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Salesforce gains Slack for higher than $27 billion, marking cloud software vendor’s biggest deal ever

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Salesforce is making the greatest procurement in its 21-year history. The organization reported on Tuesday that it’s purchasing talk software developer Slack for over $27 billion.

Through a mix of cash and stock, Salesforce is buying Slack for $26.79 an offer and .0776 portions of Salesforce, as indicated by an assertion. That comes to about $45.86 an offer. Before beginning reports of an arrangement a week ago, which prompted a 38% fly in Slack’s offers, the stock was exchanging at under $30.

The buy marks one of the biggest ever for the product business. The greatest was IBM’s $34 billion acquisition of Red Hat in 2018, trailed by Microsoft’s $27 billion obtaining of LinkedIn in 2016. A year ago, the London Stock Exchange consented to purchase information supplier Refinitiv for $27 billion, however the arrangement presently can’t seem to be cleared by European controllers.

For Salesforce, the Slack arrangement is the most recent in CEO Marc Benioff’s multiyear securing binge. The organization burned through $15.3 billion on information perception organization Tableau in 2019 and, a year sooner, dished out $6.5 billion to secure MuleSoft, whose back-end programming interfaces information put away in divergent spots.

Salesforce said the Slack buy goes to an endeavor estimation of $27.7 billion, which considers shares extraordinary alongside obligation and money. The arrangement esteems Slack at more than 24 times assessed income for one year from now.

Salesforce, which got its beginning by creating cloud-based programming for salespeople, has drastically extended its compass lately and, en route, gotten one of the most significant programming organizations on the planet, passing Oracle, SAP and IBM just as other inheritance tech organizations, for example, Cisco and Intel.

By procuring Slack, a business talk administration with more than 130,000 paid clients, Salesforce is reinforcing its arrangement of big business applications and rounding out its more extensive programming suite as it looks for new zones of development.

Salesforce’s annualized income topped $20 billion in the monetary second quarter, with development of 29%. Yet, the conjecture for the entire year of 21% to 22% development would speak to the organization’s slowest pace of extension since 2010. Slack is extended to develop 39% this financial year, which closes Jan. 31, to $876.3 million, as indicated by investigators studied by Refinitiv.

On the organization’s profit call Tuesday, Benioff said that Salesforce trusted it could assist Slack with arriving at the following basic phase of income development.

“As you know, they’re basically entering from the $1 billion to $2 billion phase, which I know extremely well, and this is a moment where we can offer a lot of value. We’ve been there. We’ve lived that life.”

The obtaining will additionally increase Salesforce’s contention with Microsoft, whose Teams visit and video administration has arisen as Slack’s stiffest rival.

“This deal will be a major shot across the bow at Microsoft,” composed Dan Ives, an investigator at Wedbush, in a report on Monday. Ives, who suggests purchasing Salesforce shares, said Teams “has been a clear hurdle to growth” for Slack and that the market will currently be “a two horse race between Microsoft and Salesforce.”

The organizations are doing combating in various different regions. Salesforce is the prevailing part in client relationship the board programming, where Microsoft is a far off challenger. The two organizations attempted to purchase LinkedIn, the expert systems administration site, however Microsoft was a definitive champ.

With a year ago’s acquisition of Tableau, Salesforce bounced into the information perception market, taking on Microsoft’s Power BI. The organizations likewise clash in efficiency programming, however Microsoft’s Office suite controls the market alongside Google. Salesforce obtained Quip in 2016 yet hasn’t got a lot of energy against Microsoft and Google.

The Slack turn

Slack has been one of Silicon Valley’s unbelievable stories over the previous decade, organizing perhaps the most stunning turn the business has ever observed.

The organization was initially established in 2009 as an internet gaming organization call Tiny Speck. It was made by Stewart Butterfield, popular in the tech world for beginning photograph sharing site Flickr and offering it to Yahoo. Andreessen Horowitz, Accel Partners and Social Capital were among Tiny Speck’s initial supporters.

Small Speck’s down, Glitch, was a disappointment. Be that as it may, throughout the span of chipping away at it, Butterfield’s group fabricated an item to assist them with speaking with each other and to share records. They shut down Glitch and zeroed in on talk, freeing it up to clients in mid 2014. By October of that year, Slack had 30,000 groups joined, including at Salesforce, and pulled in subsidizing from Google’s endeavor arm at a valuation north of $1 billion.

Slack’s yearly income beat $100 million by mid 2017 and came to $400 million two years after the fact. The offers appeared on the New York Stock Exchange in June 2019, through an immediate posting. The stock, which opened at $38.50, has been on an exciting ride since, exchanging close $17 in March of this current year, prior to moving back near $40 in June and afterward dropping back beneath $25 in mid-November.

A large part of the volatility can be attributed to Microsoft.

“We have been surprised by the limited success Slack has seen from the pandemic and the rise of remote work,” wrote Rishi Jaluria, an analyst at D.A. Davidson, in a report last week. “Microsoft Teams has been able to capitalize on the opportunity presented by the pandemic better than Slack, in our view, and this rapid growth in adoption has hurt Slack.”

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Zomato Evolves into Eternal: Redefining the Future of Digital Commerce

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Zomato Evolves into Eternal: Redefining the Future of Digital Commerce

Zomato, one of India’s leading food delivery and quick-commerce platforms, has officially rebranded as Eternal. The transformation reflects the company’s growing ambitions beyond food delivery, encompassing various business verticals, including grocery delivery, live events, and restaurant supplies. The rebranding marks a major shift in Zomato’s corporate identity, aligning with its vision of building businesses that last “beyond a lifetime.”

Why the Rebranding?

Founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal explained that the decision to rename the parent company was driven by the rapid growth of Blinkit, Zomato’s quick-commerce arm. Initially met with skepticism when Zomato acquired Blinkit in 2022, the business has since become a key driver of the company’s future.

“We thought of publicly renaming the company when something beyond Zomato became a significant driver of our future. Today, with Blinkit, I feel we are here,” Goyal stated.

What Changes Under Eternal?

The name Eternal will now serve as the parent brand for Zomato’s four major business units:

  1. Zomato – The core food delivery business.
  2. Blinkit – A quick-commerce service for grocery and essential deliveries.
  3. Hyperpure – A B2B platform supplying restaurants with kitchen essentials.
  4. Zomato Live (District) – A live events platform.

While the company’s corporate identity is changing, the Zomato app and branding for food delivery will remain the same. Customers will still order from the Zomato app, and Blinkit will continue to operate under its own branding.

Significance of the Name ‘Eternal’

The word Eternal symbolizes longevity and endurance, reinforcing the company’s ambition to build businesses that last beyond generations. This philosophy reflects Zomato’s long-term commitment to innovation and expansion in the digital commerce space.

Goyal had previously mentioned the Eternal name as an internal identity in 2022 but clarified that it would not replace the Zomato brand. However, with Blinkit’s massive growth and the company’s evolving focus, the name has now been publicly embraced.

Market Impact and Future Outlook

The rebranding positions Eternal as a diversified technology company rather than just a food delivery platform. The move comes at a time when quick-commerce is becoming a dominant force in India, with competitors like Swiggy Instamart, Reliance JioMart, Amazon Fresh, and Walmart-backed Flipkart entering the space.

Eternal’s strategy will likely focus on:

  • Expanding Blinkit’s footprint across India.
  • Strengthening its supply chain for Hyperpure.
  • Growing Zomato Live as a major player in the events space.
  • Continuing innovation in food delivery services.

The transition from Zomato to Eternal represents a bold step in the company’s journey, signaling a future beyond food delivery. With Blinkit’s rise, Zomato’s leadership in restaurant supplies, and its growing events business, the rebranding aligns with its ambition to create a multi-dimensional commerce platform.

As Eternal, the company aims to shape the future of digital commerce in India, staying true to its mission of building businesses that stand the test of time.

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U.S. AI Startups Eye New Opportunities Amid DeepSeek’s Rise

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U.S. AI Startups Eye New Opportunities Amid DeepSeek's Rise

Just last week, OpenAI was seen as the undisputed leader in artificial intelligence, with its cutting-edge models driving a soaring valuation. This week, however, its dominance is being questioned as Silicon Valley shifts its focus to a more cost-effective competitor: DeepSeek.

The Chinese company recently launched R1, a challenger to OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model. Early testers claim R1 matches o1’s capabilities while being significantly cheaper to operate. The announcement sent shockwaves through the market, triggering a massive stock sell-off on Monday that erased nearly $1 trillion in market value.

DeepSeek’s Disruptive Impact

Industry insiders believe DeepSeek’s approach could reshape the AI landscape. Unlike OpenAI, which focuses on Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) through increasingly complex models, DeepSeek emphasizes efficient, application-driven AI that is more accessible and cost-effective.

Roi Ginat, CEO of EndlessAI, sees this as a breakthrough for startups and smaller players.

“DeepSeek’s success represents a democratization of AI development, where smaller teams with limited resources can meaningfully compete with well-funded tech giants,” Ginat told Business Insider.

While OpenAI remains a major force, its role in the industry could shift. The competition between expansive, high-cost AI models and streamlined, purpose-built AI systems is fueling innovation on both fronts.

Cost Efficiency vs. AI Infrastructure Investments

DeepSeek’s biggest advantage is cost efficiency. If it truly reduces AI training and inference costs by tenfold, as some claim, it could accelerate AI adoption far beyond current analyst predictions. However, Pukar Hamal, CEO of SecurityPal, warns against expecting immediate disruptions.

“It’ll take more than a few tough earnings calls to make the biggest AI players reconsider the staggering GPU investments we’re seeing for 2025,” Hamal said.

Major tech firms are doubling down on AI infrastructure. Meta has committed $60 billion to AI investments, while former President Donald Trump recently announced Stargate, a $500 billion joint venture between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank to expand AI capabilities across the U.S.

The Open-Source Debate: DeepSeek vs. OpenAI

A key distinction between OpenAI and DeepSeek lies in open-source accessibility. OpenAI keeps its models closed for safety and security reasons, while DeepSeek’s AI is open-source, allowing public access and modification.

Satya Nitta, CEO of Emergence AI, sees this as a significant advantage for DeepSeek.

“DeepSeek R1 broadens access to AI reasoning, highlights the power of open-source, and sets a new benchmark for AI capabilities,” he said.

However, open-source models also raise regulatory concerns. Hamal cautioned that unchecked AI development could lead to security risks, drawing parallels to the U.S. government’s scrutiny of TikTok. White House advisor David Sacks further fueled controversy by suggesting that DeepSeek may have trained its model using OpenAI’s data, a claim that could spark legal challenges.

Despite these concerns, Hamal believes the market is shifting toward openness.

“Openness typically wins in the long run. If DeepSeek forces a reset in the increasingly closed foundational model market, it could be a net positive—provided we maintain the right guardrails.”

AI Innovation: Doing More with Less

If there’s one major takeaway from DeepSeek’s rise, it’s that AI models can be developed more efficiently and affordably.

Matthew Putman, CEO of Nanotronics, sees this moment as a validation of a broader trend.

“To me, the competition itself is less significant than the realization that AI can be built at lower costs and applied beyond just large language models.”

As the AI landscape evolves, the battle between expensive, high-power AI and cost-efficient, open-source alternatives is only beginning. Whether DeepSeek emerges as a true OpenAI rival or simply pushes the industry toward greater accessibility, its impact is already undeniable.

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Budget 2025 Highlights: Major Tax Relief for Middle-Class with Zero Tax on Income Up to ₹12.75 Lakh

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Budget 2025 Highlights: Major Tax Relief for Middle-Class with Zero Tax on Income Up to ₹12.75 Lakh

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 in the Lok Sabha on February 1, her eighth consecutive budget announcement. The budget introduced significant reforms to provide relief to the middle class, simplify the tax structure, and boost economic growth. One of the most prominent announcements was the exemption from income tax for individuals with income up to Rs 12.75 lakh under the new tax regime, along with several other measures to reduce the tax burden.

Important changes in income tax in Budget 2025:

Under the new tax regime, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed a zero income tax for people with annual income up to Rs 12 lakh. The revised tax brackets and rates are as follows:

SalaryIncome Tax Rates
₹0-4 lakhNil
₹4-5 lakh5%
₹8-12 lakh10%
₹12-16 lakh15%
₹16-20 lakh20%
₹20-24 lakh25%
₹24 lakh above30%

This restructuring will provide a major relief to the middle class, which is expected to significantly reduce their tax liabilities.

Streamlining of TDS and other reforms:


The budget also proposes to simplify tax deduction at source (TDS) by reducing rates and limits. Other major reforms include measures related to leasing, remittances, higher education, the sale of property, and the criminalization of certain offenses to promote ease of doing business.

Relief for the middle class:


The new tax regime, along with reduced tax rates and a zero tax limit for income up to Rs 12 lakh, is expected to significantly benefit the middle class in India. The budget aims to increase disposable income and boost consumption, which will provide a much-needed boost to the economy.

Key findings of the 2025 budget:

Fiscal deficit: The fiscal deficit is estimated at 4.8% for FY25, which is expected to come down to 4.4% in FY26.

Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0: Over 100 provisions will be decriminalized to improve the investment climate. An investment-friendly index for states will also be launched in 2025.

Revised duty rates: Seven additional duty rates will be abolished, leaving only eight rates in force.

Interest-free loans to states: An allocation of Rs 1.5 lakh crore has been announced for 50-year interest-free loans to states for capital expenditure and infrastructure development.

Customs duty exemption: Basic customs duty on 36 life-saving drugs and medicines has been completely waived to make healthcare more affordable.

Budget 2025 focuses on providing tax relief to the middle class, simplifying the tax structure, and boosting economic growth through policy reforms. With measures like zero tax on income up to Rs 12.75 lakh and streamlining of TDS, the budget aims to improve the disposable income and overall economic well-being of citizens.

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