Category technology

Mumbai, 29th August 2023: Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) today launched the OBD2 compliant 2023 Hornet 2.0. Formulated to be an International Street Fighter, the updated new Hornet 2.0 OBD2 is a transformation of Honda’s racing DNA into sheer thrill of street riding and has been attractively priced at Rs. 1,39,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Introducing Honda’s latest offering, Mr. Tsutsumu Otani, Managing Director, President & CEO, of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “In line with the government’s regulations, HMSI has been aggressively working on upgrading its product line-up to comply with the latest norms. Today marks a significant milestone as we launch the OBD2-compliant 2023 Hornet 2.0. Since its launch in 2020, the Hornet 2.0 has received tremendous response and we are confident that it will further bolster its position in the market.”

 Commenting on the launch of the 2023 Hornet 2.0, Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director, of Sales and Marketing, at Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “We are pleased to introduce the new Hornet 2.0. Inspired by the dreams of the new-age customers and their passion for motorcycle riding, it is a transformation of Honda’s racing DNA into sheer thrill of street riding. With advanced features and thrilling performance, the new Hornet 2.0 street fighter is a call out to young motorcycle enthusiasts who want to Fly Against The Wind!”

 BOLD INTERNATIONAL STYLING

The new 2023 Hornet 2.0 boasts an aggressive design with new cutting-edge graphics. Its forward leaning aerodynamic styling & bulky fuel tank are true expressions of dominance and muscular road presence.

Styling is enhanced by an all-LED lighting system (LED headlamp, LED winkers & X-shaped LED tail lamp) which further improves the reliability along with better visibility. The sporty split seat and key on tank placement amplify its street fighter character while adding more convenience to the rider.

The Hornet 2.0’s premium & sporty character is further accentuated with the short muffler and ten-spoke alloy wheel design while the aluminum-finished footpegs add to the overall style quotient.

 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

At the heart of the new 2023 Hornet 2.0 lies a powerful 184.40cc, 4-stroke, single-cylinder BSVI OBD2 compliant PGM-FI engine. It is more environmentally friendly than before. The OBD2 Hornet 2.0 uses multiple sensors and monitor components that can affect emission performance. If any malfunction is detected, it even illuminates a warning light on the vehicle’s instrument panel.

Standing true to the trust reposed by customers in brand Honda’s innovative features, the updated 2023 Hornet 2.0 sports a new assist and slipper clutch which eases upshifts & manages rear wheel lock-up on hard downshifts while deceleration, thereby enhancing the rider’s safety.

The Hornet 2.0 gets a Golden Up-side Down (USD) front fork – a first in the sub-200cc motorcycle segment. It is an ultimate combination of advanced technology & superior appeal and enhances the handling capacity of this International Street Fighter.

The advanced Fully Digital liquid crystal instrument panel displays information like a Speedometer, Odometer, Tachometer, Battery Voltmeter, Twin Trip Meters, Gear Position Indicator, Service Due Indicator and a Clock. It also comes with customizable brightness (can be adjusted manually up to 5 levels as per convenience) for better visibility at day/night.

To ensure the utmost sense of control while taking on the streets, the new Hornet 2.0 is equipped with Dual, Petal Disc Brakes with a single-channel ABS. The mono-shock rear suspension helps in maintaining the center of gravity, thus providing supreme stability while cornering and an excellent riding experience.

With a stress-free riding posture, it offers a perfect balance between high performance and comfortable riding experience. The Hornet 2.0’s wider tubeless tires (110mm front and 140mm rear) boost rider confidence while the engine-stop switch, hazard lights, side stand indicator, and sealed chain enhance the convenience factor.

 THRILLING PERFORMANCE

The 2023 Hornet 2.0 boasts thrilling performance not just in the urban traffic but even makes the highway rides an exciting experience. Its new 184.40cc, 4-stroke, single-cylinder BSVI OBD2 compliant PGM-FI engine churns out 12.70 kW of power and 15.9 Nm of peak torque.

Specially curated to give a fascinating experience along with superior fuel efficiency, the Hornet 2.0 offers strong acceleration and quick response in all riding conditions through optimization of intake and exhaust components. Its aerodynamic design helps in achieving smooth handling & enhanced high-speed stability.

SPECIAL VALUE PROPOSITION

The new 2023 Hornet 2.0 OBD2 has been attractively priced at Rs. 1,39,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). HMSI is also offering a special 10-year warranty package (3-year standard + 7-year optional) on the motorcycle.

Mumbai,29th August 2023 CII Maharashtra Taskforce on Agriculture in association with the S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, organized a Roundtable discussion on Agri Digital Technology: The Segway to Agricultural Prosperity, on August 26, 2023 in Mumbai.

India’s digital ecosystem is witnessing healthy tailwinds such as affordability and availability of high-speed internet and a maturing digital content ecosystem. The confluence of these factors presents an exciting opportunity for innovation in the agricultural ecosystem, where market players can leverage next-generation technology such as data digitization and data platforms, data analytics, AI, ML, the IoT, and Software as a Service (SaaS) to disrupt the status quo.

Dr Sunil D. Gorantiwar, Director of Research and Principal Investigator CAAST, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri said that digital farming plays a vital role in understanding crop science and improving agronomic practices to yield better outputs. Scalable and cost-efficient solutions also facilitate large and medium enterprises to pass on a tried-and-tested package of practices to farmers, particularly in developing regions, to help them adopt more scientific methods of farming.

Mr Vilas Shinde, Convener, CII Maharashtra State Taskforce on Agriculture and Director, Sahyadri Farms Post Harvest Care Ltd highlighted that “the government’s aim of building a $5 trillion inclusive economy is only possible when agricultural infrastructure is improved through public and private investment to enable productivity, arrest wastage and enhance distribution.”

Dr Varun Nagaraj, Professor, of Information Management & Analytics and Dean, SPJIMR in his address mentioned about supporting the agri startups in a big way as they are the future of modernizing and digitizing the agriculture sector in India and take it upto the global level. He also mentioned the importance of the Indusry-Academia collaboration and this kind of sessions is essential at every step of the way.

Mr V Shankar, Executive-in-Residence, Centre for Innovation in Sustainable Development-(CISD), SPJIMR highlighted the remarkable progress made in Agriculture since the Green Revolution and that now the focus is shifting to productivity and quality. In this Digital Technology will play a critical role as an enabler through information analytics and thereby invaluable to do precision farming, forecasting, estimating yields, market price tracking, linkages and removing blindness in the system. The income revolution which can happen will bring in dignity to farmers and convert subsistence agriculture into a vibrant agribusiness.

Mr Girish Chitale, Co-Convener, CII Maharashtra State Taskforce on Agriculture & Director, B G Chitale Dairies Pvt Ltd reiterated that the advent of Agriculture 4.0 has equipped food producers with an army of farm automation tools and data management solutions that empower them to boost resource and agricultural productivity.

The objective of this session was to deliberate on Agritech: The progress and the road ahead. The roundtable also featured interesting panel discussions on the Role and progress of Digital Technologies, the Future of Digitech, and Challenges and opportunities in the Agri Sector and policy Reforms. Esteemed speakers from the Industry and Academia shared their valuable inputs.

Mumbai,18th August 2023: Vitesco Technologies, a leading international provider of modern drive technologies and electrification solutions for sustainable mobility, published the results for the second quarter and first half of 2023 today. Besides strong order intake, particularly in the electrification business, the second quarter was characterized by signing long-term partnerships between Vitesco Technologies and semiconductor manufacturers.

Orders worth around €5 billion were booked in the past quarter, of which 90 percent (€4.5 billion) were related to electrification products. To comfortably meet all its orders in the long term, Vitesco Technologies joined forces with further key partners – semiconductor manufacturers ROHM and onsemi – and secured itself supply of energy-efficient high-performance silicon-carbide (SiC) semiconductors worth almost €3 billion. “Access to SiC-based technologies is crucial for our tremendous growth in electrification. We are working to secure 100 percent of our semiconductor requirements until 2030,” says CEO Andreas Wolf.

Strong sales growth despite a persistently challenging market

In the second quarter of 2023, Vitesco Technologies generated group sales of €2.44 billion (Q2 2022: €2.17 billion). This included sales of electrification products of €354 million (Q2 2022: €237 million). When adjusted for changes in the scope of consolidation and exchange-rate effects, sales rose by 14.3 percent. The electrification and the core businesses saw sharp growth of 23.9 percent and outperformed the global passenger car market by 8.4 percentage points. There was also an increase in adjusted EBIT to €76.3 million (Q2 2022: €34.9 million). This equates to an adjusted EBIT margin of 3.1 percent (Q2 2022: 1.6 percent).

In the first half of 2023 group sales grew by 7.5 percent to €4.76 billion (H1 2022: €4.42 billion). Organic growth stood at 7.8 percent. Vitesco Technologies’ adjusted EBIT came in at €113.4 million (H1 2022: €82.6 million) with an adjusted EBIT margin of 2.4 percent (H1 2022: 1.9 percent). Due mainly to impairments in connection with the sale of units from the non-core business, the net income amounted to minus €64.5 million (H1 2022: profit of €25.4 million) and resulted in earnings per share to minus €1.61 in the first six months of 2023 (H1 2022: plus €0.63).

Due to further cost increases and the ongoing negotiations concerning the passing on of additional costs the free cash flow fell to minus €20.6 million in the second quarter (Q2 2022: plus €1.6 million). For the first half of 2023, free cash flow came in at minus €61.7 million (H1 2022: plus €49.8 million). Capital expenditures[1] on property, plant, and equipment and software amounted to €92.8 million (Q2 2022: €112.5 million). The ratio of capital expenditure to sales is therefore 3.8 percent (Q2 2022: 5.2 percent). As of June 30, 2023, Vitesco Technologies had a solid balance sheet with an equity ratio of 38.9 percent (June 30, 2022: 40.4 percent).

CFO Werner Volz: “After a difficult start to the year, we increased our adjusted EBIT margin substantially once again in the second quarter. The improvement in profitability gives us the boost needed to achieve our full-year targets.”

Divisional results for Vitesco Technologies

The Powertrain Solutions division generated sales of €1.63 billion in the second quarter of 2023 (Q2 2022: €1.55 billion), which equates to organic growth of 6.1 percent. In the same period, its adjusted EBIT rose to €109.2 million (Q2 2022: €104.7 million). Its adjusted EBIT margin therefore stood at 6.7 percent (Q2 2022: 6.7 percent). “The division’s core business once again achieved a double-digit adjusted EBIT margin. This strong result is helping us to drive the transformation of Vitesco Technologies,” says CFO Volz.

Based on the positive business performance in China and Germany, the Electrification Solutions division increased its sales to €825.2 million in the second quarter of 2023 (Q2 2022: €626.1 million). This equates to strong organic sales growth of 34.5 percent. The division’s adjusted EBIT came in at minus €31.2 million (Q2 2022: minus €60.5 million), relating to an adjusted EBIT margin of minus 3.8 percent (Q2 2022: minus 9.7 percent). The general uptick in the market and stabilizing supply chains also contributed to the improvement in the division’s performance.

Guidance for fiscal year 2023

The outlook for Vitesco Technologies for the fiscal year 2023 remains unchanged, with the company continuing to anticipate sales of €9.2 billion to €9.7 billion for 2023. Vitesco Technologies is also expecting the adjusted EBIT margin for 2023 ranging between 2.9 percent and 3.4 percent and free cash flow at around €50 million.

India’s first suspension wheels-driven technology, reducing spinal vibration by 60%, thereby enhancing the comfort of wheelchair users making it one the most innovative technologies today

Rut3 marks a monumental step towards independent living for persons with disabilities by collaborating with Rotary Club, and the Delhi Government,

This is the first ever made-in-India technology to be introduced to PWDs in this category

Rut3’s patented technology aligns with Indian infrastructure, aiming to reduce Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) by up to 11 years.

Delhi, August 11th, 2023: Rut3 Engineering Pvt Ltd, a technology driven startup, unveils its first landmark initiative in cutting-edge wheelchair driven technology. In partnership with Rotary Club and the Department of Social Welfare, Government of NCT of Delhi Rut3 have launched India’s first ever suspension wheels-driven technology at the General Disability Camp. This groundbreaking technology is poised to revolutionize the independent living of persons with disabilities in India.

Designed and patented with Indian infrastructure in mind, Rut3’s unique wheel design features suspensions within the wheel’s rim, significantly reducing the unwarranted vibrations impacting wheelchair users. Tested rigorously in partnership with IIT Madras innovation centre, this Made in India innovation reportedly reduces spinal vibration by an impressive 60% and can cut Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) by up to 11 years.

“At the heart of this innovation is a compassionate understanding of the daily challenges faced by wheelchair users, who often endure discomfort akin to truck drivers. Rut3’s technology focuses on reducing both the physical strain and the economic burden, significantly decreasing chronic medical expenses, maintenance costs, and the overall economic loss.” said Shubham Sutar, Co-Founder & CTO Rut3.

Rut3, the Delhi Government and the Rotary Club together distributed state-of-the-art wheelchairs to end users. Rut3 will be seeking real-time feedback from PWDs about their experience using the Rut3 wheelchairs in coming months. Shri Raaj Kumar Anand, Delhi Cabinet Minister for Social Welfare, Labour, Employment lauded Mitesh Rasal, Founder of Rut3 for his active participation and contribution towards PWDs and endorsed the company’s efforts towards the cause and the Make In India initiative undertaken by the Rut3 technology team.

Rut3 Founder, Mitesh Rasal, stated, “Wheelchair users face a tremendous amount of fatigue, stress, and discomfort due to the absence of suspensions, leading to chronic backache, spine injury, and issues with neck ache. Our unique suspensions help focus on the healthcare and mental state of the PWDs and on reducing out-of-pocket expenses for users. The Rut3 wheelchair is an innovative product which will help PWDs save precious income and also enable them to participate in many more in daily activities like a job, family events, etc. Thus alleviating both the family’s and the government’s health burden.”

The impact of this unique technological advancement extends far beyond mere comfort. One user at the event highlighted how inadequate last-mile infrastructure had restricted his movement, leading to feelings of isolation, depression, and substantial economic loss. With the helps of Rut3 technology he will be able to overcome these challenges in the future.

Rotarian Mukesh G Gupta, speaking at the event, reinforced Rut3’s commitment to uplifting the lives of people with disabilities and the elderly; by allowing them to travel confidently across diverse terrains. “With the Rut3 aesthetic design, the wheelchair appeals to the end users. It is focused on encouraging PWDs to embrace life and use wheelchairs in public. Thus it helps PWDs bypass the social stigma around wheelchair use in society,” he said.

According to studies conducted by Rut3, the data collected paints a staggering picture, suggesting that an average person in an ill-suited wheelchair tends to lose 11 economic years, equivalent to a loss of 57 million years across India. Rut3 aims to turn this grim statistic around with its cutting-edge technology. Supported by the Government, Rut3’s product development involves extensive research, including inputs from over 200 users, rehabilitation centres, and wheelchair manufacturers.

Rut3 is one of India’s top startups and a winner of prestigious awards like the Atal New India Challenge 1.0 and the Prosus SICA Challenge 2022 (India), in partnership with Social Alpha. By marrying technology with empathy, Rut3 are crafting a path towards an inclusive and compassionate world.

It is undeniable that the current generation experiences significantly more conveniences than their predecessors. Back in the past, individuals used to eagerly anticipate letters sent through postal services and the replies to those letters, even though they couldn’t be certain about their safe delivery to the intended recipients. Nonetheless, they found contentment in that waiting period.

In the present era of modern technology, we have the convenience of sending messages much larger and faster than the postcards of the past, with just a few minutes and a simple tap on our devices. There are numerous examples of such technological advancements, and delving into all of them here would require an extensive discussion that couldn’t be covered even in the entire newspaper. However, let me provide one illustrative example: in earlier times, books used to be our closest companions, but now they often end up neglected, collecting dust in boxes.

The significance of books in the past is truly indescribable. During those times, we didn’t have the luxury of mobile phones or the flashy world of social media. Our lives were enriched with abundant free time, and we cherished precious moments engrossed in the pages of books instead of tapping away on mobile keyboards. The phrase “Those were the days” perfectly captures the essence of those beautiful times.

Books were indeed like a treasure trove, providing peaceful solutions to the turbulent questions that stirred within us. Whether seeking guidance in a specific domain or reliving cherished memories of love, books satisfied our souls with their calming answers. Reflecting on the reading of books as a past experience brings forth a wave of nostalgia, accurately portraying the reality of that era. Unfortunately, in today’s world, the same level of enthusiasm for reading books seems to have diminished, and only a select few continue to indulge in this enriching experience.

Truly, books serve as a reflection of truth. While it is widely known that the internet is inundated with both truths and lies, the significance of books seems to have diminished. The advent of social media and the internet has replaced the once calming and serene experience that books used to offer. As the renowned American novelist William Styron once suggested, leaving a few pages of a good book unread allows one to find solace in them during moments of sadness. However, the habit of turning away from books appears to bid farewell to an era where people sought answers to their most profound questions within the pages of books.

Despite the current generation’s lack of acknowledgment, scientific studies reveal that reading a captivating book can effectively reduce stress by lowering cortisol levels, the stress hormone. Moreover, reading books before bedtime can help alleviate sleeping troubles.

Books possess a unique power to express profound thoughts without uttering a word. The day the present generation fully appreciates this art, they will undoubtedly favor the world of books over the chaotic allure of the internet.

Bangalore,5th August 2023: TECNO as a brand has always delivered in line with its vision of being at the forefront of technology and innovation. In further alignment with this vision, the brand is all set to present the first season of its key annual property, World of TECNOlogy. The 3-day event is aimed at showcasing the best-in-class technology offered by the brand across product lines and portfolios. The tech showcase event will be commencing on 11th August 2023 at DLF Avenue, New Delhi, being open to all consumers till 13th August. The event will allow an immersive experience into TECNO’s prominent products, driving awareness of the diverse product portfolio and strengthening the credibility and relatability with the brand.

The brand has been aggressive this year by introducing Phantom X2 Series, Phantom V Fold, and most recently the Camon 20 Series. Keeping up with the rhythm, on the first day of World of TECNOlogy, i.e., 11th August 2023, TECNO will be revealing the POVA 5 Series.

This latest POVA 5 series includes the POVA 5 Pro 5G and POVA 5, thoughtfully engineered to cater to the demands of young, upbeat, and elite Gen Z consumers. The phone is designed keeping in mind the lifestyle of zillennials, who are constantly on their phone for all purposes, multitasking through- gaming, social media, financial applications, and more.

Earlier in June 2022 TECNO launched POVA 3 which boasted a unique LED light strip with various functionalities. Now, taking the innovation way ahead, the company is introducing a standout design with the all-new Arc Interface in the POVA 5 Pro 5G, an innovative multi-coloured LED Backlight design with 3D Texture. This design is already creating a lot of buzz and noise in the market. To delight the consumers, the Arc Interface functionalities provides an unparalleled experience including calls, notifications, battery charging, and music into a captivating symphony of digital emotions with the RGB backlight technology.

TECNO’s POVA 5 Pro 5G has already been announced globally on August 2nd, 2023, where along with the beautiful aesthetics, the powerful performance of the phone is also getting its due acclamation, the 68W fast charging, MediaTek Dimensity 6080 SOC and 6.78” FHD+ display with 120Hz refresh-rate have come across as the other key highlights of the smartphone. Hence we can expect similar specifications for the device launching soon in India.

TECNO always has showed commitment towards its disruptive pricing strategy, the recent most examples being- Phantom V Fold, and Camon 20 Series, bringing about many industry-first features. With such a track record, we are positive that POVA 5 Pro will also be priced aggressively and would be a really strong product offering. Packed with ground-breaking features, the series is anticipated to deliver exceptional value at a price point that aligns perfectly with the budget of those who strive for success and embrace life to the fullest.

New Delhi,1st August 2023 Aspire Impact, a leading ESG, Sustainability, and Impact Assessment initiative in India, took a significant stride in tackling environmental challenges during a recent Global Consultation today, alongside Aspire Circle and TERI, its co-hosts. The global consultation titled “Catalysing inclusive Climate Innovations for the Global Impact Economy”, witnessed massive participation from experts representing corporates, SMEs, banks, investors, policymakers, politics, think tanks, and climate organizations. The focus of the event was to seek feedback on two ground-breaking research publications from two Working Groups set up ahead of the meeting on “Unlocking Climate Technologies for Global South” and “Catalyzing Climate and ESG-led Finance for SMEs and Supply Chains”.

The two working groups, each with a 25-strong group of experts, including Chief Sustainability Officers, ESG & Impact Leaders, and SME Platforms, collaborated for two months to jointly publish these research publications. Aspire Impact and Aspire Circle partnered with TERI, Mahindra University, m1Xchange, Desai & Associates, Capgemini, Protean e-gov, and The Rockefeller Foundation to present these publications.

The first Working Group, “Catalysing Climate and ESG-led Finance for SMEs and Supply Chains” outlines a visionary idea to establish a correlation between Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors, sustainability practices, and their impact on cost-efficient climate finance for SMEs and Supply chains. This can be achieved by leveraging Open Digital Eco-Systems (ODEs) to facilitate the discovery of climate finance opportunities and enhance the capacity of SMEs and supply chains, ultimately leading to their integration into an impactful movement and accelerating the transition towards achieving Net Zero emissions. An ODE with a clear purpose has the potential to catalyze the adoption of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and make SMEs future-ready.

The second Working Group, “Unlocking Climate Technologies for Global South” envisions the establishment of a Climate Technologies Clearing House (CTCH). This innovative hub will serve as a Trade Hub, facilitating the transfer of climate technologies to governments and corporations in Global South nations. It addresses their need for financial assistance, smooth and transparent buyer-supplier discovery, and capacity-building to meet their commitments under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement.

Speaking about the impact of the event, Amit Bhatia, Founder & CEO of Aspire Impact and Aspire Circle, said, “The Global Consultation with over 200 practitioners for our two research publications, co-authored by 50 experts, has been a remarkable T20 achievement. The recommendations of (i) a dedicated private initiative to build a facility for climate technology transfer from Global North to Global South, and (ii) Linking supply-chain financing to Climate action and ESG ratings are both a first for G20, as is the participation from Chief Sustainability Officers, ESG & Impact Leaders, and SME Platforms. These two recommendations help global SMEs and Big Business alike, while accelerating our planet’s transition to Net Zero.”

The two working groups included CXOs and leaders from around the world.

“Catalyzing Climate and ESG-led Finance for SMEs and Supply Chains” was co-authored by Abhishake Kumar Karn, Head, PSL Wholesale & MSME – RBL Bank; Dr. Adriana Kocornik-Mina, Senior Manager of Metrics and Research – Global Alliance for Banking on Values; Amit Bhatia, Founder & CEO – Aspire Circle & Aspire Impact; Anna Bruni Sabhaney, Founder – The Confluencers; Aparna Soni Bhalla, Relationship Manager, Trade & Supply Chain Finance – Asian Development Bank; Bhavya Sharma, Director, Communications & ESG – Urban Company; Debaroti Sarkar, Assistant Director, Knowledge Development – Aspire Impact; Fernando Cortes McAllister, Executive Director – Fundación Bolivar Davivienda; Harpreet Kaur Ghai, Director, Knowledge Development – Aspire Impact; Jamuna Rao Verghese, Managing Partner – Dancing Rain Capital; Jinesh Shah, Managing Partner – Omnivore; Kartikeya Nitin Desai, Founder & CEO – Desai & Associates; K.S. Priyadarshini, Sustainable Finance Lead – HSBC Commercial Banking India; Manish Kumar, Head-ESG & CSR – ICICI Bank Limited; Dr. Manish Kumar Shrivastava, Senior Fellow – TERI; Manjari Atroley, Co-Founder and Director – 2nd October Inc.; Meeta Narsinghani, Associate Partner – Circulate Capital; Rekha Krishnan, Managing Partner – WEFT Research LLP and Strategic Advisor – CLEAN; Rohit Bhatia, Chief Product Officer – Aspire Impact; Saneesh Singh, Independent Director and Former MD & CEO – Día Vikas Capital; Sangeeta Robinson, CSO – PVR Cinemas; Sundeep Mohindru, Founder Director – M1xchange; Suresh Sethi, Managing Director & CEO – Protean e-Gov Technologies Ltd.

“Unlocking Climate Technologies for Global South” was co-authored by Alok Jagdhari, Managing Partner – 92 Angels; Alka Talwar, Ex-Chief CSR & Sustainability Officer – Tata Chemical Limited; Founder & CEO – Aspire Circle & Aspire Impact; Dr. Amrita Goldar Senior Fellow and Thematic Lead – Climate Change Urbanization and Sustainability, ICRIER; Anirban Ghosh, Head, Centre for Sustainability – Mahindra University and Former Group CSO – Mahindra Group; Anurag Pratap, Vice President & CSR Leader – Capgemini; Ashish Mehta, Founder & Managing Partner – Second Nature Sustainable Solutions; Corey Glickman, VP, Global Head Sustainability and Design Consulting Services – Infosys; Girish Sethi, Senior Director, Energy Program -TERI, New Delhi; Harpreet Kaur Ghai, Director, Knowledge Development – Aspire Impact; Kartikeya Nitin Desai, Founder & CEO – Desai & Associates; Kavita Jadeja, Sustainability Professional; Kiran Sarkar, Head Sustainability (Automation & Farm Equipment Sector) – Mahindra & Mahindra Limited; Masood Mallick, CEO – Re Sustainability Limited; Rahul Singh Tomar, Associate, Chief of Staff to the CEO – Ather Energy; Rajeev Kumar, Vice President, Business Development and Integration – bp India; Rohit Bhatia, Chief Product Officer – Aspire Impact; Ruhana Zariwala, Global Head – Sustainability – Cipla Ltd; Sabina Curatolo, Impact Consultant; Dr. Sunita Purushottam, Board Chairman Global Building performanceNetwork and Head sustainability and CSR – Mahindra Lifespaces Developer Ltd.; Suruchi Bhadwal, Senior Fellow and Program Director, Climate and Air – TERI; Swapnil Joshi, Director, Sustainability & Design – Infosys Ltd.; Tanya Singhal, Founder – Mynzo Carbon (MyNetZero); Zarmeen Pavri, Co-Founder and Partner – SDGx

India, 28th July 2023: Selligion Technologies, makers of the world’s first consumer cloud computer, raised INR 5 crore in a pre-Series A round led by Malpani Ventures, one of the most respected VC firms in the country that helps and funds frugal innovations. They are leading the round with an investment of INR 3 crores, with the remaining investment being contributed by leading entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and investors from India, Singapore, and the USA. The funds raised will be used for research and development and to augment the manufacturing efforts for Selligion’s next phase of expansion.

Selligion Technologies’ focus is to change the face of learning and redefine computing in India by leveraging cloud technology and providing affordable yet uncompromised computers on a subscription model to every Indian student deprived of quality computing ecosystem due to a lack of spending capabilities.

Commenting on the collaboration Apeksha Mehta, Co-Founder and Spokesperson at Selligion Technologies, said, “At Selligion, we are dedicated to empowering every child with essential digital skills by offering a powerful computer hardware, a user-friendly operating system, and a robust cloud infrastructure. Thanks to our recent Pre-Series round A funding, we are poised to make significant strides in our mission. Our research efforts will focus on further enhancing our offerings, with the aim of increasing our manufacturing capacity multi-fold—allowing us to reach more than 1 lakh students by March 2024. Through our subscription-based model, we are committed to providing affordable and easily accessible advanced computers to students across India. These devices will serve as a catalyst for their growth, equipping them with the necessary digital skills to pursue rewarding careers.”

Dr. Aniruddha Malpani of Malpani Ventures, a pioneer in the field of medicine and one of the most celebrated champions for the cause of education for all, added, “Embracing digital literacy is the key to unlocking India’s potential, but with only 10-15 per cent of Indian homes owning a computer, our nation’s digital infrastructure demands immediate strengthening. We aim to bridge this divide, creating a technologically inclusive ecosystem that empowers every learner, regardless of their background, to thrive in the digital age. By strengthening our digital foundations, we can forge a brighter, more equitable future for our beloved nation.”

Selligion delivers a powerful, no-compromise home computer loaded with all the apps needed for school and office work, along with a Keyboard and Mouse. Selligion Praho is the world’s first hybrid cloud computer, specially designed to solve all possible use cases in education. Selligion Praho is conceptualized and designed in India and runs on Selligion Abacca OS.

Bangalore, India 21st July 2023– Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGSW), formerly known as Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions (RBEI), announces the setting up of the Community Engagement and Training Center at Koramangala Police Station. The project, envisioned as a community hub and designed in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, will aid the Bangalore City Police through community collaboration and prepare to mitigate future outbreaks and pandemics through a participatory approach.

Located at the Office of Deputy Commissioner of Police, South-East Division in Bangalore, this multifunctional hub is designed to facilitate training programs, meetings, and strategic planning, while fostering an environment for effective community engagement. With a capacity to accommodate up to 100 people, the hub represents a significant step towards enhancing the relationship between law enforcement and the community. This versatile space can serve as a training centre, meeting hall, and war room, enabling the Bangalore City Police and community members to work together seamlessly and effectively. The infrastructure is uniquely constructed using the Brutalist style of Architecture Design. It is eco-friendly, i.e., without any plastering or painting, thereby reducing the carbon footprints of the building. The windows and doors were built using basic aluminum extrusions, thereby avoiding timber use. Apart from being sustainable and eco-friendly, this design is very functional when it comes to thermal effects and acoustic advantages. This kind of construction can be built faster and easy to maintain, compared to ordinary plastered and painted buildings.

RK Shenoy, Senior VP – Mobility Engineering & Member of Executive Leadership Team, at Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGSW) says the project is not limited to the structure but how communities get involved closely and promote a safe empowered society. “The Stakeholder Visioning Exercise helped us ideate on how this Center could be a true potential for the community, wherein the Police Force becomes an agent of goodness and various social groups could come and sensitize the public on many relevant topics of the day. The infrastructure could aid the Police Force to join hands with the community and be prepared to mitigate future outbreaks and beyond pandemics through a participatory approach. This ideation led to the creation of a Community Engagement Centre at Koramangala Police Station,” said RK Shenoy.

Shri. C K Baba, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (South-East) Bengaluru City, said, “We are thrilled to see the establishment of the Community Engagement and Training Center at Koramangala Police Station. This multifunctional hub represents a significant step towards enhancing the relationship between law enforcement and the community. We applaud BGSW for their commitment to community collaboration and look forward to the positive impact this center will have on our city that aims to bring organisations, law enforcement and citizens closer.”

BGSW proudly handed over the setup to the officials on February 10, 2023, with hope that it will be utilized to serve the community and the people from the neighborhoods. On March 8, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the community hub hosted a session for Women in the Police Force, recognizing the work of Rani Chennamma Pade who has been focussing on awareness campaigns for the safety of women citizens across the city.

NOIDA, India and NEW YORK, July 20, 2023: HCLTech, a leading global technology company, has joined the XR Startup Program, an initiative between Meta and the MeitY Startup Hub to discover, nurture and accelerate extended reality (XR) technology startups in India.

“We are thrilled to participate in the XR Startup Program to mentor and support startups and innovators in emerging technologies including augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality. Digital engineering is of strategic focus to HCLTech and our involvement in this program reinforces our commitment to nurturing emerging technologies and innovation to drive all-around growth,” said Vijay Guntur, President, Engineering and R&D Services, HCLTech.

As a knowledge partner of this program, HCLTech will help foster a vibrant ecosystem in which Indian startups can pioneer and develop innovative services, hardware and software solutions with focus on education, healthcare and agri-tech, creating significant economic, social and environmental impact.

“The XR Startup Program is playing a crucial role in supporting startups embrace extended reality technologies. We are delighted to collaborate with HCLTech for this program. Their leadership and guidance as a trusted partner will greatly benefit the program participants and further Meta’s vision of nurturing immersive technologies and innovation in India to make the country a hub for these emerging technologies,” said Shivnath Thukral, Director and Head Public Policy, India, Meta.

HCLTech’s subject matter experts will provide one-on-one mentorship to the startups, leading thought leadership sessions and providing valuable business and industry perspectives. As the program progresses, the startups may leverage HCLTech’s global infrastructure, next-generation engineering technology and innovation labs to develop, test and validate their use cases.

“MeitY Startup Hub’s focus on innovation and entrepreneurship has made India the third largest startup ecosystem in the world. The next wave of innovation, transformation and investments is in XR technologies and the metaverse, and the ‘XR Accelerator’ program will ensure that Indian startups are at the forefront of developing, launching and scaling immersive technology solutions for the global markets. Active collaboration of the academia and industry leaders provides practical guidance and support to the startups to become leaders for this new era,” said Jeet Vijay, CEO, MeitY Startup Hub.

The XR Startup Program is contributing to India’s efforts in establishing a foundation for the metaverse while fostering the development of XR technologies within the country. This aligns with the country’s vision of transforming the next decade into a ‘Techade’, enabling opportunities for the youth of India.