💸 OYO Just Made ₹623 Cr — India’s Most Profitable Startup

☕️ Happy Sunday & Happy Mother's Day!

It's May 11, and while the world celebrates moms with flowers, calls, and slightly burnt breakfasts-in-bed, we're brewing you a fresh pot of insight with Masala Chai. From startup milestones and geopolitical drama to big bank penalties and high-voltage power deals, this one's got more layers than your mom's secret paratha recipe. Let's dig in.

☕️ Chai Shots

• 🏏 Kohli in the Headlines Again: With news swirling about Virat Kohli contemplating retirement from Test cricket, the timing feels just right to revisit our case study on his business play. While it's not part of our regular Masala Chai mix, here's a Sunday read worth your scroll: Virat Kohli’s ₹300‐Crore Cover‐Drive Into Agilitas.

• 🚗 OYO Becomes India's Most Profitable Startup: Hospitality giant OYO has clocked a record-breaking ₹623 crore net profit in FY25 — marking a 172% jump over the previous year. With 91,000+ listings, a 20% jump in revenue, and a surge in premium hotel inventory, OYO is not just scaling, it’s soaring. More in the Big Brew ☕️

• 🛬 Ixigo Suspends Travel to Turkey, China, Azerbaijan: Ixigo has halted bookings to countries backing Pakistan after Operation Sindoor. The decision taps into growing public sentiment, as many Indian users are calling for a tourism boycott.

• ⚠️ CBI Arrests Senior IRS Official in Bribery Case: The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a senior Income Tax Commissioner along with four others in a ₹70 lakh bribery case. The officer, part of the 2004 IRS batch, allegedly sought illegal payments in exchange for favorable assessments, triggering a swift and high-profile investigation.

• 📉 RBI Hits SBI & Jana with Fines: SBI has been fined ₹1.72 crore for lapses in current account rules and lending norms. Jana Small Finance Bank got a ₹1 crore penalty for violating banking regulations. RBI’s message? No one's above compliance.

📈 Market Masala

• 🌐 Borosil Cuts Losses, Eyes Rs 500 Cr Raise: Borosil Renewables narrowed its Q4 loss to ₹29.5 crore from ₹53.3 crore last year, thanks to a 34% jump in income. The company also plans to raise up to ₹500 crore and reshuffle its board.

• ⚡️ Adani Power Bags 1,500 MW UP Deal: Adani Power will supply 1,500 MW of thermal power to Uttar Pradesh at ₹5.38/unit from a planned ultra-supercritical plant. The long-term deal is part of the state's energy security push.

• 🔢 Looking Ahead: Volatility Remains High Amid Geopolitical Tensions: After snapping its longest winning streak of the year, Indian markets ended the week with notable losses. Nifty 50 faces key support at 23,800, with a breakdown potentially dragging it to 23,200. Resistance is strong around 24,400–24,600. Experts suggest a cautious, stock-specific approach with hedged strategies to manage risk amid rising volatility and global uncertainty.

🌎 Global Masala

• 🇨🇳 U.S.-China Trade Talks Stretch Into Sunday: After 10 hours of negotiations in Geneva, U.S. and Chinese officials will resume tariff talks. Trump’s hinted tariff "cut" to 80% still leaves businesses and markets nervous.

• 🇩🇪 Europe Closes Strong on Trade Optimism: Germany’s DAX hit an all-time high at 23,499 as hopes rise for easing global trade tensions. The broader Stoxx 600 and FTSE 100 also posted gains, despite recent volatility.

• 🚢 Chinese Goods Dock Under Tariff Heat: Container ships carrying Chinese imports hit by 145% tariffs have arrived in California. Brands like Amazon and IKEA are feeling the squeeze as retailers brace for price hikes.

• 🔬 Trump’s Middle East Tour Begins May 13: Trump is heading to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar to discuss AI chip exports, oil strategy, ceasefire diplomacy, and maybe even renaming the Persian Gulf. Expect fireworks and trade deals.

☕️ The Big Brew: 🏨 OYO's Epic Turnaround 📈

📢 From startup struggles to startup stardom, OYO has pulled off one of India's greatest entrepreneurial comebacks. In FY25, the travel-tech platform posted a whopping ₹623 crore in net profit — up 172% from the year prior. Founder Ritesh Agarwal shared the news during a town hall, and the numbers speak for themselves:

• 📊 Adjusted EBITDA hit ₹1,132 crore (a 27% increase), with Q4 alone contributing ₹442 crore.

• 💳 Gross Booking Value soared 54% to ₹16,436 crore, thanks to robust demand for premium stays via Townhouse and Sunday Hotels.

• 🌎 Revenue climbed to ₹6,463 crore, up 20% YoY.

🏛️ OYO expanded its footprint across 22,700 hotels and 1.2 lakh homes globally, with strong growth in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Its Sunday brand alone added 30+ properties last year. With IPO buzz building and a potential ₹1100 crore profit forecasted for FY26, the hospitality giant is rewriting the startup success script.

🔹 What does this mean? India’s startup ecosystem has a new benchmark for scale and profitability. For aspiring founders, OYO’s journey is proof that a shift from hypergrowth to smart growth pays off — big time.

🚀 Startup Scoop

• 🚜 91Trucks Rolls In with Rs 5 Cr Funding: This commercial vehicle startup raised $5 million in Series A from Arkam Ventures. With 8x revenue growth in two years, the company will now expand to 20 new cities, invest in AI, and cater to India's underserved small fleet owners.

• 📅 CGSS Gets a Startup-Friendly Upgrade: The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups has been overhauled! The per-borrower cap is now ₹20 crore, and startups in priority sectors will pay lower fees. Loans up to ₹10 crore are now guaranteed up to 85%.

🍫 Chai Break Trivia

Did you know chocolate was once used as currency? 💰🍫

Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations like the Aztecs valued cacao beans so highly that they used them to trade everything from food to clothes — and even paid taxes with them!

🎩 What's Brewing Next?

• 📈 Earnings season continues in India: all eyes on banking and FMCG giants.

That's your cup of insight this Sunday! Whether you're surprising Mom with breakfast or just binging headlines with chai in hand, we're glad you're here. Here's to moms, markets, and Masala Chai — back in your inbox tomorrow.

Jai Hind, and Happy Mother's Day!