BigBasket’s Fast Food Game, WLDD’s Acquisition, and Apna.co’s AI Job Prep

BigBasket has entered the 10-minute food delivery race. After years of watching other players make noise in this space, Tata-backed BigBasket is finally stepping in with its own version of the quick bite model. The pilot is live in Bengaluru and aims to scale to 40 dark stores by July 2025, with a nationwide rollout by the end of FY26. On paper, it sounds late. But if you’ve followed BigBasket’s story, this is business as usual.

BigBasket has never been a first mover. Whether it was express grocery delivery, subscription models, or private labels, they’ve always followed others - and then quietly out-executed them. We saw this unfold with Zepto's success in pioneering the 10-minute cafe-style food delivery model (Zepto cafe), Swiggy’s Bolt, and Blinkit's foray into prepared foods with 'Blinkit Bistro'. BigBasket observed these successes closely. That’s their playbook: watch the market, avoid expensive mistakes, then swoop in (with the power of Tata’s supply chain). The current food delivery play feels the same.

Unlike Zomato and Swiggy, BigBasket isn’t depending on restaurants. Their food delivery will include only Tata-affiliated brands like Starbucks, Qmin, and in-house products like Fresho. That means fewer delivery complications, better control on margins, and consistent quality. That’s smart. By not including third-party restaurants, they eliminate the biggest pain point in food delivery - variable quality and heavy commissions. We think that their unit economics might actually work in this model.

But there are risks too - the menu will be limited. Indian customers love variety: biryanis from one place, and Chinese food from another. A curated menu of snacks and beverages might work in the short term, but will it sustain long-term interest?

We’ve seen BigBasket pivot before. They moved from hyperlocal to inventory-led. They added private labels. They built a supply chain that’s among the best in Indian e-commerce. Their grocery business isn’t sexy, but it works. This food delivery move looks like another extension of that approach - execution over novelty.

What’s likely driving this? The IPO. Food delivery is high-frequency, sticky, and carries better valuation multiples. Adding this business to BigBasket’s story could create an exciting IPO narrative.

There’s also the Tata Consumer Products angle. BigBasket could become the delivery engine for Tata’s entire FMCG portfolio. That’s not just smart, it’s synergistic. Instead of relying on Swiggy or Zomato to deliver Tata Sampann dal or Starbucks coffee, BigBasket can own the experience end-to-end.

But let’s not forget the challenges. Can their rider fleet match the urgency of 10-minute SLAs? Will they burn cash to match consumer expectations? Can they break the mental image of BigBasket as just a grocery app? These are real hurdles.

BigBasket has necessary infrastructure and product portfolio. And they have the discipline to focus on margins where others chase growth. So, while this isn’t the most exciting entry into quick commerce, it might end up being the most sustainable one.

Let’s go through what else is happening in Indian startup world - Grab your simmering cup of StartupChai.in and unwind with our hand-brewed memes.

“Maidan-e-Jung Mein Hum Bhi Utrenge”: BigBasket Launches 10-Minute Food Delivery Service

BigBasket is jumping into the 10-minute delivery race, starting with a Bengaluru pilot and eyeing a nationwide rollout by March 2026.

The plan is to supercharge its dark store army from 700 to over 1,200 by end-2025. If all goes well, your pani puri cravings might just meet their match in record time.

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“Aapne Ghabrana Nahi Hai”: Apna.co launches AI-powered interview prep tool

Apna.co just dropped AI Job Prep, a smart interview coach for India’s job seekers—because “Tell me about yourself” shouldn’t trigger panic.

With over 7.6 lakh mock interviews across 900+ cities, it's clear India's prepping hard, the tech way. From instant feedback to personalized tips, Apna’s AI tool is here to turn job jitters into job offers.

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“Janmo Ke Saathi”: WLDD Acquires Creative Studio Imagined

Digital marketing maverick WLDD just scooped up Bengaluru’s Imagined Studio in an all-cash deal - because plain ads are so last season.

The creative team at Imagined is now part of the WLDD universe, with cofounder Ritvik Varghese sticking around in an advisory role.

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1. Refyne, the on-demand salary startup, has raised INR 35 Cr via debt by issuing 3,500 Series A debentures. Backed by Tiger Global, the EWA platform is pushing ahead despite a FY24 net loss of INR 33.9 Cr.
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2. Leumas has secured $2.2 Mn in funding to build robotic factories for pharma and wellness, led by Capital 2B. The startup aims to boost R&D and scale its modular, software-driven manufacturing infrastructure.
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3. Wealthtech startup PowerUp Money has raised $7.1 Mn from Accel, Blume, and others to help Indians move beyond just SIPs. With fresh capital, the team plans to supercharge product development and bring smarter portfolio tools to the table.
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4. FlexiLoans has raised INR 375 Cr in its ongoing Series C round led by Nuveen and BII to expand its product offerings. With this, the NBFC’s total Series C haul now stands at INR 665 Cr.
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5. D2C jewellery brand GIVA is set to raise INR 450 Cr from Creaegis and others, pushing its valuation to $374 Mn. That’s a sparkling 47% jump from its last round in 2024.
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6. MS Dhoni-backed Garuda Aerospace has topped up its Series B round with a fresh $1M from Narotam Sekhsaria Family Office and We Founder Circle. This comes after its earlier $12M raise, taking the drone startup’s valuation to $250M.
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