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Time of India
11-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Startups chase finserv companies seeking GenAI customer support use cases
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills ETtech The highly regulated financial services industry is finding application of generative artificial intelligence models in customer-facing operations, from onboarding to servicing and basic query resolutions, as adoption of the technology goes up and its cost comes banks spend heavily on running contact centres or backend support teams with human agents to service their clients. Now with agentic AI, a large part of the basic queries can be solved by software, say industry insiders.'Our models can reduce the cost for financial services by 40-50%, manage a lot of routine things,' said Gnani AI chief executive Ganesh Gopalan. 'If our client is serving 50,000 customers today, tomorrow they can scale it by five times, instead of hiring more agents to do this work.'Bengaluru-based Gnani AI, backed by InfoEdge Ventures, builds conversational AI tools for finserv like and Hyperface are building AI use cases targeted at different service categories. While some models have already gone live, a few are under deployment.'Currently in India the cost of running a GenAI model is at par with contact centre employees. But in the future, AI models can be scaled up exponentially which is not the case of call centres, and that is the big benefit that companies are looking for,' said Ramanthan RV, chief executive at Hyperface, which powers credit card stacks for model Hyperface has built is already deployed at a fintech startup, assisting customers who have downloaded their application but haven't begun using the app yet. It is also deploying another model with a bank in the credit card issuance bots and chatbots have been around for many years already, but with GenAI capabilities these bots are becoming smarter, more advanced and capable of speaking in a proper human voice.A top executive at a fintech startup explained that most of these first-generation bots were trained through machine learning models which have now gone obsolete. Currently banks are taking enterprise solutions from the likes of OpenAI and Microsoft and training them with specific capabilities. The bots can then not only answer basic queries but also solve problems on the fly.'Financial services is a major sector for us; the use cases are majorly in card issue support, loan processing, customer acquisition and information regarding claims,' said Rashid Khan, cofounder of Yellow AI, which is backed by the likes of Lightspeed and Westbridge Capital. 'This AI model focuses on accuracy, latency and making the bot sound more human,' he large financial firms are taking note of the power that these new technologies can bring to their business. Bajaj Finance , one of the largest non-banking lenders in the country, acquired a 12% stake in a mobile security firm. In April 2024, listed banking technology company Aurionpro acquired to push AI models to its banking currently has around 44 GenAI companies in speech and voice recognition, including Sarvam, Uniphore and Augnito, and 25 of them are funded, according to a Tracxn report published in June. While startups are enthusiastic, the government is encouraging and venture funds have taken note of the opportunity as well, integration with legacy banking software systems and stringent regulations make the deployments tricky.'Regulatory compliance remains the primary challenge. Every solution must navigate strict BFSI data security requirements, with companies needing ISO 27001 and GDPR compliance. The regulatory framework for AI in collections is still evolving, creating uncertainty around deployment timelines,' said Arjun Malhotra, general partner at early-stage venture firm Good fintech executive cited earlier said there are expectations that the Reserve Bank of India would take note of the increasing deployment of AI in banking and release some broader guidelines and framework that industry feels more confident about investing in these solutions.'AI hallucination is real, while humans mis-sell products as well; what happens if the AI bot gets gamed by the customer or the bot actually makes a mistake and the customer loses money, these are things which will need further industry-wide deliberations,' said Ramanathan of Hyperface.
Entrepreneur
09-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Chai Bisket Raises USD 5 Mn Led by InfoEdge Ventures & General Catalyst to Launch Chai Shots
The seed round also drew backing from a stellar list of angel investors, including actor and entrepreneur Rana Daggubati, Swiggy co-founders Sri Harsha Majety and Nandan Reddy, redBus founder Phanindra Sama, Darwinbox's Rohit Chennamaneni, PhysicsWallah's Alakh Pandey and Prateek, Rapido's founding team, and Virgio's Amar Nagaram. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Chai Bisket, the Hyderabad-based digital content powerhouse, has raised USD 5 million in a seed round led by InfoEdge Ventures and General Catalyst to fuel the launch of Chai Shots, a regional-first, mobile-only microdrama OTT platform. This new platform aims to deliver ultra-short, high-quality fiction content tailored for India's next billion entertainment consumers. The seed round also drew backing from a stellar list of angel investors, including actor and entrepreneur Rana Daggubati, Swiggy co-founders Sri Harsha Majety and Nandan Reddy, redBus founder Phanindra Sama, Darwinbox's Rohit Chennamaneni, PhysicsWallah's Alakh Pandey and Prateek, Rapido's founding team, and Virgio's Amar Nagaram. Founded in 2015 by Sharath Chandra and Anurag Reddy, Chai Bisket has become a cultural force in South India's digital landscape, producing over 2 billion views across its YouTube channels, and playing a key role in shaping regional storytelling through films, web series, and viral short dramas. The team also co-produced the critically acclaimed film Major and has been actively experimenting with short fictional formats since 2021. The newly announced Chai Shots platform delivers fiction in bite-sized two-minute episodes, catering to Gen Z and tier II–III users. The product is built for mobile-first consumption and will launch first in Telugu, expanding into Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada soon. The platform, co-led by Sharath, Anurag, and new co-founder Krishna Mohan Varma (who leads tech), plans to launch over 100 original shows in the first six months. "In today's world, storytelling lives in the palm of your hand," said Rahul Garg, Partner at General Catalyst. "This team isn't just reacting to culture, they're creating it." Actor and investor Rana Daggubati stated, "The future of stories is fast, local, and emotional. Chai Shots gets that." Sharath Chandra added, "We're here to elevate short-form content by blending fiction's emotional depth with mobile convenience — in our languages and on our terms." With deep roots in content and a sharp tech vision, Chai Bisket is now betting big on microdramas as India's next storytelling frontier, redefining how Bharat watches and feels entertainment.
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Business Standard
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
GobbleCube raises $3.5 million to expand AI tools for consumer brands
GobbleCube, a startup that provides AI tools for consumer brands, has raised $3.5 million in a Pre-Series A funding round led by InfoEdge Ventures, with participation from existing investor Kae Capital. The Bengaluru-based company, which recently exited private beta, has reached $2 million in annual recurring revenue and onboarded more than 200 clients, including Reckitt, Tata Consumer, Nivea, and Johnson & Johnson. With the new capital, GobbleCube plans to deepen its AI capabilities, expand platform coverage, and accelerate its global go-to-market motion. GobbleCube was founded by Manas Gupta, Srikumar Nair, and Nitesh Jindal, former members of the Blinkit leadership team. The platform uses AI to help consumer brands identify revenue gaps and growth opportunities in hyperlocal markets. It has reported 2–3 times sales increases for clients ranging from D2C startups to large enterprises. Its AI platform analyses billions of locality-level data points to help brands move from retrospective analysis to predictive and action-oriented decisions—across pricing, planning, digital visibility, and performance marketing. 'E-commerce and q-commerce are becoming increasingly complex, with brands needing to win at a hyperlocal and platform-specific level across marketplaces like Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart,' said Kitty Agarwal, Partner at InfoEdge Ventures. Gaurav Chaturvedi, General Partner at Kae Capital, added, 'GobbleCube's ability to drive measurable growth for both emerging D2C brands and large enterprises within weeks signals strong product–market fit.'
Entrepreneur
03-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
GobbleCube and IORA Ecological Solutions Raise Funding for Growth
The below brands have announced their latest funding rounds. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. GobbleCube Raises USD 3.5 Mn Pre-Series A Funding AI-driven growth copilot GobbleCube has raised USD 3.5 million in a pre-Series A round led by InfoEdge Ventures, with continued backing from Kae Capital. The funds will be used to enhance its AI capabilities, broaden platform features, and accelerate global expansion. Founded in 2023 by Manas Gupta, Srikumar Nair, and Nitesh Jindal, GobbleCube helps consumer brands scale rapidly by analysing billions of hyperlocal data points to identify revenue leaks, demand gaps, and growth opportunities. Its platform has already onboarded 200+ brands, including Reckitt, Tata Consumer, Nivea, and Johnson & Johnson, and achieved USD 2 million in ARR within just nine months of public launch. "Ecommerce and qcommerce are becoming increasingly complex, with brands needing to win at a hyperlocal and platform-specific level across marketplaces like Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart. GobbleCube gives them the real-time visibility and intelligence needed to drive growth and revenue outcomes," said Kitty Agarwal, Partner at InfoEdge Ventures. Offering AI-powered insights, GobbleCube operates across MENA and LATAM regions and competes with global players like CommerceIQ, Profitero, and NielsenIQ. "GobbleCube's ability to drive measurable growth for both emerging D2C brands and large enterprises within weeks signals strong product-market fit," added Gaurav Chaturvedi of Kae Capital. IORA Ecological Solutions Raises INR 8.5 Cr Debt Funding Iora Ecological Solutions (IORA), a pioneer in Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for climate action and ecosystem restoration, has raised INR 8.5 crore (approx. USD 1 million) in debt funding from Caspian Impact Investments (Caspian Debt). The funds will be used to scale MegCare, IORA's flagship agroforestry and land restoration program in Meghalaya, aiming to rejuvenate degraded landscapes, increase forest cover, and improve rural livelihoods through sustainable practices. Founded in 2009 by Swapan Mehra, IORA is an environmental advisory firm with multidisciplinary expertise in environmental finance, policy, research, and project implementation. It has executed over 200 global projects spanning 20 million hectares across 27 Indian states, 2 UTs, and regions in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. "This investment by Caspian Debt, supported by Rabo Foundation, marks an important milestone for the MegCare program," said Sampath Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Government of Meghalaya. "It supports the state's vision to restore lands and empower communities." MegCare is expected to benefit 80,000 smallholder farmers in Meghalaya by linking ecosystem restoration with carbon finance and sustainable income. "This carbon-linked financing model integrates NbS with measurable climate outcomes," said Swapan Mehra, CEO, IORA. Caspian's Sai Pramodh added, "IORA's execution strength makes this a model for impactful climate finance." Rabobank ACORN and Rabo Foundation also supported the initiative, advancing India's path to its 2070 net-zero climate goal.
Economic Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
AI-backed brand analytics platform GobbleCube raises $3.5 million in round led by InfoEdge Ventures
ETtech L-R, Nitesh Kumar, Manas Gupta and Srikumar Nair, cofounder, Gobblecube Consumer brand analytics platform GobbleCube has raised $3.5 million in a funding round led by InfoEdge Ventures, with participation from existing investor Kae Capital. Founded by Manas Gupta, Srikumar Nair, and Nitesh Jindal, part of the original Blinkit leadership team, the AI-backed platform specialises in helping consumer brands in revenue management by automating data and decision-making processes. Its AI platform claims to help brands scale by identifying revenue leaks, demand gaps and high-growth micro-markets. The startup, which came out of its beta mode nine months ago, said it has since onboarded 200 brands, including Tata Consumer, Johnson & Johnson and Nivea, and achieved $2 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). The company said it is also working with brands across Middle East and North Africa, and Latin America regions. With the new capital, GobbleCube plans to deepen its AI capabilities, expand platform coverage, and accelerate its global go-to-market motion.'What we are seeing is an evolution of commerce, how it is becoming more and more hyperlocal. This is where the opportunity lies for us: in enabling brands to engage consumers with precision and relevance at scale,' cofounder and CEO Manas Gupta told ET. 'This isn't just a marketing challenge; it's a big-data problem that demands AI-first, productised solutions," he AI engine helps brands predict and influence their future plans. It analyses "billions of local data points" to identify actions in areas like digital shelf visibility, pricing, and planning. This now includes performance marketing, allowing brands to shift from reactive decision-making to growth driven by clear startup raised a seed round in 2024 of $1.9 million led by Kae Capital.'E-commerce and q-commerce are becoming increasingly complex, with brands needing to win at a hyperlocal and platform-specific level across marketplaces like Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart. GobbleCube gives them the real-time visibility and intelligence needed to drive growth and revenue outcomes,' said Kitty Agarwal, partner at InfoEdge Ventures. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Can this cola maker get back bubble valuation pricked by Ambani? Darkness at noon: Can this reform succeed after failing four times? Zepto has slowed, and Aadit Palicha needs more than a big fund raise to fix it Why Sebi must give up veto power over market infra institutions Stock Radar: SBI stock breaks out from Symmetrical Triangle pattern; what should investors do with this Sensex stock? These mid-cap stocks with 'Strong Buy' & 'Buy' recos can rally over 25%, according to analysts Multibagger or IBC - Part 13: This auto ancillary helps power Chandrayaan-3 and makes the 'glue' that holds cars together Buy, sell or hold: Antique maintains a hold on JSW Steel; Nuvama sees over 15% upside in Apollo Hospitals
