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Ola Acquires Food Delivery Startup Foodpanda

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OLA ACQUIRES FOOD DELIVERY STARTUP FOODPANDA, Ola acquires Foodpanda India commits $200 million for food delivery biz, Ola acquires Foodpanda India second attempt at food delivery, Ola acquires Foodpanda to enter food delivery business in India, startup stories

Ola, the homegrown taxi hailing startup has acquired the online food ordering and delivery startup, Foodpanda in exchange for a percentage of Ola’s stock. The cab aggregator startup announced a further investment of $ 200 million into Foodpanda’s India business over a period of time.

Ola has acquired the food delivery company from its German parent Delivery Hero in an all stock deal. However, the details of the share stock acquisition were not disclosed. With this acquisition, Ola will be able to enter the online food ordering and delivery industry.

Speaking about the acquisition, the co founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ola Bhavish Aggarwal said, “Our commitment to invest $ 200 million in Foodpanda India will help the business be focused on growth by creating value for customers and partners. With Delivery Hero’s global leadership and Ola’s platform capabilities with unique local insights, this partnership is born out of strength.

Post the acquisition, the current Chief Executive Officer of Foodpanda, Saurabh Kochhar will move on from his current role. Meanwhile, the founding partner of Ola, Pranay Jivrajka will take on the business as interim CEO. According to the transportation startup, the $ 200 million investment by Ola is more capital than any of Foodpanda’s competitors in India have raised to date. This collaboration will help Foodpanda India grow as the most preferred online food delivery service in the country, Ola added in a statement.

Speaking about the new partnership with Ola, the Chief Executive Officer and co founder of Delivery Hero, Niklas Östberg said,“The partnership with Ola will allow us to further consolidate markets where it strategically makes sense to collaborate with leading local players. At the same time, we consider our stake in Ola as a very valuable asset, while Ola’s investment commitment in Foodpanda India is a clear and confident signal to the Indian market.” 

Recently, Ola, based in Bengaluru, raised $ 1.1 billion from SoftBank Group and Tencent Holdings and is looking to further receive another $ 1 billion from the investors. FoodTech giants such as Swiggy and Zomato currently dominate the lucrative food delivery industry, while global taxi hailing firm Uber has also launched its food delivery service UberEATS in the Indian market.

Last month, Swiggy launched its mobile kitchen service, Swiggy Access and went on to acquire gourmet food startup 48East. The online food ordering and delivery platform also announced a new partnership with the employee benefits provider, Sodexo. Meanwhile, Zomato launched its exclusive membership programme, Zomato Gold, which provides users exclusive dine out services including complimentary meals and drinks.

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Apple’s iOS 18.7 vs iOS 26: Which Update Should You Choose for Your iPhone in 2025?

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StartupStories iOS 26

Apple’s recent iOS 18.7 rollout provides a secure alternative to the visually revamped iOS 26, empowering iPhone users to choose between system stability and next-generation features. While iOS 18.7 focuses on important security updates and bug fixes, it maintains the familiar iOS experience for users of older devices like iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, and SE models up to the 16e. The update is lightweight—about one-fifteenth the size of iOS 26—which means quicker downloads and less storage consumption. It’s designed for reliability and fast installation, making it ideal for users who prioritize a stable and secure operating system over design changes.

In contrast, iOS 26 introduces Apple’s ambitious “Liquid Glass” interface with a transparent look across apps, enhanced widget and lock screen customization, smarter Siri, and improved camera controls. These innovations, however, come with a larger update size and compatibility exclusive to newer iPhones beginning from the iPhone 11 series. While early adopters can enjoy the futuristic interface and AI-powered upgrades, major OS launches may present initial bugs or app compatibility issues that cautious users typically wish to avoid.

Choosing between iOS 18.7 and iOS 26 depends on each user’s priorities—those seeking guaranteed stability and fast security fixes should consider sticking with iOS 18.7, while users excited about premium features and visual changes should migrate to iOS 26 if their device supports it. Both updates are available through Software Update settings, and Apple will support iOS 18.7 for only a limited duration, eventually encouraging all users to transition to the latest platform. This dual update strategy ensures every iPhone user can safely update their device for a seamless and secure experience in 2025.

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Deep-Tech Startup EndureAir Raises INR 25 Crore from IAN Alpha Fund to Boost Drone Innovation

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EndureAir, a deep-tech drone startup specializing in UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and aerial robotics solutions, has successfully raised INR 25 crore in a funding round led by IAN Alpha Fund, with participation from IAN Angel Fund. The fresh capital infusion will enable EndureAir to enhance its advanced drone technologies for defense applications, broaden its reach in enterprise markets, and accelerate the development of next-generation high-altitude logistics and aerial robotics platforms.

Founded in 2018 by Dr. Abhishek, a professor of Aerospace Engineering at IIT Kanpur, along with his former students Rama Krishna and Chirag Jain, EndureAir stands out in India’s indigenous UAV sector by developing both hardware and software in-house. Backed by over 15 years of rotorcraft research and holding eight patents in flight dynamics and autonomous systems, the company has rapidly established itself as a pioneer in the deep-tech drone ecosystem.

EndureAir’s flagship drone platforms, including the Sabal heavy-lift UAV family inducted by the Indian Army’s Eastern Command and the Vibhram drone supporting Telangana’s Medicine from the Sky program, are deployed in critical operations. The startup also collaborates with Bharat Electronics Limited for co-developing high-altitude drones and works with Bhutan’s Druk Holding & Investments on remote logistics missions. With this funding, EndureAir aims to position India as a global leader in UAV innovation, advancing resilient domestic drone systems for defense and enterprise applications.

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Venture Catalysts Raises Rs 150 Crore to Boost Multi-Stage VC Platform and AI Capabilities

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Venture Catalysts, a leading Mumbai-based venture capital platform, has secured Rs 150 crore (around $18 million) through a strategic mix of primary and secondary transactions. This fresh round of funding resulted in a company valuation of approximately $200 million and drew participation from high-profile investors such as Ashish Kacholia, the Shah Rukh Khan family office, Aishwarya Rai, as well as several established capital market veterans and renowned business houses. The move not only demonstrates strong investor confidence but also positions Venture Catalysts at the forefront of India’s rapidly evolving startup landscape.

The infusion of capital is earmarked to accelerate key initiatives, including expanding Venture Catalysts’ leadership team, launching new investment funds, and exploring advanced technology solutions with an emphasis on AI-enabled due diligence and reporting tools. Additionally, the firm aims to strengthen its footprint across major Indian startup hubs and grow its suite of Category II alternative investment funds, harnessing this growth to support a new wave of promising startups and founders within the ecosystem.

Since its inception in 2016, Venture Catalysts has evolved from an angel network to a multi-fund powerhouse, managing over $500 million in assets and deploying nearly $200 million across more than 400 startups, including industry leaders like BharatPe, Renee Cosmetics, and InsuranceDekho. This latest funding round reinforces Venture Catalysts’ pivotal role in nurturing and scaling some of India’s most innovative startups, catalyzing growth throughout the country’s thriving entrepreneurial sector.

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