Foodtech giant Swiggy has announced the appointment of Supriya Shankar as its Vice President of Events and Experience. Shankar, formerly the CEO of Singapore and Senior Vice President of Growth and Expansion for Southeast Asia at Lenskart, brings over 14 years of expertise in internet commerce. Her career highlights include leadership roles at Airtel, Zomato, OYO, and Lenskart, where she drove strategic initiatives in business development, revenue optimization, and people management. At OYO, she spearheaded global marketing, sales, and operations.

Strengthening Leadership Amid IPO Success

This appointment is part of a broader leadership expansion at Swiggy as the company prepares to scale its operations following its recent IPO. Earlier this week, Swiggy also appointed Shalabh Shrivastava, former Vice President at Flipkart, as Senior Vice President of Driver Organisation, and Hari Kumar G as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer for Swiggy Instamart.

Strategic Hires for Growth

These strategic hires align with Swiggy’s goals to bolster its food delivery and quick commerce segments, improve service quality, and drive growth. By bringing in experienced leaders from various sectors, Swiggy aims to enhance its operational capabilities and customer experience.

Swiggy’s IPO Highlights

Swiggy made its stock market debut this week, listing shares on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) at ₹420—an 8% premium to its IPO price of ₹390 per share. On the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Swiggy opened at a 5.6% premium at ₹412 per share. The IPO garnered significant interest, with the issue subscribed 3.59 times by the close of the book-building process. The enthusiasm was primarily driven by Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs), who oversubscribed the issue by 6.02 times, despite slow activity in the initial days.

Financial Details

The IPO raised approximately ₹11,300 crore, comprising a fresh capital raise of ₹4,499 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of 17.51 crore shares valued at ₹6,828 crore. The pricing strategy reflected strong investor confidence in Swiggy’s growth potential despite mixed responses from retail investors.

Focus on Growth and Innovation

With a strong IPO performance and a robust leadership team, Swiggy is poised to expand its market presence further. Over the next year, it plans to open 40 new centers in cities like Nashik, Pune, Dehradun, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, and Chennai to strengthen its footprint in major markets. A substantial portion—approximately 60%—of the recent funding round will be directed toward mergers and acquisitions to enhance its offerings.

Competitive Landscape

Swiggy operates in a highly competitive environment alongside rivals like Zomato and Dunzo. The company’s focus on expanding its grocery delivery service through Instamart is a strategic move to diversify revenue streams while catering to rising consumer demand for quick commerce solutions.

Conclusion

The appointment of Supriya Shankar as VP of Events and Experience reflects Swiggy’s commitment to strengthening its leadership team as it embarks on a new chapter following its successful IPO. With ambitious plans for expansion and innovation in both food delivery and grocery services, Swiggy is well-positioned to enhance its market share in India’s dynamic foodtech landscape.

As the company continues to navigate challenges in profitability and competition, the strategic hiring of experienced leaders like Shankar will be crucial in driving operational efficiency and customer satisfaction moving forward. With ongoing growth initiatives and a focus on technological advancements, Swiggy aims to solidify its position as a leader in the food delivery sector while preparing for future opportunities in public markets.

Edtech unicorn PhysicsWallah (PW), backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners, has appointed Amit Sachdeva as its new chief financial officer, marking a strategic move in preparation for its anticipated public market debut in 2025. Sachdeva, formerly the finance chief at Blinkit (previously Grofers) until its ₹4,000 crore acquisition by Zomato in 2022, brings extensive financial expertise to PhysicsWallah, particularly within the tech and consumer sectors.

Background of Amit Sachdeva

Before joining PhysicsWallah, Sachdeva held the position of CFO at IGT Solutions in Gurugram. His career also includes leading finance operations at Wipro’s digital operations and platforms division, showcasing his depth of experience in managing finance for tech-driven enterprises. This background positions him well to guide PhysicsWallah through its upcoming IPO process.

Recent Funding and Growth

PhysicsWallah’s recent hiring push follows a significant $210 million funding round led by Hornbill Capital Advisers and Lightspeed Venture Partners, which doubled the edtech startup’s valuation to $2.8 billion from its previous valuation of $1.1 billion. Existing investors, including GSV Ventures and WestBridge Capital, also participated in this funding round. The addition of Hornbill Capital, known for its expertise in IPO preparations, underscores PhysicsWallah’s focus on strengthening its governance and financial team as it looks toward a future IPO.

Quotes from Leadership

“We are enhancing our finance team and refining our governance practices,” co-founder Prateek Maheshwari shared in a September interview. “Manoj [Thakur] and his team at Hornbill Capital have significant IPO experience, making them the right advisors to prepare us for the public market.”

Expansion Plans

As India’s edtech sector eyes IPO opportunities following the surge of IPOs in food delivery, fintech, and mobility, PhysicsWallah is advancing its growth agenda. Over the next year, it plans to open 40 new centers in cities like Nashik, Pune, Dehradun, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, and Chennai to strengthen its presence in major markets. A substantial portion—approximately 60%—of the recent funding round will be directed toward mergers and acquisitions to further expand its offerings.

Market Position

Founded in 2020 by Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari, PhysicsWallah operates tech-enabled offline and hybrid education centers for K-12 students across over 105 cities in India. In addition to its core offerings, the company also operates test preparation verticals for various competitive exams along with divisions focusing on skills development and overseas education.

Financial Performance

PhysicsWallah joined the unicorn club in 2022 after raising $100 million from WestBridge and GSV at a valuation of $1.1 billion. Despite facing challenges within the competitive landscape of edtech, including a dramatic 90% decline in net profit to INR 8.9 crore in FY23, the company reported a significant increase in operating revenue—up 234% year-on-year to INR 779.3 crore.

Industry Context

The developments come during a turbulent period for the Indian edtech sector. The sector experienced rapid growth during the pandemic but has faced significant challenges with the reopening of schools, prompting many companies to explore offline models. The difficulties were compounded by a funding crunch that has left many edtech companies struggling with mounting losses.

Conclusion

PhysicsWallah’s decision to pursue an IPO reflects a broader trend among Indian startups looking to list on stock exchanges amid favorable market conditions. As it prepares for this landmark moment in public markets, the appointment of Amit Sachdeva as CFO signifies a commitment to building a strong financial foundation.

With ongoing expansions and strategic hiring aimed at enhancing governance practices, PhysicsWallah is positioning itself as a leader in the edtech space while navigating the complexities of an evolving industry landscape. If successful, it would become India’s first edtech startup to go public, setting a precedent for others in the sector.

WhatsApp has launched a new feature called Message Drafts, designed to help users easily locate and complete any unsent messages they may have started but forgotten to send. This update aims to save time and reduce the frustration of searching for unfinished messages buried in chat histories.

How Message Drafts Works

With Message Drafts, WhatsApp will now mark any incomplete messages with a “Draft” label, moving them to the top of the chat list for easy access. This feature is particularly helpful for users who may get interrupted mid-conversation, as it allows them to quickly pick up where they left off. No more endless scrolling or missing out on sending important thoughts—WhatsApp’s draft feature ensures these messages are easy to spot and complete.

Key Features of Message Drafts

• Draft Indicator: Any unfinished message will automatically receive a “Draft” label, making it clear which messages need further attention.
• Top Chat List Placement: Draft messages are automatically moved to the top of the chat list, allowing users to find them quickly whenever they’re ready to finish and send.
• User-Friendly Design: The feature is designed to be intuitive, ensuring that users can easily navigate their chats without losing track of their thoughts.

Availability

The Message Drafts feature is now available on both iOS and Android, accessible globally. Users can start using it by simply updating to the latest version of WhatsApp. This rollout comes after extensive testing with beta users, ensuring that the feature meets user needs effectively.

Additional Features on the Horizon

WhatsApp is also working on several privacy-focused updates. Soon, users may be able to connect using usernames rather than phone numbers, offering an extra layer of privacy and allowing people to chat without revealing personal contact details.

Enhanced Contact Management

In addition, WhatsApp is enhancing contact management, especially on WhatsApp Web. Soon, users will be able to add and organize contacts directly from their computers, making it easier to separate personal and professional networks.

Commitment to User Experience

These updates underscore WhatsApp’s ongoing commitment to making the platform more user-friendly and privacy-conscious for its global audience. By addressing common user frustrations—such as losing track of unsent messages—WhatsApp aims to enhance the overall messaging experience.

Broader Context of Updates

The introduction of Message Drafts aligns with WhatsApp’s recent focus on improving functionality through user feedback. Other recent features include disappearing messages, multi-device support, and customizable contact lists, all aimed at enhancing communication efficiency.

Conclusion

WhatsApp’s new Message Drafts feature offers a practical solution for managing unfinished messages, making it easier for users to stay organized in their conversations. By providing a clear indicator for unsent messages and prioritizing them in the chat list, WhatsApp enhances its usability for both casual and professional communication.

As WhatsApp continues to evolve with new features and improvements, it remains dedicated to fostering a safe and efficient messaging environment for its extensive user base worldwide. With these enhancements, WhatsApp is well-positioned to maintain its status as a leading messaging platform in an increasingly competitive landscape.