Zee Scores FIFA Goal, Ola Electric’s QIP & More

Zee Secures FIFA Rights For India

After months of stalemate, Zee has finally bagged the India media rights for major FIFA events till 2034. With a new sports network in the mix and a long lineup of football content in play, Zee’s steep uphill climb has only just begun.

Rights In Zee’s Kitty: The entertainment giant has secured the India broadcast and digital rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026, World Cup 2030 and the Women’s World Cup 2027, along with 39 other FIFA events. While the company will air the matches on TV on its upcoming new sports channels, it will also stream them online on ZEE5.

A Wider Sports Push: The deal is more than a one-off rights acquisition. Zee is launching a dedicated sports network under the Unite8 Sports brand, signalling that it wants to build a full-stack sports platform around football. The rights package also includes youth tournaments, futsal and docu-series content, which should keep football fans engaged beyond the World Cup itself.

A Crowded Market: The timing matters because India’s sports broadcasting market has become sharply concentrated over the years. JioStar dominates premium sports, while SonyLIV remains selective. Then, there is FanCode that has carved out niche properties, leaving fewer broadcasters willing to write big cheques for expensive global rights. 

FIFA’s India rights deal took months to close because broadcasters were cautious about the price sought by the federation, the late-night match timings and the weak monetisation outlook.

The Monetisation Test: Football is popular in India, but it is a harder sell than cricket because ad inventory is thinner, audiences are more regionally concentrated, and brands have already stretched their sports budgets on IPL. The ban on RMG platform has also dried up ad revenues and made unit economics even tighter for streaming platforms.

With the jury now out on whether the broadcaster can effectively monetise football, can Zee’s high-stakes football gamble pay off? Let’s find out…

From The Editor’s Desk

Ola Electric’s QIP Goes Live

• Kicking off its QIP, the EV maker has set a floor price of ₹37.74 for the issue. While Ola Electric has not disclosed the amount it aims to raise, the EV major’s board had earlier approved a proposal to raise ₹1,500 Cr via various routes. 
• Ola Electric plans to utilise the proceeds from the issue to repay or prepay existing borrowings, scale manufacturing, strengthen supply chain, and expand store network.
• The fresh capital raise comes at a critical juncture for Ola Electric. While the company remains one of India’s largest E2W manufacturers, it continues to grapple with losses and intense competition.

Anveshan Bags ₹150 Cr

• The D2C food brand has raised around $15.8 Mn in its Series B round led by Vertex Ventures to strengthen its manufacturing capabilities, improve procurement systems, and expand omnichannel presence. 
• Founded in 2020, Anveshan claims to be a clean premium food brand that sells products like ghee, cold-pressed oils, raw honey, multi-grain atta, among others. Prior to this, the startup had raised $10.6 Mn from the likes of DSG Consumer Partners and Titan Capital.
• It currently claims to be clocking an ARR of ₹280-₹300 Cr, with an aim to surpass ₹1,000 Cr over the next 24-30 months.

E2W Sales Rebound In May

• After contracting in April, electric two-wheeler registrations jumped 8.4% to 1.70 Lakh units in May from 1.57 Lakh units in the previous month. On a yearly basis, E2W registrations jumped almost 69% from 1.01 Lakh units in May 2025.
• Market leader TVS Motor retained the top spot in the E2W market by selling 42,376 units last month, Bajaj Auto also firmly held on to the second spot as its registrations grew 13.2% MoM to 39,104 units in May. 
• Meanwhile, Ola Electric reported the highest jump in registrations at 22% MoM to 15,139 units in May, improving its market share to around 9%. Rival Ather’s registrations remained almost flat in May, declining 0.9% MoM to 28,190 units. 

CARS24’s $20 Mn AI Corpus

• The IPO-bound used car marketplace has committed around ₹190 Cr to its recently launched initiative, AI Labs, to build AI-first products. It has partnered with AI giants like OpenAI, ElevenLabs, and AWS for the programme.
• Under the new platform, the startup will invest and incubate early-stage startups, create AI-native products and accelerate AI adoption and experimentation.
• The announcement comes as the used car marketplace is gearing up for its IPO and is looking to go public by the end of the year. 

Scripbox Acquires Bluechip’s Arm

• The wealthtech startup has acquired the mutual fund distribution business of the wealth management firm to expand its footprint in Delhi NCR. The startup didn’t disclose the financial specifics of the deal. 
• Via the acquisition, Scripbox will look to combine Bluechip Capital’s clients and employees with its in-house research capabilities and tech offerings to further bolster its top line. 
• Founded in 2012, Scripbox allows users to invest in mutual fund schemes and also offers financial planning services through its AI-led tech stack. Having raised over $55 Mn to date, Scripbox closed FY25 with a revenue of ₹107.2 Cr and a profit of ₹12.8 Cr.

Inc42 Markets

Inc42 Startup Spotlight

Can Epik Bring Showroom Trust To Quick Commerce?

Quick commerce has cracked speed, but it is yet to cultivate trust for high-value purchases. Consumers still prefer stores where they can see, test, and compare before buying. Enter Epik, a quick commerce startup trying to close the gap between convenience and confidence.

Need For Speed: Founded in 2025, Epik focuses solely on the electronics quick commerce segment. It promises delivery of premium gadgets, from smartphones to smart home devices, within 60 minutes. 

The Assisted Model: What differentiates Epik is its assisted delivery model. Each order is accompanied by a trained product expert who offers a live demo, explains features, and helps customers compare alternatives in real time. This replicates the in-store experience at home, addressing a key barrier in online electronics purchases.

Reducing Friction & Returns: By enabling informed decisions at the point of delivery, Epik aims to reduce return rates and improve customer confidence. The model blends instant gratification with experiential buying, two elements that rarely coexist in India’s current ecommerce landscape.

A Growing Market: Operating in Bengaluru and Gurugram, Epik is expanding its fulfilment network across metros, targeting a consumer electronics market projected to reach $40 Bn by 2030. So, can Epik redefine how India shops for high-value gadgets?

Infographic Of The Day

From incubating consumer brands to backing sports tech startups, Virat Kohli has quietly built an empire beyond cricket. Here’s a look inside the business side of RCB’s biggest icon…

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