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AI, FinTech and DeepTech took center stage at TechSparks 2025 as the second day Your story the premier startup tech event celebrated the spirit of Indian entrepreneurship!
Seasoned venture capitalist Vani Kola, MD, Kalaari Capital, provided VCs with a compass for navigating capital efficiency and reinvention in the AI era.
Kola encouraged the founders to link their ambition with purpose, not speed. She said true resilience comes from clarity – knowing why you’re building, for whom, and how to stay the course in the face of constant technological change.
Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ramahan Naidu talked about India breaking new ground in air travel and how we can get drones that are truly made in India.
In FinTech, Gautam Aggarwal, President, South Asia, Mastercard, explained how AI is changing the future of finance, from fraud detection to a seamless AI-driven user experience.
Additionally, Speciale Invest’s Arjun Rao and Vishesh Rajaram highlighted how the growth of deep tech in India depends on research-driven academia and patient early-stage capital.
Follow all the events of the second day of TechSparks 2025 here.
We’re not done yet! On the third and final day, don’t miss upGrad’s Ronnie Screwvala, who will delve into creating India’s ‘next big thing’.
Also, from the mobility sector, we have Aravind Sanka, co-founder of Rapido, who will shed light on the ride-sharing company’s evolution from bikes to taxis to travel and delivery — thanks to speed, execution and endurance.
Tune in to the grand finale as we build the next decade of innovation right here at TechSparks 2025!
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
- Made in India commercial aircraft
- Zepto Conscious Investments
- Kunal Kapoor on the power of stories
Here’s your trivia for today: Before being surpassed, which building was the tallest building in the world for just a few months in 1930?
TechSparks
Made in India commercial aircraft
When we talk about aviation, it is often said that the sky is the limit. Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ramahan Naidu echoed this sentiment during the conversation where he spoke about overcoming these limits and envisioning a future where we will be proud to board a commercial aircraft designed and built in India.
Main conclusions:
- The minister emphasized that the mission of production is now at the center of the vision of the sector. This applies to the aircraft itself, the components that go into it and the technologies of tomorrow. The goal, he said, is to have it all made in India.
- The minister pointed to Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune as examples of cities that have evolved into thriving aerospace and aviation hubs, creating ecosystems in which MSMEs can grow and compete.
- He added that the world’s two largest aircraft manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing, buy components worth $1.4 billion and $1 billion from India. This market is expected to grow to approximately $4 billion in the next five years.
Electronic commerce
Zepto Conscious Investments
E-commerce giant Zepto doesn’t spend money lightly. Instead, it does so in a deliberate and disciplined manner, Zepto co-founder Kaivalya Vohra said at TechSparks 2025.
“There are a lot of companies in India and around the world that have wasted a lot of money and at the same time have nothing to show for it. It takes a lot of intellectual honesty to know the difference between spending frivolously when things fundamentally just don’t make sense, or investing very consciously for growth,” Vohra said during a fireside chat with YourStory founder and CEO Shraddha Sharma.
technique:
- One of the most important decisions Zepto made early on was to build its entire technology stack and not rely on third-party systems.
- Vohra said Zepto could opt for profitability at a lower growth rate but wants to capture the market opportunity.
- Vohra’s comments come after Zepto raised $450 million in fresh funding, giving it new ammunition to take on rivals Swiggy Instamart and market leader Blinkit in an already uphill battle.
TechSparks
Kunal Kapoor on the power of stories
Entrepreneur-turned-entrepreneur Kunal Kapoor has long lived in the world of stories. But the magic of the story took on a deeper dimension when Kapoor entered the real world of human struggle and second chances. With Ketto, a crowdfunding platform he co-founded in 2012, Kapoor found stories that weren’t scripted but were powerful.
Speaking on the second day of YourStory’s TechSparks 2025, in a fireside chat with Shraddha Sharma, Founder and CEO of YourStory, Kapoor discussed how authentic stories build trust, attract capital and build loyal communities.
News and updates
- Shopping: Amazon debuted Amazon Bazaar, a new low-cost shopping outlet for Asia, Africa and Latin America that will be available separately from Amazon’s main shopping app. At Bazaar, most products are available for under $10, and some are as low as $2.
- Funding: Swiggy’s board of directors has approved plans to raise up to $1.14 billion through a qualified institutional placement to shore up capital for growth. The company previously said the fundraising would increase its cash reserves, helping to fuel growth and fund “new experiments” in fast commerce and food delivery.
- Cuts: Accel invested in Rapido and Prosus increased its stake after Indian two-wheeler giant TVS Motor sold its entire holding for about $32 million to Accel and Prosus’ investment arm MIH Investments, delivering returns of over 152% over the past three years.
Which building was the tallest building in the world for several months in 1930 before it was surpassed?
Answer: Chrysler Building. It held the title for 11 months before the Empire State Building surpassed it in 1931.
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