VC funding touches record highs; ChatGPT for livestock farmers

Hello,

India’s laying down the law on EVs. 

The government has finalised and issued detailed guidelines for its latest EV policy, as global automakers increasingly eye Indian markets. The scheme was first announced in March this year and outlines investment requirements and timelines for global players looking to enter the country.

Among other things, the new policy incentivises local manufacturing.

Meanwhile, a key detail in the new ‘Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India’ has reportedly made the  Vietnam-based EV maker VinFast’s $2 billion investment in Tamil Nadu ineligible for incentives. 

Elsewhere, Chinese companies are mass producing sodium-ion batteries, an alternative that could help the industry reduce its dependence on key raw minerals. 

Moving on, semiconductor chips are central to global AI and EV ambitions. And one startup from the UK has an out-of-the-world idea to make chips more efficient. Cardiff, Wales-based Space Forge recently raised a £22.6 million Series A round to make wafer materials in space, TechCrunch reports. 

Speaking of futuristic technology, scientists have created contact lenses that they say allow people to see in the dark with the help of infrared light, Futurism reports. 

Apart from allowing wearers to see in the dark, the contacts could even be used to receive data wirelessly!

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• VC funding touches record highs
• ChatGPT for livestock farmers
• Climate change tales from the Western Ghats

Here’s your trivia for today: What acclaimed novelist was a war correspondent during the Spanish Civil War and World War II?

Funding

VC funding touches record highs

Venture capital (VC) funding into Indian startups in May touched the highest level so far this year, clocking in at $1.45 billion. Two large value transactions of PB Fintech and Porter, in addition to steady flow of mid-sized deals, contributed to this growth. When compared with April 2025, the increase was 103%, according to YourStory Research.

New milestones:

• May’s VC funding came in from just 99 deals, while April saw a total of 119 deals with a total value of $716 million. PB Healthcare’s $218 million transaction and the $200 million Porter deal provided a boost to funding in May.
• In May, VC inflow surprisingly remained consistent across various stages of funding—early, growth and late. Surprisingly, the debt category of funding received $121 million in the month of May.
• The sectors that received the most capital in May were logistics, followed by healthtech and fintech. This was a surprising development, as the fintech segment topped the list earlier. Regulatory headwinds in fintech might explain some of the investor caution in the segment.

Funding Alert

Startup: Udaan

Amount: $114M

Round: Undisclosed

Startup: Snitch

Amount: $40M

Round: Series B

Startup: Pepperfry

Amount: Rs 43 Cr

Round: Undisclosed

Startup

ChatGPT for livestock farmers

Farmers in remote villages often lack access to timely expert advice about animal husbandry and cattle care in their own language, leaving urgent problems unresolved for too long. Bengaluru-based Pashushala aims to solve this by instantly connecting them with a platform that guides in local languages, helping millions across India get the support they need.

Founded in 2018 by Gaurav Choudhary, the online marketplace offers farmers access to livestock, equipment, farm tools, veterinary services, insurance, and market networks.

Timely resources: 

• Pashushala’s flagship offering is PashuGPT, an AI assistant trained on three years of proprietary data. The beta version, launched on April 4, supports 13 Indian languages, offering voice-based help to farmers who may not know about Google searches but can use WhatsApp or YouTube.
• The startup has structured its operations to serve the B2C, B2B, and B2G sectors. Farmers can purchase directly; manufacturers and vendors can list and sell products; and government bodies can partner to implement grassroots programmes. 
• Bootstrapped since 2018, it secured Rs 1 crore in support and incubation from IIM Udaipur, IIM Bodh Gaya, and MeitY. The founder is now seeking external funding. 

Environment

Climate change tales from the Western Ghats

Sky Islands, a community-led documentation and storytelling platform, brings stories about the life and ecology thriving in the Western Ghats to light, reflecting the diversity of the landscape and the lives that call it their home. 

The digital platform was founded in April this year by former journalist and writer Rajni George, a resident of Kodaikanal, who, like most contributors to Sky Islands, tells the story with an intimacy that comes from living close to the land.

News & updates

• Cloud investment: Microsoft will invest $400 million in Switzerland, the company said on Monday, with the money going towards developing its cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure. The US tech company announced the investment at a meeting of Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin and its vice chair, Brad Smith, in Bern.
• Upsized offer: Crypto firm Circle ]said on Monday it was targeting a valuation of up to $7.2 billion on a fully diluted basis in its upsized initial public offering in the United States, underscoring growing momentum in the stablecoin market.
• Health: Exercise can reduce the risk of cancer patients dying by a third, stop tumours coming back and is even more effective than drugs, according to the results of a landmark trial that could transform health guidelines worldwide.

What acclaimed novelist was a war correspondent during the Spanish Civil War and World War II?

Answer: Ernest Hemingway

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