Brands
Hardik Pandya & investors back Aretto’s kids’ footwear tech with $550k seed funding
Mumbai: Aretto’s leap toward innovation has just become stronger as the company announces the successful completion of its seed funding round. The company secured $550K from a clutch of angel investors and advisors, which included renowned cricketer Hardik Pandya; Abhineet Singh(co-founder of VegNonVeg and founder Brewhouse), Shyam Raichura (MD of Aan Group), Raunak Munot (ex-CMO of Bombay Shaving Company), investment banking firm Veromint Advisors, Vinayak Shrivastav (co-founder Videoverse), and Kunal Sumaya (MD Julius Bear).
Aretto is a game-changer in the kids’ footwear industry, offering technologically designed shoes that adapt to the shape and size of kids’ feet as they grow. The company will strategically channel and utilise the funds to expand its market presence, drive team expansion, and increase research and development efforts to introduce newer product ranges.
Elated at the successful seed funding, Aretto CEO Satyait Mittal commented, “We are immensely grateful for the support and trust shown by our investors at this crucial stage of Aretto’s journey. Each investor is a mentor in their own capacity and a well-wisher of the brand, sharing our larger vision and belief in the team’s determination and grit. This seed funding is not only a testament to our investors’ confidence in our innovative kids’ technology, but it also reiterates our commitment to revolutionizing the industry.”
Bombay Shaving Company ex-CMO Raunak Munot commented, ‘It’s rare to come across a company that has a truly innovative product, in a big addressable market, that has the potential to redefine a category, globally. The fact that Aretto’s products are designed and made in India instills a sense of pride in me. Clubbing that with the team’s passion and execution agility further amplifies my trust in the brand’s vision. As someone who has recently embraced fatherhood, I believe Aretto’s approach seamlessly matches the demands of modern parenting.’
Aretto is implementing a robust growth strategy to expand its market presence. The company plans to open its first retail store in Pune, offering an immersive shopping experience for families. In addition to Pune, the brand has ambitious plans to establish stores and partner with multi-brand outlets in key metropolitan cities, catering to a wider customer base in India.
With this funding, Aretto is enthusiastic about welcoming new talents into its passionate and dynamic team. The company seeks individuals who are driven, creative, and share the vision of nurturing kids’ growth.
Aretto remains ever-committed to innovation and will continuously expand its product range with a focus on R&D-driven designs. The company will introduce a diverse array of styles, catering to various preferences and needs of young ones. Each new collection will be meticulously crafted with an ergonomic fit, ensuring maximum comfort and support for growing feet. Listening to its customers’ valuable feedback, Aretto will tailor its products to be even more customer-centric, delighting parents with the quality and functionality of Aretto shoes, cementing its position as the go-to brand for parents seeking the best for their children.
Brands
Microsoft faces worst quarter since 2008 financial crisis
Cloud giant battles soaring AI costs and fierce competition from nimble startups.
MUMBAI: When the tech titan starts looking a little wobbly, even the Magnificent Seven can feel the tremors because Microsoft is currently starring in its own sequel, “Clouds and Doubts.” Microsoft is on track for its worst quarterly performance since the 2008 global financial crisis, according to Bloomberg, as investors grow increasingly uneasy about rising capital expenditure and intensifying competition from nimble AI firms. The company has been pouring money into AI infrastructure, yet markets are questioning when these hefty investments will finally deliver stronger revenue growth.
At the same time, investors are shifting away from traditional software stocks amid fears that AI startups such as Anthropic and OpenAI are developing autonomous agents capable of replacing established products, including those from Microsoft. Jonathan Cofsky, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors, noted growing concern that customers may bypass Microsoft and deal directly with AI vendors, potentially disrupting its core business and putting pressure on pricing and margins.
Microsoft’s stock has tumbled 25 per cent in the first quarter, putting it on course for its largest drop since a 27 per cent fall in the fourth quarter of 2008. It has also emerged as the weakest performer among the so-called Magnificent Seven technology stocks, while a broader index tracking the group has fallen 14 per cent over the same period. The shares slipped a further 1.7 per cent after markets opened on Friday, marking a potential fourth consecutive session of declines.
Cofsky pointed out that Microsoft has become more capital intensive and that improved investor confidence will hinge on assurances that software growth will not slow materially. Despite the sell-off, the stock is now trading at less than 20 times projected earnings over the next 12 months, its lowest valuation level since June 2016. Its valuation remains slightly above that of the S&P 500 Index, although it has recently traded at a discount to the broader benchmark for the first time since 2015.
Bloomberg data shows Microsoft’s capital expenditure, including leases, is expected to surge to $146 billion in fiscal 2026, up around 66 per cent from $88 billion in fiscal 2025. Spending is projected to climb further to $170 billion in fiscal 2027 and $191 billion in fiscal 2028, based on average estimates. Investors are growing cautious about such levels of spending without clearer signs of stronger growth.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud division has reported a slight slowdown in growth compared with the previous quarter, while its Copilot AI product has seen limited user traction, prompting internal changes aimed at improving performance. Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Melius Research, warned in a March note that Microsoft’s upside in Azure could be constrained as the company works to address challenges related to its AI models and Copilot offering, adding that these issues are unlikely to be resolved in the short term.
Of the 67 analysts covering Microsoft, 63 maintain buy ratings, three hold ratings and one a sell rating. The average 12-month price target of $592 implies a potential upside of more than 64 per cent, the highest on record based on data going back to 2009. The stock is also trading below its 200-day moving average by the widest margin since 2009.
Reitzes suggested the dominance of buy ratings may indicate complacency among analysts, while highlighting risks in Microsoft’s productivity and business processes segment as well as its More Personal Computing division. In contrast, Tal Liani of Bank of America reinstated coverage with a buy rating, citing durable multi-year growth prospects across cloud and AI. Jake Seltz, portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, maintained that Microsoft retains strong long-term value and that its AI strategy is likely to be validated over time, viewing near-term concerns as a potential opportunity for longer-term investors.
The report highlights a growing divergence in market sentiment, with optimism around long-term AI potential weighed against immediate execution risks and investor uncertainty. In the world of big tech, even the mightiest clouds can have silver linings but right now, Microsoft’s investors are scanning the horizon for clearer skies.
