Category Archives: Business

UPI’s Decade of Transformation: How India Built a Digital Payments Revolution

New Delhi, Aug 26: In less than a decade, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has moved from being a new digital payment system to becoming a familiar part of everyday life for millions of Indians. What started as an effort to make digital transactions simpler and faster has grown into a large-scale payments network that is now attracting global attention.

UPI was launched in 2016 with the broader aim of encouraging Indians to embrace digital payments and gradually reduce dependence on cash. Since then, the platform has changed the way people pay for everything from groceries and transport to household services and business transactions.

The transformation has been particularly striking at the grassroots level. A small shopkeeper can accept payment through a QR code, a student can send money to a friend within seconds, and a customer can complete a purchase without carrying cash or sharing bank details. This everyday convenience has been central to UPI’s rapid adoption.

The numbers underline the scale of the change. UPI recorded around 90,000 transactions in August 2016, its first month of operation. By FY2025-26, it accounted for about 84 per cent of India’s digital payment transactions.

The network has also expanded significantly. The number of banks connected to UPI increased from 44 in FY2016-17 to 703 in FY2025-26. The growing participation of public-sector, private-sector, small finance and cooperative banks has helped extend digital payment services to a much wider section of the population.

Developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), UPI allows users to make instant bank-to-bank payments through multiple applications. Its interoperable design means customers are not tied to a single bank or payment application, making the system convenient and flexible.

Transaction volumes have risen dramatically over the years. From fewer than two crore transactions during its first year, UPI crossed 24,000 crore transactions by 2026, with the total value of transactions approaching Rs 314 lakh crore.

The impact of UPI is no longer limited to India. The payment system has expanded into international markets, with UPI-based payment facilities available in countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, France, the UAE, Singapore, Cyprus and Qatar. The expansion is particularly useful for Indian travellers, overseas Indians and businesses looking for easier cross-border payment options.

Global institutions have also taken note of India’s digital payments experience. A June 2025 International Monetary Fund report identified UPI as the world’s largest retail fast-payment system by transaction volume and highlighted its interoperability as an important factor behind its widespread use.

Perhaps UPI’s biggest achievement is that digital payments have become ordinary. Technology that once seemed complicated is now used routinely by street vendors, small businesses, farmers, students, professionals and families. For many users, scanning a QR code and receiving an instant payment has become as natural as using cash once was.

The success of UPI is also giving India an opportunity to share its experience with other countries developing modern payment infrastructure. Its combination of speed, interoperability and accessibility has made it an important example of how digital public infrastructure can support financial inclusion.

As UPI moves into its second decade, the challenge will be to build on this success while maintaining security, reliability and accessibility. Its future could extend well beyond domestic payments, with greater possibilities in international transactions and cross-border commerce.

UPI’s journey is ultimately a story about how technology can become meaningful when it solves everyday problems. What began with a simple idea of making payments easier has evolved into a digital infrastructure that has changed how India conducts business, manages money and connects with the wider global economy.

SMK Sets New Safety Benchmark as Typhoon Earns 4-Star SHARP Rating in the UK

Bengaluru, 26 August 2026: India’s premier performance helmet brand, SMK Helmets, has achieved a significant milestone in helmet safety, with its top selling full-face helmet Typhoon receiving a 4–Star safety rating from SHARP (Safety Helmet Assessment and Rating Programme), the UK’s independent, government-funded helmet safety body. The achievement makes SMK the first Indian helmet manufacturer to secure a 4–Star SHARP rating. 

Run by the UK’s Department for Transport since 2007, SHARP was created to give riders safety information that goes beyond the pass/fail minimum required under regulatory certification such as ECE 22.05/22.06. Helmets are bought directly from UK retailers rather than supplied by manufacturers, so the models tested are the same ones available to riders. For every model, SHARP runs 32 impact tests across seven helmet samples of varying sizes, striking each helmet at five head zones under three linear impact speeds –  6, 7.5 and 8.5 metres per second, to measure the force transmitted to the head. And then, the helmet is rated out of a maximum 5 stars. The resulting star rating is one of the most closely watched independent safety benchmarks in the global helmet industry, and the Typhoon’s 4–Star score sits alongside ratings earned by decades-old global helmet brands tested under the same protocol. 

Commenting on the achievement, Mr. Sidhartha Bhushan Khurana, Managing Director & CEO at SMK said, “SMK has engineered helmets around top protection for years – The SHARP rating is simply independent, public validation of that approach. The Typhoon‘s score reflects a standard we’ve held ourselves to well before any external test came along to measure it: materials, construction and design built to perform, not just to pass. Indian riders deserve helmets tested to the same yardstick as the world’s best-known brands, and this is a step toward making that the norm rather than the exception.” 

The full-face SMK Typhoon is built of Energy-Impact-Resistant Thermoplastic (EIRT) shell weighing ~ 1.6kg, and features a quick-release buckle, drop-down sun visor, Pinlock 30® Lens, anti-scratch visor coatings, and multi-point ventilation. It is certified to the ECE 22.06 standard set by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and is sold in seven sizes from XS to XXXL. The model is available across SMK’s authorized dealer network and online channels in India.

The Typhoon’s SHARP rating and this year’s entry into international motorsport, as technical helmet sponsor of the Moto4 Latin Cup, are two sides of the same effort –  years of engineering work behind a brand that’s begun to compete globally, not just sell globally. Across its helmet range, that shows up as a consistent emphasis on materials, construction and testing that goes beyond what regulation requires. 

SMK helmets are already sold in more than 40 countries. The SHARP rating is a testament to the fact that Indian helmet engineering can now compete with long-established international brands on measured safety performance, not price alone.

PanIIT Summit in Vijayawada to Explore New Frontiers in DeepTech and Innovation

Vijayawada, August 25, 2026: PanIIT Alumni India, the umbrella organisation representing more than five lakh alumni of all 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), on Tuesday announced the PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit 2026, a major leadership, innovation and technology forum to be held on October 3, 2026, at Novotel Vijayawada Varun.

The Summit, themed “Catalysing Innovation for Swarnandhra Vision 2047,” will be inaugurated by Mr. Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

The one-day Summit is expected to bring together more than 500 delegates, including around 100 founders and startup leaders, 50 CEOs, 50 investors and venture capitalists, policymakers, technology experts, academicians and industry leaders from across India and abroad.

The Summit will provide a platform for government, industry, academia, entrepreneurs, investors and the global IIT alumni community to explore opportunities for accelerating innovation, attracting investment and promoting technology-led growth in Andhra Pradesh.

The Summit will focus on key technology and growth sectors, including: DeepTech, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, MedTech, Pharma & Healthcare, Oil & Gas and Green Energy, Semiconductors & Data Centres, Quantum Computing and Defence & Aerospace

Addressing a press conference, Shri Prabhat Kumar, IRS, Chairman, PanIIT Alumni India and Principal ADG, NACIN, CBIC, said the Summit would seek to leverage the collective strength of the IIT alumni community to contribute to Andhra Pradesh’s development.

“The PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit 2026 is an opportunity to bring together the collective strength of government, industry, academia, entrepreneurs and the global IIT alumni community. Andhra Pradesh has a vast and influential diaspora spread across the world, particularly in the United States. IIT alumni would like to play a catalytic role in the development of Andhra Pradesh.”

He said PanIIT would like to position Amaravati as a leading DeepTech capital of India and explore long-term initiatives that can create a strong innovation ecosystem in the State.

“At the behest of Chief Minister Mr. Nara Chandrababu Naidu, we would like to make the PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit an annual affair. As part of our long-term vision, we are exploring the establishment of a PanIIT Centre of Excellence in Amaravati, for which we are seeking land from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. This would be the first Centre of Excellence of its kind to be established by PanIIT Alumni India in India. If the discussions progress as planned, we may even sign an MoU with the Government of Andhra Pradesh during the Summit on October 3,” he said.

He added that Andhra Pradesh was a progressive State with immense potential in emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence, DeepTech, quantum technology, advanced manufacturing and innovation.

“Through collaboration and shared expertise, we hope to support technology-led solutions and contribute to Andhra Pradesh’s vision of Swarnandhra and its journey towards becoming a leading technology and innovation hub,” he said.

Shri Amitabh Ranjan, Vice Chairman, PanIIT Alumni India and Registrar, Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), said innovation and research would be critical to India’s future economic growth.

“India currently invests around 0.65% of its GDP in research and development, compared with substantially higher levels in countries such as China, the United States and Israel. This highlights the need for greater investment in innovation, research and technology,” he said.

“The theme ‘Catalysing Innovation for Swarnandhra Vision 2047’ is therefore particularly relevant. Innovation will be one of the fundamental drivers of our future growth,” he added.

He said Andhra Pradesh had several strategic advantages that could support its emergence as a major economic and technology hub.

The recently approved 1,107-km Kharagpur–Amaravati Greenfield Corridor, including a 457-km stretch through Andhra Pradesh, is expected to strengthen connectivity and support economic development in the State.

He also highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s long coastline and mineral resources, including monazite, ilmenite, rutile and zircon, which have potential significance for advanced materials, clean-energy and strategic industries.

Shri Sudhakar Gande, Chair, PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit 2026, said Andhra Pradesh had a strong foundation of talent, entrepreneurship and ambition.

“By embracing emerging technologies such as AI, DeepTech and semiconductors, while fostering innovation and investment, Andhra Pradesh has a significant opportunity to create new engines of growth and position itself as a leading technology hub.”

Prof. Dr. Ramanaidu Randhi, Convenor, PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit 2026, said stronger collaboration between academia, industry, government and entrepreneurs was essential for building a sustainable innovation ecosystem.

“Academic excellence and research are fundamental to building a strong innovation ecosystem. Their true impact lies in translating knowledge into technologies, products and practical solutions that address real-world challenges. Greater emphasis on applied research can transform academic discoveries into market-ready products and services, creating social and economic value,” he said.

“Stronger collaboration among academia, industry, government and entrepreneurs can bring together research, talent, technology and innovation to solve practical problems, drive sustainable growth, create employment and contribute to national development,” he added.

PanIIT Alumni India

PanIIT Alumni India (PIAI) is the umbrella organisation representing alumni of all 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Established in 2006 as a not-for-profit society, PanIIT brings together IIT alumni, academia, industry, entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and policymakers to foster collaboration, innovation and nation-building.

Through national and global summits, policy dialogues, technology and innovation initiatives, and social-impact programmes, PanIIT seeks to leverage the collective expertise and global networks of the IIT alumni community to contribute to India’s development and global leadership.

The IIT alumni community includes prominent global leaders such as Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google; Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM; N. R. Narayana Murthy, Founder of Infosys; Vinod Khosla, Co-founder of Sun Microsystems; and Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, reflecting the global impact of the IIT ecosystem.

Jitin Prasada’s Morocco Visit to Give Fresh Push to Trade and Investment Ties

New Delhi, Aug 25: Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada’s two-day visit to Morocco is expected to strengthen India-Morocco economic relations and open new opportunities for trade, investment and business cooperation.

Prasada has reached Morocco to co-chair the 7th Session of the India-Morocco Joint Commission with Omar Hejira, Secretary of State to Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade.

The Joint Commission meeting will provide both countries an opportunity to review ongoing economic and commercial cooperation and identify new areas for mutually beneficial engagement.

According to the Commerce and Industry Ministry, discussions will cover several key sectors, including trade and market access, fertiliser production and supply, investment, industrial cooperation, agriculture, food safety, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, digital transformation, transport, logistics, education and skill development.

A major focus of the talks will be on diversifying bilateral trade and expanding market access, with both sides expected to explore measures that can create greater opportunities for businesses and investors.

India and Morocco are also expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on food safety cooperation. The proposed agreement will promote the exchange of information on the safety and quality of imported food products and encourage cooperation between food-testing laboratories.

The MoU will also support the sharing of technical expertise, analytical methods and information in areas of mutual interest, helping strengthen cooperation on food safety standards.

Prasada’s visit is expected to provide fresh momentum to India-Morocco commercial engagement by strengthening institutional cooperation and creating opportunities for greater business-to-business interaction.

The Joint Commission is likely to play an important role in identifying new avenues for trade, investment and industrial partnerships, further strengthening the economic relationship between the two countries.

FAI to deliberate on strengthening India’s fertiliser security amid global supply disruptions

Mumbai, 25^th August 2026: The Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) is organising a three-day program on Fertiliser Security Amid Global Disruptions from 24-26 August in Udaipur, Rajasthan bringing together senior industry executives and sector experts to deliberate on the emerging challenges to India’s fertiliser security and the roadmap for building a more resilient fertiliser ecosystem. The program will focus on global market volatility, domestic production, policy challenges, geopolitical disruptions, green ammonia and urea, circular economy approaches and alternative fertilisers.

Addressing the inaugural session, Dr. Suresh Kumar Chaudhari, Director General, FAI, said that recent geopolitical developments have highlighted the vulnerability of global fertiliser supply chains and reinforced the need for greater self-reliance and preparedness. He emphasised that fertiliser security is closely linked with agriculture and food security, and that disruptions in fertiliser availability can have wider implications for the agricultural sector. “When the fertiliser sector is secured and safe, the agriculture sector feels secured and safe,” he said.

Dr. Chaudhari noted that the Indian fertiliser industry has demonstrated resilience despite repeated global disruptions, but cautioned that such resilience cannot depend indefinitely on contingency measures. Greater domestic production, diversification of sources, alternative raw materials and feedstocks, and exploration of non-conventional resources will be critical to strengthening India’s long-term fertiliser security. He also highlighted the importance of reducing dependence on a single source or geography as geopolitical conflicts increasingly affect energy, logistics and raw material availability.

He further underlined the growing importance of energy security for the future of Indian agriculture and fertiliser production, noting that the sector will need to explore green energy, green hydrogen, green ammonia and greater integration of renewable energy into fertiliser manufacturing. Dr. Chaudhari stated that companies who were able to integrate new energy resources and technologies effectively could gain a competitive advantage.

The FAI Director General also stressed the need for greater technology adoption across the fertiliser sector, including robotics, artificial intelligence and other new-age technologies, to improve manufacturing efficiency and productivity. While India has made significant progress in energy efficiency, continued investment in new-generation technologies will be important to improve operational efficiency and competitiveness.

Dr. Chaudhari also highlighted the role of integrated nutrient management and alternative fertilisers in building a more sustainable agricultural system. He noted that nano fertilisers, natural and organic farming and other alternative approaches can complement conventional fertilisers, while helping improve soil health, nutrient-use efficiency and long-term sustainability.

He emphasised that achieving greater resilience will require coordinated efforts by the Government, fertiliser industry and farming community, supported by an enabling policy environment. FAI, as the interface between industry and government, will continue to facilitate knowledge-sharing, identify emerging challenges and provide policy inputs to strengthen the sector.

Sokka Tableware by Sravanya Pittie Brings Artisanal Luxury to Mumbai with the Launch of Their First Flagship Store in Worli

Mumbai, Aug 25: Sokka Tableware, the contemporary design house by Sravanya Pittie, has opened its first flagship store in Mumbai at Ready Money Terrace, Ground Floor, Worli Naka. Encompassing tableware, serveware, barware, linens, accessories and gifting, the store marks a significant milestone in the brand’s journey to build a distinctive identity within contemporary Indian design.

Founded on the vision of creating the complete experience of a beautifully set table, Sokka Tableware looks beyond conventional tableware, bringing together design, functionality, craftsmanship and storytelling. The brand takes its name from the Swedish word Söka, meaning “to seek,” reflecting its enduring curiosity and pursuit of new ideas, materials, and forms.

With years of immersion in the luxury lifestyle and interiors realm, Sravanya Pittie brings a depth of expertise that positions Sokka Tableware as the natural evolution of a long-standing practice rather than a debut venture. Her refined eye for contemporary entertaining honed through the creation of high-end, design-led pieces for discerning hosts has consistently balanced heritage craftsmanship with a sleek, modern sensibility, serving an audience of design-conscious individuals aged 25 to 45 who seek beauty in both everyday rituals and seasonal celebrations. Sravanya Pittie has also designed bespoke tableware and lifestyle pieces for prestigious destinations across India that reflect the brand’s ability to translate its design language across distinctive spaces.

The Worli flagship offers an expansive selection of tableware, serveware, barware, linens, accessories and gifting, designed for everyday dining as well as intimate gatherings, celebrations and festive occasions. The brand works across a considered range of materials, including vegan porcelain, vegan leather, glass, metal, linen and wood, complemented by details such as 24-karat gold, lead-free colours and authentic, FDA-certified, lead-free Kansa, making the brand fully vegan with conscious material choices and craftsmanship at its core.A defining feature of the store is itsilluminated placemat installation, which transforms an everyday table essential into a striking visual centrepiece, a fitting expression of the brand’s belief that everyday objects can be beautiful and worthy of attention.

The newly launched gifting edit features mithai boxes, date jars, Arabic cups and espresso cups, among a wider selection of pieces designed to bring character to celebrations and everyday rituals, drawing on travel, lived experience and India’s rich artisanal traditions.Alongside its ready-to-shop collections, Sokka Tableware offers a bespoke service for private clients, hospitality brands, corporations and celebrations, translating an idea or occasion into a fully customised design.

Sravanya Pittie, Founder, Sokka Tableware, says:

“The new store is an extension of our design philosophy; a space where tableware, craftsmanship and storytelling come together. I wanted it to feel warm, inviting and inspiring, allowing customers to experience our collections beyond the products themselves. Our relationship with Indian artisanship is central to this journey, and the store allows us to show how traditional craft can sit beautifully within a contemporary setting.”

The Worli flagship adds to the brand’s growing international presence across Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and London. Positioned on a prominent main road near Sokka’s design atelier, the store brings customers closer to the creative process while establishing a dedicated Mumbai destination for the brand.

Qatar’s Dollar 10 Billion India Bet: Indian SMEs Could Turn Investment Into New Growth

The Lakmē Edit: Icons, Innovations & Everything In Between

The Lakmē 9to5 Forever Matte Lip Crayon reimagines the classic lip colour in a playful, easy-to-use crayon format. Available across a versatile range of shades, its Vitamin C-infused, moisture-rich crème base delivers intense pigment in a single stroke while keeping lips hydrated for up to 8 hours – making it effortless to line, fill, mix and match. And then there are the icons that have stood the test of time. 

Hansa Research Festive Insights 2026: Indian Consumers Gear Up for a Bigger, Earlier and More Conscious Festive Season

India, Aug 25: Hansa Research, India’s largest consumer insights provider, has released its Festive Season 2026 analysis, capturing evolving consumer sentiment, spending patterns, shopping journeys and brand preferences across India. The findings point to stronger spending intent, earlier shopping journeys, digital-led discovery and increasingly conscious consumption, offering brands a closer look at the changing festive consumer.

Festive Spending Set to Rise

For 95% of respondents, the festive season is an important period for shopping, with 95% planning to spend more than usual. While 45% plan to spend 25–50% more, another 22% expect to spend over 50% extra, while just 2% say they will not increase their festive spending.

The festive sentiment is equally strong, with 82% expressing excitement about the upcoming season. Diwali remains the most widely celebrated festival at 85%, followed by Dussehra/Navratri 73%, Raksha Bandhan 65% and Ganesh Chaturthi 60%.

Fashion Leads as Festive Baskets Broaden

Apparel and fashion lead festive shopping at 69%, followed by home décor/furniture at 51% and electronics & gadgets at 50%. Sweets and snacks account for 43%, while jewellery stands at 35%, pointing to a festive basket that extends beyond traditional categories into lifestyle and considered purchases.

Online Becomes Integral to Festive Shopping

38% of consumers plan to shop through online platforms, while another 25% will combine online and offline channels. Together, 63% are incorporating online into their festive shopping journey, while local markets account for 18% and physical retail stores for 12%.

The Festive Shopper Is Starting Earlier

Festive shopping is increasingly moving ahead of the traditional last-minute rush. 50% begin shopping two to four weeks before the festival, while 11% start one to two months in advance. Overall, 61% begin at least a week before the festival, with only 2% shopping at the last minute.

Discounts Lead, But Social Influence Matters

Discounts and deals remain the strongest purchase influence at 60%, followed by family traditions at 53% and social media/influencer recommendations at 48%. Brand trust and legacy influence 35%, while advertisements influence 32%.

However, there is a clear festive brand recall gap: while 95% prefer buying from brands running festive-specific ads or offers, only 39% recall a brand that stood out in last year’s campaigns.

Sustainability Goes Mainstream

85% of respondents consciously make eco-friendly choices during festive shopping. Among these, 68% avoid plastic decorations, 59% choose eco-friendly packaging, 58% prefer gifting experiences over products and 48% shop from local, handmade or small businesses.

The findings indicate that conscious consumption is extending beyond products and packaging to how consumers celebrate and where they choose to spend.

What Consumers Want From Festive Campaigns

Product discounts and bundles lead festive campaign preferences at 43%, followed by cultural storytelling and emotional advertising at 35%. Community or cause-driven campaigns account for 15%, while 8% prefer exclusive limited-edition offerings.

For brands, the findings highlight the need to balance value with emotional and cultural relevance to create stronger consumer engagement during the festive season.

Commenting on the findings, Praveen Nijhara, CEO at Hansa Research, said,

“The 2026 festive season reflects a consumer who is optimistic about spending, but increasingly intentional about where, how and why they spend. What stands out is the shift from a concentrated festive buying period to a longer, more digitally influenced and considered consumer journey. Earlier shopping, digital discovery and conscious choices are reshaping how consumers engage with brands. For marketers, the challenge is no longer simply to capture festive attention, but to remain relevant throughout this journey. The gap between the high preference for festive advertising and relatively low brand recall also highlights that visibility alone does not guarantee impact—brands need to create distinctive experiences that combine value, emotion and cultural relevance.”

Hansa Research Festive Insights 2026 highlights a consumer who is optimistic about spending but increasingly intentional in how they discover, evaluate and purchase. For brands, understanding these behavioural shifts will be critical to turning festive visibility into meaningful consumer engagement.

From India to the World: D4 Commerce Rallies Over 100 Founders to Crack the Code on International E-commerce

Mumbai, Aug 25: D4 Commerce (D4C), a Mumbai-based global e-commerce accelerator dedicated to helping Indian founders build and scale their brands on the world stage, hosted the fifth edition of their Global Ecom Meetup in Mumbai recently. The day-long gathering drew over 100 entrepreneurs, business owners and experienced business professionals as well as aspiring sellers for a series of sessions led by Rishiraj Kalra, Founder & CEO of D4 Commerce, alongside Riya Arage, Co-Founder Atlasia Global, Parshwa Mehta, Inside Sales Representative at Doola, Chiranjivi Kothekar, Co-Founder Bloody Marketers, Tanvi Sharma, Senior Associate Marketing at ShipGlobal, Manan Tibra, Founder Tibra International and Shreyansha Singh, Lead Designer at D4 Commerce. The conversations traversed the full arc of building global D2C brands for international markets; from US business incorporation, taxation and compliance to international logistics, Meta and Google advertising, customer acquisition, branding and sustainable growth.

As a growing cohort of Indian entrepreneurs sets its sights beyond the domestic market, D4 Commerce is quietly building the ecosystem to get them there by helping founders carry Indian-owned brands and intellectual property (IP) directly to consumers across key global markets, including the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, wider Europe, the UAE, KSA and Australia. This shift is unfolding alongside a broader change in how Indians are thinking about income and work, with Randstad’s Workmonitor 2026 finding that 58% of Indian employees are running a second job alongside their primary employment.

Founded by Rishiraj Kalra, who brings more than 12 years of global e-commerce experience to the venture, D4C helps founders build private-label businesses, guiding founders through every stage of the journey: product research, sourcing, business setup, compliance, branding, market activation and scale. What began as a consulting practice has quickly evolved into a full-stack accelerator, one that pairs strategic counsel with hands-on execution and, increasingly, selective co-founding and equity participation in the businesses it helps build. Working off a proprietary 21-point framework, the company has trained more than 12,000 aspiring entrepreneurs, helped launch upward of 14 brands in the past 14 months alone, and driven over $10 million in revenue across the businesses it has built.

Rishiraj Kalra’s own founder journey underpins the model. After studying Computer Science at BITS Pilani Dubai, he returned to India and continued building on an e-commerce journey that had begun while he was still a student. It was then that he first explored selling directly to US consumers through Amazon. His early experience with Amazon Global Selling gave him first-hand exposure to the possibilities of building for international markets. He built his first private-label brand, a magnetic-blocks toy business, from a liquid investment of roughly ₹2.7 lakh in 2017, scaling it to several crores in revenue within 20 months. This was proof of concept for the private-label playbook D4C now teaches. That grounding in outcomes, rather than theory, has shaped a portfolio of brands built through the D4C ecosystem, including Solvio, a premium home and bath label; TruSatva, positioned as the US’s first Ayurvedic sleep supplement; and Jilee Joy, a modern kids’ oral-care brand, each selected and built against a proprietary, data-led framework the company uses to size market opportunity and de-risk capital before it is deployed.

“The opportunity for Indian founders to build global brands has never been greater, but entering a market like the US is far more complex than simply putting a product online,” said Rishiraj Kalra, Founder & CEO, D4 Commerce. “Product selection, unit economics, compliance, logistics, positioning, strategy and customer acquisition all have to come together. Through D4 Commerce, our focus is on helping founders make sharper decisions and de-risk that journey. The Global Ecom Meetup by D4 Commerce is created to bring that learning into one room through real businesses, seasoned practitioners and the kind of conversations that show entrepreneurs what building a global business actually demands.”

Conceived as a case-study and conversation-led meetup rather than a conventional seminar, the event featured day-long sessions helmed by Kalra, along with discussions and an extensive Q&A that gave participants direct access to the expert speakers. The event was supported by Atlasia Global, a cross-border financial services firm that helps founders incorporate, stay tax-compliant and manage their books across the US and Australia, and ShipGlobal.in, a cross-border shipping and logistics platform built for Indian exporters and Amazon sellers, recently recognised by Amazon India Global Selling for Export Service Provider Excellence. Together, their presence rounded out the spectrum of capabilities founders need to incorporate, comply and ship across international markets.

Launched earlier this year, the Global Ecom Meetup series by D4 Commerce has become an offline platform where entrepreneurs, business owners and experienced professionals engage directly with real e-commerce case studies, practitioners and businesses operating in global markets. Across its editions, the format has stayed true to its founding premise: practical insight over theory, and direct access over passive learning.

Beyond its consulting and accelerator work, D4 Commerce runs Basecamp, its e-commerce foundation programme, which has crossed 8,000 registrations since launching in April 2025. Through Kalra’s creator platform, INDIAMAAN, D4C also reaches a community of more than 200,000 people across YouTube and Instagram with educational content centred on building and operating e-commerce businesses for global markets. The company has also introduced Co-Found with D4C, an equity co-founding model through which it takes a stake in select ventures and operates as their back-end execution partner with an early ambition to build an equity portfolio of roughly 50 brands over the next two years.

As more Indian founders set their ambitions beyond the domestic market, D4 Commerce is working to build the strategy, operating capabilities and ecosystem that transition demands. Through its consulting, education, execution and emerging co-founding model, the company is steadily enabling a new generation of Indian entrepreneurs to build globally competitive businesses and, in the process, strengthening the footprint of Indian-founded brands on the world stage.