Lightspeed may lead $50-60 million round in healthcare company Qure AI

Venture capital fund Lightspeed will lead a $50-60 million investment in Qure.ai through its growth fund. Sources said the VC fund will invest around $20-25 million in the AI company and is looking to buy some secondary shares as well.

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Infosys, Wipro to start fintech hubs in GIFT City’s IFSC under Techfin framework

Both companies have taken large office spaces within the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) to set up their operations under the TechFin framework, through which they will focus on services aligned with financial technology catering to their global clients.

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Tally is at work on new accounting platform for small businesses

Bengaluru-based Tally Solutions, a software solutions provider for small businesses, is planning a larger financial services play, intending to get into financial reconciliation, credit offerings, and an integrated tax filing service.

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NIOS Hall Ticket for Secondary and Senior Secondary courses for Oct/Nov 2024 Public Exams out at sdmis.nios.ac.in: Direct link here

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) has released admit cards for the October/November 2024 practical examinations. Students can download their hall tickets from sdmis.nios.ac.in. The practical exams for classes 10 and 12 will take place from September 20 to October 7, 2024. Admit cards are required for entry into the exam center.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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The missing layer of the India stack

Given our population and a proven track record of providing talent for global IT, why is India at risk of missing the AI bus? Most global travellers would vouch for the fact that no other country is as digitally savvy and inclusive as India. With hundreds of millions online, we also have the largest and most active user base for the biggest technology companies in the world.

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Bits & Bytes: Huawei shows the world its $2,800 ‘trifold’ phone

The technology giant unveiled its Mate XT, the first tri-foldable phone, just hours after Apple introduced its AI-enhanced iPhone 16.“Apple hasn’t fallen, but Huawei has truly risen again,” commented one user on Weibo, China’s equivalent to X. Another wrote: “Times are changing. US sanctions have been in vain.”

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Apple’s watch series 10: a powerhouse that goes beyond monitoring

Series 10 boasts of Apple’s largest and most advanced display. It has 30% more screen area, a 40% brighter display, which improves visibility and readability, and an OLED screen that’s very power-efficient. Series 10 is also the thinnest Apple Watch ever, at 9.7 millimeters. A metal back integrates the antenna into the housing, improving cellular performance and maintaining 50-metre water resistance.

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OpenAI's $150 billion valuation hinges on upending corporate structure

OpenAI is set to raise $6.5 billion through convertible notes, contingent on restructuring its corporate structure and removing a profit cap for investors. The funding round, valuing OpenAI at $150 billion, has strong investor interest from Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures, Microsoft, Nvidia, Apple, and Sequoia Capital.

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Winners of ET Startup Awards 2024; and other top stories this week

We at ETtech were neck-deep preparing for the past few months to bring to you the tenth edition of The Economic Times Startup Awards (ETSA). We reached out to more than 150 of the country’s top entrepreneurs, investors and other stakeholders to compile a list of the best entrepreneurial talent. Then we distilled it to arrive at the final nominees.

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‘Sachet’ covers now guard against cyber fraudsters using AI

A recent study by Deloitte said that India’s cyber insurance market worth $50–60 million in 2023 is expected to grow at an annual rate of 27–30% in the next five years.

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ET Startup Awards 2024 | Top Innovator: BrainSight AI forces a rethink

Founded in 2020, when the entire health sector was focused on fighting the pandemic, the startup had a tough time convincing hospitals to let it test its hypothesis and explaining the potential upsides of the software to top neurologists in the country.

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ET Startup Awards 2024 | Best on Campus: ClaimBuddy stays on pulse to take home campus star prize

The startup that provides digital infrastructure to hospitals for processing insurance claims and assists patients in getting faster pay-outs was praised for its mission to improve a massive pain point for users.

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Wealthtech startup Centricity raises $20 million in round led by Lightspeed India Partners

Returning investors Burman Family Office and Shantanu Agarwal, among others, participated. The startup, now valued at $125 million, had earlier raised $4 million in September 2022, in a round led by the Burman Family Office at a $20 million valuation. The fresh funds will be used to scale its platforms Invictus and One Digital.

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Ex-Google executive said goal was to 'crush' competition, trial evidence shows

The statements underscored the US Department of Justice's claim that Google has sought to monopolize markets for publisher ad servers and advertiser ad networks, and tried to dominate the market for ad exchanges which sit in the middle.

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ET Startup Awards 2024: Startups with impact and a sustainable vision to take the prize

For the ET Startup Awards 2024, jury members from across the globe will come together on September 11 to recognise the brightest and best entrepreneurial talent.

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ET Startup Awards 2024: Nominees for Midas Touch

The award will recognise the most lucrative exit in the year. The decision will be made based on the volume of deals as well as the size of the exit.

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ET Startup Awards 2024: Nominees for Startup of the Year

The ET Startup of the Year will be characterised by breakthrough innovation, top-class execution and fast-paced growth. The quality of the founding and management team was an important component in decision making.

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ET Startup Awards 2024: Nominees for Social Enterprise

With this category, we intend to recognise the startup that best embodies the ‘double bottomline’ model, one that combines profits with the public good.

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Country roads take top tech companies to labyrinths of GST notices

Tax experts say unlike Income Tax, IT companies have to do their GST registration for every state where they have opened their offices and branches. These orders are all related to cases of FY20, whose due date was on August 31, 2024, and thus the reasons for a flurry of notices before the due date. In some cases, IT firms also delayed their filings with BSE because of the coincidence of weekend falling on last month’s end.

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Not enough cabs to meet rising demand: Uber India president

While Uber and Ola continue to dominate app-based taxi service in India, they are facing increasing rivalry from newer players such as WestBridge Capital-backed Rapido, which recently closed a $200-million funding round, BluSmart, Namma Yatri and InDrive among others.Uber has more than 1.1 million active drivers on its platform in India and the number is growing continuously, Prabhjeet Singh, president of Uber India and South Asia told ET.

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Apple unveils new iPhone built for AI

Apple on Monday announced a new iPhone built for generative artificial intelligence as it seeks to boost sales and show it is keeping up in the technology race. "Apple Intelligence" is a new suite of software features for all devices that was announced in June at the company's annual developers conference, where it also announced a partnership with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI. "For years, artificial intelligence and machine learning have been essential in delivering so many of the features and experiences you love," Cook said.

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ET Startup Awards 2024: Nominees for Comeback Kid

This award celebrates failure and recognises those who have survived to tell the tale. It will be given to entrepreneurs who rebuilt or launched a more successful business.

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DU NCWEB admission 2024 third cut-off list released: Check details here

The Non-Collegiate Women’s Education Board of Delhi University (DU NCWEB) has issued the 3rd cut-off list for the admissions to BA and BCom courses. Students can visit the official website of NCWEB or DU to check and third cut-off list 2024. As per the details, the admission process has already begun.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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NITTT September 2024 admit card released: Check direct link here

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released admit cards for the NITTT exam 2024. Candidates can download them from nittt.nta.ac.in. The exam will be held on September 14, 15, 28, and 29, 2024, in two shifts. Candidates can find the direct link to the admit card and other important details here.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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A vast majority of young professionals fear AI disruption: survey

With artificial intelligence becoming more pervasive, insecurities over job displacement have emerged as a major concern. A survey finds artificial intelligence and machine learning to be the most sought-after skills in FY25, as many seek to upskill to remain relevant.

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Hornbill Orchid in talks to lead PhysicsWallah's $150-million funding at $2.8 billion valuation

This will be the second funding round for PhysicsWallah, started by Alakh Pandey, a popular teacher, in 2016 as a YouTube channel providing coaching for engineering and medical entrance tests. In 2022, the profitable edtech firm raised $102 million at a $1.1-billion valuation from WestBridge Capital and GSV Ventures in its maiden funding round.

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Zepto in talks with investment banks for potential IPO next year

The Mumbai-based startup is also talking to domestic investment banks for a potential listing of shares by August next year, one of the people said. Swiggy, the parent of Zepto’s rival Instamart, is also readying to hit the public market later this year with a $1.25 billion IPO. Its other bigger competitor, Blinkit, is owned by Zomato, a listed company since 2021.

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After a lull, industrial metaverse adoption picking up across industries: Experts

Industry executives and experts said the industrial metaverse--which refers to the digital world that mirrors the physical world, leveraging the technologies--has found the right price points to generate good returns on investment (RoI) with supporting technologies scaling up. “Industrial metaverse has gone through its waves,” said Sreenivasa Chakravarti, vice president, IOT and digital engineering, TCS.

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Maharashtra says Tower-Adani to set up $10 billion semiconductor unit

The Maharashtra cabinet has approved a $10-billion investment by a Tower Semiconductor-Adani Group joint venture to establish a semiconductor chip manufacturing unit in Taloja, Panvel. The project will have an initial capacity of 40,000 wafer starts per month, expanding to 80,000 WSPM in the second phase.

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Newer systems being added to astronaut training facility in Bengaluru: VSSC director

Unnikrishnan Nair, director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) told ET, “The building near UR Rao Satellite Centre on Old Airport Road is in place and certain systems are already in place. But we are adding more simulators. The four astronauts selected for the Gaganyaan Mission received generic Space training in Russia. The training they receive at this facility is specific to Gaganyaan.”

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RecommerceX raises $3.6 million in round led by Accel, Kae Capital

The chemical recycling and sustainability startup will use the funds to expand the team, develop tech platform, push R&D for advanced material recovery, and scale its operations. RecommerceX targets medium to large manufacturing companies and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firms as its primary customers.

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Margin focus pushes Indian IT firms away from subcontractors

In FY24, subcontracting costs hit their lowest levels in years: TCS at 6.20% of its revenue (the lowest since FY16), Infosys at 7.70% (lowest since FY21), Wipro at 11.50% (lowest since FY16), and Tech Mahindra at 12.60% (lowest since FY19), according to company data.

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WazirX parent looking for ‘white knights’ to rescue crypto exchange

“There are several ideas from ‘white knights’ to collaborate … there are creative ways to do this rather than acquiring the platform (by a third party), which is not possible in this case because the ownership is disputed,” WazirX cofounder and CEO Nischal Shetty said in a townhall on Monday.

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Harman's predictive analytics platform ForecastGPT is live

ForecastGPT, a predictive analytics platform allows organisations to forecast sales, supply chain and financial planning across industries such as retail. Being able to accurately predict future trends, allows businesses to optimise resource allocation, and enhance overall business performance. It is designed for businesses that operate in dynamic and uncertain markets, where demand and supply can vary significantly.

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BigEndian Semiconductors raised $3 million in a funding round led by Vertex Ventures SEA & India

Founded in 2024 by Kumar, Renuka Prasad, Harpreet Wadhawan, Dinesh Annayya, Kanagaraju Ponnusamy, and Jansen Cheng, the Bengaluru-based startup aims to develop homegrown semiconductor IP in India, with plans to launch its surveillance system-on-chip (SoC) solution. The company currently employs about 18 people.

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Studying Computer Science at Oxford University: All about course structure, eligibility criteria and fees

The University of Oxford offers a highly esteemed Computer Science program, ranked 4th globally by QS in 2025. This rigorous course provides a strong foundation in both theory and practice, with opportunities for specialization. Graduates are highly sought after by top employers like Google and Microsoft. The program also offers flexible course options, competitive admission requirements, and a diverse fee structure based on residency.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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HCLTech, Wipro see discretionary spends uptick in BFSI sector

In a pleasant surprise for the industry, two of the top four Indian IT companies, HCLTech and Wipro, are ramping up discretionary spends in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) segment. Experts, anticipating a rate cut in September, are hoping the revival of discretionary spending will be widespread in the next two quarters.

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PayU eyes full-stack consumer payments through its LazyPay

Digital payments company PayU is looking to expand its consumer fintech offerings through LazyPay, while maintaining its core focus on merchant payments. The Naspers-owned fintech firm plans to leverage LazyPay to develop a consumer payments and credit platform. CEO Anirban Mukherjee said PayU is anticipating regulations on allowing nonbank lenders on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for tapping credit opportunities.

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UPPSC Staff Nurse admit card 2024 released at uppsc.up.nic.in: Direct link, steps to download

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission has issued admit cards for the 2023 Staff Nurse (Ayurved and Unani) exams. The UPPSC Nurse Exam 2024 will occur on September 8, 2024, in two sessions, for 327 vacancies. Candidates are urged to download their admit cards from the UPPSC website expediently.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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Meta faces $3.6 million fine in Brazil for allowing bogus ads

In her ruling, Judge Joana Ribeiro said it was unacceptable for Meta to sell ads in an insecure way to sustain its business model. The department store, Havan, called the decision a “landmark” in protecting the company’s rights.

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Brazil judge orders shutdown of X social network; Elon Musk furious

A Supreme Court judge on Friday ordered the suspension of Elon Musk's X social media network in Brazil after the billionaire failed to comply with an order to name a new legal representative for the company. On Wednesday, Moraes told Musk "to appoint the company's new legal representative in Brazil within 24 hours" or face suspension.

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Students seek clarity as Infosys offers two pre-training rounds

Infosys' recruitment challenges reflect a wider talent acquisition crunch in the tech industry, driven by economic uncertainty and automation. Indian IT companies face mounting pressure from students, public backlash, and worker unions to address delayed onboarding processes.

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AI experts’ sky-high salary demand stumps Indian companies

According to Mark Samlal of San Francisco-based Deel, a payroll and compliance provider, at least 132 companies looking to hire AI talent in India are facing high salary expectations from candidates. Deel currently serves organisations like BCG, Nike, Forever21, Shopify, Klarna, Reddit and BBC Studios. Its 550 employees in India account for over 13% of its global workforce of 4,000.

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Applied Materials to sign MoU with TN government to establish Center of Excellence

The MoU is to be signed in San Francisco in the presence of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, MK Stalin and President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials, Dr. Prabu Raja.

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LTTS aims at $1 billion revenue for each of its three verticals

Analysts at Nuvama said, “Management forecasts India’s share of global ER&D (engineering and research and development) outsourcing market would expand at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 17–22% over 2023–30. They anticipate global ER&D spend to touch $540 billion in the auto segment, $280 billion in transport & off-highway and $120 billion in aerospace & rail by 2030.”

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Zerodha’s wealth management plans; IT firms extend fresher internships

Happy Thursday! Zerodha is deeply integrating its trading and mutual fund distribution businesses. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

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Zerodha eyes greater synergies between trading, wealth apps

Zerodha is focusing on bolstering its long-term wealth management strategy, exploring opportunities to integrate its trading and mutual fund businesses. The Bengaluru-based company currently operates distinct platforms, Kite and Coin, for trading and mutual fund transactions, respectively, but aims to unlock greater synergies between them.

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Amid cautious hiring, internship becomes mandatory and extended

It’s a new trend that has emerged this year, said KS Shridhar, dean – placement and training, at Bengaluru-based PES University. “Normally, after the last semester when students pursue their internship, they get their offer letters. But this year, many companies have extended their internship period to a couple of more months.”

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Open Cloud Compute looks to onboard 3 providers for October pilot

The Open Cloud Compute network was launched by Infosys non-executive chairman Nandan Nilekani earlier this year. It is an open interface for providers and customers of computing infrastructure. The network is hoping to hire at least three computer providers to pilot in October.

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Southern states look to outfox each other in hunt for a Foxconn ‘city’

Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn is being offered 2,000 acres of land in Telangana to build a 'Foxconn city' modelled on its facilities in its home country as well as in China, a top lawmaker told ET. Telangana has offered as-yet unidentified location to Foxconn, but other states are also aggressively courting the company.

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AI ethics boards coming up fast in Indian tech majors

Leading tech majors are building internal review boards to ensure the ethical development of AI systems, in response to the growing concerns around data privacy, sovereignty, bias, and hallucinations posed by the emergence of generative AI models.

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Convin secures $6.5 million in funding for expansion plan

Founded in 2021 by IIT Delhi alumni Ashish Santhalia, Bharat Patidar, Atul Shree and Durgesh Choudary, Convin is an AI conversation intelligence platform. The startup will use this capital to expand its core team and widen its distribution channels, CEO Santhalia told us.

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Banks up tech hiring with RBI pushing for enhanced risk management

In response to the RBI's increasing focus on financial sector stability, banks are bulking up their technology capabilities by expanding their tech teams and increasing IT investments. This comes amid the growing importance of cybersecurity and the need to adopt AI-driven services, which are becoming essential components of the banking industry.

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Uber to bring ‘Black’ back in big premiumisation push

Uber is reviving its high-end Uber Black service in India, starting with a phased rollout in Mumbai, as the company focuses on upgrading its services to cater to the premium segment. The launch is anticipated to take place within the next few weeks.

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Apple rethinks its movie strategy after a string of misses

Apple is not alone in its box office struggles. This year has seen some really big hits ("Inside Out 2," "Deadpool & Wolverine") and some notable misfires ("The Fall Guy," "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga"). And Apple has seen some of its films perform well in streaming.

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Telegram founder Paul Durov detained at French airport for 'lack of moderation' on messaging app

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GenAI levels the playing field: Mercedes Soria of robotics security company Knightscope

The technology is set to transform how problems are solved in India, even for those without a technical background, says Mercedes Soria of Knightscope

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Meta says Iranian group tried to target Trump, Biden officials' WhatsApp accounts

Meta reported on Friday that it identified possible hacking attempts on the WhatsApp accounts of U.S. officials from both the Biden and Trump administrations. The company attributed these attempts to the same Iranian hacker group previously known to have compromised the Trump campaign earlier this month.

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Top startup and tech stories this week

Welcome to a new edition of ETtech Unwrapped – our weekend newsletter packed with the most important stories from this week. Let’s take a look.

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Amazon India set to tweak seller fees ahead of festive season

Amazon India adjusted its seller fee structures starting September 9. Reduced commissions across multiple categories aimed at supporting sellers during the festive season, with a focus on low-priced products. Categories such as ethnic wear and home furnishings saw significant fee reductions, while others like backpacks and studded fine jewellery had fee increases.

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BookMyShow’s business story gets Zomato’s Paytm plot twist

BookMyShow may face strong competition from Zomato after its acquisition of Paytm's ticketing business. Zomato plans to leverage its customer base and profits from other businesses to scale its new going-out vertical, aiming to grow its order value to over Rs 10,000 crore by FY26.

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Nepal lifts TikTok ban after app addresses cyber crime concerns

Nepal has lifted a nine-month ban on TikTok after the company agreed to assist law enforcement with crime-related and inappropriate content issues. Previously banned for disturbing social harmony, TikTok now aims to support Nepal's police in addressing cyber crimes and moderating content. Nepal had seen over 1,600 TikTok-related crimes before the ban.

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Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin lays foundation for 28 projects worth Rs 51,157 crore

Singapore-headquartered renewable energy firm Sembcorp will invest Rs 36,238 crore for the establishment of a green hydrogen and green ammonia manufacturing unit in Tuticorin district. This will make Tamil Nadu the first state in the country to roll out commercial production of hydrogen molecules.

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Infosys employees start this fiscal with 80% bonus

The payout comes after Infosys led industry growth in Q1FY25 reporting healthy earnings of a 7.1% year-on-year growth in net profit on a 3.6% revenue growth as against further subdued growth by its top tier peers. The firm has also raised its revenue guidance for the full year FY25 to 3-4% in constant currency terms citing return of business demand and bullish market environment in the last two quarters.

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Infosys opens ‘Power’ programme offering freshers up to Rs 9 lakh a year

TCS offers salaries in the range of Rs 9-11 lakh per annum under ‘Prime’, a programme it launched last year. The firm has expanded its scope this year, adding newer technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI (GenAI) and machine learning (ML).

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UPI market share cap delay likely to keep online payments pie unchanged

The 30% market share cap in the UPI segment was considered improbable with only a few months left until the deadline. Newcomers revised their plans as PhonePe and Google Pay retained dominance. The government had not yet provided an official stance to the NPCI on this matter.

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Infosys to bag a $100 million pie in $1 billion Microsoft-Coca Cola deal

In a regulatory filing this month, Coca-Cola Euro Pacific Partners PLC, a subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company, said, “During the first half of 2024, the group made a commitment to TCCC (The Coca-Cola Company) to invest €167 million with Microsoft for Azure cloud migration services over a 6-year term. A further €25 million has been committed to Infosys who will act as a supporting partner.”

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Young companies find a perfect cofounder in AI to kick-start business

For all the excitement over the potential impact of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, it is not yet obvious how or when this technology will begin to measurably affect economic activity. Many businesses, especially smaller businesses, are still trying to figure out how to use it effectively.

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Cognizant CFO Jatin Dalal sees positive signals in IT demand scenario after long

Speaking about the recent controversy on low salary at the entry levels, Dalal said that it was a “misunderstanding” and for engineers the company pays salaries in the range of “Rs. 4 lakh going up to Rs. 12 lakh” for different types of work and colleges. “This Rs. 2.5 lakh salary, I want to put it on record, is not reflective of an engineer's salary. That is for a three year undergraduate course at an entry level…. So these are two very different parallel streams of hiring.”

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Festive season begins with a bang: quick commerce sees jump in sales

Blinkit and Zepto saw increased sales and expanded their product ranges for the festive season, targeting doubled SKUs for Diwali. With significant sales spikes for Rakshabandhan, the platforms also emphasised discounts and international orders. Mumbai-based rival Zepto said it aimed to deliver 3.5 million orders in the three days leading up to Rakshabandhan.

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Micro VCs find solid ground as the venture landscape reshapes

Aviral Bhatnagar introduced a Rs 100 crore fund under AJVC to back early-stage Indian startups. The fund will focus on pre-seed stage investments, with plans to invest in over 30 startups in the next three to four years, taking advantage of opportunities as larger VCs shift towards safer investments.

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Only 25% of Yotta’s GPUs used by Indian firms: CEO Sunil Gupta

On the government’s India AI Mission, chief executive Sunil Gupta said Yotta Data Services is unlikely to subsidise prices further for the government as the government plans to facilitate the availability of 10,000 GPUs-time for startups, researchers and academia. Yotta’s GPU time on an hourly basis is aggressively priced but the company would be open to negotiations once the government’s tender is out, he said.

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VCs fire up wealthtech investments as stock market surge ignites HNI boom

VCs rush to extend funding support on seeing segment’s huge growth potential. Unlike the traditional wealth management services offered by banks, wealthtech firms use data analytics and the latest technologies to provide personalised investment strategies at a fraction of the cost.

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Gen Z users oppose social media limits: poll

According to a study designed by the Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab, more than 60% of newly registered voters in the US oppose requiring kids under age 16 to seek parental consent to use social media. More than 85% of young people think there should be no time limits on when they can receive social media notifications.

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Top startup and tech stories this week

Welcome to a new edition of ETtech Unwrapped – our weekend newsletter packed with the most important stories from this week. Let’s take a look.

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EV maker Rivian halts production of Amazon delivery vans amid parts shortage, shares down 5%

Rivian suspended the production of its commercial delivery vans due to parts shortages, impacting their output for Amazon. A spokesperson indicated the company aims to recover the missed production. The shortage did not affect Rivian's other models. Amazon holds a 16% stake in Rivian, ordering 100,000 vans to be deployed by 2030.

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Only Indian companies can bid for GPU procurement: centre

As per the bid documents seen by ET, the IT ministry will also propose that the prospective bidders for the tender form a three-member consortium with one data centre provider, one cloud service provider and a systems integrator as partners. Of these three companies, one will act as the primary service provider, while the other two will be designated secondary partners, a source said.

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Optiemus seeks Rs 400 crore to expand manufacturing operations

Optiemus, in a stock exchange filing, said the fund-raise will be done through preferential allotment of 75 lakh convertible warrants, convertible in one or more tranches into equity shares of Rs 10 each, within 18 months into equity shares.

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After raising $50 million, SaaS startup Loginext liquidates assets to US entity for $250K

Backed by Tiger Global, Steadview, logistics SaaS company winds up and sells assets to a Delaware entity Stellation Inc, per a July 8 board resolution. Employee stock plan cancelled, options terminated, amid layoffs at the firm.

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Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Foxconn chief set to open industrial housing hub on Saturday

In 2020, the Tamil Nadu government sanctioned the establishment of the industrial housing facility at a cost of around Rs 706.5 crore at SIPCOT (State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu) Industrial Park, Vallam Vadagal, Sriperumbudur taluk, Kancheepuram district.

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ET Explained: AI race in focus as ByteDance hits play on AI video creator

ByteDance introduced Jimeng AI, a text-to-video generative app, limited to China. The app, developed by Faceu Technology, allows users to create 80 images or 26 videos for free. Other Chinese companies have also launched their AI models. China has approved over 40 AI models and leads in generative AI patents globally, outpacing the US.

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Hollywood union strikes deal for advertisers to replicate actors' voices with AI

The SAG-AFTRA union has finalized a deal with Narrativ, enabling actors to license AI-generated voice replicas for advertisements. This agreement ensures actors get paid fairly and have control over their digital voices. This initiative responds to rising concerns about AI and voice imitation, highlighted by recent Hollywood strikes and legal discussions.

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IT firm Happiest Minds reports growth in BFSI vertical

Happiest Minds experienced a 540 basis point increase in its BFSI vertical, influenced by the acquisitions of Aureus and PureSoftware. These acquisitions also contributed to a sequential revenue rise of 11.2%. However, net profit declined by 29.1%, attributed to acquisition-related expenses. The company's headcount grew significantly in the quarter.

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Google unveils new phones and other gadgets powered by AI

Pixel 9, the base 6.3-inch display model, will retail at a starting price of $799, which is $100 more than the previous model. This and the 6.8-inch Pixel 9 Pro XL will begin shipping later in August, a company spokesperson said. The Pixel 9 Pro, which comes with added features like a better camera, and the foldable Pixel 9 Pro Fold will ship in September.

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Payments startup Skydo secures $5 million in funding from Elevation Capital, others

For Skydo, which is awaiting the payment aggregator cross-border licence from the RBI, this round of funding follows an earlier institutional round for a similar amount from Elevation in 2022. Skydo was incorporated in 2022 by ex-PhonePe senior executive Movin Jain and Sridharan Srivatsa who was with gold loan startup Rupeek.

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India’s talent pool is critical differentiating weapon for us: Manhattan Associates CEO

Speaking about GenerativeAI, CEO Eddie Capel said they don’t use Generative AI tools for code development. “We're using it for a knowledge-based interrogation, documentation interrogation, configuration work, anything that drives efficiency from a knowledge transfer perspective.” Experts tracking GCCs (Global Capability Centres) in India say this case shows the importance of GCCs in India.

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US SEC sues NovaTech over alleged $650 million global crypto fraud

The U.S. SEC has filed a lawsuit against NovaTech and its co-founders for allegedly defrauding investors of over $650 million. The Petions reportedly misled investors about the safety of their funds and used new investments to repay earlier ones. The SEC aims to seek restitution and civil fines.

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Brands rush in as Olympians Neeraj Chopra, Manu Bhaker, Vinesh Phogat strike gold on social media

Indians’ love for varied sports at global championships such as Olympics is paralleling Cricket’s popularity. Visa’s Kumar concurred that while Cricket is immensely popular, Olympic Games “ignite a spirit of competition, passion and human excellence amongst many.” For instance, Neeraj Chopra’s final javelin throw where he secured a silver medal was watched by 5.6 crore viewers on Jio Cinema, comprable to India's winning match at T20 World Cup Finals in June.

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Proptech startup Truva bags $3 million in funding round led by Stellaris Venture Partners

Truva, a real estate technology startup founded in 2023, secured $3 million in funding led by Stellaris Venture Partners. Angel investors such as Myntra founder Mukesh Bansal, Curefoods founder Ankit Nagori and Groww founder Lalit Keshre, among others also participated in the funding round.

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TS PGECET 2024 Counselling registration deadline extended: Check last date to apply here

The Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) has extended the registration deadline for the Telangana State Postgraduate Engineering Common Entrance Test (TS PGECET) 2024 counselling until August 24. Candidates can visit pgecetadm.tsche.ac.in for the registration process. Candidates can check the revised schedule and other important details here.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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SSC CGL 2024 exam correction window closes today: What can you edit? Check details here

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) will close the Combined Graduate Level Examination (CGL) 2024 application correction window today, August 11. Candidates can visit the official website, ssc.gov.in, to make changes. They can correct their name, parent’s name, date of birth, gender, and Class 10 roll number. Check important details here.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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Jharkhand NEET Counselling 2024: Check application fee, important documents needed, and other details here

The Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (JCECEB) will soon begin the Jharkhand NEET Counselling 2024 for MBBS and BDS programs. Candidates can register for the counselling process on the official website, jceceb.jharkhand.gov.in, once the link is active. Check important details regarding how to register, application fee, documents needed, etc., here.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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Manipur Class 10 compartmental results 2024 declared at manresults.nic.in: Check direct link here

The Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BSEM), has declared the results of the Class 10 High School Leaving Certificate Compartmental/Special Examination 2024. Students can visit manresults.nic.in to check and download their results. Students can check the direct link and other important details here.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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Indians flying high in Silicon Valley. Destination: C-Suite

Indian talent has permeated the upper echelons of the US tech industry. While individuals like Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai garner significant attention, a deeper dive reveals a robust pipeline of Indian-American leaders poised to shape the industry's future.

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Some IT midcap CEOs earn more than counterparts at larger companies

Coforge, which filed its annual report last week, said its CEO’s remuneration increased 209.63% in FY24 compared to FY23, largely because of stock options that were worth over Rs 88.55 crore. Salil Parekh, chief executive of Infosys, earned Rs 66 crore ($7.8 million), placing him at the fifth place in the pecking order.

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Ola drawing up a route map to join quick commerce party

With Ola Electric preparing to list on the bourses later this week, CEO Bhavish Aggarwal is simultaneously sharpening his focus on the cab-hailing business, planning its quick commerce foray. Ola Cabs parent ANI Technologies is planning to set up dark stores amid rising demand for quick deliveries, people in the know told us.

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Microsoft blames Delta for its struggle to recover from global cyber outage

Last week, Delta's CEO Ed Bastian told CNBC that while the airline heavily relies on Microsoft and CrowdStrike, both tech companies had failed to deliver an "exceptional service." In the interview, he also said that Microsoft had the "most fragile platform."

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Medtech startup SigTuple raises $4 million from Sidbi Venture Capital, others

The startup, which specialises in digital microscopy solutions powered by AI and robotics, has raised $50 million to date. The new capital will be used for the company's geographical expansion plans, to broaden product portfolio, and support regulatory clearances, the company said.

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Mobile wallet transactions on slippery slope as UPI rises

Even before the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) was born, India’s retail payments story had gone digital, riding on mobile wallets. These were prepaid payment instruments that needed to be loaded and could be used to pay each other and scan QR codes. But these wallets are dying with reduced adoption.

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Xerox pencils $355 million as tech spends for 7-year TCS deal

Xerox disclosed in a filing in the US that it has a commitment with Microsoft for $125 million and with SAP for $45 million for the same duration under this multi-party agreement.

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FirstCry raises Rs 1,886 crore from anchor investors

The shares of Brainbees Solutions, which operates omnichannel kidswear brand FirstCry, were allocated at the upper end of the IPO price of Rs 465 a share to the government of Singapore, ADIA, Nomura, Fidelity, SBI Blue Chip Fund, SBI MF, ICICI Pru MF, HDFC MF, Kotak Mahindra MF, Goldman Sachs Funds, SBI Life, Nordea Asset Management, Max Life, Norges Bank, PSP, and Carmignac, among others.

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Sauce VC logs final close of third fund at Rs 365 crore

Consumer-focused venture investor Sauce VC, which has invested in new-age brands like luggage maker Mokobara, has announced the final close of its third fund at Rs 365 crore, against a target corpus of Rs 250 crore. Founder and managing partner Manu Chandra told ET that the fund received demand for subscriptions amounting to about Rs 700 crore.

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SaaS star Postman sees 30-40% cut in value in secondary deals

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) startup Postman has made secondary deals in recent weeks at a steep 30-40% discount to its peak valuation., people in the know told ET. Some of Postman's existing investors, including Nexus Venture Partners and Bond Capital, have bought the shares on offer. This comes as data shows a significant fall in SaaS investments across company stages.

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Govt offers tech aid to account aggregators facing fraud deluge

The account aggregator (AA) ecosystem is facing the threat of cybercriminals, with fraudsters gaming their systems to access customer data and details of their bank accounts. Some of the large account aggregators like Perfios, Finvu, Cams Finserv, and NeSL Asset Data Limited have shut down certain features like balance enquiries and details of the customer profile on their consumer-facing applications.

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Apple asks judge to toss antitrust lawsuit

Apple was accused of an illegal monopoly on smartphones, allegedly maintained by imposing contractual restrictions on, and withholding critical access from, developers. Apple also argued that the lawsuit fails to raise any evidence that its practices harm competition or consumers, who it says plausibly switch to a competitor if they dislike what iPhone features.

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DGGI ends FY18 GST proceedings against Infosys

Three days after Infosys acknowledged receipt of a notice for alleged evasion of over Rs 32,000 crore in integrated goods and services tax (IGST) between July 2017, when the levy was rolled out, and FY22. “The company had received and responded to a pre-show cause notice issued by DGGI for the period July 2017 to March 2022,” the company said in the Saturday exchange filing.

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The Godfather neutralised, but malware mafia alive and kicking

Long after end to CrowdStrike update-triggered outage, cyber mob is still holding companies to ransom via remote access, data wipers. Cybercriminals were quick to exploit the chaos caused by the CrowdStrike crisis and send remote access or data wiper malware through phishing emails, which are then used as a ransom tactic.

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Essar Group-backed IT systems integrator Black Box raises Rs 410 crore

Black Box counts Amazon, Google, Microsoft as its clients and will use the capital to expand data centre services to hyperscalers, multi-tenant data centre operators and large enterprise data centre, as well as connectivity and networking infrastructure.

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ER&D companies face headwinds in new twist

After twelve consecutive quarters of growth, the cumulative workforce of five leading pure-play ER&D companies fell to 77,560 by June, highlighting the industry's cyclical nature compared to technology outsourcing, which is now starting to create jobs and improve campus placements.

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Apple asks US judge to toss antitrust lawsuit

The Justice Department, 19 states and Washington, D.C., accuse Apple of an illegal monopoly on smartphones maintained by imposing contractual restrictions on, and withholding critical access from, developers.

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Tata Digital stitching ‘value fashion’ plan under its Cliq brand

Tata Digital, the ecommerce arm of the Tata conglomerate, is in talks to develop a budget fashion line on its Tata Cliq platform to take on industry competitors Flipkart, Amazon India, and Reliance Ajio. While the company has Zudio in that category, sources said that brand is likely to stay offline only and there are no plans to take it on Neu yet.

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Smaller cities are stealing the show in data centre expansion

Tier-2 and -3 cities are turning attractive due to their strategic locations and improved infrastructure as companies seek to cater to the underserved vast majority. The data centre industry has expanded from 350 MW capacity in 2019 to 854 MW in 2023, at a compound annual growth rate of 25%, as per JLL data.

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How DMart plans to take on the quick commerce rivals

Avenue Supermart, India's largest listed retailer by sales and market capitalization, announced that it will focus on discounting and lower pricing to drive growth. The owner of DMart supermarkets emphasized that it will prioritize opening more stores instead of launching an ultra-fast delivery model, despite the rising popularity of quick commerce rivals. This approach is aimed at covering catchments and clusters where quick commerce companies are currently experiencing high demand.

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It's trending D2C: new-age brands flex muscle via own sites

Direct ecommerce, or brands selling directly to consumers through their digital platforms, has risen to 10-15% of India’s online retail market of $70-75 billion now, from 2-3% five years ago, according to data. Why are these brands focussing on their own channels for sales and cutting reliance on marketplaces?

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Tax filings more challenging on surge in F&O, gaming app play

The massive jump in retail participation in futures and options trading, crypto trading and sports betting has increased the tax filing challenges for chartered accountants and lawyers. People who are helping consumers file their taxes told ET that many of them have undertaken 25,000 FnO transactions, more than 1 lakh crypto trades and actively bet on sports.

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InsuranceDekho secures composite broking licence, to start reinsurance biz

InsuranceDekho, a Gurugram-based insurance marketplace, has secured the composite insurance broking licence from IRDAI. Its customers can now avail the reinsurance service from the company. With this, the company takes on rival Policybazaar, which had received the permit in February this year. InsuranceDekho processed around Rs 3,300 crore in premium for insurance companies in the last financial year.

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Fidelity, Nomura line up bids for Ola Electric's IPO

Ola Electric's roughly $740 million IPO will open this week and will be the first by an Indian electric vehicle maker. The company is the biggest player in the e-scooter market in a country where adoption of clean vehicles is still low but rising rapidly.

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IBPS Clerk Recruitment 2024: Extended registration window closes today for 6128 posts, direct link to apply

IBPS concluded the application process for Clerical Cadre positions on July 28, following an extension from the initial deadline of July 21. The recruitment drive announced 6,128 vacancies. Applicants aged between 20 and 28 years had to undergo a Preliminary exam, Mains exam, and a language proficiency test. Applications were accepted on the official IBPS website.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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NEET UG 2024 revised cut-offs announced for all categories: Drops by 2 points for UR candidates, counselling dates soon

The National Testing Agency revised the NEET UG 2024 results on July 26th, following a Supreme Court directive. The updated results corrected a mistake in a Physics question. Revised scorecards and fresh merit lists were issued, along with new cut-offs for all categories. Notably, the cut-off for the unreserved category dropped by two points.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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Olympics’s cyber team braces for onslaught from hackers

A collection of government, private-sector and Olympic cybersecurity specialists have spent months preparing. The government’s agency, ANSSI, has identified 500 companies, organisations and facilities critical to the functioning of the Games, including local governments and operators in various sectors. They also have US allies alongside them.

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Making India an AI first nation — from classrooms to boardrooms

As technology advances, the governance of AI must evolve accordingly. In alignment with the ‘India AI Mission’ and ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, it is essential for the public and private sectors to collaborate in democratising access to AI skills. Empowering communities at the grassroots level with AI fluency can drive innovation on a large scale, ensuring that the benefits of AI are widely accessible and impactful.

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Top startup and tech stories of the week

Welcome to a brand new edition of ETtech Unwrapped – our weekend newsletter packed with the most important stories from the week, including the top developments from the union budget. Let's take a look.

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A third of Mphasis' deal pipeline is AI-led: CEO

Mphasis, a mid-tier IT firm, clocked a 2.1% growth in Q1 net profit at Rs 404 crore. The company is seeing a major chunk of its deals being led by AI, CEO Nitin Rakesh told ET.

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SC verdict on NEET exam: students feel let down

The NEET-UG is the sole entrance exam for admission to undergraduate medical programmes in all medical institutions in the country, held annually. The Supreme Court has acknowledged that the paper was leaked in some centres but refused a retest for the exam. This has disheartened students, coaches and educational startups and institutions.

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OpenAI announces AI-powered search tool SearchGPT

OpenAI on Thursday said it is selectively rolling out SearchGPT, an artificial intelligence-powered search engine with real time access to the information from the Internet.

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China is closing the AI gap with the United States

While the United States has had a head start on AI development, China is catching up. In recent weeks, several Chinese companies have unveiled AI technologies that rival leading American systems. And these technologies are already in the hands of consumers, businesses and independent software developers across the globe.

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Agri Stack to cover six crore farmers by end of the year

Agri Stack is a database of Indian farmers, which contains their details like landholding, GPS coordinates of plots and the crops grown on them. As per an official in the agriculture ministry, this will cover 60 million farmers by the end of this fiscal year. Farmers will receive a unique ID through this.

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ETtech Opinion | Budget ringfences India growth story: Nykaa CEO Falguni Nayar

The Prime Minister’s package of five schemes and initiatives to accelerate employment, skill development and other opportunities for 41 million youth over the next five years with a central outlay of Rs 2 lakh crore has the potential to increase households' purchasing power.

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With 2% levy abolished, overseas digital companies can breath easy

Designed to provide a level playing field for Indian ecommerce companies liable to local tax laws, the levy had grown to be a major point of contention between India and the US with several affected entities based there.

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ETtech Opinion | Budget ringfences India growth story: Nykaa CEO Falguni Nayar

The Prime Minister’s package of five schemes and initiatives to accelerate employment, skill development and other opportunities for 41 million youth over the next five years with a central outlay of Rs 2 lakh crore has the potential to increase households' purchasing power.

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Kreditbee, Khatabook's domicile shift likely to pave way for IPOs

Valued at $700 million, Kreditbee flipping base to India will set the stage for a domestic initial public offering by the company — the key reason behind moving domicile here. Khatabook, another fintech backed by Y Combinator and Tribe Capital, has also begun work on moving its domicile to India from the US, sources briefed on the matter said.

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Exclusive: Amazon in deals talks with Swiggy for quick commerce business Instamart: sources

Early talks on; US ecommerce biggie looking for a buyout or stake via pre-IPO placement. Discussions may face multiple roadblocks, said sources in the know. Legacy ecommerce players like Amazon and Flipkart scouting for quick commerce assets amid rising consumption on rapid delivery platforms like Zomato’s Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy’s Instamart.

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Litigation funding startups eyeing arbitration and insolvency resolution cases

A total of 7,567 companies across sectors were brought into administration until March end, according to the latest data from the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India. As per the National Judicial Data Grid, more than 45 million cases are pending in courts across the country, including about six million cases in 25 high courts and 83,800 cases in the Supreme Court.

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ETtech in-depth: why concerns are rising over unqualified mental health advice on social media

The increase in unqualified online practitioners has sparked worries about the potential harm to those seeking assistance. Instagram accounts discussing mental health and wellness surged nearly 70% from 5,062 to 8,562 between 2022 and 2023, and have now reached 11,894. According to data from Qoruz, an influencer analytics and marketing firm that evaluated nearly 500,000 creators in India.

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App anxiety: why users are extra cautious while using apps meant for daily convenience

As more consumer internet companies use sneaky tactics like hidden fees and tricky subscriptions, users are feeling stressed and cautious when using everyday apps for convenience. These apps were meant to make life easier but now come with annoying surprises. According to the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), at least 76% of sites and apps worldwide use at least one dark pattern, and 67% use more than one.

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ETtech in-depth: does India have the required manpower to become the electronics manufacturing powerhouse?

India's rapidly growing semiconductor industry needs more trained workers but the question remains do you have enough skilled labour in the semiconductor and electronic space? While some positions will be filled internally, the majority require fresh graduates, highlighting a significant skills gap in the industry. However, in the electronics manufacturing space, where India has seen momentum-shifting growth, the demand-supply gap for skilled workers is comparatively better.

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Italy probes Google over alleged unfair user data practices

Italy's antitrust authority stated that Google's method of obtaining user consent could restrict their freedom of choice. By prompting users to agree to the combined use of personal data across various Google services, the authority argued that Google's consent request might be misleading in commercial terms.

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Microsoft's CrowdStrike leaves business black and blue in India

A major global technology outage caused disruptions in India, affecting flights, hospitals, banks, and various businesses due to an erroneous Microsoft software update. CrowdStrike's update led to chaos, with airlines canceling flights and organizations resorting to manual processes. Calls for reducing reliance on a few global technology providers arose.

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ETtech Explainer: How a faulty Microsoft Windows update by CrowdStrike led to havoc

Microsoft's Windows devices experienced a severe outage on Friday due to a faulty update by CrowdStrike, a Texas-based cybersecurity company that manages end-point security for various companies. CrowdStrike's update, intended to increase protection features, ran into a conflict with Microsoft's cloud service infrastructure, causing devices to display the blue screen of death message.

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Elon Musk congratulates PM Modi on being most followed world leader on X

Earlier this week, when this milestone was reached, Modi said on X: "A hundred million on @X! Happy to be on this vibrant medium and cherish the discussion, debate, insights, people's blessings, constructive criticism and more."

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Centre eyes multiple ways for age-gating, seeks views

Senior officials from the ministry of electronics and information technology met industry executives from big tech companies, startups and some industry associations on Thursday to discuss the best possible ways to determine the correct age of under-18 users and obtain necessary verifiable parental consent, as per the provisions of the DPDP Act.

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ONDC corners 3% of order volumes of Swiggy, Zomato

As per sources, ONDC facilitates 60,000 orders per day in the food domain, capturing 3% of the total order volumes managed by Swiggy and Zomato across India individually who receive 20 lakh orders each. Its total order volumes touched around 4 lakh orders in a day which includes mobility bookings as well.

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Infosys beats PAT and revenue estimates, dials up outlook

A strong revenue expansion of 3.7% YoY during the period prompted the second-largest software exporter to forecast growth of 3-4% for FY25 against its earlier guidance of 1-3%. “We had a strong performance in Q1 on large deals and financial services in the US is seeing early signs of improvement," said CEO and MD Salil Parekh.

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Govt eyes Big Tech, startups meet over DPDP Act age-gating

The provisions of the DPDP Act 2023 state that all users below the age of 18 will be considered as children. Such users, the Act states, must obtain verifiable parental consent for using social media and a host of other services provided by internet intermediaries.

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US online sales hit $7.2 billion on first day of Amazon Prime Day event: Adobe

Adobe Analytics reports $7.2 billion spent during the first day of Prime Day. Walmart, Target competed with deep discounts. Amazon's market share increased with many delivery orders.

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Fintech startup Multipl raises $1.5 million funding in round led by Blume Ventures, MIXI Global Investments

Fintech startup Multipl raises $1.5 million in funding to enhance its platform and introduce new features. It last raised $3 million in May 2022 in a round led by Blume Ventures, GrowX Ventures, IIFL, and Kotak Securities.

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Tekion Corp raises $200 million in funding at valuation of over $4 billion

Tekion Corp raised $200 million from Dragoneer at a $4 billion valuation. The firm has raised $640 million till date from the likes of General Motors, BMW I Ventures, Exor, Hyundai and Airbus Ventures, among others.

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ADIF, PHDCCI partner to boost Indian startup, innovation ecosystem

ADIF and PHDCCI signed a two-year MoU at PHD house, New Delhi, to foster startups. Prateek Jain highlighted digital entrepreneurship and independent thinking. The partnership includes workshops, training, seminars. Ranjeet Mehta aims to enhance startup quality, positioning India as a global leader in a holistic, architecting innovation ecosystem.

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GoMechanic achieves operational profit in April-June; FY24 revenue hits Rs 210 crore

GoMechanic, acquired by Servizzy in March 2023, achieved profitability by June 2024. Led by Himanshu Arora and Muskan Kakkar, it reported Rs 210 crore annual revenue and Rs 11.2 crore from accessories. The company introduced luxury, EV, and extended warranty programs and aims to expand to 1,000 cities by 2027, currently servicing 30,000 cars monthly.

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Who are the big guns fuelling AI?

From top companies such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia to Salesforce and AMD, no one wants to be left behind in the AI race. Here’s a deeper look into who are the big guns making strategic bets on GenAI and what are their key investments.

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MeitY may ask MCA to keep ex-ante out of Digital Competition Bill for now

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology advises excluding the ex-ante provision from the Digital Competition Bill. Stakeholders, including IAMAI, Nasscom, and The Dialogue, oppose it as burdensome. A senior official notes widespread opposition. Further consultations are advised. Concerns include compliance for significant digital enterprises, dominance control, and its impact on venture investments in tech startups.

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Google parent in advanced talks to buy cybersecurity startup Wiz for $23 billion

Alphabet is negotiating to acquire U.S.-Israeli cybersecurity startup Wiz for $23 billion. This would be its largest acquisition amid regulatory scrutiny. Wiz, generating $350 million revenue and serving 40% of Fortune 100 companies, valued at $12 billion. Discussions are confidential and follow Alphabet's decision not to acquire HubSpot. Neither company provided comments.

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CLAT 2025 application begins on July 15 at consortiumofnlus.ac.in: Check list of participating institutes

C-NLU's CLAT 2025 applications start July 15, 2024, closing October 15, 2024. Exam offline on December 1, 2024, 2:00-4:00 PM, extended till 4:40 PM for PwD. Fees: Rs 4,000, Rs 3,500 for SC, ST, PwD, BPL. Apply at consortiumofnlus.ac.in. Institutes: WBNUJS Kolkata, NLU Jodhpur, HNLU Raipur, GNLU Gandhinagar.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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OSSC CHSL Admit Card 2024 out at ossc.gov.in, direct link to download here: Check exam pattern, selection process

Download your OSSC CHSL admit card now at ossc.gov.in. For 673 vacancies, the exam is scheduled for July 21, 2024. Remember to carry your admit card and valid ID. The selection process includes Prelims, Mains, and Certificate Verification. The Prelims cover Arithmetic, Data Interpretation, etc., including General Mental Ability and Computer Awareness. Find full download instructions and avoid negative marking.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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JIPMAT Result 2024 declared at jipmat.nta.ac.in: Direct link to download scorecards

NTA released JIPMAT 2024 results for the June 6 exam. 12,207 candidates participated and can access scorecards online. The CBT exam, featuring 100 questions, is vital for IIM Bodh Gaya and IIM Jammu admissions. Held at 101 centers in 73 cities, candidates could raise objections for Rs 200 per question regarding the final key.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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Germany to ban Chinese giants from 5G network

German officials said their telecom networks must be protected from cyberattacks, calling it an “existential threat”. Officials added that they have reached agreements with 5G network operators in the country. Huawei responded saying there was “no specific evidence” that the technology has “cyber security risks”.

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ETtech In-Depth | The art and tech of business of prompts

Digital artists are leveraging AI prompts to enhance their income by selling unique prompts on various online marketplaces. Prompt engineering plays a crucial role in translating human intent into AI-generated art. Competition in the market is increasing, challenging artists to stay innovative.

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HCLTech Q1 net profit up 6.8% at Rs 4,257 crore; beats estimates

HCLTech's profit rose 6.8% to Rs 4,257 crore, driven by $70 million non-core income. EBIT, revenue declined. TCS earnings boosted stocks. CEO Vijayakumar noted Q2 State Street impact, steady FY25 guidance. Dividend declared. Headcount fell by 8,080, Q3 margins to improve. $1.96 billion bookings, 200 GenAI concepts. CFO Prateek Aggarwal cited robust cash flow. Shares closed at Rs 1560.40.

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US court rejects challenges to FCC approval of SpaceX satellites

A U.S. appeals court has upheld the FCC's approval of SpaceX's plan to deploy thousands of Starlink satellites for broadband internet. Challenges from DISH Network and astronomers were rejected. SpaceX aims to expand its satellite network for wider internet coverage.

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All that SaaS; AI woes

Happy Friday! Goldman Sachs is likely to increase its stake in SaaS startup MoEngage. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

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Goldman Sachs nears $30-50 million MoEngage deal in signs of SaaS deals comeback

Goldman Sachs targets $35-50 million in MoEngage via secondary transaction. MoEngage, valued at $700 million in 2022 led by Goldman and B Capital, has clients including Flipkart. IFC invested in Innovaccer; Whatfix by Warburg Pincus; Icertis, SoftBank. Atlan received funds from GIC, Meritech. Noteworthy: Eight Roads Ventures, SaaS valuation multiples, Bessemer Venture Partners.

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Circuit House Technologies raises $4.3 million in funding round led by Stellaris, 3one4 Capital

Varun Alagh of Mamaearth and Tracxn’s Abhishek Goyal also participated in the funding for the consumer electronics maker, which was started by Xiaomi India chief business officer Raghu Reddy.

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Indkal Technologies inks licensing pact with Acer to design, produce smartphones

The consumer electronics startup will begin by manufacturing a million smartphones under the Acer brand, which will later be scaled up. Currently, the firm designs, manufactures, sells, and services ACs, refrigerators, and washing machines for Acer and Black & Decker.

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Food deals on investor menu as VCs hunger for F&B companies

Coffee, burgers, dosas and other brands scoop up new capital. Venture funds are investing in brands like FirstCoffee, AbCoffee, Café Amudham, Curefoods' Eatfit, Cakezone, aided by Sujeet Kumar, Binny Bansal. Curefoods seeks Rs 100 crore expansion.

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Centriti raises Rs 6 crore in funding round led by Emergent India Ventures

The B2B e-procurement platform works with 120 hotels and restaurants, including Taj Hotels, Oberoi Hotels, Accor Group, Barbeque Nation, and Chai Point in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Jaipur. It plans to expand to Goa, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Chennai in the next couple of years.

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Influencers back to brand deals as their paywall push fails

Influencers on Instagram and Amazon struggle to monetize via subscriptions and virtual gifting, relying heavily on brand partnerships. The Instagram subscription feature faces challenges in India, and virtual gifting fails to boost income. Anurag Iyer of BigBang.Social and Ankit Panicker of Pocket Aces highlight brand collaborations, while Amazon's Live includes 600 content creators influencing 18,000 creators.

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India needs to work on infra, ecosystem to be a semicon hub: Dy mayor of New Taipei City

Deputy Mayor Chu Tih Ju, at Taiwan Expo 2024, urged India to enhance infrastructure and connectivity to boost its manufacturing ecosystem. Taiwan, a major semiconductor and electronics producer, saw $8.2 billion bilateral trade with India last year. TAITRA Chairman Huang noted 28% trade growth in 2024, emphasizing the adherence to local laws.

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Focus on autonomous vehicles, EU expansion drive KPIT’s growth

Despite global challenges like supply chain issues and the rise of AI, KPIT Technologies has continued to grow, CEO Kishor Patil told ET. This is due to the company's smart investments in areas like EVs and self-driving cars, along with their timely expansion into European markets, he added.

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Ex-defence secretary Ajay Kumar joins VC play with early-stage fund

Ajay Kumar, a former bureaucrat who retired as India’s defence secretary in 2022, has set up a new venture fund, Mounttech Growth Fund, to back early-stage startups. The Rs 250-crore fund has secured approval from Sebi. The fund will look to back startups in the space, aerospace, and deep tech sectors.

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WBJEE Counselling 2024 Kicks Off July 10th: Schedule, Deadlines & How to Apply

WBJEE counselling 2024 begins on July 10th. Check the complete schedule for key dates including registration, choice filling, seat allotment, and fee payment across three rounds and a mop-up round. Applicable to WBJEE and JEE Main qualifiers, the online process allows candidates to choose engineering, technology, and architecture programs at universities and colleges in West Bengal. Be mindful of deadlines, as the schedule is subject to change.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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CLAT 2025 Registration Opens July 15: Check exam date, pattern, selection process, and more

The application window for CLAT 2025, the entrance exam for top law schools in India, opens July 15th, 2024. The exam will be held on December 1st. This article details the registration process, eligibility criteria, exam pattern, and selection process. Key points include the online application, pen-and-paper exam format, and multi-stage selection involving counselling and document verification.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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Spiritual apps get blessed with more users, investors post Covid

Post-pandemic spiritual and astrology apps have experienced a significant resurgence, benefiting from increased online engagement and a growing interest in spiritual practices. Startups such as Vama.app are seizing this opportunity by offering virtual pujas, temple darshans, and astrology services, marking a notable shift in consumer behaviour towards digital spiritual experiences.

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Talen asks US regulators to reject challenge to Amazon data center deal

Talen Energy defends its Amazon data center deal against claims by utilities, stating it won't raise power costs or affect grid reliability. The dispute could set a precedent for future data center agreements. FERC's decision pending.

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Elon Musk suggests late Twitter disclosure was a mistake, seeks to end lawsuit

Elon Musk seeks to dismiss lawsuit from former Twitter shareholders over delayed stake disclosure. Shareholders claim he saved $200 million by waiting to reveal his 9.2% ownership. Musk denies fraud allegations, stating it was a mistake. SEC also looked into his Twitter stock purchases. Lawsuit led by Oklahoma pension fund.

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Top startup and tech stories this week

Welcome to a brand new edition of ETtech Unwrapped – our weekend newsletter packed with the most important stories that we covered this week. Here’s a recap if you missed them.

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Rise & rise of secondary deals; advantage desi data centres

Happy Friday! Total funding raised by Indian startups fell in the first half of 2024, but late-stage activity showed signs of revival, as per data. Decoding this and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

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Telangana in talks with CDAC to set up 20 petaflops compute capacity in Hyderabad

Telangana has requested the IT ministry to establish compute capacity in the proposed AI city in Hyderabad under the National Supercomuting Mission, saying that the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) has shown interest for the same. If the government agrees, some land will be given to them to set this up, Telangana IT secretary Jayesh Ranjan told ET.

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Odisha govt forms committee to prepare plan for offering medical education in Odia language

Odisha government forms committee to plan medical education in Odia language as per BJP promise. Committee led by OUHS vice-chancellor to identify course books for translation. Students to have option of studying in Odia. Progress underway for language promotion in medical studies.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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Tech-first brokers hit a snag; Foxconn’s Bharat FIH in trouble

Happy Thursday! Online stock brokers, who used low fees to attract customers, now face an uncertain future with Sebi’s new rules. More on this in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

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Social media companies list out worries as Centre readies data protection law

Social media platforms have said that undoing behavioural tracking of children and targeted advertisements are among the biggest concerns they have with the new data law the government is prepping. The companies are voicing their concerns as rules of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act will be released soon.

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AIAPGET 2024 Admit Card Released at exams.nta.ac.in: Direct Link

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the admit cards for the All India Ayush Post Graduate Entrance Test (AIAPGET) 2024, which is set for 6th July 2024. Candidates can download their admit cards from the official website using their application form number and date of birth. The admit card is provisional, subject to eligibility verification. For any issues, candidates can contact the NTA Help Desk or email the agency.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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India’s bid to make GPAI as AI regulator gets global support

India has emerged successful in making the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) the leading platform for international cooperation on AI governance. This includes establishing regulations and a unified global framework for responsible AI development and implementation.

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Global firms buy PB Fintech stakes from early backers

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have lapped up shares in Gurugram-based listed fintech firm PB Fintech, as its founders and early investors sold their shares, in full or in part, in multiple tranches. These transactions happened through bulk deals when several early-stage investors of the company exited the firm fully or partly after 2021, when it went public.

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Karnataka losing out in manufacturing race; CXO churn in startups

New-age companies are choosing to set up manufacturing facilities in neighboring states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, bypassing Karnataka. More on this in today's ETtech Morning Dispatch.

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Govt websites, apps set to get an accessibility reboot soon

The ministry of electronics and information technology will anchor this project and suggest ways to improve page and website loading times, have better user interfaces on websites and apps, and make them more accessible for people with disabilities, an official said.

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CXO-level shifts rearrange top deck at Indian startups

The world of startups witnessed a series of top-level movements in the first half of 2024, including Naveen Tahilyani taking the helm as CEO of Tata Digital and the resignation of Surinder Chawla, managing director and chief executive officer of Paytm Payments Bank.

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Strong ER&D demand helps IT buck overall soft hiring trend

India's $250 billion IT services industry is facing sluggish hiring, but a bright spot is emerging in Engineering, Research & Development (ER&D). Demand for ER&D services is surging, driving a 15% increase in recruitment for these roles. Staffing firms report that tech companies are ramping up ER&D hiring to stay competitive in the global market.

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Fintechs' secure credit play; New Jersey turns IT hub

Happy Monday! Fintech companies like Cred, PhonePe and Paytm are seeking partnerships with NBFCs to enter the secured credit market. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

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Hyderabad esports event makes itself heard amid World Cup din

Even as the country watched the thrilling T20 World Cup final on Saturday, a separate kind of event was unfolding in Hyderabad with a 1,000-person strong crowd cheering the champions of the Battleground Mobile India (BGMI) series.

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F&B, quick commerce log 40-50% sales jump on T20 final night

India’s nail-biting final match with South Africa on June 29 and the eventual historic victory drove up sales and revenues of food and beverage (F&B) companies as well as quick commerce firms. Merchant checkout network Simpl said it saw a nearly 40% increase in consumer spending on its platform during the match.

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Haryana Constable Recruitment 2024: HSSC Reopens Applications for 6,000 Posts: Check Eligibility and Selection Details Here

The Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) has reopened applications for 6,000 constable positions in Haryana Police following revised CET results. Candidates can apply from June 29 to July 8, 2024. Previous applicants need not reapply, but socio-economic criteria claims will be removed. The selection includes a physical test and a Knowledge Test. Eligibility requires 12th-grade completion and specific age criteria, with reserved category relaxations.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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NEET UG Re-Exam 2024 Results Expected Today at neet.nta.nic.in

The NTA is expected to release the results today for the NEET UG 2024 re-exam taken by 813 students. These candidates received grace marks in the original exam that were later scrapped. They could choose to retake the exam or keep their original scores without the grace marks. The original exam results were controversial due to allegations of leaks.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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JNTU Closes AP ECET 2024 Counselling Registration Today: Apply Here

JNTU will close the AP ECET 2024 counselling registration today. Eligible candidates can apply online until midnight, with document verification running until July 3. The option entry process starts tomorrow, July 1, and ends on July 4. Applicants must pay a fee of Rs 1,200 (OC/BC) or Rs 600 (SC/ST) and submit various documents for verification.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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AI: the supercharger for India’s MSMEs

Artificial intelligence is not only reshaping India’s landscape, but also fostering economic growth through innovative tech solutions. According to Stanford University’s annual AI Index report, India saw the fifth highest investments last year in startups offering AI-based products and services.

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Ecommerce space heats up; and other top tech, startup stories this week

Welcome to another edition of ETtech Unwrapped – our weekend newsletter. It has been a packed week for ecommerce and quick commerce news. The previous weekend began with Zepto scooping up $665 million in funding, at more than double its last valuation in 2023, which is a pivotal moment for the sector.

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Food Inc eyes quicker commerce on match day

With India battling South Africa in the T20 World Cup final this Saturday, quick commerce, food delivery services, restaurants, and brands are bracing for a massive order spike. As fans cheer on the Men in Blue, bars and restaurants screening the match anticipate packed houses and a jump of 20% to 50% in online sales.

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C V Raman Global University, Odisha and Bajaj Auto Ltd. Partner for a Skilling Initiative

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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High taxes, selective bans drive 30% growth in illegal online gambling in India, says study

The illegal betting market, already thriving in India, is expected to grow by 30% in the coming years, as per a new study. Inadequate legal frameworks, selective banning, and high taxation on legitimate online gaming platforms seem to be key factors contributing to this trend.

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Synopsys will help Tata Electronics design custom chips

US-based chip design company Synopsys will help Tata Electronics in multiple aspects of its fab facility—India’s first—coming up in Gujarat and its assembly and testing unit in Assam, chief executive Sassine Ghazi told ET. Ghazi also met with Tata Electronics CEO Randhir Thakur and Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran in Mumbai. He held talks with Ola Cabs chief Bhavish Aggarwal in Bengaluru.

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Sellers on Flipkart facing issue in changing price, firm denies any intervention in pricing

The Walmart group firm, however, denied any role in influencing pricing on the platform and said that it is working with sellers to help them understand the new rate card policy.

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BigBasket, 1mg’s plans for capex; win for epharmacies in Madras HC

Tata’s online grocery BigBasket and epharmacy 1mg will largely depend on debt capital to fuel expansion this fiscal. More on this in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

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Aris Infra plans to raise Rs 600-700 crore via IPO

Aris Infra, a Mumbai company using technology to streamline construction material procurement, is planning an IPO to raise Rs 600-700 crore. The company has attracted investment from prominent individuals and prestigious financial institutions including Think Investments, TPG Capital, Temasek, and BlackRock.

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Hunt on for mule bank accounts; Tata Digital pause on funding

The government is working with the central bank to catch mule accounts in India’s banking system and prevent fraud. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

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Centre eyeing one startup in every district by next year

The government is optimistic about its plan to have at least one registered startup in all 785 districts of the country, industry department officials said. With only 20-25 districts remaining without a startup, the goal is expected to be achieved within a year.

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Hackers breach BSNL again, second time in six months

This is the second tine in six month where BSNL has suffered a data breach. Athenian Technology chief executive kanishk Gaur told ET, the breach involved more than 278 GB of data from the state-owned telecom operation, including server snapshots, which can be misused for SIM cloning and potentially more severe criminal activities like extortion.

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Women-focused fintech startup Lxme raises $1.2 million from Kalaari Capital, others

Focused on women's finances, Lxme has secured $1.2 million in seed funding. Kalaari Capital led the round through its CXXO initiative, backing female-led businesses. The startup will capital for brand building and user acquisition across the country.

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Cloudphysician raises $10.5 million in funding round led by Peak XV Partners

Online healthcare and technology solutions provider Cloudphysician has raised $10.5 million (about Rs 87.7 crore) in a funding round led by Peak XV Partners, along with Elevar Equity and venture debt firm Panthera Peak. The startup will use the capital to strengthen its presence in India, enter other countries and develop its AI platform.

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Genesys International set to launch its AI-powered maps

Genesys International is set to launch AI-powered navigation maps for the mobility markets, featuring a navigable road network in India covering 8.3 million kilometers and over 30 million points of interest.

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Ecommerce sellers count on cash-flow gains from GST cut

Recommendations by the GST council aim to benefit suppliers on online platforms and real money gaming firms through tax changes, including a reduction in tax collected at source for electronic commerce operators.

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NEET PG exam postponed, NTA chief sacked: 7 major developments you should know about

The NEET-PG exam has been postponed due to alleged irregularities, with the Health Ministry mentioning a CBI probe. The NBE-conducted exam faced allegations of a paper leak, leading to reforms and investigations. Subodh Kumar Singh was placed on wait, and Bihar Police detained individuals linked to the leak, including Sikandar Yadavendu, amidst protests.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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Cool beans! cafes are having a field day this summer

National chains such as Third Wave Coffee, Chaayos, AbCoffee, and Boba Bhai have seen a notable increase in foot traffic at their cafes, particularly in northern India, despite the region grappling with record summer temperatures. These cafes are also experiencing increased demand for summer-specific items through delivery services. Also, their appeal as hubs for remote work and meetings is further boosting footfalls.

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NTA postpones Joint CSIR-UGC-NET exam due to 'unavoidable circumstances' as well as 'logistic issues'

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has postponed the Joint CSIR UGC NET 2024 exam, surprising candidates. The postponement adds pressure to the central education ministry amidst the NEET paper leak controversy. The CSIR UGC NET exam is crucial for determining eligibility for various academic positions. Candidates should stay updated on the revised exam dates through the official website. The decision to postpone another major national exam has added to the uncertainty faced by aspiring researchers and students.

from Latest Education news - Board Exam Results, Admit Cards, Exam Paper Analysis and Question Papers | Times of India
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A pivotal event for online commerce; and other top tech, startup stories

Stay tuned to know how the latest capital infusion into Zepto impacts the workings of this fledgling sector.

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US proposes targeted restrictions for AI, tech investment in China

The U.S. proposed rules to regulate investments in China to prevent sensitive technology development, supported by Treasury Assistant Secretary Paul Rosen.

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Nvidia loses top spot to Microsoft after 3% drop

Nvidia, whose market capitalisation surpassed that of Microsoft on Tuesday, was set to lose around $91 billion to its last closing market value of $3.34 trillion, at the current level of $131.88.

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Credit card bill payment hurdles; startup funding logs slight uptick

Happy Friday! The central bank has mandated credit card bill payments through Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), but only eight of 34 banks are live on the network, causing concern among payment companies. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

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