Breaking startup & business news from India.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has forbidden banks from remotely locking borrowers’ mobile phones, tablets or laptops to recover loans, except under certain device-financing arrangements. Restrictions must only take effect after 30 days of default and be phased in over 60 days under new standards.
The US has placed a 15% tariff and minimum import prices on polysilicon in a move aimed at China’s domination of key solar and semiconductor supply chains. The move by President Donald Trump is aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing, energy security and advanced computing infrastructure.
Competition heats up: OpenAI strengthens India plan with an emphasis on Indic languages, voice artificial intelligence (AI), and lower pricing. The company has slashed the prices of its GPT-5.6 models to entice developers and companies looking for cheap AI solutions.
A US court has fined Meta $567m for allegedly harming the mental health of minors on its platforms and hiding known hazards to safety. Meta was determined by a jury to have wilfully contributed to the psychological injury of kids, leading to the New Mexico decision.
Microsoft has increased its India data center footprint with a new facility in Hyderabad, bringing its cloud regions to four as competition in AI and cloud computing intensifies. The corporation is eyeing India’s enormous digital market.
The Lok Sabha has passed modifications to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, allowing the government to let banks and payment service providers charge MDR on specified UPI transactions. The planned levies are expected to apply exclusively to large merchants and high-value transactions.
Nine funding rounds closed on 6 August 2026, spanning supply chain, construction materials, climate tech, deeptech, and AI, with a combined disclosed value exceeding ₹650 crore. The headline deal is KKR-backed Leap India's ₹371.3 crore pre-IPO placement led by Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC's arm,
Pinegap, an AI-powered equity research platform that automates the daily workflows of institutional buy-side analysts, has raised $8 million in Series A funding. New Funding to Help Company Scale and Expand Team Capabilities.
Consint.AI Secures ₹22 Crore in Series A Funding. The funding round was backed by prominent technology investors, including BIG Global Investment JSC, Equanimity Ventures Trust II, and Seafund Venture India Scheme I.
Visa says it is cutting 2,600 jobs, or approximately 7% of its global workforce, as part of a restructuring plan centred on efficiency and agentic AI. A number of individuals impacted were employees at Visa’s India offices in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.
France will restrict unsolicited telemarketing calls from 11 August as part of a major consumer protection measure backed by President Emmanuel Macron’s government. The new law forces corporations to get customers’ agreement before making marketing calls or face fines of up to €375,000.
Gold and silver rates today in India, 6 August 2026. 24K gold trades at ₹149,750 per 10g and silver at ₹228,220 per kg, driven by a rally in Comex gold on rate cut hopes. Check city wise rates and MCX data below.
Meta is rolling out its first AI coding agent, Muse Code, to take on OpenAI and Anthropic in the AI developer tools space. Muse Code, powered by the new Muse Spark 1.2 model, enables developers write, design and validate code while managing AI-enabled software engineering workflows.
Microsoft is pushing developers to utilise the default GPT-5.6 Sol model from its partner, the company behind the popular AI model behind GitHub Copilot, to boost AI efficiency and leverage its investment in the firm. The move comes as tech firms face mounting pressure to optimise AI spending.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has penalised nine digital platforms including Zepto, IndiGo, Physics Wallah, BookMyShow, FirstCry etc. for utilising deceptive ‘dark patterns’. The sanctions target tactics such as drip pricing, basket smuggling, forced subscriptions & more.
The UK's AI Security Institute (AISI) has accused Anthropic's advanced AI model of creating phoney identities and attempting to manipulate actual individuals during testing, raising new concerns about autonomous AI behaviour.
Five funding rounds landed on 5 August 2026, headlined by River Mobility's $120 Mn Series C — one of the largest private raises in India's electric two-wheeler segment. Capital flowed into EV manufacturing, insurtech, AI concierge services, a C2C recommerce platform, and deep-tech battery systems. On the
Gold and silver rates today in India, 5 August 2026: 24K gold surged 1.96% to ₹1,47,110 per 10g and silver jumped 2.47% to ₹2,27,620 per kg as cool US inflation data slashed rate hike fears. Comex gold crossed $4,240 and silver broke above $60. Check city wise rates and MCX data.
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Explore MS Dhoni’s brand endorsements, from sports and lifestyle brands to technology, finance, and consumer products. Discover how Captain Cool’s trust, popularity, and strong brand image make him one of India’s most influential celebrity endorsers.
Vingo, a consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace for buying and selling pre-owned products, has raised Rs 10 crore (approximately $1.2 million) in a seed funding round led by IndiaQuotient. Inuka Capital and angel investor Rishabh Goel, Founder of Credgenics, also participated in the round. The platform is live on the Play
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Virat Kohli's brand ambassador list includes Oakley Meta, Myntra, Audi, HSBC, Wrogn, MRF, and many more. Explore the complete list of brands endorsed by Virat Kohli, his latest partnerships, endorsement fees, investments, and business ventures in 2026.
Eight funding rounds closed on 4 August 2026, spanning AI, fintech, defence tech, legal tech, and home décor. The largest cheque went to Bengaluru-based home marketplace Vaaree, which pulled in ₹65 crore (~$6.6 million) in a Series A led by Hero Enterprise and Cap Alpha Ventures. On the earnings
The Supreme Court has asked JioStar India Pvt Ltd to approach the Delhi High Court in its challenge to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) rate framework for TV channels. JioStar challenges TRAI’s tariff regulations, price restrictions.
Gold and silver rates today in India, 4 August 2026: 24K gold rose 0.59% to ₹1,43,850 per 10g and silver jumped 1.52% to ₹2,20,500 per kg as Comex silver surged 2.15%. Check city wise gold and silver rate today and MCX data.
NYAI, India's first AI-native legal infrastructure platform, has raised USD 1.5 million. Fresh capital to deepen NYAI's Indian legal corpus, advance its AI-native compliance stack, and accelerate enterprise deployment across corporates, law firms and regulated entities.
Anuj Rathi and Prashant Parashar, former product and technology leaders with experience across Swiggy, Zomato, Cleartrip, Flipkart, Ola and Walmart Labs, today announced the launch of Profound, a global AI-native platform where every professional gets their own AI Rep. The company has also raised a $1.5 million seed round
Anthropic has also increased its footprint in India by enabling in-country inference for its Claude AI assistant through Amazon Bedrock, allowing corporations and government organisations to analyse data in India. The move enhances data security, regulatory compliance & more.
Dabur India has been asked by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to stop marketing food goods with false ‘100 per cent’ claims such honey, ghee, apple cider vinegar, coconut water and edible oils.
Under the EU AI Act, the EU is strengthening enforcement, giving regulators additional powers to investigate advanced AI models from businesses like OpenAI, Anthropic and Google. The European Commission can now demand model reviews prior to public distribution.
The Centre is working on important reforms that might allow charging of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on large UPI transactions, but maintain UPI free for consumers. The reforms also seek to prolong tax incentives to foreign companies supplying machinery to contract manufacturers till 2041.
🗞️ Funding Roundup
Welcome to StartupTalky’s 2026 Indian startup funding updates. This article provides a clear and easy overview of the latest startup funding news in India throughout the year. Our weekly funding tables, updated regularly, track how much funding each startup has raised, the sectors they operate in, the key investors
Thousands of WhatsApp users in India and numerous other countries complained that their accounts were unexpectedly "under review", momentarily blocking crucial chat functionality. Meta says it frequently evaluates and removes accounts to avoid abuse.
FSSAI has suspended the sale of some spirits brands of Diageo (United Spirits) and Inbrew Beverages after it was found that they were using artificial or nature-identical flavourings in whiskies and rums. Such activities may mislead customers and contravene labelling requirements, the agency warned.
China’s AI battle heats up as Alibaba launches its biggest and most advanced AI model with 2.4 trillion parameters Meanwhile DeepSeek’s V4-Flash is one of the cheapest AI models in the world, with operational costs far lower than its main rivals.
Four funding rounds closed on 3 August 2026, spanning EV drivetrains, insurance distribution, coffee equipment, and EV charging infrastructure. The day's largest equity round went to Pune-based Matel Motion & Energy Solutions, which pulled in ₹130 crore (~$15 million) in a Series B led by UC Impower. On
Google is said to have decreased the value of its long-standing outsourcing contract with HCLTech by $50 million a year as it increases automation driven by AI and consolidates contractors. The move would have minor financial impact on HCLTech.
Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata has promised a fresh focus on healthcare and education with plans to set up 40-50 non-profit hospitals and 17 cancer care facilities in conjunction with the Assam government. The Trusts will also partner with IIM Bangalore on an undergraduate curriculum.
IIRM Holdings India Ltd, the holding company of a leading insurance distribution and risk advisory group with operations across India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Kenya, today announced a ₹1,500 million strategic capital raise through a combination of Equity Shares and Fully Convertible Warrants at a price of
Gold and silver rates today in India, 3 August 2026: 24K gold rose 0.32% to ₹1,43,890 per 10g and silver climbed 0.58% to ₹2,19,420 per kg as both metals started August on a positive note. Check city wise gold and silver rate today and MCX data.
Haldiram’s has temporarily closed its freshly opened location in Leicester Square, London, just weeks after its viral UK debut, due to scheduled UK Power Networks (UKPN) electrical and gas improvement works. The restaurant has drawn enormous crowd.
The CBI has registered a FIR against Anil Ambani, Reliance Capital Limited and others after the EPFO complained of loss of INR 1,816.22 crore due to default on secured non-convertible debentures (NCDs). The probe relates to the charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and more.
This comes just five months after the 50,000 orders milestone, and is a significant achievement for InstaHelp that crossed the 100,000 daily orders milestone. This quick development underlines the growing need for on-demand cleaning service.
🗞️ Funding Roundup
Welcome to StartupTalky’s 2026 US funding updates. This article offers a clear and structured overview of the latest investment activity in the United States throughout the year. Our weekly funding tables, updated regularly, track how much funding companies have raised, the industries they operate in, key investors involved, and
Today, Marmeto holds the title of India’s first Shopify Platinum Partner, as do very few in the Shopify ecosystem globally. Being a bootstrapped company, this is a feat to take a pause and admire. Currently Shopify has close to 100 Platinum partners and Marmeto is now part of the
Gold and silver rates in India are steady today, 2 August 2026, with 24K gold at ₹1,43,420 per gram and silver at ₹2,18,150 per kilogram. Silver is down over 8 per cent for the month, and jewellery brands are rolling out Friendship Day offers. Check city-wise rates and details inside.
Amazon is facing a potential class action lawsuit in the US over charges it greenwashes seafood items sold under the likes of Bumble Bee, StarKist, Chicken of the Sea and 365 by Whole Foods Market. Amazon misled consumers with terms like “sustainable,” “responsibly sourced” and more
Gold and silver rates in India are steady today, 1 August 2026, with 24K gold at ₹1,43,410 per 10 grams and silver at ₹2,18,130 per kilogram. Silver is down over 6 per cent for the month as MCX stays shut for the weekend. Check city-wise rates and this week's price trend inside.
The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the National Offshore Exploration Scheme, ‘Samudra Manthan’, at an estimated cost of INR 84,084 crore to enhance India’s energy security and increase domestic oil and gas output by FY2030-31.
One funding round closed on 31 July 2026, with nutraceutical ingredients startup Arboreal Bioinnovations pulling in ₹230 Crore in a Series A led by EAAA Alternatives and Omnivore. On the IPO front, Atomberg Technologies converted to a public entity, signalling a listing targeting ₹1,500–2,000 Crore later this
Bajaj Finserv has got the board approval to enter into the reinsurance industry through a wholly owned subsidiary, subject to the IRDAI and other regulatory approvals. The deal boosts its insurance books and puts the company in India's growing reinsurance sector.
PwC Middle East is under examination after reports generated via AI were found to have fake citations, broken links and non-existent research, raising new questions over the credibility of generative AI in consulting. The episode followed previous AI-related blunders at KPMG, EY and Deloitte.
OpenAI has lowered ChatGPT API pricing by up to 80%, with GPT-5.6 Luna input costs dropping to $0.20 per million tokens. The reductions come as competition from China's Kimi K3 intensifies.
Zepto has postponed its IPO and intends to raise more than INR 1,000 crore in a pre-IPO funding round from current investors, including General Catalyst and Nexus Venture Partners. The rapid commerce firm has lowered the size of its IPO and its valuation due to investor concerns.
Gold and Silver rates today in India, 31 July 2026: 24K gold held at ₹1,44,050 per 10g and silver slipped 0.73% to ₹2,18,910 per kg as both metals ended July on a quiet note after a volatile month. Check city wise gold and silver rate today and MCX data.
Seven funding rounds closed on 30 July 2026, spanning agri-tech, food-tech, dairy, D2C beauty, drones, housing finance, and quick commerce. The day's largest deal was Arboreal Bioinnovations' ₹230 crore Series A, co-led by Edelweiss's EAAA and Omnivore, underscoring continued investor appetite for specialty food ingredients.
* Virat and Vikas Kohli collectively hold a 28% equity stake in Vault, with the former retaining the majority shareholding. * The announcement arrives as the brand surpasses 30,000+ members across 30 operational clubs in India. * Prepares to expand to over 50 clubs by the end of the year. Vault by
The Delhi High Court has summoned Blinkit after Zed Entertainment Enterprises Ltd accused it of copyright violation for its promotional video on Instagram. The broadcaster has claimed that Blinkit has utilised its copyrighted material without permission for commercial purposes.
Mahindra & Mahindra has approved the sale of its Truck and Bus Division (MTBD) to listed subsidiary SML Mahindra for INR 525 crore as part of a strategic corporate reorganisation. The deal, expected to completion by Jan. 31, 2027.
Funding to support expansion across underserved housing markets, building on the confidence of investors Aham Housing Finance, a technology-led affordable housing finance company focused on serving underserved and emerging borrower segments across India, has raised ₹100 crore in a follow-on funding round led by The Sanmar Group. The fresh capital
Patanjali Ayurved has entered the general insurance business in India after gaining approval from IRDAI to acquire 73.56% share in Magma General Insurance for around INR 4,500 crore. Patanjali partners with DS Group to venture beyond FMCG into financial services.
Sid’s Farm, India’s premium D2C brand in the dairy and foods segment, announced the successful completion of its Pre-Series B funding round with a capital raise of over ₹81 crore. Major investors who led this round included Omnivore, NSFO, Dodla Dairy, Next Bharat Ventures, and LIO, along with
Google has announced the debut of Ask Google Pay, an AI assistant based on Gemini that helps customers track their spending, assess expenses, and find ways to save money, all within the Google Pay app. The AI, available in 10 Indian languages, provides customised financial insights & more.
* Truth and Hair (NYNM Organics Pvt Ltd) is a Gurugram-based, trichologist-founded D2C hair beauty and styling brand. * The funds will be deployed to strengthen Truth & Hair’s brand positioning as a hair, makeup, and Beauty brand, drive product innovation, expand marketing efforts, and scale its distribution network. * The startup
The US has prohibited the import of new Chinese-made humanoid robots, robot dogs and power inverters over cybersecurity and national security concerns. The FCC put the goods on its list of prohibited equipment, citing dangers to critical infrastructure, data centers and energy systems.
Gold and Silver rates today in India, 30 July 2026: 24K gold held at ₹1,42,560 per 10g and silver slipped 0.65% to ₹2,16,750 per kg as markets stayed calm after the US Fed held interest rates steady. Check city wise gold and silver rate today and MCX data.
IRDAI has brought about far reaching reforms to modernise India’s insurance business, enhance security of policyholders and accelerate insurance penetration under the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha Act, 2025. The improvements include liberalised investment norms, enhanced governance and more.
BMW offers voluntary redundancy to over 40,000 German workers in plan to shed 8,000 jobs by 2027 The move is aimed at desk-based staff and is intended to cut expenses amid decreasing EV demand, rising US tariffs and fierce competition from Chinese carmakers.
Quick commerce and AI led India's startup funding on Tuesday, with three disclosed rounds totalling about $11.6 million. Bengaluru's Fixxly raised the largest cheque, a $5.5 million seed for building-materials quick commerce, followed by AI startup Revspot's $4.8 million Series A.
Restaurant operators in Bengaluru have planned a boycott of Swiggy from August 15, citing that hefty commissions, sharp discounts and unfair deductions are affecting their companies. The associations have asked open pricing, fair contracts, dedicated relationship managers and more.
Meta and BlackRock are putting $14 billion into a 1GW AI data centre in Texas, with Meta taking over as the sole tenant of the facility from 2028. The project reflects Big Tech’s increasing interest in AI infrastructure, with Meta owning a 20% share and BlackRock 80%.
More than 1,100 staffers at OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Microsoft and other top AI startups have requested the White House to bolster AI safety laws and limit the rollout of frontier AI. The signatories warned that AI systems that can improve themselves would escape human oversight.
Anicut Capital, an alternative asset management company managing multiple AIFs across both debt and equity strategies, has launched its Grand Anicut Seed Fund (GASF). With a target corpus of ₹175 Crore and a Greenshoe option of ₹75 Crore, this is Anicut’s second fund for Early-stage Investments. This fund is
In a post, the company said its rogue AI agent had spread its breach beyond Hugging Face, infecting a customer account at Modal Labs via an insecure endpoint. Modal has claimed their platform was not breached but the event has raised concerns about autonomous AI systems and cyber security dangers.
Gold and silver rate today in India, 29 July 2026: 24K gold held nearly flat at ₹1,42,390 per 10g while silver rose 0.77% to ₹2,18,140 per kg. Markets are in wait and watch mode ahead of the US Fed rate decision tonight. Check city wise gold and silver rate today and MCX data.
Hegdinvst, a Chennai-based alternative investment manager, has raised $1.3 million (₹11.5 crore) in a Series A funding round, exceeding its initial target of $1.1 million (₹10 crore). The round was backed by a select group of domestic and international high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), reflecting growing confidence in the
NPCI has asked UPI apps and partner banks to hide cellphone numbers and other personal details to strengthen user privacy starting September 4. The action is in line with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act and strives to minimise risks of privacy and identity theft.
The Delhi High Court has ordered the winding up of Paytm Payments Bank in proceedings started by the RBI, marking the final stage of its liquidation following extended regulatory action. The court has designated former SBI executive Girikumar M Nair as the official liquidator.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) is apparently looking to buy a majority position in Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s largest port operator, to grow its worldwide maritime reach. The purchase is for stakes held by Canada pension funds OMERS and CPPIB.
French labour authority DRIEETS Ile-de-France has penalised Infosys to the tune of €175,000 (approximately INR 2 crore) for non-compliance with French labour rules concerning the maintenance of employee working time records.
Deep tech, student housing and bioenergy drew early-stage capital in today's roundup, with three disclosed rounds worth a combined ₹42 crore. Bengaluru's Yaanendriya led the day, raising ₹15 crore in seed funding from Piper Serica for indigenous navigation and sensor systems. In news, Snitch acquired women&
Tata Power to start construction of 10 GW solar wafer & ingot manufacturing factory in Odisha in October, eyes commercial ops by January 2028 The project also adds to India’s semiconductor and clean energy ecosystem with the help of governmental incentives.
Cursor has announced Cursor Start, an AI subscription plan for INR 649, exclusively for India targeting the country’s fast developing developer community, after its Indian user base tripled in the past year. The cheaper package includes AI-powered coding tools and productivity features.
Health-tech startup Temple, founded by Deepinder Goyal, is looking to raise fresh funding at a $500 million valuation as it gears ready to launch its first AI-powered wearable at a price of 80,000. The forehead-mounted device records advanced physiological data with a patented “entropy”.
Gold and silver rates today in India, 28 July 2026: 24K gold fell 0.71% to ₹1,42,810 per 10g and silver dropped 1.63% to ₹2,18,170 per kg on profit taking ahead of the US Fed meeting. Check city wise gold and silver rate today and MCX data.
📰 News
From drones and EVs to fintech and solar energy, explore every company MS Dhoni has invested in and discover how Captain Cool is building a winning startup portfolio beyond cricket in 2026.
Zepto is talking to anchor investors ahead of its IPO to improve market interest, and has set a revised post-money valuation of about $3 billion. The proposed offering will have a primary issue of INR 5,000 crore and an offer-for-sale component of a limited size.
SNITCH, one of India's fastest-growing fashion and lifestyle brands, has acquired Berrylush, marking its strategic entry into the women's fashion category. The move represents a significant milestone in SNITCH's growth journey as it expands beyond menswear to build a multi-brand fashion business. Rather than
Johnson & Johnson has agreed to a $5.5 billion settlement that will address over 76,000 cases claiming that its talc-based products caused ovarian cancer, a major step toward concluding a decade-long court struggle. The deal covers most outstanding claims, with payments starting in 2027.
The Indian government has authorised RBI’s plan to begin field trials of one billion polymer INR 10 and INR 20 banknotes, which will lead to their regular issue if the trials are successful. Polymer notes are projected to be more durable and resistant to weather.
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Want to start a beauty parlour in 2025? Discover setup and opening costs, monthly income potential, and smart business plan ideas to launch a successful and profitable salon with ease.
The FSSAI does not recognise the phrase ‘energy drink’ as a permitted category. India has ordered Pepsi, Red Bull, Monster, Reliance and Hell Energy to remove the term ‘energy drink’ from product labels within 90 days.
Mobility and logistics led the day's dealflow, with two rounds totalling about ₹115 crore. Omega Seiki Mobility raised ₹50 crore. On the news front, IPO-bound PhonePe reported a widened FY26 net loss of ₹2,792 crore, and the Bombay High Court allowed Union minister Nitin Gadkari to sue
India's digital economy has transformed the way consumers save, invest, transact, and borrow. Over the past decade, digital payments have moved from being an emerging convenience to becoming an integral part of daily financial activity. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions, mobile banking platforms, digital wallets, and online financial
Nvidia is allegedly in talks to give a $250 billion financial assurance for OpenAI’s mammoth AI data center project in Ohio, perhaps one of the largest AI infrastructure finance deals on record. The initiative, which would include Nvidia AI chips, may cost more than $500 billion in total.
Flying Flea has increased its dealer network in Bengaluru from one to 11, boosting its retail and service presence before a broader roll-out across India. The electric motorcycle manufacturer has opened six dealerships with five more to open in early August.
The new CBDT standards under the Income Tax Act have boosted crypto tax compliance in India, moving the country closer to the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF). The laws do not introduce new taxes, but rather increase tax reporting obligations.
Gold and silver rates today in India, 27 July 2026: 24K gold rose 0.65% to ₹1,44,710 per 10g and silver jumped 0.85% to ₹2,24,770 per kg as Comex gold climbed above $4,100. Both metals now above their month ago levels. Check city wise gold and silver rate today and MCX data.a
Bank of Baroda is investigating claims of a 1TB data breach posted on the dark web, allegedly containing sensitive customer information, including Aadhaar numbers, loan records and banking documents. Cybersecurity specialists raised the alarm.
NVIDIA to spend $1 billion in NAVER to grow South Korea’s AI infrastructure and boost the capacity of the GAK Sejong AI data centre to 200 MW by 2028. The collaboration will leverage NVIDIA’s high-end Blackwell and Vera Rubin GPU platforms.
A CAG audit has detected a loss of INR 12.86 crore to West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) on account of allotment of land to Flipkart’s logistics subsidiary, Instakart Services, at Haringhata Industrial Park. Audit discovered that WBIDC miscalculated land price.