Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (April 14, 2025)

From Pune-based Deciml empowering Gen Z to invest spare change in mutual funds to BluSmart addressing shutdown rumors, and Info Edge’s Bikhchandani highlighting deeptech investments, YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors.

Featured stories

How Pune-based Deciml helps Gen Z use their spare change for mutual fund investments

India is home to about 67 million young adults—a generation fluent in technology and digital transactions. Ask any 22-year-old if they should invest, and the answer is an obvious yes. 

Yet, this demographic is unprepared when it comes to financial discipline. According to a December 2024 report by Motilal Oswal, an Indian financial services company, only 3% of Indians invest in mutual funds and SIPs, despite increasing awareness around these investment instruments.  

Now, imagine the potential impact if India’s largest demographic—the youth—had a platform that made investing more accessible and engaging for them. Satyajeet Kunjeer found an opportunity to get Gen Z and millennials to start investing. Read more.

How mental healthcare can be cognisant of caste trauma

Twenty-eight year old Aswini Jeyaprakash seems to be ‘thriving’ by all tangible metrics. 

In college, she studied English literature. As an AI specialist from Thenkasi, Tamil Nadu, she builds intelligent systems for a living. She loves collecting postcards, and, more recently, she’s found a new interest in surfing.  

But all the life she’s built cannot erase the trauma of caste that’s “clinging to my bones,” says Jeyaprakash. Read more. 

Latest news

'BluSmart continues to operate as usual:' Company says amid shutdown rumours

EV-ride hailing platform BluSmart on Monday urged stakeholders not to draw conclusions on “unverified information” amidst a report that the company is looking to shut down its core business. 

The Economic Times, in a report citing sources, said that BluSmart is transitioning to the role of a fleet operator for US-based Uber. 

The report added that its shareholders have approved a transition plan, wherein BluSmart’s fleet will be onboarded onto Uber’s platform over the next few weeks, starting with 700-800 cars in phases. Read more.

‘Invested in 18 deeptech cos over the past 5 years’: Info Edge's Bikhchandani on India’s deeptech debate

Amid the growing debate over the need for Indian startups to focus on deeptech and artificial intelligence, Info Edge founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani has revealed that the firm has invested in eighteen deeptech companies over the past five years.

“There has been a lot of talk in the last couple of weeks about the need for Indian startups to work on deep tech and AI and for VCs to invest in the sector in India. At Info Edge we have been investing in these areas for the past five years. We have a separate pool of capital for deep tech investments,” said Bikhchandani’s post on X (formerly Twitter). Read more.

Funding news

Optimized Electrotech bags $6M Series A funding

Optimized Electrotech Pvt Ltd (OEPL), a deep-tech company developing AI-powered imaging surveillance systems, on Monday said it raised $6 million in a Series A funding round led by Blume Ventures and Mela Ventures.

9Unicorns, existing investors Rajiv Dadlani Group and Venture Catalysts, and Optimized Electrotech’s Co-founder and Managing Director, Sandeep Shah, also participated in the round. Read more.

NOTO bags Rs 6 Cr in pre-Series A round from Equentis Angel Fund

NOTO Ice Creams and Desserts has raised Rs 6 crore from Equentis Angel Fund as part of a Rs 21 crore pre-Series A funding round. Other investors include Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), JITO, Signal Ventures, and others.

The new funding will help NOTO launch new product lines, expand its omnichannel strategy with its own ice cream parlours, and increase its presence in Tier I and Tier II cities. The company also plans to strengthen its position in the growing quick commerce sector to meet rising demand.

Founded in 2019 by Varun Sheth and Ashni Shah, NOTO is a brand in the guilt-free dessert market, offering low-calorie, no-sugar, and vegan ice creams and desserts. 

The company is backed by investors like Rainmatter, White Whale Partners, and WEH Ventures, along with individuals such as John Abraham, Kunal Bahl, and Rohit Bansal.

Cura Care raises Rs 5 Cr in pre-seed funding led by Zeropearl VC

Cura Care, an at-home wellness services brand, has raised Rs 5 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by Zeropearl VC, with participation from friends, family, and angel investors, including Shripad Nadkarni and the late Rohan Mirchandani. 

The brand plans to use the funds to validate its product-market fit and improve its customer experience by offering high-quality at-home wellness services. It will also focus on developing a scalable strategy for long-term growth in India’s wellness market.

Founded in January 2025 by IIT Delhi alumni Abhinav Kumar and Chinmay Mittal, along with oral surgeon Dr Paminder Singh, Cura Care aims to improve oral hygiene in India.

It offers premium at-home services such as teeth cleaning, scaling, polishing, and whitening, delivered by DCI-certified dentists using portable dental units. 

Indian cricketer Rinku Singh invests Rs 1.9 Cr in BeastLife

Indian cricketer Rinku Singh has invested Rs 1.9 crore at a Rs 120 crore valuation in BeastLife, a brand that offers sports nutrition supplements.

Founded by fitness influencer Gaurav Taneja and entrepreneur Raj Gupta, BeastLife operates in the sports nutrition space. 

In just over a year, the brand claims to have achieved Rs 50 crore GMV with positive EBITDA and is now tracking Rs 80 crore ARR.

BeastLife’s products, such as the Pro Concentrate Whey Protein with Ultrasorb Tech, are said to be formulated to support muscle recovery and performance using ingredients chosen to meet the needs of today’s athletes.

SportsSkill secures undisclosed pre-seed funding

SportsSkill, a sports technology company, has secured undisclosed investment in a pre-seed funding round from Waimea Bay Investments, represented by Kanarath P. Balaraj.

With the funding, SportsSkill plans to expand internationally, build advanced infrastructure, and form innovative partnerships.

It plans to expand internationally, aiming to bring its AI-powered sports training app to athletes worldwide. The app provides data-driven insights and personalised coaching for high-performance training. 

Alongside this, SportsSkill plans to launch a gamified, high-performance training center, combining serious training with engaging elements to enhance fitness, technique, and competition. 

Other news

Uppercase to launch premium line backed by latest investor Jasprit Bumrah

Sustainable luggage-maker Uppercase on Monday said it will launch a new premium product line from its new investor and cricketer Jasprit Bumrah, by this festive season. 

The announcement comes at a time when Bumrah has joined Uppercase's captable after his early support as its brand ambassador. The company did not disclose the size of Bumrah's equity investment. 

As part of their collaboration, Bumrah is expected to work with the Uppercase team to create a distinctive product line, including luggage, backpacks, and gym bags marketed to sportspersons. Read more.

Swiggy’s SNACC app starts 10-minute delivery in Noida, Gurugram

Swiggy’s SNACC app is now live in Noida and Gurugram and delivering to a wide range of locations across the two cities. 

Customers can choose from a wide range of offerings across food and beverages, including Indian snack favorites, varied flavors and types of popcorn, and healthy breakfast as well as snack options. The app also has a range of beverages for customers to choose from. 

SNACC, launched earlier in 2025, is meant for quick discovery and check out as well as fast delivery.

Launched in January in Bengaluru, Swiggy has designed the SNACC app to reduce the time spent discovering and finding preferred food and quick bites, both frequently ordered categories, to conveniently deliver high quality food in 10 minutes. 

S8UL signs Indian Grandmasters to compete at Esports World Cup 2025

S8UL, a player in esports and gaming content, has signed two of India’s top-ranked grandmasters -Aravindh Chithambaram and Nihal Sarin to represent the organisation at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025. 

With chess debuting at EWC this year, S8UL’s entry into the title represents a strategic move to expand its presence into the growing domain of intellectual esports.

Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram, a former Indian U19 champion and two-time National Premier winner, became a GM in 2015 and is the first Indian to win the Indian Open in classical, rapid, and blitz. He is currently ranked 4th in India and 11th in the world with a FIDE rating of 2749.

Joining him is 20-year-old Nihal Sarin, a former U10 World Youth Champion. He is ranked 8th in India and 40th worldwide, with a FIDE rating of 2687.

Chess debuts at this year’s EWC with a $1.5 million prize pool and GM Magnus Carlsen as Global Ambassador.

(This article will be updated with the latest news throughout the day.)