• Startup Pulse
    GIVA raises over $100 million in a round led by Multiples Alternate Asset Management. The Croffle Guys raises ₹14 crore in a round led by V3 Ventures, with N.A.N Partners participating. Solgram raises over $1 million in a pre-seed round led by DSG Consumer Partners and Saama Capital, with Kapil Chopra participating. Sachin Tendulkar makes a strategic investment in Metasports Interactive, the company behind Hitwicket. The amount was not disclosed. Hyeglo Beauty raises ₹7 crore in a round led by Sauce, with Giga Capital, Consumer Collective, Reckitt's Arjun Purkayastha and The Patient Capital participating. Unify Foodworks raises ₹5 crore in seed funding through convertible debentures from Atrium Ventures, SailThru Ventures, Arjun Vaidya and Abhishek Goyal. OBSESS raises approximately ₹3 crore in an angel round from Pushpendra Singh, Amit Goel and Harshit Vij. Dispatch Network raises ₹5 crore in a pre-seed round led by Antler India, with angel investors participating. Two Point O Capital raises $10 million in a round led by Transition Venture Capital, with Omnivore and angel investors participating. PowerUp Money raises $10 million in a round led by Flourish Ventures, with existing investors Peak XV Partners, Accel, Blume Ventures, Kae Capital, 8i Ventures and DeVC participating. GIVA raises over $100 million in a round led by Multiples Alternate Asset Management. The Croffle Guys raises ₹14 crore in a round led by V3 Ventures, with N.A.N Partners participating. Solgram raises over $1 million in a pre-seed round led by DSG Consumer Partners and Saama Capital, with Kapil Chopra participating. Sachin Tendulkar makes a strategic investment in Metasports Interactive, the company behind Hitwicket. The amount was not disclosed. Hyeglo Beauty raises ₹7 crore in a round led by Sauce, with Giga Capital, Consumer Collective, Reckitt's Arjun Purkayastha and The Patient Capital participating. Unify Foodworks raises ₹5 crore in seed funding through convertible debentures from Atrium Ventures, SailThru Ventures, Arjun Vaidya and Abhishek Goyal. OBSESS raises approximately ₹3 crore in an angel round from Pushpendra Singh, Amit Goel and Harshit Vij. Dispatch Network raises ₹5 crore in a pre-seed round led by Antler India, with angel investors participating. Two Point O Capital raises $10 million in a round led by Transition Venture Capital, with Omnivore and angel investors participating. PowerUp Money raises $10 million in a round led by Flourish Ventures, with existing investors Peak XV Partners, Accel, Blume Ventures, Kae Capital, 8i Ventures and DeVC participating.
  • Lloyds Metals: Shaping the Future of Iron and Steel with a People-First Philosophy

    Lloyds Metals and Energy

    In a sector often driven by metrics like scale, capacity, and output, the human factor is sometimes overlooked. But at Lloyds Metals and Energy, we believe that people are not just part of the process – they are the process.

    As Group CHRO, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing a cultural transformation that places people at the core of strategy. From shopfloor to leadership, we’ve designed a flat, high-trust organization where initiative, not titles, determines leadership. It’s a bold move in a traditional sector, but one that is delivering results – in both business outcomes and workforce engagement.

    Redefining Ownership Through Inclusive ESOPs

    At Lloyds Metals, our Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP) is a key pillar of inclusion. Unlike conventional corporate programs, ours extends to every employee, from executives to machine operators.

    With shares offered at an exercise price of just ₹4, our program has benefited over 2,700 employees, including 1,000+ shopfloor workers and 1,700+ executives, with a total of 1.43 crore shares granted to date.

    Also Read: nuForj and Titomic Partner to Accelerate Commercialization of TKF technology

    This initiative is more than a retention tool — it’s a belief system. When employees have ownership, they bring accountability, passion, and innovation. It’s about building a culture where value creation is shared and celebrated by all.

    Accelerated Growth, Uncapped Learning

    Our workforce isn’t just meeting operational KPIs — they’re becoming industry leaders. We’ve eliminated constraints on learning investments, offering technical upskilling, leadership training, and executive coaching across levels. We encourage rapid progression, especially for young professionals willing to take charge.

    This commitment to capability-building ensures that our employees grow with the organization. Our belief is simple: when people grow, the company grows.

    Inclusive Hiring and Community Impact

    Beyond the gates of our plants, we’re equally invested in the communities we operate in. Our local-first hiring policy ensures that opportunities are created where they’re most needed. We’ve also challenged norms by empowering women in non-traditional roles, such as operating Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM).

    Also Read: Future of EV Batteries: What’s Fueling the Next Wave of Electric Vehicles

    This dual focus — on economic impact and social equity — expands India’s talent pipeline in areas that have historically been underrepresented.

    Lloyds Metals and Energy: A Platform for Purpose

    At Lloyds Metals, Human Resources is not just a function — it’s a strategic enabler of our vision. We provide employees with direct access to leadership and even our promoters, fostering transparency, ownership, and mutual respect.

    If you’re seeking a workplace where your contribution matters, where growth is both personal and professional, and where you can co-author India’s manufacturing story — Lloyds is more than a company. It’s a platform for impact.

    We’re not just building iron and steel. We’re building leaders, technologists, and changemakers for India’s industrial future.

    Author

    • Venkatesan Radakrishnan

      Venkatesan R is a HR Leader worked across sectors and Geographies in Manufacturing,Mine& Steel, IT, ITES, Telecom, ISP, Media and Textiles handling Pan India/Global roles.

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