Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (Dec 4, 2024)

Funding

Shilpa Shetty-backed and Shark Tank India fame WickedGud raises Rs 20 Cr led by Orios Venture Partners 

Shilpa Shetty-backed and Shark Tank India fame brand, WickedGud, has secured Rs 20 crore led by Orios Venture Partners and saw participation from Asiana Fund and a clutch of existing investors.

Founded in 2021 by second-time entrepreneur Bhuman Dani, WickedGud is a better-for-you indulgent food brand on a mission to un-junk India, one kitchen at a time and offers a range of healthy noodles, pastas and chips for India’s growing Gen Z and Gen X population. 

The company will use the fresh capital to ramp up its distribution network, increase spending on branding and marketing and strengthen its core team. It also plans to expand its product development initiatives, enhancing the existing portfolio and adding Korean flavours to its instant and cup noodles range.

ZFunds raises Rs 25 Cr led by Elevation Capital

ZFunds, a Gurugram-based wealthtech company, has raised Rs 25 crore in seed funding led by Elevation Capital with participation from  Yashish Dahiya, Co-founder and Group CEO, Policybazaar Group.

Launched in 2019 by Manish Kothari and Vidhi Tuteja, ZFunds aims to enhance mutual fund investing experience and outcomes for investors by empowering distributors with the right technology and tools.  

ZFunds, currently serves over 60,000 customers through more than 10,000 micro-entrepreneurs across 4701 pin codes in India. The recent capital infusion will be strategically allocated to further enhance ZFunds’ technical capabilities, expand its training facilities, and extend its distribution network.

Other news

ThunderPlus partners with Delta Electronics to launch made-in-India fast chargers for EV 2W-3W 

ThunderPlus, an EV Charging Solutions player, has entered a strategic partnership with Delta Electronics India, a global leader in power and energy management to revolutionize India’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

This collaboration will introduce India’s first Make in India fast chargers for the low-voltage market, specifically designed for two-wheelers (2W) and three-wheelers (3W). The chargers aim to support the rapidly growing EV ecosystem by meeting the unique needs of gig workers, ecommerce players, and OEMs across the country.

The chargers, developed with Delta’s advanced 4kW rectifier modules, are customisable and designed to meet India’s diverse requirements, making them a game-changer for the local EV market.

LTIMindtree partners with Voicing.AI

LTIMindtree USA Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of LTIMindtree, a global technology consulting and digital solutions company, announced a partnership, including a strategic investment in Voicing.AI, a next-generation startup.

This partnership aligns with LTIMindtree’s strategy, AI in everything, Everything for AI and AI for Everyone. Voicing.AI’s proprietary technology brings human-like voice capability across more than 20 languages with conversational, contextual, and emotional intelligence, in what is typically referred to as ‘agentic AI’.

Capgemini announces the closing of the acquisition of Syniti

Capgemini has closed the acquisition of Syniti, an enterprise data management software and services including platform and migration services. The global team of 1200+ data-focused experts. The deal will reinforce Capgemini’s data-driven digital core business transformation services, notably large-scale SAP transformations, such as the move to SAP S/4HANA. 

“Syniti and Capgemini share the philosophy that digital transformation will always require data transformation to drive critical business benefits,” comments Aiman Ezzat, Chief Executive Officer of the Capgemini Group. “Syniti will augment our capabilities to meet growing client demand for complex data migrations, a major focus for organizations aiming to realise further value from their enterprise data thanks to generative AI. I am looking forward to welcoming the Syniti team to Capgemini.”

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Zepto Launches in Uttar Pradesh

Zepto, a quick commerce platform, has expanded the platform to Uttar Pradesh, starting with Lucknow and Kanpur. This expansion marks a critical milestone in Zepto’s mission to bring 10-minute deliveries of everyday essentials to users across the country.

Uttar Pradesh, with its population of over 200 million and rapidly urbanising cities, represents an immense opportunity for Zepto to redefine convenience shopping for its digitally savvy and dynamic consumer base.

Zepto users courtesy of the sellers on the platform are enjoying a curated assortment of over 25,000 products, including fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, household essentials, snacks, and personal care items. Additionally, Zepto is working with regional suppliers to bring local favorites like popular snacks, spices, and pooja essentials to its platform, ensuring a truly localised experience for users.

Delhivery One Completes E-commerce Ecosystem with Amazon Integration

Delhivery, a logistics and supply chain services provider, has announced the integration of Amazon into its unified ecommerce logistics solution, Delhivery One. This integration reinforces Delhivery’s position as a trusted partner for multi-channel sellers, particularly SMEs, by addressing their logistical challenges and improving efficiency.

The platform now provides unmatched value for ecommerce businesses, boasting 99.5% coverage across India, two-day COD remittance, and international reach to over 220 countries. This development enhances the platform’s capabilities, making it a comprehensive solution for sellers across major channels, including Shopify and WooCommerce.

FLUID by Pickyourtrail redefines corporate travel management

Pickyourtrail, an International holiday brand, has rolled out FLUID, a digital solution tailored to simplify, streamline and optimise corporate travel. FLUID addresses the unique challenges of business travel - digitisation of travel spending, smarter ways to book, reduced decision times to save costs and a dedicated focus on b-leisure.

With advanced automation capabilities powered by its proprietary Gen-AI platform, FLUID streamlines the booking process, completing transactions in approximately 2.5 minutes after approval that would typically require around 19 emails and sometimes even 72 hours to coordinate in traditional business travel planning. The platform supports both employee and guest bookings, significantly accelerating approval times by 95% and ensuring compliance with corporate travel policies and budgets across domestic and international routes.

NABARD shifts Andhra Pradesh regional office to Vijayawada for enhanced rural development

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) marked a momentous occasion today with the inauguration of its new Andhra Pradesh Regional Office in Vijayawada, reflecting its commitment to accelerating rural prosperity and agricultural development in the state.

The event was graced by the presence of Shri Kinjarapu Atchannaidu, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture & Cooperation, Shri Payyavula Keshav, Hon’ble Minister of Finance, Shri Shaji KV, Chairman of NABARD, Shri Budithi Rajsekhar, IAS, Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture), Shri Babu A, IAS, Secretary (Marketing & Cooperation) & Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Shri Ronald Rose, IAS, Secretary, Finance Department, Shri MR Gopal, CGM, NABARD Andhra Pradesh RO, other key dignitaries from the government, banking fraternity, and NABARD officers.

Veefin Group strengthens leadership with two senior appointments to drive expansion

Veefin Group has announced the appointments of Gitesh Karnik as ‘Chief Human Resources Officer’ (CHRO) and Saurabh Kanwar as ‘Chief Brand & Marketing Officer’ (CBMO).

Both Gitesh and Saurabh will oversee their respective domains across the entire Veefin Group. In his new role, Gitesh will focus on optimizing HR strategies to enhance employee engagement and performance, while leveraging his extensive media and marketing experience of 25+ years, Saurabh will focus on elevating Veefin Group’s brand presence and driving innovative marketing initiatives.

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