Startup information and updates: every day roundup (January 19, 2026)

From coverage expectations forward of Finances 2026 to main funding bulletins and sporting milestones, right here’s a roundup of the week’s most necessary enterprise, coverage and human-interest tales.

Featured tales

Finances 2026: From gaming to streaming, M&E sector urges authorities for tax reduction, infrastructure push

As Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to current Finances 2026-27 subsequent week, India’s media and leisure (M&E) sector is sharpening its expectations pitch. For FY27, the sector’s broad asks from the federal government embody putting gaming and esports on the centre of India’s artistic economic system, together with enabling coverage adjustments round taxation, content material creation, and digital distribution.

After two Union Budgets that provided restricted sector-specific reduction, business leaders say the upcoming Finances represents a second to maneuver from regulatory consolidation to progress enablement, particularly for fast-scaling digital and artistic companies. Learn extra right here.

Fast commerce giants cut up methods as new rivals shut in

The phrase “identical identical however completely different” applies to Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit and Zepto as every participant has discovered a singular method to win clients within the highly-competitive fast commerce section.

Based on a current outlook report by funding administration agency Bernstein, the very definition of fast commerce will evolve in 2026.

Everlasting’s Blinkit has emerged as a last-minute retailer, counting on the promise of a wider vary, high quality and supply timelines. Analysts are taking a look at it as a substitute for the neighbourhood mother & pop shops in addition to native markets for seasonal common merchandise. Learn extra right here.

How Pooja Krishnamoorthy made historical past as the primary Indian lady to finish the Brazil 135 Extremely

On January 10, Pooja Krishnamoorthy made historical past by finishing the Brazil 135 Extremely, turning into the primary Indian lady to qualify, try, and end the gruelling 135-mile (217 km) race in its 21-year historical past. 

Krishnamoorthy accomplished the race in 48 hours, nicely inside the cut-off time of 60 hours, standing sixth total in her class and ending first amongst ladies, a feat that positioned her amongst world-famous runners, lots of whom had dropped out.

Whereas the official distance in 2026 is 150 miles, individuals can select to cease at designated “Determination Factors” and obtain recognition for shorter distances. Krishnamoorthy opted for the 135-mile ultra-run. Learn extra right here.

Funding information

AssetPlus raises Rs 175 Cr led by Nexus Enterprise Companions to strengthen assisted wealth administration

AssetPlus, a totally digital-assisted wealth administration platform, on Monday mentioned it raised Rs 175 crore in a funding spherical led by  Nexus Enterprise Companions. The startup can be backed by Eight Roads Ventures and Rainmatter by Zerodha, with Bhupinder Singh persevering with as an early supporter.

AssetPlus plans to make use of the brand new capital to strengthen its know-how infrastructure, increase its product suite, and advance initiatives supporting complete wealth administration. Mutual funds stay central to the platform, complemented by well being and time period insurance coverage merchandise, which permit distributors to offer built-in monetary planning by means of a single system. Learn extra right here.

Salty raises Rs 30.1 Cr to increase product strains and retail presence

Equipment model Salty has raised Rs 30.1 crore in a funding spherical led by MG Funding, with participation from present traders Anicut Capital, All In Capital and JK Group, together with new angel traders.

The recent capital shall be used to increase Salty’s product portfolio throughout classes reminiscent of watches, sun shades, scarves, belts and bag charms, and to launch its upcoming Salty Luggage line. The model additionally plans to strengthen its crew, scale its e-commerce and quick-commerce presence, and open its first flagship bodily retailer.

Salty shipped orders to over 18,000 pin codes throughout India final yr, indicating robust demand past metro cities. The corporate may even put money into supply-chain upgrades, same-day supply growth and new digital instruments reminiscent of an AI-based styling and advice system to enhance buyer expertise.

GVFL leads Rs 6 Cr funding spherical in defence drone startup insideFPV

Ahmedabad-based enterprise capital agency GVFL has led a Rs 6 crore pre-Collection A funding spherical in insideFPV, an indigenous defence drone know-how startup. The funding shall be used for product improvement, engineering functionality constructing and scaling manufacturing readiness for defence-grade drone platforms.

Based in 2020 after the Galwan conflict, insideFPV focuses on constructing battlefield-ready drones designed for actual fight situations. Its portfolio consists of FPV drones, kamikaze and surveillance programs, and interceptor drones. The corporate may even put money into testing, validation, operator coaching, spare elements and fast restore assist to make sure operational reliability.

insideFPV’s drones have demonstrated efficiency in high-altitude environments with the Indian Military, and the startup received the Him Dron-a-thon competitors in Ladakh. The corporate plans to scale manufacturing and increase its product vary over the following yr.

Tradition raises Rs 2 Cr in seed funding from Acuvest Infra

Hyderabad-based social networking platform Tradition has raised Rs 2 crore in seed funding from Acuvest Infra. The funding was raised by ART Pvt Ltd., the corporate’s mum or dad agency, and shall be used to speed up product improvement, increase neighborhood initiatives, and strengthen the platform’s safety-focused infrastructure.

The capital may even assist the rollout of “Areas”, a creator-led characteristic that enables neighborhood leaders to host reside discussions, occasions, and hybrid online-offline experiences. Areas will type a part of Tradition’s monetisation technique by means of ticketed occasions, focused promotions, and partnerships with cafés, golf equipment and cultural venues.

Based by Anurag Rangineni, Tradition focuses on interest-based communities and real-time conversations. The platform is presently increasing by means of faculty activations, creator collaborations and venue partnerships, with plans to scale throughout main Indian cities earlier than exploring international growth.

Magical Nest raises Rs 4.12 Cr in pre-seed funding

Raanro Inside Expertise Designs, the mum or dad firm of youngsters’ room interiors model Magical Nest, has raised Rs 4.12 crore in a pre-seed funding spherical led by Think41 co-founder Anshuman Singh. Different traders embody Kunal Shah (CRED), Gaurav Kushwaha (Bluestone), Ankit Nagori (EatFit), Gaurav Agarwal and Prashant Tandon (Tata 1MG), together with Stargazer Fund.

Based in April 2025 by Rahul Bhatt, Ankush Dixit and Rohit Rai, Magical Nest is constructing an AI-led design-to-execution platform for kids’s room interiors. The platform helps designers with AI instruments for producing designs, temper boards, materials choices, payments of portions and execution plans, whereas providing clients guided design and planning assist.

The recent capital shall be used to additional develop the corporate’s AI-powered platform, together with a number of AI brokers for design, budgeting, materials choice and execution monitoring.

Different Information

Credgenics enters B2C section with FixMyScore launch

Delhi-based fintech agency Credgenics has launched FixMyScore, a consumer-facing credit score advisory platform geared toward enhancing credit score rating consciousness and serving to people entry credit score extra simply. The transfer marks the corporate’s growth past enterprise options for banks and non-banking monetary establishments into the B2C area.

FixMyScore will function as a completely owned subsidiary with a devoted crew and distribution technique centered on particular person customers throughout India. The platform affords entry to credit score experiences, rating monitoring, concern identification and structured steerage on repayments, settlements and credit score behaviour.

Based on Credgenics, the initiative addresses widespread borrower challenges reminiscent of restricted understanding of credit score experiences, incorrect bureau entries and lack of readability on enhancing credit score eligibility.

The platform integrates with credit score bureaus and present lender frameworks to assist regulatory compliance and smoother credit score entry.

Myntra appoints Ritesh Mishra as Senior Vice President & Head of Class and Income

Style and life-style platform Myntra has appointed Ritesh Mishra as Senior Vice President and Head of Class and Income. In his new function, Mishra will lead Myntra’s class and income technique, strengthening the corporate’s core vogue and life-style companies and driving its subsequent section of progress. He may even be a part of Myntra’s Senior Management Staff.

Mishra has over 25 years of expertise throughout shopping for and merchandising, provide chain, enterprise improvement and P&L administration in each offline and on-line retail. Previous to becoming a member of Myntra, he served as Deputy CEO at Way of life India Pvt. Ltd. (Landmark Group) and held senior management roles at Marks & Spencer India.

At Myntra, he’ll work with cross-functional groups to reinforce the platform’s worth proposition, construct model partnerships and ship differentiated buyer experiences throughout vogue, magnificence and life-style classes.

(This text shall be up to date with the most recent information all through the day.)