Advancing women’s reproductive rights; CENT opens flagship centre in Bengaluru

Hello,

IT services exporter Infosys has beaten market expectations, reporting over 20% increase in net profit in Q4 FY26. Despite headwinds from the conflict in West Asia, the company saw growth largely driven by artificial intelligence. 

Meanwhile, the West Asia crisis has luxury company LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault worried. He has warned of “world catastrophe” if the conflict is not resolved, CNBC reported. His comments came after the war slowed demand in the first three months of the year, halving the luxury giant’s sales growth. LVMH isn’t alone, Gucci-owner Kering and Hermes have also seen sales being affected by the war. 

In other news. Amazon India said it will invest over Rs 2,800 crore ($300 million)  in 2026 to strengthen associate safety, health, and financial well-being, while expanding its operations network across the country. The investment comes as part of the company’s broader commitment to invest over $35 billion in India by 2030, with a focus on AI-led digitisation, export growth, and job creation.

ICYMI: Extreme heat, hazardous environments and a lack of real-time safety monitoring affects the lives of millions of industrial workers in India. Hyderabad-based Jarsh Safety uses technology to mitigate these risks. 

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Advancing women’s reproductive rights
• CENT opens flagship centre in Bengaluru 

Here’s your trivia for today: Captain James Cook discovered what country in 1769 and claimed it for Great Britain?

Social impact

Advancing women’s reproductive rights

The reproductive health landscape in India reflects a paradox: strong policy progress but unequal access.

Over the past decade, the maternal mortality rate in India has decreased and institutional deliveries have increased, driven by public health programmes and a more progressive legal framework, such as the amendment of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971.

However, the situation on the ground remains uneven.

Key takeaways:

• Foundation for Reproductive Health Services India (FRHS) works to bridge the gap between rights and access, expanding contraceptive choices, improving the availability of safe abortion services, and strengthening public health systems in partnership with governments.
• Founded in 2009 as an NGO, FRHS India is an affiliate of the global not-for-profit MSI Reproductive Choices, which operates in 37 countries.
• It primarily operates in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, with earlier operations in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

<Funding alert>

Startup: LightFury

Amount: $11M

Round: Pre-Series A

Startup: STCH

Amount: $5.5M

Round: Pre-Series A

Healthcare

CENT opens flagship centre in Bengaluru

CENT, a preventive healthcare startup founded by founder of healthtech platform Practo Shashank ND, has launched its first clinical prevention centre in Bengaluru.

This launch marks the company's entry into owned infrastructure aimed at standardising AI-driven early disease detection across India.

Key takeaways:

• The 7,000 sq. ft. facility in Bengaluru, positioned as a single-purpose prevention centre, is designed to detect life-threatening conditions in asymptomatic individuals.
• At the core of the offering is CENT’s proprietary CCNM Protocol, covering cardiac, cancer, neurological, and metabolic screening.
• Each session combines whole-body MRI, ultra-low-dose cardiac CT, DEXA scans, ECG, and more than 120 blood and biomarker tests.

News & updates

• Corporate: British energy major BP suffered a shareholder revolt at its annual general meeting on Thursday, following a tense clash with investors over corporate governance and climate transparency.
• Worker rally: Thousands of workers at Samsung Electronics have signalled during a protest rally that they are prepared to walk off the job for an 18-day strike next month. The issue is likely to compound the ongoing memory chip shortage. 

Captain James Cook discovered what country in 1769 and claimed it for Great Britain?

Answer: New Zealand

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