Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (November 7, 2025)

TechSparks 2025 is YourStory's 16th edition of the startup-tech summit that brings all the stakeholders of India's startup ecosystem under one roof.

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TechSparks 2025: India’s startup story accelerates on day 2

Day one of the 16th edition of YourStory’s flagship startup-tech summit brought together seasoned founders, first-time entrepreneurs, investors, and industry visionaries, united by a common goal—to explore ‘India 2030: Powered by AI’. 

Insightful conversations, hands-on masterclasses, and breakthrough innovations set the stage for what lies ahead. And if day one captured the pulse of India’s startup ambition, day two dives deeper into what truly powers the country’s innovation engine. 

From the art of authentic storytelling to cutting-edge tech breakthroughs, financial inclusion, and the bold strides of deep tech—day two is gearing up to deliver a stellar lineup and even sharper conversations.

Read more here.

Curiosity is a superpower, says Ketto co-founder and actor Kunal Kapoor

The key to lasting success lies in staying true to your purpose and staying endlessly curious, says actor and Ketto Co-founder Kunal Kapoor.

In a fireside chat with YourStory Founder and CEO Shradha Sharma at TechSparks 2025, Kapoor reflected on how curiosity has shaped both his artistic and entrepreneurial journeys. For him, curiosity isn’t just a personality trait—it’s a way of life.

Whether he’s in front of the camera or building a company, Kapoor believes success comes from never losing sight of why you started.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a grand plan,” he says with a smile. “But whether it’s acting or entrepreneurship, you should never lose focus on your purpose—why you started in the first place.”

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Purpose has many dimensions, it helps you run the long race, says Vani Kola of Kalaari

Vani Kola, Managing Director at Kalaari Capital, urged founders to look beyond speed and valuations, and instead define a deeper sense of purpose that can sustain them through cycles of change.

“Purpose has many dimensions. It isn’t only about discovering your Buddha (spiritual purpose), though that’s important. Purpose also has different stakeholders,” Kola said, delivering a Keynote address at TechSparks 2025. “You must ask what the purpose of your company is—for your consumers, your employees, your investors, and even for yourself.”

She described purpose as essential to surviving the long entrepreneurial journey. “It’s hard to do that if you don’t find those rhythms that allow you to keep running the long race,” she said, referring to the need for balance and consistency as a founder.

Read more here.

India is keen to build commercial aircraft, says Minister of Civil Aviation

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.

“I want to see commercial aeroplane being built in this country and the people of this country flying in that plane, and very soon we are going to do it,” Naidu remarked during a fireside chat with Shradha Sharma, Founder and CEO, YourStory and The Bharat Project, at TechSparks 2025, as he painted the picture of “mission manufacturing”.

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.

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TVS Motor to sell stake in Rapido for Rs 288 Cr

Two-wheeler major TVS Motor has entered into separate share purchase agreements to divest its entire stake in ride-hailing startup Rapido (Roppen Transportation Services Pvt. Ltd.) to Accel India VIII (Mauritius) Limited and MIH Investments One BV, for a total consideration of Rs 287.93 crore.

In a stock exchange filing on November 6, TVS Motor said the move is part of the company’s plan to monetise its investment in Rapido.

Under the agreements, TVS Motor will sell 11,997 Series D compulsory convertible preference shares (CCPS) to Accel India VIII (Mauritius) for Rs 143.96 crore, and 10 equity shares along with 11,988 Series D CCPS to MIH Investments One B.V. for Rs 143.97 crore. The completion of the transaction is subject to necessary regulatory approvals from the respective buyers.

Read more here.

Funding news

Tsalla Aerospace raises $1M to scale AI-powered defence

Bengaluru-based deeptech startup Tsalla Aerospace has raised $1 million in its first external funding round, led by Sunny Stalnaker, Executive Vice President at Dutch semiconductor giant ASML, with support from SIDBI and equity-free grants under the Ministry of Defence’s iDEX programme.

Founded in 2019 and incubated at IISc, Tsalla develops next-generation autonomous systems for defence and industrial applications, including AI-driven pilots for drones that operate in GPS-denied environments. The company currently collaborates with the Indian Navy and Army on reconnaissance, logistics, and rapid-deployment drone systems.

Founder and CEO Vinayak Tsalla said the funding will help scale its unified autonomy ecosystem across air, land, and sea. The startup plans to raise an additional $8 million in its next seed round to expand globally.

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