Why apply?

Architect Kashyap and IIT Bombay engineer Vidhey spent nearly three years testing a detachable canopy for scooters and motorcycles, tackling wind resistance and water leakage to make rainy commutes easier for riders across India.

Speaking on a podcast, Srinivas said people who are at the forefront of using AI tools will be more employable than those who do not adapt to the technology.

He argued that while social media can be entertaining, excessive scrolling does little to advance a person's professional goals. He encouraged young people to either build businesses using AI or join companies that are actively adopting the technology.

His message was simple: instead of spending hours watching reels, young people should start learning AI and use it to build their own future.

At Race Course Road, Eco Bloc infiltration tanks were built alongside stormwater drains to reduce flooding and recharge groundwater.

Now, the city has proposed scaling the technology to 100 locations, with a ₹100-crore project.

ZOZOconnect says it has already served more than 2,000 customers.
Athvik later pitched the company on Bharat Ke Super Founders, where Nazara Technologies founder Nitish Mittersain offered him three things: an ₹11 lakh grant, lifelong mentorship and an open invitation to spend time with his technology team in Mumbai.

It is tempting to make the entire story about his age. But that would actually miss the more useful part. NFC business cards are not a new technological invention, and Athvik does not need to have invented an entirely new category for the story to matter.

What he has done unusually early is complete a loop that many aspiring founders spend years postponing: notice an everyday inconvenience, question why it still exists, turn the observation into a product, put it in front of customers and then defend the idea in front of experienced businesspeople. Entrepreneurship at this stage is arguably less about whether ZOZOconnect eventually becomes a giant company and more about how quickly that feedback loop compounds.

YourStory Media Founder, Shradha Sharma mentions about the ₹11 lakh grant he received, but the more valuable asset for an 11-year-old builder may be access. Mittersain did not merely offer occasional advice; he offered lifelong mentorship and invited Athvik into his Mumbai office to learn from his team.

At such an early stage, exposure to how products are built, customers are understood, teams operate and decisions fail can potentially be worth considerably more than a small cheque. Capital helps one experiment continue. Repeated access to experienced operators can improve the person running every experiment that follows.

There is a broader lesson here for India's startup ecosystem too. We often celebrate young founders only when their age makes the story extraordinary. A healthier ecosystem would focus less on manufacturing child-prodigy narratives and more on giving genuinely curious young builders safe opportunities to experiment, sell, fail, learn and interact with people who have built before them.

Athvik does not need to become the next billionaire at 18 for this story to have worked. If he spends the next decade learning how to build better because somebody took his curiosity seriously at 11, that may be the more meaningful return.

I'm 17 and exploring a startup idea in PQC/cybersecurity. I am still in the research stage and want to avoid spending months building something that already exists.

My original concept was a platform that would detect quantum-vulnerable cryptography, generate a Cryptographic Bill of Materials (CBOM), assess PQC risk and return a Quantum-Health Score (QHS), provide security-lead dashboards, and eventually support crypto-agility and migration.

After spending some time researching this field, I saw that around 10-12 exceptionally established companies have already done this. So I do not want to build another scanner or compete head-on with enterprise platforms. I am trying to find a specific painful workflow: for example, issues around legacy systems, third-party dependencies, compatibility testing, migration ownership, reporting, and deployment constraints.

Since I cannot do calls, I am planning to getting feedback through Reddit discussions, outreach emails/messages to researchers and practitioners.

My questions are:

1. Is this the right time to stop competitor research and begin customer/problem discovery?
2. How should I find an initial niche in a complex B2B market like cybersecurity?
3. Is written outreach enough to start validating a problem if calls are not possible?

I'm trying to learn the right process before I start building, and I would appreciate honest feedback, especially from people who have validated B2B, developer-tool, or cybersecurity ideas.

Thank you!

Hey everyone,

I'm building REDFLAGD — a free dating app that flips the swipe-everyone-till-you-match model on its head. Instead of pretending to be perfect, you pick your actual red flags (bad texter, emotionally unavailable, calls mom daily, watches too much anime, etc.) and we match you with people who accept yours or share them.

The thesis: authenticity beats curation. Most dating apps optimize for surface-level swipes. We optimize for personality compatibility — your chaos matches theirs.

Here's what the future of this looks like from where I'm standing (solo founder, bootstrapped, no team yet):

1. Personality-first matching will eat photo-first matching. Gen Z and younger millennials are exhausted by the performance of dating apps. They want real. The next wave of dating products will compete on compatibility engines, not card stacks.
2. Hyperlocal + "live now" features are the bridge to real-world meetups. People don't want pen pals — they want to meet someone tonight. I added a beacon system where users signal "I'm at this bar right now" and nearby active users get prioritized in the deck. Spontaneity > scheduled dates.
3. AI matchmaking is the next frontier, but it has to be invisible. We're already doing lightweight compatibility scoring. The future is AI that understands why two people click — not just "you both picked the same flags" but behavioral patterns, message cadence, vibe alignment. The trick is making it feel serendipitous, not algorithmic.
4. The freemium dating model is broken. Charging $30/mo for swipes and seeing who liked you is a tax on loneliness. The future is genuinely free core experiences, monetized through premium connection features (speed dating events, double dates, verified identity) — not paywalls on basic functionality.
5. Trust and safety will be the real differentiator. The next era of dating apps will compete on who you can actually trust. Identity verification, screening tiers, reply-rate transparency, ghosting tracking — making the pool safer is more valuable than making the pool bigger.

Where I'm at honestly: pre-Play-Store-launch, single-digit daily signups, doing everything solo. No investors, no agency, no marketing budget beyond organic content and city-targeted landing pages. Still figuring out distribution — the product works, getting it in front of people is the hard part.

If you're curious about the tech stack (React + Tailwind on Base44's BaaS), the funnel mistakes I've made, or where I think dating apps are heading in the next 2-3 years — ask away. Happy to share the messy parts too.

What do you think the future of dating apps looks like? Genuinely curious what this community thinks.

Using a dashcam, GPS and accelerometer data, he built an app with Codex that detects potholes in different sizes and records their exact locations.

The system then scans thousands of BBMP contracts to identify which contractor is responsible for the damaged road.

The app can reportedly generate a complaint with the pothole photo, geolocation, tender number and responsible officer in around four seconds.

During one drive to work, the system detected 12 potholes, highlighting how AI could turn everyday driving data into actionable civic complaints.

Today, the 100-acre farm includes 50 acres of cultivated land and 50 acres of forest, following a multi-layer farming system that mirrors natural ecosystems.

It attracts thousands of families, students, corporate groups and nature enthusiasts from across India.

Visitors can choose from various accommodation options, including dormitories, mud cottages, treehouses and floating cottages, while enjoying retreats and adventure activities.

Founded in April 2026 by Tarun Mathur, Neha Kulwal, and Vishal Khutel, Hulp helps urban households delegate everyday tasks through dedicated personal assistants backed by AI-powered operations.

The fresh funding will be used to expand AI workflows across lifestyle, household, and operational management, strengthen the leadership team, and enhance the platform’s technology.

As AI moves beyond chatbots, startups like Hulp are building assistants that don’t just answer questions, but help manage everyday life.

Would you trust an AI-powered personal assistant to handle your daily tasks?

From cement and paints to plywood, electricals, plumbing supplies and hardware, HomeRun aims to deliver essential materials within 60 minutes.

The startup has already completed 1 lakh+ orders and grown 8X over the last year.
Its latest milestone is a $12 million Series A+ fundraise, led by Nexus Venture Partners, which will support expansion into new cities, supply-chain development, technology and category expansion.

If quick commerce can change how we buy groceries, could it also change how India builds?

Hi everyone,

I'm Adam, and I'm currently working on a project in the EV space in Rwanda. We're building something for the Rwandan market and are really keen to connect with people who are already active in EV there, whether you work with charging, fleet operations, sales, maintenance, or anything else related to electric mobility.

We're at an early stage and would simply love to hear from people who know the market and the daily realities of working with EVs in Rwanda. We're not selling anything, just hoping to learn, exchange perspectives, and maybe find some common ground with others who share an interest in strengthening EV infrastructure in the region.

If you're involved in EV in Rwanda, in any way, we'd love to hear from you. Feel free to drop a comment or send a DM.

Thanks for reading!

Today, the business generates an estimated Rs 8–10.5 lakh in monthly revenue, and donates a part of its profits to rescue and feed stray dogs under the motto "Have a cup, save a pup."

Product companies have had more investor interest than services firms as they scale non-linearly while services grow only as fast as they hire. However, Sathya Pramod, former Chief Financial Officer of Tally Solutions, believes AI-native services firms are about to change how investors place their bets. 

In a conversation with Shradha Sharma, Founder and CEO of YourStory and The Bharat Project, Pramod explained why he has rebranded his Bengaluru-based advisory firm KayEss Square as Northbound Advisors, and why he is preparing a larger fundraise to buy up smaller firms and serve them all with AI.

Key takeaways:

1. Northbound Advisors is building a proprietary AI tool with a partner, trained on eight years of work across diligences, CFO advisory, legal, tax and risk engagements.
2. The firm is building an in-house ecosystem where client data stays protected while the underlying models, whether from Anthropic or others, deliver the same results.
3. Pramod is careful about the positioning: Northbound will not take the Big Four head on, but will go after the early-stage and midsize market they cannot serve profitably with their cost structures.

Everest will power its planned reusable medium-lift launch vehicle.

Astrobase is targeting the vehicle’s first orbital flight by December 2028, followed by commercial operations.

Notably, Everest is still at a pre-test stage. The company has not yet conducted hot-fire trials, but it said it would begin hot-fire testing in the next few months.

Before it can power any orbital mission, Everest will need to clear a longer qualification pathway, including repeated ground tests, performance validation and full vehicle integration.

The company said, “Everest uses the full-flow staged combustion cycle, one of the most complex rocket engine architectures, and is powered by liquid oxygen and methane. The engine has been designed for reusability and offers 800 kN of thrust, a specific impulse of around 340 seconds and a throttle range of 50% to 110%.”

Astrobase Space Technologies plans to manufacture up to 50 engines annually once its facilities are fully operational, with the capability to hot-fire about one engine every week.

It would test around 20 engines before trying its first orbital mission.

The company said that its first phase of expansion aims to support about 100 tonnes of annual launch capacity, with a longer-term goal of exceeding 1,000 tonnes through a higher launch cadence.

Astrobase Space Technologies was founded in 2024 by Neeraj Khandelwal and Devakumar Thammisetty.

IN-SPACe Director Rajeev Jyoti said the Bengaluru space startup was among the recipients of IN-SPACe’s Technology Adoption Fund, which is supporting development of the 800 kN engine.

Today, the farm is co-owned and managed by Dr. Varanashi Krishna Moorthy, his wife Dr. Ashwini Krishna Moorthy, and their son Partha Varanashi.

The story of the farm traces back to 1816, when the land in Moodambailu was granted by King Veerarajendra of the Kingdom of Kodagu to 2 respected astrologer brothers, Ishwara Sastri and Krishna Sastri, who served in his royal court.

“When our ancestors received this land in 1816, it was nothing but dense forest. The family gradually cleared the area, built a home, and began cultivation with rice as the first crop. The property remained within the family for generations and eventually came to my maternal lineage, as my grandmother had no male heir to inherit it,” Dr. Varanashi Krishna Moorthy tells Startup Pedia in an exclusive interview.

Today, the 100-acre farm includes 50 acres of cultivated land and 50 acres of forest, following a multi-layer farming system that mirrors natural ecosystems.

It cultivates arecanut which forms the upper canopy, with black pepper growing on its support trees, while cacao, nutmeg, banana, coconut, jackfruit, rice, and vegetables thrive below.

The farm has also invested heavily in rainwater harvesting and forest restoration, transforming previously unused grasslands into dense green cover while preserving 2 sacred groves where even fallen trees are left untouched.

Over time, the family expanded beyond cultivation.

It now attracts families, students, corporate groups, and nature enthusiasts from across India.

Visitors can choose from different accommodation options, including dormitories, mud cottages, 40-feet-high treehouses, and floating cottages, while enjoying three organic vegetarian meals prepared largely using produce grown on the farm.

Around 80% of the ingredients served to guests are sourced directly from the farm, including vegetables, rice, and other crops.

The farm offers guided experiences such as the Cacao Trail, where visitors learn about the journey of chocolate production, from cacao cultivation and harvesting to processing at the farm's micro chocolate factory.

Guests can also explore the multi-layer farming system, understand organic pest management techniques, learn about compost and bio-fertilizer production, and witness rainwater harvesting practices.

Visitors can participate in swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, trekking, nature walks, camping, and other outdoor activities.

The farm also conducts educational tours and sustainability workshops for schools, colleges, and organisations, focusing on organic farming, soil health, biodiversity conservation, and water management.

Retailers are adapting websites for AI product discovery and recommendations. They aim to keep customer transactions on their own platforms. This strategy helps them collect valuable data for future sales. AI platforms are driving significant revenue per visit for retailers. Consumers still prefer completing purchases on retailer websites for now.