From PAC Cosmetics eyeing global expansion to HORIBA setting up research and development hub in India, YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors. Featured news These organisations are leading the fight against human trafficking The fight against human trafficking has transformed over the past decade, with organisations expanding beyond rescue operations to address root causes. Prevention, rehabilitation, and economic empowerment now form the core of anti-trafficking interventions, supported by legal aid, counselling, education, and livelihood programmes. Survivors are increasingly leading these efforts as peer mentors and change advocates.Social Story lists five organisations that stand at the forefront, integrating frontline response with long-term rehabilitation strategies.Read here. PAC Cosmetics eyes global expansion after building a bootstrapped beauty brand Founded in 2006, PAC Cosmetics started as a professional makeup tools supplier, later transforming into an omnichannel beauty brand expecting Rs 140-150 crore GMV in FY25 with 20-25% EBITDA margins.Director Bonish Jain, who joined in 2014, shifted the family-run company from professional-only to mass-premium consumer focus. The brand now operates across 140 retail locations with balanced online-offline sales.”We want to build a brand that goes global from India,” said Jain, announcing plans to enter Dubai, Nepal, and Sri Lanka markets.The bootstrapped company offers 350 SKUs…  ​Read More​YourStory RSS Feed

In Bharat’s e-commerce landscape, growth is unpredictable. An artisan in Jaipur may receive unexpected orders from Kerala, while a skincare brand in Indore can jump from 50 to 500 orders in a week. As online demand rises, the real challenges begin: managing inventory, navigating cash-on-delivery risks, handling returns, and engaging customers in tier II and III cities, just as in metros. That moment of transition, when ambition outpaces systems, is where many stories of Indian entrepreneurship are truly written.Shiprocket, India’s leading end-to-end commerce enablement platform, has partnered with YourStory to launch ‘A Brand New India: Powered by Shiprocket’, a multi-episode series that goes deep into the journeys of entrepreneurs who are scaling fearlessly, failing forward, and building the future of Indian commerce from every corner of the country.Defining “A Brand New India”This isn’t the India of metro-first startups or English-speaking boardrooms. The ‘New Bharat’ in this series represents founders building from tier II and tier III cities, where culture-rooted brands are finding national audiences. It includes enterprise operators managing thousands of daily orders across fragmented courier networks. And crucially, it’s about the technology stack working behind the scenes: the checkout flows, the engagement automation, the ads platforms, and the shipping…  ​Read More​YourStory RSS Feed

Citizens and Infosys, a consulting and digital services firm for the future, have just announced their partnership. The Citizens Bank is among the most ancient and massive American financial organisations.With the help of Infosys, the bank’s AI-first Innovation Hub will be launched in Bengaluru, India. Accelerating AI-driven transformation throughout Citizens’ banking operations, product development, and customer experience is the goal of this industry-first project.Specifics of the DealCitizens’ AI-first operating model will be advanced with the assistance of Infosys’ cloud, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence knowledge. It will help fund the creation of agent-ready capabilities that can scale, which will streamline and quicken the rollout of new digital financial services and products. Fast modernisation and providing outstanding customer experiences are two of the greatest challenges that financial institutions confront today, according to Dennis Gada, executive vice president and worldwide head of banking and financial services at Infosys.Citizens has taken a giant leap forward in its expansion plans thanks to Infosys’ partnership. Citizens can now implement an AI-first operating model and get ready for the future. Plus, the collaboration is happening right when multinational banks are building up their Global Capability Centre (GCCs) in India to scale up their artificial intelligence (AI), talent,…  ​Read MoreStartupTalky- Business News, Insights and Stories

Zomato Founder Deepinder Goyal, who recently stepped down as Group CEO and MD of parent entity Eternal, made a strong appeal to former employees Tuesday to rejoin the company, promising a “more organised” and “less chaotic” workplace.Eternal, renamed from Zomato last year, owns the Zomato and Blinkit brands. Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa has succeeded Goyal as Eternal Group CEO.In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Goyal acknowledged past shortcomings while reaching out to those who left the company.”I know that for many of you, Zomato didn’t have the environment, or the leadership you needed at the time. But I know for sure, that you loved being at Zomato, and it is quite possible that you never felt like home anywhere else since you left,” he said.Goyal revealed over 400 people at Eternal are currently in their second or third stints with the company.If you used to work at Zomato, whether you chose to move on, or I was the one who asked you to leave, this is for you.I know that for many of you, Zomato didn’t have the environment, or the leadership you needed at the time. But I know for sure, that you loved being at Zomato,…— Deepinder…  ​Read More​YourStory RSS Feed

India’s online pharmacy market was valued at $3.71 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $14.08 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 15.98% from 2026 to 2034.Truemeds is an Indian e‑pharmacy and telehealth platform focused on making essential medicines affordable and accessible, especially for patients with chronic conditions. The platform lists a wide range of 2.5 lakh+ products, including prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. It provides clinically approved, high-quality branded substitute medicines at lower costs, empowering users to opt for same-salt or equivalent substitutes prescribed by their doctors.Doctors and pharmacists on Truemeds ensure patients clearly understand the concept of medicine substitution. They educate users about generic alternatives, explaining how these substitutes have the same active ingredient, safety, and effectiveness as the original medicine, but at a lower cost. Through transparent communication, the platform builds trust and empowers users to choose the same salt or an equivalent substitute prescribed by their doctor, if they prefer.Truemeds has helped millions of patients across urban and rural India save on their monthly medicine expenses.In this article, explore more about Truemeds’ founders, business and revenue model, funding, challenges, growth, and more. Company Name Truemeds Headquarters Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Sector E-Pharmacy, Telehealth, Digital Healthcare…  ​Read MoreStartupTalky- Business News, Insights and Stories

Elon Musk is signalling a change of guard within his corporate empire with his intention to merge SpaceX with his money-burning artificial intelligence startup xAI. Musk owes a great deal of his fame and fortune to Tesla. However, after the merger on 2 February, SpaceX’s reported private market valuation was $1.25 trillion, while Tesla’s market cap was approximately $1.58 trillion, a difference of only 26%. While Musk only has a 13% ownership in Tesla, he is believed to hold 43% of SpaceX. According to the Forbes Real Time Billionaires index, Musk’s paper worth has soared above $852 billion, and SpaceX represents more than half of that value.Tesla Performance Going DownWith a 6% drop in stock price so far in 2026, Tesla’s worth has been falling since the beginning of the year. Tesla disclosed a 16% year-over-year dip in vehicle sales in early January and a 3% yearly revenue decline in 2025, the first decline on record, later in the month. The recent abolition of a federal tax credit for EV purchases in the US, along with intense competition from electric car manufacturers in Europe and China, has been a major setback for Tesla’s main auto industry.In addition to Musk’s involvement with…  ​Read MoreStartupTalky- Business News, Insights and Stories

Protein bars maker The Whole Truth (TWT) has raised approximately $51 million in a Series D funding round led by Sofina and Sauce.vc, the company said on Wednesday.The capital infusion, which includes both primary and secondary funding, comes as the brand transitions toward a potential Initial Public Offering (IPO). Existing investors Peak XV Partners and Rainmatter Health also participated in the round, alongside new backer AYRA Ventures. Its early backers include Z47 (fka Matrix Partners India) and angels like Sriharsha Majety (Swiggy) and Jaydeep Burman (Rebel Foods). The latest round follows a significant Series C in early 2025 where TWT raised approximately $15.8 million at a valuation of over $250 million.The funding arrives amid a broader “proteinification” trend in India, as health-conscious consumers shift from traditional diets toward functional staples. According to recent industry data, over 70% of urban Indian diets are protein-deficient, driving a surge in demand for protein-enriched breads, batters, and snacks. TWT, has capitalised on this by expanding into “super-light” protein powders designed for non-traditional demographics like women and the elderly. Beyond powders, its product range includes protein bars, nut butters, and chocolates. TWT said it plans to use the proceeds to scale up in-house manufacturing, fund…  ​Read More​YourStory RSS Feed

Varaha, Asia’s largest developer of high-integrity carbon removal projects, today announced its Series B financing round of ~$45M, and close of the initial tranche of $20M, led by WestBridge Capital.The new capital will accelerate Varaha’s geographic expansion, strengthen its scientific and MRV capabilities, and scale a new industrial partnership model that extends its capabilities to partners worldwide. Founded in India, Varaha develops carbon removal projects across four pathways: Biochar, Afforestation, Reforestation and Revegetation (ARR); Regenerative Agriculture, and Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW).The company has built strong commercial traction, executing long-term carbon offtake agreements with U.S. technology leaders Google and Microsoft, as well as a major U.S.-based aviation company. Varaha has also delivered one of the highest volumes of durable carbon removal credits of any project developer globally as on date.This investment marks WestBridge Capital’s first climate tech investment. Speaking on the investment Sandeep Singhal, Co-founder and Managing Partner, WestBridge Capital said, “Varaha has built what very few companies globally have: deep scientific credibility in a nascent industry alongside a commercially viable business model. We believe Varaha is uniquely positioned to build a global carbon-removal platform from India, combining integrity, scale, and impact. This investment reflects our conviction in the team and their potential to…  ​Read MoreStartupTalky- Business News, Insights and Stories

AI and decision-intelligence company Fractal Analytics has set the price band for its IPO, which is set to open on Monday (February 9), at INR 857 to INR 900 per share. At the upper end of the price band, the IPO values the company at about INR 15,480 Cr (about $1.7 Bn). Anchor bidding for the issue will take place on Friday (February 6), while the IPO will close on Wednesday (February 11). The shares are expected to list on the exchanges on February 16 (Monday). The company filed its red herring prospectus (RHP) for INR 2,833.9 Cr IPO yesterday. The public issue will comprise a fresh issue of shares worth up to INR 1,023.54 Cr, representing a 30% cut from the DRHP. Additionally, the offer-for-sale (OFS) component has been halved to up to INR 1,810.4 Cr.  Investors including Apax Partners, TPG Capital, Satya Kumari Remala, Rao Venkateswara Remala, and GLM Family Trust will sell their stakes via the OFS. The IPO proceeds will be used for research and development, sales and marketing for in-house AI incubator Fractal Alpha, pre-payment and scheduled repayment of borrowings of subsidiary Fractal USA, setting up a new office in India, and more. Founded in…  ​Read MoreInc42 Media

Carbon removal project developer Varaha has raised $20 million as part of its larger $45 million Series B round, led by WestBridge Capital. RTP Global, one of the firm’s early backer, also joined the round with a pro-rata investment, along with Omnivore, who was one of its early-stage investors. The newly-raised funding will be used to help Varaha’s geographic expansion, strengthen its scientific and MRV (measurement, reporting, and verification) capabilities, and scale a new industrial partnership model that will look to extend its capabilities to global partners, said the company in a statement. Under the Varaha Industrial Partners Program (VIPP) the company will parter with industrial operators with gasification capabilities and access to sustainable biomass to help leverage Varaha’s MRV capabilities and carbon credit origination. The company said its VIPP is already operational, with projects underway involving a large cashew producer in West Africa, several agribusiness partners in India, and a major Indian steel company pursuing decarbonisation goals.Also ReadVaraha signs offtake agreement with Microsoft to remove over 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxideThe Gurugram-based company develops carbon removal projects across fourth pathways, which includes biochar, afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation, regenerative agriculture, and enhanced rock weathering (ERW). This news comes weeks after…  ​Read More​YourStory RSS Feed