MICROSOFT VENTURES
AI boom turns chip packaging into the next battleground for semiconductors
Billions of dollars are being invested in advanced chip packaging due to the demand for AI chips. This growing need is pushing companies to expand their production capacities significantly. Taiwan's TSMC is at the forefront of packaging technology, yet limitations have spurred alternatives.
Lenskart, Nykaa, PhysicsWallah see Q2 profits surge
New-age companies Nykaa, Lenskart, and PhysicsWallah reported strong numbers for the September quarter. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
Over 30 billionaires have one trait in common: Indian American entrepreneur who once taught Bill Gates tennis shares the one habit Microsoft co-founder shares with ultra-successful people
Sharran Srivatsaa, the CEO of Acquisition.com, once taught Bill Gates tennis. During their interactions, Sharran was taken aback by how curious the billionaire was and how frequently he asked questions. In a recent interview, the entrepreneur said that many extremely successful people have one trait in common - being curious.
Besides the bubble, a big AI risk could be growing in the shadows
Investors are worried about potential financial risks linked to Big Tech's investments in AI infrastructure. The technology sector recently experienced a significant sell-off, indicating growing nervousness among shareholders. S&P Global predicts considerable expenses on data centres for major companies like Amazon and Microsoft through 2030.
Cyberattacks hit NBFCs; Pine Labs Q2 profit zooms
Cyber criminals are targetting smaller NBFCs with specialised AI toolkits. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
How Databricks’ $2.2 billion Tabular deal helped Tim Chen’s Essence VC nearly return its entire fund
Tim Chen wasn’t planning to raise a new venture capital fund when investors began approaching him. His investment in Tabular, acquired by Databricks in 2024, helped put Essence VC on the map. The interest eventually helped Chen close a $41 million fourth fund, even before he had prepared a pitch deck.
- Go To Page 1
IIM Calcutta summer placements see 475 students secure 546 offers from 156 companies
IIM Calcutta has completed the summer placements for its 63rd MBA batch, attaining incredible success. A remarkable 475 students have secured jobs, with consulting roles leading the way, supported by offers in finance and general management. Furthermore, numerous first-time participating companies expressed their intent to hire. This success is a testament to the institute's esteemed reputation and strong connections in the industry.
Meet Amos Miller, man who lost his sight in his 20s, built an AI-powered robot to help blind people navigate easiliy
Miller has reportedly worked at Microsoft Research, where he led development of Soundscape, a spatial-audio navigation app designed to help blind and visually impaired people orient themselves. He had also served as chairman of the board at Guide Dogs for the Blind in the UK. His company's flagship device is called Glide.
Swiggy’s Q2 report card; eMudhra to exit certificate biz
Swiggy continued on its growth trajectory while bringing down losses in Q2FY27. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
India’s family offices bet on homegrown AI firms to gain ground
India’s tech landscape is witnessing an influx of investments from family offices and wealthy individuals. Key players like Premji Invest and Claypond Capital are funding promising AI startups. With at least six companies achieving unicorn status, the environment for AI is becoming increasingly supportive. This shift highlights the need for sustained investment in India’s AI ecosystem. The growth potential is significant, despite challenges in funding and competition.
Sequoia-backed chip startup Nuvacore raising funds at about a $2.5 billion valuation
Nuvacore is seeking to raise the funds as the appetite for central processors has swollen due to the thirst for data-crunching capacity to power chatbots such as Anthropic's Claude. CPUs perform vital functions as traffic controllers for Nvidia's AI chips and run autonomous AI software known as agents.
India's tech push: five things to know
India has committed billions of dollars in semiconductors, electronics manufacturing and artificial intelligence in a bid to become a global technology powerhouse. India's electronics production rose from about $31 billion in 2014-15 to $133 billion in 2024-25, according to the government, which wants the country to become a tech manufacturing hub.
CurvetAI raises Rs 6 crore in pre-seed funding led by Merak Ventures
CurvetAI has secured Rs 6 crore in a pre-seed funding round led by Merak Ventures. The platform aims to streamline AI tools by integrating various capabilities into a single workspace. Founded by Vivek Dubey and Utkarsh Gupta, CurvetAI has over 100,000 monthly users globally. This funding will enhance its technology infrastructure and team, paving the way for agent-based products.
Alaska Airlines takes its battle for Seattle with Delta overseas
Alaska Airlines is expanding aggressively into long-haul international travel from Seattle, using widebody aircraft acquired through Hawaiian Airlines to challenge Delta for premium passengers. The airline plans at least 15 intercontinental destinations by 2030, betting that higher-margin international, premium-cabin and loyalty revenue can offset fuel pressures and narrow the profitability gap with larger US rivals.
ETMarkets Smart Talk| ‘Desi to Videsi’: How GIFT City is changing the way Indians invest globally — Mustafa Pardiwala
GIFT City is emerging as a gateway for Indian investors seeking global diversification, offering access to US stocks, ETFs and sectors such as AI and semiconductors. Mustafa Pardiwala of Mirae Asset Capital Markets (IFSC) explains how investors can start with smaller amounts, the role of ETFs, currency risk and fractional investing.
In 1996, Tim Draper bought Hotmail shares for $300,000. 2 years later, Microsoft acquired the startup for $400 million
Microsoft announced the Hotmail acquisition on December 31, 1997. It did not reveal how much it paid for the company. A later securities filing provided more detail. Hotmail’s owners received 2,769,148 Microsoft shares in the deal. Wired estimated those shares were worth about $400 million at the time.
Anthropic's IPO pitch embraces AI's promise and peril
To pull off a successful offering that values it at $2 trillion, Anthropic, whose name means "human-centered," will need plenty of mortal investors to help build a world where mankind will soon take a back seat to far more capable artificial intelligence systems.
Peak XV’s Surge programme selects 18 startups for 12th cohort after revamp
The new cohort announcement comes as the VC firm revamps Surge, bringing it closer to the firm’s broader early-stage investment practice and increasing the amount it can invest in a company to as much as $5 million.
The Indispensables: Seven AI titans and an $18.6 trillion economic bet
Removing key AI leaders such as Elon Musk and Sam Altman could disrupt the entire AI industry profoundly. These leaders oversee companies with a combined market value of approximately $18.6 trillion as of now. Their innovative projects in AI have enormous potential to impact multiple sectors and advance human progress.
Microsoft backs Kerala edtech startup Wayvida with Rs 3.25 crore support to accelerate AI innovation
Wayvida has successfully obtained Rs 3.25 crore in Microsoft cloud credits, which will significantly enhance its AI-driven educational technology platform. This investment is set to bolster the company's technological infrastructure, paving the way for international expansion. With over 20 years of expertise in the education field, founder Gireesh Neyyar aims to create an integrated tech ecosystem that streamlines operations and enriches learning experiences for various educational institutions and organizations.
Too early to write India off in the global AI race: Andreessen Horowitz’s Raghu Raghuram
India has few frontier AI model companies and limited computing capacity, but according to a16z managing partner Raghu Raghuram, the country should not be written off. In an interview with ET, Raghuram said Indian startups could first build services on open-weight models before eventually developing their own.
Ultraviolette's fresh funding; Bira 91 revival plan
Ultraviolette has roped in Intel chief Lip-Bu Tan as an investor and advisor after a fresh capital raise. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
Tech elite's new school aims to replace university
The most powerful venture capital firm in Silicon Valley is starting a two-year private school for young people intended to replace college, as some US tech elite question the benefits of a classical university education. This will precede the eventual two-year, paid version of the program, which Biyani said would be similar in cost to an elite private university.
Inside Furlenco’s IPO; Moneyview investors make bank
Happy Tuesday! Furlenco is heading to Dalal Street for a potential Rs 1,200 crore IPO. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
Vaishnaw flags AI safety; Moneyview’s IPO, investor gains
AI companies need to ensure their products are safe, union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told us. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
AI startup Mantic raises $25 million for superhuman forecasting
Results from the summer 2026 Metaculus Cup, an online forecasting tournament that wrapped up this month, showed the London-based startup had assigned probabilities to political, economic and cultural developments more accurately than human competitors.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella lauds Seattle tech community's strengthening ties with India
Nadella was the guest of honour at a special event organised by the Consulate General of India in Seattle under the leadership of Consul General Prakash Gupta.
AI doomsday warnings unlikely to slow IPOs but questions linger
Anthropic is expected to beat rival OpenAI to the public markets with a blockbuster IPO later this year despite recent doomsday warnings, but questions remain about their business models and whether regulators should step in. Before the recent headlines over AI safety, Altman and executives at OpenAI had already signaled that they were in no hurry to go public this year.
Canada’s OTPP invests another $40 million in Darwinbox: Sources
The new round is of around $40 million, bringing TVG’s total investment in the company to roughly around $80 million, sources told ET. In August 2025, the company had closed a $40 million round with OTPP that was a mix of primary and secondary transactions at a blended valuation of around $1 billion.
Load More
