Explore India's strategic move to exempt EVs from the 15-year end-of-life regulation to accelerate adoption. Learn about new CAFE norms and financial strategies to overcome existing challenges in the EV market.

Bengaluru-based Mitigata has raised $5.9M in Series A funding led by Nexus Venture Partners, with Titan Capital and WEH Ventures participating. The funds will enhance its AI-driven cyber resilience platform and expand services. Serving 500+ enterprises across 25 sectors, Mitigata is India’s first IRDAI-regulated cyber insurance broker. Nexus is also raising $700M for its eighth fund.

Noida-based ILine.ai Solutions has raised $500K in angel funding from climate-tech and mobility investors to expand into 12 Tier-II cities by December 2025. Launched in April 2025, the company runs a dual-app marketplace for low-emission EV-based last-mile deliveries. The funds will boost its driver marketplace and AI dispatch engine, targeting 30,000 daily orders by Q4 2026 and net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2028.

STAN secured $8.5M in Series A funding from Bandai Namco, Square Enix, Reazon Holdings, Google’s AI Futures Fund, and Aptos Labs, plus existing investors. The funds will fuel expansion in India and other mobile-dominant markets, enhance AI personalization, and introduce publisher integrations. Founded in 2022 by Parth Chadha, Rahul Singh, and Nauman Mulla, STAN offers live audio, creator clubs, and real-time monetization tools for gaming communities. With 25M+ downloads, it focuses on India’s tier 2/3 markets. “We have built STAN with India at the core,” says CEO Parth Chadha. A key competitor is Discord.

Bhindi.io, founded by Sowmay Jain, has secured $4 million in pre-seed funding led by Cyber Fund to advance its agentic AI platform. Bhindi aims to simplify AI interaction by providing a unified interface to over 300 AI agents, eliminating the need for multiple apps. Users can track CoinDCX portfolios, receive AI-powered Gmail alerts, and automate GitHub code reviews. The platform has recorded over 333,000 messages across 21,913 conversations and facilitated 52,330 agent executions. Bhindi seeks to reduce micromanagement and enhance productivity with its 24/7 background agents.

BlackBuck gains IRDAI approval as a composite corporate agent, enabling them to sell insurance to truckers until 2028. This aligns with their strategy to offer comprehensive digital solutions, including FASTag, fuel cards, and freight matching. The move follows their recent PPI license acquisition from the RBI, aimed at simplifying digital payments for truckers. Founded in 2015 by Rajesh Yabaji, Chanakya Hridaya, and Rama Subramaniam, BlackBuck specializes in FTL transportation, connecting businesses with truck operators. In Q4 FY25, they reported a net profit of INR 280.1 Cr with a 30.6% revenue increase.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has dismissed a complaint by the Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) against Google over alleged dominance abuse in online advertising. CCI cited a lack of evidence and referenced past cases like Matrimony and Vishal Gupta. ADIF had raised concerns over unfair ad policies and Google’s Privacy Sandbox. Earlier, CCI fined Google ₹2,200 Cr for Android and Play Store dominance.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has urged the government to regulate OTT platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram under the Unified License system, citing national security concerns. COAI argues these platforms operate outside existing telecom rules, calling for “same service, same rules.” However, tech groups oppose over-regulation, pointing to protections already under the IT Act 2000.

Cyient and Zinier have partnered to modernize field service management (FSM) using AI. Combining Cyient’s integration expertise with Zinier’s no-code platform, the collaboration enables intelligent scheduling, predictive maintenance, and seamless GIS, ERP, and IoT integration. Aimed at telecom, utilities, and energy firms, this alliance promises improved efficiency, flexibility, and customer satisfaction. Zinier’s platform is already trusted by Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, and Naturgy.

Apple CEO Tim Cook announced a strong April–June quarter, with India delivering revenue records backed by double-digit growth in iPhones, Macs, and services. Globally, iPhone sales surged 13.4% to $44.6 Bn, driving Apple’s overall revenue up 10% to $94 Bn. Apple is now doubling down on India with plans to open four new stores in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, and Noida later this year.

Safe Security, formerly Lucideus, secured $70M in Series C funding led by Avataar Ventures, with participation from Susquehanna Asia Venture Capital, NextEquity Partners, and John Chambers.

Bira 91, founded by Ankur Jain in 2015, revolutionized India’s beer market by introducing flavorful craft beers tailored to urban consumers. Partnering initially with Belgian brewers, Bira 91 quickly gained traction and venture capital backing, including from Sequoia, enabling the establishment of domestic brewing facilities. Despite impressive growth—reaching INR 800 crore in FY23—a name change during IPO preparations caused significant sales disruptions and financial losses. Undeterred, Bira 91 continues its expansion, exporting to the US, UK, and Southeast Asia, aiming to capitalize on the growing Indian and global craft beer markets. #Bira91 #CraftBeerIndia

Showroom B2B, backed by Jungle Ventures, projects $8M revenue from its new Noida manufacturing unit, producing 1.5 lakh garments monthly. CEO Abhishek Dua highlights a tech-driven, responsive supply chain for fast fashion. Targeting ₹2,500 Cr in five years, the unit will create 300+ jobs, 50% for women, with ROI in 12 months. Key clients include Vishal Mega Mart and Reliance Retail, emphasizing agility and scalability.

Google plans to revise Play Store policies in India for real-money gaming (RMG) apps after a CCI antitrust probe triggered by Winzo’s complaint. It will allow all RMG apps meeting legal norms and third-party certification, alongside updated ad policies for certified ‘games of skill.’ Winzo had criticized Google’s earlier stance. India’s gaming market is projected to hit $9.2B by FY29.

Karnataka has launched a ₹1,000 Cr Quantum Mission to become the “Quantum Capital of Asia” by 2035. CM Siddaramaiah announced a Quantum Task Force, Q-City, parks, and manufacturing zones. The plan includes skilling programs in 20 colleges, 150 PhD fellowships, India’s first Quantum Hardware Park, and a VC fund for 100+ startups, aiming for 100 patents and 2 lakh jobs, aligning with the National Quantum Mission.

Uber launches Intercity Motorhomes pilot in Delhi NCR, offering a premium travel experience. The company has also expanded its Intercity service to 3,000 routes across India.

UPI transactions hit a new peak in July, reaching 19.47 Bn, a 5.8% increase from June. Explore the growth drivers and key stats behind this surge.

US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on Indian imports effective August 1, 2025, along with a “penalty” over India’s Russian military and energy purchases. He criticized India’s protectionist policies and “massive trade deficit,” claiming limited US export opportunities. India responded, stating it is reviewing the move while reaffirming its commitment to a fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial trade agreement.