India Towards a Startup Nation: How Mehsana’s Startup Model Became a Model for the Country
Mehsana, Gujarat, has launched NAMO iHub, India’s first district‑level startup and innovation hub, aligning with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. The hub integrates ideation, incubation and acceleration services within the district’s administrative framework, linking schools, colleges, local industry and investors. Spearheaded by former District Magistrate M. Nagarajan, it transforms Mehsana’s engineering and educational base into a full‑stack ecosystem. As a result, residents—from homemakers to students—are turning local problems into market‑ready solutions without relocating to metropolitan centers.
This Is the Mindset Shift You Need to Switch From Founder to CEO — and Scale Faster
Moving from a hands‑on founder to a strategic CEO is essential for scaling a startup. The transition demands trusting a carefully chosen executive team, delegating operational details, and focusing on long‑term vision. CEOs must replace task‑completion metrics with strategic KPIs...
Dash0 Targets $1bn Valuation with Balderton-Led Funding Round, Reports Say
Dash0, an AI‑native cloud‑monitoring platform founded in 2023, is in talks with Balderton Capital to lead a new funding round that would value the company at $1 billion, elevating it to unicorn status. The New‑York‑based startup, which retains a strong operational...
CcHUB EdTech Fellowship Returns with $100,000 Equity-Free Funding
Co‑creation HUB (CcHUB) and the Mastercard Foundation have opened applications for the fourth cohort of the EdTech Fellowship in Nigeria. Twelve early‑stage startups will receive $100,000 in equity‑free funding and a 12‑month incubation program that includes mentorship, technical support, and...
No, AI Is Not About to Kill the Software Industry
The article argues that fears of an AI‑driven "SaaSpocalypse" are overstated. While large‑language models can generate code, software companies still rely on sales, contracts, and support that AI alone can’t replace. Recent stock declines at firms like Workday and Adobe...
Internet Service Provider Excitel’s Cofounder Vivek Raina Quits
Excitel Broadband co‑founder Vivek Raina announced his resignation, remaining a shareholder while planning to launch new ventures. The move follows the recent promotion of COO Varun Pasricha to CEO, effective March 2026. Since its 2015 launch, Excitel has expanded to...
Bord Iascaigh Mhara Invites Applications for 2026 Aquatech Innovation Studio, AquaScale
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) has opened applications for the 2026 Aquatech Innovation Studio, AquaScale, a three‑day intensive in Galway aimed at established aquatech firms ready to scale. The programme, running 26‑28 May 2026, targets a cohort of 8‑10 companies and...
AI Won’t Fix Your Funnel, It Will Show You Where It’s Broken
Founders expect AI to smooth sales and marketing, but it only highlights existing misalignments. When teams share goals, data, and clear ownership, AI can act as a unifying intelligence layer. The Marketing Centre’s AI Future Forum proposes a three‑pillar health‑check—decisions,...
IProov Founder: Own Your Mistakes
Andrew Bud, founder and CEO of iProov, stresses that founders must own their mistakes and keep leadership clear, rather than blaming teams. He advises new entrepreneurs to prioritize solving a real market problem over the allure of technology. Bud also...
In Agra, a Small Dairy Outlet Grows Around Daily Milk Supply and Local Demand
Naval Kishore, a resident of Bhagupur village near Etmadpur in Agra district, launched a small dairy outlet after leaving his family’s sweet shop. Leveraging a Rs 5 lakh loan from the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan scheme, he equipped a modest processing...
Skyscanner Turns to ChatGPT with AI Flight App
Skyscanner has launched a new AI-powered flight planning app within ChatGPT, leveraging OpenAI's GPT‑4 model. The app lets users ask natural‑language queries and receive personalized flight options and pricing. Skyscanner serves about 160 million monthly users, positioning itself among the first...
Why Letting Go of Control Can Improve Your Success
Ancient Stoic Epictetus taught that we should maximize what we can control and let everything else unfold. The article translates this principle into modern business, showing how focusing on effort—such as product development or skill building—boosts productivity while reducing anxiety....
Cars24 Reports 10% Revenue Decline in FY25; Losses Rise Marginally
Cars24 India posted a 10% drop in gross revenue to Rs 6,233 crore for FY25, following a 25% growth surge in FY24. The decline was driven by an 11% fall in auction and retail sales, while net losses widened 9% to Rs 543 crore....
Handpickd Expands Into Flour and Spices Category, Plans New Cities Entry
Handpickd, the farm‑to‑home fresh food platform, is extending its product line into freshly milled flours and pounded spices, aiming for the segment to generate 20% of its revenue by the end of the next fiscal year. The company currently operates...
Nothing Before Coffee Aims for 400 Stores by 2029
Nothing Before Coffee (NBC), the Jaipur‑based quick‑service coffee chain, plans to expand to 400 company‑owned stores by 2029, up from over 100 locations across 39 cities today. The firm is shifting fully to a COCO model to maintain control over...
Subify Wins Proof Lab Challenge After Tech Revolution Africa 2.0 Pitch, Secures $2,000 Angel Backing
Subify, a Lagos‑based subscription‑sharing platform, was named winner of the 2026 Proof Lab experiment at Tech Revolution Africa 2.0 after a one‑week product sprint. The startup, which began as a WhatsApp group in 2021 and officially launched in October 2025, secured a...
Voice AI Startup Origa Raises $450K Led by Antler Singapore
Origa, a voice‑AI startup focused on consultative pre‑sales conversations, closed a $450,000 funding round led by Antler Singapore, bringing its total capital to $1 million. The company will use the capital to grow its engineering team, enhance product capabilities, and scale...
Spintly Raises $8 Mn From Accel, ENRISSION India and Others
Proptech startup Spintly announced an $8 million Series A round, led by Accel with participation from ENRISSION India, Chakra Growth Fund, Alumni Ventures and Spyre VC. The financing follows a Rs 3.5 crore seed extension last year and an earlier $5.36 million round, underscoring investor confidence...
PayU’s inFINity 3.0 And The Push To Make Early Stage Fintechs Scale-Ready
PayU has launched the third edition of its inFINity accelerator, targeting 30 early‑stage fintech founders with a four‑week sprint that blends mentorship, direct capital pathways, and integration into PayU’s extensive merchant network. Building on two prior cohorts that supported over...
FNP Posts Rs 861 Cr Revenue in FY25; Cuts Losses
Ferns N Petals posted operating revenue of Rs 861.5 crore for FY 2025, a 22 % increase over the prior year, driven primarily by product sales. The company narrowed its net loss to Rs 22 crore, an 8.3 % reduction, though EBITDA and ROCE remained negative at -1.25 %...
Supertails Warehouse Gutted In Bengaluru Fire, Inventory Destroyed
Supertails, a Bengaluru‑based pet‑care marketplace, lost its entire inventory when a fire engulfed three warehouses, including its own, on February 22. The blaze forced the company to cancel its flagship WTF Sale just after recording its highest ever revenue. Within...
Neo Naturelle Targets Canadian Market with Hormonal Skincare Strategy
Neo Naturelle, a federally registered Canadian skincare brand founded in 2019 by chemist Nila Cook, is expanding nationwide to serve women experiencing hormonal changes such as perimenopause and menopause. After the pandemic forced a digital‑first launch, the company now combines...
Defence-Tech Startup Constelli Raises $20 Mn Led by General Catalyst
Defence‑tech startup Constelli announced a $20 million Series A round led by General Catalyst, with participation from 360 One Asset Management and existing backer Pravega Ventures. The capital will fund R&D for next‑generation electronic warfare and communication payloads across drones, ground systems, naval...
CGSS Explained: ₹20 Crore Credit Boost Every Indian Startup Must Know
The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) has been upgraded to offer up to ₹20 crore guarantee per borrower, doubling the previous limit. The 2025 amendments introduce tiered coverage—85% for loans up to ₹10 crore and 75% beyond—while adjusting annual guarantee fees...
This Startup Is Building an All-in-One AI Ecosystem for Nigerian Law Firms
Modulaw AI, a Lagos‑based startup, has launched an all‑in‑one AI‑driven legal operations platform for Nigerian law firms. The system combines a RAG‑powered research engine—trained on roughly 10,000 appellate and Supreme Court judgments—with case management, client collaboration, workflow automation, and billing...
“Clarity Wins” Steve Pastor on Scaling Kings of Neon without Compromise
Steve Pastor, founder and CEO of Kings of Neon, explains how the custom neon signage firm scaled from a 2019 side venture to a global partner for brands like Formula 1 Las Vegas, Netflix and BMW. He credits three non‑negotiables—quality, speed...
How to Accept Crypto Payments in Your Business (2026 Guide)
Crypto adoption has exploded to about 741 million users, making digital‑asset payments a mainstream expectation. Modern crypto payment gateways now provide plug‑and‑play solutions that remove the need for in‑house wallet management. Businesses across ecommerce, SaaS, and retail can integrate crypto checkout...
Third Way Health Receives $15M Series A
Third Way Health announced an oversubscribed $15 million Series A round led by Health Velocity Capital, with Kristin Torres Mowat as the lead investor. The new capital lifts the company’s total funding to $22.5 million, earmarked for product development and scaling operations. The...
From IPO Scepticism To Profit Signals: Coworking’s Big Reset
India’s listed coworking operators have turned a profit in Q3 FY26, signalling a shift from pre‑IPO scepticism to financial stability. WeWork India posted a ₹16.8 Cr PAT and 29% revenue growth, while Awfis and Smartworks reported 43% profit growth and a...
Addi Secures $89M From Citi
Colombian fintech Addi secured $89 million in structured financing from Citi, adding to the $71 million debt facility it raised in November 2025. The funding brings Addi's total recent debt to roughly $160 million, supporting its buy‑now‑pay‑later (BNPL) platform that offers instant point‑of‑sale credit....
Most Brands Ignore This Visibility Engine — It Builds Credibility, SEO and Media Reach at Scale
Brands that scale fastest rely on distribution infrastructure, not louder messaging. Digital newswires act as a scalable engine that moves verified content through media ecosystems, delivering immediate reach and credibility. By syndicating releases to online publications, financial platforms, and AI...
Real Estate Investment Platform Addy Enters Restructuring One Year After Fine From Regulators
Vancouver‑based fractional real‑estate platform Addy announced it is restructuring its business, engaging Dentons and Crowe MacKay to guide an orderly transition. The move follows a 2025 $100,000 fine from the British Columbia Securities Commission for trading $26 million of securities without...
Crypto Exchange NoOnes Confirms Ray Youssef Is No Longer CEO
NoOnes announced on X that Ray Youssef is no longer involved in the exchange’s management, citing ongoing personal legal matters. Youssef had led NoOnes for just over two years, during which the platform expanded across Africa and Southeast Asia. The...
Here’s What 15 Years of Lunches with Steve Jobs Taught One Apple Insider
Former Apple chief design officer Jony Ive reflected on his 15‑year partnership with Steve Jobs in a newly released letter. Ive describes Jobs as insatiably curious, encouraging debate, and avoiding micromanagement, framing their collaboration as a partnership that drove iconic...
Total Addressable Market: What It Is and How to Calculate It
The guide explains total addressable market (TAM) as the maximum revenue a product could capture if every ideal customer bought it, and distinguishes it from serviceable addressable market (SAM) and serviceable obtainable market (SOM). It outlines three calculation methods—top‑down, bottom‑up,...
6 Best Corporate Innovation Programs that Actually Work
Executives overwhelmingly view innovation as essential, yet fewer than one‑in‑ten feel their firms deliver results. The article identifies six corporate innovation programs—Google Area 120, Amazon Working Backwards, Microsoft Garage, Unilever Foundry, Maersk Growth, and Mastercard Start Path—that consistently ship products or create...
Nigeria’s Crypto Exchanges Must Now Report Trades, but Enforcement Remains Unclear
Nigeria’s tax authority has mandated that all crypto exchanges upload daily transaction logs to a new e‑reporting portal, a rule that took effect in January 2026. The requirement aims to broaden the tax base and fund the country’s expanding fiscal...
U of T Taps BioLabs to Take over Incubator After Johnson & Johnson Pulls Support
The University of Toronto has partnered with Cambridge‑based BioLabs to operate its 40,000‑square‑foot life‑sciences incubator after Johnson & Johnson announced it will withdraw support by the end of 2025. BioLabs, entering Canada for the first time, will manage the space...
Top 6 Insurance Startups in Africa Transforming Coverage
Africa’s insurance protection gap remains stark, with only about three percent of the population covered. Mobile‑money, AI and API‑driven models are enabling a new wave of insurtech startups to offer micro‑insurance at scale. The article highlights six innovators—Pula, Lami, Pineapple,...
7 Haulage and Logistics Startups Reshaping Freight in 2026
Global logistics generated over $11 trillion in 2023 but remains largely manual, prompting a surge of tech‑driven startups. Seven firms—Aurora Innovation, Flexport, Gatik, Sennder, HydroHaul, Faramove, and project44—are scaling autonomous trucks, AI routing, hydrogen fuel, and real‑time visibility platforms. Collectively they...
The CBN Has a Plan to Make Regulation Work for Fintechs. Here Is What It Looks Like.
On Feb 2 2026 the Central Bank of Nigeria published its Fintech Policy Insight Report, outlining a new regulatory playbook aimed at turning oversight into a partnership engine for the sector. The blueprint introduces a quarterly Fintech Engagement Forum, a Single Regulatory...
Smart D8 Opens Doors to Health and Wellbeing Innovators for Sixth Consecutive Year
Smart D8, Dublin’s first health‑focused smart district, has opened its sixth open call for pilot projects, offering up to €10,000 per project to test innovations in real community settings. The 2026 call targets three priority themes—nutrition, social connectedness and workplace...
Ryan Reynolds and Former Costco CFO Richard Galanti to Headline AICPA ENGAGE 2026
AICPA ENGAGE 2026 will feature a high‑profile keynote conversation between actor‑entrepreneur Ryan Reynolds and former Costco CFO Richard Galanti. The event, marking ENGAGE’s 10th anniversary, runs June 8–11 at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas under the theme “the next wave.” Their dialogue...
“I’ve Never Been on Leave”: Busha Co-Founder Moyo Sodipo on Seven Years Building a Crypto Company
Busha co‑founder and COO Moyo Sodipo reflects on seven years of building Nigeria’s leading crypto exchange, highlighting how the COVID‑19 pandemic accelerated user growth and cemented the firm’s vision beyond a trend. He describes the personal sacrifices involved, noting he...
Single-Speciality Hospitals and Clinics Surge, Driven by Patient Demand and Investor Interest
India’s healthcare landscape is rapidly pivoting from multi‑speciality hospitals to single‑speciality providers such as eye‑care, fertility and dialysis clinics. The shift is fueled by rising health‑insurance coverage, an ageing population and strong private‑capital appetite. While the overall market is projected...
The Citizen-Led Platform Trying to Make Nigeria’s Vote Collation Transparent
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission launched the IReV portal in 2020 to provide real‑time result viewing, but the 2023 presidential election saw delayed uploads and only 94.68% of polling‑unit results posted after two months. In response, citizen‑led platform E Don Kast was...
NationGraph Raises $18M to Expand AI Public Sector Platform
NationGraph announced an $18 million Series A round, led by Menlo Ventures, to scale its AI‑native platform that helps companies navigate the fragmented U.S. government procurement market. The solution aggregates data from roughly 110,000 state, local and education agencies across four million...
ElastixAI Launches FPGA Platform for GenAI Inference
ElastixAI, backed by $18 million in seed funding, has emerged from stealth to launch a software platform that transforms off‑the‑shelf FPGA servers into high‑efficiency GenAI inference engines. The company argues that GPUs, designed for compute‑heavy training, are poorly suited to the...
Chelsea Citizen Banks Campaign Wins and Local Goodwill, but yet to Turn Profit
The Chelsea Citizen, a hyper‑local news site launched a year ago in London’s affluent Chelsea and Kensington borough, has leveraged campaigning journalism to influence council decisions and attract high‑profile support. Notable victories include halting a proposed 29‑storey Battersea tower and...
Perplexity Launches 'Computer' AI Agent that Coordinates 19 Models, Priced at $200 a Month
Perplexity, valued at $20 billion, launched Computer, a cloud‑based AI agent that coordinates 19 specialized models to execute complex workflows. The service is currently available only to Perplexity Max subscribers at $200 per month and promises autonomous task decomposition and model...