Ashish Agrawal was the centre of attention at an industry event hosted by Peak XV in December 2025. Fresh off taking Groww to the IPO milestone, Agrawal was in the thick of it on the night — founders, other investors, representatives of industry bodies and law firms huddling around him, more than any other partner from the firm. It showed that Agrawal had well and truly become a vital cog in the Peak XV machine. All that changed in a matter of weeks. “I remember celebrating Ashish’s breakthrough performance (Groww IPO exit), which put Peak XV right there at the top of India’s VC industry in terms of exits. It was the most successful exit by any VC fund in India,” a partner working with a marquee global VC firm told Inc42.  Like much of the startup ecosystem, the VC world was stunned by what had happened at Peak XV Partners with the exits of its three partners — managing directors Ashish Agrawal, Ishaan Mittal and Tejeshwi Sharma. It is part of an exodus from the major VC fund that began close to two years ago.   “There was not much chatter or shock in investor groups on WhatsApp around this.…  ​Read MoreInc42 Media

Update | February 09, 17:33 IST  Aye Finance’s IPO saw some traction toward the end of the first day of bidding, with overall subscription improving to 0.12X, driven largely by late participation from institutional investors. The QIB category received bids for 31.88 Lakh shares against 2.48 Cr shares reserved, translating to 13% subscription. Within QIBs, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bid for 9.3 Lakh shares, while other QIBs placed bids for 22.58 Lakh shares. Domestic financial institutions and mutual funds didn’t place any bids on the first day.  Retail investors continued to lead demand, with their subscription rising to 26%. They placed bids for 21.51 Lakh shares. Meanwhile, interest from NIIs remained muted, with the category subscribed just 1%.  Overall, the IPO received bids for 54.46 Lakh shares against 4.55 Cr shares on offer.  Original | February 09, 14:09 IST  NBFC Aye Finance’s initial public offering (IPO) got off to a slow start on the first day of bidding, with the issue subscribed 3% as of 13:09 IST. The IPO failed to attract any interest from qualified institutional buyers (QIBs), with the segment getting zero bids against 2.48 Cr shares reserved for the category. Non-institutional investors (NIIs) also showed a tepid…  ​Read MoreInc42 Media

The Supreme Court postponed a hearing on the petitions submitted by WhatsApp and Meta, parent firm of WhatsApp on January 9th. The INR 213.14 crore penalty imposed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) regarding the messaging platform’s 2021 privacy policy has been contested by the IT titans. A hearing has been scheduled for 23 February.Senior advocate Kapil Sibal was unable to attend the hearing; thus, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant adjourned it. Sibal was representing Meta and WhatsApp in the apex court.Why CCI Penalised the WhatsApp?The contentious change to WhatsApp’s privacy policies in 2021 is at the heart of the dispute.  This update facilitated the exchange of user data, such as phone numbers, device information, and interactions with business accounts, with Meta corporations. Privacy and competition were two of the many issues that the regulation sparked. Based on these concerns, the CCI decided to investigate whether WhatsApp had misused its dominating position in the messaging market in March 2021 after taking suo motu cognisance of the matter.As a result of the investigation, Meta and WhatsApp were fined. Meta and WhatsApp were served a severe warning by the Supreme Court during the prior hearing…  ​Read MoreStartupTalky- Business News, Insights and Stories

Anti-money laundering software (AML software) is technology designed to help organisations detect, prevent, and report money laundering and other financial crimes. In an era of digital finance, startups, fintechs, banks, and global enterprises rely on AML tools to ensure financial crime compliance, streamline Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and Know-Your-Business (KYB) workflows, and maintain audit readiness. Modern AML monitoring software provides real-time AML detection, sanctions & watchlist screening, risk scoring, and automated alerts, reducing manual effort while enhancing fraud prevention and regulatory reporting.AML Software Comparison Table Tool NameFoundedCountryFocusBest ForCore Use CaseComplyAdvantage2014UKAI-driven AML & risk intelligenceFintechs & banksReal-time AML detection & sanctions screeningNICE Actimize1999USAEnterprise financial crime suiteLarge global banksHolistic AML + fraud risk managementSAS AML1976 (SAS Institute)USAAnalytics & risk scoringData-intensive institutionsPredictive AML & anomaly detectionTookitaki FinCense2012SingaporeReal-time AML/transaction monitoringBanks & fintechsSmart alert prioritisationOracle Financial Services AML1977 (Oracle)USAEnterprise AML suiteLarge global financialsScalable AML transaction monitoringFeedzai AML2009Portugal/USAAI risk platformBanks & PSPsAML transaction monitoring & KYC/CDDRefinitiv World-Check2002UKSanctions & risk intelligenceCompliance teamsGlobal sanctions & PEP screeningVerafin2003CanadaFinancial crime managementCommunity & mid-tier banksIntegrated AML + fraud analyticsSEON2017HungaryAML + fraud screeningFintechs & startupsAML compliance + PEP/sanctions screeningNapier AI2018UKAI-enhanced compliance platformEnterprises & banksExplainable AML analytics How We Chose These AML ToolsWe evaluated and selected the top anti-money laundering software and AML tools based…  ​Read MoreStartupTalky- Business News, Insights and Stories

Biotech startup Pandorum Technologies has bagged $18 Mn (INR 163 Cr) in a Series B funding round led by Protons Corporate, with participation from Galentic Pharma, Noblevast Advisory and Avinya Fund, Burman Family, alongside existing investor Ashish Kacholia, among others. The fresh capital will be deployed to advance the Bengaluru-based startup’s bid to develop disease-modifying, tunable, exosome-based therapies, including Kuragenx. A portion of the capital will also be allocated to scale its global manufacturing and expand operations across the US, Japan, and the Middle East. “This funding would enable us to translate breakthrough science into programmable, disease-modifying therapies, beginning with single-tissue applications and scaling to multi-tissue repair,” cofounder and CEO Tuhin Bhowmick said. Founded by Bhowmick and Arun Chandru in 2011, Pandorum Technologies is a biotech startup working on regenerating human tissues in the lab.  The startup is trying to grow or repair damaged parts of the human body — such as the cornea, liver and lung tissue — using a combination of cells, biomaterials and bio-engineering.  Instead of relying on donor organs, the startup develops lab-engineered tissues that can help the body heal or restore lost function. Its lead work includes a bio-engineered corneal therapy aimed at treating corneal…  ​Read MoreInc42 Media

The leadership shift that was announced last month has been finalised with the official confirmation of co-founder Deepinder Goyal’s resignation as managing director, chief executive officer, and director by Eternal Ltd (formerly Zomato Ltd). On February 6, the company complied with SEBI’s listing criteria and notified the development in a stock exchange filing. The document, which included Goyal’s signed resignation letter dated January 21, also states that the resignation was effective as of the end of business on February 1, 2026.According to earlier reports, Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa has been appointed as Goyal’s replacement as Group CEO. Goyal fully resigned from his executive positions and numerous board committees in his resignation letter. With this. Goyal indicated that he was moving away from the day-to-day leadership responsibilities associated with the CEO and MD roles. Dhindsa will now be in charge as Group CEO, which means he will be in charge of Eternal’s global operations, setting priorities, and making important business choices.Goyal’s New RoleIt is anticipated that Goyal will continue to be engaged with the company in a non-executive capacity even after stepping down from senior management. His letter to shareholders stated that he intended to remain on the board in the…  ​Read MoreStartupTalky- Business News, Insights and Stories

Block Inc., a San Francisco-based finance company run by Jack Dorsey, is preparing for a large round of layoffs. These job cuts would reduce its worldwide staff by 10%. If this news is true, it would be the third round of layoffs at Block in the past two years. The layoffs trend indicates widespread financial caution in the IT and fintech industries. Nothing has been said by the corporation regarding the report as of now.Who Will be Affected from the Layoffs?The cuts will likely coincide with the ongoing year-end performance reviews that will last until February and will impact multiple divisions. As Block undertakes its yearly performance appraisals, hundreds of employees have reportedly already been notified that their roles could be disrupted.The move is a component of a larger effort to improve efficiency, which aims to simplify the company’s operations and reduce expenses in the face of a difficult operating climate. Block had around 11,000 employees globally as of the end of November, so the anticipated layoffs might impact more than a thousand positions. There has been no formal word from the corporation regarding this subject as of yet.The previous rounds of layoffs, in March 2025 (931 jobs lost) and…  ​Read MoreStartupTalky- Business News, Insights and Stories

Product prototyping tools are digital platforms that help teams design, visualise, test, and validate products before full-scale development. For startups, they enable rapid MVP creation, user validation, and faster go-to-market execution. For enterprises, they support structured product development, UX consistency, and scalable innovation workflows.As modern product development increasingly blends design, engineering, and business strategy, these product prototyping platforms play a critical role in UX prototyping, digital product design, validation cycles, and enterprise product innovation, making them essential product development platforms across the lifecycle.In this article, explore the list of some of the best product prototyping tools for startups and enterprises.Product Prototyping Tools Comparison Tool NameFoundedCountryCategoryBest ForCore Use CaseFigma2012United StatesEnterprise CollaborationCross-team design & UXCloud-based design-to-prototype workflowsQt Group1995FinlandApplication Development ToolsIndustrial & embedded productsEnterprise-grade product development platformsProtoPie2014South KoreaProduct Management ToolsAdvanced interaction designHigh-fidelity UX prototyping toolsAnima2015United StatesGenerative AIDesign-to-code workflowsAI-powered design-to-prototype platformsMarvel2013United KingdomProduct Management ToolsMVP testingSimple prototyping tools for startupsClutch2011United StatesEnterprise CollaborationProduct collaborationFeedback-driven prototyping softwareProto2011United StatesSoftware Modelling ToolsSystem modellingEnterprise prototyping softwareFigr2023IndiaSoftware Modelling ToolsEarly-stage product teamsAI-first product innovation toolsInVision2011United StatesEnterprise CollaborationEnterprise UX workflowsDesign collaboration platformsMokkup2022United StatesProduct Management ToolsFast mockupsLightweight digital product design tools How We Chose These ToolsWe built this list to reflect real-world product-building needs across startups and enterprises. Our goal was to identify product…  ​Read MoreStartupTalky- Business News, Insights and Stories

Elevate Now, a doctor-led, root-cause-driven clinical weight loss platform, has raised ₹18 crore in seed funding, led by Physis Capital, with participation from Inflection Point Ventures and Titan Capital.The company was founded in November 2022 by Suryansh Kumar, an IIT Bombay and ISB graduate with over two decades of leadership experience across Swiggy, Snapdeal and Bharti Airtel. After scaling large consumer platforms, Kumar saw that while India had world-class apps for food, commerce and payments, obesity care remained fragmented, non-standardized and largely lifestyle-driven. Elevate Now is built to bring consumer-tech execution discipline to clinical-grade healthcare outcomes.India today has over 340 million people with a BMI above 25, yet most weight loss solutions rely on diets, gyms or influencer-led programs that struggle to deliver durable results. Elevate Now works on diagnosing underlying drivers for weight gain such as insulin resistance, inflammation and hormonal imbalances, and then delivering personalised treatment under medical supervision rather than generic calorie restriction.The platform operates a fully online, subscription-based model offering programs ranging from 3 to 24 months. Each user is assigned a physician trained in obesity medicine, supported by blood diagnostics, continuous glucose monitoring data and a dedicated health coach. Where clinically appropriate, treatment includes responsible, doctor-supervised GLP-1 or relevant obesity medicine-based therapies, with protocols designed to prioritise safety, sustainability and long-term adherence.“Our goal…  ​Read MoreStartupTalky- Business News, Insights and Stories

Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Sunday held discussions with weavers and officials in West Bengal, focusing on strengthening the handloom sector through policy support, technology integration, and improved market access. This visit comes on the heels of the Union Budget 2026, where Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a comprehensive package to revitalise the sector, including the new ‘Textile Expansion and Employment Scheme’ aimed at modernising traditional clusters with capital support for machinery and technology upgradation.Beginning his visit at Shantipur in Nadia district, the minister interacted with weavers and handloom workers and said the sector would be protected from unfair competition by power looms. The government aims to reinforce this protection through the Budget’s newly announced ‘National Handloom and Handicraft Program’, which will integrate and strengthen existing schemes to provide targeted support to weavers and artisans, ensuring they remain competitive against mass production.He also announced that school uniforms would be sourced exclusively from handwoven fabric. This move complements the budget’s ‘National Fiber Scheme’, which focuses on achieving self-reliance in natural fibers including silk, wool, and cotton, alongside the ‘Tex-Eco Initiative’ to promote globally competitive and sustainable textiles.Also ReadIndian MSMEs employ 32.82 Cr people, contribute 31% to GDP: Economic SurveySingh highlighted…  ​Read More​YourStory RSS Feed