Infosys names new CEO; Helping small farmers earn more

Hello,

AI is reshaping Big Tech’s next moves. Amazon is reportedly overhauling Prime Video to put AI front and centre, after founder Jeff Bezos pushed for a bigger focus on artificial intelligence. The “Lighthouse” project will introduce AI-powered recommendations, voice interactions and a redesigned homepage as Amazon looks to strengthen its AI position against rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic. 

Amazon also scored a policy win in India, with the government easing foreign investment rules to allow ecommerce companies to buy products directly from Indian sellers and export them overseas. The move, which Amazon had lobbied for, relaxes long-standing restrictions on foreign ecommerce firms and is aimed at boosting India's exports.

Meanwhile, Google has been hit with a €890 million ($1 billion) fine by European regulators for allegedly favouring its own shopping and hotel services in search results, the company’s first penalty under the EU’s Digital Markets Act. 

Separately, Google is rolling out a new selfie video verification feature to help users recover their accounts if they're locked out due to a lost device or forgotten password.

In other news, a new petition from space industry experts and environmental groups warns that proposed orbital data centres backed by companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin could release significant pollution into the atmosphere, with potentially catastrophic environmental consequences. 

The groups are urging the US Federal Communications Commission to review the plans, citing concerns that satellite and rocket re-entries release black soot, aluminium oxides and other pollutants that are accumulating in the stratosphere.

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• Infosys names new CEO
• Helping small farmers earn more

Here’s your trivia for today: Which is the best-selling desktop computer of all time?

Corporate

Infosys names new CEO

Infosys on Thursday announced the appointment of Ashiss Kumar Dash as its CEO designate. The company reported a strong start to FY27, with double-digit profit and revenue growth driven by large deal wins and rising AI demand. However, the IT major lowered its annual growth outlook slightly amid ongoing economic uncertainty.

Key takeaways: 

• Ashiss Kumar Dash will succeed Salil Parekh as CEO in April next year. A 30-plus year veteran at Infosys, Dash is now based in Los Angeles. He is currently the Executive Vice President and Global Head - services, utilities, resources, energy & enterprise sustainability.
• Infosys’ net profit rose 12.2% year-on-year to Rs 7,769 crore, while revenue increased 14% to Rs 48,211 crore, supported by broad-based growth across sectors and regions. The company secured $3.6 billion in large deals, with 61% being new business, while AI services grew to contribute 8% of revenue, reflecting strong demand for enterprise AI solutions.
• Despite strong results, Infosys trimmed FY27 revenue growth guidance to 1.5–3% due to macroeconomic challenges and client-specific pressures.

Funding Alert

Startup: BusinessNext

Amount: $40M

Round: Series C

Startup: CARPL.ai

Amount: $10M

Round: Series A

Woman Entrepreneur

Helping small farmers earn more

When Sumeet Kaur quit her corporate tax job in 2012 to grow her own food, she wasn’t planning to build a business. Today, her venture, Spudnik Farms, connects over 250 farmers with 1,200 subscribers through a community-supported agriculture model that’s making local, seasonal farming more sustainable for both growers and consumers.

Key takeaways: 

• Sumeet left her tax advisory career to pursue natural farming, turning a personal experiment into Spudnik Farms after discovering demand for her fresh, chemical-free produce.
• She adapted the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model for India by offering curated weekly vegetable baskets, ensuring farmers receive fair, predictable income while consumers get fresh, local, seasonal produce.
• Spudnik Farms now works with 250 farmers across Karnataka, pays them 20–30% above market rates, supports indigenous crops and value-added products, and has grown to over 1,200 subscribers while promoting sustainable food habits.

News & updates

• Earnings: Tesla reported weaker-than-expected second-quarter earnings, sending its shares lower in after-hours trading. The stock is now down about 14% so far this year.
• Oil prices: Oil prices hit their highest in more than a month on Thursday, rising for a ‌fifth day after Yemen's Houthis said they struck two Saudi oil tankers, widening disruption to global oil shipping through both the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. 

Which is the best-selling desktop computer of all time?

Answer: Commodore 64

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