Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (June 26, 2025)

YourStory presents the daily news roundup from the Indian startup ecosystem and beyond. Here's the roundup forThursday, June 26, 2025.

Jun 26, 2025 - 21:10

Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (June 26, 2025)

From Adda Education’s shift beyond test prep to focus on skilling, to the story of a millennial cycle-breaker, and projections of India’s online commerce reaching $300 billion by 2030, YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors.

Featured stories

Adda Education gives skilling a big push as it looks beyond test-prep

S-K-I-L-L. This five-letter word stands between staying relevant in the job market and falling behind in today’s world where workplaces and job requirements are evolving faster than ever.

Whether it’s a college student mapping their future or a seasoned professional navigating change, everyone is asking themselves the same questions: Do I have the relevant skills for tomorrow? What skill should I acquire next?

One thing is clear: the need to upskill or reskill has never been greater, especially in the tech and BFSI (banking, financial services, and insurance) sectors.

Skills in data science, data analytics, digital marketing, and generative AI are all in great demand, and this is the space that learning platform Adda is keen to tap into. Read more.

Slow healers in a fast world: The story of a millennial cycle-breaker

Over the past year, as I edge deeper into my late 30s, I find myself quietly reckoning with the time and conditions I was born into.

It is only now, after years of coping by default rather than intention, that I am beginning to understand that this is in fact, a shared reckoning. One that surfaces differently across caste and class lines, but connects many of my generation in slow-burning existential grief: our fitful but staggering efforts to unlearn, and our longing to live more freely than those who came before us.

I was born at the threshold of two contrasting inheritances. The first, my parents’, was shaped obstinately by post-colonial austerity, quiet endurance and tightly-scripted familial and social roles. And mine, which unfolded in an era of liberalisation, rising individualism, and the ruthless metrics of a productivity-driven world. Read more.

Latest news

India’s online commerce sector to touch $300B by 2030

India’s online commerce sector has witnessed rapid growth in recent years, expanding from a $30 billion market in 2020 to an expected valuation of $300 billion by the end of this decade, according to a report by Bessemer Venture Partners.

In a report titled ‘Click, Watch, Shop: the consumer opportunity in India’, the firm highlights how technology, demographic factors, and supportive policy measures have contributed to the rise of India’s $1 trillion digital opportunity. Read more.

Over 300 Indian family offices now focused on global diversification

India’s family office ecosystem has quietly expanded, growing nearly sevenfold from 45 in 2018 to over 300 in 2024, according to The Indian Family Office Playbook, a newly released report by EY and Julius Baer.

While wealth preservation remains a priority for 25% of family offices, most are actively diversifying into global and alternative assets. The report noted that 57% of family offices allocate less than 10% of their portfolios to private equity or venture capital, often citing limited access or a conservative investment approach. Read more.

Funding news

Wiom raises $40M in growth funding led by Bertelsmann India, Accel

Wiom, a Delhi-based internet infrastructure platform focused on expanding affordable broadband access, on Thursday said it raised $40 million in a growth equity round led by Bertelsmann India Investments and Accel.

Prosus, Promaft Partners, and existing backer RTP Global also participated. The round is largely primary, with a small secondary component, founder Satyam Darmora told YourStory in an exclusive interview. Read more.

Flipkart Co-founder Binny Bansal invests $20M in ecommerce AI startup ShopOS

AI startup ShopOS has raised $20 million in a funding round led by Flipkart Co-founder Binny Bansal’s 3STATE Ventures.

The Bengaluru-based startup plans to use the funding to expand its platform development, grow its product and engineering teams, and acquire new brand partners internationally.

“ShopOS is an AI-native operating system for ecommerce. It’s an agent-driven stack that lets brands make, market, and manage their stores,” Ajay P V, Co-founder of ShopOS, told YourStory. Read more.

Flipspaces raises Rs 50 Cr from Asiana Fund to expand global footprint

Commercial interior design startup Flipspaces on Thursday said it raised Rs 50 crore (about $5.9 million) from Asiana Fund, as part of a broader $35 million funding round.

According to a statement, the new capital will support the company’s plans to scale its operations in India, the US, and the UAE.

Flipspaces also aims to invest in its proprietary technology platform and explore strategic acquisitions in new markets and adjacent categories. Read more.

Jobizo secures Rs 12 Cr in pre-Series A led by IPV, Alkemi Ventures

Jobizo, a healthtech HR platform based in India, has secured Rs 12 crore in a pre-Series A funding round led by Inflection Point Ventures and Alkemi Ventures.

The funding will be used to advance product development, expand marketing activities, strengthen the team, and support working capital requirements.

Co-founded by Avishek Agarwal and Naveen Trehan, Jobizo was launched to address key challenges in healthcare staffing, including urgent short-term hiring, undertrained professionals, and broader system inefficiencies.

The platform uses smart technology to match healthcare institutions with pre-verified professionals for temporary and permanent roles. Since its inception, Jobizo claims to have enabled over 18,500 temporary job placements, facilitated more than 875 permanent hires across India, and supported over 1,000 international placements.

Other news

PhonePe, HDFC Bank partner to launch co-branded credit card

PhonePe and HDFC Bank have launched the ‘PhonePe HDFC Bank Co-branded Credit Card’, marking PhonePe’s entry into the co-branded card segment. Issued on the RuPay network, the card offers benefits on UPI transactions, particularly on the PhonePe platform.

Available in Ultimo and UNO variants, the cards provide rewards on categories such as bill payments, travel, shopping, groceries, and cabs. They also support UPI payments, enabling users to make everyday purchases via credit card while earning rewards through UPI-enabled merchant networks.

The Ultimo variant offers 10% reward points on PhonePe app spends across categories such as bill payments, recharges, travel bookings, and purchases on Pincode. It also provides 5% reward points on transactions with major online merchants and 1% on UPI Scan & Pay transactions using the card. Additionally, cardholders receive two domestic airport lounge accesses per quarter.

Amazon adds five new fulfillment centers to its operations network

Ahead of Prime Day 2025 in July, Amazon has announced the launch of five new fulfilment centres in India, including its first in Indore, Bhubaneswar, Kochi, and Rajpura.

Operated by logistics partners, these centres will expand Amazon’s network and help improve delivery speeds nationwide.

The expansion will enable sellers to serve customers more efficiently by placing inventory closer to demand centres and is expected to generate jobs across Amazon’s operations network, including both full-time and part-time roles.

Last week, Amazon announced an additional Rs 2,000 crore investment to expand its operations network in India. The funds will go towards infrastructure upgrades, associate safety initiatives, and new fulfilment technologies, supporting its goal to serve all serviceable pin codes nationwide.

BizDateUp’s Capital Connect closes with investment intents worth Rs 15 Cr

Capital Connect, an investor-founder event held in Bengaluru by BizDateUp, generated over Rs 15 crore in verbal investment intents while fostering dialogue and collaboration to support India’s entrepreneurial growth.

Capital Connect brought together over 250 participants—early-stage startups, investors, and industry leaders—providing a platform for live pitches, investor engagement, and potential partnerships to support emerging Indian entrepreneurs.

The event featured 15 startups, with four presenting on stage and 11 participating in interactive table pitches. Discussions at the event covered sectors such as electric mobility, drone technology, sustainable fashion, consumer products, virtual reality, and emerging tech.

Masai elevates three internal leaders as co-founders

Masai, an outcome-focused education platform, has appointed Keshav Misra as co-founder and COO, and Aman Vats and Ankit Agrawal as co-founders.

The three newly appointed co-founders have played key roles in Masai’s growth: Misra led operations and student services, Vats aligned the curriculum with industry needs, and Agrawal drove expansion through data-driven marketing.

This move is a strategic step in Masai’s next phase of growth, the company said, adding that the expanded founding team brings complementary strengths and a shared vision for the company’s mission.

They join existing leaders Prateek Shukla (co-founder and CEO), Yogesh Bhatt (co-founder and SVP), and Nrupul Dev (CTO), forming a six-member founding team.

Former Oura CEO Harpreet Singh Rai joins Loop

Loop, an insurance and healthcare company, has appointed Harpreet Singh Rai as President of Healthcare. Rai is the former Chief Executive of health-tracking firm Oura and was an early investor in Loop.

In his new role, Rai will lead the development of Loop’s healthcare products, working closely with the medical, product, and engineering teams. His focus will be on designing integrated, user-centred experiences that support individuals in managing their health.

Rai brings ten years of experience in developing and scaling preventive health solutions that combine science, data, and human behaviour. As CEO of Oura from 2018 to 2021, he oversaw the launch of the company’s second- and third-generation rings.

Before joining Oura, Rai spent nine years as a technology portfolio manager at Eminence Capital. He began his career in the Mergers and Acquisitions group at Morgan Stanley.

Star Health Insurance partners with Medi Assist

Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Ltd has entered into a strategic partnership with Medi Assist Healthcare Services Ltd. to adopt MAtrix, an AI-powered claims platform.

The collaboration aims to support Star Health’s claims transformation efforts by enabling faster settlements, improving customer engagement, and enhancing service delivery through technology. The platform is also expected to assist in identifying and reducing fraud, waste, and abuse using AI tools.

Star Health Insurance is modernising its claims ecosystem through the partnership, aiming to handle growing claim volumes with greater speed, consistency, and transparency. The platform enhances digital capabilities, introduces intelligent automation, and streamlines workflows to improve turnaround times and meet rising service expectations.

Logistics platform Shipway launches AI chatbot Loca

Logistics platform Shipway has launched an AI chatbot, Loca, to support direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands in automating customer service.

Loca can handle delivery inquiries, order tracking, and issue resolution without human input, helping smaller brands manage logistics queries more efficiently.

The deployment of Loca provides round-the-clock customer support, allowing users to check delivery status, reschedule shipments, and resolve issues via web chat.

Loca offers multilingual support, allowing brands in Tier II and Tier III cities to access services in their preferred language.

Covasant Technologies appoints Phaneesh Murthy as strategic advisor

Covasant Technologies, a provider of enterprise AI and agentic AI-led services, has appointed Phaneesh Murthy as a Non-Executive Director on its Advisory Board.

Murthy, known for scaling Infosys and iGATE into billion-dollar companies, joins Covasant’s Advisory Board to support its vision for growth in Enterprise AI.

He will play a key role in guiding Covasant’s global expansion, with a focus on sectors such as healthcare, BFSI, manufacturing, and media and communication.

lexiLoans crosses Rs 10,000 Cr in cumulative loan disbursements to MSMEs

FlexiLoans.com, a MSME-focused NBFC, has crossed over Rs 10,000 crore in cumulative loan disbursements, numbering more than 1.7 lakh loans across 3,000-plus locations in the country. It said 66% of the borrowers were from Tier II and beyond regions.

FlexiLoans said that since its inception, the company has supported over 59,000 MSMEs, with over 10% of its loan book comprising women-led enterprises. Its assets under management (AUM) now exceed Rs 2,300 crore, driven by an 83% CAGR (FY22–FY25), and it has remained profitable for three consecutive years. The platform attracts over 1.3 million monthly visits.

MiQ unveils new AI platform built by its Bengaluru Centre of Excellence

Programmatic media partner MiQ has launched MiQ Sigma, an AI-powered advertising platform, engineered and created by the company’s Bengaluru Center of Excellence (CoE).

The company said the platform was built to eliminate the fragmentation in programmatic advertising: disconnected insights, slow execution, and inefficient decision-making. It uses generative and agentic AI to power outcomes.

Supervity sees strong adoption for B2A agentic AI platform

Supervity, an agentic AI technology company, has claimed strong adoption of its Bot-to-Agent (B2A) framework, which allows enterprises access to adaptable AI agents. It further claimed that its users have reported a 50% reduction in robotic process automation (RPA) license cost and 90% fewer manual interventions.

The company said the B2A framework guides enterprises through a structured, three-phase journey from legacy RPA to scalable, agentic automation. It said over 15 enterprises have adopted the B2A model and plan to add another 25 by the end of this year.

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

Edited by Jyoti Narayan