Startup news and updates: daily roundup (August 19, 2026)

From private equity firm KKR picking up a minority stake in BookMyShow to Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath investing Rs 200 crore in hyperscale data centre operator Ctrls, YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors.

Latest news

PE firm KKR picks up minority stake in BookMyShow

Global private equity giant KKR has picked up a minority stake in digital ticketing platform BookMyShow for an undisclosed value.

A statement from KKR said the investment will support BookMyShow's next phase of growth as it aims to scale its live entertainment business with the goal of bringing global artists to Indian audiences, and deepen its full-stack offering across India.

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Funding news

Nikhil Kamath invests Rs 200 Cr in Ctrls’ Rs 250 Cr fund raise

Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath has invested Rs 200 crore in CtrlS, the India based hyperscale data centre operator, alongside a Rs 50 crore investment by entrepreneur Sreeram Reddy Vanga.

CtrlS will use this capital to support its infrastructure expansion and capacity build-out to meet growing enterprise and hyperscaler demand across India, particularly as AI, cloud, and digital workloads accelerate.

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Butterfly Learnings raises Rs 65 Cr funding

Butterfly Learnings, an Indian paediatric behavioural healthcare platform focused on children with neurodevelopmental conditions, has raised Rs 65 crore in a pre-Series B funding round led by Inflexor Ventures, a venture capital firm that backs early-stage technology companies.

Existing investors Enzia Ventures, Insitor Impact Asia Fund and IIMA Ventures also participated in the round.

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First Coffee raises $1.3M to expand specialty coffee chain

Specialty coffee chain First Coffee has raised $1.3 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by Japanese venture capital firm DG Daiwa Ventures, with participation from BEENEXT and other investors. The company said the funding will support store expansion, team building, marketing and product development. It has now raised $2.5 million in total.

Founded in 2024, First Coffee operates a grab-and-go model and currently has more than 25 outlets across Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. The company plans to expand beyond North India and enter Tier 2 markets as it targets growth in India's rapidly expanding specialty coffee sector.

AlgoFET raises Rs 15 Cr to expand autonomous drone infrastructure

Bengaluru-based drone infrastructure startup AlgoFET has raised Rs 15 crore in a pre-Series A funding round led by Piper Serica. Founded in 2023, the company develops autonomous ground infrastructure that enables drones to dock, recharge and relaunch with minimal human intervention, supporting continuous and unattended operations.

AlgoFET said the funding will be used to accelerate product development, expand manufacturing, strengthen proprietary technology and scale deployments across defence, enterprise and international markets. The company has deployed more than 2,000 units, has a pipeline of over 4,000 units and works with drone manufacturers and the Indian Army. It also operates a 12,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Bengaluru.

Neuromod Aqua raises pre-seed funding to scale modular wastewater treatment

Neuromod Aqua has raised a pre-seed funding round from Sportskeeda founder Porush Jain to develop a factory-manufactured platform for decentralised sewage and effluent treatment. The company is building modular wastewater treatment plants using established technologies such as MBBR, MBR and SBR, while standardising design, manufacturing, installation and maintenance.

The funding will support manufacturing, product development, commercial deployments and the expansion of engineering and service capabilities. Neuromod plans to generate recurring revenue through maintenance, operations, compliance support and remote monitoring. Over the next year, it aims to launch its manufacturing facility and complete initial deployments in the Delhi NCR region.

Other news

AWS to open Builder Loft in Hyderabad

AWS will launch a Builder Loft in Hyderabad as part of its global expansion of the community-focused initiative, alongside new locations in Berlin and São Paulo. The permanent space will offer free workshops, networking events, pitch sessions, co-working areas, content creation facilities and event hosting for developers, students and technology professionals.

The Hyderabad centre will focus on AI and cloud-native technologies, providing developers with opportunities to build technical skills, collaborate with peers and access hands-on learning. The expansion follows the launch of the first AWS Builder Loft in San Francisco and reflects the company's focus on supporting India's growing developer community.

Amazon expands rail logistics network on Western Dedicated Freight Corridor

Amazon India has expanded its operations on Indian Railways' Western Dedicated Freight Corridor in partnership with the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India. The company has become the first e-commerce platform to operate on the Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo Service train on the corridor, with daily rail movements linking its northern and western logistics network.

The route will connect Delhi, Ahmedabad and Surat, with onward links to Pune, Mumbai and Goa, shifting more shipments from road to rail ahead of the festive season. Amazon began using Indian Railways for parcel movement in 2019 and now operates more than 140 trains across 130 intercity routes serving over 100 cities.

Garuda Aerospace partners with Australian drone platform company TAS

IPO-bound Garuda Aerospace has signed an agreement with Australia's Timed Automation Solutions to collaborate on autonomous drone technologies. The partnership will combine Garuda's drone manufacturing and services capabilities with TAS's expertise in autonomous aerial operations, including drone-in-a-box systems, fleet management, AI-assisted image analysis and enterprise software integration.

The companies will explore opportunities in product distribution, joint technology development and domestic and international projects across sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure inspection and remote operations. The collaboration will also assess pilot deployments in Australia and New Zealand as Garuda expands its international presence.

World Economic Forum names Cropin a global innovator

The World Economic Forum has named agri-tech company Cropin a global innovator, recognising its work in applying artificial intelligence to agriculture. The recognition follows Cropin's earlier selection as a Technology Pioneer and will see the company contribute to the Forum's Centre for Nature and Climate.

Cropin operates in 103 countries and uses AI to help address challenges related to climate change, food security and agricultural productivity. The company said it has digitised more than 30 million acres of farmland, built intelligence covering over 1 billion acres and supported more than 7 million farmers.

Only 9% of Indian finance certification candidates feel prepared for an AI-driven job market

Only 9% of Indian finance certification candidates believe they have the skills needed to compete in an AI-driven job market, compared with 67% of graduates in a global CFA Institute survey, according to SSEI's Finance Talent Pulse 2026.

The survey found that 56% of Indian respondents believe AI and automation are making it harder to secure their preferred roles, while only 7% regularly use AI tools for financial analysis or modelling.

Practical experience emerged as the biggest concern, with 42% identifying it as their main skills gap and 42% reporting that they had never used AI in real financial work. The study surveyed 133 India-based CFA, FRM and CA candidates and compared the findings with a global survey of 9,000 graduates across 11 countries.

Avanade appoints Achal Kataria as India Managing Director and CEO

Avanade has appointed Achal Kataria as Managing Director and CEO for India, effective immediately. Kataria will lead the company's business strategy and operations in the country, with a focus on expanding its market presence and helping organisations scale digital and AI transformation initiatives.

He joins Avanade from Cognizant, where he led the company's India business. He has more than 30 years of experience across technology services, enterprise transformation and global operations. The appointment reflects Avanade's focus on India as a growth market, driven by increasing adoption of cloud technologies and enterprise AI.

Roamiyo launches travel app combining trip planning and collaboration tools

Roamiyo has launched a travel app that combines itinerary planning, group coordination and on-trip management in a single platform. The app offers three core features including personalised itinerary planning, Group Mode for shared trip coordination and Trip Mode for managing schedules while travelling.

Users can create customised itineraries, collaborate through shared plans and group chats, split expenses, store travel documents and access tools such as navigation, currency conversion, language translation and weather updates. Following a private beta involving more than 2,000 users, Roamiyo plans to focus on user growth and product development. 

MJ Digital Services launches Cashlo app for small retailers

MJ Digital Services has launched the Cashlo app, a digital business platform designed to help shopkeepers offer financial and utility services while creating additional income opportunities.

The platform enables merchants to provide services including UPI-based cash withdrawals, digital payments, mobile and DTH recharges, electricity, water and gas bill payments, FASTag services and other BBPS transactions.

Cashlo also offers access to personal, business and working-capital loan services through participating merchants. Additional features include Quick Khata for digital credit record management and tools covering accounting, GST and ITR requirements.

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