Startup news and updates: daily roundup (June 26, 2026)

From Sachin Tendulkar’s bet on Indian-fit sportswear to Arjun Shetty’s global fitness mission, YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors

Featured stories

Why Sachin Tendulkar is betting on sportswear built for Indian feet

Most Indians have spent years squeezing their feet into shoe sizes designed somewhere else.

Sports shoes sold in India largely follow European and American sizing systems, even though studies have shown that Indian feet tend to be proportionately wider. The result is often discomfort, poor fit and, in some cases, injury.

For Bengaluru-based sportswear startup Ten X You, that gap became a business opportunity.

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Funding news

Alienkind raises $3.2M in pre-Series A round

Alienkind has raised $3.2 million in a pre-Series A funding round to support expansion into new markets, with a Series A round planned in the coming months. Existing investors including Prakash Sikaria, Ravi Iyer and Arpan Sheth participated in the round.

The food and beverage brand focuses on design-led products, immersive retail spaces and community-driven experiences. It aims to reach an annual recurring revenue of $10 million by the end of FY27 and expand to 100 stores across major Indian cities by FY28. The company has already scaled across multiple cities within 16 months.

Finnovate secures $2M; gets PMS licence

Finnovate Financial Services has secured about $2 million from angel investors, following a $1 million funding round in 2023. The funding coincides with the company receiving a Portfolio Management Services licence in June 2026, enabling it to launch a multi-asset PMS strategy focused on diversified long-term investing. 

The capital has been used to obtain the licence, expand operations, enhance its mobile app and technology infrastructure, strengthen marketing and business development, and develop new investment capabilities. The company aims to broaden access to wealth management solutions and improve the customer experience.

IAN Angel Fund invests over Rs 115 crore in FY26

IAN Angel Fund invested more than Rs 115 crore during FY26, with 75% of the capital deployed in new startups and 25% in follow-on investments. The fund backed companies across eight sectors including deeptech, life sciences, healthtech, climate technology, cybersecurity, logistics, edtech, food and beverage, and consumer technology.

Its portfolio includes startups in spacetech, biotechnology, AI and climate innovation. The investments reflect the fund's focus on providing early-stage capital to technology-led businesses developing intellectual property and long-term innovation ahead of larger venture capital funding rounds.

Other news

Ishan Technologies appoints Saibal Roy as COO

Ishan Technologies has appointed Saibal Roy as Chief Operating Officer to strengthen its leadership team as it expands its digital infrastructure business. Roy has more than 30 years of experience in the ICT and telecommunications sector. He spent nearly 14 years in leadership roles at Bharti Airtel across government, enterprise and carrier wholesale businesses. 

Most recently, he was India Vertical Head for Manufacturing, Retail and Distribution at ServiceNow India. He has also held senior roles at Tata Communications, HFCL and Tulip Telecom, with expertise in enterprise connectivity, digital transformation and business growth.

Emergent and Raj Shamani launch AI challenge for Indian businesses

Emergent has partnered with entrepreneur and content creator Raj Shamani to launch a nationwide challenge encouraging Indian businesses to build AI-powered software for their operations. Participants must identify a business problem, develop and deploy a software solution using Emergent, and demonstrate its impact. The top three entries will share a prize pool of Rs 1 crore. 

Emergent enables users to build full-stack applications through natural language for tasks such as inventory, order and workflow management. The initiative aims to accelerate AI adoption among established businesses by making custom software development more accessible.

Uber appoints Arpit Tyagi to lead advertising business in India

Uber has appointed Arpit Tyagi as Head of Advertising in India to lead the growth of its advertising business and oversee a newly established India-based advertising team. He will be responsible for commercial strategy and operations, helping brands reach consumers across the Uber platform. 

Tyagi has more than 15 years of experience in advertising and marketing technology, with previous roles at Amazon Ads and most recently as Director of Enterprise Sales at The Trade Desk. Uber Advertising operates in more than 35 markets and has partnered with over 200 brands and agencies in India.

NimbusPost appoints Ankit Sood as CEO

NimbusPost has appointed Ankit Sood as Chief Executive Officer. He brings more than 20 years of experience across logistics, consumer internet and enterprise technology, with previous leadership roles at Shiprocket, Zomato and OYO. 

Under his leadership, the company plans to increase investment in AI-powered logistics, improve the seller experience and launch a new technology platform early next quarter. NimbusPost serves more than 100,000 brands and resellers across India through its multi-courier delivery network, warehousing services and logistics solutions.

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