Airtel to buy 8.82% in startup Vahan

NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel Friday said on Friday it will acquire an 8.82% stake in Bengaluru-based technology start-up Vahan as a part of the telco’s Startup Accelerator Program. “With the advent of its Start-up Accelerator Program, Airtel aims to support the creation of a vibrant start-up ecosystem that contributes to “Digital India,” the Sunil Mittal-driven company said in a statement Friday.

Backed by YCombinator and Khosla Ventures, Vahan leverages advanced AI to match job seekers with employers inside messaging apps such as WhatsApp.

In a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the telco said the cash acquisition would be completed by October 31, 2019. The two companies did not give the financial value of the deal.


The telco said it will partner Vahan in building a significant scale to achieve their vision of enabling jobs for the next billion internet users.