Trump called Bezos to complain about Amazon report

Former US President Donald Trump reportedly called Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos to object to a news report claiming the company would show the impact of tariffs on product prices. Amazon denied the report, stating it had no plans to display tariff-related pricing on its retail site and had not implemented any such changes.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/m6L4dNU

In fierce UPI fight, new players Flipkart-backed Super.Money, Navi, Cred start to gain ground

New-generation UPI apps such as Navi, Cred, Bhim, and Super.Money have been quietly gaining market share over the last six months, aggressively using cashbacks and incentives to carve out a slice of the growing digital payments market. NPCI data shows that these smaller apps have collectively nearly doubled their market share.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/JvleuHR

Solar-focussed NBFC Metafin raises $10 million in round led by Vertex Ventures SEA & India

Existing investors Prime Venture Partners and Varanium Capital participated in the Series A round, along with Northern Arc and AU Small Finance Bank. The funds will be used to deepen its presence in existing markets, expand into new states, and strengthen its tech, credit, and service infrastructure.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/dFusWYN

High US tariffs pushing Chinese exporters to tap Indian firms for shipments to America: FIEO

High US tariffs on Chinese goods are pushing American sourcing firms and Chinese exporters to approach Indian companies for supplies, creating major opportunities for Indian exporters. FIEO highlights rising interest, though regulatory hurdles remain for Chinese firms investing in India.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/RJ6cGWQ

IT grapples with 20%+ drop in deal pricing on macro, AI impact

This scenario is expected to sustain leading IT firms to sharpen focus on cost efficiencies and vendor consolidation amid continued slowdown in technology spends by most corporate clients, analysts said. After Covid's strong growth period, the over-$280 billion technology services outsourcing industry has seen projects tilt towards cost takeout and vendor consolidation.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/IOr7AqN

Singapore orders foreigners' Facebook posts taken down under new election rules

Singapore has ordered Meta to block local access to posts by three foreigners accused of trying to sway the upcoming May 3 election along racial and religious lines. The move, under new social media rules, sparked denials from those involved and raised concerns about foreign interference in domestic politics.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/V23JRpz

Israel's AI experiments in the war in Gaza raise ethical concerns

The Gaza conflict saw rapid deployment of AI tools—from facial recognition to Arabic-language chatbots—raising both strategic advantages and ethical concerns over surveillance, misidentification, and unintended civilian harm. These technologies, developed by Unit 8200 and tech-industry reservists, mark a new era of real-time AI use in warfare, prompting urgent debate over accountability and the human cost.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/9somRb6

India grappling with a dearth of agentic AI experts

India is grappling with a critical shortage of agentic AI professionals as demand surges, driven by the shift towards sophisticated AI agents capable of autonomous decision-making. The current talent pool of under 100,000 is struggling to meet the projected need of 200,000 by 2026, leading to soaring salaries and intense competition among GCCs, IT firms, and startups.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/cuxLkib

Samsung to invest $117 million in southern Indian facility, minister says

Samsung Electronics will invest ₹10 billion ($117 million) in its southern India plant despite recent labor unrest. Following strikes and protests over suspensions and wage demands, the move signals continued confidence in Tamil Nadu’s workforce, with plans to add 100 jobs at the facility.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/yc0SgzH

After years of failed AI deals, Intel plans homegrown challenge to Nvidia

Intel aims to challenge Nvidia's AI chip dominance with a homegrown, holistic strategy under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan. Emphasising product refinement and full-system offerings, Intel will shift from acquisitions to in-house innovation, though analysts warn breaking into the market remains a steep, uncertain climb.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/uLM3Uz4

Mid-tier IT company Persistent's Q4 net profit balloons 25%

While healthcare will continue to see softness, CEO and executive director Sandeep Kalra is optimistic that banking, financial services & insurance and technology sectors to lead growth in the next three to four quarters.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/3YEqxfR

Meta lays off employees in Reality Labs division: Report

While the exact number of layoffs is not yet known, these latest layoffs follow a broader round of job cuts in February, when Meta reduced its workforce by nearly 3,600 roles—about 5% of its global headcount—citing performance-related concerns. The downsising aligns with CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s push to build a leaner, more agile organisation.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/7lUOxuH

Should we start taking the welfare of AI seriously?

As AI systems grow more advanced, some researchers are beginning to explore whether these models could one day become conscious and deserve moral consideration. While today's AI lacks true awareness, the debate raises ethical questions about how we treat intelligent machines—even as many believe the focus should remain on protecting humans.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/gyzA5tQ

Teaching AI morality like a child: DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis talks of ethical use of AI

In a conversation with Scott Pelley of CBS, the Nobel Prize awardee said that current AI systems do not exhibit any form of consciousness or self-awareness. What matters more is that systems understand concepts of “self” and “other”—an early step toward more advanced cognitive abilities, Pelley pointed out.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/0kLviVw

OpenAI’s image generator is now open to businesses worldwide via API

OpenAI has launched the gpt-image-1 API, enabling developers to integrate ChatGPT's image generation capabilities into their products. The model supports diverse visual styles and applications in design, marketing, and education. It includes safety filters and privacy measures, with tiered pricing.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/B5jNPpw

Tariff turmoil: How Tesla and other companies are dealing with the uncertainty of the trade war

Ongoing tariff uncertainty and a volatile trade war are disrupting company forecasts and operations. Firms like Tesla, Akzo Nobel, Boston Scientific, Boeing, and AT&T report mixed impacts—ranging from supply chain disruptions to consumer demand concerns. Treasury Secretary Bessent expects de-escalation with China, but formal negotiations haven’t begun, leaving future impacts unclear.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/3fLN5OF

Crisis-hit BluSmart’s 500 staffers await clarity on their salary dues

On April 16, BluSmart suspended its ride-hailing operation. A day later, in an email to its customers, the company said it would initiate a refund of their balance amount on the BluSmart app within 90 days if it did not resume the services by then.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/6mgcidE

Former NIIF executive to launch $250 million PE fund

Padmanabh Sinha, former executive of NIIF, is launching a new $250 million private equity fund under LaunchBay Capital to invest in growth-stage companies. Targeting $25–50 million deals, the fund will focus on sectors like tech, finance, and manufacturing.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/Kzrcew4

ISRO achieves docking of SpaDeX satellites for second time

ISRO has successfully completed a second autonomous satellite docking under its Spadex mission, a key milestone for future space endeavours. The experiment included inter-satellite power transfer and builds on earlier trials. It supports ISRO’s long-term goals, including a space station and human lunar mission.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/kvQfBzX

Countries shore up their digital defenses as global tensions raise the threat of cyberwarfare

Russian hackers targeted Texas water plants in a 2023 cyberattack, testing US infrastructure vulnerabilities. Experts warn of rising global cyberthreats amid geopolitical tensions. With AI-driven threats growing, calls for stronger US defenses intensify, though Trump-era cuts to cybersecurity programs have sparked concern. China, Iran, and others also expand cyber efforts.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/X3Oot6e

NBFC Finodaya Capital raises $2.5 million from White Venture Capital, others

Finodaya, which received its NBFC licence from the Reserve Bank of India on April 11, plans to offer micro loans against property to small businesses and micro enterprises across India and establish physical branches, cofounder Lokendra Tomar told ET.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/2fVruyl

BluSmart bond holders may invoke immediate repayment provisions

BluSmart Mobility, which raised approximately Rs 100 crore through non-convertible debentures (NCDs) from high-net-worth individuals and retail investors, may soon face an ‘Event of Default’ demand from bondholders.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/PJvoNT1

India, Indonesia not kind to cloud kitchens, says Uber cofounder Travis Kalanick

In conversation with investor Peter Diamandis at the 2025 Moonshot Summit, former Uber CEO and cofounder Travis Kalanick said he went into markets he shouldn't have. "Just so happens, you can't make money on [cloud] kitchens in India," he said, adding that Indonesia and Columbia are to be avoided as well.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/0bNlvsF

BluSmart allegations will erode investor trust, warns former BSE chairman S Ravi

Former BSE chairman S Ravi warned that mishaps like Gensol could shake the confidence of investors in the new ventures and tarnish the credibility of even the well-established startups. Going forward, he suggested that startups and the promotors should communicate more and make more honest disclosures to stop such incidents.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/9NO7g3A

ETtech Explainer: How Trump tariffs hit Nvidia’s China business, and stock

The US has tightened curbs on export of high-end AI chips to China for the third time, which has exacerbated the pain for semiconductor major Nvidia and its peers amid the Trump tariff-led global uncertainty. As tech stocks lead index routs, we take a deeper look what the barriers could mean for technology and trade.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/fpRr4uj

Work-life balance: Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha says company's fast paced culture not for everyone

Amid the ongoing work-life balance debate, Palicha made headlines for the wrong reasons last years with his tweet: "Nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors." In a recent interview with Y Combinator’s Garry Tan, he said join Zepto if you're looking to do the best work of your life.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/JtzOpSi

BluSmart crisis: Green mobility’s red flag is giving HNIs bond blues

The bondholders’ concerns stem from cash-strapped BluSmart’s failure to raise $50 million in a fresh round and an ongoing probe by markets regulator Sebi into Gensol Engineering—promoted by BluSmart’s cofounder Anmol Singh Jaggi, said people aware of the development. Investors, who trusted the fintech platforms to do a thorough due diligence before syndicating the bonds, have started losing faith.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/R58UagA

Google makes Gemini Advanced free for US college students

The company said Gemini Advanced, including Deep Research, Gemini Live, Canvas and video generation products, will be free for college students. Gemini will be enabled in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, and Google's experimental image and video generation tool Whisk will also be available, the tech giant said in a blog post.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/komEzUw

‘We almost died’: Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha reflects on Silicon Valley Bank crisis

Zepto had operational funds stuck in SVB ​at the height of the crisis, along with many other Y Combinator-backed startups. According to a WhatsApp poll reported by ET, at least 40 Indian startups backed by YC had between $250,000 and $1 million in SVB, while over 20 startups had deposits exceeding $1 million—leaving them dangerously exposed.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/ZTk57Q2

Nazara to add Rs 800-1,000 crore to M&A war chest

Nazara Technologies is targeting global gaming studios with established intellectual properties, strong teams, annual revenue of around Rs 100 crore and an earnings margin before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda margin) of at least 20% for acquisition.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/xqXd40p

'Tough, sad for those involved': Boat cofounder Aman Gupta reflects on BluSmart’s troubles

Aman Gupta said incidents like these shake trust in the startup ecosystem and highlighted the importance of strong ethics and compliance. He urged entrepreneurs not just to chase growth, but to focus on building responsible and well-governed companies.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/6BMIquc

Spotify says it's back after an hours long outage disrupts thousands of users

Spotify faced a major outage Wednesday, with over 48,000 users reporting issues like app loading, playback, and search errors. The disruption began at 6:20 a.m. ET and was resolved by 11:45 a.m. ET. Spotify denied any security breach and thanked users for their patience.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/4sQDqL2

Pause on accepting new proposals under IndiaAI after April 22

The government will pause accepting new proposals under the Rs 10,000 crore IndiaAI Mission after April 22 due to high response volumes. The deadline for phase 3 has been extended to April 22. Over 190 proposals were received in earlier rounds, including LLMs and SLMs, which are under evaluation.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/uAVpsnS

ETtech Explainer: Decoding OpenAI’s new GPT-4.1 model with better coding skills

OpenAI has launched a new set of artificial intelligence (AI) models called GPT-4.1, along with lighter versions GPT-4.1 Mini and GPT-4.1 Nano. These models are designed to do a better job at tasks such as writing code, following instructions, and understanding long documents or conversations.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/lck6YB0

Gensol promoter Anmol Jaggi invested in Ashneer Grover's startup using diverted funds: Sebi interim order

An order issued by market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Tuesday detailed various examples of diverting funds that Gensol raised to procure electric vehicles (EVs). A list in the order shows Jaggi transferred Rs 6 crore to his mother, Rs 2 crore to his wife, and Rs 50 lakh to Grover's Third Unicorn.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/gUyVNGz

Google's spam policy hit by EU antitrust complaint from German media company

Launched in March last year, Google's site reputation abuse policy targets the practice of publishing third-party pages on a site in an attempt to abuse search rankings by taking advantage of the host site's ranking signals, commonly referred to as parasite SEO.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/GwagVNo

Scoop: Flipkart product, tech head Jeyandran Venugopal may join Reliance Retail Ventures as CEO

Jeyandran Venugopal, Flipkart’s outgoing chief product and technology officer, will likely head Reliance Industries Limited’s (RIL) consumer-facing businesses. Venugopal is expected to take charge of Reliance Retail Ventures (RRV), which operates platforms such as Reliance Brands, JioMart, Ajio, Tira and other online and offline retail businesses.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/USZ0Lef

ET Graphics: How geopolitics influences technology

​​Although trade pressures may increase the cost of AI infrastructure projects, Big Tech companies look undeterred indicating continued confidence in the disruptive technology. But factoring in caution for oversupply, some companies are also reassessing expansion plans.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/mX6xgyd

OpenAI’s Sam Altman calls for new revenue sharing models in GenAI age

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addressed copyright concerns around its Ghibli-style image generator, clarifying it avoids replicating living artists’ work. He emphasised the need for new revenue-sharing models to support creators in the AI era, calling for a balance between artistic inspiration, consent, and fair compensation as generative tools reshape creative industries.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/v8FVBYt

Cricketer Jasprit Bumrah backs luggage startup Uppercase as an investor

Indian cricketer Jasprit Bumrah has made his first startup investment in luggage brand Uppercase. The partnership includes co-developing a product line for sportspersons. This reflects a wider trend of cricketers turning investors. Uppercase, backed by Accel, aims to break even soon and may explore a public listing in the future.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/kmLbZ5T

WhatsApp faces outage for the second time, netizens react

According to Downdetector, which tracks downtime on popular platforms, user complaints regarding WhatsApp services surged to over 3,133 at 8:19 PM. Meanwhile, some users also reported experiencing similar issues on Facebook and Instagram, which are also owned by Meta.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/P4RMfT2

How the crypto industry's political spending is paying off

Since President Donald Trump's inauguration, the Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped lawsuits against major crypto firms such as Coinbase and Kraken, lifting a legal cloud over the industry. An investor in crypto, Trump signed an executive order last month calling for the creation of a national crypto reserve -- a government stockpile containing bitcoin and other digital currencies.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/ZpO8n3W

Smartphones and computers get reprieve from new US tariffs on China

The exemptions are not a full reprieve. Other tariffs will still apply to electronics and smartphones. The Trump administration had applied a tariff of 20% on Chinese goods earlier this year for what the administration said was the country's role in the fentanyl trade. And the administration could still end up increasing tariffs for semiconductors, a vital component of smartphones and other electronics.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/i3VH7SG

TCS calls up group veterans to lead the voyage into AI

The IT giant has also created a new position of chief strategy officer appointing Mangesh Sathe, who currently is the chief executive of Tata Strategic Management Group. Sathe, who had previously worked as a principal with the Boston Consulting Group, will also head the Global Consulting Practice and oversee the M&A functions at TCS once he joins in May.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/3ZSjmkg

Chinese electronics company Anker starts raising prices on Amazon

US import tariffs on Chinese products now stand at 145%. Beijing on Friday raised its tariff on U.S. goods to 125%, as a trade war between the world's top two economies intensifies. The move follows warnings from China's largest cross-border ecommerce association that many Chinese companies that sell products on Amazon are preparing to hike prices for the U.S. or quit the market due to the tariffs.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/pmFkOsa

Meta flags DPDP Act clauses, seeks government collaboration

Emphasising the importance of personalised experiences, Rob Sherman, Meta's vice president of policy and deputy chief privacy officer, said, "You don't see the same Facebook news feed that I see. We each get a personalised experience that's based on what we're interested in. And I think that's an important part of using a service like Facebook or Instagram."

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/GAI1u4U

Apple has few incentives to start making iPhones in US, despite Trump's trade war with China

Despite Trump's tariffs aiming to push Apple to manufacture iPhones in the U.S., experts say it's unlikely due to high costs, complex supply chains, and labor challenges. Shifting production could triple iPhone prices, hurt sales, and isn’t feasible before at least 2028.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/y62inI1

Canva launches spreadsheets, a competitor to Microsoft Excel with an ultimate focus on enterprise sales

Speaking with ET, Robert Kawalsky, global head of product at Canva, said that this platform is compatible with all forms of data sets, hence companies can plug in their CRM (customer relationship management) data or Hubspot database and work with them on Canva Sheets. Canva wants to expand its scope of usage at enterprises, which is one of the major business development areas for the $49 billion startup.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/0pFyCrJ

Global AI race intensifies as China closes gap in quality; OpenAI, Google hold strong: Report

China has been advancing its AI capabilities with the launch of Alibaba's Qwen Series, DeepSeek’s R1, ManusAI and Tencent’s Hunyuan Turbo S, among others. This is thanks to China’s aggressive investments in AI infrastructure, advanced computing capabilities, and state-sponsored research initiatives.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/6ProWVf

Trump administration backs off Nvidia's H20 chip crackdown after Mar-a-Lago dinner: Report

The change in plans came after Nvidia promised the Trump administration new U.S. investments in AI data centers, the NPR report said. US President Donald Trump's administration was considering tightening restrictions on the AI leader's sales of its H20 chips designed for the China market, Reuters had reported in January.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/tDmqTFZ

Amazon considers $15 billion warehouse expansion plan

Amazon is exploring a $15 billion expansion for 80 new logistics hubs across the US, pending capital partner proposals. Some centers will feature robotics. Separately, it reportedly canceled orders from Asian vendors post-US tariff hikes, highlighting tensions amid escalating global trade conflicts.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/roGxXmI

Some part of US tariffs here to stay: Tata Sons chairman Chandrasekaran

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran said some U.S. tariffs are likely to remain, noting the real challenge is the shift from decades-old globalisation norms. He highlighted ongoing supply chain issues and announced Tata’s plan to open seven new factories by 2027.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/IwXFbrJ

Government launches new Aadhaar app: No need to carry photocopies anymore

In a major step towards digital convenience and privacy, the Centre on Tuesday launched a new Aadhaar app that allows users to verify and share their Aadhaar details digitally -- eliminating the need to carry physical cards or submit photocopies.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/38ZpBeM

Indian STEM grads may run out of US stay OPTions

The development has panicked existing F-1 and M-1 student visa holders who are frantically applying for jobs that can transition them to an H-1B work visa, primarily sponsored by large US and Indian technology companies, said experts. The Open Doors 2024 report shows that over 300,000 Indian students were enrolled in US institutions during the 2023-24 academic year, with nearly one-third eligible for OPT.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/54znFNL

US crypto stocks slip as bitcoin hits new 2025 low

Shares of US-listed crypto firms plunged as Bitcoin hit its 2025 low, driven by trade war fears and risk-off sentiment. Coinbase and Robinhood dropped sharply, reflecting weakened investor confidence and doubts over crypto’s safe-haven status amid escalating global economic tensions.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/Oqy1sfD

Digital payment company Easebuzz bags $30 million lead by Bessemer

Speaking with ET, Rohit Prasad, managing director, Easebuzz, said that existing investors 8i Ventures and Varanium Capital also participated in the round. Dexter Capital acted as an advisor to Easebuzz to facilitate this funding. The company closed FY25 with a net profit of Rs 22 crore and gross revenue of Rs 650 crore.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/WvGeI2K

Revolut gets RBI nod for PPIs, wallets

Revolut India already holds licences to function as a Category-II Authorised Money Exchange Dealer (AD-II), and to offer multi-currency forex cards and cross-border remittance services. With the PPI licence in place, Revolut can now offer both international and domestic payment solutions under one platform in India. Through its mobile wallet product, Revolut will also be able to offer UPI payment services to its Indian customers.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/dS0emvy

Shipping giant CMA CGM and French AI startup target customer service in tie-up

After drawing massive funding, the AI sector is under pressure to deliver gains, with the emergence of low-cost Chinese AI model DeepSeek unsettling investors. Mistral gained huge exposure at an international AI gathering in Paris in February, feted by President Emmanuel Macron as a European champion to compete with American giants such as OpenAI, which produces ChatGPT.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/W9xvGoL

Meta releases new AI model Llama 4

Meta said Llama is a multimodal AI system. Multimodal systems are capable of processing and integrating various types of data including text, video, images and audio, and can convert content across these formats.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/CPT3Uzi

Sight beyond quick fixes, towards long-term innovation: EaseMyTrip cofounder on Piyush Goyal's startup remark

Rikant Pitti -- who weighed into the industry conversation about value and innovation proposition in startup ecosystem in wake of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's recent remarks -- outlined the company's efforts, in the past and now, to set new benchmarks right from travel bookings with zero convenience fees to introducing AI-driven solutions, to green mobility initiatives.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/UBihtMP

Second fund of funds’ first instalment, Startup India Desk in works: Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal, union minister for commerce, also said that the second fund of funds for startups (FFS) with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore has been approved and this year, Rs 2,000 crore will be disbursed to SIDBI as the first installment. A significant portion of the fund will be reserved for seed funding of small startups and to support deep-tech innovation.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/LC9vmFl

Zomato parent Eternal's COO for food delivery Rinshul Chandra resigns

Chandra had joined the company in 2018 and was elevated to the role of food delivery COO in 2023. In the food delivery segment, which is led by Rakesh Ranjan, the company has witnessed a slowdown in growth amid broader consumption softness.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/kLb1RO0

Donald Trump says he will extend TikTok deadline for 75 days

Trump added that he looked forward to working with TikTok and China to close the deal, and that he did not want the app to "go dark." China now faces a 54% tariff on goods imported into the United States. Trump has said he would be willing to reduce tariffs on China to get a deal done with ByteDance.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/KdoAnNC

Meta's content moderation contractor cuts 2,000 jobs in Barcelona

Meta invested billions and hired thousands of content moderators globally over the years to police sensitive content, but in January it scrapped its US fact-checking programme, following the election of President Donald Trump.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/rA4PEje

Solartech startup Aerem raises Rs 100 crore in round led by Japan-based UTEC

British International Investment, SE Ventures, Riverwalk Holdings, and Avaana Capital participated in the round, which was a mix of equity and debt. The funds will be used to expand its operations pan India, improve financing and marketplace solutions, strengthen the platform, and diversify the lending portfolio.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/7wMp2ry

Startups in non-metros see value in digital marketing; aim to compete with bigger markets

Driving this trend are affordability, talent availability, and improved internet connectivity, with cities such as Jaipur, Indore, Coimbatore, and Kochi leading the charge. Greater internet penetration and digital expansion of businesses will boost demand for digital marketing, say experts.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/he8sJgF

US Senate committee reviews Meta efforts to gain access to Chinese market

The senators want Meta to disclose extensive records including all Meta communications or records of meetings with Chinese government officials since 2014 by April 21.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/o8R5YeW

Hillary Clinton joins Bluesky amid growing exodus from X

This follows former president Barack Obama debuting on the platform last week. Though Bluesky’s user base remains smaller than that of X, the open-source social network has amassed over 33 million users. Bluesky has positioned itself as an alternative social media platform for users dissatisfied with X’s shift to the right.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/C7ZNl2r

Eruditus FY24 Ebitda loss narrows, founder cites focus on profitability

Eruditus was among the few edtech startups to have raised capital last year. It raised $150 million at a flat valuation of $3.2 billion post-money, led by TPG Rise, an impact investment fund from the US private equity investment firm. Existing investors SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Leeds Illuminate, Accel, CPP Investments and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative had also participated in the round.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/RagJxev

Amazon bids to buy TikTok as deadline looms, US administration official says

Amazon is the latest name to pop up in a list of reported buyers. Donald Trump said last month that his administration was in touch with four different groups about the sale of the platform, without identifying them.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/LazMAmo

EV finance company charged up over electric commercial vehicles

Industry estimates suggest India will need $30 billion in EV financing over the next five years. While banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) focus on passenger EVs, fintechs are targeting commercial vehicles.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/kOdYz7K

Trump tantrums and client rethinks likely to slow IT recovery

India’s $280 billion IT services sector faces delays in recovery due to economic uncertainties, client budget cuts, and deal pauses. Analysts predict minimal growth, with mid-tier firms outpacing larger rivals. FY26 demand growth remains uncertain.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/xR5CLsl

AI Mission GPU L1 bidders set to get workloads assigned by April second week

Reliance Jio, E2E, NxtGen, Locuz, and CtrlS, as L1 bidders in IndiaAI Mission's GPU tender, will receive AI workloads. They’ll integrate with the AI Compute portal by April 14, with further evaluations and fresh applications in April.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/cZrRmn3

Outsourcing firm WNS fields takeover interest, sources say

If the talks are successful, a deal could be signed in the coming weeks, the sources said, cautioning that the deliberations are fluid and WNS could choose not to proceed with a transaction. WNS shares jumped more than 14% on the news to touch a 52-week high on Tuesday, before paring some gains.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/iDlTMj4

Influencer commerce startup Lehlah raises Rs 12.5 crore in funding led by Nikhil Kamath’s Gruhas

Currently focused on fashion and beauty, Lehlah is now expanding into home accessories and gadgets. It recently partnered with Flipkart to market a wider range of products, including homeware, kitchen appliances, and other household essentials.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/uTmc6f3

Elon Musk’s Neuralink to implant Blindsight prosthesis in a human by 2025 end

According to Musk, Blindsight is designed to allow those who have lost both eyes and their optic nerve to see and even enable individuals who were born blind to experience sight for the first time. Neuralink, cofounded by Elon Musk in 2016, endeavours to create a generalised brain interface that restores autonomy to individuals with medical challenges.

from Tech-Economic Times https://ift.tt/k2VJQjN