Latest news with #Gupshup
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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
PhonePe acquires GSPay IP to launch UPI payments for new feature phones
The company in a statement said it plans to customise the stack and launch its own UPI payment app for new feature phones in India in the next few quarters Press Trust of India New Delhi PhonePe on Friday said it has acquired the IP of GSPay -- a proprietary technology stack from conversational engagement platform Gupshup -- to enable UPI-based payments on new feature phones. The company in a statement said it plans to customise the stack and launch its own UPI payment app for new feature phones in India in the next few quarters. The new app will offer essential UPI features such as peer-to-peer transfers, offline QR payments, and receiving money via mobile numbers or self-QR codes. Industry research indicates that there were over 24 crore feature phone users in India in 2024, and in the next five years, another 15 crore feature phone shipments are anticipated. PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam said the acquisition will help bring millions of feature phone users into the digital payments ecosystem, a segment largely underserved so far.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Shraddha Kapoor's family moment: Actress enjoys quality time with aunt Tejaswini Kolhapure and cousins - It's all about 'Gupshup khana aur khandan'
Shraddha Kapoor , or as the Bollywood buffs call her 'Stree', is one of the most endearing artists of the industry. In addition to her movies, it is glimpses of her personal life that keep her fans engaged and entertained. Luckily, for her fans, Shraddha's aunt Tejaswini Kolhapure recently shared a picture of their quality time, and the internet is in awe of the family moment. Shraddha Kapoor's 'Gupshup, Khana Aur Khandan' moment with her aunt Tejaswini Kolhapure and cousins In a picture shared by Tejaswini Kolhapure, Shraddha Kapoor can be seen enjoying her time with her aunt, cousin Priyaank Sharma, and his wife, Shaza Morani. Sitting around a dining table, the picture is all about family warmth, love, and togetherness. The show stealer is Shraddha's charming furry friend, resting calmly in her arms. Shraddha Kapoor appeared fashionable in a black tank top paired with classic blue denim jeans. Meanwhile, Priyaank and Shaza opted for comfortable outfits that were ideal for a family gathering. Meanwhile, Tejaswini's natural charm in an olive green top is simply radiant. While sharing the picture, Tejaswini wrote, 'Gupshup khana aur khandan." The bond between Shraddha Kapoor and Tejaswini Kolhapure Shraddha Kapoor and Tejaswini Kolhapure share a very special bond. Tejaswini, in her media interactions, never shies away from praising Shraddha Kapoor. In an earlier interview with Pinkvilla, she said, 'She (Shraddha was a very cute baby, and we used to call her Lolly as she used to look like one. She didn't even like anyone pulling her cheeks. But she has blossomed into this lovely, beautiful girl, who is so concerned about everybody, always reaching out and being very inclusive. " Shraddha Kapoor's upcoming movies Shraddha has 'Stree 3' in the pipeline. With the old OG gang - Rajkummar Rao, Aparshakti Khurana, Pankaj Tripathi and Abhishek Banerjee, Shraddha will be returning to with the threequel on 13 August 2027. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Mint
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Mint
Beyond the layoffs: Startup hiring cools as AI, money worries sweep businesses
Startups chasing profitability or aiming for a public listing appear to have gone slow on their hiring. The companies have hunkered down and tightened their belts to save money and figure out how artificial intelligence (AI) will change their work. Some companies have also let people go or reassigned roles as they dropped new non-core businesses that simply weren't working or to improve organizational efficiency. Big tech-enabled names such as Zomato, Cars24 and Gupshup, among others have cut jobs over the past quarter, while others such as Swiggy and Flipkart have pruned divisions and moved people to different roles. Newer startups are also being more careful about who they hire because investors want to see profits. Also read: After Pebble, Mensa looks to sell its Renee stake Vikram Chopra, co-founder and chief executive officer of used-car platform Cars24, told Mint that the firm had 'refined" its project list and will focus on core engines such as its used car platform, lending and international business. 'We don't anticipate doing a lot of hiring," he told Mint. 'However, we continue to seek out exceptional talent in business, product and technology." In a 26 April blogpost, Chopra had said that Cars24 had initiated layoffs for around 200 executives not because of performance, but structure. 'Over the last few months, we realized that some projects did not deliver what we expected. Some roles were added too early. A few hypotheses simply didn't hold when tested. And, in some cases, we couldn't offer the kind of growth or learning that people truly deserve," he wrote in the blog. Anusha Mallana, head of talent acquisition at quick commerce major Zepto, said the startup is not hiring as aggressively as last year, 'since we doubled our workforce in under eight months in 2024 at one-tenth the typical acquisition cost". On redeployment of talent, she said the company has seen interested junior tech executives moving to data science. Also read: Another Indian fintech unicorn taps bankers for a $400-million IPO Some other startups, too, have undertaken such a review. Conversational messaging platform Gupshup's spokesperson said that 'while hiring continues in strategic areas, our current focus is on optimizing resources". Gupshup announced layoffs of around 300 executives in mid-April, following multiple acquisitions over the past 18 months. 'As we integrated these companies, it was natural to consolidate teams and optimize for efficiency across the organization," the spokesperson said. Padmaja Ruparel, co-founder of Indian Angel Network, sees the recent adjustments in the startup world, including layoffs, as a correction after a period of hyper-growth. She believes that founders are now strategically building for the long haul and focusing on sustainable value creation for shareholders. 'This surely is a sign of maturity as we will see more stable, robust businesses building," she said. Rethinking the organisation There is an element of reorganization happening across startups, said Anshul Lodha, managing director of recruitment firm Page Group India. 'Roles such as customer service are being replaced by AI. Startups with too much talent are reducing team sizes," Lodha said. 'Focus is on hiring senior people in key roles like sales, tech and general management leadership to have a strong core team." Some of this has led to a churn in talent in top startups. While Flipkart has seen over a dozen senior executives leave over the past 18 months, it has also hired many more at the senior levels, a person with knowledge of the development said. However, at the junior level, Flipkart has also reorganized its ranks. The IPO-bound unit of Walmart shut down its health division and ANS Commerce (a SaaS platform that helped brands set up a digital storefront) and redeployed staff into high-growing segments such as travel and grocery, the person cited above said on condition of anonymity. Around 50-60% of the staff from those two divisions were absorbed into its quick commerce offering Minutes or Cleartrip (travel portal) and some other parts of the business, the person said, adding that the impact of AI has been most visible in supply chain systems where it has brought in more efficiency and, therefore, there is less need to hire. Also read: InMobi, Zetwerk founders turn to debt to raise stake Meanwhile, Zomato's increased use of AI in customer service also saw the company lay off 600 executives over the past few months, according to multiple media reports. The firm also said in its Q4 earnings call earlier this month that it has shut down its ultra-fast food delivery service Quick. Similarly, Swiggy shut down Genie (an on-demand pick up and drop service) and deployed the staff on its food and grocery businesses. Flipkart, Zomato and Swiggy did not respond to requests for comment. Rationalisation at senior level At senior levels, there is also an element of rationalization when poaching senior talent from peers. The process is longer and the salary hikes are also more rational, a startup executive said. The pruning has led executives to hunt for jobs and even accept offers at a pay cut. 'We are also seeing senior professionals in the startup segment ready to take up new assignments with even a 10-20% cut in compensation," said Jyoti Bowen Nath, managing partner at search firm Claricent Partners, adding that many of these seniors 'had outpriced themselves when they were hired by startups that are eventually laying them off". This is a reference to the period between the second half of 2020 and most of 2021 when companies across sectors were guzzling talent. The pandemic had accelerated digitization of businesses and companies hired employees in droves, backed by private equity and venture capital funding. When the funding winter struck in 2022, the companies realized they had over-hired and started retrenching in large numbers. In fact, in 2022 and 2023 all from global tech giants to small-scale startups went on a layoff-spree almost to compensate for the earlier enthusiasm. While 2024 was stable, the past few quarters have pushed firms to work with leaner teams in the backdrop of rising geopolitical crises and poor visibility on client demands. 'Startups with initial funding are finding it tougher to raise more money from the market," said Lohit Bhatia, president-workforce management at Quess Corp, one of the largest staffing firms. Bhatia added that larger IT firms are outsourcing fewer contracts to vendors, which is leading to reduced hiring. Further, Bhatia said he has noticed that employees are moving from less-funded startups to GCCs (global capability centres) and the IT departments of non-tech firms. With the evolution of new technologies such as AI, reskilling is becoming the new normal, said Ruparel. 'Reskilling is easier and less expensive than recruitment and training from ground level and yet living with the risk of a wrong hire."
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gupshup Conversation Cloud and WhatsApp drove 270% ROI for Customers, According to Total Economic Impact Findings
Interviewed customers saw a 50% increase in customer engagement, generating $1.4 million in profit, according to the TEI findings The Conversational AI platform launched an ROI calculator for businesses alongside the launch of the research study MUMBAI, India and SAN FRANCISCO, April 15, 2025 /CNW/ -- Gupshup, the world's leading Conversational AI platform, today announced the results of a commissioned Forrester Consulting Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study conducted on behalf of Meta, showing the cost savings and business benefits of its Conversation Cloud platform and WhatsApp in driving customer engagement, lead generation, conversions, and overall business growth for retail and e-commerce businesses. To empower businesses with tangible insights, Gupshup, in collaboration with Meta, has also launched a quick ROI calculator alongside the release of the study. As per the findings, WhatsApp campaigns powered by Gupshup Conversation Cloud saw 50% more customer engagement compared to SMS and email. This boost in engagement helped deliver a 270% return on investment over three years for a composite organization using Gupshup-powered automation on the WhatsApp Business Platform. Composite organization refers to the model business entity created by aggregating data from interviewed customers. 90% of surveyed businesses reported higher open rates, and 92% saw increased click-through rates on WhatsApp. Beyond engagement, businesses using WhatsApp and Gupshup's platform significantly impacted the entire customer journey, from lead generation to the final sale. In the retail and e-commerce sectors, 90% of businesses saw a significant increase in new customers, which seamlessly converted into higher sales. In addition, the composite organization saw a 55% increase in conversion rates and a 2.08% rise in overall revenue. "AI-driven conversations are no longer just a customer support tool—they are transforming every function of the business, from marketing and sales to post-purchase engagement and customer care. Businesses leveraging AI-powered messaging are seeing improved customer acquisition, stronger revenue growth with higher efficiency. At the core, it's about delivering seamless, intelligent, and personalized interactions that enhance the overall customer experience. The future of business is conversational, and AI is the engine driving this transformation," said Beerud Sheth, Founder & CEO of Gupshup. With 20% higher average order value (AOV) for businesses leading to a 1.17% increase in total revenue, WhatsApp is proving to be a game-changer for businesses. The detailed findings can be accessed here Logo: View original content: SOURCE Gupshup Technologies View original content:
Globe and Mail
12-03-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Gupshup Earns Top Analyst Recognitions and Awards For Innovation in Conversational AI and Ready AI Agents
MUMBAI, India and SAN FRANCISCO , March 12, 2025 /CNW/ -- Gupshup, the world's leading Conversational AI platform today announced that it has been recognized by multiple esteemed analyst firms for its outstanding AI capabilities and market leadership in the evolving Conversational AI landscape. These accolades underscore Gupshup's position as a trailblazer in the space, driven by advancements in Generative AI (GenAI) and AI Agents. The company has been profiled in Gartner's Competitive Landscape for Conversational Solutions, named an 'Established Leader' in Juniper Research's Conversational AI Leaderboard, and recognized as a " Major Player " in the IDC MarketScape Worldwide Communications Platform as a Service Vendor Assessment report for its AI Agent offerings. In Gartner's Competitive Landscape for Conversational Solutions, Gupshup has been recognized among a select group of players, with specific mention of its Agentic AI capabilities across both text and voice interfaces. The report highlights how the conversational solutions market has transformed significantly with the advent of Generative AI, noting that technology and service providers must adapt their product strategies and positioning to incorporate AI agent development, GenAI security, engineering, and governance. Commenting on these recognitions, Beerud Sheth, Founder and CEO of Gupshup said, "Our Conversational AI Agents deliver deep industry-specific knowledge with the speed businesses demand. They process customer history and execute workflows while maintaining relevance—enabling enterprises to handle interactions at scale without sacrificing the human connection. By leveraging optimal foundational LLMs, we help companies rapidly implement AI solutions that drive measurable growth." Further solidifying its position, Gupshup has been named as an 'Established Leader' in Juniper Research's Conversational AI Leaderboard. Gupshup achieved the highest score for its conversational AI service products and offerings, particularly excelling in product positioning, innovation in the conversational AI market, and future prospects. Gupshup's portfolio of pre-built AI Agents for industry-specific use cases enable businesses to deploy AI-powered conversational agents seamlessly across messaging channels, reinforcing Gupshup's leadership in conversational AI for customer engagement. Additionally, Gupshup has been acknowledged as a 'Major Player' in the IDC MarketScape Worldwide Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) Vendor Assessment. The report underscores the critical role of AI-driven engagement in driving double-digit growth in 2025. This recognition validates the company's cutting-edge Agentic AI capabilities, which are empowering enterprises to deploy sophisticated AI-powered experiences across multiple channels. Beyond these analyst recognitions, Gupshup has also received multiple prestigious awards, including: 'Best Innovation Leveraging GenAI/ML' at the recently concluded AWS AI Conclave Gold Winner for 'Best Conversational Commerce Solution' at the Future Digital Awards Platinum Winner for 'Mobile Messaging Innovation' at the Future Digital Awards Inderpal Mumick , EVP of Telecom Business at Gupshup and CEO of Dotgo (a company acquired by Gupshup), was named Platinum Winner for Mover & Shaker in Telco at the Future Digital Awards. With these significant recognitions and milestones, Gupshup continues to shape the future of Conversational AI, empowering businesses worldwide with cutting-edge AI-driven engagement solutions.
