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Loopex Digital recently conducted research to identify the best cities for business networking. The study analyzed several metrics, including the number of business events, the number of co-working spaces, private offices, meeting rooms, Speedtest Global Index, internet download speed (Wi-Fi), average hotel price for a one-night stay at a 5-star hotel, and the cost of living for a week(without rent). Data was retrieved from sources such as Numbeo, Speedtest.net, and Booking.com. The final score was based on the total number of business events, venues, and the Speedtest Global Index.

Findings summed up:

London, United Kingdom, is the best city for business networking, with a composite score of 48.7. With more than 14,000 co-working spaces and 12,000 business events, London offers access to a community of like-minded individuals. Ranking sixth on the Speedtest Global Index, London provides reliable internet connectivity. Additionally, a seven-day work trip will cost around $343, making it a prime destination for networking and collaboration.

With just 10 points behind, New York City, United States, follows with a composite score of 38.7. Offering professionals a platform to connect and establish valuable connections, NYC has more than 15,000 venues and hosts 12,000 business events annually. A night’s stay at a five-star hotel here costs an average of $511.

The third city to network is Sydney, Australia, with a composite score of 30.1. While it has nearly half the number of business venues compared to the Big Apple, Sydney still hosts nearly the same number of business events, providing ample opportunities to collaborate and network. A seven-day business trip here costs $285.

Singapore comes in fourth place on the list of best cities for business networking, scoring 27.7. With high-speed internet topping the Speedtest Global Index, Singapore is ideal for tech-focused professionals. Its average hotel price and weekly living cost make it an attractive destination for business travelers.

Rounding up the top five is Paris, France, with a composite score of 25.6.  The city hosts almost 2000 business events this year, offering numerous opportunities to connect and establish valuable connections. Paris has an internet speed of 243.47 Mbps.

Switzerland, Zurich claims the sixth position, with a composite score of 23.7. With almost 10K co-working spaces and private offices, the city hosts 480 business events. A one-week business trip to Zurich costs approximately $412, nearly the same as in NYC.

Berlin, Germany, is the seventh-best destination for networking, with a score of 22.7. The city offers a more active environment for business events than several other cities, hosting nearly 5,000 events this year. A one-night stay in a 5-star hotel in Berlin costs an average of $143.

Following closely is Amsterdam, Netherlands, with a composite score of 22.2. Compared to previous cities, Amsterdam has more than 10,000 meeting rooms and offers high-speed internet.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, ranks as the ninth city for networking, with a composite score of 21.4. The city is a strong all-rounder, with over 10,000 private offices and hosting nearly 500 business events. Dubai offers the most affordable hotel prices on the list, with a one-night stay at a 5-star hotel costing just $82.

Auckland, New Zealand, closes the list with a composite score of 21.3. The city offers more than 9,000 co-working spaces and hosts 2,016 business events. A seven-day business trip to Auckland will cost an average of $273.

The spokesperson from Loopex Digital commented on the findings, “It’s inspiring to see professionals crossing borders to expand their networks and connect with like-minded individuals. Cities like London and New York City, with their numerous business events and venues, provide excellent platforms for such opportunities. These busy centers provide a variety of networking opportunities as well as valuable cultural experiences, which can help with personal and professional development.”

Essay Competition on PM Modi’s Birthday on How Modi’s Strengthened India’s Global Relations organized by NaMo Kendra

The top three winners are to be facilitated by the Governor of Chhattisgarh.

New Delhi, July 20, 2024: The executive committee of the Centre for Narendra Modi Studies (CNMS) has announced an all-India essay competition themed “How Prime Minister Narendra Modi Strengthened India’s Global Relations ” to celebrate PM Narendra Modi’s 74th birthday.

Professor Jasim Mohammad, Chairman of the Centre for Narendra Modi Studies, emphasized the importance of the competition, stating, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is deeply invested in harnessing the potential of Young India, with students being a crucial component of this vision.”

“This online essay competition aims to motivate the youth to learn about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts in enhancing India’s global presence and appreciate his dedication to the nation’s progress,” he said.

He further added, “Shri Narendra Modi is not just a visionary leader but an ideology”. He has been relentlessly implementing ideas with determination and courage, continuously identifying and addressing challenges with a profound sense of purpose. His efforts have ushered in a new era in education, skill development, and the empowerment of youth.”

The winners will be awarded during the International Conclave with the presence of Hon’ble Governor of Chhattisgarh Shri Biswabhusan Harichandan as the Chief Guest of the conclave at India International Centre,  New Delhi on 17th September 2024.

Dr. Daulat Ram, Co-Convenor of the online essay writing competition, noted that thousands of Indian students are expected to participate.

“The word length for essays should be 800 -1000 words in any of the 13 recognized Indian languages, including “Hindi, English, Urdu, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.”, he said. CNMS will accept essays from participants from July 20, 2024 to August 30, 2024.

Nikhat Parveen, Trustee of CNMS, expressed high expectations for the competition, anticipating significant student participation. She said, the decision of the four-member jury regarding the prizes will be final,

She also informed that entries must be submitted to the Director (Establishment), CNMS Secretariat, 2/27, First Floor, Jangpura Extension, New Delhi, either by Post or Via email at namo.essay@gmail.com, modistudies@gmail.com  by August 30, 2024.

Wyrick brings a wide range of management experience to her new position.

(St. Louis, Mo., June 26, 2024) Kelsey Wyrick was recently hired as a Personal Lines Account Manager at Powers Insurance & Risk Management, one of the largest family owned and operated independent insurance agencies in the bi-state region.

Wyrick’s responsibilities include handling the ongoing management of personal lines accounts, retaining new and renewal clients, and promoting new business. Prior to joining Powers, she worked in numerous account management positions at both insurance agencies and financial institutions.

Kelsey Wyrick

“Kelsey possesses extensive experience when it comes to identifying growth opportunities,” said Powers Insurance and Risk Management President JD Powers. “She is a great communicator with a thorough management approach, and we look forward to all of the future achievements she will contribute to our organization.”

Founded in 1991, Powers Insurance & Risk Management provides personal and business insurance, surety, risk management, and employee benefits. Founded in 2006, sister company Valley Insurance Agency Alliance is a cohesive family of over 160 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois that generates more than $600 million in written premium. VIAA is the regional founding member for SIAA – The Agent Alliance, a $12.5 billion national alliance. The companies are headquartered at 6825 Clayton Ave. For more information, call (314) 725-1414 or visit www.powersinsurance.com.

Erica Williams named inaugural cohort of Ecosystem Changemakers.

(St. Louis, Mo., June 14, 2024) Erica Williams, the Executive Director and Founder of the nonprofit A Red Circle, has been recognized nationally by being selected as part of the inaugural cohort for the Pava LaPere Award for Cultivating Ecosystems (PLACE) Builders fellows’ program. This fellowship is a joint initiative by EcoMap, an ecosystem intelligence AI software company, and Forward Cities, a national nonprofit that works with partners to build equitable entrepreneurial communities.

Williams is one of eight individuals from different parts of the United States chosen for this honor. The PLACE Builders program aims to empower changemakers in catalyzing more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems in their respective communities. Fellows receive professional mentorship, access to a digital toolkit, funding support, and a platform to share the story of their communities with a broader audience.

“I am extremely honored to be selected as a PLACE Builders fellow, which identifies my work in cultivating an equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem in North St. Louis County,” said Williams. “This recognition supports my vision to create supportive spaces like a shared commercial kitchen to enable the success of food entrepreneurs and producers in our community.”

Founded in 2017, A Red Circle is a nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of racial equity in North St. Louis County, Mo. The organization creates economic and community betterment solutions through education, employment, and empowerment. A Red Circle has four Missouri locations – Healthy Flavor Community Garden in Riverview, North County Agricultural Education Center in Pine Lawn, The Creative Spot in Ferguson, and North County Community Nexus in Bellefontaine Neighbors – to best serve the community and improve wellness opportunities for its citizens who experience healthy food access disparities in the region.

For more information, call (314) 328-2286 or visit www.aredcircle.org.

Nonprofit offers free drive-thru farm-fresh produce to the community.

(St. Louis, Mo., May 17, 2024) A Red Circle recently launched its third annual Good Food Friday’s program, a free weekly produce giveaway that runs from 3 to 5 p.m. every Friday through October. The initiative takes place at A Red Circle’s North County Agricultural Education Center (NCAEC) located at 4521 Hamilton Ave. in Pine Lawn, Mo.

Good Food Friday visitors receive a complimentary bag containing freshly harvested fruits, vegetables, herbs, and eggs from NCAEC’s collaborative growing space on a first-come, first-served basis. A Red Circle also provides recipes plus storage tips, and the nonprofit’s Food & Farm Teaching Specialist Chef Queenie Vesey conducts recipe demonstrations with food samples, weather permitting.

The NCAEC is an urban farm oasis established by A Red Circle in 2019 on five converted residential lots. The space features fruit trees, chickens, bee hives, and a hoop house that allows for year-round vegetable production. Visitors are invited to tour the farm where their produce has been grown.

Founded in 2017, A Red Circle is a nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of racial equity in North St. Louis County, Mo. The organization creates economic and community betterment solutions through education, employment, and empowerment. A Red Circle has four Missouri locations – Healthy Flavor Community Garden in Riverview, North County Agricultural Education Center in Pine Lawn, The Creative Spot in Ferguson, and North County Community Nexus in Bellefontaine Neighbors – to best serve the community and improve wellness opportunities for its citizens who experience healthy food access disparities in the region.

Reservations are not required. For more information about Good Food Fridays, call (314) 328-2286 or visit www.aredcircle.org.

The Vantage View video series is made in collaboration with Bloomberg Media Studios.

SYDNEY, March 22, 2024  — Award-winning, multi-asset broker, Vantage Markets (“Vantage”) is thrilled to announce the release of the third episode of its highly anticipated series, The Vantage View.

Produced in collaboration with Bloomberg Media Studios, this latest episode delves into the transformative power and investment potential of Asia’s electrified mobility landscape with a forward-looking focus on sustainable mobility. Viewers learn from Andrey Berdichevskiy, Partner & Associate Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), who leads the Southeast Asia Centre for Climate & Sustainability.

Berdichevskiy discusses the evolving dynamics of the global automotive industry, where the rapid adoption of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) is poised to reach a staggering 59% of total light-vehicle sales by 2035. Meanwhile, the global fleet of electric two-wheelers – used largely in Asia – is expected to triple by 2040, highlighting Asia’s pivotal role in the EV transformation.

Berdichevskiy also identified a number of investment opportunities across the EV supply chain, from raw materials to battery component technology and charging infrastructure.

“We’re pleased to present our third instalment of The Vantage View, made in collaboration with Bloomberg Media Studios, to provide viewers with valuable insights into the transformative possibilities of Asia’s electrified mobility landscape,” states Jack Kelly, Head of Sales at Vantage Australia.

“As the shift towards sustainable transportation gains momentum, this episode offers a timely examination of the investment potential and market dynamics driving the future of mobility.”

NEW DELHI, March 22, 2024 — PayU, one of India’s leading digital financial services providers, is proud to announce the launch of a first-of-its-kind Downpayment EMI solution that enables customers to make a partial payment upfront while remaining can be converted into easy EMIs, making high-ticket purchases more affordable & accessible.

PayU merchant partners can now offer their customers the flexibility to decide the downpayment amount with Credit Card EMI, and even combine UPI with Credit Card EMIs for greater affordability and convenience. This no-code solution offers No Cost EMI with pre-decided downpayment options and control over subvention, helping merchants increase revenues and empower customers to save on EMI interests while fulfilling their aspirations.

Speaking at the launch, Manas Mishra, Chief Product Officer – PayU, said, “At PayU, we have always gone above & beyond to identify gaps in the online payment experience, and solve them with a customer-first mindset. With our first-of-its-kind Downpayment EMI solution, we have replicated the flexibility & convenience of downpayment options available in offline EMIs to disrupt the online payments space. This will not only empower consumers by making it easier for them to access the products they want, when they want, without compromising on their financial well-being, but also equip merchants with a powerful tool to drive sales with higher customer loyalty.”

As per Deloitte India’s ‘Future of Retail’ 2023 report, the country’s online retail penetration is projected to grow at an extraordinary rate, outpacing offline retail by 2.5X in the next decade. As India ascends to become the world’s third-largest consumer market, the online retail sector is expected to surge to $325B by 2030. As the Indian digital lending ecosystem grows at a rapid pace, key technological advancements such as the down-payment EMI solution are set to unlock new efficiencies and introduce millions of Indians to organized credit in years to come.

ADMISSION TO DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY AND POST GRADUATE PROGRAMMES – 2024

PUNE, India, March 22, 2024  — Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) is a Technological Institute of National repute of MoD/DRDO for higher learning. The Institute imparts education and training in the Advanced Technologies used for Tri-services, DRDO, DPSU’s etc.

The main focus of the institute is to evolve as an Innovative Unique Education/ Training and Research University to develop indigenous contemporary defence related technologies and also to provide technological solutions to the Services. DIAT is committed to generate high quality and talented human recourse in broad areas of Defence Technologies to cater the needs of DRDO, Armed Forces and other Defence establishments. The PG programmes are designed to include course of study, seminars, industry tours, Practice School and project/ thesis in association with DRDO/DPSU and other agencies through which a student may develop his/her concepts and intellectual skills. Above all, the students should have a capacity for free and objectives enquiry, courage and integrity, awareness and sensitivity to the needs and aspirations of society.

DIAT announces admissions to the following Doctor of Philosophy and Post Graduate programmes for the academic year 2024-25, to eligible Indian citizens:-

A.    MASTER OF TECHNOLOGY (M.TECH.) PROGRAMMES: Aerospace Engineering (Guided Missiles), Aerospace Engineering (UAVs), Modeling and Simulation, Computer Science and Engineering (Artificial Intelligence), Electronics & Communication Engineering (Signal Processing & Communication), Electronics & Communication Engineering (Radar and Communication),  Electronics & Communication Engineering (Defence Electronics Systems), Electronics & Communication Engineering (VLSI & Embedded Systems ^), Technology Management, Data Science, Cyber Security, Renewable Energy, Green Technology, Nano Science and Technology, Quantum Computing, Sensor Technology (ST)/ Laser and Electro-Optics (LEOC), Materials Engineering, Automation and Robotics, Mechanical Engineering (Marine Engineering), Mechanical Engineering (Armament and Combat Vehicles), Mechanical Engineering (Mechanical System Design) and Systems Engineering ^@

MUMBAI, India, March 22, 2024  — Frost & Sullivan proudly announces the launch of its prestigious awards ceremonies- the 15th edition of the Sustainability 4.0 Awards and the 20th edition of the India Manufacturing Excellence Awards (IMEA). These awards aim to recognize and celebrate enterprises at the forefront of manufacturing excellence and sustainable practices. The Award ceremony is scheduled to take place on December 13, 2024.

India Manufacturing Excellence Awards (IMEA)

IMEA honors organizations across automotive, industrial engineering, FMCG, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and metals-based sectors for their manufacturing excellence. Over the past 19 years, IMEA has been instrumental in advancing manufacturing capabilities, optimizing supply chains, and enhancing production systems in India. The awards ceremony marks a significant milestone in recognizing the country’s earliest and most respected assessment-based manufacturing award.

Rahul Sharma, VP & Global Head, Digital Transformation & Sustainability Practice at Frost & Sullivan, highlighted the evolution of Indian manufacturing capabilities, stating, “With the implementation of advanced manufacturing practices and infrastructure enhancements, Indian manufacturing has undergone remarkable improvements in recent decades.” He underscored Frost & Sullivan’s pivotal role in enhancing operational excellence through rigorous assessment methodologies and collaborative knowledge-sharing initiatives, thereby delivering tangible value to clients and positively influencing their bottom-line performance.

Sustainability 4.0 Awards

In the dynamic industrial sphere of today, sustainability stands out as a crucial element influencing both manufacturing and service sectors, prompting organizations to integrate practices aimed at lowering carbon emissions and promoting responsible resource management.

Sustainability 4.0 Awards honors companies that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to sustainability across four pillars: purpose, partnership, planet, and people. Since its inception, Frost & Sullivan has been recognizing businesses that lead the change in sustainability, emphasizing the importance of holistic approaches to business, society, and the environment. Nominations are now open, with the deadline for submissions set for March 31st, 2024.

Emphasizing on the imperative of sustainable business strategies the upcoming edition, Rahul Sharma said, “In today’s ever-evolving world, implementing sustainable business strategies is not just an option, but a necessity for business continuum and long-term value.” He further highlighted Frost & Sullivan’s commitment to expanding the scale of the sustainability journey in India and fostering business value through the awards program.

The Sustainability 4.0 Awards program features three levels of recognition – ‘Believers,’ ‘Challengers,’ and ‘Leaders‘ – with predefined qualifying scores. The top two highest-scoring companies will receive the prestigious ‘Sustainable Manufacturer of the Year’ and ‘Sustainable Business of the Year’ awards, respectively. Additionally, the ‘Jury Special Mention Award’ will be conferred for outstanding initiatives contributing to environmental protection, social well-being, and/or economic prosperity.

Individual Achievement Awards

In the 2024 awards editions, Frost & Sullivan introduced the Individual Achievement Awards, celebrating exceptional leaders in manufacturing transformation and sustainability/ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives. These prestigious accolades honor individuals who have exhibited outstanding leadership, innovation, and unwavering dedication to fostering transformative change within their industries.

Participation Information

Interested companies can download the application forms for both awards ceremonies via the following links:

Sustainability 4.0 Awards: https://frost.ly/7zb

India Manufacturing Excellence Awards (IMEA): https://frost.ly/80m