Jio launches JioBharat V3 & V4📱
Upgrad MD Mayank Kumar steps down, Blinkit Rolls Out ‘10 Minutes’ Return, Licious acquires My Chicken, Funding Deals and more.
Good morning and welcome to Wednesday’s edition of Rise & Shine!
“Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.”
— Jack London
Today, Jack London’s words remind us that while life doesn’t always deal us the best cards, success often lies in making the most of what we have.
Even when circumstances aren’t ideal, we have the power to adapt, learn, and create opportunities from limited resources.
Tech Updates
Reliance Jio launches JioBharat V3 and V4 4G feature phones at ₹1099
At the India Mobile Congress 2024, Reliance Jio has introduced the JioBharat V3 and V4, the next generation of affordable 4G feature phones. Priced at Rs 1099, JioBharat phones will come with a monthly recharge plan of Rs 123, with unlimited voice calls and 14 GB of data.
Upgrad cofounder and MD Mayank Kumar steps down to launch new startup
Edtech unicorn Upgrad cofounder and managing director Mayank Kumar has stepped down from his executive role to start a new venture, sources briefed on the matter said. Starting this month, he has significantly reduced an operating role at the Mumbai-based firm while pitching to investors for his new startup which is focused on placing skilled Indian labour abroad—especially in healthcare.
Blinkit introduces 10-minute returns and exchanges for clothing, footwear
Blinkit has announced a new feature that aims to make returns and exchanges easier for customers, especially when dealing with size or fit issues in categories like clothing and footwear. This new service allows users to initiate a return or exchange request, which will be processed within just 10 minutes of the request being made.
Licious acquires offline retailer My Chicken and More
Meat and seafood home-delivery service Licious' parent company, Delightful Gourmet, on Monday said that it has acquired Bengaluru-based offline retailer My Chicken and More.
Funding Deals
Purplle has closed its Series F funding round at Rs 1,500 crore (approximately $180 million). This round was led by a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and saw significant contributions from existing investors, including Premji Invest and Blume Ventures, who increased their commitments.
Neuron7.ai, a cloud-based service intelligence platform, has bagged $44 million in a Series B funding round spearheaded by Smith Point Capital, the investment firm led by former Salesforce co-CEO Keith Block.
GIVA Jewellery, a fine jewellery brand, has closed its extended Series B funding round at ₹255 crore from Premji Invest, Epiq Capital, Edelweiss Discover Fund, and the top management of GIVA.
Sistema.bio, a biogas-tech company, has successfully raised $15 million in a funding round led by ElectriFI, managed by EDFI Management Company. Existing investors, including Chroma Impact Investment, KawiSafi Ventures, AXA IM Alts, and others, also participated in this round.
Alternative asset management firm Anicut Capital has secured $11 million in dollar-denominated investments through the GIFT City Structure for its Private Credit Fund 3.
Troo Good, a millet-based snack brand, has raised $9 million in a new round led by Puro Wellness. Existing investors Oaks Asset Management and V Ocean Investments have also participated.
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) footwear startup Yoho has raised Rs 27 crore in a funding round led by Gulf Islamic Investments (GII), a global alternative investment firm, with more than $4.5 billion of assets under management.
Perceptyne, a deep tech AI-first robotics startup, has raised $3 million in its seed round co-led by Endiya Partners and Yali Capital with participation from Whiteboard Capital and notable angels.
Data Science Wizards (DSW), an AI innovation company, has raised $1.4 million in seed funding, bringing its total valuation to $16.4 million.
Logistics automation startup Elixia Robotics has raised $1 million in a pre-Series A funding round. The JITO Incubation and Innovation Foundation (JIIF), a community-based angel network led the funding round.
Short Story: The Resilient Entrepreneur
After launching her small business, Jenna quickly faced unexpected setbacks—a supply shortage, limited funds, and a saturated market.
While she could have given up, Jenna decided to approach each problem as a creative challenge.
She reimagined her product line using available resources, pivoted her marketing strategy, and connected with her customers on a personal level.
Her determination and adaptability paid off, turning her business into a local success story.
Jenna’s journey was a testament to London’s wisdom: even without the “best cards,” her strategic moves and resilience made all the difference
Tweet of the day🐥
As you go about your day, remember that success isn’t always about having ideal circumstances; it’s about making the most of what you have.
Rise & Shine is here to encourage you to embrace challenges and play your hand well, no matter what cards you’re dealt.
Have a resilient and resourceful Wednesday!
Thanks for reading till the end!