Author: Neel Achary

SBI MF, ICICI Prudential MF and HDFC MF Lead Amagi Media Labs’ Rs. 805 Crore Anchor Book Ahead of IPO

Mumbai, Jan 15:  Amagi Media Labs Ltd. (Amagi) has successfully raised Rs. 805 crore from marquee anchor investors ahead of its Rs. 1,789-crore Initial Public Offering (IPO), set to open on 13th January 2026. The company allotted 2,22,95,799 equity shares to 42 anchor investors at Rs. 361 per share, the upper end of the price band.

Amagi’s IPO is CY2026’s first deep-tech, SaaS, and private sector IPO. Leading domestic mutual funds—SBI Mutual Fund, ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, and HDFC Mutual Fund—have taken the majority of the anchor portion allocation, marking a rare instance where all three top consortium fund houses have participated as anchors.

The company’s strategic anchor allocation includes 35 resident and 7 non-resident investors, encompassing domestic and foreign funds, and long-only insurance companies. Other notable anchor investors include Birla MF, Fidelity, Motilal Oswal MF, HDFC Life Insurance, Tata MF, Franklin Templeton MF, 360One, Baroda BNP MF, Amundi, PGIM MF, Bandhan MF, Susquehanna International (SIG), Bharti Axa, Isometry Capital, Societe Generale, Creaegis, Edelweiss Tokio Life, New Vernon Capital, and Helios (including MF), reflecting strong investor confidence in the company.

The public issue will close on January 16, 2026, extended by four days due to local municipal elections in Maharashtra.

The IPO comprises a Fresh Issue of equity shares aggregating up to Rs. 816 crore, and an Offer for Sale of up to 26,942,343 equity shares by the selling shareholders. The fresh issue proceeds will be used for technology and cloud infrastructure investment, inorganic growth through acquisitions, and general corporate purposes.

The Offer for Sale includes shares by institutional investors such as PI Opportunities Fund I & II, Accel India VI (Mauritius) Ltd, Trudy Holdings, Norwest Venture Partners X – Mauritius, as well as shares from individual selling shareholders, including Rahul Garg, Rajat Garg, Kollengode Ramanathan Lakshminarayana, Prem Gupta, and Rajesh Ramaiah.

Amagi’s equity shares are proposed to be listed on BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE).

Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited, Citigroup Global Markets India Pvt. Ltd., Goldman Sachs (India) Securities Pvt. Ltd., IIFL Capital Services Ltd., and Avendus Capital Pvt. Ltd. are acting as the Book Running Lead Managers (BRLMs) for the IPO.

Nexedge Capital Appoints Dr. Gaurav Kulshreshtha as CIO and Founding Partner

“India is at an inflection point in wealth management, with institutional thinking now essential,” said Gaurav. “My focus at Nexedge is to define the investment philosophy, governance and decision-making framework that will guide portfolio construction and capital allocation over the long term.”

“Gaurav’s depth across investment strategy and his experience working with sophisticated families make him a strong partner as we build Nexedge for the long term,” said Anirudha Taparia, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nexedge Capital. “His leadership strengthens our ability to offer thoughtful, aligned investment solutions to clients.”

91Springboard Partners with AVIS India to Offer Chauffeur-Driven Car Services for Members

91Springboard partners with AVIS India to enhance member experience with chauffeur-driven car services across major cities, further strengthening its portfolio of exclusive member offerings

Reinforcing its commitment to providing convenient, meaningful experiences outside of the workplace, 91Springboard, one of India’s leading comprehensive workspace solutions provider, has announced a strategic partnership with AVIS India, a global leader in mobility solutions. This partnership aims to enhance convenience for 91Springboard members by providing them premium chauffeur-driven car and luxury van services at exclusive discounted rates across key Indian cities.

A Partnership Built Around Real Member Needs

The modern workday extends well beyond office walls. Reliable, safe, and high-quality mobility is necessary for meetings, airport transfers, intercity travel, and last-minute business plans; members frequently mentioned this as a challenge. Through this collaboration, 91Springboard not only recognizes this need but actively addresses it by providing members with.

The service covers major Indian cities, such as Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai, among others. 91Springboard members can avail exclusive discounts on AVIS India bookings through a dedicated partner page, where offers are already applied, ensuring a smooth and convenient booking experience.

The partnership will provide a range of exclusive benefits for 91Springboard members, including:

• 35%* off on domestic chauffeur-driven services, applicable on airport transfers, local city rides, and outstation trips.
• Members seeking more premium experience can enjoy up to 10% off on Avis one luxury transfers.
• International business travelers will receive up to 10% discount on self-drive and chauffeur-driven services abroad for comfort and convenience wherever their business takes them.

AVIS India provides a complete range of fully insured vehicles, from top-of-the-range sedans and SUVs, with specially trained chauffeurs. The service encompasses intra-city and intercity travel in safe, comfortable, and hassle-free fashion. All this comes with the additional element of dependability because of a committed 24×7 contact center dedicated to providing around-the-clock support.

Commenting on the partnership, Sameer Singh, COO of 91Springboard said:

“Customer-centricity is at the core of everything we do at 91Springboard. Our members lead fast-paced, demanding work lives, and if we can make even one part of their day smoother, it creates meaningful value. This collaboration with AVIS India enhances convenience beyond the workspace, enabling our members to stay focused on what truly matters, building, scaling, and succeeding.”

Adding to it, Aman Naagar, MD, AVIS India said,

“91Springboard’s member base spans startups to large enterprises, and we’re delighted to offer mobility solutions that match their pace and expectations.  By associating with them, AVIS India aims to ensure that business traveling for members is efficient, safe and hassle-free.”

91Springboard remains committed to elevating productivity, convenience, and the overall work–life experience of its members. Through its 91S Booster initiatives with partners such as Ixigo, Ferns & Petals, Tata 1mg, Third Wave Coffee, Lemon Tree Hotels among others, the flex space provider offers exclusive collaborations that support both professional and personal needs of its members. These carefully curated boosters provide members with privileged access to premium products, services, and benefits, adding meaningful value, comfort, and support to their everyday routines.

With 45 hubs across Bengaluru, Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Goa and Pune, 91Springboard continues to deliver value to its members. This tie-up with AVIS India strengthens 91Springboard’s vision toward an integrated ecosystem where entrepreneurs, start-ups, and enterprises of all sizes can thrive throughout their professional journey.

 Mahima Group announces the launch of ‘Ecovista’ a luxury residential project

Jaipur, Jan 15: Jaipur based real estate developer Mahima Group has announced the launch of Ecovista, a luxury residential development that reflects the city’s growing preference for sustainable, well-planned urban housing. With an estimated gross development cost of ₹200 crore, the project marks a significant addition to Jaipur’s evolving residential market. The project will offer spacious 3 and 4 BHK Luxury Residences.

The development is spread across a 11,700 sq. metre land parcel located at Main Tonk Road Jaipur. Ecovista project bears a strategic proximity to key industrial, educational and medical hubs further enhancing its appeal for end users seeking both connectivity and long term value in realty. This location represents an important and prestigious part of South Jaipur, an area traditionally associated with upscale living, refined lifestyles, and luxury developments.

A defining highlight of Ecovista is its strong emphasis on open, green living. Nearly 80 percent of the project area is dedicated to green and open spaces, while the planning ensures minimal vehicular movement at the ground level, creating a safer, cleaner and more pedestrian friendly environment.

Commenting on the launch, Nikhil Madan, Managing Director, Mahima Group said

“The project aligns with our vision of building future-ready communities in the city. Ecovista has been planned as a holistic residential environment where sustainability, location, and thoughtful design come together to create enduring value for homeowners. We are also in a phase of creating a special segment of Uber-Luxury projects that offers world class amenities, Ultra Modern specifications, and intelligent planning delivered at a highly compelling value proposition.”

Jaipur’s residential market continues to witness steady demand for lifestyle led developments that prioritise open spaces, improved infrastructure access and long term liveability. With Ecovista, Mahima Group aims to strengthen its presence in the micro markets of Jaipur while responding to evolving homebuyer expectations.

EkoStay Launches ‘Ekostay Stories’, a Podcast That Opens the Doors to the Real World of Villa Hospitality

Mumbai, Jan 15: EkoStay, one of India’s fastest-growing professionally managed vacation rental brands, has announced the launch of Ekostay Stories, a new in-house podcast series that pulls back the curtain on the villa and homestay industry. Designed as both an industry conversation and a storytelling platform, the podcast captures the unfiltered realities, untold stories, and behind-the-scenes moments that shape the vacation rental ecosystem.

Moving beyond curated travel imagery and surface-level reviews, Ekostay Stories spotlights what truly goes on behind a stay—from guest behaviour and homeowner dynamics to operational challenges, humour, conflict, and unexpected moments. The podcast brings together voices from across the ecosystem, including co-founders, guests, homeowners, vendors, and internal teams, offering a rare, multi-perspective view of the business of hospitality.

At a time when hospitality content is dominated by influencer narratives and star ratings, Ekostay Stories delivers a refreshingly honest format. Industry insights indicate a growing appetite for long-form, narrative-driven content that explains how brands operate behind the scenes rather than simply showcasing outcomes. Ekostay Stories taps into this shift by blending real-life drama, humour, and learning into engaging, story-led conversations.

Explaining the thinking behind the initiative, Varun Arora, CEO & Co-Founder, EkoStay, said the podcast was born out of a clear communication gap in the homestay industry.

“Guests already speak online about their experiences, often when something goes wrong. What rarely gets discussed is everything that happens behind the scenes—the coordination, the people management, the homeowner conversations, and the pressure points. Ekostay Stories is our way of opening that door and showing how the industry truly operates,” he said.

He added that building and managing vacation homes involves layers of complexity that are often invisible on social media—from property onboarding and guest readiness to balancing expectations across homeowners, teams, competitors, and local authorities.

“It’s not always simple or polished. There’s a lot that goes on backstage, and we felt it was time to talk about it honestly—from a founder’s, management’s, and industry’s perspective,” Arora noted.

Internally described as “not just a podcast, but a full tea party,” Ekostay Stories embraces candid conversations, villa secrets, guest confessions, and real moments that range from humorous to hard-hitting. Early episode titles such as “Gayi Bhais Pool Mai” and “Signed & Shattered” reflect the show’s unfiltered, experience-led tone.

The podcast is designed for a wide audience—hospitality and travel industry professionals, property owners, aspiring hosts, entrepreneurs, and travellers curious about how villa brands actually function. It also serves as a transparent window for hospitality professionals, offering insight into the realities of working in a fast-growing, people-driven industry.

Ekostay Stories will release one episode every week, covering themes such as homeowner relationships, guest management, operational challenges, competition, workforce dynamics, regulatory navigation, and evolving traveller behaviour. Future episodes will also explore longer stays, remote work-driven travel trends, and the growing role of technology and AI in educating hosts and enhancing transparency in alternative accommodations.

As India’s vacation rental sector matures, Ekostay Stories reflects the industry’s shift toward authenticity, openness, and deeper engagement. By turning real experiences into shared conversations, the podcast aims to carve out a distinctive space in India’s travel and startup content ecosystem—one that informs, entertains, and sparks honest dialogue around modern hospitality.