Crusoe raises $3.9 Bn to expand AI data center infrastructure

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September 18, 2026

Crusoe raises $3.9 Bn to expand AI data center infrastructure — Chase Lochmiller, co-founder and CEO, Crusoe

Data center developer Crusoe has raised $3.9 billion in a Series F funding round, taking its valuation to $30.9 billion. Atreides Management, Mubadala Capital, and Valor Equity Partners co-led the round, while Founders Fund, GIC, Nvidia, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Radical Ventures, and TPG also participated, according to Crusoe.

Alongside the funding, Crusoe announced the appointment of three new board members. The appointments include Cloudflare CFO Thomas Seifert; Bill Stein, partner and CIO at Primary Digital Infrastructure; and Redwood Materials founder and CEO JB Straubel, who also sits on Tesla’s board. Straubel has an existing connection with Crusoe, having personally invested in the company in 2021. Subsequently, Crusoe became the first customer of Redwood’s energy storage business.

Crusoe plans to use the fresh capital to finance its existing data center projects, including a large facility in Abilene, Texas, that OpenAI uses. In addition, the company will invest in smaller, modular AI factories that it can transport by truck and connect to major power sources across different locations.

Crusoe manufactures these modular data centers, known as Spark, at its own facilities. As a result, the company can deploy computing capacity faster without relying on large construction workforces. Moreover, smaller data centers could help Crusoe reduce exposure to opposition from local communities that often protest large-scale facilities near residential areas.

Crusoe co-founder and CEO Chase Lochmiller said in a statement he believes AI will usher in an era of abundance, but to get there will mean “controlling the infrastructure from electrons to tokens, and we’re grateful to have investors who share that conviction.”

The company generates revenue through three primary business lines. First, it leases data center space to customers that bring their own GPUs. Second, Crusoe rents out its own GPUs. Finally, it sells computing power for AI model inference.

This diversified model has helped Crusoe emerge as one of the most valuable companies focused on AI infrastructure. Recently, the company signed a five-year cloud agreement worth around $13 billion to provide quantitative trading firm Jane Street with GPUs and AI infrastructure.

Furthermore, Crusoe recently held discussions with investment banks, including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, about a potential IPO in the near future. The company’s latest funding round comes just 10 months after it raised $1.38 billion at a $10 billion valuation in October 2025.

Crusoe started operations in 2018 as a crypto mining company powered by flared natural gas. However, it later shifted its focus toward AI infrastructure as demand for computing power surged. Today, its customers include Meta, Microsoft, and Oracle.

RentoMojo shares debut at 19% premium after strong IPO demand

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September 17, 2026

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Furniture and appliance rental platform RentoMojo made its stock market debut on Thursday, September 17, with its shares listing at nearly a 19% premium to the IPO issue price.

On the NSE, RentoMojo shares opened at Rs 482.45 against the issue price of Rs 404, representing a 19.42% premium. Meanwhile, the stock debuted at Rs 480 on the BSE, marking an 18.81% premium.

The listing followed strong investor interest in RentoMojo’s Rs 1,256 crore IPO. The issue was subscribed 72.87 times, while the qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) portion attracted bids worth around 177.3 times the shares on offer. Furthermore, the non-institutional investor (NII) portion was subscribed 67.92 times, while retail investors subscribed 15.58 times the shares available.

RentoMojo had set the IPO price band at Rs 384-404 per share. The issue included a fresh issue of Rs 150 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) worth around Rs 1,106 crore. Consequently, existing shareholders accounted for nearly 88% of the total issue through the OFS, while RentoMojo raised Rs 150 crore in fresh capital.

Based in Bengaluru, RentoMojo operates a rental platform that allows consumers to rent furniture and home appliances through monthly subscription plans. The company primarily serves urban households and has a presence across several major Indian cities.

Meanwhile, RentoMojo competes with companies such as Pepperfry, Furlenco, and Cityfurnish. With its stock market debut, the company has become the first player in the furniture and appliance rental segment to enter the IPO market.

Earlier, it was reported that several early investors in RentoMojo are set to generate substantial returns through the IPO. Some early backers are expected to clock up to 152X returns through the OFS.

On the financial front, RentoMojo recorded a 45.5% year-on-year increase in revenue from operations to Rs 387 crore in FY26. Moreover, its profit after tax surged 142% to Rs 104.2 crore, compared with Rs 43.1 crore in FY25.

Ecosys raises ₹5-Cr to expand laundry pods across India

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September 17, 2026

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Ecosys raises ₹5-Cr to expand laundry pods across India — Sumit Goyal & Chirag Dangi, Co-founders, Ecosys

Laundry and home cleaning brand Ecosys has raised ₹5 crore in a Pre-Series A funding round led by GVFL Prarambh Fund. Proteus Partners, backed by operator-investors Puru Gupta and Sreejith Moolayil, co-founders of True Elements, also participated in the round. With the latest investment, Ecosys’ total capital raised has reached ₹7.94 crore.

The company will use the fresh capital to expand its presence across e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms. In addition, Ecosys plans to invest in consumer education around laundry pods, strengthen brand-building initiatives, and develop new formats across laundry and home cleaning.

Chartered accountants Sumit Goyal and Chirag Dangi founded Ecosys to transform how Indian consumers purchase and use everyday cleaning products. The company has built its core offering around laundry pods, which provide a single-dose alternative to conventional loose detergent powder and eliminate the need for measuring and scooping.

Instead of rapidly entering unrelated categories, Ecosys has chosen to focus on laundry and home cleaning. Meanwhile, the company plans to introduce additional formats within these segments as it expands its product portfolio.

Laundry pods have achieved widespread adoption in international markets, particularly in the US and UK, but the format remains relatively underpenetrated in India. According to Ecosys, around two-thirds of US households and approximately four in ten UK households use laundry pods, compared with fewer than 10% of Indian households.

Therefore, Ecosys sees an opportunity to increase consumer awareness and establish laundry pods as a mainstream product format in India.

India’s household cleaners market is also growing faster than the global market, creating a larger addressable opportunity for convenience-focused cleaning products. Ecosys is targeting consumers through e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms as purchasing and product-discovery habits increasingly shift towards digital channels.

The company said it has already emerged as a category leader in laundry pods across a couple of leading online channels.

Although laundry pods have become an established format internationally, Ecosys identifies consumer education as a key challenge in India. The company aims to explain what pods replace, how consumers should use them, and why the format can justify a premium based on convenience.

Ecosys competes with established FMCG companies as well as newer sustainability-focused brands. However, the company is focusing its growth strategy on digital distribution through quick-commerce and e-commerce platforms.

“Ecosys started with a simple question: can we make everyday cleaning products easier to use and reduce what goes into every bottle we buy? Over the last few years, we have learned a lot from our customers about what works and what needs to change,” said Sumit Goyal, Co-founder, Ecosys.

He added that consumer feedback has helped the company understand product performance under Indian conditions, including heat, humidity, tough stains, and sweat. According to Goyal, the latest funding will enable Ecosys to reach more households through digital channels while continuing to develop new formats across laundry and home cleaning.

Chirag Dangi, Co-founder, Ecosys, said laundry pods have already achieved large-scale adoption in markets such as the US and UK, while India needs greater consumer education to encourage wider adoption.

“The pod format itself isn’t new; it’s already sold at scale in the US and UK. What’s missing in India is the work of showing consumers what it replaces and why the price is worth it. That’s a distribution and education problem that we’re trying to solve,” Dangi said.

He added that the founders have maintained a strong focus on unit economics as they scale the business.

Both Ecosys founders are chartered accountants who entered entrepreneurship after building different professional careers.

Goyal moved to Mumbai in 2010 from a small town near Jaipur. Before launching Ecosys, he worked in textile exports and app-based milk trading, gaining experience across different consumer-facing businesses.

Dangi, meanwhile, developed his career in equity research and private equity. He spent several years at Brookfield, where he worked on investments totalling more than ₹3,000 crore, before leaving in 2023 to co-found Ecosys with Goyal.

With the latest funding, Ecosys plans to strengthen its distribution across digital commerce channels while increasing consumer awareness of laundry pods and other convenience-focused cleaning formats.

The company will continue to concentrate on laundry and home cleaning as it scales. At the same time, the founders plan to develop new formats within these categories rather than expand into unrelated consumer segments.

Alivaa Hotels & Resorts partners with Travedise World for new loyalty programme

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September 17, 2026

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Alivaa Hotels & Resorts has partnered with Travedise World, a vacation exchange and travel services company, to launch a new loyalty programme for its guests and members. The partnership combines Alivaa’s hospitality portfolio with Travedise World’s range of travel services, allowing members to access benefits that extend beyond hotel stays.

Travedise World currently serves more than 23,000 member families across 14 countries and provides access to over 180 verified resorts across Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, and the USA. In addition, the company offers a broad range of travel services, including vacation exchange, concierge assistance, cruises, visa support, air tickets, transportation, foreign exchange, tours, and destination experiences.

Through the new loyalty programme, Alivaa guests and members can combine hotel stays with holidays and other travel experiences through a unified platform. Furthermore, the initiative aims to strengthen Alivaa’s long-term engagement with guests by extending the relationship beyond individual hotel visits.

For Travedise World, the partnership adds Alivaa’s hospitality portfolio to its existing travel services ecosystem. As a result, members can access accommodation alongside other travel requirements through a more integrated offering.

Overall, the collaboration highlights the growing role of loyalty programmes in connecting hotel stays with broader travel planning and experiences. By combining hospitality and travel services, Alivaa Hotels & Resorts and Travedise World aim to create a more connected experience for their members.

Saltstayz launches Saltstayz Premier in Bengaluru

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September 17, 2026

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Saltstayz has entered South India with the launch of Saltstayz Premier, Bengaluru, marking the company’s regional debut and taking its Premier portfolio to 17 hotels.

Located on Bellary Road near Hebbal Flyover, next to Baptist Hospital in Vinayakanagar, Hebbal, the 30-room property caters to both business and leisure travellers. The Bengaluru launch also forms part of Saltstayz’s broader expansion across commercial and travel destinations in India.

The hotel offers contemporary accommodation along with facilities designed for business travellers and small corporate gatherings. Its all-day dining restaurant can accommodate up to 50 guests, while the property features three conference spaces.

Of these, two meeting rooms can host up to 15 guests each, while the larger conference room can accommodate up to 25 people. Therefore, the property combines accommodation with facilities for business meetings and smaller corporate events.

Speaking about the launch, Gaurav Gupta, Co-founder, Saltstayz, said, “Bengaluru has always been one of India’s most dynamic hospitality markets, making it the ideal choice for our South India debut. The opening of Saltstayz Premier, Bengaluru, is more than just a new property; it marks an important milestone in our growth journey. As we expand across the country, our focus remains on delivering thoughtfully designed spaces, dependable service, and value-driven experiences that meet the evolving needs of both business and leisure travellers.”

The Bengaluru property follows Saltstayz’s asset-light, partnership-led expansion model. Through this approach, the company enters new markets through hotel partnerships while maintaining its operating standards across properties.

Founded in 2022 by Gaurav Gupta, Nishant Tripathi, and Sandeep Goyal, Saltstayz operates in the affordable premium hospitality segment through its core and Premier brands. Meanwhile, the company follows a contract-based growth model that emphasises partnerships and expansion across selected markets.

With its Bengaluru launch, Saltstayz has expanded its Premier portfolio to 17 hotels and established its presence in South India. The company plans to continue using its partnership-led model to enter additional markets across the country.

Industrial workforce startup Factrika raises ₹8.9-Cr to expand industrial workforce platform

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September 17, 2026

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Industrial workforce startup Factrika raises ₹8.9-Cr to expand industrial workforce platform — Kshitij Puri and Gaurav Asthana, co-founders, Factrika

Factrika, an on-demand industrial workforce platform, has raised ₹8.9 crore in a seed funding round led by Info Edge. Founded in July 2024 by Kshitij Puri and Gaurav Asthana, the company will use the fresh capital to strengthen its team, enhance its technology, and expand into additional industrial clusters.

The company will initially expand across Bhiwadi, Manesar, Bawal, Noida, and Bahadurgarh. Through this expansion, Factrika aims to address workforce availability challenges faced by factories and manufacturers across India.

Factrika estimates that Indian factories face a daily workforce shortage of 20% to 25%. According to the company, fragmented and low-tech contractor staffing systems can result in lost output, increased costs, and operational disruptions.

To address these challenges, Factrika’s platform connects manufacturers with verified workers based on their skills and availability. The company can deploy workers within two hours, while its digital platform allows workers to accept shifts electronically.

Meanwhile, Factrika manages attendance and payments through its platform and creates a verified digital work record for each worker. This record can support skill-based career progression and help workers access better opportunities over time.

Factrika currently has more than 10,000 registered workers across over 20 skill categories and reports a show rate of more than 90%. Its client base includes Lenskart, Munjal Kiriu, Asahi India Glass, Jubilant Foods, Epack Durables, PG Technoplast, Hanon Climate, Bidso, and Talbros Auto Components.

The company also said workers using its platform can increase their earnings by 20% to 30% through skill progression. As a result, Factrika aims to connect manufacturers with a more reliable workforce while creating opportunities for workers to develop their skills and earning potential.

“India’s manufacturing workforce has a fundamental availability and reliability problem. We’re building Factrika to make industrial workforce supply more real-time, skill-led, and transparent,” said Puri and Asthana.

“Factrika is solving deep use cases in Indian manufacturing recruitment with an innovative, platform-based approach. We’re excited to back them,” said Info Edge MD and CEO Hitesh Oberoi.

With the latest funding, Factrika plans to accelerate technology development, expand its workforce, and enter more industrial clusters. The company will also focus on strengthening its platform as it scales its workforce solutions for India’s manufacturing sector.

“Where Malaysia’s AI Decisions Get Made”- World AI Show 2026 Delivers on Its Promise

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September 17, 2026

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia- 17 September 2026 – The 48th Global Edition of World AI Show—Malaysia concluded successfully at DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur, bringing together 1500+ business & tech leaders, AI decision makers, policymakers, C-suite executives, infrastructure leaders, technology pioneers, and enterprise leaders for two days of high-impact discussions, strategic networking, and business collaboration.

Organised by Trescon, the summit reinforced Malaysia’s growing position as a strategic AI hub in ASEAN, connecting global technology innovators with enterprises and government stakeholders, driving the country’s digital transformation.

Positioned as a platform where Malaysia’s AI decisions get made, World AI Show Malaysia 2026 brought together leaders shaping the country’s AI ecosystem, spanning government agencies, GLCs, multinational enterprises, technology providers, and enterprise buyers. The summit focused on translating Malaysia’s AI ambitions into practical strategies for enterprise adoption, infrastructure development, cybersecurity, responsible AI, and long-term digital competitiveness.

Across keynote addresses, fireside chats, panel discussions, and executive networking sessions, the summit explored the technologies, policies, and partnerships shaping Malaysia’s AI future. Discussions covered AI infrastructure, sovereign cloud, data foundations, enterprise AI deployment, AI in government and GLCs, cybersecurity, AI governance, responsible AI, generative AI, and AI-powered business transformation.

The event featured an extensive lineup of government representatives, global and regional technology leaders, enterprise decision-makers, and AI innovators who shared practical insights on moving beyond AI experimentation towards scalable and measurable business outcomes. Conversations highlighted the importance of secure infrastructure, trusted data, responsible governance, talent development, and strong public-private collaboration in accelerating AI adoption across Malaysia and the wider ASEAN region.

The event was officially opened by our Guest of Honour, YBhg. Datuk Fabian Bigar, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Digital, delivered the Official Opening Address and set the stage for two days of high-level dialogue and collaboration.

The stage commanded a formidable line-up of voices from Malaysia’s government, financial services, technology, energy, telecommunications, retail, manufacturing, and other key sectors, including:

· Sr Jamie Tan – Managing Director, JLL Malaysia

· Budiman Bujang – Deputy Chief Digital Officer, Johor Corporation

· TS Jackson Raao – Principal Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation

· Ganeshbabu Nagarajan – Executive Director – Transformation Programmes, Standard Chartered Bank

· Chuan Boon Loo, Chief Operating Officer, Selangor Information Technology & Digital Economy Corporation

· Najib Masdan – Senior Vice President, Digital & Technology, Khazanah Nasional Berhad

· Victor Khor Eng Swee – Director of Business Technology Department, Bank Negara Malaysia

· Azlina Binti Ab Aziz – Principal Assistant Director, National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA)

· Ts. Mohd Shahril Bin Kamaruzzaman, Head of Technology, Engineering and Data, Bank Islam

· Chua Yong Howe – Chief Digital Officer, UEM Edgenta

· Keeratpal Singh – Chief AI and Data Officer (APAC Financial Services), Worldline

· Dr. Sadesh Manikam – Executive Vice President, Enterprise Data Office & DPO, Bursa Malaysia

· Ts. Zairil Anuar Ahmad – Chief Technology Officer, Co-opbank Pertama

· Ahmad Faiz – Head – Data & AI, Global Technology Unit, BASF

· Raunak Mehta – Chief Executive Officer, Igloo

· Mohd Hanapi Bisri – Senior Digital Industry Leader – Oil & Gas

· Dr. Ong Hong Hoe – Director of Digital and Technology, Labuan Financial Services Authority

· Narayanan Chidambaram – Head Project Engineering Pod, Digital Project Management, PETRONAS

· Sudeep Srivastava – Head – Kuala Lumpur IT Center, SLB

· Dario Bianchi – Chief Product Officer, Mind Valley

· G Saravanan – Chief Information Officer, National Cancer Society Malaysia

· Dr Ahmad Khalid Khairi – Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, UZMA BERHAD

· Manminder Kaur Dhillon – CEO & Founder, Supernewsroom.ai

· Sabrina Yap – Head of Digital Transformation, Mr DIY International

· Low Ngai Yuen – Managing Director, AEON360

· Alex Yap Chun Kiat – Head of Data Engineering, CelcomDigi

· Effendy Zulkifly – Chief Digital Officer, YAPEIM HOLDING

· Murugason R Thangaratnam – Digital Expert Panel, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)

· Ramana Ramakrishna – Head, Cybersecurity & Programme Delivery, Gamuda DNeX Cloud

· Dr Chua Wen-Shyan – Head of Malaysian Smart Factory 4.0, Selangor Human Resource Development Centre

· Goh Ser Yoong – Chief Information Security Officer, Ryt Bank

· Alex P’ng – Chief Technology Officer, MYNEWS RETAIL SDN. BHD.

· Rainer Althoff, Strategic Advisor, MyIoTA Malaysia

· Ts. Azrul Zafri Azmi, Deputy President | Chairman, Malaysia Cyber Consumer Association (MCCA) | Youth Council of DPMM

· Sahaj Kothari, Partner, Capzara Capital

· Matt Moore, Principal Observability Strategist, Datadog

· Eric Liew, Regional Sales Director, ASEAN, Blaize

· Retainna Lin, Vice President, Bitdeer AI

· Mohammed Ashwaq Khan, Strategic Solutions Architect, JumpCloud

· Grace Zhang, Founder and CEO, Trustharbor

The summit also provided a highly curated environment for senior decision-makers to connect with technology providers, investors, startups, government stakeholders, and industry peers. Through executive networking sessions, closed-door discussions, business meetings, and curated interactions, participants explored new partnerships, technology opportunities, investment prospects, and cross-border collaborations.

The event came at a pivotal time for Malaysia as the country continues to strengthen its digital infrastructure, expand AI capabilities, develop sovereign technology ecosystems, and advance its broader AI Nation 2030 ambitions. Discussions at the summit highlighted Malaysia’s opportunity to leverage AI not only as a technology enabler but also as a catalyst for economic growth, national resilience, enterprise competitiveness, and regional leadership.

The 48th Global Edition was supported by a distinguished ecosystem of technology and industry partners. The summit was powered by Lead Sponsor Datadog; Platinum Sponsor Magure; Gold Sponsors Bitdeer AI, Blaize, Nokia, Primary Guard, JumpCloud, Sangfor Technologies and OGX Networks Sdn Bhd; alongside CXO Boardroom Partners Datadog and Zoom. The event also featured Bronze Sponsors Alibaba Cloud andUnison, with exhibitors including Cloudspace, Agora, OpenGreet.ai, Accomy, and other AI solution providers showcasing next-generation enterprise technologies.

The event’s ecosystem was further strengthened through strategic support from CyberSecurity Malaysia, Invest Penang, and Sidec, alongside association partners including AMCHAM Malaysia, Malaysia-India Business Council (MIBC), The AI Collective Kuala Lumpur, MY IOTA, MAAI, and BeLuxCham Malaysia.

With its successful conclusion, World AI Show Malaysia 2026 further strengthened its position as a platform connecting Malaysia’s rapidly evolving AI ecosystem with global technology leaders, enabling knowledge exchange, strategic collaboration, and enterprise innovation across the region.

About World AI Show

World AI Show is Trescon’s globally recognised, business-focused AI summit series connecting governments, enterprises, investors, startups, researchers, and technology leaders across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. The platform is dedicated to accelerating AI adoption through thought leadership, strategic partnerships, enterprise innovation, and real-world implementation, bringing together the leaders defining the future of artificial intelligence across global markets.

For sponsorship & partnership opportunities at the upcoming World AI Show in Malaysia, please contact Shrikanth Prabhu, Commercial Director, at prabhu@tresconglobal.com.

Media Contact

Reeha Haris

PR & Media Executive

E: reeha@tresconglobal.com

Juniper Hotels to acquire Novotel Imagicaa for ₹248-Crore

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September 16, 2026

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Juniper Hotels has announced the proposed acquisition of the operating Novotel Imagicaa hotel from Imagicaaworld Entertainment for an aggregate consideration of ₹248 crore, translating to approximately ₹86 lakh per key.

Spread across around 11 acres in Khopoli, Maharashtra, Novotel Imagicaa enjoys a strategic location near the economic hubs of Mumbai and Pune. The property is also accessible from the airport within approximately two hours by road. Furthermore, the hotel sits next to the Imagicaa Theme Park and Water Park, giving it access to an established leisure destination.

The hotel has a built-up area of approximately 2,80,000 square feet and features 287 guest rooms. In addition, the property offers multiple restaurants, flexible banquet and meeting spaces, spa facilities, and recreational amenities.

The proposed acquisition supports Juniper Hotels’ long-term strategy of building a portfolio of large, high-quality hotels across key business and leisure destinations in India.

Arun Kumar Saraf, chairman & managing director, Juniper Hotels, said, “At Juniper, our growth journey has always been guided by a simple principle: grow with purpose and create value for the long term. Novotel Imagicaa represents the kind of asset we look for. It is an established hospitality property with scale, a strong destination proposition, and multiple demand generators.”

Juniper Hotels (JHL) develops and owns luxury hotels and remains the largest owner of Hyatt-affiliated hotels in India. The company operates through a strategic partnership between the Saraf group, a hotel developer with more than four decades of experience, and Hyatt, a global hospitality company.

Meanwhile, Juniper Hotels reported a consolidated net profit of ₹33.26 crore for the quarter ended June 2026, compared with ₹9.00 crore in the corresponding quarter ended June 2025. The company’s sales also increased 13.04% to ₹249.53 crore in Q1 FY27 from the same period in FY26.

Following the announcement, the Juniper Hotels scrip declined 0.49% to close at ₹214.40 on the BSE on Wednesday.

Finvolve targets ₹250-Cr fund to back growth-stage startups

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September 16, 2026

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Finvolve targets ₹250-Cr fund to back growth-stage startups — Apoorva Vora & Ashish Bhatia, co-founders, Finvolve

Venture capital platform Finvolve has announced the first close of its latest fund at ₹90 crore. The fund targets a total corpus of ₹250 crore and will invest in growth- and late-stage Indian startups across defence and aerospace, frontier and strategic technology, and energy and consumer sectors.

The fund plans to make 30-35 investments over the next three to four years. It will focus on companies that have established product-market fit, demonstrated growth potential, and built the ability to scale their businesses.

Additionally, Finvolve has retained a greenshoe option to accept commitments beyond the ₹90 crore first-close corpus. “From a capital perspective, we see a compelling opportunity to participate in companies that have already crossed the early-risk phase and are now entering their next stage of value creation,” said Apoorva Vora, co-founder of Finvolve.

Finvolve currently manages four other active funds across its investment strategy. Its previous Category-II fund has completed its investment cycle and is fully deployed, with its portfolio focused on pre-IPO companies. Meanwhile, the broader platform covers companies across stages ranging from pre-seed and growth to businesses approaching the public markets.

“From defence and aerospace to frontier technology, energy, and consumer, we are seeing founders tackle increasingly large and complex opportunities. This fund is designed to support those companies at the stage where the right capital and ecosystem can help them make that leap,” said Ashish Bhatia, co-founder, Finvolve.

With the new fund, Finvolve plans to expand its investments in Indian startups that have moved beyond the early stages and are seeking capital to accelerate growth. The fund will combine financial backing with ecosystem support as portfolio companies scale across their respective sectors.

Beauty quick commerce startup Firi raises $3 Mn to expand beauty quick commerce business

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September 16, 2026

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Beauty quick commerce startup Firi raises $3 Mn to expand beauty quick commerce business — Vivek Madani and Karishma Rathaur, cofounders, Firi

Gurugram-based beauty and personal care quick commerce startup Firi has raised $3 million in a funding round led by 360 ONE Asset. Better Capital, CRED founder Kunal Shah, and several other angel investors also participated in the round.

The newly raised capital will help Firi expand its product portfolio into makeup, fragrances, and other beauty categories. In addition, the company plans to strengthen its operational network by adding more dark stores across Gurugram before entering new markets.

Founded in 2026 by former Uber India executives Vivek Madani and Karishma Rathaur, Firi operates a curated marketplace focused on the rapid delivery of beauty and personal care products. The platform uses artificial intelligence to assess product reviews and other data before selecting products for its catalogue.

According to the company, Firi has analyzed more than 50 million consumer reviews and shortlisted around 3,000 products from the global beauty market. Currently, the platform offers products across skincare, haircare, and body care categories.

Furthermore, Firi’s quick commerce model enables deliveries in select parts of Gurugram in as little as nine minutes. The company aims to meet rising consumer demand for faster access to beauty and personal care products through its rapid delivery model.

Firi started pilot operations in January 2026 and launched full-scale operations in September 2026. With the latest funding, the startup plans to accelerate its category expansion, add more dark stores, and strengthen its position in India’s emerging beauty quick commerce segment.

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