iWorld
Facebook reaffirms commitment to India’s startup ecosystem, sets up Facebook Hubs across 9 cities
MUMBAI: Facebook today, launched Facebook Hubs with a vision to further enable India's startup ecosystem. Announced last year at Facebook India Startup Day, Facebook has partnered with 91springboard, for a yearlong program, which will include co working community hosting, planning and organizing structured activities like learning and skill development programs for startups and entrepreneurs to help scale their businesses.
Facebook Hubs will help foster innovation and support for the community, by hosting mentor hours and trainings, workshops, roundtable discussions across 20 locations in nine cities including Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Navi Mumbai and Goa .
Satyajeet Singh, Head of Product Partnerships, Facebook India and South Asia said “Facebook Hubs stem from our mission to provide startups with the infrastructure, mentorship and support they need to grow and scale their operations ethically and sustainably. We have already worked with hundreds of startups through our various programs and by teaming up with 91springboard we hope to reach out to more, to fuel India’s startup ecosystem with a vision to build businesses of tomorrow.”
“Facebook Hubs are in line with our vision of developing robust, sustainable programs, conducive places and meaningful partnerships with relevant ecosystem partners to boost India’s dynamic startup engine and enable it to provide a further push to India's entrepreneurial zeal.” he added.
Facebook Hubs will be part of a global network for training and mentoring facilities for startups, developers, SMBs, creators, and job seekers. Designed as catalysts to facilitate community learning, Facebook Hubs are part of Facebook's vision to empower innovators everywhere to drive economic growth, build robust ecosystems, and create social value.
Anand Vemuri, CEO, 91springboard said “We are truly proud and delighted to join forces with Facebook. India has some incredible things happening in the startup ecosystem and our partnership to enable Facebook Hubs will provide entrepreneurs access to knowledge, tools and resources that will give them a massive competitive edge.”
Gaming
Sony raises PS5 prices for second time in under a year
US disc edition jumps $100 to $649.99 as memory costs surge.
MUMBAI: Sony just hit the pause button on affordable gaming because when memory prices skyrocket, even the Playstation has to pay the premium. Sony has announced its second price increase for the Playstation 5 range in less than a year, citing pressures in the global economic landscape and a sharp rise in memory component costs driven by AI demand.
In the US, the PS5 disc edition will rise from $549.99 to $649.99, a $100 hike while the digital edition increases to $599.99. The more powerful PS5 Pro will jump $150 to $899.99. The Playstation Portal remote player will also rise by $50 to $249.99. The new prices take effect on 2 April 2026.
Similar increases have been applied in the UK (£90 per model), Europe and Japan. Sony last raised PS5 prices in the US in August 2025.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post.
The hikes come amid an unprecedented surge in memory prices, as manufacturers prioritise supply for AI data centres. Analysts say Sony had likely secured price protections for components that have now expired, forcing the company to protect its hardware margins.
Ampere Analysis research director of games Piers Harding-Rolls told CNBC that further increases from Microsoft and Nintendo would not be surprising, though Nintendo may hesitate to raise the price of its recently launched Switch 2 while establishing the new platform.
The increases arrive eight months before the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, which is expected to drive strong console sales. However, early reactions online have been a mix of disappointment and resignation, with growing concern that premium gaming is increasingly becoming a hobby for higher-income players.
In a sector already grappling with tariffs, inflation and component shortages, Sony’s move underscores a tough reality: even the most popular consoles are not immune to the rising cost of keeping up with the latest technology.
