Ola acqui-hires Pickup.ai

Ride-hailing company Ola acqui-hired Pickup.ai, an artificial intelligence (AI) startup based out of Bangalore. Pickup.ai uses autonomous technologies like AI, computer vision and sensor fusion to provide seamless AI-powered solutions for businesses. As part of the deal, the team at Pickup.ai will join Ola.

Ola is increasing its focus on using advanced analytics and deep technology to build futuristic mobility solutions for India and the world. The application of machine learning and AI will enable the company to identify deep insights that can lead to improved mobility outcomes. This will include investments in early-stage businesses, acquisitions as well as acquihires across AI, Machine Learning, Computer Vision and other emerging areas of deep technology.

Earlier this year, Ola announced its intent to set up an Advanced Technology Centre in the San Francisco Bay area, to focus on developing next-generation technologies in mobility like Electric, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. By bringing deep domain expertise to Ola, this acquihire will also deliver innovations that continue to improve safety and transform the customer experience.

Ola was founded in 2011 by Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati with a mission to build mobility for a billion people.

Zoho acquihires ePoise Systems

Chennai based SaaS startup, Zoho has acqui-hired an automated hiring product startup, ePoise Systems, for an undisclosed amount. The deal also included the acquisition of ePoise intellectual property rights.

ePoise Systems was founded in 2013. The Bengaluru-based startup offers an automated hiring software product targeted at mass recruiting companies. The product also has a series of pre-designed screening steps for various company profiles. Along with a set of assessments which finally lead to an automated video interview.

Indian startup, Zoho has more than 40 integrated online applications aiding multiple business operations such as sales and marketing, finance, email and collaboration, information technology and help desk, human resources and custom solutions like app creator and analytics.

The firm over 45 million users and has been expanding its product portfolio over the last several years. It offers its product separately as well as under a single user license as Zoho One. Manage Engine, a division of Zoho, helps its customers with on-premise IT management.

Walmart Labs acqui-hires Int.AI

Walmart Labs, the local product development division of US retail giant Walmart has acqui-hired Delaware based data analytics and machine learning startup Int.AI, its second acqui-hire in India in three months, as it looks to strengthen its engineering team.

Int.AI was founded in 2016. It analyses data and shares it with targeted users over email as well as team messenger tools like Slack. In September, Walmart Labs brought the entire team of engineers from Bengaluru-based Appsfly onboard, which built a system for micro apps to get hosted and streamed on any platform.

Walmart move highlights its keen urge to deepen its presence in the country. The US-based retailer has been investing heavily in the country this year, starting with the game changing $16 Bn acquisition of Indian ecommerce unicorn Flipkart. The company also opened its 23rd wholesale store in Visakhapatnam recently. It claims 19 of these centres have already achieved break even.

Globally, acqui-hiring has been used by large companies to get talent in a new domain it looks to test waters. In 2017, Google acquired Halli Labs, a four-month-old startup out of Bengaluru that was developing artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions. In October, Airtel acqui-hired Authme ID services, an AI-based solution firm.

Swiggy acqui-hires 48East

Bengaluru based food ordering and delivery startup Swiggy has acqui-hired the management team of Bengaluru based gourmet Asian Food startup 48East in order to further broaden its senior leadership. Following this acqui-hire, the company looks to serve its consumers more efficiently and consequently grow in the market.

Swiggy Access, for the uninitiated, is an initiative aimed at reaching more customers and making its delivery more seamless. Geared towards facilitating the business expansion of partners on the platform, the new service allows restaurant partners to set up kitchen spaces in areas where they do not have a physical presence.

Swiggy currently has a presence in more than 10 cities across the country and claims to have tie-ups with around 20,000 restaurants in these cities. The Bengaluru-based startup has raised a total funding of $155.5 Mn (INR 1000 Cr) till date and clocks over 4 Mn transactions per month on its platform. By acqui-hiring 48East, the online food delivery platform is looking to bolster its presence in the market, amidst competition from highly funded players like UberEATS and Zomato.

Its biggest rival Zomato has also made a number of investments and acquisitions in the last couple of months. In the second of September, the foodtech unicorn took over Bengaluru-based Runnr, a B2B online service provider platform for hyperlocal logistics services. The move was aimed at strengthening Zomato’s food delivery capacity. A week later, the Gurugram-based company also invested an undisclosed amount of funding in the Hyderabad-based foodtech startup, TinMen.