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Capital is abundant. Execution support is not, says Sayan Ghosh of OG Capital

India's venture capital has more than 300 active funds chasing deals, and access to capital is no longer the primary constraint for founders.

What remains scarce, however, is execution.

That observation underpins OG Capital, a Rs 300 crore early- and growth-stage fund that positions itself as a "VC 2.0" platform, one that embeds alongside founders rather than operating at arm's length.

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Funding news

Smart Garage raises Rs 2.4 Cr in pre-Series A round

AI-driven auto-service marketplace on Monday said it has raised Rs 2.4 crore in a pre-Series A funding round. This is part of the company's plan to raise Rs 15 crore in total capital.

It said that it aims to raise the remaining Rs 12.6 crore over the next 12-18 months to fuel expansion and achieve a Rs 80 crore revenue run-rate by the end of FY27.

The capital raised will be used to enhance AI and deep-learning capabilities in areas such as vehicle diagnostics, damage assessment, and predictive maintenance.

A portion will also be used to support the expansion and standardisation of its existing garage network as well as to deepen integrations with OEMs, insurance providers, and fleet operators.

Pluckk raises Rs 100 Cr from Euro Gulf, targets profitability in 12 months

Kingdom of Chess raises Rs 1.65 Cr in funding round

Online chess education platform Kingdom of Chess on Monday raised Rs 1.65 crore in a funding round led by BeyondSeed Angel Fund.

The round also saw participation from Arjun Vaidya, Rakesh Amerneni, Jai Ostwal, Vikrant Potnis, FBSPL, Aeroflex Enterprises and a group of strategic angel investors.

Kingdom of Chess will use the newly raised capital to accelerate its AI platform, expand its global coach network and fuel its goal to reach 100,000 children, ahead of its next planned fundraise to help offline expansion and for the full launch of its AI-powered tutoring tools.

Other news

PhysicsWallah partners with Microsoft for AI skilling

Edtech platform PhysicsWallah has partnered with Microsoft to roll out AI-focused certification programmes in Generative AI, Data Analytics, and Digital Marketing.

Delivered via PW Skills, the courses integrate tools like Microsoft Copilot, Power BI, and GitHub to provide hands-on, industry-relevant training.

Aimed at students and early professionals beyond metro cities, the initiative seeks to boost employability through practical learning.

Introductory modules will be offered free on YouTube, while advanced courses provide certifications. The move underscores rising demand for AI-led skills and expands access to job-ready education across India's Tier 2 and 3 markets.

Foreign universities commit scholarships to promote studying in India

Six foreign universities, including University of Aberdeen, University of Bristol, and Illinois Institute of Technology, have committed Rs 1,000 crore in scholarships to expand access to globally benchmarked education in India.

The initiative aims to improve affordability through merit- and need-based aid, covering up to 100% tuition for select students across UG and PG programmes.

With India sending nearly 19 students abroad for every inbound student, the move could help reverse brain drain. A 15-20% domestic shift may unlock $10-14 billion in annual forex savings while strengthening STEM and AI talent pipelines.

Student intakes across the seven India campuses are expected to commence in phases from August and September 2026.

(The copy will be updated with the latest news)