Fitness brand Boldfit on Thursday said it raised Rs 110 crore in its series A round from Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP). 

Boldfit, which sells everything from yoga mats and water bottles to protein powers and exercise apparel, plans to use the latest infusion for product innovation and brand expansion. 

Boldfit, which was founded by Pallav Bihani in 2019, had earlier announced a strategic investment from cricketer KL Rahul in July. Rahul also joined the company as a brand ambassador.

“We believe sports and fitness is a rapidly growing market in India and Boldfit has emerged as an early leader in the space with its strong focus on product quality, holistic distribution, and strong brand partnerships. We’re excited to partner with Pallav and the team in their next stage of growth,” noted Anant Vidur Puri, Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners.

Boldfit had earlier outlined its plans to use the funds for the development of new product lines and enhance customer engagement through targeted campaigns and community development initiatives. Additionally, the company is also looking to optimise its supply chain and improve logistics to reduce delivery times. 

Boldfit said it clocked revenue of Rs 73 crore in FY24 and expects to cross the Rs 500 crore threshold by FY26, which it had shared with Yourstory earlier.

The company currently claims to serve over one crore customers annually. 

Blackstone-backed Simplilearn says it is well positioned to reach EBITDA profitability within the current financial year.

EBITDA or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation reflects the operational profitability of the company. It focuses on the earnings generated from core operations before accounting for costs.

The company said, in a statement, that it has managed to cut down its losses by 75%, from FY23, as it focuses on achieving sustainable growth and operational efficiency. Additionally, it reported year-on-year revenue growth, with FY24 revenue touching Rs 773 crore, fuelled by pivotal initiatives taken to increase customer retention and higher referral rates.

“As we work toward profitability, we’re focused on strengthening our products to meet industry

needs, driving growth in the US and worldwide, and, above all, delivering an outstanding customer

experience. Our mission to transform lives through world-class education is always at the heart of

what we do,” said Krishna Kumar, Founder and CEO of Simplilearn.

The company has intensified its efforts in its commercial segment, particularly in the United States, through strategic partnerships with platforms, and collaborations with government bodies in Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

Simplilearn said it has significantly increased its course enrollment by doubling down on university partnerships, bootcamps, and certification training programmes.

Founded in 2010, the company last raised $45 million in a Series E round in 2022 from a consortium led by GSV Ventures.

Private equity firm Blackstone picked up a controlling stake in the company in July 2021 through a fund infusion of $250 million.

In pic: Krishna Kumar, Founder and CEO of Simplilearn

Indian businesses are setting up fintech partnerships at the Singapore Fintech Festival led by the State Bank of India’s launch of an innovation hub in the city state.

The State Bank of India (SBI) Innovation Hub was launched in partnership with APIX, a Singapore-based global collaborative innovation platform for financial institutions and fintechs, at the festival being held from November 6 to 8.

It is to provide dedicated space for fintechs, startups, and innovators worldwide to design next-generation financial solutions tailored to meet the digital needs of SBI’s diverse customer base.

The initiative is aimed at driving financial innovation and digital transformation as well as advancing financial inclusion, SBI said.

Designed to accelerate digital transformation, the SBI Innovation Hub allows participants to leverage SBI’s 250+ financial service APIs to develop and customise solutions within a secure sandbox environment.

Through structured challenges, hackathons, and partnership opportunities, the platform provides fintechs and startups with unique pathways to gain recognition, compete for official partnerships, and ultimately reach millions of users across India.

Vidya Krishnan, Deputy Managing Director – IT at SBI, said virtually at the launch, “The Innovation Hub of State Bank of India is a key step in our digital transformation mission to foster innovations across our banking and financial services.

“The platform’s capability for mutual discovery of APIs will enable the bank and group companies in collaborating with global innovators to create and build solutions that are innovative, impactful, and highly customer centric. We are simplifying the onboarding process by providing a single touchpoint for fintechs and startups.”

Umang Moondra, CEO of APIX, said, “While APIX has collaborated with many world-leading financial institutions, and fintechs, partnering with a major institution like SBI and delivering a unique platform dedicated to its needs is a tremendous achievement.

“The result of our collaboration is an exciting and pioneering innovation hub that represents a groundbreaking opportunity for fintech and innovators to engage with one of the world’s largest banks in a way that will benefit millions of customers.

“It also levels the playing field for innovators by providing direct access to core elements of innovation such as SBI’s secure sandbox and a suite of APIs, empowering developers to build solutions that resonate with consumers globally and promote financial inclusion,” he said that the launch.

Separately, Indian-origin Gupshup said it has established a strong foothold in Singapore’s rapidly evolving conversational AI landscape, particularly making waves in the financial services sector with a partnership with Standard Chartered Bank.

The partnership will showcase Gupshup’s expertise, where its AI-powered digital assistant handles complex banking queries in real-time, significantly enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.

Gupshup’s specialisation in domain-specific large language models (LLMs) enables the creation of highly contextualised AI assistants that understand sector-specific nuances and compliance requirements.

“This specialised approach has proven particularly valuable in Singapore’s sophisticated banking sector, where precision and regulatory compliance are paramount,” said Ali Asgar Lightwalla, Senior Director of Sales for BFSI.

“Beyond banking, Gupshup’s innovative conversational AI solutions are transforming customer engagement across various sectors in Singapore, from retail and healthcare to logistics, helping businesses automate customer interactions while maintaining personalisation and service quality.”