Connect with us

Latest News

‘Flipkart First’ Relaunched To Battle Amazon Prime

Published

on

Flipkart First Relaunched To Battle Amazon Prime,Startup Stories,Latest Business News 2017,Flipkart Prime Amount,Amazon ReLaunch Prime In India,Flipkart Plan to Relaunch Loyalty Programme,Flipkart Prime Serviece,Flipkart Prime Account,Flipkart Latest News

India’s leading ecommerce firm, Flipkart has relaunched its loyalty programme ‘Flipkart First’ in an attempt to compete with Amazon Prime. In order to build India’s ecommerce ecosystem, Flipkart has held talks with multiple online booking portals like MakeMyTrip, BookMyShow and cab aggregator Ola for potential partnerships.

According to a news daily, Flipkart is looking to provide consumers with more value added services through Flipkart First including free fast delivery, discounted same day delivery and priority customer services. The homegrown ecommerce firm does not want to miss any potential area to expand its customer base. Flipkart’s payments arm PhonePe will also be leveraged for this programme.

The Flipkart First programme was first launched in June 2014, as a premium subscription based service. However, the loyalty programme failed to deliver due to a lack of focus. But, Amazon Prime, which was launched last year, became hugely popular and currently accounts for the largest chunk of spending on ecommerce platforms. Prime was launched in more than 100 cities and offered one day and two day delivery on hundreds of products. The service was further expanded in December with Amazon Prime Video, their online streaming platform.

Flipkart has raised over $ 3 billion from Microsoft and SoftBank since 2014. Nevertheless, the Chief Executive Officer of Flipkart, Kalyan Krishnamurthy also wants to ensure that Flipkart keeps the cash burn under control. Livemint reported one of the sources saying, “What Flipkart wants to ensure is that they do not miss out in an area where there is potential to grow a huge base of loyal customers and now is a good time to cash in, given the recent funding and also a successful festive season battle against Amazon.”

Both the ecommerce companies are leaving no stone unturned in the war to capture the lucrative Internet market of India. Last month, Amazon invested Rs. 179.25 crores in Shoppers Stop to buy 5% equity stake to expand its reach to smaller towns. Reportedly, Flipkart is also in talks with Kishore Biyani led Future Lifestyle Fashions to buy an 8 to 10% stake.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

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

Published

on

StartupStories

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.

Continue Reading

Latest News

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

Published

on

StartupStories

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.

Continue Reading

Latest News

U.S. AI Startup Anthropic Expands Global Ban to Tackle Chinese Tech Influence

Published

on

Anthropic - StartupStories

U.S. AI leader Anthropic has expanded its restrictions on Chinese entities, taking a firm stance against access to its advanced AI models—including the renowned Claude chatbot—by any company or subsidiary more than 50% owned, directly or indirectly, by Chinese organizations. This updated AI policy is designed to block loopholes that previously allowed access to powerful AI tools via overseas affiliates, joint ventures, or cloud providers, reinforcing Anthropic’s commitment to responsible technology governance and the protection of sensitive data.

Driven by rising national security and regulatory concerns, Anthropic’s move highlights potential risks involving companies subject to Chinese jurisdiction, which could be compelled to cooperate with state intelligence and share critical information. The sweeping policy marks the first public, formal ban by a major U.S. AI company based on entity ownership and control, rather than only geographic boundaries, ultimately intensifying scrutiny on AI exports and global tech supply chains.

While the immediate business impact is expected to be modest, experts consider this a landmark decision that may set industry-wide precedents, prompting other U.S. tech giants to reevaluate their own AI export and usage policies. This development not only heightens the U.S.–China tech rivalry but also shapes the future landscape of AI governance, data security, and international compliance in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Recent Posts

Advertisement