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FunStop Games Hits 75M Downloads, Expands Global Esports Reach
Indian gaming studio FunStop Games, founded in 2020 by Prashanth Vijay and Tamesh Sharma, has reached a major milestone — crossing 75 million downloads worldwide and ranking in the top 10 gaming charts in over 55 countries. With 1 million active players across platforms, FunStop has become one of India’s most globally recognized gaming brands within just five years of launch. The studio’s rapid rise comes as India cements its place among the world’s fastest-growing gaming markets, now home to over 500 million gamers. FunStop’s model — combining casual mobile games, cross-platform access, and community-driven esports events — has positioned it as a frontrunner in the next wave of interactive…
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How Rajesh Yabaji’s BlackBuck Became India’s $1 Billion Digital Trucking Network — Connecting 700,000 Drivers and 10,000 SMEs Through AI-Powered Freight Optimization
India’s logistics industry, historically dominated by manual operations and fragmented networks, has long struggled with inefficiency. In 2015, Rajesh Yabaji, along with Rekha Yabaji and Chanakya Hridaya, set out to change that with BlackBuck — a platform to digitize trucking and bring transparency to the freight ecosystem. At its core, BlackBuck connects truck owners, drivers, and shippers through a unified digital platform, replacing the opaque brokerage system with AI-driven matching and real-time freight routing. The goal: to make logistics efficient, data-driven, and profitable for everyone involved. By 2025, BlackBuck has grown into a $1 billion unicorn, serving 10,000+ small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and digitizing operations for over 700,000 truck…
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Elev8 Venture Partners Boosts Indian Startups with Rs 1,400 Crore Maiden Fund Success
Introduction On September 1, 2025, Elev8 Venture Partners, headquartered in Bengaluru, celebrated the closure of its first-ever fund at Rs 1,400 crore (approximately $160 million), a major win for India’s startup ecosystem. Led by Navin Honagudi, an experienced investor with over 15 years in the field, Elev8 is set to empower high-growth, tech-focused startups navigating a complex global venture capital landscape. The fund aims to fill the critical funding gap for Series B and C-stage companies, fueling India’s innovation surge. Fund Objectives and Approach Supporting Growth-Stage Innovators Elev8’s debut fund targets growth-stage startups in high-potential sectors like fintech, consumer internet, healthtech, and enterprise software, capitalizing on India’s digital transformation. The…