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Uber Board Votes For SoftBank Deal

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Uber Board Votes For SoftBank Deal,Startup Stories,2017 Latest Business News,Inspirational Stories 2017,Softbank investment deal,Uber CEO Travis Kalanick,Uber Latest News,Uber Votes to SoftBank Deal

The Board of Uber Technologies Inc., has announced that they will go ahead with the Softbank investment deal and thereby, curb the power of the former Chief Executive Officer, Travis Kalanick. The board, in an attempt to move past the months of strife, unanimously passed a series of measures to shore up corporate governance by bringing in major investor SoftBank.

The changes were adopted by all the 11 members of the board in an attempt to recover from a myriad of legal problems by stripping Kalanick and other early investors of their extra voting power. According to sources, Kalanick has agreed to the provisions which will partially weaken his power in the company and to pursue an initial public offering of Uber’s stock by the end of 2019. In a statement, the Uber board said the changes in the governance would strengthen its independence and ensure equality among all shareholders.

The changes in the company includes expanding the number of board seats to 17 from the existing 11. The 17 board members will comprise of three independent directors voted on by the board, including a chairperson and up to three seats for SoftBank, depending on the size of the investment. Sources also added the two directors appointed by Kalanick in a surprise move, Ursula Burns and John Thain, will also remain on the board. Meanwhile, shareholders will have the power of one vote per share which will effectively put an end to the voting power held by the early investors, including Benchmark.

This investment by SoftBank and others preserves Uber’s previous valuation of $ 69 billion, which is considered to be the highest among the world’s venture backed startups. “SoftBank’s interest is an incredible vote of confidence in Uber’s business and long-term potential,” Uber board added in the statement. SoftBank will be investing close to $ 1.25 billion in the company and will also be spending $ 10 billion to buy shares from existing investors. This round of investment is a collaboration between Dragoneer Investment Group and Tencent Holdings.

In another separate statement, Kalanick added the decision taken by the board is a major step forward in Uber’s journey to becoming a world class public company. “We approved moving forward with the Softbank transaction and reached  (an) unanimous agreement on a new governance framework that will serve Uber well. Under Dara’s leadership and with strong guidance from the Board, we should expect great things ahead for Uber,” he added.

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Zoho Pay Debuts as India’s New UPI Challenger, Taking on PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay

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Zoho Payment

Zoho Corporation has expanded its fintech portfolio with the launch of Zoho Pay, a UPI-based payments app built to challenge India’s top digital payment giants such as PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay. The new app supports peer-to-peer transfers, bill payments, QR-based transactions, and merchant settlements in a streamlined interface. Available as both a standalone app and an integrated feature inside Zoho’s privacy-driven messenger Arattai, Zoho Pay enables users to handle chats and payments in one platform, emphasizing data privacy and Made-in-India innovation.​

Through seamless integration with Arattai, Zoho Pay allows users to send or request payments, split expenses, and conduct UPI-based transactions directly in their chat windows. Users can link bank accounts, scan dynamic QR codes, and receive audio confirmations of payments, ensuring speed and security. This design mirrors the simplicity of India’s leading UPI apps but is powered by Zoho’s non-advertising, privacy-first model. The integration aligns with Zoho’s mission to build a self-reliant digital ecosystem, where messaging and money management coexist securely.​

In the competitive digital payments market, Zoho Pay differentiates itself through its tight business software integration with apps like Zoho Books, Zoho Payroll, and Zoho Commerce, offering small businesses unified access to payments, billing, and accounting. The company is also expanding its reach with POS devices for merchants featuring UPI QR, card payments, and instant reconciliation tools. With founder Sridhar Vembu’s vision of a ‘Chat + Pay’ ecosystem, Zoho Pay reflects a bold step toward redefining India’s fintech scene with a secure, ad-free, and locally developed alternative to global payment platforms.

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Meta Expands AI-Powered Reels Translation to Hindi and Portuguese, Enhancing Global Creator Reach

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Meta has expanded its AI-powered translation feature for Reels to include Hindi and Portuguese, joining English and Spanish in empowering creators to reach a broader global audience on Instagram and Facebook. Originally launched in August 2025 with support for English and Spanish, this update now allows creators to seamlessly translate and dub their short videos, breaking language barriers across some of the largest Reels markets worldwide. The AI technology mimics the creator’s voice tone and even offers lip-syncing to ensure the translated videos feel natural and engaging for viewers.​

This enhancement is especially significant for India, the largest market for Facebook and Instagram, where over 600 million people speak Hindi. Content creators who are not fluent in Hindi can now easily access this vast audience, increasing their reach and engagement across diverse linguistic groups. To maintain transparency, all translated Reels are clearly labeled with “Translated with Meta AI,” and viewers can choose to switch translations on or off based on their preference.​

In addition to voice dubbing, Meta is developing features to translate captions and text stickers on Reels, making content more accessible even without sound. These AI translation tools are available free for eligible public Instagram accounts and Facebook creator profiles with over 1,000 followers. This innovation reinforces Meta’s commitment to fostering cross-cultural content sharing and enhancing creators’ ability to connect with audiences around the world through short-form videos.

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Dunzo’s Collapse: Reliance’s ₹1,645 Crore Loss Signals Challenges in India’s Hyperlocal Delivery Market

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Startup Stories

Reliance Industries has officially written off its $200 million investment in Dunzo, a once promising quick-commerce startup in India. Despite high-profile backing and the potential to disrupt the hyperlocal delivery sector, Dunzo faced insurmountable challenges including high operational costs, unsustainable cash burn, and stiff competition from larger players like Zepto and Blinkit. Reliance’s decision follows Dunzo’s operational suspension, leadership exits, and failed attempts at securing additional funding or acquisition partners, ultimately resulting in the company’s digital platforms going offline in early 2025.​

The downfall of Dunzo was accelerated by its inability to maintain a healthy balance between rapid expansion and revenue growth, with losses in FY23 reaching an alarming ₹1,800 crore. With monthly expenses crossing ₹100 crore and mounting pressure to scale, Dunzo resorted to layoffs and delayed payments before shutting down most services outside Bengaluru. Reliance’s significant stake, initially seen as a strategic advantage, ended up limiting the startup’s flexibility in making independent decisions during its final months.​

Reliance’s write-off sends a strong message to India’s startup ecosystem about the risks inherent in quick-commerce and hyperlocal delivery models. Investors are increasingly focused on sustainable growth, disciplined scaling, and profitability. For Reliance, lessons from Dunzo’s collapse are shaping future e-commerce strategies, driving greater emphasis on operational efficiency and prudent financial planning in an intensely competitive market.

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