Starbucks India overtook Coffee Cafe Day as the largest coffee chain in terms of revenue, growing by 12% to Rs 1,218 crore in FY24. Despite its success, losses tripled, with increased costs from employee benefits, rent, and coffee procurement contributing to Rs 1,320 crore in total expenditure.

Nautical Wings Aerospace has raised an undisclosed pre-Series A round from Venture Catalysts and 1Crowd. The funds will support R&D, team expansion, and scaling operations. Founded in 2020, the company is developing its flagship Integrated Electric Propulsion Unit (iEPU), simplifying electric propulsion adoption for drone and air mobility companies.

Ola Electric is set to launch its electric three-wheeler (e-rickshaw) by the end of 2024, aiming to compete with Mahindra, Piaggio, and Bajaj. The company will offer both passenger and goods carrier variants, expand its distribution network, and leverage government incentives for EV manufacturing.

Customer support platform LiaPlus AI raised Rs 2 crore in a Seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The funds will drive product advancements, expand the team, and enhance sales strategies. LiaPlus offers AI-driven multilingual support, handling millions of calls with real-time interactions across India, Africa, and more.

SaaS-based lending platform Arthmate faces chaos following a two-year legal battle with Gameskraft, leading to the arrest of co-founder Vihaan Kumar and employee exits. Gameskraft accuses Kumar of financial irregularities, resulting in Rs 12.15 crore losses. Despite profitability, Arthmate struggles with fallout from the controversy.

Ride-hailing app Rapido secured $200 million in Series E funding, led by WestBridge Capital. With this investment, Rapido’s valuation hit $1.1 billion. The funds will expand its four-wheeler services, competing with Ola and Uber. Rapido processes 16.5 lakh daily rides, positioning it second after Uber in India.

Swiggy’s operating revenue surged 36% to Rs 11,247 crore in FY24, while reducing its losses by 44% to Rs 2,350 crore. Its food delivery grew 17%, contributing Rs 6,100 crore. The company is preparing for an IPO, aiming to raise up to Rs 3,750 crore.

B2B financial management platform Valyx secured $800K in pre-seed funding co-led by Huddle Ventures and Waveform Ventures. The funds will be used to expand the sales and engineering teams. Founded in late 2023, Valyx automates billing and receivables, processing over Rs 200 crore in accounts receivable to date.

Sports-tech startup Spolto has secured $1 million in a seed round led by Andrew Johnston. Founded in 2021, Spolto aims to enhance sports access in urban India, partnering with 1,200+ coaches and academies across 12 sports. The funds will help scale services and expand its digital presence.

Omnichannel jewelry retailer Bluestone secured ₹600 crore ($72 million) in a funding round led by Prosus, with Steadview, Think Investments, and Pratithi Growth Fund also participating. The funds will support expansion and operations ahead of Bluestone’s planned IPO. The company is now valued at approximately $972 million.