Bullets

All-India electricity demand hit a record of 243 GW in 2023. 

To reduce power cuts, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) launched a new indigenous software program, Stellar.

Here's what it can do:

• Monitors demand and supply of electricity in real time.

• Runs predictive simulations to forecast power shortages 72h in advance.

It’s being shared free of cost with all the states. It's also expected to reduce pressure on the grid, system costs and dependency on expensive backup options like diesel generators.

India's power sector is transforming. Is this the next big investment opportunity?

Wealthtech startups Dezerv, Centricity, and Ionic Wealth are seeing rising demand from India’s smaller towns.

• Nearly 30% of new clients now come from beyond the top 18 state capitals.

• Dezerv now manages over ₹10,000 Cr. in assets across 200+ pin codes.

Growing financial literacy, better access to digital tools, and technological advancements have helped reduce client servicing costs.

Leading stockbrokes, such as Zerodha, Angel One, and Groww, are also getting 80%+ of new users from non-metro cities.

Is India’s financial revolution starting in Tier 2 and 3 cities? Also read: 7 Steps Guide for Your Financial Plan.

• UPI lets users pay via phone with no extra fee.
   
• Currently, it has 45 Cr. users and handles 46% of the world’s digital payments.
   
• Now, India aims to convert 20-30 Cr. new users to UPI, including children and household workers with no bank accounts.
   
• India is also pushing UPI globally, starting with Singapore and the UAE.
   
• In 2024, Indians living abroad sent ₹10.79 L Cr. to India—global UPI adoption could make this faster and cheaper.
   
• But if fees come back, 73% of users might stop using it. 

Is the future of UPI in danger?

BluSmart is exiting its electric ride-hailing business and will now operate as a fleet partner for Uber, starting with 700-800 cars. 

• High monthly cash burn of over ₹20 Cr. and unsuccessful fundraising.

• Gensol Engineering, backed by Anmol and Puneet Singh Jaggi (BluSmart's owners), is in debt, making it harder to fund BluSmart's operations.

• March salaries have been delayed and have not been cleared yet.

As BluSmart shifts gears for survival, the question remains–"How many EV-related startups can truly lead?"

The fintech startup is seeking new funds, ~₹800-₹1,600 Cr., from existing investors.

This funding round will be led by Singapore sovereign fund GIC at a 30% reduced valuation.

CRED is also eyeing an IPO in the next 2 years. But before that, the company wants to become profitable. And in that spirit, it has:

• Reduced its losses by 40%

• Reported a revenue of ₹2,473 Cr.

• Cut its cash burn by 50%

Will CRED be able to achieve its profitability goal, or will it lose its position as the 7th largest UPI payment app?

Cricketer Jasprit Bumrah has made his first startup investment. He acquired equity in the luggage brand Uppercase.

• He has been the brand ambassador since its inception.

• Now, he'll co-develop a travel gear line for sportspersons.

• The collection includes luggage, backpacks, and gym bags.

The profits generated will be shared with him.

VC firm Accel's ~₹75 Cr. investment in August 2024 has nearly doubled Uppercase's valuation to ~₹516 Cr. 

The startup now aims to achieve break-even soon and is eyeing a future IPO.

Has Bumrah delivered another perfect yorker, this time in the startup pitch?

During her visit to Vienna, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman invited Austrian companies to invest in India's green hydrogen, EV, and digital infrastructure sectors.

• She pitched India as an excellent gateway to Asia and the global South.

• Austria can help Indian firms access Central and Eastern European markets.

India has over 110 unicorns and thousands of successful startups. And Austria has a well-recognised startup ecosystem.

She added that there are opportunities in India for rapid progress.

Will India's unicorns and Austria's ecosystem build the future together?

Indian pharma companies are racing to produce generic versions of semaglutide. 

Semaglutide (used to manage diabetes and weight loss) is the key ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s (a Danish pharma firm) weight-loss drugs, Wegovy and Ozempic.

• These drugs’ patents are set to expire in 2026.

• Zydus Lifesciences is investing over ₹100 crore in a new facility to produce it.

• Dr. Reddy's has already spent a decade working on semaglutide formulations.

Sun Pharma, Cipla, and other Indian firms are also trying to enter this anti-obesity segment.

Will India dominate the weight-loss drug market?

Mosaic Wellness, the parent company of Manmatters, Be Bodywise, and Little Joys, has secured ₹175 crore from Think Investment. 

The Mumbai-based startup was founded in 2020 by Revant Bhate and Dhyanesh Shah.

• In FY24, the company earned ₹333 crore in revenue, a 62% increase from last year.

• It also reduced its losses to ₹39 crore from ₹62 crore in FY23.

Earlier, the company raised ₹178 crore from Peak XV Partners.

Is Mosaic Wellness the next big thing in India’s digital healthcare sector as it’s climbing through different startup funding stages?

Statkraft, Norway’s state-run renewable energy company, is exiting India after two decades.

• It’s selling its 2 GW capacity portfolio, which includes wind, solar, hydro and hybrid power plants.

• The company is valuing India units between ~₹12,900 to ~₹17,200 crore and split into 4 parts.

15 companies have signed Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) to bid, including Tata Power, Adani Green, ReNew Power, Waaree Energies, and Greenko.

This move is Statkraft’s global strategy to focus on fewer markets.

Will Statkraft’s exit turn positive for India’s renewable energy sector?

Zepto is approaching ~₹34,400 crore ($4 billion) annualised Gross Order Value (GOV).

• This reflects a 300% Y-o-Y growth for the quick commerce platform.

• It’s now on track to achieve EBITDA and cash flow breakeven within a few months.

CEO Aadit Palicha revealed the company has reduced its EBITDA and operating cash flow burn by 50% in the last 3 months.

The company is already in talks for a ₹2,150 crore ($250 million) secondary equity sale ahead of its public listing.

Is Zepto the future of quick commerce in India?

UK-listed fintech firm Wise is expanding its presence in India by setting up a hub in Hyderabad. 

• This hub will function as a full-stack centre for product, engineering, and servicing teams.

• The company plans to hire 100s over the next few years.

Wise has also launched a feature for Indian SMBs and freelancers to receive payments in 8 foreign currencies, including USD, GBP, EUR, and AUD.

Currently, Wise processes 10% of the money sent from overseas to India.

So, India isn’t the limit—you can also invest in global stocks. Check: How to Invest in International Stocks.

Nestle is planning to bring Starbucks' ready-to-drink coffee to India's retail market.

• The initiative is part of their 2018 global partnership with Starbucks. 

• Under this, Nestle holds the rights to market Starbucks' packaged coffee and food service items outside Starbucks cafes.

Despite India being a predominantly tea-drinking nation, this move aims to tap into the country’s rising premium coffee demand.

Moreover, this deal does not affect Starbucks' joint venture with Tata Consumer Products, which continues to operate Starbucks cafes in India.

Will you switch your subah ki chai with this ready-to-drink coffee?

Here are the points:

• Google is testing a new feature in India that lets users chat with businesses directly from Google Search using RCS (Rich Communication Services).

• This could challenge WhatsApp's 'wa.me' links, which businesses use for customer service and sales.

• Union Bank of India is the first to try Google's AI-powered messaging, aiming to reduce long wait times.

With Apple also supporting RCS, could this challenge WhatsApp? Could this be a Warren Buffett-worthy investment?

Colgate-Palmolive CEO Noel Wallace highlighted intense competition in India's urban markets.

• FMCG companies are using big discounts to attract shoppers amid dull demand.

• And local players are aggressively pushing for volume growth, especially in modern trade channels.

Despite the price war, Wallace expects market conditions to stabilise in the coming quarters. FMCGs may soon shift towards more rational pricing strategies.

Colgate, with a 50% share in India’s oral care market, is focused on protecting its brand health during this phase.

Are FMCG brands sacrificing long-term value for short-term gains?

Here are the points:

• Ather, Ola, TVS, and Hero have issued the last notices for customers to claim refunds for chargers sold separately before March 2023.

• If you bought an EV from these brands and paid separately for a charger, you can get a full refund.

• Submit proof of purchase, bank details, and a cancelled cheque via email or at the showroom before April 2025.

• The government mandated refunds because chargers must be included with EVs for safety.

• Companies now include basic chargers with EVs, while faster chargers are optional.

How will these refunds impact the future of EVs in India?

Ola Electric has unveiled its Gen 3 electric scooter lineup with major upgrades.

Its new features, like dual ABS and brake-by-wire technology, will improve energy recovery by 15%.

Its price:

• Starts at ₹79,999 for the S1X and go up to ₹1,69,999 for the S1 Pro+ 

During its Q2 earnings call, Bhavish Aggarwal revealed plans to launch 20 new two-wheeler and three-wheeler products over the next 2 years.

With its latest EV upgrades—should you ride with Ola stock?

Here are the points:

• In 2024, Trent’s stock jumped 133% because of Zudio.

• Zudio reached 577 stores by mid-2025, expanding by 60% each year.

• But in January 2025, Trent’s stock fell 17.02%, becoming the worst Nifty 50 performer. 

• The company’s growth slowed, with only 1% revenue growth and a 2% drop in profits.

• New stores for Zudio may hurt sales at existing ones, and competition is growing from Reliance Retail.

Will Zudio result in more losses for Trent, or is this just a minor hiccup?

• Licious is preparing for its 2026 IPO but faces tough competition.

• It cut losses by 44% in FY24, but revenue dropped 8% due to store closures and fewer delivery locations.

• Zepto and BigBasket offer 10-minute deliveries, while Licious sticks to scheduled orders, which may present a challenge.

• To stay ahead, Licious is expanding offline, acquiring 23 stores and planning 100 more.

As rivals offer faster deliveries and cheaper prices, will Licious be able to prove its quality is worth the wait?

India's annual Budget announcement often triggers significant market volatility. 

This happens due to concentrated policy disclosures in a single event.

• Countries like the US, UK, Germany, France, and Canada spread fiscal announcements throughout the year.

• This approach results in more stable market reactions.

Experts suggest India could benefit from a similar model. It could also reduce sudden market fluctuations.

This shift may lower speculation and excessive anticipation around the single-day Budget event.

Is the annual Budget hype doing more harm than good?