Category Archives: News

Silicon Quantum Computing Named to Fast Company’s 2026 Next Big Things in Tech List

SQC’s quantum-enhanced AI chip Watermelon™ recognized for its ability to make classical models faster, more efficient and less resource-intensive

SYDNEY, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC), a pioneer in quantum computing and atomic-precision manufacturing, today announced that its quantum-enhanced AI system, Watermelon™, has been named to Fast Company’s 2026 Next Big Things in Tech list. The annual list recognizes breakthrough technologies with the potential to transform industries and shape the future.

Fast Company recognized Watermelon in the Computing, Chips, and Foundational Technology category for its breakthrough approach to quantum-classical computing. Launched in October 2025, Watermelon is the world’s first commercial quantum reservoir computer, leveraging SQC’s atomic manufacturing capabilities. The system generates quantum-enhanced features from classical data to uncover complex relationships in sparse and time-series datasets, and can also be used as an offload resource to train AI models more efficiently.

Watermelon is built for global enterprises where AI training costs, energy consumption and time-to-insight directly affect operational outcomes. In commercial trials Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications provider, Watermelon reduced the training time of a predictive network model from weeks to days. More recently, results with Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, showed Watermelon improved the accuracy of home energy forecasting models by up to 41% against the classical benchmark.

“We’re honored to receive this recognition, which reflects more than two decades of excellence in atomic-precision hardware engineering,” said Michelle Simmons, Founder & CEO of Silicon Quantum Computing. “Today’s performance edge will become a structural shift in how organizations approach AI: moving workloads away from energy-intensive GPUs toward quantum-classical systems that can deliver better results with fewer resources.”

Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech recognizes innovative technologies developed by established companies, startups and research teams that are making meaningful progress toward transforming the lives of consumers, businesses and society. This year’s honorees span industries, with each innovation demonstrating the potential to create significant impact in the years ahead.

“The most exciting technology innovations are the ones that move beyond promise to demonstrate real potential for impact,” said Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “The companies and teams recognized on this year’s list are tackling ambitious problems with new ideas, products, and approaches that have the potential to fundamentally shape the years ahead.”

For more information or to view the complete Fast Company 2026 Next Big Things in Tech list, visit here.

About Silicon Quantum Computing

Silicon Quantum Computing (SQC) is at the forefront of global efforts to deliver a commercial-scale quantum system. Backed by 25 years of technological leadership, SQC holds a singular advantage: exclusive capability to manufacture silicon chips with atomic precision, enabling quantum computing systems with world-leading algorithmic fidelity. With in-house QPU manufacturing, SQC iterates new chips weekly while delivering quantum-enhanced AI and materials simulation systems to customers today. The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.

For more information, visit www.sqc.com or follow SQC on LinkedIn.

About Fast Company 

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow business publication Inc. For more information, please visit fastcompany.com. 

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Odisha DGP Orders Security Measures for Peaceful Student Union Polls

Cuttack, Oct. 6 (UDN): Odisha DGP Vinaytosh Mishra has directed district police chiefs and senior officers to take comprehensive measures to ensure the peaceful conduct of the upcoming student union elections scheduled for October 15.

The directions were issued during a high-level video conference with district Superintendents of Police (SPs) and Range IGs/DIGs at the State Police Headquarters on Tuesday.

Focus on Student Engagement

Reviewing preparations for the campus polls, Mishra described students as a sensitive community and stressed the need for regular communication between police and student leaders.

Inspectors-in-charge of police stations and Sub-Divisional Police Officers (SDPOs) were instructed to personally engage with student representatives and coordinate with educational institutions to prevent tensions and maintain peace.

The DGP ordered strict monitoring to prevent outsiders and anti-social elements from entering college campuses. Police were also asked to maintain surveillance around hostels and messes and keep track of student gatherings, feasts and other election-related activities.

At the same time, Mishra cautioned against unnecessary deployment of police personnel in locations where there is no indication of potential violence.

Vigilance After Results

The DGP called for coordination meetings involving district Collectors, SPs, Sub-Collectors and college principals to ensure smooth management of the election process.

He particularly stressed heightened vigilance after the results are announced, noting that tensions could arise during the post-election period.

Women’s Safety, Cybercrime Under Review

The meeting also reviewed law and order during the festive season, women’s safety, cybercrime, crime control and the ‘Nishamukta Odisha Abhiyan’.

Mishra directed officials to strengthen cyber police stations and improve the investigation of cybercrime cases and subsequent legal action.

Women’s safety was accorded top priority, with the DGP calling for prompt, impartial and effective investigation of cases involving women. Referring to a recent criminal incident involving a young woman in Bhubaneswar, he directed police officials to maintain heightened vigilance and ensure stringent action against those found guilty.

Crackdown on Drugs and Organised Crime

On overall crime control, the DGP directed police to intensify action against habitual and organised criminals and conduct regular raids and checks against illegal activities.

He also called for stronger enforcement of the NDPS Act and intensified implementation of the Nishamukta Odisha Abhiyan to curb drug trafficking and dismantle networks involved in the illegal trade.

Officials were further instructed to take action against illegal cannabis cultivation in accordance with the law.

The meeting also covered implementation of the new criminal laws and strengthening police infrastructure across the state.

Senior officers from the Police Headquarters, Crime Branch, STF, Intelligence, Railways and Coastal Security, HRPC, SCRB and other wings attended the review meeting.

Tara Tarini Temple Hundis Collect Over INR 25.91 Lakh, Foreign Currency Found

Purushottampur, Oct. 6 (UDN): The hundis at Odisha’s renowned Tara Tarini Temple in Ganjam district have yielded more than ₹25.91 lakh in offerings, along with foreign currency, gold and silver ornaments, officials said on Tuesday.

 Representational Image 

The offerings were collected from five donation boxes at the temple, with the total amount counted at ₹25,91,743.

During the counting process, officials also found three foreign currency notes and seven foreign coins among the offerings.

Several gold and silver ornaments were recovered from the hundis, including decorative gold and silver eyes offered by devotees. Emotional letters written by devotees were also found inside the donation boxes.

The counting was conducted in the presence of Tara Tarini Temple Executive Officer Binod Behera, with officials from Purushottampur Tahasil overseeing the process.

The latest collection marks a significant rise compared with the previous counting, when the temple’s hundis yielded ₹7,17,540.

Officials said the funds collected through the donation boxes will be utilised for the development and improvement of the temple.

The historic Tara Tarini Temple, dedicated to Adi Shakti, stands atop Kumari Hills on the banks of the Rushikulya River near Purushottampur in Ganjam district and attracts devotees from across Odisha and beyond.

Aditi Consulting Achieves Anthropic Select Tier After Putting Claude Into Production Across Its Business and Client Environments

The milestone follows Aditi’s broader effort to reshape its business, client delivery, and engineering workforce.

BENGALURU, India, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Aditi Consulting has achieved Select Tier status in Anthropic’s Claude Partner Network, Anthropic’s program for consultancies and specialized AI firms that help enterprises adopt and implement Claude.

The designation follows results from work already underway:

• Inside Aditi: Claude now supports production workflows across engineering, delivery and business operations. Month-end margin analysis went from hours to under two minutes. Reconciliation, close and payables automations are in production, and an AI-enabled delivery command center catches issues before they create downstream problems.
• With clients: Aditi and Advarra moved from an initial concept to a working application in six weeks.
• Across its workforce: 82 engineers in Aditi’s first two cohorts are developing the technical judgment, business context and accountability required to apply AI in real delivery environments.

That work has shaped how Aditi approaches AI transformation with clients. As AI becomes more capable, the challenge is no longer the technology itself. It is deciding where AI can create value, engineering it into the business and building the capability to sustain it.

“Access to increasingly capable AI isn’t the hardest part of transformation anymore,” said Carrick Carpenter, chief technology and AI officer at Aditi Consulting. “The harder question is whether the organization around it is ready — the systems, governance, workflows and people. We chose to work through those questions inside our own business first, and that experience now shapes how we help clients put AI into production.”

Aditi is applying that experience in client environments. At Advarra, a clinical research technology company, Aditi worked alongside Advarra’s teams using Claude and AI-assisted development. Within seven working days, Advarra and its end customer had a working experience they could use to validate the direction.

“Driving value for our customers is our North Star,” said Brian Hart, chief technology officer at Advarra. “We’re building an approach that brings together Advarra’s unique data and context, an architecture designed to adapt as technology changes, and strategic partners with specialized AI capabilities. That allows us to accelerate our product roadmap and bring meaningful innovation to market faster.”

For Aditi, the shift also changes what engineering capability looks like. The company is developing engineers not simply to use AI tools, but to combine them with technical fundamentals, business context, judgment and accountability in real delivery environments. Engineers from those cohorts are already working on live client engagements.

“The next era of enterprise AI will require engineering capability at scale, and India continues to lead that charge with the depth of talent to build it,” said Ramna Vadavalli, India Country Head at Aditi Consulting. “Our first two Elevate cohorts include 82 engineers developing the skills and practices to engineer alongside AI, including teams already applying that learning in live client environments. At the same time, our AI Labs program is developing early-career talent to build with AI from the start. Together, these investments are helping make Bengaluru and Vadodara centers for AI engineering capability that can scale across the clients we serve globally.”

For more information about Aditi Consulting’s work with Anthropic and Claude, visit Aditi’s Anthropic partnership page.

About Aditi Consulting

Aditi Consulting is a global technology partner helping enterprises transform with AI by combining outcome engineering with the capacity to execute. The company brings together AI, engineering expertise and global engineering talent to meet customers where they are—whether they need a partner to engineer the path to an outcome or the specialized skills and scale to execute a strategy already in place. From modernizing what exists to building what’s next, Aditi helps organizations turn what’s possible into measurable impact, while amplifying what people do best. Building a Digital World with Human Spirit.

Learn more: https://www.aditiconsulting.com/

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Abu Dhabi Invites Families to Celebrate Diwali with Multi-Generational Getaways, Just a Short Flight Away

Holiday packages from INR 83,825 per person combine white-sand beaches, world-class museums, theme parks, festive shopping and Diwali feasts

NEW DELHI and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is inviting travellers to celebrate Diwali with curated multi-generational family getaways in the UAE capital, located a short three-to-four-hour flight from major Indian cities.

Designed to cater for every generation from grandparents to children, Abu Dhabi’s seasonal offerings feature a blend of white-sand beaches, world-class museums, theme parks, festive shopping and family feasts, with holiday packages starting at INR 83,825 per person. Whether families are planning a quick getaway or a longer holiday, the emirate makes it easy to celebrate the festival of lights together.

Utazzo’s six-night Discover Abu Dhabi Festive Celebrations package, from INR 83,325 per person, includes accommodation with breakfast and airport transfers. The package also includes access to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi, a Yas Island theme park and a desert safari, with time left for shopping too.

For families flying from Ahmedabad who want their travel arrangements taken care of, Flamingo Transworld’s Diwali Package – Epic Tour Package with Sky View starts from INR 167,500 per person and includes return economy flights, a UAE visa and three nights in Abu Dhabi. High tea at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, visits to two Yas Island theme parks, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque are all part of the plan.

Thomas Cook’s three-night Arabian Dhamaka – Winter package starts from INR 136,500 per person, including immersive art at teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, the architecture of Qasr Al Watan, snow in the desert at Snow Abu Dhabi and access to two Yas Island theme parks. A guided city tour, a photo stop at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and a visit to BAPS Hindu Mandir round out the stay.

For a slower pace between sightseeing and family adventures, Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island is offering up to 25% off the Best Available Rate for minimum two-night stays between 1–15 November 2026, with complimentary all-inclusive accommodation for children in selected room categories. It means a Diwali family holiday can include time together beside the sea, just minutes from some of Abu Dhabi’s leading cultural institutions.

Being away from home doesn’t mean leaving familiar flavours behind. From 6–8 November, Namak’s Diwali Table will feature live chaat, tandoor favourites, regional Indian dishes and traditional sweets for approximately INR 4,200 per adult, with up to two children aged 10 and below dining for free.

Beyond the festive offers, Abu Dhabi gives every member of the family something to look forward to. Families do not have to choose between culture and theme parks: a morning can be spent at Saadiyat Island’s museums, including Louvre Abu Dhabi, before an afternoon of rollercoasters and entertainment on Yas Island. The emirate’s landmarks include Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the architecture of Qasr Al Watan and BAPS Hindu Mandir, while teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, Snow Abu Dhabi and desert safaris add immersive experiences for all ages.

For families with Dhanteras and Diwali shopping on the agenda, The Galleria Al Maryah Island mall brings together luxury fashion houses and international brands in a waterfront setting, turning festive shopping into an experience of its own.

So, who’s breaking the news in the family WhatsApp group? This Diwali, book Abu Dhabi for an unforgettable family getaway, at visitabudhabi.ae/en/campaign/diwali

Offers, prices, inclusions and packages are subject to availability and individual partner terms and conditions. INR conversion for dining is approximate and may vary according to exchange rates.

About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture and tourism sectors and its creative industries, fuelling economic progress and helping to achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions.

By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies and systems to support the culture and tourism industries.

DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the emirate’s people, heritage and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives and creative thought.

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Dharmendra Pradhan Seeks Centre’s Nod for Three Major Highway Projects in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 6 (UDN): Sambalpur MP and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to grant administrative and financial approval for three key highway infrastructure projects in Odisha.

 Representational Image 

In a letter to Gadkari, Pradhan sought the six-laning of the Sambalpur-Angul-Cuttack National Highway corridor, along with the construction of two-lane service roads on either side.

The MP highlighted the growing volume of passenger and freight traffic on the corridor, which serves as a vital link between western Odisha and major industrial, commercial and urban centres.

Four Underpasses Proposed on NH-55

Pradhan also requested approval for four underpasses along the Angul-Sambalpur stretch of NH-55 at Jindal Road, Jarapada, Jeranga and Charmal.

According to Pradhan, the proposals have been prepared by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), Sambalpur, as long-term measures to improve road safety.

The stretch witnesses substantial movement of mining and commercial vehicles, increasing the risk of conflicts between heavy traffic, local commuters and pedestrians, he said.

Flyover Sought at Sambalpur Railway Station Square

The Sambalpur MP further sought the construction of a flyover at Sambalpur City Railway Station Square on NH-53.

He pointed out that passengers using the railway station are required to cross the busy highway, creating a significant safety concern. The location has also been identified as a potential accident black spot, according to his letter.

Pradhan urged the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to consider all three proposals on priority.

He said timely implementation of the projects would help improve road safety, reduce traffic-related bottlenecks, facilitate the movement of passengers and goods, and strengthen connectivity across the region.

Trentar Signs ₹30,000 Crore ($3.3 bn) MoU with Maharashtra for 500 MW Green Integrated Data Center Park

Project marks Trentar’s entry into large-scale digital infrastructure for AI and high-performance computing; Campus to target at least 51% renewable power, backed by in-house energy storage and water-efficient cooling architecture

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Trentar Private Limited, the technology and infrastructure arm of the Dorf Ketal Group, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra for a proposed investment of ₹30,000 crore ($3.3 Bn) to develop a 500 MW Green Integrated Hyperscale Data Center project in the state.

The MoU was exchanged during the Invest Maharashtra initiative, aligned with the state’s long-term economic development vision, and was formally handed over by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis. Under the MoU, the state government will facilitate coordination on applicable permissions, registrations, approvals, clearances and incentives in accordance with prevailing policies and regulations. The project has received the state’s Letter of Intent outlining the applicable support and incentives.

Mr Subodh Menon, Group Founder and Vice Chairman, Trentar Private Limited said, “Maharashtra has laid a strong foundation for India’s digital economy, and we are proud to contribute to the State’s next phase of growth. For more than three decades, our Group has delivered complex, mission-critical infrastructure through engineering excellence and operational discipline. We will bring that experience to a modular Data Center campus built for rapid deployment and scalable growth, with sustainability, advanced technology and cost efficiency at its core.” 

The proposed investment marks a significant step into digital infrastructure for the Dorf Ketal Group. Established in 1992, Dorf Ketal has built a global specialty-chemicals business serving demanding industrial applications. Its experience in process engineering, utilities, thermal management, water treatment, energy efficiency and continuous operations provides a foundation for the proposed project.

Trentar intends to bring together capabilities across energy storage, power systems, resource management and digital technologies. The project is being designed with a target of sourcing at least 51% of its energy from renewable sources. Trentar is also evaluating treated-water reuse and water-efficient cooling options; technology choices will be determined through detailed design and feasibility studies.

The proposed facility will help meet India’s growing demand for big-data analytics, large-scale data processing, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence and machine learning. By supporting these strategically important applications, the facility will contribute to a more secure, resilient and sovereign digital infrastructure for the country.

About Trentar Private Limited

Trentar was founded in 2021 by the visionaries behind Dorf Ketal Chemicals, with a focus on new-age technologies and businesses that deliver cutting-edge solutions in AI data acquisition and analysis, zero-emission land and unmanned aerial vehicles, GIS based solutions, power solution and energy storage systems, water treatment platforms and circular economy focus. The Green Integrated Data Center will serve as the cornerstone of Trentar’s digital infrastructure platform, creating a scalable, sustainable backbone for AI, cloud, high-performance computing and data-intensive applications.

For more about us, visit us at https://trentar.com/ 

About Dorf Ketal

Founded in 1992, Dorf Ketal Chemicals develops and supplies specialty engineered chemistries for the refining, petrochemical, oil and gas, and other industrial sectors. The company serves customers across global markets, and is a global leader in most of the product segments and industries it operates in. The company has established a global footprint with more than 16 manufacturing sites around the world, and offices in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia including China and India.  

For more about us, visit us at https://dorfketal.com/ 

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30 Investors, Founders and Policymakers join DeepVerse, Startup Policy Forum’s Centre for DeepTech Innovation

• Startup Policy Forum (SPF) launches DeepVerse, its Centre for DeepTech Innovation, a multi-stakeholder platform to accelerate India’s deeptech ecosystem
• The platform features an 18-member high-powered Advisory Board comprising investors, founders, global technology firms, policymakers, government, and academia
• Ten leading VC firms come together on the platform to promote India’s deeptech ecosystem including Accel India, Lightspeed, Bessemer Venture Partners, Speciale Invest, Endiya Partners, Crane Ventures, Avaana Capital, Iron Pillar, Stride Asset Management and Beenext.
• The Centre will focus on ten deeptech sub-sectors, including semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, spacetech, quantum tech, defence tech, biotech & healthtech, cleantech & energy, drones & aerospace, electric vehicles, robotics.
• DeepVerse builds on #100DesiDeepTechs, SPF’s national initiative with MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), Startup India (DPIIT) and IIT Madras, which identified a cohort of India’s 100 leading deeptech startups in May 2026.
• DeepVerse will soon launch its extensive report to highlight policy actionables across the ten sectors

NEW DELHI, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Startup Policy Forum (SPF) today launched DeepVerse, its Centre for DeepTech Innovation. DeepVerse is a platform dedicated to bringing together startups, investors, government stakeholders, global technology companies and academia. It will accelerate India’s deeptech ecosystem through ecosystem collaboration, policy dialogue and research.

Advisory Board

DeepVerse is guided by an Advisory Board of leading investors, founders, policymakers, academics and global technology leaders, who will shape the Centre’s priorities and direction.

Advisory Board Members

Investors

• Prashanth Prakash, Partner, Accel India
• Anjali Bansal, Founding Partner, Avaana Capital
• Pankaj Mitra, Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners
• Anandamoy Roychowdhary,Managing Director, Crane Ventures
• Sateesh Andra, Managing Director, Endiya Partners
• Anand Prasanna, Managing Partner, Iron Pillar
• Hemant Mohapatra, Partner, Lightspeed
• Vishesh Rajaram, Managing Partner, Speciale Invest
• Ishpreet Singh Gandhi, Founder & CEO, Stride Asset Management

Founders

• Naman Pushp, Founder & CEO, Airbound
• Tarun Mehta, Co-founder & CEO, Ather Energy
• Pawan Chandana, Co-Founder & CEO, Skyroot Aerospace
• Anirudh Sharma, Founder& CEO, Digantara

Policy, Academia and Global Technology

• Dr. Panneerselvam Madanagopal, CEO, MeitY Startup Hub
• Dr. B. Chagun Basha, Chief Policy Adviser, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India
• Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President & CEO, Startup Policy Forum
• Dr. D. Premachandra Sagar, Pro-Chancellor, Dayananda Sagar University
• Aditi Nanda, Director of Ecosystem and Industry, Intel India

The Centre’s work spans ten focus sub-sectors: Biotech, Quantum Tech, Semiconductors, Drones, Spacetech, Defence Tech, Electric Vehicles (EV), Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics and Cleantech & Energy.

“Congratulations to Startup Policy Forum on the launch of DeepVerse, Centre for DeepTech Innovation. A strong, multi-stakeholder approach is key to growing India’s deeptech ecosystem. Great to see DeepVerse bringing together founders, investors, academia and government to take India’s deeptech ambitions forward,” said S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.

“India has the founders and, increasingly, the capital for world-class deeptech. Policy has to catch up. When companies take a decade to build, founders and investors need rules they can plan around, and a say in making them. DeepVerse institutionalises that voice,” said Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President & CEO, Startup Policy Forum.

Members

DeepVerse brings together members across three tiers, Deep Core, Deep Circle and Patrons, who will contribute industry insight to its policy consultations and help drive its ecosystem initiatives

• Deep Core: Accel, Airbound, Ather Energy, Avaana Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Cars24, Crane Ventures, Dayananda Sagar University, Digantara, Endiya Partners, Intel, Iron Pillar, Lightspeed, Speciale Invest, and Stride Asset Management 
• Deep Circle: Alteon, Aspera, Beenext, Gabit, General Autonomy, Meta, Newtrace, Pronto, River and Yulu
• Patrons: CarDekho Group, Global Education Lab, Sarvam, Scaler and SQ1

Built on #100DesiDeepTechs

DeepVerse takes forward the work of #100DesiDeepTechs, SPF’s nation-building initiative to give India’s deeptech founders a voice in policymaking. The initiative was developed with MeitY Startup Hub, Startup India (DPIIT) and IIT Madras. It was announced in July 2025 and formally launched at TiECON Delhi in October 2025.

Over the course of 8 months, SPF hosted several Deeptech Baatcheet sessions in innovation hubs including Delhi and Bengaluru. At these sessions, Advisory Board members chaired in-depth dialogues with founders on regulation, access to capital, talent and global expansion. DeepVerse gives this work a permanent home, and gives this growing cohort of Deeptech Startups a sustained voice in shaping India’s deeptech policy.

About Startup Policy Forum

Startup Policy Forum (SPF) is an independent, not-for-profit industry alliance representing 75+ of India’s leading new-age tech companies, with a combined valuation of over USD 100 billion. Its members span fintech, deeptech, consumer tech, healthtech, edtech and emerging technologies, and include Groww, Zerodha, Razorpay, Pine Labs, Sarvam, Emergent, CRED, Meesho, Invideo, Digantara, Airbound, Snabbit, Pronto, Cars24 and many others. SPF works across four pillars: policy advocacy, global visibility, community building and thought leadership.

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SWELECT Appoints Pradeep Kumar Madhur as Chief Business Officer

• Former LONGi India business leader to drive growth across EPC, IPP, solar module and channel businesses

CHENNAI, India, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SWELECT Energy Systems Limited has appointed Pradeep Kumar Madhur as Chief Business Officer (CBO), effective October 1, 2026. He will lead sales and business development across the company’s Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC), Independent Power Producer (IPP), channel and solar module businesses.

The appointment is aimed at strengthening SWELECT’s commercial strategy by bringing its key business verticals under a unified leadership structure. This will enable the company to align its sales and business development efforts across the solar value chain, offering customers an integrated portfolio spanning rooftop and ground-mounted solar projects, long-term solar power solutions and solar modules.

Madhur brings over 17 years of experience in the solar and power infrastructure sectors across India and the Asia-Pacific region. His expertise spans solar module and inverter sales, business development and market expansion. He joins SWELECT from Lerri Solar Technology India (LONGi Solar), where he served as Senior Director and Country Business Leader. During his tenure, he led a business generating over USD 1 billion annually. Under his leadership, LONGi’s India business rose from 17th position in the market to No. 1 within a year, a position it held from 2020 to 2022.

Earlier, Madhur was part of the founding team at Sungrow India, where he played a key role in establishing the company’s presence in the solar inverter market, with over 4 GW deployed during its first three years. He also held positions at Raychem RPG and Crompton Greaves, working across power systems and managing key accounts for large thermal power and high-voltage grid projects.

Commenting on the appointment, Dr. Arulkumar Shanmugasundaram, CEO and Managing Director, SWELECT Energy Systems Limited, said, “Pradeep brings significant experience in building and scaling businesses in India’s solar industry, having held leadership roles at Sungrow and LONGi. As we expand across EPC, IPP, solar modules and energy storage, strengthening our commercial leadership will be important to driving growth across these businesses and delivering greater value to customers. His experience in market development and customer engagement will support our efforts to scale our integrated solar offerings. We welcome him to SWELECT and look forward to his contribution to our next phase of growth.”

Commenting on his appointment, Pradeep Kumar Madhur said, “I am pleased to join SWELECT at an important time for India’s renewable energy sector. The company’s combination of in-house manufacturing, EPC capabilities, an IPP portfolio and four decades of expertise in power electronics provides a strong foundation for growth. I look forward to working with the team to strengthen our market presence, deepen customer relationships and deliver integrated solar solutions that meet the evolving needs of customers across the country.”

Madhur holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology and an MBA in International Business.

About SWELECT Energy Systems Ltd.

Established in 1984, as a UPS and Power Protection Systems leader, SWELECT Energy Systems Limited has emerged as a leading solar power solutions company with a robust presence in the global energy market.

SWELECT has three core businesses — IPP Business with Energy Sales to C&I and Government Customers, Ground Mounted and Rooftop EPC business, and Channel-driven product business (Home, BESS solutions) for Residential and Commercial customers.

The businesses are built on a strong manufacturing base of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Modules, Module Mounting Structures (MMS), String Combiner Boxes, ACDB, DCDB etc. With a vertically integrated manufacturing structure, all our businesses offer high-quality MADE IN SWELECT products in line with the Government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat mission.

SWELECT also carries the strong legacy of Numeric, India’s leading UPS solutions brand, under which it built deep expertise in power electronics and battery energy systems for over two decades. In 2012, the company transitioned from Numeric to SWELECT, symbolising its evolution from “Power to Energy” and establishing itself as a trusted leader in the solar energy sector. “We make every home, SMEs and C&I to save solar energy to enjoy extended green power when the sun shines and thereafter.”

For more information, please visit: www.swelectes.com 

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CreditNirvana Launches India’s First Integrated AI Suite for Voice Co-Browsing and Agentic Debt Collections Orchestration

• CognifAI Assist guides customers in the digital lending and servicing process through voice and visual co-browsing, while ORCA uses 200+ AI agents to orchestrate account-level collections.
• 60-70% of collection journeys completed autonomously without human intervention, driven by outcome-based models.

BENGALURU, India, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CreditNirvana, a Perfios company focused on agentic AI-driven debt management, today introduced ORCA and CognifAI Assist, an integrated AI suite that helps lenders collect at 40% lower cost with a 30% higher connect rate, and complete 60-70% of collection journeys autonomously without any human intervention.

As digital lending continues to accelerate, financial institutions face a persistent dual challenge of steep customer drop-off rates during complex onboarding processes like re-KYC and loan origination, paired with escalating debt collection costs caused by rigid, repetitive outreach strategies. Overcoming these hurdles has historically required costly, time-consuming core infrastructure overhauls that slow down innovation and strain operational margins.

CreditNirvana resolves this through a non-intrusive agentic AI layer that can be easily deployed over existing banking portals, mobile applications, and third-party systems without requiring core-system overhauls. CognifAI and ORCA function as AI solutions within CreditNirvana’s broader agentic portfolio, operating with its flagship debt collection platform, Maestro, to deliver targeted automation across distinct stages of the credit lifecycle.

Unlike conventional collections platforms that rely on predefined sequences of calls, messages and follow-ups, ORCA uses an agentic, contextualised and closed-loop approach to decide the next best action for each account, execute it, observe outcomes and adapt subsequent strategies.

Powered by more than 200 specialised AI agents, ORCA coordinates collections across digital, voice, calling, field and legal touchpoints. Lenders define recovery objectives and constraints, while ORCA determines account-level strategies within lender-defined compliance guardrails and with human-in-the-loop control.

Vinay Sathyanarayan, CEO of CreditNirvana, said, “The future of lending lies in making every customer interaction more contextual, efficient and seamless. With CognifAI and ORCA, we are extending the agentic AI layer across the lending lifecycle, from helping customers navigate digital journeys to enabling lenders to make more informed, account-level collections decisions leading to better collection strategy. Our focus is on combining measurable business outcomes with responsible AI deployment, customer experience and compliance guardrails.”

ORCA’s measurement framework incorporates baselines, controls and outcome attribution. Its four interconnected layers – Signals, Decision, Execution and Measurement, continuously assess borrower behaviour, delinquency, promise-keeping and channel response, real time financial data to strategize collections decisions.

Complementing ORCA, CognifAI combines an AI voice assistant capable of conversing across multiple Indian regional languages as well as global languages including Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, and Bahasa, with secure visual co-browsing to guide customers screen-by-screen through digital lending, origination, and servicing journeys. Operating as an overlay requiring no app downloads, it highlights fields, pre-fills data, and supports in-session rate and tenure negotiations within approved guardrails. To protect sensitive customer information, CognifAI incorporates end-to-end encryption and field-level data masking for PAN, OTP, and account data, enabling lenders to achieve 30% higher journey completion and 35% lower handling time.

Together, CognifAI and ORCA extend AI-led assistance and automation across customer acquisition, onboarding, servicing and collections. Built on CreditNirvana’s enterprise-grade architecture, the platform currently orchestrates over $30 billion in Assets Under Management (AUM) across 100+ million loan accounts.

By unifying real-time voice guidance with autonomous collections intelligence, CreditNirvana is setting a new operational benchmark for digital financial services. As lenders navigate evolving regulatory standards and rising customer expectations, this enterprise-grade AI suite provides a scalable, compliant foundation for institutions seeking to maximize lifetime customer value, reduce operational friction, and drive sustainable credit growth.

About CreditNirvana

CreditNirvana, a Perfios company, provides AI-driven solutions across the lending lifecycle, helping financial institutions enhance collections, improve operational efficiency and deliver more contextual borrower experiences. Its technology combines AI-led decisioning, automation and analytics to support financial institutions in managing lending and collections workflows. CreditNirvana platform currently touches over $30 billion in Assets Under Management (AUM) across 100+ million loan accounts. For more information, visit creditnirvana.ai.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/creditnirvana-launches-indias-first-integrated-ai-suite-for-voice-co-browsing-and-agentic-debt-collections-orchestration-302899564.html