Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc., has its 13th board of director, Google CEO Sundar Pichai! Pichai will be the 5th insider and the 2nd Google executive to join the board after the head of Google’s cloud division Diane Greene. This announcement was made before the announcement of their second quarter earnings.
Sundar Pichai has worked with Google for more than a decade before he became the CEO of the company. In 2015, Google was reorganized into a unit of its parent company Alphabet with Pichai as the CEO after Eric Schmidt. The creation of Alphabet split a bunch of businesses into quasi independent companies, separate from Google.
Alphabet CEO and cofounder of Google Larry Page said, “Sundar has been doing a great job as Google’s CEO, driving strong growth, partnerships and tremendous product innovation.” This move represents a vote of confidence in Pichai, who has helped raise shares by more than 50% in his tenure. It’s not clear what Pichai’s salary will be after joining the board. His total compensation package for the year 2016 was $ 200 million.
Pichai, who has stuck with Google’s commitment to artificial intelligence and machine learning, has led the company through a period of sustained growth. Alphabet is the second most valuable company in the United States, with Google accounting for a vast majority of their revenue. Alphabet’s financial results for the second quarter was $ 265 billion, which is up by 26% versus their second quarter results of 2016.
Along with Sundar Pichai, the Alphabet board also includes the cofounders of Google Larry Page and Sergey Brin, executive chairman and former CEO Eric Schmidt and Diane Greene. In comparison, Alphabet has the most number of insiders on their board of directors. Both Apple and Amazon only have 1 insider, their respective CEOs Tim Cook and Jeff Bezos, while Microsoft has 3 on its 12 person board. Facebook also has a higher insider count, with 3 out of their 8 board members working for the company.
Predominantly, a majority of the companies have fewer insiders as the board of directors are meant to represent the interests of shareholders in cases of conflict with company leadership. A higher number of directors directly affiliated with the company may become a conflict of interest during a crisis.
Watch how Sundar Pichai, in mere 10 years, became the CEO of one of the world’s biggest companies, Google!
Zepto, the Bengaluru-based quick commerce startup, is preparing for its initial public offering (IPO) by facilitating a secondary share sale worth up to $250 million. This strategic move aims to increase Indian investor ownership from approximately 33% to nearly 50% before the anticipated public listing later this year or early next year.
Funding and Investor Details
The secondary sale will involve private equity firms, including Motilal Oswal Financial Services and Edelweiss Financial Services, allowing existing investors and employees to liquidate their shares. Although Zepto will not raise additional capital through this transaction, it is expected to execute the sale at a valuation of just over $5 billion, consistent with its last funding round in November 2024.
Objectives Behind the Sale
The primary goal of this secondary share sale is to enhance domestic ownership in Zepto, aligning with regulatory preferences and making the IPO more attractive to local institutional investors. Co-founders Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra currently hold about 20% of the company, and increasing Indian shareholder stakes is seen as a way to strengthen governance and influence over the company’s future direction.
Market Context
Zepto operates in India’s competitive grocery delivery market, facing challenges from established players like Amazon India, Swiggy, Zomato, and BigBasket. Founded in 2021 by Palicha and Vohra after they dropped out of Stanford University, Zepto has quickly gained traction in the quick commerce sector.
Conclusion
As Zepto approaches its IPO, this secondary share sale represents a crucial step in solidifying its position in the Indian market. By boosting domestic investor participation, Zepto aims to enhance its credibility and appeal as it prepares for a public listing amidst a wave of Indian startups entering the stock market.
Regional OTT platform STAGE has successfully raised $12.5 million in its Series B funding round, a move that highlights the increasing demand for regional content in India. The round was co-led by Goodwater Capital and Blume Ventures, with participation from Physis Capital and several angel investors.
The funding includes $10 million in primary capital and $2.5 million from secondary share sales, allowing early investors to partially exit. This capital will enable STAGE to enhance its content offerings, particularly in underserved languages like Bhojpuri, while strengthening its technological capabilities.
Since its launch in 2019, STAGE has quickly established itself as a leader in the regional OTT market, reporting an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of ₹180 crore (approximately $21.7 million) and over 4.4 million paying subscribers. The platform has achieved over 20 million app installs and experienced significant growth, with a 289% increase in revenue and a 286% rise in subscribers over the past year, driven by original series such as Videshi Bahu, Kaand 2010, and Bhawani.
CEO Vinay Singhal emphasized that this funding is not just financial support but a validation of India’s diverse regional cultures. He noted that dialects like Haryanvi and Bhojpuri should be celebrated rather than viewed as liabilities. With this new funding, STAGE plans to further invest in content creation and technology development to enrich its storytelling experience.
As the demand for regional language content continues to grow, STAGE’s strategic investments position it well to expand into more languages and cultural narratives, solidifying its place in the competitive OTT landscape alongside platforms like aha video and Chaupal.
Sunita Williams, the celebrated Indian-American astronaut, recently returned to Earth after an extended nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Initially scheduled for just eight days, her mission was prolonged due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which rendered it unsafe for their return.
On March 19, 2025, Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore safely splashed down off the Florida coast.
Their homecoming was celebrated in Jhulasan village, Gujarat, where special prayers and rituals were held to honor her safe return. Family members expressed their joy and gratitude, emphasizing her strong ties to her ancestral home.
Upon her return, Williams received accolades from Indian officials, including a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who expressed pride in her achievements and resilience. He highlighted the inspiration she provides to future generations of scientists.
While her return marks a moment of celebration, it also signals the start of new challenges. After spending 286 days in space, Williams will undergo a 45-day rehabilitation period to readjust to life on Earth and regain physical strength.
Sunita Williams’ journey serves as an inspiration not only for India but for aspiring scientists worldwide, showcasing the significant contributions of Indian-origin individuals in global space exploration.
