When cricket and Koffee aren’t enough, JioHotstar wants to make 'Sparks' fly

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#Business News #Business #News #Ken #Technology

38:05

In late 1972, U.S. Marine Captain Ron Forrester disappeared on a bombing run into North Vietnam. Back home in Texas, his family could only wait and hope. Audio subscribers to Texas Monthly can get early access to episodes of the series, plus exclusive interviews and audio. Visit texasmonthly.com/audio to join. Go to HelloFresh.com/FLIGHT10FM to get 10 Free Meals with a Free Item For Life.…

26 days ago 21:13

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What happens when India’s biggest streaming platform decides it’s no longer satisfied with just airing Koffee with Karan and cricket? And it now wants to take on YouTube and Instagram?

You get Sparks–an ambitious experiment by Jiohotstar that’s is set on winning over Gen Z viewers, one short video at a time.

In February, right before the IPL kicked off, Jiohotstar launched Sparks. It is a free, creator-led platform of bite-sized episodes featuring the likes of Tanmay Bhat, Zakir Khan, Ranveer Brar, and Elvish Yadav. On paper, it might sound like just another experiment with content. But it is actually a marked product shift the platform is making after its merger with Disney’s India business. And at the heart of this strategic move is a 25-member team that includes former top executives from YouTube and Instagram.

But let’s be real. This is like David trying to beat not one, but two Goliaths, that too on their home turf. Add to that the fact that this is a space where the rules are always shifting, creators are supremely loyal, and content never sleeps

In today's episode, host Snigdha Sharma is joined by The Ken reporter Rounak Kumar Gunjan who dug deeper to find an answer to one big question: can a streaming giant reinvent itself as a scroll-worthy destination?

Tune in.

If you have any thoughts or questions about this episode, send them us as texts or voice notes on Daybreak’s WhatsApp at +918971108379.

Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.

The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here.

482 episodes

Daybreak

When cricket and Koffee aren’t enough, JioHotstar wants to make 'Sparks' fly

Daybreak

16 subscribers

published 26 days ago

MP3•Episode home

What happens when India’s biggest streaming platform decides it’s no longer satisfied with just airing Koffee with Karan and cricket? And it now wants to take on YouTube and Instagram?

You get Sparks–an ambitious experiment by Jiohotstar that’s is set on winning over Gen Z viewers, one short video at a time.

Tune in.

If you have any thoughts or questions about this episode, send them us as texts or voice notes on Daybreak’s WhatsApp at +918971108379.

482 episodes

#Business News #Business #News #Ken #Technology

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1
Physics Wallah’s Rs 15 lakh ‘BTech’ comes without a BTech degree 14:36

17 hours ago14:36

14:36

Physics Wallah’s brand new initiative, the PW Institute of Innovation, was pitched as an alternative to the tough IIT route that didn’t compromise on quality or career prospects. It even came with a scholarship, a residential campus in Bengaluru, and a shot at a good job after graduation. On paper, it looked like the perfect deal. However, students who signed up had to juggle a confusing mix of courses, keep up with a changing curriculum, and struggle through administrative chaos. Even basic things like internships, placement support, and faculty consistency didn’t materialise the way they were promised. For a company known for making quality education affordable, this was a far cry from its coaching roots. But Physics Wallah isn’t just running an institute anymore, it’s a company preparing for the stock market. If you have any thoughts or questions about this episode, send them to us as texts or voice notes on Daybreak’s WhatsApp at +918971108379. Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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How a Bangalore biotech quietly built a blindness breakthrough in under $10 million 10:20

4 days ago10:20

10:20

Eyestem, a 14-member biotech startup from Bengaluru is turning heads in global pharma circles. With just $10 million and a modest 1,200 sq ft office, it has developed a promising cell therapy for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD)—a condition that leads to blindness and has no cure. Early trial results are not only encouraging, they’re outperforming billion-dollar competitors in the West. But this isn’t just about scientific innovation. It’s about doing more with less. Eyestem’s founders set out with a bold goal: to build a cutting-edge treatment that’s actually affordable, especially for Indian patients. Think world-class therapy in under $10,000. In the current world of cell and gene therapies, where treatments often cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and remain out of reach for most, it is next to impossible. How did Eyestem achieve this and what does this means for the future of biotech in India? Tune in. If you have any thoughts or questions about this episode, send them to us as texts or voice notes on Daybreak’s WhatsApp at +918971108379. Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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1
‘Don’t call if markets are down’ — the PMS fund delivering returns the big city boys can’t match 12:49

5 days ago12:49

12:49

Nagpur-based Counter Cyclical Investments doesn’t waste time with handholding. The six-year-old firm has a reputation for being quite cut and dry with its clients. Consider some gems from the ‘who should invest with us’ long-list. “Those who won’t disturb us by calling us for reassurance everytime the market falls.” “We don’t have any provision for a relationship manager. Once you have taken an informed decision to invest in our PMS, please avoid calling us. Those who are looking for regular correspondence and active interaction, may please stay away.” Now, if you think moneyed investors—the kind who have to put in at least Rs 50 lakh to be a part of Counter Cyclical—are put off by the insolence, you’re wrong. Counter Cyclical’s assets under management have shot up over 10X in the past three years, and its customer count has grown by leaps and bounds. Why? The only scheme—a small-cap one —run by the six-year-old fund house is a chart-topper with five year annualised returns of, believe-it-or-not, 78%. Tune in. If you have any thoughts or questions about this episode, send them to us as texts or voice notes on Daybreak’s WhatsApp at +918971108379. Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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The hunger games are raging but Zomato just won't take the bait 45:25

6 days ago45:25

45:25

Four months ago, food delivery giant Zomato decided to run an experiment. If you are a regular patron of the app, you may have noticed a tab called ‘Quick’ appear, that promised 15-minute deliveries in a bunch of metropolitan cities like Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi NCR. Now, the company’s founder and CEO made an interesting statement last year that explains why it would choose to try out this experiment. He was asked a question about how quick commerce has changed customer expectations around food delivery. And he said, quite simply – “Blinkit is fast, but that has made Zomato seem slow.” He has a point. You may recall that Zomato subsidiary Blinkit launched its in-house 10-minute snack delivery service called Bistro last year, just one day after the very popular Zepto cafe was launched. Swiggy Instamart meanwhile, launched a similar service called Snacc. In many ways, 2024 was the year 10-minute food delivery became the next frontier of quick commerce. Naturally, the biggest food delivery giants in the country did not want to be left behind. So while Zomato launched Quick, Swiggy rolled out its own ultra-fast delivery service, Bolt. But here’s where things get interesting. While announcing its Q4 results last week, Zomato announced that its four-month experiment was very quickly coming to an end. In a letter to shareholders, Deepinder Goyal explained that they just could not see a path to profitability without compromising on customer experience. The Ken's COO and the host of Two by Two Praveen Gopal Krishnan explains what changed. Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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How to build companies that last when their employees don’t 16:16

7 days ago16:16

16:16

Thanks to AI, economic disruptions, mass layoffs, and a bunch of other fun things, the 40-year career is no longer something you can take for granted. And that fundamentally changes the nature of our careers. No one embodies that change more than the Gen Z workforce. Young employees are now seeking a job, not a career. They don't join organisations to retire from them. Instead they see them merely as a step along the way. Which is why, the most rigid companies, known for being forts of loyalists, are loosening up to accommodate the needs of younger generations. Tune in. Daybreak is looking for a talented audio journalist with at least two years of experience. Check out the role here . Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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India wants the spotlight at the world’s top school exam. It just won’t step on stage 12:48

8 days ago12:48

12:48

The world’s “most respected” test of school education—the Programme for International Student Assessment or PISA—began this March. 90 countries are on the list including China, Vietnam and some of the poorest nations in the world. But India? We’re sitting this one out. In fact, India hasn’t touched PISA in 16 years! The last time it did, in 2009, India ranked 72nd out of 73 countries. Only Kyrgyzstan did worse. Ever since, the country has been quietly working behind the scenes to fix its education system through a slow and steady effort to modernise how students are tested. The government set up Parakh, an ambitious body under NCERT, to bring all of India’s 69 school boards on the same level and align with global standards. But can a country as huge and diverse as India really move away from rote learning to a system that values real-world problem solving and critical thinking? Tune in. If you have any thoughts or questions about this episode, send them to us as texts or voice notes on Daybreak’s WhatsApp at +918971108379. Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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Can LIC do to health insurance what Jio did to telecom? 12:24

11 days ago12:24

12:24

The Life insurance Corporation of India or LIC is now stepping into a sector where more than 860 million Indians or nearly 60% of the population still has no coverage. The insurer signalled its big move into health insurance in March this year with a major acquisition—49% of Manipal Cigna, a private health insurer, in a deal valued at over ₹3,500 crore. And here’s where things get really interesting. This is LIC we are talking about. It doesn’t need to chase quarterly returns or exist to make shareholders rich. It exists to do things, to fix things and show up when the government needs a nudge—or a battering ram. And in a country where trust, access, and affordability in healthcare are still broken concepts for most, a battering ram could be exactly what’s needed. In this episode, we are look at LIC’s entry into health insurance and how the rest of the sector is bracing itself. Because if LIC gets this right, it won’t just be another player in the market. It could be the market. If you have any thoughts or questions about this episode, send them us as texts or voice notes on Daybreak’s WhatsApp at +918971108379. Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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Ather’s IPO is a plot twist. Not a finale 16:17

12 days ago16:17

16:17

Ather Electric once pioneered the electric two wheeler segment. But now it has fallen behind its competition like Ola Electric and TVS Motor in terms of market share. To make matters worse, its recent IPO saw a lukewarm response from investors. One thing is clear -- up until now, Ather’s focus has been on building superior products, loaded with features and a smooth user experience. But to take things to the next level, Ather will have to build a more compelling narrative. How did it get here? What's next for the EV maker? Tune in. Daybreak is looking for a talented audio journalist with at least two years of experience. Check out the role here . Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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Software glitches are turning Mahindra’s new EVs into high-tech paperweights 13:44

14 days ago13:44

13:44

Mahindra’s new EVs the XEV 9e and BE6 were marketed as software wrapped in metal. They promised the future. Things like augmented reality heads up display, auto park assist, a triple screen dashboard, an in car camera, and a digital key based on near field communication. But now, that long list of cutting edge features is proving to be a real bottleneck for the company. The Ken spoke to at least a dozen frustrated buyers of Mahindra’s new electric twins, who haven’t yet received their cars despite promised deliveries. Why? Well, the reason apparently is a software update. Buyers have found that the digital keys they were handed at the showrooms just wouldn’t work. Touchscreens were freezing, Cameras were glitching. The list goes on. Tune in. Daybreak is looking for a talented audio journalist with at least two years of experience. Check out the role here . Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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Why Delhivery’s Ecom Express deal is both tactical and desperate 13:08

14 days ago13:08

13:08

Earlier this month, India’s largest third party logistics company, Delhivery, acquired its biggest rival Ecom Express in a $165 million distress sale. The acquisition could not have come at a better time for both parties. Things have been tough for Ecom for some time now. The company, in fact, called off its IPO plans just this February, about six months after filing the papers and ended up laying off hundreds of its employees. Meanwhile, Delhivery has been soldiering some tough times too. By acquiring its floundering rival, Delhivery seems to be going all out to claw back some business. But is that enough? Tune in. Daybreak is looking for a talented audio journalist with at least two years of experience. Check out the role here . Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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Driverless trucks have pushed India’s first unicorn of 2025 into an existential crisis 13:15

15 days ago13:15

13:15

In January this year, Netradyne, the logistics AI startup, became India’s first unicorn of 2025 after it raised $90 million in series D funding. You see, it did not take it long to realise that its sweet spot is the long-distance trucking segment. It serves over 3,000 customers across eight countries, including the likes of Amazon, Shell, Indian Oil and Greenline Mobility. And it all began with one rather primitive prototype. Of course, now it has morphed into a compact device with a built-in GPU, up to four cameras, and a disembodied voice alerting drivers not to crash the vehicle. The Ken reporter Abhirami G found herself in the backseat of one of Netradyne’s test cars in Bengaluru's Whitefield neighbourhood. The driver of the car was a Netradyne employee. And as he weaved through the traffic, the company’s signature always-on surveillance cameras didn’t just watch his every move, but also apparently “understood” and “analysed”. As he drove, he was generating the precious training data that powers the company’s bread and butter. Apart from making roads safer, this whole system also doubles up as a driver’s best legal defence in times of trouble. The company’s executive Vice president of Engineering Teja Gudena said that on multiple occasions, it has saved drivers from liability by proving their innocence in accidents. Apart from its new-found unicorn status, it reportedly managed to clock Rs 1,000 crore in revenue in 2023. It also currently has a stronghold in the US and other major global markets. Reaching all of these milestones within nine years is pretty remarkable. But despite all that success, Netradyne is now grappling with an existential crisis. Because now, driverless vehicles are no longer science fiction, they are a logistical inevitability. And that leaves Netradyne in a rather tricky spot. Tune in. This episode was first published on Feb 13, 2025 Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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1
ITC’s 24 Mantra deal and organic foods’ unending wait for glory 15:09

18 days ago15:09

15:09

In this episode we fill you in on three standout stories from the past week. First, what ITC’s acquisition of 24 Mantra means for the larger organic food market; Next, Musk’s latest attempt to save Tesla; And finally, why Blusmart’s unravelling was an eventuality we all chose to ignore. Check out the newsletter and podcast mentioned in this episode: The latest edition of Trade Tricks The Nutgraf: Blusmart and the dogs that didn’t bark The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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Indigo's stocks maybe flying high but passenger patience has hit turbulence 12:53

19 days ago12:53

12:53

On 9 April, as the world reeling from the tariff standoff between America and China, one Indian company quietly made history. The stocks of InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company Indigo, India’s top budget airline, hit an all-time high. For a brief moment, Indigo wasn’t just India’s largest airline—it became the most valuable airline in the world. More than Delta even. Back home though, meanwhile, a different story has been playing out. Thousands of Indian flyers have been complaining online about broken luggage, rude crew, overbooked flights. When cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted his frustration about Indigo’s service, more than a thousand people replied to his tweet with their own horror stories. Has Indigo stopped caring about its passengers? But why would it? It flies nearly 9 million people a month. The clues, as it turns out, lie inside a grey building in Gurgaon that my colleague Rounak Kumar Gunjan visited recently. This is Indigo's training centre called iFly where hundreds of young trainees, often barely in their twenties, are taught how to serve tea at 30,000 feet. Tune in Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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How a made in Punjab jeera-flavoured soda is popping the Coke-Pepsi-Parle bubble 13:21

20 days ago13:21

13:21

Here’s the thing about the Indian carbonated beverage market – for decades now it has been a two, sometimes three horse race dominated by everyone’s favourite black coloured colas. Pepsi, Coca Cola and Thums Up. But in the last year or so, a 160-ml bottle of cumin-flavoured soda has managed to do what very few bottled beverages could. It has challenged the Indian beverage industry’s holy trifecta – the Coca-Cola-Pepsi-Parle Agro trio. The crazy thing is, this isn’t some massive global brand that has just entered the Indian market. It’s a seven year old desi brand launched by three cousins in Punjab that was largely unknown until about a year ago. We are talking about Lahori Zeera. Tune in. Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories. The Ken is hosting a subscriber event at the Bangalore International Centre on May 19! Join Two by Two hosts Rohin Dharmakumar and Praveen Gopal Krishnan and three distinguished guests as they discuss new ways of thinking about investing to ensure you’ll be in a good position 10, 20, or even 30 years from now. Buy tickets here .…

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Biyani’s retail empire flamed out. His daughters seek redemption in birthing new brands 9:58

21 days ago9:58