STARTUP CENTRAL
Ex-defence secretary Ajay Kumar joins VC play with early-stage fund
Ajay Kumar, a former bureaucrat who retired as India’s defence secretary in 2022, has set up a new venture fund, Mounttech Growth Fund, to back early-stage startups. The Rs 250-crore fund has secured approval from Sebi. The fund will look to back startups in the space, aerospace, and deep tech sectors.
GIFT City-like hub for Karnataka, state IT minister Priyank Kharge tells FM
Karnataka IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge told finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman that such a central business district in Karnataka will foster economic growth and create jobs, and also attract foreign investment.
Centre eyeing one startup in every district by next year
The government is optimistic about its plan to have at least one registered startup in all 785 districts of the country, industry department officials said. With only 20-25 districts remaining without a startup, the goal is expected to be achieved within a year.
IVCA’s VC Council for 2024–26 to focus on boosting micro-VCs
The IVCA VC Council, led by industry experts, aims to elevate the Indian start-up ecosystem by fostering innovation, supporting micro-VCs.
Govt to launch fourth tranche of auction for critical and strategic mineral blocks on Monday
The Ministry of Mines will launch the 4th tranche of auctions for critical and strategic mineral blocks on Monday in New Delhi. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy and Minister of State Satish Chandra Dubey will inaugurate the event. The launch follows amendments to the MMDR Act, allowing the Central Government to issue mineral concessions for 24 critical minerals. The event will announce the preferred bidders of the 1st tranche, present certificates to Notified Private Exploration Agencies, and introduce a scheme for partial reimbursement of exploration expenses.
Credit card bill payment hurdles; startup funding logs slight uptick
Happy Friday! The central bank has mandated credit card bill payments through Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), but only eight of 34 banks are live on the network, causing concern among payment companies. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
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Pause on the cards: Fintechs may take a hit as most banks stay away from BBPS
RBI mandates credit card bill payments through BBPS, but only 8 of 34 banks are live on the network, causing concern among payment companies like PCI for an extension.
Indian tech startup funding logs slight uptick at $4.1 billion in H1
Indian tech startups raised USD 4.1 billion in H1 2024, 4% higher than H2 2023, remaining fourth-highest funded country globally. Insights from Tracxn report highlighted funding trends and volumes in the Indian tech startup landscape.
Neobanking startup Jupiter gets RBI nod for mobile wallet licence
Neobanking startup Jupiter, backed by Tiger Global and Peak XV Partners, secures a prepaid payments instrument licence from the RBI to offer digital wallets for UPI payments, fund transfers, and bill payments.
Ixigo IPO fully subscribed; more layoffs at Paytm
The initial public offering of subscription travel firm Ixigo sailed through on the first day on robust retail interest. Details on this and more in today's ETtech Top 5.
HSBC cuts Elastic Run valuation; Hero MotoCorp doubles down on Ather
HSBC has cut its valuation estimate for B2B ecommerce firm Elastic Run by nearly half, bringing it under $1 billion. More on this in today’s ETtech Top 5.
Startups’ new hiring strategies; unprecedented poll buzz online
Happy Thursday! While layoffs continue, startups are strategically refilling certain open positions with lower-salaried junior staff to cut costs. This in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Ethereum ETFs: Why it is a game-changer for mainstream crypto adoption
Ethereum's pivotal role in propelling the mainstream adoption of crypto cannot be overstated. As the market undergoes continuous evolution, Ethereum stands as a cornerstone, guiding the industry toward unprecedented growth and innovation.
Now India can hope to have its own SpaceX and Blue Origin
Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin lead the global space industry discourse. From reusable rockets to space tourism, these companies drive innovation in the space sector.
How Unacademy board tweaked targets for founders’ voting rights
Edtech unicorn Unacademy has changed the target for its cofounders Gaurav Munjal and Hemesh Singh to access additional voting rights through bonus shares issued to them in 2022. Industry sources said this move throws light on Unacademy’s changing ambitions as well as the broader sluggishness in the startup funding ecosystem.
New-age brands buzz on deal street; Unacademy founders’ voting rights
Happy Friday! New-age brands are attracting capital from VC funds, founders and other types of investors. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Oyo’s maiden annual profit; RBI guidelines for fintech SRO
In a significant turnaround, hospitality startup Oyo reported its first annual profitable fiscal on Thursday. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
France looks to elusive EU capital market to fix startup funding
A hodgepodge of local regulations and oversight has kept Europe's financial markets largely shaped by national borders, preventing the emergence of deep capital markets to rival the United States.
'Have delivered on 2019 promise of putting corrupt behind bars, our govt leveraged technology to tackle corruption': PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently vying for a third consecutive term, reaffirms his 2019 pledge to incarcerate corrupt individuals, asserting that he has fulfilled this promise. In an extensive discussion with ET, PM Modi addressed various topics. He reiterates the government's dedication to ensuring that the benefits of progress extend to all individuals in need, irrespective of their caste, creed, or geographical location.
'Surname doesn't matter in today's India': PM Modi reaffirms providing right business environment for startups
"In today's India, one's surname doesn't matter. What matters is hard work. Your journey is truly inspiring, Deepinder Goyal! It motivates countless youngsters to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. We are committed to providing the right environment for the startups to flourish," PM Modi wrote on X, sharing a video clip posted by Union Minister Hardeep Puri.
SoftBank sells off Vision Fund assets as Son pivots to AI, chips
SoftBank is shifting focus to AI and semiconductors, while its Vision Fund is selling stakes or writing down billions of dollars worth of its publicly-listed companies. SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son is looking to bankroll a $100-billion chip venture to compete with Nvidia for providing semiconductors to power the development of AI services.
Zoomcar eyes onboarding 20,000 cars by end of FY25
Zoomcar, a car sharing platform, is set to expand its fleet by over 5000 cars by the end of FY24 and 20,000 cars by FY25. The expansion aims to meet the growing demand for self-drive car rentals, promote economic stability, and foster entrepreneurial spirit in communities. Zoomcar has partnered with industry leaders like Cars24, ACKO Drive, Spinny, and Droom to make car sharing more accessible and cost-effective. With over 10 million verified guests, hosts can earn up to Rs. 7 lakhs per year on average.
States & online gaming regulations; banks tap startups to foil frauds
Happy Monday! In the absence of central government’s self-regulatory mechanisms, states are framing laws for online real money gaming. This and more in today's ETtech Morning Dispatch.
A week of hits and misses in fintech; and other top tech, startup stories
Hi, this is Pratik Bhakta in Bengaluru. It’s been a busy news week for us here at ETtech covering some of the most important stories in the fintech space. We had a string of big exclusives, wrapping it up here just in case you missed reading them.
RBI cautions banks on gold loan disbursals through fintech startups
RBI cautions banks on gold loan disbursement concerns through fintechs like Rupeek, IndiaGold, and Oro Money. Banks evaluating next steps post IIFL Finance issue. Asset quality improved at Rupeek, with partnerships with Federal Bank, Indian Bank, and South Indian Bank.
Small towns, retail investors central to fintech’s AMC plans
Fintech startups Groww, Zerodha, Navi are venturing into asset management, focusing on passive funds and non-metro retail investors. Challenges include pricing competition and market size discrepancies between Amazon users and stock market investors.
How RBI is upping the scrutiny on credit cards
The Reserve Bank of India is tightening its grip on cobranded credit cards, a recently booming sector. This stricter scrutiny aims to prevent unregulated entities from gaining backdoor access to the credit card industry.
Paytm crisis: Startup founders write to FM, RBI Guv seeking review of central bank action
The note, signed by startup founders including Policybazaar's Yashish Dahiya, Bharat Matrimony’s Murugavel Janakiraman, Makemytrip’s Rajesh Magow and Ritesh Malik of Innov 8 said the RBI order would have a far-reaching impact on the ecosystem than just on Paytm as a company. The founders requested the regulator to reassess "the proportionality of restrictions".
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