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Zone Startups India Selects 15 Startups For EmpoWer Accelerator Program

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Zone Startups India has selected 15 women led startups for the second edition of its EmpoWer Accelerator Program. The current batch of 15 entrepreneurs were selected out of 376 applicants from across India.

EmpoWer is backed by the Department of Science and Technology, Tata Trusts’ Social Alpha, Microsoft, Amazon, ICICI Bank, PayU, CapitalFirst and FlexiLoans. The selected startups represent various technology themes such as Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and deep learning, across industries like healthcare, smart cities and enterprise solutions. A panel comprising of 12 mentors and noted industry experts selected the startups after careful examination.

The startups that have been shortlisted will join the six week community programme. All the entrepreneurs will be provided with industry networking opportunities, valuable mentoring sessions, workshops, case studies, peer to peer interactions, boot camp and investor networking. The winner of this Cohort will also get the opportunity to attend a week long business development and personal mentorship programme in Quebec, Canada.

Launched in 2016, the accelerator programme has been designed to identify the need based gaps witnessed by women entrepreneurs. Through extensive research, Zone Startups is gunning to fill the gaps such as a lack of peer group of like minded women, limited financial independence, a risk averse mindset, lack of training in technology and finance among others. In the first edition, $ 23.6 million was collectively raised in funds by the 15 startups which were selected out of 191 applications.

Speaking about the 2nd Cohort, Director of Zone Startups India, Ajay Ramasubramaniam said, “ We believe we have unearthed some solid winners in the final cohort of 15, who will go on to do wonders for themselves and the ecosystem of women entrepreneurs.” The selected startups will be supported by Zone Startups India for up to a year after the programme.

Here Is the List Of The 15 Selected Startups And Their Founders –

Aardra Kannan Ambili – Riot Solutions Inc.
Founded in 2015, Riot Solutions is an IoT-based startup which develops sleep monitoring solutions for babies to track their wellness.

Meenakshi Vashist – Technology Uncorked
Technology Uncorked, led by Meenakshi Vashist, offers a light IoT framework for devices and appliances for energy efficient, Smart and connected Living Spaces.

Komal Goyali – WOWLET
WOWLET runs a mobile application that offers toilet maintenance and cleaning services for household, office complexes, and restaurants. Founded in 2017, the startup gives the user real time information on the cleanliness of  toilets.

Neha Bagoria – Tapu Sustainable Solutions
Tapu Sustainable Solutions is into sustainable green solutions and provides waterless urinal solutions such as EcoTrapin Xtra and EcoTrapin Plus to help alleviate issues like climate change.

Vishakha Singh- ICONICbot
India’s first multilingual, AI driven chatbot, ICONICbot, helps to connect influencers and their fans on relevant messaging platforms. Available in English and Tamil, the company claims the bot has processed 2.6 million messages.

Shruthi Gilla – Revol Inc.
Revol is a startup engaged in the creation of smart wallets, such as Cashew, equipped with fingerprint authentication and Bluetooth connectivity. The company, registered in Delaware, USA, has a target to sell 10,000 units globally and generate $1,000,000 in revenue.

Niyati Agarwal – Morph.ai
Morph.ai is an enterprise ChatBot suite founded in 2016. The company introduced the concept of ‘chatbot as a landing page’ to boost lead generation for businesses and engage in personalized marketing and sales.

Chandni Rajendran – Tactopus
The Tactopus team, lead by design innovator Chandni Rajendran, is developing an interactive edtech device such as interactive books for blind children. Children with visual disabilities can listen to audio labels and explanations while feeling and reading tactile shapes with their fingers.

Pria Randolph – Bitgram Technologies
Bitgram is a trust based consent oriented software product which uses blockchain and machine learning for instant, real time exchange of verified information.

Veena Moktali – Periwinkle Technologies
Periwinkle Technologies Pvt., Ltd., is a med tech startup that provides various products for healthcare to enable faster and better diagnostics. The company also developed an affordable device in association with Tata Memorial Center for the diagnosis of cervical cancer.

Vidya Vellala – Faasthelp
Faasthelp is a customer support and engagement platform which helps businesses retain customers, convert new ones and enhance customer satisfaction.

Sivareena Sarika – PregBuddy Technologies
Founded in 2016, PregBuddy is a mobile application that is designed as a one stop platform for smart communication between doctors and patients, especially for pregnant women in India.

Mansi Khanna -The Friday Code
The Friday Code builds products which aid the growth of traditional and new age brands, develop platforms and transform organizations. Founded in 2016, this startup helps brands and agencies increase their returns from investments through efficient tracking and optimization of advertisements.  

Geetanjali Agarwal – Bizlem
Bizlem deals in chatbot technologies that tries to solve major business problems using artificial intelligence.

Dr. Tanushree Devi Laishram – CyGen
CyGen is an independent organization which provides unprecedented access to personalized healthcare services. Launched in 2016, this company helps individuals increase their knowledge and understand those opportunities which can minimize healthcare challenges and improve the quality of life.

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Apple’s iOS 18.7 vs iOS 26: Which Update Should You Choose for Your iPhone in 2025?

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StartupStories iOS 26

Apple’s recent iOS 18.7 rollout provides a secure alternative to the visually revamped iOS 26, empowering iPhone users to choose between system stability and next-generation features. While iOS 18.7 focuses on important security updates and bug fixes, it maintains the familiar iOS experience for users of older devices like iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, and SE models up to the 16e. The update is lightweight—about one-fifteenth the size of iOS 26—which means quicker downloads and less storage consumption. It’s designed for reliability and fast installation, making it ideal for users who prioritize a stable and secure operating system over design changes.

In contrast, iOS 26 introduces Apple’s ambitious “Liquid Glass” interface with a transparent look across apps, enhanced widget and lock screen customization, smarter Siri, and improved camera controls. These innovations, however, come with a larger update size and compatibility exclusive to newer iPhones beginning from the iPhone 11 series. While early adopters can enjoy the futuristic interface and AI-powered upgrades, major OS launches may present initial bugs or app compatibility issues that cautious users typically wish to avoid.

Choosing between iOS 18.7 and iOS 26 depends on each user’s priorities—those seeking guaranteed stability and fast security fixes should consider sticking with iOS 18.7, while users excited about premium features and visual changes should migrate to iOS 26 if their device supports it. Both updates are available through Software Update settings, and Apple will support iOS 18.7 for only a limited duration, eventually encouraging all users to transition to the latest platform. This dual update strategy ensures every iPhone user can safely update their device for a seamless and secure experience in 2025.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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