Dear Reader,
Gaurav Munjal is stepping down as CEO to become the executive chairman of Unacademy. Akhilendra Kumar will take over as CEO.
Munjal, however, would stay involved in operations every day, work alongside the new CEO, and help with upGrad’s IPO. The leadership change comes two months after upGrad completed the acquisition of Unacademy for over $200 million.
In other news, the Indian government has prohibited the export of lithium-ion battery black mass, a key intermediate material recovered during battery recycling.
Reversing the earlier policy that allowed shipments overseas, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade has notified an amendment banning shipping of unsorted waste, scrap, and spent primary cells, primary batteries, and electric accumulators. The move, which is expected to strengthen domestic recycling, comes just a week after the Cabinet approved a Rs 2,814 crore scheme to promote critical mineral processing.
Meanwhile, IBM has halted sponsorship of work visas and green cards for most positions in its consulting division in the US, reflecting the growing impact of the Trump administration’s tightening immigration policies on the tech industry.
Lastly, in a high-profile IPL trade, all-rounder Hardik Pandya has moved to Punjab Kings from Mumbai Indians for a fee of Rs 18 crore, up from 16.35 crore. PBKS traded pacer Arshdeep Singh for Pandya, making it the biggest exchange of players in IPL history.
In today’s newsletter:
- Kunal Shah’s plans for WhatsApp’s next phase
- The Tamil Nadu startups that showcased their innovations to PM Modi
Here’s your trivia for today: What is the meaning of the Latin phrase ‘caveat emptor’? (Scroll down for the answer)
Corporate
Kunal Shah outlines plans for WhatsApp’s next phase
WhatsApp is gearing up for a future beyond messaging. Its next phase involves making conversations richer and more expressive, bringing everyday transactions into the app, and using AI for practical tasks. The app would evolve voice notes, groups, stickers and video as communication habits change.
CEO Kunal Shah set out these priorities in a post on X, more than four months after succeeding Will Cathcart as WhatsApp’s global head. “The best technology saves you time, so you can get back to the connections that matter,” said Shah.
What’s in store:
- Simplicity will be the core of what WhatsApp stands for. “We want anything you do on WhatsApp to be as simple as sending a message,” Shah wrote.
- The second priority is to make everyday tasks easier to complete within a chat. WhatsApp is working with financial services and telecom partners to reduce the steps involved in bill payments, borrowing and staying connected while travelling.
- AI is the third strand. The technology would find information, manage routine tasks, and help users avoid missing bookings or appointments. UPI payments within AI-assisted chats would also be introduced.
In-focus
Meet 8 Tamil Nadu startups that showcased their innovations to PM Modi
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled aboard the Chennai Metro with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay last month, the journey also provided an unusual platform for entrepreneurs from the state to present their ideas to the PM.
Key takeaways:
- Many startup founders from Tamil Nadu showcased their innovations from fields spanning spacetech, aviation, healthcare, agriculture and urban finance.
- The Chennai startups included Dream Aerospace Technologies, which makes propulsion systems for satellites, spacecraft and re-entry vehicles; Blunav Technologies, which is developing software to manage airport operations; and FarmwiseAI, which applies AI and geospatial analytics to agriculture and land management.
- Tirunelveli-based Thazhal Geospatial Analytics uses satellite imagery, drone data, and IoT sensors to monitor physical assets and assess environmental risks. Grahaa Space (Karur), Diagno Intelligent Systems (Chennai), MEDxAI Innovations (Kancheepuram), and Munify Datatech (Chennai) were the others.
News & updates
- PLI scheme: The Indian government has invited fresh applications under its Rs 2,700-crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for medical devices and extended the programme till 2035-36. The scheme guidelines have also been simplified and made more investor-friendly to promote ease of doing business.
- AI readiness: India ranks among the world’s ‘Rising Contenders’ in artificial intelligence, a tier of economies with high readiness to use AI but lower exposure to its disruption, Boston Consulting Group said in a report. India’s strength lies in ‘skills’, with a large pool of AI specialists and a skilled IT-services workforce.
- EV push: The Finance Ministry has asked ministries and departments to make electric vehicles the default and preferred choice for staff cars, and has set a price cap of Rs 20 lakh for procurement of these vehicles.
What is the meaning of the Latin phrase ‘caveat emptor’?
Answer: Let the buyer beware
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