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#edtech | #startups | #bailout : India's Ailing EdTech Startups " Soon after the BYJU'S ’s debacle, Unacademy is in distress. Once a high-flying edtech #startup, it is searching for a respectable exit. Unacademy has approached Allen , Physics Wallah, K12 Techno and most other large #education coaching companies for a possible M&A conversation ". - Courtesy Harveen Ahluwalia | The Morning Context Indian edtech giants like BYJU'S, Unacademy, and Vedantu have been grappling with profitability issues despite rapid growth during the pandemic  BYJU'S in particular has reported massive losses, spending heavily on marketing and promotions instead of product development . These edtechs expanded aggressively through acquisitions and new offerings, but failed to control costs and maintain growth as schools reopened post-pandemic . Allegations of unethical practices like mis-selling, poor work culture, and job insecurity have also plagued the sector . The bursting of the "edtech bubble" has left these companies facing a tough business climate and the need to rethink their strategies Read more at:

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📣Lessons from Koo's Shutdown: Navigating Acquisition and Sustainability in Startups 📣 Koo, India's microblogging platform and an alternative to X (formerly Twitter), has announced its shutdown after failed acquisition talks with Dailyhunt. This closure offers several crucial lessons for startup founders: 1. Strategic Partnerships and Acquisition Talks: Koo's prolonged acquisition discussions with major internet companies and media houses did not yield the desired outcome. Founders Aprameya Radhakrishna and Mayank Bidawatka stated, "Our partnership talks fell through, and we will be discontinuing our service to the public." It's essential for startups to: - Diversify Partnership Options: Relying on a single or few potential partners can be risky. Always have a backup plan. - Understand Partner Priorities: Ensure alignment in goals and priorities early in the discussion to avoid last-minute changes. 2. Financial Sustainability: Despite raising over $50 million from prominent investors like Tiger Global, Accel, 3one4 Capital, Kalaari Capital, and Blume Ventures, Koo struggled with financial sustainability. Key points include: - Revenue Model Viability: Koo's reliance on burning cash to acquire users without establishing a viable revenue model proved unsustainable. - Cost Management: High costs of maintaining a social media platform were a significant challenge. Efficient cost management is crucial. 3. User Base and Customer Acquisition: Koo halted customer acquisition campaigns from June 2022, leading to a sharp decline in active users from 7.2 million in June 2023 to 2.7 million in nine months. This highlights: - Consistent User Growth: Continuous efforts in user acquisition and retention are vital. - Market Adaptation: Stay adaptable and responsive to market changes to maintain user engagement. 4. Employee Management and Financial Constraints: In April 2024, Koo ceased salary payments to all employees due to financial constraints. For startup founders: - Transparency and Communication: Be transparent with your team about financial health and future plans. - Financial Buffer: Maintain a financial buffer to manage unforeseen challenges. ---->Conclusion: Koo's journey underscores the importance of strategic partnerships, financial sustainability, consistent user growth, and transparent employee management. Learn from their experience to navigate your startup journey more effectively. #startupLessons #businessstrategy #financialsustainability #usergrowth #partnerships #entrepreneurship #kooapp #startupmentor ---

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Google Gemini App is available in India in 9 languages. This is one of the big launches in the tech world about Gemini's brilliant app launch in India and several other countries. This strategic rollout offers valuable lessons for app founders on timing launches perfectly. Why did Gemini's launch happen now? Why not earlier like they did in other countries? Because if Google wants its app to be successful in India it needs to make sure to install some features such as: 1️⃣ Meeting Regional Needs - By supporting Indian languages from day one, Gemini ensured its app was accessible and relatable to millions across the subcontinent. Launching with a localized experience was crucial. 2️⃣ Multi-Platform Availability - The app rolled out on both Android and iOS simultaneously, letting users on any smartphone easily discover and download it. 3️⃣ Integrated Experiences - Gemini didn't just launch a standalone app. It integrated experiences like file uploads, data analysis, and in-app conversation capabilities from the start. 4️⃣ Celebrity CEO Promotion - Having Google CEO Sundar Pichai himself promote the launch on social media amplified visibility and credibility immensely. So when is the best time for founders to launch an app? 📍Start by understanding your core user's needs, preferences, and platforms 📍Build an experience tailored to those needs from day one 📍Integrate your app with relevant services/platforms people use 📍Get influential voices to generate buzz around your launch With a thoughtful, user-centric approach like Gemini's, you'll be primed to make a big splash when you release your app to the world. What strategies did you find effective for your app launch? Picture credit: Internet #google #gemini #AI

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Budget 2024: Angel tax abolition to supercharge startup ecosystem, will attract both domestic and foreign investments, says VCs Top venture capitalists and investors commented that the abolishment of angel tax will attract not just domestic investors but also foreign investments and will also bring confidence in the startup ecosystem as well as among investors. Story by Anushka Sengupta #Budget2024 #AngelTaxAbolition #StartupEcosystem #VentureCapital #ForeignInvestments #StartupIndia #VCInsight https://lnkd.in/dAYJgYsB

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With operators breaking into Venture Capital domain. What is happening in the Indian Venture Capital ecosystem? Suhail Sameer - Ex CEO of BharatPe launches OTP Ventures with INR 400 Cr Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl - Ex COO of BharatPe launches his debut fund of INR 120 Cr - Eternal Capital (India) Pratekk Agarwaal - Ex CBO of BharatPe launched his fund GrowthCap Ventures focused on supporting early stage startups Sunil Kamath - Ex CBO of Koo have started his active investor journey with We Founder Circle. The operators' entry into the Indian venture capital domain marks a new era of innovation and collaboration. They bridge the gap between operational expertise and financial capital, catalyzing startup ecosystem growth and fostering the emergence of the next generation of unicorns. As they chart new frontiers and redefine venture investing norms, it's evident that the future of Indian entrepreneurship shines brighter than ever. #India #VentureCapital #Entrepreneurs

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Highperformr.ai, a marketing SaaS startup floated by former Freshworks executives Ramesh Ravishankar and Srivatsan Venkatesan, has raised $3.5 Mn (INR 29.2 Cr) in a seed funding round 👇 The startup’s first product, Highperformr for Teams, leverages generative AI and LLMs to help B2B businesses maximise their return on investment (ROI) on social media campaigns. The fresh capital will be deployed to further the startup's research and development activity, build the platform's native AI capabilities, and expand its distribution network. To read more in detail, click here: https://lnkd.in/gV8tqWyU #startups #fundraising #growth #saas

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Startup Central | ThinKuvate: Bolstering tech-enabled startups Addison Appu, Partner at ThinKuvate, sheds light on the latest ₹100 cr fund, 'glocal' approach, key sectors in focus and more Avanne Dubash Addison Appu

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𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗛𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 $𝟯.𝟲 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻! Lessons from Zepto's Quick Commerce Takeover Young, Fast & Funded!  Meet Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya V., the Stanford dropouts who just took their hyper-fast delivery startup, Zepto, to a whopping $3.6 billion valuation After securing a monster $665 million investment!  But what can we learn from their meteoric rise? 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭: 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻)!  Zepto's secret weapon is its breakneck delivery times.  By focusing on strategically placed mini-warehouses ("dark stores") and a streamlined system, they're offering customers what they crave - groceries (and soon more!) delivered in under 10 minutes! 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟮: 𝗚𝗼 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗼 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲!  Zepto isn't just competing with other quick commerce players.  They're setting their sights on established giants by expanding beyond groceries and offering lightning-fast delivery on a wider range of products. 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟯: 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀! With 40% of their latest funding coming from new investors, Zepto's audacity is paying off.  Investors are clearly bullish on the future of quick commerce and the potential of this young, ambitious team. The Future of Shopping is Here! Zepto's success story is a sign of things to come. Get ready for a new era of super-fast delivery that's redefining how we shop! P.S. What do you think about the rise of quick commerce? Disruptor or fad? Share your thoughts in the comments! #QuickCommerce #Zepto #FundingFrenzy #BusinessLessons #shripalgandhi

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As per Inc42 Media - Indian Tech Startup Funding Report Q1 2024 India's startup ecosystem saw a decline of 33% YoY in Q1 2024, registering a 7-year low of $2 Bn in overall funding. However, fintech and ecommerce startups continue to attract investors, with fintech securing $460 Mn in 31 deals and ecommerce raising $336 Mn in 50 deals. Enterprise tech startups also had a good quarter, raising $305 Mn across 28 deals. Curious about the most funded startup hubs in Q1 2024? Check out the report from Inc42 Media. #startupfunding #fintech #ecommerce #enterprisetech #Inc42Media #fundraising #healthtech #healthcare #hospitals

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🔥 Aadit Palicha 🔥Zepto 🚀🌟Zepto Looking To Raise $650 Mn Funding At A Valuation Of $3.5 Bn🚀🌟 🌟🌟The funding round will be led by existing backer Nexus Venture Partners and its limited partner StepStone Group🌟🌟 🔥Significant Fundraising Goal: Zepto’s aim to raise $650 million showcases its ambitious growth plans and the confidence it has in scaling its operations. 🔥High Valuation: Targeting a valuation of $3.5 billion highlights Zepto's impressive market position and the strong belief investors have in its business model. 🔥Support from Key Investors: The funding round, led by Nexus Venture Partners and StepStone Group, underscores continued trust and support from significant backers. 🔥Accelerating Growth: This substantial funding will empower Zepto to accelerate its growth trajectory, expanding its market reach and enhancing its service offerings. 🔥Innovative Leadership: Zepto’s ability to attract major investments reflects its innovative leadership and strategic vision, driving forward its mission in the competitive market. 🔥Market Confidence: The confidence shown by leading investors signals robust market confidence in Zepto’s potential to disrupt and lead in its industry. 🔥Scaling Operations: With the new funding, Zepto can scale its operations more rapidly, improving efficiency and expanding its geographical footprint. 🔥Commitment to Excellence: The ambitious fundraising effort illustrates Zepto’s commitment to excellence and its relentless pursuit of delivering superior value to customers. 🔥Empowering Team Growth: The capital infusion will also support the growth of Zepto’s team, attracting top talent to drive innovation and success. 🔥Inspiring Success Story: Zepto’s journey towards raising significant capital and achieving a high valuation serves as an inspiring success story for other startups, demonstrating that with vision and determination, remarkable achievements are possible. ✅️Share Your Startup Story 🚀📲 https://lnkd.in/ggir3Qap ✅️visite our website🌐 https://lnkd.in/dad4nH #Zepto #FundingRound #NexusVenturePartners #StepStoneGroup #StartupGrowth #InnovativeLeadership #MarketConfidence #BusinessExpansion #CommitmentToExcellence #InspiringSuccess #scoopearth

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🔥Chirag Gupta , Managing Partner at🔥 8X Ventures 🚀🚀8X Ventures Announces First Close of INR 200 Cr DeepTech Fund🚀🚀 🔥🔥8X Ventures, a company that invests in early-stage startups, has announced the first closing of its new INR 200 crore deeptech fund with an option to increase by another INR 100 crore🔥🔥 🌟Fueling Innovation: 8X Ventures’ INR 200 crore deeptech fund exemplifies their commitment to fueling cutting-edge innovation, supporting the growth of transformative technologies. 🌟Empowering Pioneers: This substantial fund empowers early-stage startups to pioneer groundbreaking solutions, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in deeptech. 🌟Driving Technological Advancement: With the first close of their deeptech fund, 8X Ventures is set to drive significant technological advancements that can revolutionize industries. 🌟Inspiring Bold Ideas: The fund's launch inspires entrepreneurs to pursue bold, innovative ideas, knowing they have strong financial backing and support. 🌟Building the Future: 8X Ventures is committed to building a future where deeptech innovations solve complex challenges and improve lives. 🌟Championing Early-Stage Startups: By focusing on early-stage startups, 8X Ventures champions the next generation of deeptech leaders and innovators. 🌟Catalyzing Growth: The deeptech fund serves as a catalyst for growth, providing the necessary resources for startups to scale and succeed. 🌟Expanding Possibilities: The option to increase the fund by another INR 100 crore showcases 8X Ventures' dedication to expanding possibilities and supporting even more groundbreaking projects. 🌟Encouraging Breakthroughs: This initiative encourages startups to strive for breakthroughs that can have a profound impact on technology and society. 🌟Commitment to Excellence: 8X Ventures’ launch of the deeptech fund reflects their unwavering commitment to excellence and their belief in the transformative power of technology. ✅️Share Your Startup Story 🚀📲 https://lnkd.in/ggir3Qap ✅️visite our website🌐 https://lnkd.in/dad4nH #CommitToExcellence #EncourageBreakthroughs #ExpandPossibilities #CatalyzeGrowth #ChampionStartups #BuildTheFuture #InspireBoldIdeas #DriveAdvancement #EmpowerPioneers #FuelingInnovation #scoopearth

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#FundingWithYS 💰 💼 Company: ClaimBuddy 💰 Funding: $5 million ⚡ Round: Series A 👥 Investors: Bharat Innovation Fund, CAC Capital, Chiratae Ventures and Rebright Partners. The Gurugram-based startup plans to use the funds to advance its technology, expand its team and sales network, and add new product lines for its growing network of hospitals. Founded in 2020 by Khet Singh Rajpurohit and Ajit Patel, ClaimBuddy aims to find a seamless solution in the healthcare-financing space by addressing the challenges faced by patients and hospitals in the health insurance claim process. Read more at the link in our comments section 👇 by Debolina Biswas | #Funding #Startups

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Sachin Bansal’s Navi Finserv Closes $38 Mn Securitisation Deal With JP Morgan #startuplife #StartUpSuccess #startupindia #business #indianbusinesses #newsfeed #entrepreneur #startups #StartupIdeas #startup #updates2024 #stocks #entrepreneurship #businesssuccess #indianbusiness #market #indianbusinessnews #indianstartupnews #newsupdate #startupsupport #indianstartups #newspaper #startupbusiness #indianstartup

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Funding Frenzy: This Week's Top Deals 1. Edtech unicorn upGrad secured Rs 287.5 Cr in debt financing from EvolutionX Debt Capital to fuel growth, operations, and general corporate needs. 2. Dunzo, the on-demand task management platform, closed a $45 million funding round with new investors Moore Strategic Ventures, KB Investment (South Korea), and Lightbox STIC Ventures 3L Capital (US). 3. Silicon Valley's General Catalyst acquired Venture Highway, the Indian early-stage investor behind unicorns like Meesho and Moglix. This move highlights the growing importance of the Indian startup ecosystem. 4. Australia's Macquarie Group announced a $1.5 billion investment in India's electric vehicle sector through their new platform Vertelo. Backed by the Green Climate Fund, Vertelo focuses on fleet electrification and has partnered with companies like Tata Motors. 5. Men's apparel brand Rare Rabbit founded in 2005, landed its first major funding round of Rs 150 crore, led by A91 Partners and Nikhil Kamath's NKSquared. This funding boost could signal growth plans for Rare Rabbit. Stay tuned next week for more exciting funding news! #funding #Investment #Edtech #EV #Fashion #Startups #India

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💰 Surat-based IVY Growth Associates launches a ₹250 Cr VC fund, Arigato Capital aimed at investing in pre-Series A startups. 🤖 The fund, led by Prateek Toshniwal and team, targets sectors like agritech, cleantech, and generative AI, with an average investment size of $500,000. 🌍 Special focus on building global connections in the Middle East, US, and Europe. First close at ₹100 Cr expected by mid-2025. 🔗 Read more on the link in our comments section 👇

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