How Tradexa is Empowering Brands with its Comprehensive Full-Stack Commerce Solution

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The times have changed, and its no longer sufficient for a brand to solely concentrate on its product. In todays world, brands must also prioritize digital marketing, digital sales, and digital customer service, in addition to physical distribution, warehousing, and logistics. Brands now require collaboration with almost 10 different partners to handle various aspects of their ecommerce value chain. This includes tech agencies, marketing firms, and warehouse operators. Tradexa, a startup based in Pune, has developed a platform that consolidates all these diverse elements with a technology-based approach and deep expertise.

Ramesh Jhajharia founded Tradexa in 2019 with a clear objective: to assist brands, retailers, and distributors in selling both online and offline with minimal investment and hassle through a cutting-edge technology platform. The companys vision is aligned with the Digital India initiative.

Jhajharias extensive experience in developing highly scalable technologies, as well as his participation on the technical steering committee of blockchain technology Hyperledger, led him to consider using blockchain to create a network of distributors, retailers and brands. However, he soon discovered that the industry required technology support that could enable people to sell both online and offline and that blockchain was not yet necessary. With this in mind, he founded Tradexa in May 2019 and began collaborating with Indias largest distribution networks.

"Today we have the capability to digitalize any retailer across different industries in just one hour and enable brands scale 3-5 times in just 3 months. Traditional retailers and distributors struggle to understand eCommerce and its requirements. We offer a solution that lets them sell their products online and offline without all the technical hassle. They can start in an hour with our latest technology for just Rs 5,000. We innovate and experiment. Our partners need only to sell," says Jhajharia.

In addition to providing a platform for brands, Tradexa also allows retailers to sell directly through their marketplace with minimal or nominal margins. Tradexa fulfills all orders received on their marketplace through their retail partners. At a cost of only Rs. 20,000 per month, Tradexa offers a range of services that includes store management, digital marketing, digital advertising, product information management, social media management, SEO, graphic design, and customer engagement. It claims to be entering a new industry every 2 months and has the capability to digitalize up to 5000 retailers every 3 months.

The period between March and May 2020 was Tradexas most difficult time because of the uncertainty brought about by the first wave of COVID-19 and the nationwide lockdown. "COVID-19 had a significant effect on the economy and caused the shutdown of some sectors but it also contributed to the growth of e-commerce and the popularity of digital transactions. It also gave another perspective to the retailer, brands and distributors on the importance of digitization. COVID accelerated digitization and it benefitted companies like ours," Jhajharia says.

"These challenging times have reaffirmed the validity of our vision and strategy. At Tradexa, we see ourselves as a dynamic learning organization, committed to providing our employees with valuable experiences that surpass those offered by other companies. We are proud to say that after just two years with us, our employees will have gained significant expertise and knowledge," the Founder says.

Tradexa currently manages the entire eCommerce operations for numerous billion-dollar international brands. They also operate two industry-specific marketplaces, boasting an impressive 90% onboard rate for participating brands. At present, the company generates an annual revenue of Rs. 10 crore. However, they aim to leverage their marketplaces, platform, and additional services to increase their revenue to Rs. 800 crore over the next five years.

Tradexa relies on three types of IT systems to enhance the eCommerce experience for consumers: transaction processing systems, decision support systems, and decision automation systems. In terms of operations, Tradexa provides a range of services such as product information management, inventory management, accounting, webstore management, payment processing, and shipping and logistics management. Additionally, they offer marketing solutions that include dynamic webstores, auto SEO, AI-powered customer query response system, Facebook catalog, Google shopping and advertising system, as well as transaction and promotional communication through email, SMS, and WhatsApp. To support decision-making, Tradexa employs an AI-based recommendation system that analyzes key aspects of a brand such as products, inventory, pricing, marketing budget, sales, buyers and promotions to suggest the best course of action for scaling the brand. Furthermore, Tradexa has established influencer networks throughout India to assist brands seeking to expand and thrive.

"At Tradexa, we take pleasure in empowering first-time entrepreneurs who wish to establish their own eCommerce brand but may be daunted by the intricacies of eCommerce operations. We are excited to announce that we are launching a program for new brands, where we will provide our platform for free and offer support to help them grow. The only prerequisite is that they must possess a successful product and some funding," Jhajharia says.

Tradexas approach focuses on the digitization and creation of a global network that encompasses various brands, distributors, and retailers. Their current focus is on developing industry-specific networks of brands, retailers and distributors, while also creating industry-specific marketplaces tailored to the needs of end customers. "This approach allows us to offer a personalized experience for customers in various industries," Jhajharia signs off.

Planify Gets Startup VCI Chemicals on its Platform: The New Emerging Star in Speciality Chemical Tech

Planify has recently opened its doors to bring onboard the rapidly emerging star in the Crude Coal tar Industry, VCI Chemical Industries.

Planify is the biggest platform that connects entrepreneurs with investors for hassle-free equity fundraising. Planify is actively working in Seed, Pre-Series A, and Series A Funding for the startups and helps raise between Rs. 1 Cr. to Rs. 50 Cr. for their ventures respectively.

Shubham Gupta CEO VCI Chemical Industries

Planify-backed Startups have a portfolio valuation of over Rs. 1600 Cr. across 6 companies.

VCI Chemicals is involved in the production of specialty chemicals products i.e. Coal Tar Pitch (commonly known as CTP) and high-grade Distillates. The company has a 1.1 Lakh MTPA Coal tar Distillery on 31.1-acre land in Kalinganagar, Orissa. CTP is a key ingredient used in the Aluminium smelter industry.

The company aims to substitute 20%-25% of the CTP requirement in the Middle Eastern market which currently relies 100% on Chinese imports.

Current Scenario of the Carbon Specialty Chemicals Industry

Demand - Supply Gap of Coal Tar Pitch in Middle East Countries:

• Demand: CTP demand of the Middle-east Market (2nd Globally) is at 5,70,000 TPA (Tonne per Annum) (estimated to be ~ 8,00,000 TPA by FY27).

• Supply: 55,000 TPA of this demand would be met by VCI.

• Demand - Supply Gap of High-Grade Distillates in India: Current demand for high-grade distillates in India is at ~ 23,000TPA. 8,000 TPA of this demand would be met by VCI.

• Security of Demand: Domestic market aluminium production is estimated to have doubled to 40 LTPA between FY15-FY22 and is expected to reach 60 LTPA by FY27 thus ensuring the security of demand.

• High Capital Intensive: The specialty chemicals projects require high upfront capex. One requires at least. Rs. 150 Cr - Rs. 200 Cr to set up and run the unit.

• High Entry Barriers: The use of complex chemical technology pose an Entry Barrier for new entrants.

This brings us to the question 'Why VCI' There would surely be other players in the industry who can meet demand, both domestic and international.

• VCI is substituting up to 20% dependency of the middle-east Aluminium industry on Chinese monopoly by becoming long term (8+ years) strategic supplier of CTP (worth Rs. 300+ Cr.) to leaders of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council).

• Initiatives from GoI to promote transparency and time-bound clearances & incentives (Land, Capital, Power, Tax) will promote a conducive business environment. VCI is estimated to gain Rs. 10 Cr. annually through government schemes like Invest in Orissa, and Go Swift (Single Window clearance portal).

• The company's operations are envisaged to enjoy tremendous locational advantage since 67% of the plant feedstock (Crude Coal Tar) will be sourced from steel plants within 120 km & hence has the lowest inbound cost of any domestic competitors. The company has MoU with TATA Steel for the same. Feedstock Security is 3x+ in FY22.

• The plant is situated in a highly industrialized area of 1000 acres belonging to the Industrial Development Authority of Orissa & henceforth operations are expected to be hassle-free from local hassles. Ample availability of coal and private, as well as government electricity feeders, will ensure 100% uptime of power.

• The company is well connected to diverse logistic channels with connections to Paradip port (120 km), railways (10 km), and National Highway 215 (1 km). This is also expected to facilitate connectivity to nearby ports for exports.

Traction

• VCI has signed long-term contracts (8+ years) with industry veterans like EGA (UAE), ALBA (Bahrain), Sohar (Oman), Maaden (Saudi Arabia), and Qatalum (Qatar) aims to be a strategic supplier of Coal Tar Pitch.

• A significant share of high-yield distillates produced will be utilized in synergies of VCI Group to cater to its brownfield expansion, thus adding to the value chain.

• 87% of the top line is secured.

VCI Chemical Industries Management

Management of the company is in secured and experienced hands of Vikrant Group. This is a 3rd generation business running under the brands of "Dr. Phenyl" (Disinfectant & HCP Business is being carried over 50+ years and the management is ethical & responsible.

Shubham Gupta, Director of VCI Chemical Industries graduated from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) as a B. Tech Chemical Engineer. He did an internship at Rashtriya ISPAT Nigam Limited, a coal chemical division & TEVA Pharmaceuticals API division. He joined Vikrant Group in 2010 & since then has undertaken 2 greenfield projects & 1 brownfield expansion project.

As is now evident, VCI management is in safe, experienced hands of people who have excellent knowledge about the industry. They have been part of this industry for many years previously.

VCI Director Shubham Gupta while commenting on the future plans of VCI said, "The company aims to meet the entire domestic requirement of high-grade distillates. Currently, India imports majority of its high-yield distillates from China (Rs. 8,300 Cr. FY22) due to the high production cost involved but VCI aims to make India Aatmanirbhar in this field. We plan to do this under the Government of India's Make in India initiative. We also plan to meet 20-25% of market requirements of Coal Tar Pitch of the Middle Eastern market."

Planify Founder & CEO, Rajesh Singla said, "Our mission is to fund every entrepreneur to help them gain early access to financial and strategic capital, to propel their company's growth. Planify aims to groom what people care about. VCI provides investors with an opportunity to shape the future economy of a growing India. With VCI, Planify aims to support entrepreneurial pursuits of our economy."

Planify has made a commitment to raise Rs. 23 Cr. through their angel investors and family offices.

VCI Chemicals will achieve a turnover of Rs. 350 Cr. by FY28 with a 12% EBIT margin, and VCI profits should be close to 45 cr. At a conservative estimate of P/E of 20, the company is expected to achieve Rs. 900 Cr. - Rs. 1,000 cr valuation in 5 years. The investor has the potential to make 12-15x returns in the next five years by investing in VCI.

200 lots of VCI are available for investment on Planifys platform for a limited period of time. Investors can gain the first mover advantage by investing in VCI with Planify.

For more information, please visit: https www.planify.in.

iCreate Announces iTERF, a Global Fellowship Programme to Promote Multidisciplinary Technology Entrepreneurship Research, at Startup20 Sikkim Sabha

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• iTERF is an essential component of the Startup20 Engagement Group that encompasses countries within the G20.

• Each research fellow will receive USD 1000 per month for 12 months and lifetime recognition as 'iTERF Fellow'.

iCreate (International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology), Indias leading technology innovation-based startup incubator, today announced the launch of a one-of-its-kind global research fellowship programme, iTERF (​​iCreate Technology Entrepreneurship Research Fellowship). Aimed at initiating interdisciplinary inquiry into technology entrepreneurship, the iTERF programme is an intrinsic part of the Startup20 Engagement Group of G20 countries, under the Indian Presidency in 2023. iTERF will present an opportunity for selected researchers to become part of the engagement activities of the Startup20.

Avinash Punekar, CEO, iCreate at the Startup20 Sikkim Sabha

Commenting on the launch, Avinash Punekar, CEO, iCreate said, "We are thrilled to launch iTERF which has been part of our charter and a fond wish of our founder, Late Dr. H. Anil Kumar. We believe that it will facilitate the creation of a strong knowledge ecosystem that will serve the common objective of iCreate and Startup20, which is fostering innovation and supporting emerging entrepreneurs. By bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives, we hope to develop a holistic understanding of the technology entrepreneurship landscape, and this will become a vital input in building, nurturing and growing innovation ecosystems. We look forward to welcoming researchers from diverse backgrounds and from across the world, and supporting them in their pursuit of new ideas and insights."

With iTERF, iCreate and Startup20 seek to initiate interdisciplinary inquiry into technology entrepreneurship using lenses that range from anthropology, economics, engineering, management, philosophy, psychology, sciences, sociology, and technology, among others. Areas of inquiry would be on the following themes:

• Startup ecosystem harmonization, institutional mechanisms & G20

• Startup funding & ecosystem wealth creation

• Startup ecosystem in the context of inclusion & sustainability

• Startup ecosystem & effects on global culture

• Startup ecosystem, economy development & global outlays

According to iCreate, while the iTERF programme aims to democratise research in the rapidly evolving domain of innovation and entrepreneurship, a rigorous evaluation process has been put in place to ensure that the research output is world class. Following a stringent screening and selection process, the two winning proposals will be announced at the Startup20 Summit, scheduled on 3rd July 2023, at Gurugram. The researchers would be reviewed quarterly and given a lifetime recognition as 'iTERF Fellows' on completing their research project.

About iCreate

Winner of the National Award for Technology Business Incubator 2020, iCreate (International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology) is an autonomous centre of excellence of the Government of Gujarat and is India's largest institution for transforming start-ups based on tech innovation into successful businesses. Located in a state-of-the-art 40-acre campus at Dev Dholera in Ahmedabad, it has supported over 544 innovations and 47 patents with a 'high-touch, entrepreneur first model', connecting them with mentors, markets, and money. Embedded systems and IoT are a focus area for iCreate, in domains like electric vehicles, agritech, smart cities, health tech, industrial automation, and renewable energy, among others. It is home to Ciscos largest Innovation Lab in India and has partnerships with leading institutions in the US, Israel, and other countries. It has a strategic partnership with CSIR, Indias apex organisation for science and technology, and with leading institutions worldwide.

Banyan Cloud Joins Cloud Security Alliance

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Banyan Cloud Inc., USA, today announced that it has joined the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world's leading organization dedicated to defining and raising awareness of best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment.

Banyan Cloud is the Cloud Native Application Protection Platform, which is helping enterprises to be successful in their digital transformation efforts with the next-generation Cyber Security Platform that address the Code to Cloud security of business applications. The Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) protects the cloud misconfiguration on all popular public clouds AWS, GCP, Azure, OCI and IBM cloud. The Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) secure different data storage technologies to protect customer's data privacy on all cloud platforms and On-Premises.

On top of a tighter integration of security throughout the application life cycle leads to better security outcomes, versus tacking it on at the end. It aids in resolution of issues in a more efficient and cost-effective manner which leads to faster delivery, improved security posture and greater business success.

Platform equipped with real-time security monitoring and compliance check against the 30+ Industry Regulations such as SOC2, ISO27001, HIPAA and GDPR etc.

"Ours is the most innovative platform designed to simplify cybersecurity governance by enforcing industry-proven security configurations. We are excited to collaborate with Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and its extensive community in the cyber security related research on Cloud, build robust security standards, to combat with potential threats arises with modern technological trends to effectively protect digital assets," says Nagesh Konduru, Founder and CEO of Banyan Cloud.

"We are glad to have the Banyan cloud as part of our alliance, who are always pushing boundaries by building a Code-to-Cloud security platform while adapting the best practices in cyber security. We look forward to Banyan Cloud to contribute and elevate the growing awareness of Cloud security with CSA's support ecosystem," says Jim Reavis, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, CSA.

About the Banyan Cloud
Banyan Cloud, Inc. is an American Cybersecurity startup based in San Jose, California with offices in India & Dubai. The core product is a Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP). The platform covers the cybersecurity for code to cloud of Enterprise applications. It is self-serve, agentless, ease of use, onboard with few clicks, truly real-time and cost-effective. Supports Multi-Cloud, and Multi database. Banyan Cloud is exhibiting the product at GISEC, Dubai, between the 14^th to 16^th of March'23.

For further information about the platform, visit us at banyancloud.io.

About the Cloud Security Alliance
The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) is the world's leading organization dedicated to defining and raising awareness of best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. CSA harnesses the subject matter expertise of industry practitioners, associations, governments, and its corporate and

individual members to offer cloud security-specific research, education, certification, events and products. CSA's activities, knowledge and extensive network benefit the entire community impacted by the cloud - from providers and customers to governments, entrepreneurs, and the assurance industry - and provide a forum through which diverse parties can work together to create and maintain a trusted cloud ecosystem.

For further information, visit us at www.cloudsecurityalliance.org, and follow us on Twitter @cloudsa.

CheQ Partners with Axis Bank to Provide Users with Extra Rewards on Credit Card Bill Payments

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• Axis Bank credit card customers will earn 1% + extra 0.5% back as CheQ Chips on paying their credit card bills on the CheQ app.

• CheQ Chips can be redeemed for vouchers from top brands like Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato, among others.
  

Bengaluru-based fintech startup, CheQ (www.cheq.one), has partnered with Axis Bank, India's third largest private sector bank to make the credit card bill payment experience extra rewarding for its users. As part of a first-of-its-kind partnership, customers who pay their Axis Bank credit card bills on the CheQ app will earn flat 1.5% of their payment back as CheQ Chips. This is an additional incentive of 0.5% over the regular 1% that users normally get.

CheQ offer for Axis Bank credit card customers

CheQ Chips are the app's in-app currency, received as a reward for every payment on CheQ. They can be redeemed for vouchers from top brands like Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato etc, or converted to cash & taken to the bank.

The offer will be applicable exclusively for Axis Bank credit card customers from 13 March, 2023 on a minimum bill payment of ₹100 on the CheQ app.

Commenting on the partnership, Aditya Soni, Founder & CEO, CheQ said, "We are thrilled to partner with Axis Bank in rewarding timely repayment of credit card bills for their customers. CheQ Chips have received lots of love from the community, and we hope that this added incentive for Axis Bank credit card holders will aid us in our goal of helping every Indian understand, manage & leverage credit to its fullest potential."

Adding about the partnership, Sanjeev Moghe, President & Head - Cards and Payments, Axis Bank, said, "At Axis Bank, we believe in putting the customer at the center of all our endeavors, while also generating shared value for all stakeholders in the ecosystem. In this effort, we are delighted to partner with CheQ to incentivise timely repayment of credit card bills. We believe that the reward of extra CheQ Chips for Axis Bank credit card holders will appeal to our customers across India, as they continue making their credit journey more disciplined and rewarding than ever before."

About CheQ

Founded in 2022, CheQ aims to help users understand, manage and leverage credit in ways that augment their lifestyle choices. And while doing so, make the experience fun and rewarding. The CheQ app will allow users to pay their credit card bills, loan EMIs from one place and get 1% back as CheQ Chips on every payment.

The company had raised $10 million USD in July, 2022 in a seed round that saw participation from marquee investors like 3one4 Capital, Venture Highway, Multiply Ventures, Marshot Ventures and Veda VC.

India's 1st Manless Takeaway Launched by Chennai Based Food Start up BVK Biryani in Chennai

Plans afoot for 12 more centres across Chennai & operations pan India. Company also announces 60 min delivery across Chennai for all orders on its "BVK APP"

Chennai based start-up BVK Biryani that serves authentic premium Wedding style Biryani freshly cooked with few hours of farm-to-fork meat, has launched first-of-its kind, unique state of art unmanned takeaway ordering experience centre in Kolattur, Chennai. Touted to be the Indias 1st and a unique experience for Biryani Lovers, the process itself promises to be is as simple as it is unique. Now Customers with Biryani hunger pangs can just walk in and not only satiate their hunger but experience a fast and amazing ordering experience. Just place your order on a 32" attractive and legible Display - Make payment by card or UPI - Watch the countdown timer - and Bingo! collect your popped-out freshly packed Order. All just in a jiffy. No Waiting and no one to talk to and explain. Just order and walk or drive away with your favourite Biryani to enjoy.

Indias 1st manless takeaway launched by BVK biryani in chennai

Started in 2020, BVK Biryani had lived up to its promise of maintaining the freshness of the cut though it was by far the most challenging factor in the restaurant business. The unique taste of their Muslim Wedding style Biryani come from their secret mix of spices and ingredients which are ground in-house everyday as per requirements. Nothing is pre-bought and stored. The Biryani continued to be served in eco-friendly reusable tin containers. True to their promise, the Company has now scaled up to offer 60-minute delivery across Chennai and hopes to further scale up to 30 min delivery in days to come. Ordering can be done online by either booking on their website www.thebvkbiryani.com or from their app "The BVK Biryani" available on google play and IOS app store. Orders can also be placed on Swiggy and Zomato food ordering apps.

For more details, please visit: www.thebvkbiryani.com.

Future Plans

The three-year-old biryani-centric food start-up, has raised the bar once again by its twin announcements. Launching the Indias first unmanned Takeaway Ordering facility and scaling up to offer 60 min guaranteed delivery for all orders on its homegrown BVK App. According to its Founder & CEO Mr. Faheem S the company has plans to launch 12 such centres across Chennai and later scale up its operations pan India.

GreedyGame Launches 'PubScale' the World's First All-in-One AI-Powered Platform for Publishers

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GreedyGame, a leading app growth and monetization company, has announced the launch of 'PubScale', an all-in-one AI-powered platform for publishers. PubScale is a one-stop growth and monetization platform for mobile apps, website and gaming businesses. The platform integrates all the tools of monetization and user acquisition, providing publishers and advertisers with an easy and streamlined solution for monetization, growth, optimization, and analytics.

GreedyGame Launches PubScale

With the increasing need for a simple and intuitive tool for monetisation and user growth, PubScale is set to revolutionize the industry with its unique features. The platform combines the power of artificial intelligence with a user-friendly interface to help publishers increase their revenue and user base.

"PubScale is a platform designed to help publishers grow their business with ease. Our AI-powered tools help publishers optimize their user acquisition and monetization strategies, enabling them to focus on creating quality content," said Arpit Jain, CEO and Founder of GreedyGame. "With this launch, we are bringing a comprehensive solution for growth and monetization."

PubScale's easy-to-use dashboard provides publishers with a clear overview of their business. The platform boasts of four major products, namely AdX, SDK X, GROW, and INSIGHTS.

AdX provides premium advertisers, including Google, Inmobi, Pubmatic and some of the top global advertisers along with dedicated operations and policy support which is essential to publishers for their monetisation. It allows them to access premium demand from Google and provides high-quality ads to users. SDK X helps publishers optimize their ads, improving their performance and revenue. GROW helps publishers drive user engagement and acquisition, enabling them to increase their user base. Finally, INSIGHTS provides analytics and insights to help publishers make informed decisions based on data.

"With its powerful AI algorithms and array of features, PubScale is worth checking out," says Arpit Chaudhary, CTO of GreedyGame. He adds, "We envision to empower publishers by providing them with customized solutions, resources, and power-packed features they need to scale their publishing business. With our unified dashboard, publishers will have access to all the tools they need in one place, without having to navigate multiple platforms and dashboards."

Future Plans

As the product evolves, more AI-powered and real-time features will be rolled out that will be robust and make decision-making easier. "We are constantly looking for ways to improve and enhance the user experience on PubScale. Our goal is to provide publishers with the best possible solutions and tools they need to grow their businesses," adds Jain.

GreedyGame today is a leading player in the advertising tech industry. The company is committed to providing innovative solutions that help publishers and advertisers succeed in the digital world. With the launch of PubScale, GreedyGame has once again demonstrated its commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions that meet the needs of its customers.

About GreedyGame
GreedyGame is a leading Bengaluru-based startup that provides an all-in-one platform for app and website monetization and user acquisition. The company aims to help app and website developers create ads that are truly user-friendly and less intrusive. GreedyGame was founded in 2013 as a two-member team with the initial purpose of improving mobile app advertising. It was one of the early pioneers of Native Advertising apps, helping publishers with Native Advanced Formats.

183 Women Entrepreneurs Empowered through 91Springboard and Google for Startups 'Level Up' Program

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• Divided into two cohorts the first leg featured peer meet ups across Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi and Mumbai

• Application for Cohort 2 are now open

91Springboard, one of India's leading coworking communities, in partnership with Google for Startups (GfS), concluded the first cohort of their 'Level Up' programme. The initiative is a nationwide virtual accelerator program that enables women entrepreneurs to take their startups to the next level. 183 women founders were vetted and selected to receive mentorship from the best in the business. 71 mentors provided masterclasses, peer meetups, tools and expertise for three months to build and scale their businesses. With the startup culture percolating into deeper pockets of the country, cohort 1 included women entrepreneurs from cities, such as Chandigarh, Surat, Indore, Pune and others in addition to the top metro cities.

Women Entrepreneurs during Level Up mentor training

Cohort 1, formed in August 2022, received more than 360 applications. The peer meetups were held at 91Springboard hubs in Bengaluru, Delhi, Pune and Mumbai.

The entrepreneurs were given insights and guidance from accomplished mentors from Google and other leading corporations. The mentors acted as sounding boards, and worked with the women founders on their challenges and to work out strategies to scale their business from X to 10X. Through the course of the program 200+ hours were spent on mentoring the founders with 12+ hours in formal networking.

With the positive response received for Cohort 1 which concluded on February 25, Cohort 2 of the Level Up program will commence in March and continue till July 2023. Women entrepreneurs wishing to participate in the 'Level Up' program can register here: Cohort II Application form

Anand Vemuri, CEO, 91Springboard, said, "Lately, we have witnessed a surge of women entrepreneurs becoming self-reliant and independent. It is great that our government is supporting them and we at 91Springboard are doing our bit. 91Springboard believes in nurturing growth through learning opportunities. This collaboration with GfS for Level Up will boost the confidence of the founders and assist them in their journey."

Nicole Yap, Partnership Manager, Google for Startups, added, "It is our abiding belief at Google that to build universally relevant and helpful solutions, the companies and ecosystems building this have to be fully inclusive and diverse. Women founders still comprise a very small fraction of the overall pie and we think programs that facilitate and enable this representation are very timely and highly important. We are pleased to collaborate with 91Springboard for this."

Women entrepreneurs have been integral to the Indian economy's transformational journey. While there was slow momentum in terms of women founders initially, India has witnessed an upsurge in women establishing successful businesses over the last couple of years. Therefore, supporting them leads to a better and more dynamic entrepreneurship environment, creates jobs and imparts new perspectives to businesses.

ELECRAMA 2023: IEEMA Announces 'Electraverse Spark' Winners, Hands Lucrative Cash Prizes on Day 5

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ELECRAMA 2023, the largest stand-alone showcase of the Indian Electrical and Allied Electronics Industry by IEEMA, saw its much anticipated Electraverse Spark start-up challenge coming to an end with the announcement of top three winners on the fifth and final day of the biennial event at the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida today. The glittering award ceremony was graced by the presence of Chief Guests Mr. Amit Jain, CEO and Co-founder Car Dekho and Mr. Sonam Wangchuk, Innovator and Educationist along with Mr. Rohit Pathak, President, IEEMA; Mr. Jitendra K Agarwal, Chairman, ELECRAMA 2023; Ms Charu Mathur, Director General, IEEMA and several other dignitaries.

Aimed at providing a platform for the technology start-ups, IEEMA, for the very first time, unveiled one-of-its-kind competition to recognise top 12 climate tech start-ups after rigorous screening of about 100 start-ups in the field of advanced electric mobility, future engines of decarbonisation and low carbon cooling. Out of the 12 applications which were invited to showcase their ideas and innovations at ELECRAMA 2023, esteemed jury selected LivNSense Technologies Private Limited, Sheru Eco Cloud and Indigenous Energy Storage Technologies Pvt. Ltd. as top three winners who received a lucrative cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh, Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 5 lakh respectively.

Talking about the unique start-up challenge, Mr. Amit Jain, CEO and Co-founder Car Dekho, said, "I am grateful to IEEMA for inviting me to the global flagship event weve all come to know as ELECRAMA 2023. And, Im honoured to be part of the Electraverse Spark awards ceremony which has paved the way for budding start-ups to showcase their abilities and interact with the industry. In the coming years, as the economy continues to grow, the energy sector, too, will witness exponential growth. With the world embracing smarter ways of living, we need innovation to find new ways of energy. Thats why we need to nurture the start-up ecosystem in India and foster learning among the upcoming businesses focussing on energy. I am grateful for IEEMA and ELECRAMA for taking such a pivotal step in that direction through this unique competition."

Mr. Sonam Wangchuk, Innovator and Educationist, said, "It's a greater accomplishment to conquer one desire than to fulfil a thousand desires. Thus, I would like to congratulate all the exhibitors and the winners whose willingness to conquer their respective desires brought them to ELECRAMA 2023. Its great to see IEEMA supporting the progress and growth in the energy sector. Today, the fight towards developing new technologies and harnessing its power to enhance industry operations has become a major battle. As the world strives towards creating a sustainable future, the need to minimise the use of resources and conserve energy has become imperative. Thus, we must keep innovating, growing and, in turn, continue to find solutions for future challenges. With such crucial platforms like ELECRAMA 2023 and Electraverse Spark competition, we can support new ideas and innovation to collectively make a difference. Before signing off, I would like to leave you all with a thought - don't scold your children for forgetting their lessons, make their lessons unforgettable."

Mr. Rohit Pathak, President of IEEMA, said, "ELECRAMA 2023 has been an amazing journey for us all. I would like to thank IEEMA and the ELECRAMA management team for their meticulous efforts that made this years edition memorable. This century belongs to India, but we are committed to grow in a responsible and sustainable manner. We will develop our own solutions to serve our energy needs and take those to the world. I urge companies to focus on 4 areas - Think Solutions & Services, Integrate startups into your R&D, Build Circularity in your designs, and Push on Demand Side Efficiency opportunities. The 15th edition of ELECRAMA has given us a lot to ponder in terms of new ideas and challenges to innovate great things. Therefore, lets use our learnings to lead the world with the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and grow our exports 5x by 2030."

Apart from the Electraverse Spark, the fifth day of ELECRAMA 2023 also saw the distribution of Best Product & Stall awards. The winners list included - Benaka Electronics (Best Stall Design in Shell Category upto and including 9-12 sqm), Kala Electrikal Pvt. Ltd. (Best Stall Design in the Shell Category upto and including 15-24 sqm), Sunlight Cable Industries (Best Stall Design in the Bare Space Category upto and Including 27- 42 sqm), Valmont Structures Pvt. Ltd. (Best Stall Design In Bare Space Category upto and including 45-97 sqm), PolyCab India Ltd. (Best Stall Design In Bare Space Category upto and including 99 sqm) and PFISTERER Kontaktsysteme GmbH (Best Stall Design in the Overseas Exhibitor Category).

The biennial electronics congregation, with Reimagine Energy - For Sustainable Future as this years theme, will have the largest public showcase yet of industry innovations by over 1000 exhibitors from India and abroad occupying 1,10,000 sqm of exhibition space over the course of next five days. The much-anticipated event is expected to witness 3,50,000 footfall and over 15,000 pre-scheduled meetings between buyers and sellers.

Completing 33 years of being the only industry platform of its kind, ELECRAMA 2023 is supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, and Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. While Uttar Pradesh is the host state partner, Germany is the country partner in the 15th edition of the initiative.

About ELECRAMA

ELECRAMA is the flagship showcase of the Indian Electrical and Electronics Industry and the largest congregation of the power sector ecosystem in the geography. ELECRAMA brings together the complete spectrum of solutions that powers the planet from source to socket and everything in between. Featuring not just equipment & technology, but peerless thought leadership platforms for everything electric - from technical conclaves to industry summits.

About Indian Electrical & Electronics Manufacturers Association

IEEMA is the apex association of manufacturers of electrical, industrial electronics and allied equipment in India. Founded in 1948, IEEMA members contribute to more than 95% of the power equipment installed in India. The Indian electrical equipment industry size is USD 50 billion with exports of USD 8.5 billion and the power equipment share in the capital goods industry is about 50%. IEEMA plays a crucial policy advocacy role with the government and its agencies. IEEMA evolves and operates equitable and uniform PVC Clause and due to its unbiased approach, IEEMA PVCs have gained recognition and credibility over the last 3 decades. IEEMA holds product specific conferences, seminars and large exhibitions like ELECRAMA, distribuELEC and E3.

Step Up Academy Plans to Launch 52 Offline Education Study Centres in India

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Step Up Academy, an Ed-tech start-up announced plans to open 52 offline centres in tier-1 and tier-2 cities. The centres will function as tech-enabled physical tuition classes and put an emphasis on improving student involvement and outcomes. The methodology is anticipated to assist students in closing learning gaps.

Dr. Sonu Pachori, Founder of Step Up Academy

In order to provide students with an impactful learning experience, Step Up Academy's offline centres will combine the best available technology, instructors, and teaching methods. These centres also cater to the needs of a sizable segment of parents and students who prefer a physical component to online teaching support.

Speaking on this, Dr. Sonu Pachori, Founder of Step Up Academy, as Medical Graduate said, "Step Up Academy is dedicated to providing top-notch online education. Our faculty have a wide range of talents and expertise, making them well-suited to lead students through a variety of learning methodologies. Each one of our academy instructors brings a unique perspective and instructional approach to the table, ensuring that the course material we offer is original, engaging, and effective. We are assured that all of our students will benefit from the teaching methods used by our teachers."

Step Up Academy, a branch of Stereofox Pvt. Ltd., is a Central India-certified online education start-up committed to offering one of the best online education experiences through the use of cutting-edge technologies like AI, AR, and VR. With over one lakh students, the Ed-Tech platform works to offer the finest guidance and mentoring to students from grade one to twelve, as well as NEET and JEE aspirants. The organizations goal is to provide applicants with a high-quality education by employing cutting-edge online education solutions from Step Up and taking original, creative initiatives.

The Step Up Academy team consistently possesses excellent managerial abilities that have helped them to place multiple students in numerous firms and lead several teams to aid in their professional development. The team is looking to advance their professional growth and strengthen team leadership skills.

Globevestor Co-founder Launches Global Micro-VC Firm with Presence in Canada, India and the US

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Globevestor founder recently announced the launch of a new global micro-VC firm called Momentum Capital. With presence in Canada, India & the US, Momentum Capital focuses on seed-stage Indian startups and leverages its strong international network to help them grow globally.

Mr. Ankur Shrivastava, Founder & Managing Partner, Momentum Capital

Ankur, who co-founded Globevestor in 2013, has invested in over 40 startups including Agnikul, Springboard, Zoomcar, Devtron, Good Health Company, Flintobox and many more success stories. His past investments are spread across several industries, including SaaS, climate, health, and EdTech. His prior portfolio startups have raised over $500 million in funding from Sequoia, Accel, Y Combinator, Khosla Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Insight Partners, Foundation Capital, etc. and are collectively valued at over $1.5 billion now.

"At Globevestor, we successfully pioneered a focused cross-border, hybrid-VC approach to investing across the US-India corridor to support Indian startup founders. Momentum Capital is an organic jump in the journey to deeply leverage our global network & cross-border presence for the benefit of Indian startup founders," Ankur Shrivastava (Founder & Managing Partner, Momentum Capital) shared.

Momentum Capital has a cross-border team & deep network in Canada, India & the US, and it actively helps founders scale across the globe. Its strong and impressive advisory and partner network includes Bill Draper (Founder, Sutter Hill Ventures), Adam Draper (Founder, Boost VC), Adeo Ressi (Chairman, Founder Institute), Mike Suprovici (Head of Acceleration, VC Lab), Abhilash Singh (Founding Partner, Auctus Advisors), and several global CXOs from leading VC/PE firms, tech giants, blitzscaling startups and top consulting firms.

"We've consciously chosen a strong set of advisors, investors, and venture partners across continents and verticals, to supercharge access to global capital and knowledge for Indian founders at the seed stage itself. I've shifted base to North America recently to double down on this further," Ankur added.

The firm has finalized a couple of stealth investments already, and while being largely sector-agnostic, it will have affinity for technology startups in climate, health and SaaS as key themes.

India has seen a few globally competitive startups being built at home already in recent years, but the firm believes that the next decade will belong to a drove of global tech leaders born in India.

"Despite the ongoing funding winter, it remains a great time to build for Indian entrepreneurs. We aim to work with passionate founders building for India and the world with more financial discipline. We are here to support them in their quest to win anywhere in the world," Ankur signed off.

Momentum Capital is a global micro-VC firm with presence in Canada, US & India, and invests in Indian technology startups at pre-seed and seed stage across sectors, with affinity for climate, SaaS, and health. With a strong set of advisors, investors, and partners who have deep investing experience spread across continents & verticals, the firm supercharges global network leverage for Indian founders at the earliest stages.

Earthy Tweens Wins Organic Kids' Lifestyle Fashion Brand 2022-23 at Bharat Startup Awards 2023

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Gurugram-based eco-friendly organic kids' clothing and toy startup Earthy Tweens received the award for Organic Kids' Lifestyle Fashion brand 2022-23 (North India) at Bharat Startup Awards 2023, organised by International Brand Equity, India's leading business and marketing magazine. The sparkling award function was held in Bangalore in the presence of many well-established startup founders and companies in attendance.

Earthy Tweens wins Organic Kids Lifestyle Fashion Brand(North India) at Bharat Startup Awards 2023

The award was accompanied by a Certificate of Achievement, which recognised Earthy Tweens as the 'Startup of the Year 2022-23 (North India) Sustainable Kids fashion and Earth-friendly Toys. Founded in 2022, Earthy Tweens is an environmentally-conscious clothing brand which uses eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, wood, fabric, rubber, bamboo etc., to make childrens wear and toys. The brand has taken a proactive step to cause minimal impact on the environment and the least exhaustion of natural resources.

The sustainable fashion brand has been founded by Nishant Kumar, who also holds the position of the CEO of the company. Earthy Tweens has been credited for its emphasis on creating an equitable balance between responsibility towards the sustenance of the planet and personal fashion and acting as the torchbearer of a much-desired change in the lifestyle fashion industry.

Talking about the historic win at the Bharat Startup Awards 2023, Nishant Kumar, Founder and CEO, Earthy Tweens, said, "It is an ineffable feeling to describe winning the prestigious award for Organic Kids' Lifestyle Fashion brand for the year 2022-23 at Bharat Startup Awards 2023. Earthy Tweens was established with a vision to make sustainable fashion a conscious choice for buyers. We have scored a big win which also serves as a validation of our efforts which have gone into creating Earthy Tweens what it is today. I thank the jury for considering us worthy of the award and also extend my regards for the contribution of our team members."

Nai Subah Foundation Presents 'Advaita', a Unique Art Exhibition Featuring Curated Artworks by Neurodiverse Artists

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Nai Subah Foundation, a young social start-up dedicated to opportunity creation for the marginalized sections of society has organised its first physical art exhibition called Advaita which is showcasing diverse and unique artworks by neurodiverse artists, ranging from 10 to 45 years of age.

Advaita, Art Exhibition by Neurodiverse

The exhibition, held from 13^th January to 15^th January 2023 at ArtSastra Gallery, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi, will showcase 92 breath taking paintings, digital art, photographs, and multimedia works that have been created by young neurodiverse artists.

Tarini Malhotra, Founder, Nai Subah Foundation

The exhibition is being held with the intention of showcasing the special artistic expression of talented neurodiverse artists who otherwise may not get the right opportunities in the society. This is the first physical exhibition Nai Subah is organizing this year post the success of its virtual exhibition in December 2021 in which most of the paintings were sold out.

By connecting people, with the aid of social sector organizations, to corporate partners and facilitating their employment, Nai Subah Foundation helps neurodiverse people find mainstream work prospects and sustainable income generation opportunities.

Sharing her thoughts on the exhibition & the overall scenario of neurodiverse people in India, Tarini Malhotra, Founder of Nai Subah Foundation and a Grade 11 student of The Shri Ram School, said, "At Nai Subah Foundation, we endeavour to be the catalyst for change - we hope to usher in a 'new morning' for marginalized sections of society by helping them unlock their true potential. The artworks displayed at Advaita provide a deeper understanding of the psyche of creative artists and a glimpse into their unique perspectives, which may surprise the audience and change perceptions about the talent and potential residing in the neurodiverse."

Tarini has an elaborate history of proactively participating in various social causes such as the financial inclusion of women, education of the underprivileged, and supporting kids with disabilities. She is a staunch supporter of the role of social startups in destigmatizing disability and creating authentic inclusion in workplaces for the Neurodiverse.

The art curator of Advaita and owner of Artsastra, Mr. Vipul Saini expressed, "Every individual observes, absorbs, and expresses his or her experience in unique ways. These expressions become even more special when expressed through those who perceive the reality in special ways than most of us do, who can see what we normally may not see. We welcome all to our gallery Artsastra where this beautiful exhibition will change a lot of misconceptions about neurodiversity."

Neurodiverse people have the same rights to an education and employment as the rest of us do to lead independent lives with respect and financial independence. Nai Subah Foundation and other social sector organizations are working tirelessly to ensure that all organizations develop policy frameworks that will enable them to successfully integrate and utilize the skills of neurodiverse people, while also working to bring a sustainable change in society.

Edtech Startup Creative Galileo Launches its Second Learning App Toondemy

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• Learning journeys mapped to CBSE, NEP, and NCERT syllabi

• A multiverse of Indian and International kids cartoons
  

Indias leading early learning edtech startup Creative Galileo has announced the launch of Toondemy - an educational learning app for kids aged 3-10 years. The app offers comprehensive learning journeys in line with CBSE, NEP and NCERT syllabi to build strong foundational concepts and cognitive capabilities, learn phonics, and develop critical 21st-century skills.

Designed by experts, the company has brought together leading Indian and international kids characters on one platform to deliver outcome-based compelling learning modules through rich animated videos and interactive games to practice follow-on modules.

The app offers both digital and physical features. To reinforce concepts and for a hands-on learning experience, the company will provide kids with a kit of personalized worksheets and books as part of its subscription model. Parents can monitor their childrens progress and plan their learning journey.

Speaking on the announcement, Prerna Jhunjhunwala, Founder of Creative Galileo, said, "With Toondemy, we are creating a phygital ecosystem for children where they get the best of digital and physical learning. While our digitised content mapped to the school syllabus will offer the best digital learning, our practice worksheets further strengthen childrens concepts. We soon plan to introduce Toondemy Academy - a collaboration with schools to share, develop and implement modules to enhance and help reduce learning gaps."

Toondemy is Creative Galileos second launch after the success of Little Singham - Kids Early Learn App, with ~ 1 Crore downloads. It is also the only kids learning app to breach the coveted top 20 apps in the education category across all age groups on the Play Store, India.

Established in 2020, Creative Galileo, to date, has raised $10 Million from leading VCs in India and Southeast Asia.

Bosch Appliances India Partners with Digi2L to Offer Smart Exchange

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BSH Appliances India Ltd., Europe's largest home appliances manufacturer and one of the world's leading companies in the sector, has partnered with Digi2L, India's first consumer tech startup that offers Instant Trade-In and Exchange services for Large Appliances across Retail stores and e-commerce sites. As per the partnership, Digi2L has powered Bosch dealer-partner stores with their Tech-enabled platform to offer Instant Exchange to their customers for an upfront discount through vouchers.

Alok Mathur, Founder of Digi2L and Neeraj Bahl, Managing Director and CEO of BSH Household Appliances, India

Digi2L is India's first digital platform to sell used appliances. They aim to bring value to the consumers by managing the End-to-End cycle of Exchange of Used Electronics and Appliances. Digi2L stands by the promise: Customer ready, Price ready, Payment ready. When the customer wants to sell old appliances, they just need to connect with Digi2L, and opt for their preferred date and time when they are available for a video quality check. A transparent Quality check assessment gives the most fair and best price in the market, with Free Door Step Pick up by professional Logistics partners and Instant payment into the customer's account.

Neeraj Bahl, Managing Director and CEO of BSH Household Appliances, India, says, "We are glad to be in a partnership with Digi2L to offer our valuable customers an experience of Smart Exchange that is intrinsically linked to our focus on sustainability. We are proud of this collaboration as it gives us an opportunity to digitize the exchange transactions, making it easy for our consumers to achieve environmental balance with our energy-efficient home appliances from Bosch in exchange of their old appliances. This tech-enabled, smart exchange program is a seamless way for our customers to upgrade to new appliances which, in turn, will support our company's passion towards circular economy. Digi2L has not only made the smart exchange process convenient and hassle-free through its easy-to-use discount vouchers which can be instantly redeemed at our dealer stores."

Alok Mathur, Founder of Digi2L, says, "The re-commerce market for large appliances is a critical area for sustainability. With no organized player in the resale market for large appliances, the consumers are forced to live longer with their existing products resulting in longer life cycles. With the growing population and the economy of the nation, the aspirations of the consumer are growing. To adopt the latest technology and upgrade faster. Digi2L's consumer tech platform brings all the stakeholders together and makes the process of selling or exchanging old appliances easy and convenient. We are thrilled to be partnering with Bosch, and look forward to making the appliance exchange process a pleasant and hassle-free one."

About Digi2L

Founded in 2021, Digi2L by Alok Mathur and Tarun Bhardwaj, a consumer tech company is India's first digital platform to sell used appliances. The objective of Digi2L is to bring value to consumers by managing the End-to-End cycle of Exchange of Used Electronics and Appliances. Headquartered in Mumbai with a full-fledged tech center in Indore, Digi2L has alliance with major consumer and top e-commerce brands across the country. Driven by strong technology support, 30,000 plus customers PAN India, 500 plus Retail Trade Partners, Digi2L is customer-ready, price-ready, and payment ready. Digi2L is India's first digital platform that helps you in the disposal of your used appliances and gadgets without having the hassles of looking for customers and the best price and ensuring spot payment and free home pick up of the used product.

For more information, please visit digi2l.in.

About BSH Home Appliances

BSH Hausgerte GmbH, with a total turnover of some EUR 15.6 billion and 62,000 employees in 2021, is a global leader in the home appliance industry. The company's brand portfolio includes eleven well-known appliance brands like Bosch, Siemens, Gaggenau, and Neff as well as the ecosystem brand Home Connect and service brands like Kitchen Stories. BSH produces at 40 factories and is represented in some 50 countries. BSH is a company of the Bosch Group.

Advantec Wheels Set to become the India's First Company to Roll out Premium Flow Forged Alloy Wheels for Aftermarket Segment

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Advantec Wheels, a Delhi-based start-up, founded by Sukhbir Singh, Ravinder Arora and Jasneet Singh, has forayed into manufacturing of aesthetically designed, high performance and superior quality of Flow Forged Alloy Wheels for Indias Aftermarket for passenger cars. This move comes in the wake of companys concerted efforts to meet the ever-growing demand for reliable and global quality Alloy Wheels in the country. This was disclosed by Mr Ravinder Arora, President & Director, Advantec Wheels. The prototypes of the Alloy Wheels will be showcased at the Auto Components Show at Pragati Maidan (January 12-15, 2023) New Delhi.

L to R, Team Advantec Wheels: Mr Ravinder Arora, Founder- President & Director, Mr Sukhbir Singh, Founder-Director and Mr Jasneet Singh, Founder-Director

Speaking on this strategic foray, Mr Jasneet Singh, Founder-Director, Advantec Wheels remarked, "Advantec Wheels has been conceived with a single-minded objective to cater discerning customers in the Alloy Wheels in Aftermarket space. Our research has proved beyond doubt that Alloy Wheels are the bedrock for a smooth, safe and effortless performance of the car. Today the customers are looking for long lasting products in the Aftermarket space. India's Aftermarket is an underserved market as customers have to compromise with products that lack trust, superior quality and class.

With a collective experience of over five decades in the automobile sector, our aim is to play a role of a catalyst to introduce Hi-Quality Wheels that would have conformance to world class standards on key parameters such as - aesthetics and performance. We intend to be a strong player in this segment in times to come."

Advantec Wheels plant: SIDCO Industrial Complex Bari Brahamana with covered area space approx. 50000 sq. ft.

Detailing the product range, Mr Jasneet Singh said, "To deliver these world class products, our state-of-the-art factory in Jammu (SIDCO Industrial Complex Bari Brahamana with covered area space approx. 50000 square feet) is expected to go on stream in August 2023. We will be the first company to have a fully-automated Foundry line in the country. Our Foundry Lines are of international standards wherein casting of wheels are done in automated Tilt Gravity Die Casting machines to make consistent and better quality of wheels. Further, our first in class processes like "Flow Forging" lend our products extra strength and flawless quality. Another Industrys first process at our factory is the introduction of Element Painting (EP) which makes our products distinct and unique. We are perhaps the first company in India to introduce EP where we would offer unique customized finishes as per customers requirements like never before. Our CoE (Center of Excellence) would conform to BIS / ISO Standards and have the capability to offer Mirror Cut Alloy Wheel Finishes. Importantly, one of the USP's is the in-house Tool Design and Development that would deliver all kinds of designs and sizes for wheels with great speed to market. Whats more! All these come with proven track record of industrys veterans and professionals. We expect to achieve a sales volume of approx. 100000 wheels in the first full year of production, which shall thereafter be ramped up to the peak capacity of 200000 in upcoming years. We will have manpower of over 125 people at peak capacity of the plant."

Elaborating on the Sales and Marketing plans for the brand, Mr Singh said, "We have a well-entrenched marketing strategy in place. We propose to target the niche premium segment of the young automotive enthusiasts in India. We shall plan to reach them via social media platforms and participating in major automotive exhibitions and events throughout the country and abroad. Our sales and distribution strategy includes establishing contacts with major dealer networks in the initial targeted metro cities as well as direct sales through our e-commerce website.

We shall be adhering to a well-thought-out pricing strategy which will bring premium, luxury performance wheels of international technology and standards at affordable prices."

"We are excited to showcase our versatile product range at the Auto Components Show. We have made substantial investment in our venture and are geared to launch our product range in August this year. We have chalked out an ambitious game plan for us. A dedicated and professional team is on board," he added.

Mr Sukhbir Singh, Founder-Director concluded, "We are embarking on a mission to leverage our five decades expertise in the automobile wheel domain to bring value to our customers."

Fintech Start-up BankSathi Raises USD 4M as Pre-series A Round

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Bangalore based social commerce platform BankSathi has raised $4M USD in funding from Kotak Securities, Lets Venture, We Founder Circle, Hem Securities and IPV (Inflection Point Ventures).

L-R - Sandeep Kaler and Jitendra Dhaka, BankSathi Co-founders

The company has also received funding from Recur Club, Liquiloans, Sunil Singhania (Abakkus), Kunal Shah (CRED), Dr. Ritesh Malik (Innov8), Kailash Biyani (Asian Markets), Mukul Rastogi & Bhaswat Agarwal (ClassPlus), Varun Alagh (MamaEarth), Sameer Rastogi (India Juris), Manish Dabkara (EKI Energy), Dinesh Godara (3X founder), and Mukund Modi (MS Fincap).

The funds will be used to invest in high-calibre employees across all the companys operations and to accelerate the development of new products and technology. In addition, the organisation will invest resources toward growing both its agent network and geographic reach into new regions.

BankSathi is a social commerce fintech platform to empower consumers financial life by providing right financial products access to last mile users. It uses priority algorithms to recommend financial products to advisors based on the customers profile and past transactions. This helps both customers and advisors receive recommendations for the best products.

Jitendra Dhaka, Founder & CEO said, "People generally rely on their networks for recommendations, particularly when it comes to significant financial services. As a result, our distribution network of vetted agents provides the much-needed security to customers. we're keen to make a big contribution in the prime minister's mission 'Develop India by 2047' by increasing financial penetration through our tech empowered financial advisors. With this funding, we will be able to expand product, technology, and distribution network at a faster pace."

Jaideep Hansraj, MD & CEO, Kotak Securities Limited said, "Today small and mid-sized financial advisors/micro-entrepreneurs are not able to directly work with financial institutions. BankSathi is enabling these micro-entrepreneurs to sell & earn extra income through selling financial products online and making themselves financially independent & educated."

BankSathi makes use of its network of agents to make recommendations for right financial products to its customers in Tier 2, Tier 3 cities and remote locations. The distribution technique used by the start-up provides product suggestions in multiple financial categories including bank accounts, credit cards, loans, demat accounts and insurance policies. The lack of trust that exists in India is the primary barrier to the countrys adoption of financial products.

"We use technology to reduce mis-selling of financial products. Our vision is to build technology which reduces the physical work and even helps financial institutions to shift to digitalisation. So far, we have been successful to implement it and few financial institutions are also adopting end to end tech for financial products distribution. We have an endeavour to empower 10M financial advisors and serve 50M+ customers in the next five years and we are on track to achieve the same," quoted CTO and Co-founder of BankSathi, Sandeep Kaler.

Abakkus, Sunil Singhania said, "It's my pleasure to be an investor in BankSathi, a unique fintech platform. The passion of Jitendra and his team and the unique model of creating entrepreneurship opportunities for millions of Indians while connecting banks and customers is what has been the most unique feature of BankSathi."

According to BankSathi, its advisor base has increased by 40X and since the companys formation, advisors have earned more than 6M+ by serving 3M+ customer base across 18K pin codes. Financial advisors include insurance agents, chartered accountants, product advisors, financial analysts, retired bankers and small business entrepreneurs. In a span of 20 months of operation the company made an ARR of $10M USD.

This start-up also employed top level executives in the last three months, and they plan to add more as they pursue future expansion and overcome the language barrier that impedes financial inclusion, by adding three more languages to the existing five languages in its application.

BankSathi is partnered with 60+ financial institutions, including HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, IDFC First, SBI, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Bank of Baroda. Recently IRDAI approved an insurance licence to BankSathi to offer a more diverse portfolio of financial products to the customers. This start-up is on its way to bringing the most affordable insurance options for customers in tier 2 and less developed regions.