Season Two Living, RPS Group target Rs 1,500-Cr senior-living expansion

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October 16, 2026

Season Two Living, RPS Group target Rs 1,500-Cr senior-living expansion — Sajan Pillai, Chairman of Season Two Living

Season Two Living and RPS Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop professionally managed senior-living and active-living communities across India, initially targeting Goa, Delhi, and Banaras (Varanasi).

The partnership will begin with a Phase 1 expansion across approximately 10 cities. The companies aim to develop around 2,000 residential and operating keys, representing a potential development opportunity of nearly Rs 1,500 crore.

“We are beginning with Goa and Banaras because each offers a distinctive opportunity for senior living and active living,” said Sajan Pillai, chairman of Season Two Living.

The partnership comes amid changing family structures, longer life expectancy, urbanization, and geographically dispersed families, which are reshaping demand for professionally managed senior-living communities. Additionally, the companies are witnessing growing interest among seniors and pre-seniors in communities that combine longevity-focused community centres with independent living, wellness, social engagement, recreation, healthcare access, and everyday convenience.

Under the proposed partnership, RPS Group will contribute its expertise in land identification and development, project execution, capital mobilization, marketing, and direct sales. Meanwhile, Season Two Living will bring its experience in senior- and active-living community design, hospitality-led operations, wellness, resident engagement, and long-term community management.

Suren Goyal, Chairman of RPS RudromGroup, said the partnership brings together the two organizations’ complementary development and operating capabilities. “The changing demographics of India, together with increasing demand from NRIs and residents of major Indian cities, are creating a strong foundation for senior-living and active-living communities,” he said.

Season Two Living currently operates communities in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi and plans to expand its Kerala platform to approximately 1,000 keys. Furthermore, the partnership aims to extend the company’s presence into additional Indian markets and establish a national platform spanning multiple locations.

Season Two Living is an India-focused senior-living and active-living platform that develops professionally managed communities centred on wellness, connection, convenience, safety, and quality of life.

Cohere plans AISLE acquisition to expand AI cybersecurity

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October 15, 2026

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Cohere plans AISLE acquisition to expand AI cybersecurity — Aidan Gomez, Founder & CEO, Cohere

Canadian AI company Cohere has signed a letter of intent to acquire AISLE, a San Francisco-based cybersecurity startup that uses artificial intelligence to identify software vulnerabilities. The proposed acquisition will expand Cohere’s cybersecurity capabilities as it builds its enterprise AI business.

The deal would add cybersecurity expertise to the business entity Cohere is assembling through its merger with Germany’s Aleph Alpha, a combination reportedly valued at approximately $20 billion. Additionally, AISLE’s engineering hub in Prague would strengthen Cohere’s European presence and support its efforts to advance AI capabilities across the region.

Cohere said the proposed acquisition reflects its continued investment in Europe and will deepen its regional footprint. Moreover, the transaction aims to enhance the combined group’s security and threat detection capabilities for enterprise and public sector clients. The group will also offer private deployment options, allowing customers to run solutions on their own systems.

“Increasingly capable AI systems are transforming both cybersecurity and the threats organizations face, and defensive capabilities must advance just as quickly,” Cohere said.

Founded in 2025, AISLE was established by Ondrej Vlcek, former CEO of Czech antivirus company Avast, alongside co-founders from Google DeepMind and Anthropic. The startup uses AI to identify vulnerabilities in widely used software.

During its first year, AISLE’s AI technology identified more than 500 new software bugs, including 12 vulnerabilities in OpenSSL, a free program that encrypts internet traffic used by banks, governments, and messaging applications. Developers subsequently fixed the vulnerabilities following their discovery.

The companies have not disclosed the financial terms of the proposed acquisition.

Banaraswala secures $2 Mn to expand its banarasi food business

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October 15, 2026

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Banaraswala secures $2 Mn to expand its banarasi food business — Vibhanshu Mishra, Founder, Banaraswala

Banaraswala, a food brand specialising in Banarasi cuisine, has raised $2 million in seed funding from Prax Impex Private Limited. The company will use the fresh capital to expand its quick-service restaurant (QSR) network, develop new products, and introduce traditional Banarasi recipes to a wider consumer base.

Founded by Vibhanshu Mishra, Banaraswala currently operates three outlets across Delhi. The brand plans to expand into Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and other high-potential markets, targeting 50 outlets by March 2027. Its expansion strategy includes Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR, and Tier-II cities, with a mix of company-owned outlets and franchise operations.

“Scaling Banaraswala is, at the same time, an effort to expand our presence and build trust in the initial ethos of the brand,” Mishra said. “We seek to take the flavours and recipes of Banaras to an untapped marketplace without deviating from their authentic nature.”

The brand draws inspiration from Banaras’ rich food culture, offering traditional recipes, sweets, chaats, and meals. Additionally, it incorporates elements such as kulhads, pattal, and clay into the customer experience to reinforce its regional identity. Banaraswala also reaches customers through leading food delivery platforms.

Commenting on the investment, Rajnandini, shareholder at Prax Impex, said, “Vibhanshu has an impressive understanding of numbers and the market, and we believe the brand can move beyond being a regional food business to becoming a recognisable Indian food brand.”

TREVOC plans ₹1,000-Cr investment, targets ₹3,500-Cr GDV

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October 15, 2026

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Real estate developer TREVOC plans to invest ₹800–1,000 crore in its development pipeline over the next three years, targeting a gross development value (GDV) of ₹3,000–3,500 crore. The company’s expansion strategy includes two to three new projects and entry into select Haryana markets, with Sonipat and Panipat currently under evaluation.

As part of its Tier-2 expansion, TREVOC is exploring integrated townships spanning approximately 80–100 acres in these markets. The proposed developments will feature residential plots, villas, and commercial spaces. Meanwhile, the company aims to launch the first phase of this expansion in early 2027.

Additionally, TREVOC plans to develop approximately five lakh sq. ft. of commercial space alongside its residential portfolio over the next three years.

“We are evaluating Sonipat and Panipat as part of our next phase of expansion, with a focus on locations where improving connectivity and economic activity can support long-term demand. Deployment will be phased and linked to project opportunities and market conditions,” said Gurpal Singh Chawla, Managing Director, TREVOC Group.

The company identified regional infrastructure developments, particularly the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) and the Kundli–Manesar–Palwal (KMP) Expressway, as key factors supporting its assessment of emerging Haryana markets.

“We believe that residential and commercial spaces need to be considered as part of a larger environment, with attention to how people will use them in their everyday lives. Our focus remains on thoughtful planning, the right mix of spaces, and consistent execution so that the projects we create have lasting value for the people who live and work in them,” said Sehaj Chawla, Managing Director, TREVOC Group.

The proposed expansion will diversify TREVOC’s geographical presence and development portfolio, with Tier-2 Haryana markets expected to play a significant role in its growth strategy while complementing its existing operations.

Over the next three years, TREVOC plans to develop nearly 5 million sq. ft. of residential space, approximately 1 million sq. ft. of retail and office assets, and 75–100 acres of plotted developments across Tier-2 cities.

Meanwhile, the Group has recently launched TREVOC Royal Residences, an ultra-luxury residential project on Golf Course Road in Gurugram. The 27-storey development comprises 172 residences.

AI startup DexForce eyes physical AI breakthrough with simulation-based robot training

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October 15, 2026

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Chinese robotics startup DexForce is using AI-powered simulations and synthetic data to address one of the humanoid robotics industry’s biggest challenges: training machines to perform a wide range of real-world tasks autonomously.

At the company’s offices in Shenzhen, a virtual robot repeatedly practises placing objects on a table while the arm angles, table colours and objects change. Through these simulated environments, DexForce aims to improve robot training efficiency while reducing the cost of collecting real-world data.

Although China has developed humanoid robots capable of outperforming humans in running and jumping, enabling them to perform useful tasks reliably in factories, offices, and homes remains a significant commercial challenge.

Many Chinese robotics companies are addressing this problem by collecting extensive datasets from human workers performing repetitive tasks in real-world environments. However, DexForce is taking a different approach by generating synthetic data in virtual environments to accelerate training and reduce costs.

Chief Executive Jia Kui told that this approach could accelerate advances in robotic capabilities, potentially triggering a breakthrough comparable to the impact of ChatGPT’s 2022 launch on generative AI adoption.

“Trying to achieve ‘physical artificial general intelligence’ purely through real-world data collection would require 10 trillion samples … manual (data) collection for infinite human tasks is fundamentally inefficient,” said Jia. He was referring to a technological milestone in which humanoid robots can execute unfamiliar tasks on command in environments they have never encountered before.

Achieving this capability requires AI systems that can perceive their surroundings, navigate physical environments, and adapt to changing conditions. To address these requirements, DexForce develops AI software that simulates physical environments and models that predict how objects move and interact.

The company creates digital replicas of workplaces and tasks, trains robots within these virtual settings, and subsequently transfers the acquired knowledge to physical machines. According to DexForce, this method is faster and more cost-effective than collecting data from human trainers, who may need to repeat a movement more than 100 times to produce precise training examples.

Meanwhile, China is investing heavily in humanoid robot training infrastructure, with dozens of data collection centres under development nationwide. These facilities involve substantial expenditure and often depend on government subsidies. Nevertheless, access to high-quality training data remains a major bottleneck for the industry, even as most Chinese robotics companies combine simulated training with real-world data collection.

Jia, a machine-learning professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, founded DexForce in 2021. The startup employs approximately 500 people and counts Lenovo Capital, the investment arm of Lenovo, and Lens Technology among its backers, alongside several state-owned funds.

Recently, DexForce raised 1 billion yuan ($147 million) in a Series B funding round at a valuation exceeding 10 billion yuan. The investment will support the company’s continued development in robotics simulation and AI-driven training technology.

As humanoid robotics companies compete to develop machines capable of performing practical tasks independently, DexForce is betting that synthetic data and advanced simulation technology can help overcome training limitations and accelerate the commercial deployment of physical AI.

Enterprise AI startup Shamrock AI raises $5 Mn to accelerate agentic AI adoption

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October 15, 2026

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Enterprise AI startup Shamrock AI raises $5 Mn to accelerate agentic AI adoption — Anuraag Nallapati, co-founder, Shamrock AI

Shamrock AI, an enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) company developing an agentic assurance platform for large organisations, has raised USD 5 million in a seed funding round led by Endiya Partners, with participation from Capria Ventures.

The company’s first institutional funding round will support product development, team expansion, and go-to-market initiatives as it scales its enterprise AI platform.

Founded in 2026 by Sarat Addanki, Michael (Mick) Gallagher, and Anuraag Nallapati, Shamrock AI is developing an agentic assurance platform that enables enterprises to deploy AI agents reliably across critical business processes.

Headquartered in Shillong, Meghalaya, with offices in Hyderabad and San Francisco, the company serves several Fortune 500 customers, including a Fortune 100 AI hardware manufacturer and a Fortune 100 healthcare company.

With the fresh capital, Shamrock AI plans to expand its workforce across India and the United States. The company expects 70–80 percent of its employees to be based in India while maintaining a client-facing team in the US. Additionally, it plans to strengthen its presence in the Middle East to expand its reach across global enterprise markets.

Commenting on the funding, Anuraag Nallapati, Co-founder, Head of Product and Strategy, Shamrock AI, said, “Enterprises are looking to move beyond AI experimentation and deploy agents across critical business processes, but doing so reliably requires a deep understanding of how their businesses operate. Shamrock AI is building the assurance layer that brings together processes, data, and systems to give enterprises the confidence to adopt AI agents in production. This funding will help us accelerate product development, expand our team, and scale our platform across global enterprise markets.”

Meanwhile, Anvesh Ramineni, Partner at Endiya Partners, highlighted the importance of accountability and independent validation as enterprises increasingly adopt AI technologies. He said, “While enterprises are rapidly embracing AI, the fundamental challenge remains making AI systems accountable and independently validated in mission-critical business environments. Shamrock AI addresses this directly by building a business assurance layer that serves as the essential trust architecture to confidently automate and transform complex business processes. It is rare to see an early-stage startup with such technical and domain expertise alongside deep enterprise trust from Fortune 500 companies. We are thrilled to partner with Sarat, Mick, and Anuraag as they execute on the vision of building agentic assurance for enterprises.”

The funding positions Shamrock AI to strengthen its technology, expand its talent base, and accelerate enterprise adoption of AI agents. By focusing on reliability, accountability, and business process assurance, the company aims to help large organisations transition from AI experimentation to dependable production deployments.

Mango Hill Hotels & Resorts Signs Up 11th Hotel in Tamil Nadu

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October 15, 2026

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Mango Hill Hotels & Resorts has signed up its 11th hotel in Tamil Nadu, marking its entry into Tiruvannamalai, a destination renowned for its spiritual heritage and cultural significance.

Located opposite Sri Ramanasramam and along the Girivalam path, Mango Hill Tiruvannamalai will offer a comfortable stay for pilgrims, families, and leisure travellers visiting the town’s spiritual landmarks.

The hotel will feature 32 premium guest rooms, a 60-cover restaurant, and a spacious lobby, catering to travellers seeking a peaceful and convenient base to explore the destination.

Key attractions in the vicinity include Arunachaleswarar Temple, Sri Ramanasramam, Skandashramam, and Virupaksha Cave, along with the popular Girivalam route around Arunachala Hill.

Tiruvannamalai Railway Station is approximately 3–5 km from the hotel. By road, Puducherry Airport is around 2–2.5 hours away, Chennai International Airport approximately 3.5–4.5 hours, and Bengaluru International Airport around 4–5 hours, depending on traffic and route conditions.

With this addition, Mango Hill Hotels & Resorts continues to strengthen its presence across Tamil Nadu, focusing on destinations that offer distinctive cultural, spiritual, and leisure experiences.

About Mango Hill Hotels & Resorts

Mango Hill Hotels & Resorts is a hospitality group offering distinctive stays inspired by the character of each destination, complemented by warm and thoughtful hospitality. The brand has a presence across Chennai, Coimbatore, Kodaikanal, Ooty, Pondicherry, Yercaud, and Velankanni, catering to travellers across diverse corporate, leisure, cultural, and spiritual destinations in South India.

As part of its growth plans, Mango Hill Hotels & Resorts is looking to expand its footprint in Maharashtra, including Pune, along with other emerging destinations. The group also plans to strengthen its presence across North, East, and West India, building a wider portfolio of destination-led hospitality experiences.

Lords Hotels & Resorts Posts Robust Q2 Performance

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October 15, 2026

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Lords Hotels & Resorts has recorded a strong performance during the second quarter of 2026, reflecting sustained demand for quality hospitality experiences across its portfolio.

The group witnessed healthy growth across key performance indicators during Q2 2026, with occupancy increasing by 9%, Average Daily Rate (ADR) rising by 12%, and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) registering a growth of 18% compared with the corresponding period last year.

The positive performance was supported by strong leisure travel, business movement, and growing demand across the group’s destinations. Properties across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Nepal, and other key markets continued to contribute to the group’s overall performance, with festive travel, weddings, corporate movement, and destination-led tourism emerging as important demand drivers.

Commenting on the performance, Pushpendra Bansal, COO, Lords Hotels & Resorts, said, “The second quarter has been encouraging for Lords Hotels & Resorts, with healthy growth across our key performance parameters. The sustained demand across our markets reflects the strength of our portfolio and the growing preference for well-located, quality hospitality experiences. We remain focused on strengthening our operations, enhancing guest experiences, and creating sustainable growth across our properties.”

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.

Digital. Intelligent. Resilient.: ZainTECH evolves brand promise ‘What’s next is now’ as it unifies operations and accelerates regional expansion

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October 15, 2026

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• All entities now operate under the unified ZainTECH brand, delivering consistent and meaningful business outcomes to over 1600 organizations and government customers.

• Regional footprint expands to Egypt, building on significant investment to scale operations across the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, and Bahrain.

Dubai, UAE – October 14, 2026: To accelerate the next phase of its growth, ZainTECH, the integrated digital solutions arm of Zain Group, has evolved its brand promise to ‘What’s next is now,’ reflecting the meaningful business outcomes it delivers to more than 1,600 organizations and government customers through its Digital. Intelligent. Resilient. framework.

This evolution follows the unification of all acquired entities, namely STS Arabia, BIOS Middle East, and Adfolks under ZainTECH.

This milestone marks the next stage in the company’s evolution as a regional ICT partner for enterprises and governments, following a period of strategic growth and continued regional expansion, which has recently seen the launch of ZainTECH operations in Egypt. Furthermore, ZainTECH has invested in scaling up its UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, and Bahrain regional offices to support the growing demand for its growth-enhancing and business-critical services.

Today, ZainTECH’s presence spans eight countries, offering a unified and managed delivery model spanning cloud, cybersecurity, data and AI, digital solutions, modern infrastructure, and drones and robotics. The company enables organizations across the region to modernize with confidence, turn data and AI into actionable intelligence, and remain secure and resilient as change accelerates.

“For years, organizations have talked about preparing for what comes next. Today, the technologies shaping that future are already transforming the way businesses operate,” said Andrew Hanna, CEO of ZainTECH. “The evolution of ZainTECH brings together the capabilities, expertise, and regional presence needed to help our customers act on those opportunities. Digital. Intelligent. Resilient reflects the strategy we have been building and the outcomes we are focused on delivering for our customers. ‘What’s next is now’ reflects our commitment to helping organizations move forward with confidence, turning technology into meaningful business outcomes.”

Mr. Hanna concluded, “Our expansion into Egypt is an important part of our growth journey, reflecting our confidence in the significant opportunities we see in the market across the enterprise and government sectors.”

At the heart of this proposition is ZainTECH’s Digital. Intelligent. Resilient. framework, which brings its capabilities together around three core customer outcomes:

• Digital: helping organizations modernize through cloud, infrastructure, connectivity, applications, and automation.

• Intelligent: using AI, data, and analytics to convert information into actionable insights and enable better decision-making.

• Resilient: strengthening business continuity and operational confidence through cybersecurity, managed services, and resilient digital infrastructure.

Together, these capabilities enable ZainTECH to deliver an integrated approach to digital modernization, combining technology, intelligence, and resilience to address the demands of an increasingly complex and always-on business environment. The ZainTECH website and channels bring this integrated proposition together in one digital experience.

As it enters this next phase, ZainTECH remains focused on the outcomes it enables for customers, helping organizations across the region become more Digital, Intelligent, and Resilient – because what’s next is Digital. What’s next is Intelligent. What’s next is Resilient. And what’s next is now.

About ZainTECH:

ZainTECH is the digital solutions arm of Zain Group, enabling organizations across the Middle East to become Digital, Intelligent, and Resilient. Named a Leader in the 2025 IDC MarketScape for Gulf Countries AI Professional Services – the first time IDC has assessed this regional market – ZainTECH is recognized for its vertical expertise, AI Centers of Excellence, and ability to deliver measurable outcomes at scale.

Built through strategic acquisitions and organic growth since 2021, ZainTECH combines the scale of a regional powerhouse with the agility of a specialist partner. The company serves 1,600-plus organizations across 8 countries through a unified delivery model spanning cloud, cybersecurity, data and AI, digital solutions, modern infrastructure, and drones and robotics. With 850-plus specialists, 14 regional data centers, and three 24×7 SOC and NOC facilities across Jordan, UAE, and KSA, ZainTECH brings sovereign cloud capability, regulatory alignment, and always-on security to enterprises operating in some of the region’s most demanding environments. For more information, visit www.zaintech.com.

Electric mobility startup GreenCell Mobility raises Rs 330-Cr for electric bus expansion

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October 14, 2026

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Electric mobility startup GreenCell Mobility raises Rs 330-Cr for electric bus expansion — Devndra Chawla, Managing Director and CEO, GreenCell Mobility

Everstone Capital-backed electric mobility company GreenCell Mobility has raised Rs 330 crore (USD 34.6 million) in an equity funding round led by Impact Fund Denmark, according to a media report. The investment will support the deployment of approximately 4,500 electric buses and strengthen the company’s expansion plans across India.

Headquartered in Mumbai, GreenCell Mobility aims to expand its fleet to more than 5,000 electric buses across 105 cities in the country. The fresh capital will help the company execute its existing deployment commitments while strengthening its operational capabilities to support a larger fleet.

Commenting on the investment, GreenCell Mobility Managing Director and CEO Devndra Chawla said the funding would provide additional capital to execute the company’s order book, improve service delivery, and manage the operational requirements associated with fleet expansion.

Founded in 2019, GreenCell Mobility specialises in deploying and operating electric buses for public transportation. The company procures vehicles through contract manufacturing arrangements with vendors and operates them across intercity and intracity routes.

Backed by Eversource Capital, a joint venture between Everstone Capital and Lightsource, GreenCell Mobility primarily operates under the NueGo brand.

Currently, the company operates more than 1,200 electric buses across India, including around 900 buses on intracity routes, 300 under its NueGo intercity service and 50 for the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). Additionally, it operates more than 270 charging stations to support its electric bus fleet.

GreenCell Mobility has previously secured USD 37 million from the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank’s private-sector investment arm. Its other investors include Eversource Capital, British International Investment, and Tata Capital.

The latest funding comes as institutional investors increase their interest in India’s electric bus sector. Operators require substantial capital to deploy vehicles, develop charging infrastructure, and fulfill long-term public transportation contracts. Consequently, the investment highlights continued investor interest in electric bus fleet operators and the infrastructure supporting their expansion.

Meanwhile, in March 2026, electric bus manufacturer PMI Electro Mobility and its electric bus platform Allfleet signed a definitive agreement with private equity firm KKR for an investment commitment of up to USD 310 million. The proposed investment aimed to support the platform’s expansion across India. Subsequently, PMI filed for an initial public offering (IPO) through the confidential route.

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