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Hello reader, When I walked into the Fireside Ventures office in Bengaluru, it felt like any other modern startup workspace with an open layout, bright colors, and several cafes and eateries nearby. But one thing immediately stood out: Within minutes, four different individuals at the office had stopped by to offer tea and coffee. It felt like a small gesture, but maybe that's the point. Consumer businesses are built on experiences that make people feel cared for, often in ways they don't consciously notice. Maybe that is also what Fireside looks for in the founders and brands it backs. For our first top story today, I sat down with Kanwaljit Singh, founder and managing partner at Fireside Ventures, to understand how the firm decides which founders deserve more backing, what consumer tech trends are shaping the next generation of startups, and how AI is changing the way investors evaluate consumer businesses. What began as an experiment with investments in startups such as Mamaearth and Licious has now turned into one of India's biggest investors in consumer brands, with a portfolio of over 70 startups. Apart from consumer brands, we also take a closer look at the country's housing boom. Our freelancer Rachel Chitra reports that Hinduja Leyland Finance - the financing arm of commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland, which manages US$8 billion in assets - is preparing to go public through a proposed reverse merger. Read together, these stories offer two perspectives on where investors are placing their bets in India. Samreen Ahmad, journalist |
TOP STORIES1️⃣ Inside Fireside Ventures' decade of backing consumer startups  Fireside Ventures was already investing in digital-first consumer brands in India before direct-to-consumer became a buzzword. Singh explains why he saw an opportunity to back such brands nearly 10 years ago. He also shares how the VC firm has revamped its investment strategy - with just 35% of its capital allocated to first checks and 65% reserved for follow-on investments - and why D2C brands perceive going offline as an extension of their online strategy, not as a separate business. 2️⃣ India's housing boom powers an unlikely listing Behind Hinduja Leyland Finance's proposed stock market debut is a quiet transformation. The Ashok Leyland-backed lender is expanding beyond its roots in commercial vehicle financing to become a major player in housing finance. Founded in India in 2008 to finance trucks, buses, and construction equipment, HLF is increasingly leveraging the same customer base and distribution network to cross-sell home loans and unlock growth ahead of public listings. |
UNLOCK THE LIGHTNING PITCH ADVANTAGEPartner with Tech in Asia Conference 2026  For enterprise leaders, investors, and tech decision-makers across Southeast Asia, discovering relevant solutions often comes down to timing, clarity, and access. The Lightning Pitch segment at Tech in Asia Conference 2026 creates a fast-moving environment where practical innovations can be grasped within minutes, not lost in endless slides or scattered chatter. Hosted on pop-up stages in high-traffic zones, each session gives founders 15 minutes to present real solutions, emerging use cases, and new technologies as attendees move through the conference floor. Collaborating with us for Lightning Pitch places your brand in one of the conference's most visible discovery formats. It creates a direct association with practical innovation, founder-led execution, and the solutions shaping the next phase of Asia's tech landscape. Partner with Tech in Asia Conference 2026 to lead the conversations shaping Asia's AI strategy. |
FROM OUR ARCHIVESMovers and shakers in India's genAI space  While Fireside Ventures makes the case for why it remains deeply committed to consumer brands despite the AI frenzy, India's generative AI ecosystem continues to gather momentum of its own. A vibrant community of founders, researchers, policymakers, and corporate leaders is building vertical AI startups, developing vernacular foundation models, and advancing research. Check out this list of India's key genAI movers and shakers across startups, corporates, academia, and government from our archives. Whether you are tracking policy, scouting collaborators, or are simply curious about the people driving India's AI boom, this can give you an overview of the individuals shaping the country's next big tech story. |
HOW AI IS CHANGING THE FOUNDER'S PLAYBOOKExecution is cheap; judgment isn't  AI has made it easier than ever to build a company. It has also made it easier than ever to build the wrong one. On this week's 60/40, serial entrepreneur Prashanth Ranganathan breaks down the mechanics of that trap. His fourth startup - the one that should have been easiest - turned out to be his hardest. He had capital and AI tools, but they let him move fast enough to skip the part where he actually understood his customers. He thought he'd gone from 80% understanding to 95%, but it ended up going down to 65%. The episode digs into what that means in practice: why product-market fit hasn't moved even as everything underneath it - capital, staffing, distribution, prototyping speed - has; why founders are even more needed today to define customer problems; why founders should raise less capital, not more; and why a unicorn in 2031 will only need four roles. As execution becomes cheaper, judgment becomes more valuable. Tune in and render your judgment: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts |
PRESS PEEKS The following press releases were published as they were received, without any editing from the Tech in Asia team. You, too, can publish your own press release on our site by simply filling out this form. Our team will get back to you by the next business day. |
EVENTS HAPPENING You can also check out our curated list of trending tech events and Tech in Asia's signature events.  | Unlock the Lightning Pitch advantage At Tech in Asia Conference 2026, Lightning Pitch places your brand on high-traffic pop-up stages where founders and builders present real solutions in 15 minutes, creating fast-moving visibility around practical technologies, emerging use cases, and the decision-makers exploring what comes next. Partner with Tech in Asia Conference 2026 to be where real solutions get seen, grasped, and carried into meaningful conversations. |  | In conversation with the CEO of Certis We're thrilled to announce that Ng Tian Beng, president and group CEO of Certis, is joining us at the Tech in Asia Conference 2026 to talk about the tactical reality of leading a 25,000-person workforce into the AI era. Join us in Singapore to learn from a leader who has spent decades shaping the tech landscape across Asia Pacific.. |  | Get ready for ignitePRO at BATIC 2026 Meet our first speakers! They are leaders from Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, Telkom Indonesia, Telin, BCG X, Nokia, and Amvesindo | BNI Ventures. Secure your spot at ignitePRO, where the brightest minds shaping Asia's digital future come together, and join the conversations driving the next wave of innovation. Sign up here. |
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