Episodios

  • Friday Deep Tech Wrap: Infosys, Tata back Yali’s $104 million deep tech fund, US-India satellite launch, and more

    Friday Deep Tech Wrap: Infosys, Tata back Yali’s $104 million deep tech fund, US-India satellite launch, and more
    Jul 25 2025
    AstraZeneca to build $50 billion US manufacturing facilityAstraZeneca is investing $50 billion in the US by 2030, with its largest drug manufacturing facility to be built in Virginia. This major project will create hundreds of skilled jobs, enhance the domestic supply chain, and leverage AI and automation for pharmaceutical production—focusing on treatments for cancer, respiratory, and rare diseases.LG to ship AI appliance with Furiosa chipsLG AI Research will soon commercialize an 8-chip AI appliance using FuriosaAI’s RNGD chips, following rigorous evaluation. Targeted at enterprise customers using LG’s ExaOne large language model, the system represents a key milestone for FuriosaAI and highlights increasing competition with Nvidia. LG’s adoption signals readiness for enterprise AI and broader applications in industry.Infleqtion to build neutral atom quantum computer in the USInfleqtion, a US startup in Colorado, aims to build the first utility-scale neutral atom quantum computer, backed by a $50 million public-private partnership. The four-year project partners with the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park and National Quantum Algorithms Center, aiming for 100 logical qubits and thousands of atom qubits, positioning Illinois at the forefront of quantum technology.US research team demonstrates modular quantum computer architectureResearchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have demonstrated a high-performance modular architecture for superconducting quantum processors. By connecting modules with coaxial cables, they achieved ~99% SWAP gate fidelity, enabling scalable, reconfigurable quantum systems. This modular approach addresses limits of monolithic designs, paving the way for fault-tolerant, large-scale quantum computers by allowing upgrades and hardware flexibility.NASA ISRO satellite to launch July 30 onboard a GSLV-F16 rocketNASA and ISRO will jointly launch the NISAR Earth-observation satellite on July 30 onboard Isro’s GSLV-F16 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. NISAR stands for Nasa Isro synthetic aperture radar. Equipped with dual-frequency synthetic aperture radars, it will provide high-resolution, global data every 12 days to support disaster monitoring and environmental research. This $1.5 billion mission aims to improve early warning for natural disasters and inform scientific understanding worldwide.Inbound Aerospace raises $1 million seed fundingInbound Aerospace, incubated at IIT Madras, has raised $1 million in seed funding led by Speciale Invest and Piper Serica. The startup is developing autonomous, reusable re-entry vehicles for microgravity research and space manufacturing. The funds will accelerate R&D and design milestones, with the first test launch targeted for late 2027 or early 2028.Yali raises ₹893 crore deep tech fund, backed by Infosys, Tata, QualcommOkay so let’s talk about Yali Capital, a deep-tech focused investment firm in Bangalore, founded by Ganapathy Subramaniam, a semiconductor industry veteran and technologist, along with Mathew Cyriac, a well-known figure in the world of finance in India.Karthik Madathil, who is a partner at the firm, and Sunil Patil, CFO, make up the leadership.They’ve just closed their first deep-tech fund at Rs. 893 crore, or about $104 million, well exceeding their original target of ₹500 crores and ₹310 crore greenshoe option.The fund will invest in early stage (Seed, Series A) as well as late stage (Series D and beyond) startups, with a sharp focus on deep tech sectors including semiconductors, AI, robotics, genomics, aerospace/surveillance, and smart manufacturing, according to a press release.“Two-thirds of the fund will be deployed in early-stage deep tech startups. We firmly believe in India’s deep tech potential and are committed to backing visionary founders with patient capital,” Ganapathy Subramaniam, Founding Managing Partner of Yali Capital, adds.Yali operates through a dual structure comprising a SEBI-registered AIF and a GIFT City-based feeder vehicle to attract global investors. The firm has already made five investments, ranging from chip design to AI, and plans to expand its portfolio to eight companies by the end of the year.“Nearly a third of our fund will be invested in late-stage deep tech companies,” Mathew Cyriac, General Partner at Yali Capital, says. “India has a real opportunity to build globally competitive public companies in this space. We are grateful to the global investor community for backing our vision.”Yali’s investor base reflects the growing support for deep tech in India both from domestic LPs and global investors. Corporate investors in the new fund include Infosys, Qualcomm Ventures, and Tata AIG. Funds of Funds include the DPIIT Fund of Funds for Startups (managed by SIDBI), the Self-Reliant India Fund, Evolvence, and Singularity FOF.Well-known industry leaders who’ve invested in the fund include Infosys Co-Founder ...
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    8 m
  • Inside Ati Motors’ vision for industrial robots: Indian engineering for global markets

    Inside Ati Motors’ vision for industrial robots: Indian engineering for global markets
    Jul 23 2025
    Today, I wanted to bring you one story that caught my imagination last week, about how Indian engineering could go global – not just in software, but in areas like robotics.This past Saturday*, I got a chance to attend the annual Products Day at Ati Motors, which as I’ve mentioned in the recent past, is a startup that specialises in autonomous mobile robots for industrial applications. (*I said Friday in the audio podcast. It was Saturday, July 19.) Ati held the event at the Indian Institute of Science’s JN Tata Auditorium. The eight-year-old company was in fact born at the institute and incubated there. Its flagship family of robots, the Sherpa, was on display at the event. Earlier in the day, Ati’s engineers demonstrated how the Sherpa Tug could pull a Mahindra Thar SUV and couple of other cars as well, all tethered one behind another.Full stack, made-in-BengaluruTo illustrate how far Ati has come, Founder and CEO Saurabh Chandra pointed out that this year, the Sherpa AMRs were on track to successfully execute a million autonomous missions per annum. The missions average 95 percent accuracy across challenging industrial environments worldwide.For Chandra, this moment represented an important milestone marking the eight-year journey to prove that sophisticated, world-class robotics technology could emerge from Indian engineering talent and compete successfully in the most demanding global markets.“Today's Ati Motors is the realization of a dream begun eight years ago, to create a truly multi-disciplinary products company that pushes the boundaries of engineering, artificial intelligence, and industrial design,” he said, speaking at the Products Day event.Ati stands out for its full-stack approach — developing every critical component of its AMRs in-house, from navigation algorithms to mechanical design and fleet management software.The company's engineering philosophy centres on solving real-world problems, instead of expecting customers to make significant modifications to their factory or warehouse environments. The Sherpas can function in conditions including uneven floors, outdoor environments, and areas with poor connectivity.“For a customer in Michigan, we operated in them in snow,” CTO Arulselvan tells me in a recent interview.As the operating environments get more challenging, “we like to say bring it on,” Chandra says. This approach has resulted in robots that can handle gradients, potholes, clutter, rain, and dust—conditions where traditional AGVs (automated guided vehicles) typically don’t do well.The technical sophistication of Ati’s products demonstrates Indian engineering capabilities. The company is emerging as a leader in the use of 3D LiDAR-based navigation for industrial robots, enabling them to operate without infrastructure modifications such as magnetic strips or reflective markers. All autonomy processing occurs entirely onboard the robots, eliminating dependency on cloud connectivity or remote human operators.“Our engineering team actually said if you do that, it will be a crutch that we will never get rid of,” Chandra looks back at the early decision to avoid teleoperation, in a recent interview with me. “So let us just not do it at all from the beginning. If it fails, let it be a failure that we need to fix,” rather than there being some human backup system.This engineering discipline has paid dividends. The newly launched Sherpa 10K represents a significant technical achievement, featuring a 4.6-ton towing capacity with advanced sensor fusion combining 3D LiDAR and cameras, in-place turning for tight spaces, and the ability to operate on gradients up to 10 percent. The system integrates with existing enterprise resource planning and warehouse management systems while maintaining compliance with ISO 3691-4 safety standards.“Our journey started with autonomous material movement, but our horizons have grown rapidly. Today, we go beyond movement: we track material, handle it and even transform it, through our AI platform: Ati Verse,” CTO Naveen Arulselvan says.Chandra credits Bengaluru’s multidisciplinary talent pool and manufacturing ecosystem – including the emerging electric vehicle ecosystem in the country – as important factors that support rapid product iteration and real-world feedback. Very few other locations anywhere in the world have this, he says.The city's strong manufacturing industry, though overshadowed by its IT services reputation, provides immediate access to potential customers and an ecosystem of manufacturing expertise.Ati has deployed robots at more than 50 customers globally, including Fortune 500 companies such as Bosch, Forvia, and Hyundai. The company operates in India, the United States, Mexico, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam, with plans to expand into Europe and Japan.After raising $20 million in a Series B round in January 2025, led by Walden Catalyst Ventures and NGP Capital, total funding at Ati ...
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    12 m
  • Climate on Monday: Transvolt funded in IFC’s first EV fleet investment, a solar PV efficiency breakthrough, 1.7°C, and more

    Climate on Monday: Transvolt funded in IFC’s first EV fleet investment, a solar PV efficiency breakthrough, 1.7°C, and more
    Jul 21 2025
    India set to mandate climate risk disclosures for banks by 2028India’s central bank, RBI, is finalizing rules to require banks and financial institutions to regularly disclose and manage climate-related financial risks, Reuters reports. The disclosures will be voluntary from fiscal 2027 and mandatory from 2028, covering exposure to climate risks, mitigation strategies, and scenario-based stress testing for extreme weather events. The move aims to boost transparency and align with global climate objectives.Singapore and China deepen cooperation on green financeSingapore and China are advancing joint efforts in sustainable finance, focusing on aligning their green taxonomies and improving cross-border investment, Business Times reports. At their recent Green Finance Taskforce meeting, officials highlighted progress on interoperable standards, deployment of the Multi-Jurisdiction Common Ground Taxonomy, and leveraging technology for emissions monitoring. Initiatives also target green syndicated loans and increased collaboration in green bond issuance, biodiversity finance, and technology-driven solutions.EU regulators propose including ESG risks in finance stress tests EU financial watchdogs propose requiring national regulators to add environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks to bank and insurance stress tests for more consistent supervision, Green Central Banking reports. The plan emphasizes climate and environmental factors initially, with social and governance risks added gradually. Experts question if current climate stress tests adequately capture financial losses, highlighting the need for actions beyond analysis.European climate funding drops 71% in 2025 as big debt deals vanishClimate tech investment in Europe fell sharply in the first half of 2025, plunging 71 percent year-on-year to €6.2 billion, Sifted reports. This decline follows a surge in 2024 caused by unusually large debt deals, like the €5bn Northvolt round. While late-stage deals disappeared, early-stage investing has stayed steadier. Industry insiders say the market is digesting previous investments and bracing for future opportunities.Airlines warned of legal risks over greenwashing jet fuelAnd UK NGO, Opportunity Green, has warned that airlines risk lawsuits for labelling all alternatives to kerosene as “sustainable” without robust proof, Climate Change News reports. Fraud and greenwashing claims are rising, especially with questionable sustainable aviation fuel supply chains. Regulators have already penalized airlines for misleading environmental claims, urging accurate terminology and transparency on fuel sources and true climate impact.EV giant Rivian to open London hub focused on AI and autonomyAmerican electric vehicle maker Rivian is launching its first UK office in London to tap into the city’s “world-class” AI engineering talent, according to Sifted. The hub will accelerate development of autonomous driving and AI technologies for Rivian’s vehicles. This move signals Rivian’s commitment to advanced vehicle tech and expansion into the European market.Apple to buy $500 million in rare earths from MP MaterialsApple has agreed to purchase $500 million worth of rare earth materials from MP Materials, a Pentagon-supported US producer, TechCrunch reports. The multi-year deal aims to secure key minerals used in iPhones and other devices while reducing reliance on Chinese supply chains. This partnership strengthens US domestic production of critical materials and supports Apple’s commitment to supply chain resilience and sustainability.Microsoft, Vaulted Deep partner to bury biomass waste deepMicrosoft has struck a deal with Vaulted Deep, an Xprize winning startup, to transform biomass waste into long-term carbon storage as part of the cloud giant’s carbon removal efforts, Bioenergy Insight reports. The process involves safely injecting treated agricultural biomass deep underground, locking away carbon for centuries. This partnership advances scalable, verifiable carbon sequestration solutions and highlights increasing corporate investment in novel carbon removal technologies.Transvolt raises $20 million from IFC as part of $50 million roundTransvolt Mobility has raised $20 million from the International Finance Corporation as part of its $50 million financing round to expand its electric vehicle (EV) fleet, according to an IFC press release. This is IFC’s first equity investment in an EV platform in India and globally. It will enable Transvolt to scale its electric fleet portfolio to 3,500 vehicles and create 8,200 jobs in the next five years. It will also support the company’s long-term goal of deploying 8,000 heavy commercial EVs such as buses and trucks across India. Transvolt operates an OEM-agnostic EV platform serving both public and private sectors.Omspace Rocket raises $3 million to advance small satellite launchesAhmedabad-based space-tech startup Omspace Rocket & Exploration Private ...
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    9 m
  • Deep Tech on Friday: QpiAI funding, Accel's love affair with no-code, why chain-of-thought is critical to AI safety, and more

    Deep Tech on Friday: QpiAI funding, Accel's love affair with no-code, why chain-of-thought is critical to AI safety, and more
    Jul 18 2025
    One Biosciences raises €15 million to accelerate precision oncologyParis-based One Biosciences has closed a €15 million Series A round led by Redmile Group and Blast, with contributions from Galion.exe, Invus, and Sofinnova Partners. The funds will be used to expedite clinical development of OneMap, an AI-driven single-cell transcriptomic platform, and to scale strategic partnerships. Founded in 2020, One Biosciences combines single-cell analysis with AI to transform cancer diagnosis and guide individualised treatment decisions.Q.ANT secures €62 million to advance photonic computingQ.ANT, a German deep tech company, has raised €62 million in a Series A funding round led by Cherry Ventures, UVC Partners, and imec.xpand, with participation from L-Bank, Verve Ventures, TRUMPF, and others.This investment will accelerate commercialization of Q.ANT’s energy-efficient photonic processors for AI and high-performance computing, according to a press release. The capital will drive production scale-up, product development, team expansion, and the company’s entry into the US market.QpiAI raises $32 million to accelerate global quantum computer rolloutBengaluru-based QpiAI has raised Rs. 279 crore ($32 million) in a Series A round led by Avataar Ventures and India’s National Quantum Mission, according to a press release. Existing and new investors also joined the round.QpiAI develops full-stack quantum computers and real-world quantum applications for industries like pharmaceuticals and automotive. The funds will speed up utility-scale quantum computer delivery and global expansion. The company, led by Dr. Nagendra Nagaraja, has teams in India, Finland, and the US.Lovable lands $200 million from Accel to expand AI-powered app buildingLovable, an AI startup in Stockholm, has raised $200 million in a Series A round led by Accel, catapulting its valuation to $1.8 billion. Lovable, founded in 2023 by Anton Osika and Fabian Hedin, enables anyone to build apps without writing code.With 2.3 million users already, the company’s “vibe coding” platform aims to make software creation accessible to all, not just developers. The funding will fuel product expansion and global growth.Tech giants warn window to monitor AI reasoning is closingMeanwhile, a coalition of AI leaders from Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic has published a position paper that issues an urgent warning that the ability to monitor how advanced AI systems “think” could soon be lost.Among the “Expert endorsers” of the paper are Geoffrey Hinton, widely referred to as the father of AI, and Ilya Sutskever, co-founder of OpenAI and founder of Safe Superintelligence Inc.In the paper, which was published on July 15, they advocate for intensified focus on monitoring chain-of-thought (CoT) reasoning — a key method for glimpsing the decision - making of top AI models. The researchers call for new safety measures, stressing that without action, AI reasoning may become opaque and unmonitorable as technology advances.The abstract of the paper reads as follows: “AI systems that ‘think’ in human language offer a unique opportunity for AI safety: we can monitor their chains of thought (CoT) for the intent to misbehave. Like all other known AI oversight methods, CoT monitoring is imperfect and allows some misbehavior to go unnoticed.”“Nevertheless, it shows promise, and we recommend further research into CoT monitorability and investment in CoT monitoring alongside existing safety methods. Because CoT monitorability may be fragile, we recommend that frontier model developers consider the impact of development decisions on CoT monitorability.”In ConversationIn-depth conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and other stakeholders building India’s deep tech and climate tech ecosystems.InsightTakeaways from conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and other stakeholders building India’s deep tech and climate tech ecosystems.Previous This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.indiatechreport.in
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    6 m
  • 10 years of Digital India, Ex-Waymo techies raise $80 mln, Ati Motors’ unveil, and more

    10 years of Digital India, Ex-Waymo techies raise $80 mln, Ati Motors’ unveil, and more
    Jul 17 2025
    India marks 10 years of Digital India, expands AI training for rural citizensIndia’s Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, celebrated a decade of Digital India achievements – including the Common Service Centre (CSC) network – by announcing free AI training for 1 million citizens, with village-level entrepreneurs (VLEs) given priority.Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized CSC's reach — serving nearly 90 percent of villages — and praised the digital empowerment of rural communities, especially women leaders. The event highlighted CSCs' pivotal role in bridging the digital divide and delivering essential government and business services nationwide.Robots gain new autonomy with ‘robot metabolism’ and self-healResearchers at Columbia University have unveiled robots capable of self-growth and repair by absorbing parts from other machines or their environment—a process they call "Robot Metabolism." Demonstrated using modular, magnet-link robots, these machines can physically adapt, heal damage, and enhance their abilities.This breakthrough enables a new level of physical autonomy, potentially transforming applications in disaster recovery and space exploration. Experts see this as the first step towards robots capable of long-term, self-sustaining operations.Former Waymo engineers’ venture Bedrock Robotics raises $80 millionBedrock Robotics, founded by Waymo veterans, has emerged from stealth with $80 million in funding aimed at bringing cutting automation tech to the construction industry.The company retrofits existing heavy equipment like excavators with AI, cameras, and lidar for 24/7 operation. Their solution addresses labor shortages and productivity in construction without requiring purchase of new machinery. Bedrock’s technology aims to speed up projects, cut labor costs, and enhance operational data insights while enabling human crews to focus on complex tasks.Quadsat, Danish electronic warfare tech venture, raises €5 millionQuadsat, a Danish leader in spectrum intelligence and RF geolocation, has secured €5 million to advance its defense-grade electronic warfare solutions. Their drone-based technology rapidly detects, classifies, and pinpoints hostile signals, supporting military and commercial satellite operators amid rising threats of jamming and interference.The new funding accelerates Quadsat’s growth in NATO markets and enhances its flexible, field-deployable systems, positioning the company to set new standards in spectrum awareness and multi-domain electronic warfare.Zuppa, drone startup, raises $1.5 million bridge from operator-angelsHere in India, Zuppa Geo Navigation Technologies, a drone technologies venture, has secured $1.5 million in a bridge round led by operator-angels including Rahul Dewan and Ajay Gupta and the Mangwani Family Office, according to a press release.The money and strategic backing will help Zuppa strengthen its proprietary drone platforms, which operate independently of GPS or strong internet, according to the release.NASA will not publish key US climate report onlineNASA has reversed plans to host the latest US National Climate Assessment online, citing no legal obligation, after the previous public website was shut down. This move contradicts earlier White House guidance and complicates public access to critical, peer-reviewed findings about climate change risks in the US, according to Space.com.Experts warn the decision hinders transparent access to essential science used by officials, researchers, and communities to plan for climate resilience, Space.com notes.Ati Motors’ product day this weekend: what you should knowIn the world of industrial robots, pathbreaking work is being done not just in far away Denmark or Japan or South Korea, but right here in namma Bengaluru, by companies like Ati Motors and CynLr.This Saturday in fact, Ati is holding its annual product day, where one can anticipate some cutting-edge innovations to be unveiled, at the Indian Institute of Science’s JN Tata Auditorium complex.In industry, the reasons for automation usually the practical and pragmatic ones, in terms of improving productivity, efficiency and effectiveness. And at Ati’s unveil day, one can expect to see evidence that industrial automation will only accelerate in the future, even in the near future.In ConversationIn-depth conversations with entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and other stakeholders building India’s deep tech and climate tech ecosystems.InsightNextPrevious This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.indiatechreport.in
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    8 m
  • Together backs Gibran's ‘scale free’ AI, Tesla starts with Model Y in India, and more

    Together backs Gibran's ‘scale free’ AI, Tesla starts with Model Y in India, and more
    Jul 15 2025

    Tesla launches Model Y in India at premium price, opens first showroom in Mumbai

    Tesla has officially launched its Model Y electric SUV in India, pricing it at $69,766 (about ₹60 lakh)— significantly higher than in key global markets due to India’s import duties. The vehicles will be imported from China, with retail sales beginning at a new showroom in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex.

    Balthazar raises €1.85 million to launch the first AI-powered operating system for deep tech R&D labs

    Amsterdam-based startup Balthazar has raised €1.85 million to develop an AI-powered operating system tailored for deep tech research labs. The platform will automate experiment tracking, data collection, and workflow management, aiming to improve reproducibility and accelerate hardware and scientific innovation.

    Agility’s Digit humanoid lands first official job in logistics

    Agility Robotics has recently entered a multi-year partnership with GXO Logistics to deploy its Digit humanoid robot in warehouse operations. This marks one of the first commercial jobs for a humanoid robot, signaling a major step forward in real-world deployment of robotics in logistics and supply chain management.

    Together invests $2.6 million to propel Gibran’s ‘scale free’ AI

    Together, the VC firm founded by software entrepreneurs Girish Mathrubootham and Manav Garg, has led a $2.6 million seed investment in Gibran, an AI research startup building adaptive, nature-inspired AI systems, particularly a class of software that have what are known as ‘scale free’ characteristics. The funding, will help Gibran to expand its research team, accelerate platform development, and surface early applications in domains such as drug discovery and education.

    Gibran’s technology aims to go beyond traditional automation by designing AI that evolves, learns, and collaborates creatively with humans rather than simply replacing them. The venture was founded just this year by Govind Balakrishnan, Srikant Chakravarti, Suzanne Sadedin, and Edgar Duéñez-Guzmán.


    Based in Bengaluru and the US, Gibran is developing what it describes as “scale-free” AI architectures inspired by biological and natural systems. The platform is designed to continuously learn from users, acting as a lifelong creative collaborator — whether in science, design, or education — rather than operating as a static, task-based tool.


    Together Fund’s investment will fund research into new models that can adapt and evolve with their users, supporting Gibran’s expansion into areas where labeled data is scarce and creative or scientific discovery is critical. Gibran aims to shape next-generation AI systems that prioritize human flourishing, creativity, and ethical autonomy as they grow from concept to real-world impact.

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    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.indiatechreport.in
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    6 m
  • The Climate on Monday: a brief on SusMafia's collaborative summit SusCrunch 2025

    The Climate on Monday: a brief on SusMafia's collaborative summit SusCrunch 2025
    Jul 14 2025

    For today's episode of The Climate on Monday, I thought I’d bring you a brief conversation with some of the key people at The Sustainability Mafia, or SusMafia, about their upcoming SusCrunch 2025 event for anyone who’s a stakeholder in India’s efforts to hit net zero.

    Joining me on this episode are three dynamic leaders from SusMafia — Anirudh Gupta, Saksham Bansal, and Rajat Kukreja — to discuss SusCrunch 2025, a climate collaborative summit, happening in Bengaluru.

    SusCrunch 2025, organized by SusMafia, is envisioned as more than just another conference. It’s a founder-led gathering designed to accelerate climate solutions by connecting some 400 decision-makers—founders, investors, corporates, and ecosystem leaders — in an action-focused, no-panels, all-collaboration format.

    Hosted at the Bangalore Creative Circus, on the 19th, the event promises a blend of hands-on sessions, giving-oriented networking, and the launch of the India Climate Opportunity Map, a resource spotlighting 25 high-potential startup white spaces rooted in real market gaps and founder insights.

    Whether you’re a climate entrepreneur, investor, or simply passionate about sustainable innovation, this episode offers a glimpse into the conversations and collaborations shaping the future of climate tech in India.

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    21 m
  • Friday Deep Tech Wrap: Varda Space raises $187 million, Airalo a unicorn, and more

    Friday Deep Tech Wrap: Varda Space raises $187 million, Airalo a unicorn, and more
    Jul 11 2025
    India launches ₹10,000 crore second tranche of deep tech fundUnion Minister Piyush Goyal announced a ₹10,000 crore second tranche under the government’s ‘Fund of Funds’ at Sangam 2025, aiming to strengthen India’s deep tech ecosystem. The fund will support the entire technology lifecycle, from research to commercial deployment, focusing on AI, machine learning, and data analytics. Deep tech policy initiative #100DesiDeepTechs launched in IndiaA new multi-stakeholder initiative called #100DesiDeepTechs has been launched to identify and support 100 leading deep-tech startups in India. Developed with Startup India, MEITY Startup Hub, and IIT Madras, the program will facilitate closed-door policy dialogues, culminating in a whitepaper with sectoral recommendations. Professors turn founders boosting India’s deep tech ecosystemAt IIT Madras’s annual alumni meet, a ₹200 crore venture capital fund was announced to back startups emerging from the institute. This reflects a growing trend of technology professors becoming founders, contributing to India’s deep tech gold rush. The move is expected to accelerate commercialization of academic research and foster a robust innovation ecosystem. Varda Space raises $187 million to accelerate drug manufacturing in spaceVarda Space Industries has secured $187 million in a Series C funding round led by Natural Capital and Shrug Capital, bringing its total raised to $329 million. The funds will scale up robotic drug production in microgravity, where pharmaceuticals crystallize differently, enabling novel formulations. MIT researchers’ Foundation EGI raises $23 million for AI-powered engineeringMIT researchers have secured $23 million for Foundation EGI, a startup aiming to improve engineering with AI. Their platform seeks to streamline manufacturing by addressing fragmented specifications and outdated processes, promising efficiency gains for industries struggling with legacy systems and siloed knowledge. QuiX Quantum secures €15 million to build universal photonic quantum computerQuiX Quantum, a Dutch startup, has raised €15 million in Series A funding to deliver the world’s first single-photon-based universal quantum computer by 2026. The investment, led by Invest-NL and the EIC Fund, will support development of a scalable, energy-efficient system based on silicon-nitride chips.EU unveils draft code to help firms comply with AI rulesThe European Commission released a draft code of practice to help companies adhere to new AI regulations. The code emphasizes copyright protection, systemic risk mitigation, and safety, aiming to guide firms as they navigate the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence compliance in the EU. AI slows experienced software developers in familiar codebases, study findsContrary to expectations, a recent METR study found that advanced AI tools can actually slow down experienced software developers when working on codebases they know well, challenging the assumption that AI universally boosts productivity in software engineering. Global end-user spending on generative AI models forecast to reach $14.2 billion in 2025A new report projects that worldwide end-user spending on generative AI models will hit $14.2 billion in 2025. The surge is driven by rapid enterprise adoption and integration of GenAI into products and services, with significant investments from tech giants. The trend signals a major shift in how businesses use AI for productivity and innovation. Humanoid robot startup Diligent Robotics recruits Cruise execs for expansionDiligent Robotics, known for its hospital logistics robots, has hired two senior executives from robotaxi company Cruise. This move signals the company’s ambition to expand beyond healthcare and scale its humanoid robotics platform for broader commercial applications. Airalo lands $220 million to become the world’s first eSIM unicornAiralo, a global eSIM provider, has raised $220 million in a funding round led by CVC, pushing its valuation past $1 billion. Founded in 2019 by Ahmet Bahadir Ozdemir, and backed by investors including Peak XV Partners, Rakuten Capital, Singtel Innov8 and Antler, Airalo addresses the pain points of international travel connectivity by offering affordable, instant eSIM activation in over 200 countries.Also listen to:India Tech Report: In ConversationSubscribe to my newsletter:India Tech Report This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.indiatechreport.in
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    7 m