Accel is raising a $4 billion Leaders Fund targeting late-stage and growth-stage startups globally, with an additional $650 million sidecar vehicle to concentrate further into select portfolio companies. Bloomberg reported the fundraise, which brings total capital mobilized across this cycle to roughly $5 billion when combined with the $650 million early-stage India and Southeast Asia fund announced in January 2025. Artificial intelligence is the primary investment theme across both strategies. The Leaders Fund operates as Accel's late-stage instrument, participating in growth rounds of existing portfolio companies and select new names, positioning firms ahead of IPOs or large exit events. In India, the strategy has already deployed capital, co-leading a $160, 170 million round in used-car platform Spinny alongside Fidelity. The fundraise reflects a broader capital concentration trend: global investors are routing larger checks into fewer, higher-quality companies, with AI-oriented businesses commanding outsized allocation. Accel's early-stage India fund targets pre-seed through Series A across AI, consumer, fintech, and manufacturing. The firm's India portfolio includes Flipkart, Swiggy, Freshworks, BrowserStack, and Zetwerk. Watch whether the Leaders Fund closes at or above the $4 billion target, and which AI-native companies receive sidecar allocation as late-stage valuations stabilize.
Flipkart will launch a food delivery pilot in Bengaluru by mid-August, charging restaurants a 10-11% commission compared to the 25-35% levied by Swiggy and Zomato. The move targets growing restaurant discontent with incumbent platforms and aims to drive daily engagement across Flipkart's 500 million registered users.
Maruti Suzuki crossed two lakh domestic units in July 2026 for the first time, recording 42.4% year-on-year growth. Total sales including exports and OEM supplies reached 2,41,421 units, with all passenger vehicle segments posting gains.
Air India's net loss more than doubled to ₹22,238 crore in FY26, prompting Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran to extend the Vihaan.AI turnaround timeline from five years to as long as a decade.
UpGrad's all-stock acquisition of Unacademy, valued at Rs 1,955 crore, is set to close within three weeks after CCI clearance and near-complete investor sign-offs. The deal combines upGrad's upskilling business with Unacademy's test prep and medical education platforms, with Gaurav Munjal staying on as CEO.
