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SoftBank Threatens To Walk Out Of Snapdeal Flipkart Merger
India’s largest investor and the majority shareholder of Snapdeal, SoftBank, has threatened to back out of the merger if all minority shareholders do not approve of the Flipkart acquisition deal. A news daily, reported, according to sources close to the matter, SoftBank may be able to independently invest in Flipkart and can leave Snapdeal behind by walking out of the merger.
One of the clauses in Flipkart’s revised termsheet was for Snapdeal to get the approval of all the minority shareholders. Softbank, who has been orchestrating the sale of the biggest consolidation move in the Indian ecommerce industry, became the majority shareholder in May 2017 after buying out Kalaari Capital’s share in the company. Presently, the cofounders of the company each own about 6.5% stake, while early investor Nexus Capital has a 10% stake and SoftBank has a majority stake of about 47.5%.
The remaining Snapdeal stake is owned by the minority shareholders such as PremjiInvest, Ratan Tata, Foxconn, Alibaba Group, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, eBay, Temasek and Hong Kong based hedge funds and others. Out of the minority shareholders, Ratan Tata, Temasek, BlackRock and Foxconn have given their in principle approval to the proposed merger whereas the approval of 26 other Snapdeal investors is still required.
PremjiInvests, the personal investment arm of Azim Premji, initially opposed the merger over the special payments being offered to early investors and cofounders Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal. Since then, it has been extremely difficult to a get 100% minority approval for the acquisition. The daily also reported a source saying, “SoftBank is exasperated by repeated objections and delays triggered by Snapdeal’s smaller shareholders.” They also added that even if 5% of the shareholders are unhappy with the revised Flipkart proposal, Softbank won’t pursue the merger.
SoftBank reported a $ 1.4 billion loss during the financial year 2017, on two of its major Indian investments Snapdeal and Ola. Therefore they have been looking to offload the ecommerce company and do not want to be held accountable if the deal falls through. Flipkart’s offer, according to SoftBank, is significantly better than the other alternative routes available to the struggling online marketplace.
In the past couple of weeks, it was also reported Snapdeal founders Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal were in talks with senior executives from various firms and with another ecommerce site Infibeam for an alternate option. They recently have also sold their online digital payments arm FreeCharge to the private sector lending firm, Axis Bank.
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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