FINANCEOUTLOOKINDIANOVEMBER, 20268REPORTAI STARTUP DESIBLE.AI RAISES RS 32 CRORE FUNDING LED BY PRIME VENTURECHENNAI-BASED A2B ENTERS $180 MILLION DEAL WITH BODHI TREE SYSTEMSRUPEE RISES 7 PAISE AS FII INFLOWS OFFSET DOLLAR STRENGTHINVESTMENT FIRM NORWEST CLOSES $4 BN FUND, TAKES AUM TO $18 BNINDIA'S RETAIL INFLATION RISES TO 6.09% IN OCT, BREACHES RBI'S LIMITBengaluru-based AI startup Desible.ai has raised Rs 32 crore funding led by Prime Venture Partners, with participation from existing investor Invention Engine. The company plans to deploy the fresh capital to strengthen its agentic AI capabilities, expand its compliance infrastructure, accelerate product development and scale its sales and marketing operations. Desible.ai was established in 2025 by Uttam Tiwari and Omkar Raikar with the mission of creating an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based workflow orchestration platform for banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and insurance companies. It offers solutions to automate customer engagement, servicing, collections, underwriting and compliance related processes in financial institutions. Desible.ai started with voice automation and is now spreading its capabilities throughout communication channels, such as WhatsApp, SMS and email. Chennai-based A2B (Adyar Ananda Bhavan), a restaurant chain, enters $180 Million Deal with Bodhi Tree Systems, which will acquire a majority stake in the company. Announced on November 12, 2026, the transaction is aimed at accelerating A2B's expansion across India and international markets while strengthening its management and operational capabilities. The partnership will also focus on preparing A2B for a potential stock market listing, as the restaurant chain The rupee rises 7 paise to 94.05 against the US dollar in early trade on Friday. Foreign fund inflows and lower crude oil prices supported the currency. However, broad-based strength in the US dollar limited its gains. The Indian rupee opened at around 94.07 in the interbank foreign exchange market before touching 94.05. This marked a 7-paise gain from its previous close. On Thursday, the currency had depreciated 41 paise to settle at 94.12 against the dollar.Forex traders said consistent foreign investments, softer crude oil prices and a favorable external environment have supported the rupee. However, the strengthening US dollar in overseas markets continued to weigh on investor sentiment. According to CR Forex Advisors Managing Director Amit Pabari, the external environment remains supportive of the rupee, backed by softer crude oil prices and renewed foreign institutional investor (FII) inflows. Global investment firm Norwest has closed its latest fund, Norwest 18, at $4 billion, marking the largest fundraise in its 65-year history. The new fund takes the firm's total assets under management India's retail inflation climbed to 6.09% in October 2026, crossing the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) upper tolerance limit of 6% for the first time in two years. According to provisional data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the increase from 5.54% in September was driven primarily by higher food prices. Overall, inflation was 6.09% year-on-year in October (up from 0.25% one year earlier) with the revised base year for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in both periods taken as 2024. Rural inflation kept increasing to 6.63% and urban inflation to 5.41%.The latest reading of CPI inflation in October will be the 12th monthly rise in a row, taking inflation beyond the RBI's target range of 2-6%. The central bank wants to keep retail inflation at 4% and allow a 2% point tolerance. The increase in retail inflation was mainly attributed to food prices. Inflation in the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) stood at 8.94% in October, up from 7.74% in September. looks to scale its business and build on its established presence in the food services industry.Under the agreement, Bodhi Tree Systems will acquire a majority stake in A2B. Uday Shankar, co-founder of Bodhi Tree Systems, will become chairman of A2B's board following the transaction. Bodhi Tree is an in-vestment platform backed by James Murdoch's Lupa Systems and Uday Shankar. The partnership will focus on the investments in technology, operational efficiency and business capabilities, as well as reinforcing A2B's management structure.
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