🚀 Ready for TechSparks, Mumbai?

Start Your Day with YS Buzz: Your 8 AM Snapshot of Today's Top Startup News! 29 February 2024 [View in Browser]( Hello, [TechSparks]( is back in Mumbai! Over the next two days, India’s most influential startup-tech summit will host conversations with startup founders, investors, and industry stakeholders on what’s shaping ‘The Great Indian Techade’. Meanwhile, Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries and entertainment conglomerate The Walt Disney Company have agreed to form a joint venture. As part of the transaction, which is estimated to be valued at about $8.5 billion on a post-money basis, the media undertaking of Viacom18 will be [merged]( into Star India Private Limited through a court-approved scheme of arrangement, the companies said in a statement. Speaking of mergers and acquisitions, Bengaluru-based news aggregator platform Dailyhunt is in talks to acquire homegrown [social media platform Koo](. The deal is reportedly expected to materialise in the next few weeks. In other news, Thrasio, the US startup that raised billions of dollars and popularised the concept of ecommerce aggregation, has filed for Chapter 11 [bankruptcy protection]( to cut its losses as it deals with a mountain of debt. Lastly, in 46 BC, Roman emperor Julius Caesar had a tough task at hand—to fix the hopelessly disorganised Roman calendar. Here’s a [deep dive]( into the origins of the modern calendar and why we have a Leap Day. In today’s newsletter, we will talk about - What to expect on Day 1 of TechSparks - Streamlining loan disbursals for banks - South Indian snacks for global audience Here’s your trivia for today: In which European capital city would you find the landmark known as the Spanish Steps? --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- TechSparks What to expect on Day 1 of TechSparks is in the midst of ‘The Great Indian Techade’ of growth fuelled by the determination and entrepreneurial spirit of India’s startup ecosystem, the government’s vision to see India become a Viksit Bharat by 2047, and a tech-led approach. YourStory is on a mission to bring entrepreneurial conversations to the table with the flagship event TechSparks—back in Mumbai with panel discussions and fireside chats on what's happening in sectors including banking, insurance, and fintech, and how emerging technologies like AI and electric vehicles will shape the future. Line-up: - Fortune India 500 leader and FMCG guru Harsh Mariwala, Chairman of Marico Limited, will spill the secrets of building a 36-year-old company. - Ronnie Screwvala—Chairperson and Co-founder of upGrad—will discuss the leadership lessons needed to sail through chaotic times as the edtech sector adjusts to a hybrid reality. - Akanksh Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of EV fleet platform Zypp Electric, will discuss the startup’s rapid expansion plans, logistics and delivery partnerships. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Funding Alert 1) Kushal’s: Rs 284 Cr| Series B 2) Digantra: $2M| Series A --------------------------------------------------------------- Startup Streamlining loan disbursals for banks software firm Cloudbankin believes it can address the challenge of obtaining a loan through its lending software that facilitates unsecured loan approvals in less than ten minutes. The software supports both secured and unsecured loans for individuals and businesses. “Through integrated APIs, the entire process is automated using credit bureaus and financial analysis, enabling an easier onboarding experience," says Mani Parthasarathy, Co-founder and CEO of Cloudbankin. Financial solution: - Cloudbankin’s AI-powered low-code platform is an end-to-end cloud-based loan software that offers customisable workflows and solutions for various tools in financial products, including savings, loans, and deposits. - API connections on its platform facilitate communication between different software applications, allowing them to interact and exchange information. - Currently, the firm has a customer base of over 50 financial institutions, including banks, NBFCs, and fintech firms across India, the US, the UK, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- SheSparks Let's 'womanifest' change together SheSparks is back to inspire, connect, and uplift women thought leaders from across fields. The 2024 edition offers a spectacular lineup featuring Priyanka Gill, Vani Kola, Hena Mehta, Deena Jacob, Dr Geetha Manjunath, and Anisha Padukone, just to name a few. Don't miss this opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with inspiring women! [Grab your ticket!]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Food South Indian snacks for global audience Oorla, a sweets and savoury brand from Coimbatore, was founded in 2021 with the idea of bringing regional South Indian delicacies to a global market. Going global: - Oorla sets itself apart by specialising in Andhra, Telugu, and Tamil cuisine. Unlike competitors who primarily target the South Indian snacks and savouries market, Oorla aims to source products from other parts of India. - The brand has so far partnered with more than 30 vendors for its products. To maintain quality standards, the company tests its products at a lab in Coimbatore. - Oorla has dispatched over 50,000 orders so far. The company says it will likely close FY24 with a revenue of Rs 14 crore and that it has been profitable since the beginning. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- From the CapTable Celebs put the ‘star’ in startups with cash, glamour equity, and more On February 12, when Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh and adult entertainment star Johnny Sins appeared in a commercial for a men’s sexual wellness brand, they took the internet—and the advertising world—by storm. The shock-and-awe aside, Bold Care, the young D2C startup behind the product they were endorsing, was instantly catapulted into the limelight. Google searches for the brand went through the roof, with searches for ‘Bold Care’ seeing hockey-stick growth on Google Trends. Almost a fortnight later, the buzz still hasn’t died down. More importantly, it also brought attention to the fact that Singh is not only the face of Bold Care but also an investor and co-owner. Co-founder Rajat Jadhav went on to call it “an iconic partnership”, confirming that the actor had been “deeply engaged in every facet of the business” for over a year. While celebrities associating themselves with startups is no longer new—with nearly 90-100 deals done by India’s top 20-25 stars since the pandemic—the extent of their involvement only seems to be growing. With more skin in the game, though, comes higher risk as well. Key takeaways: - Celebrity-startup deals are seeing a strategic shift, with stars now getting more integrated in multiple capacities that go beyond just ad campaigns. - Earlier, it took startups almost 6-7 years to move up to onboarding an A-lister. Now, top stars are getting involved in the brand and product journey from Day Zero. - Fledgling young brands that are unable to afford top-tier celebs are often paying them in equity, giving rise to interesting new barter deals. - Several actors and cricketers have also floated their own venture funds to gain more control over the financial transactions and have a bigger role in the brand narratives. [Continue Reading]( --------------------------------------------------------------- News & Updates - [Fixing bias:]( Google is working to fix its Gemini AI tool, CEO Sundar Pichai told employees in a note, saying some of the text and image responses generated by the model were "biased" and "completely unacceptable". - [New heights:]( Bitcoin continued its surge on Wednesday, shooting above $60,000 for the first time since November 2021. The price of the flagship cryptocurrency was last higher by 6% at $60,688.00, according to Coin Metrics. - [End of a dream:]( Apple Inc is cancelling a decade-long effort to build an electric car, Bloomberg reports. Apple made the disclosure internally, surprising the nearly 2,000 employees working on the project. Did you know? In which European capital city would you find the landmark known as the Spanish Steps? Answer: Rome. We would love to hear from you! To let us know what you liked and disliked about our newsletter, please mail nslfeedback@yourstory.com. If you don’t already get this newsletter in your inbox, [sign up here](. For past editions of the YourStory Buzz, you can check our [Daily Capsule page here](. [Feedback]( [Unsubscribe]( [Newsletters](