Google Maps India gets a major upgrade with Gemini AI
Google Maps integrated Gemini, Google’s AI platform, to offer a hands-free conversational interface in nine Indian languages. The update introduces Accident-Prone Area Alerts in collaboration with traffic authorities for cities like Gurugram and Hyderabad. Using real-time data from NHAI, it provides proactive traffic updates and local tips, enhancing navigation through AI and government partnerships.
Snapchat partners with Perplexity AI in a $400M deal to integrate AI search into its platform by 2026
Snapchat will integrate Perplexity AI into its chat platform through a $400 million deal starting January 2026. The partnership embeds Perplexity’s AI into the My AI chatbot, delivering instant, context-aware answers to Snapchat’s 940 million users. The move diversifies Snap’s revenue beyond ads while giving Perplexity broad exposure. Snap reported Q3 revenue of $1.51 billion.
Maharashtra partners with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite-based internet across government institutions and rural areas
Maharashtra partnered with Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide satellite-based internet for government institutions and rural areas under the Digital Maharashtra mission. The LoI, signed on November 5, 2025, focuses on improving connectivity in remote regions like Gadchiroli. Pending DoT approvals, Starlink will set up gateway stations as the state oversees phased rollout for education, healthcare, and disaster response.
MeshDefend raises $2.3M pre-seed funding to build its AI-native operating system for enterprise data infrastructure
MeshDefend raised $2.3 million in pre-seed funding led by Kalaari Capital to develop its AI-native operating system for enterprise data infrastructure. Founded in 2025 by ex-Dell executives Tejas Pandit and Ravi Chitloor, it automates data protection with the Agent Mesh platform. Funds will support product growth, global expansion, and vendor partnerships across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
Space-tech startup Ulook raised $2.3M to advance autonomous satellite swarms for RF sensing
Ulook, a space-tech startup, raised $2.3 million in funding led by GrowX Ventures and InfoEdge Ventures to develop autonomous satellite swarms for RF sensing and spectrum awareness. The investment will enhance satellite and sensor tech, expand its RF platform, and speed up data intelligence services, with satellite launches planned within 12–18 months.
The Artment raises INR 10 Cr pre-Series A funding to fuel category expansion & tech innovation via their ‘Art Lab’ platform
The Artment raised ₹10 crore in pre-Series A funding led by Inflection Point Ventures, joined by Siyaram Family Office. The funds will expand categories and develop Art Lab, a tech platform for data analytics. Founded by Aditya and Aanchal Agarwal, it offers artistic home furnishings and targets ₹100 crore ARR in six months within India’s growing home and living market.
Game State Labs raises $2M Seed Funding led by PeerCapital and Neon Fund
Game State Labs, founded by Aashbir Bhatia, Jagveer Gandhi, and Ashwin Ramakrishnan, raised $2 million in seed funding from PeerCapital and Neon Fund. The AI gaming analytics startup will expand its product and engineering teams. It offers predictive analytics and player intent insights without personal data, targeting hybrid casual games. Commercial rollout follows pilot tests in December.
Zynk raises $5 million seed funding aims to eliminate liquidity bottlenecks & enable instant cross-border transactions
Zynk raised $5 million in seed funding led by Hivemind Capital, with Coinbase Ventures and Alliance DAO participating. Founded by Prashanth Swaminathan and Manish Bhatia, it enables instant cross-border payments without liquidity constraints across USD, EUR, and INR. The funds will expand corridors, enhance compliance, and advance its vision of data-like liquidity mobility.
Healthtech startup MedySeva raises INR 4 Cr Seed funding to expand phygital healthcare clinics in Tier II and III cities
MedySeva, founded in 2022 by Dr. Vishesh Kasliwal, raised ₹4 crore in seed funding led by Unicorn India Ventures to scale its phygital clinics and telemedicine network in Tier II and III cities. Having facilitated 100,000 consultations with 60% repeat users, it plans 500+ centers within two years, competing with Practo and Medibuddy.
Lighthouse Canton raises $40M led by Peak XV to boost tech & global reach
Lighthouse Canton raised $40 million led by Peak XV Partners and Nextinfinity, with QIC joining in its first external round. Founded in 2014, it manages over $5 billion across Singapore, India, the UAE, and the UK. The funds will enhance technology, product lines, and leadership as it scales its 200-member global asset management operations.
Krieya Beauty secures $788K in seed funding led by Sauce and Riverwalk Holdings
Krieya Beauty & Wellness raised $788K in seed funding led by Sauce and Riverwalk Holdings, with Dr. Sheth’s Aneesh Sheth participating. Founded by Siddharth Sharma, it develops research-driven beauty and wellness brands for Indian consumers. The funds will launch its first brand in Q3 FY26, expand research, and build a BioPrint for tailored formulations.
Stackbox raises $4M to boost product innovation and expand in Southeast Asia and India
Stackbox, a logistics tech startup, raised $4 million led by Enrission India Capital to advance product innovation and expand across Southeast Asia and India. Founded by IIT alumni, it offers AI-driven warehouse and transport management for FMCG and e-commerce sectors. With FY24 profit of Rs 6 crore on Rs 25.7 crore, it aims to digitize logistics.
BabyOrgano raises $2.4M Pre-Series A to fuel product development
BabyOrgano, an Ayurvedic kids’ wellness brand, raised Rs 20 crore in pre-Series A funding led by RPSG Capital Ventures and Sauce.vc. Founded in 2020 by Riddhi and Ripul Sharma, it serves over one million parents with products like Baalprashan Drops and gummies. The funds will drive innovation, distribution, and scaling toward Rs 100 crore FY27 revenue.
Spacewood raises $36M to fuel expansion and brand building
Spacewood Furnishers secured Rs 300 crore from A91 Partners, valuing it at Rs 1,200 crore to drive expansion and brand growth. Founded by Kirit Joshi and Vivek Deshpande, it plans to scale from 35 to 100 stores. Serving major clients via Spacewood Office Solutions, it targets Rs 700 crore FY26 revenue, competing with IKEA and Godrej Interio.
MoEngage raises $100M to scale AI-led customer engagement globally
MoEngage raised $100 million led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives and A91 Partners, taking its total funding past $250 million. The funds will drive global growth in North America and EMEA and enhance its Merlin AI suite. CEO Raviteja Dodda cites rising enterprise adoption, with SoundCloud lauding MoEngage’s seamless user migration and retention improvement.
Wyzard.ai raises $500K in angel round to power signal-to-revenue AI for global GTM teams
Wyzard.ai, a B2B intent-to-revenue platform, raised $500K from investors like Tim Davis and Ambarish Kenghe. Founded in 2024 by Rahul Jain, Megha Ohri, Abhishek Tomar, and Jayesh Nair, it uses AI to unify buyer signals across chat, email, LinkedIn, and voice. The funds will boost product growth, partnerships, hiring, and expansion in the US and EMEA.
NVIDIA Joins India Deep Tech Alliance as Founding Member and Strategic Technical Advisor
NVIDIA has joined the India Deep Tech Alliance as a Founding Member and Strategic Technical Advisor to strengthen India’s deep tech ecosystem. It will provide AI and computing expertise aligned with the RDI scheme through training from NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Institute and joint research. The initiative supports startups, investors, and policymakers with technical and strategic guidance.
Three 22-Year-Olds Become the World’s Youngest Self-Made Billionaires
At 22, Brendan Foody, Adarsh Hiremath, and Surya Midha, founders of AI recruiting startup Mercor, became the world’s youngest self-made billionaires after a $350 million round valued the firm at $10 billion. Mercor uses AI to automate hiring and candidate matching, showcasing how young innovators are reshaping global business with artificial intelligence.
OpenAI Rolls Out Free One-Year ChatGPT Go Subscription in India
OpenAI has made ChatGPT Go free in India for one year from November 4, 2025, waiving its Rs 399 monthly fee. New users must add a payment method but won’t be charged, while existing users are transitioned automatically. The move promotes AI adoption in India
OpenAI Denies Claims of ChatGPT Legal and Medical Advice Ban
OpenAI denied reports claiming ChatGPT was banned from offering legal or medical advice. Health AI lead Karan Singhal affirmed no functional change, citing the October 29, 2025 update, which restricts licensed, personalized guidance without expert supervision. ChatGPT may explain general principles but cannot replace professionals, reinforcing user safety in sensitive areas.
Groww Raises ₹2,984.5 Cr from Anchor Investors Ahead of ₹6,632 Cr IPO
Groww raised ₹2,984.5 crore from anchor investors ahead of its IPO, pricing 29.85 crore shares at ₹100 each. Around 46.6% went to domestic mutual funds like HDFC and Kotak, with global participation from Singapore’s government. Backed by Peak XV and Tiger Global, the IPO includes a ₹1,060 crore fresh issue, with strong FY25 profit of ₹1,824 crore.
Tsalla Aerospace secures $1M to expand their AI-driven drone tech for defence & industry
Tsalla Aerospace raised $1 million led by Sunny Stalnaker, with SIDBI and iDEX participation, to expand its autonomous systems for defence and industry. Founded in 2019 at IISc, its AI Pilot powers GPS-independent unmanned operations. Partnering with the Indian Navy and Army, Tsalla plans an $8 million seed round to scale and enter new sectors.
TABP Snacks & Beverages raises $3M to expand its beverage biz in South & East India
TABP Snacks and Beverages raised $3 million led by LC Nueva, with Entrust Family Office and others participating. Founded by Prabhu Gandhikumar and Brindha Vijayakumar, it will expand in South and East India, launch new beverages, and boost production. Converting street drinks into packaged products, TABP grew revenue to Rs 212 crore, aiming for Rs 800 crore.
Blyp, formerly ParkMate, raises INR 50L to enhance its tech and expand its smart parking solutions
Blyp, formerly ParkMate, raised Rs 50 lakh from Sandesh Sharda to strengthen technology and expand smart parking solutions. Founded in 2018 by Dhananjaya Bharadwaj and Abhimanyu Singh, it offers app-based parking and valet services across Delhi-NCR and smart city projects. Competing with Park+ and others, Blyp plans expansion to metro and tier-II cities.
India Post Payments Bank signs MoU with Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)
India Post Payments Bank and EPFO partnered to offer free doorstep Digital Life Certificate services for EPS’95 pensioners. Using Face Authentication and Fingerprint biometrics, IPPB’s postal network will deliver the service, funded by EPFO. The MoU was exchanged by Shri R Viswesvaran and Shri Ramesh Krishnamurthi, enabling pensioners to access certificates online.
SC clears Aakash’s rights issue, further diluting BYJU’S stake
The Supreme Court rejected petitions by BYJU’S and Glas Trust to halt Aakash’s INR 200 crore rights issue, which may cut BYJU’S stake below 5%. Glas Trust alleged dilution intent, but chairman Shailesh Haribhakti said it was vital for operations. BYJU’S, amid insolvency and asset sales to repay a $1.2 billion loan, cannot participate.
Logistics aggregator Shiprocket gets SEBI nod for its IPO
Shiprocket has received SEBI approval for its IPO worth INR 2,000–2,500 crore, including a fresh issue of INR 1,000–1,200 crore. The firm cut FY25 losses by 88% to INR 74.5 crore and grew revenue 24% to INR 1,632 crore. Founded in 2017, it partners with 17+ couriers, serving D2C brands across India and 200+ global markets.
Zupee acquires AI storytelling startup Nucanon
Zupee acquired AI storytelling startup Nucanon to expand beyond real-money gaming amid regulatory shifts. Nucanon’s adaptive AI story engine will power Zupee’s vision to build an advanced interactive story platform. Its team joins Zupee’s India HQ. The company also runs Zupee Studio and Zap Learn, posting a ₹146 crore FY24 profit.
Apple is poised to integrate Google’s Gemini AI into a revamped Siri by March 2026
Apple plans to integrate Google’s Gemini AI into an upgraded Siri by March 2026 under its “Apple Intelligence” initiative. The collaboration aims to enhance Siri’s conversational and web-search capabilities. New hardware, like a smart display and updated HomePod mini, will demonstrate these AI features, though Mark Gurman notes success remains uncertain.
ISRO Launches India’s Heaviest Communication Satellite CMS-03 weighing approximately 4,410 kilograms
On November 2, 2025, ISRO launched CMS-03 (GSAT-7R), a 4,410 kg multi-band military satellite, via LVM3-M5 from Sriharikota. It strengthens the Indian Navy’s communication network across C, extended C, and Ku bands, enabling secure broadband links for real-time communication over the Indian Ocean and beyond.
