Brands
DesignCafe raises Rs 200 cr in series B funding
MUMBAI: DesignCafe, a Bengaluru based online home interior design platform, announced that WestBridge Capital will invest up to Rs 200 crore in a series B round of funding with participation by existing investor Fireside Ventures. Bangalore-based boutique Investment Bank Sprout Capital Advisors LLP was the exclusive financial advisor for the transaction.
Design Café co-founder Shezaan Bhojani said, “We are very pleased to have Westbridge, one of the leading PE investors in India, join the Design Cafe team. We are also excited to strengthen our already close relationship with existing investor Fireside Ventures, who is also participating in this round. These investors share our long-term mindset and align with our values and we are thrilled to have them join us in our journey to script the next chapter of Design Café.”
Westbridge Capital managing partner Sandeep Singhal commented, “We have been impressed with Design Cafe’s rapid scaling up and initial success. Their high customer satisfaction rate is an excellent achievement and is a testimony to the company’s deep domain expertise in this sector, hard work, and good business judgment. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Design Cafe in their journey of taking the business to even greater heights and building a marquee brand in home design services and products.”
Fireside Ventures managing partner Kanwaljit Singh said, “DesignCafe operates in a large white space and have built a solution that caters to a large target audience. Gita and Shezaan come with significant design experience which helps them understand the consumer need better. We have backed the company since its early days and are excited to partner with them to build a large home interior services brand.”
DesignCafe was set up to address a large personalisation and execution gap that existed in the mid-segment (i.e. homes of 1,000-2,000 sq ft.) home interior market. Founded in 2015 by Gita Ramanan and Shezaan Bhojani, it offers customised interior solutions and personalised designs to consumers. The company also allows the consumers to visualise their home in virtual reality before execution. The company proposes to use the additional capital to expand operations in 6 other cities including Mumbai, NCR, and Hyderabad.
Brands
IndiGo names William Walsh CEO
Former IATA chief to take charge in August after Elbers exit, Bhatia steers interim
India’s biggest airline has moved fast and gone global. InterGlobe Aviation, which operates IndiGo, has tapped aviation heavyweight William Walsh as chief executive officer, subject to regulatory approvals, marking a sharp pivot as the carrier eyes its next burst of expansion.
Walsh, currently director general at the International Air Transport Association, will step down on July 31, 2026, and is expected to take charge by August 3. The appointment comes barely three weeks after Pieter Elbers exited the corner office, with Rahul Bhatia holding the fort in the interim.
The choice signals intent. Walsh brings decades of cockpit-to-boardroom experience, having led British Airways and later International Airlines Group, the parent of Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling. His tenure across carriers has been defined by hard resets, restructurings and cross-border consolidation—skills IndiGo may need as competition intensifies and scale becomes decisive.
Vikram Singh Mehta, chairman and non-executive independent director of IndiGo, said Walsh’s experience in managing large-scale airline operations and navigating complex market dynamics makes him well-suited to lead IndiGo in an increasingly competitive global aviation environment, adding that the appointment marks a new chapter as the airline scales in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
Rahul Bhatia said Walsh’s global perspective, operational expertise and customer-focused approach would be critical as IndiGo enters its next phase of expansion.
Walsh, widely regarded as one of the industry’s most influential figures, will oversee overall management and strategic direction, with a mandate spanning operational performance, network expansion, commercial strategy and customer experience. He is expected to work closely with the board and leadership team to sharpen IndiGo’s growth trajectory.
Walsh said IndiGo has a strong foundation and is well-positioned to capitalise on the evolving aviation landscape, adding that he looks forward to fostering a culture of excellence, innovation and sustainable value creation across the organisation.
A new captain, a bigger runway—and a market that rewards scale. IndiGo is lining up for its next take-off.
