Tech Unicorns, Lunar Triumph and YouTube History

Discover how Hugging Face, the AI startup has gained support from tech giants, propelling its valuation to new heights. Journey with us as we explore India's historic uncrewed landing on the moon's south pole, showcasing the nation's pioneering space achievements. And don't miss the scoop on how ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 mission created history on YouTube, securing its place as the most-watched live stream globally.

India Achieves Historic Uncrewed Lunar Landing at the South Pole

India has achieved an extraordinary feat in space exploration by becoming the first nation to successfully land an uncrewed robotic moon lander, the Chandrayaan-3, on the moon's south pole.

This historic landing, carried out by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), marked a monumental moment in space history. The successful touchdown took place shortly after 8:30 a.m. ET, underscoring India's prowess in space technology and mission execution.

This remarkable achievement comes in the wake of a setback faced by Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, whose spacecraft, en route to the same lunar south pole region, failed during an orbital maneuver, resulting in a crash into the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-3 Creates YouTube History as World's Most-Watched Live Stream

In an extraordinary achievement, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has etched its name in YouTube's history books. The live telecast of ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 Mission Soft-landing on August 23, 2023, drew an astounding peak concurrent viewership of over 80 lakh (8 million), catapulting it to the title of the world's most-watched live stream.

This incredible feat surpassed the viewership of notable events like the Brazil vs. Croatia football match from the FIFA World Cup 2022 with 61 lakh PCVs and the Brazil vs. South Korea football match from the same tournament with 52 lakh PCVs. Even the Cariocão 2023 Serie A semi-final between Vasco da Gama and Flamengo was left behind with 47 lakh Peak Concurrent Viewers.

Zepto Emerges as India's First Unicorn of 2023 with $200 Million Funding Boost

Instant grocery delivery startup Zepto has achieved a remarkable feat by securing $200 million in fresh funding, propelling its valuation to an impressive $1.4 billion.

The funding round, led by StepStone Group, marks the first direct investment in India for the US-based firm. Zepto's journey to unicorn status stands out, especially in a climate where many competitors in the same sector have struggled or shuttered.

The startup, co-founded by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra when they were just 19 years old, has showcased exceptional execution capabilities. With over 300,000 daily orders across seven Indian cities, Zepto leverages a network of dark stores to efficiently deliver a diverse range of products. Palicha emphasized that the key to their success lies in meticulous supply chain management and unwavering operational discipline.

Zepto's rapid growth, including a 300% YoY increase in sales and a revenue exceeding $700 million, demonstrates its robust positioning in the market. The company aspires to go public by 2025 with a strong focus on sustained profitability and technological excellence.

Bucking the Trend: Zepto's Rise in a Challenging Climate

In a landscape where other instant delivery startups have faced setbacks and closures, Zepto has emerged as a shining example of efficient execution. The startup's ability to navigate operational intricacies and remain EBIDTA-positive has set it apart.

Zepto's co-founders, Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, attribute their success to a meticulous focus on supply chain management, a strategy that has allowed them to process hundreds of thousands of orders daily. With this recent funding, Zepto not only cements its position as India's first unicorn of 2023 but also positions itself for an IPO by 2025, showcasing a commitment to sustainable growth and customer satisfaction.

Tech Giants Rally Behind AI Startup Hugging Face, Elevating Valuation to $4.5 Billion

Hugging Face, an AI startup that has pioneered a collaborative approach to AI development has achieved a significant milestone as it secures investments from a roster of tech giants including Google, Amazon, Nvidia, Salesforce, AMD, Intel, IBM, and Qualcomm.

Hugging Face's broad spectrum of AI offerings, encompassing language, music, images, translation, and more, reflects its commitment to an inclusive and collaborative AI ecosystem. The company currently hosts a staggering 500,000 AI models, and 250,000 datasets, and boasts 10,000 paying customers.

The collective funding has propelled Hugging Face's valuation to an impressive $4.5 billion. This infusion of capital will primarily be directed toward talent acquisition, bolstering the company's competitiveness in the dynamic artificial intelligence landscape.

With a keen eye on the future, Hugging Face envisions a significant growth in the number of software developers working with AI models and anticipates becoming an integral part of their daily workflows.

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