Airtel and Blinkit’s 10-Minute SIM Delivery Hits a Wall: DoT Flags KYC Concerns Weeks After Launch in 16 Cities

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May 3, 2025

Image-of-airtel — Airtel and Blinkit’s 10-Minute SIM Delivery Hits a Wall: DoT Flags KYC Concerns Weeks After Launch in 16 Cities

Airtel’s ambitious plan to deliver SIM cards in just 10 minutes through Blinkit has quietly been put on hold, less than a month after its launch in 16 cities. The decision follows informal red flags raised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) around whether the self-verification process using Aadhaar was being executed with the necessary rigour—especially in a system that promises doorstep delivery in record time.

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Launched on April 15, the service aimed to eliminate the usual delays of buying a SIM card. Customers could get a new connection or port their number—prepaid or postpaid—within minutes, all verified through Airtel’s app with an Aadhaar e-KYC. Blinkit handled the logistics, boasting a “completely store-free” model that Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa said would revolutionise telecom onboarding.

But the brakes have now been applied. As of May 1, Airtel SIMs are no longer showing up on Blinkit’s app. Neither Airtel nor Zomato, Blinkit’s parent company, has issued a formal explanation. Industry watchers believe the pause was prompted by backchannel concerns from the DoT, which hasn’t published a circular but has reportedly advised Airtel to strictly comply with digital KYC norms.

Here’s the crux: under current rules, telecom companies can verify a user’s identity remotely using Aadhaar, but the SIM can only be handed over after proper authentication of both identity and address. In a model where SIMs are being delivered within minutes of a digital request, there are questions about whether that verification can realistically be completed in time—and whether it opens the door to misuse.

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While the 10-minute delivery model was bold and in step with India’s quick-commerce trend, it also raises bigger questions about how far convenience can go before compliance steps in. For now, the experiment is on hold—and the telecom regulator is watching closely.

Beat22 Raises Undisclosed Seed Funding Led by SucSEED to Disrupt Asia’s Music Licensing Market for Independent Artists

INVESTMENTS

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May 3, 2025

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Image of beat22 — Beat22 Raises Undisclosed Seed Funding Led by SucSEED to Disrupt Asia’s Music Licensing Market for Independent Artists

Beat22, a rising platform built to support music creators in licensing and selling their work, has raised seed funding in a round led by SucSEED Indovation Fund. Other backers include Chandigarh Angel Network (CAN) and investor Prateek Toshniwal. The exact amount hasn’t been disclosed, but the company says it’s enough to help fuel its next phase of growth.

At its core, Beat22 is trying to fix a part of the music world that often gets overlooked—the creation side. While streaming has made music easier to distribute and discover, the process of making music, licensing it, and getting paid remains tangled and underdeveloped—especially in Asia. Beat22 is aiming to change that, offering a dedicated space where independent musicians can license, sell, and monetise their tracks without losing control or getting lost in the noise.

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What sets Beat22 apart from global players is its focus on local flavour. It’s built with the Asian music community in mind—especially artists producing regional, vernacular, and culturally specific sounds. These are genres and beats that rarely find proper representation or buyers on Western platforms.

To make this work, Beat22 has built a suite of tools tailored to working musicians. That includes lead generation based on user activity, real-time negotiation features, instant licensing workflows, direct payments, and a growing pool of monetisation services—all designed to simplify the business side of making music.

Ashish Sudhera, founder and CEO, explained the motivation behind the platform: “For a long time, the music industry was split between creators and the businesses that distributed their work. Streaming helped bridge that gap to some extent—but the monetisation of music creation itself has remained messy and disorganised. Beat22 wants to bring structure where there’s chaos, giving artists a way to earn from the first beat they produce.”

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This isn’t SucSEED’s first time backing early-stage tech with a clear niche—previously, the fund invested in SitePace, a Mumbai-based startup focused on AI-driven construction monitoring.

Sedna HoReCa Bags Rs 50 Crore from Anicut Capital to Tidy Up India’s Hospitality Supply Chain

INVESTMENTS

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May 3, 2025

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Image of sednahoreca — Sedna HoReCa Bags Rs 50 Crore from Anicut Capital to Tidy Up India’s Hospitality Supply Chain

In a bold move to tackle the messy backend of India’s hospitality sector, Sedna HoReCa has raised Rs 50 crore in equity funding from Anicut Capital. The startup is taking on the complex, under-digitized world of hotel, restaurant, and catering (HoReCa) supply chains—one of the most fragmented corners of India’s service economy.

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The funds will help Sedna accelerate its rollout plans, with a goal to be operational in more than 20 cities within the next year. The larger mission? To build India’s first end-to-end tech-driven platform that connects all the dots—from inventory tracking to food procurement—for HoReCa businesses that are currently stuck juggling multiple vendors, outdated software, and unpredictable logistics.

Sedna was started by Mahadevan Narayanamoni and Saurabh Pandey, the duo behind Aknamed, a medical supply chain venture that was acquired by PharmEasy in 2021. With Sedna, they’re now taking the same playbook—simplify, centralize, and digitize—and applying it to restaurants and hotels struggling with rising costs and scattered systems.

The company is structured around three focus areas:

Tech tools — including SupplyNote, which helps restaurants stay on top of inventory, and BillNote, a restaurant-grade POS system.
Commerce and distribution — where Vyap acts as the B2B supply network and SupplyLink handles logistics and delivery, customized for hospitality businesses.
Food solutions — the third vertical, aimed at streamlining food procurement and partnerships.

Both SupplyNote and BillNote were originally built by AdCount Technologies, whose founding team—Kushang, Abhishek Kumar, Harshit Mittal, and Nitin Prakash—have now come on board to scale Sedna’s technology and operations.

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With hospitality businesses under pressure to operate leaner, smarter, and faster, Sedna is placing its bet on building a full-stack solution—one that goes beyond apps and dashboards, and actually fixes the plumbing of how India’s kitchens and hotels run behind the scenes.

Zomato Shuts Down ‘Quick’ and ‘Everyday’ After ₹39 Crore Profit Crash, Deepinder Goyal Takes Charge Amid Strategy Shift

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May 2, 2025

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Image of quick — Zomato Shuts Down ‘Quick’ and ‘Everyday’ After ₹39 Crore Profit Crash, Deepinder Goyal Takes Charge Amid Strategy Shift

Zomato is stepping back from the ultra-fast delivery game, shutting down its ‘Quick’ and ‘Zomato Everyday’ offerings. This pivot, shared during the company’s Q4 FY25 earnings call, reflects a deeper change in strategy—one that puts sustainable service over speed-at-any-cost.

‘Quick’ was launched with the ambitious promise of 10-minute meals. But according to CEO Deepinder Goyal, it never really caught on. He admitted the concept didn’t create any noticeable boost in demand, and restaurants simply weren’t equipped to reliably fulfill orders that fast.

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‘Zomato Everyday’, a service offering simple, homestyle meals in metro cities, also struggled to gain ground. Scaling remained a challenge, and without clear signs of long-term profitability—or happy customers—the company decided to wind it down. While rivals like Swiggy and Zepto have found some footing in the express delivery space, Zomato’s foray didn’t deliver the same payoff.

The company’s numbers reflected some of these missteps. While revenue grew to ₹2,409 crore and adjusted EBITDA showed some progress, net profit plunged 78% year-on-year to ₹39 crore, dragged down mainly by Blinkit’s losses.

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Adding to the changes, Rakesh Ranjan has exited his role as CEO of the food delivery division. For now, Deepinder Goyal is taking the reins himself.

With these experimental detours now behind it, Zomato seems to be returning to familiar ground—doubling down on reliable, high-quality food delivery instead of chasing breakneck speed.

Reliance Retail’s Fashion World Ties Up with Francorp to Launch 500 Stores, Targeting 200 Million Consumers Across India

Growth

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May 2, 2025

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Image-of-francorp — Reliance Retail’s Fashion World Ties Up with Francorp to Launch 500 Stores, Targeting 200 Million Consumers Across India

Reliance Retail is rolling out a bold new plan to scale its high-street fashion brand, Fashion World, and it’s bringing in heavyweight partner Francorp to make it happen. The move signals Reliance’s latest play to reshape the country’s fragmented fashion market—this time, by empowering everyday entrepreneurs.

With Francorp—part of the Franchise India Group and a major name in franchise consulting—on board, the partnership is set to open doors for small and mid-sized business owners who want a slice of the fashion retail pie. The model? Simple but ambitious: “Invest. Own. Operate. Grow.” Franchisees will get to run stores featuring a curated selection of Reliance Retail’s in-house labels—spanning clothing, footwear, and accessories—all packaged under the Fashion World banner.

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This isn’t just about expanding retail footprints. It’s about giving structure and opportunity to India’s largely unorganised apparel space. The goal: reach over 200 million customers across 500 cities in the next five years.

“This isn’t just a business deal—it’s a push to empower local retailers and rewrite the rules of fashion retail in India,” said Gaurav Marya, Chairman of Franchise India. “Reliance brings the retail muscle, we bring the franchise blueprint—it’s the start of something big.”

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With this partnership, Reliance Retail is not only betting on fashion, but also on the power of regional entrepreneurship to drive its next wave of growth.

Salt Oral Care Secures $1M Pre-Series A Round from Lotus Holdings, Eyes R&D and Brand Scale After 448% Revenue Boom

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May 2, 2025

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Image of salt. — Salt Oral Care Secures $1M Pre-Series A Round from Lotus Holdings, Eyes R&D and Brand Scale After 448% Revenue Boom

Mumbai-based oral care brand Salt has secured fresh backing with a $1 million pre-Series A investment from Lotus Holdings, the family office tied to the personal care heavyweight Lotus Herbals. The deal, structured to be disbursed in two parts, places the company’s post-money valuation at ₹46 crore (roughly $5.3 million).

Launched in 2022 by Karan Raj Kohli and Viraj Kapur, Salt has positioned itself as a premium oral wellness label that merges clinical formulation with minimalist design and eco-friendly principles. Think toothpaste without the fluff, mouthwash in glass bottles, and a commitment to ingredients that make both dentists and conscious consumers nod in approval.

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The new funding will fuel Salt’s ambitions on multiple fronts: ramping up R&D, launching new products, scaling operations, building out the team, and strengthening its brand identity—without compromising its clean, luxe appeal.

“We’re not chasing growth through discounts or gimmicks,” said CEO and co-founder Viraj Kapur. “We’ve always been focused on building a long-lasting brand with substance, and Lotus understands that vision.” His co-founder, Karan Raj Kohli, added, “Being compared to global players this early in our journey is rare for an Indian brand—this partnership gives us even more momentum.”

Salt is coming off a strong year, boasting 448% revenue growth year-on-year, thanks to a loyal customer base, sharp D2C performance, and product repeat rates that speak for themselves.

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This marks Salt’s second capital raise, following an earlier $358,000 round from Saurashtra Capital and a group of angel investors. With Lotus now in its corner, Salt is looking to level up from breakout brand to serious contender in the oral wellness space.

Eternal Ltd (Formerly Zomato) Sees Q4 Profit Crash 78% to ₹39 Cr Despite 64% Revenue Surge, Food Delivery Growth Stalls

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May 2, 2025

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Image of eternal — Eternal Ltd (Formerly Zomato) Sees Q4 Profit Crash 78% to ₹39 Cr Despite 64% Revenue Surge, Food Delivery Growth Stalls

Eternal Ltd—formerly Zomato—ended FY25 with a mixed bag of numbers that highlight the growing costs of expansion. While the company posted a steep drop in profit for the March quarter, its topline told a different story, driven by aggressive bets on quick commerce and B2B operations.

Quarterly net profit nosedived 77.7% year-on-year to ₹39 crore, down from ₹175 crore in the same period last year. Even compared to the previous quarter’s ₹59 crore, the dip was significant—around 34%. Yet revenue from operations soared 63.7% to ₹5,833 crore in Q4FY25, up from ₹3,562 crore in Q4FY24, and higher than ₹5,405 crore in Q3.

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For the full year, Eternal clocked ₹20,243 crore in revenue—a massive 67% jump from FY24’s ₹12,114 crore. Annual profit also grew, albeit more modestly, rising 50% to ₹527 crore from ₹351 crore.

But food delivery, the company’s original core, is showing signs of stagnation. Revenue from the segment stood at ₹2,413 crore for the quarter, a 17% increase year-on-year, but nearly flat compared to Q3. Gross order value (GOV) dipped slightly to ₹9,778 crore, down from ₹9,913 crore in the previous quarter, although still up from ₹8,439 crore a year ago.

The company blamed the slowdown on softer demand, a delivery partner crunch due to the surge in quick commerce, and growing pressure from newer, snack-led delivery platforms.

“Food delivery has always been a fiercely competitive space,” said CEO Deepinder Goyal, noting that despite headwinds, Eternal’s market share hasn’t slipped. He also hinted at plans to push harder in upcoming quarters.

Meanwhile, the food delivery user base showed marginal growth, with monthly transacting users rising to 20.9 million, from 20.5 million in Q3.

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Eternal may be riding high on revenue, but the path to balancing rapid expansion with sustainable profit still appears bumpy.

Pat Cummins Returns as Face of Carrera for 2025, Debuts CSport 02 and New Signature Line Inspired by His Game

A&M

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May 2, 2025

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Image of carrera. — Pat Cummins Returns as Face of Carrera for 2025, Debuts CSport 02 and New Signature Line Inspired by His Game

Carrera has brought Pat Cummins back into the spotlight as its global brand ambassador for 2025, reigniting their collaboration with the Australian cricket captain. The renewed partnership was confirmed on Wednesday, along with a sneak peek at an all-new signature line: the Carrera | Pat Cummins Collection.

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This upcoming range stays true to Carrera’s roots—where high-performance design meets a sporty, everyday edge. Cummins has already been seen wearing the CSport 02 shades from the brand’s latest sport lineup, both in practice sessions and on the field. These frames feature rugged yet sleek touches like gum nose pads for grip, adjustable arms for comfort, and cleverly placed end-tip holes to fasten accessories—built with athletes in mind.

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Carrera, which has been blending innovation with bold style since 1956, is pushing that legacy forward with this refreshed collaboration. The collection draws inspiration from the brand’s archives while channeling the modern, active lifestyle that Cummins represents.

Having first teamed up with Carrera in 2023, Cummins now steps into a more central role—this time, with a collection that carries his name and signature energy.

Rashmika Mandanna Joins Crocs as Its New Face in India, Bringing a Bold Splash of Personality to the Brand

A&M

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May 1, 2025

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Image of Crocs. — Rashmika Mandanna Joins Crocs as Its New Face in India, Bringing a Bold Splash of Personality to the Brand

Crocs has found its newest muse in Rashmika Mandanna. The American casual footwear brand has tapped the popular Indian actress as its first-ever brand ambassador from India, signaling a deeper push into the country’s booming fashion-forward market.

With this collaboration, Crocs isn’t just slapping a celebrity face on its ads—it’s tapping into Mandanna’s nationwide appeal to make bolder moves across India’s diverse regions. Known for her lively persona and strong connect with Gen Z and millennials, Rashmika is expected to help Crocs land deeper in the hearts (and wardrobes) of young Indian consumers.

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The partnership kicks off with a new campaign titled ‘Your Crocs. Your Story. Your World’, which puts the spotlight on the brand’s iconic Classics range and customizable Jibbitz™ charms. The campaign champions self-expression, urging wearers to make their pair of Crocs a canvas for their quirks, hobbies, and obsessions.

“Crocs is more than just footwear for me—it’s fun, it’s free, and it’s unapologetically expressive,” said Rashmika. “From my love of Korean snacks to sunflowers and all things vibrant, I’m excited to wear my personality, quite literally, on my feet.”

This new chapter for Crocs will span across digital platforms, social media, in-store activations, and curated experiences designed to bring the campaign to life—making sure you won’t miss it, no matter where you shop.

Yann Le Bozec, who leads international marketing at Crocs, said, “Rashmika brings an infectious energy and realness that mirrors what Crocs stands for. Her popularity with India’s youth is unmatched, and she’s the perfect person to take our message of self-expression further.”

Crocs has been a familiar name in India for years. The brand first entered the country in 2008 through a partnership with Metro Brands Ltd., which started by stocking Crocs in its multi-brand stores. By 2015, Metro Brands expanded its role via a retail license agreement to distribute Crocs more widely.

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In early 2024, Dubai-based retail giant Apparel Group came on board as Crocs’ exclusive licensee for the northern and eastern parts of India, signaling fresh ambition to capture new corners of the country.

Alia Bhatt’s Ed-a-Mamma Grows Retail Footprint with First Southern India Store—Sustainable Kidswear Now in Bengaluru

Retail & Ecommerce

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May 1, 2025

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Image of eda mamma. — Alia Bhatt’s Ed-a-Mamma Grows Retail Footprint with First Southern India Store—Sustainable Kidswear Now in Bengaluru

Sustainable kidswear label Ed-a-Mamma, co-founded by actor and entrepreneur Alia Bhatt, has just made its Southern debut with a brand-new store in Bengaluru. Nestled inside the Mall of Asia, this is the brand’s fourth physical location in India—and its very first in this part of the country.

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Backed by Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd. (RRVL), Ed-a-Mamma has grown from a small passion project into a conscious lifestyle label that now offers everything from organic kidswear and maternity fashion to eco-friendly toys and books.

Reflecting on the new milestone, Bhatt shared, “Opening our first store in Bengaluru feels personal. We started with a simple idea—to create kinder clothes for kids and the planet. This store brings that vision to life in a way I’ve always imagined.”

Spread across 805 square feet, the outlet was built using sustainable design elements like reclaimed wood and eco-conscious finishes. True to its ethos, the space blends fun and function while keeping the planet in mind.

On the shelves, shoppers will find clothing for newborns to teens (0–14 years), all crafted from natural fabrics and finished without plastic-based trims. There’s also maternity wear, cuddly plush toys, hand-crafted dolls made from upcycled fabric, and lifestyle products like hair accessories, bedding, backpacks, and curated gift boxes. A wooden toy range is expected to launch soon.

Each clothing item for kids also comes with a seed ball pouch, nudging young shoppers to take the first step toward planting a tree—a small gesture with a bigger message.

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Since its 2020 launch, Ed-a-Mamma has steadily evolved into a broader movement around sustainable living. The 2023 tie-up with Reliance Retail has helped fast-track the brand’s retail presence and scale its message across India.

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