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  • Invenger Backs Bangalore-Based Design & Marketing Firm WODO to Strengthen Its Global Footprint

    New Delhi [India], April 4: What began as a shared passion between two high school friends has now become one of Bangalore’s most promising creative and technology firms. WODO, founded by Shyam Singh Bhati and Suhas Ashok, started in 2019 as a small consultancy focused on helping brands build digital presence through design and web development. Today, the company has secured a strategic investment from Invenger, a global IT solutions firm with a presence in US, Australia, Dubai and India, specializing in Enterprise Software, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Services, and BPO operations.

    Building a Brand — And Then Helping Others Do the Same 

    Shyam and Suhas, bonded by their school days and a shared interest in brand-building and problem-solving, launched WODO with the ambition to move beyond just “designing websites.” They wanted to help businesses communicate better, position themselves strategically, and acquire customers effectively. With no external funding initially, the duo worked closely with local businesses, gradually moving on to larger clients as their reputation grew.

    Over the years, WODO evolved into a 20-member team, completing over 180 projects across six countries. Their portfolio now includes noteworthy brands like Hombale Films, Lenskart, Mars Daily, BJP Bangalore, and the India Pavilion. Their unique approach—combining brand strategy, high-conversion UI/UX, and performance-driven marketing—has helped clients achieve tangible business results. 

    The Invenger Partnership 

    The newly announced investment from Invenger (undisclosed amount) is not just a capital infusion but a strategic partnership. Invenger, which serves several Fortune 500 clients primarily in the US insurance and financial services space, sees WODO as the ideal creative and marketing complement to its enterprise and cloud capabilities.

    “WODO’s ability to blend design with measurable performance makes them a valuable addition to our ecosystem,” said an Invenger executive. “As we expand our enterprise offerings, we believe WODO will play a pivotal role in enhancing customer acquisition, brand engagement, and digital transformation for our global clients.” 

    Staying True to Their Roots 

    Despite its rapid growth, WODO maintains its founding philosophy—solving real business problems through thoughtful design, research-led processes, and client-first strategies. The company has also built proprietary client onboarding systems and an internal client portal to streamline communication and project execution. 

    CEO Shyam Singh Bhati commented, “This partnership comes at a crucial time as we strengthen both our technology and creative teams. Our goal is not only to scale but to elevate the standards of how digital experiences are built for businesses globally.” 

    Co-founder and CMO Suhas Ashok, who now heads the UAE branch, believes the Invenger partnership will open doors to larger enterprise collaborations and international growth. 

    “We are building beyond just a service company,” Suhas says. “We’re preparing businesses for a future where discoverability will be driven by conversational engines, AI assistants, and intelligent search—not just traditional SEO.”  WODO has recently introduced Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), a forward-looking service aimed at optimizing brands for AI-driven search and discovery.

    With Invenger’s support and their unwavering commitment to creativity and strategy, WODO is poised to enter its next chapter — one marked by global expansion, product innovation, and a deeper impact on how brands and customers connect.

  • Aerem Bags ₹100 Crore from UTEC, BII & SE Ventures in Series A Round; Set to Propel Solar Energy Landscape in India

    Mumbai, April 4, 2025 — Aerem, India’s leading end-to-end solar platform dedicated to simplifying solar adoption for businesses and households, today announced that it has secured ₹100 crore in Series A round led by UTEC (University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners), the Japan-based $700 million venture firm. This investment will further Aerem’s mission to unlock India’s vast distributed solar potential and accelerate the transition toward sustainable energy. The funds will drive the company’s expansion across India and enhance its solar financing and marketplace solutions.

    Other prominent investors included British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor; SE Ventures, the $1 billion+ climate and industrial tech fund backed by Schneider Electric; and Riverwalk Holdings, an early-stage venture fund focused on innovative fintech firms. Existing investors Blume Ventures and Avaana Capital also participated in this round. The strategic equity investment of ₹100 crore is in addition to debt capital from leading financial institutions such as IDFC, AU Small Finance, Axis Bank, Northern Arc, MAS Financials, and Vivriti Capital.

    The Series A funding will drive the company’s distribution growth across India and solidify its presence in existing markets. It will also fuel the expansion of its end-to-end platform, scaling its marketplace business and broadening its lending portfolio to meet increasing demand. By accelerating the adoption of its tech platform among stakeholders, the company aims to enhance accessibility, transparency and quality across the solar ecosystem.

    Additionally, the investment will advance the company’s technology roadmap and enable the development of innovative financing solutions, furthering its mission to make solar energy more accessible. This strategic boost positions Aerem to significantly amplify its impact on India’s renewable energy landscape while continuing to deliver exceptional value to its customers.

    “Aerem is at the forefront of India’s rooftop solar revolution, with a founding team that has played a pivotal role in the country’s solar ecosystem evolution, from utility-scale solar adoption in 2010 to a decentralized rooftop solar boom in 2020. As a global deep-tech fund, we were impressed by Aerem’s seamless integration of operational excellence in credit and marketplace dynamics, paired with a cutting-edge solar tech platform leveraging digital twins.” said Kiran Mysore, Principal, UTEC.

    Aerem was founded to unlock India’s untapped distributed solar potential, which currently represents only 17% of total solar capacity compared to the global average of over 50%. The company addresses this significant market gap by providing an end-to-end solar solution.

    Anand Jain, Founder and CEO, Aerem, said “Getting a solar installation is complex for an Indian MSME or homeowner. From finding the right installer to the right price, right quality, and right financing, there exists a massive trust deficit throughout the fragmented ecosystem. Conventional approaches treat financing, technical complexity, and supply chain barriers as separate challenges. We recognize these as interlocking parts of one ecosystem failure. Our end-to-end solution addresses the entire value chain, eliminating barriers to solar adoption.”

    “Our installation partners are the backbone of our ecosystem. These solar entrepreneurs understand local markets, maintain customer relationships, and provide on-ground implementation. Through our platform, we empower them with access to financing, quality equipment, and digital tools they would not otherwise have—creating a win-win model that scales solar adoption while supporting local businesses. Our vision goes beyond just providing solar solutions—we are building a true institution as ‘Aapka Solar Saathi’ which partners with businesses throughout their energy independence journey.” said Vikesh Agarwal, Co-Founder and COO, Aerem.

    “What sets Aerem apart for us at SE Ventures is its full stack platform that addresses the core friction points for solar installers, driven by an exceptional team across finance, tech, and business model innovation,” said Siddharth Mehta, Partner, APAC at SE Ventures.”We recognize Aerem’s category leadership in distributed solar and look forward to fuelling the company’s expansion by helping to establish go-to-market partnerships with our LP, Schneider Electric, and Schneider company Luminous.” said Siddharth Mehta, Partner, APAC, SE Ventures.

    “We are delighted to back pioneering solutions like Aerem’s with catalytic capital, accelerating solar adoption and fostering inclusive economic development. This will increase the provision of affordable and clean energy to small businesses and communities across India which will help them to thrive. We eagerly anticipate Aerem’s expansion, unlocking greater financial access for widespread solar installations and contributing to India’s energy transition,” said Abhinav Sinha, Managing Director and Head of Technology and Telecoms, BII.

    By building a nationwide ecosystem of 2,000+ installation partners, Aerem has unlocked scalable distribution while minimizing acquisition costs. In just three years, it has emerged as a leader in India’s distributed solar sector, with a presence across 65 cities and a robust partner network. The company has enabled over 800 MW of solar capacity and successfully financed more than 800 projects. These initiatives have prevented nearly 22 million tons of lifetime CO₂ emissions, equivalent to planting 53 million trees. Additionally, these installations are projected to save ₹14,000 crore in energy costs for MSMEs over their lifetime. With consistent month-on-month growth, Aerem continues to empower installation partners to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end solar solutions to MSMEs and homeowners across India.

  • Wall Street in Turmoil as Trump’s Tariffs Shake Markets

    The US stock market took a huge hit as about $1.7 trillion was wiped out from the S&P 500 Index at the start of trading. The sharp drop came after President Donald Trump declared sweeping tariffs, which sent fear of a recession through the markets. Companies that depend on international supply chains were the most affected, with big names like Apple, Nike, and Walmart taking major hits.

    Massive Market Selloff

    When trading commenced, the S&P 500 took its possibly largest drop since 2022, with close to 70% of its companies going down. Apple Inc., which relies almost entirely on China for manufacturing, fell 8%. Nike and Lululemon, with their main supply link in Vietnam, lost about 10% each. Then there were the big retailers. Walmart fell 2%. Dollar Tree dropped 11%. By the time trading ended, the S&P 500 had closed down 6.4%.

    By midday, the market downturn took a turn for the worse, with the S&P 500 sinking 4%, marking its severest single-day dive since the COVID-19 crash. The Dow sank an astounding 1,412 points, down 3.3%, while our old friend, the tech-heavy Nasdaq, was hit particularly hard, plummeting 5.1%. Futures tied to the indices were spiraling downward too—S&P 500 futures were off 5%, Dow futures were down 2.8%, and Nasdaq futures were lower by 3.8%. Oil prices also took a beating, slumping over 4%, while the US dollar fell to its lowest value against the Japanese yen in months.

    Tech Stocks Lead the Decline

    The selloff hit the tech sector hardest. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index plunged almost 6%. Nvidia, Broadcom, and Micron Technology each dropped over 5%.

    The Magnificent Seven tech stocks (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Tesla) lost value. A combined drop of more than $1 trillion from these stocks was noted over two trading days.

    Economic Consequences and Recession Fears

    Market analysts fear that Trump’s tariffs—now more aggressive than his first-term measures—could set off a broader economic downturn. Atif Malik of Citigroup estimated that if Apple had to absorb the new tariff costs, which are applied at a rate of 25% (up from 10%) on most Chinese products, its gross margin could shrink by as much as 9%. Meanwhile, JPMorgan economist Michael Feroli warned that the tariffs represent the largest tax hike since 1968 and could increase inflation by 1.5%, which would then dent personal incomes and consumer spending.

    According to Bhanu Baweja of UBS Group AG, if there is continued uncertainty over tariffs or if talks with trading partners stall, the risk of a downturn in the U.S. stock market rises. Some analysts go further and say that if trade developments worsen, the S&P 500 could drop below 5,000—much deeper into slump territory than where it stands right now.

    A universal 10% import duty and additional charges on certain countries characterized the new tariff regime. Far from being equal, these tariffs hit China the hardest, with their total coming to 64% when you add up the previous trade measures. The European Union (20%), Taiwan (32%), and Vietnam (46%) were also hit hard. The new regime sent financial markets across the globe into a tizzy, though international reaction was considerably milder than Wall Street’s. 

  • Market Trading Guide: Dalmia Bharat and GMR Infra Among Top Picks

    Thursday’s session of the Indian stock market exited in the negative, with pressure on selling that impacted stocks in IT, autos, and metals. The BSE Sensex tumbled by 322.08 points, or 0.42%, as it faded to close at 76,295.36, while the Nifty wasn’t much better off—dipping 82.25 points, or 0.35%, to end the session at 23,250.10. Some analysts have suggested that the close might have been a bit exaggerated in terms of the overall selling, but they also note that it might be time for the indices to catch their breath after the recent run. Regardless, it seems that the Indian market should be regarded as sturdy and trending well overall.

    Market Outlook

    As per analysts, the Indian market has displayed a strong nature despite the weak signals coming from the global front. The Nifty opened down but soon zoomed back up, showing just how confident investors are. Yes, confident. Market experts tell us that short-term support or the Nifty is placed at about 23,100. And as long as it remains above that level, the market looks to be in a safe and sane uptrend.

    The last few days have been much better for the bulls. Until last Thursday, the Nifty had repeatedly failed to clear and hold above 23,400. It had also consistently held above short-term support at 23,100. So yes, since I last wrote about the Nifty on Thursday, the Nifty has climbed and held above the two aforementioned major levels. It also managed to close above a level that looked like a bad-luck magnet.

    Stock Recommendations

    Dalmia Bharat Ltd (DLMIA)

    Buy at: INR 1,857

    Target: INR 1,950

    Stop Loss: INR 1,810

    Dalmia Bharat has escaped from a falling wedge pattern and has closed at INR 1,857.15, reflecting a gain of 2.20%. The stock trades above all major Exponential Moving Averages (20, 50, 100, and 200), indicating a strong bullish trend. The stock has an RSI of 64.76, which is a good level. The stock has decent buying volume supporting it.

    A breakout above Rs 1,870 could take the share towards Rs 1,950 in the near term. Investors are advised to buy at current levels with a stop-loss at Rs 1,810 to mitigate downside risks.

    GMR Airports Ltd (GMRINFRA)

    Purchase at: 82.70 INR

    Buy: 87 INR

    Stop Loss: 80 INR

    GMR Infra has successfully broken out of a bottoming pattern, rounding, and it closed at INR 82.70 with a gain of 4.90%. The stock trades above all the significant EMAs, which indicates a strong bullish sentiment. The RSI reads 74.40, which means that the momentum remains positive; this, coupled with some very nice volume trends, suggests that buying interest is continuing.

    Resistance has been seen immediately at INR 85, and support is at INR 80. The stock has a good chance of testing higher levels if it can hold above INR 83. It is recommended that investors buy near the current price with a stop-loss set at INR 80 and a drive towards INR 87.

  • Top Stock Picks: Largecap, Midcap, and Smallcap Recommendations for Strong Returns

    For investors seeking fast-growing prospects, three stocks from different market segments—large cap, mid cap, and small cap—represent three very promising opportunities. These stocks are projected to yield substantial returns over the next 12 months, with some of the projections indicating gains approaching 40%.

    Short-Term Investment: Smallcap Stock

    One of the most appealing short-term investment opportunities can be found in Alembic Ltd, a firm that has solid bases in both the pharmaceutical and real estate sectors. With substantial stakes in Alembic Pharma, as well as real estate projects that can be turned into cash fairly quickly, this stock has a strong argument in favor of buying it.

    The stock has experienced a decline from INR 170 to about INR 100, presenting a favorable opportunity for entry. Analysts underscore the absence of debt at Alembic Ltd., alongside robust cash flows and several technical indicators that suggest the formation is now a double-bottom pattern and an uptrend is imminent.

    Target Price: INR 150 over the next six months, indicating the potential to rise by 39.21%.

    Positional Investment: Defense Sector PSU Stock

    Investments in the defense sector are bound to reap attractive results in the current unsettling geopolitical scenario. Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), a premier public sector undertaking in the defense domain, has a well-laid-out plan that, coupled with increased government attention on defense manufacturing, is likely to yield quite a few benefits in the coming years.

    Recent financial outcomes show slight margin pressures; however, growth in overall revenue and profits continues to impress. With shares of defense contractors finding some support at long-term moving average lines, the risk of a meaningful pullback seems rather limited. BDL looks like a solid choice for a longer-term investment.

    Price Target: INR 1,530 to INR 1,570 within six months, giving you up to 16.46% returns. Each possible cessation of losses goes by way of a stop at INR 1,230. That’s what it says. It seems safe to say the authors think it is going to be somewhat up in the medium term.

    Long-Term Investment: Cement Sector Smallcap Stock

    Shree Digvijay Cement is a beacon of promise for long-term investors. It’s not the sector’s strongest player, but it benefits from the overall cement industry’s consolidation. Much like other well-run cement firms, Shree Digvijijay should enjoy rising prices in the near future, driven by the prospects of a real estate demand surge and potential interest rate cuts.

    The stock has fallen by 27.43% in the last year, potentially making it a value-buy.

    Target Price: INR 83 to INR 85 within 9-12 months, suggesting an 11.18% upside. Stop-loss set at INR 69.

    These stocks provide varied paths for growth, with a blend of positional, short-term, and long-term opportunities that diversify their construction. They all seem like promising investments, but as always, investors should be doing their own homework and considering the current state of the market before pulling the trigger on any of them.

  • India Eyes Relief as One-Fifth of Exports to US Expected to Get Tariff Exemptions

    In the middle of intensifying global trade tensions, India could get some protection. An estimated one-fifth of its exports to the U.S. are likely to be exempt from the tariffs hitting other countries. This amounts to roughly $20 billion worth of goods that are supposed to be spared under new U.S. trade rules introduced through an executive order. The total value of Indian goods exported to the U.S. last year was around $91 billion.

    Pharma and Metal Exports Stand to Benefit

    The biggest winner appears to be the pharmaceuticals sector. Almost the entire category looks set to avoid the increased tariffs. Meanwhile, more than 95 percent of the exports from India’s metals industry—think zinc, tin, and copper—are expected to remain unaffected. These tariff exemptions are vital to keeping India’s overall export competitiveness as it pushes much more into the U.S. market, especially in the areas of industrial and healthcare-related exports.

    Electronics Sector Faces Challenges

    In contrast, India’s leading export sector—electronics—will receive only minimal relief. Only 0.6 percent of its trade value will benefit from exemptions. The US imported approximately USD 14.4 billion worth of electronics from India last year, of which the tiny sum of USD 86 million is likely to be exempt. This could hit the already troubled Indian export sector much harder than any other because electronics is India’s largest export area, and already the most vulnerable to the kinds of pressures that lead to rising prices and falling profitability.

    India Gains as China and Vietnam Face Higher Tariffs

    Even with these sector-specific difficulties, India has the chance to gain as the United States hits China and Vietnam—two of its significant manufacturing competitors—with much heftier tariffs. China is now facing cumulative duties of as high as 54 percent on some products, while those same types of goods are now being affected by tariffs that are going up to 46 percent in Vietnam. This is very good news for India, as it is now likely to see a demand boost for exports to the US in sectors where it competes directly with China and Vietnam.

    Comparing India’s Position with Other Nations

    President Donald Trump signed the executive order; it puts in place a minimum 10 percent tariff on all U.S. trading partners and then adds on top of that based on trade balance grievances. Notably, the order does not mention any specific country by name, but it was clear well before the signing that India was in the sights of this U.S. initiative, and it has been accused by U.S. officials of doing an overall total trade distortion of 52 percent. The U.S. order appears to put the country on notice that from here on, at the very least, it will have to stop charging so many tariffs on U.S. exports.

    Partial exemptions from tariffs are not unique to India. Among BRICS countries, South Africa is expected to have 35 percent of its trade exempted, while 33 percent of Israel’s exports are anticipated to escape tariffs. In contrast, European economies such as Germany and France will see only 16 and 14 percent of their exports, respectively, spared by the new taxes.

  • Zepto CEO Defends Indian Startups Against Criticism

    Aadit Palicha, the CEO of Zepto, is a strong advocate for the role of consumer tech startups in driving innovation and economic growth. In a recent interview, Palicha made the case that the work being done by Zepto and similar companies is pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of consumer technology.

    Following Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s critical comments about the Indian startup ecosystem, Aadit Palicha, co-founder and CEO of Zepto, has stepped forward to defend the contributions of consumer internet companies. Palicha’s detailed LinkedIn post goes to a place that deserves being the focus of this post: Palicha pushes back against the notion that Indian startups lack for deep-tech innovation. He highlights the role of the consumer internet sector in job creation, economic development, and technological progress.

    Goyal’s Criticism Sparks Industry Debate

    At the event of Startup Mahakumbh, Goyal offered a suggestion that many Indian startups are focusing not on deep-tech innovation but rather on turning unemployed youth into cheap labor. This, he charged, is harming India’s potential as a startup leader. He contrasted India with countries like China, which are achieving significant things in areas like artificial intelligence, robotics, and next-generation manufacturing.

    Palicha countered Goyal’s assertions with real-world examples, pointing out that Zepto, a company that did not exist three-and-a-half years ago, now provides livelihoods for 1.5 lakh people. He further highlighted Zepto’s economic contributions, stating, “Over INR 1,000 crore of tax contribution to the government per year, over a billion dollars of foreign direct investment brought into the country, and hundreds of crores invested in organizing India’s backend supply chains, especially for fresh fruits and vegetables. If that is not a miracle in Indian innovation, I honestly do not know what is.”

    The Role of Consumer Internet Companies in Innovation

    Palicha contested that some of the world’s most groundbreaking technological innovations emerged from consumer internet companies. He named Amazon, Facebook, Google, Alibaba, and Tencent as examples of companies that began as consumer internet firms but later became deep-tech pioneers in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and other domains. “Why doesn’t India have its own large-scale foundational AI model? It’s because we still haven’t built great internet companies,” he said.

    Palicha also assured that Zepto’s long-term vision is to reinvest its earnings into further innovation and value creation within India. The post concludes with: “We have the talent and capital; we just need the execution.”

    Goyal’s comments drew sharp retorts from industry leaders like Palicha and former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai. Pai also went on social media to question: what has the government done to support deep-tech startups? Pai highlighted the many obstacles that these startups face. He pointed to taxation as one huge problem, and he called attention to what he sees as a paltry attempt by the government to engage with institutional investors.

  • Zomato’s Relief After NCLT Rejects Insolvency Petition Regarding Alleged Unpaid Debts

    According to reports, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has granted Zomato relief. NCLT rejected an insolvency petition brought by B2B maker Nona Lifestyle against the foodtech giant for an alleged INR 1.64 Cr in unpaid debts. According to a media report, a panel consisting of Technical Member Reena Sinha Puri and Judicial Member Ashok Kumar Bharadwaj denied Nona Lifestyle’s petition on March 3 to reinstate an insolvency claim that the company had made the previous year. The petition was submitted without the required notice under section 8 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). Hence, in the absence of these documents, the court determined that it was not maintainable in and of itself.

    Claims Made by Petitioner Nona Lifestyle

    The petitioner (Nona Lifestyle) claimed that the Deepinder Goyal-led company had fallen behind on payments. Owing to this issue, Nona filed an insolvency plea in October 2024 and asked the NCLT to restore it. Days later, the insolvency case was dismissed. The issue began in 2023 when, in preparation for the ICC World Cup, Nona Lifestyle secured large orders from Zomato. This order was for t-shirts and pants for Zomato’s staff and delivery partners. According to Nona Lifestyle, the business refused to take orders later. In October 2024, Nona Lifestyle first approached the NCLT to begin insolvency proceedings against Zomato; however, the plea was denied on the grounds of non-prosecution. To reinstate the insolvency procedures, the petitioner submitted a second request to the NCLT a month later.

    However, according to the outlined agreement, the petitioner claimed to have fulfilled its promise to manufacture and deliver the articles in parts. But according to Zomato, the manufacturer changed it “unilaterally” and missed deadlines, creating “substantial reputational and goodwill damage” to the business and endangering its World Cup campaign. A B2B platform for procurement as a service, Nona Lifestyle connects manufacturers and suppliers to acquire and deliver industrial goods for a range of industries, including logistics, hospitality, and fast-moving consumer goods. Zomato must be feeling somewhat relieved by the decision, but it still faces additional difficulties.

    Zomato’s Sluggish Growth

    The company’s food delivery division has been growing slowly over the past two quarters of the fiscal year, which ended on March 31, 2024–2025 (FY25). In the second quarter of FY25, Zomato’s gross order value (GOV) for the food delivery company increased by barely 4% on a quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) basis to INR 9,690 Cr. In contrast, the GOV only climbed by 2.3% to INR 9,913 Cr in Q3 of FY25. Additionally, during the assessment period, the company’s transacting user base grew slowly. Its transactional user base increased by only 2% QoQ to 20.7 million in Q2 FY25, while it subsequently decreased by 0.9% to 20.5 million in Q3 FY25. The company’s bottom line was affected by this downturn. Its consolidated net profit fell 57.2% to INR 59 Cr in Q3 FY25 from INR 138 Cr in the same period last year.

  • Founder of OnlyFans and Hbar Foundation Placed Late-Stage Bid to Purchase TikTok

    They newly formed collaboration between Hbar Foundation and Tim Stokely, the creator of OnlyFans, announced on 3 April that it has submitted a late-stage plan to buy the short video app TikTok from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. The Hbar Foundation, which oversees the treasury of the Hedera cryptocurrency network, and Zoop, the new business of millionaire Stokely, sent the intent to bid to the White House this week. OnlyFans is mostly renowned for its erotica content. On the other hand, Zoop is a mainstream, family-friendly website that rewards its users for increasing user engagement by returning the majority of its profits to the people who post on it. RJ Phillips, a co-founder of Zoop, told the media that the company’s offer for TikTok is about establishing a new paradigm. This development means the value that creators create directly benefits their communities as well as themselves. According to Phillips, the partners have been collaborating with a group of investors. He refused to elaborate on the bid or the investors supporting it.

    Amazon also Putting its Bid

    According to a media report, Amazon also made a last-minute bid to acquire TikTok on 2 April. US President Donald Trump is anticipated to review a proposal for TikTok that would determine the future of the 170 million-user app. According to US legislation that went into force on January 19, ByteDance has until April 5 to sell TikTok or risk being banned from the US for national security reasons. Concern in Washington that TikTok’s ownership makes it accountable to the Chinese government and that Beijing could use the app to carry out influence operations. These concerns were reflected in the bill, which was passed last year with widespread backing from both parties. Supporters of TikTok contend that the prohibition violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects free speech, by illegally threatening to deny Americans access to foreign media.

    Trump Pushing the TikTok Deal

    After taking office in January, Trump delayed the law’s implementation until April 5 in order to negotiate an agreement. He has stated that if necessary, he could further extend the deadline. According to a media outlet, discussions on TikTok have come to a consensus on a plan for the largest non-Chinese investors in ByteDance to increase their investments and buy the app’s US business. Without naming the groups, Trump said last month that his administration was in contact with four of them on a potential TikTok merger. The White House is acting as an investment bank in the much-publicised TikTok sale, and US Vice President JD Vance is in charge of the bidding.

  • Elon Musk Denounces “Fake News”, Says won’t be Leaving as DOGE Chief

    Politico and other media sites were criticised by Elon Musk and the White House on 2 April for claiming that the billionaire would “step down” as director of the Department of Government Efficiency. President Donald Trump reportedly “informed his inner circle” that his special adviser would resign from all federal positions. ‘This story’ is garbage, said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in response to a tweet about the Politico revelation. Both President Trump and Elon Musk have said in public that after his amazing work at DOGE is finished, Elon will leave public service as a special government employee.

    Politico’s Report

    Trump informed close associates and members of his Cabinet earlier in the day that Musk will shortly leave his position in the administration, according to Politico. In recent days, the president and his wealthy buddy agreed that the latter would resume his commercial ventures, the publication reported. This follows a precipitous decline in the value of Tesla’s stock, which is led by Musk. According to Donald Trump, Musk has “been amazing,” but he has a large company to manage, Trump told reporters on March 31. Additionally, he will eventually return. He desires to, added Trump.

    Critics Calling Musk Co-President

    Since the beginning, there has been uncertainty over Musk’s ability to sustain his exceptional status. This status has allowed him to become so close to Trump that critics have dubbed him the ‘co-president’. The so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has been leading an ideologically motivated crusade for two months under the direction of Musk. According to an international news agency, Musk has caused widespread worry by destroying US scientific research and international aid programmes virtually overnight. Trump has assigned the CEO of Tesla to spearhead initiatives to restructure the federal bureaucracy and reduce government spending through the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk’s tenure as a special government employee would expire at the end of May, assuming a 130-day term. Last week, he told the media that he was sure he would do the majority of the work needed to reduce federal expenditure by $1 trillion.

    Musk has been under fire since assuming the position in January for his vigorous efforts to reduce federal expenditure and abolish government employment. This moves he claims are essential to reorganising Washington. Under Musk’s leadership, the DOGE initiative has already implemented significant staff and contract cutbacks. Apart from that, reports further indicate that his initiatives are aimed at saving federal spending by $1 trillion.