Singapore-based investment firm Lighthouse Canton has raised INR 3.3 bn (USD 40 mn) in a strategic funding round led by Peak XV Partners, according to a press release. Other investors include the investment holding company Nextinfinity and Qatar Insurance Company (QIC), an existing backer. This marks the firm’s first external fundraise, with proceeds to be used to upgrade its technology platform, expand product offerings, and recruit senior talent for its next phase of growth.

India focus: Founded in 2014, Lighthouse Canton manages over INR 412 (USD 5 bn) in assets across Singapore, India, the UAE, and the UK. The firm recently announced plans to invest over INR 124 bn (USD 1.5 bn) in India over the next few years, targeting private credit and real estate. It has already deployed about USD 350 mn in Indian alternative assets and manages 1.2 mn sq ft of real estate in Hyderabad, while expanding to Bengaluru and Mumbai, Reuters reports.

AI-

AI customer support platform Giga has secured a USD 61 mn Series A round led by Redpoint Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator and Nexus Venture Partners, according to a press release. The funding is earmarked to accelerate its go-to-market motion, grow its technical team and scale deployments with major enterprises. Giga was founded by Varun Vummadi and Esha Manideep, who graduated from IIT Kharagpur, India’s leading engineering college. The platform is engineered to deploy “emotionally intelligent agents” capable of real-time reasoning and issue resolution without human handoff.

REAL ESTATE-

US-based real estate developer Panattoni plans to invest about USD 100 mn annually in India to expand its logistics and industrial footprint, The Economic Times reports. The company will develop build-to-suit, joint venture, and development management projects across Indian business hubs — Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad— as part of its long-term expansion plan.

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