Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (October 10, 2025)

From pizza brand Papa Johns re-entering the Indian market to SMBs being the backbone of festive sales, YourStory brings you all the latest news.

Featured stories

Papa Johns re-enters Indian market, to focus on local flavours, dine-in experiences

Papa Johns has re-entered India after a decade, aiming to rebuild its presence with a locally-tailored menu, competitive pricing, and an initial focus on dine-in experiences before expanding into delivery.

The relaunch is led by PJP Foods India, a joint venture between PJP Investments Group and Ambrosia QSR. PJP Investments, which operates Papa Johns restaurants across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, is spearheading the brand’s India comeback. Read more.

SMBs emerge as the backbone of festive ecommerce sales

Small and medium businesses (SMBs) are driving ecommerce sales this festive season. According to research and consulting firm Infisum’s ‘Empower India Festive Performance Report 2025’, ecommerce giant Amazon saw over 16,000 of its SMBs triple their sales.

Social commerce unicorn Meesho also recorded 48,000 sellers doubling their volumes, compared to regular business days. Read more.

Funding news

Bharat Matrimony invests $500,000 in AI-based astrology startup Ask My Guru

Bharat Matrimony, the flagship brand of Matrimony.com Group, has invested $500,000 in Ask My Guru (AMG), a Bengaluru-based AI-powered consumer startup, which describes itself as the world’s first interactive Vedic Shastra platform.

The latest investment follows AMG’s $1.2 million seed round, bringing the total funding raised to $1.72 million. The company plans to use the capital to accelerate the development of its AI astrology and predictive intelligence capabilities.

Latest news

LSE, The Beacon School partner to promote empathy-led entrepreneurship among students

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), through its global entrepreneurship centre LSE Generate, has partnered with Gurugram's The Beacon School to introduce young students to empathy-led entrepreneurship.

The initiative, part of the LSE Generate Delhi Entrepreneurial Festival 2025, aimed to nurture leadership qualities among students aged 10–12. As part of the programme, LJ Silverman, Head of LSE Generate, conducted a virtual session on empathetic leadership. The interactive workshop engaged participants in reflective exercises and role-play scenarios designed to demonstrate how empathy can guide effective leadership and decision-making.

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