🦄 Meet the latest unicorn, Jumbotail

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01 July 2025 View in Browser

Hello,   The OpenAI vs Meta’s AI talent war is escalating.   After Meta poached eight OpenAI researchers, there’s reportedly growing anxiety in the ChatGPT maker. Its chief resource officer, Mark Chen, has assured staff that the leadership was revisiting compensation structures. According to Wired, he addressed Meta’s aggressive recruitment tactics in a memo, saying, “as if someone has broken into our house and stolen something.”   Meanwhile, one of the poached employees dismissed reports of Meta offering $100 million signing bonuses, suggesting that it was Sam Altman’s strategy to prevent the brain drain.   While AI is certainly making money, it has cost the environment.   Google’s latest environmental impact report has revealed a sharp 51% rise in its carbon emissions since 2019, as the company’s rapid investment in AI increasingly strains its climate commitments.   Recap: June was all about mega funding deals in AI, why AI unicorn companies may be lean, and cracks in reasoning models.   Elsewhere, scientists may have just had a rendezvous with resurrection, but it’s not what you think.   Astronomers in Australia picked up a strange radio signal in mid-June, and they thought they were observing something exotic. But it turned out to be a 60-year-old defunct satellite that had come back to life.   How? An abrupt release of static electricity!   In today’s newsletter, we will talk about  Jumbotail turns unicorn Timbuckdo helps students earn, save How AI is boosting maternal health Here’s your trivia for today: Which musical holds the record for most Tony nominations?

Startup Jumbotail turns unicornB2B ecommerce and retail platform for food and grocery, Jumbotail, has raised $120 million in a Series D funding round led by SC Ventures. The round saw continued participation from existing investor Artal Asia, bringing the company’s total funding to $263 million to date.   The fundraise comes alongside Jumbotail’s acquisition of Solv India, a B2B commerce and financial services platform incubated by SC Ventures.   Key takeaways: According to reports, Jumbotail’s valuation stood at $1 billion, making it the fifth private company to reach unicorn status this year. The company did not comment on the valuation. Founded in 2015, Jumbotail operates a digital marketplace, a logistics network, and a suite of fintech solutions, including working capital products and its J24 modern convenience store format. Solv, which will be integrated into Jumbotail’s operations, brings expertise in softlines and financial services aimed at supporting brand distribution networks. Know More

Funding Alert Jumbotail: $120M| Series D Infra.Market: $50M | Debt Eggoz:$20M | Series C

Startup Timbuckdo helps students earn, saveFounded in 2022 by Mythri Kumar and joined by Apoorv Prasad in 2024, Bengaluru-based startup Timbuckdo is on a mission to help college students earn, save, and grow. The startup offers verified part-time jobs, curated student discounts, and AI-led tools to build real-world skills for students.    Savings: Timbuckdo’s QR-based discount system offers instant savings to students at walk-in stores. An AI chatbot acts as a personal productivity and income planner, helping students manage time and earnings effectively. The company is actively expanding its student reach by partnering with colleges and companies across major metro cities, including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Jaipur, Delhi-NCR, and Chennai.  For students, Timbuckdo is free to use, and for employers, the startup offers flexible subscription plans, starting at Rs 499/month, making it accessible for MSMEs, startups, and retail chains to onboard young talent. Know More

Social Impact AI boosting maternal health In a country where maternal mortality remains alarmingly high, an innovative collaboration between ARMMAN, a nonprofit working on maternal and child health, and Google DeepMind’s AI for Social Good initiative is showing how AI can become a powerful public health tool.    With millions of women and infants across India at risk, the partnership is leveraging AI to drive behavioural change and improve healthcare outcomes for underserved communities at scale. Know More

From the CapTable Flipkart’s tricky math of wooing budget shoppersEcommerce has slowed down in India. Yet at a recent town hall, Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy radiated confidence about the road ahead. Flipkart is growing 20-25% in both order volumes and customers, he told staff, with ambitions to hit 30% growth by June. Fashion has emerged as a key engine of this expansion, with Flipkart and its subsidiary Myntra together accounting for 40% of all new user additions. The optimism reflects a high-stakes gamble: that Flipkart can crack the code of serving India’s price-sensitive masses while finally achieving the profitability that has eluded it since birth. The company is slashing commissions on low-value items and rolling out programmes to attract small sellers, betting that volume can compensate for thinner margins. But the strategy requires an intricate balancing act—one where every decision about pricing and marketplace policies could determine whether the math ultimately works. Still, Flipkart’s growth trajectory stands out in a sluggish market. Myntra's revenue inched up just 14% in the last financial year, while global brands like Zara and H&M grew even slower, and logistics bellwether Delhivery has been stuck in single-digit growth for several quarters. The larger ecommerce sector, once India's great growth story, has reached an uncomfortable plateau. The slowdown has hit Flipkart’s traditional strengths too. Smartphones, historically one of Flipkart's biggest revenue drivers, are facing headwinds online as brands pivot to physical stores to reach the next wave of Indian consumers.  So what’s fuelling Flipkart's contrarian growth?   Continue Reading

Bharat ke Innovators

Rural taxi startup in Bihar RodBez is a Bihar-based startup revolutionising inter-city travel with affordable one-way taxi services. Backed by Shark Tank India and angel investors, RodBez blends desi ingenuity with tech to empower drivers and riders. Know More     Securing global IoT systems Redinent is a Bengaluru-based deeptech startup securing IoT infrastructure from firmware-level cyber threats. Founded by cybersecurity veterans, it offers proactive defence for critical devices in smart cities, oil and gas, and national assets. Know More

News & Updates

Crypto fraud: A cryptocurrency investment fraud ring that investigators said laundered 460 million euros ($540 million) using a worldwide network of accomplices has been dismantled in Spain, European police body Europol said. Fusion power: Google will buy half the output of Commonwealth Fusion System’s (CFS) first commercial power plant. CFS will send Google 200 megawatts of electricity from its Arc power plant, which is expected to come online in the early 2030s. F1 movie: Brad Pitt’s original racing drama “F1” drove to the top of the box office charts, collecting a sizable $88.4 million internationally and $144 million globally in its opening weekend.

Here's what else we have for you

The AI Revolution: Why tomorrow's workforce needs more than technical skills In Partnership with Microsoft   By 2030, 70% of today’s job skills will be completely different. AI job demand is growing nearly twice as fast as the available talent—while companies shift from degree-based to skills-based hiring.   🔹 Soft skills like empathy and critical thinking are rising in value 🔹 AI literacy is becoming as essential as email 🔹 The edge will belong to those who combine tech fluency with human insight   📖 Are you preparing for this shift?   Read More

Did you know?

Which musical holds the record for most Tony nominations? Answer: Hamilton. It was nominated for 16 awards.

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