AI startup Lyzr, founded by Siva Surendira and Anirudh Narayan, has raised $8 million in Series A funding led by Rocketship.vc with participation from Accenture and others, but with an innovative twist. Its own AI agent, Sam, managed investor outreach, communication, and Q&A, helping speed up the fundraising process and showcasing how AI can transform startup financing itself.

Tipping Point founder Vipul Mehta has sparked a debate after questioning Lenskart’s reported 8-fold valuation jump ahead of its IPO. In a linkedin post, Mehta asked if the eyewear giant’s value rose due to true growth or amplified market perception, reigniting conversations about storytelling, timing, and valuation practices in India’s startup ecosystem.

Fintech startup Snapmint, founded by Nalin Agrawal, Anil Gelra and Abhineet Sawa, has raised $125 million led by General Atlantic, with participation from Kae Capital, Prudent Investment Managers and Elev8 Venture Partners. The funds will help scale its EMI-on-UPI platform, expand its merchant base across 23,000 pincodes, and enhance risk and underwriting systems.

Openhouse, a next-gen residential resale platform, has raised $2 million in seed funding led by India Quotient Ventures with backing from ex-Zomato and Spinny founders. Founded by Rahool Sureka and Ankit Khemka, it offers AI-driven valuations, a 90-day sale guarantee, and data-powered tools to simplify India’s fragmented home resale market.

Lenskart's ₹7,278-crore initial public offering (IPO) was fully subscribed on the first day of bidding on Friday. As of 3:16 pm, the issue was subscribed 1.06 times overall on the BSE. The IPO saw strong participation from qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) and retail investors, with a subscription rate of 1.42 times and 1.13 times, respectively.

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang’s claim that plumbers and electricians may become the next millionaires in the AI era has ignited a global debate. Marketing strategist Mani Maran Ramalingam agrees the shift is visible, while Prof Procyon Mukherjee argues wealth lies in business models, not scarcity. Together, they redefine what 'value' means in an AI-driven workforce.

Quantum computing promises acceleration for optimisation, risk modelling, and cryptography. In fintech, quantum algorithms could improve portfolio optimisation, derivative pricing, and fraud detection beyond classical limits. Near-term value lies in hybrid quantum-classical workflows for specific NP-hard problems while algorithms and hardware mature.

Sellers can increase visibility through optimised product titles, keyword-rich listings, and high-quality images. A/B testing, competitive pricing, and consistent reviews strengthen ranking. Leveraging Amazon PPC (Pay-Per-Click) campaigns, lightning deals, and enhanced brand content drives conversions. Efficient inventory management ensures timely fulfilment and improved long-term growth.

A venture architect bridges strategy, design, and execution to build scalable businesses. They identify growth opportunities, align cross-functional teams, and turn validated ideas into viable business models. By combining market analysis, prototyping, and operational design, venture architects create repeatable frameworks that help organizations innovate faster and reduce risk.

School management software centralises admissions, attendance, grading, and communication into a single digital dashboard. It improves administrative efficiency, enhances data transparency, and allows educators to focus more on learning outcomes. Integrated modules for parent communication and fee tracking reduce errors and foster real-time collaboration between teachers, students, and parents.

School Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software integrates various academic and operational functions like admissions, attendance, accounting, and reporting into a unified platform. It automates repetitive tasks, reduces paperwork, and ensures better compliance. With real-time data insights and communication tools, it supports informed decisions and builds transparency across departments.

Customer validation ensures a product solves real problems before large-scale investment. Through surveys, interviews, and pilot launches, startups gather feedback to refine their value proposition. Early validation reduces failure risk, aligns product-market fit, and helps attract investors by demonstrating clear demand and user engagement data.

Business ventures generally fall into four types: sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies. Each structure affects taxation, liability, and operational control. Entrepreneurs choose models based on capital availability, scalability goals, and risk appetite. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for compliance, funding decisions, and business growth.

Startups can grow faster by building strong brand differentiation, optimizing digital touchpoints, and maintaining consistent storytelling across channels. Leveraging data analytics to measure engagement and customer sentiment refines messaging. Strategic collaborations, influencer partnerships, and community-building initiatives further help startups enhance visibility and long-term trust.

Outsourced call centers enable businesses to focus on their core operations while experts handle customer support. They reduce overhead costs, ensure 24/7 service coverage, and bring scalability through flexible staffing. Using advanced Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and multilingual agents improves efficiency and customer satisfaction while maintaining brand communication.

AI agent-builder toolkits like AgentKit empower developers to create intelligent, autonomous applications with minimal coding. These agents can automate workflows, interpret data, and make contextual decisions using integrated APIs. Such toolkits lower technical barriers, allowing faster innovation in industries like finance, education, and logistics by blending automation with human oversight.

Electronics brands scale faster when they combine creator reviews, comparison content, and search engine optimization built around specifications and features. AI based audience targeting, retargeting, and dynamic product ads personalize discovery and boost conversions. Warranty education, hands on demos, and service support content build long term trust and repeat buyers.

Venture builders combine ideation with repeatable operational playbooks: central shared services, rapid prototyping, and staged funding to de-risk experiments. They recruit cross-functional talent, enforce standard KPIs, and spin off validated ventures into independent entities. Discipline around unit economics and go-to-market playbooks lets builders scale portfolio companies more predictably.

Platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube continue to dominate brand engagement in 2025, while emerging spaces like Threads and X offer reach. Success lies in platform-specific strategies short-form videos on Instagram, professional storytelling on LinkedIn, and creator-led campaigns on YouTube. Brands that align tone and content with audience behavior achieve higher conversion and recall.

Gig platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, Swiggy, and Urban Company enable users to monetize skills across writing, design, and delivery. Freelancers can earn between ₹15,000 and ₹80,000 monthly, depending on niche and time invested. Choosing platforms with transparent policies, reliable reviews, and secure payouts ensures steady income while managing flexibility and skill growth.

Indian startups are uniquely positioned to solve India’s biggest challenges — from rural healthcare access and waste management to logistics inefficiencies and financial inclusion. By leveraging artificial intelligence, digital payments, and sustainability-focused innovation, they can bridge systemic gaps, create jobs, and drive inclusive economic growth nationwide.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed plans to invest around $1.4 trillion to deploy 30 gigawatts of computing capacity globally. The company aims to add 1 gigawatt of compute power every week to support the development of next-generation AI systems. This massive expansion marks one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the AI industry’s history.

Capital Small Finance Bank reported a profit after tax of ₹32 crore in Q1 FY26, up about 7% year-on-year. Gross advances jumped 16.4% to ₹7,437 crore and deposits rose 17.1% to ₹9,110 crore. Net interest margin held at 4.1%, while gross NPA remained unchanged at 2.7% and net NPA at 1.4%, indicating stable asset quality.

General Motors is eliminating roughly 1,700 jobs at its Michigan and Ohio manufacturing sites, including about 1,200 layoffs at its Detroit EV facility and 550 at its battery plant in Ohio. The reductions are tied to slower electric-vehicle adoption and shifting regulatory conditions. GM plans to pause battery-cell production early next year and reinstate full operations by mid-2026.

Target Corporation will cut around 1,000 current employees and eliminate about 800 open roles—totaling approximately 1,800 positions, or 8% of its global corporate workforce. The move aims to simplify decision-making and accelerate turnaround efforts amid weak sales and rising competition. The cuts will spare store and supply-chain staff, focusing mainly on headquarters roles.