Mondelēz International names shagufta Khan Brand Manager for Bournvita & Cocoa Beverages. Shagufta Khan has taken on the role of Brand Manager - Bournvita and Cocoa Beverages at Mondelēz International. Associated with the company since 2023, she previously served as Brand Manager for Oreo (India & Nepal). She has experience in portfolio strategy, nationwide go-to-market launches and consumer activations. Before joining Mondelēz International, Khan held roles at Zepto and Amazon.

Zepto, Jeh Aerospace, Swipe lead LinkedIn's 2026 Top Startups list for Hyderabad. 14 October 2026 7:08 AM As new career opportunities emerge across India's startup ecosystem, how professionals discover and navigate them is also evolving, with trusted networks playing a crucial role. Hyderabad: LinkedIn, the world's largest professional network, today unveiled its 2026 Top Startups Hyderabad List, an annual ranking of emerging companies where careers can thrive. Based on exclusive LinkedIn data across employment growth, engagement, job interest, and attraction of top talent, the list offers a view of companies gaining momentum across industries and the opportunities professionals can explore in the city. Similar to LinkedIn's 2026 India Top Startups list, quick-commerce companyZepto (#1) leads this year's Hyderabad list, followed by Jeh Aerospace (#2) and Swipe (#3), which retains its position from last year. Jeh Aerospace has climbed two places from #4 in 2025, whileVizen Life Sciences has moved up from #5 to #4. The rankings reflect both the continued momentum of established startups and the emergence of new businesses across Hyderabad's ecosystem. Hyderabad's Top Startups reflect growing opportunities across AI, education, and business solutions Beyond the top three, this year's list reflects the breadth of Hyderabad's startup ecosystem, with companies working across AI, digital identity, and education. Equal (#5) is building digital identity and verification solutions, while Beacon.li (#8) focuses on AI-powered enterprise implementation, and YAL (#9) is developing conversational and voice AI solutions. In education, Frontlines EduTech (FLM) (#6) is expanding access to technology education for Telugu-speaking learners, while Bhanzu (#7) is reimagining mathematics education through interactive learning. Qucev Technologies Private Limited (#10), which develops electric commercial vehicles, adds to the range of emerging businesses shaping the city's startup landscape. Discover more News subscription service E-paper access South India news Professional networks can help turn interest into opportunity As new career opportunities emerge across India's startup ecosystem, how professionals discover and navigate them is also evolving, with trusted networks playing a crucial role. LinkedIn's latest data shows that among professionals working at companies with 10-49 employees, 94% say their professional network is important in helping them navigate their careers. Meanwhile, 35% say a connection has helped their career, and 29% have heard about a job or new opportunity through their network. Commenting on this year's list, Nirajita Banerjee, LinkedIn Career Expert and Sr. Managing Editor, LinkedIn India News, said: "Hyderabad's startup ecosystem reflects the growing range of opportunities emerging across technology, education and business solutions. As these companies grow, they offer professionals the chance to apply their skills to solve meaningful problems, take on new challenges and build expertise in emerging fields. Understanding what a company is building and the skills it values can help professionals identify where they could contribute and grow. Building professional connections is equally valuable, offering insights into how businesses are evolving and helping people discover opportunities to learn and grow." "At Zepto, our biggest talent bet is on people who combine ambition with ownership - those willing to challenge the status quo, solve complex problems and build for scale. In a high-growth startup, the opportunity goes beyond the role itself; we believe the real opportunity lies in learning fast, taking on meaningful challenges and creating impact from day one. As we continue to grow, our focus is on building teams and nurturing a culture where people can push boundaries and shape the future of the business alongside us," said Sneha Arora, CHRO, Zepto. Aditya Vemuganti, Co-founder and CEO, Swipe,said: "At Swipe, our biggest bet is on people who can think beyond AI, not just use it. We value curiosity, creativity, and believe the future belongs to people who can make AI work smarter." Here's the full list of 2026 LinkedIn Top Startups in Hyderabad: Jeh Aerospace Swipe (YC S21) Vizen Life Sciences Pvt Ltd Frontlines EduTech (FLM) Qucev Technologies Private Limited Here are some tips from Nirajita Banerjee on how to land a job at a LinkedIn Top Startup: * Look for momentum, not just job openings: Follow companies that are expanding their products, entering new markets, or solving growing customer needs. These signals can help you spot potential opportunities early. * Understand the business before applying: Research what the company does, who it serves, and the problems it is trying to solve. This helps you assess whether an opportunity aligns with your interests and strengths. * Build relationships before you need them: Connect with people working at companies that interest you, engage thoughtfully with their work, and ask informed questions. These conversations can help you understand the company and discover opportunities you might otherwise miss. * Show how you can make an impact: Go beyond listing qualifications. Use relevant projects, experience, and examples of problem-solving to demonstrate how your skills could contribute to the company's goals. * Stay curious and adaptable: Startups can evolve quickly. A willingness to learn, take initiative, and navigate ambiguity can help you stand out as teams and business needs change. You can visit the LinkedIn India 2026 Top Startups list for Hyderabad here. LinkedIn Top Startups 2026 Methodology: LinkedIn measures startups based on four pillars: employment growth, engagement, job interest, and attraction of top talent. Employment growth is measured as percentage headcount increase in the city over methodology time frame, which must be a minimum of 5%. Engagement looks at non-employee views and follows of the company's LinkedIn page among members in the city, as well as how many non-employees are viewing employees at that startup. Job interest counts the rate at which people are viewing and applying to jobs at the company in the city, including both paid and unpaid postings. Attraction of top talent measures how many employees in the city the startup has recruited away from any global LinkedIn Top Company, as a percentage of the startup's total workforce. Data is normalised across all eligible startups. The methodology time frame is July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. To be eligible, companies must be fully independent, privately held, have 30 or more full-time employees in the city, be 7 years old or younger, and be headquartered in the country on whose list they appear. Deccan Chronicle exclude all staffing firms, think tanks, venture capital firms, law firms, management and IT consulting firms, nonprofits and philanthropy, accelerators and government-owned entities. Startups who have laid off 10% or more of their workforce based on corporate announcements or public, reliable sources between July 1, 2025 and the list launch, are not eligible. These decisions are made by the LinkedIn News team based on company statements and/or reputable news outlets. ( Source: Deccan Chronicle) Download the Deccan Chronicle Android and iOS app on your phone for news and views from around the world - accurate and immediate.