Natasha Malpani, ex-Kae Capital, has launched Boundless Ventures, a ₹200 crore fund backing Indian AI startups at pre-seed and seed stages. Focus areas include consumer AI, infrastructure, healthcare, logistics, and Make-in-India hardware. The fund has already invested in six ventures, including SuperHealth, Armatrix, Piersight, and Knot. Along with capital, Boundless offers storytelling and market access, blending technical depth with cultural fluency.

The IndiaAI Mission is expanding GPU capacity with 3,850 new units, including 1,050 Google Trillium TPUs, 1,300 Nvidia H100 GPUs from Locuz, 50 Trillium TPUs from Ishan Infotech, and 2,500 GPUs from Sify. Led by CEO Abhishek Singh, the initiative now counts over 17,300 GPUs, with 14,000 more planned, to support startups and research. India’s AI market is projected to exceed $17B by 2030.

Bengaluru-based fintech Niyo, via Finnew Solutions, has acquired Mumbai’s Kanji Forex to expand into the offline foreign exchange market. Founded in 1935, Kanji Forex will now operate as Niyo Forex, integrating with Niyo’s digital platform to offer forex cards and outward remittances under its AD Category II license. Amit Talwar, with 27 years’ banking experience at IndusInd and ICICI, has been named CEO.

Zepto, best known for rapid grocery delivery, has entered real estate by partnering with The House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL). Users can now book land plots directly on the Zepto app, ensuring secure and transparent purchases. The collaboration focuses on premium and spiritual destinations like Vrindavan, promoted through festive campaigns such as Janmashtami.

Prime Minister Modi announced GST 2.0, set for Diwali, featuring simplified taxes with two main slabs 5% and 18% and a higher rate for select goods. MSMEs are expected to benefit from easier compliance and better cash flow. Draft changes await GST Council approval, with possible price cuts if 12% goods move to 5%. The reform aims to spur festive demand while safeguarding revenues.

NHAI introduced the FASTag Annual Pass on August 15, 2025, at 1,150 toll plazas. Priced at ₹3,000 for non-commercial vehicles, it can be activated via the Rajmargyatra App or NHAI website. Day one saw 1.4 lakh users and 1.39 lakh transactions. With 98% penetration and 80M users, FASTag further streamlines toll collection.

India is pushing for semiconductor self-sufficiency, with Tata Electronics building a ₹91,000 crore fab in Dholera, Gujarat, targeting 50,000 wafer starts per month. The plan includes multiple ATMP units and investments from Applied Materials and Lam Research. Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw contrasted this progress with past failed Intel efforts, noting SCL remains at lab scale.

Infosys and Telstra are forming a joint venture to drive AI-led cloud and digital transformation in Australia. Infosys will acquire 75% of Versent Group, while Telstra retains 25%. The partnership combines Infosys’ AI platforms—Topaz and Cobalt with Versent’s cloud expertise to deliver differentiated value for enterprises. Building on prior collaborations, the deal is expected to close in H2 FY 2026.

BII is investing Rs 70 crore ($8.2M) in Altum Credo to expand affordable housing finance. Altum Credo will issue 40 lakh+ Series C1 shares at Rs 173, raising BII’s stake from 9.04% to 12.55%. Aavishkaar Capital remains the largest shareholder at 14.27%. The funding supports expansion into new geographies, following last year’s $40M round led by Z3Partners and Oikocredit. Altum Credo’s total funding now stands at $80M.

Darwinbox, an AI-powered HCM platform, raised $40M from Teachers’ Venture Growth to expand in North America and advance AI innovation. Serving 1,000+ enterprises and 4M employees in 130 countries, it invests in agentic AI and backs the Model Context Protocol. Following a $140M round by Partners Group and KKR, leaders stress global growth and AI-first solutions. Recognized by Gartner and Forrester, Darwinbox seeks to transform HR tech.

Shreetech Data, a Mumbai-based digital infrastructure firm, has raised $4.5 million from Aarii Ventures and Cello Family Office to expand data center, power infrastructure, and manufacturing operations. The company has completed over 100 data center projects with 500+ MW sanctioned power. Its Datalix brand makes LV switchboards and PDUs. Revenue grew from ₹88 crore in FY21 to ₹613 crore in FY25, driven by a 62% CAGR in data infrastructure services.

An RBI committee proposes an adaptable AI policy for the financial sector, focusing on innovation, risk control, and consumer protection. It recommends consolidated AI guidance, an AI Liability Framework, board-approved AI policies, and audit systems. Experts highlight benefits and concerns—Pranesh Prakash warns of auditability issues, while Srikanth L says it favors industry over consumers. The plan includes an AI Standing Committee and governance for autonomous AI systems.

Oracle has laid off over 150 OCI team members in the US and India, including roles in Enterprise Engineering, Fusion ERP, and AI/ML. The cuts come amid record stock gains and major deals with OpenAI, TikTok, and Temu. Oracle says it’s part of strategic restructuring, shifting focus to AI infrastructure, with new AI-focused hiring underway in Tennessee.

Bengaluru-based Dozee is set to secure $10M in debt funding from Stockhausen International, its second raise since March 2025. The RPM and EWS provider, founded in 2015, offers products like Shravan and a smart vital-sign monitoring mat, recently earning CE Mark certification under EU MDR 2017/745. Backed by Prime Venture Partners, Yournest, and 3One4 Capital, Dozee’s total funding now stands at $38M.

Refold AI, based in Bengaluru and San Mateo, has raised $6.5M in seed funding co-led by Eniac and Tidal Ventures. Founded in 2023 by Jugal Anchalia and Abhishek Kumar, the startup uses AI to automate API integrations, replacing middleware for workflows like ERP-CRM syncing and finance automation. Targeting a $350B market, its AI agents learn system behavior, maintain integration code, and reduce manual effort.

BSE Index Services has introduced the BSE India Defence Index to track Defence sector stocks from the BSE 1000. Using Capped Free Float Adjusted Market Cap weighting, it is reconstituted semi-annually. Mr. Ashutosh Singh said the index offers a transparent benchmark for ETFs and PMS, enabling investors to benefit from policy-driven growth in domestic defence manufacturing.

UIDAI and ISI have entered a 5-year R&D partnership to enhance Aadhaar’s security and reliability using data-driven innovations. The collaboration targets fraud detection, biometric liveness tools, high-risk enrollment checks, and advanced matching algorithms. Signed by Ms. Tanusree Deb Barma and Prof. B. S. Daya Sagar, the initiative leverages ISI’s expertise in statistics, tech, and data science.

DPIIT and Hero MotoCorp have signed an MoU for the ‘Hero For Startups’ program, supporting early-stage ventures in mobility, clean tech, and deep tech under the Startup India initiative. Startups will access Hero’s R&D facilities in Germany and India, dealer network, mentorship, and develop paid PoCs for market exposure. Leaders emphasized fostering innovation toward Viksit Bharat 2047 and boosting Make in India.

The DPIIT and Zepto signed an MoU to launch the ‘Zepto Nova’ challenge, a six-month program for early-stage manufacturing startups in hardware, IoT, sustainable manufacturing, and packaging. Zepto will onboard 100+ Indian startups into its supply chain, offering market access and product showcases. Officials stressed unicorns’ role in ecosystem growth, while founders highlighted the program’s impact on manufacturing’s future.

Arintra raised $21M in Series A funding led by Peak XV Partners to enhance healthcare revenue assurance through its GenAI-native autonomous coding platform. Founded by Preeti Bhargava and Nitesh Shroff, it automates coding, improves documentation, and prevents denials, helping providers recover millions. Integrated with Epic and Athena EHRs, Arintra delivered Mercyhealth a 5.1% revenue boost and 43% denial drop.

Olee.space, founded by James Solomon and Suman Hiremath, raised $3M in seed funding from Rockstud Capital to scale laser-based communication and defense systems. The startup focuses on Free-Space Optical Communication using low-powered infrared lasers for secure data transfer. Its DEW platform enables anti-drone and anti-satellite defense with precision tracking and real-time targeting, strengthening national security.

Cureous Labs, a Bengaluru-based med-tech startup, secured ₹1.66 crore in seed funding from Inflection Point Ventures and Anthill Ventures. The funds will scale manufacturing of Eturnal, an automated patient repositioning system, expand the team, and open a disinfection center. Founded by Asish Mohandas, the startup targets hospitals and home care, addressing an $8.34B Indian market.

StampMyVisa (SMV), a B2B visa platform, has acquired Teleport, a South Indian travel tech startup backed by Kunal Shah. The deal boosts SMV’s presence in India and Southeast Asia, merging Teleport’s digital focus with SMV’s B2B strengths. SMV processes visas for 60+ countries with 99.5% success, leveraging its Konveyor API for platform integrations.

Holiday Tribe, a travel tech startup founded in 2022 by Anshu Sharma and Chirag Goyal, has raised ₹25 Cr in Pre-Series A funding from Powerhouse Ventures and GSF. The capital will boost AI for real-time personalization and itinerary optimization. Aiming for ₹500 Cr GMV in a year, it faces rivals like MakeMyTrip and Yatra.

Zepto has raised ₹400 Cr from Motilal Oswal Financial Services, which picked up 7.6 Cr CCPS for long-term gains. The deal follows fresh funding from Elcid Investments (₹7.5 Cr) and MapmyIndia (₹25 Cr). With FY25 turnover at ₹11,109.9 Cr and FY24 revenue doubling, Zepto pushes toward IPO plans despite regulatory hurdles.

AI search firm Perplexity has made a surprising $34.5B bid to acquire Google Chrome, nearly double its own valuation. Backed by $3B in committed investments for Chrome and Chromium over two years, Perplexity promises no stealth changes and plans to keep Chrome’s team. The move aligns with its AI browser ambitions through Comet.

The Reserve Bank of India has provisionally approved Paytm Payments Services Limited to operate as an online payment aggregator under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. PPSL must complete a full system and cybersecurity audit within six months. The approval comes as Paytm posted Q1 FY26 net profits of ₹122.5 crore, signaling a strong turnaround.

The Union Cabinet approved four semiconductor projects worth ₹4,600 crore under the India Semiconductor Mission, to be set up by SiCSem, 3D Glass Solutions, Continental Device India, and ASIP Technologies. Located in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab, they’ll create 2,000+ skilled jobs and include India’s first Silicon Carbide fab and glass substrate unit. Total ISM projects now stand at 10, with ₹1.6 lakh crore investments.