Connect with us

Funding

SoftBank To Infuse A Whopping $ 3 Billion In Paytm Mall

Published

on

SoftBank Funding In Paytm Mall,Startup Stories,Startup News India,2018 Latest Business News,SoftBank Paytm Mall Business,Indian digital e wallet Paytm,SoftBank CEO,Walmart-Flipkart Deal

SoftBank Group Corp., a Japanese multinational conglomerate is making headlines for investing a whopping  $ 3 billion in the Indian digital e wallet giant, Paytm.

However, the CEO of SoftBank, Masayoshi Son is not sure whether to sell SoftBank Vision Fund’s 21% stake in India’s largest online retailer, Flipkart. Earlier in April, Paytm Mall raised $ 400 million in a financing round led by SoftBank along with participation from Alibaba. With that funding, Softbank took 21% stake in Paytm Mall.  According to the recent Walmart-Flipkart deal agreement, SoftBank can go ahead with other deals only when it exits from Flipkart. However, the Japanese conglomerate is having second thoughts regarding its exit from the etailer firm. The venture capital firm should now set itself free from a clause in its agreement with Flipkart that restricts it from investing more than $ 500 million in the Paytm Mall App until 2020. So, as of now, Softbank is in talks to invest as much as $ 3 billion in the Paytm Mall App.

Paytm may proceed further with the funding only if SoftBank makes its exit from the etailer firm, Flipkart. SoftBank is not sure about selling off its Flipkart shares because of tax implications and as it sees a further increase in the valuation for Flipkart. SoftBank is expected to gain about $ 4 billion if it sells its entire 21% stake in Flipkart to Walmart.

Apart from these fundings, SoftBank had also invested an amount of $ 900 million in the other major e commerce player, Snapdeal. Paytm Mall surpassed the Indian e commerce market, replacing Snapdeal as the third largest player including Flipkart and Amazon India. Currently, Paytm claims to process about 1 billion transactions every quarter and aims to double the figure to 2 billion. Besides this, the payments  and e commerce firm, aims to process Rs. 60, 000 crores in monthly bank transfers by the year end. The company announced earlier to invest over Rs. 5,000 crores in 2018 in its payments and financial services. Paytm,  the digital e wallet giant is providing customers innumerable payment services that is making their lives easier! The effect the Walmart-Flipkart deal will have on the e commerce industry is yet to be seen.

 

Continue Reading
Advertisement
2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Code of destiny

    April 16, 2025 at 8:15 pm

    I am really inspired together with your writing abilities and also with the format in your weblog. Is that this a paid subject matter or did you modify it your self? Anyway stay up the nice high quality writing, it’s uncommon to see a nice blog like this one today!

  2. Pcwfkfkx

    May 25, 2025 at 9:20 am

    Explore the ranked best online casinos of 2025. Compare bonuses, game selections, and trustworthiness of top platforms for secure and rewarding gameplaycrypto casino.

Leave a Reply

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

Funding

Agritech Startup Gramik Raises INR 17 Crore to Expand Rural Commerce in India

Published

on

StartupStories
  • Gramik, a Lucknow-based agritech startup, has secured INR 17 crore in a bridge funding round ahead of its upcoming INR 56 crore Series A raise.
  • The funding round included investments via Optionally Convertible Debentures (OCDs) and Compulsorily Convertible Debentures (CCDs).
  • Key investors include Sammaan Global Ventures, Money Creeper Investment, and prominent angels such as Balram Yadav (MD & CEO, Godrej Agrovet), Gev Aryaton, Irfan Alam, Nikhil Bhagat, and Salvia Siddiqui.

Gramik’s Unique Peer Commerce Model

  • Founded in 2021 by Raj Yadav, Gramik empowers over 120 million small and marginal farmers in India through a technology-driven rural commerce platform.
  • The startup operates a dual-channel distribution network using Village-Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) and rural retailers to deliver high-quality agri-inputs to remote areas.
  • Gramik’s full-stack platform offers demand aggregation, logistics, embedded credit, and agronomy services, ensuring last-mile delivery and support for farmers.

Expansion Plans and Future Growth

  • Gramik currently operates in 12 districts, with 1,200+ active VLEs and 250+ rural retail partners, and plans to expand to 3,000 VLEs and reach 1 million+ farmers across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Jammu.
  • The new funds will be used to expand Gramik’s private-label products, enhance agronomy-led farmer engagement, and scale operations in key states.
  • With a strong focus on supply chain efficiency, technology, and farmer advisory services, Gramik aims to become a leader in India’s $50 billion agri-input and rural commerce market.
  • Backed by previous seed funding of over INR 25 crore, Gramik is set to drive innovation and inclusive growth for rural communities.

 

Continue Reading

Funding

Reliance Jio Platforms Puts $100 Billion IPO on Hold to Focus on Growth

Published

on

Reliance Jio Platforms, the digital and telecom powerhouse led by Mukesh Ambani, has decided to postpone its highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO), shelving plans for a 2025 listing. The IPO, which analysts valued at over $100 billion and expected to be India’s largest-ever stock market debut, will not take place this year. The company has yet to appoint bankers for the process, signaling that preparations for the public offering have not started in earnest.

According to sources close to the matter, Jio Platforms wants to give its business more time to grow before going public. The company is focusing on boosting revenues, expanding its telecom subscriber base, and scaling up its digital services—including apps, connected devices, and AI solutions—so it can achieve a higher valuation when the IPO eventually happens. Nearly 80% of Jio Platforms’ $17.6 billion annual revenue currently comes from its telecom business, Reliance Jio Infocomm, but the company is investing heavily in new digital ventures and partnerships, such as its collaboration with Nvidia on AI infrastructure.

The news of the delay impacted the market, with shares of parent company Reliance Industries falling by up to 1.8% following the announcement. Despite a strong IPO environment in India, Jio’s move is seen as a strategic decision to ensure stronger business fundamentals and a higher valuation before entering the public markets. Major investors, including Google and Meta, are said to support the decision, viewing it as a step toward long-term value creation.

Continue Reading

Funding

Flick TV Secures $2.3M to Revolutionize India’s Micro-Drama Streaming Scene

Published

on

Flick TV StartupStories

Flick TV, India’s first mobile-focused OTT platform dedicated to micro-dramas, has secured $2.3 million in seed funding led by Stellaris Venture Partners, with participation from Gemba Capital and Titan Capital. Founded in early 2025 by Kushal Singhal, Pratik Anand, and Sanidhya Mittal, the platform aims to address the growing demand for high-quality, short-form storytelling tailored for mobile consumption. Unlike traditional user-generated short video platforms, Flick TV produces professionally shot, under-five-minute dramas across genres such as romance, thrillers, and slice-of-life—each crafted for vertical viewing to suit India’s rapidly expanding mobile internet audience.

The newly raised capital will be used to scale up content production, with plans to launch over 100 original titles, enhance the platform’s streaming technology, and expand offerings into four regional languages. Flick TV is also investing in generative AI and advanced workflows to streamline scripting and production, aiming to combine creative excellence with operational efficiency. The founders bring deep expertise from previous roles at ShareChat, EloElo, Meesho, and Pocket FM, positioning the company to bridge the gap between creator agility and cinematic storytelling in India’s nascent micro-drama ecosystem.

Industry observers see Flick TV as a frontrunner in India’s next entertainment wave, which is expected to be mobile-native, emotionally engaging, and built for short attention spans. With the micro-drama market projected to reach $5 billion in India over the next five years—mirroring the $7 billion success in China—Flick TV is poised to set new standards for premium, binge-worthy short-form content and redefine streaming for the modern Indian viewer.

 

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Recent Posts

Advertisement