Archives February 2023

22nd, January 2023: Internshala Trainings, the skilling engine of the career-tech platform, Internshala, in its exclusive report, has highlighted Web Development and Python courses being the most popular among students across the country. As per the report, the top five cities that recorded students opting for the Web Development and Python courses were Hyderabad (12.81%), Delhi (12.40%), Bengaluru (11.16%), Kolkata (8.51%), and Pune (8.23%).

The report highlighted that more than 36.12% of students wanted to opt for an online certification course like Web Development and Python as it may help them secure better job opportunities and internships, 28.38% of students believed that the courses help them to enhance their skills. While 10.69% of students were interested in opting for the courses to acquire certificates. Other reasons, like the ability to build their industry-level real-world project and fulfill the demand of their college authorities, were responsible for students to opt for Web Development and Python courses.

The report highlighted some interesting figures as the Tier-III cities recorded the highest interest to opt for Web Development and Python courses, i.e. 34.66%. Whereas, Tier-I and Tier-II cities recorded a figure of 30.14% and 18.54%, respectively. In the report, more than 58.64% of males and 41.36% of females opted for Web Development and Python courses through e-learning mediums in the past year.

As per the report, INR 50,000 and INR 7,200 was the highest and average monthly stipend, respectively, that was offered to the students who successfully completed the Web Development and Python courses and then landed an internship. Also, 5% of students enrolled in the Internshala Trainings from the last year were hired. Taking into consideration the data of the last two years, 15% of students got job opportunities upon the completion of the courses.

Shadab Alam, Head – of Internshala Trainings, said, “The e-learning model has facilitated smart and easy ways for students to acquire in-demand skill sets. The report highlights that courses like Web Development and Python have gained prominence in the last few years as their demand by companies to effectively run their businesses has increased, thus creating opportunities for the students to get jobs equipped with the knowledge of the required domain.”

He further added, that, “The Web Development and Python courses at Internshala are beginners friendly, allowing students from any educational background to take up the courses and add new expertise to their resume.”

Upon successful completion of the Web Development and the Python courses, the students got offered job opportunities in various companies like Perfectice Eduventure Limited, 1stMentor, United Nations Volunteer, Akaaro, Team Everest, Tare Zameen Foundation, BloodConnect, E Cell – FMS Delhi, BBC India News, Delhi Technological University – TATVA, The Entrepreneurship Cell, and IIT Bombay to name a few.

Also, the students who took the Web Development and Python courses shared their experiences on how the respective programs helped them to secure jobs. Listed below are some of the valuable experiences received as a part of the Internshala training program.

Ansh Singh took the Programming with Python training, said, “In the starting days of training, I was quite confident because I knew I was learning from a trusted and verified site. It helped me so much in upskilling myself and increasing my knowledge. I’m now reputed in my college because I was the only guy with the training certificate and knowledge in the whole batch. Many students, teachers, and even my HOD also came to ask me how I did it and what the advantages were, etc. Also, because of Programming with Python training, I’ve scored good marks in this field, and I’m doing 3 projects with the application of Python. It was a great experience for my career.”

Nitu Kumari joined the Web development training program and found it very enriching to gain a new skill. As a part of her experience, she said, “I took a web development course in 3rd year of my engineering degree. The instructor explained concepts using proper examples and implementation. After this course, I worked as a MERN stack developer. The course helped me get my first Internship at a well-known start-up in just a month, and I also got the job before even completing my internship. The courses are well structured, easy to understand, and helped me land my first job. I am thankful to the founder of Internshala, Sarvesh Agarwal, for building such a good platform.”

Delhi/ Mumbai, February 22, 2023: Crayons Advertising Limited, India’s leading homegrown integrated advertising agency, today announced its plans to double its revenues in the next three years, mainly riding on digital and events verticals.

Promoted by the Indian ad veteran Kunal Lalani, Caryons Advertising has demonstrated presence as an integrated and innovative advertising agency for over three and half decades. The company has recently filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with NSE Emerge for initial public offering (IPO). Upon listing, Crayons will be India’s first major homegrown advertising agency to go public.

“In the past few years, we have consistently invested in our capabilities – comprising of people, processes, partners and performance”, said Kunal Lalani, Founder & Managing Director, Crayons Advertising. “Today, we are aiming for an orbital shift, given our integrated proposition, the strong economic tailwinds for the advertising sector and sustained mandate flow in our digital and events verticals. We are raising funds to build further our digital capabilities, which will enable us to not only cater to the brands in Bharat, but also offer our new-age tech-led solutions to the world going forward”, added Kunal.

Strong macros aiding industry optimism

The Indian advertising market was valued at nearly INR 670 billion in 2020. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11% from 2022-2027 to reach INR 1253.2 billion by 2026. Infrastructure, banking & financial services (including fintechs), tourism, Government departments & the MSME and large home-grown players are expected to command a larger share of ad budgets. The demand for integrated players with a deep understanding of Bharat will dominate the agency selection going forward.

Investing in quality people

Crayons continued to strengthen its leadership team with appointments of marquee professionals. Recently, Faisal Haq joined the company as its Chief Operating Officer industry veterans Manoj Jacob and Anurag Mishra were inducted as the Executive Creative Director and Sr. Creative Director, respectively.

“In the business of creativity and innovation, the quality of people is the core differentiator. We at Crayons have always believed in building teams by investing in credible leaders, which has enabled us to build our reputation as a respected creative partner to global brands. With timely investments in our capabilities backed by robust brand equity, we are now expanding our leadership team,” said Kunal.

Faisal Haq is the new COO of the agency. His forte lies in exploring potential business avenues and managing operations to achieve business targets focusing on top-line and bottom-line profitability. An industry veteran with over 25 years of experience working across agencies and brands, Faisal has delivered several award-winning works across social & digital media. A celebrated professional, Faisal was also declared COO of the Year ’22-’23 by the Indian Achiever’s Forum. Before Crayons, Faisal worked with WATConsult-Dentsu Creative.

Manoj Jacob joins as Executive Creative Director and commands over 20 years of experience working across agencies like Ogilvy, DDB Mudra, Havas, BBDO, and Contract Advertising. He has helped build several brands such as Peter England, IBM, Lenovo, Himalaya Wellness, Louis Phillipe, Diageo, Exxon Mobil, GE, UNICEF, Fosters, Reckitt, etc. Manoj’s work has won him two Cannes Lions. Other commendable accolades include an Adfest Lotus, One Show Merit, Media Spikes, and a Clio for ‘Best Writing in Print’.

Anurag Mishra joins the Agency’s creative arsenal as Sr. Creative Director. He commands a decade of experience, working with marquee agencies such as JVM, Ogilvy, Serviceplan, Innocean Worldwide and McCann across Europe and Asia. He has also bagged multiple prestigious awards, including Cannes, D&AD, Clios and ADC. Anurag captained creatives during the relaunch of the iconic Hyundai Santro in Indian markets. In addition, he also helped establish Cadbury Choco Bakes Cookies ‘meetha chhupa rustom’ campaign, followed by a digital campaign – Cadbury Choco Bakes Cookie Eclipse.

Bagged Marquee accounts

Recently, the company announced that it won marquee mandates, including TATASons, National Skill Development Corporation, Indian Oil Corporation, TATA Croma and Bank Of Baroda. The mandate of the National Skill Development Corporation is to transform the brand notion and strengthen the connection with youth. The agency’s experience in handling government businesses played a vital role in the final selection for taking over its social media mandate.

Within the TATA Group Companies, Crayons recently bagged the social media mandate for TataSons. In the last couple of years, the agency has handled and executed multiple prestigious campaigns for the Tata Group. Crayons also worked on the Tata Mumbai Marathon campaign, which serves as a case study in awareness and engagement. Furthermore, in the past year, Crayons Advertising was appointed by TATA to launch the historic Air India transition campaign ‘Wings of Change’ and handle TATA Croma’s creative mandate.

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The launch of Sanchiconnect’s ten-city deeptech roadshow is a watershed moment for India’s early stage deep tech founders. This is the first ever deep tech meetup series, with the goal of bringing perspectives, conversations, and sentiments from venture funds investing in this space.

Kochi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Delhi-NCR, Indore, and Hyderabad will be included in the first phase of the roadshow. The schedule for these meetups has already begun to reach the audience’s inbox.

According to Dr. Sunil Shekhawat (CEO of Sanchiconnect), the emergence of deep tech startups in recent years has not gone unnoticed. He believes that such an initiative will enable early-stage founders to become more aware of the opportunities available in this field, as well as gain access to resources that will help them achieve their goals more quickly. This is phase 1, and phase 2 will only focus on tier 2 cities in the next roadshow, which will be scheduled within 100 days.

Sanchiconnect is a platform that connects entrepreneurs with deep tech-focused but stage and sector-agnostic funds. During each meetup session, the organisation will deploy resources to develop customized programmes for each city based on the local startup ecosystem, as well as provide networking opportunities for founders and investors alike.

This initiative gives founders an excellent opportunity to discuss their initial work and progress with prospective investors and industry veterans. This roadshow series provides an exciting platform for startups to scale up quickly, with the goal of enabling innovation across sectors through technology-led solutions.

22nd February 2023: Arth – A Culture Fest, one of India’s leading cultural festivals, has announced a beautiful collaboration with the Rekhta Foundation. The collaboration aims to bring together an initiative that share a common goal of celebrating India’s rich poetic heritage and promoting the magic of Hindi poetry and language at large!

To celebrate this union and also the beauty of Hindi poetry, Arth – A Culture Fest and the Rekhta Foundation will come together to host the Hindwi Kavita Sandhya. Scheduled to take place on the evening of 24th of February at Sunder Nursery, this Kavi Sammelan session promises to be an evening to remember where eminent poets like Anamika, Ashok Vajpeyi, Badri Narayan, Dinesh Kushwaha, and Manav Kaul will recite their popular poems.

“Hindi forms a connecting link between the diverse languages and cultures inhabiting the vast land of India and we hope to share this heritage with a vast populace through Hindwi Kavita Sandhya at Arth Festival.” said Mr. Sanjiv Saraf, Founder of Rekhta Foundation. “Inspired by the enormous love and support received for our work on Urdu literature. The foundation has now streamlined its efforts towards preserving and promoting Hindi literature and culture through our initiative “Hindwi.org”. He added

“Creation of meaning has always been a joint endeavour in our culture – sahriday reader or rasagya shrota play with multiple dhwanis of the text and create a sufiana silsila of never ending Meaning. They are all thus the co-creators of texts. Being a part of Arth – A cultural fest is a wonderful opportunity for artists like us to share the beauty of poetry and its rich heritage. Joining hands with Rekhta has been an enriching experience for all of us. Rekhta has worked wonders in creating subliminal bridges across cultures,” said Anamika, Poet, Social Worker, and Novelist

Manav Kaul, Actor, Writer, and Theatre Director said, “Arth – A Culture Fest is a wonderful platform that celebrates the diversity of art and culture in all its forms. As an actor and writer, I feel privileged to be a part of this festival that gives artists from different genres a platform to showcase their works. I am also glad to see the collaboration between Arth and Rekhta Foundation, which shares the same vision of promoting and preserving our rich cultural heritage.”

A Zee Live Spokesperson said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Rekhta Foundation for Arth – A Culture Fest, as their commitment to promoting the rich literary and cultural heritage perfectly aligns with our vision for this festival. Together, we hope to create an unforgettable experience that celebrates the diverse artistic traditions of our region. With this edition of Arth, our aim is to deliver an immersive cultural experience that showcases the beauty and diversity of our language and traditions.”

The collaboration between Arth – A Culture Fest and Rekhta Foundation promises to be a celebration of India’s diverse cultural heritage and a platform for promoting inclusivity and diversity. The festival is expected to attract a wide audience from across India and beyond and promises to be an enlightening and enriching experience for all.

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Mumbai, 22nd February 2023: TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship, India’s largest privately owned Degree Apprenticeship program from the house of TeamLease Services Limited, has announced its partnership with Swiss-based Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN Global), to scale the adoption of degree apprenticeships/work-based learning in India. With this partnership, TeamLease and GAN aims to scale degree apprenticeship adoption in the country. The association is built on the premise of the prowess of apprenticeships to address employability gaps and create a robust pipeline of skilled talent for the industry.

The sentiment around apprentice deployment has significantly improved over the past few years. A H2 2022 study indicated that close to 77% of employers were keen to increase their apprentice pool. In fact, over the last three years, employer intent towards deploying apprentices has increased by 6% y-o-y. Both traditional sectors and new age sectors are becoming more receptive towards the model. While this demonstrates the growing acceptance of degree apprenticeships and work-based learning in India, the growth is subdued and allied partnerships like TLDA and GAN will help scale the model.

Sharing her views, Ms. Rituparna Chakraborty, Co-Founder and Executive Director, TeamLease Services said, “India has one of the largest youth populations in the world, with about 13 million youth joining the workforce every year. However, only 1 in 5 engineering students, 1 in 10 graduates and 1 in 4 management professionals are truly employable. Work based learning and degree apprenticeships have emerged as the most powerful instrument to bridge this gap. On the job learning is enabling candidates to have better domain skills and their industry experience makes them more employable. While there are many efforts taken towards promoting work-based learning, including the recent announcements during the Union Budget, more cohesive efforts are required. Our partnership with GAN Global, a network that shares our vision of creating an inclusive and skilled workforce, through apprenticeships, is a step in that direction. It will help us to boost the adoption of degree apprenticeship in India, bridge the gap between education and skilling, and empower the youth with the right domain skills and industry knowledge, leveraging their global experience.”

“Our mission is to achieve employment for all worldwide, and we believe that Indian youth is a significant quadrant in the ecosystem. Apprenticeship programs are one of the most powerful solutions to bridge the skill gap and increase employability of the youth cohort. It is beneficial for the candidates as well as employers, which prepares the apprentices for a long term employment. This partnership represents a significant opportunity to drive positive change in the Indian workforce and create a brighter future for all”, added Nazrene Mannie, Executive Director, GAN Global.

With the aspiration to scale up to 10 million apprentices in 10 years, TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship is paving the way for the next generation to continually equip them with the required skillsets and help them get into the workforce. This partnership will not only help in creating a skilled workforce but will also contribute to the economic growth of the country, and enhance the employability of the youth.

Bangalore – ASK Finance, the NBFC vertical of ASK Group has closed a debt transaction of Rs. 40 Cr. with Sowparnika Projects & Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd, a reputed real estate brand in the affordable housing segment. Mr. Maneesh Yadav, CEO & MD, of ASK Finance said, “Working capital for affordable homes in economic growth corridors by reputable developers who have a good delivery track record is key to our strategy considering huge demand in this segment and supportive government initiatives for affordable homes.”

The investment has been made in Sowparnika Ashiyana, a mid-income affordable project near Whitefield, Bangalore with 750 + homes. Sowparnika has a proven track record of developing & delivering affordable homes in Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore & several locations across Kerala for nearly 2 decades now.

The Sowparnika group has developed over 5.2 Mn sft & handed over 7500 homes across these locations. ASK group is known for its strong research-based investments, asset management, a real estate private equity funds, wealth advisory, and multi-family office businesses. The Group has over US$ 9.3 bn of Assets Under Management as of 31st December 2022.

Sowparnika Projects & Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd’s MD, Mr. Ramji Subramaniam, stated that their company remains committed to the affordable housing segment. They have recently launched two new projects in Hoskote and Sarjapur, both of which have garnered significant interest from prospective homebuyers. Mr. Subramaniam expressed his confidence in the company’s philosophy, as evidenced by its partnership with ASK Finance, and looks forward to forging similar partnerships in future developments.

INDIA – Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA), will steadily resume flights to and from China to accommodate strong travel demands in line with the further relaxation of border restrictions. Scoot will also be ramping up flight frequencies across its network, particularly to destinations that are popular for summer travels in Australia, Greece, Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia.

Since travel restrictions were lifted globally in 2022, Scoot has resumed most of its pre-Covid routes, increased flight frequencies to ensure its capacity matches demand and expanded its network with the launch of new destinations such as Jeju, Lombok, Makassar, Miri and Yogyakarta.

China

From now until the end of Northern Winter 2022 (25 March 2023), Scoot will progressively increase its total flights to China from 14-times weekly to 26-times weekly by stepping up flight frequencies to seven of its existing points, comprising Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao, Tianjin and Zhengzhou.

The pace of resumption continues into the Northern Summer period, which spans 26 March to 28 October 2023. Scoot will resume flights to Haikou, Ningbo, and Xi’an in April 2023, bringing the total number of weekly flights to China to 42 times weekly by the end of April 2023.

With services to Nanning and Shenyang resuming in May 2023, customers can look forward to 57 times weekly flights to China by the end of June 2023.

Other Network Updates

Scoot will increase flight frequencies to travelers’ favorite warm-weather destinations, just in time for customers to plan their summer travels. Flight frequencies to Athens will increase from two times to four-times weekly, flight frequencies to Perth will increase from 10-times to 12-times weekly, flight frequencies to Sapporo through Taipei will increase from three times to four times weekly and flight frequencies to Tokyo through Taipei will increase from 10-times to 12-times weekly. Closer to Singapore, flight frequencies to Langkawi will increase from four times to seven-times weekly and flight frequencies to Manado will increase from three times to four times weekly.

Some adjustments will be made to optimize resources and accommodate other operational considerations. In particular, Scoot services to the Gold Coast will be suspended after 17 July 2023 (last flight out of the Gold Coast). Customers with existing bookings will be notified of their options.

New Schedules for Pokémon Air Adventures Flights

Pokémon Air Adventures, a partnership with The Pokémon Company, continues to be well sought-after by Pokémon fans and others looking for unique experiences. In February 2023, Scoot launched these inaugural themed flights on the Pikachu Jet to Bangkok. In March 2023, the Pikachu Jet will make its way to Taiwan. Customers can choose from eight scheduled flights in March 2023 and six scheduled flights in April 2023. For more information on the Pikachu Jet schedule, please refer to Scoot’s website.

Scoot Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Leslie Thng, said, “Scoot has been anticipating the return of travel to and from China and we will scale up operations to meet the demand from this sizeable market. We will also ramp up frequencies to other popular summer destinations as customers continue to seek travel to connect with loved ones, explore new cultures and create new experiences. This year, we aspire to continue redefining value travel by providing our customers with safe and seamless travel journeys, quality service, differentiated products and experiences at affordable fares.”

By Dr. Deepak Jain, Founder, The Fragrance People

As the job market continues to evolve, it can be challenging for fresh graduates to find their footing in the workforce. While the traditional corporate ladder may not hold the same appeal as it once did, startups offer a range of exciting career opportunities for young professionals. Here are some of the most promising careers for fresh graduates to consider in the startup world in 2023 and 2024:

Marketing and Communications

Marketing and communications are crucial for startups, especially in their early stages when they are trying to build brand awareness and attract new customers. Fresh graduates with strong writing, graphic design, and social media skills can thrive in this field, especially if they have experience in content creation and data analysis. To stand out in the job market, consider taking courses in marketing and communications, or working in a related field to gain experience.

Sales and Business Development

Startups often rely on their sales and business development teams to bring in new customers and grow their business. Fresh graduates with strong interpersonal skills, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a solid understanding of the market can excel in these roles. To stand out in the competitive job market, consider taking courses in sales and marketing, or working in a related field to gain experience.

Data Analyst

Data analysis has become a critical component in almost every industry, and startups are no exception. With the growing need for companies to make data-driven decisions, data analysts are in high demand. Fresh graduates with a background in mathematics, statistics, or computer science can thrive in this field, especially if they have experience with data visualization and programming languages such as Python and R.

Software Developer

Software development remains a highly sought-after skill in the startup world, with new technologies and platforms emerging all the time. Fresh graduates with experience in one or more programming languages, such as Java, C++, or JavaScript, can find opportunities in both front-end and back-end development. A solid understanding of software architecture and experience with agile methodologies can also help young professionals stand out in the job market.

Product Manager

Product managers play a key role in the success of a startup by defining and executing the product roadmap. Fresh graduates with a background in business, marketing, or engineering can excel in this field, especially if they have experience working with cross-functional teams and strong project management skills. To build your skills, consider taking courses in product management, participating in hackathons, or working on personal projects.

In conclusion, startups offer a wealth of opportunities for fresh graduates, and the careers outlined above are some of the most promising for the next year or two. To find success in the startup world, consider building your skills and experience in your area of interest, and be open to learning and growth. With the right mindset and approach, fresh graduates can make a real impact and pave the way for a successful career in the exciting and fast-paced world of startups.

In line with Saudi’s Vision 2030 and to welcome more than 2 million Indian visitors this year, Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has strengthened its commitment to driving awareness about tourism and hospitality in its region. As part of the delegation visit to India earlier this month, this mission program featured a range of meetings, industry round-tables, and networking events including participation at the One World Travel Market in Mumbai (OTM) and the South Asian Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in Delhi. This was followed up with two roadshows in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has also, commenced an official partnership with the world’s preeminent Twenty 20 cricket league, the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) at an event held in Mumbai last week.

India is a key source market for Saudi. As part of Saudi’s ambition to achieve 100 million visits annually by 2030, India represents immense potential as it is expected to be one of Saudi’s largest tourism source markets by then. During the course of these engagements, STA held 3,000-plus meetings with leading trade partners and travel buyers to promote Saudi as a holiday destination. They also shared insights into the growing trends of MICE tourism and budget travel.

On his recent visit to India, Alhasan Aldabbagh, APAC President at Saudi Tourism Authority, said, “We are delighted to showcase the beauty of Saudi and its diverse tourism offerings all across India. We have received an overwhelmingly positive response from our partners here and STA is committed to investing, learning and working closely with them to ensure our product offerings are attractive for the Indian market. These engagements are
important in helping us achieve ambitious goals and drive visitation numbers from India to Saudi. Last year, we saw 1 million visitors, which has encouraged us to become ambitious about doubling the figures from this region this year. India, we believe, will be the number one tourism source market for us in 2030 as we aim to welcome more than 12 million visitors by then.”

“Saudi is a great holiday destination with rich cultural, historical, and spiritual sites. It is home to 6 UNESCO world heritage sites and more than 10,000 archaeological sites that are unexplored and that we are waiting to be explored. This includes historical places like Al Balad in Jeddah and Turaif in Diriyah – the birthplace of Saudi.

We also offer a variety of tourism experiences such as the Boulevard World in Riyadh city, and Bujairi Terrace home to over 20 retail and lifestyle brands including four Michelin-starred restaurants, the Red Sea Project, and much more. Apart from our tourism product offerings, we are also working on many exciting partnership and sponsorship opportunities like the IPL. We believe that the partnership with IPL is one of the first steps in strengthening a culture for the game of cricket in Saudi.” Alhasan Aldabbagh added.

Earlier this month we launched the 96-hour stopover visa with a 1-night complimentary hotel stay when you fly with Saudia, which makes Saudi more accessible than ever. The Stopover Visa is open to all leisure, business, and religious travelers traveling on SAUDIA and flynas. STA is also opening up 9 dedicated visa centers in India by the end of this month, to increase the accessibility and connectivity for Indian travelers to enter Saudi.

Saudi is a diverse destination. It boasts leisure and entertainment hubs, including the fastest F1 street circuit and is known to host the world’s largest dance music festival, among others. Find out more about Saudi’s tourism offerings and visa programs on the Visit Saudi website.

Currently, the cybersecurity market is growing at a breakneck pace. The global cybersecurity market was valued at $197.4 billion in 2021. As technology progresses, the need to safeguard their networks, data, and users from online threats is growing simultaneously, prompting more businesses to invest in cybersecurity solutions.

As an outcome, numerous companies now provide new software or services geared toward this industry. With so many options, it can be challenging for businesses to decide which provider will offer cybersecurity offerings that meet their needs. We’ve compiled a list of the Top 5 cybersecurity solution providers to ensure your business is well protected.

• 1. Noventiq

Noventiq is a leading cybersecurity and digital transformation solutions provider in over 50 countries. Noventiq’s services span the Aerospace & Defence, Banking, Capital Markets, Communications & Media, Health, and Oil & Gas industries. The company connects 150,000+ organisations from all sectors with 6,000+ best-in-class IT vendors, along with its own services and solutions, to allow, facilitate, and accelerate digital transformation for the businesses of its customers.

• 2. Fortinet

Fortinet (FTNT) was in the number two slot last year, and we see no need to change that this year. Despite sales clearing the $4 billion mark, analysts are projecting a 35% annual growth rate for the next five years. The network security vendor is another that doesn’t shy away from rigorous testing, landing the company on 16 of our top cybersecurity software and hardware lists. Fortinet is strongest in its core network security but boasts strength in other key security areas like SIEM and EDR.

Unsurprisingly, Fortinet has turned its networking expertise into leadership positions in adjacent markets like SD-WAN. Customer satisfaction ratings are high in key areas like product capabilities, value, ease of use and support, which have given it inroads into small business markets as well. Analysts have also lauded the company, joining Palo Alto and others in frequent appearances in Gartner Magic Quadrants and Forrester Wave reports. Here are the eSecurity Planet top product lists that Fortinet has made:

• 3. One Trust

With revenue up roughly 200% since our last update, OneTrust has backed up its early promise as few startups can. With annual revenue estimated at $669 million, the $933 million that venture investors have sunk into OneTrust is beginning to look like a bargain, and its $5.3 billion “unicorn” valuation is reasonable. In the crazy market for cybersecurity startups, OneTrust is starting to resemble a blue-chip company. The 7-year-old privacy compliance technology startup has ridden data privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA to rapid growth and high rankings on our risk management, third-party risk management and hot cybersecurity startups lists.

• 4. Proofpoint

Proofpoint cleared the $1 billion revenue mark before being taken private by Thomas Bravo in 2021. Proofpoint has made securing end users its focus. The Sunnyvale-based company’s SECaaS product portfolio made five of our top product lists, including CASB, data loss prevention (DLP), zero trust, threat intelligence and email gateways. The company provides email protection, network sandboxing, security awareness training, cloud protection and more. Its move into security awareness training via the 2018 acquisition of Wombat Security put the company in a good position to address the biggest security vulnerability of all: the mistakes made by a company’s end users.

• 5. Arete

Arete is transforming how businesses and governments manage cyber risk through proven incident response, tech-enabled managed services, and powerful data insights. Working on the front lines of thousands of ransomware attacks and some of the largest nation-state attacks, their team combines hundreds of investigative, technical, and cyber risk management practitioners with best-in-class data and software engineers. They bring a relentless passion for innovation and a commitment to stopping cybercrime. They bring that same passion for positively impacting the collective defence of businesses, governments, and infrastructure from cyber criminals and giving back to the communities they serve.