Pune-based logistics startup XpressBees is set to raise $10 million from its existing investor, Alibaba, in its Series D round.

XpressBees provides logistics services to companies including Paytm, Flipkart, Snapdeal and Reliance.

The Indian logistics sector is growing at a rapid pace.

In fact, Gurugram-based Delhivery became the first Indian logistics startup to enter the unicorn club.

Alibaba entered the Indian startup ecosystem as an investor in 2014, with 48 deals. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577433605.9512239/[Funding-alert]-Alibaba-to-invest-$10M-in-logistics-startup-XpressBees?ref=audio_experience

According to a Nasscom report, the IoT industry in India is expected to reach $9 Bn by 2020.

Focusing on the growth of IoT, Pratyush added that it is seen as a key driving force to improve operational efficiencies.

5G To Propel AI-Driven IoTWith 5G becoming a reality, the technology is expected to push the innovation in other technologies as well.

One of the use-cases of 5G which is expected to bring a substantial change in the IoT domain is AI-driven IoT technology.

According to Atish Gude, the chief strategy officer of NetApp, the advent of 5G is what AI-driven IoT has been waiting for. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577431805.3762312/5G-In-India-To-Propel-AI-Driven-IoT-&-Cloud-Computing,-Here’s-How?ref=audio_experience

Ecommerce platform ShopClues narrowed its losses to Rs 68.58 crore in the year ended March 2019 compared to the previous financial year.

ShopClues' revenue from operations also declined 24.7 percent to Rs 204.07 crore in 2018-19 from Rs 271.2 crore in 2017-18, it added.

Its total revenue fell 23.3 percent to Rs 209.46 crore in 2018-19 from Rs 273.30 crore in the previous financial year.

When contacted, ShopClues co-founder and CEO Sanjay Sethi said that in 2018-19, the focus was clearly on reducing losses.

ShopClues says more than 700,000 small and micro-merchants on its platform will be able to access global markets via Qoo10. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577430009.318643/Ecommerce-platform-ShopClues-narrows-losses-to-Rs-68.58-Cr-in-2018-19?ref=audio_experience

Asbe said such a move would make digital payments cheaper than cash payments.

“Instant gratification, by means of declaration of upfront lower rates for digital payments, will help send a positive signal to merchants and customers for better adoption,” said Asbe.

He added that digital services can drive consumption for subscription-based businesses with the adoption of digital payments and EMI options.

After crossing 1 Bn transactions in late September, the number of unified payments interface (UPI) transactions has reached a 1.22 Bn mark for November 2019.

The tie-up will help NPCI is expected to increase the transactions as well as the value of the overall UPI transactions in upcoming months. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577428206.539445/NPCI-Chief-Calls-For-Lower-GST-On-Digital-Payments-To-Push-Adoption?ref=audio_experience

The issues raised include automated filtering of content, setting up a local entity and traceability of content under the proposed rules.

Objections From Many CornersThe Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 (PDP) was tabled in parliament on December 11 this year.

In a statement, IFF said that the public consultation will ensure that the public has a chance to give their comments on PDP bill.

The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has also shared its concerns about the PDP bill.

Justice BN Srikrishna, who led the committee that drafted the PDP Bill has also said the bill is “dangerous” and can turn India into an Orwellian state. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577426508.41474/Wikipedia-Says-India’s-Intermediary-Rules-Will-Disrupt-Reliability-Of-Content?ref=audio_experience

With front-line, blue-collar employees (in sales, services and support) forming the bulk of the employee population, a company's growth depend on them.

There are also numerous online courses (Coursera, Unacademy, etc.)

However, the vast majority of employees are front-line blue-collar workers who are the most in need of upskilling.

They have no access to laptops or online courses.

For managers and above, executive courses and online courses are in place. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577424606.308117/From-Shell-to-Flipkart,-what-does-it-take-to-upskill-frontline-blue-collar-workers??ref=audio_experience

It was into this world of online shopping carts and single-click purchasing that subscription box businesses were born.

Fairtrade subscription boxes give customers the opportunity to receive unique items like clothing, accessories, and home decor that are sourced ethically.

Plenty of subscription boxes catered specifically to dog owners exist, but what about families who own other pets?

Cats, birds, rodents, and lizards are all up for grabs in the pet subscription box market.

If you’re not sure how to brand your subscription box, look to the pros who have already gotten thousands of subscribers. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577422808.1267514/9-Subscription-Business-Ideas-That-Will-Inspire-You---Young-Upstarts?ref=audio_experience

No one else can better answer this question than Harsh Jain, Founder and CEO of Dream11, India’s biggest sports gaming platform.

Plugging the market gap“Why only watch, when you can play?”Gaming had always been a socialising tool for Harsh.

They did just that and changed the landscape of fantasy gaming in India.

Network effects: the first mover advantageWith many fantasy gaming companies modelled around cricket, the list of Dream11’s competition has grown.

Hence, Dream11, one of the firsts in the fantasy gaming market, has the network effect advantage. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577421005.0709841/Monetising-brand-loyalty:-Harsh-Jain-on-building-the-unwavering-‘Dreamster’-community?ref=audio_experience

He saw that some of his family members were finding it difficult to sell their produce at a reasonable price.

This prompted Pradeep to explore the ecommerce route to market the agricultural produce, and thus he founded Farmers Fresh Zone in 2015.

Pradeep PS, Founder and CEO, Farmers Fresh ZoneKochi-based FarmersFZ is an online marketplace that is helping farmers sell pesticide-free vegetables and fruits directly to customers without the intervention of middlemen, and thereby ensuring a reasonable price for their produce.

The team is also working towards achieving the goal of setting a base price for both farmers and customers for the products.

Therefore, we decided to connect these farmers with the customers, who are struggling to find fresh vegetables and fruits,” says Pradeep. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577419416.4087386/[Startup-Bharat]-This-Kochi-based-farm-to-fork-online-marketplace-is-connecting-farmers-directly-to-customers?ref=audio_experience

NEW DELHI: A plethora of regulatory changes covering startups is in the works to reduce time spent on tax compliance by them to less than one hour a month along with easier incorporation processes and boosting the availability of global and domestic capital.The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade ( DPIIT ) is in talks with the ministries of finance and corporate affairs, the Securities and Exchange Board of India ( Sebi ) and the Reserve Bank ( RBI ) over the new measures.“We are working on regulatory changes that would aim at easier incorporation of a company, easier compliances, reduction of tax compliance to less than one hour per month,” said DPIIT secretary Guruprasad Mohapatra.Startups currently need to comply with requirements such as filing returns for goods and services tax (GST) as well as other levies.

They also need to ensure that they are observing other laws every month, all of which is time consuming and adds to the cost of innovators that often work on slim budgets.India is at 136 on ‘starting a business’ in the World Bank’s ease of doing business table against an overall rank of 63.

Some of the measures in the works are also expected to tackle this. | To read full story, visit https://startuparound.com/read/1577417406.4778535/Efforts-on-to-make-it-easier-to-start-up,-do-business?ref=audio_experience