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Lords Hotels Opens new property near Golden Temple

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Lords Hotels & Resorts has announced the launch of its newest property, Lords Inn Amritsar, further strengthening the group’s presence across India’s premier spiritual and leisure destinations. Strategically located just 80 steps from the revered Sri Harmandir Sahib (The Golden Temple), the hotel offers unparalleled accessibility and convenience in the heart of the holy city.

The newly operational 54-room property is designed to provide travelers with a seamless blend of contemporary comfort, modern amenities, and the brand’s signature warm hospitality. Featuring well-appointed accommodations, curated dining facilities, and personalized services, the hotel is perfectly tailored to cater to pilgrims, families, and leisure tourists alike.

Beyond its proximity to the Golden Temple, the property ensures easy access to Amritsar’s most prominent historical and cultural landmarks, including Jallianwala Bagh, the Akal Takht, and the city’s vibrant local markets.

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Pushpendra Bansal, COO, Lords Hotels & Resorts, said, “The launch of Lords Inn Amritsar reflects our continued focus on expanding our footprint in destinations that hold profound tourism and cultural significance. With its exceptional location near the Golden Temple, this hotel will cater to the growing influx of travelers by offering comfortable stays, thoughtful services, and the trusted hospitality standards that define Lords Hotels & Resorts.”

Commenting on the expansion, Mr. Vikas Suri, Vice President, Lords Hotels & Resorts, added, “Lords Inn Amritsar is a significant addition to our portfolio, given its proximity to one of India’s most revered landmarks. Our goal is to provide guests with a seamless and comforting stay experience, ensuring warm, personalized hospitality that enhances their spiritual and cultural journey in this iconic city.”

Amritsar, celebrated for its rich heritage, deeply rooted traditions, and vibrant culinary scene, continues to be a top destination for global travelers. With the opening of Lords Inn Amritsar, the group offers an ideal base to experience the true spirit and authentic flavors of Punjab.

About Lords Hotels & Resorts

Lords Hotels & Resorts is one of India’s leading mid-market hospitality brands, known for delivering quality stays across leisure, business, and pilgrimage destinations in India and Nepal. With a steadily expanding portfolio, the brand remains committed to offering value-driven experiences backed by reliable service and warm hospitality.

Crib App Acquires CirclePe to Bring Zero-Deposit Renting and Upfront Operator Financing to India’s Co-Living Market

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Sunny Garg, Shaifali Jain, and Archit Chauhan, co-founders, Crib
  • The acquisition pairs Crib’s property management platform with CirclePe’s financing engine, letting tenants move in with no security deposit while coliving operators receive their rent upfront.
  • CirclePe was valued at ₹35 crore during its funding round in May 2024, when it successfully raised ₹7.5 crore from OTP Ventures and a group of prominent angel investors and entrepreneurs.

Gurugram, July 1, 2026 — Crib App (“Crib”), the AI-powered property management platform for co-living spaces, hostels, and PGs, today announced it has acquired CirclePe, a rent financing company that lets tenants rent without a security deposit and pays operators their rent in advance. The combination brings embedded finance directly into the rental lifecycle: tenants pay no upfront deposit, and operators receive their rent and deposit gap financed upfront, freeing working capital to grow.

CirclePe was founded by Navan Jaiswal and Ankur Yadav. In May 2024, the company raised close to ₹7.5 crore in its pre-seed funding round at a valuation of around ₹35 crore. The round was led by OTP Ventures, with participation from 1947 Rise, iSeed, IIT Delhi, Venture Catalysts, and founders and CXOs from OfBusiness, BharatPe, Uni Cards, OYO, and other leading companies.

The acquisition of CirclePe by Crib brings both products together under one roof.

Rental housing is one of the largest untapped opportunities for embedded finance in India. Tenants routinely lock up months of savings in security deposits, while operators wait on month-by-month collections to fund expansion. CirclePe closes that gap by partnering with NBFCs to finance the deposit or rent commitment, disbursing upfront to the operator while the tenant repays in smaller monthly amounts.

What makes this more than a feature is where it sits. Crib already powers the complete rental journey for more than 2,500 operators managing over a billion dollars in rent—inventory, agreements, onboarding, invoicing, collections, renewals, and move-outs. That gives Crib three layers most fintech products never get to own: the distribution layer, the operational data layer, and the technical infrastructure. Rather than building a disconnected external journey, Crib can embed financing natively into the platform operators already run their business on.

It also creates a data advantage that compounds over time. Crib sees real payment behavior, move-out history, occupancy trends, and property performance—the kind of signals that build a proprietary underwriting and trust layer traditional lenders and standalone fintechs simply don’t have access to.

Commenting on the acquisition, Mr. Sunny Garg, Co-Founder and CEO of Crib, said, “Deposits are the most broken part of renting in India. Tenants lock up cash they can’t use, and operators wait on money that’s already theirs. We built Crib to run the rails for co-living, and CirclePe fixes how money moves on top of them. Bringing them together means a tenant can move in with zero deposit and an operator can get paid upfront on the same platform. That’s the future of renting we want to build.”

Mr. Ankur Yadav, Co-Founder of CirclePe, said, “We started CirclePe because the deposit is a tax on moving. Tenants lose access to their own money. Joining Crib gives us the one thing a financing product needs most: scale and trust with operators who are already running their rent on the platform. Now a tenant can skip the deposit entirely, and an operator gets paid upfront, on day one, on a platform they already use.”

What changes for tenants?

A security deposit is usually the biggest cheque a tenant writes when moving in, and it sits idle for the length of the stay. With CirclePe, tenants on participating properties can move in with zero deposit and instead pay a small monthly amount on top of their rent. No large upfront cheque, no waiting at move-out to get the deposit back.

What changes for operators?

For co-living and PG operators, acquiring and furnishing buildings, plus slow rent cycles, tie up working capital that could be funding new beds and new properties. CirclePe pays operators their rent upfront and finances the deposit gap, so operators get predictable cash in hand instead of money stuck across hundreds of tenant accounts. That is capital they can put back into growth. The combined entity has already rolled out this product across multiple operators, including Housr, Blossom Stayz, Kots World, and Livstations.

About Crib

Crib is an AI-powered property management platform for co-living spaces, hostels, and PGs across India. Crib gives operators a single system to manage occupancy, payments, residents, and operations and works with more than 2,500 operators who together manage over a billion dollars in rent. Crib was founded by Sunny Garg, Shaifali Jain, and Archit Chauhan. Crib has so far raised a total of approximately $3.64 million across 7 funding rounds. Backed by a strong network of over 33 institutional and 35 angel investors.

About CirclePe

CirclePe is a rent financing product that removes the security deposit for tenants and pays operators their rent upfront. Founded by Navan Jaiswal and Ankur Yadav, CirclePe had raised about USD 1 million in a pre-seed round led by OTP Ventures, with participation from 1947 Rise, Venture Catalysts, and founders of BharatPe, OfBusiness, and Uni Cards.

For more information and media queries, contact:

Slough PR

Afrin Shaikh | Associate Director | Slough PR

afrin@sloughpr.com | sloughpr.comm@gmail.com

9930257896

Agilitas advances Sports365 acquisition to deepen sports retail presence

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Sporting goods manufacturing startup Agilitas is in advanced discussions to acquire Sports365, a company specializing in the retail of sports accessories and equipment, as it looks to expand distribution and reach a broader customer base, according to people familiar with the matter.

Founded in 2012 by Sekhar Garisa and Vishal Gupta, Sports365 was among India’s earliest e-commerce platforms focused exclusively on sporting goods. Indian tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi helped set up the venture in its formative years, and the company later attracted other prominent personalities, including cricketer Yuvraj Singh, actor Lara Dutta, and international squash player Dipika Pallikal.

Sports365 reported revenue of around ₹7 crore in FY14, its first full year of operations, and steadily expanded to a peak revenue of ₹46 crore in FY21. However, the business lost momentum after the pandemic, and its revenue declined sharply to about ₹2 crore in FY25, according to data from Tracxn.

Abhishek Ganguly, former Managing Director of Puma India and Southeast Asia, co-founded Agilitas with Atul Bajaj, former Executive Director – Sales and Operations at Puma India, and Amit Prabhu, former Chief Financial Officer of Puma India.

Although the companies have not disclosed the financial terms of the transaction, people familiar with the negotiations said the deal values Sports365 at less than its peak annual revenue of ₹46 crore.

Sports365 had raised under ₹15 crore from Powerhouse Ventures and several other investors. The company also received backing from YouWeCan, the non-profit initiative led by Yuvraj Singh.

For Agilitas, the proposed Sports365 transaction would represent another step in its acquisition-driven growth strategy. The company previously acquired Mochiko Shoes, secured long-term licensing rights to Loto, and revived One8, the sporting brand associated with cricketer Virat Kohli.

Since its inception, Agilitas has raised more than $90 million (over ₹850 crore) from investors including Virat Kohli, actress Anushka Sharma, Rainmatter, Yuvraj Singh, Convergent, and others. Around half of the latest funding round has already been secured, with the remaining capital expected to close over the next few months.

The acquisition would give Agilitas access to Sports365’s established sports retail network and digital commerce expertise, complementing its manufacturing and brand-building capabilities. It would also help Agilitas expand beyond product ownership into direct consumer engagement across equipment, accessories, and apparel categories.

Industry observers see the move as part of a broader consolidation trend in India’s sports and fitness market, where companies are combining manufacturing, branding, and retail capabilities to build integrated sports ecosystems.

If completed, the Sports365 acquisition would further strengthen Agilitas’ ambition to become a full-spectrum sports business spanning manufacturing, licensing, brand development, and retail distribution. For Sports365, the deal could provide fresh capital, operational support, and access to a larger consumer platform after several years of declining revenue.

Hyderabad-based PruTech Solutions advances in Startup India Digital Ecosystem project

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Hyderabad-based PruTech Solutions has moved closer to securing the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) contract for the proposed Startup India Digital Ecosystem (BHASKAR) after emerging as the only technically qualified bidder. The development marks a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to modernize India’s startup ecosystem through an integrated digital platform.

According to official records, DPIIT declared PruTech Solutions technically qualified on June 29. Subsequently, the department opened the company’s financial bid on the same day, taking the BHASKAR project a step closer to implementation.

The BHASKAR platform forms a key part of DPIIT’s strategy to strengthen the digital infrastructure supporting the Startup India initiative. Through the project, the department aims to create a National Startup Master Data framework that will serve as a centralized repository for information related to startups, investors, incubators, mentors, accelerators, and various government programmes.

Moreover, DPIIT intends to simplify the startup registration and participation process by reducing duplication across multiple government portals. Currently, startup founders often submit the same information repeatedly on different platforms, while government agencies face challenges in monitoring outcomes and evaluating the impact of various schemes due to fragmented data systems.

By consolidating information into a unified digital ecosystem, the government expects the BHASKAR platform to improve transparency, streamline stakeholder engagement, strengthen policy implementation, and enable more efficient tracking of India’s growing startup landscape.

Meanwhile, the latest progress comes as another government department pursues a similar digital initiative. In June, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Startup Hub shortlisted three companies for the financial bidding stage of its proposed 360-degree startup database, which will cover startups, founders, and other participants within the ministry’s innovation ecosystem.

Although both projects seek to improve visibility and accessibility across India’s startup ecosystem, they differ in scope and coverage. The MeitY Startup Hub platform focuses specifically on startups and programmes administered by the Information Technology Ministry. In contrast, DPIIT’s BHASKAR initiative aims to build a comprehensive digital ecosystem for the broader Startup India network by connecting multiple ministries, investors, incubators, accelerators, mentors, and other ecosystem stakeholders.

As India continues to strengthen its startup ecosystem, the successful implementation of the BHASKAR platform could significantly improve data integration, policy execution, funding visibility, and collaboration across public and private innovation networks.

UK self-driving startup Wayve announces $85 Mn tender offer for employees

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Alex Kendall, Co-founder and CEO of Wayve

UK-based autonomous driving startup Wayve has launched an $85 million employee tender offer, allowing employees to sell a portion of their vested equity at the company’s latest $8.5 billion valuation. The initiative gives eligible employees an opportunity to monetize part of their holdings while remaining with the company, reflecting a growing trend among leading artificial intelligence startups to reward and retain talent.

Existing and new investors are leading the structured share sale at the valuation established in February, when Wayve secured $1.2 billion in Series D funding. The funding round was led by Eclipse, Balderton, and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, while Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, Baillie Gifford, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Uber also participated.

Notably, this marks Wayve’s second employee liquidity event. Previously, the company conducted a similar tender offer alongside its $1.05 billion Series C funding round in May 2024, reinforcing its long-term commitment to employee ownership and retention.

Furthermore, employee tender offers have become increasingly common across the AI startup ecosystem. Instead of waiting several years for an acquisition or initial public offering (IPO), fast-growing startups now provide liquidity opportunities to encourage employees to remain with the business rather than move to competitors or launch new ventures after their stock options vest.

Several AI startups have adopted similar strategies in recent months. These include Decagon, which develops enterprise AI customer service agents; ElevenLabs, known for AI-powered voice generation and speech technologies; Linear, a project management platform for software development teams; and Clay, a sales and marketing automation company that has completed two employee tender offers within the past nine months.

Moreover, investor demand continues to drive these liquidity events. Investors remain willing to purchase additional equity in rapidly growing AI startups, even at premium valuations, as they anticipate significant long-term growth and future value creation.

Meanwhile, Wayve continues to differentiate itself in the autonomous vehicle industry through its self-learning artificial intelligence technology. Unlike many autonomous driving companies that rely on pre-built high-definition maps, Wayve has developed an end-to-end neural network that learns driving behavior directly from real-world data, closely mirroring how human drivers improve through experience.

The company aims to build a general-purpose AI driver capable of operating across different countries, vehicle platforms, and road conditions without depending on highly customized mapping infrastructure.

As a result of its rapid expansion, Wayve has more than doubled its workforce to approximately 1,200 employees over the past year to accelerate research, product development, and commercial deployment.

Looking ahead, Wayve plans to launch robotaxi pilot programs with Uber later this year. Additionally, the company intends to integrate its autonomous driving AI into Nissan’s next-generation driver assistance systems beginning in 2027, further expanding its commercial footprint in the global mobility sector.

Wayve’s latest $85 million employee tender offer highlights how leading AI startups are using employee liquidity as a strategic tool to attract and retain top talent. Backed by a $8.5 billion valuation, expanding partnerships with Uber and Nissan, and continued investment in next-generation autonomous driving technology, Wayve continues to strengthen its position in the rapidly evolving self-driving vehicle industry.

Ananta Capital acquires majority stake in personal care brand Phitku

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Ananta Capital has acquired a majority stake in Phitku, one of India’s fastest-growing personal care brands, marking a significant investment in the country’s rapidly expanding clean beauty and wellness sector. The strategic acquisition will help Phitku accelerate product innovation, broaden its portfolio, and strengthen its presence across India’s personal care market.

Founded in early 2025 by Sumit Marda, Neha Marda, and Rahul Dokania, Phitku has quickly emerged as a digitally native personal care brand centered around alum (phitkari), a natural ingredient that generations of consumers have traditionally used for odor protection. The company has modernized this trusted ingredient by developing a range of clean personal care products that do not contain alcohol, artificial fragrances, or harsh chemicals.

Within just over a year of operations, Phitku has established itself as one of India’s leading natural odor protection brands. The company has achieved rapid growth across digital commerce platforms while simultaneously building a profitable business, an uncommon accomplishment for a consumer startup at such an early stage.

Despite Ananta Capital acquiring a majority stake, the founding team will continue to retain a significant ownership interest in the company. Moreover, Sumit Marda, Neha Marda, and Rahul Dokania will continue leading the business and driving its next phase of expansion.

Commenting on the investment, Ashutosh Taparia, part of the Taparia family and Founder & Managing Partner of Ananta Capital, said: “What drew us to Phitku was the category itself. Consumers today are increasingly seeking cleaner personal care products and paying closer attention to ingredients, while odor protection remains a large category with limited innovation. Phitku has modernized a trusted ingredient like alum and built a proposition that resonates with today’s consumers. We believe the brand is well positioned to lead this emerging category.”

Highlighting the company’s long-term vision for the brand, Sanjeev Taparia, part of the Taparia family, added: “We have been impressed by what the founders have built in such a short period of time. Going forward, we see an opportunity to build Phitku into a broader clean personal care platform by leveraging our consumer ecosystem, distribution network, product development capabilities, and international presence.”

Sharing his perspective on the partnership, Sumit Marda, Co-Founder & CEO of Phitku, said: “Phitku started with a simple mission, to create personal care products that are clean, effective, and easy to trust. We saw an opportunity to bring back a time-tested ingredient in a format that fits modern lifestyles and consumer expectations. The response from consumers over the last year has been very encouraging, and we are excited to partner with Ananta Capital as we enter the next phase of growth.”

Meanwhile, Rahul Dokania, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer of Phitku, added: “Our focus has been on creating products with simple ingredients and proven efficacy. With Ananta’s support, we look forward to expanding our product portfolio and bringing our philosophy of clean personal care to more consumers.”

Additionally, Neha Marda, Co-Founder & Brand Voice of Phitku, said: “Building Phitku has been about earning a place in people’s everyday routines through honesty and simplicity.”

The acquisition further strengthens Ananta Capital’s growing presence in India’s beauty and wellness sector. Over the years, the investment firm has built a diversified portfolio comprising category-leading brands across fragrances, nutraceuticals, skincare, haircare, and personal care, reflecting its continued focus on high-growth consumer businesses.

The investment also highlights rising investor confidence in India’s clean beauty and personal care market. Consumers are increasingly choosing products made with natural ingredients, transparent formulations, and chemical-free alternatives, creating significant growth opportunities for brands that prioritize ingredient safety and product efficacy.

Furthermore, digitally native brands like Phitku continue to reshape India’s personal care landscape by leveraging e-commerce, direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels, and consumer education to build trusted brands around wellness and sustainability.

As demand for clean-label personal care products continues to rise, the partnership between Ananta Capital and Phitku positions the company to scale its operations, introduce new product categories, expand distribution channels, and strengthen its leadership in India’s fast-growing natural odor protection and clean personal care market.

RARE India adds Heritage Palace Shri Joraver Vilas to its luxury hospitality portfolio

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RARE India has expanded its portfolio of experiential hospitality properties by adding Shri Joraver Vilas, a heritage palace in Santrampur, Gujarat. The latest addition strengthens the company’s collection of boutique luxury properties while promoting heritage tourism and authentic cultural experiences across India.

Located in the Mahisagar district, approximately three hours from Ahmedabad and about 145 kilometres from Vadodara Airport, Shri Joraver Vilas has served as the royal family’s residence for nearly a century. The intimate five-suite property offers guests an immersive experience rooted in history, architecture, and royal hospitality.

Maharana Saheb Shri Joraver Singhji built the Art Deco palace in 1926 as a private retreat. Today, HH Maharana Paranjayaditya and Maharani Mandakini Kumari continue to host guests, preserving the palace’s legacy while offering personalized hospitality that reflects the traditions of the Santrampur royal family.

The boutique heritage property features five individually designed suites, each decorated with carefully preserved antique furniture and period-inspired interiors. In addition, guests can enjoy landscaped gardens overlooking a private lake, while the restored Art Deco architecture enhances the property’s historic charm.

Dining forms a key part of the guest experience at Shri Joraver Vilas. Visitors can enjoy meals in the Kapchi Room, known for its intricate coloured mirror work, or dine at the scenic Neem Chowk lakeside courtyard. The culinary offerings celebrate traditional home-style recipes inspired by the regional cuisines of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, providing an authentic taste of western India’s rich culinary heritage.

Beyond the palace, guests can explore the surrounding forests and visit nearby heritage attractions, including the Rajmahal and Panchratan Mandir. The property also offers a variety of curated experiences such as birdwatching, lakeside walks, boat rides, and excursions through the region in the royal family’s restored 1970s vintage jeep, allowing visitors to discover the area’s natural beauty and cultural history.

Commenting on the partnership, HH Maharana Paranjayaditya, Shri Joraver Vilas, Santrampur, said, “Shri Joraver Vilas has always welcomed guests the way we welcome family. This palace was built as a personal home, not a grand official residence, and that is how it has always felt. We are deeply pleased to be part of the RARE India family, which shares our belief that the best hospitality comes from genuine care for the people who walk through the door.”

Sharing her views on the addition, Shoba Rudra, Founder, Rare India, said, “Shri Joraver is one of our earliest members and covers a region that has shown rural India in all its rawness. A true hidden gem, not many people know about Joraver, and that is exactly why it is RARE. Just across the border from Udaipur and not too far from Ahmedabad, the list of things to do is unique, and the stay is intimate.”

The partnership reflects the growing demand for experiential luxury travel, where travelers increasingly seek authentic cultural experiences, heritage stays, and personalized hospitality over conventional accommodations. By adding Shri Joraver Vilas to its curated portfolio, RARE India further strengthens its position as a leading promoter of boutique heritage hotels and immersive travel experiences across India.

Moreover, the addition highlights Gujarat’s expanding appeal as a heritage tourism destination. With its royal residences, historical landmarks, traditional cuisine, and natural landscapes, the region continues to attract domestic and international travelers looking for unique luxury experiences beyond mainstream tourist destinations.

As experiential travel continues to gain momentum, the collaboration between RARE India and Shri Joraver Vilas is expected to introduce more travelers to Santrampur’s rich royal heritage while preserving one of Gujarat’s lesser-known architectural and cultural treasures for future generations.

RARE India’s partnership with Shri Joraver Vilas reinforces the growing importance of heritage hospitality in India’s luxury tourism sector. By combining royal heritage, personalized hospitality, authentic regional experiences, and cultural preservation, the collaboration offers travelers a distinctive stay while promoting sustainable heritage tourism in Gujarat.

SMBC Asia Rising Fund announces $15 Mn follow-on investments in three Indian fintechs

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Rajeev Ranka, Partner – India Investments, SMBC Asia Rising Fund

SMBC Asia Rising Fund (ARF), the growth-stage investment fund backed by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), has announced follow-on investments worth $12–15 million in its portfolio companies Easy Home Finance (EHF), Vayana, and DPDzero. The fresh investments reaffirm the fund’s confidence in the three fintech companies as they continue expanding their operations and strengthening India’s financial ecosystem.

The latest investments follow successful fundraising rounds completed by each of the portfolio companies over the past year, highlighting their growth trajectory and increasing investor confidence.

Earlier this year, Easy Home Finance (EHF) secured $30 million in a Series funding round to accelerate the expansion of its affordable housing finance business. With the latest raise, the company’s total funding has reached $80 million, positioning it to serve a larger base of homebuyers across India.

Meanwhile, trade finance platform Vayana attracted follow-on primary and secondary investments from its existing shareholders after obtaining its Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) licence last year. The company had previously raised $20.5 million in 2024 through a funding round led by SMBC Asia Rising Fund.

Similarly, Bengaluru-based fintech startup DPDzero, which specializes in AI-driven debt collection, raised $7 million in August last year in a funding round led by Japanese venture capital firm GMO Venture Partners. The startup continues to develop artificial intelligence-powered solutions that help financial institutions improve debt recovery and collections efficiency.

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and venture capital firm Incubate Fund jointly launched the Singapore-based SMBC Asia Rising Fund in 2023. The corporate venture fund operates with a 10-year investment horizon and manages a corpus of $200 million.

The fund primarily invests in high-growth Asian fintech companies operating across sectors such as digital lending, payments, supply chain finance, banking-as-a-service (BaaS), digital assets, and financial infrastructure.

Commenting on the latest investments, Rajeev Ranka, Partner – India Investments, SMBC Asia Rising Fund, said, “Our follow-on investments reflect a simple principle: we increase conviction where we see sustained execution and expanding opportunity. Each of these companies has evolved meaningfully since our initial investment and is building capabilities that go beyond technology to become foundational enablers of India’s financial ecosystem.”

He further added, “Whether it is expanding access to housing finance, strengthening trade credit infrastructure, or modernising collections, these businesses are solving real structural challenges at scale.”

The fund also stated that it expects India’s next phase of financial sector growth to be driven by institutions and technology platforms that expand access to credit while improving capital efficiency across the financial ecosystem.

Furthermore, SMBC Asia Rising Fund noted that all three companies have demonstrated disciplined business growth, stronger operational performance, and improving operating leverage since receiving their initial investments. These developments have strengthened the fund’s conviction in supporting the companies through additional capital.

The latest follow-on investments also reflect the growing maturity of India’s fintech ecosystem, where investors are increasingly backing startups with proven business models, scalable technology platforms, and measurable financial performance rather than focusing solely on early-stage growth.

As India’s digital financial services market continues to expand, companies such as Easy Home Finance, Vayana, and DPDzero are playing an increasingly important role in improving access to credit, modernizing financial infrastructure, and enhancing operational efficiency for businesses and financial institutions. Through its continued backing, SMBC Asia Rising Fund aims to support these companies as they scale their operations and contribute to the next phase of India’s fintech growth story.

Embassy Office Parks REIT and Hilton launch 211-key hotel at Embassy TechVillage

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Embassy Office Parks REIT and Hilton have inaugurated the 211-key Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy TechVillage, further strengthening hospitality infrastructure within Bengaluru’s bustling Outer Ring Road business corridor. The launch marks the first phase of a larger 529-key dual-branded hotel development, reinforcing the city’s position as one of India’s leading corporate and business travel destinations.

Situated within Embassy TechVillage, one of Bengaluru’s largest integrated business parks, the newly opened hotel becomes Hilton’s fourth property developed in partnership with Embassy REIT. Later this year, the companies will unveil a full-service Hilton Hotels & Resorts property, completing the dual-branded hospitality complex.

The latest addition enhances Embassy TechVillage’s integrated mixed-use ecosystem, which serves more than 100,000 professionals across technology companies, financial institutions, consulting firms, and global capability centres (GCCs). Furthermore, the hotel enjoys direct access to the upcoming Kadubeesanahalli Metro Station, significantly improving connectivity for business travellers, corporate executives, and visitors.

Commenting on the development, Jitendra Virwani, Chairman, Embassy Group, said that the opening aligns with the group’s long-term vision of creating integrated business destinations that seamlessly combine premium office spaces with hospitality, retail, infrastructure, and lifestyle amenities.

Meanwhile, Alan Watts, President, Asia Pacific, Hilton highlighted Bengaluru’s strategic importance in Hilton’s India expansion plans. He said the city continues to rank among Hilton’s strongest growth markets due to sustained corporate demand, increasing global business travel, and rising demand for premium branded hospitality offerings.

The Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy TechVillage offers 211 contemporary guestrooms designed to cater to business and leisure travellers alike. Additionally, the property features flexible meeting and event spaces, a 24-hour fitness centre, a temperature-controlled outdoor swimming pool, and two distinct dining destinations.

Guests can enjoy authentic regional Indian cuisine at Desi Quotient, while Merigo, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, serves a diverse menu featuring international cuisine throughout the day.

With this opening, Hilton has expanded its Bengaluru portfolio to 13 hotels, making the city the hospitality company’s largest market in India. The milestone reflects Hilton’s continued investment in India’s rapidly growing hospitality sector and its focus on meeting the evolving needs of business travellers.

Moreover, the project underscores the increasing trend of integrating branded hotels within large-scale commercial campuses. Such developments allow corporate parks to offer comprehensive ecosystems that combine workplaces, accommodation, dining, meetings, and lifestyle amenities, thereby creating greater convenience for tenants, multinational corporations, and business visitors.

As Bengaluru continues to attract technology companies, global capability centres, and multinational enterprises, demand for integrated hospitality solutions is expected to grow steadily. The opening of Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy TechVillage not only strengthens Embassy REIT’s mixed-use development strategy but also reinforces Hilton’s leadership in India’s business hospitality market while supporting the city’s expanding corporate travel ecosystem.

Hotelogix launches multi-property manager to streamline hotel group operations

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Aditya Sanghi, CEO of Hotelogix

Cloud-based hospitality technology provider Hotelogix has launched its Multi-Property Manager, a new enterprise-grade solution designed to help corporate teams at the head offices of growing hotel groups and chains achieve centralized portfolio-wide visibility while improving operational control across multiple properties.

The latest solution enables hotel operators to manage their entire portfolio from a single platform, addressing longstanding challenges such as fragmented operational data, limited visibility, and inefficient business processes that often arise as hotel groups expand across cities and countries.

As hotel chains continue to grow, leadership teams frequently struggle to access real-time operational insights because key business data remains scattered across multiple systems and individual properties. Consequently, departments including operations, revenue management, distribution, marketing, and corporate leadership often find it difficult to monitor group-wide performance, respond quickly to market changes, and identify new growth opportunities.

To address these challenges, Hotelogix has developed the Multi-Property Manager as a centralized command center that allows corporate teams to manage operations efficiently across their entire hotel portfolio. The platform also enables users to access individual properties through a single sign-on, providing deeper operational control whenever required.

Additionally, each department receives centralized, real-time reports at the group level, allowing management teams to monitor business performance, improve decision-making, and manage hotel operations more effectively.

Highlighting the industry’s growing need for centralized operations, Aditya Sanghi, CEO of Hotelogix, said, “Hotel groups today struggle with centralization of their business and manually collate their data at the corporate level to gain a group-wide view of their business. At best, they have no tools to help their corporate teams gain total control over the group’s processes. Acting as a central command center, our multi-property manager breaks down these barriers, empowering hotel leaders to unify data, centralize processes, and unlock the full potential of their portfolio.”

Through Hotelogix’s Multi-Property Manager, corporate teams gain comprehensive visibility into key hospitality performance metrics, including revenue, occupancy, Average Room Rate (ARR), Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR), room nights, and room availability across every property.

Furthermore, the platform allows hotel groups to centrally manage online travel agency (OTA) allotments, configure travel agent and corporate profiles, and define user access rights from a single interface. At the same time, reservation teams can monitor property-level room availability more effectively, enabling tighter booking controls and improved inventory management.

The solution also enhances forecasting capabilities by providing visibility into business-on-books, allowing management teams to predict future demand more accurately, optimize staffing levels, and improve guest satisfaction. Moreover, cluster managers and group executives can monitor operations remotely through the Multi-property Mobile PMS App, ensuring real-time access while on the move.

Sharing his experience with the platform, Abhijeet Shrivastava, Chief Operating Officer at Grand Continent Hotels Ltd., said, “For a hotel group like ours, the ability to see group-level data in one place is transformative. Hotelogix’s Multi-Property Manager helps us benchmark performance, forecast demand, and optimize operations with better control over processes.”

Headquartered in Bangalore, Grand Continent Hotels Ltd. currently operates 25 properties with more than 1,200 rooms. The hospitality company manages 13 properties directly, including 12 hotels in India and one in Dubai, while the remaining properties operate under affiliation with another Indian hotel group. The company also continues to expand its presence across India.

Similarly, international hotel operators have expressed optimism about the platform’s capabilities.

Commenting on the launch, Hanky Lee, Founder of The Henry Hotels and Resorts in the Philippines, said, “As we manage more hotels and resorts across the archipelago, we are looking forward to using Hotelogix’s Multi-Property Manager to see each property’s performance in real-time.”

The Henry Hotels and Resorts currently manages 12 properties and continues to expand its hospitality portfolio across the Philippines.

Hotelogix stated that its latest enterprise-grade Multi-Property Manager will benefit the more than 250 growing hotel groups already using its cloud-based hospitality platform across emerging markets. By delivering centralized reporting, portfolio-wide operational visibility, and real-time decision-making capabilities, the company aims to help hotel groups improve efficiency, maximize revenue, and streamline business operations as they continue expanding.

With the hospitality industry increasingly embracing digital transformation, Hotelogix’s latest innovation reflects the growing demand for centralized hotel management systems capable of supporting large, multi-property operations. The new Multi-Property Manager positions the company to strengthen its leadership in cloud-based hospitality technology by enabling hotel chains to optimize performance, improve collaboration, and deliver better guest experiences through data-driven decision-making.

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