Startup news and updates: daily roundup (March 17, 2023)

Digital Insurer Acko acquires digital health platform Parentlane

General Atlantic-backed online insurance platform ACKO Insurance has acquired Parentlane, a digital health platform for new mothers and infants, for an undisclosed sum.

Vijay Anand, Co-founder and CEO of Parentlane, will join the Acko leadership team as per the terms of the deal, the company said in a statement.

Founded in 2015 by Anand and Neeraj Kumar Gupta, Bengaluru-based Parentlane is a technology platform that offers healthcare solutions to new parents, starting from preconception to the most critical early childhood development phase. It partners with hospitals across the country to offer these services.

Swiggy announces Swiggy Launchpad with 0% restaurant commission

Food delivery company Swiggy announced the Swiggy Launchpad initiative with a 0% commission for the first month for new restaurant partners across the country that want to experience and grow their business with online food delivery. 

The initiative aims to encourage restaurants new to Swiggy to recognise online delivery as an incremental channel to kickstart their growth. The company claoms restaurant partners can potentially save up to Rs 20,000.

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CARS24 launches first engineering R&D Centre in Bengaluru

Cars24, an auto-tech company for pre-owned vehicles, has launched its first Engineering Research and Development Center (R&D centre) in Bengaluru.

The centre will focus on developing cutting-edge solutions for used vehicle inspection, refurbishment, and reconditioning. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology and staffed by a team of experts led by Chief Technical Officer Marut Singh and Anmol Singh, Vice President of Engineering, the centre will employ engineers and specialists from across the country.

The AI-powered algorithms used by the centre will ensure accurate vehicle valuation, enabling CARS24 to raise the standard of the entire industry and maintain its market-leading position in customer satisfaction.

Located in the HSR Layout in Bengaluru, the R&D Center represents a significant milestone in CARS24's growth plans, as the company continues to revolutionise the pre-owned vehicle market across the country.

In addition to developing advanced technological solutions for vehicle inspection and valuation, the centre will analyse data on pre-owned vehicle sales and market trends, providing statistical models and machine learning algorithms that will predict future demand for certain types of vehicles, identify growth opportunities, and optimise pricing strategies.

Physicswallah launches offline centre in Jodhpur

Physics Wallah started an offline coaching centre in Jodhpur. The edtech platform started the centre as part of a joint venture with Utkarsh Classes, which will assist students in entrance exam prep, including for JEE and NEET.

The centre will be managed by Utkarsh Classes. Physicwallah will also conduct an in-house entrance exam for students who wish to avail financial aid.  

(This copy will be updated with the latest news throughout the day.)