Robotic packers, AI that reads buyer emotions: Flipkart nurtures startups

The pandemic has not only accelerated a shift to e-commerce but has also spawned startups that are building solutions relevant for the new normal, attracting the attention of big online retailers

The coronavirus pandemic has not only accelerated a shift to e-commerce but also given rise to startups that are building solutions relevant for the new normal. Flipkart is wooing and incubating many such tech startups and even acquiring them. The strategy is helping the e-commerce giant get a ringside view of these innovations and even access them. These range from startups which understand the emotions of shoppers using artificial intelligence, companies which provide mobile robots that sort packages and improve personnel productivity, to firms that capture data using on-farm sensors to provide recommendations to farmers.

The Walmart-owned company recently selected the