Reserve Bank of India on Friday invited applications from small finance banks meeting specified criteria, including a minimum net worth of Rs 1,000 crore, for becoming regular or universal banks. The RBI, in November 2014, issued the guidelines for licensing of small finance banks (SFBs) in the private sector. There are about a dozen SFBs, including Au Small Finance Bank, Equitas Small Finance Bank, and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank. An SFB aiming to become a universal bank should have a minimum net worth of Rs 1,000 crore as at the end of the previous quarter (audited) and the shares of the ba ..read more

Venture capital (VC) funding into Indian startups declined in the last week of April as the deal momentum fizzled out and more startups took to the debt route. VC funding for the week totalled $192 million, cutting across 21 deals. In contrast, the previous week saw a total fundraise of $339 million—the highest the Indian startup ecosystem has raised this year till now. During this week, the debt component saw strong traction, receiving $69 million from a total of $192 million. However, it underlines that startups continue to face challenges in raising equity capital, with the only financing ..read more

Bajaj Finserv Ltd (BFL) on Friday reported a 20% increase in consolidated net profit to Rs 2,119 crore for the March quarter. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 1,769 crore in the year-ago period. The total consolidated income during the fourth quarter of FY24 increased to Rs 32,042 crore against Rs 23,625 crore in the year-ago period, BFL, the holding company for the various financial services businesses under the Bajaj group, said in a regulatory filing. The Board of Directors has recommended a dividend of Re 1 (100%) per equity share of face value of Re 1, for the financial year en ..read more

Intellectual Property (IP) rights, particularly patents, are fuelling innovation in the Indian economy, with a significant surge in patents filed in India led by the deeptech sector, according to a recent study. According to industry body NASSCOM's seventh edition of its annual 'Patenting Trends in India' report, 83,000 patents were filed in India in FY23, marking the highest year-on-year increase of 24.6% in the last two decades. The share of patents filed by women in India grew to 11.6% in FY23 compared with 10.2% a year ago. With a share of 9.3% of total patent filings during FY23, Tamil ..read more

Many people have heard about the placebo effect, but not everyone knows what it is or why it's so powerful. The placebo effect occurs when a person experiences real changes in their health after receiving a treatment that contains no active medical ingredients. It can happen when someone takes a sugar pill or a fake drug but believes it's a real treatment. Astonishingly, this belief can lead to actual improvements in health. Let's delve into what makes the placebo effect so unique and explore why it suggests our minds play a significant role in healing our bodies. What Is the Placebo Effect ..read more

In the digital age, big data often steals the spotlight. It's valuable because it helps businesses identify trends, measure performance, and make data-driven decisions. But there's another form of data that might be even more helpful for gaining deeper insights—thick data. Unlike big data, which focuses on statistics and patterns, thick data delves into the human stories and experiences behind those numbers. Companies like Netflix and LEGO have discovered that thick data can lead to groundbreaking insights and innovative business strategies. In this article, we'll examine their case studies ..read more

Venture capital (VC) is a dynamic and essential part of the startup ecosystem, propelling groundbreaking ideas into successful enterprises. With the allure of high returns, despite the inherent risks, VC firms have become the backbone for innovation-driven growth. But what exactly is venture capital, and how do these firms generate the funds necessary to fuel the next generation of disruptive startups? Let's dive into the details. Understanding Venture Capital Venture capital firms specialise in financial support and strategic guidance to help startups scale and succeed ..read more

Prosus-backed foodtech giant Swiggy will reportedly file confidential papers with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for an initial public offering (IPO). The company will file for an IPO by next week, as per a Moneycontrol report. YourStory has reached out to the company for confirmation. The confidential filing route was introduced by SEBI in 2022 to protect the sensitive business information of companies planning to go public through an IPO. This mechanism allows companies to keep their draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) confidential, sharing it only with SEBI and stock ..read more

Ad blockers have been a target for YouTube for a while now only this time, they are after third-party apps. Since last year, the world's largest streaming platform has been cracking down on users who actively use ad blockers which prevent ads from popping up. Ad blocker developers enhanced their software in response to the measures taken by streaming platforms to counter ad blocking. For some time, YouTube did not announce any updates related to ad blocking. The assumption was that the platform may have given up on its pursuit of ad blockers. However, on April 15th, YouTube officially stated ..read more

Working at a startup can be an exciting experience, especially for those who are looking to make a big impact in their career. While working at an established company has its perks, there are several reasons why choosing a startup job can be beneficial for your professional growth and development. Let's deep dive into understanding the top 8 reasons why you should consider working at a startup in 2024! Top 8 reasons to work for a startup 1. Propel your career and skills One of the biggest benefits of working at a startup is to get a chance for rapid career growth. In a startup environment, e ..read more