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Aragen on Monday said it has secured USD 100 million investment from private equity fund Quadria Capital. The investment will result in Quadria acquiring a minority stake in Aragen, at a valuation of around USD 1.4 billion, primarily through a fresh capital infusion, with a small portion from the sale of shares by existing investors, the company said in a statement.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. From educational toys to healthy snacks, consumer brands are tapping into a fast-growing opportunity in children’s products, driven by modern parents’ willingness to invest in high-quality, safe, and innovative offerings. Brands such as Peak XV-backed toy maker Skillmatics, kids apparel-focused Includ, and entertainment firm Green Gold have seen their businesses grow due to interest in a fairly underserved category, the founders told Mint. Skillmatics’ global revenue touched nearly ₹500 crore in 2024 while its India business doubled in the same period compared to the previous year, its founder and chief executive Dhvanil Sheth said.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. In today’s competitive financial landscape, banks are rethinking their approach to marketing. DBS Bank, ranked as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (Asean) most valuable bank brand for the 18th straight year last year, has adopted a unique storytelling-led strategy to stand out.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The Maha Kumbh 2025 is more than just a spiritual gathering; it’s shaping up to be a mega stage where tradition meets trade, where faith drives footfalls, and where brands have a rare chance to leave a lasting imprint on millions. With a turnout of 400-450 million devotees expected, this isn’t just an event—it’s a marketer’s dream playground.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform ended 2024 on a high, posting record transactions in December both in terms of value and volume.

Prashant Pitti, co-founder of EaseMyTrip, recently shared a significant milestone on LinkedIn: his 'Founder's Office' job listing for his fintech startup, Optimo, has received an overwhelming 4,344 applications. In his post, Pitti expressed his surprise, writing, «Overwhelming to see 4344 folks have applied so far to work directly with me to change India's MSME lending landscape.» While Pitti is widely known for his role in the travel industry with EaseMyTrip, this job listing is for his latest venture, Optimo, a fintech startup focused on reshaping small and medium enterprise (SME) lending. Unlike his travel company, this startup is centered around providing innovative digital solutions for MSMEs, especially through its digital property-loan product. Pitti, along with investors Blume Ventures and Omnivore VC, is committed to developing the company’s growth. The listing for Optimo’s 'Founder’s Office' positions is for their office based in HSR Bangalore, where they are actively seeking ambitious individuals with a knack for deep thinking and multiple-project management. «You will get to see & learn on how large-scale companies are built directly, while working on multiple projects at the same time,» Pitti wrote in the job description. Optimo is aiming to build an industry-changing platform, with plans to expand rapidly across India.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. A messy tech breakup between the US and China is forcing a rethink about what the industry might look like for consumers in a decoupled world. Last week, the Pentagon blacklisted internet and gaming giant Tencent Holdings Ltd for alleged links to China’s People’s Liberation Army.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is not only short of an adequate number of aircraft to protect our skies, but will see its capabilities weaken over time, unless corrective action is taken immediately. In my estimate, a significant proportion of IAF’s fighter aircraft fleet is down due to a shortage of Russian spares, and the rest are sparingly used to ensure that they don’t fly into a spares crunch.

virtual digital assets (VDA) has been a rollercoaster. From skepticism to cautious exploration, the narrative has shifted significantly in recent years. As the global virtual digital assets market matures, it’s crucial for India to embrace a well-defined regulatory framework that nurtures innovation while safeguarding the interests of all stakeholders.

Data centres have gone far beyond being simple storage facilities; they have become powerful hubs driving innovation and enabling the rapid growth of global businesses and economies. This transformation is driven by the massive increase in data, and as AI becomes integral to modern operations, enterprises must evaluate whether their current data centre infrastructure can handle the complex demands of AI-driven workloads. One question that’s often asked is: How do hyperscale data centres differ from traditional data centres? While both are digital infrastructures, the difference lies in scale, efficiency and purpose.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said that indigenisation has no point when it is confined to nuts and bolts. Stressing the spirit to innovate and to engage in research, he said it must be inflamed in students in schools and colleges. The Vice President was speaking at the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) R&D Award ceremony here that was attended by Governor of Karnataka Thaawarchand Gehlot, and BEL CMD Manoj Jain among others. «From a global perspective, if you look, our patent contribution leaves much to be desired. When it comes to research, the research has to be authentic. The research has to be cutting-edge. The research has to be practical. The research must change the ground reality. There is no use having research which goes a little beyond surface sketching. Your research must correlate with the change you seek to bring about,» Dhankar said.

Kochi Water Metro, efforts are on to replicate the eco-friendly and innovative water transport model in 18 locations nationwide, Kochi Metro Rail Ltd said. KMRL, which operates and maintains the water metro, said that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has assigned it the task of conducting a feasibility study to assess the potential for similar water metro systems in diverse regions. «With the recent approval of its Board of Directors to form a consultancy wing, KMRL has formed an in-house committee to lead the initial work. If needed, external experts will be brought in to strengthen the process,» it said in a release on Saturday. This new initiative is a proud recognition for Kerala, KMRL innovation and expertise, it added.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Deep Bajaj, 42, co-founder of femtech brand Sirona Hygiene, doesn’t make new year resolutions.

Syrma SGS has signed a pact with Taiwanese PC brand MSI to manufacture laptops for the Indian market. As part of the agreement, Syrma will assemble laptops for MSI at its Chennai facility. The company will be taking a phased approach to localise manufacturing for MSI in India, starting with assembly with a technology transfer from MSI, the company said in a statement Friday. «It not only bolsters our IT hardware manufacturing portfolio but also underscores our ability to deliver high-quality, innovative solutions that meet the needs of global leaders like MSI,» said Satendra Singh, CEO, Syrma SGS.

creative careers are not as viable as other career paths like medicine and tech. They are often dismissed as hobbies and passion projects that lack financial stability, with the struggles of freelancers and artists further perpetuating such beliefs. However, what we tend to often overlook is the long-term success that follows the initial struggle. Having said that, the times are changing. With digitalization, global platforms, innovation, and technology brewing new partnerships, the creative economy is registering unprecedented growth, opening doors for several lucrative opportunities in areas like content creation, design, and branding. So, for those envisioning a creative career, here are 4 myths you need to stop believing to taste success.

immigration policy: the H-1B visa for college-educated foreigners. Proponents say the visa is an essential but insufficient pipeline of global talent for hard-to-fill jobs — jobs that have long been part of the lifeblood of the American economy. Critics say visa holders are stealing jobs from American workers and driving down wages. The profanities both sides have lobbed across social media obscure their agreement that the H-1B program isn’t working as well as it should. Created in 1990, the H-1B is an employer-sponsored visa that authorizes foreigners with “highly specialized knowledge” to work in the US for up to six years. Tech companies and IT consultancies rank among the top recipients. Every year, a government lottery awards 65,000 slots to applicants with an undergraduate degree and another 20,000 to those with advanced degrees (universities and nonprofits are exempt from these caps). The private-sector allocation is typically filled within days. ALSO READ: TCS, Infosys & other Indian-origin tech firms corner 1/5th of H-1B visas issued by US

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Temperance in the world of cocktails implies drinking with restraint or in moderation. Bartender Pawan Rawat chanced upon the word while crafting the menu for the new bar Hitchens in Mumbai, and adopted it as the name for the zero-proof drinks section.

Annapurna Studios in collaboration with Dolby has launched India’s first Dolby certified post production facility for cinema and home. The facility was unveiled by the renowned filmmaker S S Rajamouli in the presence of the celebrated actor Nagarjuna Akkineni, Vice Chairman of Annapurna Studios. Interestingly, Rajamouli’s Academy-award-winning film RRR was the first-ever Indian film to be released in Dolby Cinema. A special footage of the film was played at the grand event. SS Rajamouli said, «During the time of RRR, when we wanted to grade the film in Dolby Vision, we had to travel all the way to Germany. It was a bit disheartening that I couldn’t experience my film in Dolby Vision within my own country. But today, I’m thrilled to see a Dolby Vision grading facility right here at Annapurna Studios.» He added, «Even more exciting is the fact that, by the time my next film releases, there will be multiple Dolby Cinema across India.: He said, „Watching a film in Dolby Vision is an entirely different experience—the crystal-clear clarity and the way it enhances the nuances of every frame take storytelling to a whole new level. I can’t wait for audiences to experience it!”

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) plans to use India as a testbed for new decarbonisation technologies that would then be commercially operationalised in other developing countries.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. BENGALURU : For consumer brands, smart appliances are the next big thing. And venture capitalists are looking to seize the day by betting on new companies making everything from smart chimneys and hobs to artificial intelligence (AI)- powered cooking assistants and internet-of-things (IoT)- enabled products.

Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. and Myung In Pharm Co. Ltd. on Friday announced that they have entered into a license agreement to develop, manufacture and commercialize Newron’s innovative modulator of the excessive release of glutamate, evenamide, an add-on therapy for treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) and poorly responding patients with schizophrenia, in South Korea.