KaroStartup

Imagine launching an online business in just 30 seconds. Sounds crazy? But that’s exactly what Suumit Shah did with Dukaan®, an app that revolutionized small businesses in India. It all started in May 2020, when the world was locked down and businesses were struggling to survive. A radio jockey casually suggested—“Why not take orders through WhatsApp?” That one line sparked an idea that would change everything. With no time to waste, Suumit and Subhash Choudhary built Dukaan’s first version in just 48 hours. The app enabled local shopkeepers—even those with zero tech knowledge—to create their own online store in 30 seconds using just their smartphones. But Suumit’s journey was far from easy. Born in Mumbai in 1990, he worked at his uncle’s store in Satara, pursued engineering in Sangli, and self-taught digital marketing and web design from his roommate. Before Dukaan, he successfully ran marketing ventures like Risemetric and Rankz.io. Then came explosive growth. In just 20 days, Dukaan had: • 150,000+ online stores selling everything from groceries to clothing and electronics. • 500,000+ products listed. • 75,000+ orders placed. By the end of 2020, 2 million small businesses were thriving on Dukaan—a platform born out of necessity, built with speed, and scaled with vision. From an idea during lockdown to a ₹200+ crore empire, Suumit proved that one bold move can change everything. Read more: thekarostartup.com #SuumitShah #Dukaan #Ecommerce #StartupIndia #TechEntrepreneur #SmallBusiness #SuccessStory #DigitalGrowth

₹381Cr Revenue, 20% Savings, and WhatsApp Shopping—Here’s Why CityMall Is India’s Game-Changing E-commerce Platform! Imagine a world where your groceries, fashion, electronics, and more are just a click away—delivered free, discounted up to 20%, and all from the comfort of your home. That is CityMall, the online shopping platform made in India, for India! With a focus on small towns and cities, CityMall is bringing e-commerce to new internet users across the country. Competitive prices, a growing WhatsApp-based network, and a promise of quality make it the go-to platform for smart shopping. Here’s what makes it special: 1️⃣ Massive Savings: Up to 20% less than your neighborhood store. 2️⃣ Convenience: Shop from home via their app or WhatsApp-based stores. 3️⃣ Free Delivery: Next-day delivery, straight to your doorstep. 4️⃣ Simple Returns: Not happy? Returns and refunds are a breeze! Founded by a dynamic team of innovators, CityMall is striving to bring the best of e-commerce to the heart of India. At ₹381Cr in revenue and counting, it is already making waves! 🚨Opportunity Alert! We are looking for founders and startups based in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai for our podcast! 🔗Link in Bio. DM us now to connect. #MadeForIndia #CityMallShopping #GroceriesOnline #WhatsAppShopping #ShopFromHome #SmallTownsBigDeals Angad K. Naisheel Verdhan Priyank Jain

The Man Company , founded in 2015 by Hitesh Dhingra, Parvesh Bareja, and Bhisham Bhateja, set out to disrupt the men’s grooming industry with premium, organic products—balms, face serums, moisturizers, hair oils, shampoos, trimmers, and more. But the real game-changer? Live commerce. By partnering with Firework, The Man Company transformed its website into an interactive, TikTok-style shopping experience, making product discovery seamless and engaging. The results were massive: • 2.7X increase in conversion rates • Higher engagement and frictionless shopping • Direct-to-consumer (D2C) dominance in a competitive market This digital-first strategy didn’t just boost sales—it changed the company’s trajectory. In 2022, Emami Limited acquired The Man Company, pushing its valuation to ₹400 crore. For brand ambassador and angel investor Ayushmann Khurrana, this meant a 400% return on his investment. Today, The Man Company’s products are available in 2,500+ stores across 50+ cities, 2,000+ retail touchpoints, 30 exclusive outlets, and 500+ salons. Building a brand is one thing. Scaling it to ₹400 crore is another. Read more: thekarostartup com #LiveCommerce #D2CSuccess #MensGrooming #StartupGrowth #EcommerceSuccess #AyushmannKhurrana #BusinessStrategy #BrandSuccess

India’s defence exports have reached an all-time high of ₹23,622 crore (approx. $2.76 billion) in 2024-25, marking a 12.04% increase from the ₹21,083 crore recorded in 2023-24, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed this as a “proud milestone” in India’s journey towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Singh also stated that the country is on track to achieve its target of ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029. The Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) saw a 42.85% growth in exports, highlighting India’s growing role in the global defence supply chain. In 2024-25, the private sector contributed ₹15,233 crore, while DPSUs contributed ₹8,389 crore to total exports. In comparison, 2023-24 figures were ₹15,209 crore from the private sector and ₹5,874 crore from DPSUs. India has exported ammunition, arms, sub-systems, and components to nearly 80 countries in the past year. The number of defence exporters grew 17.4%, with 1,762 export authorisations issued in 2024-25, up from 1,507 the previous year. With a strong push for indigenous production and self-reliance, India is evolving from an import-dependent military force to a major global exporter in the defence sector. Read more: thekarostartup.com #DefenceExportsIndia #MakeInIndia #AatmanirbharBharat #DefenceManufacturing #IndiaDefenceSector #SelfReliance #DefenceExports #IndianEconomy #NarendraModi #RajnathSingh

Starting April 1, all property owners in Bengaluru will have to pay a Solid Waste Management (SWM) user fee, which will be collected alongside property tax. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) aims to generate ₹685 crore through this initiative to enhance waste collection and disposal across the city. SWM User Fee Structure Based on Property Size • Up to 600 sq ft – ₹10 per month • 600–1,000 sq ft – ₹50 per month • 1,000–2,000 sq ft – ₹100 per month • 2,000–3,000 sq ft – ₹150 per month • 3,000–4,000 sq ft – ₹200 per month • Above 4,000 sq ft – ₹400 per month BBMP marshals equipped with point-of-sale machines will collect these fees. Bulk waste generators who fail to process waste in situ will pay an additional ₹12 per kg, while those using composting will get a ₹3 per kg rebate. Infrastructure Boost for Waste Management To improve waste management, ₹1,400 crore has been allocated to Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML). Key initiatives include: • 27 transfer stations to manage black spots in the city • Material recovery facility (1,226 metric tonnes/day) costing ₹104 crore • 50 MTPD Bio-CNG unit and 300 MTPD plant in collaboration with GAIL • Four biomethanisation plants and an 8 MTPD animal waste processing unit • Three sanitary waste processing units (25 MTPD each) • Pilot project for plastic & e-waste processing with CIPET (5 tonnes/day) This initiative is expected to streamline waste collection, improve processing facilities, and contribute to a cleaner Bengaluru. Read more: thekarostartup.com #BengaluruGoesGreen #SWMUserFee #PropertyTax #BBMPInitiative #WasteManagementReform #CleanBengaluru #SustainableLiving #EcoFriendly #GreenInitiatives #BengaluruDevelopment #WasteReduction #CleanCity

India has secured its position as the fourth-largest holder of foreign exchange reserves, with a total of $658.8 billion, enough to cover 11 months of imports, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Rajya Sabha. Despite global economic uncertainties, she assured that India’s forex reserves remain strong and stable. Addressing concerns about the Current Account Deficit (CAD) and rupee depreciation, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary highlighted that India’s rupee has shown the least depreciation among major Asian currencies. While foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) pulled out money in recent months, the trend is reversing, with $3.84 billion flowing back into India in March 2025, reflecting renewed confidence in the Indian economy. The Current Account Deficit has also seen a sharp decline from $67.1 billion in 2022-23 to $21.4 billion in 2024-25, signaling a positive economic trajectory. India remains resilient, with its financial markets growing stronger under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Read more: thekarostartup.com #IndiaForeignReserves #FourthLargestHolder #EconomicStability #ForexReserves #NirmalaSitharaman #RajyaSabha #GlobalEconomicUncertainties #RupeeDepreciation #CurrentAccountDeficit #CAD #FPIs

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions reached an all-time high of ₹24.77 lakh crore in March, reflecting a 12.7% increase over the previous month, according to data from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Compared to March last year, UPI transactions surged 25% in value from ₹19.78 lakh crore and saw a 36% increase in volume, highlighting the rapid adoption of digital payments in India. With daily transactions averaging ₹79,903 crore, a 1.9% increase from February, and volumes rising by 2.6%, the numbers underscore the growing trust in digital financial solutions. UPI, operated by NPCI under the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks’ Association, facilitates real-time payments between individuals and businesses. In January 2025, UPI transactions exceeded 16.99 billion, with a total value surpassing ₹23.48 lakh crore, marking the highest monthly record at the time. For the 2023-24 fiscal year, total UPI transaction volume crossed 131 billion, with the overall value exceeding ₹200 lakh crore, according to the Ministry of Finance. Read more: thekarostartup.com #UPITransactions #DigitalPayments #IndiaFintech #FinancialInclusion #DigitalIndia #NPCI #RBI #IndianBanksAssociation #FintechGrowth #PaymentSystems

Untold Life Story of A Real Life Fighter #hrithikroshan #motivation #actor #bollywood

Nourish You Bags 16 Crore in Series A Funding Led by SIDBI Venture Capital Nourish You India, a superfood brand from India, has raised Rs 16 crore (about $1.84 million) in its Series A funding round, led by SIDBI Venture Capital. The company, founded in 2015 by Krishna Reddy, Sowmya Reddy, and Rakesh Kilaru, offers superfoods like quinoa and chia seeds. It aims to use the new funds to grow its business, improve customer engagement, and expand to global markets.  Nourish You already sells its products in India and exports to several countries. With this investment, the company plans to strengthen its position in the growing plant-based nutrition market. #startup #startupstories

16 cities, ₹33 Cr revenue in 2 years, No Sugar, Lots of Ice Cream - A Dream? In 2022, I saw a problem – people love ice cream but hate sugar. I created Go Zero - India's first 100% guilt-free ice cream. Funding was tough. Investors didn't believe in sugar-free desserts. I bootstrapped my startup. Retail stores rejected me. They said, “Healthy ice cream? No one wants that!” Kiran Shah focused on quick commerce. In just 2 years, Go Zero expanded to 16 cities with 125 dark stores. Then came Shark Tank India. I walked in, seeking ₹1 Cr for 1% equity at a ₹100 Cr valuation. All eyes were on me. My pitch was simple - Zero sugar, high protein, pure joy. Aman Gupta made the best offer - ₹1 Cr for 1.5% equity, valuing Go Zero at ₹66.67 Cr. Post Shark Tank, sales tripled. We hit ₹33 Cr in revenue this year. Now, we’re expanding. More cities, new flavors, and an offline retail push. Go Zero isn’t just ice cream - it’s a revolution. No sugar, no guilt - just happiness. #startup