The government's initiative to promote biotech startups through BIRAC and former badminton star Aparna Popat's life lessons,YourStorybrings you today’s headlines with the latest developments across sectors. The multipronged approach of Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) encompassing funding, infrastructure, networks, market reach has led to expansion of biotech startups in India Former badminton champion Aparna Popat opens up about thriving under pressure, embracing life beyond sport, and translating lessons from the court into leadership roles. Bengaluru-based Pint of View hosts sold-out academic lectures in bars across India, proving that curiosity doesn’t end with college — and that people will happily pay to learn with a drink in hand. Industrial AI transformation platform AutoVRse has raised $2.4 million in a funding round co-led by Singularity AMC’s Large Value Fund III and Early Opportunities Fund, alongside existing investor Lumikai. The company plans to use the capital to enhance product development, strengthen customer integrations, and expand its presence across North America, Europe, the GCC, and India. AutoVRse provides VR-based training and smart glasses-enabled field guidance solutions across manufacturing, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and energy sectors. The company serves over 500,000 users across 50 enterprise customers globally and has crossed $8 million in annual recurring revenue within a year of its global rollout, with revenue growing 250% year-on-year. IHLD MedTech has secured a strategic investment from Singapore Exchange-listed UltraGreen.ai to expand its AI-powered healthcare platforms. The deal includes an initial investment of $3 million, with total funding commitments potentially reaching $12 million. The partnership combines UltraGreen.ai’s expertise in fluorescence-guided surgery and digital health technologies with IHLD MedTech’s care delivery ecosystem. The company is developing solutions targeting chronic diseases, preventable hospitalisations, and non-healing wounds. The funding will support expansion across India and international markets, capitalising on the rapidly growing digital health sector, which is expected to expand at over 25% CAGR through 2033, driven by rising AI adoption and demand for remote patient monitoring solutions. AI startup Maya Research has raised $1.9 million in a seed funding round led by South Park Commons. Founded in 2025 by BS Dheemanth Reddy and Bharath Kumar Kakumani, the company is developing voice-first AI interfaces aimed at users who interact with technology primarily through conversation rather than text. Maya Research has achieved over 440,000 model downloads on Hugging Face and recorded 3 million app downloads across India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa region. Its open-source voice model, Maya 1, ranks among the leading global open-weight voice models on Speech Arena. The company believes voice-based AI systems will drive the
