Friend-focused photo sharing app Retro snags $21M

Source: Tech Crunch

Friend-focused photo sharing app Retro snags $21M

Startups

"Retro, a photo-sharing app created by former Instagram engineers, has raised over $21 million in Series A funding, valuing the startup at over $100 million. Focused on direct friend connections rather than algorithms, Retro offers private sharing and memory features without using advertisements. With approximately 7 million downloads and a significant surge in subscription spending, the app aims to provide a personal alternative to traditional social media.".

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How Sweden built one of Europe’s hottest startup ecosystems

Startups

Sweden's tech ecosystem, particularly in Stockholm, is experiencing a surge in growth and innovation. Beyond established giants like Spotify and Klarna, new ventures like Legora and Lovable are emerging. This trend is driven by a cultural shift toward entrepreneurship and mentorship from previous founders. With funding projected to reach $5 billion this year, the region is attracting significant attention and investment from American venture capitalists.

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Delhivery makes "nominal adjustment" to customer pricing amid rising costs

Startups

Logistics company Delhivery has implemented a nominal price increase for its customers, citing rising costs for fuel, manpower, and network operations. Reports indicate shipping charges for D2C brands rose by Rs 2 to Rs 4 per shipment starting September 1. This move follows similar fee hikes by Amazon and Flipkart ahead of the festive season, a period typically marked by high order volumes and increased pressure on delivery networks.

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Meta’s India, Southeast Asia VP Sandhya Devanathan moves to OpenAI

Startups

"Sandhya Devanathan, Meta’s Vice President for India and Southeast Asia, is leaving the company after over a decade to join OpenAI. Starting in October, she will serve as OpenAI’s Vice President for Southeast Asia and Australia, based in Singapore. Her new role focuses on consumer growth, enterprise adoption, and regulatory engagement. This move aligns with OpenAI's broader expansion across the Asia-Pacific region to strengthen its regional leadership.".

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Gnani.ai Unveils Sovereign AI Stack Artha For Enterprises

Business

Gnani.ai has launched Artha, a sovereign AI stack designed for Indian enterprises and public institutions to maintain data control. The platform integrates Plexus, an agentic AI system, with Evon v3.3, a 30 billion-parameter multilingual model supporting 11 Indian languages. Developed under the IndiaAI Mission, Artha aims to reduce reliance on foreign AI by offering cost-effective, high-performance reasoning capabilities for regulated sectors like banking and insurance.

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From Sarvam AI co-founder to IBM CEO, meet the 10 Indians and people of Indian origin on TIME100 AI 2026

Startups

Ten Indians and people of Indian origin are featured on TIME's 2026 list of the 100 most influential people in artificial intelligence. Spanning categories like Leaders and Innovators, these individuals include IBM CEO Arvind Krishna and Sarvam AI co-founder Vivek Raghavan. Their contributions cover foundational models, semiconductors, healthcare, and AI governance, illustrating the significant and growing impact of Indian talent across the global AI ecosystem.

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More Americans oppose police license plate cameras than support them: survey

Startups

A new YouGov survey reveals a shift in public opinion, with 46% of Americans now opposing Flock’s surveillance cameras compared to 38% in support. Operating over 120,000 license plate readers, Flock faces increasing backlash over privacy concerns and reports of police abuse. While the company claims its new safeguards address these issues, critics like the ACLU disagree, and CEO Garrett Langley is now seeking a privacy compromise.

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IPO-Bound Purple Style Labs Nets ₹306 Cr From Anchor Investors

Business

Purple Style Labs, the parent company of Pernia’s Pop Up Shop, has raised nearly ₹306 crore from ten anchor investors ahead of its IPO. The public issue, consisting of a fresh share issue worth up to ₹680 crore, opens on August 31. The company plans to use the proceeds for lease liabilities and marketing. Despite a widening net loss, its operating revenue grew 14% to ₹557.8 crore in FY26.

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Hero MotoCorp Buys Additional 3% Stake In Ather For ₹1,758 Cr

Business

Over a month after Hero MotoCorp’s board approved an investment in Ather Energy, the auto giant has now bought 1.18.

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Apple TV is raising its subscription prices again

Startups

"Apple TV is increasing its subscription prices for the fourth time in four years, raising monthly costs to $14.99 and annual fees to $119. The Apple One bundle will also rise to $21.95 monthly. This trend mirrors price hikes from Netflix and Peacock, alongside rising hardware costs driven by AI demand. Meanwhile, Apple is expected to unveil new iPhones, potentially including a foldable model, on September 9.".

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The forgotten bestseller that predicted quiet quitting

Startups

Discover why a forgotten workplace bestseller feels surprisingly relevant in the age of quiet quitting, burnout, and shifting career values.

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a16z creates a $1.1B ‘Machine Age’ fund to ‘accelerate the physical buildout of AI’

Startups

Andreessen Horowitz has launched a $1.1 billion "Machine Age" fund to accelerate the physical buildout of artificial intelligence. Shifting from its typical software focus, the firm will invest in critical AI infrastructure, including computer chips, memory, data centers, and robotics. a16z views the advancement of AI as a social and national imperative, aiming to develop faster, more efficient systems and the necessary supporting materials and real estate.

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7 Books that uncover truths you were never meant to know

Startups

Seven influential books challenge common assumptions by exposing the hidden forces shaping modern society. These works explore diverse topics, including media manipulation, Cold War geopolitics, surveillance capitalism, and the psychology of finance. Additionally, they examine algorithmic bias and the shared myths that build civilizations. Together, these texts encourage readers to think critically about the systems governing their lives, from political narratives to digital privacy and human history.

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Anthropic gets its first court win over the Pentagon’s supply chain risk label

Startups

A federal judge ruled the Trump administration illegally labeled Anthropic a supply chain risk, handing the AI company a victory as its second Pentagon lawsuit continues in Washington.

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Jio Platforms Gets SEBI Nod For IPO

Business

Jio Platforms, the digital and telecom arm of Reliance Industries, has received SEBI's approval for its proposed initial public offering. The IPO will consist of a fresh issue of up to 27 crore equity shares, with no offer for sale. Proceeds are intended to repay borrowings of Reliance Jio Infocomm and for general corporate purposes. This listing aims to unlock value for major shareholders, including RIL, Meta, and Google.

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Meta India, Southeast Asia VP Sandhya Devanathan Steps Down

Business

"Sandhya Devanathan, Meta’s vice president for India and Southeast Asia, has stepped down after more than ten years with the company. Devanathan, who led Meta's operations in these key markets, plans to take a short break before pursuing new opportunities. Her departure occurs as Meta faces increased regulatory pressure in India regarding deepfakes and AI-generated content, and follows her role in the Meta-Reliance AI joint venture.".

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Meta executive leaves for OpenAI as the social media giant faces growing scrutiny in India

Startups

Sandhya Devanathan, Meta’s India and Southeast Asia VP, is leaving to join OpenAI, based in Singapore. She will oversee consumer growth, enterprise adoption, and operations across Southeast Asia and Australia. This appointment follows another key hire in India and underscores.

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Inside Groww’s Revenue Mix: What Comes After Broking

Business

Groww is diversifying its revenue streams to reduce reliance on stockbroking and equity derivatives, which dropped to 68.4% of its income in Q1 FY27. Despite growing its active client base to 1.31 crore, the company still trails competitor Zerodha in total revenue and profit. Groww is expanding into asset management and wealth management through acquisitions like Fisdom to drive future scalable growth and market competitiveness.

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Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (August 28, 2026)

Startups

YourStory presents the daily news roundup from the Indian startup ecosystem and beyond. Here's the roundup for Friday, August 28, 2026.

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22 Rejections, Then Georgetown: A Bihar 19-Year-Old's Rs 3.5 Crore Scholarship

Startups

Adarsh Kumar, a student from Bihar, India, has joined Georgetown University in Qatar on a full scholarship after overcoming significant financial hardships and numerous academic rejections. The first Indian to win the $100,000 Chegg.org Global Student Prize, Kumar co-founded Skillzo to provide mentorship to underserved students. He now aims to study political science and economics to address institutional failures in his home state.

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