PierSight’s ocean surveillance techniques; Building tech for metal supply chain

Hello,

For traders, studying earnings reports and macro trends is a must before investing. And some cosmic guidance, when necessary. 

Astrology is stitched into various aspects of Indian lives already, from marriage prospects to job searches. And now, more people are looking to the stars for advice on their next big stock investment, too. 

This has spurred the astrology industry to balloon to $7 billion, with the digital segment expected to grow tenfold by 2030.

In markets rife with unexpected phenomena like billion-dollar meme stock rallies and crashes, it’s no surprise people want a modicum of certainty about their investments. But why are people pouring their savings into a doughnut chain or a video game retailer?

Whether it’s to be in on a popular reference or betting on the underdog, there’s no question that meme stocks are shaking up the investment landscape.

Back home, Elevation Capital pulled further away from ixigo by paring its stake in parent company Le Travenues Technology Ltd through a transaction valued at Rs 226 crore. Its holding has now decreased from 9.04% to 6.45%. 

In other news, AI is making waves in the music industry again, this time backed by one of the biggest names in the business. 

AR Rahman is collaborating with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for his AI-driven musical project Secret Mountain, which includes a virtual global band. 

A new creative era is here. 

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• PierSight’s ocean surveillance techniques
• Building tech for metal supply chain
• An emergency delivery on the roadside

Here’s your trivia for today: Where does Hawaiian pizza originate from?

Startups

PierSight’s ocean surveillance techniques

While collaborating on a project in 2019, Vinit Bansal and Gaurav Seth noticed multiple gaps in the tracking of oceanic activities. To explore those subaquatic blind spots, the duo co-founded PierSight Space in 2023—a space tech company developing indigenous satellites to monitor maritime operations and flag illegal proceedings. 

Keeping check:

• The co-founder duo had realised that the current SAR systems—a radar imaging system that uses microwave signals to create high-resolution images of the Earth’s surface in difficult weather conditions—were not equipped for day and night surveillance. 
• PierSight has built its versions of SAR, as well as Automatic Identification System (AIS)—a tracking system used by maritime vessels to identify and locate other vessels—through advanced AI/ML models. 
• There are varied uses for this technology—from detecting oil spills to real-time monitoring of exclusive economic zones. PierSight tested both technologies through a CubeSat, launched with the help of ISRO on December 30, 2024. 

Top Funding Deals of the Week

Startup: Veranda Learning

Amount: Rs 357.42 Cr

Round: QIP

Startup: Gupshup

Amount: $60M

Round: Equity and debt

Startup: Composio

Amount: $25M

Round: Series A

Startup

Building tech for metal supply chain

India’s metal supply industry struggles with inefficiency, including manual processes, opaque pricing, delayed deliveries, and poor traceability. Pune-based Enlight Metals, a new-age metal supply aggregator, aims to change this by streamlining the metal procurement process for OEMs and fabricators. 

Founded by brothers Dhananjay Goel and Vedant Goel in 2024, Enlight Metals serves over 500 SMEs across solar, wind, cable, warehousing, infrastructure, and government sectors. 

Key takeaways:

• Starting with steel, the company aggregates supply from over 25 partner mills—including JSW, Tata, and regional manufacturers across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and UP—and delivers directly to OEMs, infrastructure developers, and public sector projects.
• Enlight Metals runs on a customised stack of Zoho Books and Zoho CRM, forming the operational core of its metal supply business. On top of this system, it has built an AI layer to automate and streamline operations.
• Completely bootstrapped so far, the startup is in talks with investors and is aiming for an IPO by 2027. It projects revenue of Rs 400 crore in FY26 and says it is already profitable.

Unsung Heroes

An emergency delivery on the roadside

In a state celebrated for its maternal health schemes and institutional delivery rates, a baby born on the roadside shouldn’t have been a news story. But when 22-year-old Lakshmi went into labour enroute to the hospital in Panchkula, Haryana, it was a team of women police officers who stepped in.

Bharat ke Innovators

The AIC-RNTU journey

In India, where innovation often clusters around metro cities, AIC-RNTU Foundation stands as a bold exception. Born out of AISECT, India’s largest social enterprise, the incubator democratises entrepreneurship across underserved regions.

Meet the Deshpande startups

With a mission rooted in local relevance and inclusive growth, Hubballi, Karnataka-headquartered Deshpande Startups is reshaping the narrative of innovation in India. 

News & updates

• No ads: Meta will end political, election, and social issue advertising on its platform in the EU in early October, blaming legal uncertainties due to new EU rules on political advertising. Its announcement echoed Alphabet unit Google’s decision from last November, underscoring Big Tech’s pushback against EU rules.
• Tool: Google is testing a vibe-coding tool called Opal, available to users in the US through Google Labs, which the company uses as a base to experiment with new tech. Opal lets you create mini web apps using text prompts, or you can remix existing apps available in a gallery. 
• Gloomy forecast: Intel shares sank 8% on Friday after the company warned of exiting chip manufacturing if it fails to secure a major customer, a potentially drastic move by the new CEO to cut spending and revive the struggling American icon.

Where does Hawaiian pizza originate from?

Answer: Ontario, Canada. 

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