Latest from Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
an hour ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Get This $200 MacBook Air Laptop
Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you'll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. Lugging around your $2,000 work laptop on every flight, through every hotel, and across every unfamiliar city? Stress levels: maximum. Business travel is chaotic enough without worrying that a spilled coffee or housekeeping mishap could ruin your most expensive device. That's why this refurbished MacBook Air, now just $199.97 with free shipping, is catching attention as the ultimate backup laptop for entrepreneurs who work on the go (reg. $999). If it gets a scratch going through TSA, temporarily misplaced with your lost luggage, or stolen, at least it wasn't your expensive, main laptop, right? Here's what this MacBook Air can handle This MacBook Air isn't a powerhouse, but it doesn't need to be. It's ideal for email, light web browsing, spreadsheets, document editing, and streaming on the go. With a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor and Intel HD Graphics 6000, it handles essential tasks without lag. The 13.3-inch display features a 1440×900 resolution, making it sharp enough for Zoom calls and Google Docs while also conserving battery life. Speaking of which: the 12-hour battery means you can work through long layovers or client meetings without hunting for a charger. And, since it weighs under three pounds, it's a great model for travel or hybrid work. It's a grade "A/B" refurb, meaning it may show light scuffing or signs of wear, but that also explains the deeply discounted price. This is a backup laptop that's designed to be used, not babied. A 90-day parts and labor warranty is also included with your purchase. Take advantage of this refurbished MacBook Air deal, now $199.97 with free shipping while supplies last (reg. $999). Apple MacBook Air 13.3″ (2017) 1.8GHz i5 8GB RAM 128GB SSD Silver (Refurbished) See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entrepreneur
4 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Listen up: Sony WH-1000XM Headphones
The headphones allow you to listen and charge all at once. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Sony is back with premium upgrades to its WH-1000XM wireless noise cancelling headphones. With processor speeds seven times faster than its predecessor, the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN3 fine-tunes 12 microphones in real time, delivering a dramatic leap in noise cancelling and sound quality. The precise detection of the twelve optimally placed microphones allow the noise cancellation to adapt more precisely to fit you and your environment. Whether you are looking to block out noise on a busy commute or stay focused in the office, your sound experience will be seamless and powerful. The iconic design of the WH-1000X series has been taken to the next level with an elegant, soft fit wider headband infused with vegan leather ensuring a pressure-free fit. Image courtesy SONY Plus, the asymmetrical headband design makes it easy to identify the left and right side with just a glance. The earpads are designed for all-day wear thanks to stretchable material that provides a secure yet gentle fit to reduce pressure whilst blocking external noise. The headphones allow you to listen and charge all at once. Simply plug in the USB charging cable and keep listening to your favorite tunes. On the go? Even quicker charging is possible, with three minutes giving you up to three hours of charge. Related: Speak Up: Sony ECM-L1
Entrepreneur
4 hours ago
- General
- Entrepreneur
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Entrepreneur
5 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How India's Digital Natives are Redefining Financial Services
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Ask a 20-year-old today about their money goals; chances are, they'll offer a detailed perspective on why financial literacy and independence are essential. Younger generations—particularly Gen Z and Millennials—engage with financial services earlier and more actively than previous generations, showing increased seriousness about financial planning, savings, and investment. Delhi-based financial analyst Ayush Dawar shares, "I aspire for financial freedom, having enough passive in come or resources to cover life's needs to lead a life full of adventure, creativ ity, and generosity." Gen Z is a significant and rapidly growing segment of the customer base for BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance). From a barter system to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), India's financial transformation is a noteworthy one, one that leverages technology to its finest. "As the first truly tech-native generation, Gen Z's financial habits are deeply intertwined with technology. They're app-first for everything – payments, expense tracking, and even diving into invest ments early," shares Adarsh Agarwal, chief actuary and product officer, Go Digit General Insurance. From mobile applications and e-signature capabilities to offering alternative investments and gamification, financial services providers are constantly evolving with new offerings. Digital Over Physical Kadence International reports that 67 per cent of Indian youth are now using neo-banking services, moving away from traditional physical banks. Reserve Bank Innovation Hub observed that most of the Gen Z participants hadn't visited a physical bank branch or ATM over the last three years (at a minimum). Convenience, speed, and accessibility are the reasons. However, those preferring the tradi tional route hold human interaction and relationship managers integral. "Gen Z thinks about money very differently. They have grown up in a digital world where they expect things to be instant, transpar ent, and intuitive. Unlike millennials who often lean on traditional banking, Gen Z questions everything from hidden fees to outdated processes," shares Vinay Bagri, CEO and Co-founder, Niyo. Hence, financial institutions must adopt a digital-first approach with a simple and cool UI/UX. "We also integrate visa and flight booking, insurance, and rewards in one seamless app because Gen Z doesn't want ten apps for ten purposes," adds Bagri. In order to stay abreast, Indian banks are working to improve their user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) to enhance customer satisfaction and en gagement. Case in point, with the iMobile app, ICICI Bank is providing personalised offers and alerts based on spending pat terns and account behaviour, i.e. receiving targeted promotions for credit cards or in surance plans that align with a customer's financial habits Tailored offerings Agarwal feels tailoring products ac cording to the needs and trends of the hour is crucial to align with the values and needs of a target market like Gen Z. A 2024 Redseer report stated that personal loans made up 40 per cent of Gen Z's borrowing, followed by credit card spending at 27 per cent. Pratik Shah, partner and national leader – Financial Services, EY India, earlier noted that credit cards are a growing trend with 46 per cent of Gen Z choosing them for rewards and discounts, and 36 per cent for convenience. Education and healthcare are key cat egories under financing. Akshay Mehrotra, co-founder and CEO of Fibe, shares that the startup identified the shift in the mindset of Gen Z early in its journey. "Gen Z doesn't want to live paycheck to paycheck—they seek financial flexibility and the ability to access their earnings when needed," he shares. Great Learning's 2024 report stated that 83 per cent of freshers intended to upskill in FY25. "With upskilling essential in today's fast-paced world, our education financing solutions support young professionals to up grade their careers and stay ahead in an ever evolving job market," Fibe's chief shares. It is also enabling customers to tap into their mutual funds. "We also offer Loan Against Mutual Funds, enabling users to unlock val ue from their investments without redemp tion… We see Loan Against Mutual Fund a hit with Gen Z, and they love the idea of Interest only product, and we have high demand coming in from them," Mehrotra notes. A loan against mutual funds lets investors use their mutual fund units as security to borrow money. The lender checks the value of these units and of fers a loan based on a percentage of that value. This is a good option for those who need money but don't want to sell their investments, allowing them to keep earning potential returns. Building Ecosystems Fintech players are levelling their game by going the extra mile to attract and retain existing and potential customers, particularly Gen Z. For instance, Go Digit, to encourage a shift to a more environ mentally friendly transportation mode, offers EV Motor add-on with competitive premium rates. Beyond the product, Niyo is creating an ecosystem that speaks the Gen Z language. "Our community platform helps them connect with like minded peers across the country, share knowledge, and feel empowered. We share educational content and collabo rate with influential voices in travel. Gen Z doesn't seek complexity, they want clarity, speed, and rewards," shares Bagri. The Finfluencers Landscape The rise of financial influencers (finflu encers) and content has made youngsters comfortable with topics related to money matters. As of December 2024, India had approximately 232,000 finfluencers. This connection is being tapped by institu tions, startups, and corporations. Eighty two per cent of retail investors in India have acted on financial advice from influ encers. "The relatability and authenticity of the influencer are the primary factors that drive their trust. Insurance compa nies are also leveraging brand ambassa dors who embody the values and beliefs of Gen Z," says Agarwal. Calling social media today is what word-of-mouth was two decades ago, but effective, Bagri shares, "Gen Z is constantly learning from people they trust online. Whether it's a finance creator explaining forex charges or a travel vlogger talking about our card benefits abroad, authenticity matters." India's private banks, such as HDFC Bank, are collaborating with influencers on social media to promote and establish their products. "Whether it's busting forex myths on a travel vlog or showing real-time currency savings on a trip to Bali, we meet Gen Z where they scroll," Bagri adds. By 2030, Gen Z is expected to make up 36 per cent of India's workforce and con tribute nearly USD 730 billion in direct spending. This growing economic influ ence means financial institutions must continuously adapt, offering smarter, simpler, and more intuitive services that speak Gen Z's language.
Entrepreneur
6 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
AI This Week: Offline Models, Nuclear Systems, and a Surge in Industrial Automation
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. This week in artificial intelligence (AI), developments highlighted a shift towards edge computing, offline capability, and strategic investments across infrastructure, industry, and enterprise. Google Pushes Offline AI with Gemma 3n and Gemini Robotics Google formally launched Gemma 3n, a multimodal, open-source AI model capable of running entirely offline on devices with as little as 2GB RAM. Built on a new architecture called MatFormer, it allows scalable performance across hardware constraints and supports tasks involving text, video, image and audio. Key innovations such as KV Cache Sharing and Per-Layer Embeddings reduce memory load and speed up real-time applications like voice assistants and video analysis. Gemma 3n supports over 140 languages and processes content in 35, without requiring any cloud connection,"offering a significant advantage for privacy-sensitive and remote environments. Meanwhile, Google DeepMind unveiled Gemini Robotics On-Device, a lightweight AI model designed to run locally on robots such as Franka FR3 and Apollo. Trained initially on ALOHA systems, Gemini can understand natural language, execute complex multi-step commands, and perform dexterous tasks like folding clothes and unzipping bags all without internet access. The model is built for latency-sensitive, low-compute environments, allowing robotic systems to operate independently in the field. Palantir to Develop AI Operating System for Nuclear Construction Palantir Technologies entered into a USD 100 million, five-year agreement with a Kentucky-based nuclear energy company to co-develop a Nuclear Operating System (NOS). The project follows recent executive orders in the United States aimed at accelerating domestic nuclear plant construction amid soaring demand from AI data centres and cryptocurrency mining operations. The NOS is intended to reduce costs, simplify planning, and accelerate construction timelines for new nuclear reactors. The initiative underscores how AI is now being applied to complex, regulated infrastructure sectors. HCLTech Strengthens Enterprise AI Play through Salesforce and Global Alliances HCLTech expanded its partnership with Salesforce to drive adoption of agentic AI solutions using the Salesforce Agentforce platform across sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and financial services. The Indian IT major also announced a strategic alliance with AMD to accelerate digital transformation globally and signed a long-term agreement with European energy firm to modernise its cloud infrastructure using AI. Additionally, HCLTech secured an engineering services contract with Volvo Group to support automotive innovation from its global centres. Despite these strategic moves, analysts maintain a cautious view on the stock, with a consensus rating of 'Hold' and an average price target of INR 1,670, suggesting a potential downside of approximately 3 per cent from current levels. Apptronik Launches Elevate Robotics to Advance Industrial Automation In a bid to go beyond humanoid AI systems, Apptronik launched Elevate Robotics, a wholly owned subsidiary focused on developing industrial-grade mobile manipulation systems. The spin-off aims to build "superhuman" robots designed for heavy-duty industrial tasks. Elevate will operate independently, leveraging Apptronik's decade of expertise and recent funding,"bringing the company's total Series A funding to USD 403 million, with backing from investors such as Google, Mercedes-Benz, and Japan Post Capital. The move reflects a broader trend of AI being integrated into large-scale, labour-intensive sectors. Google Launches Doppl: An AI-Powered Virtual Try-On App Google also released Doppl, an experimental AI app under Google Labs, which lets users virtually try on outfits by uploading a full-length photo. The app uses AI to simulate how clothing would look on a person's body, offering both static visuals and animated try-ons. Currently available in the United States on iOS and Android, the app has not yet been rolled out internationally. Meta in Talks to Raise USD 29 Billion for AI Data Centres According to media reports, Meta is in discussions to raise USD 29 billion,comprising USD 3 billion in equity and USD 26 billion in debts from private equity firms including Apollo Global Management, KKR, Brookfield, Carlyle, and PIMCO. The funding will support Meta's ongoing expansion of AI-focused data centres. The move is part of Meta's broader AI strategy, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg stating earlier this year that the company plans to spend up to USD 65 billion on AI infrastructure in 2025.
