Instamart gets a new CEO; Antler India bets on AI, climate tech
Quick commerce is growing. Market leaders including Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto are expanding their networks, while Amazon and Flipkart have also stepped up their quick-commerce services.
Hello,
Hyderabad, which is home to 10,000 startups, is gearing up to become a hub for talent and innovation.
According to the Hyderabad Startup Readiness Index 2026, part of Hyderabad Innovation Report 2026, the city recorded an overall ecosystem confidence of 6.5 out of 10. Startups from the city have attracted over $3 billion in venture funding across 384 plus deals since 2014.
Speaking of startups, fintech company Pine Labs saw its profit after tax (PAT) jump four times in Q1 FY27, as compared to the same period in the previous fiscal. The company's PAT was Rs 20 crore in the quarter that ended on June 30. Pine Labs owes its stellar quarterly results to more merchants moving towards digitisation, hence increasing the relevance of its products. The fintech provides Point of Sale (POS) hardware, payment processing, and software solutions.
The story was different for Paytm as the High Court of Delhi has ordered that Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) be wound up, the Reserve Bank said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, BigBasket, the online grocery business of Tata Digital, saw its loss widen 66% for the 2025-26 fiscal while revenue grew by 7.7%, revealing the challenges of operating a quick commerce model.
The q-com model is gaining traction in the beauty and fashion segment as well. Omnichannel retailer Nykaa has appointed Ankit Jain to head its quick-commerce vertical, Nykaa Now, as the company looks to expand its 30-60-minute delivery service nationwide.
In fact, the company is targeting same-day or next-day delivery for 90% of all orders across India under its 'Nykaa Next Day' initiative. It also plans to leverage its network of over 320 retail stores for 'Nykaa Express', a hyperlocal service promising deliveries within two to three hours.
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
- Instamart gets a new CEO
- Antler India bets on AI, climate tech
Here’s your trivia for today: Which country is named "Suomi" in its native language?
Ecommerce
Instamart gets a new CEO
Quick commerce platform Instamart has appointed former Myntra chief executive officer Nandita Sinha as its new CEO, handing its leadership to a seasoned consumer internet executive at a time when the sector is entering a more competitive and profitability-focused phase.
Sinha will take charge on August 3, 2026, succeeding Amitesh Jha, who led the business through a period of rapid expansion.
Key takeaways:
- Quick commerce is growing. Market leaders including Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto are expanding their networks, while Amazon and Flipkart have also stepped up their quick-commerce services.
- Sinha joins Instamart after leading Myntra, where she oversaw the fashion retailer’s continued market share gains and its achievement of EBITDA profitability in 2024.
- Before Myntra, she held senior leadership roles at Flipkart, Britannia, and Hindustan Unilever, giving her more than two decades of experience across e-commerce, fashion and fast-moving consumer goods.
News
Antler India bets on AI, climate tech
VC firm Antler India has introduced nine early-stage startups spanning artificial intelligence, climate technology, mobility, enterprise software, fintech, consumer technology, and healthtech in its new cohort.
This move highlights how investors are increasingly backing founders tackling complex industrial and infrastructure problems rather than focusing on consumer internet businesses alone.
Key takeaways:
- The cohort comprises an autonomous cargo seaplane developer, a long-duration battery maker, and an AI-powered enterprise software, besides wealth management and consumer hardware startups.
- The showcase also reflects a broader shift in India’s startup landscape. Recent months have seen fresh investment commitments towards AI infrastructure by both technology companies and government-backed programmes.
- Antler India says it has backed more than 115 startups through its $75 million India fund.
News & updates
- In the red: Boeing reported a wider-than-expected loss for the second quarter as the aircraft manufacturer’s long-delayed Air Force One programme weighed down the results. The company took a $280 million loss on the programme to deliver two 747s that will serve as the next-generation Air Force One aircraft
- Test flight: Airbus completed a marathon test flight lasting more than 24 hours, when an A350 jet being developed for record-beating commercial flights touched down in France from Melbourne on Tuesday.
Which country is named "Suomi" in its native language?
Answer: Finland
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