5280: VCs cash out big from new-age stocks; Slice raises $100 million, valuation sliced; and Pocket FM's microdrama saga | MC Tech3

Whatfix names co-founder Vara Kumar as CEO following the passing of co-founder Khadim Batti. Meanwhile, India’s data-centre boom accelerates, raising questions about power, water and community impact as the US grapples with the costs of rapid expansion. Plus, Temasek's India bets continue to shine and how Groww outpaced peers in August.

On today’s Tech 3, we cover the biggest developments shaping India’s startup and technology landscape: Pixxel.and Nua’s latest funding and expansion plans, and a fresh wave of investor interest in India’s premium consumption startups. We also look at the Karnataka IT Secretary’s priorities for India’s digital and technology ecosystem, and explore how wealth-tech platforms are changing the way Indians invest and manage money.

In today’s Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we look at Nvidia’s $12.93 billion deal for Hugging Face and its bet on open AI models, nearly Rs 27,000 crore worth of startup stock block deals as VCs cash out, Slice’s $100 million fundraise at a sharply lower valuation, Pocket FM’s return to microdramas with Pocket Saga, and PayPal’s job cuts in India amid a global restructuring.

In today's Tech3 from Moneycontrol- Zerodha is moving beyond broking with SEBI approval to enter merchant banking, bringing its low-cost, no-hard-selling philosophy to IPOs and investment banking. Meanwhile, Flipkart is betting on micro-dramas to bring entertainment closer to commerce - turning viewers into shoppers. We also look at the race for AssamSat, as India’s private space companies compete to build an earth-observation satellite for Assam, and explore the rapid rise of online bonds as retail investors look beyond equities.

In today’s Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we look at the proposed $103,000 H-1B fee and what it could mean for global tech hiring, FirstCry’s market value falling below $1 billion, fresh funding talks in India’s semiconductor sector, the RBI’s September 15 merchant re-KYC deadline, and nearly Rs 6,000 crore worth of institutional trades in Lenskart and Eternal. We also remember Whatfix co-founder and CEO Khadim Batti, who passed away today.

In today’s Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we look at the government’s detailed Semicon 2.0 framework and its plans to expand India’s semiconductor ecosystem. We also track Ather Energy’s expectations for Konarc, Zomato’s restructuring of its Hyderabad customer support operations, and a cybercrime warning over malicious Android apps being used to target users for financial fraud.

Retirement planning remains one of the most overlooked parts of financial planning in India. But is the real problem the lack of investment options — or simply the way we think about retirement? In this episode of Retire Rich, Dhirendra Kumar, Founder & CEO, Value Research, explains why retirement planning is fundamentally a behavioural challenge and why starting early can make a significant difference to long-term wealth. The conversation explores why NPS could be an underutilised wealth-building opportunity, the benefits of disciplined and systematic investing, the growing relevance of Corporate NPS, and why delaying retirement planning can come with a double cost lost time and greater financial anxiety later. Dhirendra Kumar also discusses how India can build a stronger pension culture by making retirement planning simpler, more accessible and a default part of the financial journey. Retire Rich is presented by National Pension System and Association of NPS Intermediaries in associa

In today’s Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we look at the proposed $103,000 H-1B fee and what it could mean for foreign tech hiring and international students. We also cover Delhivery’s higher shipping charges for D2C brands ahead of the festive season, the Centre’s public consultation on reforms to India’s examination system, and IndiGo Ventures’ investment in AI startup Sarvam as the airline explores AI across its operations.

In today’s Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we look at Emad Mostaque’s call to turn India Stack into an “intelligence stack”, TCS cutting variable pay for mid- and senior-level employees, fresh funding talks across fintech startups, and Deepinder Goyal’s Temple acquiring London-based longevity clinic Longévous.

In today’s Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we look at over Rs 6,900 crore worth of block deals involving Groww, PhysicsWallah and other stocks, fresh funding talks at Superhealth and Runable, and Zerodha and Angel One’s plans to offer corporate bonds. We also track Gaja Alternative’s strong market debut and India’s push to deepen Apple’s local component manufacturing before expanding into more finished products.