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India’s start-up funding in 2024 showcased resilience and maturity as consolidation was seen in the sector, where the funding ecosystem matured beyond hype cycles, embracing sustainability and profitability as key drivers of investment decisions. “Year 2024 was all about consolidation... not hyped nor underhyped, but a steady year for the ecosystem,” said Dipanjan Basu, co-founder of Bengaluru-based Fireside Ventures. Start-ups raised $10.3 billion this calendar until November 30, slightly more than $9.6 billion raised during the same period of 2023, data from Venture Intelligence showed. The number of deals closed so far this year fell to 809 from 829 a year back. For context, venture start-ups in the country raised $24 billion in 2022 while in the go-go period of 2021, local start-ups had mopped up $36 billion. Early-stage investments this year remained at the same level as 2023 at $1.6 billion, while growth-stage deals increased to $5.2 billion from $4.9 billion. “In the early-stage eco-system, there has been an explosion in the number of ideas and pitch decks,” Ninad Karpe, Founder & Partner, 100X.VC. This has been fuelled by the growing number of entrepreneurs leaving stable jobs to launch new ventures, coupled with increasing participation from angel investors and micro VCs. However, this influx of capital has introduced some frothiness, as access to funding has become more accessible, leading to inflated valuations for some start-ups. While early-stage funding has flourished, mid-stage funding remains a significant challenge. There is a noticeable gap in the availability of capital for start-ups between Series A to Series C rounds. Vikram Ramasubramanian, Partner, Inflection Point Ventures, points out, “There is a gap in mid-stage funding... but debt financing has emerged as an option to help businesses grow.” The lack of sufficient mid-stage investment has forced many start-ups to look at alternative financing options like debt funding to bridge the gap. Late-stage investments this year saw $3,945-million investment across 74 rounds. The rate of unicorn addition accelerated in 2024 compared to last year – with start-ups like Rapido, Ather Energy, Moneyview, Perfios and Krutrim raising funds over $1 billion. In 2024, AI, fintech and health tech emerged as dominant sectors, driven by their scalability and critical impact. Meanwhile, deep tech and space tech were the new frontrunners. “These sectors, once considered niche, are now redefining the boundaries of innovation,” noted Ninad from 100x.VC. Space tech, in particular, has gained traction, bolstered by advancements in technology and government support. “Government initiatives have simplified procurement processes, enabling young entrepreneurs to focus on building scalable businesses,” said Ramasubramanian. The year 2024 emerged as a defining period for start-up exits, with significant momentum across IPOs, strategic acquisitions and secondary market transactions. Several high-profile IPOs captured the spotlight, signalling a growing appetite for public-market-ready start-ups. Swiggy IPO, in particular, demonstrated that consumer-tech companies can thrive in public markets, bolstering investor confidence. “Swiggy IPO and others have driven public-market confidence, signalling a new era for start-ups,” said Basu of Fireside Ventures. Industry analysts believe these moves could open doors for other start-ups in traditionally-underrepresented segments. “The IPOs we’ve seen this year are proof that the public markets are ready to embrace a diverse range of start-ups, provided they showcase strong fundamentals and a clear path to profitability,” added Ramasubramanian. Secondary markets also played a crucial role, offering liquidity to early investors and founders. With tighter valuations and disciplined investing, secondary transactions became an integral part of the start-up lifecycle. As the ecosystem stabilises, the focus will likely shift toward a more disciplined growth and sustainable business models. Experts predict a continuation of trends such as M&A activity, growth-stage funding and further development in sectors like AI, logistics, and agritech. “2024 has taught founders the importance of scalability and sustainability. These lessons will be invaluable as we move into 2025,” noted Karpe. Despite challenges like tighter valuations and a cautious mid-stage funding environment, the overall sentiment for 2025 is optimistic. With a wealth of dry powder yet to be deployed, investors and entrepreneurs alike are gearing up for another robust year in India’s dynamic start-up ecosystem. Commentsfish color 。

NoneAll of previous coach Ron Rivera's first-rounders — including edge rusher Chase Young in 2020, linebacker Jamin Davis in ‘21 and wide receiver Jahan Dotson in '22 — are now gone. Forbes never showed progress to the new staff led by coach Dan Quinn and was a healthy scratch twice this season and did not play in two other games during which the 23-year-old was in uniform. It's unclear if Forbes' release means anything about the status of cornerback Marshon Lattimore , the Commanders' trade deadline pickup in early November who still has not played for them because of a hamstring injury. Lattimore was listed as doubtful for Washington's home game Sunday against Tennessee. The Commanders (7-5) also put running back Austin Ekeler on injured reserve because of a concussion . They elevated kicker Zane Gonzalez and defensive tackle Carl Davis from the practice squad in preparation for facing the Titans (3-8). Washington has lost three in a row to fall from first place in the NFC East to the conference’s final wild-card spot. The most recent loss, last weekend against division rival Dallas, came when Austin Seibert missed his second extra point of the game, which would have tied it with 21 seconds left. Seibert went on IR earlier in the week with a groin injury that Quinn said the kicker reported Monday. While injuries have piled up as the Commanders await their late bye week, the choice of Forbes has been second-guessed since the moment Rivera's front office chose the 166-pound Mississippi State defensive back with the 16th pick over Christian Gonzalez and others. Gonzalez was selected next, by New England, and has started 16 games for the Patriots. Forbes was benched last season by Rivera, who was in charge when Washington selected Davis ahead of offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw in '21 and traded down to take Dotson the following year instead of safety Kyle Hamilton or receiver Chris Olave. Forbes has two interceptions and 12 passes defensed in 20 games. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Tahj Brooks shines in final home game as Texas Tech routs West Virginia 52-15

ANDY Reid could possibly reunite with a former coach on his staff. Mike Kafka formerly served as an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs . Kafka served as the Chiefs' quarterbacks coach from 2018 to 2022, helping Patrick Mahomes blossom into an MVP. It was always expected that he would eventually become the team's next offensive coordinator, but Eric Bieniemy stayed with the team longer than expected. Because of that, Kafka went on to sign with the New York Giants as their offensive coordinator. In his first season with the team they went on to the playoffs and won a playoff game for the first time in 11 seasons. Read more on the NFL However, things have gone downhill since then for the Giants, missing out on the playoffs last season and on track to miss again. That playoff drought could force Kafka out of his job offseason, and he could be in the hunt for a new position. What would be a better plan than to return to the place where he established himself as a head coach? Andy Reid loves Kafka as a coach, and has previously endorsed him for the head coaching position in Arizona. Most read in American Football "He is very intelligent, great human being," Reid said . "The quarterback will love him. He’ll challenge him to be better than he even is now. "But he’ll do a great job and challenge the team. The guys will respond. He played in the National Football League. "I think he would be tremendous for the city, for the Bidwill family and for you all." Mahomes had similarly high praise for his former quarterbacks coach. "Coach Kafka is a special person and a special coach," he said. "He kind of took me [under his wing], when he first got here he was quality control and that was my first year as a rookie. August 1 - Hall of Fame Game - Houston Texans vs Chicago Bears August 8 - Pre-season begins August 27 - Deadline for 53-man rosters September 1 - Final day of pre-season September 5 - Season opener - Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs November 5 - Trade deadline January 5 - Week 18 of regular-season January 11 - Playoffs begin February 9 - Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana "I spent a lot of hours with coach Kafka where he was teaching me the playbook and teaching me how to become a quarterback in the NFL. "That continued for a long time." While Kafka may want to return to the Chiefs if given the opportunity, it probably wouldn't be as the offensive coordinator. Read More on The US Sun Matt Nagy, the current offensive coordinator for the Chiefs, has won two consecutive Super Bowls with the team. It seems unlikely that the team would replace him unless he got a head coaching job.Okpebholo Preaches Love, Peace At Edo Christmas Carol