Govt Operationalises New Framework To Spur Ecommerce Exports

Source: inc42

Govt Operationalises New Framework To Spur Ecommerce Exports

Business

The Indian government has introduced a new framework for inventory-based cross-border ecommerce to boost exports to $200-$300 billion by 2030. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade now allows online marketplaces to procure goods directly from Indian sellers for export, exempting them from certain FDI rules. The policy prohibits stockpiling, mandates DGFT registration, and requires strict digital traceability and compliance with international laws to ensure transparency.

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Get up to $400 off your TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass until Friday

Startups

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will take place from October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, gathering over 10,000 tech innovators and investors. The event features specialized stages covering AI, finance, and scaling, alongside the Startup Battlefield competition. A limited-time flash sale is currently available, offering an additional $100 discount on passes until Friday, August 7, before pricing increases further on August 21.

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Skyroot Invites Bids To Raise $200 Mn At A Valuation Of $2 Bn

Business

Skyroot Aerospace is seeking $200 million in new funding at a $2 billion valuation, an 80% increase from its May valuation. The spacetech unicorn is inviting investors to submit bids, with the round expected to close within two months. This follows Skyroot's milestone as the first private Indian company to reach Earth's orbit with its Vikram-1 rocket, as it aims to expand its launch vehicle portfolio.

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Nikita Bier steps down as X’s head of product

Startups

"Nikita Bier has stepped down as head of product at Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, after serving for just over a year. Bier, who oversaw the launch of 30 new products, will transition to an advisory role. His tenure was marked by significant controversies involving the chatbot Grok, including the generation of offensive content and illegal imagery, which led to legal challenges for the platform.".

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Travis Kalanick’s robotics startup Atoms taps former Uber finance chief as CFO

Startups

Former Uber finance chief Gautam Gupta has joined Travis Kalanick’s robotics and industrial AI startup, Atoms, as chief financial officer. This move follows a $1.7 billion funding round that included a $100 million investment from Uber. Kalanick is increasingly reuniting former Uber colleagues at Atoms, which targets the mining, food, and transportation sectors. Gupta leaves his venture capital firm, A.

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Meta launches Muse Code, an AI agent for large code bases

Startups

"Meta has launched Muse Code, a beta terminal coding agent designed to help programmers manage complex tasks across large software repositories. Powered by the Muse Spark model, the tool utilizes parallel sub-agents to plan, write, and validate code without affecting the main working copy. Meta aims to compete with OpenAI and Anthropic by offering a cost-effective solution as it expands its enterprise AI capabilities.".

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Trump’s DOJ gains oversight of OpenAI’s green-card employee sponsorships

Startups

"OpenAI and Statsig have settled with the Justice Department over allegations that they bypassed U.S. citizens when hiring for roles sponsored for permanent residency. The companies will pay $3.2 million, including a $1.2 million fine and $2 million for potential restitution. While not admitting wrongdoing, both firms agreed to three years of DOJ oversight and reporting to ensure compliance with the Immigration and Nationality Act.".

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Moove raises $250M to become the backbone of the robotaxi industry

Startups

Moove, a vehicle financing and ride-hailing company, has raised $250 million in Series C funding at a $2.1 billion valuation to expand its autonomous vehicle operations. Led by Mubadala Investment Company, the funding will support scaling its AV fleet management, hiring 350 employees, and developing automated "Nest" depots. Moove currently operates as a fleet partner for Waymo and aims to eventually own hundreds of thousands of robotaxis.

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How Lightspeed found their newest hire… via Instagram DM

Startups

Lightspeed venture firm has hired tech content creator Claire Zau to expand its social media presence and launch the "Lightwork" podcast with CMO Josh Machiz. By leveraging platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the firm aims to reach future founders and provide portfolio companies with storytelling opportunities. This strategy allows Lightspeed to gather real-time feedback on emerging technologies and make the venture ecosystem more accessible to diverse audiences.

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Why Lightspeed is going all-in on creator-led venture capital

Startups

"Venture capital firms are increasingly hiring creators to establish trust with the next generation of founders. Following moves by a16z and OpenAI, Lightspeed Venture Partners has recruited seed investor and social media influencer Claire Zau to source deals and co-host the firm's new show, Lightwork. This trend highlights the emergence of the 'creator-investor' role, a strategy currently being explored and discussed on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast.".

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Klaviyo acquires Elias Torres’ Agency in full-circle reunion for tech founders

Startups

Klaviyo, an e-commerce marketing automation platform, has acquired AI-powered customer success startup Agency. Agency founder Elias Torres will join Klaviyo as chief product officer, leading a 25-person team to enhance AI agents like Composer and Customer Agent. The acquisition reunites Torres and Klaviyo CEO Andrew Bialecki, who previously worked together at Performable. This move aims to leverage Klaviyo's extensive customer data to compete in the AI agent market.

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Jeff Dean and other top AI researchers are leaving Google to launch their own startup

Startups

Jeff Dean, a longtime Google executive, is leaving the company to launch Discovery Loop, an AI startup focused on accelerating scientific research. Co-founded with other top Google researchers, the public benefit corporation aims to automate experimental loops and explore recursive self-improvement. The venture is backed by Alphabet, Radical Ventures, and Khosla Ventures, seeking to remove human bottlenecks and speed up the delivery of transformative technologies.

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Reddit aims to make ‘karma’ less important for first-time posters with shift to AI moderation tools

Startups

Reddit is updating its infrastructure to improve user participation and combat spam. The company aims to reduce reliance on karma and account age for posting, implementing advanced abuse prevention instead. Reddit is also expanding its AI-powered Rules Hub to help moderators enforce community guidelines using large language models. These changes, alongside updates to Old Reddit, support the goal of converting weekly active users into daily participants.

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Lucid Motors just delayed its affordable EV. Now what?

Startups

Lucid Motors has delayed the launch of its affordable Cosmos SUV until late 2027 to address persistent quality issues. CEO Silvio Napoli is leading a company-wide reset, including significant workforce cuts and a $1.4 billion cost-saving goal. Despite a sharp stock price drop following lowered production forecasts, Lucid is prioritizing a robotaxi partnership with Uber and Nuro, supported by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.

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Pinegap Nets $8 Mn From Stellaris & Others To Build An Agentic Platform For Market Analysts

Business

AI-powered equity research startup Pinegap has raised $8 million in a Series A funding round led by Stellaris Venture Partners. Based in New York and Bengaluru, the company provides an agentic AI platform to automate tasks for institutional analysts and portfolio managers. Pinegap plans to use the capital to expand its engineering team and enhance its go-to-market capabilities, continuing the trend of high investment in application-layer AI ventures.

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Meet the eight startups pitching at Startup Battlefield Australia

Startups

"Eight Australian startups have been selected to pitch at the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield during Stripe Tour Sydney on August 19. Representing sectors like enterprise tech and health, these finalists will compete for $15,000 in Stripe fee credits and a spot at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco. The event provides these emerging companies with critical exposure to investors and press while showcasing the future of Australian innovation.".

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PSA: Apple’s Private Relay can leak your real IP address

Startups

Researchers have discovered flaws in Apple’s Private Relay, an iCloud+ feature intended to hide user IP addresses within Safari. The vulnerability, rooted in Apple's WebKit engine, allows real IP addresses to be revealed despite the service. Researchers Talal Haj Bakry and Tommy Mysk created a website to demonstrate the leak but opted not to notify Apple, citing previous communication difficulties. Apple has not yet commented on the findings.

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Neuranics Lab is building a blood count machine that runs by fingerprick

Startups

Delhi-based Neuranics Lab has developed MorphX, a "lab-on-cartridge" device designed to provide rapid complete blood counts in primary health centers. Using fingerprick samples and deep learning-based multi-spectral imaging, the tool aims to eliminate the need for expensive imported machinery and skilled technicians. While the company has secured seed funding and registered clinical trials, MorphX has not yet received regulatory clearance or entered the commercial market.

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Peptris is using AI to find drug candidates to shorten the time it takes for laboratory validation

Startups

Bengaluru-based Peptris Technologies uses an AI platform to accelerate drug discovery by predicting molecular properties and repurposing existing compounds. Focusing on oncology, inflammation, and rare diseases, the startup recently raised Rs 70 crore in Series A funding to expand its pipeline and global partnerships. Its lead asset, PEPR-124 for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, has received FDA orphan drug designation and is currently Phase 2-ready for clinical trials.

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SunCharge Motors builds electric autos with solar panels on the roof

Startups

"SunCharge Motors, founded in Pune in 2024 by Sanskar Modi, has launched solar-powered commercial electric three-wheelers to reduce charging downtime for fleet operators. By integrating solar panels on vehicle roofs, the company addresses India's inconsistent charging infrastructure. Following a 2025 prototype, deliveries began in 2026. The company recently closed a seed funding round led by the JITO Incubation and Innovation Foundation to expand its technology.".

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