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!
Blissclub, the women-centric D2C apparel brand, has raised INR 33 crore in a Pre-Series B funding round led by Elevation Capital, with Eight Roads Ventures also participating. This funding comes just three months after the company laid off 18% of its workforce-about 21 employees from creative, sales, marketing, growth, and product teams-due to high cash burn and challenges in securing new capital.
The latest investment was made through the allotment of 16,076 compulsory convertible preference shares (CCPS) at a premium of INR 20,428 each. Elevation Capital invested INR 19 crore, securing a 24.5% stake, while Eight Roads Ventures contributed INR 14 crore, raising its stake to 15.79%. The capital will be used for working capital, capital expenditure, and general corporate purposes. Founded in 2020 by Minu Margeret, Blissclub started as an online activewear brand for women and has since diversified its product range and established offline stores. Despite recent restructuring, the company’s revenue grew 27% to INR 86.9 crore in FY24 from INR 68.3 crore in FY23, though net losses also increased to INR 43.9 crore.
Blissclub’s successful fundraising, despite recent layoffs, underscores both the ongoing challenges and the resilience of India’s D2C startup sector in a difficult funding environment.
Apple is set to relocate all assembly of iPhones destined for the US market from China to India by the end of 2026, marking its biggest manufacturing shift in decades. The move is driven by escalating US-China trade tensions and steep tariffs—up to 145% on Chinese imports—making Chinese assembly increasingly costly for Apple. Although some smartphone imports are temporarily exempt, a 20% duty still applies to Chinese-made iPhones entering the US.
India, in contrast, offers a more favorable trade environment, with a paused 26% reciprocal tariff and ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade deal with the US that could shield Indian exports from future levies. Apple plans to more than double its current iPhone output in India, aiming to assemble over 60 million units annually for the US market. The company already produces about 25% of its global iPhones in India, working with partners like Foxconn, Tata Electronics, and Pegatron.
This shift is part of Apple’s broader strategy to diversify its supply chain and reduce reliance on China amid geopolitical risks. However, the transition’s success will depend on how quickly India can scale up its manufacturing capabilities and the outcome of ongoing trade negotiations.
PhonePe’s PINCODE app has launched a 24×7 online medicine delivery service in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Pune, promising delivery of both prescription and over-the-counter medicines within 10 minutes from nearby local medical shops. Unlike conventional e-pharmacies that use dark stores, PINCODE partners exclusively with neighborhood pharmacies, enabling faster deliveries and supporting local businesses in the digital economy.
Customers without prescriptions can select a “no prescription” option when ordering; a qualified doctor then provides a free teleconsultation and issues a digital prescription compliant with telemedicine guidelines, ensuring seamless access to medicines. The app offers competitive pricing by passing discounts from local pharmacies directly to customers and charges no delivery fees.
PINCODE’s hyperlocal model enhances healthcare accessibility and convenience while empowering local pharmacies, helping them remain integral to their communities and stimulating local economic growth. Launched in 2023, the app focuses on quick commerce with an emphasis on speed, reliability, and supporting local sellers.
In summary, PhonePe’s PINCODE app is transforming medicine delivery in major Indian cities by combining ultra-fast 10-minute delivery, free doctor consultations, and a hyperlocal sourcing model that benefits both consumers and neighborhood pharmacies.
