In a discussion with CNBC-TV18, Nisha Poddar engaged with industry experts Karan Sharma (MD & Co-Head of Digital & Tech Investment Banking at Avendus Capital), Disha Singh (Co-Founder at Zouk), and Rahul Chowdhri (Partner at Stellaris Venture Partners). The conversation delved into the prevailing challenges for startups amidst a funding winter, exploring viable options and shedding light on the practicalities of deals in the startup landscape.

Lendingkart CEO Harshvardhan Lunia discussed Lendingkart's performance, highlighting the increased credit demand in the SME space during the festive season. He attributed this surge to a more celebratory Diwali season and reported substantial growth for Lendingkart.

Hearing Solutions, the company behind the Hearzap hearing care chain, has successfully secured Rs 50 crore in funding from the healthcare and life sciences-focused private equity fund of 360 One Asset Management.

Despite women holding only 19% of corporate positions, there is a glimmer of hope in the startup landscape. The ACT's Women in India’s Startup Ecosystem report reveals that 35% of the Indian startup workforce is female. By taking targeted and timely actions, the representation of women in startups could potentially reach 50% by 2030.