All posts by Neel Achary

Mumbai- In earlier times, both people’s birth place and work place used to be the same, but now it is not the case. In today’s world, a person has to go from one city to another to earn for survival and career growth. Apart from this, even living in the same city, one has to change places due to work culture. In such a situation, when changing the residence place repeatedly, the belongings of the house also have to be shifted from one place to another. There are many problems. Shifting home effects is very tedious, so the home effects shifting work in the urban areas is done by Packers and Movers companies. Over the past few years, this business is in great demand.

The Movers Group was established 3 years ago to strengthen packers and mover’s industry. The Movers Group is a not for profit association. The Movers Group has been established with the intention of increasing the quality of service of moving companies in India and to create a reliable and trusted ecosystem for the final customers as well as the business. The Movers Group has been started by Mr. Ghanshyam Pradhan of Pradhan Relocations, Mr. PK Sharma of World Star Packers and Movers, Mr. Jatin Rai of Panya Global Relocations, Mr. Virendra Singh of Om International Packers and Movers and Mr. Hemanshu Gala of V4M Relocations. The Movers Group is a training and networking platform where owners of moving companies can train themselves, and can get access to partners in other cities sharing the same ideologies and business ethics and attitude. The members of the Movers group have come together to give quality services to the whole of India without any hassle, and at competitive prices.

The Movers Group intends to help members to establish new commercial verticals (products and services) within India and internationally. While giving more information about this, Movers Group founder P.K. Sharma said, “Moving industry in India, also known as packers and mover’s industry. The increase in urbanization, the rise of e-commerce and the growth of the Indian economy is increasing rapidly. The industry estimates about fifty thousand crore rupees (about 6.7 billion US dollars) And it is growing at the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15- %. In its third year, the Movers Group has claimed a strong strength of more than 50 members, With the specification that one city is represented by only one member. The mover’s group’s mission is to grow to 150 cities by 2023.”

The Movers Group founder Hemangshu Gala said in this annual conference, “Packers and Movers Service Business is flourishing and rapidly growing and a highly service oriented business. There is high demand for both local and interstate shifting and professional relocation needs of consumers is increasing every day. Thousands of people need local and interstate home transfer services every month in major cities. They are looking for reliable and cost -effective packers and movers service providers. Overall, there is great potential for development in packers and mover’s industry in India, and it is expected to grow along with the development of the Indian economy and urbanization, which will increase the demand for moving services. Movers Group helps its members to face challenges to the industry and ensure the reliability and quality of services provided to customers.”

New Delhi, March 11, 2023: Following on the success of the first edition of its EdTech Growth Summit in 2022, NIIT Ltd, a leading global talent development corporation, has announced the second edition of the EdTech Growth Summit. Aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the education ecosystem, the Summit will be organised virtually on March 14, 2023. Selected start-ups from the Growth Summit will get an opportunity to present their business plans to investors and the NIIT Group at the Growthcamp to be organised at the NIIT University in Neemrana from 5th to 7th April 2023.

After the success of the 1st edition, the 2nd edition of the NIIT EdTech Growth Summit will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions and fireside chats besides providing start-up founders with networking opportunities with industry leaders and peers.

The EdTech Growth Summit is a one of its kind event by NIIT, designed to support India’s promising EdTech start-ups as they look to scale up and deliver value to their stakeholders. The summit will feature power-packed sessions anchored by India’s top EdTech founders, investors, and industry experts, such as: Kunal Bahl, Co-founder AceVector Group & Titan Capital, KK Natarajan, Co-founder – MindTree, Mela Ventures, Alakh Pandey, Co-founder – Physicswallah, Shradha Sharma, Founder – YourStory, Ashwin Damera, Founder – Emeritus, Eruditus, Rajiv Jayaraman, Founder – Knolskape, Rajendra Pawar, Chairman & Co-Founder of NIIT Group; and Vijay K Thadani, Co-Founder of NIIT Group.

The 1st edition of the Edtech Growth Program, 2022 saw success with founders benefiting from interacting with peers and mentorship from industry veterans as well as start-ups receiving Microsoft Founders’ Hub benefits worth up to Rs. 1.6 crore

Rajendra S Pawar, Chairman & Co-founder, NIIT Group, said, “Driven by our commitment to bridge the skills demand gap and foster a future-ready workforce, we are pleased to announce the second edition of the EdTech Growth Summit. The summit will bring together the brightest minds in the industry and provide a platform to ideate on the role of technology in shaping the future of education and skills. With decades of experience in the learning and skilling space, the NIIT Group is excited to host this event, enabling Edtech leaders, investors, and industry experts to share their insights and exchange ideas on the challenges and opportunities in the sector. We remain dedicated to supporting the education and upskilling ecosystem in the country and are confident that this summit will contribute towards creating a more innovative and entrepreneurial environment in the space.”

With a focus on the latest trends and innovations in education and upskilling, the EdTech Growth summit will allow the attendees to get a deep insight into scaling a sustainable EdTech start-up from top investors, and to learn the actionable strategies from founders who have built and exited highly successful start-ups on being a market leader. The NIIT Group has been truly committed to empowering the EdTech ecosystem in the country to help create a talent pool that can implement innovative solutions for the overall development of the country.

With a strong balance sheet, NIIT continues to look for opportunities to invest in innovative companies to build significant value for its customers partners and stakeholders. Over the last 18 months, NIIT has announced three investments including acquisition of USA based St. Charles Consulting Group, acquisition of 90% stake in India based RPS Consulting over two tranches, and growth investment in Singapore based Knolskape Solutions.

Conceptualized as an institution of excellence, NIIT University provides exceptional education based on the Four Core Principles that make learning Industry-linked, Technology-based, Research-driven and Seamless. NU is well poised to meet the emerging needs of the knowledge economy through its focus on building strong industry linkages and a research-oriented approach.

Mumbai, India and NEW YORK, March 10, 2023: HCLTech, a leading global technology company, announced it has been recognized by globally-renowned research and ratings agencies for its strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. These recognitions underscore the significant progress made by HCLTech in implementing its corporate sustainability vision.

MSCI has rated HCLTech as an ESG ‘Leader’ in the software and services industry. The MSCI ESG ratings evaluated 8,500 companies on their exposure to industry-material ESG risks and their ability to manage those risks relative to peers. The ratings range from ‘leader’ (AAA, AA), ‘average’ (A, BBB, BB) to ‘laggard’ (B, CCC). This year, HCLTech has been recognized as a leader with an “AA” rating, a significant move up from last year’s “A” rating.

The coveted S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2023 has recognized HCLTech as an ‘Industry Mover’. The Yearbook lists leading companies that have demonstrated sustainable business practices in their operations. The assessment is based on S&P’s rigorous Corporate Sustainability Assessment framework. For the 2023 edition, over 7,800 companies across 61 industries were analyzed by S&P.

HCLTech has also been included in Sustainalytics’ 2023 Top-Rated ESG Companies list in the Software and Services Industry segment and in the Asia Pacific Region. HCLTech has been placed in the ‘low-risk’ category by Sustainalytics in an assessment of 15,000+ companies globally based on their ESG performance.

“Sustainability is at the core of HCLTech’s business strategy and we are committed to supercharging progress for clients, our people, communities and the planet. These recognitions are a strong endorsement of our sustainability agenda and the execution strategy of our teams,” said C Vijayakumar, CEO & Managing Director, HCLTech.

HCLTech’s sustainability strategy is based on three guiding principles:

ACT: Act in the most responsible and sustainable manner and ensure every resource is used efficiently to maximize value
PACT: Work for a sustainable future, in collaboration with our clients, partners, communities, and all stakeholders
IMPACT: Focus on creating sustainable impact through all initiatives and activities
HCLTech aims to achieve net-zero emission target by 2040 and a reduction of 50% on absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. The company also targets to transition 80% of its electricity through renewable energy by 2030. Last year, the company launched its sustainability school, delivering a learning series on climate change for its 222,000+ employees.

The company has made demonstrable progress on its sustainability commitments and continues to create and deliver technology-led sustainable solutions to clients and purposefully contribute to the communities to make a positive impact on people and planet.

New Delhi, 11th March 2023: Life is about getting bigger and better with every change people make. Keeping this view in mind, HAMMER, a leading Indian D2C and FMEG (Fast-Moving Electric Goods) brand offering personal audio products, smartwatches, and grooming accessories, is launching its new campaign – #theBigMove. Unveiling on 14th March 2023, with the campaign, the company aims to expand across all major categories supporting customers’ ever-changing needs.

Hammer has garnered considerable customer support and aims to provide them with well-timed and optimum-quality products with frequent new campaigns. HAMMER was prominently showcased in the first season of Shark Tank India. Prior to its appearance on the program, the company was already recording a monthly revenue of Rs. 70 lakhs. Following its successful stint on the show, HAMMER experienced a notable surge in revenue, with the company now boasting a monthly turnover of Rs. 2 crores.

The company’s website traffic has also witnessed a five-fold increase. The noteworthy expansion of the company’s business operations can be attributed to a large extent to its loyal customer base, as well as its participation in the inaugural season of Shark Tank India.

Commenting on the successful escalation of the company, Mr. Rohit Nandwani said, “We are deeply gratified by the overwhelmingly positive response and unwavering support demonstrated by our valued customers. We take pride in stating that despite our humble origins, we have accomplished substantial surges in popularity. We are thrilled to announce we are making big moves to direct our efforts toward our segment’s creme de la creme. With a series of exciting product launches lined up throughout the year, we are committed to meeting this objective. Our customers have been highly appreciative of our products, and their support has been a source of inspiration for us. We aim to build upon this trust and appreciation by consistently delivering innovative and quality products in the coming years.”

Hammer previously also launched its ACE Range of High-performance smart watches which has extensively upgraded its customer’s end-to-end needs. Buoyed by the success of the ACE launch, HAMMER wishes to continue to unwaveringly commit to customer satisfaction and improve and innovate in the FMEG segments.

Consumers can buy the products from the official website- https://hammeronline.in/ and also on Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, Reliance Digital, Nykaa, Tata CliQ, & Cred.

Bangalore, 11 March 2023: The country took notice of Bangalore’s prodigious talent, Angeleena Avnee (12), among others, when she won the Born To Shine scholarship event. Owing to her amazing talent and outstanding perseverance, she is the only girl child prodigy to have made it for the scholarship from the state of Karnataka. She was awarded a scholarship worth Rs. 4 lahks and also a place in the esteemed mentorship program, curated by the Born To Shine mentors.

The winning prodigies competed against more than 5,000 girls across the country for the coveted position. For artists, their art is manifested not just in the form of their talent but also in their discipline, conviction, and perseverance. For the girls, their talent was accompanied by relentless hard work and the will to never give up.

On the initiative Sumit Tayal, COO, of Give says, “Our goal is to help talented kids pursue their talent, become role models and change-makers for their society. With this scholarship, we aim to provide all the enablers for these kids to get mentored and encouraged to go the extra mile.”

As put forth by Mr. Umesh Kr Bansal, Sr. Executive Vice President, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, “It is a matter of great privilege that ZEEL, in association with GiveIndia, could do its bit to bring a small change in the lives of such beautifully talented girl children. Every child who has been a part of Born To Shine’s journey is the epitome of sheer grit and determination. Moving on from here, I am sure that the scholarship and the mentorship program will help the prodigies be their best selves and work toward their goals.”

Talents have been revered and celebrated for eons in our culturally rich nation. But not many have come forward to champion a cause for girls, especially for the ones who show immense promise at an early age. Born To Shine has indeed been a harbinger of hope for the aspirants of our society.

The journey of the prodigies has been an inspiration for many in their societies who dream of pursuing their talents. It is a blessing when a child’s inner passion is recognized, fostered, and directed in the proper way by their parents and instructors.

Yokohama India has announced its successful partnership with India’s Biggest 4X4 Winter Carnival & 10th edition of the Winter Spiti Marathon by Mountain Goat Expedition for the fourth year in a row. Yokohama’s all-terrain SUV Geolandar tyres have been the tyres of choice of the event officials on this prestigious expedition. Around 80 4X4 vehicles and 4X4 official cars, including high-end cars like Range Rover, Defender, Fortuner, Endeavour and Mahindra Thar participated in this year’s expedition.

Harshwardhan Honmode, Director Marketing at Yokohama India, said, “Our association with the Mountain Goat Expedition has been going strong for the last four years. Partnerships with such rigorous expeditions are perfect to showcase the prowess of our tyres. Yokohama’s Geolandar tyres are known for their exceptional stability across different terrains and are well most suited for four-wheeler mountain expeditions. They have proven their mettle yet again.”

This year, Yokohama also ran a highly successful social media campaign with expedition participants and adventure influencers to promote its brand philosophy of ‘Celebrating Motoring Lifestyle’.

Mountain Goat Expedition is a travel and tour company that is recognised for offering exclusive and exciting experiences through its unique tracks, personalised service, and in-depth knowledge of the Himalayas. They are committed to educating people about culture, wildlife, and nature in addition to experiencing the mountains in the safest and most environmentally friendly way possible.

Hyderabad, 11th March 2023: Oakridge International School Bachupally’s IBDP1 students have created five innovative sustainable products for their Group 4 project, showcasing their dedication to creating a better future for urban communities. Their passion and months of planning have resulted in exceptional projects aligned with the theme of “The Sustainable Cities.”

The Group 4 Project empowers students to apply their academic knowledge and develop the necessary skills to create a sustainable future through collaboration and critical thinking. With this year’s theme of Sustainable Cities, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program highlights the significance of environmentally conscious urban planning in society.

Students have produced innovative solutions to promote sustainability. The first group developed BioWrap, a 100% biodegradable eco-friendly plastic aimed at advocating for sustainable packaging. Sustainablock, a sustainable cement manufactured from recycled coconuts, was developed by the second group. The third group produced organic batteries with aloe vera using their product EcoCell. AquaGenie, a gray water recycling irrigation system, was developed by the fourth group, and the fifth group developed Solar sprout, an integrated solar irrigation system. All of these solutions are practical applications of theoretical concepts, enabling students to implement interdisciplinary ideas in innovative ways.

The Group 4 Project experience has been a rewarding journey for students, allowing them to learn new concepts and develop skills necessary to create a sustainable future. The project encourages students to work collaboratively and think creatively, promoting innovation and dedication. The project’s success lies in its ability to integrate the sciences and enable students to explore various scientific disciplines, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of real-world issues and empowering them to make a positive impact.

“It took a lot of hard work and collaboration to get to where we are now, and we’re all determined to keep working and make the best version of our product!”, states Isha, another group member from “Sustainablock”.

“It was an interesting project to take part in because we could explore all of the sciences as a group and come up with innovative new ideas on our own,” says Krishna, one of the group members from AquaGenie..”

Akshith from the group Solarsprout says “It’s normal for a science fair to explore the sciences that we’ve taken and are studying but the group 4 project is much more than that integrating all 4 sciences allowing us to practically implement solutions that we’ve only learnt in theory in an interdisciplinary manner.”

Ms. Baljeet Oberoi, the principal of Oakridge International School, Bachupally, was thoroughly impressed by the exceptional projects presented by the students. She praised their efforts and said, “The students truly put in a lot of effort to address the global issues. I would like to see these projects be developed further and patented. These projects were truly exceptional.”

Mr. Saikrishna Pammi, Head of the IBDP Department, was equally delighted with all the presentations. “Knowledge has limits, but Imagination has no bounds. Class of 2024 has demonstrated their excellent creativity and imagination to tackle issues pertaining to sustainability. It was great to see the students collaborate across the disciplines to come up with working models. All the science teachers’ hard work and best teaching strategies are evident in shaping important attributes like curiosity and perseverance in students.”

The students have brilliantly presented their final plans and prototypes, aspiring to ignite a sustainability-focused mindset in urban planning policies. Their innovative ideas have garnered widespread acclaim and appreciation from all the school stakeholders. This remarkable achievement underscores their dedication to creating a better and more sustainable future for all.

Mumbai, March 11, 2023: Creating a stir in the mid-size segment, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India today launched the OBD2B compliant 2023 H’ness CB350 & CB350RS. The new motorcycles will be available at BigWing dealerships across India by the end of March. The 2023 H’ness CB350 is priced starting INR 209,857 and 2023 CB350RS is priced starting at INR 214,856 (ex-showroom Delhi). HMSI also launched a new customisation section for the CB350 customers – ‘My CB, My Way’. To be sold as Honda Genuine Accessories, the custom kits will be available across BigWing dealerships by the end of March 2023.

Launching the new 2023 CB350s, Mr. Atsushi Ogata, Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “Ahead of the government’s deadline, HMSI has been aggressively working on upgrading the product line up with latest norms. Today, we launch the new OBD2B compliant 2023 H’ness CB350 and CB350RS which are future ready. Since inception, the CB350s have received tremendous response not only in India but globally. We are also very positive that the specially curated custom kits under the new customization section ‘My CB, My Way’ will further delight our new as well as existing CB350 customers.”

Commenting on this announcement, Mr. P. Rajagopi, Operating Officer, Premium Motorcycle Business, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “With the introduction of new customization section, the customers can now choose their own style and highlight their unique personality through their motorcycles. My CB, My Way has been specially curated to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers starting with six distinctive custom kits for CB350. These kits will be available across BigWing dealerships by the end of March 2023. Today, we also launch the new OBD2B compliant 2023 CB350 H’ness and CB350RS motorcycles much ahead of the government deadline.”

The H’ness CB350 blends Honda’s originality with a timeless sense of design and substantial character. The style resonates with the new age motorcyclists’ sense of self-expression and uniqueness. On the other hand, CB350RS is the perfect example of amalgamation between contemporary style and superior stance.

ADVANCE

At the heart of CB350 is a big powerful 350cc, air cooled 4 stroke OHC single-cylinder OBD2B compliant engine equipped with PGM-FI technology. It delivers a max torque of 30 Nm@3000 rpm.

Main shaft coaxial balancer placed on the cylinder eliminates both primary & secondary vibrations, making it a perfect companion for longer rides, offering a highly attractive engine feel that transmits throbs from the long-stroke engine.

CB350 exhaust system carries a large tailpipe of 45mm to optimize balance for producing a bold low-pitched sound. A single one-chamber structure in the expansion chamber helps deliver a rich thumping exhaust note when you wind on the throttle.

The engine uses offset cylinder position that reduces the sliding friction and asymmetrical connecting rod ensures minimum energy loss while combustion. It uses closed crankcase with a wall between crankcase and transmission reducing energy loss due to internal friction.

The air-cooling system maintains highly dense air intake to improve efficiency and ensures favorable combustion in all rpm ranges by keeping the engine temperature within ideal range. The piston cooling jet improves engines thermal efficiency, leading to an improved fuel efficiency.

Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) helps in maintaining rear wheel traction by detecting difference between front and rear wheel speeds, calculating the slip ratio and further controlling engine torque via the fuel injection. HSTC can be turned ON/OFF using a switch on the left side of meter. A ‘T’ indicator in the digital display flickers when the system is engaging.

Bundle inclusions:

• · Wheel Stripe
• · Knucle Guard
• · Engine Upper Pipe
• · Engine Lower Pipe
• · Meter Visor
• · Support Pipe A

Maximum Retail Price INR 7,100

Honda Smartphone Voice Control system (HSVCS) allows riders to remain in touch with the world while enjoying the exciting riding experience. To deepen the connect with ride, both H’ness CB350 & ^NEWCB350RS (DLX Pro variants) now come equipped with the world’s first-ever Honda Smartphone Voice Control system (HSVCS) developed in-house. Rider can connect his smartphone with the motorcycle via Bluetooth through HSVCS application. Once connected, rider can operate the system with controls on the left side of the handlebar to use distinct features such as phone calls, navigation, music playback and incoming messages. To facilitate complete concentration on riding, the information accessed will be communicated from the helmet headset speaker*.

Assist and Slipper Clutch makes the gear shifts smoother while reducing clutch lever operation load ensuring less fatigue and more comfort during rides that involve frequent shifting.

The Advanced Digital-Analogue Meter integrates details like torque control, ABS, Side stand indicator with engine inhibitor, gear position indicator and battery voltage. The ride experience is further enriched with fuel efficiency details displayed in three modes – real time mileage, average mileage, and distance to empty.

The 2023 CB350s now come with ^NEW Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) that quickly communicates sudden breaking to the vehicles behind. When the ABS modulator detects sudden breaking, the turn signals flash at high speed to warn the vehicles behind of quick deceleration. Full LED Setup allows rider to banish the darkness and light up the darkest of paths also adding a vibe to the style quotient.

COMFORT & CONVENIENCE

Dual channel ABS prevents wheels from locking when brakes are applied in emergency or when operated on slippery roads ensuring a greater sense of confidence. Anchoring the motorcycle is a large 310mm disc brake on front and 240mm rear disc providing adequate braking performance in any situation.

The half – duplex cradle frame in steel pipe is used for a soft steering feel. Load allocated to the front is optimized by mounting the engine at low position to lower the center of gravity, which affects the overall riding feel and maneuverability of the motorcycle.

Large section front suspension not only enhances the massive imposing image but also provides immense comfort on rough roads. Pressurized nitrogen charged rear suspension provides highly responsive rear damping performance.

Engine Start/Stop Switch gives the convenience of turning-off the engine on brief stops with flick of a switch. Ensuring safety of riders in low visibility conditions is the Hazard Switch feature.

The ‘tuck and roll’ design (CB350RS) of the seat gives superior cushioning providing relaxed ride for daily commuting as well as during leisure rides.

The 2023 H’ness CB350 now comes with ^NEW Split Seat as standard. It offers superior cushioning which provides for an immensely comfortable ride. It also comes with a dedicated rear grip which is slanted towards the back for a comfortable pillion ride.

Go on a smarter ride with the Eco Indicator that uses sensors to measure the riding speed and injected fuel volume to determine the economical riding. A 15-litre fuel tank and top-class mileage ensure an unstoppable longer ride.

VARIANTS, COLORS & PRICE

11th March, India – T-Hub, India’s leading innovation ecosystem today hosted a successful Scale-Up Summit on 10th March, bringing together startup founders, investors, corporates, government and ecosystem enablers for a day of insightful discussions and networking opportunities. The event featured a keynote address by T-Hub’s leadership, highlighting the innovation ecosystem in the state and the country and the support provided by T-Hub to startups in their early growth stages.

T-Hub also announced the launch of Cohort 10 of its Lab32 program, which has already witnessed the successful acceleration of 249 startups, raising USD 403 million funding, and engaging 58 mentors. This cohort, which received over 800 applications from startups, will have 20 startups selected based on founder attributes, D2C/B2C business model, and market validation through initial traction.

The summit was attended by eminent dignitaries, including Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of I&C and IT, Telangana government, Taran Chhabra and Amar Preet Singh, Founders of Neeman’s, Chaitanya Chitta, founder of Slay Coffee and CEO of T-Hub, among others. Two prominent unicorn representatives, Kavikrut, Chief Growth Officer of OYO, and Rohit Chennamaneni, Founder of Darwin Box, shared their success stories and insights into scaling up businesses. Attendees had the opportunity to participate in networking, workshops and masterclasses on fundraising, scaling, and marketing.

Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of I&C and IT, Government of Telangana, “The Telangana government is committed to nurturing and supporting the startup ecosystem in the state, and T-Hub has been a crucial partner in achieving this goal. The Scale-Up Summit was an excellent platform for startups to connect with investors and other ecosystem enablers, and we are delighted with the success of the event. We are excited about the future of the startup ecosystem in Telangana, and we will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to build an ecosystem that enables startups to thrive.”

Mahankali Srinivas Rao (MSR), CEO of T-Hub, said, “We are thrilled with the success of the Scale-Up Summit, which brought together some of the brightest minds in the startup ecosystem. This event was an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem enablers to network and share insights on how to scale up businesses successfully. We are also excited to launch the tenth cohort of Lab32, which has been instrumental in supporting startups in refining their business models and achieving market readiness. We look forward to supporting more startups in their growth journey and contributing to the vibrant startup ecosystem in India.”

The Lab32 program provides startups with customized business support, failure rate reduction, and access to T-Hub’s vast network of mentors, corporates and investors. The program also includes masterclasses from successful D2C unicorn founders during a 100-day market readiness program focused on GTM strategy development. The top 20 percent of startups from the cohort will receive exclusive access to markets, mentors, media, methodologies, and possible entry into T-Hub’s angel investment program upon graduation.

In addition to the successful Scale-Up Summit and the launch of Cohort 10 of Lab32, T-Hub and Redberri have come together to establish an innovation center, which will serve as T-Hub’s global outpost in North America. This partnership will provide Indian startups with a significant advantage in the US market and enable them to connect with larger international players to augment their growth journey. Furthermore, these startups will have access to strategic workshops and interventions to gain entry into both markets and explore new business opportunities. The partnership will also facilitate cross-border innovation and technology transfer, accelerate the development of the ecosystem, and promote investments in academic institutions through strategic collaborations. Additionally, during the summit, T-Hub and Redberri unveiled their joint website.

T-Hub’s strong ecosystem of partners has successfully impacted over 1800 startups through various programs and initiatives, connecting them with over 600 global and national corporate partners and providing 2000 mentor connects to help them scale.

TORTOLA,  MARCH 11, 2023, Marinade Finance, Solana’s top decentralized finance (DeFi) project by total value locked (TVL), has teamed up with Kamino Finance to increase the use of liquid staking tokens on Solana.

As part of Marinade’s Open Doors Project, Kamino Finance has launched two new vaults featuring mSOL: Marinade’s liquid staking token, in less than a week. Kamino now joins a host of Solana’s leading DeFi projects that have also joined the Open Doors Program, including Orca, Raydium, Francium, Tulip, Port, Rain.fi and more.1

Around 16% of Marinade’s total supply of MNDE, the protocol’s governance token, has been allocated to the Open Doors Program. The project awards MNDE to DeFi protocols that promote use cases for mSOL. Launched in 2021, around 6.4 million SOL are staked with Marinade for mSOL at the time of writing, and Marinade has delegated its stake to over 450 validators.

While around 70% of SOL supply is currently staked, less than 3% is liquid. Increasing this threshold will boost the TVL in DeFi protocols on Solana, providing deeper liquidity for all users to access. Marinade says that, were 40 million locked SOL converted into mSOL, this could make close to $1 billion in liquid TVL available to Solana DeFi.

Commenting on the launch of Kamino’s mSOL vaults, Brandon Tucker, growth lead at Marinade Finance, says: “We are excited to welcome Kamino to the Open Doors Program with the launch of these new mSOL vaults. This project has the power to inject new life into Solana DeFi by mobilizing the incredible 67% of SOL that is currently sitting staked and illiquid. The more of this we can move into liquid staking, the faster we can get Solana DeFi back to where it deserves to be.”

Mark Hull, a Kamino core contributor, adds: “The Open Doors Project is an innovative way to incentivize projects and users to participate in liquid staking with mSOL. Staking is necessary to secure transactions on Solana, but this also takes a massive portion of SOL out of the DeFi arena. Marinade is really doing a huge service for the DeFi community on Solana by decentralizing the network with mSOL and pushing development with Open Doors.”

At the time of writing, mSOL vaults on Kamino represent around $500k of the protocol’s TVL. Kamino’s vaults automatically manage concentrated liquidity positions on Solana’s top DEXs by TVL, Orca and Raydium, reducing the barrier to entry for users to provide liquidity on these DEXs for tokens like mSOL.

_________________________
1 Confirmed participants of the Marinade Open Doors Program: Raydium, Orca, Francium, Tulip, Port, Hubble and Kamino, PoolParty, Jet, SunriseStake, Lifinity, Meteora, Mrgn.fi, Hawksight, Cypher