Started in 2022 by visual artists Subrat Pandey and Shraddha Konduru, Ikoho is quietly reshaping Indian footwear. Their handcrafted, vegan leather shoes fuse traditional techniques with bold, modern design. Without external funding, they’ve built a direct-to-consumer brand that values comfort, culture, and creativity, offering a new path for Indian fashion grounded in story, not trend.

Amar Nagaram, ex-CEO of Myntra, is leading a sustainable fashion revolution with Virgio. Launched in 2022, Virgio began as a fast-fashion brand but pivoted in 2023 to focus on circularity, zero-waste design, and ethical sourcing. With PETA certification, AI-driven demand forecasting, and eco-friendly materials, Virgio is setting new standards for conscious fashion in India.

India’s startup ecosystem is buzzing this June with game-changers across sectors. Spinny is redefining used car sales, POP is making UPI rewarding, and Blitz is pushing fast deliveries. From EV leasing (ALT Mobility) to neurodiversity care (Butterfly Learnings) and esports fantasy (FanClash), fresh ideas and major funding are powering a new wave of innovation.

From the narrow lanes of Kanpur’s tannery hub to 200+ stores nationwide, Red Chief is a story of grit, vision, and homegrown pride. Manoj Gyanchandani turned a modest leather export venture into a ₹324 crore brand by betting on India, owning the process, and redefining value. Red Chief proves that world-class brands can rise from India’s heartland.

Homes are no longer just connected—they’re learning. IoT devices are now adapting to user routines, from AC usage to lighting preferences, automating comfort and efficiency. With energy prices surging, the demand for intelligent living has never been higher. Smart Homes are the real deal.

Gujarat's Ksquare Energy is powering houses through affordable rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. 5-year Zero Loss Guarantee compensates customers for solar failures over 48 hours. Founded by Kuldip Sorathiya with just ₹15,000, the startup made ₹74 crore in 2024. The startup aims for ₹1,000 crore by 2030.

Visuals accelerate comprehension. Studies show that decision-makers process visuals 60,000 times faster than text, making clean dashboards, pitch decks, and visuals crucial in high-pressure environments. Businesses using graphic summaries and visual data insights are seeing faster approvals, better investor alignment, and improved internal efficiency. The takeaway: when time matters, visuals win.

Startups that lead with design are building memorable brands faster. With tight competition and short attention spans, visual fluency—through smart branding, iconography, and UX graphics—gives early-stage companies an edge. The result? Higher user retention, better social traction, and quicker investor recall. Visual-first thinking is becoming a startup’s secret weapon in high-stakes environments.

Apple executives have held internal discussions about potentially bidding for Perplexity AI, according to a report by Bloomberg. Discussions are at an early stage, and the company has not engaged directly with Perplexity’s executives. Perplexity recently closed a funding round that valued the startup at $14 billion. An acquisition at this level would mark Apple’s largest acquisition to date.

From traffic signals that auto-adjust to overflowing bins that trigger pickups, smart IoT systems are reshaping urban India. With growing government push and private innovation, smart city infrastructure is no longer a future plan—it’s an urgent necessity unfolding now. This will boost economy.

Google is expanding its Commerce Media suite. Now, it offers new AI-driven tools that claim to bring more performance insights and better control to both brands and retailers. The new tools are now available in beta across Search Ads 360, Display & Video 360, and Google Ads. It now also supports Search, Shopping, and Demand Gen campaigns.

Industries are bleeding money due to unplanned outages. Enter IoT—sensors now predict breakdowns, schedule preventive maintenance, and optimise production lines. As competition rises, manufacturers adopting real-time IoT intelligence are outpacing those still waiting for failures.

In-store beacons, smart shelves, and real-time inventory tracking are turning traditional stores into data-driven experience zones. As customer expectations rise, retailers must act fast to bridge the digital–physical divide or risk being left behind. IoT will certainly increase the exposure.

In today’s digital economy, visuals aren’t just complementary—they’re essential. Businesses using infographics, data visualisation, and storytelling graphics report up to 650% more engagement than those relying on plain text. Whether it’s simplifying complex data, improving social performance, or guiding customer journeys, visual design has become a critical growth driver.

For lean startups, AI and ML are levellers. Instead of large ops teams, they're building with smart tech stacks powered by ML models and AI decision engines. 83% of tech founders report that AI/ML gave them a speed and efficiency edge over legacy competitors. This is the new dawn in this era.

In 2020, a Gurugram techie couple, Lalit Arora and Dimy Arora, quit their jobs and started Melonleaf Consulting as a service-based IT firm. Today, it delivers a variety of tech solutions like salesforce services, product expertise, ERP/ETL solution, and digital solutions like generative AI. In FY25, they clocked an annual revenue of ₹7 crore.

Goa is fast becoming a tech and startup hotspot with its new Global Capability Centre and AI Excellence Hub. These initiatives aim to foster innovation, support deep tech startups, and develop local talent. Backed by strong policy support and infrastructure, Goa is positioning itself as a key player in India’s digital transformation and global entrepreneurial landscape.

A former employee of a Bengaluru startup has accused the CEO of mental harassment, micromanagement, and emotional abuse, even after resignation. Viral post has reignited India’s debate on toxic startup culture, lack of mental health safeguards, and unchecked founder power. As social media backlash grows, experts call for legal action and stronger employee protection mechanisms in the ecosystem.

Elevation Capital, formerly SAIF Partners, sold 53.98 lakh shares of ixigo in a ₹97.44 crore block deal on June 19 — its second stake sale in a month. Schroder Fund acquired most of the shares. Despite the sell-off, ixigo’s stock continues to rise, supported by a 128% surge in Q4 profit and 72% revenue growth.

Gwalior-based home and kitchen brand HomeEssentials is reshaping Indian homes with design-first, space-saving products. Founded by brothers Tanishq and Divyam Jain in 2024, the D2C brand hit ₹10 crore in monthly revenue within a year. They recently raised $2.2 million from India Quotient and are launching offline stores across Delhi NCR.

A LinkedIn user mentioned a two-day in-person event organised by US-based startup incubator Y Combinator as "work experience" on their profile. "Here is what I achieved: Talked to a YC partner, Met founders of million dollar startups, Passed by the Cluely headquarters," the LinkedIn user wrote. "Hey, maybe don't do this," Y Combinator's President and CEO Garry Tan replied.

Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath has invested in One Hand Clap, a creative agency launched by ex-AIB members Aakash Shah and Naveed Manakkodan. With a focus on storytelling-led branding, the agency aims to disrupt India's growing digital ad space. Kamath’s backing highlights rising investor interest in the country’s creator economy and content-driven marketing for startups and D2C brands.

Oyo-owned co-working space provider Innov8 has sold a 3% stake in the company at a valuation of ₹1,000 crore, NDTV Profit reported. Reportedly, the round was led by the Raymond Family Office, which acquired nearly 2% stake in the company. Innov8, which currently has over 45 centres across India, is planning to double its centres to 100 within this year.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched ₹2.3-crore startup innovation challenge to boost rooftop solar installation and renewable energy adoption in the country. The challenge invites startups focusing on affordability, resilience, inclusivity and environmental sustainability in green tech, IoT, AI, blockchain, construction, energy hardware, fintech and waste management.