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🚀 Zepto Eyes ₹11,000 Cr IPO By July . Quick commerce unicorn Zepto is reportedly preparing to launch its massive ₹11,000 Cr ($1.1 Bn) IPO before July 31, marking one of India’s biggest startup listings in recent times. ⚡ Key Highlights: • Zepto plans to file its updated DRHP soon • SEBI has already approved the IPO • IPO will largely consist of a primary capital raise • Listing expected within the next two months If successful, Zepto will become the third quick commerce company to hit the stock market after: • Blinkit parent Eternal • Swiggy 🛒 Zepto’s Rapid Growth: Founded in 2021 by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, Zepto has emerged as a leading player in India’s booming quick commerce race. 📦 Current Scale: • 1,255+ dark stores • Presence across 61 cities • ~1.6 Mn daily orders ⚔️ Competition Is Heating Up: Zepto is battling major rivals including: • Blinkit • Swiggy Instamart • Amazon Now • Flipkart Minutes Meanwhile: • Amazon plans to invest ₹2,800 Cr to scale Amazon Now • Flipkart is aggressively expanding its dark store network 💰 Funding Snapshot: • Last valuation: $7 Bn • Total funding raised: $2.3 Bn+ • Backed by: Y Combinator, General Catalyst, DST Global, Dragon Fund, Epiq Capital 📊 The Bigger Opportunity: India’s quick commerce market is projected to become: • $40 Bn opportunity by 2030 • $68 Bn GMV market by 2031 The race is now shifting from just fast delivery to scale, profitability, and customer retention. Zepto #Zepto #IPO #QuickCommerce #StartupIndia #IndianStartups #Ecommerce #BusinessNews #Blinkit #Swiggy #Flipkart #Amazon  #Microshots #MayUpdate #May

 🏦Fino Payments Bank CEO Rishi Gupta Steps Down Amid GST Probe . Under regulatory scrutiny, Fino Payments Bank MD & CEO Rishi Gupta has stepped down from his role after being linked to an ongoing GST investigation involving alleged tax evasion worth ₹840 Cr. ⚡ What Happened? • Gupta sought voluntary early retirement effective May 21 • Fino’s board accepted the resignation • Interim CEO Ketan Merchant’s tenure extended till July 2026 (subject to RBI approval) • Interim CFO Anup Agarwal’s tenure also extended 📌 Background Of The Probe: The Hyderabad unit of DGGI arrested Gupta in February over allegations tied to: • Illegal online betting-linked transactions • GST evasion exceeding ₹840 Cr • Alleged routing of funds through shell entities and programme managers However, Fino clarified: • The probe does NOT relate to the bank’s GST compliance • Board found no prima facie case against Gupta • Gupta was still considered “fit and proper” to continue as CEO 🗣️ Gupta Said: “After investing two decades in Fino, I feel it is an appropriate time to rediscover my purpose outside the Bank.” 📉 Market Impact: Regulatory concerns have severely impacted investor sentiment: • Fino shares down ~43% in 3 months • Stock down 53%+ YTD 🏦 What’s Next For Fino? Despite leadership uncertainty, the company says: • Operations remain stable • Services remain unaffected • Plans for Small Finance Bank (SFB) transition continue #FinoPaymentsBank #Fintech #GSTProbe #StartupIndia #BusinessNews #Banking #IndiaFintech  #Microshots #MayUpdate #May

 🎓Unacademy Cofounder Sumit Jain Exits Amid upGrad Acquisition . Unacademy cofounder and CEO Sumit Jain is exiting the edtech startup as upGrad moves closer to acquiring the company. ⚡ Key Developments: • Sumit Jain’s last working day: June 30 • Gaurav Munjal will take charge post-exit �� Jain will continue as an advisor 📌 Background: Jain joined Unacademy as cofounder in 2020 and became CEO in 2025 after Gaurav Munjal shifted focus to Airlearn, Unacademy’s foreign language learning platform. 🤝 upGrad Acquisition Update: upGrad is currently acquiring Unacademy in an all-stock deal valuing the company at: • ₹2,055 Cr (~$218 Mn) • Nearly 90% lower than its 2021 peak valuation of $3.4 Bn The companies are currently awaiting approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI). 💰 Deal & Funding Snapshot: • Unacademy total funding: $830 Mn • upGrad total funding: $330 Mn • upGrad valuation: $1.9 Bn 📊 Post-Deal Expectations: Unacademy is expected to retain: • ₹900-950 Cr cash balance after acquisition closes 📉 Edtech Reality Check: The acquisition reflects the ongoing consolidation in India’s edtech sector after the post-pandemic slowdown. The sector has faced: • Reduced online learning demand • Profitability pressure • Funding slowdown • Fallout from BYJU’S collapse 🧠 Strategic Shift: The merger signals a stronger focus on: • Operational efficiency • Consolidation • Sustainable growth over hyper-scaling #Unacademy #upGrad #Edtech #StartupIndia #BusinessNews #GauravMunjal #SumitJain #IndianStartups #Acquisition  #Microshots #MayUpdate #May

✈️Scapia Raises $63 Mn To Expand AI-Led Travel Fintech Play . Travel-focused fintech startup Scapia has raised $63 Mn (around ₹600 Cr) in a fresh funding round led by General Catalyst, with participation from existing investors Peak XV Partners and Z47. 🚀 What Scapia Plans To Do With The Funds: • Strengthen its product suite • Expand customer base across India • Accelerate AI-first product development • Invest heavily in brand building • Scale teams and operations 💳 About Scapia: Founded in 2022 by Anil Goteti, Scapia offers co-branded travel credit cards in partnership with Federal Bank and Bank of Baroda. Its Visa-powered cards offer: • Zero forex markup • Unlimited domestic lounge access • Travel rewards & benefits 📱 Beyond Credit Cards: Scapia is building a full-stack travel ecosystem with: • Flight & hotel booking • Domestic transport booking • Rewards-first UPI product — Scapia Pay • Credit card bill payments via BBPS • AI-powered travel discovery platform — Scapia Experiences • Travel shopping marketplace — Scapia Store 🛍️ Partner Brands Include: • Columbia • Daily Objects • Nasher Miles • XYXX • Assembly 🤖 AI At The Core: Scapia Experiences uses AI to help users discover personalised travel packages based on: • Budget • Preferences • Available time 📈 Financial Snapshot: • FY25 Revenue: ₹28.7 Cr (+71% YoY) • Net Loss reduced to ₹83 Cr from ₹87.9 Cr • Total funding till date: $135 Mn ⚠️ Important Context: Scapia had paused its co-branded credit card business for nearly a year due to regulatory and customer onboarding issues before resuming operations last year. 💡 Bigger Picture: India’s travel fintech and co-branded credit card ecosystem is heating up as startups compete to capture Gen Z and millennial consumers through: • Travel rewards • Lifestyle benefits • AI-led personalisation • Integrated financial products Scapia #Scapia #Fintech #TravelTech #CreditCards #StartupIndia #AI #GenZ #BusinessNews #GeneralCatalyst #Travel  #Microshots #MayUpdate #May

💰Oxyzo To Acquire GoldenPi In ₹42 Cr Deal. Fintech unicorn Oxyzo, the lending arm of OfBusiness, is acquiring debt investment platform GoldenPi and its subsidiary GoldenPi Securities through a share-swap deal worth ₹42.4 Cr. 🎯 Why This Matters: The acquisition marks Oxyzo’s entry into the retail wealthtech segment, helping it expand fixed-income investment offerings for retail and HNI investors. ⚡ Deal Highlights: • Total deal value: ₹42.4 Cr • Acquisition via preferential share allotment • Oxyzo to issue 3.11 lakh equity shares • Share issue price: ₹1,363 per share (₹10 face value + ₹1,353 premium) 👥 Key Stakeholders Receiving Shares: • Abhijit Roy – ₹15.7 Cr • Samir Baran Pratihar – ₹15.5 Cr • Rainmatter Investments – ₹7.3 Cr • Utpal Hemendra Sheth – ₹4 Cr 🏦 About GoldenPi: Founded in 2017, GoldenPi is a bond investment and fixed-income platform that has: • 16 lakh+ users • Facilitated investments worth ₹6,000+ Cr • Built one of India’s largest online bond distribution networks Its subsidiary GoldenPi Securities is a SEBI-licensed debt broker. 🚀 Oxyzo’s Expansion Strategy: Oxyzo is aggressively expanding beyond SME lending: • Recently launched its first credit fund • Now entering retail wealthtech • Focusing on fixed-income investment products 🗣️ What Oxyzo Said: “This will enable us to significantly enhance our fixed income offerings and capture a larger share of the fast-growing debt investment market.” — Anuj Sharma, Business Head (Fixed Income), Oxyzo 📊 Oxyzo Financial Snapshot: • FY26 9M Profit: ₹267.4 Cr (+7% YoY) • Revenue: ₹1,047 Cr (+29% YoY) 💡 Bigger Picture: India’s fixed-income investing ecosystem is rapidly growing as retail investors increasingly explore bonds, debentures, and debt products beyond traditional FDs and mutual funds. Oxyzo Financial Services #Oxyzo #GoldenPi #WealthTech #Fintech #StartupIndia #FixedIncome #Bonds #OfBusiness #Rainmatter #BusinessNews  #Microshots #MayUpdate #May

🎧Sychedelic Raises $3.5 Mn To Build AI-Powered Mental Wellness Headphones . Wearable startup Sychedelic has secured $3.5 Mn in seed funding to scale its AI-powered neurotechnology headphones focused on stress reduction, focus enhancement, and sleep support. 💰 Investors Included: • Cultadvisors LLP • TurboStart • Ideabaaz • Praveek Ventures • Angel investors 🚀 What Will The Funds Be Used For? The startup plans to: • Scale manufacturing • Expand R&D capabilities • Boost marketing efforts • Support its global Kickstarter launch in June 2026 🧠 About Sychedelic: Founded by husband-wife duo Ria Rustagi and Bhavya Madan, the startup was earlier known as Neuphony and initially focused on EEG-based neurofeedback headbands. It has now pivoted to AI-powered mental wellness headphones using: • Real-time biofeedback • Neuromodulation • Adaptive audio • tDCS stimulation technology ⚡ How The Technology Works: The headphones combine: • PPG sensors to monitor stress & cognitive state • AI algorithms for adaptive response • Real-time stimulation based on live biometric feedback The startup claims this is among the first closed-loop neuromodulation wearable systems that dynamically adapts to the user’s mental state. 🌍 Global Expansion Underway: • Operating across India & the US • Backed by a Delaware-based entity • Global patent applications filed • CDSCO approval secured 📈 Growing Mental Wellness Wearables Market: The funding highlights rising investor interest in neurotech and mental wellness devices as the wearable industry moves beyond basic fitness tracking. The Indian smart wearables market is projected to reach $10.26 Bn by 2031. ⚔️ Competing With: • Mave Health • Sputnik Brain • Dusq AI + neuroscience + wellness is quickly becoming one of the most exciting segments in consumer healthtech. Sychedelic #Sychedelic #Wearables #HealthTech #MentalWellness #AI #StartupIndia #Neurotech #WellnessTech #IndianStartups #FundingNews  #Microshots #MayUpdate #May

🚀Sadev Ventures Appoints Ex-Snabbit Exec Ishan Kansal as Cofounder . Early-stage VC firm Sadev Ventures has appointed former Snabbit product head Ishan Kansal as Cofounder & Managing Partner as the firm gears up for its next phase of expansion. 📍 Kansal will join in June 2026 and lead Sadev’s Bengaluru office, marking the VC’s second base in India. 👨💻 About Ishan Kansal: Before joining Sadev Ventures, Kansal: • Led product, data & design at Snabbit • Spent nearly 6 years at CRED scaling payments, insurance & lending verticals • Worked with Paytm and Deutsche Bank across India & APAC markets 🎯 Sadev’s Big Expansion Plans: Over the next 18–24 months, the VC firm aims to: • Cross ₹1,000 Cr in assets under management (AUM) • Launch its second equity fund • Enter the venture debt space • Expand its early-stage startup portfolio 💰 About Sadev Ventures: Founded by ex-BharatPe COO Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl, Sadev Ventures is a sector-agnostic early-stage VC investing in startups from seed to pre-Series A stages. 📌 Current Portfolio Includes: • Asaya • Cleevo • Vama • Gladful • Prosperr 💬 Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl Said: “Adding Ishan strengthens our ability to identify exceptional founders and support startups through critical growth stages.” 📈 Recent Startup Bets: Sadev recently participated in funding rounds for: • Bidso • Care.Fi • Atomgrid The move highlights how operator-led venture capital firms are increasingly bringing experienced startup builders into investing roles to better support founders. Sadev Ventures (Formerly Eternal Capital) #SadevVentures #VentureCapital #StartupIndia #CRED #Snabbit #VC #IndianStartups #Funding #Entrepreneurship #BusinessNews  #Microshots #MayUpdate #May

💄Nykaa Q4: Profit Jumps 4X To ₹79 Cr . Beauty and fashion giant Nykaa delivered a blockbuster Q4 FY26, reporting strong revenue growth, expanding margins, and major momentum across beauty, fashion, AI, and offline retail expansion. ✨ Key Financial Highlights: • Net profit surged 4X to ₹78.8 Cr • Revenue rose 28% YoY to ₹2,648 Cr • EBITDA jumped 67% YoY to ₹223 Cr • EBITDA margin expanded to 8.4% • FY26 annual profit soared 182% to ₹203.9 Cr 📊 Business Performance: 💄 Beauty vertical revenue grew 27% YoY to ₹2,409 Cr 👗 Fashion revenue jumped 40% YoY to ₹225 Cr 🛍️ GMV surged 28% YoY to ₹5,241 Cr 🚀 Growth Drivers: • 200+ global beauty brands added in FY26 • Offline retail network expanded to 313 stores across 99 cities • AI-powered virtual skin analyser boosting personalised shopping • Fashion vertical turned EBITDA positive in Q4 🌍 Nykaa’s Brand Ecosystem: • Dot & Key GMV hit ₹1,790 Cr • Kay Beauty crossed ₹380 Cr GMV • House of Nykaa annualised GMV run rate reached ₹3,176 Cr 🤝 Strategic Expansion: Nykaa also approved the acquisition of an additional 24.2% stake in skincare brand Earth Rhythm for ₹9.4 Cr, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary. 🗣️ Falguni Nayar on Growth: “We are building wellness as a future frontier while AI is emerging as a powerful enabler for consumer businesses.” 📦 B2B Momentum: Superstore by Nykaa expanded to: • 4.93 lakh retailers • 1,000+ cities • 220+ partnered brands Nykaa continues strengthening its position as one of India’s fastest-growing beauty and lifestyle platforms while scaling profitability alongside expansion. Nykaa #Nykaa #FalguniNayar #BeautyIndustry #Ecommerce #StartupIndia #Fashion #Retail #BusinessNews #IndianStartups #AI  #Microshots #MayUpdate #May

⚖️FIRs Filed Against MobiKwik & Lendbox Over Alleged Investor Fund Blocking . Bengaluru Police have reportedly registered FIRs against fintech firms MobiKwik and Lendbox over allegations linked to misuse of investor funds on the MobiKwik Xtra platform. 📌 What Happened? Investors alleged that: • Funds invested through MobiKwik Xtra were blocked • Withdrawals were denied • The platform was marketed like a fixed deposit product • Investor money was allegedly diverted in violation of RBI norms 🧾 Complaints Filed: • One investor claimed ₹4 Lakh remained inaccessible • Another alleged ₹91,341 out of ₹3 Lakh was blocked • Complaints suggest over 1,000 investors collectively face exposure exceeding ₹11 Cr ⚠️ Regulatory Concerns: MobiKwik Xtra is a P2P lending-based investment product powered by NBFC partner Lendbox. The case comes amid RBI’s tighter scrutiny on P2P lending platforms, especially around: • Mis-selling of products • Investor protection • Marketing high-risk products as fixed-income alternatives 📉 Industry Impact: The RBI crackdown has forced several fintech firms to rethink or scale back their P2P lending businesses. Notably, MobiKwik Xtra had also faced criticism in 2024 after users alleged sudden changes in withdrawal policies without proper notice. 🏦 Bigger Picture: Interestingly, MobiKwik recently received approval for its NBFC licence, marking its shift toward becoming a regulated lending platform. #MobiKwik #Fintech #P2PLending #RBI #StartupIndia #Lendbox #IndianStartups #BusinessNews  #Microshots #MayUpdate #May

📉 Madison India Capital Sells Pine Labs Shares Worth ₹357 Cr . Private equity firm Madison India Capital has partially exited fintech major Pine Labs through a ₹356.86 Cr block deal, selling 2.48 Cr shares at ₹144 each. 📌 Key Highlights: • Deal executed via Madison India Opportunities IV fund • Shares sold at a slight premium to previous closing price • Major buyers included: • HSBC Mutual Fund • Franklin Templeton • ICICI Prudential • Tata Mutual Fund • Morgan Stanley 🏦 HSBC Mutual Fund picked up the largest chunk of 61.73 lakh shares worth ₹88.89 Cr. 📉 Stock Pressure Continues: Pine Labs shares touched a fresh all-time low of ₹141.05 during intraday trading and closed at ₹142.8, down 3.71%. The decline comes after the expiry of the company’s IPO lock-in period earlier this month. 💼 Madison’s Exit Journey: This marks the second major cash-out by Madison India Capital from Pine Labs in the last year. The investor had earlier sold shares during Pine Labs’ IPO, earning returns of around 5.6X on its investment made in 2016. 📊 Financial Performance: Despite stock pressure, Pine Labs reported: • ₹42.4 Cr net profit in Q3 FY26 • Revenue growth of 24% YoY to ₹744.3 Cr The company is yet to announce Q4 FY26 results. PineLabs Demo #PineLabs #Fintech #IPO #StartupIndia #BlockDeal #IndianStartups #BusinessNews  #Microshots #MayUpdate #May