The festive season in India, starting around Ganesh Chaturthi is a big season for sales. Indian online shopping habits are evolving, with a significant rise in demand for same-day and next-day deliveries, especially for non-essentials. And this is leading to a very busy season for logistics.

Devnagri, a Gen-AI startup that personalizes business communication for non-English speakers, has raised an undisclosed amount in a pre-Series A funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures, a Gurugram-based angel investment firm. The startup plans to use the raised capital for marketing, sales, technology scaling, R&D, infrastructure and administrative expenses.

Edelweiss' Radhika Gupta has called out GSF Accelerator for its upcoming founders-investors conference in Bengaluru for having an all-male panel of 40 speakers. She posted on X, "At a time when women are doing awesome stuff in startups and in investing, when the government talks women-led development...Not one female face?" An X user reacted, "Organisers, sponsors, panellists should be ashamed."

The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union criticised Swiggy on social media for making delivery agents pay for Swiggy kits, including raincoats, bags, and t-shirts, displaying Swiggy's logo. They highlighted the costs, like a raincoat at ₹749 and a kit at ₹1199, questioning why workers should bear these expenses. The post sparked widespread backlash online.

Insurtech startup Go Digit General Insurance saw its profit after tax (PAT) soar 74% to ₹101 Cr in the June quarter (Q1) of the fiscal year 2024-25 (FY25) from ₹58 Cr in the year-ago quarter. On similar lines, Go Digit’s total gross written premium (GWP) jumped 22.2% year-on-year to ₹2,660 Cr in the quarter ended June 2024.

Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund, warned on X about young people funding lavish lifestyles through risky trading. She cited the Economic Survey 2023-24, noting a rise in retail investors to 9.2 crore, up from 2.7 crore in FY19. Young investors in derivatives face high risks, which could harm the economy if significant losses occur.

India has over 1.4 lakh startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), said MoS for Ministry of Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada. In a written answer in the Rajya Sabha on Friday (July 26), Prasada said that the DPIIT has recognised 1,40,803 entities as startups as of June 30, 2024.

Navi Mumbai's municipal corporation, led by Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde, aims to make it India’s cleanest city by deploying six new mechanical sweeping machines. These eco-friendly machines will clean major city roads. Deputy Commissioner Dr Ajay Gadade highlighted their power and environmental benefits. Online reactions are positive, praising Navi Mumbai's cleanliness efforts.

Cred founder Kunal Shah has launched Cred Money, a unified dashboard for financial management. The app aggregates financial data, helping affluent users manage their finances more easily. Despite stagnating user growth at 13 million, Cred is refocusing on high-credit-score customers, launching a luxury rewards program, and expanding UPI payments.

The Centre has said that there was a “possible intrusion and data breach” at state-owned telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) on May 20, 2024. Responding to a question, minister of state (MoS) for communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar informed the Parliament that the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) reported a possible data breach at BSNL to the government.

Google has partnered with Bengaluru-based EV startup ElectricPe. The partnership aims to integrate EV charging station information into Google Maps, providing users with real-time availability and status of EV charging points. The integration will reduce range anxiety among EV users by allowing them to plan their journeys better.

Days after the Modi 3.0 government’s new budget, AAP MP Raghav Chadda criticized the income tax system in parliament, saying, "We pay taxes like England but receive services like Somalia." He highlighted the high tax burden on common people and questioned the government on what people get in return. The NDA defended the budget, while opposition leaders protested outside Parliament.

WayCool Foods, a Chennai-based startup, has laid off over 200 employees after failing to secure funds. Previously, it laid off over 300 employees in July last year and 70 in February. The company has delayed salaries and stopped vendor payments due to stuck client collections. Despite raising 75% of a $40 million bridge round, losses increased by 89% in FY23.

Sanam Kapoor, an average Indian guy with a stable job at HCL, dreamed of owning a business. In the early 2010s, he quit his job and opened La Pino'z, a pizzeria in Chandigarh. Competing with giants like Domino's, he introduced single-slice pizzas and customized flavours for local tastes. La Pino'z now owns over 500 outlets and is expanding globally.

Bengaluru-based two-wheeler electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Ather Energy’s net loss widened 22.5% in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 (FY24), as per the annual report of Hero MotoCorp. The EV manufacturer’s net loss jumped to ₹1,059.7 crore in FY24 from ₹864.5 crore in FY23, as per the report.

Fintech unicorn Yubi Group, has rolled out additional stock options for its eligible employees worth ₹245 crore (nearly $29 million). As per Registrar of Companies filings accessed by Inc42, the company’s board approved the allocation of 11 lakh stock options under its existing 2022 ESOP and an additional 11 lakh options under its new 2024 ESOP scheme.

An online feud erupted between Silicon Valley executives after investor David Sacks shared a political opinion about Republicans and Democrats using the words "fake coup". Rippling's Parker Conrad said coups are Sacks' specialty, referring to Zenefits controversy when Conrad was ousted and Sacks was named CEO. Y Combinator Co-founder Paul Graham responded, accusing Sacks of maltreating Conrad.

Billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday announced that Starlink's internet services are now active in a Gaza hospital. This comes around 5 months after Israeli government approved Starlink's use in the hospital in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Internet connectivity in Gaza has been poor due to lack of power and fuel to operate provider centres amid the ongoing war.

After P Chidambaram said Nirmala Sitharaman copied several ideas including plan to remove Angel Tax from the Congress manifesto, the Finance Minister said it was Congress who brought in the "exploitative" tax in 2012. "They were there in power for two more years after that. They should have removed Angel Tax much before they went away," she added.

OpenAI has launched SearchGPT, a temporary prototype of new AI search features that rivals Google Search. The model, which will be launched to a small group of users and publishers for feedback, combines AI with information from web to give users timely answers with clear and relevant sources, OpenAI said. SearchGPT's best features will later be incorporated into ChatGPT.

US-based video-sharing app Cameo, valued over $1 billion in 2021, is struggling to pay a fine of $600,000, as per settlement documents signed between 30 US states and Cameo. Considering Cameo's financial status, the states agreed to reduce the fine, imposed as the app failed to comply with celebrity endorsement regulations, to $100,000. Cameo will implement features for future compliance.

Byju Raveendran has filed a fresh petition in Karnataka High Court, seeking a stay on an insolvency order against BYJU'S till the NCLAT hears the case. "The NCLAT bench has adjourned my appeal to another date," Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for Raveendran, said. "If the Committee of Creditors is formed meanwhile, I will be left remediless," he stated.

Ola Electric has suspended its plans to build an electric car to focus on its e-scooter and battery production businesses, Reuters reported. The development comes as the company is reportedly planning to launch an IPO next month at a valuation of over $4 billion. The car project has been put off for at least two years, the report said.

Paytm has received the government's approval for its ₹50-crore investment in its subsidiary Paytm Payment Services, Financial Services Secretary Vivek Joshi told Reuters. The investment will allow the subsidiary to resume business operations and Paytm can now approach RBI to seek a payment aggregator license. Following the news, shares of Paytm rose 10% to hit upper circuit at ₹508.85/share.

Chennai-based agriculture supply chain startup WayCool has fired 200 employees across departments as the startup continues to streamline operations to cut down losses after struggling to close funding, Moneycontrol reported. WayCool had laid-off 70 employees in February and another 300 employees in July last year. The startup's employees are also facing delayed salaries and client payments.