Meesho Faces Backlash, CarTrade’s Surge, Veefin's Overseas Acquisition

Plus, Ola's shares tumble, Paytm CPO quits, DeHaat and Swiggy's losses widen, Yubi cuts loss, new CEO for FEF, and funding updates for Marut Drones and Stage

Zomato Faces Backlash, magicpin Reduces Platform Fee, Delhivery Expands ESOP and more

Kuku’s Fortunes Rise, Rare Rabbit Soars High, Google India Bounces Back

(Saturday Deep Dive) - Emergence of D2C Startups in India: Part II

India's Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands are reshaping retail by bypassing traditional middlemen to deliver products directly to customers. From the farm-to-door chocolates to customized, toxin-free skincare, D2C brands connect with consumers in a way that's transparent, personal, and tailored. In last week's Part 1 of this series, we dived into how D2C brands are leveraging India's booming digital space to build relationships, enhance personalization, and innovate with real-time customer feedback. In Part 2, we will explore the triumphs and challenges faced by these startups: from omnichannel expansion and sustainable practices to overcoming high customer acquisition costs. As D2C brands grow, they’re becoming not just product providers but storytellers, shaping personalized, engaging retail experiences.

Ola Bounces Back, Whatflix's Surge, Happy Diwali!

May this Diwali bring you light, prosperity, and the spark of innovation to fuel your entrepreneurial journey. Happy Diwali from StartupChai!

Swiggy Instamart Glitches, Nazara’s Datawrkz Expands, CoinDCX Goes Decentral

Plus, Zaggle's employee rewards, Nazara's acqusition, Meesho and Niyo narrow loss, Navi Finserv's green light, Ninjacart and Moneyview's revenue jump, and oolmate's fundraise

Ola’s Sorrows, Karnataka's Startup Programs, Cashfree's PPI License

slice’s Merger, Tata’s Neu, First Cheque's Pre-Seed Plan

Zomato’s New Feature, Swiggy's IPO, RBI's Warning

Plus, Govt. teams up with Meta, ED cracks down, Telegram rejects monitoring, Swiggy's new pilot, and fundraising updates for Healthyify, The Paan Legacy, Hemptyful, and Polr.Care

(Saturday Deep Dive) - Emergence of D2C Startups in India

India’s Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) market is transforming brand-customer relationships by cutting out traditional middlemen. In this first part (of two part series), we explore the rise of D2C brands, which have capitalized on the country’s digital growth. We’ll examine key drivers behind this shift, the challenges brands face—such as high marketing costs and scaling—and why investors are strategically backing this evolving business model.

Blinkit's EMI and Seller Hub, Uber Expansion, NPCI Crackdown

Plus, Swiggy's 'hygiene' initiative, Disney+Hotstar head departs, Ola exec to drive growth at Paytm, Indian Govt.'s new space fund, and fundraising updates for NG Earsafe and OLOID

Centre Wants X Crackdown, Darwinbox’s Celebration, DroneAcharya's EU deal

Govt. urges X to crackdown on hoaxes, Shiprocket revenue milestone, DroneAcharya's EU deal, SC decides against Bjyus and BCCI, Zomato fee hike, Darwinbox's overseas bonanza, and fundraising updates for Transition VC, Avaana, Udaan and Tollbit