Indian startups raise $220 million this week; Google Neighbourly becomes more social

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think 'sushi'? Either a fine dining restaurant or maybe a traditional sushi place you have visited. But what if you could get freshly cooked sushi delivered to your doorstep?

You may wonder why this is a big deal but home delivering sushi is a challenge considering that the dish requires superlative slicing skills and has a shelf life of just four hours. However, residents of Bengaluru – and other cities soon – now have the option of having their sushi delivered to their doorstep, thanks to Sushimen. 

A new unicorn emerges, Indian startups raise $220M this week

The third week of June saw funding action back in the Indian startup ecosystem as startups raised close to $220 million in equity funding across 13 deals. This is a whopping 458 percent growth from last week when only $39.4 million was raised in equity funding. While eight out of the 13 deals were early stage, their total value contributed a mere 6.7 percent of the amount raised. 

HDFC Bank awards grants of Rs 10 Cr to social startups, incubators

India's largest private sector lender HDFC Bank has set up the ‘Parivartan’ initiative to provide a much needed financial boost to startups from Tier II and III India. With an aim to bring about sustainable change in society, the bank is now looking at startups to create long-term solutions for social issues. It selected 25 startups based on their products and solutions from cities like Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Kalandhi, Jamshedpur, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram.

Down Dog app claims to offer the best studio-like yoga experience at home

What if you could do yoga, at home or work, at your own pace and your own time? All you need is a mat, some motivation, and the Down Dog app that provides a studio-like experience, offering a set of customised sessions that ensure that no two yoga turns are the same. Featured in the Editor's Choice section of Google Play Store, the Android version of the app has been downloaded more than one million times.

This Assamese startup is giving a lifeline to northeast Indian handicrafts

Assamese startup Brahmaputra Fables came about in 2017 when Founder Dhruba Jyoti Deka realised all the resources, talent, and beauty of Northeast India - his home - were not getting the attention they deserved.

Niti Aayog asks two- and three-wheeler manufacturers to present EV conversion plan

Government think-tank Niti Aayog has asked conventional two- and three-wheeler makers to suggest within two weeks concrete steps towards a transition to electric mobility keeping in mind 2025 deadline. At a meeting of the manufacturers and startup electric vehicle (EV) makers called by Niti Aayog, the industry was cautioned that if they do not take steps to address pollution issues, courts will step in.

Meet 5 startups focussed on making mindful wellness a part of our life

Yoga has become more than a lifestyle choice, thanks to endorsements by celebrities like Shilpa Shetty, Baba Ramdev, and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. Young or old, everyone is keen to follow the tenets of yoga to stay fit and healthy. But time constraints often weigh in, making it impossible to fit in a yoga class into our daily schedule. We list a few startups bringing yoga to people to help maintain that elusive work-life balance.

Google adds social features to its India-first local discovery app, Neighbourly

Google's India-first hyperlocal app, Neighbourly, just got more social. A year since it launched as a neighbourhood discovery platform, where users could ask or answer questions about their locality, Google has introduced new features such as photo sharing, creation of polls and events, and tips. There is a new Search feature as well that will help users arrive at specific content much faster. Earlier, they had to swipe through endless Q&A cards for it.

Goal is to establish 50,000 startups by 2024: President of India

President Ram Nath Kovind said the government will take steps to further improve the startup ecosystem in the country with an aim of having 50,000 such enterprises by 2024. Addressing the joint sitting of Parliament, Kovind said India has joined the league of countries with the most number of startups in the world. 

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