Alia Bhatt, Bollywood’s rising star, invested an undisclosed amount in fashion portal StyleCracker. Along with other angel investors, Ali Bhatt picked up a minority stake in the company which provides users with celebrity stylist curated products.
Run by Mumbai based Kanvas Consultancy Pvt., Ltd., StyleCracker was launched in 2013 and offers customers personalized fashion boxes curated by celebrity stylists. The startup acts as a bridge between women shoppers with designers for advice on fashion and styling trends and provides users access to a catalogue of looks. StyleCracker was founded by former investment banker Dhimaan Shah along with the former fashion editor of Vogue, Archana Walavalker.
Speaking about investing in this pre Series A round of funding, Alia Bhatt said, “I am not actively looking for investments, but Archana has been my stylist for many years and when I came to know about StyleCracker, it seemed like a very logical move.” Dhimaan Shah and Archana Walavalker will jointly own 65% stake in the company post this round of investment.
The fresh funds, according to Managing Director Dhimaan Shah, will be used to scale up the business. “We are like style advisors for our customers. We are already seeing 60% to 65% repeat business, and this fund raising will help us to scale up,” he added. The company, which currently caters to only female customers will also launch similar products for male consumers soon.
Speaking about the company Archana Walavalkar, the Creative Director, said, “StyleCracker is a platform that understands the customer, creates their unique profile and then curates a wardrobe that suits any mood or occasion.” The company also recently launched personalized fashion boxes curated by celebrity stylists. Users fill an online form mentioning their preferences and a celebrity stylist will then call them to understand their requirements to curate a box accordingly. Along with fashion boxes, the company also offers workshops on corporate styling, induction and refresher programmes, gifting and soft skills training.
In their first round of funding in 2015, StyleCracker raised $ 1 million from a bunch of high net worth individuals. The company also claims to have shipped over 50,000 boxes across 35 cities in the last four months.
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Apple has set a new benchmark in India, recording $9 billion in annual sales for FY25—a 13% surge over the prior year, fueled chiefly by robust demand for iPhones and MacBooks. The tech giant’s strategic expansion into Bengaluru and Pune with new flagship stores has deepened brand engagement and increased accessibility for customers across urban centers.
Apple’s rapid retail footprint expansion and locally tailored initiatives, including student discounts and trade-in offers, overcame price barriers and high import duties to drive sales volumes to unprecedented heights. Meanwhile, local production reached new highs, with 20% of iPhones now assembled in India and manufacturing output up 60%, valued at $22 billion part of Apple’s move to diversify its global supply chain.
India is now Apple’s fourth-largest market worldwide, reflecting its rising role as both a consumption and manufacturing powerhouse for premium tech. Continued investment in retail outlets, partnerships with Tata for device repairs, and consumer-friendly financing have positioned Apple for even stronger growth as Indian incomes and technology aspirations rise.
OYO, India’s leading hospitality startup, has retained strong profitability in FY25, driven by a significant deferred tax gain and a bold corporate identity overhaul. The company’s net profit surged to ₹623 crore, marking a 172% year-on-year growth, with adjusted EBITDA reaching ₹1,132 crore a 27% increase from the previous fiscal. Total revenue rose by 20% to ₹6,463 crore, propelled by strategic expansion in premium segments and the integration of G6 Hospitality into OYO’s growing portfolio.
The deferred tax gain of ₹765.6 crore played a crucial role in OYO’s profitability for FY25, helping overcome challenges from operational losses and global expansion costs. Meanwhile, OYO launched a campaign to rename its parent company, Oravel Stays Ltd, aiming for a tech-first, globally resonant brand identity as the business prepares for its IPO. This rebranding signals OYO’s shift toward broader urban living solutions, with the “OYO Hotels” brand remaining unchanged for consumers while the corporate entity targets premium and tech-driven markets worldwide.
OYO’s premiumization strategy and aggressive international growth have led to record results for the fourth quarter of FY25, with gross booking value surging 54% to ₹16,436 crore and revenue hitting new highs. These achievements highlight OYO’s disciplined financial management and commitment to innovation, setting a benchmark for Indian startups navigating global expansion and sustained profitability in the hospitality technology sector.
Mobile Premier League (MPL), one of India’s top online gaming platforms, is set to lay off about 60% of its India workforce following the government’s ban on paid online games. The move, confirmed by MPL CEO Sai Srinivas through an internal email, will impact around 300 employees across multiple departments including marketing, finance, operations, engineering, and legal. This decision comes as a direct result of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which restricts paid online games involving monetary stakes to address concerns over financial risks and addiction among young users.
India contributed nearly half of MPL’s revenues, estimated at around $100 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year. With the ban on paid gaming, MPL’s primary revenue source in India has been effectively cut off, prompting the company to shift focus towards free-to-play games and expand its presence in overseas markets such as the United States and Brazil. Despite the layoffs, MPL has pledged to support the affected employees through the transition period. CEO Sai Srinivas expressed regret over the downsizing but highlighted the company’s commitment to developing new business models for the Indian market amid the regulatory changes.
This development significantly disrupts the Indian online gaming industry, which was on track to grow into a $3.6 billion sector by 2029 before the introduction of the ban. While competitors like Dream11 have adapted by discontinuing paid games and avoiding layoffs, the ban has forced many gaming startups in India to rethink their operations. The government’s regulation targets all games involving real money stakes, including fantasy sports and popular card games like rummy and poker, reshaping the future landscape for the country’s gaming ecosystem and its workforce.
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