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Green Frontier Capital marks first close of maiden India fund
In 2024, early-stage venture capital firm Green Frontier Capital launched a Rs 1,500-crore (~$178 million) fund to back startups developing solutions in the area of sustainability. Today, as it marks the first close of its maiden India fund, the firm has cut down the total fund size to $75 million–$100 million. It has already raised 20-25% of the fund.
Managing Partner Sandiip Bhammer tells YourStory that the decision to downsize had nothing to do with the demand for the fund but it was due to the limited number of high-quality investment opportunities in India and the overall macroeconomic conditions.
How Megha Sarayan built Modge, a mood-based dessert brand
They say food can lift one’s mood but how about food based on one’s mood? That is the idea behind Modge by Megha Sarayan.
Kolkata-based dessert brand Modge, coined from ‘mood’ and ‘indulge’, is a dessert brand by Megha Sarayan. It positions itself as a “mood-based craving” solutions. Sarayan elaborates, “Whenever you are driven by a particular craving because of the mood you are in, we cater to that mood. Midnight cravings, pregnancy cravings, stress-buster cravings. PMS cravings: we indulge that mood.”
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OneKiraana raises $1.6 million in seed funding led by Ankur Capital
OneKiraana, a startup enabling kirana stores to create their own private labels through customisation at the micro-layer has raised $1.6 million in seed funding led by Ankur Capital. This round also saw participation from GreenTrunk Ventures, VCMint and other angel investors.
The fresh capital will be deployed to expand OneKiraana’s tech and manufacturing capabilities, deepen its last-mile logistics network, and grow its store footprint across India. The company is currently working with 900+ kirana stores, with over three million private labelled products supplied in 1500 SKUs across 25 categories.
By working closely with stores, OneKiraana captures SKU-level sales velocity, pricing behavior, regional preferences, and working capital cycles. Through integrations with hyperlocal logistics providers, OneKiraana plans to power home delivery for kirana stores, without fixed staffing costs. This data captured feeds directly into sourcing, production planning, distribution and pricing decisions – creating an intelligence layer that learns and improves continuously.
OneKiraana co-founder & CEO Bhavin Soni said ”The opportunity is clear: kiranas that upgrade their offerings with the right technology infrastructure – better products, efficient distribution, and enabling intelligence layer – will capture the next wave of consumption and emerge as ‘bright stores’ in their neighborhoods.”
Voltas partners DPIIT to support startups in cooling technologies
Voltas has signed an MoU with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to strengthen collaboration between industry and startups in India’s cooling and smart appliance sector. The partnership will support startups working on technologies such as energy-efficient HVAC systems, AI-based diagnostics, and IoT-enabled appliances.
Selected startups will gain access to mentorship, research infrastructure, and proof-of-concept programmes with Voltas engineering teams. The initiative will also include innovation challenges and hackathons under the Startup India programme.
slice appoints former SBI risk executive Sreedevi Pillai as independent director
Digital banking company slice has appointed Sreedevi Pillai, former Chief General Manager for Risk Management at State Bank of India, as an independent director on its board. Pillai brings more than 36 years of banking experience, having led operational risk, fraud prevention, and enterprise risk management functions at SBI.
The company said the appointment strengthens its governance and risk oversight as it scales its banking operations.
Pillai holds a master’s degree in mathematics from St Stephen’s College and professional risk management certifications from the Global Association of Risk Professionals.
RateGain partners with Juspay to power embedded payments platform
RateGain Travel Technologies Limited has partnered with payments technology company Juspay to power RG Pay, its embedded fintech platform designed for the global travel and hospitality ecosystem. The integration will bring Juspay’s payment orchestration technology into RateGain’s commerce platform, enabling localised payment methods, intelligent routing, and cross-border transaction management for travel brands.
The companies said the collaboration aims to improve checkout conversions and simplify payment processing across global markets. RG Pay will combine payment processing, orchestration, and affordability solutions within RateGain’s distribution infrastructure, helping travel businesses manage the full transaction lifecycle.
Juspay’s payment stack currently processes over 300 million transactions daily and more than $1 trillion in annual payment value.
T-Hub partners with JETRO to expand India-Japan startup collaboration
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Hyderabad-based startup incubator T-Hub has signed a partnership with the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) to support cross-border collaboration between Indian and Japanese startups. The partnership will provide Japanese startups, corporate firms, and investors with market access into India while enabling Indian startups to explore opportunities in Japan.
The collaboration will focus on sectors including deeptech, AI, aerospace, defence, mobility, and advanced manufacturing. Initiatives include startup exchange programmes, open-innovation engagements with corporations, investor connect platforms, and regulatory guidance for companies entering new markets.
Style Lounge launches AI-driven beauty intelligence platform
Beauty technology startup Style Lounge has launched a beauty intelligence platform designed to combine artificial intelligence with dermatological diagnostics. The platform features an AI-powered skin analysis tool that evaluates parameters such as acne, hydration, and pigmentation using a smartphone selfie.
Based on the diagnostic results, the platform’s recommendation engine suggests tailored salon treatments and skincare routines. Style Lounge said the technology is intended to move beauty services towards a more data-driven model that replaces influencer-led recommendations with personalized diagnostics.
Satchmo Foods launches ready-to-cook staple range
Food company Satchmo Foods has launched a new ready-to-cook product range including chapatis, pooris and idli-dosa batter aimed at providing convenient, homemade-style staples for households and institutional kitchens. The range will initially target B2B customers such as restaurants, corporate cafeterias and hotels. There are also plans to expand into retail channels.
Satchmo Foods said the products are minimally processed and preservative-free, focusing on hygiene, affordability and consistent quality. The launch is supported by the company’s 15,000-sq-ft manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, which, the company says, can produce more than 24,000 chapatis and 5,000 kg of batter daily.
Roinet launches motor insurance platform Kavach
Insurance broker Roinet has launched Roinet Kavach, a digital motor insurance platform aimed at expanding insurance access through its network of point-of-sale agents. The mobile-first platform enables agents to generate quotes, compare premiums from multiple insurers, and issue policies within three minutes.
The company said the platform currently integrates insurers including ICICI Lombard, Chola MS, SBI General and Go Digit. Roinet expects motor insurance to account for about 35% of its revenue and is targeting ₹100 crore in gross merchandise value by FY27.
Bosch SDS, NxtGen launch Sovereign Industrial AI Cloud for India
Bosch Software and Digital Solutions and cloud infrastructure provider NxtGen have partnered to launch a Sovereign Industrial AI Cloud designed for Indian enterprises. The initiative combines Bosch’s Industry 4.0 and digital twin technologies with NxtGen’s sovereign cloud infrastructure and GPU-as-a-service capabilities.
The platform will enable manufacturers to deploy AI workloads while maintaining compliance with data residency and security regulations in India. The companies said the collaboration will support use cases such as predictive maintenance, industrial data orchestration, and AI-enabled manufacturing intelligence.
Infosys expands Mohali development centre
Infosys has expanded its development centre in Mohali, Punjab with the construction of a new software development block spanning about 3.5 lakh square feet. The facility will accommodate around 3,000 employees and strengthen the company’s AI-led digital services capabilities.
The expanded campus will include energy-efficient infrastructure, advanced cooling systems, wastewater recycling and smart building technologies, said Infosys. The centre will support work in areas such as cloud, AI, application development and digital transformation.
indē wild launches on Sephora’s US platform
Indian beauty brand indē wild has launched on Sephora’s US platform. The company says it is the first homegrown Indian beauty brand to debut with the retailer. Founded in 2021 by Diipa Büller-Khosla, the brand combines Ayurvedic beauty rituals with modern skincare science.
The products debuted online on Sephora.com on March 3 and will roll out in 178 Sephora stores across the United States beginning March 13. Products include the champi pre-wash treatment hair oil and a 15% Vitamin C complex serum.
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Zendesk to acquire AI startup Forethought
Zendesk has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AI startup Forethought in a move aimed at expanding its autonomous customer service capabilities. The acquisition will strengthen Zendesk’s AI agents on its Resolution Platform, enabling automated handling of complex support workflows across channels, the company said.
Zendesk said its AI agents already resolve more than 80% of customer interactions for many clients. The integration with Forethought is expected to accelerate the development of self-learning AI systems that can generate and execute workflows autonomously.
MedRabbits launches integrated healthcare clinic
Healthcare platform MedRabbits has launched MedRabbits Clinic, a facility designed to combine consultations, diagnostics, and treatment under one roof. The clinic offers services such as laboratory testing, ECG, X-ray, sonography, pharmacy, and dental care.
The facility is supported by a team of more than 25 healthcare professionals and complements the company’s home healthcare services. MedRabbits said the integrated model is designed to enable smoother transitions between home-based care and clinical treatment.
Green Drive Mobility pilots Rail Parcel App with South Central Railway
Electric mobility fleet operator Green Drive Mobility has collaborated with South Central Railway to pilot the Rail Parcel App, a digital platform designed to modernise parcel movement across the railway network. The app allows users to book shipments online, track parcels in real time, and access door-to-door delivery services.
The pilot is being rolled out across cities including Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Bengaluru and Chennai. The initiative integrates railway freight infrastructure with electric last-mile delivery fleets to create a more efficient and environmentally sustainable logistics system.
Eat App acquires Indian restaurant reservation platform ReserveGo
Dubai-based restaurant technology company Eat App has acquired Indian reservation platform ReserveGo, which serves more than 1,500 restaurant brands and seats around 6 million diners each month. The acquisition will integrate ReserveGo’s technology and team into Eat App’s global platform.
Founded by Vijayan Parthasarathy, ReserveGo focuses on enabling restaurants to manage reservations and customer data independently. Eat App said the combined platform will expand its AI-powered tools and global infrastructure for hospitality operators.
Equinix launches Distributed AI Hub to simplify enterprise AI infrastructure
Digital infrastructure company Equinix has unveiled the Distributed AI Hub, a new framework designed to help enterprises connect and manage distributed AI ecosystems across multiple environments. Powered by Equinix Fabric Intelligence, the hub enables organisations to integrate AI models, GPU clouds, data platforms, and security services through private, low-latency connectivity across Equinix’s 280 global data centres.
Equinix said the platform allows enterprises to run AI workloads closer to data sources while maintaining governance and security. The offering is designed to support enterprises deploying distributed AI systems across clouds, data centres, and edge environments.
Fexo launches new AI solution
Fexo, a BFSI-focused AI intelligence platform, has launched its proprietary AI decisioning engine for business loans. The new system is designed to help banks, NBFCs, and financial services providers accelerate AI adoption across document, scans, and voice-heavy business lending processes by providing higher-quality decision-ready insights while maintaining auditability and compliance.
As financial institutions scale AI across operations, Fexo’s platform converts unstructured, multi-modal data into structured decision-ready intelligence, enabling faster, auditable and cost-efficient decisioning at scale. The platform is engineered specifically for regulated environments where traceability, accuracy, and policy alignment are critical.
HCLTech expands partnership with Google Cloud
HCLTech has expanded its collaboration with Google Cloud to help accelerate enterprise adoption of agentic AI. HCLTech will use Gemini Enterprise and Gemini models to build custom AI agents for global clients, while strengthening collaboration and security through Google Workspace, supporting their scalable, AI-driven transformation.
This expanded collaboration formalises a structured programme to accelerate clients’ GenAI and agentic AI adoption, cultivate Google Cloud champions across HCLTech, and support over 2,000 GenAI-led customer engagements.
Edited by Swetha Kannan
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