Startup news and updates: daily roundup (June 18, 2025)

From Bounce eyeing a revival in scooter rentals, to Tooused rewarding people for recycling clothes, and Reddit bringing on Sachin Tendulkar as brand ambassador, YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors.

Featured stories

Bounce hopes for a bounceback in scooter rentals, targets gig segment

In April, electric vehicle maker Bounce Infinity re-entered the EV rental segment—three years after it had put the brakes on this service and shifted gears to EV sales. 

The company is now determined to correct the wrongs from its earlier stint with scooter-sharing and cash in on the burgeoning demand for EVs in the commercial segment, particularly among gig workers—this time around with its own scooters. 

After a pilot run earlier this year, Bounce Infinity is currently offering the 'Bounce Daily' service in Bengaluru and Delhi. Read more.

With Tooused, you can recycle old clothes and earn credits

It is often said in social circles that good things happen when you least expect them. This rings especially true for the sustainability startup Tooused, which, strangely enough, was born out of an argument. 

Recalling the incident, Founder and CEO Mayank Singh says, “My wife and I got into an argument and started blaming each other for not taking care of our old clothes. Eventually, I realised how common the situation was in households. I was researching the sustainability space and decided to do something about it.” 

In 2023, Singh joined hands with Co-founder and CBO Ayush Saxena to launch the New Delhi-based startup. Read more.

How CSF is bringing joy and AI literacy to Indian classrooms

In the government primary school at Dugdha village, Madhya Pradesh, students have a unique way of learning maths—through songs. Inside the classroom, they can be heard singing lessons aloud, with their teacher Babita Verma playing conductor. This is just one of the ways Verma makes foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) enjoyable and accessible. 

Verma’s methods are inspired by Mission Ankur—a state-level foundational learning programme launched by the Madhya Pradesh government in 2022 and implemented by Central Square Foundation (CSF), a Delhi-based nonprofit working across 11 Indian states and supporting governments in strengthening early education through systemic, evidence-driven reform. Read more.

Latest news

Reddit ropes in Sachin Tendulkar as brand ambassador

Social media platform Reddit has announced Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar as its brand ambassador. 

Sports fans will now have exclusive opportunities to engage with Tendulkar in Reddit communities, the company said in a statement. 

Through his official Reddit profile, batting icon Tendulkar will share personal reflections, match insights, and exclusive content. Read more.

Urban Company posts first full-year profit, revenue jumps 38% ahead of IPO

Urban Company Ltd. recorded its first full year of profitability, posting a net profit of Rs 239.8 crore for the financial year ending March 2025, compared to a net loss of Rs 92.7 crore in FY24. 

The home services platform saw its revenue from operations grow by 38.2% year-on-year to Rs 1,144.5 crore in FY25, up from Rs 828 crore in the previous fiscal. 

According to the company’s consolidated financial statements, other income rose 16.24% to Rs 1,162.12 crore in FY25, up from Rs 999.73 crore in FY24. Read more.

FirstCry subsidiary GlobalBees faces Rs 64.9 Cr insolvency plea

Online retailer FirstCry’s parent company, Brainbees Solutions’ material subsidiary Globalbees Brands is facing an insolvency petition filed by the directors of home and kitchen products’ manufacturer Kuber Mart Industries, for an alleged claim of Rs 64.9 crore, according to a BSE filing. 

The directors of Kuber Mart Industries, Ashutosh Garg, Paritosh Garg and Manju Agarwal, have filed a plea against Globalbees Brands Private Limited under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. Read more.

Funding news

Oben Electric closes Rs 100 Cr Series A round with fresh capital infusion

Bengaluru-based electric motorcycle manufacturer Oben Electric has secured an additional Rs 50 crore in May 2025 through an extended Series A round. This follows a Rs 50 crore raise in January 2025, bringing the total Series A funding to Rs 100 crore and the company's overall capital raised to Rs 200 crore, according to a statement by the company. 

The round saw continued backing from existing investors, alongside new participation from Helios Holdings, the Sharda Family Office, and the Kay Family. The investment reflects growing investor confidence in Oben Electric’s market traction, product strength, and financial performance. Read more.

illumine raises $2.5M seed funding

illumine, an AI-powered childcare management platform, has raised $2.5 million in seed funding from Prime Venture Partners. 

With the new funding, illumine plans to advance product development and expand internationally, while continuing to focus on innovation, educator support, and helping childcare providers scale effectively.

As demand for quality childcare grows with the rise in dual-income households, many childcare centres continue to rely on fragmented systems and outdated manual processes. Illumine addresses this gap with a vertical AI SaaS platform designed specifically for the childcare sector.

Venture Catalysts leads Rs 4 Cr Pre-Series A investment in Seven

Venture Catalysts, an early-stage investor and integrated incubator, led a Rs 4 crore Pre-Series A funding round in Seven, a Mumbai-based fintech startup.

The investment round saw participation from existing investor Vinners (a SEBI-registered Category 1 AIF) and Anchorage Capital Partners, backed by the family office of the Sheth family, promoters of The Great Eastern Shipping Company.

The startup is behind developing an indigenous contactless payment smart ring, 7 Ring, which was featured on Sharktank. 

Venture Catalysts’ investment will support Seven in scaling production of its 7 Ring, a RuPay and MasterCard-certified wearable that uses NFC technology for secure tap-and-pay transactions via a UPI-linked prepaid wallet. 

The funding will also help launch a lower-cost version, the 7 Ring Air, expected between July and September 2025, and aid the company’s expansion into metro stations and online platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart.

Other news

Simplilearn Launches SimpliMentor GPT

Upskilling firm Simplilearn has launched SimpliMentor GPT, an AI-powered career coach specifically designed to provide real-time, personalised guidance to support professionals at various stages of their career.

It claims to help users identify what to learn next, which certifications are most relevant, and how to progress towards their career goals. The AI-driven tool offers personalised career roadmaps and recommendations across in-demand fields by assessing individual skill sets against market trends and salary data.

Built using OpenAI’s GPT Builder and trained on Simplilearn’s course and career data, it offers context-aware career guidance that adapts over time through memory of past user interactions. 

It supports five key functions: career path recommendations in high-demand fields; personalised skill gap analysis; real-time market insights including salary and certification value; interactive mock interviews with feedback; and tailored course and certification suggestions aligned with users’ goals and current skills.

BikeWo Green Tech partners with Flipkart Group

Green mobility startup BikeWo Green Tech has partnered with Instakart Services Private Limited, a logistics subsidiary of the Flipkart Group, to support last-mile delivery activity in India with an array of electric and green vehicles.

The partnership will operate through BikeWo's technology platform, which enables AI-based route optimisation, capacity planning by hub, and real-time performance tracking. 

The company has begun operations in seven states, using over 1,300 delivery partners and tech-enabled green vehicles across its delivery hubs. The process follows a structured framework that includes trained personnel, integrated route planning, and service-level compliance.

Flipkart plans to transition a significant share of its last-mile delivery fleet to electric vehicles by 2030. Its partnership with BikeWo supports this goal by integrating technology-led logistics with a focus on sustainability.

Metafusion appoints Avinash Trivedi as Chief Growth Officer

Metafusion, a Vision AI company, has appointed Avinash Trivedi as Chief Growth Officer to drive enterprise adoption, market expansion, and global partnerships across key sectors.

Trivedi will lead go-to-market and revenue growth efforts across the company’s AI product range. His appointment comes as the company expands its global presence in smart and safe city projects, urban mobility, intelligent traffic systems, and enterprise solutions.

With over 20 years of experience in business development, Trivedi brings expertise in video surveillance, SaaS, and intelligent infrastructure. He joins Metafusion from ZYGAL, where he was President – Sales & Business Development. He has also held senior roles at Videonetics, Sony India, and Score Information Technologies.

The Trade Desk partners with Zepto

Global advertising technology firm The Trade Desk has partnered with quick commerce platform Zepto to improve targeting accuracy on the open internet and help brands better link ad campaigns to actual sales.

The partnership gives marketers access to online shopping behaviour data from over 60 million monthly Zepto users across 80+ Indian cities. Brands and media agencies using The Trade Desk’s platform will be able to directly measure how digital ad campaigns influence sales on Zepto. 

The collaboration also enables marketers to reach Zepto audiences beyond the platform itself. Brands can now engage with these users across the open internet, including fast-growing digital channels such as connected TV, OTT platforms, music streaming services, and others. 

Infosys, Adobe announce strategic collaboration

Infosys and Adobe have announced a strategic collaboration to use AI to improve the marketing life cycle for global brands.

The partnership will combine capabilities from Infosys Aster and Adobe to help unify customer experiences at scale, personalise content to support business growth, and streamline workflows for greater efficiency.

Infosys Aster is a suite of AI-driven marketing services and solutions aimed at helping enterprises enhance customer engagement and support business growth. 

Infosys Aster’s AI-driven marketing suite, combined with Adobe’s solutions, enables CMOs and CIOs to collaborate on delivering customer-centric, AI-led marketing experiences. 

Axis Bank collaborates with boAt and Mastercard

Axis Bank has partnered with boAt and Mastercard to enable tap-and-pay NFC payments on the newly launched ‘Wave Fortune’ smartwatch. The collaboration aims to offer users a seamless contactless payment experience.

Axis Bank cardholders can now tokenise and store their debit and credit cards on the Wave Fortune smartwatch using Crest Pay, boAt’s payments app, to make secure contactless payments. 

Powered by Mastercard’s tokenisation technology and TAPPY Technologies’ infrastructure, the feature enables single-tap payments of up to Rs 5,000 at POS terminals without the need for a PIN.

Axis Bank credit and debit cardholders on Mastercard and Visa networks will continue to receive the usual rewards and benefits when paying with the Wave Fortune smartwatch.

NODWIN Gaming joins hands with Chess.com, ChessBase India

NODWIN Gaming has partnered with Chess.com and ChessBase India to develop a unified ecosystem for chess in India. The collaboration aims to support talent development, broaden audience reach, and strengthen India’s presence in global chess esports.

The partnership combines NODWIN Gaming’s experience in production, broadcasting, and commercial strategy with ChessBase India’s strong grassroots network and Chess.com’s global platform and tournament infrastructure. Together, they aim to co-develop original formats, grow competitive chess content, engage both players and creators, and offer new opportunities for brand involvement in the expanding chess ecosystem.

Virohan partners with Orange Health Labs

Healthcare training institute Virohan has partnered with Orange Health Labs to provide Medical Laboratory Technology students with internships and job opportunities in 76 cities, including Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and Bengaluru.

Orange Health Labs is a diagnostics provider offering at-home medical testing, with sample collection within 60 minutes and reports available in under six hours. It partners with over 1,000 clinics and currently employs around 300 Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) professionals annually.

Virohan trains future MLTs in areas such as clinical pathology, haematology, immunology, serology, biochemistry, histopathology, and cytopathology. The curriculum also covers blood banking and laboratory management.

Porter expands footprint in South and West India

Porter, an intra city logistics service provider, has expanded operations to Calicut, Tiruppur, and Rajkot. The move is part of its strategy to enter 4–5 new cities annually. The expansion aims to support local businesses, improve access to logistics services, and generate livelihood opportunities for gig workers.

Porter’s entry into Calicut, Tiruppur, Rajkot, and Bhopal is aimed at addressing specific regional logistics needs. Calicut’s trading ecosystem and digital adoption support on-demand services, while Tiruppur’s garment industry drives strong B2B delivery demand. Rajkot’s industrial base and growing e-commerce sector require dependable logistics, and Bhopal’s urban growth and expanding SME landscape present a market for scalable two- and three-wheeler solutions. 

Porter will begin operations in the new cities with two-wheeler services, followed by the phased introduction of three-wheelers, Tata Ace, and other vehicle types. The company aims to make its full range of vehicles, including LCVs, HCVs, and electric options, available across all locations to support faster and more reliable intracity deliveries.

Google partners with S Chand

Google has partnered with S Chand, an educational publisher, to integrate Google Lens into school textbooks. The collaboration aims to enhance how students access and engage with educational content.

The integration has been applied to over 300 textbook titles, covering more than 5 million printed copies. By enabling Google Lens functionality, the initiative aims to support students with additional learning tools to aid comprehension and retention.

As smartphones become increasingly central to daily life, integrating Google Lens into textbooks offers students a more accessible and interactive learning experience. By scanning textbook content, students can access additional educational resources and features.

UGRO Capital to acquire 100% of Profectus Capital in all-cash deal

UGRO Capital has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire 100% of Profectus Capital Private Limited in an all-cash deal. The acquisition will be funded through UGRO’s recent equity raise and completed in a single tranche. 

The transaction adds a fully secured loan portfolio, offering immediate scale with no origination cost. Profectus will become a wholly owned subsidiary. UGRO expects the acquisition to contribute approximately Rs 150 crore in annualised profit and enhance capital adequacy.

As of March 2025, Profectus Capital has built assets under management of Rs 3,468 crore, operating across seven states with a 28-branch network and a team of over 800.

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