Startup & Tech Daily Digest: 27 Jul

India's UPI ecosystem processed a staggering 22.72 billion transactions in June, with PhonePe commanding a dominant 46.15% volume share. In a notable shift, WhatsApp Pay overtook CRED in transaction volume, signaling intensifying competition in the mid-tier segment of the payments landscape.

Home services platform Pronto has launched 'Pronto Verified', an AI-enabled wearable camera service designed to record and learn from real service sessions. The initiative aims to train physical AI models in real-world home service environments, pushing the platform deeper into tech-augmented home services.

Listed insurtech Go Digit reported a sharp 37.7% year-on-year decline in net profit to Rs 86 crore for Q1 FY27, largely attributed to surging claims across its motor, health, and fire insurance portfolios. The results signal growing underwriting pressure in India's fast-scaling but increasingly claims-heavy insurance market.

Ashneer Grover has launched Fund My Staff, a fintech platform that allows employers to act as guarantors to facilitate loans for their employees. The model addresses credit access challenges for salaried individuals who may lack traditional collateral, leveraging employer trust as a financial instrument.

AI-powered extracurricular learning platform UpKraft raised Rs 1.6 crore in a Pre-Seed round led by PedalStart. The platform connects students with verified expert tutors across home, community, and school environments, targeting the underserved structured co-curricular learning segment in India.

Agricultural biomass aggregator Farm Watt Innovations secured Rs 32.5 crore in a Pre-Series A round from IAN Alpha Fund and Rainmatter. The company supplies biomass to compressed biogas plants and bioenergy facilities, positioning itself at the intersection of agri-waste management and India's clean energy transition.

Specialty pharma company Akumentis Healthcare posted Rs 446 crore in revenue and Rs 77 crore in net profit for FY26, reflecting steady growth across its portfolio of over 167 branded prescription products spanning gynecology, cardiology, orthopedics, pediatrics, and dermatology.

AI automation startup NeuralKart raised Rs 2.35 crore in a Seed round from Inflection Point Ventures. The company develops AI platforms targeting two high-stakes verticals — insurance operations automation and industrial safety risk assessment — both areas with significant enterprise demand.

Omnichannel meat delivery brand Zappfresh delivered a strong 58% year-on-year revenue growth, reaching Rs 74 crore in Q1 FY27