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Spacetech startup The Guild, formerly known as EtherealX, has raised $20.5 million in a Series A funding round led by TDK Ventures and BIG Capital. The round also saw participation from Accel, Prosus, Yournest, Campus Fund, BlueHill, and Riceberg. Following the fundraise, the Bengaluru-based company’s valuation has increased 5.5x to $80.5 million. With this round, The Guild’s total funding to date stands at $25.5 million.The startup is building what it describes as the world’s first fully reusable medium-lift rocket, aimed at lowering the cost of orbital access and expanding launch capacity for commercial and government customers.“Securing the backing of a strategic partner like TDK Ventures validates our vision to rearchitect today’s unipolar access to space into a truly multipolar frontier, and catalyze civilisational progress,” said Manu Nair, Co-Founder and CEO, Ethereal Exploration Guild. He added, “Their expertise in avionics, hardware optimisation to reduce latency, and high-performance components will strengthen our hand as we push the Razor Crest Mk-1 toward rapid development and flight qualification. With their support, we are confident to hit our aggressive timelines, unlock meaningful launch flexibility, and establish a new cost baseline for orbital access.”Razor Crest Mk-1 is the company's medium-lift fully reusable launch vehicle under development.…  ​Read More​YourStory RSS Feed

There is an uncomfortable truth about money that few people like to acknowledge upfront: learning often costs. Not in theory, not in motivation quotes, but in real currency lost through bad decisions, wrong timing, or misplaced confidence. This contradiction sits at the heart of what can be called the money paradox—the idea that to make money sustainably, you usually have to lose some first.Across industries, markets, and careers, the pattern repeats. Successful investors, founders, and builders rarely emerge without scars. Their stories are not defined only by profitable exits or smart bets, but by early failures that forced them to understand risk, discipline, and reality in ways no book or classroom could.The price of real educationFinancial education acquired without consequence tends to remain abstract. Reading about market cycles or business strategy creates awareness, but it does not shape judgment. Judgment forms when decisions carry weight—when capital, time, or reputation is at stake.Loss introduces clarity. It exposes gaps in understanding and overconfidence in assumptions. A failed investment teaches more about risk management than a dozen theoretical models. A struggling business reveals operational truths that spreadsheets often hide. These experiences, while painful, convert knowledge into instinct.This is why people who have “skin…  ​Read More​YourStory RSS Feed

Indian professionals seeking to renew or obtain H-1B visas are facing unprecedented delays at U.S. consulates, with interview slots now scarce through the end of 2026 and into 2027. The backlog has created serious uncertainty for thousands of tech workers, specialists and their families, complicating travel and career plans. Why Interviews Are Being Pushed So Far Out The delays began in December 2025, when U.S. consulates in India — including in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata — postponed H-1B visa appointments originally scheduled for late 2025 into March 2026. Subsequent rescheduling moved those dates to October 2026, and many have now been deferred into 2027, with no new slots showing up for the remainder of the current year. According to industry observers and visa support services, two major policy shifts have contributed to the backlog: Mandatory social media vetting for all employment-based visa applicants introduced in December 2025 added significant review time to the process. The end of “third-country visa stamping” for Indian nationals funnelled all demand back to U.S. posts in India, narrowing available appointment capacity. These changes have compounded demand pressures, leaving consular offices with no regular H-1B stamping appointments available across major cities for what could…  ​Read MoreBusiness Archives - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile & Startups

India and the European Union have sealed a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) after nearly two decades of negotiations, a pact many are calling the “mother of all deals.” This historic agreement — expected to take effect in 2027 after legal reviews — will significantly lower or eliminate tariffs on a broad range of European goods, bringing meaningful savings for Indian consumers across multiple categories. Luxury Cars: Major Price Relief Likely One of the most eye-catching outcomes of the FTA is the sharp reduction in import duties on European cars. Currently, luxury imports often attract tariffs as high as 110 percent, but under the deal, cars costing over €15,000 (roughly ₹16 lakh and above) will initially face duties around 40 percent, eventually dropping to approximately 10 percent over time as part of a phased reduction plan. This could slash sticker prices by lakhs for premium brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and others, making them more accessible to Indian buyers. Wine, Beer and European Food Items Indian consumers will also see significant price drops in European beverages and food products. Tariffs on European wine — historically as high as 150 percent — are set to fall to around 20 percent for…  ​Read MoreBusiness Archives - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile & Startups

India’s capital markets watchdog, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has taken the rare step of accusing current and former executives from global consulting firms EY and PwC of breaching insider trading norms, according to a regulatory notice reviewed by Reuters. The action highlights increased scrutiny of compliance among advisers and private-equity professionals involved in high-profile transactions. Allegations in the Yes Bank Transaction The insider trading accusations arise from SEBI’s investigation into the July 2022 equity transaction involving Yes Bank, in which U.S. private-equity firms Carlyle Group and Advent International acquired a combined 10 percent stake for about $1.1 billion. SEBI’s regulatory notice — issued in November 2025 but only recently reported — alleges that unpublished price-sensitive information related to the deal was shared among executives at Carlyle, Advent, EY and PwC, and that some individuals used this privileged information to trade Yes Bank shares before the public announcement. According to the notice, 19 individuals are implicated, including two executives from PwC and EY along with five family members and friends who allegedly made unlawful gains by trading ahead of the share offering. In addition, SEBI has accused some of the executives of facilitating the improper sharing of…  ​Read MoreBusiness Archives - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile & Startups

The Central government has given formal approval to the Mumbai–Navi Mumbai Airport Metro, a transformative urban rail project pegged at around ₹18,000 crore. The corridor is expected to significantly enhance connectivity between Mumbai city and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), providing a fast, reliable mass transit option for commuters and air travellers alike. A Major Boost to Regional Connectivity The metro line will link the heart of Mumbai with the new Navi Mumbai International Airport, improving transit efficiency while reducing dependence on road traffic. This improved connectivity is set to benefit daily commuters, airport passengers, and economic activity across the region. The project forms a critical piece of the larger transport ecosystem supporting the airport and surrounding urban zones. Officials hope the metro will shorten travel times that are currently encumbered by highway congestion, particularly during peak hours. By offering a reliable rail connection, the metro aims to transform how people traverse the city and reach the airport from central and suburban Mumbai. Cost and Funding Framework The estimated project cost is about ₹18,000 crore. Funding will come from both the Central and Maharashtra state governments, with each contributor playing a strategic role in planning, execution, and future…  ​Read MoreBusiness Archives - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile & Startups

Infosys has updated its work-from-home (WFH) and hybrid work policy, signalling a move towards a more structured office-centric model while retaining some flexibility. The shift comes as the company — along with several peers in India’s IT services industry — recalibrates workplace norms after the pandemic-era surge in remote work. New Attendance Expectations Under the revised guidelines, employees are expected to spend a minimum number of days each month working from company offices. Specifically, the policy requires a minimum of 10 office days per month for most staff. While hybrid work remains formally part of the model, the criteria for claiming additional WFH days have been tightened. Infosys has also capped the number of WFH exemptions at five days per quarter. Any requests for additional remote work beyond this quarterly limit must now be explicitly approved by the reporting manager, and are generally reserved for exceptional circumstances such as documented medical needs. Managerial Oversight and Controls The updated policy places a stronger emphasis on managerial approval and oversight for remote work arrangements. Automatic approvals for extended WFH days have been curtailed, and employees are advised to plan and seek pre-approval in advance to ensure their requests comply with the revised…  ​Read MoreBusiness Archives - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile & Startups

Amazon had an unexpected slip-up in its ongoing corporate restructuring this week when an internal email intended to inform employees about upcoming layoffs was sent prematurely to some staff at Amazon Web Services (AWS). The incident occurred just hours before Amazon planned to formally communicate the layoff decisions to affected employees. Email Sent Too Early On Tuesday, an email signed by Colleen Aubrey, senior vice president of applied AI solutions at AWS, was mistakenly sent to AWS employees in the U.S., Canada and Costa Rica, alerting them that they had already been informed about job losses as part of the layoff plan scheduled for Wednesday morning. The message referenced layoffs as “Project Dawn” and included a team-wide meeting invitation tied to the event. Employees who received the message reported that the meeting was almost immediately cancelled, leaving many confused since formal layoff communications had not yet occurred. Amazon has not publicly confirmed the layoff details or the misfired email, and impacted employees have not been officially notified through the company’s usual channels. Context: Broader Layoff Plan The botched email comes amid a broader plan by Amazon to reduce its corporate headcount. Earlier reporting indicated the company intended to cut thousands…  ​Read MoreBusiness Archives - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile & Startups

Amazon is gearing up for a significant new round of layoffs, with reports indicating that roughly 16,000 corporate and technology jobs could be cut as early as January 31, 2026. This would mark the second major wave of layoffs in recent months and one of the largest workforce reductions in the company’s history. Part of a Larger Workforce Reduction Plan This layoff round follows the October 2025 reduction of about 14,000 corporate roles and forms part of a broader restructuring effort that could see nearly 30,000 jobs eliminated by mid-2026. The cuts represent a substantial portion — around 10 percent — of Amazon’s corporate workforce, which globally includes roughly 350,000 white-collar employees, even though the company’s total headcount exceeds 1.5 million. Amazon’s leadership has linked earlier cuts to efforts to streamline operations and reduce bureaucratic layers, emphasising the need for a leaner structure that can adapt to evolving business priorities. The company has highlighted that restructuring isn’t solely about cost-cutting, but also about improving organisational efficiency and cultural alignment. Which Departments May Be Affected Although Amazon has not officially confirmed specifics, multiple reports suggest the layoffs will span several major divisions: Amazon Web Services (AWS) — the company’s cloud computing…  ​Read MoreBusiness Archives - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile & Startups

To tackle the long-standing shortage of small denomination currency notes in India, the government is exploring the introduction of hybrid ATMs and specialised cash-dispensing machines that can issue and exchange ₹10, ₹20 and ₹50 notes on demand. This initiative aims to make everyday cash transactions smoother in the face of the explosive growth of digital payments through platforms like UPI. Why Small Notes Matter in a Digital Age India’s digital payments ecosystem — led by the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) — has grown rapidly, with billions of transactions each month, pushing the country toward a digital-first economy. However, despite this digital boom, cash remains indispensable for many daily activities, especially in the informal economy and in areas where digital infrastructure is uneven. Small notes are crucial for low-value purchases such as tea, auto rides, small groceries, daily wages and other routine transactions. Yet, cash users and merchants frequently struggle to get change for larger denominations such as ₹500 notes, leading to inconvenience and delays in payment. What Hybrid ATMs Will Do The government’s proposal includes two key innovations: Small-Denomination Cash Machines: New machines being piloted in Mumbai can dispense ₹10, ₹20 and ₹50 notes directly, instead of the usual larger…  ​Read MoreBusiness Archives - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile & Startups