iWorld
Prime Video joins hands with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India, to Bring – Mission Start Ab
Mumbai: Prime Video, India’s entertainment destination, has joined forces with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), Government of India, to create Mission Start Ab, a first-of-its-kind series, that will showcase India’s grassroots innovators as they turbo-charge their business growth. The seven-episode series will show these promising entrepreneurs, focussed on scaling made-for-India innovations with the potential to impact socio-economic change, undertake a series of challenges in pursuit of scaling their business and securing funding for their ventures. With India as one of the world’s largest and most vibrant start-up ecosystems, this wholly Made-In-India series also brings together three renowned investors who will search for India’s next Unicorn, by putting these ten early-stage founders through a series of intense exercises and simulations that will test their entrepreneurial, management, communication and crisis management skills.
Mission Start Ab is a new series that will engage audiences with the power of human stories behind every promising Indian start-up. It will celebrate the ingenuous and audacious entrepreneurs who have the potential to build and scale their businesses, and give three of the most prolific investors the opportunity to invest in them. The series promises to captivate viewers with stories of these unique Indian start-ups and founders, their humble beginnings, never-say-die spirit, and the sacrifices they have made along the way to turn their dreams into reality. Far from being a show about raising funding alone, where entrepreneurs seek investments, and investors seek profits; in this series, investors will also act as mentors, challenging and empowering some of the brightest minds in the country. The audience will get to witness these amazing early-stage entrepreneurs compete with each other to become India’s next Unicorn. Currently in production, this upcoming reality show is slated to premiere soon on Prime Video.
“Lauding the remarkable spirit of India’s grassroot innovators, I am delighted to announce Prime Video’s reality series Mission Start Ab. This captivating series will serve as a powerful platform, showcasing the inspiring stories of those driving social change through innovation,” said Government of India, Principal Scientific Adviser, Ajay Kumar Sood. “I am optimistic that it will offer immense learning opportunities to grassroot innovators in India, providing valuable insights into sustainable start-up practices and attracting the right investors. Furthermore, the series promises to entertain viewers while promoting the growth of our nation’s grassroots innovation ecosystem.”
“Our mission at Prime Video has always been to be a force for good, and an enabler of India’s economy – directly and indirectly. We are incredibly proud to partner with the Office of the PSA, Government of India and bring to life Mission Start Ab, a path-breaking series,” said Sushant Sreeram, Country Director, Prime Video, India. “This collaboration between the Office of the PSA, Government of India and Prime Video is another milestone on the journey that started earlier this year with Amazon India signing the Letter of Engagement (LoE) with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) with an objective of contributing to the growth of India’s creative economy. This marquee collaboration exemplifies our commitment to the country and our viewers, as we create new formats that empower entrepreneurs, innovators and creators in expanding their horizons through our service. By tracing the journey of some of the most innovative minds in India, our aim with Mission Start Ab is not only to highlight grassroots innovations taking place across the country but also help fuel the dreams of many young Indians.”
“Supporting and nurturing entrepreneurs has been one of Amazon’s focus areas in India. Over the years we have taken a number of initiatives to propel India’s start-up ecosystem. Today, we are excited to announce this Amazon Original show on Prime Video, in association with the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India,” said Amazon India VP- public policy Chetan Krishnaswamy. “We believe this show will inspire many individuals to choose the path of entrepreneurship and contribute in advancing the government’s ‘Start-up India’ initiative.”
Alia Bhatt, who dons multiple hats – that of a popular actor, a successful entrepreneur, and an investor too, was also present at the event to talk about her journey as an entrepreneur. She said, “While there are many great ideas and ambitious young founders around us, it takes a special kind of determination to turn that idea into reality, build the right team, find the right mentors, raise funding, and create something out of nothing. I applaud both the Office of the PSA, Government of India, and Prime Video India for taking the initiative to enable and empower entrepreneurs through Mission Start Ab, which I believe can have a far-reaching impact on the country’s growing start-up ecosystem.”
iWorld
WhatsApp may soon let users to pick who sees their status updates
The messaging giant is borrowing a page from Instagram’s playbook as it pushes to give users finer control over their social circles.
CALIFORNIA: WhatsApp is quietly working on a feature that could make its Status function considerably smarter and considerably more private.
According to reports from beta tracking platforms, the app is testing a tool called Status lists, which would allow users to create named groups such as close friends, family and colleagues, and control precisely which group sees each update. It is a meaningful step up from the platform’s current blunt instruments, which offer only three options: share with all contacts, exclude specific people, or manually select individuals each time.
The new feature draws an obvious comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends function, and the resemblance is unlikely to be accidental. Both platforms sit within Meta’s family, and the company has been nudging them toward a common logic of audience segmentation for some time.
The move also fits neatly into WhatsApp’s broader privacy push. The platform has been rolling out enhanced chat protections and is exploring the introduction of usernames, which would allow users to connect without exchanging phone numbers. Status lists extend that philosophy from messaging into broadcasting.
Meanwhile, Status itself has been evolving well beyond its origins as a simple photo-and-text slideshow. The feature now supports music stickers, collages, longer videos and interactive elements, pushing it closer to the social-media-style story format pioneered by Snapchat and refined by Instagram. In that context, finer audience controls are not merely a privacy feature. They are a precondition for people sharing more.
The feature remains in development and has not been confirmed for release. WhatsApp routinely tests tools that are later modified or quietly shelved. But the direction of travel is clear: the app wants Status to be a destination, not an afterthought. Letting users decide exactly who is in the audience is how it gets there.
