• VerSe Innovation

  Participated · Series J · Apr 2022

  VerSe Innovation is the parent company of Dailyhunt and the short-video app Josh, operating a large vernacular news aggregation and content platform. Dailyhunt claims over 350 million monthly active users, while Josh reports 68 million daily active users and 139 million monthly active users. The company focuses on scaling vernacular reach and multimedia offerings across its products. VerSe said proceeds from its latest financing will be used for general corporate purposes, supporting business growth and expansion. The Bengaluru-based startup has raised over $1.5 billion to date and was most recently valued at $5 billion in a round led by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. In FY23 VerSe reported revenue of Rs 1,809 crore (up 57% YoY) and losses of Rs 2,059 crore. VerSe Innovation operates Dailyhunt (a multi-language news aggregator), Josh (a short-video app) and PublicVibe, and has built a significant adtech business to monetize users outside India’s largest cities. Josh reports over 150 million users, 50 million content creators and more than 80 billion plays per month; Dailyhunt has over 350 million users and PublicVibe serves over 5 million monthly active users. The company monetizes through advertising (with 400 advertisers integrated end-to-end and roughly 50% enterprise advertisers), influencer-led commerce, curated shopping lives, and contextually shoppable videos. VerSe says creators sell goods on the platform and the firm is experimenting with web3 ideas (tokens/NFTs) to expand monetization. The startup plans to deepen AI/ML capabilities across its apps, launch additional apps, and remain focused on growth in the Indian market. Financially, the company has raised substantial capital and says the new funding plus reserves provides runway for several years. VerSe Innovation operates Dailyhunt, a multi-language news and content aggregator, and Josh, a short-video app. Josh has amassed over 115 million monthly active users, including 56 million daily users, while Dailyhunt reports over 300 million monthly active users. The company is backed by Google and Microsoft. VerSe is building a family of apps focused on serving users in scores of local languages and plans to replicate that approach as it expands into international markets. It also plans to invest in broadening its AI/ML stack to offer more personalized user experiences. The startup's valuation has more than doubled in the past five months, having been valued at over $1 billion in its Series H and is reported to be nearing $3 billion in the new round. VerSe Innovation operates Josh, a short-video platform that supports 12 languages and DailyHunt, a local-language news aggregator. Josh, launched in July 2020, has crossed over 50 million downloads and positions itself as "for-Bharat, by Bharat." DailyHunt aggregates local-language content from newspapers and websites and also provides free TV streaming in multiple local languages. The Bengaluru-based company plans to use new funds to augment local-language content, develop its content creator ecosystem, and invest in AI and ML. It achieved unicorn status in December after raising $100 million from Google, Microsoft, and AlphaWave at a valuation above $1 billion. The most recent round adds another $100 million from the Qatar Investment Authority and Glade Brook Capital Partners.

• BYJU'S

  Participated · Equity · Mar 2022

  Founded in 2011 as Think and Learn Pvt. Ltd. by Byju Raveendran, BYJU'S offers interactive digital lessons and test-prep courses spanning grades 1-12 and exams such as IIT-JEE, NEET, CAT, and IAS. The company’s mobile app combines video‐based content and adaptive assessments to strengthen core concepts for more than 250 million school-age students across India. BYJU'S quickly attracted marquee global investors, helping it scale its subscription model and aggressively market its offerings. In 2018 it raised a large $540 million round that pushed its valuation to $3.6 billion, officially making it India’s first edtech unicorn. Key backers include Sequoia Capital, Tencent, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Sofina, Naspers Ventures, and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. While expanding, the company has faced headwinds; in May 2024 Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing filed an FIR alleging ₹46.90 crore of fraud related to student loan partnerships, naming founder-CEO Byju Raveendran and other directors. The combination of rapid growth, significant capital, and recent legal scrutiny positions BYJU'S at a critical juncture as it pursues further expansion and regulatory resolution.

• GOQii

  Led · Series C · Feb 2022

  GOQii operates a smart-health ecosystem combining wearable fitness trackers, a mobile app, real-time personalized coaching, diagnostics, and an online health store. Its platform includes tools such as a health locker, scheduling for health checkups, and the GOQii Cash program that rewards healthy behavior with cash and insurance discounts. The company also offers insurance services and is building digital therapeutics across areas including women’s health, diabetes, and radiology. GOQii says it aims to drive a permanent shift to healthier lifestyles by integrating advanced wearable technology with expert coaches. Founded in 2014 by Abhishek Sharma, Sachin Janghel, Champ Alreja, and Vishal Gondal, the company is headquartered in California with offices in Mumbai and Shenzhen. In India it competes with HealthifyMe, Cure.Fit, and Fittr. GOQii sells its own fitness trackers but centers on a cloud-based platform that sends users’ wearable data to real coaches who provide daily feedback. Subscriptions include a free wristband, and the platform is compatible with over 35 tracker brands, including Fitbit, Jawbone, and Misfit. GOQii uses big-data analytics to streamline coaching, enabling coaches to scale from handling about 5–10 clients a day to as many as 60–70. The company says it is the leading fitness tracker company in India and aims to reach one million users there. GOQii launched a U.S. beta in January and plans a public U.S. release by the first quarter of next year; it raised a $13.4M Series A to fund expansion in the U.S. and China. The company has not disclosed user or revenue figures but reports strong engagement on its coaching platform.

• Swiggy

  Participated · Series K · Jan 2022

  Swiggy operates a two-sided marketplace that connects consumers with restaurants and convenience stores, delivering meals and everyday essentials via its Instamart quick-commerce arm. The company is investing aggressively in warehouse infrastructure, last-mile logistics and customer acquisition to expand market share against rivals such as Blinkit and Zepto. To strengthen its balance sheet, Swiggy recently divested its entire stake in ride-hailing platform Rapido for about ₹2,400 crore. In Q2 FY26, the firm generated ₹5,561 crore in revenue from operations, up 54% year-on-year, while adjusted revenue reached ₹5,900 crore, a 52.6% YoY increase. Despite this growth, it posted a net loss of ₹1,092 crore, though losses narrowed from the previous quarter’s ₹1,197 crore. Management intends to use new capital to fund further growth in food delivery, support "new experiments" in quick commerce, and moderate the pace of warehouse expansion to improve margins.

No current team members are available.