As Tim Cook steps down, India stands at the heart of Apple’s next chapter

Source: Your story

As Tim Cook steps down, India stands at the heart of Apple’s next chapter

Startups

As Tim Cook steps down as Apple CEO, his legacy in India is defined by transforming the country into a critical market and production hub. Annual sales have surpassed $10 billion, while India now assembles roughly 25% of global iPhones to reduce reliance on China. While challenges in supply chain depth and affordability remain, India is now central to Apple's global sales and manufacturing strategy under successor John Ternus.

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MapQuest’s app surges to No. 1 in Navigation after refusing to rename Lake Ontario

Startups

MapQuest has seen a significant surge in downloads and usage after refusing to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America, defying an executive order from President Trump. While Google Maps is complying with the government's naming change for U.S. users, MapQuest's decision propelled it to the top of navigation app charts in the United States and Canada, with usage spiking to fifty times its normal levels.

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Close to half the merchants not willing to pay MDR on UPI: Survey

Startups

A LocalCircles survey reveals that 41% of merchants refuse to pay any Minimum Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions exceeding Rs 2,000. While 33% would accept a fee of 0.25% or less, a separate survey of 45,000 users indicates that 53% would abandon UPI for high-value payments if charges were levied. Many users would instead switch to credit cards, debit cards, or cash alternatives.

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From Patna’s Settlements to Cancer Care and AI: The Story of Gautam Gauri

Startups

Gautam Gauri left his corporate career in 2010 to return to Patna, Bihar, where he founded the Diksha Foundation to provide education to low-income children. Following his mother's death, he co-founded the Suchitra Cancer Care Foundation to improve cancer awareness. Gauri is now integrating artificial intelligence through tools like Suchi and Rusty to expand access to healthcare information and educational resources across the state.

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How new broadcast technology is changing the way fans watch cricket

Startups

"The upcoming India-Afghanistan cricket series in Delhi will debut several broadcast innovations to enhance the viewer experience. New technologies include the Magic 360 Cam, Skel Track biomechanics, AI-stabilized Umpire Cams, and real-time player trackers. Additionally, a fan-powered sightscreen will use kinetic energy from cycling spectators to promote sustainability. These advancements, led by ITW Universe, aim to integrate brands seamlessly while providing cinematic and interactive sports coverage.".

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Thank You, Sponsors, For Powering Inc42’s D2C & Retail Summit 2026

Business

The D2C & Retail Summit 2026, presented by Inc42 and PhonePe, took place on August 19 in Gurugram. The invite-only event gathered over 600 founders, CXOs, and investors to discuss "Commerce In The Age Of AI & 10-Min Delivery." Featuring leaders from brands like boAt and Veeba, the summit explored D2C 3.0, quick commerce economics, and AI-driven retail strategies to help consumer brands achieve sustainable, profitable scale.

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Meeting notetaker Circleback adds a free tier to attract more customers

Startups

"Y Combinator-backed Circleback is launching a free subscription tier to compete in the crowded meeting note-taker market. The new plan offers unlimited transcriptions and 30-day history, while paid plans now start at $14 monthly. Founded in 2023, the profitable startup reports an $8 million run-rate revenue with eight employees. CEO Ali Haghani aims to use the free tier for marketing to attract more users.".

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Jagdish Farshan raises Rs 43.5 Cr led by Sharrp Ventures

Startups

Gujarat-based snack brand Jagdish Farshan has raised Rs 43.5 crore in a Series A funding round led by Sharrp Ventures and various angel investors. The company, established in 1938 with over 500 products, plans to use the capital for geographic expansion, manufacturing capacity, and digital commerce. This first institutional investment aims to scale the brand beyond Gujarat and across India, leveraging its strong regional heritage.

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PhonePe Launches UPI Payments For Feature Phones

Business

PhonePe has launched PhonePe UPI 123Pay, enabling digital transactions for over 20 crore feature phone users without requiring an internet connection. Utilizing SMS-based architecture and GSPay technology, the service allows peer-to-peer transfers and merchant payments via QR codes. Pre-installed on devices from Nokia, HMD, Lava, and Itel, the initiative aims to expand UPI adoption in rural and semi-urban regions through a voice-first, AI-powered multilingual helpline.

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From roots to returns: Why Indian real estate is drawing NRI interest

Startups

India's real estate market is projected to grow to $970 billion by 2030, shifting non-resident Indian investments from emotional residential purchases to strategic commercial opportunities. Driven by urbanization and infrastructure projects like Dwarka's Yashobhoomi, NRIs are targeting integrated "destination real estate." Enhanced digital documentation and RERA regulations have further simplified remote transactions, allowing the diaspora to capitalize on India's expanding economic hubs and urban development.

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Centre Notifies ₹1.28 Lakh Cr Semicon 2.0, Targets 1 Lakh More Chip Engineers

Business

The Indian government has notified the ₹1.28 lakh crore Semicon 2.0 scheme to strengthen its domestic semiconductor ecosystem. The initiative focuses on six pillars, including chip design, fabrication, packaging, and R&D, to reduce global supply chain reliance. Key goals include developing 1 lakh additional engineers and prioritizing 100 critical chips. The scheme offers seed funding for startups and fiscal support for large-scale fabrication facilities.

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Ather Shares Surge 5.7% To Hit Record High After Konarc Launch

Business

"Ather Energy shares reached a record high of ₹1,703.90 following the launch of the Konarc escooter, a mass-market electric vehicle priced at ₹99,999. The new model features a range of 100 to 200 km and an advanced braking system. Consequently, Emkay Global Financial Services maintained its ‘Buy’ rating and increased its target price for the stock to ₹2,200, up from the previous ₹1,600 target.".

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Bharat Innovates: Building the ecosystem for India’s deeptech future

Startups

India's deeptech ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with over 4,000 active startups. The Bharat Innovates 2026 platform recently selected 120 pioneering ventures from 3,000 applications to drive global competitiveness. This growth is fueled by strong academic research, increased industry participation through commercial partnerships, and a maturing capital architecture, including the Deep Tech Fund of Funds, aiming to establish India as a global leader in scientific innovation.

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Zomato Lays Off 240 Employees, Shuts Hyderabad Customer Support Operations

Business

Zomato has laid off approximately 240 employees as it shuts down its customer support operations in Hyderabad. The company is shifting toward external partners and consolidating remaining in-house support in Gurugram to better align with its technical functions. Affected staff will receive four months' pay and extended benefits. This restructuring occurs amid increased automation and heightened regulatory scrutiny regarding food safety and hygiene across the delivery sector.

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Pernia’s Pop-Up Parent IPO: Issue Subscribed 8% On Day 1 Till Now

Business

Purple Style Labs, the parent company of Pernia’s Pop Up Shop, saw a subdued start to its IPO, with only 8% subscription on the first day. The fresh issue of shares, valued up to ₹680 crore, closes on September 2 and lists on September 7. Proceeds will fund lease liabilities and marketing. Despite a 14% revenue increase, the company's consolidated net loss widened to ₹285.4 crore in FY26.

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NIIF raises Rs 19,000 cr as first close in second fund

Startups

India's National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited (NIIF) has raised Rs 19,000 crore in the first close of its Rs 30,000 crore Infrastructure Fund II. Anchored by the Indian government, the fund includes global sovereign wealth funds and domestic financial institutions. NIIF plans to mobilize an additional Rs 9,000 crore in co-investment capital, targeting core sectors like energy, transport, digital infrastructure, urban development, and electric mobility.

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Zomato Bans Sale Of Analogue Dishes On Its Platform

Business

Zomato has implemented a zero-tolerance policy banning dishes containing analogue dairy products, which use vegetable oils and starches to mimic real dairy. The company has already removed such items and warned restaurant partners that non-compliance will lead to delisting. This move aims to enhance food quality and transparency amid increased regulatory scrutiny of delivery platforms, following recent food safety violations uncovered by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration.

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Government notifies Rs 1.27L-cr Semicon 2.0 with eligibility norms, sops

Startups

"The Indian government has notified the Semicon 2.0 scheme, allocating Rs 1,27,500-crore to build a comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem. The initiative aims for self-reliance in chip design, manufacturing, and advanced packaging to address global supply-chain vulnerabilities and AI-driven demand. The scheme offers fiscal support for silicon and specialized fabs, alongside incentives for startups and packaging facilities, building upon twelve previously approved projects across six states.".

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From theory to practice: building customer agents with Google's no-code tools

Startups

Google Cloud, partnering with YourStory, will host a webinar on September 4 titled ‘Develop proactive customer agents in minutes’. The session features AI experts Taewoo Kim and May Kim, who will demonstrate how to build and deploy functional generative AI customer agents in under 15 minutes. Using no-code and low-code tools, the event aims to show businesses how to rapidly scale natural customer experiences without extensive engineering.

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State Street Closes ₹580 Cr Investment In Groww AMC

Business

"State Street Investment Management has completed a ₹580 crore strategic investment in Groww AMC, valuing the business at approximately ₹2,500 crore. State Street now holds a 23% economic interest with 4.85% voting rights. This partnership allows Groww to leverage State Street’s global expertise in ETFs and index funds to scale its asset management platform and expand its passive investment offerings and global market access.".

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