Archives February 2024

New Delhi, February 7th, 2024: Digital-first, sustainable and plant-based home care brand Koparo has raised a funding of Rs 5.2 crore from 4P Capital Partners apart from Rs 70 lakh from Shark Tank India. Aman Gupta, Co-founder, Boat and Vineeta Singh, Co-founder, Sugar have come onboard as investors in the Company.

The brand, which has raised the money at the valuation at Rs 70 crore, is planning to invest the funds in brand building and distribution.

Koparo’s USP is naturally powered and child-safe, pet-friendly cleaning products that appeal to a growing base of conscious consumers in India. As the millennial families adopt healthier lifestyles, Koparo’s affordable premiums were well received by the Shark Tank India judges.

Launched in 2021, Koparo closed last fiscal at Rs 5 crore and is planning to clock Rs. 12 crore this fiscal and grow to Rs 50 cr in the next 2 years.

Simran Khara, Founder, Koparo said, “Securing a Shark Tank deal from Aman Gupta, Vineeta Singh who have built formidable consumer brands is very satisfying. I’m excited to have 4P Capital Partners on-board as their backers have experience of building large consumer brands. In the next 2 years, we are targeting to reach 10 lakh Indian consumers and our focus is on expanding distribution both online and offline.”

Aditya Arora, Partner and CIO, 4P Capital Partners said, “We are impressed with the solid business that Simran has built in a short span of time. Her focus on positive economics stands out for us. We strongly believe that sustainable and plant-based home cleaners are the need of the hour and are happy to back Koparo on its journey.”

The brand offers ‘good for you’ and ‘good for the planet’, plant-based home care products like floor cleaners, laundry detergent, fabric conditioners, dishwash liquid, handwash, cleaning accessories and fresheners & fragrances and going ahead with plans to launch more products that serve cleaning needs of modern Indian homes.

Prior to this, Koparo has raised Rs 5.7 crore in a pre-seed round in Nov ’21 and Rs 12 crore pre-series A round in Feb ’23, respectively, led by Saama Capital. Other investors who backed the brand in these rounds include MVP, Fluid Ventures, DSG Consumer Partners and Titan Capital.

Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, in collaboration with Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (KSTDC), Jungle Lodges and Resorts is thrilled to announce its participation in the prestigious Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) Mumbai 2024, scheduled to take place from 8th to 10th February 2024. As a prominent player in India’s tourism landscape, Karnataka is poised to showcase its rich tapestry of cultural, historical, and natural wonders at this premier travel trade event.

With a focus on promoting Karnataka as a versatile tourist destination, the state’s delegation is gearing up to engage with travel industry professionals, tour operators, and media representatives during the event. OTM Mumbai provides an ideal platform to highlight Karnataka’s diverse offerings, catering to travelers seeking adventure, history, spirituality, and unparalleled natural beauty.

Karnataka Tourism’s booth at OTM will feature immersive displays, interactive sessions with the stakeholders of the state, and a wealth of information to provide attendees with a glimpse into the enchanting experiences awaiting visitors to the state. From the architectural marvels of Hampi to the pristine beaches of Gokarna, the verdant landscapes of Coorg to the bustling city life of Bengaluru, Karnataka offers a spectrum of experiences that cater to every traveler’s taste.

Visitors to the Karnataka booth can expect to explore enticing travel itineraries, discover hidden gems, and engage with knowledgeable representatives who can guide them in crafting unforgettable journeys through the heart of South India.

In addition to promoting established tourist attractions, the Karnataka Tourism Department will use this platform to unveil new initiatives, partnerships, and sustainable tourism practices. The department remains committed to positioning Karnataka as a responsible and inclusive travel destination, embracing both tradition and modernity.

Karnataka Tourism cordially invites travel enthusiasts, industry professionals, and media representatives to visit its booth at OTM Mumbai 2024, stand W200, to discover the myriad wonders that make Karnataka an unparalleled destination.

National, February 07, 2024: Beyond Snack, a Kerala banana chips brand and renowned name in the snack industry, is delighted to announce the launch of its latest product – Kerala Banana Chips in Coconut Oil, a unique blend of traditional Kerala banana chips cooked in coconut oil. This new offering is the epitome of Beyond Snack’s commitment to quality, health, and authentic taste.

For centuries, Kerala’s banana chips have been synonymous with coconut oil. Aligning with this tradition, Beyond Snack endeavored to create a product that delivers consistent taste and texture and embraces healthier cooking methods. After an intensive 8-month product development phase, Beyond Snack is now ready to meet the high expectations of health-conscious consumers.

Building on the momentum of the ’24 Carat Taste’ campaign, Beyond Snack’s introduction of Kerala Banana Chips in Coconut Oil represents a thoughtful blend of tradition and modern health consciousness. Emphasizing coconut oil’s traditional significance in Kerala’s culinary landscape, this launch reinforces the brand’s dedication to celebrating cultural heritage while addressing the nutritional preferences of today’s consumers. This launch is a reflection of Beyond Snack’s ongoing efforts to blend cultural authenticity with modern health standards, providing consumers with an indulgent yet guilt-free snacking experience.

What sets this product apart in the market? It is made without onion and garlic, catering to consumers who seek fasting-friendly options. Significant to this product is our transition to using rock salt, an alternative to the commonly used refined salt. The standout feature of this new product lies in its cleanliness – we’ve meticulously curated these banana chips with hygiene as a top priority. What sets them apart is that they’re the first-ever branded banana chips made with coconut oil. This enhances the chips’ health benefits and adds a delicious twist to the classic snack.

Manas Madhu, Co-Founder of Beyond Snack, said, “With Kerala Banana Chips in coconut oil, we’ve embraced the historical connection of coconut oil and banana chips and elevated the snack to meet modern health expectations. Our rigorous development process and thoughtful ingredient selection are a nod to our responsibility towards our consumers who trust us for quality and experience.”

Beyond Snack’s commitment to quality and nutrition remains unchanged. Like all our products, these coconut oil-based banana chips are gluten-free, non-GMO, and made with real, premium ingredients. As always, they are free from artificial preservatives, colours, and flavours, ensuring that every bite is a wholesome, guilt-free indulgence.

Kerala banana chips made with Coconut oil will be available in 85gm packets at a price of Rs 75 per pack. Consumers can purchase these healthy and delicious chips across all leading e-commerce platforms.

Mumbai, 7th February 2024: Piscium, an innovative nanotechnology startup specializing in medical devices, has raised Rs 6 crore in Series A round led by Unicorn India Ventures. The company, renowned for its patented nano-diamond technology, is also recognized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) as a leading dental and medical device startup. The funds raised would be used for strengthening the sales & marketing team, brand building, scale up production & operations and launch international business.

Founded in 2017 by Malay Dikshit and Dr. Trupta Dikshit, Piscium is a dental and medical device manufacturing company that aims to deliver through its research, products that take the dental and medical practitioner’s craft to a whole new level.

Chronic & stress related diseases such as diabetes are undoubtedly on the rise in India and so are the frequency of dental ailments. With its path-breaking R&D in medical sciences, Piscium is creating a platform for reaching out to the largest patient pool for dentistry by manufacturing various dental products like Alpha Nano Diamond Burs, Epsilon Burs, Alginates and many more.

Piscium’s patented Nano Diamond Dental Burs, developed and commercialized by them, are the first of their kind in the world and are fast being adopted by dentists for their speed, accuracy, procedural control & smoothness. Due to these differentiating features, dentists have found specialized designs like fissurotomy and surgical burs to be particularly useful.

Piscium’s portfolio today consists of over 10 product categories which include a wide array of dental burs, dental alginates & other products. The company aims to build a diverse portfolio of dental and medical devices that empower healthcare professionals and positively impact the lives of patients worldwide.

Malay Dikshit, Founder & CEO, Piscium, says, “Unicorn India Ventures agreeing to come on board to fund our series A round gives us the much needed impetus and backing to scale up the business into an internationally renowned dental and medical device company in the near future. We also wish to thank SINE-IITB, BIRAC, Friends and Investors who supported and invested in us in our early days. By 2027, over 300k dentists across 5 continents would be using Piscium’s products as we believe that scientific acumen, strong innovation pipeline and an equally strong route to market would be our principal growth drivers.”

Since the last round, the company has enhanced its manufacturing capabilities and vendor ecosystem, developed and launched a wider product range, marking its presence in over 10 states and made inroads in Government E-Marketplace. It has also piloted its marketing strategies to further scale up.

Commenting on the investment, Anil Joshi, Managing Partner, Unicorn India Ventures, says, The Prevalence of chronic & stress related diseases is escalating, with medical research highlighting a significant uptick in such cases. At Unicorn, our comprehensive analysis of this sector led to our investment decision, particularly witnessing the company’s rapid growth fuelled by its innovative products. These patented innovations have received widespread acceptance within the dental community and exhibit extensive potential for global market expansion. Piscium is also actively building its OEM business and forging strategic partnerships. We strongly believe that Piscium’s future innovations in this domain will unlock substantial growth opportunities.”

Piscium is building its domestic route to market through strengthening its sales force, appointing distributors in every major town and focussing on Government procurement. As volumes grow, Piscium is also developing its vendor ecosystem to deliver precision and quality. The company has served over 25000 dentists who have tried Piscium’s products till now.

According to an insights10 report, India’s dental care market was valued at $653 Mn in 2022 and is estimated to touch the CAGR of 9.40% from 2022 to 2030 and will reach $1.4 Bn in 2030, giving hyper-growth opportunity to Piscium.

 07^th February, 2024, Ludhiana:

IOL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a leading manufacturer of pharmaceutical APIs and speciality chemicals, announced its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2023.

Consolidated Q3 & 9M FY24 Financial Highlights:                                      

  Commenting on the performance, Mr Vikas Gupta, Joint Managing Director said, “Despite sectoral headwinds, the Company has shown resilience in its financial performance during nine months period. The company’s EBITDA margin has improved led by declining input cost. We recently received CEP certificate approval for Losartan Potassium by EDQM providing us an opportunity to further expand our exports into the regulated markets. We are continuously focusing on improving operational efficiencies further through backward integration.”

Bengaluru, 7th February 2024: The Future of Commerce conclave presented by Forbes India and GoKwik, brought together industry visionaries, entrepreneurs, and experts who are pioneers in carving the future of commerce. The event held in Bengaluru, featured a series of talks and panels, which addressed key themes such as technological innovation, customer experience optimization, and the collaborative ecosystem driving the next phase of commerce.

In a world characterised by rapid technological advancements and shifting consumer dynamic, the Future of Commerce conclave was aimed at unravelling the evolving e-commerce landscape, digitalization, and shifting customer expectations.

Chirag Taneja, CEO & Co-founder of GoKwik, set the tone of the evening in his opening address, highlighting the significance of such discussions in shaping the future of commerce. Speaking on GoKwik’s journey, he said, “Innovation in commerce thrives on collaboration. GoKwik, in its short three-year journey, has addressed challenges, revolutionized payment methods, and contributed significantly to financial services. As we look ahead, we envision a future where India becomes a 15% digital market, and GoKwik is poised to shape the commerce landscape with foresight and innovation.”

Distinguished speakers Ananth Narayanan (Founder, Mensa Brands), and K Ganesh (Serial Entrepreneur associated with BigBasket, Portea Medical, BlueStone, and HomeLane) participated in an engaging ‘Fireside Chat’ on ‘Pioneering the Future of Commerce.’ In another ‘Fireside Chat’ with Ashish Agrawal (MD, Peak XV) and Rajat Agarwal, (MD, Matrix Partners India), the duo decoded ‘A venture capitalist’s guide to e-commerce success’

In his session, Nik Sharma (CEO, Sharma Brands), provided a global perspective on the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) market.

In a panel discussion with Gaurav Khatri (Co-Founder & CEO, Noise), Priyanka Gill, (Group Co-founder, Good Glam Group), Manish Chowdhary (Co-founder, WOW Skin Science) and Prashanth Aluru (Co-founder & CEO, TMRW ‘House of Brands’), the speakers shared their views on shifts in consumer behaviour and trends in the commerce industry.

The evening also saw a tech accelerators panel discussion with Vargab Bakshi (Vice President, Wix.com), Nitin Navneet Tatiwala (Vice President, FedEx Express MEISA Marketing) and Ananth Jayarajan (Technical Partnerships Lead, Shopify APAC).

The last session of the conclave delved into the transformative impact of fintech on payment ecosystems, redefining how consumers and businesses engage in transactions. The insightful panel featured Deep Agrawal (Head of Payments at PhonePe), Akshay Aedula (CRED); and Antariksh Parmar (Product Manager, ONDC).

From the rise of digital-first brands, move towards an omnichannel approach, optimisation of customer experience, enhancement of payment solutions, growing enabler requirements and creation of an overall collaborative ecosystem, the conclave successfully facilitated insightful discussions among visionaries who are paving the way for unprecedented yet sustainable growth.

Public speaking is a skill, not a talent. It can be learnt easily: Public Speaking expert

Hyderabad, February 07, 2024….…… Media Junction”, a specialist school for Public Speaking announced its latest batch of 4 Day Workshop on Effective Public Speaking. The four-day session will be held from February 8th to 11th, from 6 pm to 9.30 pm. It will be held at the Premises of Media Junction at Ground Floor 4A, Parthani Towers, Golconda Cross Roads, Musheerabad, Hyderabad.

The Workshop will be conducted by public speaking enthusiasts and communications practitioner D. Ramchandram of Solus Media.

Media Junction has been the pioneer in organising this exclusive workshop on the subject uninterruptedly for the past 19 years. The workshop is targeted at Politicians, Businessmen, Startup Leaders, Corporate Executives, Professionals such as Lawyers, Doctors, Sales, Marketing, Teaching, IT Professionals and everybody and anybody.

For many, “Mike is a bomb”, informs D. Ramchandram, the public speaking trainer. And they continue to suffer all through their life. Thankfully, there is a solution to this problem. Everybody can speak well with a little bit of instruction and guidance. Anyone can master public speaking, added Ram, who has hundreds of workshops to his credit.

“Public speaking is a skill, not a talent”. It can be easily acquired. Please don’t assume that you need to be born a natural public speaker. It is a learnable skill. You need this skill to promote your business/profession to customers, and investors. You can’t outsource public speaking; as an entrepreneur, it’s up to you to be the face of your business. Speakers are leaders and leaders are speakers.

Media Junction gives you the guarantee that you will be able to speak confidently in four days. Give me the dumbest man/woman in the world, we can make him or her “say what he or she wants to say” informs Kalpana, Director of Media Junction.

The workshop teaches the art of Speech Making, Writing, Body Language, Impromptu Speeches, humorous speeches, Content Management for Speech Preparation etc and many such relevant subjects.

New Delhi, 7 February 2024: University of Essex, UK-based and ranked 18th in the UK for Economics by QS World University Rankings 2023 is excited to announce its first-ever Graduation Day ceremony for its students in India, offering a memorable experience to graduates and their families in the region. The prestigious ceremony will be held in New Delhi on Sunday 18 February 2024. This momentous occasion coincides with the university’s celebration of its 60th anniversary, which signifies six decades of scholarly distinction, ground-breaking advancements, and worldwide influence.

The ceremony aims to create an inclusive and culturally enriching experience for graduates, celebrating their academic accomplishments within the vibrant tapestry of Indian traditions. The celebration in India underscores the University’s dedication to providing a global education experience and fostering strong connections with its diverse student body.

Professor Anthony Forster, Vice-Chancellor, University of Essex said, “As we mark the 60th anniversary of the University of Essex, we are thrilled to be hosting our first Graduation Day in India to celebrate our impact, champion our alumni and highlight the positive change our community creates around the world.

This momentous occasion reflects our commitment to providing a truly global education experience and recognizing the outstanding achievements of our Indian graduates on an international stage.

The ceremony in India is a celebration of academic success and also a testament to the diverse and inclusive community that is at the heart of our university. We are immensely proud of our Indian graduates and growing alumni community and look forward to watching their continued success.”

The ceremony will feature special speeches to recognize outstanding achievements, contributions, and resilience demonstrated by the graduating class. Prominent alumni and distinguished guest speakers will be present to inspire and impart wisdom to the graduating class. Furthermore, the ceremony will be graced with four outstanding Essex graduates from India who will be honoured with Vice-Chancellor Awards.

The Graduation is open to all recent graduates plus soon-to-graduate students and alumni. It is designed to be a special opportunity for alumni to graduate in their home country with friends and family by their side while also celebrating everything they have achieved since completing their studies at Essex.

Bangalore, February 7, 2024: Tata Digital Private Limited, a subsidiary of Tata Sons Private Limited, is pleased to announce appointment of Mr. Naveen Tahilyani as new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director for the Company.

Mr. Naveen Tahilyani is currently the CEO and Managing Director of Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Limited. He comes with a strong understanding of Indian consumer landscape and an extensive experience in the financial services sector. He has a proven track record of driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and achieving operational excellence.

Naveen has a Bachelor of Technology degree in Electronics and Communication from IIT Madras and a Postgraduate diploma in Business Management from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Naveen succeeds Mr. Pratik Pal who has served Tata Digital with dedication since its inception. Under Pratik’s leadership, Tata Digital achieved significant milestones including launch of the Tata Neu app, and the foundation he helped to lay will continue to shape the company’s future success.

Given Pratik’s background and strong contribution to Tata Digital, he will continue in Tata Digital to ensure continuity and contribute with his wealth of experience to the organization.

Mr. N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, said: “Pratik has been successfully leading the Company since its inception and led Tata Group’s foray into digital commerce. I would like to thank Pratik for his significant contribution to Tata Digital.”

He further added “I am delighted to welcome Naveen to Tata Digital. Naveen brings in strong understanding of consumer domain and a very successful track record of leadership. I wish Naveen success in his new role.”

Naveen will take up new role effective February 19, 2024.

The women’s wing of FICCI, Ficci Ladies Organization Ahmedabad, conducts a two-day delegation of 55 women, program designed,curated and led by the Chairperson Aditi Parekh to New Delhi on February 7th and 8th, 2024.

FLO Ahmedabad Committee has orchestrated a meaningful retreat to New Delhi, emphasizing empowerment, collaboration, and dialogue among its members. Activities likely encompassed discussions on women’s leadership, networking opportunities, and engagements with influential figures to advance the goals of the organization. The retreat aimed to provide a platform for shared insights, fostering unity and promoting women’s initiatives.

“Growing up in the national capital of Delhi amidst a bureaucratic & political environment, chose to empower & educate women through her lens for an enriching experience. According to Aditi Parekh, Chairperson of FLO Ahmedabad, “This initiative mirrors FLO’s steadfast dedication to broaden the horizon for women, explore opportunities with unlimited possibilities & beyond boundaries.

The delegation entails a visit to the old & new Parliament, an engaging conversation with a prominent, high ranking govt. official, a heritage walk led by Chandrasekhar Tampi, an exclusive session and exchange with notable figures, an afternoon with Chanel India head & Sanjay Garg from Raw Mango, and an enticing melodious sundowner at Olive Bar & Kitchen featuring the talented Vidya Shah taking the members back to the Mirza-Ghalib era.