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Toyota AI Ventures Launch a $100M Fund for early age startups

2May By PriyankaNo Comments

Automobile

Toyota AI Ventures Launch a $100M Fund for early age startups

LOS ALTOS, Calif. (May 2, 2019) – Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Toyota AI Ventures announced a new $100 million fund dedicated to investing in early-stage startups developing disruptive technologies and business models in the autonomous mobility and robotics markets. Toyota AI Ventures is a subsidiary of Toyota Research Institute (TRI). In less than two years, Toyota AI Ventures has invested in a diverse portfolio of 19 startups. Fund II brings the firm’s total assets under management to more than $200M to invest in and support promising startups around the world.“Auto manufacturers must participate in the startup ecosystem to stay ahead of the rapid shift in the auto industry,” said Jim Adler, managing director of Toyota AI Ventures. “Investing in startups creates long-ter...

25Apr By PriyankaNo Comments

FUNDING

Ninjacart Raises $89.5 Million funding from Tiger Global

After CEO Lee Fixel exit, Tiger Global takes first investment opportunity in Indian B2B startup Ninjacart. America based venture capital invested $89.5 million in agritech startup Ninjacart as per the data shows in regulatory filings from registrar of companies (RoC). NinjaCart which delivers and market agricultural produce given 26.5% stake to Tiger Global. After this round of funding, Ninjacart valued close to $320 million. This is the biggest one time investment by Tiger global in an Indian startup, previous large initial investments were Ola ($57.5 million), Delhivery ($43.6 million) and Hike ($43.2 million). Founded in 2015 by Thirukumaran Nagarajan, Ashutosh Vikram, Kartheeswaran K.K., Sachin Jose and Sharath Loganathan, NinjaCart connects farmers to end retailers an...

Rajan Anandan Quit Google, Joined Sequoia Capital

2Apr By NitishNo Comments

News

Rajan Anandan Quit Google, Joined Sequoia Capital

Google's Vice President for South East Asia and India, Rajan Anandan quits Google India to join Sequoia Capital India as a Managing Director. Serving at Google for 8 years, Rajan now move to Sequoia India where he will focus on developing "Surge" into the world's top scale-up programme for startups, said Shailendra J. Singh, Managing Director at Sequoia. Rajan will join the leadership team at the firm, in addition to the six current Managing Directors. Anandan will continue at Google till the end of April and Vikas Agnihotri, Country Director, Sales will take on the responsibility in the interim for Google India, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. After news break, Anandan tweets, 8 amazing years. 850million internet users across India and SEA. Many billions of r...

Karnataka Govt Signs up 21 Firms to Turn ST/SC Youth into Entrepreneurs

31Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

INDIA

Karnataka Govt Signs up 21 Firms to Turn ST/SC Youth into Entrepreneurs

In a bid to help startups grow and expand, the Karnataka state government has signed up 21 firms including Uber, Ola, Swiggy and Bata for its ambitious programme called Samruddhi. The programme aims at creating 10,000 entrepreneurs annually over the next three years from among the SC/ST youth. Under this, once the youth is skilled and certified by the partner enterprises, he will be free either to opt for a job or start their own venture with seed funding from the Social Welfare Department. The funding support will go up to Rs 10 lakh. For Samruddhi, the stated government has set aside Rs 800 crore. The seed fund approach is a step away from the traditional business loans as the government saw a potential for misuse of these loans. “What we are doing is India’s most aspirational ski...

Karnataka Launches Programme to Fund SC/ST Entrepreneurs

8Oct By Gauri SinghNo Comments

INDIA

Karnataka Launches Programme to Fund SC/ST Entrepreneurs

India has been coming up with various programmes for startups for a long time. The Karnataka State Government has now launched its ambitious programme called Unnati. This programme is basically focused on promoting technology startups steered by SC/ST entrepreneurs as well as those that are developing a product or a solution with a strong rural-focus. “We will support these startups by way of funding which can go up to Rs 50 lakh,” Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge said. The programme has been divided into two categories so as to provide benefits. These include: - The startups where an SC/ST entrepreneur has a substantial stake with a hands-on role in the management. For this, the only criterion is the idea has to be good enough regardless of the sector. ...

Popular Startups That Secured Funds From Ratan Tata

2Jul By Gauri SinghNo Comments

FUNDING

Popular Startups That Secured Funds From Ratan Tata

Indian industrialist and investor, Ratan Naval Tata who is well known as the former chairman of the popular conglomerate Tata Sons (one of the two holding companies of Tata group). Ratan Tata has done a commendable job in terms of investment activities and has been taking a keen interest in the Indian Startup ecosystem. With the help of his private investment company RNT Associates, Tata has marked his footsteps on various startups in the country. Though most of his investments are undisclosed amounts, it is a big honor for startups that are successful in bringing Ratan Tata on board. Also, you might be thrilled to know that Tata has been honored with the Padma Vibhushan in 2008 and Padma Bhushan in 2000, the second and third highest civilian honors awarded by the Government of India. ...

Here’s the Criteria to List Your Startup on BSE’s New Platform

26Jun By Lavina TolaniNo Comments

Market

Here’s the Criteria to List Your Startup on BSE’s New Platform

In an attempt to push startup environment facilitating the listing of startups in different sectors IT, ITES, biotech, 3D printing, space tech, and e-commerce, BSE India is launching a platform for new-age companies from July 9. The maiden platform will help in the listing of startups from other sectors too including defence, drones, nanotechnologies, virtual reality, big data, e-gaming, robotics, genetic engineering and more as informed by BSE officials. There is a certain criterion that startups and SME's in the above-mentioned sectors will have to fulfil for their listing in the world's fastest exchange as claimed by BSE. Some of the mandatory conditions are: The company should have a pre-issue paid up equity share capital of a minimum of Rs. 1 crore. ...

26Jun By Gauri SinghNo Comments

INDIA

The Helpful Startup Policies From Indian Government

In the recent years, the Narendra Modi led Government of India has been focusing more and more on a wide universe of emerging startups, and for this, the government has been bringing in new programmes and opportunities for bringing out the best in these companies and help them in innovation and nurturing. Several initiatives have been undertaken by the government of our country to support the new entrepreneurship and to foster a culture of innovation among the youngsters which are considered by our Prime Minister as the future of India. With a huge and exceptional statistic advantage, India, in any case, can possibly improve, raise business people and make occupations for the advantage of the country and the world. Recognising the importance of innovative startups and women entrepreneur...

7Jun By Lavina TolaniNo Comments

ANALYSIS

Why Startups Led by Women Receive Less Funding: Report and Analysis

While the venture capital industry is rapidly thriving, still we see women seeking struggle with raising funds or left behind the boom because of hidden prejudices, gender bias and general unawareness. And a recent report of low-brow behaviour by high profile investors towards women makes it all of it more important to understand where women founders stand when it comes to fundraising. It is a little disappointing to note that companies with at least one female founder recorded a growth of 9 percent in 2009 to 17 percent since 2012 - a figure that hasn't changed much even after 5 years. Funding in women-founded Startups 2017 was a remarkable year for venture capital industry but if we come to women fundraising scenario, the stats go like this. For the first two quarters in ...

Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Vickram Singh to Invest 150 Mn in Startups through “Green Fund”

6Jun By Lavina TolaniNo Comments

News

Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Vickram Singh to Invest 150 Mn in Startups through “Green Fund”

Paytm Head Vijay Shekhar Sharma and venture capitalist Shailesh Vickram Singh have together launched an environmental protection fund which will be dedicated to investing in startups, companies and individuals working towards mitigating environment-related problems in the country. The new massive fund which is first of its kind will focus on large problems faced by humanity in the areas of food and agriculture, air and water pollution, renewable energy favouring sustainable development. The fund aims to invest up to $150 million in the mentioned sectors keeping itself aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The fund will look up to Institutional and High net-worth investors to raise capital. Moreover, the fund will also aim to build an ecosystem for reducing...

5Jun By Lavina TolaniNo Comments

INDIA

Indian Public Sector Bank Modify Investment Rules for Fintech Startups

India's largest public sector bank, State Bank of India (SBI) which has failed to invest in fintech startups despite earmarking funds, is now gearing up to modify rules that can kickstart the infusion, as reported a top company official. The bank which has designated Rs 50 crore to invest in fintech startups is now going to modify rules to plough in more money that can favour the growth of more companies like online retailer Flipkart and ride-sharing app Ola, which define the country's dexterity. Rajneesh Kumar, Chairman at SBI said over an event, We are a public institution and investments in startups are generally considered very risky. We understand that traditional way of investing will not work. Kumar has informed that bank already has a board-approved policy that promotes fin...

29May By Gauri SinghNo Comments

FUNDING

IIT-Madras Launches a Startup to Assist other Startups in Early-Age Funding

The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-Madras) has come up with a startup established with a motive to help other startups in early-stage to inflate their success through Machine Learning and Data Sciences tools and techniques. The institute has named the startup as YNOS Venture Engine CC Private Limited. The founder of the venture is Prof Thillai Rajan who belongs to the department of management studies and has been researching the Indian venture capital industry nearly for a decade. The professor has a stupendous awareness of funding issues at start-ups and therefore he decided to come forth with such a venture. The words of Prof Thillai Rajan in this regard were, “Information and decision making analytics are not easily accessible for early-stage entrepreneurs. Sell-side int...