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Celebrity endorsement deals are moving beyond box office records, with brands valuing digital reach and public perception, Rajesh N Naidu reports for The Economic Times. “Today, box office success is not a key criterion in endorsement deals. Brands focus on the digital presence of stars. This has made social media engagement an important factor in selecting celebrities for endorsement deals,” says Umakanta Panigrahi, MRICS, CEIV, Managing Director, Valuation Advisory Services, Kroll. Shah Rukh Khan remained India's most valuable celebrity by brand valuation despite having no film release in the past three years, according to Kroll. The report also notes that digital endorsement deals now account for 60% to 75% of total endorsement deals, up from 40% to 60% over the past two to three years. Industry experts say advertisers are increasingly evaluating factors such as net positive sentiment, original content, long-term reputation, and cross-generational appeal alongside digital influence. “Advertisers prefer celebrities who create original content, post regularly, and stand for meaningful causes instead of simply reposting others' content. These qualities build trust and strengthen engagement,” says Ajimon Francis, Managing Director, Brand Finance. The study also highlights four emerging trends. Legacy icons continue to command a premium, female celebrities are growing faster in brand valuation, Southern stars are expanding their pan-India appeal, and younger Bollywood actors are strengthening their endorsement portfolios through Gen Z engagement, the report adds. What factors do you think will define the next generation of celebrity endorsements? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Source: https://lnkd.in/dTmK9Scy ✍ Dhritiman Deb 📸 Getty Images #Brands #Advertising #Celebrity #OnlineReputation #Endorsement #Deals

India’s semiconductor startups have cleared a major engineering hurdle, but now comes the hard part — actually selling their chips, Rwit Ghosh reports for Mint. A growing list of startups, including C2i Semiconductors, AGNIT Semiconductors, Sophrosyne Technologies, Aheesa, Netrasemi, and Mindgrove Technologies, have all completed “tape-outs”. It is the stage where a chip design is finalised and sent off for manufacturing. This wave of progress comes as government programmes like the Design Linked Incentive scheme, the Research, Development and Innovation fund, and the India Semiconductor Mission work to build up the country's domestic chip capabilities, the report says. But experts are quick to point out that a tape-out is just the starting line, not the finish. Getting from there to actual commercial production usually takes another six to 12 months of testing and proof-of-concept (PoC) work. “A functional product and a tape-out are definitely milestones. But it means nothing,” says Sateesh Andra, Managing Partner at Endiya Partners, while adding that startups now need to "get into revenue mode,” And there’s real money on the table to fight for. Mordor Intelligence projects India’s semiconductor market will grow to $17.4 billion by 2031 from $12.4 billion in 2026. To carve out their share, many of these startups are zeroing in on specialised sectors like defence, telecom, healthcare, and data centres — spaces where they can build a real edge rather than compete with giants. AGNIT, for instance, is running five paid PoC projects and expects some to turn into long-term contracts within the next nine to 12 months. Meanwhile, Sophrosyne Technologies is betting on differentiated technology over competing on cost. “When we talk to any customer, price is the last thing we discuss,” says its founder and CEO Manish Srivastava. Still, the excitement comes with a reality check. Industry watchers say India’s chip ecosystem is still missing some key ingredients — anchor customers, easier access to foundries, and deeper supply chain relationships — all things startups will need if they want to scale successfully. The funding, at least, is flowing. According to Tracxn, 213 semiconductor companies raised money in 2025, pulling in $361 million across 44 rounds — and this year alone has already seen $200 million raised through 27 deals. How do you think these chip startups can win more customers? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Source: Mint: https://lnkd.in/dbTvbVeU ✍: Nakul Ghai 📷: Getty Images #Chips #Semiconductors #Startups #AI #Technology

India’s richest families are investing in a segment where startups often struggle to find funding: Deeptech, Nabodita Ganguly reports for Mint. Recently, family offices that manage the wealth of high-net-worth families have grown rapidly in India. Their numbers rose to more than 300 in 2024, from 45 in 2018. They now manage assets worth about $30-35 billion, the report says, citing PwC findings from November 2025. As such, their investments in startups have also jumped sharply, reaching about $1.8 billion in 2025, up from $654 million in 2020. A large share of this growth has gone into deeptech startups. Investments from single family offices increased nearly 30 times to $467.1 million in 2025, from $15.3 million in 2020, according to Tracxn. During the same period, overall funding for India’s deeptech sector grew to $1.34 billion from $302 million. As of July 27, 2026, single family offices had already invested $215.6 million in deeptech startups, the report mentions. Deeptechs are companies working on advanced technologies like space, semiconductors, AI, and defence. They usually need many years of funding before they can start making money. Unlike venture capital funds, family offices can afford to be patient. It is one of the reasons they are becoming important backers of deeptech, the report says. “Family offices have an advantage. They are able to take a longer-term view and support businesses that need patient capital,” says Suraj Malik, Founding Partner at Legacy Growth. ➡️ How will this trend impact the startup funding landscape? Share your take in the comments section. Source: Mint - https://lnkd.in/d6vqT3U8 ✍: Prerna Mittra 📸: Getty Images #Deeptech #DeeptechStartups #DeeptechInvestments #RichFamilies #PatientCapital

करियर में आगे बढ़ने के लिए एक अच्छे मेंटर का होना आवश्यक है। मेंटर आपकी ताकतों को पहचानने में मदद करते हैं और आपको करियर में आगे बढ़ने की सही दिशा दिखाते हैं। आइए जानें एक अच्छे मेंटर के मुख्य गुण क्या हैं: ➡️ एक अच्छे मेंटर आपकी बात बिना जज किए सुनते हैं। वे आपकी चुनौतियों को समझने की कोशिश करते हैं और स्थिति के हिसाब से सही सलाह देते हैं। ➡️ मेंटर सिर्फ आपकी उपलब्धियों की तारीफ नहीं करते, बल्कि सुधार की आवश्यकता वाले क्षेत्रों की ओर भी ध्यान दिलाते हैं। इससे आपको सीखने और आगे बढ़ने में मदद मिलती है। ➡️ एक अच्छे मेंटर अपने करियर के अनुभव और चुनौतियों से मिली सीख भी साझा करते हैं। इससे आपको नई समझ मिलती है, और मुश्किल हालात से निपटने का भरोसा भी बढ़ता है। एक अच्छे मेंटर का कौन-सा गुण सबसे ज़्यादा महत्वपूर्ण होता है? कमेंट्स में साझा करें। स्रोत: Dainik Bhaskar - https://lnkd.in/dBNU49CK ✍: Divya Pathak 📷: Getty Images

The auto industry is balancing rising costs with record demand momentum, Shally Seth Mohile reports for The Economic Times. Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai Motor India, and Mahindra & Mahindra are managing higher costs for steel, aluminium, copper, and rubber through supplier support, price increases, and capacity expansion. Exchange rate fluctuations have also weighed on profitability, the report says. Vehicle sales grew 34% year-on-year to 469,162 units in July, as both Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra introduced price hikes to offset cost pressures. Meanwhile, Electric Vehicle (EV) sales reached 31,788 units in July, rising 82% from 17,509 units a year earlier. EVs accounted for 7.8% of new car sales during the month, compared with 5% in July 2025, Shally Mohile and Sharmistha Mukherjee report for The Economic Times. Higher fuel prices following the U.S.-Iran war contributed to stronger EV demand. Automakers are now working to increase production as bookings and sales growth continue to outpace supply in some segments, the report says further. “In EVs... there is quite a wide gap between demand and supply,” said Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director at Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, adding that sales have grown 20% sequentially every month. How will automakers balance customer demand, pricing, and profitability? Share your thoughts in the comments section. Source: https://lnkd.in/dzyRM6WB https://lnkd.in/dVnSmn4c ✍ Dhritiman Deb 📸 Getty Images #Auto #MarutiSuzuki #Hyundai #Mahindra #EV #ElectricVehicle #CarPrices

“Today, travellers from across India and even different parts of the world are visiting Jabalpur. Tourism has grown significantly and that growth is clearly visible,” says Abhishek Bhalla, Deputy Manager-Sales and Operations at Madcap Adventure. When we talk about India’s growth, the spotlight often falls on major metros. But some of the more compelling transformation stories are unfolding in the smaller cities. Jabalpur and Prayagraj both feature on LinkedIn’s Cities on the Rise list, driven by how they are creating new opportunities for local businesses, travel and tourism, professionals, and communities. “I’ve seen Prayagraj evolve over the years. Yes, the Maha Kumbh generated tremendous economic activity… But for me, its lasting impact is how it accelerated changes that continue to benefit the city long after the event ended,” says Nidhi Rajput, Head of Content & Social Media at TU. Watch the video below for more insights and tell us in the comments section — what’s driving the transformation of Jabalpur and Prayagraj? Here’s the full Cities on the Rise list: https://lnkd.in/dMhVdUMW #LinkedInVideo ✍️: Prerna Mittra 🎥: Isha Chitnis, Ankita Sil

In this week’s recap, we dive into the key stories sparking conversations in the world of sports. From Brazil and India playing a football friendly in Kolkata to RCB crossing $300 million in brand value, here’s a look at the sports stories creating a buzz. Watch the video and share your take — what do you think was the biggest sports story in India this week? Source: Jemimah Rodrigues - https://lnkd.in/dQDTbdFd Sayan Mukherjee - https://lnkd.in/dYX5YhcP Nilesh Sadanand Shetty - https://lnkd.in/dNacxsMq Ajinkya Rahane - https://lnkd.in/d8Y_4aex ✍ Abhiraj Ganguli 🎥 Dhritiman Deb #SportsHighlights #SportsWrap #LinkedInVideo #Sports #Cricket

काम के दौरान प्रोडक्टिविटी महत्वपूर्ण है। यह फोकस बनाए रखने और बेहतर क्वालिटी का काम करने में मदद करती है। आइए जानें कि कैसे खुद को प्रोडक्टिव बनाए रखें: ⏰ दिन की शुरुआत करते समय उन 3 सबसे ज़रूरी कामों की सूची तैयार करें, जिन्हें हर हाल में पूरा करना है। इससे आपकी प्राथमिकताएँ स्पष्ट रहेंगी और आप ज़रूरी कामों पर बेहतर तरीके से ध्यान दे पाएँगे। ⏰ लगातार लंबे समय तक काम करने से मानसिक थकान बढ़ सकती है और एकाग्रता कम हो सकती है। ऐसे में पोमोडोरो तकनीक अपनाएँ। इसमें हर काम के लिए तय समय निर्धारित किया जाता है। उस समय में पूरा फोकस रखकर काम किया जाता है और उसके बाद एक छोटा ब्रेक लिया जाता है। ⏰ इसके अलावा, कोशिश करें कि दिन की शुरुआत सबसे चुनौतीपूर्ण काम से करें। जब मुश्किल काम पहले पूरा हो जाता है, तो आत्मविश्वास बढ़ता है और बाकी काम भी आसान लगने लगते हैं। प्रोडक्टिविटी बढ़ाने के लिए आपके क्या टिप्स हैं? कमेंट्स में साझा करें। स्रोत: https://lnkd.in/gfSFSD6s ✍: Divya Pathak 📷: Getty Images

"Conversations are getting longer. It's not just typing in one or two keywords, it's asking a question in very natural language," says Preeti Lobana, VP and Country Manager at Google India, sharing how Search is evolving. She adds that in a country as diverse as ours in terms of languages, searching online is also becoming more multilingual. Tune in as she decodes the trends and share your take in the comments — what's the next big trend that will shape how India searches online? #LinkedInVideo ✍️: Isha Chitnis 🎥: Isha Chitnis

Fresh graduates and employers have very different views on workplace readiness, Sreeradha Basu reports for the Economic Times. 68% of fresh graduates think they're job-ready on day one, but only 9% of employers agree, according to HirePro's latest study. More than half of the corporates surveyed say that new hires need at least a month of structured training before they can meaningfully contribute. Based on responses from 10,000+ students, 80+ corporates, 100+ college recruiters, and 100+ placement officers, the study found that only 21% of companies have fully adopted skills-first hiring, even though 96% of colleges believe most employers already have. Employers say graduates most often lack applied technical skills (42%), ownership and proactiveness (37%), and structured problem-solving and critical thinking (37%). Another major gap is around hiring priorities: 58% of corporates rank cultural fit and personality among their top considerations, but only 27% of students believe these traits matter. “This was never a gap in conviction,” said Pasupathi S, COO at HirePro, adding that redesigning hiring systems “takes real work.” Companies are also increasingly looking for candidates with an entrepreneurial mindset. Employer preference for such candidates rose to 14% from 5% in the last two years, indicating a growing focus on professionals who can take ownership, identify opportunities, and create impact from the outset, the report adds. Where do you see this gap showing up most? Share your thoughts in the comments section. ✍: Nakul Ghai 📷: Getty Images Source: The Economic Times: https://lnkd.in/dM7KZrKs #Graduates #Employability #Skilling #Talent