Author: Aman Atulya
Eternal Capital, the early-stage venture fund founded by former BharatPe COO Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl, has officially rebranded as Sadev Ventures. The move aligns the fund with its family office identity and reflects its long-term vision of supporting India-focused startups while leveraging global networks. Fund Snapshot Vision Behind the Rebrand Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl, founder and managing partner, said: “As we deepen our presence in India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem while tapping financial, social, and intellectual capital across borders, rebranding under Sadev Ventures reflects our values and strengthens our commitment to ventures that can become generational institutions.” Strategic Focus Sadev Ventures remains sector-agnostic but…
Altum Credo Home Finance, a non-deposit-taking affordable housing finance company, has raised ₹170 crore ($19.5 million) in equity from its existing investor British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor. The fresh infusion will strengthen Altum Credo’s balance sheet and accelerate its expansion across existing geographies in southern and western India. Funding Snapshot Founded in 2016, Altum Credo focuses on long-tenure housing loans for customers with informal or semi-formal incomes in urban and semi-urban India. Using a tech-enabled origination and underwriting platform combined with deep on-ground presence, the company reduces operational friction and widens financial access…
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT and GPT-5, is set to open its first office in India this year, marking a major step in its global expansion. The company has begun hiring locally for roles across engineering, research, and operations. The new office in New Delhi aims to strengthen OpenAI’s presence in India’s booming AI ecosystem. The company plans to collaborate with local talent, universities, and AI startups to accelerate product development, especially in generative AI and enterprise solutions. This move comes as India emerges as a key hub for AI research and product innovation, with a growing pool of skilled…
India’s Online Gaming Bill has sent shockwaves through the real-money gaming (RMG) industry, compelling some of the country’s biggest platforms to suspend operations. The most significant blow came from Dream11, the country’s largest fantasy sports startup, which announced it would discontinue its core real-money gaming business. Given that RMG had been Dream11’s primary revenue engine, this move signals the gravity of the regulatory shift. Other leading platforms have followed suit. My11Circle (Games24x7), MPL, Zupee, Gameskraft’s RummyCulture, and Probo have all shuttered their money-based gaming offerings. MPL confirmed that while it will cease RMG in India, its overseas markets—contributing nearly half…
New Delhi | August 21, 2025 – The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, aimed at drawing a clear line between real-money gaming and regulated e-sports. The Lok Sabha had cleared the bill earlier this week, completing its passage in Parliament. Key Provisions of the Bill Minister’s Statement Introducing the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said: “This legislation will protect Indian families from the harmful impact of real-money gambling, while at the same time giving a boost to India’s e-sports and innovation ecosystem. We are setting clear…
Bengaluru | August 21, 2025 – Edgehax, a full-stack Edge AI hardware platform, has raised ₹1.39 crore in a Seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV). The capital will fuel the company’s manufacturing scale-up, accelerate new product development, and strengthen its presence in India and key international markets including Singapore, the US, and Europe. Funding Snapshot Founded in 2025 by Prabhu Stavarmath and Savitri Patil, Edgehax develops modular Edge AI computing platforms that integrate compute, connectivity, and storage on a single board. The startup addresses the growing demand for localized, real-time AI processing, reducing reliance on cloud infrastructure while…
New Delhi | August 2025 — Bihar-based FMCG startup Mithila Foods has raised ₹1.5 crore in a seed round led by Aviral Bhatnagar’s AJVC, marking a strong investor push into regional heritage brands. Launched in January 2025 by Shubham Sunderka, Ankit Kumar, and Anshu Kumar, Mithila Foods focuses on bringing Bihari staples like sattu, roasted chana, makhana, and katarni chuda to modern retail shelves. The startup has quickly built traction, clocking an annualized revenue run-rate of ₹3 crore and reaching 25,000 customers across 4,000 pin codes within just five months. The funding comes as AJVC, known for its ₹100 crore…
New Delhi, August 2025 – Biotech startup PeelON, known for its compostable and biodegradable packaging solutions, has raised $1 million in a seed funding round led by growX Ventures, with participation from Boston Venture Group, Clean Energy Venture Group, and Climate Angels. Founded in 2020 by Taraka Ramji Moturu and Venkata Ravi Sankar Ummidi, PeelON develops plant-based films that extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by up to three times. Operating on a B2B model, the startup works directly with farmers, exporters, and retailers to replace single-use plastics across the fresh produce supply chain. Its flagship products —…
New Delhi, August 19, 2025 – OpenAI has rolled out a new subscription tier called ChatGPT Go, aimed at making advanced AI tools more affordable for Indian users. Priced at ₹399 per month, the plan sits below the premium ChatGPT Plus tier and offers extended access to the company’s latest model, GPT-5. ChatGPT Go vs Free Tier The new tier brings several upgrades compared to the free version of ChatGPT: ChatGPT Go vs ChatGPT Plus While ChatGPT Go offers affordability and powerful tools, there are notable differences compared to the ₹1,999 ChatGPT Plus plan. Why it Matters for Indian Users…
Bengaluru, August 19 – Weaver Services, a technology-led housing finance platform, has secured $170 million (₹1,417 crore) in a funding round led by Lightspeed and Premji Invest, with additional participation from Gaja Capital. Building a next-gen housing finance platform Founded by Satrajit Bhattacharya, Weaver Services aims to transform affordable housing finance through AI-driven underwriting models and alternative data. The platform is designed to serve India’s self-employed and underserved borrowers, a segment often overlooked by traditional lenders. The company previously acquired Capital India Housing Finance as its anchor asset and is now exploring further acquisitions to accelerate growth. Growth plans and…