Juspay Becomes 2026’s First Unicorn & Infosys Ramps Up Hiring: Key Takeaways from Davos

juspay unicorn win and infoys 20k hiring boom

Answer Block What is the recent news in India Tech News?

The Indian tech sector sees a strong recovery as Juspay becomes the year’s first unicorn with a $1.2B valuation following a $50M raise. Simultaneously, Infosys CEO Salil Parekh confirmed plans to hire 20,000 fresh graduates in FY27, driven exclusively by surging demand for Generative AI services. These updates signal a comeback in fintech funding and a massive shift toward AI-native IT roles.

Understanding Juspay’s Growth Narrative 

Juspay was established in 2012 and has its headquarters in Bengaluru; it has been able to establish a niche as a payments infrastructure provider – offering modular interoperable systems to banks and enterprise clients. It has a platform processing in excess of 300 million transactions per day with an annualised payment volume of more than $1 trillion, which boasts of high operational scale.

This new round of funding, Series D follow-on, was structured into primary and secondary components: 

  • Primary capital drives product line growth, particularly within such technological domains as AI-based payment upgrades.
  • The secondary capital allows early investors and employees holding ESOPs to attain liquidity, a primary objective of employee wealth creation and early investors.

Key Highlights (Juspay Unicorn 2026):

  • New Valuation: $1.2 Billion
  • Funding Raised: $50 Million
  • Key Strength: Strong dominance in UPI infrastructure

Fintech Funding India 2026 Why It Matters 

Juspay is not alone in its unicorn status, but it is a strong indicator that the fintech funding in India is regaining momentum following a crash. Investors are going back to startups with healthy SaaS or infrastructure designs, particularly the ones with a combination of scale, profitability and deep technology.

Although fintech fundraising slowed down in 202425, the success of Juspay indicates investor confidence in payments infrastructure, again a sector that should be able to capitalize on increased digital commerce and AI adoption.

This makes Juspay among the most successful startups to work in 2026, in particular among developers, engineers, and product experts who seek rapid growth, an opportunity to work with the latest payments technology, and remuneration.  

Infosys Recruitment FY27 -20k Fresh Graduates and AI Strategy 

As startups capture attention through headlines, Infosys is a legacy technology company making headlines through its massive talent strategy.

During the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, Infosys CEO Salil Parekh said that the company will enroll 20,000 college graduates in FY27, which is a bold prediction when most tech firms are looking nervous about increasing their workforce. This aligns with Salil Parekh AI hiring plans focused on GenAI-ready graduates.

What is the Motive behind the Hiring Push? 

The process of hiring at Infosys is not accidental, as the technology shift to AI-first services is based on the position of the CEO Parekh. The traditional IT work is facing some compression through the process of automation; however, AI is generating new demand in many fields. Infosys is specifically targeting graduates skilled in GenAI tools, prompt engineering, LLM workflows, and data architecture, as these capabilities are becoming essential in AI-native service delivery: 

  • The roles of software development that adopt AI tools.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) customer service.
  • The legacy systems can be modernized through AI.

This is indicative of an even larger industry trend: AI is not merely taking over jobs, it is transforming them, and Infosys is eager to be at the forefront.

To understand how Infosys’ FY27 hiring is different from past recruitment cycles, here’s a quick comparison: 

Pre-AI Hiring (Traditional IT) FY27 Focus Hiring (AI)

Basic software maintenance AI integration & agents

Application support LLM and data architecture

Manual coding roles AI-assisted software engineering

Experience-based remuneration Proficiency based AI-native roles

AI is transforming jobs, and Infosys is eager to be at the forefront

Parekh highlighted at Davos that AI-led demand is accelerating faster than expected, suggesting the IT sector may be entering a new growth cycle after years of budget compression. This reinforces the view that Indian IT has bottomed out and is entering a new growth cycle. 

Infosys has increased entry-level salaries to attract the best talent, with more specialised technology jobs paying up to 21 lakh per annum in salary, a tremendous difference compared to the usual fresher salaries of the past.

The shift is an indication that AI, data engineering, and digital transformation skills have become very valuable and that companies can afford them at a very high price.

The implication of this to Job Seekers 

As a student and an early professional, Infosys will be among the best employers in the IT industry in India in 2026 due to its hiring target, which will provide young employees with recognized career development opportunities, exposure to AI, and massive projects with international clients.

Coders, engineers, analysts, or digital specialists looking to work at Infosys are one of the biggest opportunities with the FY27 hiring cycle, particularly those with AI-related skills.

Beyond Valuation: Deep Tech & Rural Expansion

While Juspay and Infosys remain in the spotlight, there are other significant players that are influencing the innovation scene in India by early 2026. Accenture has enhanced its expertise in the higher AI systems by increasing the size of its Physical AI Lab in Bengaluru, where there has been increasing interest in cybersecurity, enterprise automation, and next-generation digital infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Zoho is driving technology outside of the metro cities with its rural expansion plan. Through its investment in towns such as Kumbakonam and its introduction of AI-native ERP solutions, Zoho is also showing a growing trend in the inclusivity of India tech development as innovation in smaller centers takes off.

What These Two Trends Tell Us

India has a Tech Ecosystem Momentum.

2026 is opening with big-time confidence indicators:

  • Another trend in fintech entrepreneurship is coming back to fund infrastructure projects such as Juspay.
  • Corporate recruiting is not decelerating – despite AI upheavals – as companies such as Infosys are redoubling their investment in talent.

Innovation and Employment Growth are Not mutually exclusive.

The argument that AI will destroy jobs is reduced to a simplistic narration. Instead, evidence shows that:

  • AI is triggering emerging job archetypes that need expert knowledge of human employees and machines.
  • Major companies are hiring in large numbers so as to create that workforce.

Such dynamism of startups and corporate needs makes the tech market in India especially attractive at the start of 2026. 

Conclusion — A Defining Moment for Indian Tech 

To sum up, Juspay’s unicorn milestone and Infosys’ 20,000 hiring announcement form two of the most influential technology stories this January. Together, they illustrate a tech ecosystem that’s both expanding and evolving.

For investors, it spotlights fintech traction and AI-driven service growth. For job seekers, it underscores where opportunities lie. For innovators, it highlights the value of blending deep tech with real-world scalability.

This is not just tech news — it’s a signal of India’s rising stature in global digital innovation in 2026 and beyond. Are you preparing for an AI role at Infosys or exploring fintech startups like Juspay? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

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