Startup news and updates: daily roundup (August 26, 2026)
YourStory presents the daily news roundup from the Indian startup ecosystem and beyond. Here's the roundup for Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
From Girl Rising’s battle against gender stereotypes using cricket to AssessPrep’s data-driven revolution in the classroom, YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors.
Featured stories
Girl Rising’s RISE Premier League is using cricket to challenge gender stereotypes
On August 11, 2026, around 300 people gathered at the Government Higher Secondary School, Bhadi, in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, for something the village had never seen before—a cricket match in which girls and boys played together on the same team, as equals.
It was the opening match of the RISE Premier League (RPL) organised by non-profit Girl Rising as part of its flagship RISE education programme. The league features four mixed-gender teams and eight matches, and ends on October 10.
How AssessPrep is turning test scores into data schools can use
A test score tells a school how a student performed, but not necessarily where their understanding is strong or weak. AssessPrep, an assessment platform, tags every question to a topic and curriculum standard, allowing schools to see where an individual student or an entire class is falling short.
The platform, headquartered in Gurugram with operations in Jaipur, helps schools create, deliver, grade, and analyse tests, primarily for international curricula such as IB, Cambridge IGCSE, and Advanced Placement. It works with more than 800 schools, with an AI-first approach designed to save teachers time while giving schools more detailed data on student learning.
Latest news
Anaptyss bets on AI to drive value-led growth in BFSI
Anaptyss, the US-headquartered digital technology company with a significant presence in India, sees artificial intelligence (AI) as a key growth driver as it adds complementary capabilities to its existing portfolio of solutions.
Founded in 2021, Anaptyss has a strong focus on the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector, providing domain-led managed services to the industry. The company is now leveraging AI to expand its offerings and tap into new growth opportunities.
More than half of GCCs signal increased hiring in FY27: Report
The hiring outlook among global capability centres (GCCs) in India remains positive for FY27, although the focus is shifting towards hiring quality professionals rather than pursuing volume-led growth, according to a report.
The annual GCC survey by Taggd, in partnership with CII, titled From Intent to Predictable Scale: The Future of GCCs in India, found that 52% of GCCs plan to expand their workforce in FY27, up from 47% in the previous fiscal year.
Funding news
Emerald AI raises $150M at $1.05B valuation
Emerald AI, a US startup developing software that allows AI data centres to adjust their electricity consumption according to grid conditions, has raised $150 million in an oversubscribed Series A round at a valuation of $1.05 billion.
The financing was co-led by Energize Capital, an investment firm focused on the energy transition, and DCVC, a deeptech venture capital firm. The round also included strategic and financial investors such as NVIDIA, Samsung Ventures, Siemens, Aramco Ventures, Salesforce Ventures, GE Vernova, RWE, and JERA Ventures.
Ringg AI raises $10M in Series A led by Peak XV Partners
Bengaluru-headquartered voice artificial intelligence (AI) startup Ringg AI has raised $10 million as an extension to its Series A funding round, led by Peak XV Partners, with participation from Arkam Ventures and Capital 2b. The startup had earlier this year raised $5.5 million as part of its Series A round.
The startup, which is also backed by Kunal Shah, was founded in October 2023 by Siddharth Shankar Tripathi (formerly with Groww and Flipkart), Utkarsh Shukla (ex-Blinkit and Atlan), and Kali CV (ex-Flipkart).
Scooby’s Club raises $250,000 to expand dog care network
Bengaluru-based dog care company Scooby’s Club has raised $250,000 in a pre-seed funding round led by TDV Partners. Founded in 2025, the company operates neighbourhood dog daycare, boarding and spa facilities, combining free-roam spaces with canine behaviour-led care.
The funding will support the opening of two additional Bengaluru properties over the next 6 to 12 months, alongside hiring and training canine coaches. Scooby’s Club plans to eventually build a network of 100 properties across major Indian cities. The company said its facilities include temperament-based grouping, climate-controlled indoor spaces, personalised care and 24-hour CCTV access for pet owners.
Cüraa raises Rs 40 Cr in Series A funding
Kitchen and lifestyle brand Cüraa has raised Rs 40 crore in a Series A funding round led by 3one4 Capital, with continued participation from Kae Capital, Lumikai and Better Capital. The company will use the funding to expand its pre-cook and cooking product portfolio, strengthen warehousing and supply chains, expand across D2C, marketplaces and quick commerce, and hire senior leadership.
Founded by Chef Sanjyot Keer and Neeraj Kumawat, Cüraa has served more than 3 lakh households since launching in September 2024. The company says its monthly net revenue has grown 25-fold since launch, with an average product rating above 4.5 and an NPS exceeding 70.
Other news
Chola Foundation provides flood relief to 1,250 Assam families
The Chola Foundation, in partnership with Smile Foundation, has provided flood relief across 10 affected regions in Assam, supporting more than 1,250 families. The intervention focused on essential and hygiene needs, with dry rations, hygiene kits and other supplies distributed to affected households, particularly women, children, elderly people and people with disabilities.
The relief effort was coordinated with local authorities and community leaders to identify affected communities. Chola employees in Assam also volunteered in the distribution of supplies, following safety guidelines issued by district authorities.
Octave opens Hyderabad technology centre with plans to hire 2,000 engineers
Octave Intelligence has inaugurated a 2 lakh sq ft Technology and Innovation Centre in Hyderabad, with plans to scale its engineering workforce to 2,000 in the coming years. The centre will support Octave's global operations across software engineering, AI, data, cloud and product development. It also houses an Experience Centre showcasing the company's industrial intelligence and AI solutions.
The facility is located in HITEC City and will develop technologies for customers across asset-intensive industries, including energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, utilities and transportation. Octave serves around 4,500 customers across 180 countries, including more than 60% of the Global Fortune 500.
Qure.ai appoints Mihir Bhanushali to lead global health expansion
Qure.ai has appointed Mihir Bhanushali as Executive Vice President, Global Health, to lead its expansion across low- and middle-income countries. Bhanushali joins from Freshworks, where he was Senior Director, Global Sales, and has previously held leadership roles at Rippling and Whatfix.
He will oversee growth across Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Latin America, covering infectious disease programmes and frontline care delivery. Qure.ai's AI solutions are deployed across more than 107 countries and 5,200 sites. The company is also expanding beyond screening and diagnosis through Aira, its AI doctor and clinical co-pilot for frontline healthcare.
Vodafone Business, Tech Mahindra partner on UK digital transformation
Vodafone Business has partnered with Tech Mahindra to develop digital transformation solutions for UK enterprises. The collaboration combines Vodafone Business' enterprise connectivity and digital infrastructure with Tech Mahindra's expertise in AI, systems integration, digital engineering and managed services.
The companies will explore industry-specific solutions using AI, automation, private 5G, IoT, cloud and data to modernise operations, improve resilience and support new business models. The agreement includes executive engagement, co-innovation and joint go-to-market activities, with both companies identifying opportunities to address customer requirements and deliver measurable business outcomes.
(This article will be updated with the latest news throughout the day.)