Week in Review🎩 (Jan 27 - Feb 01)
Catch up on the week's biggest tech advances and funding milestones – your ultimate guide to what’s new and noteworthy!
Hey, Rise & Shine family!
Get set to dive into this week’s tech marvels and funding triumphs.
Let’s explore the latest breakthroughs and celebrate our shared passion for innovation and progress!
Let's dive into the tech marvels that dominated the headlines:
Quick Recap of the Week
North East Small Finance Bank to rebrand as Slice Small Finance Bank
China’s DeepSeek’s arrival leads to global tech stocks wipeout
Donald Trump says Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok
Microsoft, OpenAI allege DeepSeek used proprietary data to power its breakout models
Zepto completes reverse flip from Singapore to India
TCS setting up 37-acre campus in Kochi
AI meets jugaad as Alibaba’s Qwen 2.5 pips DeepSeek in model battle
India to develop own generative AI model: Ashwini Vaishnaw
Wipro bags five-year multi-million contract from Etihad Airways
Microsoft shares slide 5% as cloud forecast, AI spending disappoint
OfBusiness converts into public company ahead of IPO
Let’s move on to the top funding deals from the week.
Funding Deals
E-commerce company Meesho has secured an additional $250-$270 million in funding. The fresh funding has come from new investors, including Tiger Global, Think Investments, and Mars Growth Global, in a $500-$550 million funding round alongside existing backers such as Peak XV Partners and WestBridge Capital.
Leap, a full-stack international student mobility platform, has raised $65 million through a mix of primary and secondary equity, led by Apis Growth Markets Fund III and Apis Global Growth Fund III. Existing investors, including Owl Ventures, Jungle Ventures, and Peak XV Partners, also participated in the round.
B2B SaaS startup Atomicwork has raised $25 million in its Series A round round led by Silicon Valley-based Khosla Ventures and Z47 (formerly Matrix Partners India). The round also saw participation from Battery Ventures, Blume Ventures, and Peak XV Partners.
The software provider for IT management services SuperOps has raised $25 million in its Series C funding round, led by existing investor March Capital, with participation from Lee Fixel’s Addition and Z47 (formerly Matrix Partners India).
Coworking firm Innov8 has raised 110 crore ($13 million) in a primary funding round led by prominent family offices, including Mankind Pharma, Gauri Khan, Rupa Group and Jagruti Dalmia.
Geri Care Health Services, an integrated senior citizen-focused healthcare services provider, has raised Rs 110 crore ($13 million) in a funding round led by InvAscent, investing through its India Life Sciences Fund IV (ILSF IV) for a minority stake in the company in its first institutional fundraise.
Third-party logistics provider Emiza has raised Rs 100 crore in series C fundraise led by Evolvence India and Mirabilis Investment Trust.
VoltUp raised $8 million in a seed round comprising equity and debt, led by UK-based impact investment firm, EM Impact Capital.
Astrome Technologies, an e-band long-distance communication solutions provider, has raised $10 million in funding led by Appollo Fund, with follow-on investments from IAN Group.
Fintech startup Ambak raises $7 million in a round led by Peak XV’s Surge. The funding round, a combination of seed and pre-Series A, saw participation from Peak XV Partners, Advantedge VC, DeVC, and angel investors.
Impact investors Lok Capital and UC Impower have together put in Rs 50 crore equity in non-bank startup GrowXCD Finance, which provides loans to small businesses in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Whizzo, a materials science manufacturing company, has raised $4.2 million in its seed round led by Lightspeed, with participation from BEENEXT.
Bizloan, a non-banking finance company (NBFC) dedicated to providing credit solutions for small businesses, has raised Rs 35 crore ($4.16 million) in Series A funding round co-led by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and BLinC Invest.
Healthy food brand Salad Days has secured Rs 30 crore ($3.6 million) in Series A funding round co-led by V3 Ventures and Client Associates Alternate Fund (CAAF).
DealShare cofounder Sankar Bora’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) footwear startup CHK has raised $2.5 million from investment firm Accel, jewellery retailer Bluestone, and some individual investors.
As we wrap up this edition, let's reaffirm our commitment to positivity, resilience, and seizing every opportunity.
In the vast canvas of the tech world, let's pick up our brushes and paint a masterpiece of optimism and innovation together.
Here's to Rising & Shining Together! 💡