MAM
Kiko TV rebrands as ‘assisted shopping’ app
MUMBAI: Kiko TV has announced its repositioning from a short format video app to an assisted shopping experience platform, making it India’s first AI-powered video and live commerce platform in the assisted shopping segment.
Launched a few months ago amidst the pandemic, Kiko TV has been witnessing a 30 per cent month-on-month increase in the social commerce vertical and will now be focusing on the growing market opportunities present within the same. The start-up will be investing heavily in building the same by acquiring a larger user database and building an aggregator community for sellers.
In the current pandemic, with buyers not able to go to retail outlets or malls to shop, the experience of shopping is missing. Buyers are looking to get a live shopping experience digitally from their favourite stores and brands and Kiko TV aims to fill this gap and provide a solution to this exact need by introducing a two-way live video communication stage between merchants and buyers. Users of the app can now enjoy a seamless shopping experience and discuss the product with the seller before purchasing it. Keeping the current #VocalForLocal and #MadeInIndia sentiment, Kiko TV will feature products from local Indian vendors only.
The new business model will be entirely spearheaded by Kiko TV co-founder and CEO Shivam Varshney. He will be responsible for bringing in partnerships, associations and newer ways of growth strategies. Varshney is an IIT Bombay alumnus and has been closely associated with Kiko TV since inception.
Said Varshney said, “With the social commerce market booming in India and all businesses looking at new ways of reaching out to customers, we foresee this as an excessively big opportunity to capitalise and grow in. Live bidding, live shopping, live interaction with the vendors is a space that is not tapped yet and holds the potential to thrive. Kiko TV will be focusing on this in the coming months.”
Kiko TV has been adding new features and updates on a regular basis to provide users a new experience every time they come on the app. The start-up is consciously putting in efforts to provide the best when it comes to social commerce. Kiko TV is available on both android and iOS and the app has crossed 120k downloads since its launch, with a weekly increase in the active users by 20 per cent
Brands
Sun Pharma to acquire Organon in $11.75 billion deal at $14 per share
Acquisition to create $12.4 billion pharma giant with global scale and biosimilars push
MUMBAI: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Organon & Co. in an all-cash deal valued at $11.75 billion, marking one of the largest cross-border pharma acquisitions by an Indian firm.
Under the terms of the agreement, Organon shareholders will receive $14.00 per share in cash, with Sun Pharma set to acquire 100 per cent of the company’s outstanding shares. The transaction, approved by the boards of both companies, is expected to close in early 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and shareholder consent.
The deal significantly expands Sun Pharma’s global footprint and strengthens its position across women’s health, biosimilars, and branded generics. The combined entity is projected to generate revenues of around $12.4 billion, placing it among the top 25 pharmaceutical companies globally.
Organon, which was spun off from Merck in 2021, brings a portfolio of over 70 products spanning women’s health and general medicines, with operations across more than 140 countries. Its established presence in key markets such as the US, Europe, and China complements Sun Pharma’s existing strengths and growth ambitions.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited executive chairman Dilip Shanghvi said, “This transaction represents a significant opportunity for Sun Pharma to build on its vision of reaching people and touching lives. Organon’s portfolio, capabilities and global reach are highly complementary to our own.”
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited managing director Kirti Ganorkar added, “This transaction is a logical next step in strengthening Sun Pharma’s global business. Together, we will become a partner of choice for acquiring and launching new products.”
From Organon’s side, Organon & Co. executive chair Carrie Cox noted, “This all-cash transaction offers compelling and immediate value to Organon stockholders, while positioning the business for continued growth under Sun Pharma.”
Strategically, the acquisition gives Sun Pharma entry into the global biosimilars space as a top 10 player and strengthens its innovative medicines portfolio, which is expected to contribute around 27 per cent of combined revenues. The deal is also expected to nearly double EBITDA and cash flow, supporting long-term deleveraging and investment capacity.
Sun Pharma plans to fund the acquisition through a mix of internal accruals and committed financing from global banks, while maintaining focus on disciplined integration and operational continuity post-merger.
If completed as planned, the deal signals a clear shift in India’s pharmaceutical ambitions, from scale at home to leadership on the global stage, with Sun Pharma positioning itself as a more diversified and innovation-led healthcare powerhouse.
