S Shanthi

Karnātaka

Senior Assistant Editor at Entrepreneur IN

Covering startups @ Financial Express

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Articles

Attero looks to close FY25 with Rs 1,000-crore revenue

3 days ago | financialexpress.com | S Shanthi

Attero, an e-waste recycling and metal extraction startup, expects to close FY25 with approximately Rs 1,000 crore in revenue from operations. The firm reported a 54% year-on-year (y-o-y) growth in revenue in FY24, reaching approximately Rs 446 crore. “This growth is a direct result of our expanding capacity, the increasing demand for sustainable recycling solutions, and the success of our tech platforms like MetalMandi and Selsmar,” Nitin Gupta, co-founder and CEO of Attero, told FE.
How a social network built around SMS turned into an AI unicorn

3 days ago | financialexpress.com | S Shanthi

In the early 2000s, mobile communication started picking up pace in emerging markets like India and SMS (short messaging service) became the primary channel for interaction. Beerud Sheth, along with his friends from IIT Mumbai – Rakesh Mathur and Milind R Agarwal — wanted to tap into this opportunity. They launched Gupshup as a social network in 2007, built around SMS. The goal was to create a platform where people could join interest-based groups and share updates via text.
Artha eyes investments in applied AI, deeptech, fintech this year

1 week ago | financialexpress.com | S Shanthi

Artha Venture Fund aims to make around 12-14 new thematic investments in 2025. Including follow-on rounds, the firm plans to participate in 18-20 investment rounds in key themes such as applied AI, deeptech (particularly spacetech and semiconductors), affluent consumer brands, and fintech infrastructure.
Customers may not be a ping away for Swiggy’s new venture

1 week ago | financialexpress.com | S Shanthi

Swiggy, which recently launched Pyng, a platform that connects users with verified professional services such as health experts and event planners, may be wanting to diversify beyond food delivery and quick commerce, but experts warn that the services marketplace is a tough business to scale and turn profitable.
Big firms rush to acquire AI startups

2 weeks ago | financialexpress.com | S Shanthi

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries, the race to gain a competitive edge has led to a rise in acquisitions and partnerships between large enterprises and nimble early-stage AI startups. Over the last two months, several deals were inked which underscore how traditional companies and mature startups are increasingly leaning on smaller AI innovators to fast-track their transformation efforts.
Startup shutdowns increase 12-fold

3 weeks ago | financialexpress.com | S Shanthi

The world’s third-largest startup ecosystem has notched up an unenviable record. Over 28,000 startups have shut up shop in the last couple of years — 15,921 in 2023 and 12,717 in 2024. While some of them have filed for bankruptcy, others have remained inactive for more than a year. That’s over 12-fold jump from 2,300 shutdowns in the previous three years — 2019-2022, according to data intelligence platform Tracxn. There’s more.
The big idea: Scaling up online skilling

3 weeks ago | financialexpress.com | S Shanthi

“There was no eureka moment,” Ronnie Screwvala, media mogul and co-founder of upGrad says, as he recalls the starting days of upGrad. The idea of launching an online higher education platform that focuses on upskilling was a result of his non-profit work in the education sector since the 1990s. “Especially for me, in my second innings, it was to validate what I could do for the next 20 years,” he says.
Stellapps’ mooMark rides private label boom for growth

3 weeks ago | financialexpress.com | S Shanthi

Dairy tech startup Stellapps, which was originally focused on providing a full-stack Internet of Things (IoT) platform to optimise the milk supply chain, has now found a sweet spot — contract manufacturing of private label dairy products for quick commerce, e-commerce, D2C and FMCG players. Today, 85% of the total revenue for the company comes from this business, called mooMark.
Pratilipi eyes global expansion to fuel growth, starting with US

3 weeks ago | financialexpress.com | S Shanthi

Digital storytelling startup Pratilipi is eyeing international expansion, starting with the US. Although around 4% of the current footfall for the platform comes from outside India, the startup has so far focused only on the domestic market. After the recent funding round, the self-publishing and audiobook firm has accelerated its focus on markets outside India. Earlier this month, the startup raised $20 million in a Series E round led by Jungle Ventures.
Traveltech startups get a spiritual boost

3 weeks ago | financialexpress.com | S Shanthi

Spiritual tourism is turning out to be a key revenue contributor for traveltech startups. For OYO, religious tourism contributes over 20% of its overall revenue at present. EaseMyTrip expects around 25% of its overall revenue to come from non-air segments, with a significant contribution from spiritual and experiential travel in the current financial year.