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Healthtech platform Livlong 365 to invest Rs 100-Cr for expansion

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Gaurav Dubey, Founder & CEO at LivLong

Livlong 365, a healthtech platform backed by the IIFL Group, has announced plans to invest around ₹100 crore from its internal accruals to expand its network of physical branches.

The company, which operates in preventive care, insurance distribution, diagnostics, and telehealth, intends to establish 100 physical branches by 2027.

Founded in 2021 by Gaurav Dubey, Livlong 365 focuses on outpatient departments (OPDs) in healthcare, offering services such as doctor consultations, diagnostic tests, health plans, OPD packages, home care, and online medicines.

“For us, this is not just an expansion; it’s an investment in healthier communities,” said Dubey in a prepared statement. “The Rs 100 crore capital will be directed towards building infrastructure to redefine everyday healthcare access for retail India, not just through insurance, but also through seamless wellness experience. By expanding our physical footprint, we’re getting closer to our customers and empowering agents with robust tech and clinical infrastructure.”

The company also aims to make outpatient care and health insurance more accessible in tier-I and tier-II cities, with a target to achieve $400–500 million in revenue over the next five years.

HAI introduces mentorship platform for hospitality sector

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The Hotel Association of India (HAI), the apex body for the nation’s hospitality industry, has rolled out an industry-first, structured mentoring initiative exclusively tailored for the hotel sector. This landmark program comes amid strong growth in hospitality, especially across tier-2 and tier-3 cities, covering roughly 50 locations nationwide.

The initiative is designed to tackle the growing talent gap in the Indian hotel industry while fostering sustainable sector growth. Its core focus areas include leadership development, career advancement, organizational culture enhancement, and strategies to attract, retain, and engage skilled employees. The program’s operational framework was crafted by a panel of domain experts from HAI member hotels.

Calling the program a transformative move for Indian tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, The Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, said during the launch: “The Hotel Association of India’s innovative program marks a significant step towards establishing India as a global tourism powerhouse, with an ambitious goal of creating a USD 3 trillion tourism economy by 2047. As the demand for tourism continues to surge, the need for talented and visionary leaders in hospitality has never been greater. This program will develop professionals prepared to lead the future of tourism and hospitality, setting a high standard that inspires excellence beyond our borders.”

HAI President and Radisson Hotel Group Chairman – South Asia, KB Kachru, highlighted its uniqueness: “This is a one of its kind initiative by industry experts – rooted in the guru-shishya parampara, to provide expert mentorship, and inspire a lasting commitment to the future of hospitality leadership in India. The government and industry have set a target of creating around million branded hotel rooms to achieve the India Tourism vision 2047. This will require an addition of around 100,000 middle to senior management hotel managers to the existing pool.”

HAI plans to collaborate with its member hotels to integrate this program into their brand culture, aiming to empower future leaders and solidify India’s standing as a premier global hospitality destination.

Arintra secures $21M Series A to advance GenAI-driven Revenue Assurance

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Arintra, a leading GenAI-native autonomous medical coding platform for healthcare providers, has raised $21 million in a Series A funding round led by Peak XV Partners, with participation from Endeavor Health Ventures, Y Combinator, Counterpart Ventures, Spider Capital, Ten13, and other strategic investors. The new funding will accelerate product development, scale the team, expand adoption across health systems and physician groups nationwide, and establish a new Bay Area headquarters.

Healthcare providers face tightening margins, coder shortages, and increasingly complex payer requirements. Arintra addresses these challenges by going beyond traditional autonomous coding to deliver Revenue Assurance — a proactive, outcomes-driven approach ensuring accurate, efficient, and compliant reimbursement. This model streamlines revenue cycles, reduces costs, and provides tangible ROI.

“At Arintra, we bring together autonomous medical coding, clinical documentation improvement, and denial prevention in a single platform,” said Preeti Bhargava, Co-founder and CTO of Arintra. “By helping providers document what was done, code what was documented, and properly support what was charged, we enable them to secure full, compliant reimbursement at a lower cost, with fewer delays and significantly less manual effort.”

Arintra has processed over $1 billion in healthcare charges, recovering millions in otherwise missed revenue while reducing manual work and accelerating cash flow.

  • At Mercyhealth, Arintra delivered a 5.1% revenue increase, 43% fewer denials on automated claims, a 50% reduction in work queue aging, and a 32% drop in coding costs. At Reid Health, it improved coding accuracy and sped up accounts receivable.

“We chose Arintra because it integrates deeply with Epic and changed how we code without disrupting our workflows. We went from billing delays and high denials to faster A/R and fully automated charge capture. It is one of the few AI tools that delivers hard ROI, fast,” said Muhammad Siddiqui, CIO of Reid Health.

The company’s founding was inspired by Bhargava’s personal experience of receiving an unexpectedly large bill due to a coding error after an emergency department visit, revealing the broader systemic issues in medical coding and reimbursement. This led Bhargava and co-founder Nitesh Shroff, both computer science PhDs, to reimagine medical coding as a strategic driver of healthcare’s financial health.

“Reimbursement in healthcare is fundamentally broken. Payers are moving fast, using policy and technology to shift more burden onto providers, but autonomous coding hasn’t kept up,” said Shroff. “We built Arintra to help healthcare providers secure compliant revenue at scale while easing the burden on frontline teams.”

Mohit Bhatnagar, MD at Peak XV, added: “The disruption of the $150 billion healthcare reimbursements industry will be one of AI’s defining impacts. Arintra’s autonomous system tackles one of the hardest challenges for providers; translating clinical documentation into accurate insurance codes so they get paid fairly and fast. The results speak for themselves; providers are recovering millions in lost revenue by partnering with Arintra. It is a great example of vertical AI done right – real enterprise adoption, clear ROI, and an ambitious roadmap as models continue to improve. After backing Nitesh and Preeti at seed through our Surge Program, Peak XV Partners is excited to double down and lead Arintra’s Series A round.”

Arintra’s GenAI-native platform blends large language models with clinical knowledge graphs to interpret patient charts in context and apply specialty-specific coding rules precisely. All codes generated are fully explainable and auditable, fostering trust in a high-stakes environment. The system integrates natively with leading EHRs such as Epic and Athena, operating seamlessly within existing workflows.

With measurable ROI, proven customer impact, and a deep understanding of healthcare’s revenue challenges, Arintra is positioned to become the go-to partner for revenue assurance as it expands capabilities and adoption nationwide.

Fern Hotels & Resorts powers significant expansion of ‘Series by Marriott’

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The Fern Hotels & Resorts has reported an impressive response to its latest venture, Series by Marriott, an exclusive collaboration with Marriott International. Since its debut, the partnership has received attention from the Indian hospitality industry, securing over ten Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with independent hotel owners within the first month.

Many of these hotel owners have also shown confidence in the brand’s vision, actively working to transition their existing properties to the Series by Marriott label. This swift adoption reflects strong trust in The Fern’s sustainability-led approach and Marriott’s renowned global standards.

The brand’s momentum was highlighted during The Fern Day at the Global Design & Development Confluence 2025, hosted by Marriott International alongside Hotelier India. A key feature of the event was the unveiling of the Mock-Up Room, designed to showcase the sustainability-focused aesthetic and design philosophy of The Fern Hotels & Resorts, Series by Marriott. The eco-conscious room concept received significant praise from developers, hoteliers, and industry leaders.

Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific Excluding China, Marriott International, said: “With most of the Fern Hotels across India set to join Marriott International’s portfolio, it is a powerful testament to the trust in Marriott’s brand strength, distribution network, and world-class standards. This also marks a significant leap for our company’s growth story in India, a nation that is set to be Marriott’s third largest market globally. Series by Marriott’s launch across India will underscore our growth strategy outside getaway cities and further highlight our ability to deliver value to owners and exceptional experiences to guests. Our collaboration with The Fern Hotels & Resorts is off to a fabulous start, and we are excited about the opportunities this will unlock in the years ahead.”

Rahul Chaudhary, Managing Director & CEO, CG Corp Global and CG Hospitality Holdings, added: “Our vision is to expand to 500 hotels in the next 5 years and we are already seeing strong momentum towards that goal after our collaboration with Marriott International. This alliance brings together the best of global hospitality, excellence and The Fern’s deep rooted sustainability focus, creating a growth platform that benefits our guests, partners and communities.”

Suhail Kannampilly, Managing Director, The Fern Hotels & Resorts, shared: “The response we’ve received for The Fern Hotels & Resorts, Series by Marriott has surpassed all expectations. It is heartening to see such alignment between our commitment to sustainable hospitality and the industry’s growing appetite for innovation, comfort and responsible design. We’re excited to grow this collaboration and expand our footprint across India.”

With growing interest and new collaborations already underway, The Fern Hotels & Resorts is optimistic about the brand’s expansion. As more properties adopt the Series by Marriott name, the group remains focused on delivering exceptional and sustainable guest experiences.

StampMyVisa expands reach with acquisition of travel-tech startup Teleport

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(L-R) Pravin Wadekar and Rahul Borude cofounders, StampMyVisa

StampMyVisa (SMV), a leading B2B visa platform, has acquired Teleport, a South India-based travel-tech startup focused on simplifying visa applications for young travellers. Teleport’s backers include prominent Indian startup founders such as Kunal Shah (CRED), Vidit Aatrey (Meesho), and Phanindra Sama (RedBus).

The acquisition represents a major milestone in SMV’s mission to scale and streamline its visa services across India and Southeast Asia. The company aims to combine Teleport’s digital-first, consumer-focused approach with SMV’s robust B2B ecosystem and operational expertise.

Founded in 2023 by Pravin Wadekar, Amey Anekar, and Rahul Borude, StampMyVisa enables travel agents, corporates, OTAs, and MICE companies to process visas for over 60 countries. With a reported 99.5% success rate, the platform has processed over 50,000 visas in just six months. Over the last eight months, SMV’s revenue has quadrupled, highlighting growing market demand. The company is in the final stages of raising $3 million to fuel further expansion.

SMV co-founder and CEO Rahul Borude, formerly with CRED, commented, “This moment feels like coming full circle — from being part of CRED’s early team to now acquiring a startup backed by Kunal Shah. Teleport has built a loyal user base and strong brand affinity among young Indian travelers. With this acquisition, we are bringing together the best of both worlds: Teleport’s consumer innovation and SMV’s scalable visa infrastructure.”

A core strength of SMV is its API platform, Konveyor, which enables travel platforms, banks, OTAs, and fintechs to integrate visa services directly into their apps or websites.

Teleport, founded in 2022 in Mumbai by Nikita Dresswala, was created to make travel visa applications easier. Its platform guides users through the entire process — from application submission to final approval. The startup has raised $507,000 in seed funding from Angel List and other investors.

CoreWeave tops revenue forecast on AI surge, but stock dips on wider loss

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CoreWeave surpassed Wall Street’s quarterly revenue expectations on Tuesday, driven by soaring demand for its cloud services amid the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence tools. However, a larger-than-anticipated net loss triggered a 10% drop in shares during after-hours trading.

The company operates 33 AI data centers across the U.S. and Europe, offering access to Nvidia chips, which remain highly sought after by enterprises to train and run large AI models in an increasingly competitive market.

For the second quarter, CoreWeave reported revenue of $1.21 billion, exceeding the $1.08 billion estimate. Its revenue backlog reached $30.1 billion as of June 30, up from $25.9 billion on March 31.

“Demand is humming, but it is the cost of growth that tempered the stock down in aftermarket trading,” said Michael Ashley Schulman of Running Point Capital Advisors.

Operating expenses rose sharply to $1.19 billion in Q2, compared with $317.7 million a year earlier. The net loss stood at $290.5 million, far above analysts’ expectations of $190.6 million, according to LSEG data.

“We are scaling rapidly as we look to meet the unprecedented demand for AI,” CEO Michael Intrator said. “There’s a lot of different pieces that are constrained, but ultimately the piece that is the most significant challenge right now is accessing power shells that are capable of delivering the scale of infrastructure that our clients are requiring.”

CoreWeave reaffirmed the advantages of its $9 billion all-stock acquisition of crypto miner Core Scientific, a move set to secure the firm’s entire 1.3 GW power capacity under contract and its future pipeline. This comes despite opposition from Two Seas Capital, Core Scientific’s largest shareholder, which announced last week it would vote against the sale.

Investor attention has also centered on CoreWeave’s dependence on a few major clients. The company recently expanded contracts with hyperscalers to accommodate both their internal and external AI demand.

“The backlog surge to $30B+ suggests demand visibility well beyond 2025, but the concentration in mega-customers like OpenAI means those relationships remain both the crown jewel and the single point of failure,” said eMarketer analyst Jeremy Goldman.

CoreWeave has witnessed rising interest in AI inference, particularly for models employing chain-of-thought reasoning, which solves problems through logical sequences — a method emphasized by advanced AI labs such as OpenAI.

“The actual quality of the intelligence was improved so much by the chain-of-reasoning models, but it also requires an incredible increase in the amount of computing to be able to drive that level of accuracy,” Intrator said in an interview.

The Livingston, New Jersey-based firm increased its annual revenue forecast to $5.15–$5.35 billion, up from the prior $4.9–$5.1 billion projection. Shares were trading at $133.71 after hours, with the stock having nearly tripled since its March IPO. The company also maintained its annual capital expenditure outlook.

Hafele strengthens presence in Ahmedabad with launch of new design studio

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Hafele has expanded its retail network in Ahmedabad with the opening of a new Hafele Design Studio, developed in partnership with franchise associate Creative Décor. Located on Sardar Patel Ring Road, near Evergreen Party Plot and behind 7 Ways Hotel at Science City Circle, Bhadaj, the 2,350 sq. ft. space brings together

Hafele’s full spectrum of premium interior solutions under one roof. The studio offers an engaging, hands-on environment where customers can explore, interact with, and experience the brand’s cutting-edge offerings in real-world settings.

The design studio’s layout has been carefully curated to demonstrate practical applications, showing how Hafele products integrate seamlessly into everyday living. Acting as a one-stop hub for homeowners, architects, and interior designers, the space features a wide selection of solutions — from architectural hardware and furniture fittings to kitchen and wardrobe systems, sliding mechanisms, surfaces, water solutions, lighting, and digital locks.

Commenting on the launch, Frank Schloeder, Managing Director of Hafele South Asia, said, “Ahmedabad is one of the fastest-growing real estate and design markets in India, and the new Hafele Design Studio, launched in collaboration with our franchise partner Creative Décor, is designed to provide customers with an immersive experience where they can explore, interact with, and understand our complete range of interior solutions. This franchisee is not just a store but a design destination that reflects Hafele’s commitment to innovation, functionality, and customer-centricity.”

The Ahmedabad outlet, managed by Creative Décor, highlights Hafele’s comprehensive product portfolio tailored to the city’s rapidly expanding real estate and design demand. This launch further underscores the company’s mission to expand its retail footprint and bring German engineering expertise along with global design innovations closer to local consumers through robust partnerships.

From compact living concepts and smart home security to multifunctional kitchen and wardrobe systems, the studio showcases solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of modern Indian homes.

With automation-enabled displays, interactive product demonstrations, and forward-thinking design inspirations, the Hafele Design Studio stands as a complete destination for customers looking to upgrade their living spaces with the latest trends, technologies, and Hafele’s hallmark precision.

Dashverse raises $13M in Series A funding to advance GenAI-driven entertainment platforms

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Dashverse CoFounders (L-R)Sanidhya Narain, Lalith Gudipati, Soumyadeep Mukherje
Dashverse CoFounders (L-R)Sanidhya Narain, Lalith Gudipati, Soumyadeep Mukherje

AI entertainment startup Dashverse has secured USD 13 million in a Series A funding round led by Peak XV Partners, with Z47 and Stellaris Venture Partners returning as investors. According to the company, this marks the largest Series A round in its sector to date.

The fresh capital will be used to enhance Dashverse’s proprietary AI technology and develop new tools for serialized content creation. Its recently launched microdrama app, DashReels, has already crossed 5 million downloads within just a month of launch.

“We’re entering a new era where content creation is no longer gated by resources, but by imagination,” said Sanidhya Narain, Co-founder and CEO of Dashverse.

“Just as camera phones turned everyone into a creator and unlocked platforms like Instagram and TikTok, generative AI will do the same for storytelling, but with far more powerful formats. This funding fuels our mission to build the creative infrastructure for this shift where mobile-first, serialized content becomes the default, not the exception.”

Abhishek Mohan, Principal at Peak XV Partners, remarked, “The creator economy is undergoing a seismic shift driven by generative AI, and Dashverse is at the very heart of this transformation. Their unique approach, combining proprietary AI with a deep understanding of storytelling and creator workflows, sets them apart.”

Aakash Kumar, Managing Director at Z47, added, “Dashverse is building a powerful engine for mobile-first, AI-native storytelling, at a pace that matches how audiences consume today. As one of India’s most promising AI startups, they reflect the country’s growing edge in global innovation.”

Naman Lahoty, Partner at Stellaris Venture Partners, commented, “We partnered with Lalith, Sanidhya, and Soumyadeep at the idea stage, when they were already ahead of the curve, envisioning an AI-native future for entertainment well before the world knew of ChatGPT. Today, they’ve built one of the finest applied-AI teams in the country.”

Founded in 2023 by Narain, Lalith Gudipati, and Soumyadeep Mukherjee, Dashverse operates an ecosystem of platforms — DashReels for short dramas, Frameo.AI for generative video production, and Dashtoon for digital comics — collectively serving over 20 million users worldwide.

Pronto secures $11M to expand home services across Indian metros

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Anjali Sardana, Founder & CEO, Pronto

Home services startup Pronto has raised $11 million (about ₹96 crore) in a funding round co-led by General Catalyst and Glade Brook Capital, with Bain Capital Ventures also participating. The latest round values Pronto at $45 million (around ₹394 crore), up from its last $2 million raise from Bain Capital.

The funds will be used to onboard and train 10,000 more professionals, strengthen quality-assurance systems, and build real-time operations technology.

Founded in April 2025 by Anjali Sardana, Pronto links Gurugram households with trained staff for cleaning, laundry, utensil washing, and basic meal preparation. The company operates on a shift-based model, enabling 10-minute fulfilment while providing workers with guaranteed shifts and higher pay.

Pronto plans to expand into Mumbai, Bengaluru, and other metro cities within the next 12–18 months, setting up micro-hubs in residential clusters for faster service delivery. Unlike hourly billing, the company charges per completed task, with an average order value between ₹200–₹300. Initially incorporated in Delaware, US, Pronto has since relocated its headquarters to India.

The home services market has long been dominated by IPO-bound Urban Company, but newer entrants are stirring competition. In May 2025, rival on-demand platform Snabbit raised $19 million in a Lightspeed-led round.

The arrival of players like Pronto and Snabbit signals a shift toward greater consumer choice and heightened competition in a sector that had seen little disruption in the past few years.

Truemeds raises $85M in Series C funding to expand affordable chronic care medicines in Non-metro Indian markets

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Truemeds co-founders: Akshat NayyarCo-Founder, CEO and Dr Kunal WaniCo-Founder, COO
Truemeds co-founders: Akshat NayyarCo-Founder, CEO and Dr Kunal WaniCo-Founder, COO

E-pharmacy and telehealth platform Truemeds has raised $85 million in Series C funding to drive expansion into smaller cities and towns. The round, completed in two tranches, was first led by Accel and later by Peak XV Partners, with ongoing support from WestBridge Capital and Info Edge Ventures.

The Mumbai-based company will use the capital to triple its national presence by adding fulfillment centers in high-demand non-metro areas, hiring top engineering and product talent, and opening a new technology hub in Bengaluru.

Founded in 2019 by Akshat Nayyar and Dr. Kunal Wani, Truemeds focuses on chronic care medicines, using a proprietary algorithm to recommend lower-cost, clinically equivalent alternatives to branded drugs. This approach helps patients save between 50% and 70% on their monthly bills, fueling more than 100% year-over-year growth.

India’s shifting demographics support the company’s mission—21% of the country’s 158 million elderly live with at least one chronic illness, with rates reaching 29% in cities. Outside metros, affordability and consistent access to quality medicines remain significant challenges.

“Our vision is simple—to bring the lowest prices for medicines in India while ensuring every patient gets the quality they can trust,” said Nayyar. “With this funding, we’re ready to strengthen our foundation, grow our offerings, and reach deeper into non-metro regions.”

Beyond prescription medicines, Truemeds is moving into diagnostics, with pilot services launching in four cities in the next two quarters. The company recently debuted an iOS app and plans to integrate AI- and machine learning-powered tools for personalized patient journeys and demand forecasting.

Currently, Truemeds collaborates with about 600 doctors daily and employs 3,000 staff across fulfillment centers and offices. In line with India’s startup wealth creation trend, the company has introduced an ESOP buyback program for employees.

“Affordability continues to be a major barrier—especially in chronic care,” said Abhinav Chaturvedi, Partner at Accel. “Truemeds is bridging this gap with a clinically guided, technology-led platform that delivers transparency and accessibility at scale.”

Truemeds operates in a rapidly evolving sector where rising healthcare costs and changing consumer habits are pushing patients toward affordable generics. Competitors like Netmeds, PharmEasy, and 1mg are also deepening their generic offerings while expanding into diagnostics and teleconsultations.

Smaller players such as Medkart and Saveo are targeting semi-urban and rural markets with hybrid models that combine online ordering with physical pharmacy networks. At the same time, the industry is seeing consolidation, with large corporates and marketplaces acquiring niche platforms to expand distribution.

However, the competitive landscape is being reshaped by price regulation under India’s National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), tighter e-pharmacy rules, and the need for strict compliance in drug sourcing.