Ather’s Weak Debut, Centre Rains Hard, and Swiggy Hands Over Ladle

Ather’s market debut sputtered, ending 6% below its IPO price, while the Centre told the Supreme Court that online gaming walks and talks like gambling—and should be taxed like it too. Over in foodtech, Swiggy is handing over the ladle, transferring its digital-first brands like The Bowl Company and Soul Rasa to Kouzina, signaling a quieter cloud kitchen chapter ahead. Besides, there’s also Startup Spotlight to savor.

Grab your simmering cup of StartupChai.in and unwind with our hand-brewed memes.

“Ye Toh Gadbad Ho Gayi”: Ather Energy Ends First Trading Session 6% Below IPO Price

Electric scooter maker Ather Energy had a bumpy ride on its stock market debut, closing 7.22% below its listing price at ₹302.50.

The stock even dipped to ₹300 during intraday trading, nearly 8% down. With that slide, Ather’s valuation cooled off to ₹11,266 Cr ($1.33 Bn), about 6% short of its IPO target—clearly not the electrifying start many hoped for.

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“Waqt Rehte Sudhar Jaao”: Online Gaming Similar To Betting & Gambling, DGGI Tells SC

Online gaming just got tagged as gambling—at least according to the Centre’s pitch to the Supreme Court.

The DGGI argued that staking money in online games is no different from betting, and should be hit with a 28% GST. If the Court agrees, your next game night might come with a hefty tax tag.

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“Rishta Wahi, Soch Nayi”: Swiggy To Transfer Ownership Of Digital-First Food Brands To Kouzina

Swiggy is passing the spatula—its digital-first food brands like The Bowl Company, Homely, and Soul Rasa are heading to Kouzina.

Under a new deal, Kouzina will run and grow these brands, eventually taking full ownership. It’s another sign that Swiggy is slimming down its cloud kitchen menu after years of restructuring.

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1. BharatPe just scooped up ₹125 Cr from Neo Group, Trifecta, and Alteria as it gears up for an FY27 IPO. With its super app plans cooking and breakeven finally on the books, the fintech giant seems to be flipping its FY24 losses into a comeback story.
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2. Fuel-tech startup Nawgati raised $2.5 Mn in a Pre-Series A round led by Ajay Upadhyaya, with backing from names like Vivek Mathur and MeitY Startup Hub. Its mission is streamlining traffic and compliance at fuel stations so your next petrol stop doesn’t feel like rush hour.
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3. Healthy snacking just got a boost—Troovy raised ₹20 Cr in a pre-Series A round led by Fireside Ventures. The brand now plans to sprint into quick commerce aisles, eyeing frequent grocery baskets for faster growth.
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“Neo No 1 Mai, Mai Neo 1”: NeoSapien Is Redefining Human-AI Interaction

Meet NeoSapien, the Indian startup turning sci-fi into reality with its AI-powered pendant, the Neo 1—a sleek “second brain” that remembers, organizes, and even reads your emotional cues.

Founded by cousins Dhananjay and Aryan Yadav, this voice-controlled, screenless wearable is designed to blend seamlessly into your daily life. After a Shark Tank India deal and backing from big names, NeoSapien is all set to take its futuristic vision global by 2025.

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