Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (November 25, 2025)

From India’s new labour codes formalising gig and contract work to government measures reducing payment risks in clean mobility transition, YourStory brings you today’s top headlines across sectors.

Featured stories

Direct Debit Mandate: How the Indian government is reducing payment risks in its clean mobility transition

India’s push to deploy 50,000 electric buses has long been slowed by OEMs’ concerns over delayed payments from public transport authorities—a problem that previously prompted major manufacturers like Tata Motors and JBM Auto to step back from government contracts. To address this, the Ministry of Heavy Industries has introduced a new Payment Security Mechanism under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme, aimed at ensuring timely, automatic payments to bus manufacturers and operators.

At the core of the mechanism is the Direct Debit Mandate, which allows the Reserve Bank of India to directly debit funds from a state or union territory’s account if a transport agency defaults on payments. The money is then routed through a dedicated fund managed by Convergence Energy Services Ltd., ensuring OEMs are paid on time and reducing financial risk for lenders supporting e-bus projects. Read more

Wages, gratuity, and more: What the new Labour Codes mean for India’s workforce

India’s new Labour Codes formalise gig and contract work, redefine wages and benefits, tighten labour rules, and shift compliance systems, though many operational details await further notifications.

The four new laws: Code on Wages (2019), the Industrial Relations Code (2020), the Code on Social Security (2020) and the Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Code (2020), replace numerous older statutes. They also establish a new structure of rights and obligations that affects workers, employers and intermediaries across the country.

According to the government, the new codes allow for modernisation with simpler compliance, fewer overlapping filings, more transparency in employment relationships and wider social protection. Read more

Founded by India’s ‘Crocin Man’ in the 70s, ENTOD is driving innovation in eye care

Founded in the late 1970s by GV Masurkar, Nikkhil Masurkar's grandfather, ENTOD Pharmaceuticals began as one of India’s earliest contract manufacturers for ophthalmic products. Nearly five decades later, it has grown into a multi-generational, 1,000-member organisation with a 250-plus product portfolio spanning ophthalmology, ENT, and dermatology, backed by strengthened R&D capabilities.

Nikkhil joined ENTOD in 2011 after completing his education in the UK. Under his leadership, Mumbai-based ENTOD is developing world-first formulations for corneal wound healing, severe keratopathies, and insulin-based ocular therapies, while also using generative AI to accelerate drug discovery.

Latest news

Google, Accel initiative targets India’s next wave of AI startups

Google’s AI Futures Fund and Accel Atoms are launching a programme to accelerate AI innovation in India, opening applications for a new cohort that will begin in February 2026 and target pre-seed startups working at the earliest stage of product development.

Jonathan Silber, Co-founder and Director of the AI Futures Fund, explained that the fund expects India’s founders to help shape the next era of global technology and said the new cohort is designed to give them responsible access to Google’s most advanced models. Read more

Funding news

Deeptech startup Morphle Labs raises $5M in Series A round from Inflexor Ventures

Morphle Labs, a healthcare automation company focused on robotic and imaging systems for cancer diagnostics, has raised $5 million in a Series A round led by Inflexor Ventures.

The funding will help Morphle Labs accelerate global market expansion and scale manufacturing for its flagship products, RoboTome and MorphoLens. Read more

LabelBlind secures $500,000 in seed funding 

LabelBlind® Solutions Pvt Ltd, an AI-led digital food labelling SaaS solution, has raised $500,000 in seed funding.

Founded in 2023, LabelBlind has positioned itself as a provider of digital food labelling solutions for domestic and international markets. Its flagship product, FoLSol®, is a regulatory intelligence platform designed to streamline labelling workflows—from label creation to validation—for packaged food, fresh food, ecommerce, and export-focused companies.

CrisprBits raises $3M at $12 M valuation

Bengaluru-based biotechnology startup CrisprBits Private Limited has raised $3 million through founders, angels and family offices, bringing the company's valuation to $12 million. 

The current pre-Series A funding round was led by Spectrum Impact, the family office of Rajendra Gogri, Chairman and Managing Director of Aarti Industries Ltd. The round also saw participation from the founders and existing investors including Vijay Alreja Family Office (VJ Technologies Group), an early supporter of CrisprBits, whose group company VJ Bio focuses on cell and gene therapy, aligning closely with CrisprBits’ CRISPR-driven innovation goals.

The round also brought in new investors, including the promoter family of HBL Engineering Ltd., building upon the earlier funds raised from the founders, VJ Technologies Group, and C-CAMP (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms).

The capital will be deployed to scale commercialisation of the PathCrisp molecular diagnostics platform, augmenting manufacturing capacity for high-impact tests (e.g., sickle cell, typhoid and anti-microbial resistance), food safety, and animal health. The funding will also accelerate development of cutting-edge, strain engineering platform. 

Other news

Curefoods introduces Mmenstrual leave policy to strengthen women’s well-being at work

 Curefoods, a Bengaluru-based multi-brand food services company, has introduced a paid menstrual leave policy for its employees. Under the policy, women employees can take paid leave during their menstrual cycle, recognising the physical discomfort and related challenges they may face.

The announcement comes at a time when menstrual leave is gaining wider attention at the national level, with some states and policymakers exploring supportive workplace measures focused on women’s health. Curefoods joins a growing number of companies implementing such policies as part of broader discussions around employee well-being and workplace reforms.