Our top reads of the week
From startup slowdown to Mercedes Benz C-Class review, here are our most-read stories of the week


1) No rush
Zepto raised $360 million, Dunzo Daily received $200 million, Swiggy raised $700 million for Instamart, and even Zomato snapped up a 9.3 percent stake in Blinkit, a 10-minute grocery delivery service, for $100 million. These numbers are evidence that the quick commerce race is intense in India and needs the cash guzzling startups fed at all times. But what happens when cheap capital becomes a thing of the past and investors want to pull up term sheets for renegotiations? What happens when a post-pandemic world decides to not rush to receive deliveries? Will the quick commerce players scale back? Zomato has. Or perhaps even fold? For more
2) Colour me intimidated
Paint, for as long as analysts who track it can remember, has been at best a three-player industry in India. The top three—Asian Paints, Berger and Kansai Nerolac—account for about 80 percent of the business. They’ve grown steadily at rates that are 1.5 times GDP growth. But now, disruptors have arrived: Indigo Paints and JSW Paints. Grasim has also made a big-bang announcement that has got the industry talking. Their Rs10,000-crore investment in the paints business is likely to come onstream by FY24. After all, this is a Rs 7,000 crore profit pool worth fighting for. Here"s how the old guard—Asian Paints, Berger Paints, Kansai Nerolac—is working on beefing up its competitive advantage. For more
3) Make the noise for the erosion of species
Noise as an expression of power has been well understood for millennia. Even motorcycles and cars with an extra loud roar are seen as a symbol of power and masculinity. But are we making the ruckus for all the right reasons? Noise exposure is often considered a mere annoyance. But in cities, forests, and underwater, it is causing grave harm to mammals, birds, and animals, and leading to species loss, which is a leading contributor to climate change. Polluting the environment with mega-decibels is more than an inconvenience and on this World Environment Day, the request to policymakers is to recognise the depth of the harm and protect "Only one Earth." For more
4) When aping is good
The sheer luxury and opulence on display in the new Mercedes Benz C-Class make it a car that’s all about getting from point A to point B in utter comfort and refined elegance, and the C does that with aplomb. Sounds familiar? Something you might have heard about a certain S-Class? Mercedes Benz C-Class has got it all, but a character of its own. It still cannot shake off the shadow of big daddy, Mercedes Benz S-Class. If you are looking for S-Class at a lot less, the Mercedes Benz C-Class could be your answer. Or so we find out in the latest episode of Forbes India Momentum. Watch here
First Published: Jun 04, 2022, 08:53
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