 Unwrapped |
ETSA 2025 jury meet; and other top tech and startup stories his week
Want this newsletter delivered to your inbox?
I agree to receive newsletters and marketing communications via e-mail
Thank you for subscribing to Unwrapped
We'll soon meet in your inbox.
Welcome to a new edition of ETtech Unwrapped — our weekend newsletter packed with the most important stories from this week. Let’s take a look at the recap.
The distinguished jury of The Economic Times Startup Awards 2025, led by India’s former G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, met in Bengaluru earlier this week to select the brightest stars in India’s startup galaxy. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
The jury picked the best entrepreneurial leaders who have emerged from a challenging few years for the startup ecosystem.
Setting context: ETSA was launched in 2015 and has since chronicled Indian entrepreneurship and innovation over the years.
The coveted accolade recognises founders who have built companies without external funding, those who have successfully innovated and established businesses in the social enterprise sector, and entrepreneurs who have made a comeback.
The awards will also honour students who have started up on campus, female entrepreneurs in the Woman Ahead category, and the top investor of the year in the Midas Touch segment. We will also present the ultimate award — the Startup of the Year.
Meet the members of our elite jury here.
To read more about our nominees for ETSA 2025 by visiting the eight categories they were shortlisted under:
Real money gaming ban: Legal challenge, compliance, VC money and more | In the week after a blanket ban on online games with real money became an Act, some chose to comply with the new law, while others knocked on courts’ doors for reprieve. Dream 11 parent Dream Sports ruled out legally challenging the ban, while Head Digital Works, the parent of the online gaming platform A23, has petitioned the Karnataka High Court to challenge the outright ban. Meanwhile, the regulation roulette has put over $15 billion in startup investment value at risk. Offshore betting websites are rushing in to fill the gap left by Indian firms discontinuing their real money gaming operations, industry executives told us.
Also Read: Dream Sports valuation to plummet; has cash runway of few years: CEO Harsh Jain on real-money gaming ban
Exclusive: Tata Digital names Sajith Sivanandan as CEO | The Tata Neu super app operator has appointed Sajith Sivanandan as its new CEO, effective next month, as it struggles with the vertical amid a spate of top-level exits.
Festive online sales set for a bounceback; gig hiring on the rise: According to market research firm Datum Intelligence, ecommerce sales during the festive period this year are expected to reach Rs 1.2 lakh crore this year. Online marketplaces have intensified their recruitment drives to shore up operations before the rush hits.
Enterprise SaaS piques PE interest: Private equity firms are doubling down on Indian software-as-a-service (SaaS). Investments reached $1.38 billion between January and July 2025, already 66% higher than the $833 million deployed throughout 2024, according to data from Venture Intelligence.
Elevation Capital launches $400 million late-stage fund: Venture capital firm Elevation Capital, known for early-stage bets on Paytm, Swiggy, Meesho, and Urban Company, is entering new territory. The firm has launched a $400 million fund focused on late-stage tech companies preparing for IPOs.
Ather surpasses Ola Electric in market share race: For the first time in months, Ather Energy has surged past Ola Electric in sales, propelled by continued supply-side disruptions due to rare earth metal curbs and changing consumer momentum.
Also Read: Ola Electric secures PLI certification for Gen 3 range of scooters
Vibe coding prompts multi-million workflows: As India’s tech services industry warms up to ‘vibe coding,’ its 5.4 million-strong workforce is emerging as a multi-million revenue opportunity for AI code generators.
Lalit Keshre, CEO, Groww
Groww receives Sebi nod to launch IPO: Online investment platform Groww has been cleared by stock market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to launch its initial public offering (IPO), sources familiar with the development told us.
Zomato parent to appeal against GST demands, penalty: Eternal said it would file an appeal against the three service Goods and Services Tax demands and penalty orders for the period between July 2017 and March 2020, amounting to over Rs 40 crore.
Indian IT diversifies beyond the US: India's IT majors are breaking out of their US comfort zone. While the US still brings in around 62% of industry revenue, firms are now doubling down on markets like the Middle East, Nordics, Australia, and even India.
TCS forms new AI unit, names Amit Kapur as head: The new AI and services transformation unit will house all of the company's existing capabilities in the technology with an aim to deepen its focus on AI domain solutions and accelerate innovation, the memo said.
Also Read: Capgemini to acquire cloud services firm Cloud4C
The Economic Times Startup Awards 2025
The distinguished jury of The Economic Times Startup Awards 2025, led by India’s former G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, met in Bengaluru earlier this week to select the brightest stars in India’s startup galaxy. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
The jury picked the best entrepreneurial leaders who have emerged from a challenging few years for the startup ecosystem.
Setting context: ETSA was launched in 2015 and has since chronicled Indian entrepreneurship and innovation over the years.
The coveted accolade recognises founders who have built companies without external funding, those who have successfully innovated and established businesses in the social enterprise sector, and entrepreneurs who have made a comeback.
The awards will also honour students who have started up on campus, female entrepreneurs in the Woman Ahead category, and the top investor of the year in the Midas Touch segment. We will also present the ultimate award — the Startup of the Year.
Meet the members of our elite jury here.
To read more about our nominees for ETSA 2025 by visiting the eight categories they were shortlisted under:
- ET Startup Awards 2025: Nominees for Startup of the Year
- ET Startup Awards 2025: Nominees for Midas Touch
- ET Startup Awards 2025: Nominees for Woman Ahead
- ET Startup Awards 2025: Nominees for Social Enterprise
- ET Startup Awards 2025: Nominees for Best on Campus
- ET Startup Awards 2025: Nominees for Comeback Kid
- ET Startup Awards 2025: Nominees for Top Innovator
- ET Startup Awards 2025: Nominees for Bootstrap Champ
Top Stories This Week
Real money gaming ban: Legal challenge, compliance, VC money and more | In the week after a blanket ban on online games with real money became an Act, some chose to comply with the new law, while others knocked on courts’ doors for reprieve. Dream 11 parent Dream Sports ruled out legally challenging the ban, while Head Digital Works, the parent of the online gaming platform A23, has petitioned the Karnataka High Court to challenge the outright ban. Meanwhile, the regulation roulette has put over $15 billion in startup investment value at risk. Offshore betting websites are rushing in to fill the gap left by Indian firms discontinuing their real money gaming operations, industry executives told us.
Also Read: Dream Sports valuation to plummet; has cash runway of few years: CEO Harsh Jain on real-money gaming ban
Exclusive: Tata Digital names Sajith Sivanandan as CEO | The Tata Neu super app operator has appointed Sajith Sivanandan as its new CEO, effective next month, as it struggles with the vertical amid a spate of top-level exits.
Festive online sales set for a bounceback; gig hiring on the rise: According to market research firm Datum Intelligence, ecommerce sales during the festive period this year are expected to reach Rs 1.2 lakh crore this year. Online marketplaces have intensified their recruitment drives to shore up operations before the rush hits.
Enterprise SaaS piques PE interest: Private equity firms are doubling down on Indian software-as-a-service (SaaS). Investments reached $1.38 billion between January and July 2025, already 66% higher than the $833 million deployed throughout 2024, according to data from Venture Intelligence.
Elevation Capital launches $400 million late-stage fund: Venture capital firm Elevation Capital, known for early-stage bets on Paytm, Swiggy, Meesho, and Urban Company, is entering new territory. The firm has launched a $400 million fund focused on late-stage tech companies preparing for IPOs.
Ather surpasses Ola Electric in market share race: For the first time in months, Ather Energy has surged past Ola Electric in sales, propelled by continued supply-side disruptions due to rare earth metal curbs and changing consumer momentum.
Also Read: Ola Electric secures PLI certification for Gen 3 range of scooters
Vibe coding prompts multi-million workflows: As India’s tech services industry warms up to ‘vibe coding,’ its 5.4 million-strong workforce is emerging as a multi-million revenue opportunity for AI code generators.
Startup Street
Groww receives Sebi nod to launch IPO: Online investment platform Groww has been cleared by stock market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to launch its initial public offering (IPO), sources familiar with the development told us.
Zomato parent to appeal against GST demands, penalty: Eternal said it would file an appeal against the three service Goods and Services Tax demands and penalty orders for the period between July 2017 and March 2020, amounting to over Rs 40 crore.
IT Updates
Indian IT diversifies beyond the US: India's IT majors are breaking out of their US comfort zone. While the US still brings in around 62% of industry revenue, firms are now doubling down on markets like the Middle East, Nordics, Australia, and even India.
TCS forms new AI unit, names Amit Kapur as head: The new AI and services transformation unit will house all of the company's existing capabilities in the technology with an aim to deepen its focus on AI domain solutions and accelerate innovation, the memo said.
Also Read: Capgemini to acquire cloud services firm Cloud4C
Want this newsletter delivered to your inbox?
I agree to receive newsletters and marketing communications via e-mail