Expansions, layoffs, funding, leadership moves, and policy shifts — with our take on what it means for hiring in India, today and over the next five years.
Omnivore, a prominent agrifood-focused venture capital fund, is channelling the bulk of its remaining Fund III capital into deep science startups and agrifood consumer brands, while signalling that its upcoming Fund IV will target physical AI, robotics, and high-protein food innovation. The move reflects a broader strategic conviction that technology-driven agriculture and food businesses are entering a high-growth phase. This positions Omnivore as a significant early backer of next-generation agritech and food-tech ventures in India.
Indian higher education is responding to employer demand by expanding online degree options that prioritise employability over traditional attendance-based credentials. Programmes combining technology and management skills are being positioned specifically to prepare graduates for globally sourced remote roles. This reflects a broader structural shift in how Indian institutions are rethinking curriculum design around actual hiring outcomes.
Dhoot Transmission, backed by Bain Capital and preparing for an IPO, is pivoting its business toward electric vehicle components, expanding its product range to include battery assemblies, onboard chargers, DC-DC converters, and charging guns. The wiring harness maker sees India's EV transition as its primary growth engine going forward. The company counts Bajaj Auto among its major customers, contributing roughly a third of its revenue.
AWL Agri Business has raised its edible oil inventory cover from 35 to 45 days in response to global supply chain disruptions stemming from conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. The move echoes the stockpiling strategies companies adopted during COVID-19 to protect supply continuity. Larger players in the sector are now better positioned to capture market share as smaller competitors struggle with the same disruptions.
AppSquadz has grown its cloud and digital transformation capabilities over the past five years, working across government, healthcare, and enterprise clients in India. The company's expansion reflects a broader industry trend of Indian IT firms deepening their footprint in public-sector digitisation and cloud-led modernisation projects. This positions cloud and GovTech as increasingly significant verticals for technology talent in the country.
Pune-based startup Cresa, co-founded by Sarika Pathak and Mohan Kulkarni in 2021, is tackling India's massive sanitary pad waste crisis by manufacturing biodegradable, plastic-free pads that break down in water. The venture addresses both a public health gap and a growing consumer demand for sustainable personal care products. As awareness around menstrual hygiene and eco-friendly alternatives rises, startups like Cresa represent an emerging segment within India's broader femtech and sustainable consumer goods space.
Freshworks has reported a return to profitability in the April–June quarter, with revenue climbing to $237.4 million from roughly $204.7 million in the same period last year. The milestone comes as the company openly navigates a significant internal shift driven by artificial intelligence. Freshworks, which has a large engineering and product workforce based in Chennai, is now a bellwether for how Indian SaaS firms are balancing growth with AI-led operational changes.
Akasa Air's CEO Vinay Dube has publicly pushed back against the strategy of chasing market share at all costs, signalling a focus on sustainable, profitable growth instead. He also weighed in on the growing trend of airport operators investing in airlines, arguing that regulatory oversight — not industry self-regulation — is the right safeguard against conflicts of interest. The remarks come as India's aviation sector sees increasing convergence between airport infrastructure owners and airline businesses.
The Solar Energy Corporation of India is scouting for carbon dioxide suppliers to feed upcoming green urea and green methanol production facilities. These projects sit at the intersection of renewable energy and industrial chemicals, combining green hydrogen with captured CO₂. The move signals India is actively building the supply chain infrastructure for a domestic green chemicals industry.
New disclosures reveal that the bulk of Microsoft's artificial intelligence revenue is tied to its partnership with OpenAI rather than being generated through its own independently built AI products. This signals that Microsoft's AI commercial success is deeply dependent on a single partner relationship. The revelation raises broader questions about how hyperscalers are building — or not building — their AI capabilities in-house.
Berger Paints India posted a sharp jump in net profit during the April–June quarter, led by its strongest decorative paints performance in three years and robust automotive demand. The company recorded high single-digit volume growth alongside a value growth exceeding 12 percent, partly attributable to recent price revisions. This points to broad-based momentum across both residential and industrial end-markets.
Peptris, a Bengaluru-based startup, uses artificial intelligence to design molecules and predict their biological behaviour, significantly cutting down the time needed for lab validation. The company has reached a commercial milestone by licensing its lead drug candidate to a US-based developer, signalling growing global confidence in Indian AI-driven biotech. This positions Bengaluru as an emerging hub where deep-tech and life sciences are converging.