Good Morning,
The year 2021 is ending with a bang as two more startups crossed the billion-dollar valuation mark to enter the coveted unicorn club.
Baby and mother care brand Mamaearth’s parent company Honasa Consumer raised $37.5 million in a Series F funding round led by Sequoia Capital India. With this fundraise, Mamaearth has become one of the five unicorns this year that is led by a female co-founder.
Meanwhile, Delhi-headquartered ecommerce roll-up company GlobalBees has raised $111.5 million in a Series B round led by Premji Invest — making it the second such company to turn unicorn this year after Mensa Brands.
With these new entrants, 2021 is rightfully hailed as the ‘year of the unicorn’ as it is now closing with 44 new unicorns — the highest ever.
YourStory Research reveals that India is now home to a total of 77 active unicorns — more than 2X of the total number of unicorns that the ecosystem had until 2020.
The Interview
Microsoft has a wide portfolio of offerings that can serve as the tech backbone for enterprises and businesses anywhere.
In this exclusive conversation with YourStory Founder and CEO Shradha Sharma, Sangeeta Bavi, Director–Startup Ecosystem, Microsoft India, says the company’s wide portfolio of offerings can serve as the tech backbone for any enterprise or business across the world.
Editor’s Pick: 2021: Midas year for ESOPs
The past year has put Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) into the limelight as the Indian startup ecosystem spent slightly over $220 million (Rs 1,648.6 crore) in buying back ESOP shares from employees in 2021.
The ESOP buyback or liquidity events also benefited well over 9,200 employees across 19 startups, including Flipkart, upGrad, Udaan, and PhonePe. Read more.
Startup Spotlight
Preparing India for modern warfare
Stealth technology, also termed “low–observable” technology, has made a huge difference in this age of modern warfare.
Delhi-based HyperStealth Technologies is a YourStory Tech50 2021 startup that specialised in manufacturing stealth management solutions for camouflage and concealment. Read more.
Startup Spotlight
Helping people donate
When Anushka Jain realised that it wasn’t easy for people to donate unwanted goods, it got her to start Share At Door Step (SADS) in 2015 out of Bengaluru.
The YourStory Tech50 2021 startup makes it easy for anyone to donate their old toys, clothes, electronics and furniture and earn rewards for the donations they make. Read more.
Before you go, stay inspired with…
“People, purpose, passion, and product define today’s brands and govern customer preference.”
— Nitin Agarwal, CEO, GlobalBees
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