November 2024: it was a cool evening in Delhi, when the general partner of a Bengaluru VC firm frantically sought help to get a pizza from Leo’s delivered from one corner of the city to another.

It was an order that neither Zomato nor Swiggy could fulfil, so the VC turned to Borzo for help, finally receiving the order and carrying the pizzas back to Bengaluru on a night flight.

But before that happened, I asked him — what about Dunzo?

It was a tongue-in-cheek suggestion meant to evoke some kind of banter — this being a Bengaluru VC in Delhi. Besides, this is exactly what Dunzo did for years. But all I got was a smirk and waving of the hands: “Dunzo is done, bro!” said the curly-haired VC.

There’s no denying Dunzo’s journey has been remarkable, even if things have not gone as planned. So this Sunday, we see how Dunzo lost its edge and magic. And what next for founder Kabeer Biswas and employees left waiting for their final dues?

But after a look at the top stories from our newsroom this week:

• Netradyne’s Unicorn Run: India’s first unicorn startup of 2025 is looking to develop its own foundational models for its AI-powered fleet safety and video telematics solutions after raising $90 Mn in its Series D this week
• India’s AI Framework: In light of the Draft AI Guidelines, India’s AI industry stakeholders are cautiously optimistic, even as some worry that heavyhanded policy might end up stifling innovation. Here’s our deep dive into what the guidelines mean and what startups are saying
• Startups Eye Mahakumbh Gold: Mahakumbh 2025 is big business for startups, especially the burgeoning spiritual tech segment, which is looking to capitalise on a potential $1 Bn opportunity at the holy gathering over the next month

Dunzo: From Delivery To Disaster

Some companies become bywords for their businesses — it’s usually a mark of success and brand equity. For years, Dunzo was considered a verb for hyperlocal deliveries, but today, it’s a mere shell of its former self.

The company reached a valuation of $744 Mn, but it grew its cult on the basis of word-of-mouth referrals and customer success when it launched way back in 2014. At that time, Amazon and Flipkart weren’t even thinking of quick deliveries — they didn’t care about bringing retailers online, but Dunzo did, and built a strong base of loyal customers in Bengaluru who swore by the service.

It also expanded to other cities such as Pune, Mumbai and Delhi gradually, creating a big buzz in all these markets as the only player offering hyperlocal deliveries.

In fact, quick commerce was not even coined, and Dunzo was delivering groceries and cigarettes in a matter of minutes before the pandemic. If anything, Dunzo gave everyone a taste of what Instamart, Blinkit and Zepto later offered.

It was on the shoulders of Dunzo that these giants created their playbooks to some extent. But as we have recounted several times in the past two years, the emergence of quick commerce as a category somehow created a panic within Dunzo. Even Reliance infusing $200 Mn into the company could not save it.

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