Tag: #news

The oil industry is in hot water, and to survive, the companies are cutting jobs. Here, Exxon joins with plans to shrink its workforce by 2,000 employees. The employees receive a memo on Tuesday (September 30, 2025), leaving several clueless. So, what does the memo say? How did Exxon’s CEO, Darren Woods, address the issue? What does the future of these 2000 employees look like? For that, learn more. 

Why Is Exxon Mobil Laying off Now?

Restructuring plan – The company is combining the small offices into a bigger regional hub, meaning fewer offices and centralised teams.

Efficiency Drive – The company has big plans to reduce its annual spending by $9 billion by 2023 compared to 2019 levels.

Industry challenges – Especially because the oil industry is going through a tough time:

• Weaker crude oil prices are pushing profits down.
• Rapid industry consolidation, where large companies are forming partnerships with smaller ones, results in high competition.

Several others are also cutting jobs in the sector. Another company, Imperial Oil, has announced that it would cut 20% of its staff and shut its Calgary office.

Exxon’s History With Layoffs

Exxon’s CEO, Darren Woods, has announced the situation in a memo sent to the employees on Tuesday.

The process began in February 2025, when the company merged certain parts of the business to cut costs.

Exxon has acquired Pioneer Natural Resources for a whopping $60 billion, and to offset the costs, the company is now laying off employees.

The company cut around 400 jobs in Texas in 2024.

Final Thoughts…

Although Exxon Mobil is one of the world’s biggest oil companies, it couldn’t escape the tough time in the oil industry. The company is laying off around 3% to 4% of its total employees. Its total headcount was 61,000 people at the end of 2024, and now it will soon be 2000 fewer. An official response from the company is yet to come out. 

Darren Woods: Steering ExxonMobil Through Transformation & Controversies | Biography | Education | Career | Net Worth

Explore how Darren Woods is leading ExxonMobil through industry shifts, sustainability challenges, and controversies while driving innovation in the energy sector. Learn more about his education, career, controversy, and more.

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesSakshi Jadhav

Microsoft has a new AI feature that handles all the heavy lifting like research, formatting, analysis and design. The new feature is called Agent Mode in Copilot. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella demonstrated this feature within Microsoft 365 on platform ‘X’ (on September 29, 2025). The idea was to enable AI to multitask for users. So, how does this work differently in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint? Is it just a feature for regular users, or does it also come in handy for big companies? Does this handle the large datasets well? For that, learn more. 

How It Works in Different Apps

Word & PowerPoint – From Idea to Full Document/Presentation

The AI works on simple commands, unlike you having to explain everything to it. Short and simple instructions, for instance, “Create a presentation about going back to offices.

So, Copilot will:

• Research the topic for you.
• Draft text content clearly.
• Add relevant images and visuals to it.
• Makes suggestions for slide designs and layouts.
• Later, you can interact with the AI to change the tone of the presentation, ask it to focus on specific points or even pick different themes.
• You can do all of this without leaving the app.
• Such a task would typically require hours of work, but with this feature, Microsoft promises to reduce it to minutes. 

Excel – Data Without Formulas

Analysing data on Excel takes time, and the complicated formulas make it even tougher to handle. Not anymore.

With this AI mode, you can talk to the AI in plain English. For instance, “Analyse sales performance and show me trends.”

Copilot will:

• Study your dataset thoroughly.
• Do all the hard calculations for you.
• Fix any errors found in the sheet.
• And then provide you with the requested data in charts/graphs.
• To clarify, the AI will also explain the steps it took to create one.

Word – Editing Made Easy

The manual editing of Word documents can take a long time, says hours.

With Copilot’s new feature:

• It summarises long reports in a short time.
• Can convert the bullet points to long paragraphs.
• You ask the AI to rewrite the text to a clearer and more formal tone.
• These feature operates within the document, ensuring your workflow remains uninterrupted.
• The goal is to help you save time for content instead of formatting or wording.

The Bigger Picture

• The company is launching such innovative features to take the lead in AI-assisted productivity.
• However, there needs to be more clarity on whether these features are effective for large datasets, such as those used by major companies. 

Microsoft Success Story – Founders, Business Model, Revenue Model, and More

Microsoft is an American multinational technology company founded by Bill Gates & Paul Allen. Here’s a look at its business model and more.

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesSarika Anand

Imagine Marketing Limited (IML) brand owner of the mark “boAt”, India’s leading audio & wearables brand, co-founded by Aman Gupta & Sameer Mehta, today announced that the Board of Directors has approved the elevation of Gaurav Nayyar to the position of Chief Executive Officer.  This leadership transition marks a significant step in strengthening the Company’s management for its next phase of growth, while ensuring the founding team continues to play a guiding role in shaping the future.

Nayyar has served as boAt’s Chief Operating Officer for the past three years and brings more than two decades of strategic and operational experience, including eight years at Bain & Company where he was a Partner, prior to joining boAt.  As part of the transition, Co-Founder Sameer Mehta will assume the role of Executive Director, focused on driving long-term strategy while supporting Nayyar’s leadership as he takes on his new responsibilities, and Co-Founder Aman Gupta will continue his close association and contributions with boAt as a Non-Executive Director on the Board, ensuring continuity of brand vision and strategy.

This announcement reflects another proactive step by boAt in its journey of professionalization and underscores the founders’ commitment to leadership continuity and best-in-class governance, while laying the foundation for boAt to capitalize on the multi-decadal opportunity ahead in India’s consumer technology market. 

Gaurav Nayyar: “I am honored to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading boAt into its next chapter. Having worked closely with Sameer and Aman over the years, I know first-hand the extraordinary foundation they have built.  Sameer has done an exceptional job over the past few years as CEO strengthening our core, building product adjacencies and setting up our India manufacturing footprint, and Aman has been instrumental in his role as CMO in shaping our marketing prowess and brand positioning and ethos from the outset. I look forward to driving boAt’s next chapter with their support, as we further build on our various growth vectors and deliver enduring value for our customers, partners, and shareholders.”

Co-Founder, Sameer Mehta: “This transition reflects the natural evolution of boAt as we further professionalize and position ourselves for the opportunities ahead. It has been a privilege to build this company alongside Aman, whose vision and creativity has helped establish the brand and culture that define us today. Together, we are immensely proud of what has been created. Gaurav has shown exceptional leadership and execution, making him the right person for the CEO role going forward. I look forward to supporting him strategically in his new role, in my capacity as Executive Director, while continuing to drive the strategic vision that can push the boundaries of what an Indian consumer tech brand can achieve.” 

Co-Founder, Aman Gupta: “When Sameer and I started boAt, our ambition was to build something bold, enduring and impactful and the journey so far has exceeded my expectations. Over the past several years, Sameer has done an outstanding job as CEO leading the company and preparing it for this next stage in its evolution. I’m proud of what we have accomplished together and equally excited to see Gaurav take the helm. With my continued guidance and support as a Co-Founder and Director on the Board, I’m confident the company will stay true to its founding spirit while scaling new milestones in the years ahead.”

Hiranandani Financial Services (HFS), a Non‑Banking Financial Company (NBFC) focused on empowering micro and small‑business entrepreneurs, today announced its maiden external equity fundraise of ₹800 crore (approximately US$91.5 million).  As part of the transaction, funds managed by Vitruvian Partners, a global investment firm that backs high-growth companies, invested through Vitruvian’s Singapore platform and acquired a minority stake in HFS. The capital will strengthen HFS’s presence in India’s MSME financing sector, expand its footprint across underserved Tier III and Tier IV markets, deepen secured lending, and fund continued investments in technology and talent.

HFS, backed by House of Hiranandani, will expand its footprint across India’s underserved Tier III and Tier IV markets and deepen its secured lending capabilities. This fresh infusion of capital will accelerate the company’s loan disbursements, drive technology investments, and scale its presence in high‑potential MSME clusters.       

Commenting on the fundraise, Mr. Harsh Hiranandani, Founder of Hiranandani Financial Services said, “This investment is a strong validation of our mission to empower India’s small entrepreneurs with quick, reliable and tech-driven credit access. It advances our journey to build one of India’s most trusted NBFC platforms for MSMEs.” 

Vitruvian Partners has a strong track record of investing in fast-growing financial services platforms worldwide. Its investment in HFS reflects both confidence in India’s MSME ecosystem and trust in HFS’s ability to build out a pan-India lending franchise.

Kartikeya Kaji, who leads Vitruvian’s India investing team, said, “Hiranandani Financial Services has built an impressive foundation with a deep understanding of India’s fast-growing MSME segment. The company’s hybrid model, combining an on-the-ground presence with a strong digital technology stack, has proven both scalable and resilient. We believe HFS is well-positioned to bridge the financing gap for small entrepreneurs, and we are excited to partner with them on this transformative growth journey.” 

“We already have a strong promoter in House of Hiranandani and are excited to now have a global investment firm like Vitruvian Partners backing us. The credit gap in micro and small enterprises is large, and this fundraise will help us accelerate our journey and expand our reach to support more small businesses in their growth,” said Uday Suvarna, Chief Executive Officer, Hiranandani Financial Services. 

Alongside a direct-to-customer model, Hiranandani Financial Services leverages data from multiple sources, automated credit rule engines, mobile-first assisted onboarding, and real-time KYC to underwrite borrowers quickly and efficiently. Its hybrid credit assessment model blends cutting-edge technology with traditional field-level risk checks, enabling a faster turnaround while retaining a strong focus on asset quality.

Capillary Technologies, a Bengaluru-based SaaS company known for its AI-driven customer loyalty and engagement solutions, has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch its Initial Public Offering (IPO). This move allows the company to issue fresh equity and enable existing investors to partially exit via an Offer for Sale (OFS).

IPO Details and Fund Utilisation

According to the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) filed in June 2025, Capillary Technologies plans to raise INR 430 crore through a fresh issue and conduct an Offer for Sale (OFS) of up to 1.83 crore shares by existing shareholders. The OFS will see investors such as Ronal Holdings, Trudly Holdings, Filter Capital India, and Avataar Ventures partially offload their stakes.

The funds from the public issue will be used for:

• Expanding cloud infrastructure and IT systems
• Investing in research and development
• Supporting potential acquisitions
• Meeting general corporate needs

JM Financial, IIFL Capital, and Nomura Financial Advisory are the book-running lead managers for the IPO. The company’s shares are expected to be listed on both the BSE and NSE.

Company Overview and Growth

Founded in 2008 by Aneesh Reddy, Krishna Mehra, and Ajay Modani, Capillary Technologies provides cloud-native loyalty management and customer engagement solutions to enterprises. Over the years, the company has grown into a leading SaaS provider, catering to more than 390 brands across 46 countries, including Tata Digital, Domino’s, Aditya Birla Fashion, Arvind Fashion, and Abbott Labs.

The company’s major shareholder is Capillary Technologies International Pte Ltd, which holds about 65.47%, while other investors include Ronal Holdings (7.53%), Avataar Ventures (5.51%), Trudly Holdings (4.49%), and Filter Capital India (3.66%).

Financial Performance and Market Context

As per its financial statements and DRHP, Capillary recorded a revenue of around INR 598 crore in FY25, a growth of approximately 14% year-on-year. The company also returned to profitability, posting a net profit of about INR 14.1 crore, compared to a loss in FY24.

The positive turnaround follows Capillary’s renewed focus on international markets and enterprise clients. Industry analysts view this as a key moment for India’s SaaS ecosystem, as few SaaS companies have successfully gone public domestically.

Capillary had earlier planned an IPO in 2021 but deferred it due to volatile market conditions. Its renewed attempt aligns with improving investor appetite for tech-driven enterprise firms.

Why This IPO Matters

Capillary’s IPO could mark a significant step for India’s enterprise software sector. It not only offers a liquidity event for early investors but also signals growing investor confidence in SaaS-based business models.

If the listing performs well, Capillary Technologies could pave the way for more Indian SaaS companies to explore public markets, a space still dominated by traditional sectors like banking, manufacturing, and consumer goods.

With SEBI’s approval now in hand, the company will move towards setting its IPO price band, opening and closing dates, and finalising its roadshow plans

VerSe Innovation, the parent company of unicorn startup Dailyhunt and Josh, ended FY25 on a strong note with sharp revenue growth and lower losses. The company, backed by global investors like CPP Investments, Carlyle, QIA, Google, and Microsoft, said it is on track to achieve EBITDA break-even and group-level profitability in the second half of FY26.

List of 118 Unicorn Startups in India | Top Unicorns in India

India has already seen 118 unicorn startups. Here’s an exhaustive list of all unicorn companies in India, including those that joined the unicorn club in 2025.

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesAnik Banerjee

Revenue Growth and Improved Margins

In FY25, VerSe’s operating revenue jumped 88% to INR 1,930 crore, up from INR 1,029 crore in FY24. Total revenue, including other income, rose 64% to INR 2,071 crore. Even without acquisitions, core operating revenue grew 33% to INR 1,373 crore, showing strong demand for its core products.

At the same time, the company reduced its losses. EBITDA burn dropped 20% to INR 738 crore, compared to INR 920 crore a year earlier. The EBITDA margin improved from -89% in FY24 to -38% in FY25, showing progress toward sustainability.

The overall costs also came down. The cost of services fell to 77% of revenue from 112% last year. Other operating expenses dropped to 61% from 77%. These improvements reflect stronger efficiency and tighter cost discipline.

*FY24 total revenue estimated as operating revenue + other income (~INR 237 crore).

AI and Product Innovation as Growth Drivers

VerSe said its journey to profitability will be powered by AI-driven monetisation, product innovation, and fiscal prudence. A key part of this plan is NexVerse.ai, its programmatic advertising engine that uses AI to deliver better ad results and deeper insights for brands.

The company is also pushing subscriptions. Through Dailyhunt Premium, in partnership with Magzter, it is offering premium content to paying users. This adds another revenue stream beyond advertising.

On the community side, VerSe launched Josh Audio Calling, letting fans interact directly with creators, and VerSe Collab, a marketplace for influencer campaigns. These products are designed to deepen user engagement and help brands connect with India’s massive creator community.

VerSe Innovation, Parent Company of Dailyhunt, Being Investigated for Audit Findings

VerSe Innovation, the parent company of DailyHunt and Josh, is situated in Bengaluru. In its audit report for the fiscal year that ended in March 2024 (FY24), Deloitte found flaws in its internal financial controls.

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesNitin Konde

Acquisitions and Expansion

Strategic acquisitions are another part of VerSe’s growth story. The company acquired Magzter, a global digital magazine platform, and ValueLeaf, a B2B engagement company. These are being integrated to expand its premium content and enterprise solutions.

With these moves, VerSe aims to strengthen both consumer and business ecosystems. The firm now serves over 350 million users across its platforms, making it one of India’s largest digital media players.

Outlook for FY26

VerSe expects to turn profitable in the second half of FY26, supported by AI-powered automation, subscriptions, community products, and efficiency gains. The company said its strong capital position, proven scale, and focus on innovation position it to lead India’s next digital growth wave.

Despite past controversies, including allegations of round-tripping with Builder.ai, which the company strongly denied, VerSe continues to attract investor support and push toward sustainable growth. With improved unit economics and a clear roadmap, industry watchers are now eyeing VerSe’s progress toward a possible IPO in the coming years.

VerSe Innovation Slashes 350 Jobs in Major Restructuring Move

Nearly 350 workers were let go by VerSe Innovation, the company behind DailyHunt and Josh, as part of a larger “strategic” reorganisation effort. A corporate representative said in a statement that the layoffs were due to “workforce realignment” in order to focus on long-term goals and growth, streamline operations, and

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesNitin Konde

WhatsApp has announced a fresh batch of updates for iOS and Android users. The new features bring more personalisation, creativity, and easier ways to share content. From Live Photos to AI-powered chat themes, the messaging app is becoming more versatile.

Live and Motion Photos

One of the most exciting additions is support for Live Photos on iOS and Motion Photos on Android. These short clips come with sound and movement, making them feel more real than a simple picture. Users can now share these moments directly in WhatsApp without relying on other apps. The clips can also be shared as videos on social media, giving people more ways to relive their memories.

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StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesAdepu Bindu

Meta AI Powers Personalisation

WhatsApp is adding more AI tools through Meta. Chat themes, first introduced earlier this year, now allow custom designs with Meta AI. Users can create backgrounds that match their style and mood.

AI-generated video call backdrops are also coming to the app. Whether you want to appear at a beach, in space, or in a creative AI-made setting, the feature brings fun to calls and chats. These AI options are still rolling out, so not every user will see them right away.

New Sticker Packs and Easier Group Search

To make conversations more expressive, WhatsApp has added fresh sticker packs called Fearless Bird, School Days, and Vacation. These packs offer playful designs that let users show emotions without typing a single word.

Group search is also getting better. Instead of scrolling through long chat lists, users can now type the name of a friend in the search bar. WhatsApp will then show all the groups that both people are part of, saving time and effort.

In-App Document Scanner for Android

Android users now get a long-awaited feature of document scanning inside WhatsApp. The built-in scanner lets people scan, crop, save, and send documents directly in the app. iPhone users already had access to this feature, and now Android users can enjoy the same convenience without third-party apps.

A Broader Update Focused on Usability

Together, these updates highlight WhatsApp’s focus on personalisation and convenience. Live Photos and Motion Photos add depth to sharing. AI-powered themes and backdrops bring creativity to everyday chats. New sticker packs and group search make communication simpler and more fun. And the in-app scanner on Android makes work and study tasks easier.

Most of the features are already rolling out, though some AI-powered options may take more time to reach all users. To try the latest updates, users should download the newest version of WhatsApp from the App Store or Google Play Store.

Recent Updates of WhatsApp

WhatsApp to Introduce Log-Out Feature Without Data Loss According to reports, WhatsApp is working on a new feature that will allow users to exit their primary account without permanently erasing their data. WhatsApp does not yet allow you to log out of your account on your primary device without losing

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesNitin Konde

Zelio E-Mobility, a rapidly expanding electric two- and three-wheeler manufacturer that has been doubling its growth year-over-year, announced that its SME IPO is going live today, 30th September 2025. With today’s listing, Zelio strengthens its position in India’s electric mobility market, building on years of strong performance and industry-leading innovation.

The EV two-wheeler brand has crossed sales of 1 lakh low-speed scooters across India, cementing its reputation as a fast-growing and reliable name in the sector. In FY25, the company reported ₹172 crore in revenue, ₹21 crore EBITDA, and ₹16 crore PAT, reflecting an impressive 83% CAGR in revenue and 128% CAGR in PAT between FY23 and FY25.

Commenting on the IPO, Kunal Arya, Managing Director of Zelio E-Mobility, said, “Today, as the Zelio E-Mobility SME IPO goes live, we are entering an exciting new chapter for our company and for India’s EV journey. Over the past few years, we have worked tirelessly to build a brand that is trusted, innovative, and profitable. This IPO is a chance to bring investors along on our journey, helping us expand our operations, invest in advanced manufacturing, and accelerate the adoption of electric mobility across India. We are proud of what we have achieved, and this milestone motivates us to push boundaries, deliver even better products, and set new benchmarks for the EV industry.”

The IPO, valued at ₹78 crore, consists of 57,60,000 equity shares of ₹10 each, including a Fresh Issue of 46,20,000 shares and an Offer for Sale of 11,40,000 shares. Priced in the range of ₹129–₹136 per share with a lot size of 2000 shares, the minimum application value is ₹2,58,000–₹2,72,000. The issue will remain open until 3rd October 2025, with anchor allocation completed on 29th September 2025.

Hem Securities Ltd. has been appointed as the Book Running Lead Manager to the issue, while Maashitla Securities Pvt Ltd will serve as the Registrar. The company’s promoters are Niraj Arya, Kunal Arya, and Deepak Arya. Proceeds from the IPO are planned to be deployed towards repayment and pre-payment of borrowings, capital expenditure for establishing a new manufacturing facility, meeting working capital needs, and general corporate purposes.

Foxhog Ventures today announces the first round of institutional investment in Assessli, a deep-tech startup building the world’s first Large Behavioral Models (LBMs). The investment of ₹44.37 crore will make it one of India’s highest-valued seed-stage AI ventures and underscoring Foxhog’s commitment to shaping the future of next-generation artificial intelligence. Assessli will utilize the investment to spread their reach in the US & US markets and further augment the technology for the product commercialization and hire tech talent to bolster the team.

Assessli, was founded in 2022 by Suraj Biswas, Sourabh Gupta, and Aruna Dey redefining AI well beyond Large Language Models (LLMs). The company’s proprietary LBMs leverage data from genomics, psychology, and digital life to build extremely accurate Digital Twins of individuals.  The company has claimed to have 99% personalization accuracy compared to other existing systems which have accuracy around 60%.  Assessli is setting a new standard for human-centered AI.

The company has filed patents in India and begun training its models on more than 20 million data points of proprietary data. Their transformative technology can be applied in education, healthcare, HR, finance, and robotics with expansion into other industries already underway in the UK and US with the global AI market growing to be more than $10 trillion value.

Speaking on the new investment, Suraj Biswas, Co-founder of Assessli, said,“Our vision for India is bold and transformative. We are creating the first-of-its-kind services designed for mankind and public use, disrupting AI from the inside out. At the core of our efforts is building the infrastructure of identity. The trust and confidence of Foxhog Ventures in our business model have given us the wings to scale higher, and we are excited about the journey ahead.”

Tarun Poddar, CEO of Foxhog Ventures, said; “Artificial intelligence stands on the precipice of an inflection point. The next decade will be driven by technologies that go beyond processing language to real comprehension of human behavior. Assessli is leading the way with Large Behavioral Models; a blue ocean opportunity that can potentially disrupt every industry from healthcare to finance. With a global AI market worth $10 trillion on the horizon, we feel Assessli has the vision and capability to become a global leader, and Foxhog is excited to partner with them on this journey.”

He further added “This investment supports Foxhog Ventures’ mission to facilitate path-breaking technologies that balance innovation and real-world impact to harness India’s position as a rising nexus within the global landscape of AI.”