Flipkart, India’s largest ecommerce platform, is all set to launch its own smartphone Capture+ in November this year. The phone will be produced under its ‘Made For India’ private label arm ‘Billion,’ headed by Group Chairman, Sachin Bansal.
Priced at Rs. 10,999 for the 32 GB model and at Rs. 12,999 for the 64 GB model, the smartphone will be available on the ecommerce platform from 15 November, 2017. According to the Billion Category Head Hrishikesh Thite, the phone has been designed, engineered, manufactured and tested in India.
Capture+ will pack a dual camera with super night mode for capturing pictures in low light and Bokeh effect. Along with a 13 megapixel dual rear camera with dual tone flash and an 8 megapixel front camera, the phone will also support turbocharging with a 3,500mAh battery. Powered by a Qualcomm SD625 octa core processor with a 4GB RAM, Capture+ will run on stock Android Nougat and will come with unlimited cloud storage and a full HD display. Designed and manufactured by Smartron, Flipkart has tied up with close to 130 service centers across 125 cities across India for its launch.
Speaking about the new smartphone, Flipkart co founder and Executive Chairman, Sachin Bansal said, “Billion aims to make high quality everyday products accessible to all Indians who are today limited by choice and budget when it comes to world class quality. By making these products in India, we will create an impact on both the manufacturing ecosystem in the country and the skills of young workers. Doing this in the fast growing, high tech segments like smartphones will magnify this impact on the nation.” Bansal further added, more products across categories such as large appliances will also be launched under the Billion brand over the coming months.
Flipkart is the exclusive launch partner of smartphone brands such as Xiaomi, Samsung, Vivo and Oppo. According to the research firm RedSeer Consulting, India is the second largest market for smartphones across the world and Flipkart owns 70% market share of the online smartphones market in India. Currently, the overall smartphone sale accounts for more than 50% of all the ecommerce sale in India.
Setu, the API infrastructure platform and subsidiary of Pine Labs, has significantly strengthened its leadership by appointing Prashanth Nimmagada (ex-Razorpay) as Chief Technology Officer, signaling its commitment to innovation in India’s dynamic fintech landscape. Alongside Nimmagada, Setu has welcomed other top industry talent: Vijeth Pandit (ex-Razorpay) as Chief Product Officer, Ramkumar Thirumurthi (ex-Razorpay, co-founder Actyv.ai) as Chief Revenue Officer, Nikhil Ratanpal (ex-PhonePe) as Director of Product Development, and Santosh Subramanian (ex-Yes Bank, Wibmo) as Head of Finance. These high-profile hires accompany Anand Raisinghani’s (ex-SAP India) appointment as CEO, underscoring Setu’s focus on building a strong, experienced leadership bench to drive future growth.
Setu specializes in providing API-based digital financial infrastructure for services such as UPI, bill payments, KYC, and digital signatures, while also operating as an RBI-licensed NBFC Account Aggregator. With this expanded leadership team—drawn from India’s leading fintechs—Setu is well-positioned to accelerate the development of scalable, API-driven financial solutions for banks, fintechs, and enterprises. The influx of expertise from Razorpay and PhonePe veterans will bolster Setu’s technical capabilities and strategic partnerships, ensuring it remains a key enabler in India’s rapidly maturing digital public infrastructure ecosystem.
This leadership overhaul comes as parent company Pine Labs prepares for a major IPO, aiming to raise ₹2,600 crore through a fresh share issue after turning profitable in FY25. Setu’s enhanced leadership reinforces the broader group’s ambitions for international expansion, technological innovation, and financial performance. As Setu solidifies its role at the forefront of India’s fintech evolution, the company is poised to deliver advanced financial infrastructure solutions that support the country’s growing digital economy and drive Pine Labs’ strategic momentum.
Sundar Pichai, the visionary CEO of Alphabet Inc., has officially entered the ranks of global billionaires, accomplishing this rare feat after a decade at the helm of one of the world’s most influential tech giants. Pichai’s net worth hit $1.1 billion—according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index—fueled by Alphabet’s incredible market performance and the company’s growth of more than $1 trillion in value since early 2023. Achieving billionaire status without being a founding member sets Pichai apart, highlighting his significant impact among non-founder tech leaders.
Born in Tamil Nadu, India, Pichai’s success story is rooted in humble beginnings. He spent his childhood in a modest two-room apartment, only gaining access to a telephone at age 12. A scholarship took him to Stanford University in 1993, with his family making great sacrifices for his education. After joining Google in 2004, Pichai played a pivotal role in the development of Chrome and rose steadily, ultimately becoming CEO in 2015. His leadership through Alphabet’s restructuring and his stewardship over high-growth areas like YouTube, Google Cloud, and Google Play have been critical to the company’s success.
During his tenure, Pichai has championed aggressive investments in artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure, positioning Alphabet at the forefront of technological innovation. While his annual salary sits at $2 million, the majority of his fortune stems from stock awards and financial incentives tied to performance. Pichai’s journey exemplifies the rise from modest beginnings to extraordinary success, serving as an inspiration and proving that transformative leadership and strategic vision can redefine what’s possible—even without a founder’s equity stake.
The Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Foundation (TiHAN) at IIT Hyderabad has set a new standard in drone technology with the launch of Palyanka, a heavy payload drone designed as an autonomous air ambulance. Capable of carrying up to 200 kg, Palyanka is engineered to swiftly transport patients, medical equipment, or critical cargo across challenging terrains, bypassing traditional barriers like road congestion and remote inaccessibility. This advanced UAV operates autonomously, making it highly effective for rapid response in both urban and rural emergencies, and stands at the forefront of disaster relief operations in scenarios such as floods and fires.
Built for versatility, Palyanka doesn’t just function as an air ambulance. Its robust design enables use in rescue missions, cargo deliveries, and even as an air taxi for metropolitan connectivity. Inspired by the Sanskrit word for palanquin, the name “Palyanka” reflects the drone’s role as a safe and efficient carrier. All components, from conceptual design to IP, have been developed in-house at IIT Hyderabad, ensuring the drone meets stringent standards for durability and performance under extreme conditions.
With a development journey spanning over five years and led by Prof. P. Rajalakshmi, TiHAN’s team has transitioned from early drone prototypes to a full-scale, high-capacity solution like Palyanka. The team is now preparing pilot projects in hilly terrains and working on further enhancing the drone’s endurance with innovative heat-resistant materials. By pioneering such indigenous solutions, IIT Hyderabad’s TiHAN is transforming emergency medical services and logistics, marking a pivotal advancement in India’s urban mobility and public safety landscape.