Germany Welcomes Indian Professionals amid Tougher US H-1B Policies
Germany is actively attracting Indian talent as stricter US H-1B rules make migration harder. Ambassador Philipp Ackermann highlighted Germany’s stable immigration framework and opportunities in IT, management, science, and technology. Indian professionals earn an average of €5,359/month versus the German median of €3,945. In 2025, Germany plans 200,000 professional visas, including 90,000 for Indians, addressing workforce shortages amid an aging population and offering stable, rewarding careers.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shifts to Zoho in support of PM Modi’s ‘Made in India’ initiative
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shifted to Zoho, promoting indigenous platforms in line with PM Modi’s ‘Made in India’ and ‘Swadeshi’ initiatives. Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu praised the morale boost for engineers behind its two-decade product suite. The move highlights the government’s focus on technological self-reliance, local solutions, and economic growth, supported by initiatives like the GST Bachat Utsav and simplified GST slabs of 5% and 18%.
Navo an B2B fashion marketplace, raises ₹8 Cr Seed Funding
B2B fashion wholesale marketplace Navo, founded by Suparn Goel and Anshul Singhal, raised ₹8 crore in seed funding led by IndiaQuotient, with Antler participating. The funds will drive retailer acquisition, enhance AI-powered trend prediction scanning 10,000 YouTube videos and 5 lakh images monthly and strengthen supply chains. Serving 50,000 retailers across 250 districts with 5,000+ designs monthly, Navo offers live video shopping and a 50% repeat purchase rate within 30 days.
Grest raises ₹16 Cr funding to scale its refurbished electronics biz
Tech-driven electronics recommerce platform Grest raised ₹16 crore in funding led by Equentis. Co-founders Shrey Sardana and Nitin Goyal focus on smartphones, laptops, and tablets, promoting a circular economy. Funds will expand retail beyond 60 stores, enhance the refurbishment lab, and strengthen online platforms. Grest sold 15,000+ devices in FY25, generating ₹26 crore revenue, with partnerships including Flipkart and Croma, and offers a six-month warranty.
CEO of Chinese Media Firm Gifts iPhone 17 Pro Max to All Employees, Including Interns
Chinese media company Mediastorm CEO Tim Pan gifted every employee, including interns, the new iPhone 17 Pro Max, covering taxes and letting them choose colors. Known for product reviews and vlogging with 12M+ Bilibili followers, Mediastorm continues Tim Pan’s annual tradition of gifting Apple products, following iPhone 16 Pro and Apple Watch Series 10 last year. Employees praised him as “the best boss in the world.”
Zealthix raises $1.1M Seed to expand its reach to healthcare providers, offering technology to improve efficiency and digitization
Zealthix, a SaaS healthcare platform, raised $1.1M in seed funding led by Unicorn India Ventures and AlphaGen Venture Capital, following a $250K angel round. Founded in 2023 by Abhishek Kumar and Avinash Gupta, Zealthix connects fragmented healthcare systems via a cloud middleware for streamlined OPD plans. With 20 paying customers including insurers and brokers, the company aims to expand to providers, enhancing efficiency and digitization.
Amwoodo raises $4M Pre-Series A to boost production & expand the Ecoconscious marketplace
Sustainable products startup Amwoodo has raised $4M in a pre-Series A round led by Rainmatter, with Adventz Group, Thinkuvate, and Caspian participating. Founded in 2019 by Subhrakanti Das, Agni Mitra, and Avijit Rajak, Amwoodo will scale production, expand its eco-conscious D2C marketplace, and launch new plastic-alternative brands. Its bamboo-based personal care and hospitality products serve B2B clients like Himalaya Wellness, Bombay Shaving Company, and ITC Hotels.
Rocket raises $15M Seed, co-led by Salesforce Ventures and Accel
Rocket has raised $15M in seed funding co-led by Salesforce Ventures and Accel, with Together Fund participating. Its Vibe Solutioning platform tackles prototype tool limitations, ensuring scalability and stability post-deployment. Already serving 400,000+ users across 180 countries from Fortune 100 PMs to small agencies Rocket helps transform intent into production-ready apps. By prioritizing brand consistency, UX, and reliability, Rocket aims to turn a single prompt into a robust application.
NVIDIA to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI
NVIDIA and OpenAI have announced a landmark partnership to build the world’s largest AI infrastructure. OpenAI will deploy at least 10 gigawatts of NVIDIA systems, including the Vera Rubin platform, with NVIDIA committing up to $100B tied to deployments. The initiative, set to start generating tokens in 2026, aims to scale AI training and inference globally, supporting OpenAI’s 700M+ weekly users and advancing agentic, reasoning AI.
EaseMyTrip boosts stake in Eco Hotels by 7.77%
EaseMyTrip has increased its stake in Eco Hotels and Resorts by 7.77% with a ₹15.2 crore investment, marking its entry into eco-friendly hospitality. Despite Eco Hotels’ modest FY25 turnover of ₹13.71 lakh, the move aligns with rising demand for sustainable options. Alongside investments in Three Falcons Notting Hill, AB Finance, and Vashu Bhagnani Industries, the diversification aims to create new revenue streams beyond ticketing.
Paar Autonomy secures ₹3.5 Cr to advance AI-powered unmanned vehicles
Robotics startup Paar Autonomy has raised ₹3.5 crore in pre-seed funding led by Venture Catalysts. Founded by Vignesh Jayaraman, the company builds advanced gimbal cameras and AI models for UAVs, UGVs, and USVs. Funds will support manufacturing, defense and PSU pilot deliveries, and team expansion. Targeting a $6B drone defense market plus $4–5B ground and maritime robots by 2030, Paar also explores civilian applications.
Chakr Innovation raises $23M Series C to scale its emission control tech globally
Chakr Innovation, backed by ONGC, raised $23M in Series C funding led by Iron Pillar. Founded in 2016, the company develops emission control devices and is building an indigenous lithium-ion battery alternative. With 450 employees and 42 patents, it operates from Gurugram and Pune. Funds will expand manufacturing, global growth, and R&D, including a new materials science center, reflecting rising interest in India’s climate tech sector.
Distil raises $7.7M in Series A to boost R&D and expand globally.
Specialty chemicals startup Distil has raised $7.7M in Series A funding led by Jungle Ventures and CE-Ventures. Founded in 2023 by Viraj Shah and Atanu Agarrwal, Distil provides custom chemical solutions for SMEs. The funds will drive R&D and expansion into the Middle East, Africa, and North America. Distil targets $25–30M revenue and breakeven in 12 months, as India holds 4.3% of the $4.7T global market.
Reliance FMCG arm to invest ₹768Cr in Andhra Pradesh food park
Reliance Consumer Products Ltd. (RCPL), Reliance’s FMCG arm, is investing ₹768 crore in its first integrated food park in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, part of a ₹40,000 crore plan. The facility will produce chocolates, snacks, noodles, atta, rice, and spices, targeting 23,000 TPA of spices and 3,800 TPA of snacks in Phase 1. It will create 500 jobs; approvals are underway, with a beverage plant trial by June 2026.
Favcy VB Acquires Kal Ke Krorepati, partners with Jiohotstar
Favcy Venture Builders acquired Kal Ke Krorepati, now streaming on JioHotstar, to amplify authentic Indian founder stories. With creative control, Favcy VB will emphasize revenue-driven resilience and extend support via the 1to10 Accelerator for mentorship and funding. Founder Pranav Chaturvedi stresses uniting content, capital, and community. MilapSinh Jadeja hails the wider reach, as Favcy plans a refreshed format to engage entrepreneurs beyond metros.
888VC launches INR 175 Cr fund to boost early-stage deeptech startups in India
Rohit Bafna’s 888VC has launched a ₹175 Cr ($19 Mn) AIF to back early-stage Indian deeptech startups in AI and sustainability. The fund will invest ₹2–4 Cr per startup over three years, focusing on scalable ventures. Founded in 2022, 888VC has already invested $12 Mn across 20 startups, with a portfolio worth $500 Mn. The AIF aligns with India’s RDI scheme.
Reliance Unveils Campa Sure, Ignites Bottled Water Price War
Reliance will launch Campa Sure in October 2025 to disrupt India’s ₹16,000 crore bottled water market, rivaling Bisleri, Kinley, and Aquafina. Priced at ₹15 per liter and ₹5 for 250ml, it mirrors Jio’s affordability play. With new bottling plants like Guwahati and Reliance’s vast retail reach, experts expect wider access and price cuts from competitors, boosting consumer benefits.
Frontier Tech Capital, to launch $150M fund to back SEA startups
Frontier Tech Capital, co-founded by Pawan Gandhi, Brijesh Pande, and Razat Gaurav, is launching a $150M fund for Southeast Asian growth-stage tech firms. With nearly half already secured, it will invest $10M+ in 10–15 companies generating $50M+ revenue. Led by Manoj Kohli in India, the fund targets profitable, scalable firms in manufacturing tech, creative tech, and agritech, with strong investor backing and global expansion focus.
Deep-tech startup, VyomIC, raises $1.6M Pre-Seed funding
VyomIC, a Chennai-based deep-tech startup, raised $1.6M pre-seed funding led by Speciale Invest to develop its LEO-based PNT technology. Founded by Lokesh Kabdal, Vibhor Jain, and Anurag Patil, VyomIC is building satellite constellations for secure, GPS-independent navigation. Its system combines atomic clocks, encrypted signals, and AI, offering jamming-resistant PNT for defense, finance, and aerospace. The startup plans a global constellation for secure navigation and timing services.
OnFinance AI raises $4.2 Million in Pre-Series A
OnFinance AI, a Bengaluru-based generative AI startup for BFSI, raised $4.2M Pre-Series A led by Peak XV’s Surge. Founded by Anuj and Priyesh Srivastava, it develops ComplianceOS, powered by NeoGPT, India’s first BFSI-specific LLM trained on SEBI, RBI, IRDAI, and AMFI data. With 70+ agents for compliance, risk, and audit automation, plus InvestigativeOS for KYC and surveillance, the funds will boost R&D and global expansion.
Venbrook and Cognizant Partner to Modernize Claims Processing for Insurance Carriers
Cognizant and Venbrook have partnered to modernize insurance claims processing with AI-powered solutions. Their co-developed agentic AI TPA platform will streamline claims handling, compliance, and customer communication for P&C insurers. Venbrook contributes its adjuster network, while Cognizant provides digital services. Leaders Jason Turner and Ganesh Ayyar highlight improved efficiency and cost savings. The global TPA market is projected to reach $795B by 2032 (Allied Market Research).
EVamp Technologies secures Rs. 7 crore funding, to expand charger manufacturing and grow Mobilane network
EVamp Technologies has raised ₹7 Cr to expand its Mobilane EV charging network and scale AC and LEV DC charger manufacturing. As a Charge Point Operator, it delivers smart charging solutions across highways and cities. Founder Devansh Shah targets sustainable EV infrastructure growth, while cofounder Gunjan Mehta highlights profitability and innovation. The funding will accelerate deployment, enhance user experience, and support India’s clean mobility mission.
Microsoft has urged its employees holding H-1B and H-4 visa holders to return to the U.S. before the September 21 deadline
Microsoft has asked its H-1B and H-4 visa holder employees to return to the U.S. before the Sept 21 deadline, following the Trump administration’s $100K annual H-1B fee. An internal email advises those already in the U.S. to remain. India accounts for 71% of H-1B visas, China 11.7%. In 2025, Amazon secured 12K approvals, while Microsoft and Meta each exceeded 5K.
Google’s AI First Accelerator in India boosts 20 startups tackling key challenges with AI
Google has unveiled 20 startups for its AI First Accelerator in India, chosen from 1,600+ applications. Backed by Google Cloud, Gemini models, and mentorship, the cohort targets healthcare, finance, climate, and enterprise tech. With 45% focused on agentic AI and others on multimodal and foundational AI, the program aligns with the IndiaAI Mission, reinforcing India’s rise as a global AI innovation hub.
SpaceFields raises $5M Pre-Series A to advance rocket propulsion tech
Bengaluru deeptech startup SpaceFields raised $5M Pre-Series A led by Globaz Technologies, with Rockstud Capital and others. Founded by Apurwa Masook, Rounak Agrawal, and Sudarshan Samal, it builds rocket propulsion systems for defense and aerospace. Funds will scale manufacturing and teams. Backed by four iDEX contracts and four patents, SpaceFields strengthens India’s defense tech. Globaz’s Karan Wilkhoo calls it vital for India’s technological sovereignty.
NVIDIA and Intel to Develop AI Infrastructure and Personal Computing Products
NVIDIA and Intel announced a strategic collaboration to develop advanced data center and PC products. Intel will build custom x86 CPUs for NVIDIA’s AI platforms and x86 SoCs with RTX GPUs for PCs. NVIDIA will invest $5B in Intel stock. Jensen Huang (NVIDIA) and Lip-Bu Tan (Intel) stress the partnership’s role in AI and accelerated computing, aiming to expand ecosystems and deliver industry breakthroughs.
Blue Energy Motors (BEM) raises $30M to boost LNG and EV truck development and expand in India
Blue Energy Motors (BEM) raised $30M led by Nikhil Kamath and Omnitex to scale LNG and EV trucks in India. Founded in 2020 by Anirudh Bhuwalka, BEM has logged 50M+ km on highways and raised $50M total from backers like Essar. It sold 1,000 LNG trucks to Flipkart, Reliance, and others. A $400M Maharashtra plant targets 30,000 EV trucks, supporting the government’s PM E-Drive scheme.
iPhone 17 Launch at Mumbai’s BKC Apple Store Turns Chaotic as Crowds Clash
The iPhone 17 launch at Mumbai’s BKC Apple Store turned chaotic as eager buyers clashed over line-cutting, leading to arguments and scuffles. Security and police intervened to restore order. Similar excitement was reported in Delhi and Bengaluru. Despite the mayhem, demand for the iPhone 17 remains extremely high, underscoring India’s growing Apple craze and the need for better crowd management at major tech launches.
New online gaming regulations will be effective October 1 – Ashwini Vaishnaw
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced new online gaming regulations, effective Oct 1, banning real money gaming (RMG), related ads, and financial transactions. Penalties up to ₹3 Cr apply. India’s $4.3B RMG sector, backed by $3B investments, faces disruption. Dream11 pivots to Dream Money, while others explore new models. Firms like Gameskraft, Games24x7, MPL, Zupee, and Pokerbaazi have cut jobs amid restructuring.
Climate tech startup Equilibrium raises $3M seed funding
Equilibrium, a 2024-founded climate tech startup, raised $3M seed funding from Kalaari Capital, Peak XV Partners, and Avaana Capital, plus $2M blended finance. Led by Siddhanth Jayaram and Sricharann Seshadri, it drives carbon removal via agroforestry and mangrove projects across 120,000 hectares in nine states, involving 150,000 farmers. The firm targets 20M tonnes carbon removal, expanding amid India’s $1T climate tech market opportunity by 2030.






























