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• French luxury group Kering buys sun lens maker Lenti from Italy's Safilo

  Kering Eyewear will acquire Lenti, an Italian sunglass lens maker, from Safilo. This move aims to strengthen Kering's supply chain control. Lenti specializes in lens moulding and surface treatments. The deal follows Kering Eyewear's recent acquisitions of Visard and a stake in Mistral. Safilo has renewed its supply agreement with Kering Eyewear until 2029.

  

• Troubled Byju’s Forced to Sell US Assets Epic and Tynker for a Song

  Byju's is divesting its US assets at significantly reduced prices due to creditor pressure amid bankruptcy proceedings. Tynker was sold to CodeHS for $2.2 million, a fraction of the $200 million Byju's paid. TAL Education Group acquired Epic for $95 million, far less than Byju's $500 million investment. Osmo is also up for auction.

  

• ChatGPT faces global outage; India, US most affected

  OpenAI's ChatGPT faced a significant global disruption on Tuesday. Thousands of users across continents, including India and the United States, were unable to access the service. Downdetector reported a surge in complaints, with many users facing unresponsive chatbots and network errors. OpenAI acknowledged the issue, confirming that both ChatGPT and Sora were affected. The company is investigating the problem.

  

• Siddhesh Pednekar appointed partner and chief operating officer at BombayDC

  Siddhesh Pednekar has been named partner and chief operating officer at BombayDC, acknowledging his ten years of service and significant contributions to the company's growth. In his new role, Pednekar will manage both BombayDC and Branded businesses, leveraging his 15 years of experience in the digital, brand, and marketing sectors. His appointment reflects BombayDC's commitment to promoting leadership from within.

  

• Meta opening AI lab to build 'Superintelligence'

  Meta has tapped Alexandr Wang, 28, the founder and CEO of AI startup Scale AI, to join the new lab, the people said, and has been in talks to invest billions of dollars in his company as part of a deal that would also bring other Scale AI employees to the company.

  

• Google offers voluntary exit to US staff, including search and ad teams

  Google has offered voluntary exit packages to US-based staff across several divisions, including knowledge and information (K&I), central engineering, marketing, research, and communications. The K&I unit, which includes search and ads, employs around 20,000 people. This follows recent layoffs in other units such as the global business unit.

  

• TrueAlt gets OMC status, plans 100 retail outlets

  TruAlt Bioenergy gains approval as an oil marketing company. The company plans to launch 100 retail outlets. These outlets will be located in north Karnataka and south Maharashtra. Vijay Nirani shares the company's plan to offer petrol, diesel, E93, bio-CNG, EV charging, and battery swapping. The company sees opportunities in India's ethanol-blended petrol program.

  

• IPG begins workforce restructuring in India

  Ahead of its $13-billion global merger with Omnicom Group, Interpublic Group (IPG) has initiated workforce restructuring in India, impacting corporate functions like finance and HR. While aiming to protect creative teams, consolidation may lead to role redundancies and potential brand divestitures due to client conflicts. IPG Mediabrands India, however, is not currently downsizing.

  

• Valley Makes Mayday Call as Tourism Tanks

  Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir faces a standstill after the Pahalgam attack. Airlines and hotels request government support to recover. They propose fee waivers and financial relief. Occupancy rates have plummeted, and discounts are offered. Airlines reduced flights to Srinagar. The industry seeks interest waivers on loans and electricity bill relief. The aim is to revive the struggling tourism sector.

  

• Cheil X appoints Souvik Datta as national creative director

  Cheil X, a part of the Cheil SWA group, has appointed Souvik Datta as its national creative director to enhance its creative leadership. Datta, formerly with McCann Worldgroup, will co-lead the creative function alongside Amit Nandwani.

  

• Centre may Crack Down on Dark Side of Qcomm Stores

  The Centre is likely to increase surveillance on rapid delivery services. This action follows rising concerns about hygiene at dark stores. Food and health watchdogs have flagged these issues. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India will lead the campaign. They plan unscheduled checks at dark stores and storage facilities.

  

• BigBasket to launch 10-minute food delivery across India by March 2026, executive says

  BigBasket, backed by Tata, plans to launch 10-minute food delivery nationwide by fiscal 2026, intensifying competition in the quick-commerce sector. Aiming to rival Swiggy's Snacc and Blinkit's Bistro, BigBasket will leverage its dark stores, increasing them to 1,000-1,200 by 2025. Following a Bengaluru pilot, the service expands to 40 dark stores by July-end, featuring Starbucks and Qmin.

  

• GOPIZZA bets big on India: Introduces 2 new brands, puts in Rs 25 cr fresh investment to hit 100 stores

  Global GOPIZZA plans significant expansion in India. The company will invest an additional twenty-five crore rupees. It aims to increase its stores to one hundred by year's end. GOPIZZA introduces Gochujang, a Korean street food restaurant, in Bengaluru. The company plans to launch one hundred outlets across its brands by fiscal year 2026. Expansion includes Delhi NCR, Pune and Ahmedabad.

  

• Google in Mexico faces major potential fine as antitrust ruling nears

  Mexico's antitrust body will decide soon if Google created an illegal monopoly in digital advertising. Google might face a large fine if found guilty. The investigation started in 2020. Google presented its defense. A ruling against Google would mirror similar legal issues in the United States. The US also alleges Google holds an unlawful monopoly in online search and advertising.

  

• Ranveer Singh-backed Bold Care enters pleasure product category; targets 2.5x revenue growth in FY26

  Backed by Ranveer Singh, Bold Care has expanded into the pleasure category with its Bloom line, targeting 25,000 monthly sales within a year. The company, which hit Rs 100 crore in revenue, anticipates 150% growth in FY26, driven by Bloom's rapid success. Quick commerce and online marketplaces contribute significantly to sales, with the company investing in further product development.

  

• Paramount to lay off 3.5% of US staff in latest job cut, memo shows

  Paramount Global is implementing another round of layoffs, impacting 3.5% of its U.S. workforce, as revealed in an internal memo. This decision follows previous cuts and reflects the challenges posed by declining cable TV subscriptions and the shift towards streaming services. The company is also awaiting regulatory approval for its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media.

  

• Why tier 2 & tier 3 cities are driving tech sales in India

  
  A number of factors drive this change—including urbanization, increasing disposable incomes, and rising digital adoption. But there is more to it than meets the eye. The transformation of these markets is not only about numbers, but also about aspirations, accessibility, and shifting lifestyles. Let's see why Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are quickly becoming the driver of India's consumer tech growth.

  

• Apple, Samsung to help India buck global smartphone slowdown: Counterpoint

  India is poised to capture 20% of global smartphone manufacturing by 2025, driven by exports from Apple and Samsung, potentially defying market trends. Ongoing investments and improved domestic capabilities are fueling this growth. While global output may dip slightly due to tariffs, India and Vietnam are expected to benefit as manufacturers diversify away from China.

  

• Disney to pay almost $439 million to take full control of streaming service Hulu

  Disney will pay NBCUniversal nearly $439 million for its Hulu stake, securing full control after an appraisal process. This acquisition, expected to close by July 24, allows Disney to integrate Hulu's content with Disney+ and ESPN's direct-to-consumer service. Disney CEO Bob Iger expressed satisfaction with the resolution and anticipates an unrivaled value for consumers.

  

• 10-minute delivery boom fuels hyperlocal warehousing surge in urban and tier-2 India

  India's booming quick-commerce is driving unprecedented demand for small, hyperlocal warehouses, converting underutilized urban spaces into micro-fulfillment hubs. This surge is transforming urban logistics, impacting rental dynamics, and expanding into Tier-2 cities. Companies are prioritizing speed and location, leading to innovative real estate repurposing and significant growth in the sector.