The Environment Audit Rules, 2025, introduced by MoEFCC, aim to strengthen compliance monitoring, transparency, and sustainable development while easing business operations. Certified and Registered Environment Auditors (REAs), regulated by the Environment Audit Designated Agency (EADA), will be randomly assigned to projects for independent evaluation. The rules enhance regulatory capacity, ensure unbiased audits, support Green Credit and waste rules, promote data-driven governance, and improve accountability, credibility, and proactive environmental risk management.

Jio Haptik launched affordable AI agents for SMBs at ₹10,000 for 2,000 conversations, using WhatsApp and voice AI for support, bookings, and lead qualification. CEO Ahshad Jussawalla notes 80% automated query resolution and 20–25% higher lead conversions. Supporting 22 languages, it targets clinics, real estate, and more. Integrated with Interakt, serving 50K+ SMBs, clients include Re’equil and Aster Hospitals, alongside Jio, Cred, and Unilever.

QuantE Energy, a Noida-based solar startup, raised $500K seed funding from Trillion Dollar Venture Partners and angels Raghunandan G and Amit Lakhotia, plus undisclosed debt. Founded in 2024 by Akshat Khare and Ankush Vashisht, it leverages AI and IoT to make solar affordable, addressing high costs and poor service. With pilots in Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi NCR, QuantE targets India’s $25B solar market, growing 15–20% CAGR across B2B and B2B2C.

RxMen, a Delhi-based men’s health tech startup, raised $570K seed funding led by Inflection Point Ventures. Founded by Shailja Mittal in 2023, it focuses on root-cause treatment for sexual health, hormones, and stress. Funds will drive brand building, product launches, and clinics, targeting EBITDA positivity by Oct 2025. Reporting 100x growth, $70K MRR, and 30K consultations, RxMen projects $1.7M ARR by FY26, competing with Man Matters and Bold Care.

FlexifyMe raised $2.4M pre-Series A led by IvyCap Ventures and Signal Ventures to scale its hybrid care model. Founded by Manjeet Singh and Amit Bhayani, it blends AI-driven posture analysis with physiotherapy for chronic pain. Funds will expand online/offline centers, launch gait analysis labs, and advance research. Offering personalized programs and live sessions, FlexifyMe serves thousands globally, aiming to replace symptom-based care with data-driven interventions.

Reveal Healthtech raised $7.2M Series A led by Leo Capital with Sanos Capital to scale its AI healthcare solutions. Founded by Sanchit Mullick and incubated by W Health Ventures, it offers BioCanvas and Prism AI for trial acceleration and workflow automation. Supporting US firms with modernization and compliance, Reveal has aided a $40B medical device leader in boosting patient adherence. Funds will enhance global reach and AI capabilities.

The government approved a ₹1,500 Cr incentive scheme under the National Critical Mineral Mission to boost recycling of e-waste and lithium-ion battery scrap. Running FY26–FY31, it provides Capex/Opex subsidies capped at ₹50 Cr for large and ₹25 Cr for small firms. The scheme targets 270 KT recycling capacity, yielding 40 KT of critical minerals, attracting ₹8,000 Cr investment, and creating 70,000 jobs, shaped through industry consultations

FirstClub raised $23M Series A co-led by Accel and RTP Global, valuing it at $120M. Funds will drive expansion with 35 dark stores, new fulfillment formats, and category additions like kids’ and pet food. Founded in 2024, it offers 4,000+ SKUs and runs four Bengaluru dark stores, scaling further before Diwali. CEO Ayyappan R. notes strong order values, as investor interest in quick commerce grows with peers KNOT and ZILO.

TBO Tek, through TBO LLC, will acquire Classic Vacations for up to $125M, boosting its US luxury travel footprint. It will fund the deal via a Rs 350 Cr loan to Tek Travels DMCC and a $70M Standard Chartered credit guarantee. With $111M in 2024 sales, Classic offers strong advisor networks. Closing in Oct 2025, the deal supports TBO Tek’s global strategy amid rising FY26 revenues.

Anthropic closed a $13B Series F led by ICONIQ, valuing it at $183B, with backing from Fidelity, Lightspeed, Altimeter, and BlackRock. CFO Krishna Rao cites surging demand since Claude’s 2023 launch, with run-rate revenue hitting $1B in early 2025 and $5B by August. Serving 300K+ business customers, Anthropic sees 7x growth in large accounts. Claude Code generates $500M, with funds driving expansion and safety research.

WaterScience, a non-drinking water filtration company, secured Rs 1.4 Cr from Velocity, backed by Valar Ventures. The funds will drive growth, marketing, and new product launches. Founded by Sudeep Nadukkandy, Pavithra Rao, and Mohammed Iqbal, WaterScience offers 40+ filters and softeners, aiming to reach 1M more homes. Velocity, which has funded 4,000+ D2C brands with Rs 1,100 Cr disbursed, also provides tools like Shipfast.

Seekho raised $28M in Series B led by Bessemer Venture Partners to boost AI tech and expand content formats. Founded by Choudhary, Keertay Agarwal, and Yash Banwani, it offers short educational videos in tech, finance, and social media. With 25M MAUs and 100M+ downloads, Seekho leverages smartphone growth and UPI autopay. Despite competition from YouTube Shorts and Reels, its FY24 revenue rose 475% to INR 11.5 Cr.

PhonePe, with DSP Finance, has launched Loans Against Mutual Funds (LAMF), offering instant loans up to INR 2 Cr within its app. Users can unlock liquidity without selling investments, keeping SIPs and portfolio growth intact. Interest is charged only on the withdrawn amount, ensuring flexibility. Leaders Hemant Gala and Jayesh Mehta highlight LAMF’s role in empowering financial progress and giving users greater control over their finances.

BSNL is set to launch BSNL Pay, a digital payment service within its Selfcare app, powered by BHIM UPI. It will enable secure, seamless recharges and bill payments. The BSNL UP (East) Circle shared updates on Twitter. This comes after BSNL’s financial turnaround, posting a Rs 280 Cr net profit in Q4 FY25, compared to a Rs 849 Cr loss in the same quarter last year.

Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters raised $25M in bridge funding from A91 Partners, Verlinvest, and others to expand retail and enter Dubai and Japan. Cofounder Shivam Shahi targets INR 2,000 Cr revenue and 800+ stores in four years. Founded in 2013, it operates 100+ outlets and earlier secured $35M in Series C. FY24 revenue rose to INR 215.8 Cr, as India’s coffee shop market heads toward $1B by 2033.

Infosys has partnered with One Bright Kobe’s Glion Arena Kobe as its Digital Innovation and GX partner. Using Infosys Cobalt, the collaboration will enhance live entertainment with AI, cloud, and UX-driven personalization. A cloud-based data platform will ensure seamless digital experiences while promoting sustainability. Leaders Jun Shibuya and Hideyuki Aoki highlight the partnership’s role in driving innovation and sustainable practices in Japan’s entertainment industry.

Tuco Kids, a Bengaluru-based child personal care brand, raised $4M led by RTP Global with Fireside Ventures’ participation. The funds will boost brand awareness and offline expansion. Cofounder Chanakya Gupta stresses focus on category creation for ages 3 – 13, addressing a market gap. Available on Amazon, Flipkart, and its website, Tuco shows strong retention. RTP Global’s Pavitra Gupta praises its innovation amid rising investor interest in kids’ products.

CityMall raised $47M in Series D led by Accel to scale its e-commerce platform in Tier-II and III cities. Founded by Angad Kikla and Naisheel Verdhan, it serves value-conscious consumers via community leaders. Funds will boost distribution, private labels, and supply chains. Reporting Rs 460 Cr FY24 revenue, up 22% YoY, CityMall aims to tap India’s growing small-town e-commerce market with its low-cost model.

Offgrid Energy Labs raised $15M in Series A funding led by Archean Chemicals and Ankur Capital to scale its ZincGel battery tech. Funds will support a UK demo unit before building a gigawatt-scale plant in India. Founded by Rishi Srivastava, Tejas Kusurkar, Brindan Tulachan, and Ankur Agarwal, Offgrid targets peak shifting and off-grid energy, eyeing commercial launch next year in Europe and India.

Hexaware Technologies has partnered with Replit to transform enterprise software development using secure Vibe Coding. Combining Hexaware’s innovation with Replit’s natural language platform, the alliance enables rapid, secure app building with SSO and SOC2 compliance. It democratizes development, accelerates prototyping, and empowers teams across functions to build custom tools. Leaders Amjad Masad and Sanjay Salunkhe highlight its role in driving secure, scalable AI platforms for digital agility.

India’s economy grew 7.8% in Q1 FY2025-26, beating forecasts and countering Trump’s “dead economy” jibe. Projections place India as the third-largest economy by 2030 with $7.3 trillion GDP. Job creation hit 17 crore, while manufacturing and services drive growth. Government schemes like PLI, GST reforms, and Viksit Bharat boost momentum as inflation eases, FDI rises, and S&P upgrades India’s credit rating.

Tessolve, backed by Hero Electronix, raised $150M from TPG Growth to drive acquisitions and global expansion. Revenues rose from $25M in FY16 to $150M+ in FY25. The firm will boost test labs and delivery centers, showcasing strength in chip design and architecture. With 3,000+ engineers and global partners, Tessolve evolves into a full-service provider as semiconductors near a projected $2T industry in 15 years.

Star Localmart, the retail arm of Sanjay Ghodawat Group, acquired DusMinute to expand to 170 stores, focusing on tier-II to tier-VI towns with modern supermarket formats. DusMinute, with 40 app-enabled residential stores, had earlier raised Rs 11.5 Cr from Inflection Point Ventures. Star Localmart targets 3,000 stores and Rs 5,000 Cr revenue by 2030, combining its retail network with DusMinute’s hyperlocal model.

Elev8 Venture Partners closed its debut fund at INR 1,400 Cr ($160M), backed by sovereign funds, family offices, and LPs from Korea, Hong Kong, and India. Founded in 2022, Elev8 invests $10M–$15M in Series B and C rounds across consumer tech, fintech, and healthtech. A third is deployed in Astrotalk, IDfy, smallcase, Porter, and Snapmint, aiming to guide startups toward public listings.

OpenAI plans a 1GW data center in India under its $500B Stargate expansion, partnering with local firms. CEO Sam Altman may announce details during his India visit and Delhi NCR office launch. With India as its second-largest market and rising ChatGPT use, OpenAI is building a local team, aligning with India’s AI Mission and its vision of “AI for India with India.”

India is projected to become the world’s second-largest economy in PPP terms by 2038 with a GDP of $34.2 trillion, according to EY. Backed by young demographics, high savings, fiscal resilience, and structural reforms, the economy could touch $20.7 trillion by 2030. Experts note India’s strong domestic demand, policy reforms, and adoption of emerging technologies will drive growth despite global headwinds.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated India’s first Tempered Glass Manufacturing Facility in Noida by Optiemus Electronics and Corning. Built with a ₹70 crore investment, Phase 1 capacity is 25 million units, creating 600 jobs, and scaling to 200 million with ₹800 crore more. Vaishnaw highlighted India’s electronics manufacturing growth to ₹11.5 lakh crore, exports worth ₹3 lakh crore, 2.5 million jobs, and the upcoming Made-in-India chip rollout.

WhatsApp has launched Writing Help, an AI-powered feature that refines messages with styles like professional or funny. Built on Private Processing, Meta AI generates suggestions without accessing message content. Validated by NCC Group and Trail of Bits, the feature is optional and off by default. Initially rolling out in English across the US and select countries, WhatsApp plans a wider global expansion.

Infosys and Mastercard have partnered to integrate Mastercard Move with Infosys Finacle, enabling faster cross-border payments. The collaboration helps financial institutions reduce implementation time and access services across 200+ countries and 150+ currencies, covering 95% of the banked population. Executives from Mastercard and Infosys highlighted the partnership’s focus on security, agility, and improved customer experience as global remittance volumes continue to rise.