Women building high-trust businesses; Antler India’s bet on startups

Hello,

Quantum computer hackers will likely be able to break most existing encryption systems by as early as 2029,, Google has warned. This could pose a serious threat to banks and other data sensitive organisations. 

Once considered science fiction, quantum computing is finding its way into real life. 

Elsewhere, AI models are reportedly getting deceptive. A new study has found that AI models that lie, cheat and ignore human instructions might be growing as people report of chatbots going off-course. The phenomenon of AI chatbots going astray “in the wild” as opposed to simulated lab conditions has sparked safety concerns, reports The Guardian.

Moving on, SpaceX's debut is becoming a pivotal moment for Wall Street as social media is abuzz with discussions about the company’s public foray. According to Reuters, traders are betting ‌thousands of dollars on the company's ticker–whether it will be a single letter like “X” or something along the lines of SPAX. SpaceX is yet to file paperwork for its IPO.

Lastly, technology has been accused of many things from poor posture to eyesight issues and disrupted sleep. Now, there’s another ‘problem’: wrinkles. Doomscrolling is now reportedly linked to horizontal lines on the neck, with the condition being described as “tech neck”. And, the beauty industry is selling everything from creams to rollers to cure it. 

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Women building high-trust businesses
• Antler India’s bet on startups

Here’s your trivia for today: What martial art was developed in 1882 by Japanese doctor Jigoro Kano?

SheSparks

Women building high-trust businesses

Some businesses are challenging because markets are competitive. Others are difficult because people's safety and well-being depend on them. Healthcare, aviation, and consumer hardware are industries where trust is not a brand value but a baseline requirement. The margin for error is small, capital demands are high, and credibility takes years to earn. They are also historically male-dominated spaces.

At SheSparks 2026, three founders building in these sectors—Dr Garima Sawhney of Pristyn Care; Gazal Kalra of Nuuk and previously Rivigo; and Kanika Tekriwal of JetSetGo, spoke about their journeys.

Key takeaways:

• Dr Garima Sawhney, once a surgeon, saw patients fighting not just sickness, but messy insurance and scattered care that wore out families first.
• Gazal Kalra observed that most home appliances, largely designed by men, ignored the everyday realities of women, who are often the primary users. 
• While functional, they missed real needs. Nuuk aims to change that as a design-first brand focused on simplifying everyday life across India’s diverse households.

<Top Funding of the Week>

Startup: Rocketlane

Amount: $60M

Round: Series C

Startup: Swish

Amount: $38M

Round: Series B

Startup: Fullife Healthcare

Amount: Rs 300 Cr

Round: Series D

News

Antler India’s bet on startups

Antler India, an early-stage venture capital firm, has launched Embark 3, the third edition of its flagship US market entry programme aimed at Indian founders building AI-first companies for global markets. For the first time, the programme is open beyond Antler’s portfolio, widening access to early-stage startups across India.

New shores:

• Embark 3 will see Antler lead pre-seed funding rounds of $600,000 to $800,000, with a $450,000 cheque for selected teams.
• Across its first two cohorts, Embark supported 23 AI startups from India, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
• According to Antler, the primary challenge for Indian founders entering the US is not capital but achieving product-market fit.

News & updates

• Acquisition: Novartis is US-based biotech Excellergy for up to $2 billion. The deal is expected to give the Swiss pharma giant access to a next-generation allergy treatment that may prove to work faster and better than those available in the market.
• Disruption: Oil prices were higher on Friday, as much as $111.06 per barrel, after two Chinese ships were prevented from transiting the Strait of Hormuz, indicating that Iran continues to block traffic through the vital sea route.

What martial art was developed in 1882 by Japanese doctor Jigoro Kano?

Answer: Judo

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