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  • Pronto Secures $25 Million in Series B Funding for Expansion of On-Demand Home Services

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Home services startup Pronto has secured $25 million in its Series B funding round led by Epiq Capital. This investment round also saw continued support from existing investors Glade Brook Capital, General Catalyst, and Bain Capital Ventures.

    The latest funding follows a $11 million Series A round raised by Pronto just six months ago. The newly acquired capital will be used to enhance operations, including hiring and training more professionals, and expanding services across its current markets over the next 12 to 18 months.

    Established in 2025 by Anjali Sardana, Pronto specializes in offering 10-minute on-demand home services, connecting urban households with verified domestic workers. Services range from basic chores like sweeping, mopping, and laundry assistance to kitchen and bathroom cleaning, accessible through instant, scheduled, or recurring bookings.

    Operating primarily in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, Pronto has experienced significant growth, with daily bookings increasing from 1,000 to over 18,000 in just seven months. The startup collaborates with nearly 3,000 professionals and maintains a core team of around 60 employees. Pronto recently relocated its headquarters to Bengaluru, while retaining customer support functions in Gurugram.

    Competing in the instant home services sector against platforms like Snabbit and Urban Company’s Insta Help, Pronto’s latest funding positions it for market expansion and service enhancement.

    Source: Entrackr : Latest Posts

  • Anthropic’s AI Platform Claude Experiences Second Outage in 24 Hours, Impacting Users Globally

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Anthropic’s AI platform, Claude, encountered its second outage within a day, affecting users worldwide. The disruption impacted over 4,000 users in the US and approximately 300 users in India, primarily affecting the Claude chat functionality along with the app and website. Anthropic is actively investigating the root cause of this issue to restore normal service promptly.

    This incident underscores the importance of robust infrastructure and redundancy mechanisms in AI systems that serve a global user base. The reliance on Claude for various tasks highlights the need for rapid response and resolution to technical challenges to minimize disruptions for users and maintain trust in AI-powered services.

    Source: Tech-Economic Times

  • OpenAI’s Pentagon Deal Raises Ethical Concerns in AI Industry

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    OpenAI, a prominent player in the artificial intelligence field, faced criticism after CEO Sam Altman acknowledged a rushed deal with the Pentagon. This led to perceptions of the company being ‘opportunistic and sloppy’ in its approach. Altman admitted the misstep but highlighted that the contract has since been revised to prohibit domestic surveillance and intelligence agency utilization without contract modifications.

    This response came following Anthropic’s refusal of unrestricted military applications, triggering debate on supply chain risks and ethical considerations in the AI industry. The incident has raised concerns over the need for more rigorous ethical frameworks and oversight when AI companies engage with government and military entities.

    Source: Tech-Economic Times

  • Artium Academy Secures Significant Funding to Expand Online Music Learning Platform

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Artium Academy, an online music learning platform, is set to raise Rs 19.2 crore (approximately $2.13 million) in its Series A round. The investment will be led by Jejurikar Longevity Trust, with participation from Savitha Ramesh and existing investor Chiratae Ventures. The funding will be used for business expansion, growth initiatives, and general corporate purposes, as confirmed by the company’s filing with the Registrar of Companies (RoC).

    Founded in 2020 by Ashish Joshi, Vivek Raicha, and Nithya Sudhir, Artium Academy offers personalized 1:1 live music classes in vocal and instrumental categories. The platform leverages technology to provide structured music education to its users.

    With this latest funding, Artium Academy’s valuation is projected to surge over 4 times to approximately Rs 375 crore (about $41.2 million) from its previous valuation of Rs 90 crore during its earlier funding round in 2022. The allocation of shares will result in Jejurikar Longevity Trust holding 2.65%, Savitha Ramesh 6.75%, Chiratae Ventures 18.28%, and the company’s co-founders retaining a collective 39.48% stake.

    In the fiscal year 2025, the company reported a notable increase in operating revenue to Rs 27.77 crore from Rs 18.96 crore in the previous year. However, the net loss also saw a rise of 13.8% to Rs 21.55 crore compared to Rs 18.94 crore in the prior period.

    Source: Entrackr : Latest Posts

  • US Military Leverages Anthropic’s AI Technology in Iran Airstrike Despite Planned Phase-Out

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    In a recent development, the U.S. government employed AI tools developed by Anthropic during an airstrike on Iran, shortly after announcing plans to discontinue the use of the technology from the AI startup. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Anthropic’s Claude AI was utilized by various military commands, including U.S. Central Command in the Middle East, to support intelligence assessments, target identification, and simulation of battle scenarios during the Iran attack.

    Prior to this incident, Anthropic’s AI had also been involved in the Pentagon’s operation to capture the Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, highlighting its growing significance in military operations. The decision to phase out the technology was attributed to concerns over the use of Claude in critical missions, prompting the U.S. administration to initiate a six-month transition period away from Anthropic’s products.

    The dispute between the U.S. and Anthropic revolves around AI safety concerns, with disagreements arising over the permissible applications of the company’s AI models in national defense. Anthropic has contested the U.S. classification of the company as a ‘supply chain risk’ and vowed to challenge this designation in court, emphasizing restrictions on mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons in the use of their AI technology.

    Source: mint – technology

  • Home Services Startup Pronto Secures $25 Million to Expand Tech-Driven Operations

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Home services startup Pronto has secured $25 million in its Series B funding round, with Epiq Capital leading the investment to support the company’s technology-driven operations.

    Founded in 2025, Pronto connects urban households with verified domestic workers through its app, facilitating quick and reliable home services. The startup has witnessed a significant surge in daily bookings, growing from 1,000 to over 18,000 in just seven months.

    With a focus on expanding its presence in cities like Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, Pronto plans to utilize the fresh capital to grow its workforce, enhance service quality, and diversify its offerings over the next 18 months.

    Pronto’s model ensures fixed shifts, predictable pay, and reliable support for workers, offering households a seamless booking experience for services ranging from sweeping and mopping to laundry assistance. The startup’s strategic relocation of its headquarters to Bengaluru’s tech hub highlights its commitment to leveraging technological advancements and tapping into local talent pools for sustainable growth.

    Source: Inc42 Media

  • Macquarie Group and Gabia Invest $410 Million in South Korean Data Center Expansion

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Macquarie Group and Gabia have announced a joint investment of $410 million over the next four to six years to expand a data center platform in South Korea. The collaboration aims to increase the platform’s capacity by more than 100 megawatts, spanning strategic urban and rural locations across the country.

    This substantial financial commitment underscores the growing importance of data infrastructure in the tech landscape, particularly in regions like South Korea where the demand for robust data centers continues to surge. By expanding data center capacity, Macquarie Group and Gabia are poised to meet the escalating needs of businesses and consumers for reliable, high-performance data storage and processing facilities.

    South Korea’s emergence as a key player in the data center sector is further solidified by this significant investment, signaling a strategic move to strengthen the country’s technological infrastructure. This infusion of capital is expected to drive innovation, foster economic growth, and enhance the digital ecosystem in South Korea, ultimately benefiting a wide array of industries reliant on seamless data operations.

    Source: Tech-Economic Times

  • India’s AI Ecosystem Sees Massive $240 Billion Investment at 2026 Summit

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Leading companies, including Reliance Industries, Adani Enterprises, Google, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Tata Group, have collectively pledged $240 billion during the India AI Impact Summit 2026. The substantial investment, with over $200 billion earmarked for AI infrastructure, hardware, and applications, signals a significant push towards advancing artificial intelligence technologies.

    The summit, which attracted 6 lakh attendees from 100 countries, showcased a strong commitment to bolstering India’s AI capabilities. Key initiatives include the expansion of the IndiaAI Mission GPUs, aimed at enhancing sovereign compute capacity and fortifying the national AI infrastructure.

    This influx of capital from top investors underscores the growing importance of AI in driving technological innovation and economic growth on a global scale. The funding commitments are poised to fuel groundbreaking developments in AI research, development, and implementation, potentially shaping the future of various industries.

    Source: Tech-Economic Times

  • Anthropic’s AI Chatbot Claude Faces Service Disruptions in Indian Cities

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    Anthropic’s AI chatbot, Claude, encountered service disruptions in cities like Delhi and Mumbai on Monday, as reported by Downdetector, a platform monitoring such issues through user feedback.

    The issues were primarily related to Claude.ai and the login/logout paths, while the Claude API itself remained operational. In response to the problem, Anthropic stated, “We have identified that the Claude API is working as intended. We are continuing to investigate this issue with Claude.ai.” Users in cities such as Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Hyderabad were impacted, as per Downdetector reports.

    The service disruption coincides with recent political developments. The Trump administration directed US government agencies to cease using Anthropic’s AI systems, leading to a public disagreement over AI safety standards. President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized Anthropic for not granting the military full access to its AI tools. Anthropic, in turn, contested the administration’s actions, describing them as unprecedented and legally flawed.

    Despite the challenges, the prominence of Claude was evident as it topped the App Store charts while users boycotted an OpenAI deal. The clash between Anthropic and the US government underscores the growing importance of AI regulation and national security concerns.

    Source: mint – technology

  • Electric Two-Wheeler Market Faces Challenges as Registrations Decline

    This article was generated by AI and cites original sources.

    The electric two-wheeler (E2W) market in India has witnessed a significant decline in registrations, signaling shifts in the e-mobility landscape. According to Vahan data, the overall E2W registrations decreased by 9% in February, with Ola Electric experiencing a 47% drop in sales compared to January.

    Ola Electric, once a leading player in the market, has now fallen to the sixth position in market share, trailing behind Greaves Electric Vehicles. Despite the launch of the ‘Ola Insiders’ program to enhance customer benefits, the brand faced an over 84% sales drop year-over-year, primarily due to concerns over after-sales services.

    While TVS Motor retained its top position in E2W sales, recording a 9% decrease in registrations, Bajaj Auto is gradually narrowing the gap by only experiencing a slight 1.5% decline in February registrations. Ather Energy, the third-largest E2W manufacturer, also saw a 7% month-over-month decrease in sales.

    This downward trend reflects the mounting pressure on EV makers in India, following a period of growth supported by subsidies and increasing interest in electric vehicles. As the market continues to evolve, companies will need to focus on enhancing customer trust and service quality to navigate these challenging times.

    Source: Inc42 Media