Info Edge India has approved two fresh strategic investments worth around Rs. 98.90 crore. The company will invest about Rs. 8.90 crore in Udyogtech Ventures Private Limited, which operates the industrial workforce platform Factrika. It will also invest Rs. 90 crore in Startup Investments Holding Limited, its wholly owned subsidiary.

This may look like a regular corporate filing at first. But the move is worth watching because Info Edge is one of India’s most experienced internet companies. It owns Naukri.com, 99acres, Jeevansathi and Shiksha, and it has also built a strong record as a startup investor.

The primary keyword is Info Edge Factrika investment, but the larger story is about India’s factory jobs market, blue-collar hiring and how digital platforms are slowly entering the manufacturing workforce space.

What Info Edge has approved

Info Edge’s Committee of Executive Directors approved the investments on August 14, 2026. The meeting started at 2.45 pm and ended at 2.55 pm, according to the disclosure details reported by InvestyWise.

The first investment is around Rs. 8.90 crore in Udyogtech Ventures Private Limited. This company runs Factrika, an online platform for industrial workforce hiring.

The second investment is around Rs. 90 crore in Startup Investments Holding Limited. This is a wholly owned subsidiary of Info Edge and is mainly involved in direct and indirect investments in technology companies. It also invests in Alternative Investment Funds, commonly called AIFs.

In simple language, Info Edge is putting money into one operating startup and also strengthening its own investment arm.

What is Factrika

Factrika is an on-demand industrial workforce platform. It connects manufacturers with skilled workers for factory and shop-floor roles.

The company’s website says it supports more than 50 job roles. These include trainee, production supervisor, welder, fitter, electrician, machine operator, packaging machine operator, CNC worker and other manufacturing-linked roles.

For workers, Factrika offers verified job openings, no middlemen and joining support. For manufacturers, it offers access to screened workers and hiring tools.

This is useful because factory hiring is often urgent. A manufacturer may suddenly need more workers for a new production line or extra shift. A worker may want a real job without paying hidden charges to local middlemen. Factrika is trying to make that process faster and more trustworthy.

Founders and founding year

Factrika is operated by Udyogtech Ventures Private Limited, which was incorporated on July 2, 2024 by Gaurav Asthana and Kshitij Puri.

This is still a young company, but it is working on a real problem. Hiring for factories is not only about posting jobs online. It needs worker verification, skill matching, training support, factory relationships and ground-level execution.

Deal structure in simple words

Info Edge’s Rs. 8.90 crore investment in Factrika will happen in two tranches.

In the first tranche, Info Edge will subscribe to 1 equity share and 3,098 Compulsorily Convertible Preference Shares, or CCPS. After this, it will hold 18.58 percent of Factrika on a fully converted and diluted basis.

CCPS may sound technical, but the idea is simple. These are preference shares that can later convert into equity shares. Startups often use this structure during funding rounds because it gives investors economic rights while keeping the deal flexible.

Info Edge also has the right to invest in a second tranche. If that happens, its shareholding in Factrika may rise to around 26 percent. The second tranche depends on certain conditions and performance milestones.

The transaction is being done on an arm’s length basis. That means the deal is treated like a normal business transaction between independent parties.

Why Info Edge is interested in Factrika

Info Edge already understands hiring very well. Naukri.com is one of India’s biggest white-collar job platforms. JobHai, another Info Edge platform, focuses on blue-collar jobs.

Factrika adds another angle – industrial workforce hiring.

India is pushing manufacturing through sectors like auto parts, electronics, textiles, packaging, machinery, infrastructure and e-commerce warehousing. These sectors need reliable workers. But many employers still struggle to find people quickly, especially for shift-based and skilled shop-floor jobs.

Factrika’s platform can help manufacturers find workers who are verified and ready for the job. If this model works at scale, it can reduce hiring delays and improve worker access to genuine jobs.

A practical example

Imagine an auto-parts factory gets a large order and needs 80 additional workers within two weeks. Traditional hiring may involve multiple contractors, phone calls, manual screening and uncertainty.

A platform like Factrika can make this easier. The factory can post its requirement, screen available workers and fill roles faster. Workers also get clearer information about the job, pay, location and joining process.

That is the real value of such a platform. It does not only digitize hiring. It reduces confusion for both sides.

What the Rs. 90 crore subsidiary investment means

The Rs. 90 crore investment in Startup Investments Holding Limited is also important.

This subsidiary helps Info Edge explore technology investments and related opportunities. By putting more money into it, Info Edge is giving itself more room to back startups, invest in funds and support new businesses.

Info Edge has used startup investing as a long-term strategy for years. It was an early investor in companies such as Zomato and Policybazaar. Not every startup investment becomes a major success, but Info Edge has shown patience in building a portfolio.

The latest investment in Startup Investments Holding suggests the company wants to keep that strategy active.

Competitors

Factrika operates in the broader blue-collar and workforce hiring space. Its direct focus is factory and industrial jobs, but it will still compete with larger platforms.

Apna, founded in 2019 by Nirmit Parikh, is a major professional networking and hiring platform for India’s rising workforce. WorkIndia, founded in 2015, connects blue-collar job seekers with employers. BetterPlace, founded in 2015 by Pravin Agarwala and Uday Singh, works in frontline workforce management, hiring and verification.

Factrika’s edge may come from focus. Instead of trying to serve every job category, it is building around manufacturing and industrial roles. That focus can help it understand factory needs better.

What it means for Info Edge shareholders

For shareholders, this is not a huge investment compared with Info Edge’s total business size. But it shows where the company is looking for future growth.

Recruitment is changing. AI tools are affecting office hiring. Manufacturing is creating new workforce demand. Informal hiring is slowly moving online. Platforms that can solve trust, speed and skill matching may find a strong market.

Info Edge’s investment in Factrika gives it a seat in this developing space. The Rs. 90 crore infusion into Startup Investments Holding also gives it more flexibility to keep backing technology-led opportunities.

Conclusion with key takeaways

Info Edge’s Rs. 8.90 crore investment in Factrika and Rs. 90 crore investment in Startup Investments Holding show a clear strategy. The company wants to stay close to new hiring models and keep building its startup investment pipeline.

Factrika is still early, but the problem it is solving is practical. India’s factories need reliable workers, and workers need verified jobs without middlemen. If Factrika can build trust at scale, it may become a useful platform in India’s industrial employment market.

Key takeaways –

• Info Edge has approved investments worth around Rs. 98.90 crore.
• It will invest around Rs. 8.90 crore in Udyogtech Ventures Private Limited, which operates Factrika.
• Factrika is an on-demand industrial workforce platform.
• Info Edge will initially get 18.58 percent shareholding in Factrika.
• The company has the option to raise its stake to about 26 percent in a second tranche.
• Info Edge will also invest Rs. 90 crore in Startup Investments Holding Limited, its wholly owned subsidiary.
• The move fits Info Edge’s broader interest in hiring, technology startups and digital workforce platforms.

A major component of the labor force is blue collar jobs which include a broad range of occupations including skilled professions and physical labor. Blue collar workers are indispensable to the numerous industries and sectors. These are the gurus who deal with the mechanical issues, plumbing, electricity, and construction work. This article will guide you through what are the blue collar work-forces including and how you could find the opportunities in this industry if you are still wondering what blue collar career is for you but not sure where to start.

Understanding Blue Collar Jobs

Physical work and specific knowledge or training are often needed for blue collar jobs. Blue collar employments are practical and hands-on in nature, in contrast to white collar positions, which are frequently office-based and involve administrative or managerial roles. Typical illustrations of blue collar jobs are as follows-

• Construction Worker
• Electrician
• Plumber
• Electric Welder
• HVAC Technician
• Automotive Technician
• Carpenter
• Machinist
• Landscaper
• Truck Driver

Eligibility for the Blue Collar Job

The specific job position and industry usually decide the biggest factor on the side of the eligibility of blue collar jobs. In blue-collar employment the work is mostly about manual labor and practical abilities, whereas, in white-collar jobs the work requires formal education and specialized expertise. These are the regular conditions that a person should meet in order to get into a blue-collar job.

1. Education

Once the high school or secondary schooling gets over, many blue-collar jobs are the ones that do not need any formal training. Some jobs could even have such requirements that they go through apprenticeships, certification programs or vocational training programs that are specific to the trade or sector.

2. Skills and Experience

The practical skills, real-world experience and technological knowledge are usually more preferred in blue-collar employment than in formal education. Applicants with the industry experience, for example, the former employees in the main manufacturing, construction, maintenance, transportation, or other skilled crafts, might be the preferred ones by the employers.

3. Physical Fitness

The recruitment of the blue-collar occupations should be done for the candidates who are physically fit and able to perform the necessary activities safely and effectively, since most of these positions require manual work and physical responsibilities. This can be translated to doing the work by using machinery and equipment, working in different weather conditions, lifting large objects, or standing for long periods of time.

4. Licensing and Certification

It is obligatory to have the licenses, certifications or permits to carry out some of the blue-collar jobs lawfully. Commercial drivers, on the other hand, would have to be driving licensed and to have the endorsements, while construction workers might also have to be certified to handle hazardous chemicals or operate heavy machinery.

5. Soft Skills

Employers mostly give more importance to soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and attention to detail in addition to technical abilities in blue-collar jobs. The aforementioned applications of these skills are the obligatory procedures for following directions, working together with colleagues, and ensuring that the safety and quality requirements are met at work.

6. Legal Requirements

Some blue-collar jobs may be under the scope of regulations or they can be regulated based on the industry and the locality. For example, the requirements may vary from one job to another, like the background checks, drug tests, and adherence to occupational health and safety regulations that are often needed for specific positions.

Normally, the blue-collar jobs do not need the formal schooling or the academic credentials, but the qualifying requirements revolve around the practical skills, experience and the fit for the particular employment type. By the attainment of the right kind of experience, certifications, and skills, and a good work ethic, people can enhance their chances of getting a blue collar industry job.

Ways to Find Blue Collar Jobs

1. Job Search Websites

In order to discover blue collar job openings in your area, you can use online job posting websites or job search portals like Indeed, Monster, and ZipRecruiter. Use words such as “electrician,” “plumber” or “construction worker” in your search to narrow down it. The result would show the jobs that match your interests and skill set.

2. Trade Schools and Apprenticeships

To get the hands-on training and also the experience in a certain craft or skill, you can consider enrolling in an apprenticeship program or trade school in your area. You can acquire the knowledge while working at the trade schools that provide the programs that are made up of both classroom learning and on-the-job training.

3. Networking

You can use the blue collar business to connect with potential employers and find hidden career opportunities by networking with the people in the field of the blue collar business. Join industry meetings, trade shows and networking events to either get information about career opportunities or to get in touch with people who can point you to a job.

4. Local Unions and Associations

You will be able to get the job postings, training courses, and networking opportunities in your profession of choice by becoming a member of a local trade union or a professional group. Besides, various unions and associations also assist with apprenticeship programs and place people in suitable jobs.

5. Job Fairs and Hiring Events

Join the hiring events, the career expos, and the job fairs that are sponsored by the local community educational institutions, corporations, and trade associations. These events are the perfect opportunity to network with the potential employers, to apply for jobs, and to have the interview for the blue collar jobs in person.

6. Company Websites and Referrals

Search for job ads and the ways of applying to the jobs on the career pages of the firms that interest you when you check their websites. Moreover, contact your friends, relatives, and colleagues who work in the blue-collar industries and ask them about the job opportunities or advice inside their organizations.

Conclusion
For individuals who enjoy working with their hands, solving real-world issues, and having a noticeable impact on their communities, blue collar jobs are the careers that can meet their needs. You can easily find blue collar work that suits your skillset, hobbies, and career goals by using job searching websites, trade schools and apprenticeships, networking with industry experts, joining local unions and associations, going to hiring events and job fairs, and using company websites and referrals. You can have a job that is rewarding and also enjoyable in the blue collar field if you are determined, persistent, and you are ready to learn.

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