logo
Virgin Atlantic CEO Sees 'Momentum' in India

Virgin Atlantic CEO Sees 'Momentum' in India

Bloomberg5 days ago

Virgin Atlantic Chief Executive officer Shai Weiss discusses the impact of trade and tariffs uncertainty on the airline and broader aviation industry. He also talks about fuel prices and travel sentiment. Speaking to Bloomberg's Guy Johnson from the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in New Delhi, India, Weiss says "the momentum is very much" in India at the moment. (Source: Bloomberg)

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tesla's Optimus robot VP is leaving the company
Tesla's Optimus robot VP is leaving the company

Yahoo

time39 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Tesla's Optimus robot VP is leaving the company

The head of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot program, Milan Kovac, is leaving the company. Kovac said Friday in a post on X that he "had to make the most difficult decision" of his life to leave. "I've been far away from home for too long, and will need to spend more time with family abroad," he wrote. Kovac said that was "the only reason" and that his support for Musk and Tesla is "ironclad." Kovac's departure was first reported Friday by Bloomberg News. The departure comes as Tesla CEO Elon Musk has claimed the company will have "thousands" of Optimus robots operating in its factories by the end of this year. "And we expect to scale Optimus up faster than any product, I think, in history, to get to millions of units per year as soon as possible," Musk said last month. Kovac worked at Tesla for nearly 10 years, with much of that time coming as a top engineer on the Autopilot team. He was tapped to help lead development of Optimus in 2022 and became a vice president overseeing the program in late 2024. "I'm driving the Optimus program (Tesla's humanoid robot) & all its engineering teams," Kovac previously wrote on his LinkedIn profile. "Separately, I'm also driving the engineering teams responsible for all the software foundations & infrastructure common between Optimus and Autopilot." Ashok Elluswamy, the vice president of Tesla's AI software division, will take over the Optimus project, according to Bloomberg. This story has been updated with information from Kovac's X post about his departure.

From Charging Phones to Powering Homes: How Ambrane Became a INR 260 Cr Bootstrapped Electronics Brand
From Charging Phones to Powering Homes: How Ambrane Became a INR 260 Cr Bootstrapped Electronics Brand

Entrepreneur

timean hour ago

  • Entrepreneur

From Charging Phones to Powering Homes: How Ambrane Became a INR 260 Cr Bootstrapped Electronics Brand

"One day, I was in the metro carrying a power bank. A man saw it and asked, 'What are you doing with this gadget?' I said, 'I'm charging my phone.' He asked, 'Will it charge mine too?' That's when it hit me that we were solving a real problem people hadn't even named yet," says Ashok Rajpal, Founder and Director, Ambrane Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. In 2012, when mobile phones were becoming smarter and India was just stepping into its digital journey, a young brand called Ambrane quietly took root. Its mission was simple—make smart technology accessible and affordable for every Indian household. "We saw a big shift happening," recalls Ashutosh Rajpal, Founder and Director, Ambrane. "Technology was moving fast from IT to mobility, and smartphone penetration was rising. That's when we realised the need for compact and convenient gadgets like power banks, tablets, and routers." That vision was soon translated into action. Long before the 'Make in India' initiative was officially launched in 2014, Ambrane had already set up its own manufacturing unit. "We wanted to try innovations in-house not just to build better products, but also to create more jobs and income for our country," Rajpal shares. Charging Ahead in a New Market Launching a new tech product in India wasn't easy. In 2012, the concept of a power bank was still foreign to most people. "One day, I was in the metro carrying a power bank. A man saw it and asked, 'What are you doing with this gadget?' I said, 'I'm charging my phone.' He replied, 'Will it charge mine too?' That's when it hit me that we were solving a real problem people hadn't even named yet." Rajpal remembers the biggest initial challenge for his company was distribution. "At that time, most businesses relied on traditional distribution channels, which were hard for a new brand like ours. But e-commerce gave us a lifeline, it allowed us to reach consumers directly and educate them about our products." Today, Ambrane is one of India's top-selling electronics brands, especially in the charging and mobility segment. With products across power banks, smart plugs, grooming tools, audio devices, and smart home appliances, the brand has grown far beyond its early offerings. "We're present almost everywhere now, from D2C on our website, Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, and also in offline distribution and B2B channels," says Rajpal. "More than 60 per cent of our business comes from e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms." The focus of the brand is clear: reach more Indian households, especially in smaller cities. "We've built a strong base in major cities, but now we're expanding rapidly into tier 2, 3, and 4 markets. Our goal is to reach deep into India." Homes, AI & Global Play Ambrane isn't just sticking to its roots but evolving. The brand has already entered the smart home category with products like air purifiers and vacuum cleaners. "Yes, we've started launching smart home appliances, and the response has been great. We're planning to go big in that space," Rajpal confirms. While commenting on the AI integration, Rajpal says, "Right now, our focus is on appliances, but we know that technology is evolving fast. We've already worked on smart plugs years ago, and we're planning more AI-enabled products soon." With a strong domestic base and an annual turnover of INR 260 crore, Ambrane is now eyeing international markets. "Last year, we started working with some global partners. This year, we're focusing on Eastern markets and participating in events like GITEX in Dubai. Next year, we're heading to CES," says Rajpal. Despite this growth, Ambrane has stayed completely bootstrapped, with over 600 employees, including manufacturing staff. "We haven't raised any external funding yet. But now we're open—if the right opportunity comes, we'll consider it to help us grow faster." Lessons for the next-gen entrepreneurs When asked what advice he'd give to young entrepreneurs, Ashutosh keeps it real, "You have to listen, learn, and act. Understand the market deeply and know your consumers. Presentation matters, a good product alone is not enough if people don't know about it. And above all, quality is key." As for the future of D2C and AI, he believes data will lead the way. "In the age of AI, data is everything. If you understand it well, you can solve real problems. Use AI for smarter marketing, better systems, and even product innovation," he concludes. Quick Facts

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store