Startup news and updates: daily roundup (Dec 26, 2021)

RIL-arm invests in Ratan Tata-backed Karkinos Healthcare

Oncology-focussed managed healthcare platform Karkinos Healthcare has received an undisclosed amount of investment from Reliance Digital Health, a statement said on Sunday.

The startup, backed by Ratan Tata personally and the Tata Group, has other major angel investors that include Venu Srinivasan, Kris Gopalakrishnan, Ronnie Screwvala, Vijay Shekar Sharma, and Bhavish Agarwal.

The San Diego, California-based Rakuten Medical, the global clinical-stage biotechnology firm also holds a minority stake in it.

The Tata Group had recently invested Rs 110 crore into this technology-driven oncology-focussed managed healthcare platform that helps in early detection and diagnosis of common cancers. Using a distributed cancer care network, it works with multiple healthcare institutions and professionals to get cancer care closer to the patient's home by decoupling the delivery from the knowledge systems of care.

Entrepreneur Pankhuri Shrivastava passes away

Serial entrepreneur Pankhuri Shrivastava who founded women-focused social community platform Pankhuri passed away on Friday. Investors and others who have closely known the young entrepreneur are mourning the untimely demise on social media, calling it a huge loss to India’s startup ecosystem.

A computer science engineering graduate from Rajiv Gandhi Technological University, Pankhuri took her entrepreneurial plunge by founding brokerage-free home rental startup Grabhouse in 2012, raised funds from Sequoia Capital, Kalaari Capital and India Quotient before making a successful exit to Quikr in 2016.

In 2019, she kickstarted the ‘Pankhuri’ journey to create a platform that allows Indian women to network, learn, and shop through live streaming, chat, and cohort-based sessions, thereby enabling them to be active participants in beauty and lifestyle conversations instead of being passive consumers.

She is remembered as an ardent advocate of women empowerment and employment and a confident and passionate entrepreneur.

Vaani Kola, venture capitalist at Kalaari Capital tweeted, "Hailing from Jhansi, she felt that the spirit of Jhansi Ki Rani was in her blood. She was incredibly satisfied that she opened an office in Jhansi and gave opportunities to girls to work in jobs that gave them a strong identity. She was proud of these girls and how much they could do if only given an opportunity. I saw in Pankhuri a young woman who continued to inspire and give back generously.”

COVID vaccines for children (15-18); booster shots for frontline workers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that vaccination against COVID-19 for children between 15-18 years will start from January 3, 2022, while "precaution dose" for healthcare and frontline workers would be administered from January 10, decisions that come amid rising COVID-19 cases linked to the Omicron variant.

In an address to the nation, he said the precaution dose will also be available for citizens above 60 years of age and with comorbidities on the advice of their doctor from January 10 next year as well.

The precaution dose denotes a third dose of the vaccine for the fully vaccinated but PM Modi refrained from using the term "booster dose".

Amid Christmas and the coming New Year's festivities, PM Modi asked people to be alert and take all preventive measures, but also added that they should avoid panic as he reassured them about the health measures in place to deal with any exigencies.

He further said that administration of nasal vaccine and world's first DNA vaccine against COVID-19 will soon start in India as well.

PM Narendra Modi's message for 2022

In Prime Minister Modi's last Mann ki Baat for 2021, he lauded Indian's collective effort in defeating the pandemic and cautioned to continue observing self-discipline amid rising COVID-19 cases due to Omicron variant.

Looking forward to the coming year, PM Modi reinstated that India can be self-reliant only if the power of locals is recognised and that the way to achieve Atmanirbhar Bharat lies in learning, innovating, and achieving new goals.

“Let us reiterate our resolve to think big, dream big, and work hard to make them come true. And, our dreams will not be limited to us alone. Our dreams will be such that the development of our society and the country is connected, our progress will open the way for the progress of the country and for this, we have to start working from today…I am confident that the country will move forward in the coming year, and 2022 will be the golden page of building a new India,” he signed off.