Daily roundup of startup news and updates for August 27, 2026, covers various developments, ranging from Bill Gates' recommendations regarding AI taxation to Temple's acquisition of Longevous, according to YourStory.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates urged governments worldwide to implement decisive measures to handle the societal changes brought about by artificial intelligence. He proposed that governments should impose taxes on AI and robots, bolster support for workers who lose their jobs, and intentionally reserve certain positions for human employees. These suggestions follow the rapid advancement of AI, which is starting to perform tasks previously requiring human judgment. Gates cautioned that governing bodies are not adequately preparing for a technology capable of transforming employment, public services, security, and daily life.
In the healthtech sector, SugarStrings.ai, a startup based in Bengaluru, has created a non-invasive DNA test. This test screens individuals for over 7,442 genetic disorders and seeks to enhance the accessibility and privacy aspects of genetic testing.
Temple, which receives backing from Deepinder Goyal, has completed the purchase of Longevous, a company specializing in evidence-based practices. This acquisition supports Temple's efforts to develop its scientific and clinical capacities before its official launch. As part of this deal, the founders of Longevous, Dr Robert Mohr and Dr Avi Roy, along with their entire team, will transition to working full-time at Temple.
TrucksUp, a logistics technology platform situated in Gurugram, successfully secured $8.2 million in funding. This capital was raised from various institutions and family offices, with participation also coming from the co-founders, Sarthak Shah Elwadhi and Aviraj Singh Chadha.
InstaAstro, an online astrology platform located in Noida, raised $12 million in a Series A funding round. Singularity AMC and Artha Venture Fund led this round, with participation from the company's founders. InstaAstro intends to utilize these funds to develop AI-driven solutions, such as sentiment analysis, to enable astrologers to provide more relevant consultations, alongside adding multilingual support to improve the client experience. Furthermore, the platform plans to grow its spiritual commerce and pooja seva businesses.
InspeCity, a spacetech startup, managed to raise Rs 100 crore in a pre-Series A funding round. This round was spearheaded by Speciale Invest, Ashish Kacholia, Antler India, Manish Gandhi, Shastra VC, and other investors.
Biryani Bees, a brand specializing in biryani and Indian meals, secured $1 million from the Vivek Oberoi Family Office to speed up its expansion throughout India's Tier II markets. Currently operating three locations in Uttar Pradesh, the company plans to increase its presence to 10 outlets within Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and other promising Tier II markets.
The received investment will initially facilitate the expansion to ten outlets, reinforce the central kitchen infrastructure, build out the operational team, and establish a scalable expansion blueprint. Biryani Bees stated that the funding will assist in introducing its current business model to new territories while simultaneously strengthening the necessary infrastructure for scaling across multiple states. The company's long-term goal is to create a national network that offers standardized, affordable, and high-quality daily meals.
OORJAA, a technology-driven logistics platform, raised Rs 9.7 crore in a Series A round, led by Equentis Angel Fund and involving Inflection Point Ventures. The company plans to allocate this capital toward enhancing technology and product development, scaling its proprietary AI/SaaS logistics stack named Datashastra, and improving its control-tower and automation capabilities.
OORJAA also intends to broaden its mid-mile and last-mile network into new cities and service categories, introduce Datashastra to international markets starting with the GCC, and recruit personnel in technology, operations, and enterprise sales. The company utilizes an asset-light, full-stack model that integrates hubs, fleet, and manpower with its technology platform. Presently, it handles over three million products and 50,000 last-mile deliveries daily across more than 200 cities.
Velaan Mart Agritech obtained Rs 1.26 crore in funding from Next Bharat Ventures. This agritech startup is focused on establishing an organized supply chain from farm to institution to boost market access for farmers while supplying fresh, quality-assured produce to commercial and institutional buyers.
Currently, Velaan Mart operates in Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, and Karaikudi, serving colleges, hostels, and restaurants via its integrated procurement and distribution system. The company aims to resolve inefficiencies present in the existing agricultural supply chain by creating a direct link between farmers and large-volume purchasers. The firm sources fresh goods near the point of origin and manages procurement, quality checks, processing, storage, and distribution through a cohesive supply chain. Its model emphasizes minimizing unnecessary middlemen while increasing transparency concerning pricing, quality, and sourcing.
Swiggy’s Food on Train service has seen a twelve-fold increase between August 2024 and August 2026, with adoption rates in Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets doubling the pace seen in major metropolitan areas. The service has expanded its reach to 201 railway stations, up from 66 stations in 2024.
Swiggy has also implemented two new features to simplify ordering food on trains. The ‘Search by Train’ function allows users to input their train number or name to view food options corresponding to their route and schedule. Additionally, the ‘99 Store Widget’ gives passengers quick access to affordable meal choices. Swiggy noted that traveler food preferences are evolving; demand is rising for items like lassi, buttermilk, and mojitos, although traditional meals such as thalis still constitute over 65% of all orders. Orders for sweets have surged by 110%, with rasgullas leading this increase.
Flipkart has launched Saarthi, an Ads Partner Program designed to offer sellers and brands professional advertising assistance at no charge. This program merges an AI-powered campaign tool with a network of certified agency partners who provide hands-on campaign management. Flipkart pointed out that sellers frequently cite campaign complexity, uncertainty about where to start, and difficulty interpreting campaign performance as primary obstacles.
Saarthi is intended to mitigate these challenges by assisting businesses in navigating digital advertising and boosting campaign effectiveness. Agencies such as Accenture and Dentsu have been incorporated into Flipkart’s ad-tech ecosystem to guide sellers from initial campaign setup through sustained growth. Sellers and brands will be paired with agency partners based on their specific business phase, growth targets, and advertising readiness. The program also furnishes guidance, knowledge, and campaign optimization services.
T-Hub and Honda Digital Innovation India collaborated to initiate Honda Innovation Challenge 2.0. This year-long program aims to jointly develop digital mobility and customer experience solutions with Indian startups. The initiative includes three new challenges and offers a total funding pool of up to Rs 4.8 crore. Each challenge will select four startups, each eligible for up to Rs 40 lakh to create proof-of-concept projects alongside Honda teams, which is substantially more than the Rs 10 lakh offered in the first challenge.
The chosen startups will collaborate directly with Honda's engineering and business departments during a 12-week sprint, gaining access to testing environments, operational insights, and deployment support. Successful Proofs of Concept can advance to pilot programs and potentially be integrated into Honda's products or services. The program is open to startups located across India.
VenturEdu has rolled out the Emerging Founders Program, a free, residential venture-building initiative targeted at aspiring entrepreneurs aged 18 to 28. This program welcomes both solo founders and teams of up to four members, requiring no prior startup experience. Teams selected to attend a two-day bootcamp in Gurgaon in September will qualify for a stipend of up to Rs 50,000 per team, plus travel reimbursement up to Rs 5,000. There will be no associated program fees or equity dilution. Subsequently, twenty-five founders will be chosen for a two-month residency running from October 1 to November 30. During this time, they will receive mentorship and focus on idea validation, product development, and business model construction. The top five startups will secure direct entry into the Fibonacci X accelerator.
Veranda K-12, an enterprise of Veranda Learning, has announced the third season of AVINYA: An Innovation Hub, its main innovation contest for K-12 students. This program encourages students to identify real-world issues and devise solutions that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Following the success of its first two editions, which attracted over 300 schools and 800 ideas, the 2026–27 iteration will expand its scope to encompass more than 100 cities and towns, reaching over one lakh students. Participation is open to students in Grades 8 through 12. Online submissions will be followed by a presentation stage, where 50–60 ideas will be shortlisted, and the top 15 teams will proceed to the national final event at IIIT Bengaluru on December 4–5, 2026. Finalists will receive innovation training and mentorship, and the top three concepts will receive special acknowledgment.
LTM has opened a global delivery and AI competency center in Kolkata, underscoring the L&T Group's long-term dedication to West Bengal as a center for technology and innovation. This facility is anticipated to support LTM’s expanding global delivery capacities and AI aspirations while generating job opportunities for skilled professionals in West Bengal and neighboring regions.
The company cited Kolkata's growing digital infrastructure, talent pool, and educational environment as crucial elements supporting its growth strategy in India. The new center will function as a hub for innovation, collaboration, and delivery excellence, allowing LTM to support global clientele while contributing to the state's economic progress. LTM also mentioned that the new site reinforces its nationwide delivery network and reflects ongoing investment in regional centers, digital infrastructure, and employee welfare.
Pensionbazaar has introduced Wealth 360, a centralized platform for tracking portfolios, designed to give users a comprehensive overview of their savings and investments. With user permission, the platform aggregates data from bank accounts, fixed deposits, mutual funds, stocks, and the National Pension System onto a single dashboard. Pensionbazaar observed that Indian consumers increasingly spread their savings across numerous products and institutions, complicating the tracking of overall wealth, returns, asset allocation, and progress toward financial objectives. Wealth 360 addresses this fragmentation by presenting a singular view of a user's financial holdings.
Vishwajeet Goel, Head of Pensionbazaar, stated that investors require not more products, but rather 'one clear view' of everything they possess. The platform further integrates retirement savings with routine investments to offer a broader perspective on financial planning.
Accelerated Money for Upliftment (AMU), an electric vehicle financing company, is aiming for EV financing assets under management (AUM) of Rs 400 crore by March 2027, with plans to escalate this to Rs 600 crore by March 2028. The company anticipates that its EV financing business will achieve 35–40% growth in disbursements, primarily driven by electric commercial vehicles. Currently, commercial EVs represent 100% of AMU’s EV financing portfolio, highlighting its concentration on the commercial mobility sector.
AMU’s EV financing portfolio has demonstrated a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of approximately 38%. The company currently operates across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Haryana, financing electric commercial vehicles used for both passenger and cargo transport. AMU expects demand to remain strong due to the reduced operating costs and improving economics associated with electric mobility.
Finally, the crypto exchange Binance has launched Agent OS, a developer platform. This platform is engineered to grant standardized access for AI applications to Binance’s functionalities, including trading, market data, wallet services, payments, and on-chain capabilities. Developed under Binance Intelligence, this initiative is designed to support AI builders, fintech developers, and quantitative trading teams.