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Peanut: An App For Making New Mom Friends
Motherhood is the loveliest as well as the hardest part in a woman’s life. Apart from sleep deprivation and fluctuating mood swings, there are many other things which a new mom faces in her initial stages of motherhood.
This forces them to join mom’s group, postnatal yoga classes, music classes, basically all such things which drives away their loneliness and can make new friends.
Michelle Kennedy, a young entrepreneur comes out with a new dating app named Peanut exclusively for new moms out there.
Peanut is an interesting concept. This app as of now is available only to ios. IT acts a bit like a platonic dating website for new moms who are interested in hanging out with the like-minded people. This app has some exclusive features which are absent in the traditional dating apps.
It has the ability to start new chats, launch polls and plan meetups between like-minded moms. This matchmaking is quite interesting. Users can say that they are interested, they wave by swiping up. When another mother waves back the app highlights their shared interests to start a conversation. Peanut app seamlessly reminds these events to you by marking it on the calendar.
All you need to do is log in via facebook or your personal account and are invited to share your details of your child’s age and gender etc. Next, the app selects who will suit best to you. You can connect individually or through groups. You can 20 people in the chat and poll meeting times within the chat.
The brain behind this app Michelle Kennedy is also a new mom, and she learned as the other moms that modern parenting involved a new language. However, Michelle Kennedy, 30 years, has 6 years experience in technology first as the CEO of the dating app Badoo, another feminist dating app Bumble and now she is going to come up with Peanut for moms which are soon yet to release this week.
Peanut is available today on ios as a free download.
Rozana, India’s leading rural retail platform, has secured ₹290 crore ($35 million) in a Series B funding round led by Bertelsmann India Investments (BII), with participation from Omidyar Network India, Vivid Capital, and Tana Investment Holding. This Rozana funding brings its total capital to over ₹500 crore, fueling hyperlocal expansion in underserved rural markets. Founded in 2021 by brothers Prashant and Prateek Chauhan, the startup’s phygital model blends micro-stores, app-based ordering, and last-mile delivery to connect 5 million+ users in 12 states with brands like ITC and HUL.
The ₹290 crore investment will supercharge Rozana’s rural omnichannel retail strategy, targeting 5x growth in 18 months. Plans include adding 5,000 micro-stores in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan; AI-powered inventory tech; and new categories like groceries and electronics. By empowering 20,000+ rural micro-entrepreneurs, Rozana taps into India’s $700 billion rural retail boom, where smartphone penetration and UPI drive 12% annual growth.
This Rozana Series B milestone positions it as a frontrunner against rivals like Ninjacart, eyeing unicorn status by 2028 amid ONDC tailwinds. CEO Prashant Chauhan emphasized, “We’re building rural prosperity through accessible premium brands.” For more on Rozana funding news and rural retail trends, stay updated on India’s startup ecosystem.
Peak XV Partners has launched three new funds totaling $1.3 billion, targeting India’s booming startup ecosystem. The lineup features the $600M Surge fund (8th edition) for early-stage ventures, a $300M Growth Fund for Series B+ scaling, and a $400M Acceleration Fund for rapid portfolio expansion. This commitment arrives as India’s VC inflows rebound, with AI and fintech leading 2026 trends.
These funds build on Peak XV’s legacy of backing unicorns like Zomato and Pine Labs, offering founders capital plus strategic guidance amid post-winter recovery. Early-stage deals surged 20% last year per Tracxn, positioning Peak XV to fuel the next wave of innovation in SaaS, climate tech, and consumer plays.
For startups eyeing Peak XV new funds or Surge fund 2026 applications, this signals prime opportunities. Investors and marketers should watch for deployment updates India remains a global VC hotspot.
Hyderabad, January 13, 2026 Neeman’s, India’s leading D2C footwear brand famed for sustainable shoes and patented PIXLL® technology, has raised $4 million from existing investors. This funding boosts its cumulative capital past $10 million since 2015, with a post-money valuation nearing $50 million. CEO Vijay Chahoria emphasized offline retail as the “next frontier,” planning 50+ new stores in Tier 2/3 cities like Jaipur and Lucknow to blend eco-friendly innovation with hands-on customer experiences.
In India’s booming D2C ecosystem where footwear sales hit ₹1.2 lakh crore in 2025 Neeman’s targets hybrid retail amid high online CAC and 25-30% returns. Backed by vegan, machine-washable shoes priced ₹2,000-4,000, the brand leverages PIXLL® (5x more breathable than leather) for carbon-neutral comfort. Recent 5x revenue growth to ₹100 crore ARR, 1M+ pairs sold via Myntra and stores, and awards at India D2C Summit 2025 position it ahead of rivals like Paaduks.
Neeman’s offline expansion India eyes the $15B sustainable footwear market by 2028, fueled by PLI schemes, Gen Z’s 70% eco-preference (Nielsen), and Southeast Asia exports. Challenges like real estate costs are offset by data-driven inventory and omnichannel QR tech. Watch for Q1 2026 launches in Hyderabad and Bengaluru redefining D2C success through authentic, “Wear the Change” branding.
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