Fibr, an innovative artificial intelligence-powered personalization platform, has successfully raised $1.8 million in a funding round spearheaded by Accel. The round also included investments from 2am VC and prominent angel investors like Kunal Shah, founder of Cred.

Revolutionizing Personalization with Cutting-Edge AI

Fibr plans to utilize the funds to advance its AI personalization platform, broaden its customer base, and recruit top-tier talent, including engineers, product marketers, and sales and go-to-market experts. The platform aims to create unique, tailored experiences for website visitors, delivering personalized content and marketing messages based on individual preferences and behaviors.

Founded in January 2023 by Ankur Goyal and Pritam Roy, Fibr’s flagship product, Pilot, enhances conversions by offering personalized landing pages for every ad, email, SMS, notification, or any other communication channel.

Challenging the Status Quo of Personalization Tools

“Most personalization tools available are quite outdated,” stated Goyal. “They excel in one area, be it web, ads, or email, but miss the comprehensive picture. They often resort to generic pop-ups, adding names in emails, or running basic A/B tests. That’s not true personalization,” he told ET.

Fibr primarily serves lead generation clients across sectors such as insurance, broadband, home improvement, and consumer services. The company is currently targeting markets in the US, Canada, and India, with plans to expand into Europe.

“For us, the US remains the primary focus, but Europe is also a great target due to our alignment with general data protection regulation (GDPR),” Goyal explained. “By the end of this year, we aim to have 60-70% of our operations in the US, 10-20% in India, and potentially start in Europe.”

Expanding Product Line with AI-Powered Tools

The Bengaluru-based startup is developing the beta version of its second product, Blocks. “Our second product includes AI tools that help marketers scale their content across various formats, such as converting a high-performing Facebook ad into a blog, Google ad, or social media post,” Goyal elaborated.

A Gamechanger in the Ad Ecosystem

Prayank Swaroop, partner at Accel, expressed his optimism about the investment, saying, “We believe Fibr’s landing page for every ad proposition could revolutionize the ad ecosystem for consumer companies, especially given the customer acquisition cost (CAC) challenges arising from privacy policies and cookie deprecation. Fibr’s affordable sachet pricing model, where users only pay for usage, disrupts traditional SaaS pricing, making it accessible for all marketers.

• What are the biggest challenges you see in the current personalization tools market that Fibr aims to address?
• How do you think AI-powered personalization tools like Fibr will change the landscape of digital marketing?

Bengaluru-based real estate giant Puravankara Limited is set to initiate a significant financial maneuver by launching a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) valued between Rs 700-800 crore ($100 million), according to insiders familiar with the plan.

Founded in 1975, Puravankara boasts three prominent brands: Purva, Provident Housing, and Purva Land. By the end of March 2024, the company had completed 86 residential and commercial projects, covering around 50 million square feet. With a land bank of over 36 million square feet and more than 23,000 homes under development, Puravankara is making a bold move into the redevelopment sector in Mumbai, securing rights for two housing societies spanning three acres with a potential gross development value of Rs 1,500 crore.

“Puravankara has enlisted ICICI Securities as one of its advisors for the QIP and plans to add one or two more banks. The company is currently awaiting shareholder approval for its fundraising plans, expected in the next few days. The deal launch is likely to occur next month, post the union budget,” stated one source.

The funds raised from the QIP will be directed towards both organic and inorganic growth opportunities, capital expenditure, and debt reduction. As of March 31, Puravankara’s net debt stood at Rs 2,151 crore, up from Rs 1,741 crore at the end of the previous quarter.

Puravankara is seeking shareholder approval to raise up to Rs 1,000 crore through a postal ballot ending on July 14. If successful, this will mark the fifth real estate company to tap the stock market for equity this year.

Industry Trends and Market Confidence

Mumbai-based real estate developers have been particularly active in 2024. Lodha Group (Macrotech Developers Ltd) raised Rs 3,300 crore through a QIP in March, followed by D B Realty with Rs 920 crore in the same month. Rustomjee (Keystone Realtors Ltd) raised Rs 800 crore in May, and Capacit’e Infraprojects secured Rs 200 crore in January.

These QIPs reflect a strategic shift from reliance on debt to alternative capital sources, signaling strong investor confidence in the real estate sector’s growth prospects. According to Moneycontrol, sales and new supply in eight major cities grew by 8% and 11% YoY, respectively, driven by markets in western India, including Pune, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad, which accounted for 61% of the Q2 CY2023 share.

Corporate Fundraising Insights

The first half of 2024 has been a busy period for corporate fundraising through the QIP route, with 37 companies raising Rs 32,527 crore, compared to 45 companies raising Rs 52,349 crore in the entirety of 2023, as per Prime Database.

1. What impact do you think Puravankara’s $100 million QIP will have on the company’s future growth and debt management?
2. How significant is the shift from debt reliance to equity fundraising for real estate companies in India?
3. With Puravankara’s recent foray into Mumbai’s redevelopment sector, what opportunities and challenges do you foresee for the company?
4. Do you believe the real estate sector’s growth prospects justify the high investor confidence reflected in recent QIPs? Why or why not?
5. How might the outcome of Puravankara’s QIP influence other real estate developers considering similar fundraising strategies?

Paytm Secures Rs 50 Crore Investment Nod from Government Panel Amidst Crisis

India’s fintech giant, Paytm, has received a pivotal approval from a government panel overseeing Chinese-linked investments to infuse Rs 50 crore ($6 million) into its key subsidiary, Paytm Payment Services. This approval, pending final vetting by the finance ministry, is set to rejuvenate Paytm’s operations and help the payments arm resume its normal business activities.

Reviving Paytm’s Core Business

The nod from the government panel removes a significant obstacle for Paytm Payment Services, which constitutes a quarter of Paytm’s consolidated revenue for the fiscal year ending March 2023. The fintech company had been under stringent scrutiny due to the 9.88% stake held by China’s Ant Group, following heightened tensions between India and China post the 2020 border clash.

Navigating Compliance and Regulatory Hurdles

Previously, Paytm faced a major setback when its separate unit, Paytm Payments Bank, was shut down by the Reserve Bank of India due to persistent compliance issues, leading to a steep decline in Paytm’s stock. The government panel had withheld approval for the investment in Paytm Payment Services, raising concerns over the Chinese stake. This had put Paytm’s payment services business at risk of winding down, as it was barred from onboarding new customers since March 2023.

Path to Recovery and Expansion

With the formalization of the approval, Paytm will be able to apply for a “payment aggregator” licence from the Reserve Bank of India, a critical step for its expansion and compliance strategy. This move is expected to stabilize and potentially boost Paytm’s operations in the payments sector.

Confidential Sources and Market Speculation

The information regarding the approval has not been officially announced, with sources from the government declining to be identified. Paytm’s spokesperson stated that the company refrains from commenting on market speculation and will adhere to disclosure obligations as per SEBI Regulations.

Optimism Amid Challenges

This development marks a hopeful turn for Paytm, which has been in a two-year waiting period for this crucial nod. The ability to continue and expand its payment services is anticipated to restore investor confidence and stabilize the company’s market position.

• What are your thoughts on the government’s increased scrutiny of Chinese investments in Indian companies? How do you think it impacts the fintech sector?
• Do you believe that Paytm’s recent approval for Rs 50 crore investment will help stabilize its operations and regain investor confidence? Why or why not?
• How significant do you think the role of government approvals is in the growth and expansion of fintech companies in India?
• What are the potential challenges Paytm might face even after securing the “payment aggregator” licence from the Reserve Bank of India?
• In light of Paytm’s recent regulatory and compliance hurdles, what measures do you think fintech companies should adopt to ensure smoother operations and avoid similar issues?