Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (February 26, 2026)
YourStory presents the daily news roundup from the Indian startup ecosystem and beyond. Here's the roundup for Thursday, February 26, 2026.
From Unacademy's latest bet with acquisition of Internshala to reports on how private sector giving must grow over 25% a year to bridge development deficit, YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors.
Featured News
Salary obsession distorts engineering education: IIIT Hyderabad Director
Professor Sandeep Kumar Shukla, Director at IIIT Hyderabad says this obsession on high salaries may distort the country’s long-term prospects, as many of the brightest minds in the country continue to focus on higher salaries from foreign multinational corporations.
Engineering education must move beyond placement packages toward citizenship, transferable skills, and product innovation, says Professor Shukla.
He adds that Indian technical education is now at a crucial turning point. With rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and shifting global dynamics, Professor Shukla believes the system needs a fundamental reset.
Latest News
Ronnie Screwvala highlights ‘very big’ fit as upGrad buys Internshala
Ronnie Screwvala, Co-founder and Chairman of higher education and upskilling platform upGrad, highlighted the “very big” fit, as he spoke about the edtech firm’s acquisition of Internshala, an internship and job search platform.
By combining Internshala’s internship platform with upGrad’s diverse educational offerings, the acquisition focuses on cross-selling services, allowing students to access skilling certifications and degree pathways. While both upGrad and Internshala didn’t disclose the deal amount, it was valued at around Rs 100 crore, according to people in the know.
Private sector giving must grow over 25% a year to bridge development deficit: Report
The India Philanthropy Report, released by Bain & Company and Dasra, reveals that Indian families remain the backbone of giving, contributing 42% of private philanthropy, with family-owned/run businesses continuing to dominate private-sector CSR, accounting for 65-75% of total spend.
But this is not enough. Private philanthropy will need to grow at over 25% annually, far above the projected 9–11% to bridge shortfalls in social sector funding, the report noted. This will require scaled contributions across family philanthropy, retail giving, and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Funding News
Consumer AI startup Companion Labs raises $2.5M in seed funding
Consumer artificial intelligence company Companion Labs has raised $2.5 million in a seed funding round led by Peak XV’s Surge, with participation from All in Capital, UntitledVC, DeVC, and several angel investors.
The Bengaluru-based startup develops interactive, character-driven AI entertainment experiences tailored for India’s vernacular internet users. Operating across languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Punjabi, Marathi, and Bengali, the platform allows audiences in Tier II, III and IV cities to explore alternate narratives and digital identities.
Founded by Akshay Jhanwar and Ajit Pol, the company will use the new capital to accelerate product development and invest in its AI capabilities.
Simpler Today AI secures Rs 20 lakh funding from IIT Mandi iHub
Legal technology startup Simpler Today AI has secured Rs 20 lakh in funding from the IIT Mandi iHub and HCI Foundation under the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme to expand its indigenous legal intelligence capabilities.
The AI-first consumer law firm will allocate the capital toward product enhancement and deeper research. The platform is designed to help citizens navigate the legal system from filing to resolution, offering a multilingual interface that assists with understanding legal rights, assessing incident severity, and drafting structured complaints.
Currently supporting more than 30 laws and over 100 legal use cases, the technology has been deployed across 29 police stations in Raigad, Maharashtra, directly serving an area of 35 lakh citizens.
Community-first nail care brand nailinit raises about Rs 3 Cr in pre-seed funding
Nail care brand nailinit has raised between Rs 2.5 crore and Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by the Nikhil Kamath-backed Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, along with participation from angels.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, the company will allocate the funds to accelerate product innovation, strengthen community-led brand building, and expand distribution across direct-to-consumer and quick commerce channels.
The startup currently operates a dedicated retail kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, offering product sales alongside walk-in nail services. It also maintains a digital presence through Amazon and quick commerce platforms.
Wellness startup Wholeleaf raises Rs 1.5 Cr in seed funding
Gurugram-based pain therapeutics startup Wholeleaf has raised Rs 1.5 crore in a seed funding round backed by investors from the television show Shark Tank India, including Aman Gupta, Namita Thapar, and Kanika Tekriwal.
The company said it will utilise the fresh capital to expand its direct-to-consumer online presence and offline retail operations, as well as to fund clinical collaborations and research-led product development. Over the next 12 to 18 months, Wholeleaf plans to scale its operations and expand into major metropolitan markets such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chennai.
Founded in 2020 by Shivraj Sharma, the startup develops Ayurvedic formulations that combine cannabinoids with herbs to treat chronic joint, muscle, and nerve pain.
The company, which previously raised Rs 4 crore from institutional and angel investors, currently sells its products through e-commerce platforms and pharmacy networks such as Apollo Pharmacy.
MAITYS Founders
Elder care startup MAITYS raises undisclosed angel funding round
Tech-based elder care startup MAITYS has raised an undisclosed amount in its first angel funding round through Favcy Venture Builders to scale its operations nationwide by 2026.
Founded in 2020 by Manoj Maity and Saurav Bhattacharjee, the company provides technology-enabled services for senior citizens through its MAITYS ElderTech application.
The platform offers on-demand access to care, emergency support, and healthcare services.
The startup initially launched in Kolkata and has since expanded its footprint to more than 30 cities.
Other News
The ePlane company launches India’s largest eVTOL prototyping hub at IIT Madras
The ePlane Company (Ubifly Technologies Pvt. Ltd.), India’s pioneer in electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology, has announced the opening of its state-of-the-art prototyping and testing facility at the IIT Madras Discovery Campus in Thaiyur. Spanning 60,000 sq. ft., the site is the nation’s first integrated plant dedicated to the serial production of electric aircraft, signaling a pivotal shift in India’s Urban Air Mobility (UAM) sector from initial design concepts & subscale prototypes to flight-ready hardware and certification-grade fullscale prototyping.
The facility was officially inaugurated by Professor V Kamakoti, Padma Shri recipient and Director of IIT Madras. His vision for the 163-acre Discovery Campus has been instrumental in providing the high-tech infrastructure necessary for deeptech ventures to scale.
Sports management firm LegaXy partners with Indian athletes to launch school sports academy
Sports management and entertainment brand LegaXy has collaborated with several Indian athletes to launch the LegaXy Sports Academy, an initiative aimed at integrating athletic training with academic education in schools.
Co-founded by sports figures including cricketers Yuzvendra Chahal, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, and Harshit Rana, alongside athletes Puja Tomar, Pratima Singh, and Neetu Chandra Srivastava, the academy will offer structured in-school, after-school, and high-performance training programs.
The institution utilizes a scientific Long-Term Athlete Development framework covering eight sports: cricket, football, basketball, table tennis, badminton, swimming, taekwondo, and martial arts. The curriculum focuses on early talent identification, fitness, and mindset development, designed to allow students to pursue sports training without compromising their academic progress.
Swiggy expands railway food delivery service to 152 stations
Swiggy has expanded its food delivery partnership with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation to cover 152 railway stations nationwide, marking a 117% network growth over the past 12 months.
The expansion from 70 stations in February 2025 broadens the service's reach, with 55% of the network now serving Tier II cities and beyond. Hubs including Nagpur, Kanpur, Surat, and Vijayawada currently register the highest volume of train-based orders.
(This article will be updated with the latest news throughout the day.)