Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (September 6, 2024)

NSRCEL IIMB, DailyRounds partner for healthcare incubation programme

NSRCEL IIM Bangalore, in collaboration with DailyRounds, has launched a healthcare incubation programme to help healthcare innovators and entrepreneurs go from lab-tested to market-ready products.

This partnership, part of DailyRounds' CSR initiative, aims to support early-stage startups. It focuses on bringing to life innovations that solve unique problems in the field of healthcare.

The programme provides founders support in design thinking; guidance in business development, go-to-market strategy, and B2B and D2C sales; mentorship by industry experts; networking opportunities; access to potential funding sources; and access to hospitals and labs for clinical trials and pilot projects.

TiE announces TGS100 Showcase for early-stage startups globally

The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) in India has announced the TGS100 Showcase, an annual competition recognising exceptional early-stage startups globally. This initiative offers startups across various sectors exposure and growth opportunities.

The final event will be held at TiE Global Summit (TGS) 2024 in Bengaluru. The 9th edition of TiE Global Summit is scheduled from December 9 to 11 at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre and on December 12 in Mysore. 

To be eligible, startups must be privately held, aged between two months and five years, and aim to raise funds between Rs 1 crore and Rs 10 crore.

A global jury of seasoned entrepreneurs and investors will select the top 100 startups, allowing them to present at the semi-final round on December 9.

The top 10 finalists will then pitch on the main stage at TGS ’24 to a super jury, which includes Vani Kola (Kalaari Ventures), Prashanth Prakash (Accel Partners), Sudhir Sethi (Chiratae Ventures), and Venk Krishnan (NuVentures).

The top three startups will share a prize pool of Rs 50 lakh in equity-free funding, with Rs 25 lakh for the winner, Rs 15 lakh for the runner-up, and Rs 10 lakh for the startup placed third. Additionally, the top 10 startups will gain extensive visibility, including the opportunity to present their products to over 750 investors and mentors.

Wibmo partners with City Union Bank, nStore

Wibmo, a PayU company and a player in payment security and digital financial services, has partnered with City Union Bank (CUB) and nStore to launch the 'Buyer Side ONDC Module' for CUB retail customers. 

This initiative aims to enhance the digital commerce experience for CUB’s retail customers by providing seamless access to the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

The module will empower CUB’s retail customers with greater accessibility, convenience, and security in their digital transactions.

Two Brothers Organic Farms appoints Anupam Kapoor as COO

Two Brothers Organic Farms has appointed Anupam Kapoor as Chief Operating Officer (COO) to expand its senior leadership team. 

In his new role, Kapoor will oversee the D2C brand’s core operations, including new product development, to drive operational efficiency. He will focus on building infrastructure and improving product quality to help expand the company’s distribution network. 

Kapoor has over 17 years of experience in supply chain management, manufacturing, and operations across online and offline sectors. Before joining Two Brothers Organic Farms, he served as the Director of Tata Cliq. 

He also held key roles at Forest Essentials, Myntra, and Hindustan Unilever, where he gained knowledge of end-to-end supply chain processes. 

This appointment is a part of the company’s ongoing expansion, with additional senior hires expected to be announced soon. This strategic move comes after the agritech startup raised Rs 58.2 crore in a Series A funding round.

Skill-Lync to launch 30 free engineering courses

Y-Combinator-backed edtech startup Skill-Lync will launch 30 free courses over the next six months to provide resources to over 30,000 Indian engineers, helping them enhance their skills and knowledge at no cost.

These free courses will be CATIA v5, CFD simulation using SolidWorks, MBD using SolidWorks, FEA using SolidWorks, how electric vehicles work, modelling an electric vehicle using MATLAB and Simulink, and model-based development for ADAS. In the upcoming weeks, Skill-Lync will release additional courses, including AutoCAD for mechanical engineers, AutoCAD for civil engineers, MATLAB essentials, Simulink essentials, and many more.

The startup will offer certificates of completion for all courses. These certificates will serve as a testament to the skills acquired.

CoinSwitch introduces crypto investment solution for HNIs, institutional investors

CoinSwitch has launched its specialised crypto investment services tailored for high net-worth Individuals (HNIs) and institutional investors. This new offering will cater to the sophisticated needs of investors.

The new service provides HNIs and institutions with premium crypto investment opportunities, offering personalised advisory and robust risk management. 

Key features include tailored investment strategies, where CoinSwitch experts work 24x7 to create customised plans based on users' financial goals and risk tolerance. 

Each user is assigned a dedicated account manager for continuous support, market insights, and portfolio updates. Professional tax filing assistance is available as an option, while institutional-grade security ensures the safety of user funds through encryption and regulatory compliance.

Akums appoints Shantanu R Chobhe as corporate quality assurance head

Contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), Akums Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited has appointed Shantanu R Chobhe as the corporate quality assurance head.

At Akums, he will take charge of all quality assurance and quality control departments, overseeing both active pharmaceutical ingredients and formulations.

Chobhe brings over 30 years of experience in quality and regulatory management within the pharmaceutical industry. His career has spanned several leading companies, including Lupin Ltd., Glenmark Generics Ltd., UniChem Laboratories Ltd., Wockhardt Ltd., and Cipla Ltd. 

Before joining Akums, he served as a key member of Abbott Healthcare Pvt Ltd.

Decathlon and Zepto collaborate for sporting goods

Decathlon India and Zepto have partnered to bring greater access to sporting goods to Indians across the country. 

Starting in September, users in 16 cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Chennai, and Hyderabad, among others can shop from Decathlon’s portfolio of sporting goods across various categories, including fitness, outdoor, water sports, team sports and more on the Zepto Platform.

This announcement follows Decathlon’s recent commitment to provide an enhanced and integrated shopping journey that seamlessly blends physical and online shopping experiences.

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