Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (October 13, 2025)

From Karnataka’s landmark menstrual leave policy advancing workplace equity to new strides in sustainability, defence tech, and digital skilling shaping India’s innovation landscape, this week’s roundup highlights stories of change, inclusion, and forward-thinking.

Featured Stories

Why menstrual leave is essential for women’s health and workplace equity

Last week, the Karnataka government announced a one-day paid period leave a month for women employees, bringing menstrual health and women’s health into the mainstream.

What makes the state’s Menstrual Leave Policy 2025 a landmark one is that it has included women employees across all sectors—public, private, and industrial, making Karnataka the first state in the country to do so. 

Initially proposed as a six-day policy last year, it was revised to 12 days after consultations with stakeholders. This progressive move is expected to impact millions of women across the state, especially in IT, garment, manufacturing, and government sectors, setting a precedent for other states to follow.

Over the years, in a country of 355 menstruating women, menstrual leave has been treated more as an exception than a norm. 

Read more here.

Meenu Subbiah Diamonds strives to preserve the heritage and intricacies of Chettinad jewellery

In 1993, when jewellery designer Meenu Subbiah returned to her hometown of Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu after completing a graduate diamonds programme at GIA–USA, she was struck by how the essence of Chettinad jewellery had faded away. 

Chettinad is a region in Tamil Nadu named after its inhabitants, the Chettiars, a sea-faring community of merchants and bankers. Karaikudi is a major town in the Chettinad region. 

Jewellery has always been an integral part of the Chettiar community. Chettinad jewellery is known for its intricate handcrafted designs inspired by temple architecture and has motifs featuring peacock, swan, and paisley. It is not just ornamental but also reflects the region's rich heritage. 

“But the jewellery I saw being sold as Chettinad wasn’t authentic; it had lost the detail, the balance, and the essence that made it unique,” recalls Subbiah. 

Read more here.

Hoopr brings copyright-safe music to brands while honouring independent artists

After independent artist Gaurav Dagaonkar’s debut album College Days hit the stores in 2008, he got a few opportunities in Bollywood and ended up working as a music director and composer for over a decade. 

“After Instagram started putting out reels, one of my songs on women's empowerment was picked by a few brands that used it as part of their product launch on Women’s Day. I had reached out to them about royalties as it was branded content,” Dagaonkar says. 

But the brands refused to pay. After a long-drawn-out legal battle with a particular brand, Dagaonkar says he was paid a meagre amount. “That’s when I realised digital brands are going to make hundreds of such videos and there needs to be a system around licensing music for digital use,” he tells YourStory. 

Read more here.

Healthtech is yet to scale; there’s scope for more, says Ramesh Kannan of PE firm Somerset Indus

Somerset Indus Capital Partners has emerged as an active private equity investor in India’s growing healthcare sector, focusing on access and affordability primarily in the Tier II and III markets. 

Over the past decade, the Mumbai-based firm has invested in 15 portfolio companies, many led by first-generation entrepreneurs, to expand affordable and quality healthcare across underserved regions. It manages assets of around $500 million across three funds. 

Fund III, which is in the final stages of its close, is expected to exceed its $250 million target. It has attracted commitments from European and US development finance institutions, global investment companies, domestic banks, and impact-focused investors from Europe and Southeast Asia. The fund aims to invest in healthcare businesses that address gaps in accessibility and affordability.

Read more here.

Funding News

Chara Technologies raises Rs 52 Cr in Series A led by Arkam Ventures

Rare-earth-free motor maker Chara Technologies on Monday raised Rs 52 crore in a Series A funding round led by Arkam Ventures.

The round also saw participation from Exfinity Venture Partners, Kalaari Capital, and IIMA Ventures.

Chara said it will use the newly raised funds to set up a dedicated testing and validation facility in Bengaluru, which is expected to increase the firm’s production capacity fivefold from 20,000 to 100,000 units annually.

A portion of the funds will also be used to launch new product lines, including lighter, higher-speed motors, larger capacity variants, and industrial models.

Read more here.

Réia Diamonds raises Rs 2 Cr pre-seed funding

Lab-grown diamond jewellery brand Réia Diamonds raised Rs 2 crore in a pre-seed funding round to scale its engagement ring and everyday jewellery segments, strengthen its omnichannel presence, and expand to 15 stores across India.

Founded in 2023, the brand operates three profitable outlets in Bengaluru, Guwahati, and Coimbatore, showcasing strong unit economics and a capital-efficient franchise model.

The round was led by Dinesh Talera and family, founders of Mysore Saree Udyog, along with early-stage investment platform Venture Catalysts. The funds will be used to accelerate retail expansion, drive design innovation, and make diamond ownership more accessible and ethical for modern Indian consumers.

Other News

Dia Mirza-backed Without launches India’s first FOAK demonstration recycling plant in Pune

Pune-based deep-tech material science enterprise Without, backed by actor and environmentalist Dia Mirza, has launched India’s first FOAK (First of a Kind) demonstration plant capable of processing up to five tonnes of “unrecyclable” plastic waste per month. The 1,030 sq m facility integrates material intake, chemical transformation, and product manufacturing within a single operational stack, serving as a precursor to a commercial-scale plant next year.

The launch follows a $1.9 million (Rs 16.8 crore) seed funding round led by Rewilding Wealth, with participation from Mirza, Spectrum Impact, and others. Without’s patented technology converts multi-layered plastics and soiled textiles into high-grade materials such as polyolefins and terephthalic acid, offering a low-energy, scalable alternative to pyrolysis. The company plans to set up three more recycling hubs across India by FY27.

Equirus and Sapient Finserv merge to create wealth platform in India

Equirus Group has merged with Sapient Finserv Group in an equity swap deal to form one of India’s top 10 independent, non-bank wealth management platforms, with a combined Assets Under Management (AUM) of Rs 35,000 crore. Headquartered in Pune, Sapient Finserv currently manages Rs 13,500 crore in AUM and a monthly SIP book of Rs 65 crore. As part of the merger, Sapient’s founder Amit Bivalkar and co-founder Pallav Bagaria will join the leadership team and board of Equirus Wealth.

The partnership strengthens Equirus’s wealth and family office services, expanding its reach across India. The combined platform aims to scale to Rs 50,000 crore AUM, leveraging proprietary research, small-cap PMS strategies, and its newly acquired NBFC licence.

Former Bharat Electronics CMD V. Gowtama Mannava joins Olee.Space as Strategic Production Advisor

Olee.Space, a photonics and defence technology innovator, has appointed Venkateswara Gowtama Mannava, former Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), as its Strategic Production Advisor. With over four decades of experience in India’s defence electronics sector, Mannava will guide Olee.Space in advancing indigenous capabilities across aerospace, secure communications, and LIDAR technologies.

In his new role, he will help accelerate product development and strengthen international defence partnerships. Founder and CEO James Solomon said Mannava’s expertise aligns with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision and will drive operational excellence across programmes.

The appointment follows Olee.Space’s recent $3 million seed funding round, backed by BIG Global, IIM A Ventures, Rockstud Capital, and SIDBI.

Career247 aims to empower 1 million learners with AI and digital skills

Career247, the skilling and higher education arm of Adda Education, has announced plans to empower over one million learners with AI and digital skills to prepare them for the future of work. Launched in January 2025, the platform has already trained over 3,000 active learners through more than 10 batches in Data Science and Data Analytics, and has now expanded to include Full Stack Development, Cybersecurity, and Generative AI courses.

Focusing on practical, industry-relevant learning, Career247 integrates AI tools, real-world projects, and case studies across its programs. Bimaljeet Singh Bhasin, CEO of Skilling & Higher Education at Adda Education, said the initiative aims to build job-ready talent pipelines for India’s next decade.

Career247’s mission aligns with Adda Education’s goal of bridging the gap between education and employability for India’s youth.

Unnati Foundation signs MoU with Government of Gujarat to train 25,000 youth annually

Unnati Foundation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Gujarat to offer vocational training to 25,000 students each year under its UNXT program. Over the three-year partnership, the initiative will reach 75,000 final-year students across 200 government colleges and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the state.

The 200-hour UNXT course focuses on communication, life skills, workplace readiness, and values through 90 hours of offline and 90 hours of online training. Students will also receive psychometric assessments and access to Unnati’s Udhyogam job portal for employment linkages. Ramesh Swamy, Director of Unnati Foundation, said the initiative aims to bridge the employability gap and prepare youth from rural and underrepresented communities for meaningful careers.

Airtel Payments Bank partners with Hitachi Payment Services to deploy end-to-end Soundbox solution across India

Airtel Payments Bank and Hitachi Payment Services have partnered to roll out an end-to-end Soundbox solution aimed at accelerating digital payment adoption across India.

The Soundbox device provides multilingual payment alerts and serves as a dynamic promotional tool for merchants to communicate offers. Hitachi Payment Services will support the full merchant lifecycle—from onboarding and training to device deployment, payment processing, analytics, and settlements.

Ganesh Ananthanarayanan, COO of Airtel Payments Bank, said the collaboration will simplify payments and empower small businesses with seamless digital solutions. Hitachi’s Digital Business CEO, Anuj Khosla, added that the partnership combines technology and reach to foster trust and growth among merchants nationwide.

Getepay launches payment switch - Vega

Getepay, a payment aggregator based in Jaipur, has launched Vega, its indigenously developed payment switch, designed to enable banks, payment service providers, and merchants with seamless, scalable, and secure payment capabilities.

According to a statement, Vega connects banks and financial partners that enables real-time digital payments, automated reconciliation and settlement, and intelligent merchant management. The platform’s microservices-based architecture ensures continuous scalability, resilience, and adaptability.

It also allows banks to integrate and manage multiple payment modes through a unified gateway. The platform’s merchant management suite allows financial institutions to onboard, monitor, and manage merchants while maintaining control and visibility over transaction flows.

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