9, Mar 2026
Mirai Robotics raises $4.2M to build autonomous and intelligent maritime systems to master every sea
Europe’s first dual-use startup developing autonomous vehicles and systems for complex maritime operations.
Puglia and Milan, Italy – Mar 9: The sea is one of the most critical infrastructures on the planet. Over 80% of global trade moves by sea, more than 90% of Europe’s foreign trade depends on maritime routes, and around 95% of international internet traffic flows through subsea cables. Today, the global blue economy is worth more than $2.5 trillion and, according to international estimates, is expected to exceed $4 trillion by 2030.
Despite its economic and geopolitical centrality, the maritime domain remains one of the most complex and least digitized environments in the world: high operational costs, limited continuous observability, significant exposure to risk, and a strong reliance on human operators. This is compounded by an increasingly structural trend: a shortage of qualified professionals, with thousands of operational roles difficult to fill and a steadily rising average age among captains and operators. A fully human-centric model is struggling to sustain continuous, safe, and scalable operations.
It is within this context that Mirai Robotics was founded — a European AI robotics lab with the ambition to build the robotic infrastructure needed to make the sea more governable, safe, and observable.
Mirai Robotics’ systems are designed to enable persistent surveillance, patrolling, monitoring, and control, reducing human exposure to risk and significantly lowering operational costs compared to traditional models. The company focuses on the deep integration of autonomous vehicles, advanced sensing, artificial intelligence, and control systems, approaching autonomy first and foremost as an engineering and industrial challenge — not merely a software one.
From a product perspective, Mirai Robotics has already developed two autonomous vehicles designed for different operational needs, targeting ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and patrolling scenarios in both coastal and offshore environments. The vehicles integrate advanced perception systems, autonomous navigation, remote control, and safety features, and are designed to operate either as standalone units or as part of distributed systems.
Alongside its proprietary platforms, Mirai Robotics also develops autonomy, navigation, and control solutions that can be integrated into third-party vehicles, enabling industrial and institutional operators to adopt autonomous technologies without having to fully redesign their existing fleets. This approach makes Mirai’s technology applicable across multiple civil and institutional use cases, following a dual-use by design logic.
The decision to start in Italy is deliberate. The country is historically a global leader in shipbuilding and maritime engineering, with internationally recognized excellence in defense, yachting, offshore, and marine infrastructure. Mirai Robotics was born at the intersection of this industrial heritage and a new generation of technologies based on advanced robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous systems.
Mirai Robotics positions itself as an AI robotics lab, not merely a vertical solution provider. Its goal is to develop physical autonomy technologies capable of operating in extreme, mission-critical environments, where reliability, safety, and control are non-negotiable requirements.
The company was founded by Luciano Belviso (CEO), Luca Mascaro, and Davide Dattoli, board member. Luciano Belviso has previously built and led highly complex industrial companies, including Blackshape, a benchmark player in aircraft design and manufacturing, later acquired by Angel Holding. Luca Mascaro is an entrepreneur and technological designer, founder of Sketchin, later acquired by the BIP Group, where he served as Chief Innovation Officer, with extensive experience in building digital products and technology platforms at international scale. Davide Dattoli is an entrepreneur, founder of Talent Garden, and an investor in the tech and education ecosystem, with a long track record in scaling innovative companies across Europe.
Around the founding team, Mirai Robotics has assembled a pan-European team with expertise in artificial intelligence, robotics, complex systems, and mission-critical operations. The team includes top professionals and collaboration with leading universities and research centers.
The company is headquartered in Puglia, chosen as a strategic hub between the Mediterranean, industry, and research, with the ambition of building a European center of excellence for maritime autonomy.
Mirai Robotics has closed a $4.2 million pre-seed equity round, one of the largest in Italy in the robotics and deep-tech sector, led by top VC Primo Capital, Techshop and 40Jemz Ventures, with participation from leading Italian and international angel investors. The capital raised will be used to accelerate technology development, strengthen the team, and launch new pilot projects with industrial and institutional partners.
“The sea is one of the last major physical infrastructures not yet governed by software,” says Luciano Belviso, CEO of Mirai Robotics. “Autonomy is the key to finally making the oceans safe and usable, unlocking enormous resources and addressing critical security challenges. But it must be implemented through systems capable of operating continuously and safely in extreme environments. This is a technological and industrial challenge that requires a true robotics-lab approach.”
“The maritime domain is at an inflection point. We’re looking at a huge economy that still relies on operational models designed decades ago. The human capital gap alone—thousands of unfilled roles, aging workforces, increasing operational risk—makes the status quo unsustainable. What Mirai Robotics is building isn’t just automation; it’s the fundamental infrastructure layer that will allow the blue economy to scale safely and efficiently. Italy’s shipbuilding heritage combined with this caliber of robotics and AI talent creates a genuinely unique opportunity” – Gianluca Dettori Partner at Primo Capital, lead investors in the round.
With Mirai Robotics, Italy strengthens its historic role in the blue economy, projecting it into a new phase where robotics and artificial intelligence become foundational infrastructure for security, industry, and the economies of the future.
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- By Neel Achary
9, Mar 2026
transcosmos helps Daiwa Connect Securities advance digital customer support channels
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[Tokyo, Japan, Mar 09] transcosmos announced that it has helped Daiwa Connect Securities Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President: Ryuji Otsuki) advance the digital customer support channels that transcosmos provides. Drawing on its operational expertise, transcosmos designed and delivered an AI chat channel and FAQs. By implementing a human-AI hybrid chat model, transcosmos successfully enhanced the self-service completion rate. Through the use of ProzAnswers—an AI chat system provided by Proz Co., Ltd.—transcosmos led the project by combining operational expertise and advanced tools. In deploying the AI chat system for Daiwa Connect Securities, transcosmos first analyzed the nature of incoming inquiries to the human-chat channel and examined where customers typically stumble in the problem-solving process. Based on these insights, transcosmos developed the FAQs and the AI chat channel. transcosmos also reviewed FAQ descriptions and user flows to make them more intuitive, further increasing the self-service rate via the AI chat and FAQs. Inquiries that the AI chat cannot resolve are seamlessly handed over to human agents, ensuring a stable customer experience.
Daiwa Connect Securities has seen a significant increase in inquiries about account openings and log-in-related issues in recent years. Recognizing that its existing scenario-based and FAQ-based chatbots were no longer sufficient to help users resolve issues on their own, the company decided to introduce an AI chat channel to reduce the workload of human chat agents. Working together closely, Daiwa Connect Securities, transcosmos, and Proz worked as one to clarify requirements and designed the operational flows, UI, UX, and AI. The team completed the system design in just about 1.5 months. transcosmos supported Daiwa Connect Securities in deploying and operating ProzAnswers, and continues to provide end-to-end support—from AI auto-response to FAQ auto-generation—helping enhance customer support quality and reduce human-handled inquiry volumes. transcosmos remains committed to boosting clients’ CX and increasing operational efficiency through ongoing operational enhancements based on operational data and the voice of customers. |
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9, Mar 2026
Chef Hari Nayak Returns to Four Seasons Resort Maldives for Another Unmissable Residency
Hari Nayak is heading back to Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa and for lovers of Indian cuisine with a contemporary edge, this is one to mark on the calendar.
At the resort’s award-winning Indian restaurant, Baraabaru which is named among CNN Travel’s Top 10 Maldives’ Finest Tables in 2022, Chef Nayak continues his culinary dialogue with Head Chef Kishan Singh, blending coastal Indian traditions with global technique.
This season’s menu dives into regional favourites with personality: Gujarat’s Anda Ghotala, Kolkata’s Beguni, black garlic naan, barbecue butter chicken chops and a playful gulab jamun crème brûlée. A standout? His signature whole baked lobster with coconut turmeric sauce and lemon rice — bold, fragrant and unmistakably his.
Due to the ongoing war situation, Chef Nayak’s residency has now been postponed from March to May.
9, Mar 2026
Visionet’s Suvarna Nikam Shares Insights on Women’s Day 2026
By:- Suvarna Nikam, Global HR Head, Visionet Systems
“Organizations that truly succeed in advancing women do not rely on policy alone—they build cultures of collaboration, generosity, and shared learning. For women, especially at junior and mid-career levels, access to experience, mentorship, and visible role models often makes the difference between staying the course and quietly stepping away.
Many women enter the workforce with strong capability and ambition. Yet over time, systemic challenges begin to compound. Tough customer environments, unclear expectations, constant ambiguity, and the pressure to balance work with caregiving or motherhood often cause mid-to-senior-career women to pause, step back, or exit altogether. Breaking this cycle requires more than individual resilience from women—it requires an intentional relook at organizational design and how leaders share knowledge and opportunity.
At Visionet, the Elevate – Leadership Masterclass is a strong example of this philosophy in practice. Through Elevate, Visionet invites guest speakers from industry, customers, and leaders from their partnership ecosystem to share their leadership journeys—openly discussing real challenges, career pivots, failures, and lessons learned. Another impactful platform is “In Conversation with Leadership”, where Visionet’s internal leaders share their own stories—how they handled difficult customers, made hard trade-offs, recovered from setbacks, and balanced growth with personal responsibilities. These conversations create a safe, relatable context that allows women to see leadership as attainable, not abstract.
Also, male allyship ensures that women who bring balance, empathy, and innovation are not overlooked simply because they are quieter or less self-promoting.
A give-to-gain culture recognizes that when leaders share knowledge, time, and opportunity, the entire organization benefits. Women who are supported stay longer, lead stronger, and become role models. When organizations invest in collaborative ecosystems grounded in generosity, they help build the future of leadership.”
9, Mar 2026
Goutham Reddy Mereddy, Gaurav Maheshwari Take leading Roles at Confederation of Indian Industry Telangana
Hyderabad, Mar 9: Goutham Reddy Mereddy, Vice Chairman of Re Sustainability Ltd. (formerly Ramky Enviro Engineers Ltd.), has been elected as the Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Telangana for the year 2026–27.
Alongside him, Gaurav Maheshwari has been elected as the Vice Chairman of CII Telangana for the same term.
Mr. Goutham Reddy Mereddy brings with him over 27 years of experience spanning environmental services, waste management, real estate and infrastructure development. He began his professional career as an environmental scientist at the Environment Protection Training and Research Institute (EPTRI), a state government society, where he worked on research and consulting in environmental improvement, with a particular focus on industrial hazardous waste and municipal solid waste management.
He later joined Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited, which has since been renamed Re Sustainability Ltd. During his tenure, Mr. Reddy has played a key role in building the company into India’s largest environmental and waste management enterprise and one of Asia’s leading waste management organizations, with more than 85 operating facilities across over 23 states in India and around 10 countries globally.
Under his leadership, the company currently manages over 7 million tonnes of waste annually and has emerged as a pioneer in areas such as biomedical waste management, hazardous waste management, municipal solid waste management, and construction and demolition waste management. He has also been instrumental in establishing some of the largest integrated waste-to-energy plants, converting more than one million tonnes of waste into approximately 100 MW of power, while also contributing to infrastructure and real estate development initiatives.
Gaurav Maheshwari, the newly elected Vice Chairman, is a Chartered Accountant with more than 30 years of cross-functional experience across finance, commercial operations and general management. With over 25 years at Signode, he has played a significant role in implementing best practices in mergers and acquisitions, cost optimization, supply chain efficiency, technology-led transformation, organizational simplification and restructuring initiatives.
Prior to his current role, Maheshwari led the Commercial function for Signode India, delivering consistent business performance through strategic leadership and operational excellence. In January 2021, he assumed the role of Group President – Asia Pacific, where he now provides strategic direction and oversees Signode’s operations across multiple countries in the region.
Known for his strong finance background and strategic insight, Maheshwari focuses on driving enterprise-wide business outcomes and long-term value creation. His leadership approach is anchored in trust, transparency and empowerment, encouraging teams to take ownership and achieve excellence. He is also a strong proponent of sustainability and responsible business practices, integrating them with operational performance and continuous improvement.
The appointments of Goutham Reddy Mereddy and Gaurav Maheshwari are expected to further strengthen CII Telangana’s mission of fostering industry growth, policy engagement and sustainable development across the region.
9, Mar 2026
Stakeholder meet held in Goa to address rising Social Media risks for children
The meeting was held at Paryatan Bhavan, Patto, Panaji, on the theme “Impact of Social Media on Children and Regulatory Safeguards for Child Safety.” It was chaired by Minister for Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, Shri. Rohan Khaunte.
“Children today are often introduced to mobile phones at a very young age, which can eventually develop into an addiction. It’s therefore important for parents to take responsibility, closely monitor their children’s activities and instill good cyber hygiene from an early age. As a State, we must bring together academia, industry and government to create a comprehensive document. Goa needs to strike a balance between enabling access to educational digital tools while identifying and regulating platforms that may be detrimental to children. Through the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, we will take these recommendations to the Central Government.”
9, Mar 2026
360 ONE Asset Closes Fifth Private Credit Fund at INR 3,500 Crore
Mumbai, Mar 9: 360 ONE Asset, one of India’s leading alternative asset managers, today announced the successful close of its fifth vintage private credit strategy, with total commitments of ~INR 3,500 crore including managed assets.
“The successful close of our latest fund at ~INR 3,500 crore reflects the deep trust our investors place in our platform and our ability to consistently deliver resilient, risk-adjusted returns,”
said Aakash Desai, CIO and Head, Private Credit at 360 ONE Asset.
The strong fundraise underscores investor conviction in 360 ONE Asset’s differentiated private credit platform, disciplined investment philosophy, and consistent execution track record. Commitments were received from a diversified base of investors, including pension funds, insurance companies, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals, reflecting rising institutional allocation towards alternative assets.
“India’s private credit market is at a structural inflection point, supported by strong economic growth, increasing formalisation of capital, and rising demand for flexible financing solutions. For global and domestic institutional investors, private credit offers a compelling value proposition, with attractive yield premiums, strong covenant protections, and access to high-growth businesses in a large and underpenetrated credit market. With sustained origination momentum, we believe we are well-positioned to scale our franchise while remaining anchored to disciplined underwriting, downside protection, and long-term capital preservation,”
Aakash Desai added.
With this close, 360 ONE Asset further strengthens its position as one of the leading private credit managers in India. 360 ONE Asset’s Private Credit business manages credit assets worth INR 15,200 crore supported by one of the most active origination platforms in the country. In 2024, the firm originated over INR 6,600 crore of private credit transactions, followed by approximately INR 7,000 crore in 2025, demonstrating sustained deal flow strength, deep sponsor relationships, and robust on-ground execution capabilities.
The fund will continue the firm’s proven strategy of delivering structured and innovative credit solutions to high-quality Indian corporates. It will focus on capital preservation, strong covenant structures, and attractive risk-adjusted yields through bespoke financing solutions tailored to evolving capital needs.
Over five vintages, 360 ONE Asset has built a scaled and resilient private credit franchise anchored in deep, sector-focused underwriting expertise, a rigorous credit evaluation framework, active portfolio monitoring, and disciplined risk management.
As India’s alternative investment landscape continues to evolve, 360 ONE Asset remains committed to delivering institutional-quality private credit solutions and partnering with high-quality businesses to create enduring value for investors.
9, Mar 2026
Prachi Kaushik Calls for Health, Safety and Dignity as the Foundation of Women’s Empowerment on International Women’s Day
New Delhi, Mar 9: Social entrepreneur Prachi Kaushik, Founder and Director of Vyomini Social Enterprise, has emphasized that women’s empowerment must begin with health, safety and dignity, especially for women living in rural and underserved communities across India.
Speaking on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Kaushik highlighted the importance of ensuring access to quality healthcare, menstrual hygiene and mental well-being support as essential pillars for empowering women. She noted that strong policy frameworks, trained community health workers, financial inclusion and safe spaces are critical to ensure last-mile delivery of these services in rural India.
“Women’s empowerment must begin with health, safety and dignity. A woman with access to quality healthcare, menstrual hygiene and mental well-being support stands stronger in every role she plays,” Kaushik said. “When women are given dignity, opportunity and protection, the nation gains lasting strength and balance.”
Kaushik also pointed to the transformative impact of education in improving the lives of women in India. She noted that female youth literacy has reached nearly 96%, supported by initiatives such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. This progress has contributed to growing economic participation, with female labour force participation rising to around 41–42% in 2023–24 and self-employment among women increasing significantly in recent years.
However, she stressed that the rise in crimes against women underscores the urgent need for deeper gender sensitisation and social awareness. According to Kaushik, India’s cultural heritage, including its Vedic traditions that honoured women as equals, should inspire a renewed commitment to gender dignity and equality.
Prachi Kaushik is a social entrepreneur who has empowered more than 250,000 grassroots women through initiatives focused on health awareness, livelihood creation and local sourcing of products. Her work centres on transforming women who are often perceived as vulnerable into community change-makers, particularly in climate-affected and marginalised regions.
An alumna of University of Delhi, where she earned a Master’s degree in Political Science and Human Rights, Kaushik has more than a decade of experience in the development sector. Since 2008, she has worked with both government and non-government organisations on policy execution and last-mile outreach.
In 2017, she left her government job to establish Vyomini Social Enterprise, with the goal of building an ecosystem that supports women-led entrepreneurship and leadership in high-impact sectors such as clean energy, agriculture, nutrition, health and sanitation.
Her contributions to social development have been recognised with several prestigious honours, including the Women Transforming India Awards by NITI Aayog and the Rex Karmaveer Chakra Award.
Kaushik is also actively engaged in Menstrual Health Management initiatives through the SUNDESH programme since 2018, working to raise awareness and promote better menstrual hygiene practices across multiple communities. She joined the programme as an executive member in 2022 and continues to advocate for accessible menstrual health education and support systems.
Through her work, Kaushik aims to educate, inspire and empower socially conscious women entrepreneurs who can generate sustainable livelihoods, strengthen women’s leadership and drive positive social and environmental change in marginalised communities.
9, Mar 2026
AbhiBus Teams Up with Uber for Intercity Bus Bookings
Mumbai, Mar 9 : AbhiBus one of India’s leading online bus ticketing platforms, has partnered with Uber to power intercity bus ticket bookings within the Uber app.
Uber users across India can now book intercity bus tickets directly within the app, leveraging AbhiBus’s robust inventory and booking technology. Through this partnership, users gain access to AbhiBus’s extensive network of over 6 lakh routes operated by over 6,200 bus operators nationwide.
To book, users can navigate to the Home or Services section on the Uber app and select the “Intercity” option. After entering their origin, destination and travel date, they can browse available bus services, choose preferred seats and complete their booking smoothly within the app using integrated payment options.
Powered by AbhiBus’s end-to-end booking technology and deep operator integrations, Uber users can discover and compare bus options, check real-time seat availability and select preferred seats directly within the app. They can also filter by bus types such as AC, Sleeper, Seater, Volvo and Scania, view 360° bus photos on select routes, track live bus status, opt for Abhi Assured with defined compensation benefits in case of service disruptions, and access 24×7 customer support. The partnership expands Uber’s mobility ecosystem beyond intra-city rides by integrating bus travel into a single app, enabling users to plan both short-distance and intercity journeys seamlessly.
Speaking on this, Rohit Sharma, COO, AbhiBus, said,
“This partnership with Uber represents a significant milestone for intercity travel in India. By integrating AbhiBus’s deep operator network and booking technology into the Uber app, we are bringing over 6 lakh routes directly to millions of users – making bus travel discovery as seamless as booking a cab. With Uber’s reach and AbhiBus’s deep expertise in powering seamless bus travel experiences, we are setting a new benchmark for how India books its intercity journeys.”
Praveen Neppalli Naga, Chief Technology Officer, Uber, added,
“We are excited to partner with AbhiBus and bring intercity bus travel into the Uber app. At Uber, our mission is to make movement seamless for everyone and integrating AbhiBus’s extensive bus network directly into our platform is a natural extension of that vision. AbhiBus brings unmatched depth in bus inventory and operator integrations, and together we are unlocking a new dimension of mobility for millions of Indians.”
With this partnership, AbhiBus further strengthens its footprint in powering intercity bus travel across diverse platforms, making seamless and reliable bus booking more accessible to millions of travellers.
9, Mar 2026
Your Zodiac Sign Could Lead You to Your Perfect Ring: Rings & I Introduces Astrology-Inspired Jewellery Guide
Mumbai, Mar 09: Jewellery brand Rings & I has introduced a unique style guide that blends astrology with jewellery design, helping customers discover rings that reflect their personality through their zodiac signs. The concept highlights how personal traits associated with zodiac elements can inspire distinctive ring styles, from bold statement pieces to timeless classics.
A ring is more than just an accessory—it represents personality, emotion, and intention. At Rings & I, each design begins with individuality at its core, offering contemporary lab-grown diamonds, natural gemstones, and fully personalised settings. The brand’s new zodiac-inspired approach provides customers with a creative starting point to find rings that align with their identity and style.
Fire Signs: Bold and Expressive
For Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, rings that command attention are the perfect match. These individuals are known for their confidence and passion, often gravitating toward bold silhouettes, radiant diamonds, and statement designs set in yellow gold. Dramatic centre stones, halo settings, and striking proportions complement the vibrant energy of fire signs.
Earth Signs: Timeless and Refined
Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn are drawn to craftsmanship, quality, and enduring elegance. Earth signs prefer sophisticated designs that stand the test of time. Emerald-cut diamonds, platinum settings, and balanced symmetrical styles capture their appreciation for luxury with substance and heirloom-worthy appeal.
Air Signs: Creative and Distinctive
For Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius, jewellery becomes a form of self-expression. Stackable rings, multi-stone arrangements, and innovative settings reflect their creative personalities. White gold, intricate detailing, and unique design elements help air signs express their individuality while creating conversation-worthy pieces.
Water Signs: Emotional and Intuitive
Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces look for jewellery that carries deeper emotional meaning. Rings featuring moonstone, aquamarine, ruby, or vintage-inspired diamond settings resonate with their sentimental and intuitive nature. Fluid designs, soft silhouettes, and symbolic gemstones help water signs connect with pieces that feel deeply personal.
Personalisation at the Heart of the Brand
With more than 184,000 design possibilities, Rings & I offers extensive customisation across metals, gemstones, and finishes. The brand’s personalised “try-before-you-create” approach allows customers to experiment with designs before finalising a ring that reflects both their zodiac sign and their story.
By combining astrology, design innovation, and personal expression, the brand encourages customers to explore jewellery in a more meaningful way.
Whether someone follows astrology closely or simply enjoys the symbolism behind it, the perfect ring might already be written in the stars.
