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SoftBank Vision Fund To Invest $ 1.5 to $ 2 Billion in Flipkart

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The Japan based firm SoftBank is looking to directly invest in India’s ecommerce giant Flipkart Online Services Pvt., Ltd. Post the collapse of the acquisition deal between two homegrown ecommerce companies, Flipkart and Snapdeal, it was rumored SoftBank might invest in Flipkart despite holding a majority stake in Snapdeal. 

According to sources aware of the discussion, SoftBank is reportedly in talks with Flipkart to invest $ 1.5 to $ 2 billion through the SoftBank Vision Fund. SoftBank, in 2014 committed to invest $10 billion in India. They have made investments in startups such as Snapdeal and cab aggregator Ola. In May this year, they also invested a whopping $1.4 billion in Paytm, the digital payments platform.

A news daily reported a SoftBank spokesperson saying, “SoftBank Vision Fund independently evaluates each investment on its own merit.” Flipkart hasn’t commented on the issue so far. Some sources also reported this SoftBank Vision Fund investment was not dependent on the Flipkart and Snapdeal acquisition deal.

The SoftBank Vision Fund, which was founded by Chairman of SoftBank Masayoshi Son, is operated as a separate entity. Mubadala Investment Company of the United Arab Emirates, Apple Inc., Foxconn Technology Group, Qualcomm Incorporated and Sharp Corporation along with Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have invested in this Fund.

Flipkart, headquartered in Bengaluru has been gearing up to compete against the global ecommerce giant Amazon. This additional funding will only add to the arsenal of the Indian startup. In April this year, after EBay Inc., Tencent Holdings Ltd., and Microsoft Corp., together invested $1.4 billion, Flipkart was valued at $11.6 billion.

Amazon has also been trying to strengthen its position in the Indian ecommerce ecosystem. They recently received the government’s approval to invest $ 500 million in the Indian food and processing industry. They have also launched Amazon Pantry that competes with BigBasket and Groffers.

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New Instagram Features Let Users Customize Profiles and Share Quietly

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Instagram Grid

Instagram is rolling out two major features in June 2025 that promise to give users unprecedented creative control and privacy: grid rearranging and silent posting. The long-awaited grid rearranging tool allows users to freely drag and drop posts anywhere on their profile grid, breaking away from the traditional chronological order. This means users can now curate their profiles for a more visually appealing or thematic presentation, without the hassle of deleting and reposting content—an update especially welcomed by brands, creators, and anyone meticulous about their digital aesthetic.


In tandem, Instagram is introducing the “Post quietly to profile” feature, which lets users add photos and videos to their grid without notifying followers or pushing the content to their feeds. This silent posting option is ideal for those who want to document moments privately, experiment with new content, or maintain a cohesive grid without spamming their audience. It’s designed to reduce the pressure of public sharing, making Instagram a more comfortable space for personal expression and experimentation.

 

These updates reflect Instagram’s commitment to user empowerment and flexibility, responding directly to years of feedback. As Instagram head Adam Mosseri stated, the goal is to help users “create and share without added pressure,” giving them more freedom over how their content appears and how they engage with their audience.

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Zepto Delays IPO to Focus on Profitability and Indian Ownership

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Zepto - StartupStories

Overview

Zepto, a leading quick commerce startup, has postponed its planned IPO to early 2026, shifting its focus to achieving profitability and increasing Indian shareholding before going public.

Key Reasons for Delay

  • Profitability Focus: Zepto aims to reach EBITDA break-even before listing, unlike many tech firms that went public while still loss-making.
  • Market Uncertainty: Ongoing global and domestic market volatility influenced the decision to wait for more stable conditions.
  • Peer Comparison: The company wants to present a stronger profit profile, learning from the performance of rivals like Swiggy and Zomato (now Eternal).

Boosting Domestic Shareholding

  • Target: Zepto plans to raise Indian ownership to at least 51% to comply with FDI norms and reinforce its Indian identity.
  • Actions: The company is conducting secondary share sales to Indian investors and founders are increasing their stakes by buying from foreign investors.
  • Progress: Domestic ownership has reached about 40-44%, with expectations to surpass 51% before the IPO.

Financial and Operational Updates

  • Efficiency Drive: Zepto is optimizing operations, running over 900 dark stores and offering 48,000 SKUs, to reduce cash burn and move toward profitability.
  • Challenges: The company faces stiff competition from Swiggy Instamart and Blinkit, leading to higher costs, and has dealt with operational pauses and regulatory scrutiny in some regions.

Outlook

Zepto remains positive about its future, aiming to raise around $800 million in its IPO and attract both domestic and international investors. CEO Aadit Palicha emphasizes building a sustainable, majority Indian-owned business before entering the public market.

Summary: Zepto’s IPO delay reflects a strategic focus on financial stability and regulatory compliance, with profitability and Indian ownership at the forefront.

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Polygon Enters New Era: Leadership Shift and Major Upgrades Under Sandeep Nailwal

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Polygon StartupStories

Sandeep Nailwal, co-founder of Polygon, has been appointed as the first CEO of the Polygon Foundation, marking a shift from decentralized governance to focused leadership. This change aims to provide clear direction and accelerate Polygon’s growth in the competitive blockchain space.

Under Nailwal’s leadership, Polygon will discontinue its zkEVM network in 2026 to concentrate on the Polygon PoS chain and AggLayer, a new cross-chain liquidity protocol. Significant upgrades to the Polygon PoS chain are planned, starting with the Bhilai upgrade in July 2025, to enhance transaction capacity and support large-scale financial applications.

Polygon enters this new phase with a strong financial position, enabling long-term development without fundraising pressures. While Nailwal leads the Foundation, Marc Boiron continues as CEO of Polygon Labs. This leadership restructuring aims to drive innovation and reinforce Polygon’s position in Ethereum scaling and the Web3 ecosystem.

 

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