Home solutions brand Wakefit.co has announced that it is offering its employees an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) on the course of its Series B funding.

The ESOP buyback will be worth ₹15 crore ($2 million), which will benefit about 15-20 employees. Through this scheme, the company will allocate 6-7% of its shares to the employees’ part of the pool.

Wakefit had raised ₹185 crore ($25 million) from Verlinvest and Sequoia Capital in December 2020.

The Growth journey

Founded by Chaitanya Ramalingegowda and Ankit Garg in 2016, Wakefit started out as a memory foam mattress company and later transformed into an online sleep company.

It sells mattresses, bed frames, pillows and mattress protectors. The Series B funding raised Wakefit’s valuation to ₹1,900 crore ($260 million).

The company expects to reach a revenue figure of about ₹450 crore ($61 million) by FY 2021, and it wanted to make its senior members part of this growth journey.

To promote and protect

Speaking to ET about the latest announcement, Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, co-founder of Wakefit.co said “Promoting and protecting employees’ interests and keeping them motivated is paramount to our success, as we go about achieving our growth targets.”

“During Covid-19, we ensured that our employees felt secure in their jobs and had the financial and moral support needed to battle the pandemic together,” he added.

WakeFit aims to increase its workforce to 3000 employees by March 2021, which would be a 400% increase from its March 2020 figure. It has already started training programs for machine operators, carpenters, and other customer experience executives.

Also read: PagarBook raises $15 million from Sequoia Capital

Tata Group is reportedly in the final phase of closing a $200-$300 million (₹1,463 crore to ₹2,195 crore) primary cash-infusion, to acquire a majority stake in online grocery delivery platform BigBasket.

In total, Tata would spend about $1.3 billion (₹9,512 crore) in primary and secondary share sale on BigBasket, resulting in a 60% stake in BigBasket, valuing the company at $1.6 billion (₹11,707 crore), as reported by ET.

The deal would mean a full-exit for the most important backers of BigBasket, including Chinese e-commerce major Alibaba and equity firm Abraaj Group. These two entities collectively own about 46% of BigBasket.

In September of last year, BigBasket said that it witnessed an 84% increase in new customers from the pre-pandemic levels. It also claimed to process more than 20 million (2 crore) orders per month to reach an annual revenue runrate (ARR) of $1 billion (₹7,317 crore).

Tata Group is also reportedly planning to infuse $200-250 million (₹1,463 crore – ₹1,829 crore) for a 55% stake in online pharmacy 1mg.

The SuperApp plan

These acquisitions are part of Tata’s larger plan to launch a SuperApp, which would encompass online shopping, digital payments, social media, gaming and ticket/hotel bookings.

By acquiring 1mg, Tata will try to make use of the multi-fold growth in the e-pharmacy segment, following the pandemic. The sector will likely see consolidation between these large players as Reliance has already acquired 60% stake in Netmeds.

As per some reports, Amazon is in the process of acquiring a minority stake in Apollo Pharmacy, India’s largest drugstore chain. And each of these moves will have to follow Reliance JioMart’s entry on WhatsApp, which is expected to be game-changer.

Also read: Swiggy closes its online grocery marketplace and will now focus on Instamart

Amazon India appealed against the order passed by Single Judge Bench of the Delhi High Court. This is regarding the suit filed by Future Retail, on the dispute between Amazon and Future, after the latter’s deal with Reliance Retail.

In December last year, Future Retail’s plea to give an order preventing Amazon’s interference in the deal, was given a prima facie approval.

Amazon was prevented from going to other statutory authorities, such as the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to block the deal.

SIAC stalls the deal

The ongoing legal feud began in October, when RIL tried to buy the retail business of Future Group, for a deal worth ₹24,713 crore ($3.3 billion).

Amazon owns 49% of Future Coupons, with additional right to buy into Future Retail after 3 years.

Future Coupons owns a 7.3% stake in Future Retail, which makes Amazon a part owner and decision maker of the retail company.

It filed an arbitration case against Future Retail, for signing the agreement on that sale, without its approval, as required by their contractual agreement. The Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), stalled the sale in favor of the e-commerce giant.

Also read: CCI seeks details on anti-trust complaint against Amazon

At the Delhi High Court

Future Retail went to the Delhi High Court to prevent Amazon from further interference through SEBI and such regulatory bodies.

The Court endorsed the interim award by SIAC, while also declaring RIL-Future deal to be legal. It had left the final decision to the regulatory authorities concerned in the matter.

The order also listed three of the agreements between Amazon and Future, which granted disproportionate rights to Amazon, which required Gov.t approvals under FEMA FDI Rules.

Amazon’s latest appeal against that order, is scheduled for hearing before a Division Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Jyoti Singh on January 13.

Also read: IT Dept. raids Swiggy and Instakart offices for alleged tax evasion by third-party vendors