Hello,
Bitcoin has reached a new high, and things are heating up.
The cryptocurrency saw a wild ride last week, crossing $118,000 on Friday. For context, Bitcoin was a little over $57,000 a year ago. Crypto investors are hopeful that a slew of long-awaited policy wins for the industry, expected this week, could attract new investment to the market.
Speaking of crypto, ever wondered who owns the most Bitcoin in the world in 2025?
Moving on to another asset class: gold.
South Asian women seem to be winning the gold rush. What’s more, they have held on to the precious metal, despite the historical trend of increased sales when prices were relatively high, CNN reports.
While the world is turning to crypto and gold, what if one wanted to buy a rock from Mars instead?
Well, as luck would have it, Sotheby’s in New York is auctioning what’s known as NWA 16788–a 25-kilogram rock from Mars. The estimated auction price is $2 million to $4 million, according to the Associated Press.
Also up for auction is a dinosaur skeleton from the late Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago, Sotheby’s says. Its estimated value is between $4 million and $6 million.
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
- Indian climate tech cos’ many problems
- Reimagining pain relief
Here’s your trivia for today: Burkina Faso is a former colony of which European country?
In depth
Indian climate tech cos’ many problems
Climate tech startups with the potential to become unicorns are still missing in India. Despite the initial excitement, innovation has been slow and funding abysmal, except for electric vehicle makers.
According to industry watchers, the sluggish growth in India’s climate-tech segment can be traced to weak consumer demand, a conservative approach to the sector by other countries, and the lack of stringent local regulatory policies.
Key takeaways:
- In a price-conscious market like India, where consumers are not focused on sustainable means and the cheapest item on the shelf wins, companies are less motivated to spend more on sustainable supply chains and procurement of produce, giving rise to a free-rider problem.
- Since 2022–the year that saw an uptick in startup funding—486 startups in the climate tech sector have received funding across multiple rounds from Indian venture capital firms and angels.
- A whopping $6 billion has gone into funding startups operating in electric vehicles, battery technology, and other transition vehicles. The influx has resulted in the creation of two unicorns in the mobility segment alone: Ola Electric and Ather Energy.
Startup
Reimagining pain relief
Management of chronic musculoskeletal pain—impacting nearly 19.3% of the population—remains largely underserved. Most patients still rely on long-term painkillers, steroid injections, or expensive physiotherapy sessions. These approaches, while prevalent, come with known risks: side effects, high recurring costs, and the potential for dependency.
Challenging this status quo is Curapod, a non-invasive wearable device developed by Litemed, leveraging photobiomodulation therapy to provide targeted relief.
New approach:
- Photobiomodulation uses specific wavelengths of light to stimulate cellular repair and reduce inflammation, bringing a hospital-grade intervention into the user’s home, without a long-term, systemic impact.
- Curapod is a USB-rechargeable device delivering precise light pulses. Each kit includes two devices, straps, adhesive stickers, and a charger.
- The startup had a soft launch in October 2024, initially generating modest revenue of Rs 4 lakh per month. Over the past year and a half, however, monthly revenue has grown steadily to Rs 70 lakh, with Rs 2.5 crore earned over the last four months.
News & updates
- Chip competition: Nvidia’s Jensen Huang will hold a media briefing in Beijing on July 16, an official from the company said on Sunday, marking his second visit to the country after a trip in April where he stressed the importance of the Chinese market.
- Trump tariffs: US President Donald Trump last week threatened to impose a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico and the European Union starting on August 1, after weeks of negotiations with the major US trading partners failed to reach a comprehensive trade deal.
What you should watch out for
- Return: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), prepares to return to Earth following a successful mission under the Axiom-4. Weather permitting in the descent corridor, the mission, which Captain Shukla is piloting, will safely splash down on July 15. ISRO has confirmed that the splashdown is scheduled for 3:00 PM IST on July 15, 2025.
- Electric car: Tesla will open a showroom in Mumbai, marking the US electric carmaker’s first official foray into the country. The one and a half hour launch event for the Tesla “Experience Center” will take place on July 15 at the Maker Maxity Mall in Bandra Kurla Complex, CNBC reports.
Burkina Faso is a former colony of which European country?
Answer: France
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