OpenAI's India Gambit, OYO Dusts Off IPO Plans & More

OpenAI’s India Gambit

OpenAI is slowly tiptoeing into India. Instead of bold leaps, the AI giant is proceeding with careful steps and concrete initiatives to woo the country’s 900 Mn internet users. So, what does OpenAI’s India gambit look like?

Affordable Access Strategy: OpenAI’s first major India-specific move came last week with the launch of a dedicated subscription plan for users in India, priced at just INR 399 a month, the cheapest it has offered anywhere globally. This pricing strategy acknowledges local price sensitivity while still keeping the door open for capturing a significant share of the Indian market.

Baby Steps: The company is set to open its first corporate office in India, located in Delhi NCR, later this year and has begun hiring for various roles. It has also announced a $500K (INR 4.25 Cr) research collaboration with IIT Madras, distribution of around 5 Lakh ChatGPT licences to students and teachers, and training programmes for educators. It has also appointed former Coursera MD for India and Asia Pacific, Raghav Gupta, to lead its education vertical in India and Asia Pacific.

Discount Wars Intensify: OpenAI’s moves come as AI giants have been engaging in an aggressive battle for Indian users. Earlier this year, Perplexity rolled out its INR 16,000+ Pro subscription for free to Airtel users for a year, while Google followed suit with a similar offering for Indian students. There have also been some speculations about a potential partnership between OpenAI and Reliance Jio, but not much has materialised on that front so far.

As OpenAI cautiously expands its India footprint through strategic pricing and infrastructure investments, we may be looking at yet another Jio Moment — but this time, it’s AI.

From The Editor’s Desk

OYO Dusts Off IPO Plans: The hospitality major is planning to file its DRHP with SEBI in November and is targeting a valuation of $7 Bn to $8 Bn for its IPO. It first filed its draft papers in 2021 and then again confidentially in 2023, but shelved the plans both times.

Truemeds’ Margin Pill: In a market ruled by expensive branded drugs, the epharmacy is carving a niche by offering generic medicines at a lower price, and spending less on marketing and medical representatives. So, what is Truemeds’ healthy margin mantra?

Relief For Smartworks: The SC has dismissed an appeal filed by NGO Infrastructure Watchdog against the coworking space provider. The NGO had sought a stay on Smartworks’ IPO over allegations of inadequate disclosures and receiving funds from shell companies.

Moglix’s FY25 Show: The B2B ecommerce startup reported an operating revenue of $681.5 Mn in FY25, up 15% from $591 Mn in the previous fiscal year. Meanwhile, its loss nearly halved YoY to $11.3 Mn on the back of improving margins and controlled expenses.

Credright Nets $10 Mn: The NBFC has raised the capital in its Series B round led by Norway-based investment firm Abler Nordic. CredRight offers digital loans to small businesses through its 125 low-cost branches across four states.

New CEO At Tata Digital: Former Google executive Sajith Sivanandan is all set to join the Tata Group’s ecommerce arm starting September 1. Sivanandan will succeed Naveen Tahilyani, who stepped down in June after a 17-month-long stint.

Uber’s Rapido Threat: Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has said that Rapido is a far bigger rival for the company than Ola. As of April 2025, Rapido commanded a 20% slice of the four-wheeler market, compared to Ola’s 30% and Uber’s 50%.

Flipkart’s New Revenue Angle: The ecommerce major has rolled out Flipkart Black, a subscription programme designed to rival Amazon Prime and improve unit economics. It includes a free one-year YouTube Premium subscription, cashbacks and members-only deals.

Inc42 Startup Spotlight How GreenStitch Is Helping Fashion Brands Go Greener

The global fashion industry, a major contributor to environmental pollution, is under immense pressure to become sustainable. Yet, for many brands, the path to greener practices is obscured by fragmented data and complex carbon accounting. This is the very problem that GreenStitch aims to solve with its SaaS platform.

Stitching A Sustainable Supply Chain: Founded in 2023, GreenStitch simplifies the intricate process of environmental accounting by providing a suite of tools that help brands measure, track, and reduce their carbon footprint. By offering features like carbon accounting, life cycle assessments, and support for ESG compliance, GreenStitch provides a single, unified view of a brand’s supply chain impact.

From India To The World: In less than two years of its inception, GreenStitch has already built a global client base, with 20 customers spanning six countries. While 58% of its current revenue comes from the Indian market, its international footprint is also growing steadily. It has set its eyes on onboarding over 100 new enterprises next year.

With backing from Ivy Cap Ventures and Equirus Capital, can GreenStitch become the go-to platform for fashion brands looking to embrace sustainability?

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