HR-tech startup All Things People raises seed funding to drive growth

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September 22, 2025

HR-tech startup All Things People raises seed funding to drive growth — Anish Singh, Kshitij Jain, and Shashank Shekhar, co-founder, All Things People (ATP)

Human resources technology platform All Things People (ATP) has successfully raised ₹7 crore in a seed funding round, with participation from Honasa’s founder & CEO Varun Alagh, along with Amit Dalmia, Alex von Behr, Vivek Gambhir, and Amit Sinha.

ATP announced that it will use the fresh capital to scale its flagship product, atp|reflect. Specifically, it plans to enhance continuous employee listening, strengthen advanced analytics, generate actionable insights, improve secure tech infrastructure, and furthermore, expand marketing and sales outreach.

Founded in 2024 by Anish Singh, Kshitij Jain, and Shashank Shekhar, All Things People positions itself as a next-generation HR-tech company redefining workplace experiences globally. By blending artificial intelligence, people science, and organisational insights, ATP delivers scalable, personalised solutions that enable companies to attract, engage, and nurture talent. Its first product, atp|reflect, equips leaders with the tools to listen in real time, gather actionable insights, and drive meaningful organisational change.

Market research projects that the global HR technology market, valued at $36 billion in 2024, will nearly double to $69.6 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 7.6% between 2025 and 2033.

Since inception, ATP has launched its transformative employee experience platform, atp|reflect, and rapidly built a client base of 15 organisations, including a Big Four consulting firm, top automobile manufacturer, premium hotel chains, unicorn startups, an e-commerce leader, pharmaceutical firms, and more.

Moreover, with clients already across India, Australia, and Sri Lanka, ATP is now further strengthening its international presence and positioning itself as a rising force in the global HR-tech sector.

Wealthtech startup Jar turns profitable in H1 2025

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September 20, 2025

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Wealthtech startup Jar turns profitable in H1 2025 — L-R: Misbah Ashraf and Nishchay AG, co-founders, Jar

Wealthtech startup Jar reported profitability in the first two quarters of 2025 (Q4 FY25 and Q1 FY26), driven by robust business growth.

The mobile-based fintech company, which enables users to make microinvestments in digital gold, also reduced its loss before ESOP expenses by over 50%, bringing it down to INR 35.3 Cr in the financial year ending March 2025. By comparison, Jar had posted a net loss of INR 104 Cr in FY24.

According to the wealthtech startup, its revenue surged to INR 208 Cr in FY25 from INR 49 Cr in the previous fiscal year, fueled by its entry into the ecommerce jewellery segment. Moreover, the company claimed that its total revenue skyrocketed nearly 43 times year-on-year to INR 2,450 Cr in FY25. However, it is important to note that Jar booked the gross value of gold sold to customers as revenue in FY25 after transitioning from an intermediary to a principal role in the previous fiscal.

Founded in 2021 by Nishchay AG and Misbah Ashraf, Jar allows users to invest as little as INR 10 in digital gold through its mobile app. The startup currently serves more than 35 million users across 12,000 pin codes, leveraging UPI Autopay to deduct a fixed amount from users’ accounts to add to their savings.

Last year, Tiger Global-backed Jar expanded into the D2C jewellery space under the brand ‘Nek’, offering a variety of gold and silver products including rings, earrings, neckwear, and coins.

“Gold remains the primary savings instrument across India, and our platform reflects that reality. The fact that most of our users have never saved before suggests there are many more who could benefit from this approach,” Nishchay said.

The Bengaluru-based startup has raised over $111 Mn to date from investors such as Arkam Ventures, WEH Ventures, and Tribe Capital. Jar’s last funding was a $22 Mn Series B round, giving it a post-money valuation of $300 Mn.

Earlier this year, Jar was reportedly in talks with investors led by Prosus to raise nearly $50 Mn, but the deal fell through due to valuation differences. While Jar sought funding at its last valuation of $300 Mn, potential investors valued the company between $200 Mn and $250 Mn.

Looking ahead, Jar is planning a public listing next year, and sources indicate the startup is in discussions with investment bankers for a potential IPO.

Lodha Developers sells 24-acre Mumbai land to STT Global Data Centres for Rs 500-Cr

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September 20, 2025

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Real estate company Lodha Developers Ltd has sold more than 24 acres of land in the Mumbai area to Singapore-based STT Global Data Centres for approximately Rs 500 crore, according to sources. ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), a Singapore-based data centre services provider, recently acquired 24.34 acres in Palava, and the transaction has already been officially registered.

Of this, Lodha Developers sold 1.74 acres, while its subsidiary Palava Induslogic 4 Pvt Ltd sold 22.6 acres, totaling around Rs 499 crore, sources added. The company declined to comment on the deal.

Earlier this month, Lodha Developers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra government to establish a green integrated data centre park at Palava. The MoU outlines a proposed investment of Rs 30,000 crore, expected to generate 6,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The 370-acre park, planned to have a capacity of 2 gigawatts, will host multiple leading international and domestic companies.

“Combined investments of over Rs 30,000 crore are anticipated from Lodha and various data centre players in this park,” the company had said.

Lodha Developers holds a substantial land bank in Palava, which it is leveraging to develop an integrated township featuring residential, commercial, warehousing, and data centre projects.

As one of India’s leading real estate firms, Lodha Developers has delivered approximately 100 million square feet of real estate and is currently developing over 110 million square feet across its ongoing and planned projects.

Sterling Holiday Resorts opens second resort in Guruvayur

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September 20, 2025

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Sterling Holiday Resorts opens second resort in Guruvayur — Vikram Lalvani, MD & CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts

Sterling Holiday Resorts has unveiled Sterling Darshan Guruvayur, marking its second property in the holy temple town of Guruvayur. With this new addition, Sterling now holds the distinction of being the national brand with the most keys in Guruvayur, providing devotees and travelers with a broader range of accommodation options while maintaining its hallmark warmth and hospitality.

Sterling Darshan Guruvayur, located just a short walk from the 5,000-year-old Sri Krishna Temple, offers pilgrims, families, and cultural enthusiasts a serene retreat.

Sterling Darshan Guruvayur enhances the existing Sterling Guruvayur property, offering travelers two unique yet spiritually connected Sterling experiences within the same destination. Guests can further enrich their Kerala itinerary by visiting nearby Sterling resorts in Athirappilly, Munnar, or Alleppey, blending spiritual, cultural, and leisure experiences.

In addition to its close location to the temple, Sterling Darshan Guruvayur stands out as Guruvayur’s largest venue for weddings and social events. Its expansive Kalyan Mandapam, accommodating up to 300 guests along with a dedicated dining hall, provides an exceptional setting for traditional ceremonies and large gatherings—making it an ideal choice for weddings in the temple town.

“With Sterling Darshan Guruvayur, we are deepening our footprint in one of India’s most revered pilgrimage destinations. Together with our first property, Sterling Guruvayur, we are proud to offer travellers more choice than ever before. Keeping in line with the increasing trend for spiritual tourism, we will continue to increase our presence in several heritage destinations across the country,” said Vikram Lalvani, MD & CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts.

“We are delighted to partner with Sterling to launch this resort. Guruvayur has always been a hub for spiritual tourism, and with Sterling Darshan, we are bringing a new dimension—one that celebrates not just pilgrimage but also weddings and cultural gatherings. The large Kalyan Mandapam, coupled with Sterling’s trusted hospitality, makes this a landmark property in Guruvayur,” said Jose Matthew, Owner & Managing Director, EVM Motels Pvt. Ltd.

Nvidia plans $500 Mn investment in self-driving tech startup Wayve

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September 20, 2025

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Nvidia plans $500 Mn investment in self-driving tech startup Wayve — Jensen Huang, Founder & CEO, Nvidia

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang visited the United Kingdom this week with a commitment to invest £2 billion ($2.6 billion) to boost the nation’s AI startup ecosystem. According to the company, U.K.-based self-driving technology startup Wayve could be among the beneficiaries of this AI investment initiative.

Wayve announced that it has signed a letter of intent with Nvidia to explore a $500 million strategic investment in the U.K. startup’s upcoming funding round. Nvidia had previously taken part in Wayve’s $1.05 billion Series C round, completed in May 2024.

A Wayve spokesperson confirmed that the proposed $500 million investment falls under Nvidia’s broader AI startup funding initiative.

At an event on Thursday, Nvidia said the £2 billion commitment would also draw contributions from venture capital firms including Accel, Air Street Capital, Balderton, Hoxton Ventures, and Phoenix Court.

Wayve co-founder and CEO Alex Kendall didn’t provide a projected closing date for its Series D round but said the company was “working quickly towards it.”

Founded in 2017, Wayve has attracted attention and investors for its automated driving system, which relies on a self-learning, data-driven approach rather than traditional rules-based programming. Its end-to-end neural network eliminates the need for high-definition maps, instead using real-world data to teach vehicles how to drive. This learning method powers both “eyes on” assisted driving and “eyes off” fully autonomous driving systems.

The company intends to offer its “Embodied AI” technology to automakers and other technology firms.

Wayve’s self-learning approach, similar to Tesla’s strategy, is especially attractive to automakers because it doesn’t depend on specific sensors or maps. This allows the system to operate using standard sensors such as cameras and radar, with the software leveraging the data from these inputs to make real-time driving decisions.

While Wayve’s software can run on the chips already installed in its OEM partners’ vehicles, the startup has maintained a close development partnership with Nvidia since 2018.

Wayve’s second-generation self-driving platform, integrated into its Ford Mach-E test vehicles, utilizes Nvidia GPUs. This week, the company introduced its third-generation platform, which employs the in-vehicle compute autonomous vehicle development kit, Nvidia Drive AGX Thor. Gen 3 enables Wayve to deliver eyes-off advanced driving-assistance systems and Level 4 autonomous features suitable for both city streets and highways.

Nvidia—and especially CEO Jensen Huang—appears eager to play a key role in Wayve’s future.

“The next trillion-dollar company, you guys,” Huang said in a video featuring his first ride in a Wayve-equipped vehicle on public streets in London.

“We picked him up from his hotel and went for a drive around Central London through some really busy streets, including Hyde Park corner — that’s this massive roundabout here,” Kendall said in an interview Friday. “I really loved that experience, and it was cool to show him what we’ve always been building on as a result of Nvidia’s platform over the years.”

Oracle eyes $20 Bn AI cloud computing deal with Meta, source says

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September 20, 2025

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Oracle is negotiating a multi-year cloud computing deal with Meta worth about $20 billion, highlighting the social media giant’s push to secure faster access to computing power.

Under the deal, the company would supply Meta with computing resources to train and deploy AI models, supplementing its current cloud partners. Oracle delivers comprehensive cloud solutions and offers versatile deployment options, positioning itself to meet a wide spectrum of customer requirements.

The potential agreement follows a Wall Street Journal report from last week that revealed OpenAI had signed a contract to acquire about $300 billion worth of computing power from the company over five years—one of the largest cloud deals ever recorded.

The software company has also partnered with Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft, allowing their cloud customers to run Oracle Cloud Infrastructure alongside native services. Revenue from these collaborations surged more than sixteen times in the first quarter.

Just last week, Oracle announced four multi-billion-dollar contracts, reflecting a broader industry trend—driven by players like OpenAI and xAI—toward massive investments in computing capacity to maintain a competitive edge in the AI race.

The enterprise software giant stated that it anticipates securing several more multi-billion-dollar clients in the coming months and projected that booked revenue from its Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) business will surpass $500 billion.

Azure Hospitality to double Mamagoto and Dhaba outlets, eyes Rs 200-Cr revenue by FY-end

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September 19, 2025

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Azure Hospitality to double Mamagoto and Dhaba outlets, eyes Rs 200-Cr revenue by FY-end — Rahul Khanna, co-founder of Azure Hospitality

Azure Hospitality, the parent company of Mamagoto and Dhaba Estd. 1986, is preparing for its next growth phase with plans to double the presence of its flagship brands over the next four to five years, said Rahul Khanna, co-founder of Azure Hospitality.

The group currently runs around 25 outlets each of Mamagoto and Dhaba across 14 cities in 12 states, with nearly 60% of its locations concentrated in the NCR region.

“We want to open between six to ten outlets every year, so we can hopefully double our footprint in the next four to five years,” he asserted.

The company plans to fund its expansion through a combination of internal accruals, debt financing, and new capital investments.

“We are going to be looking at a fundraise in the next two to three quarters. We would like to raise between Rs 150 to 200 crore,” Khanna shared.

In addition, the company employs a commissary-based model to maintain consistency across all its outlets.

“All the proprietary sauces, dips, curry pastes, and marinades of Mamagoto and Dhaba are centralized and freshly distributed to outlets daily. That’s our hub-and-spoke backbone,” Khanna explained.

Currently, approximately 80% of the group’s outlets are located in malls or mixed-use developments, with high streets making up the remaining 20%. While Mamagoto and Dhaba continue to serve as the primary growth drivers, Azure Hospitality also operates other concepts, including Sly Granny, Maalgadi by Dhaba, and Speedy Chow.

“Sly Granny is not a brand we are looking to expand aggressively, though 45 per cent of its revenue comes from alcohol. We might add one or two outlets a year,” Khanna said.

The company is also planning to launch a new liquor-led concept in tier II and III cities.

Azure Hospitality aims to achieve a topline of Rs 200 crore by the end of this fiscal year, up from approximately Rs 140 crore in the previous fiscal. Both Mamagoto and Dhaba deliver EBITDA margins of 20–23% and experience year-on-year same-store sales growth of 6–8%.

“Our average spend per person hovers between Rs 850–1,100, and liquor only contributes about 10 per cent of revenue, which makes these concepts strongly food-driven,” Khanna concluded.

Azure Hospitality aims to drive sustainable growth in the Indian casual dining and premium QSR segment over the coming years by doubling the footprint of Mamagoto and Dhaba, leveraging a commissary-led model, and targeting a Rs 200 crore topline.

Oyo parent Prism launches ‘CheckIn’ app to enhance premium hotel and home stays

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September 19, 2025

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Oyo parent Prism launches ‘CheckIn’ app to enhance premium hotel and home stays — Ritesh Agarwal, Founder of OYO

Prism, the parent company of Oyo, announced on Friday the launch of CheckIn, a dedicated app designed for its premium properties across the globe.

The app will showcase Prism’s portfolio of premium hotels, homes, and curated experiences, including SUNDAY Hotels, Clubhouse, and Palette, along with European holiday rentals such as CheckMyGuest, Dancenter, Belvilla, and others.

While the CheckIn app will focus on the premium and luxury travel segment, the Oyo app will continue to cater to value-conscious travelers.

Ritesh Agarwal, founder & group CEO of Prism, said, “It delivers two key benefits: the assurance that every property meets rigorous standards of quality and service and the convenience of accessing diverse premium options without the need to navigate multiple channels. Just as Oyo became synonymous with budget travel globally, the CheckIn will serve as our global house of brands for premium hotels and homes.”

According to Oyo, the CheckIn app and collection were piloted three months ago on the Play Store and App Store in India. Properties in destinations such as London, Dubai, Bali, and several Indian cities are already open for bookings.

Currently available in India, CheckIn will expand to global markets in the coming months. Oyo noted that about 45% of users continue to choose budget-friendly stays, while nearly 55% prefer premium, design-focused, and experience-led accommodations.

Founded in 2012 by Ritesh Agarwal, Oyo started as a budget hospitality platform, leveraging technology to standardize and organize small hotels. In recent years, the company has broadened its presence beyond India’s budget hotel space, expanding into international markets, premium hotels, and vacation homes.

ELIVAAS strengthens South India presence with luxury villas in Kerala

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September 19, 2025

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ELIVAAS strengthens South India presence with luxury villas in Kerala — Mr. Ritwik Khare, Founder & CEO, ELIVAAS

ELIVAAS has unveiled its expansion into South India with the launch of six luxury villas and resorts across Kerala, marking a key milestone in its mission to make immersive villa stays accessible across the country. Already present in several regions of India, the move signals a strategic entry into the southern market and further cements ELIVAAS’s position in the luxury travel and experiential stay segment.

The new Kerala portfolio features Palm Dale, Pamba Heritage, and Vembanad House in Alappuzha; Panchvadi in Thekkady; Still Waters in Varkala; and Paloma Backwater Resort. Each property has been designed to capture the essence of Kerala’s culture and natural landscapes, offering guests premium hospitality with complete privacy. From cozy four-bedroom villas perfect for family holidays to expansive retreats with over 30 rooms tailored for corporate getaways, ELIVAAS addresses the needs of a wide spectrum of travellers.

Guests can enjoy curated services such as private chefs, personalized concierge assistance, and bespoke luxury hospitality. Signature experiences such as houseboat cruises, shikara rides, kayaking adventures, cycling trails, and Ayurvedic wellness programs further enhance these offerings.

Speaking about the expansion, Ritwik Khare, Founder and CEO, ELIVAAS, said, “Our expansion into Kerala reflects not only the demand we see from travellers but also the immense potential of South India as a luxury and experiential travel hub. Having built a successful presence in different parts of India, Kerala is a natural next step for us – its backwaters, cultural richness, and strong tourism ecosystem make it an ideal market. With this expansion, ELIVAAS is positioning itself to cater to the growing demand for premium stays that serve families, corporates, and global travellers alike. We foresee South India becoming one of our strongest growth markets in the years to come.”

Staying true to its philosophy of “luxury with responsibility,” ELIVAAS has woven sustainability into every aspect of its Kerala properties. Each villa and resort showcases locally inspired architecture, adopts energy-efficient practices, and features eco-friendly amenities such as glass water bottles and jute slippers to reduce environmental impact. In addition, partnerships with local vendors, artisans, and craftsmen not only deliver authentic cultural experiences but also generate meaningful benefits for the surrounding community.

With Kerala now part of its expanding portfolio, ELIVAAS reinforces its mission to redefine luxury travel in India through culturally grounded, sustainable, and personalized villa stays. The brand is committed to offering exceptional guest experiences while also delivering best-in-class operational management to homeowners and asset partners. This approach strengthens ELIVAAS’s position as a trusted partner and propels the growth of India’s luxury villa ecosystem.

Climatetech startup Equilibrium secures $3M to expand carbon removal portfolio

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September 19, 2025

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Equilibrium, a digitally enabled full-stack carbon project developer, has secured $3 million in seed funding from Kalaari Capital, Peak XV Partners, and Avaana Capital. The company leverages carbon science, digital monitoring, and community-led execution to deliver high-quality, verifiable carbon removals aimed at cutting emissions and strengthening India’s food systems.

Its portfolio includes projects in agroforestry, regenerative farming, mangrove restoration, and biochar production. These nature-based initiatives not only help sequester carbon but also diversify farmer incomes while turning agricultural and biomass waste into valuable products.

The fresh capital will support the rollout of eight pipeline projects across nine states, spanning 120,000 hectares and involving more than 150,000 smallholder farmers. Collectively, these projects are projected to generate over 20 million tonnes of high-quality carbon removals.

Equilibrium partners with farmer producer organizations (FPOs), NGOs, and agri-value chain stakeholders to design scalable, investment-grade projects that work even in fragmented smallholder farming landscapes. By combining region-specific carbon science, digital MRV (measurement, reporting, and verification) systems, and waste-to-value models, the climatetech startup transforms crop residues and invasive species into carbon removal and soil enrichment solutions.

“We invested in Equilibrium because it pairs deep agricultural and carbon science with a digitally enabled operating system that makes on-ground implementation partners effective at scale. Its robust dMRV stack delivers auditable high-frequency tracking, and the team operates with the fiscal discipline, corporate governance, and rigor required to build high-integrity, high-quality, long-lived carbon assets,” said Sampath P, Partner, Kalaari Capital.

“Our mission is to bring scale and durability to carbon removal through a permanent switch to climate-resilient agriculture, and this requires sustained, appropriate pools of capital to execute long-term projects,” said Siddhanth Jayaram, founder of Equilibrium.

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