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<keyword id="2434035" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rapper-Raftaar">Rapper Raftaar</keyword> has invested in the <keyword id="11790278" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="frontrow-app">FrontRow app</keyword>, six months after Deepika Padukone invested in the same platform. After investing in the learning and community platform, <keyword id="302421" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raftaar">Raftaar</keyword> told <keyword id="105681" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="IANS">IANS</keyword>: "I am very excited to be joining forces with the stellar crew at <keyword id="4975958" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="frontrow">FrontRow</keyword> and see how I can add value in fostering the culture of non-academic education across India. In my teenage years, I was always motivated by the creative arts and felt like a misfit in the conventional educational setup. I have always believed there is more to life than traditional degrees and textbook knowledge and skill development deserves its spotlight now, more than ever." Elaborating how the app would be beneficial for the youth in rural areas due to unlimited avenues, he added: "Whilst interacting with young minds during my tours in different cities, I realised that rural India has alternate passions, most of which it cannot pursue. The students would come up to me and talk about their acting, singing, and filmmaking dreams. They didn't want to do engineering, IT, or medical. But they had limited avenues because they weren't in Mumbai or New Delhi." Emphasising the necessity of the app in today's times, he said: "I want to make non-academic learning accessible and affordable for small-town Indians and hope to do so as I embark on this new journey. A big shout out to my partner, Ankit Khanna (AK Projekts) for making this happen." FrontRow has secured an undisclosed amount from Raftaar and AK Projekts. The fundraise came six months after Frontrow secured seed funding of $3.2 million from Deepika Padukone, <keyword id="455799" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lightspeed-Venture-Partners">Lightspeed Venture Partners</keyword>, and Elevation Capital (formerly SAIF Partners). Reflecting on the development, Mikhil Raj, co-founder, FrontRow told IANS: "We are excited to join hands with Raftaar on the mission of democratising access to learning with partnerships with some of the industry's finest peers and experts at an affordable price from the comfort of your home. We continue to aspire to make learning accessible, easier, and enjoyable at FrontRow with partnerships like these." The non-academic skill development platform was founded by serial entrepreneurs Mikhil Raj, Shubhadit Sharma, and Ishaan Preet Singh in 2020. The app has forged creative alliances with celebrities like Neha Kakkar, DIVINE, Suresh Raina, Amit Trivedi, Biswa Kalyan Rath, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Raju Srivastava, <keyword id="6404681" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sunburn">Sunburn</keyword>, MortaL and 8bit Thug in the past. Adding on Ankit Khanna, founder, AK Projekts said: "We are extremely bullish on the opportunity presented in the celebrity-driven vocational training platform segment in India. We believe there is huge merit and scope in this business that allows a wide section of people to have access to leaders from their respective fields and to learn from them directly. We are excited to support a new archetype for learning, an assortment of education, entertainment, and community." SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-is-now-using-chrome-as-another-security-layer-for-account-sign-ins/articleshow/84975356.cms">Google is now using Chrome as an added security layer for account sign-ins</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/how-to-check-allotment-status-of-glenmark-life-sciences-ipo/articleshow/84978486.cms">Glenmark Life Sciences IPO: How to check allotment status, listing date and more</a>

After Deepika Padukone, Rapper Raftaar also invests in learning community FrontRow

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12954410" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="amy-wu" source="Orion">Amy Wu</keyword>, head of <keyword id="13125116" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ftx-ventures" source="Orion">FTX Ventures</keyword> Fund, said integrating <keyword id="11893898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="crypto" source="Orion">crypto</keyword> can enhance gaming experiences. </li><li>She urged video game developers to respect the voices of their fans. </li></ul>Amy Wu, head of <keyword id="11930688" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ftx" source="Orion">FTX</keyword> Ventures Fund, said integrating cryptocurrencies into video games could enhance the overall gaming experience and urged developers to respect the voice of fans when making decisions about how to use crypto.In an episode of <a href="https://decrypt.co/92929/ftx-vc-amy-wu-how-crypto-nft-gamers-can-get-along">Decrypt's gm podcast</a>, Wu described how the first games to integrate crypto were play-to-earn, which she said garnered some pushback. And while some frictions have eased, she said she has yet to see studios develop games that seamlessly incorporate digital assets while also delivering great gameplay. For now, most revolve around tokenomics, she said."I wouldn't have been able to predict kind of how fierce the animosity has been with some gamers against NFTs and it's unfortunate, but it's interesting," she told Decrypt.A number of high-profile developers have announced they would integrate crypto into their games to mixed reception from fans. Developer <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/video-game-developer-drops-plans-nfts-fan-backlash-stalker-gsc-2021-12">GSC Game World nixed its NFT plans</a> just days after announcing they would be a part of its highly-anticipated S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 video game after backlash from its fan community. "Game studios should be a lot more thoughtful and careful about how to communicate with their player base, especially if you're taking a beloved game and adding blockchain components to it. It's different when you're creating a new game," she added.FTX Ventures focuses on a broad range of investment themes across social, gaming, fintech, software, and healthcare in multi-stage companies. Wu is a former partner at <keyword id="12954412" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lightspeed-venture-partners" source="Orion">Lightspeed Venture Partners</keyword> and now helms the crypto exchange's <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/crypto-exchange-ftx-venture-fund-amy-wu-lightspeed-web3-sbf-2022-1">$2 billion venture fund</a> with a focus on advancing global blockchain and Web3 adoption.Wu said she understands why gamers are concerned their experiences will be altered should blockchain technology take over the industry. "There are few fan bases more passionate than a gamer is about their game. They're super protective of sticking to the integrity of the content, that the studio is doing the right thing, that their voice is being respected," she told Decrypt. <div type="image" title="Photo of Ramnik Arora, head of product at FTX, Amy Wu, head of FTX Ventures, and Sam Bankman Fried, founder of FTX." height="749" width="1498" msid="89601688" hostid="261"></div>Still, Wu, who is a prominent investor in gaming startups, is optimistic the right balance will be achieved in the next few years. "I think we'll be creating a lot of new Web3 gaming fans along the way as well, in addition to converting some of the existing gamers," she added.Crypto exchange FTX, founded by billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, was valued at a whopping <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-valuation-fundraising-crypto-winter-bitcoin-2022-1">$32 billion</a> in its most recent funding round.

FTX's Amy Wu says crypto could enhance gaming experiences and urges developers to 'respect' fans' voices

Indian EV startup <keyword id="12291737" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="exponent-energy" source="Orion">Exponent Energy</keyword>, which claims to have developed a battery that gets powered from zero to 100 per cent in just 15-minutes, on Wednesday raised $13 million funds led by top VC firm <keyword id="1727428" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="lightspeed" source="Orion">Lightspeed</keyword>. Bengaluru-based <keyword id="218039" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="exponent" source="Orion">Exponent</keyword> has developed the epump and epack, its proprietary charger and battery pack, that together unlock a 15-min rapid charge for 0 to 100 per cent battery charge The startup said that the new funds will be utilised to scale up its EV network to 100 location points per city, starting with Bengaluru. All existing institutional investors, YourNest VC, 3one4 Capital and AdvantEdge VC, also participated in the latest funding round. "This team, with their drive and innovation, has made rapid EV battery charging possible in just 15 minutes. We are confident that the technology is a real breakthrough, allowing EVs to become ubiquitous," said Harsha Kumar, Partner, Lightspeed. Earlier this month, Exponent Energy partnered Altigreen Propulsion Labs to make rapid charging a reality for eCVs on Indian roads. They unveiled the world's fastest charging electric three-wheeler aneEV HD' that charges from 0-100 per cent within 15 minutes. Customer deliveries of <keyword id="14739329" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="exponent-enabled-neev" source="Orion">Exponent Enabled NeEV</keyword> HD will begin from October, said the startup. "Our technology already delivers a seamless charging experience, and with our vehicle partnership in place, we'll scale-up our production and network presence," said Arun Vinayak, Co-founder &amp; CEO, Exponent Energy. Exponent Energy previously raised $6 million in Seed and Pre-Series A round from investors such as the family office of Dr Pawan Munjal, Chairman and CEO, Hero MotoCorp, Motherson Group, along with YourNest VC, 3one4 Capital, AdvantEdge VC and others. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/pawan-munjal-invests-in-ev-charging-company-exponent-energy/articleshow/93325365.cms">Pawan Munjal invests in EV charging company Exponent Energy</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ather-450x-gen-3-vs-ola-s1-vs-tvs-iqube-s-electric-scooters-comparison-of-price-and-features/articleshow/93594152.cms">Ather 450X Gen 3 vs Ola S1 vs TVS iQube S – price, specs and features compared</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/elon-musk-says-its-a-joke-hours-after-saying-he-is-buying-manchester-united/articleshow/93608074.cms">Elon Musk says it’s a joke, hours after saying he is buying Manchester United</a>

Exponent Energy raises $13 million to scale up its rapid charging points across the country

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11930688" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ftx" source="Orion">FTX</keyword> is launching a $2 billion venture fund that will focus on advancing global blockchain and Web3 adoption.</li><li>The fund, called FTX Ventures, will be helmed by <keyword id="12954410" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="amy-wu" source="Orion">Amy Wu</keyword>, who was most recently a partner at <keyword id="12954412" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lightspeed-venture-partners" source="Orion">Lightspeed Venture Partners</keyword>.</li></ul>Crypto exchange FTX is launching a $2 billion venture fund that will focus on advancing global blockchain and Web3 adoption, according to an announcement <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ftx-launches-2-billion-ventures-fund-hires-former-lightspeed-partner-amy-wu-301461078.html">Friday</a>.FTX Ventures will focus on a broad range of investment themes across social, gaming, fintech, software, and healthcare in multi-stage companies.The fund will be helmed by Amy Wu, who was most recently a partner at <keyword id="12954411" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lightspeed" source="Orion">Lightspeed</keyword> Venture Partners, a $10 billion venture fund where she led crypto and gaming investments, including the fund's investment in FTX. Wu will also lead the gaming, merger and acquisitions, and commercial initiatives of FTX.Wu will be overseeing a team of eight, including General Partner Ramnik Arora and Advisor Armani Ferrante, and will be based in the Bahamas. She will remain a venture partner at Lightspeed."In my career, I've always followed people I was inspired by," Wu said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/amytongwu/status/1481977813326520325?s=20">tweet</a> Friday. "This year, as I worked closely with the FTX team after we invested at [Lightspeed], it became obvious [Sam Bankman-Fried] was the extraordinary CEO to follow."<div type="image" title="Photo of Ramnik Arora, head of product at FTX, Amy Wu, head of FTX Ventures, and Sam Bankman Fried, founder of FTX." height="749" width="1498" msid="88903304" hostid="261"></div>Wu told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fcrypto-exchange-ftx-sets-up-2-billion-venture-fund-11642163402%3Fpage%3D1">The Wall Street Journal</a>, which first reported the news, that the fund will invest funds as it sees fit."We could possibly deploy it all next year but it depends on the opportunities we see in the market," she told WSJ.FTX, which most recently was valued at <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/ftx-crypto-exchange-25-billion-series-b1-sam-bankman-fried-2021-10">$25 billion</a>, made more than a dozen investments in startups before it launched FTX Ventures.The newest fund joins the ranks of other crypto firms including <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/searchresults?_search=coinbase">Coinbase Global</a> and Binance to invest in digital asset startups.

Crypto exchange FTX is launching a $2 billion venture capital fund

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Mercedes Bent is a Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners and focuses on consumer, fintech, edtech investments.</li><li>The window for retail investing is not over, and we're just now entering a new generation of retail investment products.</li><li>Apps like <keyword id="1268253" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Robinhood">Robinhood</keyword> help democratize the acquisition of wealth.</li></ul>Retail investing apps have been getting a bad rap lately. As the market leader, Robinhood has been a magnet for much of that criticism. The company got a black eye when it <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/robinhood-removes-gamestop-amc-reddit-wallstreetbets-fueled-stock-rally-gme-2021-1-1030015292">restricted trading</a> during the height of the GameStop trading frenzy in January, and it has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dogecoin-drop-robinhood-down-elon-musk-snl-episode-2021-5">stumbled</a> a few times since then.But all that negative publicity may have actually helped Robinhood. Downloads of its trading app <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/10/retail-investor-ranks-in-the-stock-market-continue-to-surge.html">topped 2.1 million in February</a>.That's significantly lower than at the height of GameStop mania, but still 55% higher than in February 2020. <h2>Of course, retail investing is about a lot more than Robinhood.</h2>There's now a rich ecosystem of apps fulfilling a wide spectrum of niches. There are other mobile-first trading apps like Stash and WeBull, investment social networks like Public and Alinea, women-centric services like Ellevest, and so on.<div type="image" title="Investment graphic by Mercedes Bent" height="760" width="1600" msid="82887987" hostid="261"></div>The consumerization of investing has only just gotten started. And that's a good thing.The fact remains that retail investing is an immensely powerful tool for individuals to take control over their wealth. Millennials in particular are still woefully under-invested, relative to previous generations - <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/17/older-americans-are-selling-the-stock-market-slowly-but-ceaselessly-to-junior-generations.html">just 3% of equities</a> are owned by people born between 1981 and 1996.People who choose to use Robinhood and apps like it are challenging the status quo and writing their own rules of what investing is all about.<h2>Hype is not always irrational</h2>Traditional investors like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/warren-buffett-slammed-robinhood-touted-tech-stocks-6-experts-why-2021-5">Warren Buffet</a> warn against acquiring assets based on speculation and hype; they preach the gospel of "fundamentals."But hype is not always irrational; you can make a strong argument that it's another indicator of perceived value. Do you know what other assets are based on perceived value? The money in your wallet. As we watch our government lift our economy out of a recession simply by printing more money, it's reasonable to ask, how much will fundamentals drive our economy moving forward?At this point, we really have no idea. Retail investors are saying, 'We get to have a voice in determining what is and isn't valuable.' And as the recent surge of interest in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/non-fungible-tokens-nfts-have-taken-over-heres-why-theyre-important-2021-4">non-fungible tokens (NFTs)</a> has shown, investing is about a lot more than just stocks and bonds.Buying fractional shares in trading cards (Mythic Markets), fine wine (Vinovest), collectibles (Rally, Otis), and other lifestyle assets are all reasonable options for investment. <h2>Investing is not always about retirement</h2>Millennials invest for different reasons than their parents did. They're not necessarily looking to earn enough money to retire to an island in the Bahamas. Many invest in order to live more fully now. For this generation, retail investment is just as much about experience, entertainment, and education.Research has shown us that millennials value experiences over material goods. They'd rather backpack across the Andes than buy a yacht. Playing the market in a gamified way fits into this desire for new experiences. Like it or not, investing has become another form of entertainment. More important, most people in my generation have very little practical experience in investing. As of 2019, only <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/the-investopedia-affluent-millennials-study-4769751">37%</a> of affluent millennials said they felt knowledgeable about investing; <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/43-millennials-aren-t-investing-090000387.html">more than 40%</a> owned no stock at all. I certainly wouldn't recommend anyone bet their life savings on Tesla stock or convert their 401K to Dogecoin. Stock prices fluctuate over time; cryptocurrency is notoriously volatile.But if people have the discretionary income to experiment and educate themselves about equities and cryptocurrencies, now is as good a time to start as any.<h2><keyword id="8694657" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="investment-apps">Investment apps</keyword> are a solid investment </h2>Robinhood changed how people invest and, as a result, how financial institutions respond to their customers. Some of the innovations it introduced - like commission-free trading, the ability to buy fractional shares, and its mobile-first mentality - are now table stakes for any new investment app that comes along.Now the company is trying to <a href="https://blog.robinhood.com/news/2021/2/2/its-time-for-real-time-settlement">change</a> the rules again. Since the GameStop controversy, the company has been <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/09/robinhood-lobbying-targets-legislation-that-could-hurt-its-business-model-.html">lobbying</a> folks on Capitol Hill to advocate for real-time settlement. This would alter regulations about how much cash trading apps like Robinhood must keep on hand during settlement - the rules that led the company to suspend trading back in January. I'm confident Robinhood will continue to challenge the norms of traditional investment, and that the <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/robinhood-ipo-files-confidentially-in-us-new-report-says-2021-3-1030238433">company's IPO</a> later this year won't be impacted negatively by the bad press it has received.At Lightspeed Venture Partners, we're bullish on the potential of retail investment apps. Just as apps like G-Suite, Rippling, and Gusto have made it much easier to start a small business and onboard employees, technology platforms like Alpaca and Galileo are making it easier for entrepreneurs to launch new investment startups.Investing is going to become a much greater part of everyone's consumer and entertainment experiences. People who've been reluctant or unable to invest in the past, such as women and people of color, will continue to participate in much greater numbers.You can bet on it.Mercedes Bent is a Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners and focuses on consumer, fintech, edtech investments.

A Lightspeed VC is bullish on retail investment apps like Robinhood and says they'll continue to climb in popularity

<ul><li><keyword id="366603" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Matrix-Partners-India">Matrix Partners India</keyword>, Ankur Capital, Better Capital and <keyword id="8830555" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="titan-capital">Titan Capital</keyword> also participated in the round.</li><li><keyword id="9611309" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="VeGrow">Vegrow</keyword> provides a technology platform to farmers, which can be used to get high quality farm inputs and best farming practices.</li><li>The <keyword id="3210932" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="B2B-startup">B2B startup</keyword> is looking to expand to 100 cities, invest in technology and launch new products.</li></ul>Business-to-business (B2B) agritech startup for sourcing fruits and vegetables, Vegrow, has raised $13 million in a Series A round co-led by <keyword id="455799" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lightspeed-Venture-Partners">Lightspeed Venture Partners</keyword> and Elevation Capital. Existing investors Matrix Partners India, Ankur Capital, Better Capital and Titan Capital also participated in the round. The company had raised $2.5 million in a seed round in June 2020. Vegrow was founded in April 2020 by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) alumni Praneeth Kumar, Shobhit Jain, Mrudhukar Batchu and Kiran <keyword id="50744" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Naik">Naik</keyword>, who have varying experience in the agri sector. Kumar and Jain started their career at fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) giant ITC’s agribusiness division, whereas Batchu and Naik were directly involved in farming. The company works with small-hold farmers on a profit sharing model and offers assistance across various stages of the farming cycle using technology. Vegrow provides a technology platform to farmers, which can be used to get high quality farm inputs and best farming practices. The platform also enables farmers to sell their harvest to the right buyers for the right price. The B2B startup claims to help farmers in getting higher returns, reducing supply-chain wastage and improving procurement for wholesalers. The company’s founders have emphasised that the new funding will help Vegrow to expand to 100 new cities, invest in technology and launch new products. The company claims to be one of the largest companies for pomegranates in the country in less than a year. Meanwhile, Lightspeed’s partner Vaibhav Agrawal said that companies building a tech-enabled marketplace between farmers and buyers could help eliminate inefficiencies and would have large market opportunities eventually. “Additionally, many marketplaces have scaled up on negative unit margins in this category, so we were really impressed by the growth and positive unit margin Vegrow has demonstrated using its technology-oriented approach to standardise quality, minimise inventory and retain farmers,” Agrawal added. Apart from Vegrow, other companies in India’s agritech space include Ninjakart, AgNext, Samunnati, Dehaat, Farmart, and WayCool. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/swiggy-raises-1-25-billion-in-a-mega-round-of-funding-led-by-softbank-and-prosus/articleshow/84578974.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Swiggy gets a $1.25 billion cheque from Softbank for the same reason Zomato went for an IPO</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/globalbees-has-raised-150-million-in-few-months-of-launch-to-acquire-more-businesses/articleshow/84552291.cms">GlobalBees, a Thrasio-style startup launched by FirstCry and Edelweiss execs, raises $150 million in few months of launch</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/how-to-find-out-if-your-phone-is-infected-by-the-pegasus-spyware/articleshow/84578193.cms">This toolkit will tell you if your phone is infected by the Pegasus spyware</a>

Agritech startup Vegrow raises $13 million Lightspeed, Elevation

Artificial Intelligence-powered <keyword id="11421393" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="talent-intelligence-platform-eightfold-ai">talent intelligence platform Eightfold AI</keyword> on Thursday announced that it has raised a $220 million in its Series E funding round led by SoftBanks Vision Fund 2. The company has raised more than $410 million to date, with $350 million coming in the last six months. <keyword id="10356092" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Eightfold-AI">Eightfold AI</keyword> said that the <keyword id="6356305" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="funds">funds</keyword> will be used to continue the rapid growth and development of its talent intelligence platform and expand its growing partner ecosystem. "Current HR systems were designed to address issues from a previous era, and they have failed to keep pace with the changing nature of work and the workforce," said Ashutosh <keyword id="196154" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Garg">Garg</keyword>, Founder and CEO at Eightfold. "At Eightfold, we have an unprecedented opportunity, using AI to align the career goals of individuals while simultaneously creating better results for employers," Garg added. Additionally, Eightfold AI will use the funds to continue expanding its <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> operations, investing in the most talented data scientists and engineers in the region. The Series E funding round also saw investments from General Catalyst, Capital One Ventures, <keyword id="152673" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Foundation-Capital">Foundation Capital</keyword>, <keyword id="189239" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IVP">IVP</keyword> and <keyword id="455799" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lightspeed-Venture-Partners">Lightspeed Venture Partners</keyword>. "Powered by AI and machine learning, Eightfold's platform provides global enterprises with a single solution for managing the entire talent lifecycle, including hiring, retaining, and growing a diverse global workforce," said Deep Nishar, Senior Managing Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/realme-is-expected-to-launch-the-realme-book-and-realme-pad-on-june-15/articleshow/83398969.cms">Realme Book leaked ahead of launch, expected to debut with Realme Pad on June 15</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/iran-is-planning-to-introduce-a-legal-framework-for-crypto-even-as-bitcoin-mining-activity-remains-restricted/articleshow/83396588.cms">Iran is planning to introduce a legal framework for crypto even as bitcoin mining activity remains restricted</a>

Talent intelligence platform Eightfold AI raises $220 million led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2

<ul><li><keyword id="1670338" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ritesh-Agarwal">Ritesh Agarwal</keyword> through his Cayman-registered company RA Hospitality Holdings, has invested $2 billion into <keyword id="2808667" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO">OYO</keyword>. </li><li>OYO’s early investors <keyword id="455799" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lightspeed-Venture-Partners">Lightspeed Venture Partners</keyword>, and <keyword id="563136" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sequoia-India">Sequoia India</keyword> are selling part of their stake in the company to increase Agarwal’s stake. </li><li>The company also claims that its revenue grew 4.4 times in June 2019 as compared to June 2018.</li></ul>In a first for the Indian startup community, OYO founder Ritesh Agarwal invested $2 billion into his own company. Agarwal made the investment through a Cayman-registered company, RA Hospitality Holdings. OYO’s early investors Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Sequoia India are selling a part of their stake in the company back to him. “It is a very exciting time for OYO right now as we make great living spaces come alive across all corners of the world from Texas to Tokyo. The deal remains subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals,” said Ritesh Agarwal, Founder &amp; CEO (Group), OYO Hotels &amp; Homes. Agarwal reportedly wants to raise his stake in the firm to over 30%. Currently, Agarwal holds 9.43% in the hospitality startup, while SoftBank, the Japanese investment firm, controls 45.69% of the company. Early investor Lightspeed has 13.4% stake, while Sequoia Capital has 10.24%. According to information sourced by paper.vc, Article 21.6 of Oyo’s Articles of Association prohibit Softbank from directly or indirectly, acquiring more than 49.99% of the fully diluted share capital of the company, without the consent of Aggarwal, Greenoaks, Lightspeed and Sequoia Capital. SoftBank has been an investor in OYO for a long time now. It was Softbank's investment that led OYO into the Indian unicorn club with a $5 billion valuation in September 2018, a huge jump from the $900 million valuation it had until then. The company also claims that its revenues grew 4.4 times in June 2019 as compared to June 2018). It has a million rooms, out of which over 200,000 are in India. OYO now has 20,000 buildings with its signature red and white logo branding on it. The Indian hospitality unicorn has been spreading its business far and wide. It recently became China’s largest hotel chain. OYO said that it will invest $300 million to expand its footprint in the United States – into cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. It already has 50 hotels across 15 states in the US. It also launched services in Vietnam.

OYO’s Ritesh Agarwal sets a new benchmark – invests $2 billion into his own company to increase his stake

<ul><li><keyword id="6355725" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-group">Tata group</keyword>’s Nelco is reportedly in final talks with Canadian firm Telesat to bring its Lightspeed satellite broadband internet services in India.</li><li>Both companies plan to ready their <keyword id="10986173" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="satellite-broadband-services">satellite broadband services</keyword> by 2024 in India and globally.</li><li>Tata and Telesat are also working on ways to make their services affordable to users.</li></ul>India may have the second-highest number of internet users in the world but there’s still a large fraction of people especially in the rural areas without access to high-speed internet connectivity. The solution to this problem could be satellite broadband connectivity that will cover even remote areas where telecom towers or fibre connections are hard to reach. There are already three companies planning to provide satellite broadband internet in India, and the latest to join is Tata group’s Nelco. According to a <a href="https://m.economictimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/pact-with-telesat-likely-for-satellite-broadband/amp_articleshow/85190916.cms">report</a> by ET Telecom, Nelco is planning to offer satellite broadband services in India through the Canadian firm Telesat’s Lightspeed brand. Both companies are in the final stages of the arrangement, and plan to offer its services in India by 2024, the report added. Satellite broadband services aim to solve problems that mobile internet or fibre broadband can’t but it’s also the most expensive of the three. Tata and Telesat plan to work on the business-to-business (B2B) model wherein the satellite bandwidth will be offered to telcos so that they can provide to areas where mobile connectivity is weak. The two companies also plan to work on ways to make satellite broadband affordable in India. Telesat’s global plan for satellite broadband services include an investment of almost $5 billion for a constellation of around 298 LEO satellites. Although expensive, LEO satellites offer stronger signals and faster speeds than traditional fixed-satellite networks as they orbit closer to the Earth. Telesat and Tata plan to take things further with their satellite broadband services once the new Spacecom policy that should offer better clarity for LEO satellite systems operators and setting up in-country satellite gateways, is out. Telesat will be joining Bharti Enterprises-backed OneWeb, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/elon-musks-starlink-satellite-internet-is-coming-to-india-heres-how-you-can-pre-book-your-connection/articleshow/81268052.cms">Elon Musk’s Starlink</a> and even Amazon for satellite internet in India. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/bharti-led-oneweb-raises-funds-from-softbank-hughes-taking-its-total-funding-to-1-4-billion/articleshow/80297607.cms">OneWeb</a> plans to offer its services in India by May 2022 which would make it the first company to do so. Musk’s Starlink is also aiming for a 2022 launch timeframe with the company already accepting pre-booking applications for its satellite internet services. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/elon-musks-starlink-satellite-internet-boosts-its-subscriber-base-by-nearly-30-in-a-single-month-nearing-the-100000-user-milestone/articleshow/85035362.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet boosts its subscriber base by nearly 30% in a single month, nearing the 100,000-user milestone</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/elon-musks-starlink-satellite-internet-is-coming-to-india-heres-how-you-can-pre-book-your-connection/articleshow/81268052.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet is coming to India – here's how you can pre-book your connection</a>

Tata group to offer satellite broadband services in India through Telesat’s Lightspeed brand

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider asked more than 40 investors to identify top up-and-coming fintechs.</li><li>Investors nominated startups both inside and outside of their own portfolios. </li></ul>Even as funding in fintech fell to one of its lowest levels since the pandemic started, investors still see bright spots in the sector. Insider surveyed 43 investors — including those from Bain Capital Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and QED Investors — about the most promising fintechs to watch. Startups that were nominated included a mix of investors' portfolio companies and ones they have no financial interest in. In total, 61 startups that haven't raised beyond a Series B round were identified. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-fintechs-most-promising-70-breakout-startups-to-watch-2021-7">As was the case last year</a>, the majority of those nominated work with other businesses, not individual consumers. Many investors noted <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fintech-vc-reveal-investing-trends-watching-rest-of-year-2022-6">B2B startups are one of the biggest bright spots in the sector</a> as businesses and financial institutions continue to streamline their processes and cut costs where they can. <h2>Albert</h2><div type="image" title="Yinon Ravid, the chief executive and cofounder of Albert." height="1997" width="2670" msid="95020504" hostid="261" sizebytes="173600"></div>Cited by: Portage (investor)Total funding: $171.6 million, according to CrunchbaseWhat it does: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/albert-fintech-banking-app-pitch-deck-funding-series-c-2021-8">Albert</a> pairs financial advice with financial products so consumers can find the right service for them. Why it's on the list: "No one else in the market can actually connect you to a real human to answer your financial questions. This kind of service has traditionally been reserved for high-net-worth individuals," said Stephanie Choo, a partner at Portage.<h2> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fintech-startups-best-promising-technology-trading-banking-investing-2022-9">Check out the full list of 61 fintechs identified as most promising by top investors. </a></h2>

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