On Thursday Japan based SofBank announced they would be buying robot making firm Boston Dynamics from Alphabet Inc., along with the secretive bipedal robotics firm Schaft. Boston Dynamics manufactures animal like robots such as Atlas and BigDog, that balance and use whole body skills to stay upright even when pushed or while traversing rocky terrain.
Multinational telecommunications and Internet corporation SoftBank, has already invested in human shaped robot ‘Pepper’ that can serve as a helpful companion, in 2014. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, shares of the Japanese conglomerate shot up by more than 7% on Friday morning after the news of their latest acquisition spread.
Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank said that smart robotics was the key for the next stage of an information revolution. Boston Dynamics chief executive Marc Raibert said in a press release that they share SoftBank’s belief that advances in technology should benefit humanity.
Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc., has been looking to offload Boston Dynamics for almost a year before finally selling it to SoftBank. They have yet to comment on whether this new acquisition will remain a part of SoftBank or will join their $93 billion Vision Fund.
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Bengaluru bench has dismissed an insolvency plea filed against quick commerce startup Dunzo by its invoice discounters, declaring the petition “not maintainable” after several postponements. This decision offers temporary relief to Dunzo, which has been facing multiple insolvency petitions from various creditors, including Velvin Packaging Solutions and Betterplace Safety Solutions, over unpaid dues.
The invoice discounters alleged that Dunzo had paid only 50% of the required amounts, though the exact sum was not disclosed. Despite ongoing settlement talks, no resolution was reached, and the tribunal noted Dunzo’s delays in responding to creditor petitions. Dunzo continues to grapple with severe liquidity issues, delayed payments, and significant losses—reporting a ₹1,801.8 crore loss in FY23 and owing approximately ₹11.4 crore to major vendors like Google India and Facebook India.
While this NCLT ruling provides Dunzo some breathing room, the company still faces ongoing financial and operational challenges as it works to resolve its outstanding liabilities.
Hyderabad-based startup Harvesting Robotics has won hearts online by appointing a golden retriever named Denver as its Chief Happiness Officer (CHO). Denver, introduced by co-founder Rahul Arepaka in a viral LinkedIn post, has quickly become the star of the office, spreading joy and boosting morale among employees. The company is now officially pet-friendly, a move Arepaka calls their “best decision.”
Denver’s new role has sparked widespread attention, with thousands liking and commenting on the announcement. Many see Denver’s presence as more than just a cute story—it highlights a growing trend of pet-friendly workplaces that prioritize employee well-being and happiness. As companies increasingly focus on holistic wellness, Denver’s appointment shows that sometimes, a wagging tail is the best way to brighten the workday.
Info Edge (India) Ltd shareholders have overwhelmingly approved an investment of up to ₹1,000 crore in the company’s third venture capital fund, Info Edge Ventures Fund III. The proposal received near-unanimous backing, with 99.9995% of valid votes in favor out of 1,274 participants.
Smartweb Internet Services Ltd, a wholly owned Info Edge subsidiary, will act as sponsor and investment manager for the new fund. This move strengthens Info Edge’s commitment to backing early-stage startups and expanding its footprint in India’s venture capital landscape.
Info Edge has a strong track record as an early investor in leading Indian startups like Zomato and PB Fintech, with combined holdings in these firms valued at ₹31,500 crore ($3.7 billion) as of March 31, 2025.