KIRANA CLUB ACQUISITION
Meesho block deal: SoftBank-backed entity likely to sell 1% stake worth Rs 1,174 crore
SoftBank-backed SVF II Meerkat may sell a 1% stake in Meesho through a Rs 1,174 crore block deal. The development comes as Meesho reports narrowing losses, rising revenue and strong user growth.
Gen Z brands are breaching the last citadel of legacy consumer firms
India's Gen Z and D2C brands are challenging FMCG giants like Hindustan Unilever, ITC and Marico by expanding into kirana stores. New-age brands captured 21.7% of India's kirana market in H1 FY27, up from 14.8% a year earlier. As digital-first brands breach traditional distribution networks, legacy FMCG companies face growing competition for retail shelf space and consumer loyalty nationwide.
Logistics market can’t support more than three players, further consolidation likely: Delhivery's Sahil Barua
Delhivery is entering its next phase of growth, with CEO Sahil Barua betting on high-growth segments while continuing to push hard to expand margins. Four years after its listing and a year after acquiring Ecom Express, Barua says India’s logistics sector is headed for consolidation, arguing that the market can support only a handful of large players.
Meesho CHRO Ashish Singh quits in second senior-level exit
In an internal note to employees, CEO Vidit Aatrey said Singh will remain through the transition period and help in finding his successor. Singh was in the role for five years and has previously held positions at Medlife, Myntra and Adobe.
Dealmaking stays strong as startup M&A momentum carries into 2026
Indian startups are experiencing a surge in M&A exits, particularly in consumer, fintech, and ecommerce sectors, signalling a robust recovery in dealmaking. Major acquisitions by L'Oréal and Marico have been the latest in this trend, with strategic buyers increasingly seeking to integrate new capabilities.
Lenskart block deal; Meesho's kirana push
Lenskart has drawn fresh interest from major institutional investors. This and more in today's ETtech Top 5.
Meesho to buy Kirana Club for Rs 202 crore, eyes deeper retail play
Ecommerce giant Meesho is set to acquire Kirana Club for Rs 202 crore in a cash deal, aiming to bolster its reach within India's vast kirana and small retailer network. This strategic move, approved by Meesho's board, will see the acquisition of Kirana Club's Singapore entity and its Indian subsidiary, Retail Pulse Labs.
India presents a tough battleground for US consumer giant Walmart
Walmart's Flipkart IPO faces delays amidst India's complex e-commerce regulations, potentially pushing it to 2026. Regulatory scrutiny targets foreign-backed platforms, hindering Walmart's expansion while benefiting domestic competitors like Ambani. A potential Trump administration could pressure India for concessions, impacting the future of US retail investment in the country.
PhysicsWallah's mega funding; Kiranas vs quick commerce
Edtech firm PhysicsWallah has raised $210 million at a $2.8-billion valuation. Details on this and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
Exclusive: Prosus CEO on Byju’s & more; Zepto's valuation pop
Happy Monday! The newly appointed CEO of tech investor Prosus and parent company Naspers, Fabricio Bloisi spoke to us about its Byju’s write-off and more. We have all the details from that conversation in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Delhivery CEO on q-commerce & more; Rapido’s rising GMV
Happy Friday! Delhivery’s CEO Sahil Barua spoke exclusively to ETtech about quick commerce and more. This and other big stories in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Paytm Money KYC process under review; Satya Nadella on India’s AI potential
The customer verification process of Paytm Money, the wealth management entity run by Paytm’s parent One 97 Communications, is being audited. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Delhivery net loss more than triples in Q1, Microsoft joins ONDC
Delhivery, which went public in May, has reported a net loss of Rs 399 crore for the quarter ending June 30, more than tripling the Rs 130 crore net loss it clocked in the same quarter of 2021
Dubious loan apps are back; Reliance’s Grab.in joins ONDC
The recovery agents, having got hold of his contact list, also called his aunt and demanded that she coerce him to pay up. She was abused and threatened over the phone, leading her to cut ties with his family.
Digital rupee must be anonymous: Nilekani; why Polygon tapped top investors
Digital rupee must be anonymous to prevent the possibility of state surveillance, Nandan Nilekani says. Institutional heft and firepower were the two reasons why Polygon raised funds from marquee investors, its founders say.
Lawyer boards BharatPe; Livspace is 7th unicorn of 2022
Ashneer Grover has already called current chief executive Suhail Sameer “spineless” and accused him of dancing to the board’s tunes. Now with another investor-led board member, the differences between Grover and the board will only grow.
Indian startups raised $36B in 2021; Reliance's epharma push
New-age companies went public for the first time, nearly 40 unicorns were minted, and by the end, startups had raised a whopping $36 billion from investors – more than three times what they bagged in 2020.
Reliance recalibrating business across oil to retail chain
Telecom tariff hikes, new product launches (eg non-grocery e-commerce) and a potential energy business stake sale can reverse the pullback in Reliance shares since mid-September, it said.
Reliance almost doubles retail footprint with acquisition of Future Group
Reliance Retail has also proposed to invest Rs 1,200 crore in FEL preferential equity (6.09% of post-merger equity of FEL) and Rs 1,600 cr in preferential warrants (option to acquire further 7.05%). The deal increases the retail store footprint of Reliance Retail Ltd, a unit of RIL, from current 28.7 million square feet to 52.5 million sq ft, consolidating its pole position, analysts said.
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