OkCredit CEO Harsh Pokharna urges founders to focus on solving real customer problems, not chasing investor hype. Drawing from his own struggles despite raising ₹120 crore, he warns that funding doesn’t guarantee stability. His message: validate with users, ignore trends, and stay mission-driven. Success comes from purpose, not projections. Build for value, not valuation.

Google plans to open its Play Store to all real-money gaming apps in India, including poker and rummy, if certified as skill-based and legal. This could boost Indian gaming startups and offer users easier access to cash-prize games. The move awaits CCI approval and aims to address regulatory concerns and create a fairer digital gaming market.

Himgiri is one of the most technologically advanced warships. Measuring 149 metres in length and displacing 6,670 tonnes, it is equipped with supersonic BrahMos cruise missile, Barak 8 surface-to-air missile system & AESA radar. It supports anti-air, anti-surface & anti-submarine operations. Powered by combined diesel and gas propulsion system, it has fully integrated combat management systems.

A strong omnichannel model integrates inventory, customer data, and communication across all channels. The best systems sync online and offline experiences, offering real-time availability, consistent messaging, and flexible fulfilment. This unified structure increases CLTV and customer satisfaction, while reducing churn caused by fragmented touchpoints.

Investment banking powers startup and enterprise growth by facilitating M&As, IPOs, and capital structuring. These firms conduct valuations, prepare financial models, and align business goals with investor expectations. They reduce risk during expansion and help companies unlock capital markets effectively, making them essential partners in high-stakes growth.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) announced the ROG Strix Helios II, a mid-tower gaming PC case with premium lustre and efficient cooling in a design that offers plenty of elbow room for the building process. The chassis features aluminium exterior elements, an optimised internal layout, and incredible thermal efficiency to ensure readiness for heavyweight gaming.

Evan Wallace, Co-founder of Figma which launched its IPO and tripled its value in one day, gifted 13.4 million of the software maker's shares to Marin Community Foundation in June. The charity sold the shares in the IPO, earning approximately $442,000 (about ₹3.9 crore). If it hadn't, the charity's shares would've been worth $1.4 billion (over ₹12,244 crore) after IPO.

ASUS ROG announced that the ROG Strix XG248QSG Ace has been named as the official monitor for the 2025 BLAST Counter-Strike 2 tournament series. The partnership will span the remaining three events in the BLAST Premier calendar: BLAST Premier Bounty S2 in Malta (August 5-17), BLAST Premier Open S2 in London (August 27-September 7), and BLAST Premier Rivals S2 in Hong Kong (November 12–16).

Smart retail uses sensors, AI, and predictive analytics to optimise customer experience and backend operations. Cashierless checkouts, real-time inventory updates, and tailored promotions are reducing operational friction. With hybrid shopping becoming the norm, these tools help retailers compete with e-commerce giants while improving margins.

New research from IISERs Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, and the University of Turku reveals how network structure impacts quantum walk coherence. Heterogeneous networks and starting positions significantly affect quantum particle stability, crucial for robust quantum device design. Different decoherence types also play a key role in preserving quantum properties for future technologies.

Launching a D2C brand in 2025 is about more than product-market fit. Founders must build direct customer relationships, optimise logistics, and invest in performance marketing. With rising acquisition costs, owning customer data and retention strategies becomes crucial. The most successful brands align operations, storytelling, and tech from day one.

Software engineer Marc Kriguer said despite being fired four times in 18 years, he doesn't fear AI as he doesn't think AI is behind widespread layoffs. "Two years from now, all jobs...will be looking for AI," he said. He added he hasn't stayed jobless for 5+ months and has applied to 40 jobs and given 15 interviews this time.

AI-first companies outperform others by embedding models directly into decision systems. They invest in continuous learning loops, edge inference, and modular deployments. This enables faster pivots, better forecasts, and lower error rates. Firms that fully adopt AI report 3x higher ROI on transformation efforts and unlock breakthroughs in both performance and product velocity.

A 360° digital strategy aligns content, SEO, email, paid media, and analytics across all customer touchpoints. Brands using this approach see higher retention and 20% better engagement. The key lies in message consistency, integrated data tracking, and iterative feedback loops across platforms like social, mobile, and web to keep audiences moving through the funnel.

Archita Phukan from Assam, was shocked to find her face used without consent to create "Babydoll Archi," a viral, hypersexualized, AI-generated Instagram persona with 1.4M followers. Her ex-boyfriend, Pratim Bora, used advanced AI tools to fabricate explicit content for revenge and profit, earning around ₹10 lakh before his arrest. The case sparks urgent calls for AI misuse safeguards.

India now anchors Walmart's global AI and technology operations, managing billions of products and high-volume transactions. Teams in Bengaluru and Chennai are driving innovations in generative AI, automation, and supply chain tech. As retail giants modernise, India's role in shaping the future of global commerce and customer experience is becoming increasingly central.

AI in e-commerce now powers everything from predictive search to hyper-personalised recommendations. Algorithms track user behaviour in real time to surface relevant products, optimise pricing, and reduce cart abandonment. AI also enhances backend ops like inventory forecasting and chatbot support, helping retailers increase conversions while improving customer experience.

A structured brand messaging framework aligns internal teams, improves marketing clarity, and increases audience recall by up to 3x. When brand tone, values, and voice are consistent across channels, customers build stronger associations. This consistency reduces confusion, shortens decision cycles, and boosts engagement metrics across campaigns.

Missed follow-ups, delayed response times, and inconsistent tone can erode customer trust fast. Most brands underestimate the long-term impact of unresolved issues. The top mistakes include treating support as a cost center, over-automating without empathy, and failing to close feedback loops. Fixing these can reduce churn and improve retention significantly.

Karnataka has launched a ₹1,000 crore plan to become Asia’s “Quantum Capital” by 2035. Anchored around a futuristic Q-City near Bengaluru, the mission includes a Quantum Hardware Park, 100+ startup supports, and 150 PhD fellowships. With global partnerships, quantum research, and chip-making facilities, the state aims to create 2 lakh jobs and lead India’s tech future.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approves four major railway multitracking projects worth ₹11,169 crore. These projects cover 13 districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand. These projects will further add 574 kilometres to the Indian Railways network and are scheduled to be completed by 2028-29.

Scaling a solar business requires more than demand. Companies need to offer seamless financing, reduce installation time, and use smart tech for performance monitoring. Government incentives help, but scaling depends on training local talent and building trust. A customer-first approach paired with data-driven maintenance drives retention and long-term growth.

From healthcare to retail, AI and ML are streamlining manual tasks, cutting errors, and improving decision-making. In manufacturing, AI predicts equipment failure; in finance, it detects fraud. Education uses AI for personalised learning, while marketing benefits from real-time campaign optimisation. In all sectors automation boosts productivity but also raises ethical and data quality challenges.

Reddit is planning for an AI push to turn itself into a "go-to search engine", reducing the dependence on Google, CEO Steve Huffman stated. The platform has reportedly been working to integrate its conversational AI-powered search feature into the core search experience. Reddit’s core search tool sees over 70 million active users/week, while 416.4 million weekly users visit the platform.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that people who won't wear AI-powered smart glasses in future may be at a cognitive disadvantage than those who would. "Glasses will be the ideal form factor for AI...you can let...AI see, hear what you go through in a day...talk to you," Zuckerberg said. This comes amid Meta's push for AI with its Superintelligence Lab.