Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (September 16, 2024)

Funding

Venttup raises seed funding from Unicorn India Ventures

Industries 5.0 Startup Venttup raised funding from Unicorn India Ventures.

The company plans to utilise the raised capital to accelerate business growth and technology development for Indigenisation Program Management.

Venttup aims to build a global network of scalable engineering and capacities with India at its epicentre; and to revolutionise the manufacturing landscape by uniting millions of manufacturing MSMEs on a single digital platform, it said in a statement.

“We aim to create a single platform for global buyers to source quality, proven products from India, driving the country's transformation into a global manufacturing hub,” said Sandeep Nair, Co-Founder & CEO, Venttup Ventures.

The company has an ARR of Rs 2 crore and an order pipeline of Rs 20 crore. It also works with Fortune 100 companies across diverse sectors like aerospace, green hydrogen, clean energy and shipbuilding.

Shilpa Shetty joins Alpino as brand ambassador and key investor

Healthy foods brand Alpino onboarded Bollywood icon Shilpa Shetty as its brand ambassador and key Investor.

The company raised $1.2 million in its maiden funding round, with participation from Paresh Ghelani and other prominent angel investors from Aashar Capital, it said in a statement.

Alpino offers nutritious options including peanut butter, super rolled oats, super muesli, and the world’s first peanut protein isolate powder and plans to launch over 20 new products in the next two years, it added.

"I’ve always believed in living a balanced life—staying healthy, but without stressing over it too much. Alpino embodies this philosophy perfectly, they truly make healthy eating fun. Their natural peanut butter has been a staple in my home; my kids love it too. It’s a brand I’ve trusted and enjoyed, so when the opportunity arose to become a part of Alpino, it felt like a natural fit, just like their products," said Shetty.

Alpino plans to use the raised capital to boost its offline presence, drive international expansion, and fuel product innovation.

Saleschat.pro secures $500,000 funding

Saleschat.pro has raised $500,000 from Peercheque, DevC, Dezerv, and 1947 Rise.

The company plans to use the funds to expand its capabilities and continue helping businesses—especially in BFSI—drive sales by meeting customers where they are, on WhatsApp, it said in a statement.

Seeing a shift in customer engagement from phone calls to WhatsApp, Saleschat.pro is leveraging AI models like o1 to equip telemarketing agents with the required tools to engage customers in value-driven conversations, helping them make informed purchase decisions and enhancing the overall sales experience, it added.

“Traditional telemarketing is broken…People don’t want unsolicited phone calls anymore, and enterprises are losing the chance to connect with potential customers,” said Hardik Bavishi, Co-founder of Saleschat.pro.

“With Saleschat.pro, we’re offering enterprises a better way to connect with customers by moving conversations to WhatsApp, where the experience is more respectful, convenient, and personalized,” he added.

Salt Oral Care secures seed funding 

Salt Oral Care, a player in India's luxury oral beauty market, secured seed funding in a round led by a group of distinguished dentists and strategic partners.

The company plans to use the raised capital to fuel its expansion into the North American market, enhance brand awareness, increase the number of SKUs, and build a team to support its expansion plans.

The investment round values the company at Rs 20 crore, the company said in a statement.

The round also saw participation from Kunal Chedda, a US-based investor who works with Amazon Prime. Other investors include Dr. Nisha Sancheti, and Dr. Viraj Doshi.

GITAM secures Rs 4.57 Cr DST-iTBI Grant

GITAM Deemed-to-be-University has received a grant of Rs 4.57 crore from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to establish the GITAM Inclusive Technology Business Incubator (i-TBI). 

The incubator is set to promote innovation in deeptech fields, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). It aims to assist 50 startups and commercialise at least 20 products by 2026—to transform ideas into market-ready solutions. 

It will provide 24/7 access to state-of-the-art AI/ML facilities for GITAM students, staff, and entrepreneurs, fostering research that could lead to publications, patents, and commercial products, the press release read.

“The DST-iTBI grant will significantly contribute to India’s technological progress by providing crucial support for innovative startups,” said P Bharani Chandra Kumar, Director of the Centre for Autonomous Systems and Head of Department, Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (EECE) at GITAM.

Other News

IIMA Ventures launches Growth Accelerator 2.0

Startup incubator IIMA Ventures launched Growth Accelerator 2.0, to support 15 SMEs and family businesses.

The programme aims to drive exponential growth for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), family businesses, and growth-stage startups that are focused on strategic growth and innovation.

It also includes a wide array of interventions such as knowledge sessions, masterclasses, workshops, founder talks, diagnostic panels, and mentoring clinics to operationalise growth opportunities in a hands-on, practical manner, the company said.

The Growth Accelerator is set to provide a structured, supportive environment for business leaders to develop and test new growth strategies.

“Through this accelerator, IIMA Ventures aims to equip them with the knowledge, strategies, and guidance they need to navigate complex market dynamics, unlock new growth opportunities, and scale their operations sustainably. We look forward to supporting them in achieving long-term success,” said Chintan Bakshi,  Partner, IIMA Ventures.

The first batch of the accelerator supported 10 businesses, including Pima Controls Pvt Ltd, Bonton Technomake Pvt Ltd, and  RBD Engineers Pvt. Ltd.

Deepika Padukone joins KRAFTON India as Brand Ambassador for BGMI

KRAFTON, makers of BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA (BGMI), onboards Deepika Padukone as Brand Ambassador for BGMI in an exclusive one-year collaboration.

With this, the global cinema icon will be featured as a playable character in BGMI, with two distinct character skins representing her iconic style and persona, the company said

The company had previously collaborated with stars including Ranveer Singh, Hardik Pandya, and Mumbai Indians.

“This collaboration is an endeavour to push boundaries and deliver fresh experiences for BGMI fans. By bringing together the worlds of gaming and entertainment with the biggest star Deepika Padukone at its forefront, we aim to create a truly immersive and engaging world within BGMI,” said Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO, KRAFTON India.

“Gaming has become a cultural phenomenon in India, and I’m excited to connect with the

incredible energy of the gaming community,” said Padukone.

Veranda Learning elevates Aditya Malik to Group Chief Operating Officer

Edtech company Veranda Learning Solutions, elevated Aditya Malik to Group Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Malik, who was previously the CEO of Veranda HigherEd, will now be part of the company’s broader vision of scaling its operations and positioning itself as a leader in the education space, the company said.

“Aditya has been a key force in our journey towards excellence, particularly in the higher education segment. His strategic insights and leadership have been pivotal in shaping the future of Veranda HigherEd. His promotion to Group COO is not just a recognition of his contributions, but also a crucial step in realising our broader vision for Veranda’s sustainable yet rapid growth,” said Suresh Kalpathi, Executive Director and Chairman, Veranda Learning Solutions,

Prior to joining Veranda, Malik was the founder of Talentedge and served as a Senior Partner at private equity fund Lumis Partners. He also brings experience in business operations, strategy, and leadership.

Zupee partners with ONDC

Skill-based Ludo platform Zupee entered into an agreement with the government-backed e-commerce platform, ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) to make skill-based games from Zupee more accessible to the masses.

Under the agreement, Zupee is registered as a seller application on the platform, with the pioneering gaming company offering its popular game of Ludo, through ONDC, the company said in a statement.

“The integration of Zupee, one of the largest skill-based online gaming companies in India, on ONDC Network will be a critical step to strengthen the open and diverse digital marketplace,” said T Koshy, MD and CEO, ONDC.

“Zupee's integration on ONDC Network will not only facilitate the offering of value entertainment to larger users in India but also allow them to access a wider range of products and services at the right price from a single, unified platform,” he added.

Tenable appoints Rajnish Gupta as MD, Country Manager in India

Exposure management company Tenable appointed Rajnish Gupta as MD and Country Manager in India and SAARC.

In this role, he is set to lead strategic initiatives, oversee operations, and drive the continued growth of business and channel activities across the region, the company said.

“Rajnish’s extensive experience in finance, telecommunications, manufacturing, public sector, and his deep knowledge of cybersecurity will be instrumental in driving further growth in the region,” said Nigel Ng, Senior Vice President, Tenable Asia Pacific and Japan.

"With the modern attack surface rapidly expanding in both size and complexity, and security teams managing multiple clouds and identities across a converged IoT, OT, and IT landscape, we must continue helping our customers bridge the gap in how business and security leaders understand and manage cyber risk,” said Rajnish Gupta.

Delhivery and Team Global Logistics enter into a partnership

Delhivery is expanding its cross-border services with a partnership with Teamglobal Logistics.

The partnership is set to provide an expanded reach of over 120 countries for Delhivery’s Less than Container Load (LCL) service, the company said.

Delhivery is also set to enable in-land services of its Part Truckload (PTL) shipping solution within India to Teamglobal with its reach of 18,700+ pin codes.

"We are thrilled to partner with Teamglobal who are leaders in the Less than Container Load shipping and pass the benefits of this partnership to our enterprise and SME customers across India," said Navneet Khandelwal, Senior Director – Global Operations at Delhivery.

“Delhivery’s extensive coverage ensures that we service almost any inland point in India via the largest Part Truckload network to create a superior last-mile experience for our customers,” said Sujit Baral, Vice President at Teamglobal.

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