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L’Opéra expands with Le Café at The Chanakya in New Delhi

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Laurent Samandari, Founder & Managing Director of L’Opéra

L’Opéra, the renowned French bakery brand, has unveiled Le Café, a sophisticated new venture located within Le Marché at The Chanakya, New Delhi. Designed to evoke the relaxed elegance of Parisian cafés, Le Café offers a thoughtfully curated setting where guests can unwind, indulge, and enjoy a premium French culinary experience.

Staying true to L’Opéra’s dedication to authenticity and craftsmanship, this new café adds a fresh dimension of warmth, refinement, and adaptability to the brand’s footprint in the capital.

Speaking on the launch, Laurent Samandari, founder & managing director of L’Opéra, said, “With Le Café, we wanted to create a space where every detail—from the aroma of fresh bread to the last spoon of risotto—reminds you of the quiet pleasures of French living. It’s our way of bringing a little Paris to your daily life.”

While embracing L’Opéra’s signature aesthetic and unwavering commitment to excellence, Le Café brings a new level of versatility to the brand’s culinary repertoire. The menu spans from wholesome breakfast offerings and traditional French soups to handcrafted pastas and thoughtfully curated desserts. Every dish is freshly prepared in-house, reflecting a blend of refined technique, culinary artistry, and high-quality ingredients—making it a true celebration of French gastronomy.

At Le Café, the menu strikes a refined balance between comfort and culinary innovation. True to L’Opéra’s ethos, the focus remains on expert craftsmanship, premium ingredients, and thoughtful, conscious choices. Catering to a wide range of dietary preferences, the offerings include vegetarian, gluten-free, and protein-rich options—all crafted with fresh, organic, and locally sourced produce for a wholesome dining experience.

ByteEdge secures $1.5Mn in funding led by TRTL Ventures

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ByteEdge, a New Delhi-based AI knowledge transfer platform, has raised $1.5 million in a seed funding round led by Japan’s TRTL Ventures. The investment round also attracted participation from a mix of global and Indian angel investors, signaling strong international confidence in ByteEdge’s AI-driven approach to corporate learning and knowledge dissemination.

Founded in 2022 by Kamal Dutta and Akash Gupt, ByteEdge was created to tackle a longstanding challenge in the corporate world—effectively disseminating organizational knowledge. In many companies, critical information is buried in lengthy and text-heavy formats such as PDFs, Word documents, and PowerPoint presentations, making it difficult for employees, especially those on the frontlines, to access and absorb.

ByteEdge’s innovative platform addresses this issue by converting static documents into cinematic, multilingual short videos that are engaging and easy to understand. This approach is particularly impactful for frontline employees—who represent nearly 70% of the global workforce and typically operate without desks or regular access to computers—ensuring they receive and retain key information in a more accessible format.

The newly acquired funds will be utilized for product development and expansion within the Indian market. Currently, 80-85% of ByteEdge’s business is based in India, serving over 30 global enterprises.

Looking ahead, ByteEdge is gearing up to raise an additional $3 million over the next four to five months as part of its strategic plan to accelerate global expansion. The upcoming funding will support the company’s entry into key international markets, with a strong focus on the United States and the Middle East, where demand for scalable and engaging corporate learning solutions is rapidly growing.

Varun Chaudhary takes charge as CEO for CG Foods Global – makers of Wai Wai targets 1200-Cr 

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CG Foods, an FMCG giant and a part of CG Corp Global, a multinational conglomerate, has announced the appointment of Varun Chaudhary as the Global CEO of CG Foods. Varun, who also serves as the Managing Director of CG Corp Global, will transform CG Foods from a single-product legacy brand, Wai Wai, into a multi-category global food company. This strategic shift aligns with CG Corp Global’s broader ambition to lead in innovation, scale, market presence, and product categories. Under the new leadership, the company aims to scale growth and target INR 1,200 Cr revenue by FY25-end.

CG Foods, known for its flagship product, Wai Wai noodles, is expanding its offerings across key food verticals such as snacks, sauces, pasta, and seasonings to become a future-ready food company. The new CEO stated, “Our goal is to transition from a single-product identity to a diversified food company that innovates continuously, adapts locally, and scales globally. CG Foods offers 200-250 SKUs, but we want to go bigger. To achieve this vision, we will launch new products continuously while innovating CG’s existing portfolio and exploring tie-ups with retail partners.” 

Under Varun’s leadership, CG Foods will prioritize R&D, product development, and market expansion, focusing on modern retail channels such as e-commerce, Q-commerce, and strategic retail alliances. The company will leverage existing partnerships with supermarkets while targeting 3–4x growth in these segments to amplify market reach. CG Foods operates 13 manufacturing plants across seven locations, with a monthly manufacturing capacity of up to 100 crore. With this infrastructure, the company aims to achieve its FY25 revenue target and deepen market penetration in East and Northeast India, regions contributing up to 50-60% of revenue.

Varun Chaudhary’s appointment signals a new chapter for the company that honors its legacy while embracing innovation. His immediate focus includes HR restructuring, operational optimization, strategic acquisitions, and potential expansion into Eastern Europe. “This is more than a business transformation—it’s a cultural evolution,” Varun shared. “As a global FMCG leader, we recognize that our future will be shaped not only by innovation and expansion, but by empowering our people, refining our products, and deepening our partnerships. Together, we’re laying the foundation for the next decade.”

About CG Corp Global

Since 1884, CG Corp Global has been making a meaningful impact across 32 countries, with a net worth surpassing $1.8 billion. We have expanded into various industries and are associated with globally renowned brands such as Wai Wai, The Farm at San Benito, Moldcell, Taj Hotels, Fairmont, The Fern, Nabil Bank, Union Bank, and CG Motors. With over 30,000 employees worldwide, we take pride in being Nepal’s first multinational corporation, committed to delivering our promises to stakeholders for over a century.

Oyo postpones third IPO attempt amid SoftBank opposition

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Ritesh Agarwal, Founder of OYO

Budget hotel aggregator Oyo has once again delayed its plans to go public, marking its third postponed IPO attempt since 2021. The decision, reportedly influenced by market volatility and objections from its largest investor, SoftBank, reflects ongoing challenges in the current financial landscape.

According to sources, SoftBank has urged Oyo to wait until it demonstrates stronger financial performance before proceeding with an IPO. The broader market conditions, impacted by global uncertainty and a decline in investor risk appetite—partly attributed to tariff policies under U.S. President Donald Trump—have further contributed to the delay.

SoftBank’s Vision Fund, the largest shareholder in Oyo, holds a stake that surpasses even that of founder Ritesh Agarwal, who owns over 30% of the company. According to the report, Agarwal was pushing for a swift IPO to help fulfill terms tied to a restructured $2.2 billion loan he obtained in 2019 to increase his ownership stake in Oyo.

The loan, which was personally guaranteed by SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, had its first repayment due in December. Lenders had suggested they might extend the repayment deadline if Oyo successfully listed within this year.

However, the report noted that SoftBank may support Ritesh Agarwal in securing an extension on the loan in return for postponing the IPO plans.

Oyo’s decision to delay its third attempt at going public highlights the ongoing challenges the company faces amid market volatility and pushback from its largest investor, SoftBank. While founder Ritesh Agarwal had hoped for a quick IPO to meet obligations tied to a significant loan, the current economic conditions and investor caution have led to a reassessment. The outcome of this delay will depend on how Oyo navigates its financial performance and SoftBank’s influence, with the potential to reshape the company’s future growth trajectory.

Nando’s makes southern debut with first outlet in Chennai

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Nando’s has officially arrived in Chennai, opening its first Casa—the term it uses for its restaurants, meaning “home” in Portuguese—at Phoenix Marketcity Mall.

The popular South African brand is now bringing its signature bold flavors to the city, following its successful presence in Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and other locations, according to an official statement.

“Chennai has a deep-rooted love for bold, authentic flavours—and we couldn’t think of a better city for our next Casa. The city’s rich culinary heritage, its appreciation for spice, and its sense of community align perfectly with everything Nando’s stands for. Our flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken is here to add a new kind of spice & flavour to Chennai’s culinary scene. And this is just the beginning—Chennai is a key part of our growth story in India,” said Sameer Bhasin, CEO of Nando’s India.

Nando’s is set to continue its Chennai expansion with a second outlet opening soon at Express Avenue Mall, further extending its reach and delivering its distinctive flavors to even more food enthusiasts in the city, the release noted.

The brand is rapidly growing across India, now serving its famous flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken in 16 Casas across 7 major cities, and is on course to launch 12 additional restaurants within the year as part of its aggressive growth strategy.

With the opening of its first outlet at Phoenix Marketcity and a second on the way at Express Avenue Mall, Nando’s marks an exciting new chapter in Chennai, bringing its globally loved PERi-PERi flavors to the city’s vibrant food scene. As the brand continues its rapid expansion across India—now with 16 Casas in 7 major cities and 12 more in the pipeline—Nando’s is well on its way to becoming a household name for flame-grilled chicken lovers nationwide.

Buzzy investing app Dub secures $30M in Series A funding

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Steven Wang, Founder, Dub

Dub, a copy-trading platform aiming to reshape how Gen Z engages with investing, has raised $30 million in a Series A funding round, bringing its total funding to $47 million. This milestone comes roughly a year after the platform’s official launch.

Founded by 23-year-old Harvard dropout Steven Wang, Dub has seen rapid growth, with the app now boasting over 1 million downloads. The platform allows users to replicate the investment strategies of top-performing traders, making investing more accessible and social for a new generation.

“The ultra-wealthy have long leveraged expert money managers. Now, Dub brings that same advantage to everyday investors,” Wang said.

Dub, which charges a $10 monthly subscription, has captured viral interest with unique features—most notably, the ability to track and follow portfolios that mimic the disclosed trades of prominent political figures, including Nancy Pelosi.

The $30 million Series A round was co-led by Notable Capital and Neo, with additional backing from Sandberg Bernthal Venture Partners, Peak6 Strategic Capital, and Correlation Ventures. The funding also includes a $5.5 million venture debt facility from Silicon Valley Bank.

Dub’s successful $30 million Series A round underscores the growing demand for accessible, community-driven investing platforms tailored to younger generations. With its viral features—such as tracking trades of high-profile figures—and a user-friendly, subscription-based model, Dub is quickly carving out a niche in the fintech space. Backed by prominent investors and bolstered by over 1 million downloads within a year of launch, the platform is well-positioned to scale further and redefine how Gen Z engages with investing.

Lemon Tree Hotels expands presence in Maharashtra with 13th property

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Lemon Tree Hotels Limited has announced the launch of its newest property, Lemon Tree Hotel, Mira Road, Mumbai. This marks the group’s 13th hotel in Maharashtra and further strengthens its presence in the state.

The newly opened hotel boasts 108 stylish and comfortable rooms, along with a range of amenities including Citrus Café, a multi-cuisine restaurant, a fitness center, spa, and a swimming pool. Designed to cater to both business and leisure travelers, the property also offers modern meeting and conference facilities to suit various guest needs.

Mumbai, widely known as the “City of Dreams” is a magnet for talent from around the world, offering vast opportunities in entertainment, business, and culture. Its strong infrastructure, skilled talent pool, and prime west coast location position it as a hub for corporate expansion and global trade. Beyond its economic advantages, Mumbai’s vibrant culture, diverse population, and top-tier amenities make it a highly appealing destination for professionals seeking both career growth and quality of life.

The launch of Lemon Tree Hotel, Mira Road, Mumbai, marks a significant milestone in Lemon Tree Hotels Limited’s expansion strategy, reinforcing its growing presence in Maharashtra with its 13th property in the state. This addition not only enhances the group’s footprint in one of India’s most dynamic regions but also reflects the brand’s commitment to offering quality hospitality experiences in key urban markets.

Situated in Mumbai, a city synonymous with opportunity, growth, and global connectivity, the new hotel is poised to cater to both business and leisure travelers. With its modern amenities, including well-appointed rooms, a multi-cuisine restaurant, wellness facilities, and conferencing spaces, the property aligns with Lemon Tree’s vision of delivering comfort, convenience, and value.

As Mumbai continues to attract a diverse and upwardly mobile population, this new opening positions Lemon Tree Hotels to meet the evolving demands of travelers while contributing to the city’s vibrant hospitality landscape. The launch symbolizes not just the expansion of a hotel chain, but a continued investment in India’s urban potential and tourism growth.

Hearzap Rolls Out ₹8 Cr ESOP to Boost Employee Ownership, Eyes 2X Growth by FY28

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29th April, 2025: Hearzap, a provider of complete hearing care solutions in India, has announced its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), representing a significant step in Hearzap’s journey of collective growth and success. With this program, eligible employees will have the opportunity to become shareholders of the company and share in Hearzap’s long-term vision of making hearing care accessible and affordable throughout India.

The company recently approved the ESOP program, through which stock options worth approximately ₹8 crore will be granted to eligible employees. With an overall revenue growth of 20% in FY 24-25, this initiative offers team members a chance to build personal wealth and grow alongside the company, reinforcing a sense of ownership and belonging.

Mr. Raja S., Managing Director, Hearzap, commented on the scheme:
“By implementing our ESOP, we aim to demonstrate our commitment to value and appreciate the adaptability and loyalty of our team. It is more than a financial incentive — it is a new era of empowerment, acknowledging that what we achieve is a shared accomplishment. We intend to build a culture of ownership and shared prosperity. Hearzap is more than a workplace — it is a place to be an individual and grow personally and financially.”

Hearzap has grown to more than 150 hearing experience stores in India and served over 1.2 million clients. The company plans to expand to 250 stores by FY26, and 500 stores thereafter, targeting 2X growth in the next three years.

Hearzap’s ESOP scheme reflects its vision of creating a future where every employee’s success is integral to the company’s story. By aligning employee interests with company growth, Hearzap aims to enhance employee retention and motivation, driving its mission to revolutionize hearing healthcare in India.

About Hearzap

Hearzap is India’s leading provider of 360-degree hearing care solutions, dedicated to addressing challenges in hearing health awareness, accessibility, and affordability. Leveraging cutting-edge technology and innovative hearing solutions, Hearzap continues to redefine the hearing industry with its immersive hearing experience stores and digital suite for remote diagnosis and virtual shopping. The brand remains committed to breaking the stigma around hearing loss and ensuring seamless continuity of hearing care services across India.

D2C food startup Anveshan raises ₹48-Cr in Series A round led by Wipro Consumer Care Ventures

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L-R: Aayushi Khandelwal, Akhil Kansal, Kuldeep Parewa, Co-founders, Anveshan

Anveshan, a farm-to-consumer food brand, has secured ₹48 crore in a Series A funding round led by Wipro Consumer Care Ventures, with additional backing from existing investors such as DSG Consumer Partners, Titan Capital, Winners Fund, and Force Ventures.

The round also included participation from angel investors like Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta of BoAt Lifestyle. This funding mix of primary and secondary capital enabled partial exits for some early backers and allowed ESOP buybacks for employees.

Anveshan plans to use the fresh capital to scale its partner manufacturing ecosystem, improve supply chain infrastructure, enhance its tech-based traceability platform, and amplify its branding and marketing initiatives.

Launched in 2020 by IIT Guwahati alumni Kuldeep Parewa, Akhil Kansal, and Aayushi Khandelwal, Anveshan offers minimally processed food products made in rural communities.

According to the company, it has reached a net revenue run rate of ₹100 crore in FY25, growing at an annual rate of 80%.

“We didn’t just want to build a food brand; we wanted to rebuild trust by making food that’s clean, traceable, and rooted in the wisdom of our Indian traditions. Today’s conscious consumers don’t just want taste; they want truth on their plate,” said the founders at Anveshan.

The company aims to grow into a ₹500 crore brand in the coming years and is working towards achieving EBITDA profitability. According to the statement, Anveshan’s focus on direct sourcing and efficient supply chain integration is helping drive robust gross margins.

“We are excited to triple down on Anveshan. The brand is at the forefront of the minimally processed revolution in oils and ghee, perfectly aligned with our belief in healthy living as a core consumer theme. The brand has scaled over 10x since our first investment, with top-decile capital efficiency, sharp category focus, and a disciplined SKU strategy, emerging as a leader across digital channels. With large incumbents now entering the space, the category is set to explode—and we believe Anveshan is best positioned to lead this next phase of growth,” said Hariharan Premkumar, Managing Director, DSG Consumer Partners.

Sumit Keshan, Managing Partner, WIPRO Consumer Care–Ventures, shared, “We are excited to invest and partner with Anveshan in their journey to provide high-quality preservative-free products to consumers. Their focus on quality, traditional process adoption, and customer centricity is helping in creating brand Anveshan. This marks our 14th investment from our fund and third in the food sector.”

Netradyne hits unicorn status in 2025, plans to turn profitable by year-end

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Durgadutt Nedungadi, Senior executive, Netradyne

SoftBank-backed Netradyne, a provider of fleet safety and video telematics solutions, anticipates reaching profitability by late 2025 or early 2026. The AI and machine learning-driven unicorn is experiencing 50% year-on-year growth and has set its sights on international expansion over the next two years, according to senior executive Durgadutt Nedungadi.

Headquartered in San Diego and Bengaluru, Netradyne is currently valued at $1.3 billion. The company plans to increase its global presence from 10 to 15 countries by the end of 2026. As part of this strategy, it will enter the Japanese and Spanish markets in 2025, followed by Ireland, France, and Italy in 2026.

Netradyne’s flagship offering is an AI-driven, vision-based IoT system designed for commercial vehicles. The device, mounted inside the vehicle, uses cameras to capture video and sensory data from both the interior and exterior in near real-time. It detects driving behaviors and events to enhance road safety. The platform helps reduce accidents, shields drivers from false claims during incidents, cuts insurance costs, and streamlines compliance management.

Netradyne currently serves over 3,000 clients across the globe, including major players from industries such as e-commerce, food and beverage, oil and gas, transportation, utilities, field services, passenger transit, and construction. Its client portfolio features global giants like Amazon, Shell, and Pepsi, along with leading Indian companies such as Reliance Industries and Hindustan Unilever.

Through this, the company has millions of miles worth of data, which it uses to train its algorithms and make them more efficient as a driver’s assistant. “We anonymise number plates (and pedestrian faces) seen through the external camera. From a privacy perspective, there is no intermingling of data, nor do we provide a customer’s data to a third party,” Nedungadi said.

Netradyne achieved unicorn status following a $90 million equity funding round led by Point72 Private Investments, with participation from Qualcomm Ventures and Pavilion Capital.

According to Tracxn, this latest round brings the company’s total funding to $308 million. Its existing investors include SoftBank Vision Fund, Silicon Valley Bank, Reliance Industries, and several others.

The growing adoption of autonomous driving technology in the U.S.—one of Netradyne’s major markets—has raised some concerns. However, Durgadutt Nedungadi asserted that this trend poses no threat to the company. On the contrary, he stated that Netradyne’s technology is already several steps ahead of current developments.

“The fundamental difference between autonomous driving tech and us is philosophy. Instead of imparting control to the vehicle, we give proactive control to the driver. We recognise and track far more elements than an ADAS (advanced driver-assistance system) does. We have the ability to detect anything a human eye can see through our cameras,” he said.

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