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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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