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Uber Confirms Billion Dollar Deal With SoftBank

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Uber Confirms Billion Dollar Deal With SoftBank,Startup Stories,Business Latest News 2017,Uber Confirms SoftBank Investment Deal,Former CEO and Founder Travis Kalanick,Chief Executive Officer of Softbank,Uber Seals Investment From SoftBank,Uber and SoftBank Latest News

Uber the cab hailing startup, confirmed the company will receive a huge investment from SoftBank and other investors in the coming months.  Dragoneer Investment Group will lead the consortium to invest $ 1 billion to $ 1.25 billion in Uber. The venture capital firm will also buy up to 17% of the existing shares from investors and employees in a secondary transaction.  This investment could help resolve the on going legal battle between former CEO and founder Travis Kalanick and early investor, Benchmark.

In a statement released by Uber, the company confirmed the agreement with a consortium led by SoftBank and Dragoneer on a potential investment. “We believe this agreement is a strong vote of confidence in Uber’s long term potential. Upon closing, it will help fuel our investments in technology and our continued expansion at home and abroad, while strengthening our corporate governance,” the statement further said.

Although the Uber board approved this investment a month ago, negotiations stalled due to the ongoing legal battle between Travis Kalanick and Benchmark. TechCrunch reported this round of investment will be labeled as an extension of its last Series G round. Bloomberg reported Dragoneer Investment Group, General Atlantic and SoftBank will directly invest $ 1 billion into Uber. This investment round will value the company at $ 70 billion. Along with directly investing into Uber, SoftBank will also purchase up to $ 9 billion worth of stock from existing Uber shareholders. These shares will be brought through a process called the tender offer which can take up to a month to complete. 

However, if investors refuse to sell their stock or if SoftBank is unable to secure 14% of Uber’s stock, SoftBank will have the option to walk away from the deal. In an attempt to locate the majority of the investors, SoftBank plans to buy newspaper advertisements to help spread the word that the tender offer will be launched soon.

As a part of the deal, Uber has agreed to undergo a series of sweeping changes in its governance including measures that reduce the influence of Travis Kalanick and other leadership changes. With shareholders selling billions of dollars worth of shares, this investment deal is slated to be the largest secondary transaction in history. The current Chief Executive Officer of Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi also said the company plans on going public by next year.

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Zoho Arattai vs WhatsApp: 5 Reasons India’s Homegrown Messenger Is Winning in 2025

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Startup Stories

Zoho Arattai messenger has rapidly gained popularity in India by offering features tailored specifically for Indian users, setting itself apart from global competitors like WhatsApp. Arattai delivers exceptional regional language support, intuitive low-bandwidth messaging, and a lightweight interface, making it especially accessible to rural communities and users on lower-end smartphones. This focus on localization and inclusivity gives Arattai a significant edge in the Indian market, ensuring seamless communication even in remote areas.

Beyond usability, Arattai places a strong emphasis on user privacy and data sovereignty. The app stores all user data within India and follows a strict no-ads, no data-selling policy, which guarantees that personal information remains secure and uncompromised. While WhatsApp does provide robust end-to-end encryption, its global servers and Meta-owned data monetization model have raised concerns among privacy-conscious users. Arattai’s transparent approach makes it a trusted and attractive alternative for those who value privacy and wish to avoid intrusive advertisements or AI profiling.

Unique features such as integrated meetings, TV compatibility, and advanced mentions functionality further establish Arattai’s position as a well-rounded and future-ready messaging app. These India-first innovations, combined with Arattai’s ad-free philosophy, clean interface, and powerful optimizations for local contexts, make it the preferred messaging solution for those seeking a modern, secure, and regionally relevant alternative to WhatsApp.

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Apple’s iOS 18.7 vs iOS 26: Which Update Should You Choose for Your iPhone in 2025?

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StartupStories iOS 26

Apple’s recent iOS 18.7 rollout provides a secure alternative to the visually revamped iOS 26, empowering iPhone users to choose between system stability and next-generation features. While iOS 18.7 focuses on important security updates and bug fixes, it maintains the familiar iOS experience for users of older devices like iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, and SE models up to the 16e. The update is lightweight—about one-fifteenth the size of iOS 26—which means quicker downloads and less storage consumption. It’s designed for reliability and fast installation, making it ideal for users who prioritize a stable and secure operating system over design changes.

In contrast, iOS 26 introduces Apple’s ambitious “Liquid Glass” interface with a transparent look across apps, enhanced widget and lock screen customization, smarter Siri, and improved camera controls. These innovations, however, come with a larger update size and compatibility exclusive to newer iPhones beginning from the iPhone 11 series. While early adopters can enjoy the futuristic interface and AI-powered upgrades, major OS launches may present initial bugs or app compatibility issues that cautious users typically wish to avoid.

Choosing between iOS 18.7 and iOS 26 depends on each user’s priorities—those seeking guaranteed stability and fast security fixes should consider sticking with iOS 18.7, while users excited about premium features and visual changes should migrate to iOS 26 if their device supports it. Both updates are available through Software Update settings, and Apple will support iOS 18.7 for only a limited duration, eventually encouraging all users to transition to the latest platform. This dual update strategy ensures every iPhone user can safely update their device for a seamless and secure experience in 2025.

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Deep-Tech Startup EndureAir Raises INR 25 Crore from IAN Alpha Fund to Boost Drone Innovation

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EndureAir, a deep-tech drone startup specializing in UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and aerial robotics solutions, has successfully raised INR 25 crore in a funding round led by IAN Alpha Fund, with participation from IAN Angel Fund. The fresh capital infusion will enable EndureAir to enhance its advanced drone technologies for defense applications, broaden its reach in enterprise markets, and accelerate the development of next-generation high-altitude logistics and aerial robotics platforms.

Founded in 2018 by Dr. Abhishek, a professor of Aerospace Engineering at IIT Kanpur, along with his former students Rama Krishna and Chirag Jain, EndureAir stands out in India’s indigenous UAV sector by developing both hardware and software in-house. Backed by over 15 years of rotorcraft research and holding eight patents in flight dynamics and autonomous systems, the company has rapidly established itself as a pioneer in the deep-tech drone ecosystem.

EndureAir’s flagship drone platforms, including the Sabal heavy-lift UAV family inducted by the Indian Army’s Eastern Command and the Vibhram drone supporting Telangana’s Medicine from the Sky program, are deployed in critical operations. The startup also collaborates with Bharat Electronics Limited for co-developing high-altitude drones and works with Bhutan’s Druk Holding & Investments on remote logistics missions. With this funding, EndureAir aims to position India as a global leader in UAV innovation, advancing resilient domestic drone systems for defense and enterprise applications.

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