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Fidelity marks up Lenskart valuation by 12% to $5.6B just months after investment

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Fidelity Management and Research Company has marked up the value of its stake in omnichannel eye-retailer Lenskart by 12% taking the valuation of the company to $5.6 billion just months after its investment in the company along with Singapore-based Temasek. 

Fidelity, which invests in both public and private companies, marked up the value of its stake to $32.97 million at the end of September—up from $29.44 million at the end of July. 

Earlier in June, Peyush Bansal-led Lenskart raised $200 million in secondary investment from Temasek and Fidelity at a valuation of $5 billion, according to media reports. A month later, co-founders Peyush Bansal and Neha Bansal along with Amit Choudhary and Sumeet Kapahi, injected $19.12 million into the company. 

The eyewear retailer more than doubled its operating revenue to Rs 3,788 crore in FY23 and managed to narrow its loss to Rs 64 crore from Rs 102 crore in FY22.   

Lenskart has been focusing on its global expansion plans and currently looks to scale in Singapore, Dubai, the US and Southeast Asia. 

Fidelity has also invested in companies like Meesho and Pine Labs. It also holds investments in listed players like Zomato, MakeMyTrip, and JD.com.





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Startup

Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (November 7, 2024)

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Funding news:

Enlog secures Rs 1.75 Cr in equity funding

Enlog, a Delhi-based startup specialising in AI-powered energy management and IoT solutions, has secured Rs 1.75 crore in equity funding from Vinners.

The fresh funds will be used to boost its operations and accelerate its growth in India’s energy management sector.

Enlog, a Delhi-based energy management startup, was founded in 2019 by Bharath Rnkawat and Jharna Saha, focuses on IoT and AI-powered energy solutions to optimise electricity consumption and reduce carbon footprints. So far, it has managed 11,300 MWh of electricity and reduced over 2,000 tons of carbon emissions.

With over 15,000 users, Enlog aims to reduce carbon emissions by one million tons by 2027. It plans to triple its revenue from Rs 12 crore in 2024 to Rs 40-45 crore by 2025, focusing on expanding into key Indian metro cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Indore.

Pulse bags $1.4M in a seed funding round led by Endiya Partners

Pulse, an advanced Agentic AI platform, has secured $1.4 million in seed funding from Endiya Partners, with participation from angel investors, including founders of Zluri and Yellow.ai, and other entrepreneurs and product leaders.

The funding will primarily focus on building a robust core team, enhancing the platform’s development, purpose-built LLMs, and Agentic AI capabilities.

It is launching its MVP in November 2024, following pilots with multiple design partners. The company plans to allocate resources for early go-to-market initiatives to establish a foothold in India and the US, paving the way for long-term growth and leadership in the AI-first product management space.

Hyderabad-based Pulse, founded in 2024, uses Agentic AI to collect customer feedback, analyse structured and unstructured data, and automate key processes like feature extraction, prioritisation, and product hierarchy creation.

Pulse

Pulse Founders

Other News

DaveAI secures patent for real-time adaptive digital aisle, transforming customer engagement

Dave.AI, an interactive digital solutions, has been granted a patent by the Government of India for its “System and Method for Real-Time Adaptive Interactive Digital Aisle of Products.”

The patented system leverages DaveAI’s proprietary Affinity Engine, a multi-dimensional AI with an online learning genetic algorithm, powers real-time hyper-personalisation, allowing brands to craft adaptable and engaging digital customer experiences.

DaveAI combines machine learning with genetic algorithms to personalise customer interactions in real time. This allows brands to provide tailored recommendations, adapt to changing customer needs, and build lasting connections.

(The copy will be updated with the latest news throughout the day)





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KL Rahul-backed Boldfit raises Rs 110 Cr from Bessemer Venture

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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. 





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Simplilearn aims to reach EBITDA profitability in FY25

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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





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