Start-Ups

Pixxel, a spacetech business that provides Earth imaging technology, announced on Monday that it has raised $25 million in a fresh investment round headed by Radical Ventures of Toronto. Jordan Noone, creator of Embedded Ventures, Seraphim Space Investment, Lightspeed Partners, Blume Ventures, Sparta LLC, and Inventus Capital India were among the other investors in the round. The new funding will help the company speed up the production of its hyperspectral satellite constellation and provide newer artificial intelligence (AI)-powered insights, according to the company. Pixxel is a hyperspectral imaging startup founded…

CollegeDekho, a student enrollment platform, has acquired coding platform PrepBytes in a cash and equity deal. The acquisition is expected to boost the online platform CollegeDekho Learn, which helps students understand computer programming, business, finance, and digital marketing. “PrepBytes adds a vocational component to our Learn business, which is already thriving. This will also be our first attempt at offering placement services to our pupils.” CollegeDekho co-founder and CEO Ruchir Arora stated. CollegeDekho Learn and PrepBytes have a combined user base of more than 155,000 people who have attended more…

India’s Mohalla Tech Pvt., the company behind social media platform ShareChat and short-video app Moj, is looking to attract more funding at a valuation of $5 billion. The Bangalore-based startup is in early talks for the series H round with Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings Pte and Indian digital media group Times Internet Ltd., according to people who asked not to be identified because the information is confidential. According to the sources, the company might raise at least $200 million. Google, owned by Alphabet Inc., is also considering joining in…

Chalo, a mobile app that allows users to track buses between cities and book bus tickets online, has announced the acquisition of Vogo, a two-wheeler shared mobility startup. According to a source familiar with the situation, the arrangement is a stock swap between the two companies and does not include any cash payments from Chalo to Vogo. Vogo will expand its bus technology services by providing first- and last-mile trips at major bus stations and other public locations, according to Chalo. In a statement, Chalo stated, “This would enable crores…

Postman, a software as a service (SaaS) company, announced on Monday that it will invest Rs 2 crore to create an API Lab at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani) to encourage API literacy among students and prospective developers. The API Lab at BITS Pilani, which is set to debut in December 2022, will foster interest in APIs and give a venue for students to develop new skills by brainstorming, developing, and experimenting with new ideas, according to the business. As part of Postman’s Student Programme,…

SparkCognition, a Silicon Valley unicorn, announced on Sunday that it had acquired Bengaluru-based visual AI firm Integration Wizards, allowing it to grow into new areas such as retail, mining, and construction. Integration Wizards will also help SparkCognition expand further into established areas such as energy, industry, and government, according to the company. Last Monday, AI firm SparkCognition announced the signing of a “definitive deal” to purchase Integration Wizards. SparkCognition’s basic AI capabilities, notably visual AI, will be enhanced by Integration Wizards. According to SparkCognition CTO Sridhar Sudarshan, this expands the…

Rupifi, a Bengaluru-based fintech firm that offers SMEs on B2B marketplaces a flexible BNPL credit line, announced today that it has secured $8 million in a venture debt round led by Alteria Capital, Trifecta Capital, and Innoven Capital. Rupifi, founded in 2020 by Anubhav Jain, Ankit Singh, and Jawaid Iqbal, provides embedded financing solutions to B2B marketplaces through its finance platform. Small enterprises (SMEs) in industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, fashion, electronics, agriculture, and general items are now served by the startup. The platform provides B2B BNPL (buy now, pay…

Glance, a Singapore-based startup that utilises artificial intelligence to provide personalised content to smartphone lock screens, announced today that it has acquired Gambit Sports, an India-based gaming company, to bring NFT-based live gaming to lock screens throughout the world. Glance said five weeks ago that it was funding $200 million (about Rs 1,507 crore) to expand in Asia and launch in key global markets such as the United States, Brazil, Mexico, and Russia. Glance will achieve its goal of being the largest platform for NFT-based live gaming experiences for Gen-Z…

MedisimVR, a med-tech startup based in Cambridge and Chennai that specialises in healthcare simulation, announced today that it has raised Rs 3.5 crore (US$458K) in a pre-Series A funding round headed by Inflection Point Ventures, a Gurugram-based angel investment group. Chennai Angels and Jana Balasubramaniam also took part in the round (MedTech investor). The funds will be used to expand the company’s product offering and add more skill training content to its library, according to the announcement. MediSimVR was founded in 2017 with the goal of making comprehensive medical training…