Startup news and updates: Daily roundup (October 23, 2026)

Global capability centres in India are expected to expand significantly, reaching between 3.3-3.7 million employees by 2031. This growth will create 1-1.4 million new jobs and result in an additional 150-170 million square feet of office space. According to a recent Embark report, 92% of these GCC leaders have moved beyond selective AI adoption, but productivity gains are still below 15%.

Most workforce additions are anticipated to come from existing centres, with demand shifting towards specialised AI, data, and cybersecurity roles. Bengaluru and Hyderabad combined make up 67% of Tier I GCC leasing, while BFSI and technology, media, and telecom industries are projected to drive 54% of the incremental office demand.

Purple Finance reported a remarkable 101% year-on-year increase in assets under management, reaching Rs 329.21 crore in the first half of FY27. The company's board is exploring potential entry into affordable housing finance through acquisitions, investments, or subsidiaries, pending regulatory approvals. Purple has also launched two MSME lending products, PURPLE SARAL and SAKSHAM LAP, and introduced institutional lending to NBFCs serving MSMEs.

Gross non-performing assets remain below 2.5%. Additionally, Lenskart has inaugurated its first concept flagship store in India, Lenskart evolv, located in Worli, Mumbai. This store merges eyewear retail with design, technology, and fashion, incorporating chrome-finished interiors and interactive installations. The store provides AI-assisted eye testing, remote optometrist consultations, and a digital shopping assistant.

Lenskart CEO Peyush Bansal stated that the concept store aims to enhance customers' discovery and experience of eyewear, with plans to introduce a limited number of similar stores in the future. Lastly, Delhivery and Peak XV Partners launched Demo Day, a program powered by Amazon Web Services, to support startups working on technologies for supply chains and logistics.

The focus will be on AI applications in logistics, robotics, and industrial automation. Selected startups will present their solutions to Delhivery and Peak XV leaders, potentially gaining mentorship, cloud infrastructure support, investment opportunities, and the chance to test technologies in real-world logistics environments through Delhivery's network.

This initiative targets startups operating in the Indian market, with an emphasis on technologies suitable for deployment in live logistics operations.