InBrief: Flipkart launches Perfect Homes Studio; 15 cleantech startups get awards

Walmart-owned ecommerce platform Flipkart has rolled out Perfect Homes Studio to strengthen its offerings in the furniture category. With Perfect Homes Studio, the firm aims to reach out to consumers in metros and tier 1 cities in the age group of 25-45, it said in a statement. “Customer centricity is the ethos on which our private brands’ portfolio is built. With this entirely new range, Perfect Homes is targeting a new segment of consumers who aspire to own the latest decor and aesthetics but may have budgetary concerns. This range will allow them to feel a sense of ownership over the furniture, which many young Indians living in metros today may not otherwise experience,” Adarsh Menon, senior vice president for private brands, electronics and furniture at Flipkart, said. Earlier this month, Flipkart shut down Jabong earlier this month, four years after it bought the fashion etailer for about $70 million.

Centre, Tata Trusts and three others, award 15 cleantech startups

The government of India, the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Tata Trusts, Tata Power and Social Alpha jointly awarded 15 cleantech startups at the Social Alpha Energy Challenge 2.0 on Wednesday. The winners were chosen from more than 150 applicants who were screened for their unique technology and business models, strong focus on affordability and accessibility, and social, economic and environmental impact, the press statement said. The winners will be incubated by the Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC), which supports entrepreneurs by providing industry and field connections critical for product development.

Surge participates in the latest edition of Facebook VC Brand Incubator

Social media giant Facebook has announced its next edition of the VC Brand Incubator initiative with Surge, Sequoia Capital’s accelerator programme for early-stage startups in India. VC Brand Incubator was launched in 2019 as an industry-first initiative by Facebook to accelerate the growth of early-stage small and medium businesses (SMBs) in India by collaborating with venture capital funds. This will be the first edition of the initiative in 2020 -- the three before this were with Sauce.VC, Fireside Ventures and SAIF Partners. Surge aims to supercharge the early-stage journey for startups by enabling access to capital, talent and network, and decades of company-building knowledge. Surge combines $1 million-$2 million of seed capital with company-building workshops, global immersion trips and support from a community of founders.