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INDIA INVESTMENT MARKET SHIFTS TOWARDS LATE-STAGE DEALS AS EARLY-STAGE FUNDING FALLS SHARPLY

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MUMBAI, India, July 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Investment in Indian startups fell by 8.3% in the most recent full year, making it the only market in the global ‘Big Five’ to record a year-on-year contraction, according to new research by Vestd India.

Early 2026 data suggests the trend is continuing, with India recording just 560 funding rounds in Q1, down from 668 in the same period last year, and 1,049 in Q1 of 2024.

The Global Investment Report, which analysed data from business intelligence platform Crunchbase, shows a marked shift in investor behaviour, with capital moving away from early-stage businesses and towards late-stage consolidation and liquidity events.

While India remains a top-five global investment hub, the number of funding rounds fell to 2,497 in 2025, trailing the UK, which recorded 3,331 deals.

The decline was driven primarily by a sharp contraction in early-stage funding activity. Seed investment fell by 31.8%, angel funding dropped by 25.3%, and pre-seed deals declined by 21.9%, suggesting a significantly higher bar for founders seeking early capital.

By contrast, late-stage and liquidity-focused investment activity grew strongly. Secondary market deals rose by 77.2%, post-IPO debt increased by 45.7% and Series C rounds grew by 27.6%, highlighting a clear pivot towards established businesses and investor exits.

Ifty Nasir OBE, founder and CEO of sharetech platform Vestd, said: “India’s investment market is evolving rapidly. What we’re seeing is a clear shift away from high-volume early-stage speculation towards a more disciplined, fundamentals-driven environment.

“The bar for early-stage funding has risen significantly. Investors are no longer backing ideas alone – they want evidence of traction, strong unit economics and a clear path to profitability.

“The latest figures suggest that investor caution remains firmly in place. Capital is still available, but investors are being far more selective and are increasingly backing businesses that can demonstrate resilience, profitability and long-term value creation.”

The data also shows a cooling trend across the year, with deal activity slipping 11.8% in the second half of the year compared to the first, reflecting increasing investor caution.

Globally, India continues to compete for capital against fast-growing markets such as Canada, which saw a 46.4% increase in investment activity, and China, which recorded growth of 31.9%.

However, India remains a major global startup hub, ranking third in the world for emerging unicorns – companies valued between $500m and $1bn – with 43 businesses in the category. This places it behind the US (239) and China (44), but ahead of the UK (27).

Despite this, India is the only top-three market to see its emerging unicorn pipeline contract, falling 6.5% year-on-year, suggesting early-stage funding constraints are beginning to impact future scale-ups.

The report also highlights a broader global shift in investor priorities, with capital increasingly concentrated in deep-tech sectors. Artificial intelligence saw a 41.7% rise in emerging unicorn formation, followed by data and analytics (+30.5%) and science and engineering (+28.4%).

Ifty added: “The global market is not just shifting geographically, it is shifting sectorally. The next wave of growth is being driven by deep-tech innovation, not consumer convenience models.

“For India to maintain its position as a leading global startups hub, it will need to align more closely with where capital is flowing – particularly in AI, data and advanced engineering.”

Vestd India

Vestd India is a sharetech platform that helps private companies manage cap tables, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), shareholder records, and governance through one connected platform.

Following the acquisition of Trica Equity, Vestd combines local expertise in the Indian startup ecosystem with the technology and experience of one of the UK’s leading sharetech platforms. Vestd supports founders, finance teams, HR leaders, investors, and company secretaries in managing ownership with greater clarity and confidence.

Learn more at vestd.com/en-in

Contact: Sparsh Johari, Marketing Lead, sparsh.johari@vestd.com

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LEAP Group Relaunches HumanView, a Growth Intelligence System Built to Explain Why Customers Behave the Way They Do

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October 24, 2026

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Reimagined from the ground up, HumanView pairs statistical modeling with expert analysts to turn millions of real-world customer signals into business decisions

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LEAP Group today announced the relaunch of HumanView, its growth intelligence service. The new version has been rebuilt from the ground up and now has a dedicated home at leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

HumanView analyzes what customers say and do across social platforms, e-commerce sites, review platforms, search behavior and user-generated content, including signals from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, Amazon and Walmart+ that general AI tools cannot always access. Because the data reflects unprompted, real-world behavior, it avoids the response bias built into surveys and focus groups.

The service works in three layers. HumanView captures signals at scale, decodes millions of records through validated statistical models such as regression, correlation and clustering, and then relies on experienced analysts to interpret the patterns. Clients receive clear, human-validated insights instead of another dashboard.

“Machines find the patterns. Humans find the point,” said Alan Gilleo, CEO at LEAP Group. “The first version of HumanView showed us how much customers reveal when nobody is asking them questions. This version is built to explain why they act the way they do, and to put those answers in front of everyone making decisions, from product to service to marketing.”

HumanView focuses on three areas:

Growth Intelligence: customer motivations and how people perceive a brand and its competitors

Market and Category Intelligence: product pain points, service friction, unmet needs and competitive gaps

Audience Intelligence: new segments, positioning opportunities and gaps in the market

Every model is designed and validated by data scientists and benchmarked before it informs a recommendation.

To learn more about HumanView, visit leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

About LEAP Group
LEAP Group is a boutique marketing agency holding company with offices in Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Chicago. Guided by the belief that brands should “Market Less. Matter More.,” LEAP gives clients access to specialized experts across its entire network. Learn more at leapgroupnetwork.com.

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SOURCE LEAP Group

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STEPHEN A. SMITH ADDRESSES WHITE HOUSE DINNER ATTENDANCE, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO HBCUs AND PROTECTING CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN BLACK EDUCATION

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October 24, 2026

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NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stephen A. Smith, media mogul, New York Times bestselling author, and proud 1991 graduate of Winston-Salem State University, is addressing the public discussion surrounding his decision to attend a White House dinner with President Donald Trump, emphasizing his commitment to the long-term financial stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For Smith, the decision was rooted in a commitment to institutions that have educated generations of Black leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and public servants.

“I will always advocate for HBCUs and the students whose futures depend on them,” Smith said. “My reason for attending the White House dinner was to discuss the challenges these institutions face in securing long-term funding and to make the case that corporate America must continue to invest in them.”

Smith acknowledged federal support through the FUTURE Act while expressing concern that political tensions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could discourage private companies from supporting HBCUs. He maintains that these institutions deserve sustained corporate partnerships, philanthropic contributions, and public investment.

“If we truly believe in free-market capitalism, businesses should be able to support educational institutions and charitable causes without fear of criticism or repercussions,” Smith said. “HBCUs have made extraordinary contributions to this country. They deserve sustained public and private investment.”

Ashley Christopher, Esq., Founder and CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, recognized Smith’s advocacy and decision to engage with the administration.

“Stephen A. Smith has been a powerful advocate for HBCUs, using his platform and influence to shine a national spotlight on our institutions,” expressed Christopher, “His continued support of HBCU Week helps advance our mission of connecting students with life-changing educational opportunities, and we are proud to have him as our ambassador.”

Since Smith became an HBCU Week Ambassador in 2019, the initiative has facilitated more than 15,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and raised and awarded more than $150 million in scholarships, according to the HBCU Week Foundation.

As public discussion continues, Smith is emphasizing the importance of ensuring HBCUs have the resources and partnerships needed to educate future generations and expand opportunities for students.

CLICK HERE to watch Smith’s full response to his White House visit.

MEDIA CONTACT:

media@mrsasinc.com

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SOURCE Straight Shooter Media

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Advantex Announces Completion of Financing and Extension of Maturity Date of Previously Issued Debentures

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October 24, 2026

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TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2026 /CNW/ — Advantex Marketing International Inc. (CSE: ADX) (“Advantex”), a leader in the merchant cash advance and loyalty marketing products for merchants, today announced the completion of a $250,000 secured debt financing. Advantex issued a $250,000 non-convertible debenture which bears an interest rate at 12% per annum and matures December 15, 2027. The proceeds raised from this issuance of the Debenture will be used for working capital purposes.

Advantex has also extended the maturity of its existing $700,000 in 12% secured debentures from October 10, 2026 to December 15, 2027.

About Advantex Marketing International Inc.

Advantex provides working capital to merchants. Advantex also provides specialized marketing programs that enable members of Aeroplan to earn Aeroplan points at participating merchants.

Advantex shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol ADX. For more information go to Advantex’s profile on www.sedar.com

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the future business and operations of Advantex. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The business and operations of Advantex described herein is dependent on a number of factors and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ material include, but are not limited to, changes in Advantex’s economic and competitive conditions including but not limited to the industry sectors in which Advantex operates.

The statements in this news release are made of the date of this release. Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made and Advantex undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Advantex Marketing International Inc.

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