The latest latest stories from the Startups desk.
A generation raised on plastic imports now craves something else—wooden Montessori toys, STEM puzzles, and eco-friendly play. In 2026, India's toy industry is projected to reach $2.5 billion, with a dozen homegrown D2C brands challenging global giants. TIGI unpacks the "Toy Story" reversal.
A Mumbai-based D2C brand just got acquired for ₹1,583 crore. Another raised $51 million at a $400 million valuation. And 66% of new wellness orders now come from Tier 2/3 India. TIGI unpacks the protein boom that's turning Indian kitchens into science labs—and why FMCG giants are paying billions to get a seat at the table.
India’s e-commerce and D2C revolution is no longer a metro-story. With 66% of new orders flowing from Tier 2 and 3 cities, this is a structural shift. We decode the "Bharat" consumer boom, space-tech unicorns, and why global giants are now looking at small-town India for their next billion users.
Vetic's founder built the company after his own pet didn't get the care he needed — now investors led by Bessemer Venture Partners are betting $40 million that India's pet parents want a connected, human-grade healthcare system for their animals too
The outspoken BharatPe co-founder returns to the startup trenches with a fresh venture aimed at solving one of India's most persistent blue-and-grey-collar workforce problems — access to credit
Excerpt: In June 2026, Gurugram-based TrueFan AI raised $10 million in a Series A round led by Baring Private Equity Partners India and Z3Partners, at a post-money valuation of $40 million. The platform helps large businesses generate hyper-personalized video content at scale in over 175 languages — including WhatsApp and RCS distribution. This is not just a funding story. It's a signal that India's generative AI revolution has moved beyond chatbots. Indian startups are now building the infrastructure for the world's video-first, multilingual future.
Almost every Indian believes Bollywood stars make a run for the bank only from their movies. But today, these celebrities are savvy investors, diversifying their wealth into startups, companies, stock markets, and venture capital opportunities. From Shah Rukh Khan’s family office co‑investing ₹100 crore with Ashika Group to Juhi Chawla’s net worth of ₹7,790 crore from cricket and real estate, Bollywood has transformed into a serious wealth engine. This article decodes the "secret portfolios" of SRK, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and others, revealing how they earn more from business than from box office collections.
Ghana-based fintech Moment has raised $22 million in Series A funding led by Speedinvest and QED Investors to build payments infrastructure for fragmented African markets.
Ride-hailing giant Uber has invested a further $10 million in Gurugram-based fleet and mobility technology startup Carrum Mobility, its second bet on the company this year, valuing it at roughly Rs 1,600 crore.