A made-in-India commercial aircraft; Zepto’s conscious investments

Hello,

AI, fintech, and deeptech took centre stage at TechSparks 2025, as the second day of YourStory’s flagship startup-tech event celebrated the spirit of Indian entrepreneurship!

 Seasoned venture capitalist Vani Kola, MD, Kalaari Capital, provided the VC’s compass on navigating capital efficiency and reinvention in the age of AI.

Kola urged founders to anchor their ambitions in purpose rather than speed. She said true endurance comes from clarity—knowing why you build, for whom, and how to stay the course amid constant technological change.

Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu spoke about India discovering the next frontier in air travel and how we could get truly Made-in-India drones. 

In fintech, Gautam Aggarwal, Division President for South Asia at Mastercard, explained how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of finance—from fraud detection to frictionless, AI-driven user experiences.

Also, Arjun Rao and Vishesh Rajaram of Speciale Invest highlighted how India’s deeptech growth depends on research-focused academia and patient early capital.

Catch all the action from day 2 of TechSparks 2025 here.

We are not done yet! On the third and final day, don’t miss upGrad’s Ronnie Screwvala, who will delve deeper into building India’s ‘next big thing’. 

Also, from the mobility sector, we have Aravind Sanka, Co-founder of Rapido, who will shed light on the ride-sharing company's evolution from bikes to cabs to travel and delivery—powered by speed, execution, and endurance.

Buckle up for the grand finale, as we build the next decade of innovation, right here at TechSparks 2025!

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• A made-in-India commercial aircraft
• Zepto’s conscious investments 
• Kunal Kapoor on the power of stories

Here’s your trivia for today: Before being surpassed, what was the world's tallest building for just a few months in 1930?

TechSparks

A made-in-India commercial aircraft

When we talk about aviation, people often say, "the sky is the limit". Union Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu echoed this sentiment during a conversation where he spoke about pushing those very limits and envisioning a future where we proudly board a commercial aircraft designed and built in India.

Key takeaways:

• The minister highlighted that mission manufacturing is now at the centre of the sector’s vision. This covers the aircraft itself, the components that go into it, and the technologies of tomorrow. The goal, he said, is for all of it to be manufactured in India.
• The minister pointed to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune as examples of cities that have grown into thriving aerospace and aviation hubs, creating ecosystems in which MSMEs are able to grow and compete.
• He added that the world’s two largest aircraft manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing, are procuring $1.4 billion and $1 billion worth of components from India. This market is expected to grow to around $4 billion in the next five years.

Ecommerce

Zepto’s conscious investments

Quick commerce giant Zepto has not been spending money frivolously. Instead, it is doing it consciously and with discipline, said Zepto Co-founder Kaivalya Vohra at TechSparks 2025.

“There are a lot of companies in India and globally that have wasted a lot of money and don't have a lot to show for it at the same time. It takes a lot of intellectual honesty to know what the difference is between frivolous spending, where fundamentally the things just don't make sense, or very consciously investing in growth,” said Vohra ​​during a fireside chat with YourStory Founder and CEO Shradha Sharma.

Tech:

• One of the most important decisions Zepto took early on was to build its entire tech stack and not rely on third-party systems.
• Vohra said Zepto could choose to be profitable at a lower growth rate, but it wants to capture the market opportunity.
• Vohra’s comments come after Zepto raised a fresh funding of $450 million, giving it new ammunition to take on rivals Swiggy Instamart and market leader Blinkit in an already bruising battle.

TechSparks

Kunal Kapoor on the power of stories

Actor-turned-entrepreneur Kunal Kapoor has long lived within the world of stories. But the magic of storytelling took on a deeper dimension when Kapoor stepped into the real world of human struggle and second chances.  With Ketto, the crowdfunding platform he co-founded in 2012, Kapoor found stories that weren’t scripted, but were powerful.

Speaking on day two of YourStory’s TechSparks 2025, in a fireside chat with Shradha Sharma, Founder and CEO of YourStory, Kapoor discussed how authentic narratives build trust, attract capital, and create loyal communities.

News & updates

• Shopping: Amazon debuted Amazon Bazaar, a new low-cost shopping destination for Asia, Africa, and Latin America that will be available separately from the main Amazon shopping app. On Bazaar, most products are available under $10, and some are as low as $2. 
• Funding: Swiggy’s board approved plans to raise up to $1.14 billion via qualified institutional placement as it seeks to shore up capital for growth. The company had earlier said the fundraise would bolster cash reserves, helping drive growth and fund "new experiments" in quick commerce and food delivery.
• Cuts: Accel has invested in ride-hailing company Rapido, while Prosus increased its stake, after Indian two-wheeler giant TVS Motor sold its entire holding for about $32 million to Accel and Prosus’ investment unit, MIH Investments, securing a return of more than 152% over the past three years.

Before being surpassed, what was the world's tallest building for just a few months in 1930?

Answer: The Chrysler Building. It held the title for 11 months before the Empire State Building surpassed it in 1931.

We would love to hear from you! To let us know what you liked and disliked about our newsletter, please mail [email protected]. 

If you don’t already get this newsletter in your inbox, sign up here. For past editions of the YourStory Buzz, you can check our Daily Capsule page here.