Artificial intelligence startup Sarvam AI has raised $234 million in the first close of its Series B funding round, marking one of the largestfundingrounds for an Indian AI company to date and propelling the company into the unicorn club. The investment values the company at $1.5 billion and is led by HCLTech, one of India’s largest technology services firms, alongside global venture capital investor Bessemer Venture Partners. Existing backers Khosla Ventures and Peak XV Partners also participated in the round. The funding comes at a time when India is seeking to strengthen its domestic AI capabilities amid a global race to build advanced AI systems. In other news, concerns over the impact of social media on children’s mental health and online safety are prompting governments worldwide to tighten regulations on tech platforms. On Monday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to bansocial mediaplatforms from offering services to users under 16. The proposed rules, which could take effect as early as spring 2027, may apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. The UK also plans to restrict features such as livestreaming and communication with strangers for minors, while considering additional safeguards including overnight curfews and limits on infinite scrolling. While policymakers grapple with the societal impact of technology, the industry's biggest companies continue to push the boundaries of scale and ambition. Elon Musk said his rocket company,SpaceX, could bring in $1 trillion in revenue by 2030, making the statement two days after the company went public, valuing it at over $2 trillion. SpaceX on Friday became the sixth-largest US firm, cementing Musk’s status as the world's first trillionaire. Back home, fintech firmRazorpayhas taken a step towards its public market debut, confidentially filing draft IPO papers with market regulator Sebi. According to people familiar with the matter, the issue size is expected to be in the range of Rs 5,000–6,000 crore, making it one of the most closely watched startup listings in India. In today’s newsletter, we will talk about Here’s your trivia for today:Mozilla Firefox originally launched under what name? For nearly a decade, Aparna Popat was the face of Indian women’s badminton, dominating the national circuit while helping lay the foundation for the sport’s rise in the country. A nine-time consecutive national champion, Olympian, and one of India’s earliest global badminton trailblazers, Popat built her career in an era with limited funding, exposure, and support systems. In a conversation, she reflects on the mindset behind sustained excellence, the lessons sport taught her about leadership and resilience, and why competition, confidence, and claiming one’s space remain critical for women aspiring to lead—in sport, business, and beyond. Indian CMOs are emerging as some of the most bullish AI adopters globally, with many taking ownership of AI inves
