foundations are essential for AI's real-world utility.".

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Aditya Gupta: Building intelligence into contracts at scale

Startups

Aditya Gupta, Co-founder and CTO of Sirion, is transforming contract lifecycle management by evolving static documents into intelligent, AI-powered systems. By embedding AI and generative AI into the core workflow, Sirion enables enterprises to track obligations and analyze risks in real time. Leveraging AWS infrastructure and legal knowledge graphs, the platform ensures precision and transparency, shifting contracts from passive records to proactive tools that drive business outcomes.

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Ankit Maheshwari: AI, architecture and impact

Startups

Ankit Maheshwari, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Innovaccer, leads the development of AI-native healthcare applications. By unifying fragmented data, Innovaccer supports seven of the top ten US health systems, impacting 80 million lives. Despite challenges like data silos and strict compliance, Maheshwari focuses on amplifying human capability. Partnering with AWS, the company leverages scalable infrastructure to accelerate innovation in clinical decision-making and predictive insights.

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