MAM
Weekend Unwind with: Wiggles founder & CEO Anushka Iyer
Mumbai: In this week’s edition of informal Q&As with industry executives through our Weekend Unwind series, we have Wiggles founder and CEO Anushka Iyer opening her heart and mind to us by sharing her nuggets on life and mantras to deal with the curveballs that life throws.
As the founder & CEO of D2C pet care brand, Wiggles, Anushka confesses to having always been a pet lover, adding that it is her empathy towards the four-legged creatures that enables her to really make a difference. She has built Wiggles to be India’s first petcare brand to be certified by the IBPSA, USA, and to receive the first veterinary licence for cannabis-infused oil for pets in India. An International Management graduate from the Rennes School of Business, a Grande Ecole in France, and Canine Care at BCCS, she has been featured in Forbes 30 under 30 Asia, Class of 2021, and has been named as one of Silicon Asia’s 30 Best Business Leaders.
So without further ado here goes…
Your mantra for life
Mindset is everything. The correct mind frame and perspective can make the dullest day, a brighter one.
A book you are currently reading/plan to read
I’m enjoying reading “Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars,” “Cure Diseases,” and “Transform Industries by Safi Bahcall” at the moment.
Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic
Go easy but do it, what matters is the right mindset and maximising your full potential.
Your comfort food
My hands always reach for dal chawal or curd rice.
When the chips are down a quote/philosophy that keeps you going
My pets keep me going, no quote required. The fact that I come back home to six fur babies who continue to be by my side and love me unconditionally, is more than enough to give me all the energy I need.
Your guilty pleasure
I love trying out all new brands and products because I believe people are doing some really exciting innovations but my real guilty pleasure is endlessly scrolling dog and cat videos!
When was the last time you tried something new?
I tried vegetarian sushi two days ago and I have my doubts about trying that again!
A life lesson you learned the hard way
Good things don’t come easy but they do come.
What gets you excited about life?
My purpose is to build an equitable world for all animals.
What’s on top of your bucket list?
A trip to Turkey. I want to try the hot air balloon experience and buy some rugs.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Let go just a little bit, allowing things to happen in their own course. As Bruce Lee says, be like water. Be flexible in both mind and body.
One thing you would most like to change about the world
Compassion and understanding towards all beings and life. We saw a lot of pet adoptions during the pandemic and also a lot of abandonment as soon as offices opened. I hope the world is more caring and kinder towards animals who can’t advocate for themselves.
An activity that keeps you motivated/charged during tough times
Spending time at Petsville, our boarding and day care facility, reminds me to keep going forward in the right direction and not look back. Just seeing dogs happy in a pet-curated adventure land brings me immense fulfilment.
What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?
My family, friends, fur babies and loved ones. Always.
Your go-to stress buster
My three-year-old Lhasa Apso Wiggles. He’s the apple of my eye and the inspiration behind the brand and all that we do. Would you believe there was a time people thought they had to take Wiggles paw-prints to sign cheques? That was hilarious!
Brands
Kaartech raises $11 million in Series B funding
Playbook Partners leads round as AI-led firm crosses Rs 1,000 crore revenue mark.
MUMBAI: Kaartech just fuelled its rocket with fresh cash because when you’re already crossing Rs 1,000 crore and running on KTern.AI, the next stage needs serious thrust. KaarTech, a global AI-led enterprise transformation partner, has raised $11 million (approximately Rs 100 crore) in a Series B primary funding round led by Playbook Partners. The round follows the company’s $30 million raise in July 2023 led by A91 Partners.
The fresh capital arrives as Kaartech crosses Rs 1,000 crore in revenue, clocking a 44 per cent compound annual growth rate over the past five years. The growth has been powered by its proprietary platform KTern.AI, which embeds governance and outcome assurance into large-scale enterprise transformations.
The new funds will accelerate Kaartech’s next phase, with focus on deepening AI, data and industry innovation capabilities. The company plans a strategic acquisition to strengthen data engineering and analytics, enabling more powerful AI-driven insights for clients. It will also invest heavily in scaling its AI-led Enterprise Operating System (EOS) platform set to roll out to existing customers in Q2 FY27, with full general availability planned for Q4 FY27. New clients will receive a complimentary AI Readiness Assessment to identify priority use cases, evaluate data readiness and build tailored transformation roadmaps.
Kaartech will expand its global AI Labs, including a new Oil & Gas AI Lab in Houston and additional labs in Bangalore and Chennai focused on CPG & Retail, Engineering & Natural Resources, and Utilities. These labs will develop industry-specific AI solutions and SLM-based foundation models for enterprise use cases.
Kaartech, Founder & CEO Maran Nagarajan said, “This raise marks a defining chapter in Kaartech’s journey. A 4X growth in enterprise value since our Series A reflects the trust placed in us by our employees, customers, partners, and stakeholders. As we drive a clear shift toward an outcome-led Enterprise Operating System, this partnership with Playbook Partners enables us to deepen our Data Engineering and Analytics capabilities, pursue strategic acquisitions, and scale globally.”
Playbook Partners managing partner Vikas Choudhury added, “KaarTech stands out for its deep domain expertise, AI-led transformation capabilities, and strong client relationships. With operations across the US, Europe, and the Middle East, the company has demonstrated remarkable value creation in recent years.”
In a transformation game where most players still chase buzzwords, Kaartech isn’t just raising money, it’s raising the bar, turning AI from a shiny add-on into the actual operating system of enterprise change.
