Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (February 24, 2025)

From PV Sindhu joining KiranaPro as an investor and brand ambassador to Investcorp appointing Vivek Agarwal as senior operating partner, YourStory brings you the latest updates from the Indian startup ecosystem.

Featured stories 

AI is no longer a USP, it’s now fundamental to all tech: Zoho Corp’s ManageEngine CEO Rajesh Ganesan

In an exclusive interaction with YourStory, Zoho Corp’s ManageEngine CEO Rajesh Ganesan breaks down ManageEngine's AI roadmap—from LLM-powered agents to privacy-first infrastructure and homegrown R&D, all charted by Zoho Chief Scientist Sridhar Vembu, to meet enterprise needs globally. Read more.

Explainer: Understanding Microsoft’s Majorana 1 and the future of quantum computing

Quantum computing might sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but it’s quite real and becoming increasingly practical. Microsoft’s new Majorana 1 (pronounced: maa-yoh-raa-naa) chip is a step toward building these powerful machines. 

Unlike the computers people use today, which follow predictable steps to perform calculations, quantum computers work in a completely different way—using rules of quantum physics. It means they can explore many possibilities at once—imagine trying every key on a keyring, all together, to find the one that opens a door.

In this explainer, we will understand the Majorana 1 chip, how it works, and why it’s a pivotal breakthrough for the future of computing. Read more.

This online kids' clothing brand has caught the fancy of Rishi Sunak, Allu Arjun, and others

Online kids’ clothing brand Little Muffet has caught the attention of quite a few celebrities—including former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, actor Allu Arjun, TV host Kapil Sharma, and Mira Rajput Kapoor, the co-founder of skincare brand Akind and actor Shahid Kapoor’s wife. 

Anchal Dhanuka, the founder of Little Muffet, says these celebrities just happened to “organically” buy the brand's clothes for their children—without the brand seeking celebrity promotions or collaborations. Read more.

Funding news

Geniemode raises over $50M in Series C funding

Gurugram-based Geniemode, a design-led apparel sourcing platform, secured over $50 million in a Series C funding round led by Multiples Alternate Asset Management Pvt Ltd, Fundamentum, Paramark Ventures, and Info Edge ventures.

The company will use the investment to expand globally, enhance its tech-driven supply chain, and enter new markets. According to Co-founder and CEO Amit Sharma, the company aims to leverage technology, AI-driven design innovation, and a flexible, sustainable supply chain to keep brands and retailers competitive. Read more.

PV Sindhu joins KiranaPro as an investor and brand ambassador

PV Sindhu has joined the quick commerce platform KiranaPro as an investor and brand ambassador and has invested an undisclosed sum in the startup.

KiranaPro has onboarded over 30,000 stores, becoming India’s first ONDC-integrated quick commerce platform. With the recent acquisition of Jopper.app, the company is rapidly scaling its footprint.

Other news

CredAble partners with Chekk to help financial institutions

CredAble partnered with Chekk, a digital identity and Know Your Customer (KYC) solutions provider, to streamline onboarding and compliance workflows of financial institutions in the APAC, MENA, and Europe regions.

The company in a statement said FIs globally are struggling to scale up working capital programmes due to manual verifications, data collections and verification processes. By leveraging data sources across 220 countries and territories, the collaboration will provide region-specific solutions and access to business-relevant data along with documents and risk assessment models to help FIs onboard clients, vendors and dealers digitally and securely.

Investcorp appoints Vivek Agarwal as senior operating partner for India

Investcorp appointed Vivek Agarwal as a senior operating partner for India operations. Agarwal will lead the firm's strategic expansion into opportunities in the software and software services sectors.

Late last year, Investcorp acquired NuSummit (formerly NSEIT), a leading provider of digital transformation and cybersecurity services, marking a significant step in its commitment to expanding its footprint in the technology sector.

In his new role, Agarwal will also join the board of directors of NuSummit, using his extensive experience in the technology sector to drive strategic growth and innovation.

(This article will be updated with the latest news throughout the day.)