MAM
OYO’s Ritesh Agarwal awards Rs 10 lakh grants in ‘7-Day Startup Challenge’
Mumbai: OYO, founder and group CEO, Ritesh Agarwal teamed up with global influencer Nuseir Yassin’s platform NAS.io and online learning portal BackToBackSWE to launch the ‘7-Day Startup Challenge’. This program guided early-stage startups through critical steps of business development, with Agarwal awarding five startups an equity-free grant of Rs 10 lakh each.
The challenge attracted nearly 3,000 participants from across India, the US, Canada, and the UAE. Hosted on NAS.io, the program was structured around seven daily themes covering essential business aspects, such as goal setting, market research, product roadmap, and branding.
The five winners were Bharat Anubhav, an Odisha-based platform for certified tourist guides; Ekogalaxy, a climate education initiative; Harmony Sourcing, a platform connecting global buyers with Indian factories; Farmkrate, an agricultural solutions startup from Andhra Pradesh; and Aura, a mental wellbeing initiative from Bengaluru.
Agarwal expressed his excitement, stating, “Over the years, several people have helped me in my entrepreneurial journey. I feel it is only fitting that I return the favour to the next generation of entrepreneurs by sharing my experience. NAS.io, with its large network of aspiring startups founders, and BackToBackSWE, which offers comprehensive mentorship programs, were ideal partners for such an initiative. This program will hopefully not only equip them with essential business skills but also foster a spirit of innovation and community. India is in the throes of a startup revolution, with young founders solving real-world problems. With the right support, startups can power the next wave of economic growth,” said Agarwal.
Aura’s co-founder, Roshan Paul remarked, “The simple, step-by-step approach made it easy to refine our idea, and the support we received from the community members was invaluable. Competing with so many talented participants made this a rewarding experience.”
Agarwal continues to mentor startups through his role as a judge on Shark Tank India, where he debuted earlier this year. In 2023, he also awarded Rs 5 lakh each to four startups from Ladakh in collaboration with the Naropa Fellowship.
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.
