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Ayoh Raises $4.5M Seed Round to Turn Bold-Flavored Mayo into the Next Big Pantry Star

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Ayoh Raises $4.5M Seed Round to Turn Bold-Flavored Mayo into the Next Big Pantry Star

Your sandwich is about to get sassier. Ayoh, the unapologetically bold mayo brand, has secured $4.5 million in seed funding, led by Imaginary Ventures—the VC firm known for spotting lifestyle brands with a cult edge.

Continue Exploring: Lahori Beverages Nears ₹450 Crore Fundraise as Valuation Soars to ₹2,500 Crore – A New Challenger in India’s Booming Drinks Market

Ayoh isn’t here to play it safe. With playful flavors and an aesthetic that pops off grocery shelves and Instagram feeds, the brand is rethinking mayo from the ground up. Born from a new-age food philosophy that prioritizes fun, flavor, and flair, Ayoh is turning the pantry staple into a personality.

Imaginary Ventures backing the brand is no accident—they’re known for betting early on brands like Glossier and SKIMS, and Ayoh seems to have that same loud-but-lovable energy.

Continue Exploring: “Kuch Nahi Hoga”—Anupam Mittal Challenges This Dangerous Mindset in Policy Bazaar’s New Ad

While some may raise a brow at the idea of “disrupting mayo,” Ayoh’s early buzz and this funding round suggest otherwise. With new capital and a clear identity, Ayoh is poised to smear its name across sandwiches (and hearts) everywhere.

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L.A. Libations Launches $30M Taste Tomorrow Fund, Picks Seth Goldman’s Just Ice Tea as First Bet

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L.A. Libations Launches $30M Taste Tomorrow Fund, Picks Seth Goldman’s Just Ice Tea as First Bet

L.A. Libations, a well-known name in beverage innovation, has officially rolled out a new $30 million venture fund titled Taste Tomorrow Ventures—with its debut investment going into none other than Just Ice Tea, the rapidly growing clean-label iced tea brand.

Continue Exploring: “Kuch Nahi Hoga”—Anupam Mittal Challenges This Dangerous Mindset in Policy Bazaar’s New Ad

Co-founded by Seth Goldman (co-founder of Honest Tea) and Spike Mendelsohn, Just Ice Tea has already made waves in the better-for-you drinks category. With a focus on low sugar, organic ingredients, and eco-friendly branding, the brand has caught the attention of consumers hunting for healthier yet flavorful alternatives to sugary drinks.

Continue Exploring: Lahori Beverages Nears ₹450 Crore Fundraise as Valuation Soars to ₹2,500 Crore – A New Challenger in India’s Booming Drinks Market

L.A. Libations isn’t just writing cheques—they’re building a pipeline for what’s next in functional and health-forward beverages. The $30M fund will focus on early-stage companies in the beverage and snack space that are riding the wave of conscious consumption. With Just Ice Tea leading the charge, it’s a strong signal that clean-label is no longer niche—it’s the future.

For L.A. Libations, this isn’t a one-off move—it’s a full-speed plunge into the next generation of CPG. And with Seth Goldman at the helm, they’re putting their money where the movement is.

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Gurgaon Startup Pronto Raises ₹104 Crore to Deliver House Help in Just 10 Minutes — Backed by Bain Capital, General Catalyst, and Glade Brook

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Gurgaon Startup Pronto Raises ₹104 Crore to Deliver House Help in Just 10 Minutes — Backed by Bain Capital, General Catalyst, and Glade Brook

In a city where time is always running out, a Gurgaon-based startup is trying to save yours—by sending house help to your doorstep in just 10 minutes. Meet Pronto, a young startup that’s shaken up the home services space with a bold promise and an even bolder backing.

Barely two months after its launch, Pronto has raised ₹104 crore in Series A funding. The round saw participation from global heavyweights like General Catalyst, Bain Capital Ventures, and Glade Brook Capital—an unusual but significant vote of confidence for such a young player in a highly localised and operationally complex space.

Continue Exploring: Lahori Beverages Nears ₹450 Crore Fundraise as Valuation Soars to ₹2,500 Crore – A New Challenger in India’s Booming Drinks Market

The concept is simple but ambitious: tap on the app, and within 10 minutes, a trained housekeeper shows up to assist with daily cleaning needs. The sight of Pronto’s vibrant green backpacks has already become familiar in several Gurugram neighborhoods. With neatly packed supplies and a digital booking system, the company is positioning itself as the “Swiggy for house help.”

What’s got investors excited isn’t just the speed. It’s the model—on-demand, reliable, and scalable. For working professionals, nuclear families, or just anyone who needs urgent assistance before guests arrive, the 10-minute promise could be a game changer.

Continue Exploring: “Kuch Nahi Hoga”—Anupam Mittal Challenges This Dangerous Mindset in Policy Bazaar’s New Ad

That said, questions remain. Can this model work consistently across cities with different dynamics? Will there be a tipping point in demand versus worker availability? But for now, with ₹104 crore in the bank and the early buzz looking strong, Pronto seems ready to clean up—literally and figuratively.

As the company gears up to expand operations, all eyes are on how fast and how far it can go. One thing’s certain: Gurugram’s startup scene just got a lot more interesting.

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Master Blaster Meets the Internet: Sachin Tendulkar Teams Up with Reddit as Global Brand Face Amid Global Sports Push

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Master Blaster Meets the Internet: Sachin Tendulkar Teams Up with Reddit as Global Brand Face Amid Global Sports Push

In a major move to strengthen its presence in India and deepen its engagement with sports enthusiasts, Reddit has signed up cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar as its brand ambassador.

As part of this new collaboration, the platform will offer fans exclusive access to Tendulkar through dedicated communities. From sharing his personal take on matches to offering behind-the-scenes stories from his storied career, Tendulkar is set to bring his voice directly to Redditors across the globe.

The partnership will also see Tendulkar feature in an upcoming global marketing campaign, with a specific focus on India. The campaign is expected to roll out over the next few months.

Continue Exploring: “Kuch Nahi Hoga”—Anupam Mittal Challenges This Dangerous Mindset in Policy Bazaar’s New Ad

Reflecting on the partnership, Tendulkar said, “Cricket, for me, has always been about the deep bond it creates—with teammates, with fans, and with the game itself. What struck me about Reddit is how naturally that kind of connection happens in its communities.”

Durgesh Kaushik, Reddit’s VP of International Growth, echoed the sentiment. “Sachin Tendulkar isn’t just a name in cricket—he’s a cultural force. His career has brought millions together, cutting across age, language, and geography. That spirit of unity is exactly what Reddit communities thrive on,” he said.

Reddit has been actively expanding its focus on sports, with interest in the category growing by 30% year-on-year on the platform. The company is also building strategic alliances to capitalize on this trend.

Earlier this year, Reddit tied up with Italy’s Serie A football league, and in 2023, it rolled out a major partnership initiative with top-tier American sports organizations such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, PGA Tour, and Nascar.

Continue Exploring: Lahori Beverages Nears ₹450 Crore Fundraise as Valuation Soars to ₹2,500 Crore – A New Challenger in India’s Booming Drinks Market

With Tendulkar now stepping into the Reddit universe, the platform hopes to bring Indian sports fans even closer to the heart of the action—one post at a time.

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Kartik Aaryan Joins Skechers as Brand Ambassador, Backing Hands-Free Slip-ins in Push to Capture India’s ₹13,000 Cr Footwear Market

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Kartik Aaryan Joins Skechers as Brand Ambassador, Backing Hands-Free Slip-ins in Push to Capture India’s ₹13,000 Cr Footwear Market

Skechers has just pulled off a star-studded move in India. The global footwear giant has brought onboard Bollywood heartthrob Kartik Aaryan as its latest brand ambassador. Known for his box office hits and effortless charm, Kartik will be seen leading the brand’s new campaign for its signature Hands Free Slip-ins collection.

This collaboration isn’t just about a famous face in new shoes. For Skechers, it’s a carefully calculated step in expanding its appeal across India’s fast-growing lifestyle and athletic footwear space.

Rahul Vira, CEO of Skechers South Asia, had high praise for their new partner: “Kartik represents everything Skechers stands for—style, agility, versatility, and a touch of boldness. He’s someone who connects deeply with today’s generation. His energy is infectious, and his influence will help us stay ahead in the minds of Indian consumers who are increasingly looking for both fashion and function.”

Continue Exploring: Lahori Beverages Nears ₹450 Crore Fundraise as Valuation Soars to ₹2,500 Crore – A New Challenger in India’s Booming Drinks Market

Kartik, never one to take on partnerships lightly, said the decision to join the Skechers family was a no-brainer. “Skechers really caught my attention with their innovation, especially the Slip-ins. For someone who’s constantly on the go, it’s a game-changer. No bending down. No hands. Just slide in and move. It’s that simple, and that cool,” he shared. “I’ve always been drawn to brands that challenge the norm, and Skechers does that with comfort and creativity. I’m looking forward to walking this path with them.”

With this announcement, Kartik joins a growing league of Skechers ambassadors. The list includes fellow Bollywood star Ananya Panday, Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri, global stars like Harry Kane and Isco Alarcón, and cricket sensations Jasprit Bumrah and Ishan Kishan. The brand has also been championing emerging sports like pickleball, bringing athletes such as Sonu Vishwakarma and Vrushali Thakare into the fold.

Continue Exploring: “Kuch Nahi Hoga”—Anupam Mittal Challenges This Dangerous Mindset in Policy Bazaar’s New Ad

As Skechers continues to blend innovation with trend-forward designs, Kartik Aaryan’s mass appeal and modern style may just be the spark that propels the brand’s next big leap in India.

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Ex-Ola CMO Varun Dubey Launches Hospital Chain Startup, Taps Former Practo Network and Eyes ₹13 Cr in Funding

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Ex-Ola CMO Varun Dubey Launches Hospital Chain Startup, Taps Former Practo Network and Eyes ₹13 Cr in Funding

After years of playing key roles at some of India’s biggest tech and healthcare firms, Varun Dubey is stepping into the founder’s seat. The former Chief Marketing Officer at Ola has quietly launched a new venture that plans to build a network of small-format hospitals across Indian cities, according to sources familiar with the development.

Continue Exploring: Lahori Beverages Nears ₹450 Crore Fundraise as Valuation Soars to ₹2,500 Crore – A New Challenger in India’s Booming Drinks Market

The new company, Superhealth Hospitals Pvt Ltd, is registered in Bengaluru and is reportedly in early talks with Sparrow Capital for a funding round estimated between ₹12–13 crore. Sparrow Capital, known for backing bold bets in the early-stage space, could give Dubey’s ambitious plans a solid launchpad.

This isn’t Dubey’s first brush with healthcare. His earlier roles at Practo and later as Chief Revenue Officer at Apollo Hospitals have given him a close look at both digital health and large-scale hospital operations. Now, he’s trying to find the middle ground—lean, efficient healthcare centers that are easier to build, quicker to scale, and more accessible to urban India’s middle class.

In a cryptic but telling update on LinkedIn, Dubey wrote:

“Digging into why healthcare sucks so much and obsessing over how to fix it for patients and doctors because it seems like both are stuck in this horrible system.”

The post, tagged under “Stealth Mode,” hints at the frustration—and drive—that’s fueling his new play.

Dubey hasn’t spoken publicly about the startup yet, and did not respond to IndianStartupNews’ request for comment. But he’s clearly not building alone.

Continue Exploring: “Kuch Nahi Hoga”—Anupam Mittal Challenges This Dangerous Mindset in Policy Bazaar’s New Ad

Backing him are two fellow Practo alumni: Dr. Alexander Kuruvilla, who currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer at Practo, and Manoj Kumar Gangasandra, a former executive at the same firm. Gangasandra now simply says he’s “making healthcare better” on LinkedIn, also under a stealth startup label.

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boAt Didn’t Sell Earphones It Sold a Lifestyle And India Bought It

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boAt Didn’t Sell Earphones It Sold a Lifestyle And India Bought It

Where most companies in a feature-oriented and technical specifications heavy market went
in one direction (trying to be the cheapest product out there), boAt took the opposite direction
by making audio gear feel aspirational, edgy, and something you want to show off on
Instagram. That identity which emphasized lifestyle over product benefits helped them zoom
forward in India’s hyper-competitive wearables market.
From the outset, boAt did not market itself as a technology brand; it marketed attitude.
Whether it is the celebrities in their influencer endorsements or their raw cutting edge,
culturally edgy packaging, everywhere you see are cool cues rather than complexity. The
consumers feel connected to something larger than them when they purchase the ear buds;
you are not just buying earbuds, you are buying into a tribe—and that tribe is built with
cricketers, rappers, e-gamers, and some gym junkies.
The strategy could not be any simpler: fuse pop culture with the product. boAt does not
release colours, it releases “editions,” and each edition syncs with whatever the current trend
is, customs, or collaborations. New IPL jerseys? Limited series. Independence day? Expect a
drop. Every campaign feels like a cultural plug in, not a product plug.
And it’s not just the flashy advertising. boAt has put together a direct-to-consumer model and
pricing accessible enough to make impulse buys feel like a style statement. Add in a
substantial influencer ecosystem—macro and micro alike—and the brand almost never has to
shout. Its community does the shilling for them.
What is clever, too, is that boAt’s marketing doesn’t overly rely on tech specs; while its
competitors hawk battery hours and chipset names, boAt simplifies it with look good, sound
good, and move free. It’s not for audiophiles—its for anyone that wants to feel like their kit is
an extension of their personality.
The brand is not without its detractors—some say that its products are all style. But that’s not
the problem. boAt never claimed to be premium tech. They promised value, vibe, and
visibility. And that’s clearly working.
In the battle of wearables, boAt didn’t make better hardware, it made better hype. And
currently, that’s what is making all the noise.

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How Nescafé Brewed a Comeback with Content, Not Coffee

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Nescafé, once a titan of morning time routines, was gradually getting lost in the shuffle of
newer, cooler cafes and hipster artisanal coffee. Rather than doing the traditional brand
refresh or hot pursuit of trendy aesthetic, Nescafé did something much smarter with its coffee
campaign; it created content aiming to resonate with the worst anxieties of the hustle
generation.
Its campaign titled “It All Starts with Nescafé” was a bold repositioning from selling coffee to
selling ambition. Late nights, early mornings, proposal rejections, getting back up and trying
again – Nescafé branded itself as the drink of dreamers. Caffeine was an afterthought; the
mindset was front and center.
What followed were a series of ultra-superbly writing ad-films, YouTube mini-series and
Instagram snippets of relatable stories with less emphasis on the product and more emphasis
on the hustle. No steaming mugs, no coffee beans falling in slow motion across the screen –
relatable stories about life that made you feel validated. It was not lifestyle marketing; it was
life marketing.
The brand figured out where its customers were living—digitally. Nescafé leaned into apps
like YouTube and Spotify, creating playlists, longer ads, and collaborations with creators that
had depth. It wasn’t about the shortcut, it was about emotional equity.
This content-first, product-second approach/reset gave the brand a new identity. All of a
sudden, Nescafé wasn’t a coffee for your parents—it was the coffee for young professionals,
freelancers, students, and others who needed a mental boost more than a caffeine boost.
Where so many legacy brands try to beat startups on packaging or price, Nescafé chose to
lean into storytelling. And it worked. It found its way back into the conversation without
doing a full rebrand—just sharpening its message.
The coffee market is saturated, and Nescafé didn’t choose to blend into it. It chose to brew up
a story strong enough to break out.

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Bikanervala Opens First UK Outlet in Hounslow, London—Brings Gol-Gappas, Gulab Jamuns, and Chole Bhature to 101-105 High Street

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Bikanervala Opens First UK Outlet in Hounslow, London—Brings Gol-Gappas, Gulab Jamuns, and Chole Bhature to 101-105 High Street

London just got a little more desi. Bikanervala, the iconic Indian chain known for its sweets, chaats, and comfort food, has officially landed in the UK. The brand has opened its first-ever London outlet in the heart of Hounslow, at 101-105 High Street, TW3 1QT.

Now, locals can dig into gol-gappas, chole bhature, raj kachori, and rich gulab jamuns without hopping on a flight to Delhi. The announcement was made via the brand’s official handles on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), creating a buzz among Indian expats and foodies alike.

A household name back home, Bikanervala has built its legacy serving everything from crispy bhujiyas and pav bhaji to classic mithais like rasgullas and soan papdi. With this new address in London, it’s bringing that same blend of tradition and indulgence to UK diners.

Continue Exploring: Lahori Beverages Nears ₹450 Crore Fundraise as Valuation Soars to ₹2,500 Crore – A New Challenger in India’s Booming Drinks Market

So whether you’re homesick for the flavours of India or just want to try a plate of perfectly spiced chaat, Bikanervala Hounslow is ready to serve.

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Oben Electric Secures Rs 200 Cr in Total Funding, Plans 150 Showrooms and Mass-Market EV Launch

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Oben Electric Secures Rs 200 Cr in Total Funding, Plans 150 Showrooms and Mass-Market EV Launch

Bengaluru-based electric motorcycle company Oben Electric has added another Rs 50 crore to its war chest, bringing its total Series A round to Rs 100 crore. This latest cash injection also nudges its total funding to date to a solid Rs 200 crore.

The newest round—coming just a few months after a similar raise in January 2025—drew support from returning investors, along with new names like Helios Holdings, the Sharda Family Office, and the Kay Family. The company says it will use the funds to ramp up its physical presence, step up manufacturing, and introduce more budget-friendly offerings aimed squarely at the Indian middle class.

“This investment arrives at a pivotal time for us,” said Madhumita Agrawal, founder and CEO. “We’re growing across the country and working hard to make electric motorcycles something everyday riders can afford and rely on.”

Continue Exploring: “Kuch Nahi Hoga”—Anupam Mittal Challenges This Dangerous Mindset in Policy Bazaar’s New Ad

Charging Ahead: From 37 Stores to 150

Oben isn’t wasting time. Since its first Series A raise, the company has launched 37 outlets in 26 cities across 13 states, including Punjab, Gujarat, Telangana, and Odisha. With the new funds, that number is set to balloon to over 150 showrooms in 50 cities by FY26. Plans are also in motion to beef up its after-sales support and expand production at its facility in Bengaluru.

Enter the O100: A Sub-Rs 1 Lakh EV for the Masses

A major part of Oben’s future strategy is its upcoming O100 platform, an electric motorcycle line designed to hit a price point under Rs 1 lakh—a sweet spot for Indian buyers who want value without sacrificing performance or longevity.

Continue Exploring: Lahori Beverages Nears ₹450 Crore Fundraise as Valuation Soars to ₹2,500 Crore – A New Challenger in India’s Booming Drinks Market

Oben also stands out for building most of its tech in-house—from batteries and motors to control systems—a move that helps keep both quality and costs in check. The company says this vertical integration will be a key lever as it fights for dominance in India’s increasingly competitive EV market.

With its sights now set on scaling and accessibility, Oben is making it clear: the electric two-wheeler revolution isn’t just for the premium crowd anymore.

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