Lighthouse Canton Closes ₹1,050M Private Credit Deal with Emerald Leisures via LC Luminere Fund

Lighthouse Canton, a global investment institution with over USD 6 billion in assets under management, has successfully closed an INR 1,050 million private credit investment in Emerald Leisures Limited through its India-based Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), the LC Luminere Credit Fund, and affiliate entities. Emerald Leisures is a BSE-listed leisure and hospitality company that owns and operates Club Emerald, a well-established premium multi-sport, hospitality and recreational destination in Mumbai.

The transaction underscores continued momentum in deal activity for Lighthouse Canton India's Credit Alternatives business and the LC Luminere Credit Fund.

The investment provides long-term capital to support Emerald Leisures' strategic growth initiatives. Structured as secured non-convertible debentures, the facility has been designed around the company's operating cashflows and is supported by a comprehensive security package comprising hard-asset collateral, escrowed cashflows, promoter support and identified liquidity events.

"We are pleased to partner with Lighthouse Canton on this important transaction. The structured credit solution has provided us with the flexibility to accelerate our growth while preserving our long-term strategic vision. More than just capital, it offers a financing structure that supports sustainable growth and positions us to capitalize on future opportunities," said, Jaydeep Vinod Mehta, Group Chairman, Techno Group (parent company of Emerald Leisures Limited). 

The transaction further strengthens Lighthouse Canton's track record of delivering bespoke structured financing solutions for established Indian businesses. Through its India private credit platform, the organisation continues to partner with businesses and promoters by providing flexible capital solutions tailored to their strategic financing requirements across sectors.

Commenting on the deal, Pranob Gupta, Managing Director, Business Head - India Alternatives (Credit & Hybrid Strategies) at Lighthouse Canton, said, "We see a significant opportunity in private credit for mid-market companies, particularly in deals in the INR 100-500 crore range, where we can achieve superior risk-adjusted returns backed by strong security structures with hard assets."

Lighthouse Canton's Asset Management business works closely with ultra-high net worth individuals, family offices, institutional investors and global investors, and has strong internal capabilities across private credit, growth debt, venture capital, real estate private equity, public equities and global macro hedge fund strategies. The investment team has internal capabilities across the private credit segment and runs private market funds spanning senior secured lending, structured credit and special situations strategies, of which the LC Luminere Credit Fund, a SEBI-registered Category II Alternative Investment Fund, forms a part. Lighthouse Canton's private credit strategies are supported by an extensive origination network, with access to over 500 issuer relationships and 1,000-plus promoter families, enabling a strong pipeline of proprietary deal flow across sectors.

About Lighthouse Canton

Lighthouse Canton is a global investment institution with wealth and asset management capabilities. The organisation employs experienced professionals across its offices in Singapore, Dubai, India, and London, and currently oversee over US$ 6 bn worth of assets under management (as of 31st March 2026). Lighthouse Canton creates value through innovative investment solutions for accredited private clients, institutional investors, and an ecosystem of founders and entrepreneurs globally.

Lighthouse Canton’s Asset Management business comprises strong internal product capabilities in hedge funds, private equity, traditional fundamental analysis, investing through multiple strategies in real estate private equity, private credit, venture capital, growth debt, public equities, and global macros.


Its Wealth Management business caters to accredited investors including corporates, ultra-high net worth individuals, families and family offices, founders, and entrepreneurs, to help with their personal and business investments, estates, and philanthropic needs, providing them with tailored investment advisory, portfolio management, treasury, business, and family office solutions.

Its advisory and capital solutions business serves families and family-owned enterprises and early to late-stage corporates with strategic and M&A advisory, restructuring and refinancing, and strategic capital solutions. The business provides tailored financing solutions across the capital structure with varying degrees of complexity along with bespoke lending solutions designed to address sophisticated capital needs.

Lighthouse Canton Pte Ltd is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (“MAS”). Lighthouse Canton Capital (DIFC) Pte Ltd is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (“DFSA”). It is also registered in GIFT City IFSC, operating under IFSCA regulation. LC Capital India Pte Ltd is regulated by Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”). Lighthouse Canton UK Limited is regulated by Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”).

Amazon Bets Big on India: $48B Investment to Fuel AI, Jobs, and Exports

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy reaffirmed the company’s long‑term commitment to India, announcing a massive $48 billion investment through 2030. This expansion underscores India’s growing importance in Amazon’s global strategy, spanning ecommerce, cloud, AI, and entertainment.

The announcement was made during Amazon CEO's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday in New Delhi.

The latest investment makes Amazon one of the largest global AI and cloud infrastructure investors in India, in addition to being the largest foreign investor in India, the largest enabler of ecommerce exports and one of the biggest job creators in the country.

Strategic Alignment with India’s Priorities

• Leadership Recognition: Jassy thanked Prime Minister Modi for his vision of a Viksit and Atmanirbhar Bharat, aligning Amazon’s priorities with national goals.
• Digital Empowerment: Since its entry, Amazon has digitized 12 million small businesses, enabled $20 billion in exports, and supported 2.8 million jobs.
• AI & Cloud Expansion: Amazon plans to invest $21 billion in AI and cloud infrastructure, strengthening AWS regions in Mumbai and Hyderabad.

Key Impact Metrics

Focus Area	Achievements	2030 Targets
Small Businesses	12M digitized	15M enabled with AI benefits
Exports	$20B cumulative	$80B cumulative
Jobs	2.8M supported	3.8M pledged
Cloud Skills	10M trained	AI education for 4M students

AI & Cloud Infrastructure Push

• Advanced Tech: AWS regions in Mumbai and Hyderabad will host Trainium chips and Amazon Bedrock for scalable AI workloads.
• Enterprise Adoption: Leading firms like Axis Bank, Delhivery, and Physics Wallah already leverage AWS for AI deployment.
• Developer Tools: Platforms like Amazon Kiro and Quick empower rapid AI innovation across India.

Welfare Initiatives: ‘Sammaan’ Program

• Delivery Associates: Scholarships, insurance, and financial inclusion programs enhance welfare.
• Rest Centers: Expansion of Ashray centers to 250 locations for delivery associates.
• Investment: $300M allocated to operations and associate well‑being.

Amazon.in: India’s Most Loved Marketplace

• Customer Reach: Trusted by 100M+ customers and 1.7M sellers, with strong growth in Tier 2 & 3 cities.
• Prime Membership: Expected to double in 2026, with 70% of new members from non‑metro regions.
• Prime Video: India’s largest streaming service for originals, driving new sign‑ups nationwide.

The Big Picture

Amazon’s India journey reflects a transformative partnership between global enterprise and national priorities. With investments in AI, cloud, ecommerce, and welfare, Amazon is positioning itself not just as a marketplace, but as a long‑term growth partner for India’s digital future.

Amazon India Commits $300M to Safer Jobs, Faster Deliveries and AI‑Powered Growth

Amazon India today announced that it plans to invest over INR 2800 crore (~USD 300M) to further strengthen associate safety, health, and financial wellbeing measures while strengthening one of India’s safest, fastest and most reliable operations network. This investment is part of the company’s broader plan to invest more than $35 billion in India by 2030, focusing on business expansion as well as three strategic pillars: AI-driven digitization, export growth, and job creation. Amazon will continue to expand both its core and quick commerce footprint to continue serving customers across India in minutes, hours, and days. This investment builds on the company’s INR 2000 crore (~USD 233M) investment in 2025, which enabled the launch of 17 new fulfillment centers, six sortation centers, and 75 last-mile delivery stations across India. In 2025, Amazon also launched its quick commerce offering, Amazon Now, and has since scaled it to over 300 micro-fulfillment centers across key cities to enable safer, faster deliveries.

“Since launching Amazon.in in 2013, we have built one of India’s safest, fastest, and most reliable operations networks, serving customers across every serviceable pin code in the country. At the heart of this network are our people, and we remain committed to raising the bar on associate safety, health, and financial wellbeing. This year, we are investing over INR 2800 crore (~USD 300 million) to further strengthen these efforts, while continuing to scale our operations network and advance the technology that enables faster, safer, and more reliable deliveries for customers. Our initiatives also align with national priorities such as Ayushman Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, helping expand access to healthcare and financial inclusion for our associates,” said Abhinav Singh, VP - Operations, Amazon India and Australia.

Strengthening associate safety, health, and financial wellbeing

Amazon’s programs and initiatives for associates working across the network have long been aligned with several of the standards notified under the Labour Codes. This latest investment will further strengthen efforts focused on healthcare and financial security for tens of thousands of associates and partners. The efforts in 2026 include scaling Project Ashray to provide accessible rest facilities for delivery associates, expanding health and wellness programs such as Sushruta - a wide-ranging health and wellness program for long-haul truck drivers and their family members, along with new initiatives, while enabling access to preventive healthcare through nationwide medical camps. The company is also enhancing medical and accident insurance, while extending financial inclusion and social security access through the Samriddhi program by enabling enrolment in schemes like Ayushman Bharat Health Account and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana for Amazon associates and community members. In addition, Amazon continues to support education for associates’ children through the Pratidhi scholarship and mentorship program, reinforcing its commitment to holistic well-being across its operations network.

Investing in infrastructure and technology to strengthen operations

Amazon will invest in expanding and upgrading its pan-India operations network—including fulfillment centers, sortation centers, and delivery stations—to increase capacity and improve delivery speeds for customers in tier 2 and 3 cities across India. These investments will also support sellers and small businesses and contribute to local economic growth. The company also plans to more than double Amazon Now's footprint in the cities it currently operates in and to more cities across India. These investments will enable Amazon to serve customers across a wide range of delivery speeds - from minutes to hours to days, based on their needs.

Amazon's industry-leading facilities are climate controlled and built with advanced engineering systems to improve energy efficiency, enhance workplace safety, and support a more inclusive environment. The company continues to invest in cooling solutions such as enhanced ventilation, fans, spot coolers, access to cold water and hydrating beverages, safety and accessibility features for people with disabilities, and improved rest areas.

Amazon will invest in technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, to make its operations network safer and more efficient. This includes deploying tools to improve on-road safety through alerts for Delivery Service Partners and delivery associates on unsafe driving behaviors, and prompts for rest breaks, as well as using AI models to assess route complexity and enable more equitable workload distribution. It also includes enhancements to the Driver app with better navigation for unstructured addresses, improved earnings transparency, and simplified workflows.

Know more about Amazon’s initiatives for associates in 2026:

• Expanding rest facilities for delivery associates – Amazon will expand Project Ashray, its network of air-conditioned rest stops, beyond the current 100 locations in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, among others. These facilities provide comfortable seating, clean washrooms, drinking water, charging stations, and first-aid support, serving over 150,000 delivery associates every month, including those outside Amazon’s network.
• Expanding health and wellness support for associates and drivers – Programs such as Sushruta, a wide-ranging health and wellness program for long-haul truck drivers and their family members, will continue to expand alongside a new wellness program focused on mental health and ergonomic care.
• Providing access to preventive healthcare – Amazon will offer free health check-ups through nationwide medical camps, extending access to preventive care and building on its 2025 efforts, which included comprehensive health and wellbeing programs for tens of thousands of associates and partners. These ongoing camps provide preventive health screenings (eye, dental, BMI, and physician consultations), hydration guidance, and early detection support.
• Enhancing insurance coverage and wellness support – Amazon plans to strengthen medical and accident insurance for delivery associates working with Delivery Service Partners through upgraded Group Mediclaim and Group Personal Accident policies, with an integrated wellness package among the most comprehensive in the sector.
• Enabling access to financial and social security benefits – Through Samriddhi, Amazon will enable tens of thousands of associates and more than 200,000 community members to access government benefits such as e-Shram cards, health insurance, pension programs, and educational assistance across states including Gujarat, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, among others.
• Supporting education for associates’ children – Under the Pratidhi program, Amazon will provide scholarships to children of associates from Class 3 to Class 12, including children with disabilities, along with mentorship from Amazon leaders. In 2025 alone, 5000 scholarships were awarded to associates' children.

Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures-backed Velocity Commits ₹100 Cr to Scale AI-Led Shipping, Targets 5X Growth in 2026

Velocity, India’s leading e-commerce enablement platform has announced a ₹100 crore investment to scale Velocity Shipping (formerly Shipfast), as it doubles down on advancing faster, more reliable and transparent AI-led logistics for digital-first brands. The investment will be deployed over the next 2 years and will be funded entirely through internal cash reserves and revenues from Velocity’s core businesses.

Since its launch in 2025, Velocity Shipping has seen strong adoption, with 900+ brands onboarded so far, with around 60% of these coming from Velocity’s existing ecosystem. The platform is currently witnessing 70% month-on-month growth in order volumes and now contributes nearly 40% of Velocity’s overall revenues. In December 2025 alone, Velocity Shipping processed over 10 lakh orders, placing Velocity among India’s top three shipping aggregators by order volume.

To support this momentum, the ₹100 crore investment will be directed toward strategic hiring, product development, and AI-led innovation across the logistics value-chain. Velocity plans to double its shipping team and has already made senior hires from NimbusPost, Pickrr, Delhivery and Shiprocket as it strengthens its shipping and last-mile capabilities. The company is also targeting a 5x increase in monthly shipping volumes in CY26.

“We started Velocity by solving one of the biggest bottlenecks for digital-first brands: access to capital. As we worked closely with thousands of founders, it became clear that logistics and fulfilment were equally critical constraints to growth, but existing solutions needed to evolve to better support digital-first brands. Velocity Shipping was built as a strong, operator-first alternative to existing shipping solutions, with reliability and accountability at its core,” said Abhiroop Medhekar, Co-Founder and CEO, Velocity.

“Its rapid adoption has reinforced our belief in shipping as a major growth engine for Velocity. This ₹100 crore commitment reflects our long-term conviction to double down on shipping as we build category-defining digital infrastructure for India's e-commerce ecosystem,” Medhekar added.

Logistics has become a Growth Bottleneck for D2C Brands

Rising consumer expectations around delivery speed have fundamentally reshaped how digital-first brands compete online. Faster Shipping directly impacts purchase completion, customer experience, delivery performance and repeat purchases. Yet brands were expected to deal with missed pickups, fake delivery attempts, slow escalations and delayed COD settlements -often shrugged off as ‘industry reality’.

This gap has tangible business consequences for D2C businesses, directly impacting growth and customer trust. According to the E-Commerce Trends Report 2025 by DHL eCommerce, 81% of shoppers abandon their carts if their preferred delivery option isn’t available.

Velocity Shipping was co-created with brands from Velocity’s own portfolio to address these challenges through a tech-first, transparent approach to logistics.

How Velocity Shipping fills the gap

Velocity Shipping enables same-day, next-day, express and standard deliveries helping brands meet rising consumer expectations without adding operational complexity. The platform works with multiple third-party logistics (3PL) partners, including Delhivery, Ekart, Amazon, Blue Dart, Blitz, Pikndel and XpressBees, allowing brands to access the best-performing courier networks across regions through a single interface and and serves over 19,000 pincodes pan-India.

A central differentiation in how the platform solves long-standing inefficiencies across the shipping lifecycle is its AI-powered intervention layer, which operates across the entire order journey. The system validates addresses, uses local-language voice agents (Vani AI developed by Velocity’s in-house tech team) to urge the conversion of COD orders to prepaid, and automatically verifies non-delivery reports. When a shipment is marked as an NDR or RTO, the system automatically triggers an AI call to the customer to verify the issue, helping identify false delivery attempts or premature returns.

AI-led calling helps solve failed deliveries and reduce RTO’s

Orders verified via WhatsApp and AI-led calls are delivered at 1.85x the rate of unverified orders, based on over 2.4 lakh AI-assisted verification calls completed on the platform. This proactive intervention with the platform has achieved 60-70% recovery of failed deliveries where the buyer is still interested and a 8-10 percentage point reduction in return-to-origin rates, directly impacting both customer experience and brand profitability for digital-first brands.

Velocity Shipping also tackles one of the biggest pain points in logistics for digital-first businesses: transparency and opacity in shipping aggregation models. In traditional models, weight discrepancies raised by courier partners often result in automatic deductions, with brands left to reconcile charges later. Velocity Shipping reverses this approach. Billing adjustments are made only after an AI-led verification of sorter images supplied by the courier partners, ensuring discrepancies are reviewed, validated, and resolved transparently.

Founded in 2020, Velocity has evolved into a full-stack growth enablement platform for digital-first brands across capital, logistics, insights and AI-led solutions. Its financing business is expected to turn profitable in CY26.

About Velocity

Velocity is India’s leading e-commerce enablement platform, empowering digital-first businesses with fast, flexible non-dilutive capital, logistics, and AI-powered tools to scale efficiently. Founded in 2020 by IIT Bombay alumni Abhiroop Medhekar, Atul Khichariya, and Saurav Swaroop, Velocity’s mission is to accelerate the growth of India’s e-commerce ecosystem.

Backed by Peter Thiel's Valar Ventures, Velocity has raised $30+ Million so far and has partnered with 4,000+ D2C and digital-first brands, disbursing over ₹1,100 crore in funding. Beyond capital, the company offers a comprehensive suite of products—Velocity Shipping for AI-driven shipping and logistics, Velocity Insights for actionable business intelligence and Vani AI, an AI-powered telecalling solution for personalized customer engagement. Some of the leading D2C brands Velocity has supported include Frido, Bellavita, Koskii, Bewakoof, Soulflower, Rynox Gears, NasherMiles, Hammer, Zlade, The Bear House, Off Duty, and Chumbak.

For more information, visit: https://www.velocity.in/

Uttar Pradesh Secures ~ $32 Billion at Davos with 31 Global MoUs

The Uttar Pradesh government announced that it signed 31 MoUs worth over ₹2.92 lakh crore at the 56th Annual World Economic Forum in Davos (Jan 19–23, 2026), securing major investments in AI, renewable energy, manufacturing, and data centers. This positions UP as a rising hub for global capital and jobs.

Key Highlights from Davos 2026

• Total Investment Secured: Over ₹2.92 lakh crore (~USD 31. 9 billion).
• Number of MoUs: 31 agreements signed.
• Participating Companies: More than 55 global firms engaged with UP’s delegation.
• Delegation Leader: Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna led the UP team.

Sectors Attracting Investment

• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Focus on innovation hubs and applied AI solutions.
• Renewable Energy: Large-scale solar and wind projects to support India’s green transition.
• Data Centers: Infrastructure to support digital economy and cloud services.
• Manufacturing: Expansion in electronics, automotive, and industrial goods.

Implementation Strategy

• Single Window Team: UP will establish a dedicated facilitation unit to ensure smooth execution of MoUs.
• Job Creation: The agreements are expected to generate thousands of new jobs across sectors.
• Trillion-Dollar Economy Goal: These investments align with UP’s ambition to become a trillion-dollar economy in the coming years.

Comparative Context

State/Region	Recent Global Investment Highlights	Scale
Uttar Pradesh (2026)	31 MoUs, ₹2.92 lakh crore at WEF Davos	Very High
Maharashtra (2025)	MoUs worth ₹1.5 lakh crore at domestic investor summit	High
Tamil Nadu (2025)	₹1.2 lakh crore commitments in renewable energy	Moderate

Risks & Challenges

• Execution Gap: Not all MoUs translate into actual projects; monitoring is crucial.
• Infrastructure Readiness: Power, logistics, and land acquisition need rapid upgrades.
• Global Market Volatility: Currency fluctuations and geopolitical risks could affect inflows.
• Policy Continuity: Sustained investor confidence depends on consistent governance and regulatory clarity.

Actionable Takeaway

• Uttar Pradesh is positioning itself as a major investment destination in India, especially in AI, renewable energy, and digital infrastructure.
• The government’s single-window system could reduce bureaucratic hurdles, but stakeholders should track implementation progress closely to assess real opportunities.

Amazon Commits $35B to India: AI, Exports, and Millions of Jobs by 2030

Amazon has announced it will invest more than $35 billion in India by 2030, focusing on AI-driven digitization, boosting exports to $80 billion, and creating millions of jobs.

• Scale of investment: Over $35 billion by 2030, building on nearly $40 billion already invested since 2010.
• Strategic pillars:
  • AI-driven digitization – extending AI benefits to 15 million small businesses.
  • Exports growth – cumulative exports expected to reach $80 billion by 2030.
  • Job creation – between 1 million to 3.8 million new jobs projected.
• Broader impact: Amazon has already digitized 12 million small businesses and enabled $20 billion in exports from India.
• Global context: This comes right after Microsoft’s $17.5 billion AI and cloud investment in India, signaling a competitive race among tech giants.

Why India?

• Digital-first economy: India’s rapid adoption of cloud and AI makes it a hotspot for global tech firms.
• Manufacturing & exports: Amazon sees India as a hub for e-commerce exports, leveraging its seller base to reach global markets.
• Workforce potential: With a young, tech-savvy population, India offers a massive talent pool for AI and cloud expansion.

Risks & Challenges

• Regulatory hurdles: India’s evolving digital competition laws and data localization rules could complicate operations.
• Infrastructure gaps: Despite progress, cloud and AI adoption in smaller cities may face bandwidth and training challenges.
• Competitive landscape: Reliance Jio, Flipkart, and other domestic players are aggressively expanding in cloud and AI, intensifying competition.
• Geopolitical factors: Trade tensions and global supply chain disruptions could affect export targets.

Strategic Impact

• For India: This is one of the largest foreign investments ever, reinforcing India’s position as a global digital hub.
• For Amazon: Strengthens its foothold in a high-growth market, diversifies away from slower Western economies, and positions itself as a leader in AI-enabled commerce.
• For small businesses: Access to AI tools, global markets, and digital infrastructure could transform MSMEs into export-ready enterprises.

Accenture Invests in WEVO to Accelerate AI-Powered Customer-Led Growth

Accenture has announced a strategic investment in WEVO, an AI-powered customer research platform, to integrate its capabilities into Accenture Song’s GrowthOS. This move is designed to help businesses accelerate customer-led growth by validating behaviors and product experiences faster and more confidently.

WEVO is a Boston-based AI startup founded in 2017 by Nitzan Shaer (CEO) and Janet Muto. WEVO specializes in customer experience research and user feedback analytics. It helps businesses validate digital experiences quickly by combining artificial intelligence with human insights.

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Key highlights of the investment

• Investor: Accenture Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Accenture.
• Target company: WEVO, founded in 2017, based in Boston, specializing in AI-driven customer research.
• Integration: WEVO’s platform will be embedded into Accenture Song’s GrowthOS, a proprietary system that helps clients transform customer needs into scalable revenue.
• Purpose: To close the gap between idea generation (AI speed) and validation (human speed), enabling companies to test value propositions, product experiences, and campaigns in minutes rather than weeks.
• Challenge addressed: Rapidly changing customer expectations—three in four customers say they wish companies would respond faster to their needs.

Why this matters

• Customer-led growth: Businesses often struggle with long development cycles and expensive guesswork. WEVO’s AI simulations allow them to validate customer behaviors before launching products, reducing risk and accelerating time-to-market.
• Generative AI advantage: WEVO uses synthetic personas and real people to provide behavioral insights, helping brands refine digital experiences and marketing strategies.
• Accenture Song’s expansion: By adding WEVO, Accenture Song strengthens its portfolio of creative and research-driven businesses, which already includes firms like Unlimited (UK), GemSeek (Bulgaria), and Fiftyfive5 (Australia).

Strategic implications

• For clients: Faster product validation means companies can adapt to shifting customer expectations with agility.
• For Accenture: Enhances its position in the AI-powered customer experience and growth consulting market, aligning with its broader push into generative AI.
• For WEVO: Joining Accenture Ventures’ Project Spotlight gives WEVO access to Accenture’s global client base and domain expertise, accelerating its own growth trajectory.

Risks and considerations

• Integration complexity: Embedding WEVO’s platform into GrowthOS requires seamless alignment of AI models with client workflows.
• Data privacy: AI-driven customer research must comply with global data protection regulations (GDPR, CCPA, India’s DPDP Act).
• Market competition: Other AI-driven research platforms (e.g., Qualtrics, Medallia) are also innovating rapidly, so differentiation will be key.

This investment reflects a broader trend of consulting giants embedding AI-native startups into their platforms to stay ahead in customer experience innovation. For Accenture, it’s not just about acquiring technology—it’s about reshaping how businesses listen to and act on customer needs at scale.

Recently in this month, Accenture entered a strategic partnership with OpenAI, equipping tens of thousands of its professionals with ChatGPT Enterprise and launching programs to embed agentic AI systems into enterprise consulting, operations, and delivery.

Last year in March, Accenture announced a collaboration with Anthropic and AWS to help organizations in regulated industries (healthcare, banking, public sector) scale generative AI responsibly. Over 1,400 Accenture engineers were trained to fine‑tune Anthropic’s Claude models on AWS.

While Anthropic and OpenAI partnerships give Accenture access to foundational AI models, WEVO provides applied customer validation capabilities—bridging the gap between AI-generated ideas and market-tested execution.

Unlike pure research AI firms, WEVO is being embedded directly into Accenture Song’s GrowthOS, making it part of Accenture’s delivery engine for marketing and customer experience.

Accenture is building a multi-layered AI stack—from foundational models (Anthropic, OpenAI) to applied customer research (WEVO). By combining model providers with customer validation platforms, Accenture can promise not just AI-driven ideas but market-ready, customer-approved solutions.

Amazon Commits $12.7B to India’s AI Growth, Empowering 15M SMBs and 4M Students by 2030

Amazon has announced a massive $12.7 billion investment in India’s AI and cloud infrastructure by 2030, aiming to empower over 15 million small businesses and provide AI literacy to 4 million government-school students.

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Key highlights of Amazon’s India AI push

• Investment size: $12.7 billion allocated to local cloud and AI infrastructure by 2030.
• Target audience:
  • 15 million SMBs: Access to AI tools like seller assistants, generative listing tools, creative ad studios, and video generators.
  • 4 million students: AI literacy and career awareness programs in government schools.
• Government alignment: Supports India’s AI Mission, focusing on accessibility, productivity, and digital inclusion.
• Infrastructure expansion: Strengthening AWS capacity in Telangana and Maharashtra, extending access to tier-3 entrepreneurs.
• Consumer benefits: More personalized shopping on Amazon.in through deeper AI integration, including its assistant Rufus.

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Strategic implications

• For SMBs: AI tools deliver enterprise-grade intelligence and lower advertising/content creation costs.
• For students: AI literacy prepares youth for future tech careers and broadens access beyond elite institutions.
• For India’s tech ecosystem: Positions India as a global AI hub and accelerates innovation via Amazon’s infrastructure.

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Risks and challenges

• Digital divide: Rural and underserved access requires strong local government partnerships.
• Data privacy and regulation: Compliance with India’s DPDP Act could be complex for AI-driven services.
• Competition: Heavy investments from Reliance Jio, Google, and Microsoft intensify market battles.
• Infrastructure bottlenecks: Power, connectivity, and cloud adoption in smaller towns may slow rollout.

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Big picture

Amazon’s bet goes beyond e-commerce—embedding into India’s digital public infrastructure. Targeting SMBs and students frames AI as both a growth engine and social equalizer, potentially redefining India’s role in the global AI economy by 2030.

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Comparative AI Investment Strategies in India

Amazon’s $12.7B AI investment in India is part of a broader race among tech giants including Microsoft, Google, and Reliance Jio. Each company is targeting different audiences and infrastructure priorities to shape India’s AI future.

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Key Highlights

• Amazon: Focused on SMB empowerment and student AI literacy, aligned with India’s AI Mission.
• Microsoft: Driving enterprise adoption and workforce skilling through Copilot and cloud expansion.
• Google: Building India’s largest AI hub in Vizag, supporting startups and deep-tech ecosystems.
• Reliance Jio: Positioning as India’s homegrown AI champion with giga-scale data centers and consumer-first AI.

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Comparative Table

Company	Investment Size & Timeline	Focus Areas	Target Audience	Infrastructure & Partnerships	Strategic Positioning
Amazon	$12.7B by 2030	AI tools for SMBs, AI literacy for students, cloud expansion	15M SMBs, 4M govt-school students	AWS expansion in Telangana & Maharashtra; supports India’s AI Mission	Embedding AI into commerce + education; democratizing access
Microsoft	$3B over 2 years (2025–2027)	Cloud + AI infra, skilling, Copilot ecosystem	10M people skilled by 2030; half a million by 2026	New data centers; AI Innovation Network; govt partnerships	Positioning India as AI-first nation; enterprise + workforce skilling
Google	~$15B over 5 years (2026–2030)	AI hub in Vizag; AI Futures Fund for startups; consumer AI stack	Startups, developers, consumers	AI hub in Andhra Pradesh; partnership with Accel Atoms; Adani $5B co-investment	Building India’s largest AI infra hub; deep-tech startup ecosystem
Reliance (Jio)	$11B by 2030	AI-native data centers; “Reliance Intelligence” GenAI push	Enterprises, consumers, govt	JV with Brookfield & Digital Realty; 1GW AI campus in Vizag	Aggressive GenAI play; “AI everywhere for every Indian” vision

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Key Takeaways

• Amazon: Socially inclusive, targeting SMBs and students.
• Microsoft: Enterprise adoption and workforce skilling.
• Google: Infrastructure scale and startup ecosystems.
• Reliance: Homegrown AI champion with giga-scale infra.

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Risks & Challenges

• Overlap in Vizag: Google and Reliance both building mega AI hubs in Visakhapatnam.
• Regulatory compliance: Navigating India’s DPDP Act and evolving AI governance frameworks.
• Digital divide: Amazon’s SMB/student rollout may face infra challenges in tier-3 towns.
• Market saturation: $40B+ combined investments risk overcapacity unless demand scales rapidly.

Paytm Money partners with JioBlackRock to launch India’s first Systematic Active Equity Fund

• NFO for JioBlackRock Flexi Cap Fund to open on Paytm Money app from September 23 to October 7.
• India’s first equity scheme to adopt BlackRock’s Systematic Active Equity (SAE) model
• Investments start from ₹500 with zero commission on Paytm Money

Paytm Money, a wholly-owned subsidiary of One97 Communications Limited (OCL) and a wealth-tech platform that simplifies wealth management and equity investments through a technology-first approach, has announced the launch of India’s first Systematic Active Equity (SAE) fund to retail investors. In partnership with JioBlackRock, Paytm Money will offer subscriptions to the JioBlackRock Flexi Cap Fund, an equity scheme leveraging BlackRock’s SAE approach for the first time in India.

The New Fund Offer (NFO) will open on September 23, 2025, and close on October 7, 2025, and will be available exclusively on the Paytm Money app. Investors can begin with a minimum investment of just ₹500 through SIP or lump sum.

This launch marks a significant milestone in bringing equity strategies to retail investors in India. Developed by BlackRock, the SAE approach combines artificial intelligence, machine learning, and alternative data sources such as consumer transactions and search activity with the expertise of experienced fund managers. The investment process is further enhanced by BlackRock’s Aladdin®, a risk and investment management platform. These methods are used to analyze large and complex data sets to generate investment insights across nearly 1,000 Indian companies.

The JioBlackRock Flexi Cap Fund provides diversified exposure by investing across large, mid, and small-cap companies within a disciplined framework. The fund has an indicative Total Expense Ratio of 0.50% and carries no exit load, providing a cost-efficient structure for investors.

With Paytm Money’s zero-commission model and fully digital onboarding, investors have direct access to the scheme through their smartphones.

Paytm Money spokesperson said, “We have partnered with JioBlackRock to bring their flagship Flexi Cap SAE fund to retail investors in India. The entry point has been lowered to just ₹500, enabling every Indian investor to access strategies that were earlier available only to global institutions.”

JioBlackRock spokesperson said, “We are pleased to partner with Paytm Money to expand retail access to our Systematic Active Equity capabilities. For a digital first AMC, having a partner like Paytm Money with a wide distribution reach, we aim to offer a scalable, low-cost equity solution suited to India’s expanding market breadth.”

Paytm Money continues to strengthen its role as a leading wealth-tech platform, enabling investments in equities, mutual funds, F&O, SIPs, IPOs, NPS, and debt instruments. Through its technology-driven model, Paytm Money is extending retail participation in India’s capital markets.

What Are The Benefits Of Investing In Mid-Cap Mutual Funds?

When you think about building wealth, there are many paths you can take. From traditional savings to modern market-linked products, the choices often seem endless. Each option carries its potential, and as an investor, you are always looking for ways that balance safety with growth. Selecting the right investment depends on your financial goals, your comfort with risk, and the time you are willing to stay invested.

Over time, mid-cap mutual funds have become a preferred option for many individuals who want steady growth without taking on extreme volatility. Suppose you are considering a mutual fund investment. In that case, these funds stand out because they combine growth opportunities with a moderate level of risk, making them a valuable addition to a portfolio.

Understanding mid-cap mutual funds

Mid-cap mutual funds focus on companies that fall between the large-cap and small-cap segments based on their market value. These companies are not as established as large-cap firms, but they are more stable compared to small-cap businesses. For an investor, this means the chance to participate in companies that are still growing but already have a reasonable track record.

Why investors consider mid-cap mutual funds

When you choose to invest in mid-cap mutual funds, you gain access to several advantages that can strengthen your overall portfolio. Some of the most important benefits include:

1. Potential for growth

One of the biggest reasons people consider mid-cap mutual funds is their potential for growth. Mid-sized companies often expand their operations and enter new markets more actively than larger firms. This can translate into higher returns over the long-term. While they may not match the stability of large-cap companies, they can outperform them during favourable market conditions.

For anyone looking at mutual fund investment as a way to grow wealth steadily, mid-caps strike a balance between ambition and security.

2. Better diversification

Another key benefit of choosing mid-cap mutual funds is diversification. These funds allocate money across several mid-sized companies operating in diverse sectors. This reduces the risk of being too dependent on the performance of a single company or sector.

For you as an investor, this approach ensures that better results in one area can offset the impact of underperformance in another.

3. Balancing risk and reward

When it comes to risk, mid-cap companies usually sit between the relatively safe large-caps and the more volatile small-caps. This makes mid-cap mutual funds suitable for investors who want to take some risk but not go too far with it.

They can experience short-term ups and downs, but over time, the returns can be rewarding. This balance makes them a popular choice for investors looking to build a well-diversified mutual fund investment plan.

4. Long-term wealth creation

Mid-cap companies often evolve into tomorrow's large-cap leaders. By investing in them early, you can benefit from their journey of growth. This long-term potential makes mid-cap mutual funds a smart option for investors who are patient and willing to stay invested for several years. With discipline and consistency, such funds can play a meaningful role in building wealth over time.

5. Professional management

Another advantage is that experienced professionals manage these funds. They study market trends, company performance, and economic conditions to make informed decisions. For investors who may not have the time or expertise to track individual stocks, this professional approach to mutual fund investment adds an extra layer of confidence.

6. Accessibility and flexibility

Like other mutual funds, mid-cap mutual funds are easy to access. Investors can begin with modest contributions through Systematic Investment Plan (SIPs) or choose to invest larger sums at once. This flexibility allows you to start at your comfort level and increase your investment gradually. It also makes them suitable for both beginners and experienced investors.

7. Tax efficiency

Investments in mid-cap mutual funds also provide certain tax benefits, depending on how long you stay invested. The tax treatment for long-term gains differs from short-term gains, motivating investors to stay invested for an extended period. This aligns well with the overall nature of mid-cap investing, which works best when you give it time to deliver results.

Who should invest in mid-cap mutual funds?

For investors with medium risk tolerance and a long-term outlook, mid-cap mutual funds can be a suitable option. They suit investors seeking more growth than large-caps but with less risk than small-caps. As part of your overall mutual fund investment plan, they help strike a balance between opportunity and stability, making them a practical fit for many portfolios.

Choosing the right investment is always about aligning with your financial goals. Mid-cap mutual funds bring together growth potential, diversification, and manageable risk, which is why they appeal to many investors. Online investment platforms like Ventura offer a simple way to begin, with tools and guidance to help you take confident steps towards long-term wealth creation.

BlackRock Looking to Raise Its Share in India's $500 Bn Pool of Govt Bonds Market Via ETFs

BlackRock Inc, the world's largest fund manager, is looking to increase its stake in India's government bond market. The company aims to raise their share in the country's $500 billion pool of fully investible government bonds through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This move comes as these bonds, which are under the Fully Accessible Route (FAR) with no foreign investment limits, are set to be included in JPMorgan's emerging market debt index starting June. The inclusion has been attracting attention from foreign money managers.

BlackRock launched its India bond ETF in February and currently manages $26 million in this fund. The ETF offers the cheapest fee among peers and has a weighted average yield of 7.14%. BlackRock's expertise in navigating complex markets like India provides them with an edge, especially in areas such as trade execution and tax minimization.

The firm is bullish on India, citing the country's high economic growth, stable currency, and relatively higher yields compared to other BBB-rated countries. With the Indian economy's positive macroeconomic backdrop and the rupee's stability, BlackRock is optimistic about its investment prospects in India.

BlackRock has launched an India bond ETF, which is designed as a convenient way for foreign investors to gain exposure to Indian government bonds. It simplifies the investment process by eliminating the need to navigate through the complexities of setting up specific accounts, managing exchange rate considerations, procuring the bonds directly, and handling tax considerations.

The India bond ETF by BlackRock is an Irish-domiciled UCITS (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities), which means it's regulated under European Union laws that allow for the sale of funds across EU countries. The fund is available to investors in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.

India's entry into global bond indices was discussed for nearly a decade but issues such as restrictions on foreign investors and local taxation delayed it.

In September 2023, JPMorgan had announced that it would include India in its emerging market bond index starting in June, where it will have a maximum weight of 10%. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has said it is on track to include India in its emerging market debt index from June.

In March this year, Bloomberg had announced that it will include India Fully Accessible Route (FAR) bonds in the Bloomberg Emerging Market (EM) Local Currency Government Index and related indices, to be phased in over a ten-month period, starting January 31, 2025.

The FTSE Russell is yet to include domestic bonds however.

Global Investing: What Are the Benefits and How Can You Do It?

Global investing refers to the practice of diversifying your portfolio by incorporating assets from various countries and markets around the world. This approach not only taps into different economic dynamics but also offers exposure to emerging markets and technological advancements. With the world economy showing signs of gradual recovery and moderating inflation, global investing can capitalise on these trends to potentially enhance returns and reduce risk​.

But what are some examples of global investments? What are the benefits of adding these to your portfolio and what are some of the ways you can do this? Read on to find out more.

What are global investments?

Global investments encompass a range of asset classes including stocks, bonds, real estate and more, across international boundaries. This includes investing in developed markets such as the USA and Europe, as well as emerging markets like Asia and Latin America. By investing globally, individuals and institutions can participate in growth opportunities worldwide, beyond their domestic economies​.

The benefits: Using diversification and volatility to your advantage

Diversifying your investment portfolio globally helps to spread risk. Different markets and regions react differently to economic events, which can help to stabilise your returns. For instance, when one market is experiencing a dip, another might be performing well, balancing the overall performance of your portfolio. Providers like Tradu offer the opportunity to trade multiple asset classes from one platform, simplifying diversification by removing the need for multiple accounts for different markets.

And while sometimes viewed negatively, volatility in global markets can provide opportunities for savvy investors to buy assets at lower prices. Drops may allow you to enter a market at a more favourable valuation, potentially increasing your returns as markets recover​. Of course, the nature of volatility means that it can work against you as well, which is where diversification can help to mitigate your losses.

Investing in growing markets and global index funds

Emerging markets, such as those in Asia and Africa, often offer higher growth potential compared to developed markets. These regions frequently benefit from younger demographics, rapid urbanisation and increasing consumer spending, which can drive growth in various sectors including technology, consumer goods and infrastructure​.

And for those new to investing, global index funds offer a straightforward way to gain exposure to international markets. These funds track global indexes, which represent the performance of a basket of international stocks. Investing in these funds provides an easy and diversified entry point into global markets, with the added benefit of professional management and lower transaction costs.

Global investing not only broadens your horizons but also helps mitigate risk through diversification and provides potential for higher returns from emerging markets. By understanding and leveraging these benefits, you can enhance your portfolio and achieve a more robust financial future.

Advanced Strategies with SIP Calculators: Maximizing Returns and Managing Risks

Investing in mutual funds through Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) has become increasingly popular among investors in India. SIPs offer a disciplined approach to investing, allowing investors to invest a fixed amount of money at regular intervals, typically monthly. The convenience and flexibility of SIPs have led to a surge in their popularity, and many investors use SIP calculators to plan their investments and maximize returns while minimizing risk.

SIP calculators are online tools that help investors calculate their investments' potential returns and the growth of their investments over time. They are easy to use and require minimal inputs. SIP calculators take into account the investor's investment amount, the investment period, and the expected rate of return from the mutual fund. The calculator uses this information to generate a detailed summary of the investor's potential returns and the growth of their investments, including the annual expected returns, the total investment amount, and the maturity amount.

Investors can use SIP calculators to plan their investments and understand the dynamics of the mutual fund they are investing in. This article explores some advanced strategies investors can use with SIP calculators to maximize returns and manage risks.

Understanding the Risk-Return Trade-off

One of the most crucial aspects of investing is managing risk. Investors can use SIP calculator online to understand the relationship between risk and return and plan their investments accordingly. Mutual funds with higher expected returns tend to have higher risks associated with them. Therefore, investors must weigh the higher expected returns against the higher risks involved and decide whether they are comfortable assuming this risk. SIP calculators can help investors make informed decisions by comparing the expected return and risk profile of different mutual funds.

Diversifying Your Portfolio

Diversification is an essential strategy in managing risk. It involves spreading investments across multiple assets to reduce the risk associated with a single asset. Investors can use SIP calculators to plan their portfolios and spread their investments across multiple mutual funds with different risk profiles. This strategy helps balance risk and potentially higher expected returns.

SIP calculators can help investors understand the impact of diversification on their investments. They can calculate the expected return and risk of different portfolios using SIP calculators and select the optimal mix of mutual funds that offers the best risk-return trade-off.

Rebalancing Your Portfolio

Investors must periodically review and rebalance their portfolios to ensure they remain aligned with their financial goals. SIP calculators can help investors gauge when it's time to rebalance their portfolios by comparing their actual portfolio value to the expected portfolio value. Investors must also consider rebalancing their portfolios if the risk profile of their investments has changed. SIP calculators can provide valuable insights into the optimal mix of mutual funds for a balanced and stable portfolio.

Saving Taxes

Investors can use SIP calculators to plan their investments and maximize their tax savings. Equity-linked Saving Schemes (ELSS) are mutual funds that offer tax benefits under Section 80C of the Indian Income Tax Act. Investors can use SIP calculators to calculate the tax savings they can achieve by investing in ELSS. SIP returns calculator help investors minimize their tax liabilities by calculating the expected returns and tax savings of different investments.

Conclusion

SIP calculators are useful tools for investors to plan their investments and understand the dynamics of the mutual funds they are investing in. They offer a comprehensive analysis of an investor's potential returns, growth of investments and provide insights into the portfolio's risk profile. By using advanced strategies such as diversification and rebalancing, investors can maximize their returns and manage risks associated with investing in mutual funds. SIP calculators can also help investors save taxes and prepare them for their future financial goals.

Disclaimer: The investor must gauge all the pros and cons of trading in the Indian financial market. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. The information presented in this article is based on past performance and may not be indicative of future results. Please consult with a professional financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

In summary, investors should use SIP calculators to plan their investments and understand the dynamics of mutual funds. Advanced strategies such as diversifying portfolios and rebalancing can help maximize returns and manage risks. SIP calculators can also help investors save taxes and plan for their future financial goals.

Invest Like a Pro: Online Tools That Will Transform Your Portfolio

Looking to elevate your investment portfolio? Look no further! Thanks to the incredible advancements in technology, a wide array of online tools are at your disposal, ready to assist you in making well-informed investment decisions and managing your portfolio like a seasoned pro.

From cutting-edge management tools to advanced pip size calculator software, this article will introduce you to some of the most effective online tools that can revolutionize your portfolio and help you reach your investment goals. So why wait? Start exploring these online tools today and take your investment portfolio to new heights.

Research and Analysis Tools

Investing wisely requires careful research and analysis, and luckily, there are online tools available to assist you every step of the way. These tools offer a treasure trove of information and data, empowering you to make well-informed investment decisions. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned investor, these resources are an invaluable asset on your investment journey.

One such popular tool is Morningstar, a comprehensive platform that provides in-depth data on stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs. With Morningstar, you can delve into the performance, risk factors, and historical data of various investments, giving you a holistic view of their potential. It's like having a financial expert at your fingertips, guiding you towards profitable opportunities.

If you're passionate about socially responsible investing, there's a tool specifically designed for you – MSCI ESG Research. This remarkable resource provides insights into the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of companies. By using MSCI ESG Research, you can align your investments with your values, ensuring that your money supports businesses that prioritize sustainability and ethical practices.

Investment Calculators and Tools

When it comes to investing, having a clear understanding of the potential returns and risks associated with your investments is crucial. Luckily, there are online investment calculators and tools available to assist you in assessing the performance of your investments and making informed decisions.

One highly regarded investment calculator is the compound interest calculator. With this tool, you can effortlessly calculate the future value of your investments by considering factors such as the initial investment amount, interest rate and time horizon. This calculator will provide you with valuable insights into how your investments could grow over time.

Another valuable tool to consider alongside the compound interest calculator is the risk tolerance questionnaire. This questionnaire serves as a powerful tool in assessing your risk appetite and assisting in determining the ideal asset allocation for your portfolio. By delving into your risk tolerance, you can guarantee that your investments align flawlessly with your financial aspirations and personal comfort.

Portfolio Management Solutions

There are a plethora of portfolio management tools that cater to the needs of investors, offering a wide range of features and capabilities. These tools give investors the power to easily track, analyze and optimize their investment portfolios. Whether it's a comprehensive platform that provides real-time market data, performance metrics and risk analysis, or a user-friendly mobile app that lets investors monitor their portfolios on the go, the options are endless.

Here are some notable ones:

• Tools like Quicken or Mint offer features that allow investors to track their investments, monitor performance and analyze asset allocation.
• Robo-advisors like Betterment or Wealthfront offer automated portfolio management services.
• Dedicated portfolio management software, such as Morningstar Direct or Bloomberg Terminal, provides advanced features for professional investors.

Some portfolio management tools go above and beyond, offering advanced features like automated rebalancing, tax optimization strategies and personalized investment recommendations based on individual goals and risk tolerance. Armed with these tools, investors can make informed decisions, diversify their portfolios and ultimately achieve their financial objectives.

The Top 6 Investment Trends Online

The world of finance, stocks and share trading, and international investment has developed remarkably over the last ten years. Most, if not all, of it, has managed to successfully move online and into the developing metaverse. This article will look at the prevailing trends in online investment and discuss why these online methods of money-making and risk-taking may be the way of the future.

Buying into the e-commerce explosion

Investing in companies that are driving the ever-expanding growth of e-commerce has become a great way to enjoy the benefits of the new normal. Companies such as Amazon and Shopify have realized the interest in such investments and begun to make shares more readily available for their clients and customers, and the trend to buy shares in your favorite online retailer is a trend that is on the up and up.

Using AI to invest will soon be an option

Setting up your investment preferences, limits, and sell points and then simply letting the program run (Robo advisory investment) is very much the trend in investment circles. AI is being developed to mimic some of the best traders and investors across the globe and bring these skills and abilities to your personal PC through freely available to download apps and programs. Automated investment opportunities make great sense and can continue the creation of wealth even while you sleep.
Investing in the metaverse

Yes, you can try to buy shares in the businesses that run the metaverse, or alternatively, as many now do, you can buy digital assets NFTs within the metaverse itself. These are both investment opportunities of the moment and will provide a great stake in our online future.
Cryptocurrency

Knowing what cryptocurrencies are worth and which ones to invest in are the two best pieces of advice as far as crypto is concerned. Knowing how to convert 1 btc to usd at OKX.com is a great place to start, as it provides a clear understanding of the value of the crypto and what it actually means in terms of real-life values. Once you have used sites like OKX to determine the values, exchange rates, and most recent ups and downs, then you will be in a position to make informed and guided investment decisions.

Real estate, real and virtual

The old age adage that nothing beats bricks and mortar as far as investments are concerned has not changed in the least. The thing that has changed, however, is the fact that you can now also buy real estate in virtual settings as well. While putting money into real estate in the buy-to-let market is still a top choice, virtual reality real estate is becoming one of the top trends in the current climate and will continue as the metaverse expands.

Increase in overall investor appetites

Those with money to invest are looking for all sorts of innovative ways to shield this income and savings from inflation. As inflation continues to rise across the globe, the internet and the numerous ways that you can invest therein have become top choices for many. This is a trend that will likely continue until such time as global inflation levels stabilize, and thus all of the insights discussed here will be an interesting and relevant choice.

These are the top six investment options that are trending online. The demand for interesting ways to invest and make money has always been a key focus in the entrepreneurial and business sector, and those discussed in this article are the ones that you should be looking at to stay at the cutting edge.

Investment Planning 101: What Is EPF & How Does It Work?

A pension scheme is not just a fund for a rainy day during your retirement but provides the necessary support system to live a comfortable and respectable life after retirement. By not relying on anyone for personal expenses, retired individuals can continue living their lives as they did during their employment days. But everyone doesn’t have such pension plans from the employer. And most pure pension schemes are only meant for government employees. A worthy substitute for pension for private employees is Employees Provident Fund. 

If you are also looking forward to investing in EPF, you will get the basic knowledge here. Read on to know more about what is EPF, how it works, and how EPF contributions can create a huge corpus.

What Is EPF?

EPF of Employees Provident Fund is a national provident fund scheme introduced by the Indian government to benefit private sector employees. With this scheme, they can create a retirement fund for their future without going through much trouble. EPF is solely for employees working in an EPF registered organization with more than 20 employees.

If your employer doesn’t have EPF registration due to a lack of employees, you can voluntarily enrol in EPF. If any unemployed or self-employed person wishes to enrol in EPF, they cannot do so because of their employment status. However, they can join other provident fund schemes such as PPF, which is open to people with any employment status.

How Do EPF Contributions Work?

An employee in an EPF eligible company must have a basic pay of more than INR 15,000 to enrol in EPF. This limit is on the basic pay and not the entire salary. Your entire salary is the culmination of various components such as basic pay, professional tax, TDS, conveyance, dearness allowance, housing allowance, and various other special allowances and taxes.

After successful registration, the employer deducts a set percentage of just the basic pay every month. Now this percentage can be 10 or 12 based on the organization. The employer then contributes the deducted amount into the EPF account of the employee. The employer also contributes the same amount at their own expense into the same EPF account. So, if the employer deducts X from your basic pay, it deposits 2X into your account. By doing so, you instantly get double the benefit of your investment. But wait, there’s more.

EPF also has an interest rate of 8.1%. So the amount that accumulates in your EPF account increases further with such high interest rates. This EPF account remains the same for a person even if they change employers and remains active till the retirement age of 58. And they can withdraw the entire sum accumulated over their employment years.

EPF Returns And Benefits

Now that you understand what is EPF, you must also know its specific returns and benefits to the employee. This will help you understand its value as a great investment scheme. Given below are some returns and benefits that an EPF account provides.

• High Interest Rate
• Partial Withdrawal
• Loan Facility
• Safe Invested Capital
• Assured Returns
• Steady Capital Growth
• Market-Independent Capital And Interest

Right Time To Invest In EPF

Any investment with such a high return rate as EPF will have the right time to invest. But fortunately, EPF doesn’t have such criteria. No matter when you join, the return rates are always high. But as seen in the past, EPF interest rates are decreasing over the years. So it would be better to invest in it as early as possible.

Young employees at the beginning of their careers also face the dilemma as to whether to choose EPF or not. However, EPF is a highly efficient investment scheme, and as you don’t have many financial obligations when you are young, the EPF contributions won’t matter much. So you can invest in EPF and still have money for other requirements.

Also, the deduction is not of your entire salary; it is just 10 or 12% of your basic pay. So you won’t notice a lot of difference. But when you invest money with such discipline, almost similar to a SIP, you can accumulate a huge corpus by the end of your career. And you can use the corpus for other important personal or family requirements.

EPF is a great backup plan which already has double the investment and with an added benefit of high interest rates. By investing in EPF, you can get liquidity whenever you.

Zaggle Ties with Tata Capital’s Moneyfy Platform to Offer Investment Products to Its 4.5+ Mn Users

The partnership earmarks Zaggle’s foray into offering investment products

Zaggle, a profitable SaaS FinTech company and a pioneer in digitizing business spends, partners with Tata Capital’s digital wealth management platform – Moneyfy. This will greatly benefit Zaggle users, who can now get easy access to a plethora of investment options available on Moneyfy. The partnership also earmarks Zaggle’s foray into offering investment products as part of its expansion strategy.

To begin with, Moneyfy is a comprehensive digital platform which aims to make the process of wealth creation hassle–free and secure. Zaggle’s users will have seamless access to all the mutual funds available on the Moneyfy platform including a host of tax saving funds. To encourage first-time mutual fund customers, investments can start with an amount which is as low as Rs 100. Investing in a mutual fund scheme using Monefy is truly effortless and seamless. Customers can easily invest in a SIP, a NFO or a well-researched MF scheme.

Equipped with intelligent features, Moneyfy enables customers to on-board in minutes. The App’s unique ‘My watchlist’ feature allows customers to track their portfolio on a real time basis.

Going forward, Zaggle will further expand accessibility to all other investment options available on Moneyfy including insurance, loans, fixed deposits, NPS amongst other offerings. Zaggle strives to provide better experience to its customers by expanding its product offerings.

Commenting on this partnership, Raj N, Founder and Chairman, Zaggle, said, “We have always endeavored to provide a seamless experience to all our users by offering them a complete suite of services all under Zaggle. We are excited to join hands with Tata Capital and thereby expand our offerings with the introduction of investment products. With Moneyfy, our users will now get access to best-in-class investment products which will help in their journey of wealth creation.”

Speaking on the tie – up, Saurav Basu, Head – Wealth Management, Tata Capital Ltd. said, “We are delighted to partner with Zaggle to help customers achieve their financial goals. Moneyfy is all about making the process of managing money uncomplicated, transparent and truly enjoyable. Customers across categories can simply customize their plans and choose from a wide range of investment options to meet their objectives. We look forward to a mutually rewarding partnership with Zaggle.”

Zaggle which provides expense management system and employee rewards and recognition program services to companies, has been regularly expanding its product line. Earlier, the company had announced its partnership with EarlySalary to offer affordable and instant lending solutions to its existing clientele. It has witnessed rapid growth journey since its inception in 2011 and aims to tap into the $1 trillion addressable Indian spend management market.

Investment Platform Upstox Launches 'Own Your Future' Campaign to Drive Equity Participation in India

The leading broking firm encourages investment in equities through a multimedia marketing campaign

Upstox aims to grow 3X by end of FY23

Upstox (also known as RKSV Securities India Pvt. Ltd.), one of India’s largest investment platforms, today launched its Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 campaign, ‘Own Your Future’. The goal of the campaign is to promote financial inclusion in the country by encouraging young Indians to participate in the equity market, invest wisely, own assets that will grow over time and help them take control of their future.

The goal of any company and its management is to increase shareholder value. The campaign includes a series of lighthearted videos elaborating how one can “Make your favourite companies work for you” by buying their stocks, becoming a shareholder in them, and thus having the company and its management work to improve your returns!

The first two videos of the series were released along with the launch of Tata IPL 2022. One of the videos shows a reunion of three friends where they discuss their career developments. Another video in the series captures a meetup between two friends at a cafe to discuss a friend’s promotion.

Kavitha Subramanian, Co-founder, Upstox

 
Kavitha Subramanian, Co-Founder, Upstox said, “The campaign ‘Own Your Future’ intends to encourage more Indians to participate in the equity market and make the right investment choices through Upstox. Young Indians today understand the value of owning assets and building a portfolio, via owning shares in companies. There’s a huge rise in startup culture and they understand that even if everyone cannot be an entrepreneur, you can still own a share of a company, and participate in its long term upside.



Just like IPL has redefined cricket, Upstox aims to redefine investments for its customers. We have grown 3X year-on-year and expect a similar growth trajectory this year as well. We are positive that this campaign will help drive a culture of equity investment in India, as well as encourage more Indians to take charge of their financial future.”

The multimedia marketing campaign includes commercials on television, digital, and social media platforms. While digital has been employed to reach out to the target segments in metros and big cities, television will be dominating the media mix for Tier-2 and Tier 3 cities.

Upstox is the first broking firm that has partnered with IPL ever since the cricket league was launched in 2008. The company currently has over 9 million customers and aims to reach users living in remote corners of the country. The Upstox platform’s user-friendly interface makes investing simple and their educational content further empowers users to make informed investment decisions. Powered by advanced technology, Upstox enables customers to gather an astute understanding of the financial market and assists them in taking control of their investments.

How Do I Choose the Best Investment Plan for Wealth Creation?

Introduction

Wealth creation might look like a lemon squeezy job, but it isn't. One needs to plan accordingly. Wealth creation is necessary for life because you never know how things might take a turn in your life and when a train full of financial emergencies and add-ons would arrive at your door.

This blog will help you understand,

• What is wealth creation?
• What are the wise and proper steps to create wealth?
• What are the factors one needs to consider in wealth creation?
• How is life insurance a beneficial tool for wealth creation?
• What are the best life insurance to view for wealth creation?

Are you set to take an insightful dip into the knowledge world concerning wealth creation? If yes, let us begin.

What is Wealth Creation?

Wealth creation relates to accumulating wealth via financial items in multiple ways.

For instance, when you invest in financial items over a long period of time, you will receive more significant returns (here, the ROI is high). One works hard and earns more than a 5 digit salary so that they can enjoy and live through their long-term financial goals, such as a dream home, foreign vacations, providing good education to children, and many more.

Wealth creation is vital for every individual, and one should start planning and investing in the suitable means for wealth creation because:

It offers you ample funds in your reserve to help you achieve your long-term objectives.

It provides a consistent source of income even if you are no longer employed or earning. Even at the time of crisis, it acts as a financial backup plan. It might be an excellent strategy to assure financial liquidity and assist your loved ones in maintaining a balanced life without compromising any tangent.

Who would like to continue to earn when they have worked throughout their youth? None right? Because post 50 or 60 years, people want to sit back and enjoy their share of earnings without any constraints. With wise wealth creation, you will never face a financial crisis and will be self-sufficient for the rest of your life.

What are the important factors to consider in wealth creation?

Begin in your twenties: Yes, you heard me right. Even though it is the prime age to explore, earn, spend, and have fun, it is also the age to be wise and save. According to Shibu Das, founder of Fine Advice Private, starting early in wealth creation is a calculative task that can benefit individuals in the long run.

If you start investing Rs.10,000/- monthly at a rate of 15% per year when you are 20, you would be able to retire at the age of 60 with a corpus of more than Rs 30 crore. However, If you wait until you are 40 and retire at the age of 60, your finance reserve will have Rs 1.52 crore!

Massive difference, right?

Even though age is just a number, starting at an early age impacts wealth creation.

Try to attain stability in one job: Firstly, have a stable job and then have some side remittance dishes in life. I stress upon stability because that's where a fixed monthly income happens, and then only you would be able to invest and reap the benefits.

One should always try to maintain a consistent source of income and pension benefits. One is free to hop from one job to another based on the hike you get but always make sure that before leaving one, you have another aligned so that you don't fall short in terms of finance or end up exhausting money from your emergency kitty.

Say YES to life insurance: Investing in life insurance is one mandate that one should follow once one enters their twenties. Life is uncertain because financial emergencies come unwelcomed and hold power to disrupt the status quo in your life. Life insurance is a wise option that one can use to have a steady and safe wealth creation.

Earn and Invest in multiple manners:

• Have a stable job.
• Try to multitask.
• Have other employment types because having several sources of income and various assets is one of the most potent wealth growth tactics you can employ.

You can be a freelancer and have a stable job; it is all about juggling and earning in different currencies.

Apart from earning income from multiple places, you can also invest in various areas to earn better. One can always consider options such as - life insurance, equities, mutual funds, and many more. Diversification lowers the chance of loss while potentially yielding enormous benefits.

Watch your expenses: One should earn aggressively and spend wisely; this is the thought that I follow. For instance, a home loan or an education loan makes sense, but taking a loan for consumables or items that lose value makes no sense. Impulse buying will result to be a curse if not dealt with rightly.

Always remember whether the product is a necessity or mere desire. The power of swipes or scans can make or break your financial base. Leading a debt-free life is something that everyone can't live. Challenge yourself to lead a sufficient life rather than pricey.

How is life insurance a beneficial tool for wealth creation?

Whenever you think of life insurance, consider it the unsung hero of one's life because it is a single package inclusive of many offers. Some of the benefits of owning life insurance are as follows:

Death Benefit: Here, if the policyholder meets with an unfortunate death, the lump sum of the premiums paid by the policyholder will be handed over to the nominee(s) as decided by the policyholder.

Paying premiums will help lead to tax-free life: If you wisely invest in an insurance policy, your tax is exempted under Sec 80 C and 10 (10D).

Maturity Benefit - Once the insurance policy is over, you can get back all the premiums paid with the interest over them. Sounds cool, right?

Buying the appropriate type of life insurance (along with Riders) can help mend your life as per the welcome and unwelcome events in life.

What are the best life insurance to view for wealth creation?

In this blog section, we will see some of the best life insurance plans that one can use to have a steady, secure, and beneficial wealth creation.

They are as follows:

Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance DigiShield Plan

This term insurance plan of ABSLI is also known as the 'Sabka Vala Term Plan' because it is a complete all-in-one plan that can protect numerous requirements based on int stages and needs in life scenarios.

This unique term insurance plan comes with ten plan options from which to pick based on your needs, and they are as follows:

1. Level Cover Option
2. Increasing Cover Option
3. Sum Assured Reduction Option
4. Whole Life Option (Level Cover)
5. Whole Life Option (Sum Assured Reduction Cover)
6. Income Benefit
7. Level Cover plus Income Benefit
8. Low Cover Option
9. Level Cover with Survival Benefit
10. Return of Premium (ROP)

Death Benefit: It means if the policyholder dies during the term, the death benefit will be paid to the nominee(s)/legal heir(s) as mentioned by the insured.

Terminal Illness Benefit: let's assume that you are diagnosed with a chronic illness. At this point, you will need money the most, and this is when your term insurance will come in handy. When the Policy is in force, you will receive a lump-sum payment equal to 50% of the applicable amount guaranteed, up to a maximum of Rs. 2 crores, and all future premiums will be canceled.

When you hit 60, you will be entitled to monthly survival benefits. It means no more relying on others when a wise investment may pay you back when you need it most.

Under this plan, the death benefits may be paid out in monthly installments, lump sums, or both. Examine the plan option you have selected.

Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance Life Shield

This term insurance plan includes a customized plan Option that allows you to select from eight distinct plan alternatives based on your family's needs, guaranteeing that they do not have to sacrifice their lifestyle even in your absence.

They provide eight plan alternatives from which to pick based on one's needs, and they are as follows:

1. Level Term Assurance
2. Level Term Assurance with Waiver of Premium (WOP) Benefits
3. Increasing Term Assurance
4. Increasing Term Assurance with Waiver of Premium (WOP) Benefits
5. Decreasing Term Assurance
6. Decreasing Term Assurance with Waiver of Premium (WOP) Benefits
7. Return of Premium

Return of Premium with Waiver of Premium (WOP) Benefit

Joint Life Protection: With this advantage, you can accompany your wife. The relevant Sum Assured of your spouse will be half of your applicable Sum Assured. It completes one of the vows of the wedding to take care of your wife till death.

Return of Premium option: This benefit specifies that if you live to the end of the insurance term, the insured will be refunded for the whole amount of all premiums paid on the policy maturity date (check for the Option plan).

Enhanced life stage protection: With this benefit, you may expand your coverage after each event (marriage and kids) without having to do a medical exam.

Waiver of Premium: If the life insured suffers from total and permanent incapacity or severe illness when the policy period is active, future premiums will be waived, and the plan's death benefit will remain unaffected.

Conclusion

It might look like a long list of tasks but don't worry. All you need is a source of income, patience, an emergency finance base, and calculated moves for decent wealth creation.

Still, if you feel that you are lagging, contact a financial advisor who can get you a better idea about wealth creation and the feasible means to attain it.