Startup news and updates: Daily Roundup (April 7, 2026)

Beauty salon professionals get the tech boost to their careers and earnings as an edtech continues to evolve, YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors.

Featured stories

How Yes Madam fixed salons’ biggest problems and built a 58-city empire

After encountering fake products and inconsistent pricing, 3 founders built Yes Madam, a tech-led home beauty platform focused on transparency, verified products, and trained professionals. Now in 58 cities, it is empowering 7,500+ beauty professionals.

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Edtech startup LEAD bets on AI-led personalised learning at scale

LEAD’s Ms. Curie tutor and TECHBOOKS aim to offer personalised learning at scale, marking a strategic shift where AI will drive 40% of company revenue in the future.

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Funding news

KisaanSay raises Rs 34 crore led by NABVENTURES

KisaanSay, a food brand has raised Rs 34 crore crore funding round led by NABVENTURES through its AgriSURE Fund (Agri Fund for Startups & Rural Enterprises). The round also saw participation from other angel investors.

KisaanSay will use this capital to scale its distribution, marketing & brand-building initiatives. This is expected to drive deeper category penetration, strengthen supply chain efficiencies, and deliver better value and outcomes for consumers and farmers.

Founded by Nitin Puri, Vaishali Mehta & Manoj Karki, KisaanSay offers consumers a range of single origin food products. This startup claimed that the brand was created to bridge the gap between farmers and consumers by placing provenance as the top priority.

AgriSURE is a blended-capital, SEBI-registered Category II AIF, jointly sponsored by the government of India through the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare (MoA&FW) and NABARD, and is also backed by domestic financial institutions. Managed by NABVENTURES, the fund focuses on investing in innovative, technology-driven agri and rural start-ups across the value chain, with the objective of strengthening farm-to-market linkages, supporting FPOs and driving sustainable rural development.

WorkOnGrid raises Rs 22.5 crore led by Transition VC

WorkOnGrid, an AI startup focused on utilities segment has raised Rs 22.5 crore in a funding round led by Transition VC with participation from Indian Angel Network (IAN). The fresh capital will be deployed to scale WorkOnGrid’s global go-to-market efforts, strengthen its AI and machine learning capabilities, and build international infrastructure.

WorkOnGrid is building a unified data intelligence layer for utilities across power, water, and gas—sectors that are increasingly challenged by fragmented systems, rising operational complexity, and the need for real-time decision-making. Its platform integrates disparate data sources, including smart meters, sensors, GIS, and financial systems, into a single queryable environment, enabling sub-second insights and automated workflows.

At the core of the platform is an integrated architecture that combines a data lakehouse, operational intelligence, workflow automation, and AI-driven analytics. This enables utilities to transition from reactive operations to predictive and increasingly autonomous decision-making, improving both efficiency and reliability across critical infrastructure.

ECOIL raises $2.5M led by Fundalogical Ventures

ECOIL, a tech-enabled platform for the organised collection and responsible disposal of used cooking oil (UCO), has raised $2.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Fundalogical Ventures. The round also saw participation from Caspian Impact Investment, Momentum Capital, and existing investor The Chennai Angels, while Shell had backed the company as an early seed investor.

ECOIL will use this to scale its operations, strengthen its technology platform, and expand its footprint across key markets in India.

Founded in 2019 by Sushil Vaishnav and Kirti Vaishnav, ECOIL is building a scalable circular economy network for used cooking oil in India, enabling restaurants, hotels, and food businesses to safely dispose of UCO and ensuring it is channeled towards sustainable biofuel and aviation fuel production, instead of re-entering the food chain.

H2LooP raises $2 million led by Speciale Invest and 3one4 Capital

H2LooP (Hardware & Human in the LooP), an AI-native platform focused on system software development for hardware, has raised $2 million in seed funding led by Speciale Invest and 3one4 Capital.

The funding will be used to strengthen its core AI-native platform, large scale enterprise deployments, and expand into high-complexity sectors such as data centers, UAVs, and robotics.

Founded by Sairanjan Mishra and Pulkit Agrawal, H2LooP is addressing a growing gap in the hardware ecosystem. While advances in chips and intelligent systems continue to accelerate, the system software layer remains slow to build, difficult to understand, and even harder to trust—resulting in missed deadlines, production failures, and slower progress across hardware-first industries. H2LooP is building AI-native tools that speed up system software development for hardware.

H2LooP is already working with semiconductor companies, defence organizations, and telecom OEMs on real-world deployments.

Xccelera raises Rs 1.2 Cr in funding

AI startup Xccelera has raised Rs 1.2 crore from a group of startup founders, including Ramakant Sharma (Livspace), Asad Khan (TestMu AI), and Amiya Pathak (Zipdial). Xccelera develops reusable core AI agents, multi agent outcome driven systems and autonomous workflows.

The fresh capital will be used by Xccelera to build its “services-as-software” platform powered by Agentic AI. It also plans to expand its engineering team, invest further in its multi-agent orchestration and validation stack, and scale go-to-market efforts.

Other news

Curefit appoints four new independent directors

Fitness and wellness platform Curefit Healthcare has appointed Kalpana Morparia, Arun M. Kumar, Dr. Indu Bhushan, and Pragya Misra as independent directors to its board. The appointments bring diverse expertise across banking, global consulting, healthcare policy, and technology strategy. Morparia, a veteran banker and Padma Shri awardee, adds financial oversight strength, while Kumar contributes global leadership experience from KPMG and public service in the US government. Bhushan, former CEO of Ayushman Bharat, enhances healthcare policy depth, and Misra, OpenAI’s India strategy head, brings technology and AI market expertise.

Chairman Mukesh Bansal emphasised the importance of strong governance as the company scales, noting that independent perspectives will enhance accountability and institutional thinking. CEO Naresh Krishnaswamy highlighted that the appointments align with Curefit’s long-term vision of building a resilient and responsible organisation with global insights.

Scaler elevates leadership to drive AI skilling growth

Scaler has announced key leadership elevations to strengthen its position in the AI-led skilling market. Amar Srivastava has been appointed CEO of the online business and Group CPO, while Vidit Jain will head the offline education units, including Scaler School of Business and Technology. The company also recently appointed Ratnakar Reddy to lead enterprise partnerships across India and MENA. These changes come amid rising demand for AI-focused, industry-aligned training across individual, campus, and enterprise segments.

Srivastava, with over a decade of experience in edtech, will focus on scaling the online business and expanding into new segments while enhancing product capabilities. The restructuring reflects Scaler’s strategy to build a comprehensive skilling ecosystem spanning digital and offline learning, as organisations increasingly prioritise AI fluency and workforce transformation in a rapidly evolving technology landscape.

IIM Calcutta Innovation Park expands investment committee

IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) has inducted four senior leaders: Shankar Jadhav, Kanchan Jain, Krishnan Neelakantan, and Kalyani Amilineni into its Investment Committee to strengthen governance and investment decision-making. The new members bring expertise across venture capital, private credit, capital markets, and startup strategy.

The move aims to enhance due diligence, capital allocation discipline, and long-term value creation in startup investments. Jadhav adds capital markets experience, Jain contributes structured finance expertise, Neelakantan brings deep-tech and impact investing insights, and Amilineni offers hands-on startup scaling experience. The expanded committee is expected to sharpen IIMCIP’s investment thesis and support early- and growth-stage startups more effectively. The initiative reflects the organisation’s focus on building a robust governance framework aligned with the expectations of co-investors, limited partners, and regulators while driving measurable impact.

UST acquires Intecrowd to strengthen Workday capabilities

UST has acquired Intecrowd LLC, a global boutique Workday services partner, to enhance its enterprise application capabilities and expand its SaaS++ value proposition. The acquisition strengthens UST’s position in the Workday ecosystem by combining Intecrowd’s certified implementation expertise with UST’s global scale. This will enable faster deployments, continuous optimisation, and improved client outcomes.

Intecrowd, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Florida, operates across multiple countries with over 250 employees and has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality Workday solutions. The integration will allow UST to accelerate time-to-value for clients by leveraging AI-ready data foundations, automation, and intelligent service delivery. The move aligns with UST’s strategy to serve Global 2000 clients with more comprehensive, AI-powered enterprise solutions, strengthening its competitive positioning in a rapidly evolving digital transformation market.

Porter expands to eight cities to boost MSME logistics

Digital logistics platform Porter has expanded its operations to eight new cities, including Mysore, Madurai, and Meerut, marking a significant step in formalising India’s goods transport ecosystem. The rollout begins with two-wheeler logistics services, designed to navigate congested urban areas and support MSMEs with reliable, on-demand transportation. The company plans to introduce larger vehicle categories in subsequent phases.

Porter aims to address inefficiencies in the largely unorganised logistics sector by offering tech-enabled services, GST-compliant billing, and improved reliability. The expansion has already onboarded around 4,000 driver-partners, with expectations to generate over 64,000 jobs within a year. Serving over 36 lakh customers quarterly, Porter continues to strengthen its multi-city presence and empower small businesses to scale operations, reduce costs, and compete more effectively in a digitised economy.

Rocket launches ‘vibe solutioning’ platform for AI product development

Rocket has launched Rocket 1.0, positioning it as the world’s first “Vibe Solutioning” platform aimed at transforming AI-led product development. Unlike traditional “vibe coding” tools focused on rapid code generation, Rocket integrates decision-making, product building, and post-launch intelligence into a unified system. The platform introduces three core capabilities: “Solve” for structured, evidence-based business decisions; “Build” for creating production-ready applications; and “Intelligence” for monitoring competitor activity and market shifts in real time.

By connecting research, execution, and insights within a single ecosystem, Rocket aims to eliminate fragmented workflows and improve strategic clarity. Used by over 1.5 million users globally, the platform addresses a critical gap in determining product viability and maintaining competitiveness after launch, enabling businesses to move faster and make more informed decisions in dynamic markets.

Niyo expands forex network with Ahmedabad branch launch

Travel fintech platform Niyo has launched a new forex branch in Ahmedabad as part of its plan to build a 50-branch “phygital” network across India. Operated under Kanji Forex Pvt. Ltd., an RBI-licensed entity, the branch strengthens Niyo’s presence in a key outbound travel and remittance market. The expansion follows the recent launch of its Chennai branch, highlighting its rapid scaling strategy.

With India’s outward remittances reaching $31.73 billion in FY24, driven largely by travel and education, Gujarat remains a significant contributor. Ahmedabad’s connectivity and proximity to GIFT City further enhance its strategic importance. Niyo, which serves over one million travellers, aims to combine digital convenience with on-ground access to better serve customers in high-growth corridors, reinforcing its position in India’s cross-border financial services ecosystem.

Seekho reports 14x subscription growth in FY25

Edutainment platform Seekho has reported strong financial growth in FY25, with revenue rising to Rs 141.58 crore from Rs 11.51 crore in FY24, driven by a 14x increase in subscription receipts. The company’s paid subscriber base grew significantly from 2.5 lakh to 23 lakh, while downloads surged to 10 crore, reflecting strong user adoption.

The growth highlights a shift toward paid, outcome-focused learning, supported by Seekho’s subscription-first, ad-free model. The platform focuses on practical skills across categories such as English speaking, business, and income generation. Despite continued investment in content and distribution, the company reduced operating losses, indicating improved efficiency. Looking ahead, Seekho plans to enhance its product experience, expand regional language content, and invest in AI-driven personalisation to deliver more tailored learning journeys and sustain its growth momentum.

Quest Global acquires BITSILICA to expand semiconductor capabilities

Quest Global has acquired BITSILICA, an India-based semiconductor design services firm, to strengthen its end-to-end engineering capabilities. The acquisition enhances Quest Global’s offerings across ASIC design, verification, and embedded systems, supporting its strategy to deliver full-stack solutions from concept to silicon to software.

BITSILICA, founded in 2019, brings a team of over 500 engineers and expertise across global markets, including AI, IoT, and wireless technologies. The integration will expand Quest Global’s capabilities in complex areas such as design verification, power-aware simulations, and validation, particularly for automotive semiconductor clients. By combining BITSILICA’s specialised expertise with its own global scale, Quest Global aims to accelerate innovation and better address the growing demand for advanced semiconductor solutions in an increasingly technology-driven world.

Eka Dental plans Expansion to 25 clinics by FY27

Eka Dental Care has announced plans to expand its network from nine to over 25 clinics by FY27, strengthening its presence in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region while entering new cities like Pune and Bengaluru. The company focuses on delivering affordable, high-quality dental care, pricing services 40–60% lower than comparable private practices. Its expansion strategy combines consistent clinical standards with technology integration, including AI-driven treatment planning and patient management systems. Eka Dental reported a 25–30% surge in patient traffic in early 2026, driven by new clinics and targeted marketing.

The company aims to scale patient volumes by up to 2.5 times over the next 12–18 months. While currently operating a company-owned model, it is open to franchise partnerships as it grows, positioning itself between premium chains and unorganised local clinics.

Yatra partners Google Cloud for AI-Led travel solutions

Yatra Online has partnered with Google Cloud to accelerate its AI-driven transformation across corporate and personal travel segments. Leveraging Google Gemini on Vertex AI, Yatra is developing intelligent travel solutions, including its DIYA AI bots, which offer personalised itinerary planning and automated booking workflows. The bots use natural language processing, function calling, and retrieval-augmented generation to deliver accurate, real-time responses based on Yatra’s proprietary data. This collaboration aims to simplify travel planning, enhance expense management, and improve end-to-end customer experiences.

By integrating AI into its platform, Yatra seeks to strengthen its competitive edge in the travel industry while addressing evolving customer expectations for seamless, personalised services. The partnership reflects a broader shift toward AI-powered digital transformation in travel and enterprise solutions.

Fashinza acquires Qckin to strengthen manufacturing capabilities

Fashinza has acquired Qckin, a design-to-delivery manufacturing startup, to enhance its supply chain capabilities and accelerate production efficiency for global fashion brands. The acquisition integrates specialised manufacturing expertise with Fashinza’s technology-led sourcing platform, enabling faster and more cost-effective operations. Qckin’s founding team brings decades of experience across apparel manufacturing and global sourcing hubs, including India, Bangladesh, and China.

The move aligns with industry trends where brands are diversifying supply chains amid geopolitical shifts. Post-acquisition, Qckin’s founders will continue to lead operations, focusing on scaling manufacturing across key categories such as shirts, jeans, and woven apparel. The deal strengthens Fashinza’s end-to-end capabilities, helping brands move seamlessly from design to production while building a more resilient and responsive supply chain ecosystem.

Tata Play Fiber partners with IBM for AI data infrastructure

Tata Play Fiber, one of India’s leading internet service providers has announced its collaboration with IBM to build an AI-ready enterprise data lakehouse using IBM watsonx. The new platform will unify 25 disparate data sources into a single, scalable environment to enable advanced analytics, strengthen customer retention, and unlock new cross-sell and upsell opportunities.

Built on IBM watsonx, Tata Play Fiber’s new data lakehouse will optimise and scale AI workloads while consolidating structured and semi-structured data into a trusted, unified foundation for enterprise-wide analytics and informed decision-making. Through this collaboration with IBM, Tata Play Fiber is shifting from fragmented reporting and manual processes to data-driven decision-making at scale. Apart from enhancing regional demand forecasting, the evolving architecture will incorporate network and additional operational datasets to drive deeper analytics across business and operations in the future.

Blue Cloud Softech acquires Global Impx to enter AI infrastructure

Blue Cloud Softech Solutions (BCSSL) has announced the acquisition of US-based Global Impx Inc. through an all-share transaction, marking its strategic entry into AI-driven infrastructure. The deal enables BCSSL to expand into energy-backed data centres and AI compute ecosystems, supported by a 196.7-acre infrastructure platform in Odisha for phased hyperscale development. The acquisition combines US technology capabilities with India-scale infrastructure execution, while maintaining capital efficiency with no immediate cash outflow.

Global Impx brings expertise in distributed energy systems, energy-as-a-service models, and AI-led optimisation platforms. BCSSL plans to establish a dedicated AI and data centre vertical focused on renewable energy integration and high-availability compute environments. The move positions the company to tap into the rapidly growing AI infrastructure segment, where compute demand is closely tied to scalable and reliable energy systems.

Beep App launches to turn content consumption into career outcomes

Pune-based edtech startup Beep App has launched a career-focused platform aimed at transforming passive digital consumption into structured career development for Gen-Z users. Targeting students and early professionals, the app offers a unified ecosystem to explore career paths, learn skills, and access internships and jobs. It addresses a key gap in fragmented career guidance by integrating discovery, learning, and employment into a single platform.

The app covers domains such as AI, product management, and data analytics, offering insights into roles, required skills, and progression paths with inputs from industry practitioners. Built on a closed-loop model, Beep enables users to “learn, explore, and earn” within the same ecosystem. The company reports early traction, with over 30,000 student placements facilitated, highlighting growing demand for outcome-driven, content-led career platforms.

Dylect enters kitchen appliances segment with new product line

Consumer electronics brand Dylect has announced its entry into the kitchen appliances segment as part of its broader category expansion strategy. Known for its automotive and home technology products, the company aims to bring the same reliability and performance to kitchen solutions tailored for Indian households. The initial product lineup includes slow juicers and stand mixers, with plans to expand into coffee makers, waffle makers, and other appliances.

Dylect’s approach focuses on practical usability and performance-driven design, catering to everyday cooking needs. Having already built a customer base of over two lakh users and achieved a notable market presence within a short time, the company is leveraging its brand credibility to enter this high-demand category. The move reflects Dylect’s ambition to build a comprehensive ecosystem of consumer products across multiple segments.

(The copy will be updated with the latest news through the day)