Indi Energy makes sodium-ion batteries with an anode built from farm waste

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Indi Energy makes sodium-ion batteries with an anode built from farm waste

Startups

Indi Energy, founded in 2019 at IIT Roorkee, develops sodium-ion batteries using biomass from crop residue to create hard carbon anodes. By vertically integrating the production of anodes, cathodes, and electrolytes, the company aims to replace toxic lead-acid batteries in e-rickshaws and solar installations. Despite winning national awards and securing modest funding, the startup is now transitioning from pilot production toward commercial mass-market scale.

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OpenAI launches visual ads that appear alongside image generation results

Startups

OpenAI is introducing visual display ads to ChatGPT, appearing alongside AI-generated images. Launching later this month in the U.S., these clearly labeled ads aim to attract advertisers and support free and low-cost subscription tiers. OpenAI is also expanding ad measurement tools and brand suitability partnerships. This move follows earlier ad introductions and growing competition, potentially encouraging users to subscribe to avoid ads.

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Meet the Startup Battlefield 200 judges who’ll decide the winner at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Startups

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026's Startup Battlefield, from October 13-15, will see 20 top startups pitch to five elite investor judges. These judges, including Stacy Brown-Philpot and Carter Reum, are founders of leading investment firms, bringing decades of experience in backing and scaling companies. They will select the champion and later host an AMA, offering insights into fundraising and investment criteria for.

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7 Books that teach you why rich people think differently

Startups

Wealth creation stems from a distinct mindset, not just high income. Rich individuals prioritize building assets, making long-term decisions, and developing compounding habits over instant gratification. Seven influential books, like "Rich Dad Poor Dad" and "The Psychology of Money," reveal how successful people approach money, risk, and opportunities differently. They emphasize financial education, emotional discipline, and a focus on ownership, demonstrating that a changed perspective is key to lasting financial success.

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7 Books that teach you how to think under pressure

Startups

Pressure is an unavoidable part of life, yet clear thinking under stress is a learnable skill. This article presents seven books offering strategies to develop resilience, focus, and confidence when facing challenges. These resources provide insights into better decision-making, managing information, evaluating situations objectively, and maintaining clarity in high-stakes moments. They collectively emphasize that preparation, perspective, and resilience are key to navigating life's demanding situations effectively.

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The final Disrupt Stage lineup: Three days of conversations you won’t hear anywhere outside of TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Startups

TechCrunch Disrupt will take place from October 13 to 15 at Moscone West in San Francisco. The event features the Disrupt Stage, hosting leaders from Rivian, Cerebras, and Amazon to discuss AI, robotics, and the tech ecosystem's future. Additionally, the Startup Battlefield 200 competition will award $100,000 in equity-free funding to a winning startup. Over 10,000 attendees will explore 200 sessions and 300 exhibiting startups.

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PhysicsWallah To Sell ₹96 Cr Loan Portfolio To Auxilo Amid Lending Retreat

Business

PhysicsWallah's subsidiary FinZ Finance is selling a ₹95.79 Cr loan portfolio to education-focused NBFC Auxilo Finserve. This strategic move signifies PhysicsWallah's retreat from direct student lending, aiming to reduce credit exposure and free up capital for its core education business. The transaction, expected to conclude within 60 days, will lead to a partial closure of FinZ Finance's lending operations, aligning with a broader strategic realignment.

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Bhavish Aggarwal pledges 4.32% stake to back Ola Electric’s Rs 1,000 Cr rights issue

Startups

Ola Electric founder Bhavish Aggarwal has pledged a 4.32% stake to support the company's Rs 1,000 crore rights issue, ensuring his ownership remains intact. This capital raise, alongside the appointment of a new compliance chief, aims to strengthen governance and financial stability. The move comes as the EV maker faces intensifying competition and declining revenues, seeking a balance-sheet cushion to reclaim its market position against legacy rivals.

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Why finance teams need to think in systems

Startups

Finance is evolving from recording transactions to designing the systems that manage financial data. Fragmented systems often require manual intervention, creating bottlenecks as businesses scale. By leveraging digital transformation, workflow automation, and APIs, finance teams can integrate payments, invoicing, and reconciliation. This shift allows professionals to focus on analysis and planning, ensuring better financial control and visibility through a deeper understanding of the underlying technology.

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Snapdeal Parent AceVector Lists At 11.6% Discount On BSE

Business

Snapdeal parent AceVector debuted on the BSE at ₹28.30, an 11.6% discount to its ₹32 IPO price. This weak listing reduced its valuation by ₹201 Cr, despite the ₹420 Cr IPO being oversubscribed 4.93X. Fresh capital from the issue is primarily allocated for Snapdeal's marketing and technology initiatives. The company's net loss narrowed, and operating.

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Google froze its open source bug bounty program due to a ‘significant rise’ in AI submissions

Startups

Google has paused its open source bug bounty program, effective October 1, citing a "significant rise" in AI-generated submissions. Many reports were invalid or contained hallucinations, overwhelming engineers and maintainers. Cybersecurity experts had previously warned about AI "slop" impacting such vulnerability reward programs. Google plans to provide an update in the first quarter of 2027, encouraging participants to explore its other bug bounty initiatives in the interim.

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India needs its own AI safety framework, not a copy of US pact: Industry experts

Startups

India should build its own artificial intelligence (AI) safety framework suited to its languages, scale, and application-led AI ecosystem rather than replicate a voluntary pact signed by US President Donald Trump and top technology firms last week, industry experts said. They also called for a com.

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Amazon responds to data center backlash, says it no longer uses NDAs

Startups

"AWS CEO Matt Garman announced that Amazon Web Services has stopped using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies to address transparency concerns and combat growing data center moratoriums across the United States. Garman defended data centers against claims of excessive water and energy use and pollution, arguing they benefit local communities. However, critics and scientists remain skeptical, citing a fundamental crisis of trust regarding tech companies' environmental reporting.".

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From K-pop to AI, Karnataka seeks deeper ties with Korea

Startups

Karnataka aims to leverage growing Korean cultural interest into business and technology partnerships. A Korean delegation met Minister Priyank Kharge on October 3, exploring investment in tech, food, retail, and startups. Discussions focused on helping Korean companies enter the Indian market through Karnataka's talent, innovation ecosystem, and research capabilities across sectors like AI and semiconductors. Both sides emphasized moving towards practical collaboration and identifying priority opportunities.

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[Weekly funding roundup Sept 26-Oct 2] VC inflow continues to maintain strong momentum

Startups

Indian startup funding started October robustly, reaching $418 million across 22 deals, primarily driven by two significant investments. EV maker Simple Energy secured ~$182 million, while physical AI startup SiMa.Ai raised $150 million. This positive trend continues from September, where weekly VC funding largely exceeded $300 million, bolstered by four deals over $100 million. Large transactions remain the key driver of capital inflow into the ecosystem.

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AceVector IPO: SoftBank Pockets ₹88 Cr, Most Selling Shareholders Book Losses

Business

AceVector, the parent company of Snapdeal, recently completed a ₹420 crore IPO, valuing the firm at ₹1,741 crore. The offering provided mixed exits for investors; while SoftBank-backed Starfish I Pte Ltd received ₹88.3 crore, individual shareholders like Kenneth Stuart Glass saw multi-bagger returns. The company plans to use fresh capital for marketing and technology. Financially, AceVector reported narrowed losses and a 29.2% increase in operating revenue.

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Women power India to Asian Games gold in hockey, boxing

Startups

India’s women athletes struck gold at the Asian Games, with Lalremsiami and Lovlina Borgohain powering wins in hockey and boxing. Lalremsiami scored the winner against China to secure hockey gold and a 2028 Olympics berth, while Lovlina beat Ziyi Bao 5-0 to claim her maiden Asian Games boxing gold.

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It’s not AI anymore, it’s ‘super intelligence’ (according to the White House)

Startups

This week, the White House got nearly every major tech CEO in one room — Zuckerberg, Bezos, Musk, and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei among them — to sign an AI safety pledge that President Donald Trump called “morally binding.” Trump also signed an executive order officially rebranding AI as “super intelligence,” and meanwhile, Meta and OpenAI are putting friendlier faces on their AI products, even as the biggest money […].

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TechCrunch Disrupt 2026: Blackstone’s Jas Khaira on building the next generation of AI giants

Startups

Jas Khaira, global head of Blackstone N1, will speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 on building lasting AI giants. His session, “Building the Next Generation of AI Giants,” will explore how founders should manage capital and distinguish early momentum from long-term sustainability. As AI scaling requires significant investment in infrastructure and talent, Khaira will share Blackstone's perspective on evaluating companies aiming to define the next generation of AI.

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Less than 24 hours to apply for a Side Event at Founder Summit 2026

Startups

The clock is almost out. You have less than 24 hours left to apply to host a Side Event during TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026. Applications close tonight at midnight PT. Connect with the Boston startup ecosystem through November 1–7 by hosting your own Side Event. Bring your community, start an impactful conversation that’ll push the […].

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Last 24 hours: Exhibit at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 and reach 10,000+ tech leaders

Startups

Today is the very last day to book your exhibit table at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. On October 13–15, 10,000+ founders, investors, operators, and tech leaders will arrive at San Francisco’s Moscone West looking for companies, products, ideas, and people worth knowing. The question is: will they find your startup?

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