Latest news with #VentureIntelligence
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
PE-VC investments in May CY2025 hit hard, down to $1.5bn
Chennai: Private equity-venture capital (PE-VC) investments in May witnessed a sharp fall. It fell 48% over April (CY2025) at $2.9 billion and plunged by $2.3 billion when compared with May last year (CY2024) at $3.8 billion. The investments as on May 30, 2025, exclude those from the real estate sector. 'Buyouts have been a key driver of the value of PE investments in recent years. Even in the first quarter of 2025, global PE firms like KKR and TPG, as well as home grown firms like Multiples PE and Everstone have executed significant such control transactions. The pace of large buyout announcements have significantly slowed down in the last couple of months - contributing to the decline in PE investment value,' Arun Natarajan, founder, Venture Intelligence told TOI. Assuming the global economic turbulence settles down, we can expect more confident bets by both Indian and international investors, he added. In May, Porter, an on-demand logistics platform, raising $200 million in a Series F round led by Kedaara Capital and Wellington Management topped the PE-VC investments. It was followed by private equity fund Norwest announcing that it has led a Rs 1,465-crore investment in the non-bank lender IKF Finance. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dermatologista recomenda: simples truque elimina o fungo facilmente Acabe com o Fungo Undo Growth in the PE-VC investment sector was also flat during the Jan-May period of CY2025 at $13.5 billion against $13.2 billion during the corresponding period last year, data released by research firm Venture Intelligence on Friday showed. It was dominated by institutional investments in late stage companies that are more than 10 years old at $3.9 billion. Apart from global macro uncertainty, factors including shift in investors sentiment, who are being more cautious with capital deployment influenced investments, according to analysts. Ashutosh Kumar Jha- general partner at Expert Dojo, a US-based startup accelerator and VC firm said, many VC and PE funds have shifted their focus from volume to value. 'These dips aren't always bad news. Sometimes, they just mean investors are thinking harder about where to place their bets.' Noting that dominance of late-stage deals indicate that investors are doubling down on companies that have proven business models and closer to profitability or IPOs, he said, 'Growth looks flat, but this phase could be laying the groundwork for a healthier and more disciplined investment cycle in the second half of the year,' he added. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India's supplements wild west; Payments firms' SaaS play
India's supplements wild west; Payments firms' SaaS play Want this newsletter delivered to your inbox? Also in the letter: Pills, promotions and a dose of doubt: Influencers, VC money fuel India's booming supplements market Growing concern: Most supplements are sold directly to consumers via ecommerce websites and quick-commerce apps. They're available over the counter – no prescription, no pharmacist, and often, no evidence that they work. Multiple experts and industry executives told us this supplement boom is driven by post-Covid-19 health consciousness, amplified by influencer marketing, and backed by venture capital (VC). Tell me more: The sector attracted over $500 million in funding between 2020 and May 2025, according to data firm Venture Intelligence. Brands like Plix, Kapiva, Fast&Up, and The Good Bug are leaning into influencer-led marketing, with some partnering with doctors and wellness experts to add a veneer of credibility. Industry analysts say brands spend anywhere between 15-30% of their budgets on influencer marketing. What about regulation? In India, most supplements are regulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, not the drug regulator. This means weaker scrutiny and lighter penalties. Online pay aggregators focus on anti-fraud tech to up revenues Tell me more: Quote, unquote: Zoom out: Sponsor ETtech Top 5 & Morning Dispatch! Why it matters: The opportunity: Reach a highly engaged audience of decision-makers. Boost your brand's visibility among the tech-savvy community. Custom sponsorship options to align with your brand's goals. What's next: IT's Q1 headcount growth likely to stay flat despite improved macro Driving the news: Hiring demand for new IT joinees continues to hover around 55,000, well below the brief peak of 80,000 seen earlier in 2025, according to staffing firm Xpheno. There are currently 60,000 open roles in the IT services segment. Job scenario: AI-led hiring: Quote, unquote: Other Top Stories By Our Reporters Tatas rope in Intel veteran Tim McIntosh to steer Assam chip assembly plant: Spacetech gets an opening as India seeks more eyes in the sky: Info Edge's shareholders clear Rs 1,000 crore VC fund play: Byju's app taken down from Google Play Store: Apple's India bet reflects global confidence: Rajeev Chandrasekhar | Global Pick We Are Reading Happy Monday! As over-the-counter health supplements are increasingly available online, concerns arise about their efficacy and regulation. This and more in the latest edition of ETtech's Morning Dispatch.■ Tepid IT job demand■ Top Tata Electronics' hire■ Info Edge readies VC fundFrom collagen powders and gut health liquids to magnesium tablets and hormone-balancing pills, wellness supplements have become lifestyle staples in post-pandemic India. However, as demand surges, so do questions around efficacy and oversight Payment companies are transforming their in-house fraud detection tools into software-as-a-service (SaaS) products for banks and fintechs, unlocking a new source of recurring revenue Payment aggregators (PAs) like PayU, Razorpay, and PhonePe have developed fraud detection systems to safeguard their platforms. Now, they are pitching these tools to lenders, promising improved transaction rates and enhanced customer security.'While we already work with large banks to address their payment fraud needs, many mid- and small-sized financial institutions need strong technology solutions to fight payment fraud. We are also targeting this segment, and the opportunity is significant,' said Anirban Mukherjee, chief executive officer, competition intensifies and regulatory caps squeeze margins, payment firms are eyeing SaaS as a more stable, margin-friendly revenue stream beyond their core payment Top 5 and Morning Dispatch are must-reads for India's tech and business leaders, including startup founders, investors, policy makers, industry insiders and Reach out to us at spotlightpartner@ to explore sponsorship growth in the IT sector is expected to remain flat , experts say, even as a pause on US President Donald Trump's 'reciprocal' tariffs lifts some clouds of 88% of active demand is concentrated in technology and engineering roles. The remaining 12% spans consulting, project management, business development, analysts, and other support functions, Xpheno firms prioritising quality over volume, demand is shifting towards 'future-ready' specialised roles in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, cloud, and cybersecurity. These segments are reported to grow by 30-75%, depending on the area, according to another staffing firm, Teamlease.'Although there is long-term optimism, companies remain cautious in the short term, reflecting a careful approach to hiring amid ongoing global uncertainties,' said Neeti Sharma, CEO, Teamlease Electronics has appointed Tim McIntosh as vice president and head of operations and manufacturing for Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test (TSAT), marking the latest leadership hire of an Intel veteran at the India currently has around 10–11 defence satellites operated by ISRO, "revisit times are long" and there's an urgent need for more satellites , Lt Gen AK Bhatt (Retd), DG of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), told Noida-based firm will invest up to Rs 1,000 crore in Info Edge Ventures Fund III , paving the way for increased startup Byju's app has been removed from the Google Play Store due to payment disruptions for its services, while other apps remain available on the ongoing expansion of its iPhone manufacturing operations in India indicates increasing global confidence in the country's electronics manufacturing ecosystem, said former IT minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar.■ India's richest man can't crack e-commerce, even with Shein ( Rest Of World ■ Gemini in Chrome feels like a small step toward Google's agentic era ( The Verge ■ founder plots potential deal to buy failed company ( FT
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Deeptech startups snagged $324 million in first four months of the year
ETtech Live Events The R&D-focused and innovation-anchored deeptech ecosystem, contrary to perception, is lately drawing more money—and deals. Venture Intelligence data showed investments in deeptech doubled in the first four months of 2025 to $324 million across 35 deals, compared with $156 million in the same period last year that saw 21 such of the biggest deeptech deals in 2025 included a $90 million investment in Netradyne , an AI-based fleet management platform, by Qualcomm Ventures, Point72 Ventures and others; $54 million in SpotDraft, an AI-based contract management firm, from Trident Capital and others; $35 million investment in predictive maintenance service platform Infinite Uptime by Tiger Global, GSR Ventures and $21 million in Tonbo Imaging, which offers imaging and sensor systems to military, by Florintree and broadly refers to technology-based innovation that hinges on advanced scientific and engineering research, which require significant expertise, capital and union minister Piyush Goyal 's comment on the lack of a deeptech ecosystem certainly triggered the conversation, deeptech ecosystem has been seeing increasing interest for a while Natarajan, managing partner, Mela Ventures, said that unlike a few years ago, deeptech is seeing more commercial use cases making the sector Subramaniam, managing partner, Yali Capital, which has Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan as an advisor, said that there are more companies that are being created in deeptech now than before. This is formed by people from premier institutions and executives from multinational companies, who are choosing to stay back in the Shankar, co-founder, Java Capital, a deeptech fund, said that recent times have seen several government initiatives that attempt to grow the deeptech ecosystem in the country such as Rs 10,000 crore fund of funds to invest in deeptech and other initiatives that support semiconductors, space, and these are resulting in increased competition for deeptech deals in India.A partner from a deeptech fund told ET that they are now competing with larger players in early stage deeptech deals and are closing more as well. 'This year alone we have closed 4-5 deals at a higher valuation. We used to do 7-8 per year,' the investor Capital's Shankar said that initial investment for deeptech companies is now upwards of $4-5 million now, compared to $2-3 million a couple of years is also gaining momentum. For instance, Mela Ventures has invested along with Blume in Optimized ElectroTech, a defence technology Natarajan said that, unlike consumer technology startups, the model of investment for deeptech needs to be different as it takes a longer time to commercialise. 'If it is a 3–5-year horizon for consumer technology startups, in deeptech it requires 8-10 years. They also need intense involvement, hand-holding and mentoring to help them through the process,' he addition, one of the key challenges is also market creation. Natarajan explained that in many cases these startups are catering to the market that either does not exist or require firms to adopt a newer way. While funds like them are helping companies to reach the commercialisation stage, there is a need for intervention to drive market adoption. 'Like how the government offered subsidies for EVs (electric vehicles) there must be some incentives for customers to adopt deeptech solutions,' he added.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Deeptech startups raked in $324 million in first four months of this year
The R&D-focused and innovation-anchored deeptech ecosystem, contrary to perception, is lately drawing more money—and deals. Venture Intelligence data showed investments in deeptech doubled in the first four months of 2025 to $324 million across 35 deals, compared with $156 million in the same period last year that saw 21 such commitments. Some of the biggest deeptech deals in 2025 included a $90 million investment in Netradyne , an AI-based fleet management platform, by Qualcomm Ventures, Point72 Ventures and others; $54 million in SpotDraft, an AI-based contract management firm, from Trident Capital and others; $35 million investment in predictive maintenance service platform Infinite Uptime by Tiger Global, GSR Ventures and $21 million in Tonbo Imaging, which offers imaging and sensor systems to military, by Florintree and others. Deeptech broadly refers to technology-based innovation that hinges on advanced scientific and engineering research, which require significant expertise, capital and time. While union minister Piyush Goyal 's comment on the lack of a deeptech ecosystem certainly triggered the conversation, deeptech ecosystem has been seeing increasing interest for a while now. ETtech Live Events More interest Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories Krishnakumar Natarajan, managing partner, Mela Ventures, said that unlike a few years ago, deeptech is seeing more commercial use cases making the sector attractive. Ganapathy Subramaniam, managing partner, Yali Capital, which has Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan as an advisor, said that there are more companies that are being created in deeptech now than before. This is formed by people from premier institutions and executives from multinational companies, who are choosing to stay back in the country. Vinod Shankar, co-founder, Java Capital, a deeptech fund, said that recent times have seen several government initiatives that attempt to grow the deeptech ecosystem in the country such as Rs 10,000 crore fund of funds to invest in deeptech and other initiatives that support semiconductors, space, and biotech. All these are resulting in increased competition for deeptech deals in India. Rising competition A partner from a deeptech fund told ET that they are now competing with larger players in early stage deeptech deals and are closing more as well. 'This year alone we have closed 4-5 deals at a higher valuation. We used to do 7-8 per year,' the investor said. Java Capital's Shankar said that initial investment for deeptech companies is now upwards of $4-5 million now, compared to $2-3 million a couple of years ago. Co-investing is also gaining momentum. For instance, Mela Ventures has invested along with Blume in Optimized ElectroTech, a defence technology startup. Challenges Persist Mela's Natarajan said that, unlike consumer technology startups, the model of investment for deeptech needs to be different as it takes a longer time to commercialise. 'If it is a 3–5-year horizon for consumer technology startups, in deeptech it requires 8-10 years. They also need intense involvement, hand-holding and mentoring to help them through the process,' he explained. In addition, one of the key challenges is also market creation. Natarajan explained that in many cases these startups are catering to the market that either does not exist or require firms to adopt a newer way. While funds like them are helping companies to reach the commercialisation stage, there is a need for intervention to drive market adoption. 'Like how the government offered subsidies for EVs (electric vehicles) there must be some incentives for customers to adopt deeptech solutions,' he added.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Funding is no longer a major issue for startups in India: Paytm's Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Live Events While acknowledging that there is always a global shortage of capital to build ventures, Vijay Shekhar Sharma , founder and chief executive of One 97 Communications, which runs fintech platform Paytm , said that funding is no longer a major issue in India.'Investors across the world will value you for building for India or in India. And that, I think, is the greatest achievement of the previous generation handed over to the next generation,' Sharma said at the TIE Delhi-NCR summit on Indian startup ecosystem , which experienced a significant funding slowdown in 2023, began showing early signs of recovery as deal activity started to improve in the second half of 2024. Per private company data provider Venture Intelligence, Indian startups had raised $10.9 billion as of December 13 last year compared to $9.6 billion in addition, according to Sharma, startups no longer struggle with the talent shortages that companies had to deal with earlier. 'The problem we all used to face from the 1990s to the 2010s was that people coming out of engineering colleges, etc. were going abroad. Big companies and international jobs were the main reasons and drivers for this,' he said, noting that startups now actively recruit from colleges, with students showing equal interest in joining added that knowledge will be democratised, and those who know how to use AI will be ahead of those who don't. 'AI will help solve talent issues,' he referring to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal's call for Indian startups to move beyond delivery platforms to more advanced sectors such as semiconductors, robotics, artificial intelligence, and next-generation manufacturing, Sharma said that India's AI model needs to have a differentiating factor.'This talk is going on about who will make AI and what will they make. So, more than the challenge, I would say the expectation is that we will create a world product from India,' he added.
