Transforming early learning in India; Captain Fresh acquires Frime
Merlia Shaukath founded the Madhi Foundation in 2016 to improve primary education in India. Bengaluru-based Captain Fresh has acquired Spain’s sustainable tuna processor Frime, expanding its portfolio and European reach.
Hello,
Crypto markets bounced back on Wednesday after a volatile stretch triggered by Middle East tensions. Bitcoin surged up to 5.7%, briefly topping $71,890, while Ether rose 6.3% to $2,092, creating a sea of green across digital assets.
The rebound follows a weekend selloff after the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, during which Bitcoin fell as low as $63,038. Investor confidence returned quickly, with US spot Bitcoin ETFs drawing over $680 million in inflows earlier this week.
In AI news, OpenAI updated its flagship model with GPT‑5.3 Instant, making conversations smoother, more accurate, and better contextualised. The update focuses on tone, relevance, and flow—cutting unnecessary caveats and dead ends—to make ChatGPT feel more consistently helpful.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi is trialing humanoid robots in its electric vehicle (EV) factories. According to president Lu Weibing, two robots can complete 90% of assembly tasks in just three hours, including installing nuts and moving materials. They can even keep up with the line pace, where a new car rolls off every 76 seconds.
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
- Transforming early learning in India
- Captain Fresh acquires Frime
Here’s your trivia for today: What is the world’s fastest growing plant?
Education
Transforming early learning
Raised in Chennai in a family rooted in entrepreneurship and social impact, Merlia Shaukath grew up seeing public purpose as a way of life. After studying at the London School of Economics and the University of Oxford, she returned to India to work in education reform. In 2016, she founded Madhi Foundation to strengthen primary education policy and practice.
Driving change:
- Madhi Foundation works at the intersection of policy and implementation, partnering with the Tamil Nadu government to drive foundational learning reform at scale—reaching 37,000 schools through the Ennum Ezhuthum Mission and improving learning outcomes, teacher coaching coverage, and textbook delivery.
- What began as small pilots in Chennai evolved into a long-term, statewide systems approach, adapting to rural realities and focusing on sustainable, incremental change across governance, curriculum, teacher training, and state–district coordination.
- The programme has improved learning outcomes, teacher support, and classroom experiences while inspiring teacher and student engagement.
Acquisition
Captain Fresh acquires Frime
Bengaluru-based global packaged seafood company Captain Fresh has completed the acquisition of Frime, a sustainable tuna processor based in Spain. The move broadens the company’s portfolio and deepens its European footprint.
Key takeaways:
The acquisition gives Captain Fresh a strong position in yellowfin tuna, complementing its crustacean and salmon businesses and consolidating all three major seafood categories under one global platform.
Frime operates four production sites with seven factories and 20 production lines, producing significant volumes of frozen, fresh, and semi-preserved tuna.
Both companies see the acquisition as a way to accelerate international expansion. Captain Fresh can scale Frime’s tuna in the US, while Frime benefits from global reach and technology support.
News & updates
- Defence: Following the Trump administration’s decision to blacklist Anthropic and label its technology a supply chain risk, defence tech companies are instructing employees to stop using Claude and switch to other AI models.
- Shares: Indian shares extended losses on Wednesday as Middle East tensions pushed oil prices higher, stoking inflation fears. The Nifty 50 fell 1.55% to a six-month low of 24,480.50, while the BSE Sensex dropped 1.4% to an 11-month low of 79,116.19. The rupee also hit a record low and bonds slid.
- Tariffs: US President Donald Trump’s 15% global tariff, up from 10%, is expected to take effect this week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, adding that US tariffs could return to pre-Supreme Court levels by August.
What is the world’s fastest growing plant?
Answer: Bamboo
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