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The August Fest 2017
One of the largest conferences that celebrate arts and entrepreneurship in Asia, The August Fest turns 5 years old this year! To mark the fifth year of the event the Fest will be held at two venues, one in Mumbai and the other in Hyderabad.
The event was held in Mumbai on August 19th and 20th and hosted 3 events around the media, growth stories, social innovation, scaling up, sports and future technology. The Mumbai Fest held sessions like the media festival which saw a gathering of the best of the minds including freelancers, producers, creators, content generators, journalists, bloggers and creative folks from Television, FM, Print, New Media and Marketing Industries. The media festival provided a platform to discuss opportunities, growth, trends, content, traditional and new media via inspiring talks, interactive discussions and exclusive workshops.
The Hyderabad leg of the Fest will be hosted on August 26th and 27th at the Indian School of Business. The Hyderabad event will include sessions such as a scale up festival, a sports carnival and a future festival. Jayesh Ranjan the Secretary of Information Technology (IT), Govt. of Telangana will be one of the speakers at the event along with brand strategist and consultant Carolina Correa, Founder and MD of Livewell Future Solutions Deepthi Uppalapati and Founder of Hug Raj Neravati among other chief executive officers.
In a first of its kind meet, the Sports Carnival will involve 5 sessions with 25 speakers, 10 exhibitors and 500 attendees. The event, which will be held on 27th August, will provide an interactive platform for attendees where sports can be discussed, showcased and celebrated. The day long event will include players, coaches, trainers, team owners and influencers along with various others from every stream of sports and fitness in India.
This year’s August Fest has partnered with the Government of Telangana and Indian School of Business along with Clearcut and Hubilo to host the event in Hyderabad! To pitch at the Hyderabad August Fest or visit the event visit their website here.
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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₹290 Crore Boost: Rozana’s Series B Funding Scales Rural Retail Network Nationwide
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