Urban Company Jumps 18% As Morgan Stanley Bets On Core Business Growth

Source: inc42

Urban Company Jumps 18% As Morgan Stanley Bets On Core Business Growth

Business

Urban Company shares surged up to 17.7% following a Morgan Stanley upgrade to ‘Overweight’ and a target price increase to ₹165. Despite a Q1 FY27 net loss of ₹92.1 crore, revenue grew 43.9% to ₹528.3 crore. Growth was driven by strong core India services and international expansion, although aggressive investments in the InstaHelp segment led to significant losses, which the company views as strategically important.

Read Full Story

Will UPI MDR be a new revenue engine for fintech firms?

Startups

A 0.4% fee on select transactions above Rs 2,000 could create a sizeable revenue pool for payment companies. While the ecosystem is bullish on the valuation of fintech firms, the exact impact on bottom line and customer behaviour remains uncertain.

Read Full Story

NSE raises Rs 6,746 Cr from LIC, Goldman Sachs and others in anchor round ahead of mega IPO

Startups

According to a circular uploaded on the BSE website, NSE allotted over 3.77 crore shares to 150 anchor investors at Rs 1,785 apiece, the upper end of its IPO price band. This takes the transaction size to Rs 6,746.2 crore.

Read Full Story

APAII brings 30+ angel funds together to strengthen India’s early-stage capital ecosystem

Startups

The Association of Prolific Angels in India (APAII) aims to expand the country’s angel investor base to 1 million and mobilize $3 billion in early-stage capital over the next five years. India's angel investing ecosystem today saw the launch of the Association of Prolific Angels in India (APAII).

Read Full Story

Your startup’s next teammate might be an AI agent: Gusto, Insight Partners, and Leland explain what that changes at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Startups

AI agents are increasingly performing engineering, customer support, and operational tasks at startups, challenging founders to redefine early team roles. A TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 session, "Hiring When AI Is a Co-Founder," will explore this shift. Experts will discuss how early-stage companies can build effective teams where humans and AI collaborate,.

Read Full Story

Snap tries to make the case again for its $2,200 smart glasses

Startups

Snap unveiled new features for its initially disastrous Specs smart glasses, aiming to justify their high cost and purpose. Updates include entertainment integrations with HBO Max and Spotify, and "Specs Intelligence," an anticipatory AI system for productivity. A "Specs for Enterprise" program targets corporate workflows, particularly IT. A separate cellular connectivity package was also announced, as Snap positions Specs as a human-centric computer.

Read Full Story

Former Waymo CFO jumps to self-driving startup Wayve

Startups

Elisa de Martel, former CFO at Alphabet's Waymo, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer at self-driving startup Wayve. Her hiring coincides with Wayve's critical transition from development to deploying its automated driving technology for robotaxis and passenger vehicles. De Martel brings extensive tech finance experience, crucial as Wayve, valued at $8.5 billion,.

Read Full Story

With UPI MDR Clarity, PhonePe Eyes IPO By March 2027

Business

Walmart-backed PhonePe is reviving its IPO plans, targeting a public listing between February-March 2027, seeking a $10 billion valuation. This follows the new UPI Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework, which offers clarity on monetizing its core payments business after years of zero MDR. The framework applies a 0.4% MDR on merchant payments above ₹2,000, while most transactions remain free. PhonePe's CEO welcomed the change for ecosystem reinvestment.

Read Full Story

All you need to know about MDR and why it matters

Startups

What does MDR mean? Should you be worried as a consumer? What impact does this have on merchants? All FAQs answered. The introduction of a 0.4% merchant discount rate (MDR) on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 has stirred the hornet’s nest, sparking fierce debates in the fintech industry and the e.

Read Full Story

VerifAIX Bags $5 Mn To Scale AI-Based Chip Verification Platform

Business

AI-native semiconductor verification startup VerifAIX has raised $5 million in seed funding, co-led by Endiya Partners and Bluehill VC. The capital will advance its verification technology, expand customer deployments, and grow engineering teams across the US, India, and Israel. VerifAIX addresses the critical need to independently verify AI-generated chip designs, ensuring they meet original specifications by combining AI-based reasoning with rigorous formal verification through its "Formal Brain" platform.

Read Full Story

Meta expands subscription push with new AI-focused plans

Startups

Meta introduced Meta One, a new subscription service offering expanded AI usage and premium features across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The plans provide AI tools for image and video creation/editing, targeting both individual users and businesses. This initiative aims to monetize Meta's significant AI investments. Following successful earlier subscription.

Read Full Story

Health benefits platform Thatch reaches $1B valuation as healthcare costs surge

Startups

Thatch, a healthcare platform, has raised $108 million at a $1 billion valuation from investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Index Ventures. The company utilizes Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs) to help employers manage rising costs by providing employees with fixed budgets to select personalized insurance plans. By leveraging AI for recommendations, Thatch offers a flexible alternative to traditional company-wide health plans, enhancing worker choice and efficiency.

Read Full Story

OpenAI, Anthropic, Google have been in talks on AI safety for weeks

Startups

OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind have been collaborating for several weeks to address catastrophic AI risks, according to OpenAI's global policy chief Chris Lehane. This effort follows a call from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to slow frontier AI development. While industry leaders support safety standards and independent verification, some warn of potential antitrust violations. Meanwhile, President Trump has dismissed these safety concerns as a hoax.

Read Full Story

Wonder scores a $425 million partnership with DoorDash as it builds its food empire

Startups

"DoorDash is investing $425 million in Marc Lore's food tech company, Wonder. The deal includes a $300 million acquisition of Wonder’s Grubhub Campus Dining business and a $125 million contribution to Wonder’s Series D funding round. DoorDash aims to expand campus dining to hotels and stadiums, while Wonder focuses on building an autonomous food system. Wonder currently operates 157 locations and plans to expand into Texas by 2027.".

Read Full Story

Discover how to take your startup from prototype to production at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Startups

Learn how to scale your startup breakthrough from prototype to production at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 with scaling leaders, Adrian Macneil (Foxglove), John Mackey (MBRYONICS), and Boris Sofman (Bedrock Robotics. Register before September 25 to save up to $200 on your pass.

Read Full Story

SEBI Greenlights Lending Tech Startup Fibe’s ₹750 Cr+ IPO

Business

SEBI has cleared the IPO proposal for Fibe parent Social Worth Technologies, paving the way for the lending tech startup's public listing. The IPO includes a fresh issue of shares worth up to ₹750 Cr and an offer-for-sale of over 4 Cr shares. Fibe plans to invest ₹562.6 Cr in its NBFC arm. This approval.

Read Full Story

AI content startup Flam raises $40M from QED Investors, Shah Rukh Khan, and others

Startups

The Bengaluru- and San Francisco-based tech startup, which delivers AI-powered interactive content, was founded by BITS Pilani alumni Shourya Agarwal, Malhar Patil and Amit Gaiki. It plans to use the funding on R&D, expanding its product portfolio, and scaling enterprise sales.

Read Full Story

Flam Bags $40 Mn To Offer Immersive Content To Enterprises

Business

Flam, an AI-powered content platform, has raised $40 Mn in Series B funding led by QED Investors, with participation from Shah Rukh Khan's family office and other investors. The capital will be used to ramp up R&D in AI models, expand its product suite, and accelerate enterprise sales in existing and new markets. This funding round occurs as mixed reality gains traction,.

Read Full Story

Kids’ Nutrition Brands Face A Familiar Struggle

Business

Indian D2C brands are transforming the kids' food market by enhancing familiar foods with better nutrition to appeal to both children and health-conscious parents. While many urban parents are willing to pay a premium, brands face challenges including high ingredient costs, manufacturing hurdles, and regulatory scrutiny from the FSSAI over misleading claims. Long-term success depends on balancing taste with proven nutritional benefits to ensure repeat purchases.

Read Full Story

Apple’s Siri AI Gambit, Moneyview Trims IPO Size & More

Business

Apple launched Siri AI with iOS 27, though advanced features are limited to premium devices with potential future subscription fees. Meanwhile, Moneyview halved its IPO size, and InsuranceDekho faces leadership changes. Lenskart expanded its stake in AjnaLens for smart glasses, while the RBI proposed new cyber safety protocols. Additionally, Google selected four Indian startups for its AI accelerator, and Saubha Aerial Systems developed drone parachute recovery systems.

Read Full Story

Jensen Huang took a call from Trump, and showed off something else, too

Startups

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang received a live call from President Trump on stage at the All-In conference, answering on a foldable phone. Their discussion focused on AI safety, with both seemingly agreeing that mounting fears about AI constitute a "hoax." Trump asserted AI is "bigger than the internet" and shouldn't be slowed, claiming panic benefits China and "political people." Huang's apparent agreement might align with Nvidia's.

Read Full Story

Categories