The startup landscape in India and elsewhere, as well as its broader context.

ConveGenius, a leading edtech company focusing on AI technologies, has secured a funding round of $1.8 million (Rs 15 crore) from Searce Inc. This investment aims to bolster its cloud services and expedite the advancement of its generative AI technology. The primary focus will be on enhancing SwiftChat, the company's flagship conversational AI platform. By collaborating with Searce Inc., ConveGenius intends to fast-track the development of scalable cloud-based educational tools, particularly in regions where access to quality education is limited. Founded in 2013 by Jairaj Bhattacharya and Shashank Pandey, ConveGenius has been pioneering the integration of AI in education. Recently, it concluded another funding round involving UBS Optimus, Mt Judi Ventures, and existing investor Bombay Shirt Company, raising a total of $3.2 million. On a separate note, apparel brand Bombay Shirt Company has raised $3.2 million in funding led by Singularity Ventures’ Growth Opportunities Fund I, with participation from CaratLane’s Mithun Sacheti and other investors. This comes after a four-year gap since its last Series B funding round of $8 million led by Mumbai-based Lightbox VC in 2012. Founded by Akshay Narvekar, Bombay Shirt Company specializes in tailor-made shirts and currently operates 18 stores across Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, and Bengaluru. Furthermore, Crux, a Y Combinator-backed startup, has secured $2.6 million in seed funding led by Emergent Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator and Neon Fund, along with early backers First Cheque and others. Founded by Himank Jain, Atharva Padhye, and Prabhat Singh, Crux assists B2B SaaS teams in rapidly developing AI copilots tailored to their business needs and preferences, with support from industry veterans such as Tej Redkar, Karthik Ramamoorthy, Aayush Phumbra, and Krishna Mehra.