TechSparks 2026 Day 2: From Krishna Byre Gowda’s Bengaluru blueprint to Stripe’s global playbook, and more

Source: Your story

TechSparks 2026 Day 2: From Krishna Byre Gowda’s Bengaluru blueprint to Stripe’s global playbook, and more

Startups

The second day of TechSparks 2026 in Bengaluru focused on governance, infrastructure, and global startups. Minister Krishna Byre Gowda highlighted technology's role in reducing corruption and detailed ambitious metro expansions for the city. Stripe India's Manish Maheshwari discussed AI's capacity to help Indian founders scale globally, announcing the acquisition of OpenRouter. Additionally, investors emphasized India's deeptech potential, driven by talent and a push for technological self-reliance.

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Zetwerk Raises ₹2,251 Cr From Anchor Investors Ahead Of IPO

Business

Manufacturing company Zetwerk raised ₹2,251.2 crore from anchor investors, including domestic mutual funds and global firms like BlackRock, ahead of its ₹5,012 crore IPO opening October 15. The offering, priced at ₹151 per share, values the company at approximately ₹25,583 crore. Zetwerk plans to use fresh issue proceeds for debt repayment and acquisitions, despite reporting a widened consolidated net loss of ₹1,606.2 crore in FY26.

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Jio Platforms Sets Stage For India’s Largest IPO At ₹10.3 Lakh Cr Valuation

Business

Jio Platforms has announced its IPO with a price band of ₹1,065-₹1,119 per share, targeting a valuation of ₹10.3 Lakh Cr. This marks India's largest-ever IPO, opening for public subscription from October 21 to 23. The company aims to raise ₹30,213 Cr, primarily to prepay outstanding borrowings of Reliance Jio Infocomm. The offering includes reservations for employees and RIL shareholders, with no offer for sale component.

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Floqer’s AI agents research sales prospects so teams don’t have to

Startups

Floqer is an autonomous customer knowledge platform that provides business-to-business sales and marketing teams with an AI-powered database designed to continuously collect, organize, and update the information used to understand their customers. Floqer is pitching Wednesday on the Startup Battlefield stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. The startup told TechCrunch ahead of the presentation that it […].

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The math behind why young startup employees are underinsured by over Rs 1 Cr

Startups

The math behind why young startup employees are underinsured by over Rs 1 Cr Many young professionals assume their existing cover is sufficient. However, the question they need to ask is ‘how much term insurance do I need’, to adequately protect their family from outstanding liabilities and future.

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5 Lessons from Grief burns like fever by Minakshi Thakur

Startups

Minakshi Thakur's novel, "Grief Burns Like Fever," explores human experiences during a harsh lockdown. It interweaves stories of an ambulance driver, a grieving adolescent, a woman questioning her marriage, and another escaping captivity. The book delves into themes of love, longing, grief, and resilience, highlighting how people respond to suffering. It emphasizes the importance of human connection, finding inner strength, and the enduring presence of hope even in the darkest times.

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Groww Q2: Profit Jumps 54% YoY To ₹725 Cr, Revenue Rises 47%

Business

Groww's consolidated net profit surged 54% year-over-year to ₹724.7 Cr in Q2 FY27, as operating revenue climbed 47% to ₹1,501.5 Cr. Revenue growth outpaced expenses, boosting profitability. However, profit sequentially slipped 1.4% from the previous quarter, and revenue remained flat. This sequential decline.

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Fintech SaaS Startup RevRag.AI Nets $2.5 Mn To Build AI Relationship Managers For Lenders And Insurers

Business

"Agentic AI startup RevRag has raised $2.5 million in seed funding led by Accion Ventures to accelerate product development and expand into the US market. The company provides autonomous AI agents that serve as virtual relationship managers for financial institutions, streamlining onboarding and sales. Serving over 45 Indian clients, including PhonePe and Razorpay, RevRag claims its technology can reduce operational costs by up to 70%.".

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Cancellation may be a creator’s biggest turning point: Varun Mayya

Startups

At the TechSparks summit, AEOS CEO Varun Mayya discussed building a founder brand through courage, differentiation, and authenticity. He emphasized a "zero mindset," urging entrepreneurs to remain adaptable and ready to pivot as AI disrupts traditional business models. Mayya highlighted the importance of embracing criticism and diversifying ventures to mitigate risks, while noting that viral content success depends on mirroring audience interests and utilizing frame shifting.

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UC Hungry For Funds Again, DailyObjects’ D2C Playbook & More

Business

Urban Company's board will meet on October 16 to consider a fresh fundraise to support its loss-making InstaHelp vertical, despite holding significant cash reserves. Meanwhile, GreenCell Mobility raised $34.6 million for electric buses, and Freshworks agreed to acquire Torii for AI spend governance. Additionally, NPCI deferred UPI merchant discount rates until after.

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Justice Department says North Koreans have infiltrated dozens of U.S. companies

Startups

The U.S. Department of Justice has uncovered a scheme where North Korean hackers used American facilitators and "laptop farms" in Texas to infiltrate at least 70 U.S. companies. By using stolen identities to gain remote employment, these state-sponsored actors stole sensitive data and approximately $3 million. The FBI warns that thousands of such workers pose significant national security threats to fund North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

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Cerebras CEO pushes back on AI doomsday warnings

Startups

"Cerebras Systems CEO Andrew Feldman criticized the "AI doomer narrative" at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, arguing that industry leaders should highlight AI's potential benefits, such as curing cancer, rather than focusing solely on existential risks. While acknowledging the need for reasonable regulation and better community engagement regarding data center buildouts, Feldman remains optimistic that hardware and model efficiency improvements will continue to drive technological progress and demand.".

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Facebook is giving users more control over their algorithm

Startups

Facebook is the latest social media platform to give users greater control over the algorithm that determines what appears in their feeds. Meta announced the launch of its new AI-powered feature, “Your Algorithm,” on Tuesday, a feature it first launched on Instagram. The new tool allows Facebook users to influence the content they see in […].

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TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: Day 1

Startups

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 officially kicks off today. See what's in store for Day 1 (Oct. 13) at San Francisco's Moscone West. Don't miss it. Register for your pass now and meet 10,000+ tech leaders at the startup epicenter of the year.

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Amansa Investments, SBI Mutual Fund, others invest Rs 413 Cr in Tonbo Imaging ahead of IPO

Startups

Amansa Investments, SBI Mutual Fund, and HDFC Life Insurance invested over Rs 413 crore in defence electronics maker Tonbo Imaging India Ltd through secondary share transactions. This valued the company at Rs 4,000 crore, ahead of its Rs 852 crore Initial Public Offering. The IPO, an Offer For Sale, is scheduled from October 15-19.

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'I look to China as gurus': Zoho's Sridhar Vembu

Startups

Zoho's Sridhar Vembu urged India to emulate China's strategy of building and owning critical technologies, rather than solely providing software services. He argued China's investment in domestic platforms like Baidu and WeChat fostered economic value and global competitors. Vembu highlighted India's current model, where it performs significant engineering for global firms but lacks proportionate profit due to IP ownership. He stressed the need for indigenous tech development, especially as AI threatens traditional software jobs, to secure India'.

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TechSparks 2026 is here; Zetwerk targets Rs 5,012 Cr IPO

Startups

Under this year’s rallying cry, ‘The New Tech Order,’ YourStory’s 17th edition is bringing together 10,000+ visionaries, 500 speakers, 1,000 startups, and 300 investors. We aren't just discussing the future of AI, deep tech, and digital infrastructure—we're asking: who gets to build it, and how fast.

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Smart ring maker Ultrahuman to roll out biological-age model across UAE

Startups

Bengaluru-based health tech startup Ultrahuman has partnered with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center to develop a biological-age model for the United Arab Emirates. This two-year initiative combines clinical biomarkers with wearable-agnostic data to estimate aging speeds and identify health factors. The project aims to deploy health algorithms at a national scale, allowing UAE residents to access their biological age via government digital-health platforms.

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TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 starts tomorrow: Your final chance to secure up to $100 ticket savings

Startups

Tomorrow at 8 a.m. PT, it all begins. 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech operators will gather at San Francisco’s Moscone West for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 for three days of ideas, connections, and startups shaping what comes next. This is your last 24 hours to secure ticket savings of up to $100, and get 50% off a second.

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D2C Brand Boldfit Raises ₹400 Cr From Bharat Value Fund For Retail Expansion

Business

D2C fitness and sportswear startup Boldfit has raised ₹400 Cr in Series B funding from Bharat Value Fund. This investment will drive nationwide retail expansion, product innovation, and manufacturing capabilities within India. Boldfit also plans selective acquisitions to strengthen its market presence. This latest round brings Boldfit's total funding to over ₹510 Cr, reflecting significant investor interest in India's rapidly growing fitness and sports goods market.

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