Latest News
11-12-2017 To 16-12-2017
The year 2017 is quickly coming to a close. The last week has been an extremely interesting one, with an influx in investments and a growth in the startup world, we have had a lot to do! So without taking up too much of your time, we’d like to dive into the week that was.
1. Amazon Posts 67% Increase In Sales Growth
The Indian of ecommerce giant, Amazon, reported a 67% increase in sales volume in the September quarter. According to reports, the ecommerce giant’s volumes rose by 66% in the last six months alone. However, there were reports that Amazon was lagging behind Flipkart in the September quarter. Amazon squashed all these reports and said that they have a very fruitful last quarter.
2. Paytm’s Annual Offline Shopping Festival 12/12
India’s largest ecommerce online payments platform, Paytm, recently held its second annual offline shopping festival on 12/12/2017. Customers were offered up to 50% cashback on payments made through Paytm. The aim of this festival was to drive sales for offline merchant partners who accept Paytm as a payments source.
3. Uber’s Top Trends Of 2017 – Year With Uber
Taxi and cab aggregator, Uber, has had an interesting year. In 2017, the company hit the 500 millionth trip milestone in July, where the riders and driver partners have traveled over 5.8 billion kilometers together. Uber launched a micro website, yearwithuber.com, which takes riders through their years with Uber. The past year has been interesting and filled with scandals for Uber. The end of the year video is a new beginning for the highest valued startup yet.
4. Xiaomi To Enter Indian Electrical Vehicles And Payments Space
China based smartphone and appliances service, Xiaomi, is all set to enter the Indian electric vehicles and payments space. Not just electric vehicles, Xiaomi is also planning on launching laptops, gaming consols, computer accessories and lifestyle products. Currently, Ola as well as Mahindra and Mahindra are trying to gain an upper hand in the electric vehicle industry in India. These companies are facing fierce competition from companies like Paytm and Flipkart.
5. Twitter Made Easier. New Threads Revealed.
Twitter has had an interesting year. From increasing the number of characters to introducing a host of new features, online social media platform, Twitter, has gone through a lot of changes. In the latest announcement, Twitter revealed an easier way for users to link multiple threads together as well as publishing a lot of threads together.
6. Flipkart Completes $ 100 Million Employee Stock Repurchase Plan
India’s largest ecommerce website, Flipkart, successfully completed the repurchase of employee stocks worth $ 100 million. More than 3,000 current and former employees of Flipkart, Myntra, Jabong and PhonePe took part in this repurchase. In further news, SoftBank showed interest in wanting to buy Flipkart stocks from existing and former employees. A recent valuation said Flipkart was valued at $ 10 million.
7. Swiggy Acqui Hires 48East And Team
Swiggy, the country’s fastest growing online food ordering platform, recently acquired the gourmet based food platform 48East. In order to broaden its horizons, Swiggy also took over the management of Bengaluru based 48East. In the last three years, Swiggy has acquired a delivery fleet of over 10,000 people as well. At present, along with Swiggy, foodtech startups such as Zomato and UberEats are competing for the lucrative restaurant discovery and food delivery industry.
8. Paytm Reports Triple Growth In 12/12 Festival
Alibaba backed online transactions and online payments faciliator, Paytm, reported a three fold growth during their recent annual 12/12 offline sale. Post this sale, Paytm is also gearing up for its Grand Finale sale beginning on December 13. The company also has plans to spend close to $ 5 million to bring on board offline sellers, under their Retailer Inclusion Programme.
9. Microsoft Makes Bing Smarter Using Artificial Intelligence
Microsoft, the technology giant funded by Bill Gates, decided to make Bing smarter by using artificial intelligence. The company will be leveraging their AI research in order to upgrade the search engine. Also, this will help in building a new relationship with Reddit. Microsoft has also introduced a host of interesting new features like Intelligent Search and Intelligent Image Search.
10. CCI Approves SoftBank Investment In Flipkart And BigBasket
Japan based company, SoftBank, has been keen for a while now to invest in homegrown ecommerce based startups. The first step to achieve that is through showing interest in ecommerce online shopping platform, Flipkart and online grocery delivery platfrom, BigBasket. The CCI has approved this move as well and now, things are going to be extremely interesting on the Indian ecommerce front.
11. Alphabet Inc,.Sells New Wireless Internet Tech To Andhra Pradesh
Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, will be providing the Andhra Pradesh Government with high speed wireless internet technology. Alphabet’s X research division announced on Thursday, the AP government will be buying newly developed technology to provide internet to millions of people without laying any cables.
12. Facebook To Introduce Click To WhatsApp Messaging Button
Since its launch, Facebook owned messaging service Whatsapp, has been advertisements free. However, in an attempt to monetize WhatsApp, owner of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, decided to introduce a new feature on the social network platform. WhatsApp claims to have over 1.3 million active users at the moment, while Facebook has over 1.37 million active users.
That’s all for this week! Subscribe to our portal to never miss updates from the startup world! If your startup has an exciting announcement coming up, you can even write to us at [email protected]. Catch up with the highlights of the week with our The News This Week section.
The healthy snacking category in India is no longer a niche trend it is steadily becoming a mainstream consumer movement. The latest funding momentum around brands like Phab highlights how investors are increasingly backing companies that sit at the intersection of health, convenience, and modern lifestyles. As urban consumers become more conscious of ingredients, nutrition, and long-term wellness, demand is shifting away from traditional packaged snacks toward products that promise both taste and better nutritional value.
What makes this market particularly attractive is its ability to create recurring consumer habits. Unlike many direct-to-consumer categories that rely heavily on one-time purchases, healthy snacks naturally fit into daily routines. This opens opportunities for brands to build stronger customer loyalty while expanding into adjacent categories such as protein-rich foods, functional beverages, and wellness-focused products. The competition is no longer about selling snacks it is about owning a larger share of the consumer’s health journey.
Looking ahead, the biggest winners may not be the brands with the widest product portfolios, but those that can balance nutrition, affordability, and taste at scale. As health-conscious consumption expands beyond metro cities, India’s better-for-you food segment could evolve into one of the country’s most significant consumer categories. The growing flow of capital into this space signals that investors are betting on a long-term behavioral shift rather than a short-lived food trend.
India’s fintech sector is entering a new phase of growth, and the spotlight is increasingly shifting toward underserved consumers in smaller cities and towns. The recent funding secured by WeRize reflects growing investor confidence in platforms that are expanding access to financial products such as credit, insurance, and other services for customers who have traditionally remained outside the reach of formal financial institutions. As digital adoption deepens across the country, fintech companies are finding significant opportunities beyond metro markets.
What makes this trend notable is the industry’s transition from simply enabling digital payments to building broader financial ecosystems. Rather than focusing on a single service, fintech firms are expanding their product portfolios to meet multiple customer needs under one platform. This approach not only strengthens customer relationships but also creates more sustainable business models by increasing engagement and lifetime value.
The larger implication is that India’s next fintech growth story may be driven by financial inclusion rather than convenience alone. Investors are increasingly backing companies that combine technology, data-driven underwriting, and localized distribution to serve emerging consumer segments. As competition intensifies, the ability to build trust, offer relevant products, and address the financial needs of Bharat could become a key differentiator for the next generation of fintech leaders.
OpenAI’s introduction of trusted contact safeguards for potential self-harm cases reflects a major evolution in AI responsibility.
Beyond Moderation
AI safety is shifting from simply blocking harmful content to actively supporting user wellbeing through:
- early risk detection
- human-centered intervention
- stronger emotional safety frameworks
This positions AI as more than an information tool—it becomes part of broader digital support systems.
Key Industry Impact
Trusted contact models could influence future safety standards across:
- AI assistants
- mental health platforms
- social media
- digital health services
The Bigger Challenge
While promising, success depends on balancing:
- privacy
- consent
- ethical intervention
- user trust
Final Take
This move signals that the future of AI safety may rely not just on preventing harmful responses, but on building more responsible, human-connected support systems.
What Investor Exits Reveal About the New Age of Indian Startups
Healthy Snacking Is Emerging as India’s Next Consumer Growth Story
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