Bira 91’s many woes; Tech for SMBs in construction
Multiple reports have linked Bira 91’s downturn to a regulatory and operational disruption that followed a legal name change.
Hello,
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, last week, announced that tech giant Google will invest Rs 88,000 crore over three years in data centres and Artificial Intelligence projects in Vizag.
Indicating that this would be the “single largest investment” since the introduction of financial reforms in independent India, the Chief Minister called it a “gamechanger”.
Meanwhile, British business management platform Tide is investing £500 million (Rs 6,000 crore) in India over the next five years, starting 2026, creating over 800 jobs in the next 12 months.
In other news, Karnataka Information Technology Minister Priyank Kharge said the state will launch a Rs 100 crore fund to identify India’s top 50 AI companies. The minister noted that Karnataka has evolved into one of the most disruptive innovation hubs in the world, powering breakthroughs from agritech to aerospace.
Speaking of AI, the world will spend an estimated $3 trillion to $4 trillion on AI infrastructure by the end of the decade, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said during an earnings call. TechCrunch lists the mega deals shaping the future of the tech industry.
Lastly, tech billionaires are reportedly spending millions of dollars building luxury bunkers.
Should we be worried?
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
- Inside Bira 91’s many woes
- Tech for SMBs in construction
- Improving students’ soft skills
Here’s your trivia for today: What 1925 novel was originally titled “Trimalchio in West Egg”?
Startup
Inside Bira 91’s many woes
Craft beer manufacturer Bira 91’s chief executive, Ankur Jain, said he is focused on completing a fundraise and “protecting the interests” of the company and its staff, in a LinkedIn message posted on Friday.
He noted employees will be prioritised in any capital raising and that management is working to stabilise operations and restore growth. The statement comes amid a growing dispute between staff and senior management.
Hiccups:
- More than 250 employees have reportedly submitted a petition to the board and major investors seeking a leadership change and the removal of Jain. The petition cites delayed salaries, unpaid dues and alleged governance lapses as the principal grievances.
- Bira 91 has also been wrestling with financial strain. For the year ended March 2024, the parent company B9 Beverages reported revenue of about Rs 638 crore and a net loss of roughly Rs 748 crore.
- Multiple reports have linked the downturn to a regulatory and operational disruption that followed a legal name change.
SMB
Tech for SMBs in construction
India’s construction industry is largely unorganised and suffers from a supply and quality mismatch. Arisinfra Solutions, which leverages technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), aims to bring some order to this chaos.
Mumbai-headquartered Arisinfra Solutions, founded in 2021, has built a proprietary technology platform called Cara, which has digitised the entire construction materials supply chain to act as an enabler between buyers and suppliers.
Key takeaways:
- Arisinfra’s AI platform covers the entire lifecycle of the construction materials, starting from sourcing up to the point of delivery.
- According to Ronak Morbia, Chairman and Managing Director - Arisinfra Solutions, the majority of the company’s suppliers are SMBs, and they use WhatsApp to place their quotes digitally.
- Morbia says its AI platform captures all kinds of data constantly, which gives it high visibility of the entire supply chain.
Startup
Improving students’ soft skills
With AI taking over routine tasks, employees increasingly need creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and teamwork skills that machines cannot replicate. Hard skills may quickly become outdated, but soft skills remain vital for problem-solving, leadership, and career growth.
To help students prepare for the future job market, Bengaluru-based startup Oratrics aims to develop programmes for personality development and communication training.
News & updates
- Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin, the world's largest cryptocurrency by market value, extended declines on Friday after US President Donald Trump escalated his trade conflict with China. Trump on Friday said he was raising tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S. to 100% and imposing export controls on “any and all critical software”.
- Data leak: Hackers say they have leaked the personal records of five million Qantas customers on the dark web, after a ransom deadline set by the cybercriminals passed. The airline is one of more than 40 firms globally caught up in the hack, reported to contain up to one billion customer records.
What 1925 novel was originally titled "Trimalchio in West Egg"?
Answer: The Great Gatsby
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