Podcasts about zepto

Venture capital is much fancied today.Is this job which looks like cutting cheques for products and founders you like, for everyone?As for any work, there are traits you should have and some which won't help you on the job.We have with us Kushal Bhagia (All In Capital), Karthik Prabhakar (Peer Capital), and Rajan (Upekkha).Three people who interestingly all began as engineers and took different career paths to today become Fund managers of leading VC firms.All In Capital's $24M pre-seed fund backing early-stage founders,Peer Capital's $75M early-stage fund investing in tech-first Indian startups from seed to Series A,Upekkha's $40M Capital's accelerator-style fund supporting B2B SaaS startups.Tune in!01:53 – Why builders shouldn't become VCs?03:12 – Why best VCs sell well & stay curious05:12 – How the VC job is like Flying a plane07:48 – How parental instincts enable VCs?10:42 – Is fundraising harder than ever?14:12 – What makes people write VC cheques?18:03 – Where do India's rich family offices invest?20:30 – Why India still doesn't have its own YC?22:55 – The OG YC when startups weren't cool28:00 – Can YC's numbers ever be replicated?33:03 – David v/s Goliath of Small vs large funds39:02 – Zepto's first $50k cheque40:22 – Sectors VCs won't touch41:35 – Story-driven v/s numbers-driven Fundraising44:36 – How we missed Swiggy, Postman & Zepto?46:18 – The best VCs48:24 – What needs to change in Indian VC?49:47 – Founders we'd invest In (But not work for)51:25 – Unlearnings as an Investor-------------​​India's talent has built the world's tech—now it's time to lead it.This mission goes beyond startups. It's about shifting the center of gravity in global tech to include the brilliance rising from India.What is Neon Fund?We invest in seed and early-stage founders from India and the diaspora building world-class Enterprise AI companies. We bring capital, conviction, and a community that's done it before.Subscribe for real founder stories, investor perspectives, economist breakdowns, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we're doing it all at Neon.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In today's Tech3 from Moneycontrol we break down Zepto's $100 million backing from Motilal Oswal's founders ahead of its IPO. We also dive into the growing drone threat and how Paras Defence is stepping up India's counter-drone capabilities. Plus, LTIMindtree signs its biggest-ever AI deal worth $450 million, and we bring you updates on Gensol's leadership shake-up, Antfin's Paytm exit, and Ather's improving financials. Tune in for sharp, speedy updates from India's tech and startup world.

In today's Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we break down how Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart are dominating India's quick commerce race with over 4 million daily orders. Swiggy shuts down its Genie service, while TCS slashes variable pay and delays hikes for senior staff. In the EV world, TVS edges past Ola in April sales. Plus, YouTube tests a two-person Premium plan in India.

Right now, it feels like Blinkit and Zepto are everywhere. In Delhi, where I live, it's as if people's days are incomplete without ordering one thing or the other through these apps. Delivering groceries and shampoos in ten minutes is one thing, but now, quick commerce is expanding. In March, Zepto announced that it's going to join Blinkit and Swiggy and also begin delivering...iPhones. But, who's buying? In this episode, we'll learn about the rapid expansion of India's quick commerce industry. From selling groceries in the pandemic, now, quick commerce apps even sell iPhones. How the hell did we get here?

In this Telugu Podcast episode, we sit down with Rahul Attuluri to decode the real problems and opportunities faced by India's youth today–AI, UPSC, Education Reform, Gig Economy & Career Building. From AI revolution downgrading IT jobs to the gig economy impact on graduates (Zepto, Swiggy, Rapido), and the hidden traps in UPSC preparation, Rahul shares brutally honest insights.We dive deep into how India's brightest talents are getting stuck chasing marks over real skills, how parenting mindsets and outdated education systems are misguiding students, and why the future belongs to thinkers, not just toppers. Rahul talks about his journey of building NxtWave into a ₹2000+ Cr valued company, disrupting education with NIAT, and solving the true problem — transforming thousands of lives with skill-first learning.This conversation also covers important topics like the fake certificate mafia, IIT vs non-IIT mindset, AI's role in future wealth creation, and why continuous upskilling (not just degrees) is the real key to success. We discuss the stark contrast between China investing in AI and tech vs India's obsession with food-tech startups, and what needs to change to build a powerful, future-ready India.If you're a student, working professional, parent, entrepreneur, or someone passionate about career growth, tech disruption, and education reform in India, this episode might be for you. 

To get your dose of daily business news, tune into Mint Top of the Morning on Mint Podcasts available on all audio streaming platforms.⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7x8Nv1RlOKyMV5IftIJwP1?si=bf5ecbaedd8f4ddc⁠ 1.⁠ ⁠YouTube Doubles Down on India's Creator Economy YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, at the WAVES 2025 summit, pledged an additional ₹8.5 billion to India's creator ecosystem, on top of ₹210 billion already invested over the past three years. With over 100 million Indian channels uploading in 2024 and more than 15,000 surpassing 1 million subscribers, Mohan called India a rising “Creator Nation.” The platform clocked 45 billion watch hours from Indian content last year alone. Backing this digital momentum, the Indian government announced a $1 billion creator economy fund and the launch of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) in Mumbai, supported by global tech giants like Nvidia, Google, Apple, and Meta. 2.⁠ ⁠India-Pakistan Border Tensions Escalate Post Pahalgam Attack Following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, Pakistan has intensified military deployments across the India border. Radar systems and Chinese SH-15 howitzers were positioned in Rajasthan's Longewala sector. The Pakistan Air Force launched large-scale exercises involving F-16s, J-10s, and JF-17s, signaling heightened readiness. India, in turn, suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, calling out Pakistan's alleged cross-border terror links. The geopolitical mood remains tense, with both countries maintaining high alert levels. 3.⁠ ⁠Pre-IPO Funding Faces Chill as Markets Wobble Volatile public markets have started to dent private funding too—especially pre-IPO deals. Investors, including HNIs and family offices, are pushing for discounted valuations, stricter terms, and longer timelines before committing funds. Big names like Zepto, Groww, and Cred are said to be in talks, but several deals are being renegotiated or delayed. While 2024 saw $355 million raised across 17 pre-IPO deals, caution is now the dominant theme. Weak post-listing performances by firms like Ola Electric and Swiggy, and the broader 7% decline in Nifty since September, have soured sentiment. 4.⁠ ⁠Markets Cautious, But India Still a Bright Spot A Mint survey of 30 investment professionals reveals that while volatility is expected to remain high—thanks to Trump's tariff war and domestic uncertainty—India may still emerge as a relatively stable investment zone. Over 77% of experts expect continued choppiness over the next quarter, though 63% believe large-cap stocks now offer attractive entry points. Mid- and small-cap stocks remain under watch after sharp corrections. Gold, meanwhile, is shining bright—up 31% in 2025 so far—and expected to outperform equities again if global turbulence persists. IPOs have largely dried up, but 53% of analysts see a cautious revival in high-quality names later this year. 5.⁠ ⁠Sebi Clears IndusInd Execs of Insider Trading Sebi has closed its investigation into insider trading allegations against IndusInd Bank's former CEO Sumant Kathpalia and deputy CEO Arun Khurana. It found all ESOP-related trades were disclosed and occurred post-vesting. However, a forensic audit revealed Khurana had knowledge of the incorrect forex derivative accounting that caused a ₹1,960 crore hit. While insider trading wasn't established, governance questions linger. The bank is still grappling with reputational fallout amid ongoing regulatory scrutiny.

In today's Tech3 from Moneycontrol, Bhavya brings you the top stories in tech and startups: BluSmart suspends bookings amid a major shift to Uber, Wipro posts weak Q4 results with a cautious outlook, NPCI reveals what caused UPI's longest outage in three years, and Zepto drops “Kiranakart” from its name ahead of a possible IPO. Tune in for a more updates on tech and startup world.

In today's Tech3 from Moneycontrol, Zepto ropes in Bharti's Akhil Gupta to power its IPO ambitions—amid key exits. Delhivery CEO Sahil Barua resigns from Swiggy's board citing work commitments. And MoEngage considers shifting HQ to India, joining a growing list of SaaS players eyeing local IPOs. We also look into SBI's lagging UPI performance. Tune in for your sharp daily fix of startup and tech news.

In today's Tech3 from Moneycontrol, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's critique of Indian startups sparks fiery rebuttals from Zepto's Aadit Palicha, Ashneer Grover, and others. Meanwhile, Microsoft's AI takes over interviews—grilling Gates, Ballmer, and Nadella in a hilarious tech nostalgia moment. Flipkart's Sachin Bansal opens up about post-exit regrets and his new fintech dream. Plus, Trump's tariff hike shakes up India's IT sector. Tune in for all the updates from startup and tech world.

India's biggest quick-commerce apps, Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy, have become prime real estate not just for regular FMCG brands but also for financial services, stock-trading apps, and even real-money gaming platforms. The top three players are already making Rs 3 to 3,500 crore rupees  in annual ad revenue. And that, dear listeners, is about half of what Amazon India made from ads in FY24, despite having way more users.In today's episode, host Snigdha Sharma speaks to The Ken reporter Gaurav Bagur about how quick commerce apps have become the new battleground for India's ad money and our attention span.Tune in.Question for listeners: Think of the times when you're on your phone everyday and tell us three instances where no one is trying to sell you anything. You can send in your answers to our Whatsapp number 8971108379. Also, if you have any questions for Gaurav, you can send them on the same number as a voice note or a text message.Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India's first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.

To get your dose of daily business news, tune into Mint Top of the Morning on Mint Podcasts available on all audio streaming platforms. https://open.spotify.com/show/7x8Nv1RlOKyMV5IftIJwP1?si=bf5ecbaedd8f4ddc This is Nelson John, and I'll bring you the top business and tech stories, let's get started.  Zepto Bets Big on Cold Chain for Fresh Produce Quick commerce is fast, but fresh produce needs better logistics. Zepto is doubling down on cold chain infrastructure to improve margins and quality. CEO Aadit Palicha is actively seeking cold supply chain experts to enhance operations. The company has partnered with Transport Corporation of India to expand storage in the South. Fruits and vegetables account for 8-10% of quick commerce sales but face 15% wastage due to India's fragmented cold chain. The market is projected to grow from $14.5 billion (2023) to $53 billion (2032). Zepto's private-label meat brand, Relish, leveraged cold logistics to hit ₹150 crore ARR in six months. Zomato Lays Off 600 Employees Amid Automation Push Zomato has reportedly laid off 600 customer support employees in a bid to cut costs as growth slows. The layoffs follow AI-driven automation in customer service and financial pressures at its quick commerce arm, Blinkit. Employees claim they were dismissed without notice periods or clear explanations, while Zomato cites performance issues. On Reddit, ex-employees shared grievances, with one alleging termination for being late by 28 minutes over three months. Despite the layoffs, Zomato's stock closed 0.84% higher at ₹203.20. Aditya Birla Exits Paper Business, Sells to ITC for ₹3,500 Crore Aditya Birla Real Estate Ltd (ABREL) is exiting the paper sector, selling Century Pulp and Paper to ITC Ltd for ₹3,500 crore. The deal surpassed estimates, with Nomura valuing it at 18x EV/EBITDA for FY25. ABREL's paper segment has struggled, with revenue falling 5.5% YoY in FY24 and margins shrinking by 410 basis points. The sale will help reduce net debt (₹4,300 crore) to near-zero, boosting ABREL's real estate expansion. However, significant cash flow from projects like Niyaara will only materialize from FY27 onwards. ABREL's stock is down 21% in 2025, and investors await Q4 results and the Niyaara Phase 3 launch in FY26. CAG Report Flags Revenue Losses, Weak Oversight in Telecom & Digital Infra The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has raised alarms over governance failures in telecom, electronics, and postal services: • Telecom: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) failed to recover ₹2,463.67 crore from telcos due to delayed audits. BSNL lost ₹1,757.76 crore by failing to bill Reliance Jio for technology use. • Electronics Manufacturing: Under M-SIPS, only ₹2,136 crore was disbursed from ₹36,991 crore in committed investments, causing policy instability for investors. • Digital Infrastructure: The ₹6,548-crore National Knowledge Network for research institutions was flagged for poor bandwidth utilization and cybersecurity gaps. • Postal Services: GST mismanagement and irregular promotions resulted in ₹17.22 crore in tax losses. The findings expose execution flaws in India's push for digital self-reliance. Shapoorji Pallonji Faces Insolvency Plea Over Unpaid ₹2.72 Crore The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT)-Mumbai has issued a notice to Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Pvt. Ltd (SPCPL) over an insolvency plea filed by Chennai-based Intertouch Metal Buildings Pvt. Ltd. The roofing firm alleges unpaid dues for work on Port Blair's Veer Savarkar International Airport. SPCPL must respond within seven days, with the next hearing on April 24. This isn't SPCPL's first insolvency dispute. In October 2024, NCLT dismissed a similar plea by KBC Infrastructure, ruling that insolvency laws cannot be used as a debt recovery tool. As legal proceedings unfold, all eyes are on Shapoorji Pallonji's response and whether the case progresses to full-fledged insolvency.

Today, we have with us Kiran Shah, the mastermind behind Go-Zero, India's fastest-growing guilt-free ice cream brand. Coming from a family with over 50 years of experience in the ice cream business, Kiran took a bold step to revolutionize the industry with zero sugar, low-calorie, and high-protein ice creams.Despite strong competition from legacy brands like Naturals and Amul, Kiran's strategic approach, smart marketing, and innovation have helped Go-Zero carve out a ₹66 crore empire in a short span. From securing investment on Shark Tank India to scaling his brand through modern retail channels like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy, his journey is a true inspiration for entrepreneurs.

Startups are integral to the Indian growth story. From grocery delivery app Zepto to HR software Darwinbox, we frequently come across news of Indian startups raising millions of dollars from venture capital (VC) funds. But why are startups, including deep tech ones, funded by a specific class of investors called 'VC'? Why are the stock market and the traditional banks not playing this role? How does a typical VC fund operate in India? What challenges do they face?In this episode of All Things Policy, Lokendra Sharma sits down with Shobhankita Reddy, a research analyst at Takshashila Institution with prior experience in the venture capital industry, to explore and explain the VC ecosystem in India. The PGP is a comprehensive 48-week hybrid programme tailored for those aiming to delve deep into the theoretical and practical aspects of public policy. This multidisciplinary course offers a broad and in-depth range of modules, ensuring students get a well-rounded learning experience. The curriculum is delivered online, punctuated with in-person workshops across India.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://school.takshashila.org.in/pgp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find out more on our research and other work here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://takshashila.org.in/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our public policy courses here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://school.takshashila.org.in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

To get your dose of daily business news, tune into Mint Top of the Morning on Mint Podcasts available on all audio streaming platforms. https://open.spotify.com/show/7x8Nv1RlOKyMV5IftIJwP1?si=bf5ecbaedd8f4ddc This is Nelson John, and I'll bring you the top business and tech stories, let's get started.  Markets Rally as Nifty Erases Losses Just weeks ago, Nifty was deep in the red. Now, it's wiped out its losses for the year, riding a six-day rally that has made India one of the world's best-performing markets this month. On Monday, Nifty surged 1.32% to 23,658, while Sensex rose 1.4% to 77,984. HDFC Bank, Reliance, SBI, and ICICI Bank led the charge. “The correction's done—we could be heading toward record highs,” says veteran investor Ramesh Damani. Foreign investors are returning, pumping in over ₹8,000 crore in two days. However, some experts remain cautious, citing global trade tensions and volatility. Sebi Eases Investment Rules, Boosts Transparency India's market regulator, Sebi, has revamped investment rules, doubling the disclosure threshold for foreign investors from ₹25,000 crore to ₹50,000 crore, allowing alternative investment funds to take more risks, and easing fee collection restrictions for advisors. The move, led by new chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey, gives investors greater flexibility while maintaining oversight. Sebi has also set up a high-level committee to address conflicts of interest and strengthen governance, signaling a push for a more transparent and investor-friendly market. Quick Commerce Becomes a Lifeline for Consumer Brands For early-stage consumer brands, quick commerce is no longer just an add-on—it's becoming their biggest sales channel. Startups like Sweet Karam Coffee and Wholsum Foods (Slurrp Farm) are restructuring supply chains to meet Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart's rapid delivery demands. Sweet Karam Coffee, for instance, shifted to regional hubs, leading to a sixfold revenue surge, with 50% of sales now coming from quick commerce. Investors like Fireside Ventures see this as their fastest-growing segment. However, challenges such as high marketing costs, limited shelf space, and operational complexities could threaten long-term profitability. Car Insurance Discounts Come at a Hidden Cost The car insurance market has transformed into a game of deep discounts and costly add-ons. Insurers lure customers with up to 80% premium cuts but recover profits by charging separately for essentials like zero depreciation, roadside assistance, and preferred garages. Some policies, especially for commercial vehicles, are issued at 95-99% discounts, distorting true pricing. While insurers claim add-ons offer flexibility, experts warn that the actual cost of insurance is now buried under multiple layers—leading to confusion and higher consumer expenses. Lentils at the Center of India-US Trade Tensions A new 10% import duty on pulses has put lentils at the heart of India-US trade talks. The US wants yellow lentils to be classified separately from red masoor to avoid the tax. Currently, both fall under the same harmonized system of nomenclature (HSN) code. India is considering duty-free US pulse imports, even as Washington prepares retaliatory tariffs on Indian goods next month. However, changing HSN classifications is a lengthy process. Despite rising domestic production, India still relies on imports, with Canada and Australia supplying the bulk of lentils. The fate of yellow lentils remains uncertain, keeping pulses a key issue in India's global trade strategy.

Both Zomato and Swiggy have been aggressively focusing on the 10-minute grocery delivery space for a while now. Quick commerce. But what sent both of them into a spiral was when Zepto, the joker in the quick commerce pack, started delivering snacks in 10-minutes through Zepto Cafe, a separate app. Suddenly, quick commerce wasn't enough. Quick food was up for play too.Swiggy launched Snacc soon after, and Blinkit followed suit with Bistro. Both were also separate apps.But this move to disrupt themselves to avoid getting disrupted has drawn a lot of flak from the restaurant partners listed on their platforms. Because a marketplace can only be neutral when it does not participate in it.And it is not like Zomato and Swiggy haven't tried a hand at this before. Both platforms previously ran their cloud kitchen verticals, Zomato Infrastructure Services and Swiggy Access, respectively, which they had to close down or sell.They then turned their attention to delivering food and building up efficiencies to deliver it faster. But when Zepto Cafe came in the picture in December with their pitch as a separate app, both Zomato and Swiggy jumped back and opened that chapter again. Only this time, they added that they would deliver it in 10 minutes and said they were not trying to build a private label to compete with the restaurants listed on their platforms. They made it clear both Bistro and SNACC are separate apps which don't use any of the data collected by Zomato and Swiggy to date.But what do the restaurants listed on the platform have to say about this?Hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan got into what all of this means for restaurants in one of the most uninhibited, probing and also the longest episodes of Two by Two we've recorded to date.To capture the restaurateurs' perspective, we have three guests who have experience working with both of the companies.Joining the hosts for the discussion are Gaurav Saria, founder of Infinitea, India's first exclusive chain of tearooms and stores; Thomas Fenn, co-founder of Mahabelly and joint secretary at NRAI; and Ramchander Raman, former President of Cafe Coffee Day and co-founder and COO of Nucleus Kitchens.Welcome to episode 26 of Two by Two. Tune in to listen to an exciting discussion.–Additional reading:The Zomato-Swiggy cartel: Bistro and Snacc further threaten the restaurant businessZomato, Swiggy gave up on selling their own food. Then came along Zepto Cafe“There's an app for that”–Swiggy, Zepto, and Blinkit–What you just listened to is the first 30 minutes of a 2-hour-long conversation. If you want to listen and get early access to the full episode, consider becoming a Premium subscriber to The Ken, which, in addition to Two by Two, will also give you access to our long-form stories, Premiums newsletters and visual stories. Or if you just want to listen to Two by Two for now, for iOS users, we have enabled Premium subscription on Apple Podcasts.This episode of Two by Two was researched and produced by Hari Krishna. Rajiv CN, our resident sound engineer, mixed and mastered this episode.If you liked this episode of Two by Two, please share it with your friends and family who would be interested in listening to the episode. And if you have more thoughts on the discussion, we'd love to hear your arguments as well. You can write to us at twobytwo@the-ken.com

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, your weekday newscast that brings you five major stories from the world of business. It's Thursday, February 13, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started. Amid India-China geopolitical tensions, China's Fosun Pharmaceutical is in discussions with three global private equity firms to sell its majority stake in the Hyderabad-based Gland Pharma. Fosun currently owns about 51% of Gland Pharma, after initially acquiring a 74% stake for $1.2 billion. They have hired investment banks Morgan Stanley and UBS to assist with the sale. Global private equity firms Blackstone, Brookfield, and Warburg Pincus are interested in buying this stake, valuing the company at nearly $3 billion. Gland Pharma, founded in 1978, specializes in making generic injectable medicines and serves nearly 90 countries, focusing on India and the U.S. markets. In the December quarter, the company reported revenues of ₹1,384 crore and a profit after tax of ₹204.7 crore.The potential sale is expected to trigger an open offer to Gland Pharma's shareholders, with the buyers aiming to own between 60-65% of the company after the transaction. In a major step toward strengthening digital payment security, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed additional factor authentication (AFA) for international card-not-present (CNP) transactions. This means Indian consumers will have an extra layer of security when making payments to foreign merchants—just like they already do for domestic transactions.Now you may wonder what prompted this move by the RBI?It's primarily due to Rising Fraud Cases in international transactions involving unauthorized charges on foreign websites with minimal authentication. Now adding AFA will ensure stronger security standards that safeguard Indian cardholders against such risks.   US-based industrial and aerospace giant Honeywell and Greenko founders-led AM Green signed an agreement on Wednesday to collaborate on manufacturing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in India from biofuels, including ethanol, methanol, and green hydrogen. Under this agreement, Honeywell's cutting-edge technology will be leveraged to produce SAF from renewable sources, aligning with global efforts to transition toward greener energy solutions. AM Green, a company backed by the founders of renewable energy giant Greenko, will focus on production and scaling operations in India, catering to both domestic and international markets.The companies will assess the feasibility of making SAF in India to reduce the country's oil import dependence, helping shipping companies adopt the low-emission fuel, and aiding aviation companies to meet International Civil Aviation Organisation guidelines for low-carbon fuel replacements. The global aviation industry is under increasing pressure to cut carbon emissions, and SAF has emerged as a key solution. This partnership strengthens India's role in the green energy revolution, supporting global decarbonization goals while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Over two dozen Indian startups are expected to go public in the coming months, including big names like Groww, Lenskart, and Zepto, which could see billion-dollar IPOs. Smaller companies like Ather Energy, BoAt, Bluestone, Infra.market, PhysicsWallah, PayU, and Pine Labs are also gearing up for their stock market debuts. This is a jump from last year when only 13 startups, including Swiggy, Ola Electric, and FirstCry, went public. However, market conditions are getting tougher. Investment bankers say startups might need to adjust their IPO sizes and valuations due to recent global economic shifts. The US stock market has been hit hard after President Donald Trump announced new tariffs, leading to uncertainty in global equity markets. India's Nifty 50 index is down 12.5% from its peak last September, with foreign investors selling off shares. Amid tough market conditions and lock-in expiries those looking to invest in upcoming IPOs could also be staring at losses in the short term      At the Maha Kumbh Mela, India's largest spiritual gathering, several startups are seizing the opportunity to engage with the vast influx of pilgrims. Zomato-owned Blinkit has set up a temporary store offering ritual-related items and other essentials. Swiggy's Instamart has established a stall near the Triveni Sangam to serve attendees. PhonePe, in collaboration with ICICI Lombard General Insurance, is providing affordable travel insurance plans tailored for Kumbh visitors. Chai Point has deployed around 175 personnel and 18-20 mini stations, utilizing brewing bots capable of producing 15 liters of tea every 12 minutes, resulting in daily sales of approximately 160,000 cups reports Peiyamvada C. Now these initiatives not only cater to the immediate needs of pilgrims but also serve as strategic moves for brand visibility and customer acquisition. By adjusting pricing and packaging, these startups aim to connect with a broader audience beyond their typical urban clientele, gathering valuable insights for future expansions.

Over the next three to five years, Zepto wants to be known as the startup that created the most multimillionaires. Which is why these days, the standard pitch that people applying for VP-level roles at the startup get is as follows: "Would you like to create generational wealth? Think 50-100 crores in just four years." That's what Zepto HR has been promising these applicants. They've been making it seem like bagging a job at Zepto is like winning a lottery ticket. And it's not just bravado. By “generational wealth”, the company means offering Employee Stock Ownership Plans or ESOPs to senior executives, based on their performance. But it comes at a price. Tune in. Listen to 'One Billion in 10 Minutes', our new mini series based on The Ken's inaugural case competition. The Ken app Apple Podcasts Spotify

Chris From Brooklyn is back at it again talking about Harrington's upcoming gigs and Chris losing the will to live with nothing to look forward to, the doomsday clock continuing to countdown but to a degree where it just feels like it's for clicks at this point, the theory that an end to the war in Gaza is just preparation for war with Iran, creating a boycott for the boycotters, a literal years worth of Ask The Goons Chris finally saw this week and so much more!Record Date: 1/30/25WATCH CHRIS NEW "NOT SPECIAL" HEREhttps://www.youtube.com/@HighSocietyRadioPodcastCOME TO COMEDY AT 5TH COMPANY BREWINGhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/nyc-headliners-comedy-show-at-5th-company-brewing-tickets-1112223914669?aff=oddtdtcreatorCOME TO ARMORED FIGHTING IN NEW YORK CITY!https://www.thearmoredleague.com/events/the-armored-league-gladiatorz-series-episode-2SUPPORT OUR SPONSORhttps://xbar.com/ - Get JACKED with an X Bar!Email Your Ask The Goon Questions to: askthegoon@gmail.comFollow the hosts on socialChris From Brooklyn Twitter https://twitter.com/ChrisFromBklynHigh Society Radio Instagram https://www.instagram.com/highsocietyradioHigh Society Radio YouTube http://bit.ly/HSRYoutubeHigh Society Radio Twitter https://twitter.com/HSRadioshowWebsite https://gasdigital.comChris Stanley: https://x.com/stanman42069Mike Harrington Twitter https://twitter.com/TheMHarringtonMike Harrington Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themharrington/Notes Of A Goon is a weekly podcast where Goon of note, Chris from BK sits down and yells about childhood trauma, how he'd fix the whole damn country, and all sorts of other bullshit. All while splitting a six pack with you the listener. Chris is joined by his stalwart producer and homeless weirdo Mike Harrington on this journey of self reflection and yelling. There's lots of yelling.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Both Zomato and Swiggy have been aggressively focusing on the 10-minute grocery delivery space for a while now. Quick commerce. But what sent both of them into a spiral was when Zepto, the joker in the quick commerce pack, started delivering snacks in 10-minutes through Zepto Cafe, a separate app. Suddenly, quick commerce wasn't enough. Quick food was up for play too.Swiggy launched Snacc soon after, and Blinkit followed suit with Bistro. Both were also separate apps.But this move to disrupt themselves to avoid getting disrupted has drawn a lot of flak from the restaurant partners listed on their platforms. Because a marketplace can only be neutral when it does not participate in it.And it is not like Zomato and Swiggy haven't tried a hand at this before. Both platforms previously ran their cloud kitchen verticals, Zomato Infrastructure Services and Swiggy Access, respectively, which they had to close down or sell.They then turned their attention to delivering food and building up efficiencies to deliver it faster. But when Zepto Cafe came in the picture in December with their pitch as a separate app, both Zomato and Swiggy jumped back and opened that chapter again. Only this time, they added that they would deliver it in 10 minutes and said they were not trying to build a private label to compete with the restaurants listed on their platforms. They made it clear both Bistro and SNACC are separate apps which don't use any of the data collected by Zomato and Swiggy to date.But what do the restaurants listed on the platform have to say about this?Hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan got into what all of this means for restaurants in one of the most uninhibited, probing and also the longest episodes of Two by Two we've recorded to date.To capture the restaurateurs' perspective, we have three guests who have experience working with both of the companies.Joining the hosts for the discussion are Gaurav Saria, founder of Infinitea, India's first exclusive chain of tearooms and stores; Thomas Fenn, co-founder of Mahabelly and joint secretary at NRAI; and Ramchander Raman, former President of Cafe Coffee Day and co-founder and COO of Nucleus Kitchens.Welcome to episode 26 of Two by Two. Tune in to listen to an exciting discussion.–Additional reading:The Zomato-Swiggy cartel: Bistro and Snacc further threaten the restaurant businessZomato, Swiggy gave up on selling their own food. Then came along Zepto Cafe“There's an app for that”–Swiggy, Zepto, and Blinkit–What you just listened to is a short part of a 2-hour long conversation. If you want to listen and get early access to the full episode, consider becoming a Premium subscriber to The Ken, which in addition to Two by Two, will also give you access to our long-form stories, Premiums newsletters and visual stories. Or if you just want to listen to Two by Two for now, for iOS users, we have enabled Premium subscription on Apple Podcasts.This episode of Two by Two was researched and produced by Hari Krishna. Rajiv CN, our resident sound engineer, mixed and mastered this episode.If you liked this episode of Two by Two, please share it with your friends and family who would be interested in listening to the episode. And if you have more thoughts on the discussion, we'd love to hear your arguments as well. You can write to us at twobytwo@the-ken.com

FROM THE ARCHIVES (This episode was first published July 1, 2024)The Economic Times reported yesterday that Zepto, the quick-commerce startup, is in talks to increase the size of its initial public offering to $800 million-$1 billion. Zepto earlier planned to raise $450 million through the issue.  Even when it entered the quick commerce scene for the first time in 2021, Zepto was a disruptor. Now, it is the third largest company in the market after Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart. Last year, it secured its biggest funding ever at a US$3.6 billion valuation, mainly from its existing investors.Venture Intelligence, a data provider told The Ken that the US$660 million funding was the largest bet made by VCs in Indian startups in 2024. What did Zepto do to get all this attention from investors?Tune in.Also listen to:Daybreak: Why we date, marry, or breakup with Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, Zepto & BigBasket

 Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, your weekday newscast that brings you five major stories from the world of business. It's Thursday, January 23, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started. Geopolitics is reshaping global tech strategies, with the US's Stargate Project a prime example. Spearheaded by President Trump, this initiative involves a consortium including OpenAI, Oracle, SoftBank, and MGX committing $500 billion to develop AI data centres across the US. This move aims to bolster America's AI infrastructure, create 100,000 jobs, and enhance its competitive edge against China in AI technologies. China, despite trailing behind the U.S. in AI, continues its rapid advancement, highlighted by innovations such as DeepSeek's new open-source AI model. This model promises to deliver high-level AI functionalities at a fraction of the cost of current leading technologies, posing a direct challenge to America's dominance. India is also not far behind, and is aggressively expanding its AI infrastructure. New initiatives and investments, such as Microsoft's $3 billion expansion and major semiconductor projects, are set to significantly boost India's capabilities in AI and chip manufacturing, aiming to make it a pivotal player in the global tech landscape. So, will the Stargate Project help the US trump China? Leslie D'Monte explains. The division of real estate magnate Mangal Prabhat Lodha's empire aimed to prevent family conflict but has led to a legal battle between his sons Abhishek and Abhinandan Lodha. Despite an initial settlement that divided the business, including a payout to Abhinandan, disagreements over the use of the Lodha name have surfaced. Abhishek's company, Macrotech Developers, has sued to stop Abhinandan's business from using the name, claiming it confuses customers and dilutes the brand. This dispute has become public, hampering Macrotech's stock and highlighting the complexities of family business transitions and brand management. Nehal Chaliawala and Varun Sood take a deep dive into the conflict in the Lodha family. UPI Circle, a feature on the BHIM app, allows a primary user to authorize a secondary user to handle transactions from their bank account. This setup is ideal for helping those who may struggle with digital payments, and offers both full and partial delegation options. In full delegation, secondary users can process transactions up to ₹15,000 per day without further approval. Partial delegation, however, requires the primary user's confirmation for each transaction, adding a layer of security. The service is available through the BHIM app, and is supported by major banks such as SBI, HDFC, and ICICI, but it's not yet live on the most popular UPI platforms such as PhonePe or Google Pay. The rapid expansion of quick commerce in India has led to a surge in demand for dark store workers, vital for operations of businesses such as Zomato's Blinkit and Swiggy's Instamart. These workers are essential for picking, packing, and loading goods quickly to meet the quick-delivery promises. With Zomato planning to double its dark stores and Zepto aiming for significant growth, the sector sees high churn rates and competition for workers, pushing companies to offer better salaries and incentives. Industry specialists note that dark store workers typically earn between ₹15,000-18,000 a month, with potential bonuses that could add another ₹6,000. However, attrition rates are around 12-15% a month – much higher than in other sectors. This high turnover means companies such as Zepto and Blinkit could see their entire workforce change over the course of a year, which drives up hiring costs, Mansi Verma reports. The upcoming Union Budget for FY26 may include financial support for green hydrogen initiatives targeting major polluting industries such as steel, cement and power. This move is being considered to speed up the adoption of green technologies, which has been slower than expected because of high costs. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has proposed incentives for adopting green hydrogen and carbon capture, utilization, and storage, recognizing that fiscal support is crucial to meet India's energy transition goals. Currently, under the ₹19,700 crore National Green Hydrogen Mission, the government provides ₹17,490 crore for green hydrogen and electrolyzer production under the SIGHT scheme, Rituraj Baruah reports. The goal is to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030, leveraging India's renewable energy capabilities to make it a significant player in the global market.

A couple years ago, quick commerce platforms were the place to be for up and coming brands across the country. Just a little sliver of real estate on a rapid delivery app was enough to put them on the map. But now, many of these brands are very quickly realising that success on a Blinkit or a Zepto is a double edged sword. With it comes high commissions, marketing fees, and the constant pressure to never run out of inventory. Some brands have now had enough. How did it get here? The Ken reporter Nuha Bubere explains.Tune in.  Daybreak is now on WhatsApp at +918971108379. Text us and tell us what you thought of the episode!Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India's first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.

2024 was the year of the 10-minute delivery. We think we didn't need it but the likes of Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, and Blinkit proved us wrong. While other companies were struggling to find funding, these quick-commerce companies were raising billions of dollars and reporting double-digit, sometimes even triple-digit annual growth rates.In December, Zomato's quick-commerce subsidiary, Blinkit made a strategic move in the rapidly growing quick food delivery market space. It launched ‘Bistro', a platform that will deliver food and beverages within 10 minutes. Interestingly, this was just a day after its competitor Zepto introduced the Zepto Cafe. Swiggy too already has a 10-minute food delivery service called Bolt, and unlike the others, it is inside their original app. Is this just another indulgence or has quick commerce reached a point where players are so paranoid that they're trying to hold on to customers who think that a food delivery that takes 40 minutes is too slow? Tune in.Also, listen to: Why we date, marry, or breakup with Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, Zepto & BigBasketTell us what you thought of this episode. You can text us your feedback on WhatsApp at +918971108379Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India's first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.

What changed in tech this year? From the rise of Gen AI to the game-changing speed of quick commerce, 2024 was packed with rapid shifts in the tech world. Innovations that came out of nowhere quickly became part of our daily lives—redefining the way we shop, work, and manage our health. We dive into how AI-powered tools have become everyday essentials, the rise of 10-minute deliveries, and how health tech is now in the hands of millions. Plus, we take a closer look at how telecom woes continue, and why 5G adoption is still evolving. Join hosts Leslie D'Monte and Shouvik Das as they explore the key tech trends that shaped 2024 and set the stage for an even bigger 2025. Tune in to find out what stood out this year and what's ahead for tech.

Welcome to the year-end special edition of Two by Two.We've released 22 episodes of Two by Two since our inaugural edition in July. We've covered an incredible breadth of counterintuitive topics framed as, well, two by twos. Would Flipkart become Phonepe before Phonepe became Flipkart? Did Delhi prick Bengaluru's bubble? Is the golden era of the software engineer over? Why is health insurance broken? How will Ola and Uber avoid ‘death by a thousand cuts'? Why is Zepto behaving like a gold medallist? Can venture capitalists do no wrong? Dmart versus the challengers at the gates. AI and the impending disruption of Indian SaaS. We've had incredible fun exploring these ideas with a bunch of really sharp, experienced and opinionated guests. Finding guests who don't hesitate to speak their minds and state unpopular truths has been one of the hardest things. Far, far tougher than finding interesting topics. We owe all our guests a huge thanks for trusting us. Far too many professionals and leaders prefer to stick to rehearsed and predictable talking points in public these days.We'd started Two by Two with the ambition to operate at the intersection of curiosity and synthesis. Each week, we said we'd spot the hidden connections and unasked questions. We'd identify the cast of players and their motivations. We'd bring in incredible people to discuss these with. We'd try to answer simple yet fundamental questions like, what is going on, why is it happening, who gains and who loses, and where is all of this leading to?By always asking questions. Always connecting the dots. Always being unfiltered and uninhibited.We wanted Two by Two to be ‘your personal investigative brain'. In 2025 we hope to make Two by Two even more interesting and unpredictable. Yes, at its core it will still be a weekly podcast. But I'm excited at the possibility of doing so much more by involving our subscribers, listeners and readers in these endeavours. We want to make Two by Two ‘our collective investigative brain'. And hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan will continue to do so with a new episode every Thursday.To listen to all episodes of Two by Two, consider subscribing to The Ken's Premium plan, which in addition to the podcast, will also get you access to our long-form stories, Premium newsletters and visual stories.If you just want access to Two by Two, you can do that as well on Apple Podcasts with a paid subscription.Two by Two is also a free weekly newsletter published every Friday. You can sign up for it here. Listen to all Two by Two episodes here:1. Will Flipkart become Phonepe before Phonepe becomes Flipkart? - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/will-flipkart-become-phonepe-before-phonepe-becomes-flipkart/2. Why has all the excitement and disruption gone out of startups? - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/why-has-all-the-excitement-and-disruption-gone-out-of-startups/3. Is Zepto a gold medallist or a bronze medallist? - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/is-zepto-a-gold-medalist-or-a-bronze-medalist/4. Delhi pricked the Bengaluru bubble - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/delhi-pricked-the-bangalore-bubble/5. Swiggy needs to reclaim its past glory - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/swiggy-needs-to-reclaim-its-past-glory/6. Is the golden era of the (software) engineer over? - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/is-the-golden-era-of-the-software-engineer-over/7. Google Pay: Big. Successful. Vulnerable - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/google-pay-big-successful-vulnerable/8. Private coaching is eating away at schooling - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/private-coaching-is-eating-away-at-schooling/9. Why Stripe could not become the Stripe of India? - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/why-couldnt-stripe-become-the-stripe-of-india/10. Health insurance in India is ripe for disruption - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/health-insurance-is-ripe-for-disruption/11. Netflix and its last growth market - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/netflixs-last-growth-market/12. Ather Energy was a pioneer. Can it also be a leader? - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/ather-energy-was-a-pioneer-can-it-also-be-a-leader/13. Do we even need Product Managers? - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/do-we-even-need-product-managers/14. How will Ola and Uber avoid ‘death by a thousand cuts'? - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/how-will-ola-and-uber-avoid-death-by-a-thousand-cuts/15. The relentless rise of the government as a competitor - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/the-relentless-rise-of-the-government-as-a-competitor/16. What does the future hold for Ola Electric? - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/what-does-ola-electrics-future-hold/17. Can venture capitalists do no wrong? - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/can-venture-capitalists-do-no-wrong/18. Dmart versus the challengers at the gate - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/dmart-versus-the-challengers-at-the-gate/19. Marketing is eating itself from the inside - https://the-ken.com/podcasts/two-by-two/marketing-is-eating-i...

This episode was first released on November 21, 2024, for The Ken's Premium subscribers. We've unlocked it for our Basic and Free subscribers for a limited time. Listen to it on your favourite podcast streaming platforms now.Dmart, the retail group in India, is absolutely number one on vision, execution, and consistency. Dmart opened its first supermarket in Mumbai's Powai suburb in 2002. Like Walmart in the US, it adopted a deep discounting strategy, offering its customers low prices every day. Today, it has 381 stores. In spite of offering its customers the deepest discounts, Dmart's net profit numbers beat the best among its global peers.Yet analysts and investors have been becoming increasingly bearish of Dmart's future strategy. They argue that what got it from 2002 to 2024 might not necessarily take it to, say, 2034.One big reason is quick commerce. Armies of underpaid contract delivery workers rushing from dark stores managed by notionally independent owners on behalf of younger companies like Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, Big Basket, and even Flipkart are challenging the conventional wisdom on retail.Forcing Dmart to pause and blink.What should it do? Stick to what it knows and does best? Or learn new digital and delivery tricks in its middle age? With only an estimated 5% of the $500 billion urban market for food and groceries currently penetrated by organised and modern retail, the way Dmart goes has profound implications for India.To discuss this, hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan invited Govind Shrikhande, former managing director of Shoppers Stop overseeing all its formats, including Shoppers Stop, Hypercity, Crossword, Homestop, Beauty Formats – MAC, Estee Lauder, Air Port & Duty Free Retail etc. Govind has spent over 40 years in the retail sector, having been part of the launches of Denim and Arrow, the relaunch of Vivaldi and the turnaround of Shoppers Stop. He is currently an Independent Director on the Board of a few Companies and a mentor to a few start-ups.Our other guest is Seetharaman G. Seetha is deputy editor at The Ken and also leads The Ken's coverage of retail. He's written quite a few stories on Dmart over the years as well.Welcome to episode number 18 of Two by Two!------Two by Two episodes referenced in this episode:Is Zepto a gold medallist or a bronze medallist?Swiggy needs to reclaim its past gloryStories and newsletters referenced in this episode:Dmart and the supersizing imperativeZudio wanted Dmart's apparel shoppers. Now Dmart is hurtingDmart changes its mind on store size. AgainDmart is not used to being in a funk for so longWhat if the quick-commerce warehouse was a supermarket?Dmart and investors rekindle their loveDmart's e-commerce bet has gone from counterintuitive to obsolete------This episode of Two by Two was produced by Hari Krishna. Rajiv CN, our resident sound engineer, mixed and mastered this episode.New episodes are released every Thursday. So follow the show wherever you get your podcasts, and tell us what you think of the show.You can write to us at twobytwo@the-ken.com with your thoughts and suggestions.

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, your weekday newscast that brings you five major stories from the world of business. It's Thursday, December 19, 2024. This is Nelson John, let's get started. Adar Poonawalla's recent dive into Bollywood, in which he snagged a 50% stake in Karan Johar's Dharma Productions for a cool ₹1,000 crore, isn't just a one-off. It hints at a bigger potential shift across Bollywood. Poonawalla, known best for producing vaccines, teaming up with a giant like Dharma Productions could just set off a trend. Industry insiders weren't taken aback by this development, as Dharma had been actively seeking fresh funding amid a string of less-than-stellar box office returns and cooling interest from streaming platforms. Before Poonawalla stepped in, giants such as Saregama and Reliance Industries were also in the running, highlighting the attractiveness of film studios as potential investment opportunities for diverse business conglomerates. This move could encourage more such strategic investments, writes Lata Jha. It could also reshape how Bollywood studios align themselves with broader business interests, potentially leading to a wave of revitalisation that could impact content creation, distribution and marketing strategies across the industry.Despite allegations of anti-competitive practices by Zepto, Instamart and Blinkit, the Competition Commission of India is unlikely to launch an investigation into quick commerce companies. Sources told Dhirendra Kumar and Gireesh Chandra Prasad that the information provided to CCI didn't convince them there was any anti-competitive behaviour that warranted further examination. This booming sector, projected to hit $6 billion in sales by 2024, seems too competitive and beneficial to consumers for the CCI to take action on its own. Meanwhile, concerns persist among traditional retailers, represented by the All-India Consumer Products Distributors Federation. They claim the platforms' allegedly predatory pricing and inadequate enforcement of FDI rules could threaten traditional retailers, and are urging a closer look to prevent potential monopolistic outcomes.Sebi's tightening of rules in India's F&O market aims to cool intense retail trading driven by expectations of quick profits and the gamification tactics of brokerages. Measures such as increasing index contract sizes to ₹15-20 lakh and adding a steep 14% loss margin for contract sales on expiry days kicked in on November 20. More rules such as upfront collection of option premiums by brokerages are expected to take effect in February 2025. For retail investors, these higher barriers mean trading in F&O will require more money and a deeper understanding of the markets—essentially pushing out those looking for quick, easy profits. Brokerages, particularly discount ones such as Zerodha and Angel One, could take a hit to their bottom lines as reduced volumes will force them to rethink pricing or diversify their services. Abhinanda Saha takes a look at this new era in India's F&O market. In India, companies are stepping up their game on diversity hiring for roles ranging from software development to mechanical engineering. They're not just looking to fill positions – they're trying to show they're progressive and uphold strong corporate governance. From big names such as Robert Bosch GmbH and IBM Corp to Noida's Coforge Ltd, there's a growing trend of including people from diverse backgrounds, including those who are differently abled. For example, over at R.V. College of Engineering in Bengaluru, they've already recruited 26 students under diversity categories this year. This push towards diversity isn't just about doing good; it's also about looking good, reports Jas Bardia. Companies are increasingly aware that strong diversity practices boost their brand and appeal to investors who value robust environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. This is in stark contrast to the US, where some big companies and universities are pulling back on their diversity initiatives, wary of running afoul of anti-discrimination laws.TVS Credit is in talks to buy Avendus Capital from KKR, aiming to boost its financial services, sources told Ranjani Raghavan. It's considering funding the purchase through internal accruals and may consider debt later. KKR, which invested $120 million in Avendus in 2015, appointed Rothschild after Nomura withdrew from facilitating the sale. Avendus, known for its strong investment banking and startup advisory services, could be valued between $500 and $700 million for a 70% stake. Serious bidders include Mizuho and Carlyle, but a final decision is likely to be pushed to January owing to the holidays. A successful bid could significantly expand TVS's financial-sector footprint, adding investment banking and asset management to its portfolio.

Category managers have shifted from routine e-commerce roles to powerful decision-makers in quick commerce. They now manage the limited shelf space in dark stores and decide which products get visibility on platforms like Instamart, Zepto, and Blinkit. Naturally, brands are aggressively courting them, with over 30,000 requests every month for just 150 slots. From hosting parties to taking them out for drinks, brands are pulling out all the stops. Meanwhile, category managers are urging brands to invest more in ads and marketing to stay competitive.Tune in.Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India's first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.Listen to the latest episode of Two by Two here

It has been about four months since Minutes, Flipkart's all new quick-commerce service was launched in Bangalore. But Flipkart isn't doing e-commerce the old fashioned way. It's not taking on the likes of Blinkit or Swiggy Instamart directly by promising speedy grocery deliveries. Instead, its big focus is electronics. It is a space that quick-commerce giants like Blinkit, Swiggy and Zepto – have all dipped their toes in. But Flipkart wants to take things to the next level. Like one Flipkart manager told The Ken, the company is trying to increase the width rather than the depth of the electronics category. The idea is to give more options to customers, but in limited quantities. But while it may not be taking on Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart directly, Flipkart does have another major challenger – Croma, India's second-largest electronics retailer. And courtesy a partnership with Big Basket, Croma is also getting into the quick commerce business. However, building the capability to deliver large electronics, that too in volume, is not an easy task. So how do they plan to do it? Tune.Listen to the latest episode of Two by Two hereDaybreak is now on WhatsApp at +918971108379. Text us and tell us what you thought of the episode!Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India's first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.Listen to the latest episode of Two by Two here

Major U.S. electric utilities are planning significant capital investments to upgrade their grids in response to the rising demand from AI data centers and electric vehicles, though these plans may face regulatory hurdles due to potential rate increases for consumers. A Massachusetts legal ruling has highlighted the ethical challenges of AI in education, as a federal judge upheld a school's decision to discipline a student for using AI to complete an assignment, underscoring the need for clear policies and advanced detection tools. The startup ecosystem witnessed a tumultuous week with Northvolt's bankruptcy disrupting Europe's battery ambitions, while other sectors saw significant advancements and investments, including Wiz's acquisition of Dazz and major funding rounds for companies like N26, Zepto, and OneCell Diagnostics. MatX, a startup specializing in advanced chip design for large language models, has raised $80 million in Series A funding, aiming to create cost-effective, energy-efficient AI inference chips. Reid Hoffman discusses the potential benefits and risks of President-Elect Donald Trump's administration on the technology and cryptocurrency sectors, highlighting concerns about conflicts of interest involving Elon Musk and regulatory impacts on innovation. Y Combinator has significantly influenced the tech startup ecosystem by backing multiple startups with similar ideas, emphasizing founders' potential over unique concepts, fostering a competitive environment that drives innovation. Anthropic has secured an additional $4 billion investment from Amazon, designating AWS as its primary cloud and training partner to advance AI development.

Dmart, the retail group in India, is absolutely number one on vision, execution, and consistency. Dmart opened its first supermarket in Mumbai's Powai suburb in 2002. Like Walmart in the US, it adopted a deep discounting strategy, offering its customers low prices every day. Today, it has 381 stores. In spite of offering its customers the deepest discounts, Dmart's net profit numbers beat the best among its global peers.Yet analysts and investors have been becoming increasingly bearish of Dmart's future strategy. They argue that what got it from 2002 to 2024 might not necessarily take it to, say, 2034.One big reason is quick commerce. Armies of underpaid contract delivery workers rushing from dark stores managed by notionally independent owners on behalf of younger companies like Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, Big Basket, and even Flipkart are challenging the conventional wisdom on retail.Forcing Dmart to pause and blink.What should it do? Stick to what it knows and does best? Or learn new digital and delivery tricks in its middle age? With only an estimated 5% of the $500 billion urban market for food and groceries currently penetrated by organised and modern retail, the way Dmart goes has profound implications for India.To discuss this, hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan invited Govind Shrikhande, former managing director of Shoppers Stop overseeing all its formats, including Shoppers Stop, Hypercity, Crossword, Homestop, Beauty Formats - MAC, Estee Lauder, Air Port & Duty Free Retail etc. Govind has spent over 40 years in the retail sector, having been part of the launches of Denim and Arrow, the relaunch of Vivaldi and the turnaround of Shoppers Stop. He is currently an Independent Director on the Board of a few Companies and a mentor to a few start-ups.Our other guest is Seetharaman G. Seetha is deputy editor at The Ken and also leads The Ken's coverage of retail. He's written quite a few stories on Dmart over the years as well.Welcome to episode number 18 of Two by Two!Two by Two episodes referenced in this episode:Is Zepto a gold medallist or a bronze medallist?Swiggy needs to reclaim its past gloryStories and newsletters referenced in this episode:Dmart and the supersizing imperativeZudio wanted Dmart's apparel shoppers. Now Dmart is hurtingDmart changes its mind on store size. AgainDmart is not used to being in a funk for so longWhat if the quick-commerce warehouse was a supermarket?Dmart and investors rekindle their loveDmart's e-commerce bet has gone from counterintuitive to obsoleteThis is a shorter 'highlights only' episode. If you want to listen and get early access to the full episode, consider becoming a Premium subscriber to The Ken, which in addition to Two by Two, will also give you access to our long-form stories, Premiums newsletters and visual stories. Or if you just want to listen to Two by Two for now, for iOS users, we have enabled Premium subscription on Apple Podcasts.You can sign up for The Two by Two newsletter here—it's free!This episode of Two by Two was produced by Hari Krishna. Rajiv CN, our resident sound engineer, mixed and mastered this episode.New episodes are released every Thursday. So follow the show wherever you get your podcasts, and tell us what you think of the show.You can write to us at twobytwo@the-ken.com with your thoughts and suggestions.

【欢迎订阅】每天早上5:30，准时更新。【阅读原文】标题:India's startup scene is picking up speed againZippy new firms are emerging in a number of areas正文：Visitors to Bangalore, India's tech hub, quickly learn why locals measure distances in minutes and not kilometres. The city's clogged streets turn every outing into a test of patience. Other large cities in the country are just as bad. So it is no surprise that Indians are getting everything from biryanis and books to mangoes and mobile phones delivered straight to their doors—often in under ten minutes. “Quick commerce” is a booming business in India. Zomato, the largest company in the industry, is valued at $26bn; its share price has nearly doubled this year. Swiggy, its closest rival, is expected to go public on November 13th at a valuation of $11bn. Zepto, another competitor founded in 2021, is now worth $5bn.知识点：hub n. /hʌb/1. the central and most important part of a particular place or activity（某地或活动的）中⼼，核⼼• the commercial hub of the city城市的商业中⼼• a hub airport (= a large important one where people often change from one plane to another) ⼤型中转机场获取外刊的完整原文以及精讲笔记，请关注微信公众号「早安英文」，回复“外刊”即可。更多有意思的英语干货等着你！【节目介绍】《早安英文-每日外刊精读》，带你精读最新外刊，了解国际最热事件：分析语法结构，拆解长难句，最接地气的翻译，还有重点词汇讲解。所有选题均来自于《经济学人》《纽约时报》《华尔街日报》《华盛顿邮报》《大西洋月刊》《科学杂志》《国家地理》等国际一线外刊。【适合谁听】1、关注时事热点新闻，想要学习最新最潮流英文表达的英文学习者2、任何想通过地道英文提高听、说、读、写能力的英文学习者3、想快速掌握表达，有出国学习和旅游计划的英语爱好者4、参加各类英语考试的应试者（如大学英语四六级、托福雅思、考研等）【你将获得】1、超过1000篇外刊精读课程，拓展丰富语言表达和文化背景2、逐词、逐句精确讲解，系统掌握英语词汇、听力、阅读和语法3、每期内附学习笔记，包含全文注释、长难句解析、疑难语法点等，帮助扫除阅读障碍。

Zomato planning to raise 8,500 crore rupees again. This comes just three years after its grand IPO where it had raised almost the same amount. The company's stock prices have doubled in the last ten months. Interestingly, this fundraise is going to be through a qualified investment placement or QIP when a listed company raises capital from domestic markets without the need to submit any pre-issue filings to market regulators. Only qualified institutional investors are allowed to participate in this kind of a fundraise. All this just as rival Swiggy is prepping for its IPO. And the quick-commerce trio—Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto are gearing up to expand beyond the metros and into smaller cities. Plus new, deep-pocketed companies like Reliance Retail and Flipkart are also joining into the race. In a letter to shareholders, founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal wrote that the fundraise is intended to ensure a “level playing field with competitors who continue to raise additional capital” and to “strengthen its balance sheet”. There was no mention of how the funds would be used.At first, this seems like Zomato declaring war in the quick-commerce space. Some analysts believe it could be a move to show the market that it has a balance sheet that is the “strongest of all.But is that all there is to it?Daybreak is now on WhatsApp at +918971108379. Text us and tell us what you thought of the episode!Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India's first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.

India's biggest quick commerce players — Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto — are on a mission. They are frantically hunting for properties they can convert into dark stores. Dark stores are an integral part of any quick commerce strategy. Especially now, that the lines between quick commerce and e-commerce are very quickly blurring. People aren't just ordering pantry staples anymore. They are also placing orders for high value goods like headphones and full blown air conditioners. So, dark stores have to cater to these evolving needs. And things are even more heated now that Walmart-backed Flipkart and Amazon have entered the quick commerce race.All that hype adds up to a mad dash for real estate, especially in tier-2 cities like Lucknow and Jaipur in north India and Nagpur in central India. And the unlikely winners in all of this are property owners and local brokers. Tune in. Why do women freeze their eggs? Take the survey here.Don't forget to send us your recommendation for this Thursday's Unwind segment. The theme is “your favourite murder mystery.” Send them to us on WhatsApp as a voice note or as a text message. The number is +9189711-08379. Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India's first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.

In the competitive world of online grocery shopping, BigBasket is a name that stands out.But how did they get here?By 2011, smartphones were everywhere, and you could buy almost anything online—except groceries. The co-founders decided to try the grocery game online again, leading to the birth of BigBasket.In 2015, BigBasket pioneered the dark store model, using small, strategically placed warehouses to speed up deliveries and roll out express delivery services. In May 2021, Tata Digital, a subsidiary of Tata Sons, acquired a  64% stake in stake in BigBasket for about $1.5-2 billion from major shareholders, including Alibaba and Actis.In this episode of Neon Show, Vipul Parekh, the visionary co-founder of BigBasket, shares his invaluable insights and experiences from his entrepreneurial journey. Vipul shares candid insights on the recent disruption in the online grocery space with the rise of quick commerce.----------------Timestamp00:00 Introduction01:14 Reflections on building BigBasket for 13 years02:21 Admitting wrong predictions about online grocers03:25 Analysis of online grocery delivery changes in India05:30 Factors behind quick commerce success in India07:45 Quick Commerce's success in India vs. other countries09:22 Profitability challenges for dark stores11:52 BigBasket's market share and transition plans13:06 Leveraging Tata Group synergies in retail15:36 Shift in household behaviour towards quick commerce21:53  Why India doesn't have its own Walmart-equivalent23:15 Learnings from Big Basket28:22 Tata's long-term approach to business30:04 BigBasket founders' future involvement31:47  Lessons from Tata33:00 Implementing financial governance at BigBasket36:08 Trillion-dollar question39:49 Potential for $100B Indian Startups45:18 Building financial independence through startups49:15 Hard work Vs Luck52:20 Vipul's background 55:40 Time in Wipro and meeting VS Sudhakar-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShoww-------------Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

We have unlocked the full and unedited subscriber version of episode four which we released on August 15 for Premium subscribers of The Ken and on Apple Podcasts. Now you can stream it wherever you listen to your podcasts for free for a few weeks.The Swiggy of 2024 is a shadow of its former self. Boxed in by younger, nimbler and hungrier competitors from all sides, it has been defending itself for so long that it seems to have forgotten how to play offense. It wasn't always like this. Swiggy used to define innovation, product chops and “Bengaluru cool”. In many ways it pioneered food delivery in 2014 after pivoting from a courier service.Zomato, originally a restaurant discovery company, got into food delivery a year after Swiggy. It may have started as a late follower, but today Zomato's market share in the food delivery space is estimated at 56-57% by Goldman Sachs, with Swiggy in second place.Then there's quick commerce. In 2020 Swiggy was the first to launch a quick commerce grocery business, which we now know as Instamart. Zomato meanwhile bought Blinkit and rapidly integrated and scaled it across India. Once again, it would go on to beat Swiggy in market share. Blinkit is estimated to have a 46% market share, followed by Swiggy at number 2. Underpinning all of Swiggy's business were its apps and products, long considered the gold standard of user experience and design. They were slick, intuitive, fast, and fun.But Swiggy's apps today are a haphazard and constantly changing collection of sub-products, menu items, offers and distinct sections.How did it come to this?This week on Two by Two, hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan discuss Swiggy with Arnav Gupta, the Director of Engineering at Jio Cinema, and Deepak Shenoy – the co-founder and CEO of Capitalmind*.Arnav, who used to lead product and engineering for Zomato's consumer apps, explains how product and teams work within a food delivery company. Deepak runs a company handling 2000 crores worth of investments and is a great expert on how the public markets work. He breaks down exactly what the market wants and needs from Swiggy, and what it needs to do to succeed once it goes public.Additional Reading:Swiggy is at the mercy of Zomato for its IPOSwiggy and Timidity 1,500 stories about India's complex relationships with Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, Zepto, and Bigbasket*Both Rohin and Praveen are investors with Capitalmind.This episode of Two by Two was produced by Anushka Mukherjee. Hari Krishna is our lead writer and researcher and our resident sound engineer Rajiv C N is our audio producer.What did you think of the episode? Write to us at twobytwo@the-ken.com with your opinions and suggestions.

In this episode of the Startup Operator Roundup, Roshan and Gunjan celebrate Startup Operator's top ranking on Chartable and discuss significant events and trends in India's startup ecosystem. They cover highlights from the Global FinTech Festival in Mumbai. Then they delve into Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in AI, the arrest of Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov, and Insurance Dekho's new SaaS platform. Additionally, they discuss upcoming IPOs in the FinTech sector, notable fundraisers by Rapido and Zepto, and unique consumer tech innovations. The episode ends with a discussion on the founder mode versus manager mode in startups and a light-hearted segment on OnlyFans' staggering financial performance. 00:00 Introduction00:10 Celebrating #101:14 Global FinTech Festival Highlights01:51 Time's 100 Most Influential in AI including Anil Kapoor02:21 Arrest of Telegram CEO 02:51 Insurance Dekho's New SaaS Platform03:28 Upcoming FinTech IPOs03:39 Angel Investing Success Stories23:43 InfoEdge's Impressive Portfolio23:59 Rapido Joins the Unicorn Club26:29 Zepto's Remarkable Fundraising28:00 Quick Roundup of Fundraisers28:36 SSI's Billion Dollar Seed Round31:43 OnlyFans' Financial Success33:15 Boldcare's Viral Marketing Stunt35:25 Innovative Consumer Tech Products38:08 Shopify's Market Insight42:30 Founder Mode vs. Manager Mode48:08 Conclusion and closing comments ------------------------------------- Click here to get regular WhatsApp updates:https://wa.me/message/ZUZQQGKCZTADL1 ------------------------------------- Connect with Us: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-operator​Twitter: https://twitter.com/OperatorStartup​​ ------------------------------------- Talk of the Town Tweets:Consumer Tech: https://x.com/ritwikpavan/status/1832061056447033377OnlyFans Revenue: https://x.com/ParikPatelCFA/status/1832126344177791011Tobi Lutke : https://x.com/StartupArchive_/status/18283995994151078091x Neo : https://x.com/minchoi/status/1829931741219602739Boldcare Marketing: https://x.com/oneandonlyrk/status/1830585560060289428Paul Graham's Founder mode essay: https://x.com/paulg/status/1830146241054834858 If you liked this episode, let us know by hitting the like button and share with your friends and family. Please also remember to subscribe to our channel and switch on the notifications to never miss an episode!

We have unlocked the full and unedited subscriber version of episode three which we released on August 1 for Premium subscribers of The Ken. Now you can stream it wherever you listen to your podcasts for free for a few weeks. In 2021, as the pandemic still raged on and we washed our vegetables and supplies before consuming them, a young delivery startup promised that you can get all your groceries – everything you need – delivered right to your doorstep. In 10 minutes. This was pretty crazy, back then. Zepto was written off as an ambitious, overhyped startup run by two founders who had barely outgrown their teenage – by competitors and experts alike. In 2024, Zepto has now raised $1.2 billion in venture capital, with a valuation on $3.6 billion. Everyone was wrong about this little startup, which seems to have achieved something that retail brands only dream to: changing consumer habits. 10-minute delivery is now the norm – so much so that the likes of the good old retail giants Dmart and Reliance Retail are scratching their heads. Even Flipkart and Amazon are scuttling about, trying to crack the hyperlocal delivery space. Who would've thought Zepto would be the company to set the cat among the pigeons? It's not random, though. Zepto has tapped into specific advantages – categories, space, speed. And it certainly has timing to thank. All of these aspects have come together serendipitously for Zepto, but the real question is: does it pose a real threat to India's largest retail brands?And if it does, what will they do to stop Zepto?In this episode of Two by Two, hosts Rohin Dharmakumar, CEO of The Ken and Praveen Gopal Krishnan (PGK), COO of The Ken speak with guests Seetharaman G and Arvind Singhal to break down how exactly Zepto managed to surprise everyone, and what this means for the e-commerce space, going forward.About the guests:Arvind Singhal is the founder of Technopak Advisors, a 30 year old management consulting firm best known for its insights on retail and consumer goods. Arvind is an absolute expert on all things retail, with 30 years of hands-on experience advising the most prominent retail companies in India and abroad.Seetharaman G is The Ken's deputy editor and lead writer on all things retail, FMCG and e-commerce. He's reported on quick commerce as well as large retail brands in India week after week in Trade Tricks, the Ken's paid newsletter on retail. This is Two by Two, The Ken's weekly premium business podcast – we like to call it your own personal investigative brain. New episodes released every Thursday morning.You can also subscribe to the Two by Two newsletter for free here.Write to us at twobytwo@the-ken.com with your suggestions and what you thought of the episode.

SUGAR SECTOR பங்குகளின் விலை உயர்வுக்கு காரணம் என்ன? | MSCI | ZEPTO | ADANI | IMPERFECT SHOW FINANCE

In today's episode for 19th August 2024, we look at the global monkey trade and see how Sri Lanka is adopting a rather unconventional approach to tackle a growing problems. We also have a special Bonus episode from Finshots TV where we talk about Quick commerce companies like Zepto, Blinkit, Instamart and others making headlines every week with new fundraises and newer product offerings. Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@finshotstv

(You're listening to the 30-min version of Episode 5, Two by Two. Our full conversation can be accessed by premium subscribers on The Ken's iOS and android app. But if you're not a subscriber, you can now listen to our full episode, 30 days before anyone else, on Apple Podcasts with a monthly subscription!)The Swiggy of 2024 is a shadow of its former self. Boxed in by younger, nimbler and hungrier competitors from all sides, it has been defending itself for so long that it seems to have forgotten how to play offense. It wasn't always like this. Swiggy used to define innovation, product chops and “Bengaluru cool”. In many ways it pioneered food delivery in 2014 after pivoting from a courier service. Zomato, originally a restaurant discovery company, got into food delivery a year after Swiggy. It may have started as a late follower, but today Zomato's market share in the food delivery space is estimated at 56-57% by Goldman Sachs, with Swiggy in second place. Then there's quick commerce. In 2020 Swiggy was the first to launch a quick commerce grocery business, which we now know as Instamart. Zomato meanwhile bought Blinkit and rapidly integrated and scaled it across India. Once again, it would go on to beat Swiggy in market share. Blinkit is estimated to have a 46% market share, followed by Swiggy at number 2. Underpinning all of Swiggy's business were its apps and products, long considered the gold standard of user experience and design. They were slick, intuitive, fast, and fun. But Swiggy's apps today are a haphazard and constantly changing collection of sub-products, menu items, offers and distinct sections. How did it come to this?This week on Two by Two, hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan discuss Swiggy with Arnav Gupta, the Director of Engineering at Jio Cinema, and Deepak Shenoy – the co-founder and CEO of Capitalmind*. Arnav, who used to lead product and engineering for Zomato's consumer apps, explains how product and teams work within a food delivery company. Deepak runs a company handling 2000 crores worth of investments and is a great expert on how the public markets work. He breaks down exactly what the market wants and needs from Swiggy, and what it needs to do to succeed once it goes public.Additional Reading:Swiggy is at the mercy of Zomato for its IPOSwiggy and Timidity 1,500 stories about India's complex relationships with Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, Zepto, and Bigbasket* Both Rohin and Praveen are minor investors with Capitalmind.---P.S. We're hiring! Our podcast team is looking for an audio journalist and a podcast producer. Apply here.---This episode of Two by Two was produced by Anushka Mukherjee. Hari Krishna is our lead writer and researcher and our resident sound engineer Rajiv C N is our audio producer.What did you think of the episode? Write to us at twobytwo@the-ken.com with your opinions and suggestions.

Welcome to another episode of Two by Two, a weekly premium business podcast from The Ken. You'll notice that this week, we've released a 40-minute version of our new episode. But if you're a premium subscriber of The Ken, you can access the full, uncut episode on our app! Click here to listen to the full episode. **In 2021, as the pandemic still raged on and we washed our vegetables and supplies before consuming them, a young delivery startup promised that you can get all your groceries – everything you need – delivered right to your doorstep. In 10 minutes. This was pretty crazy, back then. Zepto was written off as an ambitious, overhyped startup run by two founders who had barely outgrown their teenage – by competitors and experts alike. In 2024, Zepto has now raised $1.2 billion in venture capital, with a valuation on $3.6 billion. Everyone was wrong about this little startup, which seems to have achieved something that retail brands only dream to: changing consumer habits. 10-minute delivery is now the norm – so much so that the likes of the good old retail giants Dmart and Reliance Retail are scratching their heads. Even Flipkart and Amazon are scuttling about, trying to crack the hyperlocal delivery space. Who would've thought Zepto would be the company to set the cat among the pigeons? It's not random, though. Zepto has tapped into specific advantages – categories, space, speed. And it certainly has timing to thank. All of these aspects have come together serendipitously for Zepto, but the real question is: does it pose a real threat to India's largest retail brands?And if it does, what will they do to stop Zepto?In this episode of Two by Two, hosts Rohin Dharmakumar, CEO of The Ken and Praveen Gopal Krishnan (PGK), COO of The Ken speak with guests Seetharaman G and Arvind Singhal to break down how exactly Zepto managed to surprise everyone, and what this means for the e-commerce space, going forward.About the guests:Arvind Singhal is the founder of Technopak Advisors, a 30 year old management consulting firm best known for its insights on retail and consumer goods. Arvind is an absolute expert on all things retail, with 30 years of hands-on experience advising the most prominent retail companies in India and abroad.Seetharaman G is The Ken's deputy editor and lead writer on all things retail, FMCG and e-commerce. He's reported on quick commerce as well as large retail brands in India week after week in Trade Tricks, the Ken's paid newsletter on retail. This is Two by Two, The Ken's weekly premium business podcast – we like to call it your own personal investigative brain. New episodes released every Thursday morning. Subscribe to The Ken, India's first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive business stories, deeply-reported newsletters, and a whole lot of stuff.

Peter Livingston is the Founder and GP of Unpopular Ventures and has invested over $50 million in 300+ startups across the world, including notable startups like Jeeves, Zepto, and more. In this episode, Peter shares - - How they're "unpopular" among Limited Partners - Some bold observations about Limited Partners from their fundraising efforts - How not having a thesis is a moat for Unpopular Ventures - How LPs don't really want the best returns - Unpopular Ventures performance metrics and compares it to industry standards - The power of compounding in venture capital & lots more Links: ⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.com Unpopular Ventures - https://www.unpopular.vc/ Follow Peter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pliv Follow Peter on X - https://x.com/unpopularvc

Global venture funding shows a slight recovery, but Asia has reached its lowest levels since 2015, with Asia-based startups raising $14.6 billion in the last quarter—a 24% decline from the previous quarter and a 32% annual decrease. Asia's deal volume also drops, with only 1,511 funding deals in Q2, down 15% from Q1 and 27% year-over-year. Late-stage growth rounds draw $14.6 billion, the lowest since 2019. Unlike North America, which had several billion-dollar rounds, key Asian deals included $690 million for China's Hozon, $665 million for India's Zepto, and $552 million for China's Unisoc. Early-stage funding also struggles, hitting $4.9 billion in Q2—a 53% drop from Q1 and 39% annually, with deal volume falling 7% from Q1. Seed and angel funding shows slight increases, totaling $1.9 billion but with deals down 19% from Q1 and 34% from last year. China leads the decline, with funding reaching only $6.9 billion, a 46% drop from Q1. India sees $3.4 billion, up 27% from Q1 but down 9% year-over-year. The decline in venture funding pushes the market back to levels from a decade ago, with trade tensions, economic instability, and regulatory policies in China contributing to the downturn.Learn more on this news visit us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For quick delivery apps like Zomato and Zepto that are often questioned for their carbon footprint, switching to electric vehicle or EV fleets is not just a matter of being environmentally conscious, it is also economically more feasible.But here's the thing. While takes about four hours to charge an electric scooter from zero to full using a slow charger and approximately 15 minutes for a fast charger, battery swapping which literally takes two mins.Which is why delivery company drivers for whom speed means money, battery swapping is a better option than charging. Quick commerce companies have understood this and they're partnering with these companies. For example, Zomato and Zepto have both partnered with Battery Smart, a Delhi-based network of battery-swapping stations for EVs. Plus, this comes at a great time because these battery swapping companies are attracting a lot of VC money despite the general VC funding crunch lately. And VCs are loving the fact that quick commerce giants are tying up with these battery swapping companies.So, you'd think that that government must be doing everything it can to give battery-swapping service providers support to expand right?Turns out, that is not really the case.Tune in.Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India's first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.

When it entered the quick commerce scene for the first time in 2021, Zepto was a disruptor. Now, it is the third largest company in the market after Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart. Recently, it secured its biggest funding ever at a US$3.6 billion valuation, mainly from its existing investors.Venture Intelligence, a data provider told The Ken that the US$660 million funding is largest bet made by VCs in Indian startups this year. And now, The Ken's sources say that Zepto is planning to raise another round from “top-tier global VCs” at a US$5 billion valuation.What did Zepto do to get all this attention from investors?Tune in.Also listen to:Daybreak: Why we date, marry, or breakup with Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit, Zepto & BigBasketTFTY: How to get people to listen to you when you have no authority or title?

In this episode of the Startup Operator Roundup, Roshan and Gunjan discuss  the significant drop in placements and employment of IIT graduates in the country, financial troubles at ThirdWave Coffee and Reshamandi, and the launch of Safe Superintelligence Inc. by Ilya Sutskever. The hosts also touch on notable fundraising rounds for Zepto, Alyve Health, and Bira91, and conclude with an analysis of interesting tweets and market trends. Topics:00:00 Introduction00:28 Topics of the week01:40 Weekly Highlights: Events and Sports02:29 IIT placements and Job Market Insights06:12 Economic Trends: Middle Class Growth and Spending08:07 ThirdWave Coffee's Financial Struggles13:16 Ilya's Safe Superintelligence Inc. and AI Concerns16:32 Reflecting on Tech Bubbles and AI Evolution17:56 Generative AI: Fancy Wrappers or Core Innovation?19:18 Reshamandi's Financial Crisis and Challenges22:14 Fundraising Highlights: Zepto, AliveHealth, and More28:21 Twitter Highlights: Sarcasm, Valuations, and Immigration34:56 Conclusion and Upcoming Conversations ------------------------------------- Click here to get regular WhatsApp updates:https://wa.me/message/ZUZQQGKCZTADL1 ------------------------------------- Connect with Roshan  :Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cariappack/ ------------------------------------- MKBHD's Video: https://youtu.be/sDIi95CqTiM?si=rHWzzLKlOskR5l8m ------------------------------------- Connect with Us: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-operator​Twitter: https://twitter.com/OperatorStartup​​ ------------------------------------- If you liked this episode, let us know by hitting the like button and share with your friends and family. Please also remember to subscribe to our channel and switch on the notifications to never miss an episode!

In today's special Friday episode, The Ken's Praveen Gopal Krishnan (aka PGK) joins hosts Snigdha and Rahel to talk about India's complicated relationship with 10 minute delivery apps. They talk about how these apps are shaping our economy and society at large, and more importantly how we, as users, are shaping them.Why do we pick a particular app, what makes us switch to another one and what makes us abandon them all together?PGK asked his readers just that in a recent survey he carried out in his weekly newsletter, The Nutgraf. You can check it out here.You can also check out the Bangalore floods edition Snigdha mentioned, here.Listen to Kabir Biswas talk about Dunzo and the quick delivery business on First Principles.If you're curious about the time everyone except Zepto assumed quick commerce was dying, click here.P.S Tell us what you thought of this episode. a) Was the subject interesting enough for you? b) Did you enjoy the conversation? You can write to us at podcasts@the-ken.com.Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India's first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.

Thanks to Swiggy and Blinkit, it's gotten to a point where getting everything – from your groceries to a literal water cooler – delivered to your doorstep within minutes has become pretty routine. Something we expect. But there is so much going on behind the scenes to make that delivery possible. Like one executive told The Ken, it's a combination of solid logistics and precise inventory management.Pulling that off with just groceries that you can easily throw into a carrier and strap on to a bike is one thing. But then you go and add things like water coolers, mixer grinders, even iPhones to the mix. It sounds like a logistical nightmare. But it's a nightmare that quick commerce apps like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and Zepto have dived headfirst into. They are becoming everything stores, almost like ‘mini Amazons'. And with that, the very nature of quick commerce is changing. 

This episode of the Startup Operator Roundup delves into recent developments within the Indian startup ecosystem, covering topics like GoI's plans to purchase Nvidia GPUs to rent and sublet for Indian startups to use, India SaaS report, Flipkart's attempt to buy Zepto and more! Topic:00:00 Intro05:00 India planning to sign deal with NVIDIA11:17 India's SaaS report 20:33 Flipkart's failed plans to buy Zepto26:00 building UPI-like platform for EV users 30:20 Fundraises of the week 32:30 Talk of the town  ------------------------------------- India SaaS Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1urd7u9d4LHxl1gx93xweED8C1N9TWkQm/view?usp=drivesdk ------------------------------------- Click here to get regular WhatsApp updates:https://wa.me/message/ZUZQQGKCZTADL1   ------------------------------------- Connect with Us: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-operator​Twitter: https://twitter.com/OperatorStartup​​ ------------------------------------- If you liked this episode, let us know by hitting the like button and share with your friends and family. Please also remember to subscribe to our channel and switch on the notifications to never miss an episode!