The global search and tech giant Google has selected 11 startups for their Google Developers’ Launchpad Build mentorship program. These women led startups will be trained under their Launchpad Accelerator Program to achieve rapid progress in a short time. The Developers Launchpad Build event was hosted in Bengaluru and explored the challenges of being a startup leader.
The digital world today is seeing a lot of women stepping out to pursue their dreams and ambitions. This program gives the selected women entrepreneurs a chance to build successful startups through focused, one on one mentorship from Google and other industry experts.
According to the Google Launchpad website, this edition plans to support women entrepreneurs from startups across various stages. Different expert areas including Product Strategy, UX/UI, Marketing with a special focus in Technology covering Android/Firebase, Web and Cloud were taken into consideration for this program.
This program will include leadership workshops driven by Google and was organized in collaboration with Google’s Women Techmakers Initiative and Google’s Women@program.
Here are the 11 entrepreneurs that will receive training from Google and industry experts.
1. Mishipay: A new retail payments startup founded in 2015, Mishipay uses new technology that eliminates queuing from the point of sale. Their technology allows shoppers to pick up a product they wish to buy, scan the bar code with their phone, pay through their phone and simply walk out. The goal of this startup, cofounded by Mustafa Khanwala and Tanvi Bhardwaj is to reduce queue times and facilitate faster checkouts.
2. Guvi Geek Network: Guvi Geek Network was initially started as a YouTube Channel with more than 400 technical videos in vernacular languages. It was incorporated as a startup in 2014, as an online tech skill accelerator in vernacular languages. This startup, incubated in Madras, seeks to help users acquire new skills in vernacular languages, sticking to their motto ‘Learn in your native language.’
3. Evibe Technologies Evibe is an online platform for hassle free party planning service. They offer services ranging from private farm birthdays to themed wedding cakes and even offer drone proposals and chauffeured Audis. This Bengaluru based startup was founded in 2014 by B. Anjaneyulu Reddy and Swathi Bavanaka who aspire to touch millions of lives with their skill and expertise.
4. LetsEndorse This Bengaluru based startup builds holistic ecosystems and acts as a digital market network dedicated to social development. Cofounded by Monika Shukla and Varun Kashyap, this venture enables intelligent knowledge harnessing of practicable social models and builds collaborations for co-creating and scaling up of solutions. The startup, backed by Social Alpha and incubated as part of NASSCOM 10 k Startups, brings together social change makers and mobilizes funds and resources through a mix of crowd funding.
5. Fundamentor Fundamentor is a Bengaluru based edutech startup that uses methods which children enjoy to ensure effective cognitive aptitude development. Founded in 2014 by Bhargavi A.R., it is an innovative product that improves logical reasoning, Maths, English and creative thinking aptitude in children aged 8 to 15. The platform helps develop life skills to bridge the gap between academics and professional success. They claim to have more than 5000 subscribers and 16,000 parents and user community.
6. Talking Street This startup, founded by Maheima Kapur is a ‘local foodie helpline’ which helps travelers and foodies experience and discover the most popular eateries that are frequented by the locals. Their content is created with the help of foodies in the city and so far have a presence in 24 cities.
7. Clinikk Healthcare Founded by Bahvjot Kaur, Clinikk is a personalized health concierge for blue collar workers and their families. The startup provides a centralized, convenient, trustworthy and top notch quality healthcare experience ensured by an internal medical monitoring platform. This health assistant is the single point of contact for an entire subscribed family for any medical need.
8. CampusTime: CampusTime helps universities and colleges set up private social networks that enable students to connect with everyone on the campus. This Bengaluru based startup founded by Amrutha Desai, helps students connect and get access to part time jobs and internships.
9. Omnify: A new age scheduling and ecommerce platform for small businesses, Omnify was founded by Kabandi Saikia and Manik Mehta in 2016. It is a global Saas platform centered around helping businesses manage their schedules, sell omnichannel and improve engagement with their customers.
10. PlexusMD: Online professional network exclusively for medical professionals and healthcare organizations, PlexusMD was founded by IIM alumni Rohan Desai and Binal Doshi along with Kinnar Shah. The startup helps doctors create their professional identity in the web, stay updated on the latest news and developments in their specialty, find and connect with other medical professionals. They claim to be India’s fastest growing online community of healthcare professionals with 75,000 doctors across 25 states and over 300 hospitals across 120 cities.
11. PregBuddy: Week by week pregnancy tracker, PregBuddy is a comprehensive health monitoring and concierge platform for women around the world. Founded by Subhadeep Modal and Sivareena Sarika in 2016, it provides personalized care via health experts and doctors during the years of pre-conceiving to early years of motherhood.
Sandeep Nailwal, co-founder of Polygon, has been appointed as the first CEO of the Polygon Foundation, marking a shift from decentralized governance to focused leadership. This change aims to provide clear direction and accelerate Polygon’s growth in the competitive blockchain space.
Under Nailwal’s leadership, Polygon will discontinue its zkEVM network in 2026 to concentrate on the Polygon PoS chain and AggLayer, a new cross-chain liquidity protocol. Significant upgrades to the Polygon PoS chain are planned, starting with the Bhilai upgrade in July 2025, to enhance transaction capacity and support large-scale financial applications.
Polygon enters this new phase with a strong financial position, enabling long-term development without fundraising pressures. While Nailwal leads the Foundation, Marc Boiron continues as CEO of Polygon Labs. This leadership restructuring aims to drive innovation and reinforce Polygon’s position in Ethereum scaling and the Web3 ecosystem.
Wow! Momo, the Kolkata-based quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain, has secured ₹85 crore (approximately $9.9 million) in debt funding from Stride Ventures, aiming to accelerate its omnichannel expansion and strengthen its presence across India. The company, which operates over 700 outlets in more than 70 cities, plans to utilize the funds to open additional dine-in restaurants, expand its packaged food (FMCG) vertical, and enhance its delivery and supply chain operations. This strategic move will also help refinance existing loans and fuel Wow! Momo’s push into new markets and product categories.
Founded in 2008, Wow! Momo has rapidly diversified its offerings, launching brands such as Wow! China, Wow! Chicken, and Wow! Kulfi, and recently entering the frozen foods segment with quick commerce and retail distribution. The company is targeting a footprint of over 1,500 stores across more than 100 cities within the next three years and aims to grow its FMCG business to ₹100 crore while ramping up its HORECA (Hotel, Restaurant, and Catering) segment. The leadership team views this debt infusion as pivotal for scaling new formats, driving innovation, and building brands that resonate with Indian consumers.
Stride Ventures, known for backing high-growth startups, emphasized Wow! Momo’s strong brand recall, robust business model, and relentless innovation as key reasons for their investment. With this funding, Wow! Momo is well-positioned to further solidify its status as a category-defining player in India’s QSR and FMCG sectors, while preparing for larger equity rounds and a potential IPO in the coming years.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is not just a cricket tournament—it’s a cultural phenomenon that captures the imagination of millions. The 2025 season was especially significant as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ended their 18-year wait for an IPL trophy, sparking nationwide celebrations and a flurry of creative marketing from brands eager to ride the wave of emotion.
Seizing the Moment with Creative Campaigns
Brands across sectors quickly recognized the marketing goldmine that was RCB’s historic victory. Social media platforms became the battleground for witty, nostalgic, and heartfelt content. Voltas Beko, for example, cleverly played on the long wait with a pun: “This moment’s been cooking for 18 years,” featuring a microwave set to 18:00
. Fevicol used humor, captioning a visual of the trophy snuggled in bed with the iconic fan chant: “Ee sala cup chipak gaya ;)”. MG Motor referenced Bangalore’s infamous traffic, declaring, “The only time Bangalore enjoys slow traffic,” as a car displayed “Trophy On Board”.
From Jerseys to Delivery Trucks
Official kit partner Puma India launched a special jersey commemorating the win, emblazoned with RCB’s tagline, “Played Bold”. Quick commerce brands like BlinkIt and Swiggy joined in, with BlinkIt showing the cup being delivered to Bengaluru via a delivery partner and Swiggy featuring a GPS tracker with a delivery executive en route to deliver the trophy. Zomato kept it simple yet impactful with a post reading “EE Sala Cup Namdu,” echoing the fans’ rallying cry.
Emotional Storytelling and Viral Reach
Brands leveraged the emotional high of RCB’s win to connect with audiences. Lego India posted an animated Virat Kohli with the cup, highlighting loyalty and perseverance: “Some waited for years, some questioned loyalty, but greatness? That’s built brick by brick. Champions at last!” Google India, Coca Cola, boAt, and others added to the chorus, each with their own creative spin.
Conclusion
RCB’s IPL 2025 win became more than a sports story—it was a moment of national pride and a catalyst for innovative, real-time marketing. Brands that adapted quickly, using humor, nostalgia, and emotional storytelling, not only amplified their reach but also deepened their connection with fans across India. This approach highlights the power of tapping into trending moments to create memorable, shareable content.