Match Group Inc.’s well-known dating app Tinder has introduced a brand-new in-app game that allows users to interact with chatbots driven by artificial intelligence. The interactive element aims to boost user involvement and revitalise the platform’s expansion. As a proof of concept and marketing experiment, the free voice-based game uses OpenAI’s GPT-40 and GPT-40 Mini models. These models help to generate extremely unrealistic romantic comedy scenarios. Users may experience cliché meet-cute situations, including reaching for a stranger’s supermarket cart or learning that their luggage was inadvertently switched at an airport baggage claim.
How Game Operates?
‘The Game Game’ is a game that functions as a kind of light-hearted flirtation training ground. Users are introduced to absurd dating situations and they do not need to worry about what to say as AI covered it all. The AI responds to everything users say in real time, and they have to speak their way through it. Users need to complete a few easy actions in order to obtain this intriguing game:
•Launch the Tinder app, tap the logo, and select a fun, AI-generated dating scenario that suits users tastes.
•When the AI starts, users have to answer with their voice. Be affable, humorous, or simply improvise.
•The AI assigns a three-flame rating to the user’s game. Got the conversation down? All three flames will be earned by users. Hardly flopped? Users could be gently roasted by the AI.
•The AI provides users with criticism regardless of how it goes; perhaps users should be a little more tactful and ask better questions.
Giving Users a Magical Experience of AI
AI can let users practise without pressure, but it won’t make them an instant romance pro. 64% of young singles are fine with a little awkwardness as long as it’s genuine, according to Tinder’s Future of Dating Report. So why not enjoy the moment and accept the cringe? We can leverage AI to make dating less stressful and more enjoyable thanks to this project, said Alex Osborne, Senior Director of Product Innovation at Match Group. The business was looking for something fun and practical. The Game Game may call you out on your poor jokes, but it won’t criticise you or ghost you like real dates do. Only Tinder users in the US can currently access it on iOS, but who knows? AI-powered flirting might just get started. If nothing else, it’s a fantastic method to hone your skills without having to face humiliation in real life!
DriverShaab is a B2B mobility solutions provider specializing in driver aggregation, logistics support, and employee transportation services for businesses.
The funds will be utilized to enhance operational excellence and strengthen technology infrastructure.
So far, Inflection Point Ventures has invested over INR 800 Cr across 210+ startups.
Kolkata-based DriverShaab, a leading B2B mobility solutions provider, has raised INR 2.82 crore in a Pre-Series A round led by Firstport Capital and Inflection Point Ventures (IPV). The funding will help DriverShaab scale its driver aggregation platform, enhance operational excellence, and strengthen its technology infrastructure.
Founded with the vision of becoming India’s #1 driver management company, DriverShaab offers on-demand driver services, logistics support, and employee transportation solutions for businesses. The startup leverages technology to streamline driver aggregation, making operations more reliable and efficient for enterprises across industries.
Avijit Das, CEO, founded DriverShaab, bringing his expertise as a B-Tech graduate in IT with experience at CTS and TCS as a software engineer and business system analyst. Neha Shaikh, Chief of Staff, plays a key leadership role with over 8 years of experience. She has previously worked as a lecturer at SNDT Women’s University and was an ex-Uber supply chain manager specializing in driver acquisition.
Mitesh Shah, Co-Founder of Inflection Point Ventures, says, “Businesses across industries rely on efficient driver management, as inefficiencies can affect fleet operations, employee transportation, and logistics. DriverShaab leverages technology to streamline driver aggregation, ensuring seamless deployment, reducing downtime, and enhancing service reliability. With its scalable solutions and strong execution, the startup is a promising investment in the evolving mobility sector.”
Currently, DriverShaab has facilitated transactions worth INR 26 crore since its inception, demonstrating strong demand and adoption of its platform. With India’s mobility market valued at $900 million, the company is well-positioned to scale rapidly.
What sets DriverShaab apart is its simplified driver aggregation model, which is built to streamline fleet operations for businesses.
Avijit Das, CEO of Drivershaab, says, “Partnering with IPV has been a transformative experience for DriverShaab, empowering us with the resources and mentorship to scale our vision of redefining the logistics and transportation sector in India. Our goal is to create seamless, tech-driven solutions that address the unique challenges of Driver service. We’re committed to building a reliable and sustainable ecosystem that delivers value to our clients and drives growth in the industry.”
The company has already made significant strides, winning the Maruti Suzuki Nurture Program, a testament to its innovation and impact in the mobility sector.
With the Indian mobility market projected to grow exponentially, DriverShaab is tapping into a massive opportunity by addressing driver supply challenges, operational inefficiencies, and fleet management complexities through its tech-driven approach.
About DriverShaab
DriverShaab is a leading driver aggregation platform specializing in cab services, delivery logistics, and employee transportation for businesses across India. With a tech-driven and client-centric approach, the company ensures seamless, reliable, and efficient driver management solutions.
About Inflection Point Ventures and Physis Capital
Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) is an angel investing platform with over 23,500+ CXOs, HNIs, and Professionals to together invest in startups. The firm supports new-age entrepreneurs by providing them with monetary & experiential capital and connecting them with a diverse group of investors. IPV has launched a $50 Mn CAT 2 VC fund, Physis Capital, to invest in Pre-Series A to Series B growth-stage start-ups. The fund has already deployed capital in two startups so far, with a few deals in advanced stages of pipeline.
Perkant Tech, inventors of a leading AI-enabled med-tech Multi-disease Prognostic Health Platform, has raised INR 6.6 Crore in a seed funding round led by YourNest Venture Capital. This round includes contributions of INR 5 crore from YourNest, INR 1 crore from the Government of India’s Atal New India Challenge (AIM, NITI Aayog), INR 35 lakh from Villgro Foundation, and INR 25 lakh from the accelerator Sanchi Connect, who partnered with YourNest in its Velocity fast-track funding program.
Indore-based Perkant Tech was founded during COVID-19 in 2020 by Lokant Jain and Saniya Jeswani, two young engineers in their final year of college. It offers a medical device with an exclusive suite of AI-augmented health solutions which empowers individuals and healthcare providers with real-time, predictive health insights, ranging from preventative screenings to comprehensive monitoring. This sustainable, upgradable platform redefines healthcare with precision, adaptability and scalability, bridging critical gaps in accessibility and supporting a future of equitable healthcare for all.
This investment will enable Perkant Tech to enhance its AI-powered prognostic technology, accelerate the R&D efforts and support market expansion and customer acquisition strategies as the company gears up for its commercial launch following successful pilots with world-class partners. Additionally, the funds will also be allocated towards technology upgrades and software development to ensure seamless integration, real-time updates, and personalized health insights, preparing the company’s solutions for widespread adoption.
Saniya Jeswani, Co-founder & CEO of Perkant Tech, said,“This investment marks a pivotal step in a journey that began for Lokant and me in our early twenties, driven by a vision to make healthcare truly proactive and universally accessible. With this support, our dedication to advancing prognostic technology reaches new heights. We are fuelled by a passion to deliver predictive health insights that empower individuals everywhere—even in the remotest corners of the world. This isn’t just an investment in technology; it’s a commitment to a future where accessible, life-enhancing healthcare is within reach for all.”
Dr. Vivek Mansingh, General Partner of YourNest, said, “We are excited to back Perkant Tech as they revolutionize healthcare accessibility. Their innovative, AI-powered health screening device addresses a critical need with unmatched scalability and affordability, and we are confident in their ability to drive significant impact and growth in the healthcare sector.”
Perkant Tech holds a granted Indian patent (Application: 526020) and a pending U.S. patent (Application: 18/033,887) for an advanced apparatus designed to measure and acquire distress data from the human body, encompassing both psychological and physiological indicators. Aligned with the government’s National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), Perkant Tech’s integrated platform of measures tracks and analyzes essential health vitals, redefining primary and preventive care delivery across rural and urban deployments. At the heart of this suite is Perkant Tech’s flagship invention,Abhay Parimiti—patented in India and the US—which provides automated health assessments in under 60 seconds, making healthcare insights accessible, rapid and impactful.
Perkant Tech’s system serves as a digital doctor for India, powered by patented AI-driven multi-disease prognostic technology, bridging healthcare gaps in underserved regions where medical infrastructure and personnel are scarce. The key focus areas include advancing product research and development to maximise the capabilities of its health monitoring systems. The startup aims to expand beyond core metrics such as cardiac and respiratory health, delving into specific disease detection, early onset identification and recovery tracking. Its vision is to develop technology that serves as an early-stage indicator for conditions traditionally requiring invasive testing, pushing the boundaries of non-invasive health monitoring.
About Perkant Tech
Founded by two visionary engineers in their final year of engineering, Perkant Tech emerged from a mission to revolutionise healthcare through technical expertise and the founders’ innovative perspective. Today, Perkant Tech has evolved into a pioneering medical device company with an exclusive suite of AI-augmented health solutions engineered to deliver precision-driven healthcare even in the most resource-constrained settings. Recognised among the top 50 healthcare startups by AIM, NITI Aayog and acclaimed by global entities such as WHO (World Health Organization), Perkant Tech has quickly distinguished itself as a high-impact startup.
Its health suite is engineered to disrupt conventional health screening, monitoring and surveillance paradigms, ushering in a transformative approach to cardiac, respiratory, and comprehensive health assessment. Anchored by internationally patented technology, this suite integrates an advanced health monitoring system capable of capturing over 700 biomarkers for high-accuracy, early-stage disease risk assessment. Alongside this, an IoT-integrated interface offers seamless operability, democratising health data and delivering contextualised health insights. This unified hardware-software ecosystem leverages high resolution biomarker analytics with predictive AI, establishing a cutting-edge early-alert system for cardiac, respiratory and general health conditions. Through proprietary algorithms and patented methodologies, Perkant Tech is redefining health screening and monitoring with a robust, scalable, AI-powered prognostic platform for multi-disease risk prediction
About YourNest
YourNest, established in 2011 as a technology-focused Pre-Series A fund house, has pioneered investing in DeepTech and IP-led product innovations. Focused on emerging technologies to enhance the way mankind leverages the value of time, YourNest Innovative Products VC Fund III aims to create an opportunity for Indian entrepreneurs to scale into global markets. Many of YourNest’s portfolio companies across its three funds have secured patents and attracted Fortune 500 Companies as customers. In its first Fund, YourNest has provided a DPI of 1.9x with five complete exits and one partial exit. Its second Fund is fully invested with one full exit and two partial exits. YourNest’s funds consistently feature amongst the best-performing AIFs as per the CRISIL AIF Performance Reports.
About Sanchi Connect
Sanchi Connect is a leading accelerator and community for DeepTech startups, investors, mentors and key stakeholders. Backed by Baring PE partners and prominent VCs and headquartered in Noida, the company has invested in IP-led pre-seed startups earlier through its thematic accelerator cohorts, and also serves multiple corporates in managing their startup-centric programs and open innovation needs.
Following the imposition of reciprocal tariffs of 26% by the United States, India’s stock plummeted on April 3. U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 26% reciprocal duty on India on 2 March as part of his plan to impose a 10% baseline tariff on all trade partners from 5 April. Further, he also imposed greater tariffs on dozens of other countries, including 34% on China from April 9. China’s major indices dropped 1.5%, while Thailand and Vietnam saw declines of 1% and 6.1%, respectively. While small-cap stocks increased by 0.2%, the Indian mid-cap index fell by 0.2%. Although analysts pointed out that the reciprocal tariffs are lower than those imposed on Asian exporters like China, Vietnam, and Thailand. This advantage may give India a competitive edge. Experts further stated that the immediate impact on Indian markets is negative due to worries about global trade and growth.
India’s Pharmaceutical Sector Exempted From Trump’s Reciprocal Tax
In his “reciprocal tariffs”, Trump exempted imports of energy, pharmaceuticals, and some minerals. This move is expected to provide India’s generic drug industry a reprieve. In an information sheet, the White House stated that the Reciprocal Tariff would not apply to certain products. These include (1) items covered by 50 USC 1702(b); (2) steel/aluminum products and automobiles/auto parts already subject to Section 232 tariffs; (3) copper, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and lumber products; (4) any and all items that could be subject to Section 232 tariffs in the future; (5) bullion; and (6) energy and other specific minerals that are not available in the United States.
US Tariffs don’t have as Much of an Impact on India: ASSOCHAM President Sanjay Nayar
According to ASSOCHAM president Sanjay Nayar, the United States’ tariffs are not having a significant negative impact on India. ASSOCHAM’s Nayar emphasised that the Indian economy is more inward-looking than its peer Asian markets. Nayar stated that he believes India is not as severely affected by the tariffs; while the 26% tariff figure may seem high, it appears to be less so when compared to other Southeast Asian nations. Other significant nations with import duties include China (34%), the European Union (20%), Vietnam (46%), Taiwan (32%), Japan (24%), India (26%), the United Kingdom (10%), Bangladesh (37%), Pakistan (29%), Sri Lanka (44%), and Israel (17%). Steel, aluminium, and auto-related products will be subject to a 25% tax under the imposed duties, whereas pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, copper, and energy products would not be subject to any tariffs. The analysts claim that the tariffs placed on Indian goods going to the US pose a dilemma for the country’s manufacturing industry.
In accordance with their agreement on passive infrastructure sharing, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has allegedly failed to bill Reliance Jio for ten years since May 2014. This has cost the government a loss of around INR 1757.56 crore. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said last week that BSNL’s invoicing issues caused the government to suffer this large financial loss. According to a news agency, the CAG audit also asserts that BSNL lost an extra INR 38.36 crore. This happened because it failed to deduct the licence fee portion from the money given to telecom infrastructure providers (TIPs).
CAG Report Highlighted BSNL’s Negligence
BSNL’s failure to enforce the Master Service Agreement (MSA) with Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (RJIL) was brought to light in the CAG statement. According to the report, BSNL did not bill for the new technology used on BSNL’s shared passive infrastructure and did not enforce the Master Service Agreement (MSA) with M/s Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (RJIL). From May 2014 to March 2024, the government exchequer lost INR 1,757.76 crore as a result of this incompetence, plus penal interest. Additionally, BSNL’s billing errors for passive infrastructure sharing charges were brought to the attention of the CAG. The audit further stated that BSNL lost INR 29 crore (including GST) in revenue from infrastructure sharing costs. This is a result of its failure to apply the escalation clause and adhere to the terms and circumstances outlined in the MSA with RJIL.
Dilip Buildcon JV Gets Work Order Worth INR 2,631 Cr. from BSNL
An advanced work order of INR 2,631.14 crore was given to Dilip Buildcon’s joint venture, DBL-STL, by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL). The middle-mile network for the BSNL BharatNet Phase-III broadband connectivity project will be designed, supplied, built, installed, upgraded, operated, and maintained by the company. The Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), now known as Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), is providing funding for the initiative. The project, of which Dilip Buildcon is responsible for 70.23%, is to offer middle-mile and last-mile connectivity in the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh regions. The construction project will be completed in three years by the Bhopal-based company, and the maintenance contract will last for ten years.
In addition, Dilip Buildcon works on projects in a number of industries, such as urban development, irrigation, tunnels, roads, railroads, airports, and coal mining. With the support of earnings from its coal and hybrid annuity model (HAM) portfolio, Dilip Buildcon’s profit attributable to owners for the third quarter of the fiscal year 2025 (Q3 FY25) increased by 7.4% year over year to INR 115.3 crore. However, the company’s revenue dropped to INR 2,589.7 crore, a 9.98% year-over-year decrease. Its overall costs for the reviewed quarter were INR 2,519 crore, which was an 11.9% decrease from the previous year.
National April 3rd, 2025: Meta has announced new tools that can help drive growth and incremental performance gains for e-commerce and retail businesses. As growth for e-commerce as an industry gets fueled in India on the back of Quick Commerce and the rise of online shopping in tier-2 and tier-3 towns, these new ad tools and features could further turbocharge growth for businesses in the sector.
Among the tools being launched is omnichannel ads, which allow advertisers to show ads that highlight nearby locations to people most likely to shop in-store. Meta is expanding access to omnichannel ads to more advertisers, adding the ability to guide people to the nearest store with products in stock, and surfacing discounts that can make it even more enticing for shoppers to visit a store. Initial testing showed that advertisers that used omnichannel ads had a 15% lower media omnichannel CPA and a 12% higher media ROAS when compared to their business as usual campaigns.
Meta recently held Meta Marketing Summit E-Commerce Edition to throw light on the emerging trends in the e-commerce space in India. The summit was attended by leading marketers across Mumbai and Bangalore.
Said Meghna Apparao, Director of Ecommerce and Retail vertical for Meta in India,“E-commerce and retail is witnessing a material shift in India driven by more offline retail brands reaching customers online, quick commerce continuing to grow rapidly, and online shopping in tier-2 and tier-3 markets continuing to accelerate. While AI-powered personalization and discovery, Reels and creators, and messaging have already unlocked immense value for the e-commerce and retail brands, Meta’s continued thrust on innovative ad tools for the sector is going to prove pivotal for its growth, enabling brands to create impactful shopping experiences and deliver on business outcomes that matter most to them.”
Retail brands with offline store presence that deploy omnichannel strategies are likely to gain most from omnichannel ads. For instance, apparel brand Taneira has leveraged Omnichannel Optimization ads and seen strong business outcomes.
Said Aishwarya Omprakash, Head of Marketing, Taneira, “In our pilot campaign utilizing Meta’s omnichannel ads, we observed a significant boost in performance, achieving 3.5x higher purchase conversions and 4.3x higher Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) compared to campaigns optimized solely for purchases. This encouraging outcome reinforces the value of a multi-touchpoint strategy, and we’re excited to take this experiment further in the coming year.”
Harnessing the power of AI, in the coming months, Meta will also allow advertisers to use Partnership ads and AI-powered Advantage+ catalog ads together.
Partnership ads harness the power of creators by allowing advertisers to run ads with creators, brands and other businesses. India is home to the largest community of Instagram creators in the world and more than 4,000 advertisers in India already use Partnership Ads.
Ecommerce brands across categories have already unlocked growth for themselves on the back of Partnership Ads.
Said Pawrush Elavia, Head of Growth at Zepto, “We used the authentic voice of creators to highlight our 10-minute delivery USP for which we leveraged Partnership Ads. The experiment resulted in an 18% lower CAC and a 33% higher CTR when combining Partnership Ads with BAU strategies compared to BAU alone.”
Meta is also introducing a new optimization that allows its ads system to show additional products from the catalog when promoting a preferred product set with the AI-powered Advantage+ catalog ads. With this feature a fashion brand, for instance, could choose to highlight jackets from their spring collection and give the system the option to serve a dress that a shopper might also be interested in. In initial tests, advertisers saw a 14% increase in ROAS when using this optimization on average.
Continuing the momentum on AI, Meta is also introducing new Generative AI powered features for ecommerce brands effectively. This half Meta will continue to explore new features including using Gen AI to place clothing on virtual models. By giving customers a better sense of how an item might look and fit, it could help shoppers confidently make a purchase and advertisers create more compelling experiences. Today advertisers can use background generation in Catalog ads and the company is experimenting with more personalized outputs for text generation. This will help advertisers better merchandise their products on Meta platforms and create ad copy that resonates with customers.
Generative AI is already being used by ecommerce companies in India. Quick Commerce giant Big Basket is an early adopter of Meta’s Generative AI ad features.
Said Anand Bhaskaran, Head of Digital Marketing and Marketing Communications at Big Basket, “We are committed to staying ahead of the curve when it comes to testing new marketing approaches. That’s why we were eager to test GenAI-powered catalog ads. The results were great and we are confident this technology will continue to drive efficiency for our business.”
Big Basket leveraged a three-cell test for catalog ads, measuring Background Generation, Image Expansion versus BAU cells. They saw a 2.7% better click-through-rate (CTR) than BAU cell and 3.4% lower cost per install (CPI) than BAU cell.
Entvin AI is a startup founded by three IIT Bombay graduates that has been successful in raising its first round of funding. This round, which totaled USD 500,000, was led by Y Combinator.
The company specializes in providing artificial intelligence solutions to pharmaceutical and life sciences firms. It has plans to use the funds to expand the capabilities of its AI solutions and to accelerate customer acquisition, globally.
Solving Regulatory Challenges with AI
Entvin AI, started by Sanskar Jain, Hemant Phalak, and Rishabh Arya, takes on one of the top big thorns in the side of the pharmaceutical industry, the FDA drug approval process. This process is too often protracted, overstuffed with people and resources, and too complex to be anything but a rigorous obstacle course for those trying to bring a new drug to market. Too much depends on this process going in one direction for it to be anything other than a well-oiled machine.
Entvin AI has developed a platform to automate key regulatory workflows, which reduces inefficiencies and enhances compliance. Early enterprise pilot projects have shown the platform’s ability to save hundreds of hours for teams working on regulatory and scientific projects. Even better, the platform has the potential to save pharmaceutical companies millions of dollars in compliance costs.
How Entvin AI Works
The massive language models that Entvin AI employs are tailored for the realm of regulatory paperwork and are particularly well-suited for ensuring compliance with the rules laid down by the FDA. The platform they have constructed is capable of carrying out several important functions, most of which have traditionally been done manually. These include: automating the generation and organization of documents; carrying out comprehensive literature reviews; and flagging important changes in regulatory standards.
– Preparing regulatory documents
– Ensuring compliance with FDA regulations that are constantly changing
– Watching and interpreting the guidance coming from regulatory authorities on an as-it-happens basis
The platform aids life sciences firms in dealing with tough regulatory obligations by making these functions more efficient. You might say it’s like greasing the gears of a tough-running machine so that the machine does what it’s supposed to do, only it takes far fewer regulatory resources and far less time to get the desired outcomes with this platform.
Leadership Insights
Entvin AI Co-Founder and CEO, Sanskar Jain, calls for innovation in regulatory compliance. “Regulatory professionals spend countless hours handling documentation and compliance checks. Our AI agents streamline these workflows, allowing teams to focus on strategic priorities rather than administrative burdens.”
In decision-making, AI plays a role, stressed Hemant Phalak, Co-Founder & CPO: “Our AI agents seamlessly integrate into existing workflows, not only organizing regulatory information but also identifying compliance gaps and providing actionable insights in real time.”
Rishabh Arya, Co-Founder & CTO, emphasized the platform’s technical sturdiness: “We have built an AI system capable of processing vast amounts of regulatory documentation while maintaining compliance with industry standards like SOC 2 and ISO 27001.”
With new funding from Y Combinator, Entvin AI aims to grow its capabilities and clientele among the mid-to-large global pharmaceutical companies. The startup wants to achieve something that its portfolio companies haven’t in the past: breaking into regulatory technology. Entvin AI sees itself as potentially helping life sciences firms to obtain drug approvals much more quickly and to do so while remaining compliant with a blizzard of rules.
American ride-hailing behemoth Uber has launched Uber for Teens, a ride-hailing service dedicated to the safe, reliable, and convenient transportation of teenagers aged 13 to 17. For Uber, this initiative seems like an attractive pivot that could address a growing dependence on its services while also reassuring a key constituency, parents.
Now, in 37 cities across India, like Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, and Kolkata, the U.S. company offers a much-in-demand secure travel alternative for teenagers. Getting there took a lot of work, given the necessity of integrating safety measures into a platform that still allows for real-time parental oversight.
Robust Safety Features
At the heart of ‘Uber for Teens’ is safety. The service encompasses a number of fortifying features, GPS tracking, real-time monitoring, an in-app emergency button, that might make the average insurance underwriter sleep just a little bit more soundly. Parents or guardians get notifications throughout the trip and can track their child’s journey via the Uber app. Once the ride is completed, they also receive a ride summary. Full transparency and a lot of peace of mind.
Uber seeks to tackle the issue of parents worrying about their kids traveling alone by introducing a new set of features that provide a perfect blend of independence for young riders, along with a layer of security that gives parents peace of mind.
Parental Oversight and Convenience
To utilize the service, parents or guardians with a verified Uber account can invite their adolescent child to create a linked account. After initial setup, the teen now has the ability to book their own rides, with parental oversight of each trip. In an alternative scenario, the parent can ride request on behalf of the now adolescent Uber account holder, with those requests popping up in the teen’s account.
The initiative holds significance in working toward the everyday transport puzzles that families have to solve, Prabhjeet Singh, president of Uber India and South Asia, stated. Challenges to this effect crop up daily in Uber’s business. Singh’s remit, and the initiative’s aim, is to serve the many millions of middle-income and low-income people who live across India’s sprawling cities and who don’t have one of the 27 million cars that are registered there.
Strong Market Demand
Before launching ‘Uber for Teens,’ the company carried out a survey to gather data on the transportation need of teenagers and their parents’ concerns. It found that 92% of parents had difficulty arranging for reliable transportation for their teens; 72% of these parents told us that their primary concern was safety.
The study provided additional insights, showing that 93% of mothers and fathers are open to using a ride-hailing service that is specifically designed for their teenage kids. This slice of the population is clearly a potential customer.
The Future of Teen Transportation
India’s ride-hailing ecosystem has taken another step forward with the launch of ‘Uber for Teens.’ This new service provides a “structured and secure” experience for young users. But the edginess of the new service is really underscored by the fact that, when it comes to ride-hailing, India is an uncharted territory, both for Uber and so for haling rides of any kind.
Uber is combining safety, convenience, and tech oversight to make itself a suitable transportation option for families with teen riders.
Apple plans to ramp up its India-based manufacturing output, almost doubling it by 2028, as part of its efforts to fortify the global supply chain and reduce overreliance on China. The Capgemini Research Institute report noted that Apple is on a path to expand its native manufacturing in India to 25% by 2028, up from just 14% in FY24. To be sure, Apple Inc. isn’t the only company that has been cutting back on production in China, and for varied reasons.
The report, entitled The Resurgence of Manufacturing: Reindustrialisation Strategies in Europe and the US, focuses on India, which has emerged as the biggest producer of Apple smartphones outside of China. In FY24, India is estimated to have accounted for 14% of Apple’s total iPhone production, with expectations of a considerable uptick in that figure over the next few years.
The Global Shift in Manufacturing
U.S. businesses are looking to set up manufacturing in places that provide better access to components and that are politically stable. The report points to India, Mexico, Vietnam, and Malaysia as good candidates. Why? Geopolitics isn’t the only thing driving these companies. Cost is another big factor. And a third factor the report highlights is diversification.
Southeast Asia is seeing investment in reindustrialization, with targets like India and Vietnam, that is better than anywhere else in Asia. This expansion is not limited to Apple and goes beyond the semiconductor supply chain; it encompasses a much more diverse array of key sectors, including electronics manufacturing, energy, metals mining, and industrial production.
Increasing Foreign Investment in India
The Capgemini report states that numerous international companies are looking to boost their investments in India in the coming three years as part of their drive toward reindustrialization.
– 40% of UK companies expect to increase their investment in India.
– 38% of U.S. and Spanish firms plan to put more resources into Indian manufacturing.
– 39% of German companies, 40% of Dutch firms, and 33% of French companies also see India as a prime investment spot.
These statistics imply a solid belief in India as a likely candidate to become a global manufacturing powerhouse, driven by government incentives, skilled labor, and a large, growing consumer market.
Industry-Specific Investments
The study emphasizes that different industries are shifting their focus toward India when it comes to investments, with varying levels of dedication. The sectors we looked at invest in India for different reasons. Here are some highlights.
– Aerospace & Defense: 47% of firms expect to boost their spending.
– Electronics: 45% of companies perceive growth prospects.
– Metals & Mining: 49% of firms are contemplating expansion.
– Life Sciences: 41% of firms are concentrating on India.
– Battery Manufacturing & Energy Storage: 39% of firms are planning to invest more.
– Automotive: 33% of companies are planning to up their production.
Other sectors, such as chemicals, consumer product manufacturing, energy, transportation, and telecom, are also ramping up investments, showing that India’s rising attraction as a key manufacturing destination is broadening beyond information technology.
The global manufacturing network is proving to be an asset for Apple Inc. as it seeks to engage with Indian manufacturing and rapidly diversify supply chains beyond China.
Nestle, the Swiss giant in the FMCG sector, is pushing its Nescafe ready-to-drink cold coffee further into global markets, such as India, MENA (Middle East and North Africa), and Brazil. This push aims to serve the convenience coffee market, an area where cold coffee in ready-to-drink form is catching up with the far more popular iced coffee. That means Nescafe is now competing against not just luxury coffee shops but also Starbucks, which has far more experience in the ready-to-drink sector.
As stated by Nestle, one of the fastest-growing segments in the coffee industry is ready-to-drink beverages, which are enjoying double-digit growth around the world. This is mainly thanks to the Millennial and Gen Z consumers, who are our main target in this business. Nestle has a plan to use this youth culture to push its profits higher by offering more R.D.-R.D. (ready-to-drink) options, and it has been expanding in areas where large youth populations reside.
Strategic Expansion into Key Markets
“With markets like India and those in MENA largely untapped until now, we are confident we can grow the cold coffee category in these geographies,” said Michael Briner, Zone AOA and Global Category Lead for Ready-to-Drink at Nestle’s Coffee Brands Strategic Business Unit.
In India, Nestle has already made the foray into offering cold coffee under the brand Nescafe. The new product comes at a couple of price points, INR 50 and INR 75, which makes it not just accessible but also affordable, a crucial element if Nestle aims to drive mass adoption. Beyond pushing penetration of the Nescafe brand, cold coffee could well be on its way to becoming a segment in its own right within the overall coffee category.
Targeting the Youth Demographic
The firm holds that youthful buyers in these locales are a definite growth possibility. Close to 25 percent of people in India, MENA, and Brazil fall into the youthful demographic. This age group demonstrates a strong and expanding demand for on-the-go beverage solutions. Nestle’s overall growth strategy has this foundational consumer segment in sight.
Nestle’s marketing approach is to leverage digital campaigns and social media engagement to attract young consumers who are always on the lookout for new flavors and innovative beverage formats. The ready-to-drink segment is extremely competitive, and Nestle is trying to set itself apart from the crowd by offering what it calls “premium” beverages, far more targeted nutritionally than most, with four reformulated “super” drinks that are as functional as they are flavorful.
Strengthening Market Presence
Nescafe cold coffee range expansion is backed by more than just consumer demand. It’s also a long-term growth strategy. Nestle is aiming not simply to keep pace in the competitive ready-to-drink coffee sector, but to take the lead in a segment it believes is growing remarkably fast.
Nestle’s development is not just an increase in brand presence; it is an increase in category presence as well. In places like India and Japan, where Western soft drink culture is not deeply rooted, Nestle has seen success with non-soda carbonated beverages like Nestle Pure Life sparkling water.
