Zerodha Gets SEBI Nod For Merchant Banking, To Focus On New-Age IPOs

Source: inc42

Zerodha Gets SEBI Nod For Merchant Banking, To Focus On New-Age IPOs

Business

Zerodha has obtained SEBI approval to operate as a merchant banker through its subsidiary, Zerodha Corporate Advisors. The firm plans to manage IPOs and provide equity fundraising advice, specifically for new-age companies. This diversification follows a decline in brokerage revenue and rising competition from Groww. Despite these challenges, Zerodha's net profit grew slightly in FY26, and the company continues expanding its product portfolio and NRI services.

Read Full Story

Volunteer at TechCrunch Founder Summit in Boston

Startups

"The TechCrunch Founder Summit, formerly All Stage, returns to Boston on November 4th. Organizers are seeking volunteers to assist with registration, speaker coordination, and event setup for approximately 1,100 attendees. Selected volunteers receive a summit ticket, a pass to Disrupt 2027, and access to expert-led workshops. Interested individuals must apply by October 19th to gain professional event experience and behind-the-scenes insight into a world-renowned startup event.".

Read Full Story

TikTok comments are getting more interactive with voice comments, polls, and more

Startups

"TikTok is enhancing its comment sections with new interactive features to increase user engagement. The updates include voice comments for users 18 and older, comment polls for creators, photo carousels allowing up to nine images, and Live Photo comments. These tools aim to transform comment sections into interactive spaces. TikTok will implement these features globally over the next month, ensuring all content adheres to its Community Guidelines.".

Read Full Story

The Ayurveda Co shuts down after raising Rs 125 Cr; founder says it expanded too fast

Startups

D2C beauty brand The Ayurveda Co (TAC) is formally shutting down after ceasing operations in July 2025. Despite raising approximately Rs 125 crore in venture capital and reaching 20 lakh consumers, the company failed due to unsustainable rapid expansion and premature hiring. Co-founder Param Bhargava attributed the collapse to strategic missteps. The brand once employed over 1,000 people and achieved an annual GMV exceeding Rs 150 crore.

Read Full Story

Swiggy Narrows CREW’s Focus To Travel After Year-Long Concierge Pilot

Business

Swiggy has pivoted its CREW platform from a general lifestyle concierge to a dedicated personal travel concierge. Available exclusively to paid subscribers via invitation, the service combines AI and human expertise to provide 24/7 global assistance for flights, stays, and visa processing. This strategic shift targets affluent consumers, aiming to bridge the gap between booking and experience as part of Swiggy's broader experimentation to enhance user stickiness.

Read Full Story

Nvidia confirms it will buy Hugging Face for $12.9 billion

Startups

Nvidia has acquired Hugging Face for $12.93 billion to expand its influence in the AI ecosystem. Hugging Face, a hub for millions of models and developers, will remain an open platform supporting various frameworks and compute providers. CEO Jensen Huang emphasized that Nvidia compute is not required for the platform. The deal allows Nvidia to better align the open-source ecosystem with its hardware and sell unused capacity.

Read Full Story

Alipay+’s UPI Linkup Stalled Over Security, Data Concerns: Report

Business

India has stalled the proposed linkage between Alipay+ and UPI due to national security, data-security, and money-laundering concerns. The integration would have allowed Indian travelers to use UPI at over 150 million Alipay+ merchants abroad and enabled international visitors to pay in India. Despite UPI's global expansion into markets like Singapore and France, the Indian government remains cautious of the platform's Chinese origins and potential data misuse.

Read Full Story

As Enterprise AI Starts Charging For Work, Owning The Outcomes Becomes The Contest

Business

Enterprise AI is shifting from token-based pricing to outcome-based models, where buyers pay for successful tasks rather than usage. This transition makes AI agents the primary interface, potentially granting vendors greater pricing power and a share of created value. To maintain control and reduce costs, enterprises are adopting open-weight models on private infrastructure. This creates a significant opportunity for Indian firms to lead in domain-specific AI implementation.

Read Full Story

slice Eyes $100 Mn Funding At 60% Valuation Cut As Bank Valuation Takes Shape

Business

Fintech unicorn slice is raising approximately $100 million in funding at a valuation of $450 million to $465 million, a sharp decline from its previous $1.25 billion valuation. The round, backed by Neo Group, Kado Global, and Moore Strategic Ventures, follows slice's merger with North East Small Finance Bank. Despite the valuation dip, the company reported a net profit of ₹50.9 crore in Q1 FY27, showing strong growth.

Read Full Story

Amazon’s Zoox expands its robotaxi service to Las Vegas airport

Startups

Amazon-owned Zoox is expanding its commercial robotaxi service in Las Vegas to include rides to and from Harry Reid International Airport starting Thursday. Following a federal safety exemption allowing commercial operations, Zoox now offers convenient pick-ups near baggage claim, gaining an edge over Uber and Lyft. While Zoox currently leads airport access, Tesla, Uber, and Waymo also received permits to operate robotaxis in Clark County.

Read Full Story

10 Lessons from The Courage to Be Disliked on living freely

Startups

"The Courage to Be Disliked" by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga introduces Adlerian psychology through a dialogue between a philosopher and a youth. The book argues that individuals are not defined by their past and should stop seeking external validation. By separating their tasks from others and focusing on personal growth and community contribution, readers can achieve true freedom and happiness through self-acceptance and present-moment living.

Read Full Story

Everstone Capital-Backed Wingify Ropes In Ex-Dayforce Mehernaz Dalal As CFO

Business

SaaS company Wingify has appointed Mehernaz Dalal, former Dayforce APAC CFO, as its new Chief Financial Officer. With 26 years of experience, Dalal will collaborate with CEO Sparsh Gupta and Everstone Capital to drive the company's next growth phase. This appointment follows Wingify's merger with AB Tasty, creating a digital experience platform valued at over $500 million with annual revenues exceeding $100 million and 4,000 global customers.

Read Full Story

Simple Energy Catches The Mass-Market Wave

Business

After years of chasing premium and performance-focused buyers, EV startups are now setting their sights on the mass market. While.

Read Full Story

NCLT Orders Status Quo On BYJU’S Assets Sold For ₹16 Cr

Business

"The National Company Law Tribunal has ordered a status quo on assets auctioned by BYJU’S parent company, Think and Learn Pvt Ltd, to Comprint Tech Solutions. This follows a dispute where the resolution professional of BYJU’S K3 Education claimed ownership of goods worth ₹150 crore. Due to insufficient evidence from both parties, the tribunal directed Comprint to disclose the assets' location and inventory until ownership is conclusively established.".

Read Full Story

Cradlewise raises $12M in Series A led by 3one4 Capital, Prudent Investment Management

Startups

Cradlewise, an AI-first health company, raised $12 million in Series A funding led by 3one4 Capital and Prudent Investment Management, bringing its total funding to $26 million. The startup develops a smart sleep system combining a crib, monitoring, and adaptive motion to help infants sleep better. The company plans to use the capital for international expansion, product research, and developing new offerings for children beyond infancy.

Read Full Story

VLCC raises Rs 110 Cr in funding from BlackSoil Capital

Startups

"VLCC, a beauty and wellness company backed by Carlyle, has raised Rs 110 crore from BlackSoil Capital to fuel its expansion. The funding will support the company's growth across its beauty, wellness, and personal care sectors, including new product launches and store network expansion. Operating in 11 countries with over 250 locations, VLCC aims to strengthen its platform to meet the rising demand for organized wellness services.".

Read Full Story

D2C Smart Crib Brand Cradlewise Raises $12 Mn To Expand Product Portfolio

Business

"Cradlewise, a San Francisco-based smart crib startup, has raised $12 million in a Series A round led by 3one4 Capital and Prudent Investment Management, bringing its total funding to $26 million. The company plans to use the capital to expand its distribution channels, enter international markets, and develop new sleep-related hardware and software solutions for children, leveraging its AI-driven technology and extensive sleep data.".

Read Full Story

The Ayurveda Co Shuts Down After Overexpansion Derails Business

Business

"D2C ayurvedic beauty brand The Ayurveda Co and its sister brand Khadi Essentials have shut down after ceasing operations in July 2025. Despite raising ₹125 Cr, the startups liquidated their assets and entered a formal winding-up process. Cofounder Param Bhargava attributed the failure to unsustainable rapid expansion and premature senior hiring. The company previously sold various ayurvedic skincare, haircare, and wellness products through online and offline channels.".

Read Full Story

Inside Yes Madam’s Bet To Own The Full At-Home Beauty Stack

Business

Yes Madam is expanding its at-home salon services to include dermatologist-designed, non-invasive aesthetic treatments. Using a hub-and-spoke model, the startup provides professional-grade procedures like laser hair reduction and HydraGlo facials at 35-55% lower costs than conventional clinics. By employing certified professionals and single-use kits, the company ensures safety and convenience. Yes Madam aims to build a ₹500 Cr business while expanding across major Indian cities.

Read Full Story

Meet the lender taking secured small-business credit beyond India’s top 100 locations

Startups

Business Nextgen Finance (BNF), founded by former risk executive Pankaj Poddar, has raised Rs 215 crore in equity capital from institutional investors, including Beams Fintech Fund and Baring Private Equity. The NBFC aims to expand secured MSME lending beyond India's top 100 markets, targeting 1,000 locations. By integrating AI-native technology with traditional underwriting, BNF intends to bridge the credit gap for underserved small entrepreneurs while maintaining risk discipline.

Read Full Story

Categories