Top Startup News Today: SMBs Fuel Festive E-commerce Boom, and AI Meets Astrology | Oct 11, 2025

The Indian startup ecosystem continues to buzz with action—from legacy global brands reimagining their India playbooks to homegrown entrepreneurs redefining the future with innovation. On Friday, October 10, 2025, a wave of interesting developments unfolded, painting a picture of India’s evolving business landscape—where traditional sectors meet modern technology, and where even the stars are now read by artificial intelligence.

Top Startup News

Papa Johns Returns to India—This Time, It’s Personal (and Local)

After a decade-long hiatus, Papa Johns is staging a bold comeback in India—but this time, it’s not just about pizza. The global brand, which once struggled to find its footing in the Indian market, is making a strategic re-entry with lessons learned and a plan deeply rooted in local relevance.

The relaunch is being steered by PJP Foods India, a joint venture between PJP Investments Group and Ambrosia QSR. Notably, PJP Investments already operates Papa Johns across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, bringing with it a tested operational model and regional insights.

What’s different this time? Papa Johns is going local—introducing a menu designed for Indian palates, with an emphasis on dine-in experiences before expanding aggressively into delivery. The strategy marks a shift from the brand’s earlier global template to one that celebrates the diversity of India’s food culture.

In a market where domestic giants like Domino’s and Pizza Hut have long ruled, Papa Johns’ comeback is set to test whether nostalgia, paired with local innovation, can carve out a fresh slice of success.

SMBs: The Real Heroes of India’s Festive E-commerce Boom

While big brands dominate headlines, it’s India’s small and medium businesses (SMBs) that are powering the country’s digital economy—especially during the festive season.

According to Infisum’s “Empower India Festive Performance Report 2025,” ecommerce platforms like Amazon and Meesho are witnessing a massive surge in sales from SMBs this season.

On Amazon, more than 16,000 SMBs have tripled their sales, while Meesho’s 48,000 sellers have doubled their order volumes compared to regular business days.

This trend signals a clear transformation in India’s ecommerce ecosystem. SMBs are no longer peripheral players—they’re the backbone of festive retail, leveraging digital marketplaces to reach millions of consumers across the country.

It’s not just about festive sales; it’s about empowerment. From tier-2 fashion retailers to regional handicraft sellers, the digital marketplace is giving entrepreneurs a national stage, redefining what “Make in India” truly means in 2025.

AI Meets Astrology: Bharat Matrimony Bets on Ask My Guru

In one of the most intriguing funding stories of the week, Bharat Matrimony, the flagship brand of Matrimony.com Group, has invested $500,000 in Ask My Guru (AMG)—a Bengaluru-based AI-powered astrology startup that calls itself the world’s first interactive Vedic Shastra platform.

The funding follows AMG’s $1.2 million seed round, bringing its total raised capital to $1.72 million. The company plans to use the fresh funds to accelerate its AI-driven predictive intelligence and digital astrology capabilities.

At a time when consumer tech is blending spirituality with machine learning, Ask My Guru represents a curious intersection of ancient knowledge and futuristic innovation—where algorithms interpret karmic patterns, and astrology goes digital.

For Bharat Matrimony, this investment also makes strategic sense. With millions seeking personalized compatibility insights, integrating AI-led astrology could offer a new dimension to how matchmaking platforms understand human connection.

Teaching Tomorrow’s Founders: LSE Partners with The Beacon School

In another heartening development, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), through its global entrepreneurship initiative LSE Generate, has joined hands with The Beacon School, Gurugram, to introduce the concept of empathy-led entrepreneurship to young students.

As part of the LSE Generate Delhi Entrepreneurial Festival 2025, LJ Silverman, Head of LSE Generate, conducted a virtual session on empathetic leadership. The interactive workshop, designed for students aged 10–12, encouraged participants to explore how empathy influences decision-making, leadership, and innovation.

Through reflective exercises and role-play scenarios, the session underscored a powerful message: future entrepreneurship isn’t just about disruption—it’s about compassion, understanding, and human-centric innovation.

India’s Startup Scene: A Blend of the Old, the New, and the Unusual

From pizza chains making a second debut to AI decoding astrology charts, and from school classrooms embracing entrepreneurial empathy to small businesses leading ecommerce revolutions—India’s startup ecosystem continues to defy convention.

The week’s stories reflect the country’s vibrant, unpredictable energy—where global brands rediscover India, startups push boundaries, and innovation finds its way into everything from retail to relationships to classrooms.

About Top Startup News Today

TICE’s Top Startup News Today delivers daily insights on India’s startups and global innovation. Covering IPOs, AI, fintech, mobility, and funding, we provide verified, context-rich updates that show not just what’s happening, but why it matters.

Disclaimer: Curated from trusted sources; contact editorial@tice.news for corrections.