Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (February 14, 2025)
Summary
From Maricos gameplan to create soonicorns to a video intelligence platform, YourStory brings todays headlines with the latest developments across sectors.Marico Innovation Foundations Scale-Up accelerator on track to produce six soonicornsMarico Innovation Foundation, the CSR-arm of consumer goods company Marico, plans to accelerate six startups from its mentorship programme and help them achieve the soonicorn tag soon.The foundations Scale-Up acceleration programme, which offers bespoke mentorship to startups, has identified key areas of innovation across clean technology, plastic waste management, and agritech, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.Video intelligence platform VOGIC AI enables corporates and government agencies to index massive volumes of CCTV and drone footage to offer real-time insights.Founded by Arijit Biswas (CEO), Rahul Singh Thakur (CTO), and Nikhil Mehta (Co-founder), the Gurugram-headquartered startup transforms raw video into a structured, searchable knowledge base, allowing users to retrieve contextual insights instantly by leveraging vision language models.Raincheck Earth Co., the company behind Cherrapunji Craft Gin, has raised $1.2 million in a pre-Series A round led by two prominent Japanese investors.The round also witnessed participation from AngelList India Syndicate, who doubled down on their previous investments.The company plans to use the capital to fast-track its domestic and global expansion, enhancing distribution and visibility for Cherrapunji Craft Gin in key markets. It also aims to scale production while innovating new products based on the culture of Northeast India. "We see enormous potential in Cherrapunji Craft Gin due to its unique approach in a crowded market. The teams deep understanding of todays global consumer, combined with a strong Indian market presence, makes us confident that this company can become a leading global player in the alco-bev industry," noted Yasuhiro Seo, Partner at TRTL Ventures, one of the Japanese investors in this round.Ashoka University and Axis Bank have signed an MoU to commit Rs 104 crore to support PhD, Post-Doctoral and Research programmes at the educational institute.The initiative is titled Co-building Interdisciplinary Sciences and Research at Ashoka University, and will facilitate the development of advanced scientific facilities through a CSR grant of Rs 104 crore over four years of the programme.Rebel Foods on Friday launched a 15-minute food delivery under the name, QuickiES in Mumbai, with a 15-minute or Free promise.The platform is expected to feature a curated menu that from brands like Faasos Wraps, Ovenstory Pizza, Wendys Burgers, Lunchbox meals, Behrouz Biryani, Sweet Truth desserts, and The Good Bowl among others.The app would also feature caf\xe9-style snacks such as samosas, pakoras, poha, puffs, instant noodles, sandwiches, and hot beverages.