Startup news and updates: daily roundup (September 3, 2021)

Twitter tests 'Safety Mode' to curb harmful language

Twitter is testing a new 'Safety Mode' feature that temporarily blocks accounts for seven days for using insults or hateful remarks, a move aimed at curbing harmful language on the microblogging platform.

The new safety feature has been rolled out to a small feedback group on iOS, Android, and Twitter.com, beginning with accounts that have English-language settings enabled, Twitter said in a blogpost on Wednesday.

Sachin Bansal's Navi, Tata-backed Curefit, D2C brand Mamaearth in Hurun India Future Unicorn List 2021

The Hurun Research Institute has released its inaugural 'Hurun India Future Unicorn List 2021' to rank startups that are knocking at the doors of a billion-dollar valuation. These are companies valued at over $200 million, not yet listed on a public exchange, and "most likely to go unicorn’ in two years (Gazelles) or four years (Cheetahs).

The top 15 startups in the list are Zilingo, MPL, Rebel Foods, Curefit, Spinny, RateGain, Mamaearth, CarDekho, GreyOrange, MobiKwik, Navi Technologies, Licious, Uniphore, Ecom Express, and Vedantu.

India, UK agree on $1.2B investment in green projects and renewable energy

India and the UK on Thursday agreed on a $1.2 billion investment in green projects and renewable energy to boost India's green growth ambitions at the 11th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her British counterpart Rishi Sunak, driving forward the bilateral agenda of an Enhanced Trade Partnership.

Sitharaman and Sunak, who met virtually for the annual summit, signed off the $1.2-billion package of public and private investment in green projects and renewable energy in India.

Apple eases App Store rules again, to allow outside signups

Apple is relaxing rules to allow some app developers such as Spotify, Netflix, and digital publishers to include an outside link so users can sign up for paid subscription accounts.

The iPhone maker said that it's making a small adjustment to its strict App Store rules for developers of so-called reader apps, in order to resolve an investigation by regulators in Japan.

Bikayi raises $10.8M in Series A led by Sequoia Capital India (Funding)

Bikayi, a Hyderabad-based mobile-commerce enabler, has raised $10.8 million in Series A funding round led by Sequoia Capital India. Earlier in August 2020, the company had raised $2 million as a part of its seed round led by Y Combinator. 

Founded in 2019 by IIITians Sonakshi Nathani and Ashutosh Singla, the YourStory Tech30 startup Bikayi enables small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to scale up on digital platforms thereby enabling them to reach out to a wider audience base.

Reliance aims at 100 GW renewable energy by 2030, bring hydrogen cost under $1

Reliance Industries will by 2030 create or enable capacity to generate at least 100 gigawatts of electricity from renewable sources, which can be converted into carbon-free green hydrogen, its chairman Mukesh Ambani said Friday, as he outlined a 1-1-1 vision to bring down the cost of hydrogen to under $1 per one kg in one decade.

Future-Reliance Retail merger deal: FRL seeks early hearing of appeal in SC against HC order

Future Retail Ltd Friday sought an early hearing in the Supreme Court on its fresh appeal against a recent Delhi High Court order which said it will implement an earlier direction restraining FRL from going ahead with its Rs 24,731 crore merger deal with Reliance Retail.

44 pc Indian women’s income adversely affected by pandemic: Report

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted 44 percent of women's salaries. As much as 60 percent of Indian women working part-time jobs and 37 percent of full-time employees faced pay cuts amidst the pandemic, a study conducted by consulting and analytics firm Economix Consulting Group (ECG) finds.

A whopping 60 percent reported a worsening state of mental health.

Sugar.fit to raise $10M from Cure.fit, Endiya Partners, Tanglin Venture (Funding)

Sugar.fit on Friday said Cure.fit, Endiya Partners and Tanglin Venture Partners will invest $ 10 million (about Rs 73 crore) in the healthtech company.

"Cure.fit, Endiya Partners and Tanglin Venture Partners have agreed to invest $10 million in Sugar.fit, a healthtech startup that seeks to manage and reverse diabetes through a highly consumer-centric data-driven digital health experience," a statement said.

Google says firmly sees itself as partner to India's financial ecosystem

Internet major Google on Friday said it firmly sees itself as a partner to the existing financial ecosystem in India, and that instances of partnerships being described as Google Pay's offerings fuel misinterpretation.

While the company did not elaborate on any specific instances, the latest assertion comes against the backdrop of reports that suggested Google Pay has launched fixed deposit offerings in partnership with a bank.

YourStory’s flagship startup-tech and leadership conference will return virtually for its 13th edition on October 25-30, 2021. Sign up for updates on TechSparks or to express your interest in partnerships and speaker opportunities here.

For more on TechSparks 2021, click here.

Applications are now open for Tech30 2021, a list of 30 most promising tech startups from India. Apply or nominate an early-stage startup to become a Tech30 2021 startup here.