India’s Startup-Made Suicide Drones just changed the game in cross-border warfare

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A recent survey uncovers a sobering truth: over 50% of Indian mothers say caregiving takes a toll on their personal health. Even more concerning, 1 in 3 moms don’t feel emotionally supported. This gap between expectation and reality signals an urgent need for innovation, not just in policy but in how workplaces, tech, and startups design support systems. For founders and builders, build with empathy. Working moms don’t just need flexibility, they need care that’s built into the ecosystem.

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P.S. The Sunday Special is designed to help you discover the most important Startup insights outside of Share Markets. Our regular Share Market updates will resume as usual on Monday.

Startup Menu

• Startups this Week: India’s SkyStriker Drone Marks Defense-Tech Breakthrough

• Funding Space

• Policy Talks

• Special: Print-on-Demand: Where Creativity Meets Commerce 

• Everything else you need to know

• Life Hack in Video: How Elon built SPACE X and became the Richest Man on Earth?

• Strategy: How Indian Startups are Building for Long-Term Growth 

STARTUPS THIS WEEK

India’s SkyStriker Drone Marks Defense-Tech Breakthrough

Bengaluru-made SkyStriker drones just played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor, India’s recent cross-border military strike. Built by a local startup in collaboration with Adani Defence and Israel’s Elbit Systems, these AI-enabled kamikaze drones aren’t just surveillance tools, they think, loiter, and strike with pinpoint accuracy.

Nicknamed the “suicide drone with a brain,” SkyStriker signals a bold shift: Indian startups aren’t just coding fintech apps, they’re building frontline tech that’s reshaping national security.

And the implications? Massive.

This milestone positions India’s deep-tech and defense-tech ecosystem as a serious global contender. It’s a clear call to action for VCs, founders, and policymakers: back the builders. Because when homegrown innovation powers precision warfare, it’s not just about geopolitics, it’s about technological sovereignty.

India isn’t just consuming global defense tech anymore, it’s co-creating it.

So here’s the question: Is India ready to become the drone innovation capital of the world?

This might just be the beginning.

FUNDING SPACE

💰 Weekly Funding Spotlight: Major Startup Investments (May 03 - May 09)

The past week witnessed significant investments across various sectors:

▪️ Porter: Logistics startup Porter has raised $200 million in a Series F round led by Kedaara Capital and Wellington Management, doubling its valuation to over $1 billion.

▪️ Flipspaces: Interior design tech firm Flipspaces secured $35 million in funding led by Iron Pillar, aiming to expand in India, the US, and the UAE.

▪️ GoTrust: Privacy compliance startup GoTrust closed a $400K pre-seed round led by Aevitas Capital, with participation from a notable Indian actor. 

POLICY TALKS

Centre Doubles Credit Guarantee Limit for Startups to ₹20 Cr

The government has just supercharged its Credit Guarantee Scheme, doubling the limit from ₹10 Cr to ₹20 Cr per borrower.

Why does this matter?

Startups often face steep hurdles in securing debt without collateral. This move unlocks non-dilutive capital, allowing founders to retain equity while accessing the fuel they need to scale.

• Loans up to ₹10 Cr will now get 85% credit guarantee

• Loans above ₹10 Cr will get 75% coverage

• And for startups in 27 champion sectors, the annual guarantee fee has been slashed from 2% to 1%

This isn’t just policy, it’s a signal.

India wants to back founders with bold ideas and long-term vision, especially in sectors aligned with national priorities like manufacturing, AI, defense-tech, and sustainability.

For early-stage companies, this could be the buffer that makes or breaks survival. For growth-stage startups, it’s a chance to fund expansion without giving up more cap table.

VCs, lenders, and operators, take note. The capital stack is evolving.

SPECIAL

Print-on-Demand: Where Creativity Meets Commerce

Design once. Sell forever. That’s the power of Print-on-Demand, a low-risk, high-creativity side hustle reshaping the future of e-commerce.

Instead of holding inventory, creators upload designs to platforms like Printful, Redbubble, or Printify, and the platform handles printing, shipping, and fulfillment. Whether it’s quirky mugs or bold t-shirts, you create, it ships.

With the global POD market projected to hit $48.4B by 2032, the upside is real. But here’s the twist: success isn’t just about cool designs, it’s about storytelling, niche branding, and standing out in a crowded space.

From artists to influencers, anyone can launch a store. But only a few will build a brand.

Question is, will your next idea be one they wear?

FROM THE WAR ZONE

Everything else you need to know

 🔌 Powerplay: Drone tech just got a major upgrade, ideaForge and Resonia are teaming up to modernize India's power transmission using LiDAR-equipped UAVs. From aerial route mapping to real-time inspections.

💎Shine: CaratLane Posts Glittering ₹883 Cr in Q4 Revenue with a 23% YoY revenue jump, Titan-backed CaratLane proves that blending online convenience with offline trust is pure gold in the jewelry business.

📚 Bounce Back: Vedantu Turns Profitable, Closes FY25 at ₹284 Cr, after a tough EdTech winter, Vedantu bounces back, profitable in Q4 and clocking ₹284 Cr for FY25, while cutting cash burn by 30%.

🛰️ Lift Off: Starlink Gets India’s Nod for Satellite Internet, game-changer alert! Starlink secures DOT approval to beam internet across India, potentially transforming access in rural and remote areas.

LIFE HACKS

How Elon built SPACE X and became the Richest Man on Earth?

STRATEGY

How Indian Startups Are Building for Long-Term Growth

What Smart scaling really looks Like

With over 1.2 lakh registered startups, India has cemented its place as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. But in a crowded, fast-moving market, building is easy, scaling is the real game.

So what’s fueling India’s most successful ventures?

🔍 Market-First Thinking: Founders are ditching the “spray and pray” approach and instead relying on deep, localized research to validate demand before building.

👥 Grounded Teams: Startups are investing in regional teams who understand cultural nuances, because going hyperlocal is the new global.

🤖 AI-Driven Execution: From operations to customer support, AI isn’t a feature, it’s the foundation. Startups leveraging intelligent systems are winning on speed, scale, and retention.

🤝 Partnership Power: Collaboration is the new superpower. Startups are co-creating with governments, enterprises, and universities to accelerate reach and relevance.

📊 Obsessive KPI Culture: Growth-stage startups are tracking what matters, LTV, CAC, retention, and burn, ensuring data, not ego, drives decisions.

If you're building in this space, remember: scaling smart beats scaling fast, every time.

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