From Simple Energy raising over Rs 1,000 crore to Mayank Khanduja joining Bessemer Venture, YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors. Here's the roundup for Thursday, October 1, 2026.
Latest News
Simple Energy raises Rs 1,750 crore in its Series C
Electric two-wheeler maker Simple Energy on Wednesday raised Rs 1,750 crore in its Series C funding round, taking its total funding to more than Rs 2,530 crore.
The equity round was led by Dr. Arokiaswamy Velumani Family Office alongside co-founders Suhas Rajkumar and Ankit Gupta, with participation from Bengaluru-based HNI Amit Mishra and the Haran Family Office.
The round is among the largest equity raises in the EV two-wheeler space.
Funding News
Seeds Fincap raises Rs 100 crore
Seeds Fincap, a non-baking financial company (NBFC) supporting small Indian businesses, has raised more than Rs 100 crore in its Series B funding round led by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.
Existing investors Z47 and Lok Capital also joined the round along with Norinchukin Capital and Alteria Capital. Unitus Capital served as the main financial adviser for the deal.
Existing investors Z47 and Lok Capital also joined the round along with Norinchukin Capital and Alteria Capital. Unitus Capital served as the main financial adviser for the deal.
The company said it plans to use the latest funding to open more physical branches, hire field workers, and upgrade its risk tracking tools as it expands further into rural and semi-urban towns.
Unveilr AI raises pre-seed funding
Mumbai-based AI search and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) company Unveilr AI has raised pre-seed funding at Rs 16.7 crore valuation from Aviral Bhatnagar’s AJVC.
The company, founded by Sanditya Srivastava helps brands generate qualified leads from traditional search engines and AI search platforms. The company will use the funds to build engineering capacity and expand its sales team as it grows across India, the UAE and the US.
As AI engines take on a larger role in deciding which businesses buyers consider, visibility in AI-generated answers is becoming a direct source of leads, and one that most businesses are not yet equipped to measure or improve. Unveilr AI addresses this by combining proprietary technology with specialist execution, and by tracking its work through to the leads its customers receive.
Cybersecurity startup Zaperon has raised Rs 7 crore
Cybersecurity startup Zaperon has raised Rs 7 crore in seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV). The funds will be used to advance Zaperon's product capabilities, launch enterprise-grade AI security frameworks, and accelerate its market presence in India and the US.
Zaperon is building a unified cybersecurity platform for the Agentic AI era, designed to secure the rapidly expanding ecosystem of human and non-human identities. By converging identity security, data security and AI governance, Zaperon gives enterprises a single platform to control how users, applications and AI agents access and interact with sensitive data and cloud infrastructure.
Aignosis raises Rs 4 Cr in seed round
Jaipur-based healthtech startup Aignosis has raised Rs 4 crore in a seed round led by Antler, Nikhil Kamath and angel investors including Varun Dua, IIMA Ventures and others.
The company will be moving from developing and validating its AI-assisted autism screening technology to expanding its presence across India's healthcare ecosystem.
The company now aims to conduct at least 100,000 total screenings by the end of FY26-27, compared with 8,000+ completed so far and preparing to expand into Punjab, NCR, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Maharashtra, using its Rajasthan experience as an operating reference for wider government adoption.
Industrialists Yohan and Michelle Poonawalla makes strategic investment in defence
Industrialists and business leaders Yohan and Michelle Poonawalla have invested in Optimized Solutions Ltd, a technology-driven company operating across Defence, Aerospace, Space and critical technologies such as Nuclear Power.
The investment marks a strategic foray by the Poonawallas into India’s rapidly evolving defence and security ecosystem, with a focus on supporting home-grown technology, innovation and advanced manufacturing capabilities.
Optimized Solutions Ltd is a company specializing in building Strategic Electronics for Deep tech applications for both strategic and commercial organisations. The company has worked closely with ISRO and has been a key contributor to space missions, including Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan.
Other News
Mayank Khanduja joins Bessemer Venture as Partner
Mayank Khanduja has joined Bessemer Venture as a Partner in its India practice. He will focus on early-stage investments, partnering with founders from their first institutional round onwards.
Mayank Khanduja
Mayank’s previous stints include Elevation Capital and McKinsey, and he brings 15 years of venture investing experience, across consumer tech, gaming, healthcare, AI, and deeptech. He has backed companies including ShareChat, NoBroker, PlaySimple Games, Jeh Aerospace, MOC Cancer Care, Loop Health, Atlys, Seekho, General Autonomy and PierSight.
In a press statement, Mayank said, “Joining Bessemer Venture Partners is a privilege. India is producing a generation of founders building with real conviction, and the earliest stages are where an investor can be most useful. Bessemer’s research-led approach and long track record make it the ideal platform to partner with these founders from day one, and I look forward to the journey ahead.”
Gnani AI launches the Great Indian AI Internship Challenge
Gnani AI that is building foundational models has announced the Great Indian AI Internship Challenge. The initiative invites students to build practical applications using Gnani AI’s models and APIs for enterprises, developers and creators, with opportunities to be considered for up to 100 paid internships offering individual stipends of up to Rs 1 lakh per month.
The challenge opens on September 30 and closes on November 10, 2026, said the company. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews after the challenge concludes, with internships scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027.
The initiative connects two parts of India’s sovereign AI ambition: building foundational technology within the country and developing the talent that can turn it into products the world can use.
Amazon Now expands to more than 120 cities in India
Amazon announced the rapid expansion of Amazon Now to more than 120 cities across India. Customers in cities such as Amritsar, Abohar, Jalandhar, Ambala, Mangalore, Manipal, Vizag, Kochi, Changanassery, Bhubaneswar and Karwar now get deliveries in minutes through Amazon Now.
From groceries (including fruits & vegetables and frozen food), personal care, fashion & beauty to small appliances, home & kitchen products and more, these orders are fulfilled through a network of close to 800 micro-fulfilment and urban fulfilment centres.
In September, Amazon announced that Amazon Now had reached $1 billion in annualized gross sales in India over the past three-month period.
India’s next generation of digital thinkers compete for top honours at IIMB
Nine student teams from across India faced off in the National Finals of the National Student Case Competition 2026, hosted by the Center for Digital Public Goods (CDPG), IIM Bangalore, with the support of Perfios and Anumati Account Aggregator.
Bringing together students from engineering, technology, management, public policy and finance domains, the finals put the spotlight on how India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can be designed, governed and built to create meaningful public value.
Selected from a pool of 450 teams comprising 2,250 students, the finalists competed across three tracks – Technology & Design, Policy & Regulation, and Governance & Ecosystem. The inaugural edition of the Case Competition concluded with three winning teams, one from each track, each receiving a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.
Niyo reports 78% rise in income for FY26
Niyo, a travel fintech startup focused on cross-border financial services has reported a 78% annual growth in income to touch Rs 178 crore in FY26 as compared to Rs 100 crore in FY25, according to a statement. The company also reduced its losses as it touched Rs 33 crore in FY26 as compared to Rs 78 crore in FY25, which was a decline of 58%.
Niyvo attributed the performance in FY26 to efficiency in operational productivity, primarily through AI-led gains across customer service, operations, marketing and product development. It said its operating cost escalation was significantly lower than its revenue growth. Total operating expenses increased 20% to Rs 201 crore in FY26 from Rs 168 crore in FY25, which includes employee costs that rose 17% to Rs 92 crore from Rs 79 crore. EBITDA loss nearly halved to Rs 32 crore in FY26 from Rs 77 crore in FY25.
Smartworks Coworking adds Rs 305 crore in incremental contracted rental revenue
Smartworks Coworking Spaces Limited has signed new leasing engagements with large corporate clients across multiple cities, adding Rs 305 crore in incremental contracted rental revenue. The value represents leasing rental revenue from engagements of up to 60 months, and builds on the company's Rs 5,400 crore contracted rental revenue base as of June 30, 2026.
This follows Smartworks' recent announcement of Rs 235 crore in incremental contracted rental revenue from existing client expansions. The new clients comprise a diverse mix of large Indian and global corporates across sectors.
Together, the two announcements represent Rs 540 crore in incremental contracted rental revenue, reflecting both the addition of new clients and the deepening of existing relationships, and further strengthening the sustained momentum in demand for the Company's managed campuses.