Stories from Bengaluru · India

Meta has appointed Kunal Shah, founder of India's CRED, as the new chief of WhatsApp. The company is also investing $900 million in a startup. The specific startup and the strategic rationale behind the investment are not detailed. This development coincides with Meta's investment in a startup, though the connection is not explicitly detailed. The strategic shift aims to bolster WhatsApp's development. Concurrently, a new chief has been appointed to lead WhatsApp.

Indian AI startup Sarvam has raised $234 million in the first close of a $300 million Series B funding round. The company achieved a valuation of $1.5 billion. HCLTech acquired a 10.5% stake for approximately $150 million in cash. The round was led by SYN Ventures and follows a $12 million seed round in 2025.

Puravankara has signed a joint development agreement for a housing project valued at ₹1,100 crore in North Bengaluru. A new housing project has been announced for Bengaluru, India.

The Karnataka High Court has stayed an advisory from the FSSAI concerning the use of Ashwagandha. This decision provides relief to US-based Kerry Inc. and seven other firms.

A Bengaluru couple's monthly expenses totaling ₹1,30,000 have caused surprise and discussion online.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the 45th anniversary celebrations of the Art of Living organization in Bengaluru today. He is also scheduled to inaugurate the newly built meditation temple at the Art of Living International Center.

Bengaluru-based on-demand home-help service Pronto secured a $20 million Series B extension. The funding round, led by Lachy Groom, values the company at $200 million, doubling its $100 million valuation from March.

Indian space startup Galaxy Eye successfully tested Drishti, the world's first optical satellite mission, using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Vice President and Prime Minister have expressed appreciation for the launch achievement.

A new bill proposed by the Karnataka state parliament seeks to appropriate 472 acres of land at the Bengaluru Palace. The bill aims to nullify approximately $300 million in compensation previously awarded by India's Supreme Court to the palace owners.

A business process outsourcing center in Bengaluru with 10,000 workers has made AI workshops a routine part of staff training. The workshops are attended by all employees, including call center agents and other staff. The session discussed the difficulty of predicting which jobs will be displaced or created by AI. The speaker noted that while early internet adoption made roles like digital marketing and web development unpredictable, adaptability remains the key mitigating factor.