Groyyo, an AI-powered fashion industry supply chain platform, has successfully raised 90 crore rupees in the first closing of a Series B funding round totaling 200 crore rupees. Cornerstone Ventures led this round, with participation from existing investors.
According to Groyyo's statement, the obtained capital will be used to strengthen the company's artificial intelligence capabilities, expand its manufacturing network, and accelerate global scaling. The platform's goal is to digitize the processes of clothing sourcing and production.
The startup, based in Gurugram and founded in 2021 by Pratik Tiwari and Subin Mitra, connects global fashion brands with a network of apparel manufacturers through a technological platform. This system manages the entire production lifecycle: from trend forecasting and design to quality control and logistics. The company claims that its platform allows reducing production times from months to weeks while increasing transparency and operational efficiency for suppliers and brands.
Groyyo plans to use the funds to expand its factory network in new production centers across India, improve its AI-based trend forecasting platform, and deepen its presence in international markets, including North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Furthermore, the company aims to support the National Mission on Manufacturing in India by stimulating export demand for small and medium-sized apparel manufacturers and optimizing capacity utilization.
Previously, the startup had attracted Series A funding from Tiger Global, Alpha Wave Global, Sparrow Capital, and Strides Ventures. In recent years, Groyyo has increased its presence by collaborating with leading brands in the US and the UK. For the current fiscal year 2026, the company's annual revenue is approximately 500 crore rupees, and over the next three years, the company aims to achieve revenues exceeding 3,000 crore rupees while simultaneously improving profitability.
Subin Mitra, co-founder of Groyyo, noted that 'fashion supply chains have operated on relationships and spreadsheets for decades. We set out to create an operating system that this industry truly needs.' He added that the new funding will help the company scale its AI infrastructure and manufacturing network. Cornerstone Ventures emphasized that Groyyo has developed a technologically advanced platform that solves inefficiency problems in the global fashion supply chain. Currently, the startup works with over 470 manufacturers and 45 international brands in 10 countries, providing end-to-end visibility from product development to final delivery.
Electric motorcycle manufacturer Ather Energy has announced the raising of equity capital worth up to ₹1200 crore. These new funds come from existing investors, including Hero MotoCorp, the India-Japan Fund, and the company's founders.
The Bengaluru-based company plans to issue shares worth approximately ₹200 crore to the India-Japan Fund, which is managed by the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF). Meanwhile, Hero MotoCorp is investing ₹960 crore through convertible warrants. Co-founders Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain are each contributing ₹20 crore via warrants.
The offer remains subject to shareholder and regulatory approval. This funding round is part of a broader plan approved by Ather's board of directors, which aims to raise up to ₹2500 crore. According to the company, this major capital project is intended to support production expansion, research and development, new product development, and general corporate needs.
Ather Energy was founded in 2013 by IIT Madras graduates, Mehta and Jain. The company develops electric scooters, battery technologies, charging infrastructure, and connected software. Its product portfolio includes the Series 450 and the family-oriented Rizta scooter, while the Ather Grid network provides fast charging across various Indian cities.
The company positions itself as a technology-driven player in electric mobility, integrating hardware with software features such as navigation, over-the-air updates, and connected vehicle services.
Under the preferential allotment, the India-Japan Fund will subscribe to 16.26 lakh shares worth nearly ₹200 crore. Hero MotoCorp will acquire 76.19 lakh convertible warrants valued at about ₹960 crore, and Mehta and Jain will subscribe to 1.59 lakh warrants, each valued at ₹20 crore. These warrants can be converted into shares within 18 months, with 25% of the subscription amount paid upfront and the remainder upon conversion.
This transaction strengthens the long-standing partnership between Ather and Hero MotoCorp, which is already the company's largest shareholder. After the full conversion of warrants, Hero's stake will increase slightly to approximately 30.7% on a fully diluted basis, while the India-Japan Fund's stake will rise to just over 6%.
The India-Japan Fund is a bilateral investment platform supported by the Government of India and the Government of Japan, with NIIF acting as the fund manager. The fund focuses on long-term investments in sectors such as infrastructure and manufacturing, making Ather's business in electric mobility strategically aligned with its investment strategy.
The fundraising comes amid growing competition in the Indian two-wheeler EV market. Manufacturers, including TVS Motor, Bajaj Auto, Ather Energy, and Ola Electric, are expanding their product lines and production capacities as electric scooters capture an increasing share of new two-wheeler sales.
Government support through initiatives like the PM E-Drive scheme, which provides demand incentives for relevant EVs, continues to stimulate adoption. However, manufacturers are increasingly focusing on scaling, localization, and profitability rather than solely on subsidies. Capital raising activity also remains high in the sector; for instance, Ola Electric recently raised about ₹780 crore through a qualified institutional placement. Ather's financing follows a year of rapid operational growth, which included sharp increases in sales volume, retail network expansion, and work on a new manufacturing facility in Maharashtra.
Aukera, a brand specializing in lab-grown diamond jewelry, has successfully raised ₹90 crore in a new funding round. The round was led by existing investor Alteria Capital, alongside InnoVen Capital, Lighthouse Canton, and a major bank.
The company stated that the secured capital will be allocated to opening new retail outlets, investing in design development, product innovation, and talent acquisition. Furthermore, the funds will be used to strengthen the brand's omnichannel infrastructure.
Aukera was founded in 2023 by Liza Mukhedkar and Kumar Saurabh. Previously, the company had attracted $15 million from partners such as Peak XV Partners, Fireside Ventures, Sparrow Capital, Prath Ventures, and Alteria Capital.
Liza Mukhedkar, founder and CEO of Aukera, emphasized that success in this category depends not on discounts, but on trust, quality, and brand recognition. She added that this capital will enable them to deliver their promise to a larger number of cities more quickly.
According to the startup, following the latest funding round, the company's network of owned stores grew from 13 to 35. Its geographical presence expanded beyond Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Delhi NCR, including cities such as Pune, Lucknow, Dehradun, and Vizag.
Kumar Saurabh, co-founder of Aukera, believes that to become a leading player in this sector, an investment of at least ₹1000 crore is necessary, as the mining industry is reassessing its approaches while acknowledging the consistency of artificially grown diamonds.
Aukera occupies the premium segment of the lab-grown diamond market in India. The company asserts that all its diamonds meet the highest global standards and possess top-tier quality grades. Actress Taapsee Pannu serves as the brand ambassador.
According to a report by Vantage Market Research, the Indian lab-grown diamond market was valued at $2.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $11.6 billion by 2035, exhibiting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.4% from 2026 to 2035. This growth reflects a structural rebalancing in the global diamond value chain, where supply decisions are influenced by economic efficiency, traceability, and scalable production.
Hyprop Investments announced that the accelerated share placement was re-subscribed, allowing the company to raise 739 million Rands by issuing 12.63 million new shares. The initial target for the placement was 500 million Rands.
The placement was valued at 58.50 Rands per share, which is 1.4% higher than the 30-day weighted average price for Hyprop shares, which stood at 57.71 Rands as of July 7, 2026. Despite the Hyprop share price falling by 3.49% to 58.74 Rands on Wednesday morning on the JSE after the placement closed, it was still 32.7% higher than on the same day a year earlier.
The company stated that the proceeds will be used to finance new organic growth opportunities that align with the group's strategy. These opportunities are expected to increase profitability and provide superior risk-adjusted returns while maintaining the group's strong balance sheet.
These opportunities include, among others, acquisition and expansion projects in Eastern Europe, excluding the previously announced acquisition of Galleria Burgas in Bulgaria. Other planned projects include solar and battery charging initiatives at Canal Walk and Somerset Mall in Cape Town, phased expansion of Somerset Mall, and expansion in City Center One East in Croatia.
The group reported that it remains on track to achieve an earnings per share growth of between 10% and 12% by the end of the financial year ending June 30, 2026. This forecast, initially set in September 2025 and confirmed in the operational update before the close on June 25, 2026, has not been affected by the capital raise.
Hyprop plans to pay an interim dividend to shareholders along with the final dividend for the year ending June 30, 2026, so as not to jeopardize current shareholders with additional shares issued during this round. The company also reported growth in both its geographical areas—South Africa and Eastern Europe—for the half-year ended December 31, noting a 5.4% increase in earnings per share and an overall increase in total earnings per share of 12.9%. The interim dividend increased by 4.9% to 119 cents per share, and the annual dividend payout ratio rose to 82.5% from 80%.
The retail vacancy rate remains low at 3.3%, which is a leading indicator in the South African industry for the first half of the year, indicating a recovery in premium shopping centers.
