Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (November 4, 2025)
YourStory presents the daily news roundup from the Indian startup ecosystem and beyond. Here’s the roundup for Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
From popular investment platform Groww opening its IPO for bidding to travel-focused credit card platform Scapia's attempts at diversification, YourStory brings you all the developments from India's startup ecosystem.
Featured stories
AI browsers promise a fundamental shift, but that can swing either way
Artificial intelligence has tacitly entered our browsing windows, seamlessly integrating with search features, as if it had always been there. These new AI browsers don’t just answer questions; they compile research, can fill forms, and even book reservations.
Take Google, where search results topped with AI-powered summaries for quick overviews have become the go-to way of browsing for many. The AI model also helps users recall previously browsed pages and offers a voice-based assistant with Gemini Live. Or Perplexity’s AI browser Comet, which can book meetings, compare prices across multiple sites while shopping, book reservations, and fill out forms.
These new AI browsers have triggered a shift in the way we browse daily. The change feels small at first, and then rather large, because it shifts control from surfing many tabs to refining a single conversation. Read more.
Design: Nihar Apte
Care has to be gender intelligent: Preetha Reddy on transforming women’s health in India
Healthcare has to be gender specific, focused, and intelligent, says Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals Group, one of the largest healthcare chains in the country.
“It’s really not one-size-fits-all,” Reddy says in an interview with HerStory. India—which is at the forefront of healthcare globally—has to show this aspect to the rest of the world, she adds.
Leading from the front, Reddy has been instrumental in making high-quality healthcare accessible to millions across India and beyond. Working closely with over 9,000 clinicians, she has undertaken initiatives to enhance clinical outcomes, strengthen quality processes, and ensure the highest standards of patient satisfaction. Read more.
Latest news
Scapia pushes into full-stack travel with new credit, commerce, and discovery offerings
Travel-focused credit card platform Scapia launched a new card offering and is evolving into a full-stack travel commerce platform, driven by the insight that travellers spend nearly as much on shopping and experiences—both before and during trips—as they do on flights and hotels.
The company said it is foraying into three new verticals around its Federal Bank co-branded card ecosystem: an independent add-on card system, an AI-curated experiences marketplace, and a dedicated travel ecommerce store.
The Peak XV and Elevation Capital-backed startup is targeting overlooked pre-trip and at-destination spending with an AI-powered marketplace and a dedicated shopping platform. Read more.
Funding news
TABP raises $3M from LC Nueva, Entrust Family Office
Coimbatore-based beverage maker TABP Snacks and Beverages raised $3 million (about Rs 26 crore) in a funding round led by LC Nueva, with participation from Entrust Family Office and investors Arun Mukherjee and Soumya Malani, the company said in a statement.
Founded in 2018 by Prabhu Gandhikumar and Brindha Vijayakumar, TABP manufactures affordable packaged beverages inspired by local street drinks for mass-market consumers. It will use the capital to expand distribution across southern and eastern states, introduce new beverage formats, and scale manufacturing capacity.
TABP reported Rs 212 crore in sales in FY24-25, up from Rs 4 crore in FY19, and aims to cross Rs 800 crore in sales over the next three years as it plans a pan-India expansion and a potential public listing.
Protouch raises $2M in pre-Series A round led by GVFL
Beauty appliance brand Protouch raised $2 million in a pre-Series A round led by GVFL, with participation from Ennrission India Capital and Anicut Capital, valuing the company at $10 million, the company said in a statement.
Founded in 2022 by Tanisha Lakhani, Protouch offers technology-driven beauty and personal care appliances across haircare, skincare, and grooming. It aims to bridge the gap between professional salon treatments and at-home convenience.
Protouch will use the funds to expand its product portfolio, boost R&D, and strengthen retail presence across online and offline channels. It also intends to set up a manufacturing unit in the coming years.
It has served over 2 lakh customers across India, expanded into the Middle East, and recorded a 15X revenue growth in 30 months while remaining profitable.
UST invests in Israel-based deep-tech company aiOla
UST, a global technology company, has invested in Israel-based deep-tech company aiOla, which has built a voice-agentic AI platform that powers workflow agents, converting frontline speech into structured, auditable workflows.
Through this investment, UST aims to expand its technology advantage in next-generation AI solutions. With expertise in frontline intensive verticals such as healthcare and life sciences, retail, manufacturing, and automotive, UST and aiOla are positioned to bring a change in the frontline worker experience in these industries through AI and natural voice-to-system execution.
This partnership strengthens aiOla’s ability to bring innovation to market and scale voice-agentic automation in mission-critical settings across a variety of verticals.
Other news
Dhan launches digital stock renting feature through SLBM
Stock trading and investing platform Dhan has launched a stock lending and borrowing mechanism (SLBM) feature, allowing investors to earn passive income by lending their idle stock and ETF holdings for a fixed rental fee, the company said in a statement.
The exchange-driven mechanism enables investors to retain ownership of their holdings while earning rental yields that vary by demand and liquidity, historically ranging between 6% and 24% per annum.
The company said the feature is available on its app and web platforms, allowing investors to transfer their portfolios to a Dhan demat account to participate.
Launched in November 2021, Dhan offers products across stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and MTF (Pay Later), and claims nearly 1 million active users. The platform is operated by Raise Securities, part of Raise Financial Services, backed by Hornbill Capital, Mirae Asset Venture Investments, MUFG, BEENEXT, and 3one4 Capital.
TVS Capital Funds forms tech advisory board to strengthen tech investment focus
TVS Capital Funds has formed a tech advisory board (TAB) to strengthen its focus on technology services and software investments. The board will guide the firm on investment themes, evaluate opportunities, and support value creation across its portfolio.
It includes Kal Raman (ex-Chief Digital Officer, Samsung Electronics), Krishnakumar Natarajan (Co-founder and Executive Chairman, Mindtree; Co-founder, Mela Ventures), U.B. Pravin Rao (Ex-COO, Infosys), and Sri Rajan (Partner and former Chairman, Bain & Company India).
TVS Capital said the initiative aligns with its strategy under Fund 4, which expands its focus to Enterprise Services and Software.
TVS Capital Funds manages about Rs 5,500 crore across Fund 3 and Fund 4, with over 35 partnerships and 28 exits, and focuses on financial services and technology investments.
Microsoft executive on Mobavenue executive board
Mobavenue, an adtech company, appointed Ben John, VP - Engineering, Microsoft AI, to its advisory board, where he will serve as a strategic advisor, strengthening industry connections, guiding the company in accelerating AI-led innovation and deep-tech architecture, and advising on go-to-market initiatives to scale its global presence.
At Microsoft, John leads the AI CoPilot data platform, driving the development of personalised AI experiences for consumers and enterprise partners. He previously served as CTO at AppNexus, leading its merger with AT&T in 2018 and subsequently co-founded Xandr, which was acquired by Microsoft.
Adani Group to deploy Autodesk’s solutions
The Adani Group has entered into a three-year strategic partnership with Autodesk to deploy Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) and provide BIM advisory services across Adani’s group. Under this partnership, Adani will deploy Autodesk’s end-to-end design and make solutions, particularly Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), to unify data and establish a single source of truth across its diverse projects. This is expected to enhance collaboration across teams and disciplines while enhancing efficiency and visibility.
By leveraging digital tools such as ACC, Adani aims to enhance efficiency, visibility, and predictability across its infrastructure portfolio while fostering innovation in AI, automation, and sustainability-led project delivery, a statement said.
In addition to designing technology tools, the partnership also includes providing process standardisation, BIM capability building across the ecosystem, partner enablement programs, leadership workshops, and upskilling initiatives across the Adani group of organisations.
LegaXy partners with IIM Lucknow for sports tech accelerator
LegaXy, a sports, media, and entertainment company, has partnered with the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow - Enterprise Incubation Centre (EIC) and cricketer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to establish Sportstech/eSports/Gaming Accelerator in India. The initiative aims to nurture early-stage ventures working at the intersection of sports technology, gaming, eSports, and new-age media.
The accelerator will operate from IIM Lucknow’s Enterprise Incubation Centre (EIC), integrating academic research with business mentorship and industry partnerships. The programme aims to identify and support startups developing technologies that enhance athletic performance, enrich fan engagement, and strengthen India’s competitive gaming and eSports ecosystem.
Inviga Healthcare Fund acquires 21% stake in Forus Health
Inviga Healthcare Fund (IHF), the private equity platform founded by B S Ajaikumar of HCG, has acquired a 21% stake in Forus Health, an ophthalmic diagnostics company. The company is best known for its 3nethra series of ophthalmic screening devices and has screened over 22 million patients across 75+ countries.
The secondary transaction signals Inviga’s intent to back world-class, AI-driven diagnostic solutions designed and built in India, and deployed globally at scale. This marks Inviga’s second major investment following its backing of Mynvax in 2024.
Inviga Healthcare Fund Founder B S Ajaikumar said, “Forus Health embodies the Inviga ethos: clinically strong, technologically deep, socially impactful, growth-oriented, profitable. This investment is a testament to our confidence in India's ability to produce world-class healthcare innovations for domestic and international markets.”
PhysicsWallah signs MoU with Sunstone Education for mental wellness programme
PhysicsWallah (PW) and Sunstone Education Technology Private Limited, a higher education company of India, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly introduce ‘Samvedna’, a mental wellness programme designed for student support and well-being.
Under this collaboration, PW will deploy its Team, comprising full-time, qualified counselling psychologists. This team will undertake confidential one-on-one and group counselling, conduct regular sensitisation and anti-ragging sessions, and drive awareness on mental health challenges and solutions. A dedicated helpline, powered by advanced case management systems, and direct access to psychiatric intervention for critical cases, will work towards providing immediate and effective support.
VilCart launches B2B2C digital marketplace
VilCart, a rural commerce technology platform, has announced the launch of its Business-to-Business-to-Consumer (B2B2C) digital marketplace mobile application. The B2B2C marketplace will work with VilCart’s existing tech-enabled logistics and distribution network, ensuring last-mile connectivity between sellers, kirana stores, and consumers. Currently, VilCart serves over 1 lakh kirana stores across 30,000 villages in South India, and the B2B2C launch is expected to accelerate digital adoption and inclusive growth.
(This article will be updated with the latest news throughout the day.)