PayU India, owned by Prosus, has received final approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as an online payment aggregator, a year after getting in-principle approval in April 2024. This authorization allows PayU to onboard new merchants and offer digital payment solutions, joining other major players like Razorpay, CCAvenue, and BillDesk.

The RBI’s nod comes as PayU prepares for its planned IPO in the second half of 2025, following a delay from its original 2024 timeline due to market conditions. The company, which serves over 450,000 merchants, reported $319 million in revenue from its core payments and credit business in the first half of FY25.

PayU stated that the approval will help it build a resilient, compliant, and innovation-driven institution, supporting merchants of all sizes and advancing the Digital India vision. The company has also strengthened its risk management and expanded its presence in real-time payments through a strategic stake in Mindgate Solutions.

Sarvam AI, the Bengaluru-based GenAI startup selected by the Indian government to develop the country’s first sovereign large language model (LLM), has launched Bulbul V2-a speech AI model supporting 11 Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, and Odia.

Bulbul V2 stands out for its natural, regionally authentic accents, delivering speech that sounds genuinely Indian rather than robotic or rehearsed. The model offers ultra-fast performance with a P90 latency of just 0.398 seconds, significantly faster than global competitors like ElevenLabs, and is priced at ₹15 per 10,000 characters-five times cheaper than leading alternatives. Brands can also customize voices to create unique audio identities.

This launch reinforces Sarvam’s mission to make AI accessible and inclusive for India’s diverse population. Alongside Bulbul V2, Sarvam is building India’s first sovereign LLM under the IndiaAI Mission, focusing on secure, scalable, and multilingual AI solutions developed entirely within the country using local talent and infrastructure

Cult.fit, the Bengaluru-based fitness and wellness platform backed by Zomato, has finalized five top investment banks—Axis Capital, Jefferies, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and JM Financial—to manage its highly anticipated Initial Public Offering (IPO). The company aims to raise ₹2,500 crore through this offering, which is expected to value Cult.fit at nearly $2 billion.

Company Growth and Business Model

Founded in 2016 by Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori, Cult.fit has grown into a diversified health and wellness ecosystem. The company operates over 500 gyms across India and has expanded into multiple segments:

• Cultsport: Direct-to-consumer fitness apparel and equipment (30% revenue contribution).
• Eat.fit: Healthy meal delivery service (24.5% of revenue).
• Mind.fit: Yoga and mental wellness services.
• Care.fit: Healthcare clinics and diagnostics.

In FY24, Cult.fit reported an operating revenue of ₹927 crore, a 33.6% jump from ₹694 crore in FY23. Despite this growth, the company recorded a loss of ₹535 crore.

IPO Details

The IPO marks a significant milestone for Cult.fit, which was last valued at $1.56 billion during Zomato’s $100 million investment in 2021. With strong backing from investors like Accel Partners, Tata Digital, Temasek, Kalaari Capital, and Chiratae Ventures, the upcoming IPO is set to further strengthen its position in the Indian fitness industry.

Strategic Importance

Cult.fit’s move to go public reflects its ambition to scale operations and attract institutional investors globally. Its diversified business model positions the company as a leader in India’s growing fitness market. Analysts are closely watching this IPO as one of the most anticipated offerings of 2025.