4982: IIT Madras nets thousands of crores in consulting fee from VCs; Crypto SIPs soar in India; and India's semicon industry seeks faster payouts from Budget 2026 | MC Tech3

In an exclusive to Moneycontrol, actor-turned-entrepreneur Samantha Prabhu reveals that she found fresh confidence after building startups. Also inside: a mega deal in the wealth management space, what’s driving domestic investors to bet on Indian markets, the poor tipping practice in the gig economy space, the iPhone style push for domestic auto parts exports and more. Tune in!

In today’s Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we break down why tipping on food delivery apps remains a niche behaviour in India and what the numbers really say about rider earnings. We also look at Wispr Flow’s bet on voice-first AI inspired by Iron Man’s Jarvis, actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s growing startup portfolio, and why artificial intelligence and data centres could take centre stage in the Union Budget for FY27.

In this edition of Moneycontrol Editor’s Picks find out what’s happening from markets to government policy and more. Inside: India keeps bullion out of FTAs, rapid adoption of crypto SIPs, IIT Madras emerges preferred consultancy for deep tech investors, energy markets keep close watch on Venezuela, & semiconductor industry presents wishlist to government ahead of the Budget. Tune in!

In today’s Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we track how deep tech venture capital is increasingly turning to IIT Madras for technical diligence as consultancy revenues surge. We also look at the sharp rise in crypto SIPs among first-time Indian investors, key expectations from the semiconductor industry ahead of Budget 2026, and Zepto’s quiet rollout of in-app UPI payments as delivery platforms bring payments in-house.

In this edition of Moneycontrol Editor’s Picks our reporters decode the Venezuelan crisis. From India’s low exposure to Venezuelan crude to the shift to power-based hierarchies and India’s place in such a world, find all the coverage you need on this crucial unfolding geopolitical event. In other news, large taxpayers may soon move to fully automated tax filing, is Madhya Pradesh’s performance on water quality really spotless, and find out how Google search is being edged out by AI competitors. We also work out how much gig workers really earn and more, so tune in!

On this episode of Tech 3 Podcast, we break down earnings of delivery partners at platforms such as Zomato and Swiggy, discuss why more ad dollars are flowing to AI chatbots like Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, list the key asks of space tech startups ahead of the Union Budget and tell you why Q3 is going to be a muted quarter for Indian IT firms. Listen in:

ITC’s stock is under pressure as higher tax on cigarettes kicks in, India needs to rethink its growing reliance on China for silver, GST cuts have trickled down to entry-level cars and two-wheelers, consumers spending remained strong even as factory output weakened in 2025 - find reports on all this inside. Market, policy and business in Bollywood - we cover everything in the latest edition of Moneycontrol Editor’s Picks.

In today’s Tech3 from Moneycontrol, we kick off the New Year with a look at how India’s startup and tech ecosystem hit the ground running. We unpack Deepinder Goyal’s defence of the gig economy amid strike calls, examine India’s draft space traffic safety rules as satellite launches rise, track the Centre’s biggest-ever approvals under the electronics component scheme, and close with IIT Madras launching IITM Global as it scales its international research ambitions.

Govt hands Vodafone Idea a lifeline, gig workers strike against aggressive practices, India’s EV adoption routes through hybrids and a complete A-Z guide on what shaped 2025 in tech/startups and markets. From the IPO boom and its underlying concerns to the rise of influencers in movie publicity - tune in for all this and more in the day’s edition of Moneycontrol Editor’s Picks.

Tune in for an exclusive Moneycontrol interview with Nilesh Kotak Mahindra MD Nilesh Shah who tells us what will bring back FII money to India in 2026. We also have details on what risks economists have flagged in the pre-budget meeting with the Prime Minister. From how Indian defence producers have automated manufacturing to cars becoming safer with recalls hitting the lowest in years - the latest newsletter covers everything from markets to regulation and more.