Inspiring journeys of entrepreneurs — stories of vision, resilience, and innovation behind the startups and leaders shaping the future.
Astrotalk, an astrology and spiritual-commerce app, is now worth $1 billion. It got there without taking a single rupee from a new investor. On August 12, the Noida-based company told Entrackr and YourStory it had crossed unicorn status through an ESOP buyback — more than 100 employees selling a slice of their shares back to … Read more
August 16, 2026 | ENN India’s startup funding market saw a sharp slowdown this week, with startups raising $151.5 million across 14 funding rounds between August 9 and August 14, compared with approximately $383.8 million across 28 deals in the previous week. Despite the decline, the week delivered several notable developments across electric mobility, fintech, … Read more
Asia’s startup ecosystem closed the first week of August with a burst of activity, led by a handful of large late-stage rounds and a long tail of early-stage bets across fintech, mobility, AI and insurtech. Ten deals stood out across the region, and in India specifically, the week marked a sharp rebound from a quiet … Read more
A decade ago, Startup India was a bet that the country could build companies, not just consume products. Today the bet has matured into something more ambitious: Atmanirbhar Bharat, a push to build the sovereign capability — in chips, rockets, batteries, and quantum machines — that a rising power can no longer afford to import. … Read more
WhatsApp had just killed his last business. So when Ahmet Bahadir Özdemir walked into an investor pitch, he didn’t bring a deck — he brought a eulogy. That single unconventional pitch, backed by Antler, became the origin story of Airalo, now the world’s largest eSIM marketplace. The Pitch That Wasn’t a Pitch Picture a standard … Read more
August 2026: Venture capital activity across Asia remained strong this week, with startups spanning cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), fintech, healthcare, e-commerce, and sports technology collectively raising hundreds of millions of dollars to accelerate growth and product development. Leading this week’s funding activity was cybersecurity startup Onyx Security, which secured $113 million in a Series B … Read more
From your first angel cheque to Series C and beyond — real data, proven frameworks, and the government schemes most founders leave on the table. India’s startup ecosystem has crossed a quiet but important threshold. It is no longer a market where a handful of headline-grabbing rounds define the year — it is a deep, … Read more
BharatPe’s co-founder wants employers to put their name — not their money — behind employee credit. Here’s how Fund My Staff actually works, and why it’s a very Ashneer way to re-enter fintech. Ashneer Grover doesn’t do quiet launches, and Fund My Staff is no exception. The former BharatPe managing director announced his newest fintech … Read more
A Bengaluru platform that once claimed half a million users across 30 countries — and a Shark Tank India feature to its name — has gone dark, raising fresh questions about how sustainable niche professional networks really are. Medial founder and CEO Niket Raj Dwivedi confirmed in a LinkedIn post that read part farewell, part … Read more
A breakdown of the top 10 Asian startup funding deals for July 5-10, 2026 — from Velocity’s $27M AI seed round to Onpoint’s $600K pre-seed — with sector trends, total capital raised, and what the week’s data reveals. The Week in Numbers Ten startups across Asia and adjacent markets closed funding rounds between July 5 … Read more
Asia’s startup ecosystem continued to attract strong investor interest during the week of June 28 to July 3, with companies across artificial intelligence, aerospace, robotics, healthtech, enterprise software, fintech, and consumer brands securing fresh capital to accelerate growth. From AI-powered business platforms to aerospace innovations and sustainable consumer products, startups across the region raised funding … Read more
India’s startup ecosystem witnessed one of its strongest funding weeks of 2026, with 20 startups raising nearly $1.11 billion across 19 disclosed funding rounds between 21 June and 27 June 2026. The week was marked by a major investment from Meta into CRED, the emergence of a new unicorn, several high-profile executive appointments, acquisitions, and … Read more
Asian startups continued to attract strong investor interest this week, with venture capital firms and angel investors backing companies across artificial intelligence, fintech, cybersecurity, blockchain, healthcare, deeptech, and IoT. Between 21 June and 26 June 2026, startups across Singapore, India, the UAE, Australia, and other Asian markets announced fresh funding rounds aimed at accelerating product … Read more
Avendus Group has announced the appointment of Karan Sharma as Head of Investment Banking, marking a key leadership transition as the financial services firm enters its next phase of growth and expansion. Sharma succeeds Gaurav Deepak, Co-founder and CEO of Avendus Group, who has led the investment banking division for several years while overseeing the … Read more
As per media reports, commercial vehicle marketplace startup 91trucks has undertaken a significant restructuring exercise, reducing its workforce and scaling back its offline retail operations as it adjusts to changing market conditions in India’s commercial vehicle sector. The company confirmed that it has implemented organizational changes and is sharpening its focus on key growth markets, … Read more
India’s startup ecosystem posted a strong week of fundraising activity, with 23 startups collectively raising close to $432 million across 21 publicly disclosed deals. The week’s funding mix included 7 growth-stage rounds and 14 early-stage rounds, while two startups chose not to reveal their deal terms. Beyond the capital raised, the week was also marked … Read more
Startups across Asia continue to attract strong backing from venture capital firms, growth-stage investors, and angel investors as they raise fresh capital to expand operations, enter new markets, and accelerate product development. From cybersecurity and fintech to healthtech, clean energy, and artificial intelligence, this week’s funding activity reflects the breadth and resilience of the region’s … Read more
Every day, millions of Indians order food, groceries, and products delivered in paper cups, takeaway boxes, and cardboard packaging. Most consumers assume these products are environmentally friendly simply because they are made of paper. The reality is often very different. Many paper cups and food containers contain hidden plastic linings, chemical coatings, and synthetic adhesives … Read more
While millions of Indian gig drivers absorb commissions of up to 40% per ride, a Salem-based startup backed by Tamil Nadu’s taxi unions is betting that the real disruption in ride-hailing isn’t a better app — it’s a fairer business model. For the better part of a decade, India’s ride-hailing economy has run on a … Read more
Investor appetite for technology-driven businesses remained strong this week as startups across Asia secured significant capital to accelerate growth, expand into new markets, and strengthen product development. Companies operating in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, logistics, quick commerce, climate technology, healthtech, edtech, and sports technology attracted fresh funding from venture capital firms and strategic investors. Leading the … Read more
