ElasticRun’s playbook for last-mile delivery; Making job applications faster, smarter

Hello,

Is demand for AI slowing down? 

No, say executives of AI companies, dismissing fears and concerns over global demand weakening in the wake of volatility surrounding chip stocks. However, they admit businesses are being more cautious about the cost of AI and are increasingly looking at the return on investment, as they move towards “valuemaxxing”. 

But none of these will affect demand for compute and infrastructure, they emphasise. If that’s the case, software engineers have no choice but to adapt to AI.

In other news, economists have cautioned that a ‘super’ or ‘Godzilla’ El Niño weather cycle this year could severely impact global food prices, and the shock could last well into 2028. Super El Niño is an exceptionally strong phase of the naturally occurring El Niño-Southern Oscillation climate pattern. Households around the world are already feeling the pinch of rising cost of living, and an extreme El Niño could make things worse. 

Moving on, how good are you at spotting AI-generated images? It used to be easy earlier—there were dead giveaways—but now AI has become smarter and is making fewer blunders. Then how do you identify AI deepfakes? What should you watch out for? This article gives a few pointers. 

Lastly, find out how a global whey shortage is rewriting India’s protein market playbook. As whey—considered the gold standard of protein—becomes scarcer and more expensive globally, consumers are looking for alternatives and brands are reworking products. 

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• ElasticRun’s playbook for last-mile delivery
• Making job applications faster, smarter

Here’s your trivia for today: Which cosmetics brand has an augmented reality app called ‘Modiface’?

In-focus

ElasticRun’s playbook for last-mile delivery

ElasticRun has not just taken last-mile delivery for logistics beyond the metros and into hinterlands of the country but also built a tech platform that is accessible to anyone. Its 50,000-strong partner network can use its services entirely using just a smartphone. 

Founded in 2016 by Sandeep Deshmukh, Saurabh Nigam and Shitiz Bansal, ElasticRun has been able to synchronise the three pillars of any logistics network: real estate, transportation and vehicles onto a technology platform that has enabled it to scale to over 1,000 fulfillment centres spread across the country.

Quick and easy: 

• The startup has rewritten the rulebook of logistics as it no longer depends on a hub-and-spoke model—where products are consolidated in a central facility and moved to regional nodes—and has instead created a network that fulfills deliveries faster.
• This nimbleness has helped it adapt to a quick delivery model. “Anyone who wants to launch quick commerce can ride on top of our existing logistics network to park their inventory with us and then reach their customers in a very short span of time," says the co-founder Deshmukh. 
• ElasticRun, a unicorn, has raised 462 million in funding from investors such as SoftBank, Prosus and Avataar Ventures. It has a wide range of customers including Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Ikea, Supertails, Croma, and Mokobara.

ICYMI

Making job applications faster, smarter

Y Combinator-backed AI-powered platform Tsenta helps candidates apply to hundreds of roles in Fortune 500 companies in minutes, while tailoring resumes and cover letters for each job.

While Tsenta primarily serves US-based customers, the startup also supports job seekers in India.

Key takeaways: 

• The application process on Tsenta is fairly simple. A candidate uploads their resume, the team asks about five questions, and uses these answers to show relevant jobs. Once they click ‘apply’ on a job, Tsenta automatically tailors their profile, and applies to these jobs.
• Tsenta is designed to avoid over-automation. Instead of rewriting resumes wholesale, the platform tailors them only as much as a specific role needs. 
• The Indianapolis-based startup recently received $500,000 in backing from Y Combinator.

News & updates

• Carbon footprint: Microsoft, Amazon and Google’s collective carbon emissions have increased by nearly a fifth in the past year, driven largely by data centre construction. In the financial year ending March 2026, the three tech companies emitted 119m mTCO₂e (metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent), or about a third of those of France, The Guardian reported. 
• Casino crackdown: The United Kingdom is set to crack down on unlicensed casinos sponsoring British football teams, amid criticism that a delay to the proposals has opened the door for offshore gambling firms to strike lucrative deals with Premier League clubs.

What you should watch out for

• Get ready for the ultimate showdown of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with the semi finals and final set to take place next week. Justin Bieber will co-headline the  FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Halftime Show with Madonna, Shakira and BTS on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium. 
• Top companies including HCLTech, Reliance Industries, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, and Netflix will report their quarterly earnings in the coming week. 

Which cosmetics brand has an augmented reality app called ‘Modiface’?

Answer: L’Oréal

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