Beyond the metros lies a dynamic, underserved economy brimming with entrepreneurial spirit. While the spotlight often stays on urban startups and metro markets, it’s in India’s smaller towns where real transformation is quietly unfolding. A new wave of loan companies is stepping in to support local businesses, first-time borrowers, and everyday dreamers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities; they are finding new hope through inclusive lending. Meet four loan companies making real impact on the ground:

1. Namdev Finvest
Rooted in Rajasthan and expanding across North and Central India, Namdev Finvest is redefining how credit reaches underserved MSMEs and EV entrepreneurs. With a strong focus on financial inclusion, the NBFC is enabling last-mile borrowers — especially women and first-generation business owners — to access timely credit with ease. Their tech-enabled yet human-led approach is helping transform informal ambitions into formal success stories.

2. Aye Finance
Specializing in micro-enterprise lending, Aye Finance has created financial pathways for businesses often rejected by traditional banks. Their innovative cluster-based credit assessment models are tailor-made for small manufacturers and service providers, driving employment and income in emerging towns.

3. Svatantra Microfin
With a women-first model, Svatantra focuses on empowering rural and semi-urban women through small-ticket loans and financial education. Their work not only enhances livelihood but also promotes financial literacy and community growth across Bharat’s heartland.

4. Kinara Capital
Kinara Capital offers collateral-free business loans to small entrepreneurs in Tier 2–3 cities. By digitizing the loan journey and ensuring quick disbursement, Kinara is supporting everything from tailoring units to mobile repair shops, bringing formal credit to India’s informal backbone.

These businesses are doing more than just lending money; they are fostering aspirations, boosting self-esteem, and improving lives in underserved areas. The growth of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities makes it abundantly evident that access to cash, opportunity, and belief is essential for true advancement. And one borrower at a time, these finance heroes are enabling that.

On June 23, 2025, Covestro has signed an agreement to acquire Pontacol, a Swiss manufacturer of multilayer adhesive films. With this acquisition, Covestro strategically expands its specialty films portfolio and further advances the implementation of its “Sustainable Future” corporate strategy. At the same time, the company continues to consistently expand its growth in sustainable and innovative business areas.

“The acquisition of Pontacol is strategically sound and financially attractive,” says Christian Baier, Chief Financial Officer of Covestro. “We are gaining a profitable company with significant growth potential and relevant synergy effects. This allows us to strategically expand our production capacities for multilayer adhesive films in Europe, combine our innovative strength, and develop new markets. As a result, we can offer our customers even more powerful solutions, increase our competitiveness, and grow sustainably.”

Strategic Expansion and Synergies

Through the acquisition, Covestro complements its film business with highly specialized flat and blown films – a complementary portfolio that enables further growth in attractive application areas. The film segment is growing continuously worldwide, primarily driven by increasing demand in key future markets such as medical technology, mobility, and the textile industry.

Additionally, Covestro is acquiring two specialized production sites in Switzerland and Germany, focusing on different film technologies. This not only strengthens the company’s global manufacturing network but also improves the regional availability of adhesive films. The acquisition also opens up additional value creation potential through complementary technologies, an expanded customer and product portfolio, as well as synergies in central functions and procurement.

“This acquisition is an important milestone in our Specialty Films growth strategy,” says Aukje Doornbos, Head of Business Entity Specialty Films at Covestro. “In recent years, we have already made large investments in expanding our global capacities. With Pontacol, we can strengthen our product development and expand our global offering for our customers. We are particularly looking forward to the approximately 100 experienced employees who will make a valuable contribution to our further growth with their expertise.”

Both parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The financing will be through cash and is thus aligned with Covestro’s goal of maintaining a solid investment-grade rating. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025.

India, June 24, 2025: Bondada Group, one of India’s fastest-growing infrastructure and engineering companies, has secured a major 400 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project from Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited (TNGECL) — marking a significant step toward accelerating Tamil Nadu’s clean energy transition.

The project will deploy standalone grid-scale BESS facilities with a total capacity of 400 MWh at key locations — Vellalaviduthi and Thennampatty in Tamil Nadu State. The initiative is aimed at boosting grid stability, integrating renewable energy, and managing peak power demand in the state.

The project will be executed under the build-own-operate (BOO) model, with Bondada Group emerging as the successful bidder through a competitive tendering process conducted by TNGECL.

Under the project terms, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO) will procure battery energy storage services from Bondada Group through a 12-year battery energy storage purchase agreement. The system will allow for two full charge and discharge cycles per day, balancing the intermittency of renewable energy and delivering 24×7 reliable power supply to the state’s grid.

“This project marks a key milestone for Bondada Group in the energy storage segment and reflects our strong commitment to advancing India’s clean energy ecosystem,” said Dr. Raghavendra Rao Bondada, Chairman & Managing Director, Bondada Group.

The initiative aligns with India’s National Framework for Energy Storage Systems (NFESS), 2023, and Tamil Nadu’s ambitious goal of achieving 50% renewable energy by 2030. The system is expected to integrate with the state grid by 2027, contributing to India’s 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity target.

Bondada Group has consistently delivered excellence across the renewable energy sector, with 800 MW of commissioned solar projects and 2.3 GW of ongoing solar and renewable EPC projects. This 400 MWh BESS project marks Bondada’s largest energy storage initiative to date, building on its previous success of securing a 100 MWh BESS project with Telangana Power Generation Corporation Limited (TGGENCO).

June 23, 2025: Thums Up XForce, the latest sensation from the house of India’s iconic billion-dollar homegrown brand, Thums Up, has disrupted the zero-sugar drinks category, bringing the most thunderous experience of consuming a zero-sugar beverage to the young consumers. With over 100,000 pre-bookings before its official release, Thums Up XForce created massive anticipation ahead of launch.

Even after 50 years since its launch, Thums Up continues to bring disruption into the category with innovative launches and marketing strategies. Thums Up XForce is made for those who live by their own rules, the true trailblazers with a G.O.A.T mentality, always striving to outdo themselves. With its unmatched, bold taste and iconic fizz, Thums Up XForce embodies the brand’s signature spirit of “All Thunder,” offering consumers the same Thums Up experience without any sugar or calories.

But XForce isn’t only about what’s inside the can. Sleek, modern, and instantly recognizable, its edgy, youthful design is a bold statement. The packaging captures the essence of Thums Up’s adventurous personality, positioning Thums Up XForce as “Thunder in a Can,” a powerful symbol of the classic Thums Up confidence. It clearly conveys that this is a drink for those who live life at full volume, never settle for less and are always leveling up

Sumeli Chatterjee, Category Head – Sparkling Flavours, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, said, “Our strategy with Thums Up XForce is all about responding to changing consumer behaviors, especially the rising demand from young adults for bold, authentic experiences without settling or compromise. By innovating within our homegrown brand, we’re extending Thums Up’s legacy and stepping confidently into the fast-growing zero-sugar category. This consumer-first mindset helps us lead the market with a product that truly connects, while meeting the evolving lifestyle preferences of today’s generation.”

Since debuting in March, it has quickly made its strong presence felt in India’s Diet and Light beverage category.

India, 23rd June 2025: As India’s retail market surges toward $1.3 trillion, brands face a critical challenge, hiring quality frontline talent at scale. To address this, Channelplay which manages recruitment for market leaders including Apple, Microsoft, and Nykaa, has introduced an AI-driven solution that is reshaping the retail talent landscape.

In an economy where 10 million entry-level retail and sales positions need to be filled annually, Channelplay’s AI-powered system is processing over 25,000 applications monthly with 80% accuracy in candidate-job matching—numbers that were previously unimaginable in India’s fragmented hiring landscape.

“We’re not experimenting with AI, we’re operationalizing it,” said Sundeep Holani, Co- Founder and Co- CEO of Channelplay. “Our goal is simple: to make hiring faster, more accurate, and more candidate-friendly, at scale.”

Channelplay’s GenAI recruitment engine addresses critical bottlenecks across a five-step hiring flow: — from sourcing to screening to final selection.

Smart Job Prioritization: An AI-driven ranking model helps recruiters focus only on roles where the candidate pipeline needs attention, optimizing human effort and reducing wasted bandwidth.

Hyper-Relevant Candidate Matching: The system pairs candidates with opportunities based on their skill rating, salary expectations, and location preferences, resulting in 2.5x higher job application-to-selection ratios compared to traditional sourcing methods.

AI-Powered Screening: Dynamically generated screening questions enable recruiters to assess candidates in under two minutes, with AI determining job fit based on responses and historical data.

Intelligent Reassignment: Candidates not selected for one role are automatically matched to the next best-fit position, ensuring maximum placement efficiency while reducing third-party job portal costs.

Channelplay Jobs App: The company’s dedicated mobile application serves as the central hub where AI-curated job opportunities are presented to candidates based on their profiles. The app eliminates the traditional job search frustration by showing only highly relevant positions that match the applicant’s skills, location, and salary expectations.

“We’re not using AI to replace humans, but to amplify decision-making across the funnel,” adds Gaurav Arora as Senior Product Manager. “This is about building a recruitment system where the right person always finds the right job — faster, fairer, and smarter.”

With its foundational AI systems already in place, Channelplay is now focusing on the next phase of its evolution by building tools that further redefine the hiring experience. These include WhatsApp‑based AI voice screening bots, predictive demand models that help clients open the right roles at the right time, and AI‑driven upskilling recommendations tailored to candidates who weren’t selected, ensuring every interaction adds long‑term value to both talent and employers.

Channelplay aims to have 80% of its hiring workflow augmented by AI by the end of 2025, delivering unmatched speed and precision while preserving the human touch where it matters most.

Embassy Developments Limited
Inks Joint Development Pact for ~17.9 Acres of Land in Whitefield, Bengaluru;
Boosts Existing Residential Pipeline with an Estimated GDV of ~₹1,600 Cr

Mumbai/Bengaluru – June 23, 2025: Embassy Developments Ltd. (‘EDL’), one of India’s leading real estate developers, today announced the signing of a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for ~17.9‑acres land parcel in Whitefield, Bengaluru. The planned development will comprise a premium residential community with an estimated gross development value (GDV) of ~₹1,600 Cr.

Nestled off Whitefield Main Road, the project will enjoy access to Whitefield’s robust social and physical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, banks, tech parks, and malls. Connectivity is set to improve further with the upcoming Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR), and the recently launched Metro Purple Line.

The development will span ~1.6 msf of saleable area and feature ~1,000 thoughtfully designed apartments for young professionals, including 2, 2.5, and 3 BHK configurations. Launch is targeted for FY2027, aimed at catering to strong demand from IT and ITeS professionals in the region.

Aditya Virwani, Managing Director, Embassy Developments Limited., said, “Whitefield continues to be a strategic focus for us. As a predominantly end-user-driven micro-market, it has shown greater resilience supported by sustained demand from Bengaluru’s professional workforce and ongoing infrastructure growth. While we have a secured launch pipeline of 10 projects for FY2026 with an expected GDV of over ₹22,000 crore, this deal reinforces our commitment to building a robust future pipeline and we are actively exploring new opportunities across key markets.”

World Bathing Day is the perfect moment to pause, unwind, and embrace the transformative power of a good bath. Drawing inspiration from Japanese bathing culture, renowned for its harmony between nature and self-care this ritual is more than cleansing; it’s a moment of deep nourishment. To bring that same serenity home, here are three luxurious ingredients to add to your bathing routine that combine Japanese influence with modern skincare science.

1. Hokkaido Milk : Japan’s Moisture Miracle

From the snowy fields of northern Japan, Hokkaido milk is a beloved skincare treasure known for its rich, creamy texture and intense hydration. It hydrates deeply with 1/3 skin moisturizers, providing deep hydration and ensuring the skin feels happy and well-moisturized. The rich lather gently cleanses while the mood-uplifting fragrance transforms your bath into a refreshing, feel-good ritual, perfect for a calming and indulgent experience.

ITC Fiama brand ambassador Sara Ali Khan said, “Great skin is not just about looking good, but feeling confident in your own skin. I always choose products that are gentle yet effective, and the Fiama Japanese Hokkaido Milk Bar with Blueberry has become a staple in my routine. It hydrates deeply with 1/3 skin moisturizers, providing deep hydration and ensuring my skin feels happy and moisturized. It also contains Vitamin F, which supports skin health, and a mood-uplifting fragrance, adding a refreshing sensory experience to my skincare routine.”

2. Berry Trio: Nature’s Antioxidant Super blend

Goji berry, acai berry, and blueberry three powerful berries packed with skin-loving antioxidants come together to create a rejuvenating bathing experience. Known for their ability to reduce dullness and restore skin vitality, this berry blend energizes tired skin and helps maintain a healthy glow.

• Goji Berry: Traditionally used in Asian wellness rituals, it helps firm and tone the skin.
• Acai Berry: Rich in omega fatty acids, it nourishes and improves skin texture.
• Blueberry: Bursting with vitamins A and C, it revives dull skin and promotes radiance.

3. Vitamin F: The Skin Barrier Guardian

Vitamin F is not classified as a conventional vitamin. Rather, it refers to a class of important fatty acids that your body is unable to create on its own, mainly linoleic acid (Omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (Omega-3). These fatty acids are essential for strong, healthy skin. In Japanese-inspired bathing rituals, maintaining balance and protecting the skin is key, and Vitamin F delivers just that.