Tag: #news

Paramount Skydance was a newly formed company after Skydance Media merged with Paramount Global. The deal was about $8.4 billion in August 2025. After such huge spending, the company is planning a massive layoff of around 2,000 employees in the U.S. According to a report by Variety, these job cuts will start on October 27, 2025. So, will there be more cuts in other countries, too? Does this have anything to do with what’s happening in the entertainment industry? For all that, learn more.  

What’s Happening at Paramount Skydance?

Paramount Skydance is laying off 2,000 employees in the U.S. to cut costs and restructure after a major merger.

The big merger (Skydance Media merged with Paramount Global) resulted in roles overlapping, like two marketing or HR teams doing the same job. The company is looking to remove roles that duplicate the positions to save money. 

The first round of layoffs will start in the U.S., and the other countries will come later, after its Q2 earnings in November 2025. 

How Big Is Paramount’s Workforce Now?

Before the merger happened, Paramount had a workforce of: 

• 18,600 full-time and part-time employees. 
• 3,500 project-based staff (temporary or contract workers). 
• So, now the company is laying off 2,000 people, which is about 10% of its total staff. 

What’s Happening in the Rest of the Industry?

Paramount Skydance isn’t alone. Almost every big media company is laying off its employees in the name of restructuring, cost cuts, and slower ad revenue in the entertainment industry. 

Here are a few big examples 

• Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group – In July 2025, the company announced that it would lay off about 10% of its staff before splitting into two units. 
• Universal International Studios – The company laid off its employees in early 2025 in offices across London, Australia, and Los Angeles. 
• NBC News – In October 2025, the company laid off about 150 employees (roughly 7%). 
• The Washington Post – The company had to lay off about 4% of its staff (which is fewer than 100 people) due to financial loss in January 2025. 
• Walt Disney – The company plans to lay off hundreds of employees in its marketing, publicity, casting, and development departments. This will include film, TV, and finance divisions. 

Paramount’s $2B Cost-Cutting: Preparing Its Employees for a Huge Layoff

David Ellison, after purchasing Paramount for $8.4 billion, wants to lay off employees to save $2 billion. Learn more…

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesAdepu Bindu

WhatsApp is limiting the messages users can send. The update is for non-responders and people who send constant messages without a reply. Non-responders will not get more than the limited messages (even if it’s something important to you). The update is not live yet; it’s underway. And there’s a lot of confusion around it. Does this also affect the WhatsApp conversations with friends and family? Many wonder why one would need a limit like that. And how is it helpful? Of course, when will it come into effect? For all that, learn more. 

What’s With the Upcoming WhatsApp Update?

WhatsApp is considering limiting the number of messages users can send to typical non-responders. This update applies to both regular users and businesses. 

The idea is simple: 

• If you bombard anyone with your constant messages and that person never replies, you are put on a limit. 
• WhatsApp will count every message with no response. 
• Once the limit is hit, you won’t be able to send more messages to non-responders for the rest of that month. 
• Many think this update is harsh for regular users (who are dealing with personal issues with others while trying to reach out via WhatsApp). 
• There is no clarification on how WhatsApp will filter out personal, friends, family, or actual spam chats on the app. 
• For now, there’s no limit fixed yet. The update is still under testing.  

Why Is WhatsApp putting Limits on Messages Now?

WhatsApp’s goal is to reduce spam. Its major focus is on businesses or people who send many unwanted messages, such as random numbers or strangers.  

What It Means for Regular Users

• According to WhatsApp, most regular users won’t even notice a change.  
• And your chats with friends, family, or anyone who replies, WhatsApp says you’re fine. 

What Does It Mean for Businesses?

WhatsApp clarified that businesses that send out bulk messages, such as promotions and alerts, will see a big effect. 

Businesses will need to: 

• User consent (opt-ins) must be obtained before messaging. 
• Create campaigns that will get replies or otherwise take the hit of the monthly limit. 
• Keep a constant watch on WhatsApp warnings; businesses could face temporary message blocks if ignored. 

Basically, WhatsApp allows businesses to interact “with” customers (two-way communication) and restricts those who only want to talk “at” them (one-way communication).  

When Is It Coming?

The feature is still in the test process and could take a few weeks to roll out.

Automate Customer Engagement for Small Businesses with WhatsApp & AI

Discover how small businesses can automate customer engagement using WhatsApp and AI tools. Learn strategies to boost response time, customer satisfaction, and sales with minimal effort.

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesSanvi Barjatya

Aravind, a 38-year-old Ola Electric engineer, died by suicide in Bengaluru on September 28, 2025 and made headlines everywhere. He left a 28-page note accusing his seniors of mental harassment and financial exploitation (meaning unpaid dues by Ola). His family later came across shocking details about his death, which led them to file a complaint against Bhavish Aggarwal, founder of Ola. So, what’s happening now? Did Ola or Bhavish Aggarwal respond to the allegations? Is this an “abetment to suicide” (instigating another to take their life)? For all that, learn more?

How It Happened?

Aravind died of suicide (consuming poison) on September 28 at his home in Chikkalasandra, Bengaluru. Although he was rushed to Maharaja Agrasena Hospital by his friends, he didn’t survive. Police recorded this as an Unnatural Death, and things were quiet for days after that.

The Suicide Note

Aravind’s brother found a 28-page handwritten note by Aravind. The letter was addressed to his brother only. In which Aravind made serious allegations against his seniors at Ola.

The note says:

• Aravind seemed to be upset about Bhavish Aggarwal and Subrat Kumar Das (a senior official) for mentally harassing him and financially exploiting him.
• He accused them of mental torture, humiliation and denial to disburse his salary and allowances.
• He concluded that all of these reasons led him to take his life. And Aravind’s brother was left speechless. 

Suspicious Bank Transfer

All eyes are on Ola now that it’s revealed that just two days after Aravind’s death, a hefty amount of INR ₹17,46,313 was made to Aravind’s account through NEFT.

So, Aravind’s brother had a lot of questions about the transfer, to which Ola responded:

• Subrat Kumar Das, a senior official at Ola, gave unclear answers.
• Three Ola employees named Kratesh Desai, Paramesh, and Roshan paid a visit to Aravind’s home, and they didn’t clarify anything either.
• All of this made the family suspicious about the company’s actions.

Police Case Against Ola

Aravind’s brother filed a complaint against the company on October 6, 2025.

Names in the FIR include:

• Bhavish Aggarwal, founder of Ola
• Subrat Kumar Das
• And a few other officials.

FIR was filed accusing them of:

• Constant workplace harassment
• Humiliation and financial pressure
• Abetment to suicide, meaning instigating Aravind to commit suicide

Aravind’s family has requested that the police take necessary legal action against the accused Ola officials soon.  

What Ola Said About Aravind’s Death

Ola Electric published an official statement on the same, expressing condolences for Aravind’s death.

According to Ola’s statement:

• Aravind worked for Ola for over 3.5 years at the Bengaluru headquarters.
• He never raised any complaint or grievance about harassment against anyone in the company.
• The statement clarified that his role never directly involved interaction with Bhavish Aggarwal or other top executives.
• The payment of INR 17,46,313 was made as a full and final settlement of his employment to support his family.
• Ola affirmed that it challenged the FIR in the Karnataka High Court, and protective orders are all in favour of the company.

Update on the Ola vs Aravind Case

Ola will not list this matter under SEBI’s Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements (LODR) Regulations, 2015, because it’s not a “material event.”

However, it will update stock exchanges if necessary.

A Similar Past Incident

This is not the first; in May 2025, another suicide was reported involving Nikhil Somwanshi. He was a machine learning engineer working at Krutrim (Ola’s AI division) and was led by Bhavish Aggarwal himself.

Ola on this incident clarified that Nikhil Somwanshi was on a personal leave when he committed suicide. 

Ola Success Story – Funding, Founders, Team, Revenue and More

Formerly known as Ola Cabs, Ola was founded in December 2010 by Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhatia. Here is the story of Ola, and how it all started for them!

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesShubham Kumar

Zerodha founder and CEO Nithin Kamath has shared a reflective post on the recurring nature of market booms and crashes, pointing out that greed and leverage continue to drive financial cycles, much like they did a century ago.

Kamath Recommends Andrew Ross Sorkin’s 1929 as Essential Reading

In a recent post on LinkedIn, Kamath urged market participants to read 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin, describing it as “a must-read for anyone in the markets — stocks, commodities, or crypto.”

Citing former US President Herbert Hoover, he highlighted a quote that captures the essence of recurring market excesses:

“The only problem with capitalism is capitalists. They’re too damn greedy.”

“Every Crash Follows the Same Script”

Kamath reflected on how greed repeatedly fuels asset bubbles that eventually burst. Drawing from history, he noted that crashes in 1907, 1929, 1987, 2001 (Dot-com) and 2008 (Global Financial Crisis) all share a familiar pattern.

“Every crash … follows the same script. Greed drives markets higher, inflating bubbles that draw in even those who don’t understand the risks. As euphoria builds, leverage accumulates quietly somewhere in the system: loans, margins, complex derivatives. It always finds a home. This is the boom.”

He described how this build-up of leverage eventually leads to sharp corrections:

“Then comes the bust. One day, the bubble pops. The leverage unwinds with unstoppable force, amplifying losses as cascading sell-offs feed on themselves. Markets crash, fortunes evaporate, and the cycle reaches its end.”

Lessons Learned but Patterns Repeated

Kamath observed that while regulations evolve after every financial crisis, the underlying human impulses remain constant.

“In the aftermath, lessons are learned. Regulations target the specific form of leverage that caused the crisis. The mechanism gets fixed, reformed, and contained. But greed never disappears. It simply waits, then returns in a new form, finding fresh channels for leverage that no one is watching.”

His post ends with a concise reminder that market stories may differ across decades, but their outcomes remain strikingly similar:

“Different stories. Same ending.”

A Reminder on Market Psychology

Kamath’s reflection has resonated widely among investors and traders for its clear portrayal of market psychology and investor behaviour. Known for his focus on financial literacy and sustainable investing, Kamath often shares insights that challenge short-term speculation.

His latest post serves as a reminder that no matter how advanced or regulated markets become, the core forces of greed, risk, and emotion remain unchanged — shaping the rhythm of every boom and bust.

Why Zerodha Has Never Gone Public: Nithin Kamath Shares the Inside Story

Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath shares how the brokerage grew from a ₹10 lakh start to market leader, why it avoids an IPO, and its customer-first philosophy.

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesMuskaan Kapoor

Amazon has gotten into trouble for sneaky prime sign-ups and making it hard to cancel the memberships. For years this continued until now. The court caught the act, fined Amazon and also asked to repay the amount. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed the case (in September 2023) against the company and Amazon agreed to settle it (in September 2025) with $2.5 billion. But, here’s the thing; several users are eligible to get this reimbursement and they don’t know it yet. And many also wonder where to apply to get the repayment. For all that, learn more.

How the $2.5 Billion Will Be Used

• $1 billion will be fine to the FTC.
• 1.5 billion will be given to the affected users.

Note: Amazon never agreed to the wrong doing. According to Amazon, it’s just settling the case with a payment.

Why Amazon Got Sued

• The FTC openly accused Amazon of “duping” (meaning, misleading) Amazon users to sign up.
• And wantedly made the cancellation process tough and called its website design “dark patterns.”

Who Can Get the Money?

The estimation shows that about 35 million (3.5 crore) Amazon Prime customers in the U.S. can get the reimbursement. Here’s how to check if you’re eligible.

• If you have signed up for Prime between June 23, 2019 and June 23, 2025.
• If you were automatically enrolled into the membership, like after a free trial or while checkout for “same-day delivery.”
• And if you have faced difficulties when you tried cancelling your subscription.

Here are the affected sign-up pages listed as:

• Shipping Option Select Page
• Prime Video Enrollment Flow
• Single Page Checkout

How Much Will You Get?

An amount of t $51 will be given to each affected customer as per the court documents. 

When and How Will You Get It?

The payment will be done by December 24, 2025 and the process is automatic:

• You’ll get a refund, if you used your Prime three times or less in any 12-month period.
• This is a cash compensation, no Amazon credits or tacy gift cards.
• This reimbursement is handled by a third-party claims administrator, not Amazon directly.

In case you didn’t receive this automatic payment:

• The claims administrator will contact you by January 23, 2026.
• Later you’ll have to submit a claim form till July 23, 2026.

What Amazon Must Do Now?

The court made it clear to Amazon to:

• Add a clear button to decline Prime during the checkout.
• Make the Prime Membership cancellation easy.
• And clearly list the terms of subscription before one enrolls.
• And always allow an independent supervisor to check on Amazon. 

Amazon to Pay $2.5 Billion for Tricking Prime Membership

This is the largest civil penalty for an FTC rule violation ever, of over $2.5 billion. However, Amazon didn’t admit to any wrongdoing. Learn more.

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesAdepu Bindu

Online meat and seafood brand Licious reported double-digit growth in FY25.
Revenue grew 16% year-on-year to INR 795 crore, compared with INR 685 crore in FY24.

During this period, the company improved its cost structure. EBITDA loss reduced by 45%, falling from INR 296 crore in FY24 to INR 163 crore in FY25. The company said this improvement came from better margins and tighter cost control.

Licious had seen a 9% revenue drop in FY24 due to an operational reset.
But FY25 showed a strong recovery, led by its omnichannel business strategy.

Continued Momentum in FY26

The growth has continued into FY26. In the first half of FY26, Licious recorded INR 530 crore in revenue, up 42% from INR 374 crore in the same period last year.

Licious now serves 1.2 million monthly customers across 20 cities in India.
More than 85% of total sales come from online channels.

Licious: How it is Emerging as a One-Stop Platform for Fresh Meat & Sea Food | Business Model | Owners |

Licious is a Bengaluru-based meat and seafood brand. The company serves the best, fresh, and clean fish, chicken, meat, and eggs online. Know about the Licious Startup story, its Founders, Business model, Revenue, Shareholding, Financials, and Growth story here. Know more on Licious Wikipedia.

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesPurbalee Dutta

Expansion of Retail and Delivery Network

Licious’ omnichannel approach connects its online platform with a growing offline retail presence. The company has over 50 branded outlets, including stores from the My Chicken and More brand it acquired in FY25. It plans to expand to 80–100 outlets by FY26-end.

Its 30-minute delivery service, called Licious Flash, now reaches 60% of online customers. This has increased repeat orders and average revenue per user (ARPU) by 30% compared to online-only buyers. To improve last-mile delivery, Licious added 50 new delivery hubs in FY25.

Market Outlook and IPO Plans

India’s meat market was worth $55.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $114.4 billion by 2033. The growth is driven by rising demand for clean, hygienic meat and seafood.

Licious was last valued at $1.5 billion in 2023. The company’s key investors include Temasek, Vertex Ventures, and Bertelsmann Investments. It has raised over $450 million so far.

With strong recovery and expanding reach, Licious is reportedly preparing for an IPO by 2026.

Licious Plans $2 Billion India IPO with Temasek’s Backing

Licious, backed by Temasek, is preparing for a $2 billion IPO in India, marking a major milestone for the premium meat and seafood brand.

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesNitin Konde

E-commerce platform Meesho has filed an updated draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The move marks another big step toward its much-awaited initial public offering (IPO).

IPO Details and Fundraising Plans

According to sources, Meesho now plans to raise $700–800 million through the IPO. This includes a $500 million fresh issue and an offer-for-sale (OFS) component worth $200–300 million. The Bengaluru-based company had earlier filed a confidential DRHP in July 2024, which proposed only a $500 million primary issue.

The updated filing now provides a clearer picture of Meesho’s equity structure and includes details of existing shareholders who plan to sell part of their stakes through the OFS route.

Investment banks such as Kotak Mahindra Capital, Morgan Stanley, Citi, and Axis Capital are managing the IPO. The company aims to get listed by December 2025 or January 2026.

Ahead of the listing, Meesho also plans to raise up to INR 850 crore via a pre-IPO placement. This amount will be adjusted from the fresh issue proceeds.

Key Shareholders and OFS Details

As part of the OFS, major investors including Elevation Capital, Peak XV Partners, and Venture Highway will sell some of their holdings. Founders Vidit Aatrey and Sanjeev Kumar will also offload 1.1 crore shares each.

Meesho Takes Confidential Route, Files for $1 Billion IPO

With its DRHP submitted to markets regulator SEBI under the confidential pre-filing procedure, e-commerce giant Meesho has joined the long line of Indian new-age digital businesses seeking to go public. According to various media reports, Meesho’s public offering will include a new offering of shares valued at roughly INR 4,

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesNitin Konde

Use of IPO Proceeds

Meesho plans to use the funds raised from the IPO for several key initiatives:

• INR 1,390 crore will go toward cloud infrastructure for Meesho Technologies Private Limited.
• INR 480 crore will be used for salaries of existing and new hires in its AI, machine learning, and technology teams.
• INR 1,020 crore will support marketing and brand campaigns.
• The remaining funds will be used for acquisitions, strategic investments, and general corporate purposes.

Financial Performance

Meesho reported strong growth in FY25 with operating revenue of INR 9,389 crore, up 23% from INR 7,615 crore in FY24. Its total expenses increased 24% to INR 10,009 crore in FY25.

The company posted a net loss of INR 3,914 crore for FY25, compared to INR 327 crore in FY24. However, most of this loss came from one-time exceptional items, mainly reverse flip tax and perquisite tax, linked to Meesho’s restructuring and redomiciling process. Excluding these, Meesho’s actual operating loss was only INR 108 crore.

In the first quarter of FY26, Meesho reported revenue of INR 2,503 crore and total expenses of INR 2,777 crore.

Continued Growth and Market Outlook

Meesho’s Net Merchandise Value (NMV) grew 29% year-on-year to INR 29,988 crore in FY25, showing strong customer activity. In Q1 FY26, NMV growth accelerated to 36%, reaching INR 8,679 crore.

The company’s focus on affordability, digital adoption, and small business empowerment continues to strengthen its position as one of India’s fastest-growing e-commerce platforms.

In Preparation for its IPO, Meesho Becomes a Public Entity

The board of the massive D2C e-commerce company Meesho has authorised the company’s transformation into a public company in preparation for an IPO. In an extraordinary general meeting on June 5, the board of Meesho passed a special resolution to change the company’s name from “Meesho Private Limited” to “Meesho

StartupTalky- Business News, Insights and StoriesNitin Konde