WhatsApp Tests Age Verification Prompt Ahead Of DPDP Act Rollout

Source: inc42

WhatsApp Tests Age Verification Prompt Ahead Of DPDP Act Rollout

Business

WhatsApp is testing optional age verification methods to comply with India's upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Act. Simultaneously, the platform is addressing mistaken account suspensions and facing regulatory scrutiny over content moderation errors involving high-profile figures. Additionally, India's IT ministry has requested a pause on WhatsApp's username feature rollout to prevent potential impersonation and fraud, as Meta navigates increasing legal challenges within the country.

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Bengaluru INDIA NANO 2026: AI meets nanotechnology

Startups

The 14th Bengaluru INDIA NANO conference recently opened in Bengaluru, focusing on the convergence of nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and semiconductors. Inaugurated by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, the event emphasizes translating scientific research into commercial products. With over 800 delegates and 80 speakers from ten countries, the conference features tracks on semiconductors, healthcare, and sustainable energy to drive economic growth and deep-tech innovation in Karnataka.

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AI-Native CRM Startup Superleap Bags ₹36 Cr Led By Peak XV’s Surge

Business

Enterprise tech startup Superleap has raised ₹36 Cr (around $4.2 Mn) in its pre-Series A funding round led by Peak.

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Apple Restores Telegram On App Store After Brief CSAM-Related Takedown

Business

Apple briefly removed Telegram from the App Store globally after discovering child sexual abuse material. The app was restored once Telegram removed the content and banned the responsible user. This incident occurs as Telegram faces intensifying regulatory pressure in India over issues like piracy, drug trafficking, and exam leaks. The Indian government has labeled the platform the "new dark web," while Telegram maintains it actively combats misuse through moderation.

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Nazara Tech slips into Rs 82.5 Cr loss in Q1; Nitish Mittersain steps down as CEO

Startups

Nazara Technologies reported a Q1 FY27 consolidated net loss of Rs 82.47 crore, primarily due to associate losses and impairments. Despite a 14% revenue decline to Rs 428.77 crore, core gaming grew 14%. The company appointed Raymond Albaladejo Stauffer as CEO, succeeding Nitish Mittersain. Additionally, Nazara revised its acquisition of Bluetile Games and BestPlay Systems to 100% ownership for $303.02 million to ensure full operational integration.

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HYLENR is developing low-energy nuclear reactors to produce industrial heat

Startups

Hylenr Technologies, an Indian firm, claims to have developed a low-energy nuclear reactor producing excess heat through hydrogen fusion. Despite a public demonstration and an Indian patent, the company's results lack peer-reviewed validation or independent reproduction. Hylenr recently raised Rs 26 crore and partnered with TakeMe2Space for orbital testing. While led by experienced scientists, the technology remains controversial given the historical failure of cold fusion.

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Vimag Labs is building an electric motor that works without rare-earth magnets

Startups

Bengaluru-based Vimag Labs has developed the Virtual Magnet Synchronous Motor to eliminate reliance on rare-earth elements in electric vehicles. By generating magnetic fields electronically via software and a rotating transformer, the design reduces supply chain risks and increases adaptability. Having raised $5 million led by Accel, the company is now conducting pilot projects with vehicle manufacturers and expanding into industrial systems to commercialize its prototype.

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DeepLase makes fibre lasers and specialty optical fibres for industrial use

Startups

DeepLase Technologies, a New Delhi startup founded by IIT Delhi's Dr. Deepak Jain, aims to build India's photonics infrastructure by developing specialty optical fibres and fibre-laser platforms. Addressing the country's reliance on imports, the company focuses on creating reliable, industrial-grade systems for automation, healthcare, and quantum technologies. DeepLase recently raised Rs 6 crore in seed funding to expand its manufacturing capacity and commercialize its products.

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Ather Energy Surges 18% To Hit All-Time High As Brokerages Turn Bullish After Strong Q1

Business

Ather Energy shares reached an all-time high after the company reported strong Q1 FY27 results, including turning EBITDA positive and narrowing its net loss by 71%. Driven by an 89% surge in operating revenue and robust scooter demand, brokerages like CLSA, HSBC, and Nomura issued bullish ratings. The EV maker plans to expand production capacity via Factory 3.0 and launch a new scooter platform on August 29.

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Several WhatsApp users say their accounts 'put under review'

Startups

"WhatsApp recently placed numerous accounts, including several in India, under a 24-hour review, blocking all app features without prior warning. Affected users took to social media to report the sudden disruptions and generic appeal responses. A WhatsApp spokesperson explained that while the company bans accounts to prevent service abuse and ensure safety, errors occasionally occur, and they work to resolve these mistakes as quickly as possible.".

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7 Books that change how you view time and your future

Startups

The article explores how our perception of time influences our goals and priorities, recommending seven books to shift this perspective. Works like "Four Thousand Weeks" and "Essentialism" encourage accepting limitations and prioritizing essential tasks, while "Die with Zero" and "The Top Five Regrets of the Dying" emphasize experiences and authenticity. Together, these texts challenge readers to reconsider their relationship with time to live more meaningful lives today.

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Ather’s Stellar Q1, Klassroom IPO Day 2 & More

Business

Ather Energy turned EBITDA positive in Q1 FY27, narrowing net losses by 71% amid surging scooter volumes and revenue growth. Meanwhile, Imarticus acquired Singapore-based BELLS for ₹800 crore, and Shiprocket prepares for a ₹7,000 crore IPO. In contrast, MakeMyTrip's net profit plunged 65% due to currency depreciation. Additionally, the.

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Bringing India’s forgotten games back to life; MobiKwik posts Rs 7.6 Cr net profit

Startups

Google selected 20 AI startups for its Play Accelerator India program to scale AI-first apps. Ather Energy significantly reduced its Q1 FY27 net loss, while MobiKwik reported a Rs 7.6 crore profit. Drone maker ideaForge secured financing for its YETI platform. Meanwhile, Alibaba launched the Qwen3.8-Max AI model. Other updates include Microsoft raising Xbox prices and ArcelorMittal expanding its IT partnership with Microsoft using Azure platforms.

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Ex-Delhivery, Cleartrip Execs Launch Profound To Bring AI-Powered Professional Support For Individuals

Business

Profound, an AI-native startup founded by Prashant Parashar and Anuj Rathi, has raised $1.5 million in seed funding from Stellaris Venture Partners, 3one4 Capital, and prominent angel investors. The company creates AI professional representatives that manage networking, personal branding, and job matching for users. Profound offers subscription-based consumer services and a B2B recruitment vertical for startups, targeting professionals in tech, marketing, sales, and analytics roles.

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Agentic AI Startup Kily Raises ₹30 Cr To Accelerate Platform Deployment

Business

AI startup Kily has raised ₹30 crore ($3.2 million) in a funding round led by Sorin Investments, with participation from Razorpay and Wyser Capital. Founded by former Flipkart and Affle executives, Kily develops autonomous AI agents that help consumer brands optimize e-commerce growth through real-time data. The company will use the capital to enhance product capabilities and accelerate adoption among major Indian brands, including FMCG giant ITC.

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Mintoak Acquires UAE-Based ICC Loyalty To Expand Fintech Stack For Banks

Business

"Mumbai-based fintech Mintoak has acquired Dubai-based ICC Loyalty to expand its services beyond merchant payments into customer engagement and data monetization. This strategic move allows Mintoak to integrate loyalty and rewards capabilities into its banking platform, targeting growth across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. By leveraging AI-driven data intelligence, Mintoak aims to evolve into a comprehensive payments and engagement operating system for its global banking partners.".

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Win For Apple? Govt Moves To Extend Tax Sops For Contract Manufacturers Till 2041

Business

The Indian government has proposed extending tax exemptions until 2041 for foreign electronics manufacturers providing machinery and storing parts for contract manufacturers. This move, detailed in the Taxation And Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, specifically benefits Apple by preventing the taxation of profits linked to machinery ownership. These exemptions apply only to customs-bonded areas, favoring exports as India becomes a key manufacturing hub for the company.

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After killer quarter, Palantir CEO Alex Karp calls AI industry ‘Marxist’

Startups

Palantir CEO Alex Karp warned that AI frontier labs are untrustworthy, claiming they seek to capture the means of production from enterprise partners. Despite these concerns, Palantir reported record-breaking second-quarter results, with $1.9 billion in revenue and $1.1 billion in profit. Karp advocates for model-agnostic software that allows organizations to maintain control over their data and intellectual property, avoiding dependence on potentially competitive AI labs.

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Snap CEO sidesteps Specs pre-order questions on Q2 earnings call

Startups

Snap CEO Evan Spiegel recently addressed investor concerns regarding the upcoming September launch of Specs smart glasses. Priced at $2,195, the device positions itself between Meta's affordable glasses and Apple's Vision Pro. Spiegel emphasized Snap's first-mover advantage in the computing platform space, though he admitted mass-market adoption may not occur until the decade's end as production costs and device weight decrease over time.

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AWS is helping vibe-coding startup Superblocks, and the implications are big

Startups

Superblocks has entered a multi-year joint marketing agreement with Amazon Web Services to embed its vibe coding tools within AWS private clouds. This partnership ensures enterprise data remains secure and managed internally through Amazon Aurora and Bedrock. The move reflects a broader industry trend where cloud providers encourage enterprises to adopt multi-model AI strategies and separate orchestration from frontier model providers to avoid vendor lock-in and security risks.

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