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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Bolt founder Ryan Breslow proposes returning as CEO with a $2 million bonus and $1 million back pay.</li><li>Breslow left Bolt in 2022 due to investor conflicts and has since run wellness marketplace Love.</li></ul>Bolt's founder and ex-CEO wants to return to the driver's seat — and he's asking for a hefty payday to come back.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bolt-ceo-calls-stripe-ycombinator-mob-bosses-twitter-silicon-valley-2022-1">Ryan Breslow,</a> who founded <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ryan-breslow-startup-bolt-raising-new-funding-14-billion-valuation-2022-1">e-commerce software startup Bolt</a> a decade ago, proposed a deal to investors this week, The Information and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.newcomer.co/p/bolts-audacious-letter-to-investors">Eric Newcomer </a>reported Tuesday.The terms of the funding round were highly unusual, including a $2 million bonus for returning and $1 million in back pay for the two years he was away from the company, the outlets reported, citing a private equity partner who was involved in the deal. The partner has since said that his firm is no longer involved.Breslow left the company in early 2022 because of conflicts with investors. The 30-year-old entrepreneur's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahemerson/2024/03/11/the-billion-dollar-unraveling-of-ryan-breslow/">career</a> has been marked by controversy, including lawsuits, a fight with an early investor, and a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bolt-ceo-calls-stripe-ycombinator-mob-bosses-twitter-silicon-valley-2022-1">public spat</a> with competitor Stripe and Y Combinator.Bolt's interim CEO Justin Grooms wrote in a letter to investors reviewed by The Information that the company was raising $450 million in a Series F round that would value Bolt at over $14 billion. According to Newcomer, Bolt's annualized run-rate revenue was $28 million, and its gross profit was $7 million.The deal comes with several other eyebrow-raising clauses that would further benefit Breslow, reported Newcomer and The Information:<ul><li>Breslow would get an option to sell 10% of his shares and the right to purchase Bolt subsidiaries conscious.org and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/four-day-workweek-company-bolt-productivity-jobs-fridays-weekends-2022-3">fourdayweek.com </a>from the company for $1 at any time. Breslow had <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-bolt-made-change-4-day-work-week-top-exec-2022-1">championed a four-day workweek</a>.</li><li>He would also get a new equity grant that would be "no less than the 90th percentile of CEO equity compensation packages of similar companies in Bolt's industry."</li><li>If Bolt hits a $50 billion valuation in a $100 million or greater fundraise, Breslow would receive an additional stock grant of 5% of the issued and outstanding Bolt shares.</li><li>The company would partner with Love, a wellness marketplace run by Breslow since he was ousted from Bolt.</li><li>Bolt would invest $10 million into The London Fund, a venture capital firm that appears to be one of the main investors in its current funding round. The Information reported Breslow is a director at the fund, which also invested in Love.</li></ul>Bolt's investors were also told that they would need to chip in more money for this funding round. If they fail to do so, Bolt would buy most of them out for one cent a share, a particularly aggressive "pay-to-play" move in the startup world, reported Newcomer.The proposal requires approval from an investor majority, and shareholders have from late Monday to Wednesday to decide, reported The Information.Bolt's prior investors include BlackRock, Sequoia Capital, Founders Fund, and Intuit, per PitchBook. Neither Bolt nor Breslow immediately responded to Business Insider's requests for comment, sent outside standard business hours.

E-commerce startup Bolt wants to raise new money under aggressive terms that could make its once-ousted founder rich, reports say

According to <keyword id="19911893" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Meesho" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Meesho" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Meesho">Meesho</keyword>'s recent ‘Smart shopper report’, <keyword id="19919711" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gen-Z" source="keywords">Gen Z</keyword> is rapidly embracing <keyword id="19990771" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="e-commerce" source="keywords">e-commerce</keyword>, with one in every three Meesho users being less than 25 years old. This makes them the fastest-growing demographic on the platform. The report also highlights that mass consumers, who typically make low-price purchases, account for around 80% of the total online shopping population in India. Reports suggest that by 2030, mass consumers, who are constantly seeking value for price, will dominate the retail market, constituting 65% of total consumers. At present, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are leading the way, when it comes to user growth in e-commerce, underscoring the significant untapped potential these states hold. The report also delves deeper into the evolving habits and preferences of mass consumers. Meesho has observed that users from Tier IV and smaller cities are the most frequent repeat shoppers under categories like women’s fashion, footwear, and baby care. Additionally, over 80% of Indian online shoppers now hail from tier-2 cities, and beyond, which include places like Ambur, Rourkela, Sangli, and Zirakpur. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112333596" title="Zomato announces new feature for cash on delivery orders and it can help solve a huge problem" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Influencer-driven <keyword id="3295571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-commerce-boom" source="Orion">e-commerce boom</keyword> in North-East</h2>Furthermore, the report reveals that customers in northeastern states of India such as Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim are increasingly basing their e-commerce purchases choices on content generated by influencers, making up for an impressive 40% of all orders from these states. Meesho has also witnessed greater digital inclusion, with a growing number of content creators emerging from some of the most remote regions of India, like Bazpur (Uttarakhand), Kotputli (Rajasthan), and Pakyong (Sikkim). With the growing popularity of content creators, products like selfie sticks, ring lights, microphones, and tripods have also quickly risen to top the electronics category. Another notable feature Meesho identified was a significant rise in the adoption of vernacular languages and voice search, with rates increasing by 162% and 40%, respectively. This surge reflects mass consumers' strong preference for regional languages and user-friendly features. Tier 2 and other, smaller cities have significantly outpaced Tier 1 cities when it comes to ordering electronic accessories, making double the amount of purchases made by their bigger, urban counterparts. Meesho has also seen substantial demand for products like bluetooth headphones and earphones, power banks, smart speakers, screen magnifiers, and keyboards from diverse Indian cities such as Alwar (Rajasthan), Bettiah (Bihar), Pursurah (West Bengal), Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh), Sindkheda (Maharashtra), and Sirsa (Haryana). Among the fastest-growing categories on Meesho are books, which grew by 148% YoY (year-on-year basis) growth, office supplies and stationery (137% YoY growth), home improvement (112% YoY growth), furnishings (92% YoY growth), and pet supplies (68% YoY growth). There has also been a surge in demand for personal care and grooming essentials. <h2>A shift towards quick draping</h2> In just six months, over 10,00,000 saree shapers and more than 60,000 ready-to-wear sarees were sold, indicating that consumers far prefer a quicker, easier approach to traditional draping. There was a clear penchant for traditional and modern alike, since Banarasi was the most sought after fabric, followed by chiffon and organza. <h2>Self-care on the rise</h2>With increasingly hectic schedules, mass consumers are also prioritising self-care. As a result, there has been a rise in at-home salon treatments, with Meesho reporting sales of 6,00,000 face packs, over 4,00,000 facial kits, 3,00,000 wax strips, 4,00,000 press-on nails, and 4,00,000 nail paints this year. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112364583" title="Ola wants to re-enter the quick commerce business to take on Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Not just this, yoga also made it to list, when it came to self-care. Meesho reported selling about 20 lakh yoga mats in just 6 months. And not just that, skipping and hula hooping also seems to be coming back in vogue, with consumers buying around 2 lakh skipping ropes and 75,000 hula hoops this year alone. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/article/5-lessons-startup-founders-can-learn-from-tech-mogul-elon-musk/articleshow/112375922.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">5 lessons startup founders can learn from tech mogul Elon Musk</a>

India’s e-commerce boom: Gen Z, small cities, and self-care trends on the rise, says Meesho

Issues related to data privacy and rising <keyword id="20127272" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-frauds" source="keywords">online frauds</keyword> are emerging as significant hurdles in the growth of e-commerce in India, said the <keyword id="20613906" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Economic-Survey" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Economic Survey" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Economic Survey">Economic Survey</keyword> 2023-24 tabled in Parliament on Monday. Citing third-party data, the survey said that the e-commerce industry in India is expected to cross USD 350 billion by 2030 and called for the need to educate users on the safe use of e-commerce platforms. "The rise of e-commerce is constrained by inadequate skills required for online selling, such as cataloguing. <keyword id="22505774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="data-privacy-issues" source="keywords">Data privacy issues</keyword> and increasing online fraud have turned out to be the most significant hurdle in the growth of e-commerce in India. It becomes imperative to educate users on the safe use of e-commerce platforms," the survey said. The survey mentioned that India's e-commerce market has gained significant momentum during the past few years, owing to technological advancements, evolving new-age business models coupled with government initiatives like the Digital India program, UPI, One District - One Product (ODOP), Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), new foreign trade policy, easing of FDI limits and Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules 2021. It has identified data privacy and <keyword id="19906883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cybersecurity" source="keywords">cybersecurity</keyword> as critical concerns in the <keyword id="22505776" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digitisation-of-services" source="keywords">digitisation of services</keyword> in the country and called for adopting strong security measures, compliance with privacy regulations, and innovation, among others. "Data privacy and cybersecurity have become critical concerns with the increasing digitisation of services," according to the survey. It said that the government is spearheading data protection laws and cybersecurity policies to safeguard consumer data and strengthen cybersecurity measures in the services sector. "To further embrace technology with confidence, ensuring the adoption of strong security measures, compliance with privacy regulations, and fostering innovation in security technologies are essential," the survey noted. It said the future of e-commerce is built on the enhanced <keyword id="20290101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="user-experience" source="keywords">user experience</keyword> through <keyword id="19899640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI" source="keywords">AI</keyword>, seamless <keyword id="21332958" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-payment-methods" source="keywords">digital payment methods</keyword>, innovations like UPI, and business engineering data analytics for business operations and enhancements. The survey mentioned that the buyer ecosystem in India is evolving at a very sharp rate, and business models will need to innovate to serve the needs of a diverse shopper base regarding service expectations, price sensitivity and language requirements. "Local language platforms are needed as the shopper base expands to tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Growing startups and innovative social media platforms provide an opportunity to test unique business models that might be targeted to specific demographic cohorts," the survey said.

Data privacy issues, online frauds emerging as e-commerce growth hurdles: Eco Survey

Artificial intelligence is the buzzword in today's times and more and more companies are investing in the AI space. While there are big players like Nvidia, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Apple, other companies are also hopping on the bandwagon. <keyword id="20128940" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Salesforce" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Salesforce" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Salesforce">Salesforce</keyword>, the cloud-based software giant, is also a part of the <keyword id="21041186" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-race" source="keywords">AI race</keyword>. According to a report in Reuters, the company recently announced its plans to <keyword id="20312439" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="acquire" source="keywords">acquire</keyword> <keyword id="23031429" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tenyx" source="keywords">Tenyx</keyword>, a <keyword id="19913824" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="startup" source="keywords">startup</keyword> that specialises in artificial intelligence-powered voice agents. The acquisition, for which the financial terms have not been disclosed, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year. Upon completion, Tenyx’s co-founders, Chief Executive Officer Itamar Arel and Chief Technology Officer Adam Earle, along with their team, will be integrated into Salesforce. Founded in 2022 and based in California, Tenyx has carved a niche for itself by providing AI voice solutions across various industries, including e-commerce, healthcare, hospitality, and travel. The startup’s innovative approach has made it a valuable asset for Salesforce as the company seeks to strengthen its AI-driven offerings. This acquisition represents a significant step in Salesforce’s broader strategy to enhance its technological capabilities and reignite revenue growth. The move comes after a period of scrutiny from activist investors, which led Salesforce to announce last year its intention to double share buybacks and step back from its aggressive acquisition strategy. At that time, Salesforce had even disbanded its mergers and acquisitions committee, signalling a shift in focus. However, the acquisition of Tenyx indicates that Salesforce is now revisiting strategic acquisitions as a means to accelerate growth. The acquisition also mirrors recent moves by other major technology companies as they compete for AI talent and tools. Earlier this year, Microsoft acquired the AI startup Inflection for $650 million, while <keyword id="19904608" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amazon" source="keywords">Amazon</keyword> bolstered its AI capabilities by hiring co-founders and key employees from another AI startup, Adept, in June. These deals underscore the intensifying competition within the tech industry to secure a foothold in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence. Salesforce’s decision to pursue this acquisition comes on the heels of a strong financial performance in the second quarter, where the company surpassed Wall Street’s expectations for both revenue and profit. The growth was primarily driven by increased expenditure on Salesforce’s enterprise cloud products, highlighting the ongoing demand for robust cloud solutions. As Salesforce integrates Tenyx into its operations, the company is likely to leverage Tenyx’s expertise to further refine its AI-driven services, potentially leading to new product developments and enhanced customer experiences. The acquisition also signals Salesforce’s recognition of the growing importance of AI in the future of enterprise technology. With AI increasingly becoming a cornerstone of business operations across industries, Salesforce’s investment in Tenyx positions it well to remain competitive in a market where innovation and advanced technological capabilities are key to long-term success.

Salesforce joins the AI race, announces plans to acquire AI startup Tenyx

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Adtech startups face leadership changes as investors demand growth and profitability.</li><li>Private-equity firms are looking for adtech startups to achieve scale.</li></ul>Close observers of the adtech industry will have noticed there's been a heap of change in the upper ranks of the sector's startups in recent months — especially those <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/private-equity-firms-investing-in-advertising-and-marketing-companies-2024-3">financed by private equity</a>.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.xr.global/press-releases/xr-announces-strategic-leadership-changes-to-accelerate-growth">Louisa Wong stepped down</a> as chief executive of Gamut Capital-owned XR Xtreme Reach in August. She was replaced in the interim by Chandler Bigelow, the company's chief financial officer. Doug Knopper, an investor in the company, was appointed executive chairman, while adtech veteran Jo Kinsella was promoted to global president and chief operating officer.In July, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.adexchanger.com/online-advertising/triplelift-ceo-dave-clark-abruptly-exits-after-setting-the-ssp-on-a-new-trajectory/">Dave Clark left his role as chief executive of Triplelift</a>. His responsibilities were split among an "office of the CEO," led by Eric Roza, a managing director at its lead investor, Vista Equity.At the turn of the year, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.axios.com/pro/media-deals/2024/01/04/videoamp-ceo-out-layoffs">VideoAmp CEO Ross McCray exited</a>, passing the reins to board member and investor Peter Liguori, now executive chairman. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/10/01/videoamp-media-measrement-nielsen-sale">Axios reported this month, citing multiple sources, that the company is now pursuing a sale</a>, with its investor Vista Credit Partners reportedly leading some of those discussions.Each of the changes comes with its own company-specific nuance, but experts said there are broader industry trends that link them. Those experts — bankers, adtech executives, and consultants — told Business Insider that the revolving door is likely to continue over the next six months as investors press adtech companies for growth.It marks the next stage of evolution for the adtech industry. With the digital ad market largely dominated by tech giants Google, Amazon, and Meta, independent adtech companies are forced to find new ways to compete over the remaining scraps. The small and medium-sized startups still duking it out are now entering their operator era."Automation, AI, and the optimization of corporate structures will mean that only the lean, mean companies are going to end up gaining market share and be in a position to win," said Chris Karl, chief business development officer at the M&amp;A advisory firm JEGI Clarity.<h2 id="fd8233e1-0d16-4bc2-8b40-8db1559a0af4">Adtech valuations have come back down to earth, but PE investors still want scale</h2>Private-equity firms such as Vista, GTCR, and Blackstone have been increasingly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/private-equity-firms-investing-in-advertising-and-marketing-companies-2024-3">active investors in the adtech space</a>, leading a flurry of deals between 2021 and 2022.There were 784 PE or PE-sponsored transactions in the media and marketing space in 2021, up 96% from the prior year, according to the advisory firm Ciesco. That number rose to 874 in 2022 and lowered slightly to 786 in 2023, per Ciesco.Now, a few years have passed, and leadership changes are to be expected, given historic PE investment cycles, said Mark Wright, a veteran tech investor and executive, who now leads the M&amp;A strategic advisory practice at Prohaska Consulting. Founding teams make way for more experienced operators who can take the company to the next level, he said."Although there are exceptions to the rule, there are very few founding teams that are marvelous at groundbreaking innovation that can successfully make the transition to managing and operating at scale," Wright said.Public and private valuations of adtech companies have dropped dramatically since 2021, the height of the zero-interest-rate period when there was a rise in digital ad spending and a slew of adtech IPOs. Tougher macroeconomic conditions in the years since put a strain on consumer spending and marketing budgets, cooling the markets and M&amp;A activity."Some of the changes you're seeing are indicative of a two-year cycle post-COVID where things are back to normal, or the new normal," Karl of JEGI Clarity said. "Where company performance could be tied to events that were out of their control a couple of years ago, that excuse no longer suffices. Investors want growth."Meeting growth expectations has been a challenge for some companies. JEGI Clarity, which, alongside CIL Management Consultants, conducted a survey of 25 marketing services agency leaders this summer, heard from multiple CEOs who said 2022 and 2023 were some of the most difficult operating environments of their careers.Those surveyed said they were more optimistic about 2024 now that rates have stabilized and clients are less risk-averse with their marketing budgets. Almost three-quarters (70%) of respondents in the study said that their margins had remained stable or increased this year.<h2 id="7a33b071-67d8-4249-828a-d18e4d17a037">CTV is adtech's bright spot – but it's complicated</h2>Despite a rising global advertising market that is expected to surpass $1 trillion in spending next year, not all adtech vendors are positioned to reap the rewards.Take the connected TV space. It's one of the fastest-growing ad channels in the US, with spending expected to grow 13.3% and cross $30 billion in 2025, according to Emarketer. The change in viewing patterns and forecast ad spend attracted investor interest in adtech companies that had a strong position in CTV.<div type="image" title="Emarketer US TV CTV ad spend chart" height="1466" width="1410" msid="114016955" hostid="261" sizebytes="114730"></div>However, much of the recent growth in CTV advertising is being driven by platforms like YouTube and Amazon Prime Video — so-called walled gardens that don't integrate third-party adtech vendors such as buying platforms and exchanges.CTV is also a lower-margin channel for adtech vendors than traditional online display, where up to half of every dollar spent on ads gets gobbled up by vendors like demand-side platforms, ad exchanges, ad servers, measurement vendors, and data brokers."In network TV, those supply chain costs are in the 15% level — you have to take 50% and squeeze it down to 15%," Prohaska's Wright said. "It's going to put a real emphasis on operating at scale and put a pressure on margins."As TV viewing grew fragmented, several adtech companies that took on investment in recent years positioned themselves as rivals to ratings giant Nielsen. These firms are jockeying to become the go-to companies for tracking audiences or to become the universal <a target="_blank" href="https://www.adexchanger.com/adexplainer/adexplainer-tv-measurement-vs-tv-currency/">currency</a> used to buy TV and video ads.But Nielsen still hasn't been unseated. And Walmart's acquisition of TV manufacturer Vizio — from which many adtech vendors license viewing data derived from its tens of millions of TV sets — could signal further trouble ahead if the grocery giant doesn't renew those contracts when they expire.With the Walmart-Vizio deal front of mind, adtech companies and investors are likely to turn their attention to retail media, where ads are placed on e-commerce sites. Retail media is also growing at a clip, with almost every retailer and app owner now also operating an ad business.The increasing complexity for advertisers offers opportunities for adtech companies to innovate. Though, while around $1 in every $7 US ad dollars is expected to go to the space this year, according to Emarketer, retail media is largely dominated by Amazon.There's also some executive shuffling happening in the retail media ranks: Megan Clarken, who leads the publicly traded adtech company <a target="_blank" href="https://digiday.com/media-buying/criteo-seeks-new-chief-executive-after-megan-clarken-announces-pending-exit/">Criteo</a>, said she plans to step down within the next year once her successor is found.Many industry observers expect more adtech management upheaval ahead, as well as a further consolidation of the sector once the intense fourth-quarter holiday period is over."You will see more heavy-handed PE involvement primarily because the M&amp;A market hasn't been great and people sat on the sidelines," said Domenic Venuto, COO of investment bank Progress Partners and soon-to-be chief of product and data at media agency Horizon Media."The market can only sustain so many of these companies that have grown to be quite sizable but are now hitting their upper limits," he said.

Adtech is undergoing an exec shake-up as investors seize control and startups enter a new era

Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> on Tuesday announced abolishing <keyword id="20279287" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="angel-tax" source="keywords">angel tax</keyword> for all classes of investors in <keyword id="19945815" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups" source="keywords">startups</keyword>. In her Budget speech, she also announced various changes with respect to tax rates for e-commerce players and certain financial instruments in the context of long-term capital gains. "First of all, to bolster the Indian startup eco-system, boost the entrepreneurial spirit and support innovation, I propose to <keyword id="20469312" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="abolish" source="keywords">abolish</keyword> the so-called angel tax for all classes of investors," she said. The removal of the angel tax is expected to be a boost for startups as it will help in promoting a more conducive environment for them. Sitharaman also proposed to thoroughly simplify the I-T provisions for reopening and reassessment to reduce uncertainty and disputes. "An assessment hereinafter can be reopened beyond three years from the end of the assessment year only if the escaped income is Rs 50 lakh or more, up to a maximum period of five years from the end of the assessment year. "Even in search cases, a time limit of six years before the year of search, as against the existing time limit of ten years, is proposed. This will reduce tax-uncertainty and disputes," she said. Further, she said long-term gains on financial and non-financial assets will attract a tax rate of 12.5 per cent while the TDS rate will be reduced to 0.1 per cent from 1 per cent for e-commerce operators. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2024-25-changes-to-tax-slabs-increased-standard-deduction-and-other-changes-to-direct-taxation/articleshow/111951205.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2024-25-changes-to-tax-slabs-increased-standard-deduction-and-other-changes-to-direct-taxation/articleshow/111951205.cms" target="_blank">Budget 2024-25 – Changes to tax slabs, increased standard deduction and other changes to direct taxation</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" target="_blank">Budget 2024 Live Updates: FM Sitharaman announces comprehensive review of the Income Tax Act 1961</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024-25: How will this budget impact you?</a>

Govt to abolish angel tax on investments in startups

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Clay supports revenue operations and growth teams to automate outreach to potential customers.</li><li>The company last raised a $46 million Series B at a $500 million valuation led by Meritech in June.</li></ul>Clay, the AI-powered sales startup, is set to be valued at $1.3 billion in a new insider funding round, two sources told Business Insider.Founded in 2017, Clay <a target="_blank" href="https://www.clay.com/blog/clay-raises-62m-to-turn-any-growth-idea-into-reality">last raised</a> a $46 million Series B at a $500 million valuation, which was led by Meritech Capital in June. Sequoia Capital, First Round Capital, Box Group, and Boldstart Ventures participated in that round.Details of the latest funding round are not yet finalized, and the figures involved are subject to change.According to its website, Clay supports revenue operations and aids growth teams to automate outreach to potential customers. The company helps go-to-market teams build a sales lead list with enriched customer data. With over 75 data providers, Clay helps its customers tailor outreach with more detailed information on potential customers such as a company's headcount and its fundraising history.Clay's AI agent also supports research around prospects. The "Claygent" can answer questions about target companies based on company domains, such as details about its competitors. Clay's AI messaging tool can then help sales teams send tailored outbound messages to prospective customers.The company lists <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/here-are-the-executives-running-anthropic-right-now-2024-10">Anthropic</a>, Notion, Vanta, Ramp, and Intercom as customers on its website.In response to a request for comment from Business Insider, Clay CEO Kareem Amin said, "We cannot confirm these details as no term sheet has been issued or signed."Before founding Clay, Amin was the vice president of product at The Wall Street Journal. He also successfully sold his e-commerce optimization startup, Frame, to Sailthru, a marketing personalization startup, and became the latter company's director of engineering. Clay's cofounder, Varun Anand, is the head of operations and previously worked at startups Newfront and Candid.Clay is not the only company building in this category. Apollo, a sales intelligence startup, raised a $100 million Series D led by Bain Capital Ventures at a $1.6 billion valuation last year. Other startups include Thrive-backed Unify, and Lusha, valued at $1.5 billion.

AI sales startup Clay is raising a new funding round at a $1.3 billion valuation, sources say 

Hitting a hattrick of 6’s to dazzle the crowd hasn’t been the only cool thing <keyword id="6354832" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="MS-dhoni" source="Orion">MS Dhoni</keyword> has been up to of late. The Indian cricketing legend continues to make waves off the pitch in many ways, one of which involves investing in interesting and impactful <keyword id="20067715" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="start-up" source="keywords">start-up</keyword> projects. His latest venture involves an undisclosed investment in <keyword id="20656950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-cycle" source="keywords">electric cycle</keyword> manufacturer <keyword id="20835176" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="EMotorad" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="EMotorad" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="EMotorad">EMotorad</keyword>. In addition to his financial backing, <keyword id="19896463" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Dhoni" source="keywords">Dhoni</keyword> is set to serve as the <keyword id="21321553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="brand-endorser" source="keywords">brand endorser</keyword> for the company, further solidifying his role in shaping its future direction. Expressing his excitement for this venture, Dhoni commented: “The future is in our hands. We are in an era where innovation plays a huge role in shaping sustainable solutions, and I’m a fan of new-age companies that build these. EMotorad stands at the forefront of shaping the future of mobility, and I am thrilled to be a part of this journey!” <keyword id="20835175" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kunal-Gupta" source="keywords">Kunal Gupta</keyword>, founder and chief executive of EMotorad, expressed confidence that MS Dhoni's association with the brand will significantly boost awareness and trust in the e-biking sector. He told ET: “There is no one better and more reliable than Dhoni who resonates with what our brand stands for, an avid biker himself.” <div type="twitter" handle="e_motorad" handlename="e_motorad" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1776119471704608843"></div> This Pune-based startup now joins a growing list of startups that are part of Dhoni's diverse portfolio, which includes ventures spanning various sectors such as fitness, technology, automotive and digital solutions. As per The Economic Times, notable among his investments are Bengaluru-based fitness startup Tagda Raho, digital lending platform Khatabook, and Gurugram-based used car retailer Cars24. Founded in 2020 by Kunal Gupta, Rajib Gangopadhyay, Aditya Oza and Sumedh Battewar, EMotorad has rapidly gained traction in the Indian e-cycle market, capturing a 65% share. With a focus on cutting-edge technology and strategic partnerships, the company aims to revolutionise transportation by offering high-quality and value-driven solutions. Back in November 2023, EMotorad demonstrated its growth potential by securing substantial funding worth Rs 164 crore in a Series B round led by Panthera Growth Partners. It has raised a total of $20 million in equity thus far. The company boasts a network of more than 350 dealers nationwide, along with over 10 experience centres. Despite its strong foundation in India, its reach spans across eight countries, demonstrating its global presence and influence. Offline dominance aside, EMotorad also leverages online platforms to reach a wider audience, including e-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart. In the fiscal year ending March 2024, EMotorad reported sales of Rs 140 crore, a notable increase from Rs 115 crore the previous year. Looking ahead to FY25, the company targets sales of Rs 270 crore, with approximately Rs 130 crore stemming from domestic markets and the remainder anticipated from regions like the US and Europe. With plans underway for a new factory and the development of innovative e-cycle designs, EMotorad is poised for further expansion. By diversifying its product range, expanding its market reach, and now partnering with one of the most beloved sporting figures in the country, the company is fully committed to solidifying its position as a leader in the evolving mobility landscape. (With inputs from The Economic Times)

Dhoni goes electric: Former team India captain invests in affordable e-bike start-up EMotorad

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider is compiling a list of the leading startups boosting social commerce in the US.</li><li>We want to hear from you on the companies best positioned to help social shopping take off.</li></ul>The age of social shopping is here. Or at least, the top social platforms hope it is.YouTube has introduced a variety of commerce features in recent months, making shopping a centerpiece of its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-takeaways-from-vidcon-creator-economy-influencer-conference-anaheim-2023-6#social-shopping-took-center-stage-3">VidCon presentation</a> in June. TikTok rolled out its dedicated shopping product to US users earlier this month after testing the feature for nearly a year. And Pinterest is similarly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/pinterest-pins-its-hopes-on-shopping">making social commerce</a> a top focus.The aim for many of these companies is to replicate the success of social shopping in Asia, where in-app commerce features and livestream influencer sellers help drive tens of billions in product sales each year.With that lofty goal in mind, TikTok and other platforms are leaning on third-party startups to help guide brands, merchants, and influencers on how to succeed in social shopping.Insider is compiling a list of these upstarts who specialize in areas like livestream selling, commerce logistics, and other areas unique to the social-shopping space.We want to hear your thoughts. What are the companies that are best positioned to help social shopping succeed in the US? Please submit nominations for the list through <a target="_blank" href="https://forms.gle/tS3PYESRp18NSzGEA">this form</a> (or below) by October 4:

Seeking nominations for the top social-shopping startups powering the next wave of e-commerce 

The e-commerce market in India is projected to increase significantly to over USD 300 billion by 2030 as the country's <keyword id="20107419" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-economy" source="keywords">digital economy</keyword> is set to reach a whopping USD 1 billion by the same year. According to <keyword id="19918506" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Invest-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Invest India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Invest India">Invest India</keyword>, India's online shopper base will be the 2nd largest globally by 2030, with nearly 500-600 Mn shoppers. Even now, India has the 2nd largest Internet user-base globally with 881 million users. India is moving towards becoming a dominant force in global e-commerce by 2030, driven by a growing digital economy and an expanding internet user base. The data from the investment promotion and facilitation agency Invest India from shows India taking the lead in <keyword id="19957108" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-shopping" source="keywords">online shopping</keyword>, the e-commerce sector in India is valued at USD 70 billion at present. This makes up for just around 7 percent of the total retail market in the country. However, several factors are likely to contribute a bright future outlook for the sector. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Growing internet penetration and digital economy" comment="subhead" text="Growing internet penetration and digital economy">Growing <keyword id="20707509" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="internet-penetration" source="keywords">internet penetration</keyword> and digital economy</cmsannotation> Internet penetration across has seen substantial growth, with over 60% of the Indian population (918 million) using the internet by September 2023. Further, an estimated 87 percent of Indian households are projected to have internet access as early as 2025. The time spent accessing the internet via mobile devices has also increased by 21 percent compared to 2019. The affordability of data prices in India is a key factor, with one gigabyte of data priced at around USD 0.17 (Rs 13.5), encouraging a large portion of the population to go online. <keyword id="21457667" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-data-traffic" source="keywords">Mobile data traffic</keyword> has tripled from 2018 to 2023, demonstrating the growing dependence on <keyword id="19979951" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-platforms" source="keywords">digital platforms</keyword> for diverse requirements. It is projected that by 2026, 1.18 billion people across the country will have access to smartphones, over 80% of India's population. The increasing number of smartphone users along with higher average data consumption per user, boosts the digital economy. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has become a major player in digital payments, handling transactions worth USD 1.5 trillion in 2022. There has been a significant increase in the availability of local language and mobile-first content, with about 73 percent of India's internet users utilizing Indian languages. As a result, there is an estimated regional language user base of 540 million, creating a market worth USD 53 billion. Digital infrastructure like UPI, eKYC, and Aadhaar has cut down the consumer onboarding time by 80 percent, enhancing the digital experience. The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is another notable initiative by the Government of India, launched in 2022. It aims to provide equal opportunities to MSMEs to thrive in digital commerce and democratize e-commerce. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="A transition along with growth" comment="subhead" text="A transition along with growth">A transition along with growth</cmsannotation> In FY 2022-23, Government e-marketplace (GeM) registered its highest ever Gross Merchandise Value of $2011 Bn, shows data from Invest India. The projected growth in online shoppers in India is substantial, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22 percent to 88 million in rural India and 15 percent to 263 million in urban India from 2019 to 2026. There is a notable transition towards rural-focused value e-commerce, with more than 60 percent of demand anticipated to come from tier 2-4 towns and rural India by 2026. Government programs such as the National Logistics Policy are designed to streamline deliveries to remote areas, improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of logistics. The quick commerce market in India's hyperlocal mobility sector is also projected to grow exponentially to achieve a market size of USD 5.5 billion by 2025. Leading companies like Swiggy and Zomato are at the forefront of the market, while startups like Zepto are also gaining substantial market share. <keyword id="20873923" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="social-commerce" source="keywords">Social commerce</keyword>, a new trend that uses social networks and digital media to connect buyers and sellers, is also projected to achieve a market size of USD 70 billion by 2030, with small video applications gaining significant popularity. Significant mergers and acquisitions have been observed in the e-commerce sector, with companies such as Zomato and PhonePe making strategic decisions to enhance their positions. Government schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana, BharatNet Project, and the implementation of Goods &amp; Service Tax (GST) have been instrumental in shaping India's digital economy. (With inputs from ANI)

India's e-commerce market set to skyrocket as the country's digital economy surges to USD 1 Trillion by 2030

The Indian <keyword id="761780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-commerce-market" source="Orion">e-commerce market</keyword> has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, driven by factors such as increased internet penetration, smartphone adoption, digital payments, and changing consumer behaviour. This growth has created opportunities for livelihoods and has been supported by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector, which plays a crucial role in India’s economy. Contributing significantly to employment generation, economic growth, and poverty reduction, MSMEs hold immense potential. The <keyword id="44734" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-government" source="Orion">Indian government</keyword>'s initiatives, such as "<keyword id="6354869" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="make-in-india" source="Orion">Make in India</keyword>" and "Startup India", and the ₹1,700-crore allocation in the budget for MSMEs’ digital infrastructure to fuel growth in these enterprises, have been in the right direction. In the grand scheme of India's retail fabric, <keyword id="35621" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="e-commerce" source="Orion">e-commerce</keyword> is only warming up. However, its potential to revolutionise how we buy and sell is an indisputable fact.The Emergence of E-commerce in India and the industry trendThe dawn of Internet accessibility fanned the flames for online trade in India. From books to electronics, gadgets to fashion wear — Indian consumers suddenly had a vast digital marketplace at their fingertips. Amid this e-commerce bull run, Flipkart emerged as a trustworthy platform for millions of customers that catered to the evolving demands of Indian consumers.With incessant tech advancements and evolving consumer behaviours, the e-commerce landscape is constantly shifting. Convenience, transparency, and personalisation will be major driving forces transforming how we buy and sell online.India’s <a href="https://www.bain.com/insights/how-india-shops-online-2022-report/">online shopper base</a> is estimated to increase to 400–450 million by 2027. 50 million new shoppers were added to the Indian e-retail market, which is ~35% growth over the online shopper base in 2020. New shoppers majorly belong to tier-3 or smaller cities and include Gen Z, a critical cohort that typically starts buying at entry price points. 3 out of 5 shoppers belong to tier-2 or smaller cities, 1 in 3 shoppers belong to low-to-middle income segments, and 1 in 3 shoppers is Gen-Z. Consumers now spend 20% more time per month on a retail platform vs last year.Flipkart’s impact on India’s e-commerce landscapeFlipkart, a homegrown marketplace platform, has been at the forefront of this transformative journey, <keyword id="65467" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="empowering" source="Orion">empowering</keyword> MSMEs and driving inclusive economic growth in the country. Given that more than 95% of MSMEs in India are micro in nature, a ready-to-go platform that Flipkart provides is immensely crucial to market the products coming out of Make in India and help them become small-to-medium in nature. Indeed, through its innovative approach and steadfast commitment to inclusion, Flipkart is inspiring a new cadre of entrepreneurs while playing an instrumental role in harnessing the true potential of India’s e-commerce maze. Today it stands as more than an e-commerce company – it’s a catalyst reshaping India's retail ecology.Over the last 15 years, Flipkart has been a transformative force in India’s e-commerce landscape.●It has driven the rapid growth of the online marketplace.●It has helped businesses embrace digital technology to increase their reach and profits.●It has contributed to economic development by enhancing India's global competitiveness.With a remarkable 220% seller growth on the platform since last year, Flipkart has earned the trust of over 14 lakh sellers— reflecting the faith that Indian MSMEs, small businesses, and enterprises have in their capabilities. Flipkart, with a registered user base of 500Mn+is well-positioned to cater to these emerging customer preferences.By bringing meaningful market opportunities to MSMEs and small businesses, Flipkart has helped promote inclusive growth by creating job opportunities, empowering women, and enabling entrepreneurship among disadvantaged sections of society.Empowering rural entrepreneurs MSMEs especially have a big role to play in providing employment opportunities, income generation, and skill development in rural areas, thereby uplifting local economies and reducing regional disparities. Flipkart, too, has been playing its part – it launched the Flipkart Samarth Program in 2019 to build a sustainable and inclusive platform for under-served domestic communities, with a special focus on uplifting and onboarding artisans, weavers, women-led enterprises, and people with disabilities.Flipkart isn't only changing how it does business; it's also making change happen in society:1.Inclusive growth: Flipkart promotes widespread prosperity by offering new opportunities to MSMEs and small businesses.2.Creating jobs: The platform supports countless livelihoods across the country.3.Empowering women: Flipkart believes in smashing glass ceilings, and its platform facilitates female entrepreneurship.4.Supporting the disadvantaged: Through its operations, Flipkart aims to uplift marginalised sections of society. Under the Samarth program, rural entrepreneurs from across the country are onboarded to the platform by securing multiple strategic engagements with state and central ministries, departments, livelihood missions, NGO partners, and entities across the country. To date, Samarth has reached out to sellers across 28 states, grown its seller entity base by 300% over the last year and has also helped entities &amp; businesses grow by 300%. By bringing millions of ambitious entrepreneurs access to a pan-India market, Flipkart Samarth is impacting more than 1.5 million livelihoods nationwide today. Paving the path for inclusive economic growthSupporting the development of MSMEs is crucial to ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth, poverty alleviation and bridging the rural-urban divide. Thus, as India's e-commerce market continues to evolve, the collaboration between platforms like Flipkart and MSMEs will be pivotal in shaping a thriving and inclusive digital economy. Disclaimer: This article is authored by Rakesh Krishnan, Vice President and Head of marketplace, Flipkart. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Business Insider India.

Empowering India's e-commerce market

<ul><li>The Times 100 <keyword id="17778773" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="most-influential-companies" source="Orion">most influential companies</keyword> of 2023 list has been divided in five sub categories.</li><li>Polygon Labs, a company founded by Sandeep Nailwal and Jaynti Kanani, of Indian origin, has made it to the list too.</li><li>Elon Musk owned SpaceX and language learning app Duolingo are featured in the Leader category</li></ul> There is good news and not so good news. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks' Association (IBA) 2008 launched National Payments Corporation of India or the <keyword id="193629" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="npci" source="Orion">NPCI</keyword> has featured in the <keyword id="518661" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="times-list" source="Orion">Times list</keyword> of top-100 influential companies. What more? Another youngster, Meesho, founded only in 2015, has made it too. The not so good news? These are the only two on the list. NCPI is a non-profit umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India. NPCI owns and operates the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and is also in charge of the RuPay payment system, which works like Visa and MasterCard. Recently, it has created a separate subsidiary to take its product to the global market. According to media reports, it is in talks with Gulf nations, including Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, to expand its UPI service. Meanwhile, e-commerce platform Meesho, which specialises in retail distribution, has also made it to the coveted list. A few weeks earlier, a report by mobile data analytics provider data.a, Meesho became the fastest shopping app to cross 500 million cumulative downloads. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The categorisation and the notable mentions" comment="subhead" text="The categorisation and the notable mentions">The categorisation and the notable mentions</cmsannotation> The list has been divided in five sub categories – leaders, disruptors, innovators, titans and pioneers. NPCI and Meesho both have been mentioned under the ‘Pioneers’. The Titans section has big powerhouses such as IBM, JPMorgan Chase, Lockheed Martin etc. An interesting name in this list is TikTok. Footwear brand Crocs and Polygon Labs, founded by Sandeep Nailwal and Jaynti Kanani, of Indian origin, have been mentioned in the Innovators section. Elon Musk owned SpaceX, language learning app Duolingo and gaming chipmaker Nvidia are the quick noticeable names under the Leader category.

You Searched For "Ecommerce startups" and got 12 results

E-commerce startup Bolt wants to raise new money under aggressive terms that could make its once-ousted founder rich, reports say

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You Searched For "Ecommerce startups" and got 12 results

E-commerce startup Bolt wants to raise new money under aggressive terms that could make its once-ousted founder rich, reports say

Shubhangi Goel

India’s e-commerce boom: Gen Z, small cities, and self-care trends on the rise, says Meesho

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Data privacy issues, online frauds emerging as e-commerce growth hurdles: Eco Survey

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Salesforce joins the AI race, announces plans to acquire AI startup Tenyx

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AI sales startup Clay is raising a new funding round at a $1.3 billion valuation, sources say

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Dhoni goes electric: Former team India captain invests in affordable e-bike start-up EMotorad

Kunal Kambli

Seeking nominations for the top social-shopping startups powering the next wave of e-commerce

Dan Whateley,Marta Biino

India's e-commerce market set to skyrocket as the country's digital economy surges to USD 1 Trillion by 2030

BI India Bureau

Empowering India's e-commerce market

Rakesh Krishnan

UPI parent body and this e-commerce startup are on Times list of top-100 influential companies

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Lara O'Reilly