Stock broking platform Zerodha is set to enter investment banking, expanding its financial services business amid a strong IPO market, Business Standard reported. The company has applied to SEBI for a Category I merchant banking licence through Zerodha Corporate Advisors. If approved, it will be able to manage IPOs, advise on fundraising, and offer merchant banking services.

Verizon and BT Group, two of the world's largest telecom firms, have agreed to merge their international subsidiaries to form a 50:50 joint venture with projected annual revenue of $4 billion. As part of the deal, Verizon will pay $625 million to BT. Additionally, the two companies announced that Martijn Blanken has been appointed the CEO-designate of the new JV.

Cisco will eliminate 471 jobs across its California offices, with the layoffs taking effect on July 13. The cuts will impact multiple departments, including software development, product management, and business operations. Last month, Cisco announced plans to reduce nearly 4,000 positions, or about 5% of its global workforce, as part of a restructuring aimed at increasing investments in AI.

Hyderabad-based The Capitalist Ventures has secured ₹10 crore in seed funding from angel investors. The company said the capital will be used for business expansion, operational infrastructure and customer acquisition. Founded in 2025 by Satyaram Nadimpalli, it operates two businesses, The Plug, a sneaker and streetwear platform, and The Capitalist Concierge, a luxury concierge service.

Insurtech startup Turtlemint made a weak stock market debut on Monday, listing at ₹134.9 per share, an 11.25% discount to its IPO price of ₹152. The ₹883 crore public issue comprised a ₹660.72 crore fresh issue and an offer for sale. Investor demand remained subdued, with the IPO subscribed just 1.2 times.

AI startup Rocket is in talks to raise $40-50 million in a funding round that would value the company at about $500 million, The Economic Times reported. The round is expected to be led by 360 ONE Asset, with a potential investment of up to $25 million. Rocket last raised $15 million at a valuation of around $60 million.

Austria has urged the European Union to consider hosting Anthropic within the bloc to counter US restrictions on foreign access to the AI firm's most advanced models. The Austrian government said Europe must not be cut off from key innovations. The proposal comes as the EU pushes to strengthen its cloud, AI and chip industries while reducing dependence on US.

Square Yards is preparing to launch a $200-$300 million IPO over the next financial year, Mint reported. The real estate technology firm is targeting a $2 billion valuation. The IPO is likely to comprise a mix of fresh shares and an offer for sale. It is in talks with Axis Capital, JPMorgan and BofA Securities for the listing.

Ather Energy CEO Tarun Mehta said design will be one of the bigger differentiators for technology companies over the next decade. "Not because products need to look better. But because design is what makes complex technology feel simple and intuitive," Mehta said. "As brands and product companies bloom in India in the coming decade…we will see…design renaissance," he added.

Google has restricted Meta's access to its Gemini AI models after the social media company requested more computing capacity than Google could provide, the Financial Times reported. The shortage disrupted and delayed some of Meta's internal AI projects. Meta has since urged employees to use AI tokens more efficiently to manage the limited capacity.