One quick thing: Ola, Uber, Porter score zero in fair work ranking

In today’s newsletter: 

• How Zomato plans to take on BookMyShow 
• Startups get a shot at GPU tender
• Cognizant found guilty of discrimination

Was this newsletter forwarded to you? You can sign up for Tech3 here

Zomato surprised everyone by selling out all tickets for the Diljit Dosanjh concert in just 48 seconds. 

• While it's not new to the events business, the company is making significant moves in this space
  

Zomato’s co-founder and group CEO Deepinder Goyal believes the events and concerts experience in India is boring and needs fixing. 

“We’ll have to (build stadiums) at some point. Otherwise, the song, the artists, the work and experience will not really be worthwhile,” Goyal told us in an interview. 

He proposes partnering with existing stadiums to upgrade their infrastructure and secure long-term rental rights in exchange for capital investments.

“We won’t build like a Zomato stadium but we will partner with someone and propose to upgrade the infrastructure and give the stadium a facelift. We can take care of the capex, and in exchange ask for like 40 rental-free days in a year for the next 10-20 years, or something like that,” he added.

Zomato is also gunning to be the number-one player in the events business.

• Goyal, however, remains wary of potential competition from Swiggy, expressing concern about the possibility of its arch-rival acquiring BookMyShow

Also read: Swiggy IPO: Good for the sector to have multiple players, says Zomato’s Deepinder Goyal

In addition to events, Goyal sees immense potential in 10-minute food delivery services.

• He believes that 10-minute delivery of canteen food like samosas, patties, and sandwiches could be the next frontier for restaurants

When it comes to food delivery, Goyal is fiercely loyal. He said he has never used any other app, such as Swiggy, for food orders.

Read the full interview

Picture credit: Meta.ai

India's AI mission is gaining momentum, and thanks to a recent overhaul of the GPU tender, smaller startups may have just been given a golden ticket to join the party.

The government has relaxed eligibility norms for procuring 10,000 GPUs crucial for training AI models under the IndiaAI mission. 

• This includes lowering turnover thresholds and easing the performance specs for the AI compute units required for bidding

The most notable changes include a reduction in the average turnover requirement for primary bidders from Rs 100 crore to Rs 50 crore. 

• For consortium members, the bar has been lowered to Rs 25 crore, down from Rs 50 crore

The original tender called for 1,000 AI compute units with high-performance thresholds.

In August, the government released a request for empanelment (RFE) tender for these GPUs. 

• However, during a pre-bid meeting in September, many companies expressed concerns that the stringent requirements would hinder participation from smaller players, particularly startups

The IndiaAI Mission, approved in March with a budget of Rs 10,732 crore, aims to build AI infrastructure across the country, including AI compute units, centres for multi-modal LLMs, and more.

Find out more

Picture credit: Microsoft Copilot

"When in Rome, do as Romans do"—a common proverb often used to emphasise the importance of adapting to local customs. 

• However, IT giant Cognizant seems to have ignored this advice in its US operations

The IT giant has found itself in hot water after a US court ruled that it favoured Indian employees over non-Indian workers for US-based vacancies.

• The court said in its judgment that the Teaneck-based company’s conduct meets the standard for punitive damages

In a decade-old class-action lawsuit, a group of Cognizant employees alleged that the company engaged in discriminatory practices, including:

• Abusing the H-1B visa process to favour Indian employees
  
  
• Terminating the employment of non-Indian employees after placing them on the bench
  
  
• Discriminating against non-South Asian employees based on race

The lawsuit also alleged that the company used policies and practices related to promotions that harmed individuals who were not of South Asian descent or Indian origin.

The company denied the allegations, stating that the verdict was "disappointing."

"Cognizant is disappointed with the verdict and plans to vigorously defend itself and appeal at the appropriate time. We provide equal employment opportunities for all employees and have built a diverse and inclusive workplace that promotes a culture of belonging in which all employees feel valued, are engaged and have the opportunity to develop and succeed," a company spokesperson said.

While the US court case has cast a shadow over Cognizant's operations, the company's CEO, Ravi Kumar S, remains optimistic about India's future. 

• He believes that India is poised to become the "office of the world" over the next 25 years 

Dig deeper

Picture credit: Meta.ai

• Computer scientist Andrew Ng-led AI Fund announced its first investment in India by backing Jivi, an AI healthcare firm, though the amount invested and stake acquired remain undisclosed.
  
  
• Samsung estimated its Q3 operating profit jumped nearly four-fold but missed analysts’ estimates, prompting a rare apology from the tech giant for lagging rivals in the booming AI chip market.

Dive into the world of technology with IT Visionaries!

• The podcast dives deep into the minds of tech titans, offering real-world experiences, thought-provoking insights, and trend analysis

Whether you're an IT professional looking to level up, an aspiring tech leader, or simply a tech enthusiast, this podcast has something to offer.

Check it out on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

Note: By subscribing to Tech3 you have already made the right choice. Top it up with a premium offering, the Moneycontrol Pro Panorama, a newsletter that gives you a sharp take on macros, markets, business and finance. Sign up for Pro from this link to get this newsletter in your inbox and also a host of content enjoyed by 700,000+ subscribers.