Cleevo Bags $1 Million to Supercharge Manufacturing, R&D, and Global Ambitions
Cleevo, the emerging home hygiene startup, has just pocketed $1 million in seed funding as it gears up for its next phase of growth. The round was led by Eternal Capital and saw backing from a strong lineup of investors including Zeca Capital, DeVC, Utsav Somani’s iSeed, Suhail Sameer of OTP Ventures, Sumit Jalan, Ajay Kumar (Action Tesa Group), Alok Mittal (Indifi), and select members of the Venture Garage investor network.
Started with a goal of modernising everyday hygiene products, Cleevo has quietly built a loyal customer base—serving over 1.5 lakh households via online marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, and Zepto, alongside its own direct-to-consumer store.
With fresh capital in the bank, the company is now looking to scale its operations aggressively. The plan? Multiply manufacturing output tenfold, invest heavily in R&D to develop more advanced formulations, and widen its digital footprint. It’s also exploring B2B distribution and testing the waters in a few international markets, signaling a much bigger play on the horizon.
Cleevo’s team says this round marks a key milestone in its mission to take on legacy hygiene brands with cleaner, smarter alternatives—and to do it with speed.
Ola Electric’s Losses Deepen to ₹870 Crore in Q4 FY25 Amid Demand Slump and Piling Inventory
Ola Electric, helmed by Bhavish Aggarwal, ended the March 2025 quarter with a bruising net loss of ₹870 crore—more than double the ₹416 crore it reported in the same quarter last year. The steep drop comes as India’s largest electric two-wheeler manufacturer finds itself navigating a tough patch marked by falling demand, delayed deliveries, and operational hiccups.
Revenue from operations nosedived 62% year-on-year to ₹611 crore, a stark fall from ₹1,598 crore in Q4 FY24. Scooter registrations mirrored the slide, dropping 52% to 56,760 units. But Ola’s own internal delivery tally came in even lower, at just 51,375 scooters—pointing to swelling unsold stock sitting idle in warehouses or showrooms.
On the profitability front, the numbers were grim. The auto division’s EBITDA margin took a nosedive, crashing from -9.3% to a staggering -78.6% in just one year. Ola’s overall consolidated EBITDA for the quarter plummeted further into the red at -101.4%, reflecting intense margin pressure and ballooning provisioning costs.
Despite the dismal results, there was one silver lining. The company’s gross margin nudged up slightly to 19.2%, thanks largely to its next-generation Gen-3 scooters. These new models promise 20% more performance and range, while shaving off 11% in production cost compared to their Gen-2 predecessors—making them a small but significant bright spot in an otherwise rocky quarter.
As Ola Electric gears up for the coming months, the question now is whether its Gen-3 platform can drive a turnaround—or whether the company’s ambitious scale-up has run ahead of real-world demand.
Inside Phab’s ₹50 Crore Protein-Powered Play: How Gayatri and Ankit Chona Are Shaking Up India’s Healthy Snacking Scene
Snacking habits are getting a serious makeover. The greasy, grab-and-go fast food of the past is being replaced by smarter choices that come with a side of health benefits. This quiet revolution picked up steam during the pandemic, when people started paying more attention to what they put into their bodies.
Before “clean eating” became a buzzword, Gayatri Chona—a nutritionist and wellness coach—was already thinking ahead. In 2018, she teamed up with her husband, Ankit Chona (the man behind the popular Ahmedabad-based ice cream and QSR chain HOCCO), to launch Phab. The name gives a nod to the brand’s core focus: protein.
Phab started with a simple mission—make nutritious snacks that don’t taste like cardboard. Its first offering? A line of protein bars that quickly found a fanbase. Since then, the brand has expanded its portfolio to nearly 40 products, available in thousands of retail stores and across major online platforms.
Entirely bootstrapped, Phab isn’t slowing down. The team is gearing up to drop fresh product lines, roll out innovative store formats, and explore new sales channels—all with an eye on making healthy snacking more accessible and a lot more fun.
Mumbai Startup Snabbit Bags $19M from Lightspeed, Elevation & Nexus to Disrupt India’s $5B Home Services Market
Mumbai-based Snabbit, a young but fast-growing startup known for zippy home help at the press of a button, has landed $19 million in fresh funding. The round was led by Lightspeed, with continued support from Elevation Capital and Nexus Venture Partners, both of whom backed Snabbit earlier.
This new injection of capital comes on the heels of a $5.5 million Series A just a few months ago. With barely a year under its belt, Snabbit is clearly picking up steam. The company now plans to leap from operating in a few Mumbai and Bengaluru neighborhoods to over 200 hyperlocal zones in the next nine months — an ambitious sprint that reflects the scale of its ambition.
The brain behind Snabbit is Aayush Agarwal, who once served as chief of staff at Zepto. He started Snabbit in 2024 after noticing a gaping hole in how everyday home chores are handled in urban India. Whether it’s a messy kitchen, laundry pile, or unexpected cleanup, Snabbit lets users summon trained help — fast. Most bookings are fulfilled within 10 to 15 minutes, thanks to the startup’s densely packed service zones and a tightly controlled operations model.
Unlike traditional platforms that simply connect users to freelancers, Snabbit runs a full-stack setup. It hires and trains workers directly, verifies their identities in partnership with Idfy, and handles all backend logistics. Instead of charging per task, the company bills by the hour — a move intended to bring fairness and transparency for both customers and staff.
Currently active in areas like Powai, Thane, Marol, Bellandur, and Sarjapura, Snabbit’s footprint is still small — but not for long, if Agarwal has his way. “There’s been massive innovation in ride-sharing and online shopping,” he said in a conversation with The Economic Times. “But home services have stayed stuck in the past. We’re trying to change that — with trust, quality, and reliability baked in from the ground up.”
Ziniosa Raises Undisclosed Funding from IPV to Scale India’s Preloved Luxury Market; Targets Rs 15 Cr Inventory, 40% YoY Growth
Ziniosa, a Bengaluru-based startup making waves in the luxury resale space, has just pulled in fresh investment from Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), one of Gurugram’s leading angel networks. While the size of the deal hasn’t been disclosed, the plans that follow are anything but small.
Co-founded by Ashri Jaiswal and Varun Ramani, both engineers who swapped code for couture, Ziniosa has been building momentum since its launch in 2020. The platform offers pre-owned high-end fashion — think Chanel jackets, Louis Vuitton totes, and Gucci accessories — all authenticated and curated for discerning Indian shoppers looking for both style and sustainability.
The newly secured funds will go towards assembling a stronger core team, upping brand visibility, rolling out tech upgrades, and launching their first physical store — a move that signals confidence in the tactile side of luxury retail.
“The idea of ‘preloved’ fashion isn’t just about bargains — it’s about a smarter, more conscious way to shop,” says co-founder Ashri Jaiswal. “At Ziniosa, we’re not just enabling resale, we’re trying to rewrite how Indian consumers approach luxury.”
Ziniosa’s inventory currently includes over 10,000 pieces across seven categories, with everything from statement bags to shoes and apparel. Impressively, the entire Rs 15 crore stockpile was acquired without upfront inventory costs — a deliberate business model that reduces financial risk while preserving margin.
Their growth numbers are just as striking: a 40% year-on-year jump, driven by a loyal user base and growing interest in sustainable fashion choices. Behind the scenes, the company leans on data-led pricing tools and rigorous authentication processes to keep things fair, transparent, and — most importantly — genuine.
Co-founder Varun Ramani hints at what’s coming next: “We’re expanding our team, scaling tech, launching a brick-and-mortar presence, and putting serious focus on the men’s category, which we see as massively underserved. With IPV behind us, we’re ready to take Ziniosa to a whole new level.”
From a niche online store to a rapidly scaling fashion tech player, Ziniosa is betting big on the future of luxury — and betting that future looks circular.
Virat Kohli Invests in Adi K. Mishra’s World Bowling League, Joins Forces with MLB Star Mookie Betts to Reimagine Bowling as a Global Sport
In a move that’s turning heads across both the cricket and sports business worlds, Virat Kohli has come on board as a strategic investor in the World Bowling League (WBL)—a new global initiative aiming to reimagine bowling as a serious, spectator-friendly sport.
This announcement follows the league’s earlier reveal of its first franchise: Team OMG, led by none other than MLB legend and three-time World Series champion Mookie Betts. The WBL, founded by sports entrepreneur Adi K. Mishra, is attempting what few have dared—to take the largely recreational image of bowling and spin it into a competitive, high-energy league experience with international flair.
Kohli, no stranger to revolutionizing sports culture himself, said his interest in bowling goes back to childhood. “I was just 11 when I first picked up a bowling ball—and I was trying to spin it by the time I turned 12,” he recalled. “It’s a sport with massive appeal but one that’s flown under the radar in terms of business potential. What Adi is building with WBL is visionary. After working together on Team Blue Rising in the E1 electric powerboat series, I’m excited to partner with him again—this time in a whole new arena.”
The league plans to combine dramatic venues, tech-powered gameplay, and international talent to reframe bowling as a modern global sport. With marquee names like Betts and now Kohli on board, the WBL is signaling serious intent—and aiming to make bowling cool again.
Awfis Space Solutions Clocks ₹1,208 Cr Revenue in FY25, Turns Profitable with ₹97 Cr PBT Under IGAAP and Adds 39,000+ Seats Across India
Awfis Space Solutions has hit a major milestone in its journey—crossing ₹1,200 crore in operating revenue for FY25, a 42% leap from the previous year. The flexible workspace provider, known for catering to startups and large corporations alike, attributes the sharp growth to aggressive network expansion and strong enterprise demand.
This isn’t just a top-line story either. For the first time, Awfis reported a full-year profit before tax. Under Ind-AS standards, the figure stood at ₹44 crore, and a healthier ₹97 crore under IGAAP-equivalent terms—both a marked shift from the red ink of the previous financial year.
The final quarter of FY25 capped things off on a high note. Revenue for Q4 touched ₹340 crore, a 46% year-on-year jump. Net profit for the same period stood at ₹11.23 crore, a dramatic rise from ₹1.38 crore in Q4 of the previous year. EBITDA margins for the quarter climbed to 34.1%, expanding by 520 basis points over the previous year’s Q4.
Founded in 2015, Awfis has been steadily building its footprint in the shared office space market. FY25 saw the addition of more than 39,000 operational seats, taking the total to over 134,000 across 208 centers. If you factor in facilities under fit-outs and those signed via letters of intent, the company’s total footprint spans nearly 164,000 seats and 8.4 million square feet.
Chairman and Managing Director Amit Ramani confirmed the company had met its FY25 targets head-on. “We promised to cross the 135,000-seat mark by March 2025, and we’ve already done it. Between March 2024 and now, we’ve added 39,000+ seats and opened 48 new centers,” he said.
Enterprise clients were the engine behind much of this growth. Co-working rentals and related services brought in ₹269 crore in Q4 alone, contributing 79% of the quarter’s operating revenue and growing 60% year-over-year. Additional revenue streams included fit-outs, facility management, and food and beverage offerings. Total income for the quarter—including non-operating income—stood at ₹359.4 crore, with ₹19.7 crore attributed to other income.
Awfis now finds itself in a stronger position not just in terms of scale, but also profitability—something relatively rare in the coworking space industry. With momentum on its side and enterprise demand showing no signs of slowing, the company looks poised for a more ambitious FY26.
Practo Makes Bold Foray into UAE’s Consumer Health Market with Launch in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah
Practo, the Bengaluru-based health tech company known for transforming how Indians find and consult doctors, is making a strategic leap into the UAE’s healthcare space—not just through hospitals this time, but by going straight to the patient.
After years of operating quietly behind the scenes with its hospital software solutions, Practo is now rolling out its flagship consumer platform—Practo.com—across the UAE’s major cities. People in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah can now use the platform to connect with verified doctors across a wide range of specialties, including dermatology, ENT, gynecology, psychiatry, and dental care.
So far, Practo claims over 50,000 monthly active users in the UAE. The company has already brought more than 31,000 doctors and 3,000 medical facilities onto the platform, aiming to offer a more unified healthcare experience in a region where most services are still fragmented across individual hospital networks.
One of the more region-specific features Practo is banking on is insurance visibility. Given the UAE’s insurance-driven medical ecosystem, the company plans to display doctors’ insurance tie-ups directly on their profiles by the end of this month—helping users avoid billing surprises and pick providers that align with their coverage.
The international push follows a major financial turnaround for Practo. The company turned profitable in FY24 and has maintained positive cash flow into FY25. Co-founder and CEO Shashank ND says this move into the UAE is part of a broader vision to take India’s digital healthcare breakthroughs global.
“We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive reception from both patients and healthcare partners in the UAE,” said Shashank. “We’re here for the long haul. This isn’t just about tech expansion—it’s about raising the standard of care and access wherever we go.”
With its growing international presence and a sharpened focus on user experience, Practo seems set to shake up how healthcare is discovered and delivered in the Gulf—just as it did in India years ago.
Primebook India Ropes In Ex-Paytm President Bhavesh Gupta as Advisor, Appoints Tathagata Ray as Content Head After Raising $2 Million Pre-Series A
Primebook Brings Onboard Former Paytm President Bhavesh Gupta as Advisor, Appoints Tathagata Ray to Head Creative Strategy
Primebook, the Android-powered laptop startup that shot to fame on Shark Tank India, has made two key leadership announcements as it gears up for its next phase of growth. The company has welcomed Bhavesh Gupta, ex-President and COO of Paytm, to its advisory board, and appointed Tathagata Ray as its new Head of Content.
This comes on the heels of Primebook’s recent $2 million pre-Series A fundraise, which saw participation from Inflection Point Ventures, Auxano Capital, NexG Devices, and a group of individual investors. Earlier, the brand had raised ₹75 lakh on Shark Tank India from judges Aman Gupta and Peyush Bansal.
Bhavesh Gupta brings with him more than two decades of experience in financial services, having worked extensively in banking, digital lending, and fintech. Primebook believes his strategic insight into scaling digital ecosystems will be a powerful asset as the company expands.
“What drew me to Primebook was its bold take on tech that’s made for Bharat. They’re building something that’s not just innovative, but also relevant to how young Indians interact with technology today,” said Gupta. “The team is sharp, driven, and grounded in execution. I’m excited to help shape their growth roadmap — from operations to marketing — and ensure they make a real dent in digital inclusion.”
Primebook’s CEO and Co-Founder, Chitranshu Mahant, called Gupta’s addition a “big milestone” for the company. “We’re entering a pivotal stage in our journey. Having someone like Bhavesh on board — who’s built and scaled consumer-first businesses at massive scale — gives us a major boost as we chart out our next moves.”
The company also announced that Tathagata Ray has joined to lead its brand and content direction. With more than 15 years of experience in advertising and digital storytelling, Ray has worked with major names such as Air India, Meta, The Glitch, and Grapes Digital. His role at Primebook will involve driving brand strategy, creative campaigns, and building a distinctive narrative for the company’s mission.
With fresh leadership and new capital, Primebook is clearly doubling down on its vision to reshape affordable computing in India — and doing it with the kind of firepower that suggests it’s just getting started.
Homegrown beauty label Simply Nam, founded by celebrity makeup artist Namrata Soni, has secured a major investment from the Bhaane Group, marking a significant turning point in the brand’s expansion story.
The fresh round of funding will power Simply Nam’s next chapter—one that includes launching new product lines, strengthening its omnichannel presence, and doubling its Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR), which currently stands at ₹2 crore. The brand has seen remarkable growth in the past year, doubling its customer base and retaining 40% of shoppers as repeat buyers.
“This partnership isn’t just about money—it’s about finding people who believe in the same things we do,” said Hanna Strömgren Khan, Co-Founder of Simply Nam. “The Bhaane team shares our passion for purpose-led beauty. With their support, we’re ready to scale smarter, faster, and more meaningfully.”
What’s Next for Simply Nam?
Backed by this capital infusion, Simply Nam plans to:
Introduce a wave of new and original product lines
Expand its beauty education content, helping customers make informed choices
Strengthen its reach across both offline and online retail networks
Deepen its focus on Made-in-India formulations and high-performance clean beauty
Currently, Simply Nam products are sold across key digital and quick-commerce platforms like Nykaa, Amazon, Myntra, Tira Beauty, Zepto, and Blinkit. The brand is actively building a strong omnichannel presence to reach more customers across the country.
Founded in 2020 by Namrata Soni, with Swedish-Indian entrepreneur Hanna Strömgren Khan (also Co-Founder of the Bozzil Group), Simply Nam is known for designing products that are developed from scratch in India—crafted with the specific skin tones, climate, and lifestyle of Indian women in mind.
Backed by Familiar Faces
The Bhaane Group is co-founded by Anand S Ahuja, who expressed his confidence in the brand’s future:
“At Bhaane, we believe in backing founders who are building with intention and authenticity. Simply Nam is defining what clean, inclusive beauty should look like in India, and we’re proud to be part of their journey.”
Namrata Soni added:
“Having worked closely with Sonam Kapoor for over 17 years, it feels full circle to now build a beauty brand with her and Anand—not just as creative collaborators, but as people who genuinely believe in our mission.”
Industry Recognition and Momentum
Simply Nam has already turned heads in the beauty world, earning titles at the ELLE Beauty Awards 2023 and Grazia Indie Beauty Superstars 2024, along with a nomination for the Vogue Beauty & Wellness Awards 2025.
Built by Indian women, for Indian women, Simply Nam is on a mission to raise the bar for clean beauty without compromising on performance or price—while staying proudly local, ingredient-conscious, and customer-obsessed.
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