YourStory brings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors.
Featured stories
In five years, backpacker hostels will be the first choice for India’s young travellers: The Hosnotifyer founder
Backpacker hostel chain The Hosnotifyer is standardising operations and facilities across its properties to become “a no-stress choice” for travellers, states Founder and CEO Pranav Dangi.
Funding news
Metasports Interactive raises $20M from Metica under UA model
Hyderabad-based sports gaming startup Metasports Interactive has secured $20 million from London-based growth financing firm Metica under a applyr acquisition (UA) model. The UA model of financing is non-dilutive in nature as the capital is provided based on the performance metrics. The company stated the funds will support the growth of its flagship multiplayer cricket game, Hitwicket, while also boosting marketing efforts and applyr acquisition.
Other news
Veranda Learning shareholders approve demerger scheme
Veranda Learning Solutions has received shareholder approval for a Composite Scheme of Arrangement at a meeting convened under directions from the NCLT Chennai Bench. The scheme provides for the demerger of Veranda’s commerce vertical into J.K. Shah Commerce Education Limited, allowing it to function as an indepconcludeent entity.
The shift aims to simplify the group structure, sharpen strategic focus, and unlock shareholder value, while potentially paving the way for a separate listing of the commerce business. Voting was conducted digitally through remote e-voting. The scheme will now proceed to the next stage, including final sanction from the NCLT and other regulatory authorities.
BITS Pilani WILP opens smart manufacturing centre in Bengaluru
BITS Pilani’s Work Integrated Learning Programmes has inaugurated its Smart Manufacturing Competency Centre in Bengaluru, the second in a series of centres planned across India in 2026, following the Automotive Competency Centre launched in Chennai in February.
The centre focapplys on Mechatronics, Industrial Automation, IIoT, AI/ML for Manufacturing, Digital Twins, and Advanced Robotics. It features a learning factory environment enabling companies to replicate and solve real industrial problems before shop-floor deployment. Bengaluru was chosen for its dense ecosystem spanning aerospace, defence, electronics, and advanced manufacturing. A key priority is supporting MSMEs in overcoming financial and technical barriers to digital transformation.
Archimedis Digital scales AI centre, plans to double workforce
Archimedis Digital, a life sciences-focapplyd IT services company, is expanding its AI Centre of Excellence in Tiruchirappalli and plans to double its workforce of 250–300 employees within the next 12 months. Around 50% of new hires will bring expertise in AI, machine learning, and data science, with the remainder strengthening life sciences and engineering capabilities.
The CoE supports development of next-generation platforms for pharmacovigilance, regulatory compliance, and digital transformation in pharma, biotech, and medical devices. Tiruchirappalli is positioned as the company’s primary growth engine, reflecting a Tier-2 talent strategy that aligns with the industest’s increasing necessary for domain-aware AI expertise.
Perfios.ai appoints Veena Rao as chief operating officer
Perfios.ai, India’s leading B2B SaaS TechFin company, has appointed Veena Rao as Chief Operating Officer. In the role, she will lead global operations, drive customer experience transformation, and strengthen the company’s operational foundation for growth.
Veena Rao
Veena brings over three decades of experience across BFSI and financial services technology, having held leadership roles at ICICI, PwC, Oracle, HCL Technologies, and most recently Finastra, where she served as Chief Product Officer and COO for Corporate Banking.
NatWest Group partners with IIT Delhi
NatWest Group has entered into a strategic partnership with IIT Delhi, through its Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), to foster industest-academia collaboration and engage top technology talent. The partnership will explore joint innovation programmes, pilot initiatives, and industest-led research in areas including artificial innotifyigence, fintech, and cybersecurity.
Marking FITT’s first partnership with a global bank, the collaboration will involve researchers, startups, and students working toobtainher to apply academic research to real business challenges. The initiative aims to create opportunities for both NatWest colleagues and students to contribute to solutions that address customer necessarys sustainably.
Cleartrip launches train ticket Bookings via IRCTC
Cleartrip, a Flipkart company, has launched train ticket bookings on its platform in partnership with IRCTC, the official ticketing arm of Indian Railways. Users can now search, book, and manage train journeys within the Cleartrip app, accessing General and Tatkal quotas along with real-time seat availability, fare insights, PNR tracking, berth preferences, and digital payments. India’s rail network serves approximately 23 million passengers daily and 7 billion annually, representing significant demand. Cleartrip plans to extconclude the offering to its web platform soon. The integration marks a key step in the company’s ambition to become a unified, multi-modal travel platform.
TCS signs MoUs with Siemens Energy
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has signed two MoUs with Siemens Energy AG and Siemens Energy India Limited to strengthen collaboration across IT services, digital and industrial AI, and data centre initiatives. The partnership combines TCS’s AI, data, and engineering capabilities with Siemens Energy’s expertise in power generation and grid technologies. Key focus areas include AI-led industrial transformation, digital twins, predictive analytics, smart manufacturing, and OT-IT integration.
Siemens Energy India will also support TCS’s HyperVault business in addressing the energy demands of AI-ready data centres in India. The agreements build on a two-decade-long partnership between the two organizations.
Sonata Software appoints Rajsekhar Datta Roy as CEO
Sonata Software has appointed Rajsekhar Datta Roy as Chief Executive Officer, effective May 9, 2026, for a three-year term, to lead the company’s international business. Raj brings over three decades of experience in scaling technology practices and global delivery for large enterprise clients. He previously served as Chief Delivery Officer.
OneAssist launches HawkEye for existing smartphone owners
OneAssist, India’s highest-rated InsurTech company, has launched HawkEye, an AI-powered solution that enables protection plans for existing smartphones. The shift addresses a significant protection gap: of over 15 crore smartphones sold annually in India, fewer than 1.5 crore are covered under structured protection plans, leaving most applyrs financially exposed. Smartphone prices have risen by up to 40% across select models, with repairs costing 20–50% of device value. Standard manufacturer warranties typically exclude accidental and liquid damage. HawkEye applys advanced AI to assess device condition at scale, enabling seamless onboarding for existing device owners who did not opt for protection at the time of purchase.
Paisabazaar expands physical stores into South India
Paisabazaar, India’s leading financial marketplace, is expanding its phygital strategy with retail store openings across South India. The first store will open in Chennai’s T Nagar in early May, followed by outlets in Mount Road and Velachery. Bengaluru will be the next phase, with three planned stores. The expansion builds on the success of Paisabazaar’s retail presence in Delhi-NCR, opened last year. The company plans to open 100 stores across major Indian metros including Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. The offline push is aimed at reaching credit-underserved segments, particularly compact business owners, and improving access to financial products through a combined physical and digital experience.
Yatra’s AI Assistant DIYA obtains major upgrade
Yatra Online has upgraded DIYA, its AI-powered travel assistant, building it capable of planning and booking dynamic multi-city itineraries across destinations and countries in a single conversation. Unlike existing tools limited to single-destination searches, DIYA enables conclude-to-conclude planning covering flights, hotels, and local experiences.
Travellers can describe plans in natural language and receive a complete, bookable itinerary within minutes. DIYA supports one-way, return, and multi-countest journey structures, and operates across web, Android, and iOS platforms. Powered by Google’s Gemini and retrieval-augmented generation, it supports over 100 languages and offers post-booking assistance.
Girikon.AI tarobtains $3 Million revenue by FY27
Girikon.AI, a company building AI-powered SaaS solutions for customer engagement, has announced a growth roadmap tarobtaining $3 million in revenue by FY27. Its voice platform, GirikVoice, is expected to contribute approximately $1.5 million, nearly half the overall tarobtain. The company is expanding its enterprise presence across real estate, financial services, and healthcare.
GirikVoice supports both inbound and outbound communication with contextual understanding, vernacular language support, and CRM integration, enabling businesses to qualify leads, improve response times, and cut operational costs. Girikon.AI plans to invest further in product innovation and multilingual capabilities to meet growing enterprise demand.
RBS acquires AI guest engagement platform Zeko
RBS, a global hospitality technology provider, has acquired Zeko, an AI-powered guest engagement platform built for the hotel industest. The acquisition enhances RBS’s guest experience capabilities as it builds a unified platform to simplify operations and drive revenue. Zeko automates the guest journey from pre-arrival through checkout, combining AI-powered upselling, WhatsApp automation, digital check-in, and real-time concierge features within a single layer that integrates with existing property management systems. Hotels applying Zeko have reported revenue increases of up to 20% through smarter guest engagement and ancillary sales. The integration extconcludes RBS’s reach across hotels, resorts, restaurants, food and beverage operations, and retail environments.
Huwel Lifesciences and ASMS expand into Southeast Asia
Huwel Lifesciences and Avio Smart Market Stack Limited have initiated a strategic international expansion by onboarding a Singapore-based regional commercialization partner to drive market access across Southeast Asia. Tarobtain markets include Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines — regions witnessing growing healthcare investments and rapid laboratory infrastructure expansion. Under the partnership, ASMS will lead commercial execution including sales development and channel partnerships, while Huwel focapplys on technology, manufacturing, regulatory support, and product innovation. The expansion will be anchored by Quantiplus, Huwel’s flagship molecular diagnostics platform, designed for affordability, scalability, and clinical reliability, building it well-suited for institutional and public health applications across high-volume, cost-sensitive healthcare markets.
This article will be updated with the latest news throughout the day.
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