Latest news with #ArjunS
Economic Times
31-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
AI startup Metaforms raises $9 million in round led by Peak XV Partners
ETtech (L-R), Arjun S and Akshat Tyagi, cofounders, Metaforms Metaforms, an artificial intelligence (AI) startup, has raised $9 million in a funding round led by Peak XV Partners, with Nexus Venture Partners and Together Fund participating. Founded in 2022 in Bengaluru by Akshat Tyagi and Arjun S, the startup develops AI agents that automate operational tasks for market research agencies. Metaforms' agentic platform automates processes such as survey programming, data processing, and vendor coordination. Its system helps agencies handle more projects and reduce turnaround times. Since its commercial launch six months ago, Metaforms said it has signed companies primarily in North America and Europe, and its platform processes more than 1,000 surveys monthly, Tyagi told the new capital, the company will strengthen its engineering and AI research teams in Bengaluru. "We are opening a New York office and will hire engineers there. Unlike most AI companies, which would have an engineering office in Bangalore, Metaforms only builds for US customers, so the product also has to be made very American," Tyagi added that the company also plans to expand its product suite to provide automated report generation and voice-based also stressed that its AI tools are meant to assist, not replace, human researchers. The company explains that by automating manual tasks, agencies can better meet client demands and take on more projects."Metaforms is scaling rapidly by enabling some of the largest research agencies globally to automate workflows such as survey programming and data processing through their suite of AI agents," Shailendra Singh, MD, Peak XV Partners, said in a prepared statement. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. US tariff hike to hit Indian exports, may push RBI towards rate cuts Zomato delivered, but did the other listed unicorns? Tata Motors' INR38k crore Iveco buy: Factors that can make investors nervous Trump tariffs: End of road or a new journey ending Russia reliance? As rates slide, who will grab the savings pie? MFs, insurers? Is it time for Tim Cook to bid bye to Apple? Regulators promote exchanges; can they stifle one? Watch IEX Stock Radar: Down over 20% from highs! Varun Beverages stock showing signs of trend reversal – time to buy?
Forbes
31-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Meet The Start-Up Promising To Modernise Market Research
The market research industry has not seen major technology disruption Market research is a $140 billion industry according to Esomar, one of the sector's leading bodies. But for all the time that its staff spend charting new developments and emerging trends in other industries, market research firms themselves have seen very little disruption. An increasing amount of research activity is now conducted online – rather than by phone or in-person – but technology-driven innovation has otherwise been limited. San Francisco-based Metaforms hopes to change that. The start-up, which is today announcing a $9 million funding round, says its agentic artificial intelligence (AI) tools can help leading market research firms work more quickly and cost-effectively than ever before. 'This is a business that hasn't changed a great deal over the past 20 years,' says Akshat Tyagi, who co-founded the company with Arjun S in 2022. 'Now, it really needs to evolve." Metaforms started out by developing a solution that automates a critical pain point for many market research firms. Once firms have developed a questionnaire for a specific project, it has to be coded for the online platform through which survey participants will provide their answers; this is a complex manual process that often takes several days or even weeks, but Metaforms says its AI agent will complete the work in minutes. Having built this functionality, the start-up has added additional capabilities. One AI agent will turn the project brief into the first draft of the questionnaire. Another tool can help process survey data. Data visualisation functionality is also available. Some clients buy access to all Metaforms' services, while others just want to use a single agent. But in each process that it serves, the company says it can cut the time to completion by 85-90%. Importantly, adds Arjun S, that should help market research agencies to serve more clients as well as improve their margins. 'Many agencies are currently turning away clients because they don't have capacity to take on projects that don't meet cost and scale criteria,' he says. It's a value proposition that appears to be striking a chord with customers. Metaforms has signed up four of the world's top 20 market research agencies in the past six months alone, as well as a number of smaller clients. That has seen it reach $2 million of annual recurring revenues, with the company setting a target of $10 million this year. 'We expect to be working with all 20 of those agencies by the end of the year,' says Tyagi. The good news for the business is that competition is relatively limited. Some agencies are experimenting with generic AI tools, but Metaforms believes the idiosyncrasies of the industry means domain expertise is required to get good results. There are also new entrants to the industry, including Listen Labs and SightX, which are seeking to displace incumbent firms. However, Tyagi argues: 'This is a sector where brand and trust are crucial, so we think it makes more sense to work with existing agencies to help them win more business, rather than to fight those agencies for clients.' Metaforms also hopes that competition from these new entrants will spur incumbents to focus on productivity and innovation. Investors in the business appear to agree. Today's $9 million Series A round is led by Peak XV Partners, with participation from Nexus Venture Partners and Together Fund. 'Metatorms is not just automating tasks; it is rebuilding research infrastructure for the modern era,' argues Manav Garg, co-founder and managing partner at Together Fund. At Nexus Venture Partners, partner Jishnu Bhattacharjee adds: 'They're solving a major pain point for the entire industry.'
Pink Villa
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
5 Latest Telugu films to watch on OTT this week (May 19 - May 25): Sarangapani Jathakam, Arjun S/o Vyjayanthi to Viral Prapancham
Looking for something new to watch? This week's Telugu OTT releases offer a mix of genres and engaging stories. Whether you're in the mood for action, romance, or drama, there's something for everyone. Don't miss out on these films and add them to your watchlist to treat yourself to a fantastic cinematic experience right from home. Telugu movies to watch on OTT this week 1. Sarangapani Jathakam This Telugu drama tells the story of Sarangapani, a car salesman deeply in love with his boss named Mythili. Their families plan a wedding and all seems perfect. But an astrologer predicts Sarangapani will commit murder someday. Strongly believing in this fate, he decides to kill someone early to avoid a worse outcome later. 2. Viral Prapancham Viral Prapancham follows the story of two women whose lives are shaped by love and the internet. Swapna fights to save her long-distance relationship with Ravi after four years together. Meanwhile, Aditi builds a virtual bond with Praveen through social media. Both trust their partners and the digital world. Everything changes when a shocking event disrupts their lives. 3. Bhavani Ward 1997 Cast: Gayathri Gupta, Pooja Kendre, Sai Satish Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video Bhavani Ward 1997 is a horror thriller that plunges viewers into a dark and emotional story. It follows Ajay and Diya, a couple whose love faces a terrifying challenge when Diya becomes possessed by a vengeful spirit. Their peaceful life turns into chaos filled with paranormal events and suspense. As Ajay fights to save Diya, they both are drawn into a world dominated by darkness. 4. Pendulum Pendulum is a Malayalam film that is now streaming in a Telugu dubbed version. It follows the journey of two children, Amir and Angel, who once shared the same dream. Their bond breaks when a mysterious man interrupts the dream by calling Angel. Years pass. Amir is suddenly discovered in a truck belonging to a man named Antony, triggering a series of strange events. 5. Arjun S/o Vyjayanthi Arjun S/o Vyjayanthi follows the emotional journey of Arjun, a devoted son raised by his mother, Vyjayanthi. The story opens with a striking scene where Sohail Khan's character is thrown into a dry well, surrounded by foes. At its heart, the film explores Arjun's relationship with his mother.
