‘Made in India’ Social Media App, Explurger, Built on AI to be Launched on the Independence Day for Global Audience

 

APP 

* The new-age social media app ready to be launched on Aug 15, to further India’s ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ Mission

* Packed with exciting features such as sharing high-quality pictures, videos, creating a bucket list, achieving Explurger levels, sharing future travel plans, automatic Travelogue and much more

* India’s own social media app for the world to connect

* Go #VocalforLocal with Explurger

Centered on user experience, a completely home-grown new-age social media app ‘Explurger’ is ready for a long-awaited global launch on Aug 15, 2020. The app is built to stimulate Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Mission and promises to put India on the world map with the world social media giants.

Explurger is proud to be a truly ‘Made in India’ app — fully conceived, designed, coded by Indians — that offers a safe and secure platform for all its users spread across the globe.

With its simple yet innovative AI-based features, Explurger is packed with exciting features like sharing high-quality pictures, videos, creating a bucket list, achieving Explurger levels, sharing future travel plans, automatic travelogue and much more. 

Jitin Bhatia, Founder, Explurger, talking about the inspiration, says, “Being a software developer at heart, I have always wondered about the fact that despite some of the best apps in the world being powered by Indian brains, there is no social media app in the top category which could be called truly Indian.

So, I was looking for an idea to build an Indian app. Some three years back, upon returning from a business trip, my staff told me that it was probably my 30th trip in that year. That had me thinking that if there were a way to keep a count of the number of times one travels away from home, or tells people how many miles they have travelled, that would be something. And that was my Eureka moment. That’s how Explurger was born. Finally my labour of love, some 2.5 years later, Explurger is all set to be my Independence Day gift to India and the world. I hope people download it and reciprocate my love. I’d love to see PM Modi, US President Trump and Mark Zuckerberg Explurging.”

Although there are several Indian-origin social media apps available in iOS and Android, but Explurger outshines them with its following features:

Complete Travelogue: Check-ins are temporary, Explurge-Ins are forever. Every time you create a post, the AI automatically updates your personalised Travelogue.

Bucket List: When a friend shares a picture/video from a cool place, just add it to your bucket list. So, whenever you’re in the area, Explurger would remind you to check out that place.

Future Travel Plans: Make your future travel plan announcements exciting with a ‘Live Countdown Timer.’

Explurger Levels: Now for the first time ever, gamify your social media experience with Explurger. Everytime you explore a new country, city, cafe, or share a post or get Kudos on your wall, your Explurger level goes up. Go, flaunt it! 

Kudos: Show your approval, give your fellow Explurgers Kudos. Why stick with one like when you can give up to three kudos!

Spread: With a click of a button, now share all your exciting Explurges on other social media apps out there as you post it on Explurger!

Rate on the go: This app allows you to rate an experience, cafe, city, or place!

Explurger is all set to make its mark in the global market.

Notebook Zero Hour India's Largest Online Inter-School Public Speaking Event from July 18, 2020

The new school year has seen students attending classes online due to the COVID restrictions. The limiting of engagement between the educational institutions and students has inspired Notebook, India’s first after-school learning app to launch the Notebook Zero Hour, the largest online inter-school public speaking event for school students. Powered by Stayfree®, India’s leading sanitary napkin brand, Zero Hour is the largest competitive public speaking event ever held for schools in India and abroad, where schools have a chance to pit themselves against the best speakers from other schools from India and across the world.

In its first edition this year, the online debates commenced from July 18 with 64 marquee schools from India and abroad ready to face off against each. Played in a league format, the initial face-offs will see 8 schools proceeding to the quarter-finals. The winners of the 4 quarter-finals will participate in 2 semi-finals and the subsequent winners will face off in the Grand Finale to be held on August 15, 2020 to mark India’s 74th Independence Day.

Manoj Gadgil, Vice President Marketing, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Division said, “We are glad to be associated with Notebook Zero Hour. With students stuck at home, the online debate competition offers the youngsters an opportunity to enhance their communication skills through fruitful interactions with their peers. It helps them overcome fear, encourages them to express their opinion and increases their self-confidence. Stayfree® has been driving safe menstrual health and hygiene education and adoption initiatives in schools and Notebook Zero Hour gives the brand a platform to continue to encourage young girls to be informed, feel confident, pursue their dreams and not let anything hold them back.”

The first online face-off on July 18th saw a scintillating debate between Orchids The International School Thane and Indian School, Al-Ghubra that was won by the team from the Muscat-based school. The quality of the debate and those that followed were indicative of the high level of preparation that the students had undergone with facts and figures backing the emotionally charged discussions.

Achin Bhattacharyya, Founder and CEO, Notebook said, “We at Notebook are extremely humbled at being able to host Zero Hour for students, powered by Stayfree® and also supported by Save the Children. Our Together for Education webinars for esteemed educators and parents have already been a huge success with more than 12,000 attendees from more than 50 countries during our last 27 sessions. Notebook Zero Hour is our effort to provide a platform to encourage young school-goers from across the nation and also from Middle East, Nepal and Africa to engage in meaningful discussions. It’s very important to encourage students during this hour of pandemic when they are confined  to their home for months, away from their schools, friends, and outdoor sports. Hence we wanted to connect all these isolated centres of excellence, to form a virtual community of like-minded educators and students through Notebook Zero Hour debates. We have been thrilled to have more than 300 schools registering, but could accommodate only 64 in the current format. We are very happy with the enthusiasm that we have seen in students and teachers who have worked hard to make this event a huge success. The art of public speaking is an indispensable asset in today’s fast paced world and irrespective of any profession that a student wants to pursue its role in ensuring career growth is unquestionable. Also debate, discussion and public discourse are at the heart of any vibrant democracy and hence it is very important that we encourage our future leaders to not only have articulate speaking skills but also tolerant listening skills and hence the format of the debate has been customised accordingly for rebuttals which also tests listening skills.”

The debate topics cover contemporary and relevant issues and range from online privacy to international trade that motivate the young students to research and widen their knowledge base while developing critical thinking skills. The debates will be moderated by Subhayu Roy, Co-founder, Notebook and judged by esteemed educators, eminent thought leaders and other luminaries from various walks of life.

For information on the team pools, schedule and leaderboard, please visit https://notebookzerohour.co.in/about/

About Notebook Zero Hour:

Inspired and encouraged by the phenomenal success of the Together for Education webinars, and on request from institutions to engage with students directly, Notebook now presents Zero Hour – India’s Largest Public Speaking Event for School Students. This is the largest competitive public speaking event ever held for schools in India,and schools have a chance to pit themselves against the best speakers from other schools from the farthest reaches of the country.

About Notebook:

Notebook is India’s first after-school learning app. Engaging audio-visual content is used to deliver lessons tailored to the school curriculum. Teachers have access to these videos in the classroom, using the content to introduce topics, build interest, and help students to better visualize concepts. At home, students access the same videos from their personal connected devices – smartphones, laptops, desktops and internet-enabled televisions – to revise topics, prepare for examinations and benefit from the freedom that on-demand lessons afford them.

Started in 2018, Notebook has now catered to over a million users across India and abroad. More than 10,000 videos cover topics from classes I to XII of the CBSE board, alongside vernacular-aided lessons for U.P. Board and W.B. Board. Over 250 professionals, experienced educators and creative artists work round the clock to ensure that curricular content is delivered to the students in the most engaging possible way.

At the onset of the COVID-19 lockdown, Notebook offered its content to all students free of charge, enabling schools to conduct online classes using Notebook videos. This has led to deep and meaningful engagement with schools, and empowered teachers to cope with the lockdown better. Notebook also conducts regular online training sessions for teachers to help them manage online classes with greater ease. Powered by Notebook videos, Ramakrishna Mission Schools in Gwalior, M.P. became India’s first school to announce a completely online academic session to ensure safety of their students.

Give Wings to Your Photography Dreams with the All New Lava Z66

Indian mobile handset brand, Lava International Limited, announced the launch of its new smart phone- Lava Z66. The Lava Z66 is equipped with a 13MP selfie camera with screen flash to capture stunning portraits even in low-light. It also sports a dual rear camera setup of 13MP + 5MP with LED flash which renders a superior photography experience. To enhance the user experience further, the smartphone camera has been packed with premium features like beauty mode, night mode, HDR mode, burst mode, panorama, time lapse, slow motion along with filters for every mood.

The smartphone is powered with a 1.6 GHz octa-core processor for a seamless performance and features a 6.08-inch HD+ notch display with a 2.5D curved screen & 19:9 aspect ratio. This 3GB RAM smartphone has a storage capacity of 32GB (expandable up to 128GB) for storing your precious moments and videos. Priced at Rs. 7777, Lava Z66 is currently available in three striking colour variants – Marine Blue, Berry Red and Midnight Blue. This Made in India smartphone is currently available at offline stores and will soon be available on Amazon and Flipkart.

The Lava Z66 draws power from 3950 mAh battery which provides up to 16 hours of talk time*. The smartphone runs on Stock Android OS (Android 10) and is free from pre-loaded bloatware which ensures a smooth performance and a clean Android experience. For improved device security, Lava Z66 has been equipped with a fingerprint scanner and a face-unlock feature that unlocks the phone in just 0.6 seconds*.

Commenting on the launch, Tejinder Singh, Head- Product, Lava International said, “Lava Z66 is an exceptional device in the budget segment for all the photography enthusiasts out there. This beautiful device not only lets you click the most stunning pictures but also delivers a power packed all round performance.”

The Lava Z66 comes with dual sim support (4G+4G), Bluetooth V4.2, OTG support, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The phone also has an array of sensors that includes an accelerometer, ambient light and a proximity sensor.

*under Lava testing conditions

Lava International Limited 

#ProudlyIndian

Lava International Limited is a leading Indian Mobile Handset Company with operations in 20+ countries. In the international markets the company is growing rapidly and is already among the top players in many of these countries it operates in. 

Lava has always been at the forefront of Govt. of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. Lava was the first mobile brand to take a lead in support of this important nation building program and had set up a design team in India, becoming the first brand to design phones in the country. With this ‘Design in India’ initiative, Lava is now the only Mobile handset company that makes truly ‘Made In India’ phones with complete control on design and manufacturing within the country. 

With the vision to “Empower people to do more, to be more” the company was established in 2009. Lava International Limited is headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The company has its manufacturing facilities and a repair factory in an approximately 300,000 square feet area in Noida. The manufacturing plants have a capacity of manufacturing 40 million phones per annum.

We Make in India, We Make for India.

Indian Short-Form Video App Mitron Clocks 9 Billion Videos in a Month

Video App

* Mitron app has been downloaded by more than 33 million users on Google Play Store since launch.

* Strong traction reported from smaller cities and towns

Mitron, a short-form video app, has garnered a massive viewership on its platform with a total of 9 billion videos viewed in one month since the government’s ban on Chinese apps. The company also announced that Mitron app crossed 33 million downloads on Google Store.

Speaking on the development, Shivank Agarwal, Founder & CEO, Mitron said “The idea behind the development of the app was to provide a platform that lets users upload and watch an array of short videos. It is heartening to see the app popularity gained by Mitron within a short span of time. 

It is incredible to see millions of new videos created on the Mitron platform. We thank all our users who have been using this app as their daily dose of entertainment.” 

With a mission to create a short-form video app that reimagines digital engagement and entertainment, co-founders Shivank Agarwal, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, and Anish Khandelwal, an alumnus of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology in Nagpur, launched the Mitron app in April, 2020.

“We are seeing strong traction from smaller cities and towns across the country, with towns like Karnal, Hubli, Bhavnagar, Aligarh, Ludhiana and Vijayawada clocking more than 100,000 users”, Shivank added.

Anish Khandelwal, co-founder & CTO said, “While our user growth is very encouraging, we are keenly focusing our efforts on increasing engagement and retention of the users. On an average each user is watching 80 videos per day and with many new product features, we are confident of increasing engagement further".

Quarantinder How Gen Z Is Dating During Quarantine Globally

There’s a large, important, cultural shift happening - one we’ve seen for a while in Gen Z, but it’s now expanding because of COVID-19. The pandemic has accelerated a generational shift in the way we date and meet new people, and we’ve learned that connection is enduring, and despite social distancing, Gen-Z will find a way to sustain it.  

Here’s everything that happened on Tinder in the last few months. 

COVID got us to open up. 

The combination of being stuck at home and the fact that we were all going through the same thing at the same time led folks on Tinder to get chattier than ever. Globally, April 5th was the peak of this chattiness: on that day Tinder members sent an average of 52% more messages vs. the start of lockdowns in early March. 

In India, May 3rd was the peak of this chattiness: on that day Tinder members sent an average of 60% more messages vs. the start of lockdowns in early March - above the global average. 

“2020 made me realise”

To help users better introduce themselves to potential matches, Tinder recently released Prompts, a new in-app feature that lets members respond to questions or finish a sentence to display on their profile. Of all available Prompts, ‘2020 MADE ME REALISE’ had the highest adoption, signaling how much our daily lives have changed from every perspective--including how we gauge compatibility with potential matches on Tinder.

Quarantine led to creative hacks for hanging out. Social distancing turned us into creative digital daters. Forced to stay home, browsing Tinder became a way to socialize. At its peak, swipe volume* among members in India was up 32%. And with most places closed, many on Tinder looked to Animal Crossing to rendezvous. Early quarantine saw a 5x increase in Animal Crossing mentions in bios. 

Masks became the talk of Tinder. The early days of quarantine saw an uptick in mentions of toilet paper and hand sanitizer stockpiles within member bios, but come April there was only one accessory on everyone’s minds: face masks.  Members touted their own mask-wearing habits (show me your mask and I’ll show you mine”’) or looked for shared mask POV, (‘if you don’t wear a mask while grocery shopping, we’re not compatible’). 

While dating and socializing out of quarantine looks different around the world right now, hanging out on Tinder is showing no signs of letting up. 

Methodology

Data was pulled from March through May 2020

The information included in this campaign represents overall Tinder trends, not the personal information of any specific, identified individual or member. App activity, messaging, and biodata are representative of global Tinder activity between March and May 2020. When analysis references ‘at the peak of quarantine’, this refers to the highest point of a metric measured during the March-May 2020 period.

*Swipe volume/swipe activity defined as when a member swipes left or right on a profile.

BharatPe Launches ‘ESOP Cheque Cash Karo’ Scheme in India

BharatPe, India’s largest merchant payment and lending network company, has launched India’s first ‘ESOP Cheque Cash Karo’ scheme. All ESOP holders have been given option to sell back shares from their 1st vesting back to BharatPe.  

BharatPe has one of the most progressive ESOP schemes amongst the startups. BharatPe has 6% (US$ 25M+) of its overall equity allotted to the ESOP pool. All employees are given ESOP Grant along with appointment letter. ESOPs carry ZERO strike price. The vesting is front ended in favour of employees with 25% vesting on year 1 and thereafter 2% every month. The employees are not required to exercise the ESOPs on leaving and can time it with a liquidity event anytime up to 5 years. Now with the ‘ESOP Cheque Cash Karo’ scheme, employees will be able to enjoy liquidity upfront which will establish ESOP as valuable and liquid currency.    

Mr. Ashneer Grover, Co-Founder & CEO, BharatPe, said: “In Indian ecosystem, ESOPs have been one of the most abused and misunderstood instruments. Verbal grants, back ended vesting and last-minute changes to even documented ESOP grants have eroded employee faith in ESOPs.” 

”BharatPe is pioneering welcome change in ESOPs. BharatPe ESOP grant is like a cheque in the hands of employees. We are encouraging our employees to bank their first ESOP cheque and enjoy the value they’ve created as cash in bank. BharatPe ESOP is not a mere promise – it is an appreciating currency. 1US$ = Rs.70; 1 BharatPe ESOP = Rs.7,00,000” Ashneer added. 

Mr. Geetanshu Singla, Head of Engineering, BharatPe, said: “Really happy that the company has announced buyback of the ESOPs during the pandemic to support current and even ex-employees. It’s like a post-dated cheque. This is the first and last time I’m exercising my stock options and will hold on to them, they will be the most valuable asset that I hold"  

About BharatPe 

BharatPe was co-founded by Ashneer Grover and Shashvat Nakrani in 2018 with the vision to make financial inclusion a reality for Indian merchants. BharatPe launched India’s first UPI interoperable QR code, first ZERO MDR payment acceptance service, first UPI payment backed merchant cash advance product, and the only P2P NBFC investment product. In 2020, post Covid, BharatPe also launched India’s only ZERO MDR card acceptance terminals – BharatSwipe. Currently serving over 40 lakh merchants across 35 cities, the company has grown business 30x in 2019 and is the leader in UPI offline, processing 5 crore+ UPI transactions a month (annualized TPV of US$ 3 Bn). The company has already disbursed more than 35,000 loans (Rs. 175 crores). 

Freyr Energy Launches SunPro+, "A Revolutionary App" in India

Freyr Energy Pvt Ltd, a leading tech-enabled solar company announced the launch of SunPro+ mobile app to make it easier than ever for homeowners and businesses to transition to solar. Using SunPro+, customers will be able to learn about solar, order a system, track installation progress and monitor system performance on their own.

Today, many businesses and homeowners face high electricity bills. Investing in a solar rooftop system, that has a life of 25 years, ensures reduced dependency on grid power and decreases electricity bill up to 90%.

While benefits of solar are well established, transitioning to solar has not always been easy for customers.  Many customers defer their solar purchase due to unavailability of accurate and relevant information to help with decision making. Lack of transparency, hidden costs and no after-sales support are other hindrances customers face regularly. Finally, customers also end up with the hassle of dealing with 3-4 different entities through the journey of owning a solar system. These things undermine customer experience and slow down adoption of rooftop solar.

With the SunPro+ App, anyone interested in solar can download the app, get a quote, place an order, track system installation and monitor system performance. The AI-enabled technology ensures that users get information relevant and specific to their needs. In addition to this, the chat feature – SunBot addresses queries instantly. Post-installation, customers also get useful notifications, e.g., when to clean the solar panels, how much electricity was generated, and savings realised. All system related documents such as purchase order, warranty certificates, work competition reports etc are available in SunPro+ ensuring customer has all required information for the lifetime of the solar system. 

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Saurabh Marda, Managing Director, Freyr Energy Pvt Ltd, said, “At Freyr, we believe that anyone who uses electricity from grid or diesel can switch to solar and become part of this green energy movement. With the SunPro+ App, we want to set a benchmark in terms of what customer experience should be when he/she decides to go for a solar system. SunPro+ helps customers make the switch to solar confidently and realize their goals, whether that is maximizing savings in electricity bills, switching to a clean source of power amongst other benefits.” 

SunPro+ App is supplemented by Freyr Energy’s Pan-India sales and installation network to provide a seamless solar experience and value for money for its customers.

About Freyr Energy Pvt Ltd:

Freyr Energy Pvt Ltd was founded in 2014, with a goal to make solar energy affordable and accessible for homes and businesses across the country. It is one of the fastest-growing solar companies in India with 1,500+ customers across 22 states.

YES BANK Launches Banking Services on WhatsApp; Brings 60+ Products and Services to the Popular Messaging App

Uninterrupted banking Now Just a Message Away

* 24x7 Banking assistance, without the need for branch visits for key services

* Fully secure interactions with end to end encryption

* Potential customers can apply for 60+ products and services through WhatsApp

YES BANK announced the launch of WhatsApp banking services to empower customers and enable them to bank securely from the safety of their homes. This is in line with the Bank’s strategy of building a transformed ‘Digital Bank’ by making banking simpler and intuitive for customers.

Customers can now check their savings account balance, view recent transactions & digital banking products, avail loan against fixed deposits, order cheque book, report unauthorized transactions, connect with Contact centre via call or email, apply for 60+ products & services, donate to PM CARES Fund, view COVID-19 relief package, redeem reward points and locate nearby ATMs and branches, all just through a message.

Built on an AI enabled 24*7 personal banking assistant, YES ROBOT, banking through WhatsApp provides convenience as well as highest level of information security - the messages are secured with end to end encryption. Also, the green badge against the Bank’s name ensures that customers are interacting with a verified business account.

Key benefits of YES BANK WhatsApp banking services

* Trained for 10,000+ Banking related queries

* Powered by AI-enabled chatbot, YES ROBOT with Microsoft Azure’s cognitive services

* 24*7 Banking assistance on-the-go

* No additional app download needed

* Safe and secure transactions with end-to-end encryption

* Easy access and convenient banking

Commenting on the launch, Ritesh Pai, Chief Digital Officer, YES BANK, said “We are pleased to offer the convenience of round the clock banking assistance on WhatsApp, a platform that customers are familiar with and use frequently. The banking requests from customers will be addressed on a real-time basis through the messaging platform, thereby making banking more efficient. YES BANK will continue to leverage technology to create simple and innovative solutions for customers to enjoy banking services in a seamless and secure manner.”

To activate WhatsApp banking services:

Missed call: Give a missed call on +91-829-120-1200 to receive an SMS with a link to activate services.           

Save the contact: Save +91-829-120-1200 to contacts, open WhatsApp application and say ‘Hi’ to get started.           

Click Hi: Click on 'Hi' on YES BANK website (bitly link) and start chatting.     

About YES BANK

YES BANK is a ‘Full Service Commercial Bank’ providing a complete range of products, services and technology driven digital offerings, catering to Retail, MSME as well as corporate clients. YES BANK operates its Investment banking, Merchant banking & Brokerage businesses through YES SECURITIES and its Mutual Fund business through YES Asset Management (India) Limited, both wholly owned subsidiaries of the Bank. Headquartered in Mumbai, it has a pan-India presence across all 28 states and 8 Union Territories in India including an IBU at GIFT City, and a Representative Office in Abu Dhabi.

Upping the Game of Remote Working, Feedback Sharing App ‘Clink’ Launched by Dockabl with USD 500K Project Investment

Highlights

Clink is now live on Apple App Store and Google Play Store for users

The platform extends free membership to first 10,000 users for Clink’s team++ plan

With Clink, Dockabl plans to foray into Southeast Asian and North American markets by September 2020

Addressing a visible need-gap in digital collaboration, Dockabl - one of the leading HR Tech Startups based out of India - announces the launch of ‘Clink’, a feedback sharing mobile application. Clink helps in the continuous performance and development of teams by sharing, organizing, and analyzing feedback in real-time. Dockabl has raised USD 1.3 Million till date out of which they made an initial investment of USD 500k amount in building the new product. Clink plans to foray into Southeast Asian and North American markets by September 2020. 

Clink helps organizations and teams to advance themselves on a higher growth trajectory. It does so by improving their feedback sharing in real-time and unlocking relevant actionable insights. Clink aims to reach 50,000 users by September 2020 and 1 million globally by June 2021. The app is now live on Apple App Store and Google Play Store for teams. Clink has extended a free membership to first 10,000 users for Clink’s  team++ plan

Some of its highlights include:

‘Cheer’ and ‘Boost’ framework: The framework enables recognition and constructive feedback, thereby driving holistic engagement and effectiveness.

Plug-ins for Gmail and Slack: The plug-ins enable employees to curate and organize relevant feedback onto Clink. The platform is building similar plug-ins for  Microsoft Teams and Outlook. 

Integrations with Jira and Google Calendar: Clink automates feedback requests on the completion of tasks, projects, or meetings from relevant stakeholders.

Analytics and Insights: Based on proprietary algorithms, NLP, and AI, Clink gives its users actionable and accurate feedback. The approach empowers them to perform better and nurture their skills.

Commenting on the launch, Samarth Masson, Co-founder at Dockabl & Clink, said “In Oct 2019, during a product design war room, our team reached a pivotal conclusion, to build a feedback sharing app. We had three big reasons for this decision. Firstly, almost all HR Tech start-ups were building OKR. Yet, no one could crack continuous performance. Secondly, feedback from clients was to make the process simple & more integrated. Lastly, there is a need to build a culture of feedback sharing. Platforms need to be able to support these workflows. We then decided to take things head-on and solve one problem. Enabling feedback sharing to encourage continuous performance.”

Clink is ideal for the global remote working needs during the New Normal. The lack of face-to-face feedback has created a considerable void for teams and organizations at present. Clink aims to address this void and redefine the evolution of feedback sharing within organizations. Its analytics and insights are built on proprietary algorithms along with NLP and AI. The approach gives accurate and actionable feedback to across-the-board stakeholders. 

The application also creates a work-life score based on the performance of an individual. Any team member can create a public or private project using Clink. They can also receive 'Upvotes' on the project feed and share key recognitions on social media including Facebook and LinkedIn. 

“Clink has already executed pilots with organizations such as Rentomojo, Bajaj Finserv, TSMG, KPMG, Think Talent, Vahura, Razorpay to name a few. Through word-of-mouth Clink has also secured confirmations to go live with teams in organizations such as Chqbook, BluSmart, Ivy Mobility, Career Partners International (North America).” added, Sanjeev Grover, Co-founder at Dockabl & Clink.

About Dockabl

Dockabl is an employee experience platform that enables organizations to drive business performance and culture. Via Dockabl, organizations can transition to a continuous and real-time performance management system which benefits both the growth of the organization & its employees. A SaaS-based platform, Dockabl provides a unique value proposition to various stakeholders, alike (employees, managers, project leaders, HR process owners, and CEOs). Porter, Holidayme, AirSeva, Rentomojo, Bajaj Finserv Health, Bajaj Finserv Direct, SHOPX, Samunnati, Air Seva are a few of the notable companies that are already using Dockabl. The platform works effectively for all sizes of organizations ranging from start-ups to large conglomerates.

Garmin and PhysioQ Join Hand to Drive Data-Driven Study to Accelerate COVID-19 Research

Garmin India has announced an exclusive partnership with PhysioQ, a non-profit organization that will connect registered users’ health data from Garmin smartwatches to PhysioQ-Neo platform. The platform has been launched specifically focusing on the COVID-19 research. This connected self-monitoring system allows users to proactively monitor their own and their family members’ vitals through the Neo mobile app.

PhysioQ- Neo is working exclusively with Garmin to collect key health data – Heart Rate, Respiration and SpO2 through their smartwatches. Data shared by PhysioQ-Neo  users will be anonymized and aggregated to aid medical researchers studying novel coronavirus to combat this and future pandemics. This will be a freely available tool for all researchers.

Sharing his thoughts on the new partnership to fight COVID-19, Mr. Ali Rizvi, Director of Garmin India said, “We at Garmin, are extremely delighted to partner with PhysioQ. It is a big step that we have taken towards fighting the battle against the pandemic. With the collected data and the support from PhysioQ research tools, we will be able to provide people with the ability to monitor their health status and well as their family members. This will provide peace of mind to families who are feeling anxious, and worried about the health of their loved ones. We are looking forward to a fruitful association and we are confident that this data driven research will help the researchers in studying the future trends.”

Talking with immense experience of taking care of 50+ Covid-19 patients, Dr. Andrew Cei Ahn, MD, MPH Assistant Professor of Medicine & Radiology at Harvard Medicine School said, “I think it is a game-changer to have an oxygen sensor while being at home, using a wearable device that is affordable. To have Garmin onboard and to have the data available to the researchers is just extremely great for us clinical researchers. Many device manufacturers simply don’t make the raw data available to the user. For Garmin to willingly make the data available to the users and the researchers is just a huge step because that enables us to really analyze the data. Garmin is at the forefront of pioneering in this area and it is a big opportunity for us to fight COVID-19 together.”

Medical professionals around the world are still trying to understand the implications and effects of COVID-19. Early recognition of symptoms will allow for timely medical treatment, and the data can easily be exported for medical professionals to refer to.

Receiving an overwhelming response for PhysioQ-Neo, Christopher Peng, PhysioQ-NEO Co-founder & President said, “In Addition to Garmin’s reputation as a leader in wearable devices as well as with the work they have already done for clinical and medical researchers, we are working with Garmin because they will provide the data we need to see, including high resolution heart rate variability, all day monitoring of blood oxygen saturation, respiration and a lot more. ‘The share your data to defeat COVID-19’ initiative that we have started with Garmin is an effort to help the researchers get the information they need outside the hospital to understand the disease. Garmin users can actually donate their data and make a difference in fighting against this pandemic diseases. We hope that maximum number of people will join NEO in supporting this initiative.”

PhysioQ’s Neo app will be available on Android and iOS platforms for free and is compatible with Garmin’s range of smartwatches that tracks SpO2, including the latest Venu, vívoactive 4, vívomove 3 series, Forerunner 245/245M, Forerunner 945, fēnix 6 series, vívosmart 4, and fēnix® 5X Plus.

To know more about Garmin and PhysioQ-Neo partnership and how to access the app please visit: https://physioq.org/neo?SG-PROMO

About Garmin

Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin, Instinct and Trackback are registered trademarks, and Garmin Connect, Garmin Explore, and UltraTrac is a trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Five Sanitization Products for Hospitality and Aviation Industry

In a bid to revive traveler reliance in the tourism and hospitality industry which is badly struck by coronavirus outbreak, cleaning standards have been greatly enhanced for every facet of the hotels, resorts, and flights.

The quality, hygiene, and safety are one of the most critical success factors in tourism. Following weeks of ceased operations that permitted time for extensive planning the hotel, tourism, and hospitality industry along with the aviation sector have elevated safety and sanitization protocols.

As we have already passed the first phase of Unlock-1, contactless procedures and safe removing measures are turning into the new typical basics because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Safety and sanitation protocols are being applied in maintenance and operational areas, with the use of upgraded disinfecting products and increased frequency.

Here are 5 sanitization products essential for safe tourism:

The UVD Robot

The UVD Robots stands for UV Disinfection Robots The UVD Robot is used as part of the regular cleaning cycle, and aims at preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases, viral, bacteria, and other types of harmful organic microorganisms in the environment by breaking down their DNA-structure. The robot is safe, reliable, and eliminates human error. Furthermore, it is user friendly and is designed to be operated by every-day cleaning staff. UVD Robots' inventive arrangement, which joins profound microbiological know-how, self-ruling robot innovation, and bright light to make the world's best UV-C based sanitization arrangement, has been demonstrated to kill pathogens like coronavirus and microscopic organisms.

Milagrow imap9

Milagrow Humantech has deployed imap9, a floor disinfecting robot that can navigate and sanitize the floors without any human intervention at various places, including hotels, airports, museums, hospitals, offices, etc. The robot moves around autonomously without falling, avoiding obstruction while planning its own path, guided by LIDAR and advanced SLAM technology. Milagrow’s patented Real Time Terrain Recognition Technology (RT2RT) scans at 3600, 6 times per second to make a floor map in real-time with an accuracy of upto 8mm over a 16m distance. This enables the iMap 9 to perform successfully in the first attempt, whereas other robots can take twice or thrice the time. Additionally, the robot can do zoning, virtual blocking of avoidable areas, and sequential cleaning of zones based on specific needs.

Zesta

Launched for the first time in India by Zestaindia.com, Wall Mounted Automatic Thermometer is exactly the product you need for safe tourism in hotels and airports. Gone are the times when you see a person standing with a handheld thermometer to check the temperatures. With Zesta’s Wall Mounted Automatic Thermometer, you can just install it at the entrances of hospitals, hotels, airports and other public areas and let everyone scan themselves with zero physical contact. This thermometer is easy to install anywhere and comes with color code alarm, fast and accurate detection. Priced at 10,999, it is available at all leading online platforms like Flipkart and Amazon.

Plasma Air Purifiers

Plasma air purifiers are equipped with very small filters that have the capability to catch small particles that other types of filters easily miss. This means that Plasma Air Purifier is able to reduce/eliminate the amount of not only bacteria and viruses but other harmful particles, such as dust, smoke, and pollen.

While respiratory droplets are considered the primary transmission route, experts strongly suspect some form of aerosol transmission may be occurring. Plasma Air’s HVAC-mounted ionizers use proactive air purification technologies to deactivate airborne viruses safely. The air purifiers are available on their official website Plasma Air.

PCE Instrument Thermal Scanner

PCE-TC 34 is a thermal imaging camera used for visual inspection and non-contact infrared (IR) temperature measurement. It is ideal for industrial use in electrical, mechanical, and building installations (such as in the auditing of machines, engines, or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems).

This can be used to monitor the temperatures of people entering a particular public place and record all the data.

This is a high-definition, high-resolution thermal imager that captures and saves 640 x 480 pixel IR resolution images to the included SD card memory at a refresh rate of 50.

How women are Making it Big in Business Via WhatsApp-Based Social Commerce?

By Varun Khurana, Founder, Otipy ( India’s fastest growing social commerce venture)

 

Social commerce is not a new concept in the country major chunk of social commerce existed only in the fashion, beauty, and retail industries. Today, social commerce is gaining popularity for one of the fundamental aspects of life – fresh food. Fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables have become the most in-demand products as people switch to healthier ways of living and are eager to know the source.  

 

A USD 200 Billion fresh produce category is now witnessing major disruption through social commerce. It is garnering the attention of consumer, entrepreneurs, and investors, . In fact, consumers are increasingly preferring their food sourced through social commerce for various reasons such as higher credibility, rational price and most importantly, fresher produce (delivered within a day straight from the farms sometime within 12 hrs). For women looking to be a part of the business environment without monetary investment, social commerce within the food category is the ideal solution. Let us take a look at how social commerce is playing a key role in helping women make it big in business.

 

The rise of social commerce

Increasing internet penetration and social media usage have paved the way for the rise of social commerce. A majority of the population today uses and is in fact hooked onto social media and brands are leveraging this aspect. With the rise in demand for fresh produce, women are joining hands with brands to become resellers within their community to make a mark for themselves in their community by leveraging social commerce. Currently, fresh produce is a supply-led model and social commerce is flipping it to demand-led model that further helps in solving the problem of middlemen and wastage (since there is no inventory). Apart from this, it helps resellers connect with their customers-base efficiently and offer real-time feedback to the farmers regarding the quality of the produce.

 

The emergence of women as dominant sellers

 For the first time, women are taking the center stage in spurring the adoption of e-commerce and helping the industry as well as themselves progress. The advent of technology, rapid digitization of businesses, and easy access have helped drive this change. For women sellers, a slew of features aided by cutting-edge technology such as voice chats/chatbots, real-time updates and feedback to the farmers, and most importantly, WhatsApp-based marketing is coming handy to open more doors to become micro-entrepreneurs.         

Additionally, women sellers also have a higher average order value, better retention and repeat orders, making them more suitable. In fact, not just urban cities, but women resellers hail from tier-II and tier-III catchment areas are hopping on the fresh produce social commerce bandwagon to fulfil their goals and achieve financial independence with almost no investment. A whopping 68% of women in most platforms sell from tier-II and tier-III cities.

 

Women sellers also help customers gain the trust factor for unbranded products since they usually tend to lean towards known/established brands. In return, social commerce platforms offer easy access for women to build an entrepreneurial empire of their own through community engagement without hindrances. Particularly in vernacular language-led social commerce platforms, women are dominating the space, even though the concept is still at a very nascent stage. They are learning the tricks of the trade and are keen on flourishing in the competitive business environment.

 

Social commerce is quickly becoming a multi-million-dollar market in India. However, the country has a largely unorganized market, particularly in tier-II, tier-III and tier-IV cities, especially for the fresh produce category with millions of farmers scattered across the country. Additionally, shopping for fresh produce is a social concept of sorts. Since the pandemic has forced us to adhere to social distancing norms, social commerce is flourishing and women are leading the way. With technological advancements, greater digitization and the availability of regional languages providing easy access and seamless experience, the rise of women entrepreneurs through social commerce is inevitable.  

Sylo Partners with Indian Exchange Bitbns to Serve the Indian Market

Global software development house Sylo has officially partnered with premiere Indian exchange, Bitbns, to better serve the Indian market’s growing demand for legitimate crypto-projects.

A unique place where the old and new worlds collide, it’s clearer every day to those watching the market that #IndiaWantsCrypto

Bitbns, a bona fide cryptocurrency exchange and one of India’s first, represents a significant partnership for Sylo that is positioned to help extend key functionalities into the experience of Sylo Smart Wallet users. 

The Sylo-Bitbns alliance is one that makes sense across business and product levels - with both partners sharing the belief that “digital currencies are the future of money” and are an area to which users need straightforward access.

Through their partnership, Sylo and Bitbns aim to take cryptocurrency usage to the mainstream in India.

Often deemed complex, Sylo solves one of the biggest hurdles to the normalisation of cryptocurrency through the Sylo Smart Wallet, a highly-usable app designed from conception to “make crypto simple”.

The move for a more dedicated expansion into India will not come as a surprise to anyone keeping an eye on the Sylo success story. Recently, the tech firm revealed that in Q2 2020, they had already seen a 500% growth in sign ups to the Sylo Smart Wallet app from India, with Indian users now making up 30% of the app’s more than 250,000 strong overall user-base.

"India's new-found enthusiasm for digital assets and privacy after the restriction of certain privacy-hogging apps like WeChat and TikTok, has presented a significant opportunity to offer India a ‘WeChat’ of sorts that incorporates all the best elements of new generation communications tech, without the privacy concerns, and with the added benefits of crypto assets,” says Bitbns CEO Gaurav Dahake. 

“This is an area where the Sylo Smart Wallet, being developed on decentralised infrastructure, is primed to address, and a key reason we’re excited about this partnership opportunity.”

Sylo also offers a solution for the unbanked of India. In terms of barriers to get started on Sylo, there are very few - neither a sign up cost nor the mandatory provision of an email address or phone number is required in order to create a Sylo Smart Wallet account.

The result of this forward-thinking is the ability to instantly provide millions of people with access to de-fi services. Using the Sylo Smart Wallet, users can request and receive payments in chat, store and interact with digital assets  such as Bitcoin or any ERC-20 compatible token, such as Ether or BAT, in the non-custodial wallet.

“We realised a long time ago that in order to see widespread adoption, we needed to make interacting with crypto as simple as any other activity you might do on a smartphone,” says Dorian Johannink, Sylo Co-Founder and Business Director. “That’s why sending and receiving cryptocurrency in the Sylo Smart Wallet is as straightforward as sending a message.”

“Our design team have worked hard to create an app that is clean, fast, intuitive, and astonishingly simple to use. The Sylo Smart Wallet user statistics speak for themselves, the app has been available for just ten months and already has over a quarter of a million users. We’re confident that Sylo can meet India’s desire to get in the crypto game.”

Other features of the app include the ability to send messages, make audio and video calls, utilise a Web3 Ethereum dApp browser to spend crypto, and to pay using cryptocurrency in the real world at relevant vending machines.

The Sylo-Bitbns partnership will also see the SYLO token, an ERC20-compatible utility token that fuels the Sylo Network, listed on the Bitbns platform as of July 23, 2020.

Rgyan App Helping Young India To Create a Socio Spiritual Networking Platform

Empathy and compassion can provide healing and solace to our beautiful mind in these turbulent times.

If data of suicides is taken into consideration during the lockdown and Unlock 1.0, because of depression, The mental isolation is proving more dangerous than coronavirus these days. 

Also, some days back, the news of the banning of Tiktok and other 59 chinese apps was in the discussion, but in the meantime, cases of suicides have also increased. It is also being said that people, especially teenagers were being very upset due to the banning of Tik-Tok and because of it, some committed suicide. 

What is this depression actually? Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.

When the Indian Government banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, many questioned what would happen to those who used TikTok as a platform to share their content and made some money from it? Well, there is an Indian version of the app, “RGYAN”, which unlike its existing social media platforms which produces minimal thoughtful content, it is a “Social Spiritual Networking Platform which helps in creating a community of intellectuals and motivated individuals seeking truths about life”. 

It is a socio-spiritual technology startup founded on the belief of empowerment of participation by creating a spiritual social network. It can also be compared to “Spiritual Instagram with a touch of Quora”. Rgyan promotes thoughtful content on various non-trivial topics necessary to find important truths about life. It expects to do so by facilitating sharing of thoughts on various subjective matters. Amidst social media sites that promote banality and silliness, Rgyan stands out as a platform where meaningful content is shared and discussions are heard. It is available on both web as well as a mobile application on android play store in English and Hindi Languages. 

To use Rgyan, users can log in by creating an account using a registered phone number or explore its services as an anonymous user. The app allows users to express and share their thoughts through pictures, videos, text, GIFs, or as real-time discussions. Content shared on Rgyan is centred around spirituality, health and wellness, motivational quotes and various other pertinent topics. The Rgyan app offers the flexibility of a User Generated Content Model (UGC) with that of curated content available on Divinity, Daily Horoscope, and aggregated news on spiritual and social matters.

Speaking about this Made in India App, Rgyan’s success, Mr. Debjit Patra, Founder and Chairman, Rgyan said “There was a need for such a meaningful social platform where people can get knowledge as well as they can share their thoughts on various meaningful matters which Rgyan is giving right now. Starting back in 2016 with just a vision and now having more than 1 million monthly views on the platform, we have come a long way,  but this is not the limit as we know in the coming time more and more people will love Rgyan ''.

About Rgyan

Rgyan is a  socio spiritual tech startup started in the year end of 2016 with the classification of curated content on Divinity, Daily Horoscope and aggregated News on spiritual and social matters. Slowly it has evolved into a complete Spiritual Social Networking platform through which users can express and share their thoughts/content (Through Pics, Videos, Text, GIF or in a discussion manner) related to spiritual matters, health tips, motivational Quotes and many more meaningful categories.

Intermiles Offers Opportunities to Earn Daily with Intermiles Everyday

InterMiles, the leading loyalty & rewards programme, has introduced an expanded range of opportunities that will enable members to broad-base their earning potential of the digital rewards currency, InterMiles. ‘InterMiles Everyday’ will enable members to earn assured InterMiles as they conduct their daily transactions.

The lockdown has prompted new habits and behaviors to take hold as members adjusted to a disruption in availability products, access to services and social distancing norms. Taking cognizance of increase in adoption of digital services, InterMiles App will provide meaningful opportunities for members to earn more across activities such as online learning & reading, retail, healthcare, bill payment & recharges, and gift cards, through ‘InterMiles Everyday’.

Mr. Vikas Chandak, Senior VP & Head – Business & Strategic Partnerships, InterMiles said, “We are excited to share with our members that InterMiles earning is no longer occasion driven, it is every day. InterMiles Everyday allows our members to find quick and easy ways to earn InterMiles on a daily basis via our App and engage with various aspects of the program. The pandemic has prompted consumers to actively seek convenient ways of interacting with brands. InterMiles Everyday is in sync with the evolving habits, lifestyle & constraints of our member community and offers instant miles earning opportunities. As we grow InterMiles Everyday, we hope to make the InterMiles earning a very rewarding daily habit.”

As new habits take hold, members are spending a lot more time online – buying, learning, accessing entertainment and building social connections have all become increasingly virtual. Towards making InterMiles earning an everyday habit, InterMiles Everyday has opened a range of fun & engaging activities like Quizzes and Games which members can enjoy while sitting at home. Additionally, encouraging our members to stay fit, InterMiles Everyday will allow members to earn miles for steps they take on a daily basis through its new feature Step to Miles. Through unique partnerships InterMiles enables its members to earn miles for all their online shopping across players like Amazon, Flipkart and Zivame, as well as while learning on Udemy, Economist, TedX and Eduonix. InterMiles is continuously expanding these partnerships towards becoming more relevant on a daily basis.

InterMiles serves as a ubiquitous, alternate currency of choice that members can earn on every spend as well as use accumulated InterMiles for a reward of their choice. Members can continue unlocking rewards across Amazon, Shoppers Stop, Flipkart, and over 2,500 merchandise options on the InterMiles Reward store.

About InterMiles

InterMiles is one of the world’s leading Loyalty & Rewards Programme. - Its ubiquitous rewards and recognition currency, also called InterMiles, helps close to 10 million InterMiles members fulfil their travel and lifestyle aspirations. The program lets members make every day transactions and lifestyle experiences more rewarding by earning InterMiles across, essential services, healthcare, wellness, learning, shopping, dining, travel and more. Members can then redeem these miles for over 2,500 merchandise options.

LAVA Brings its Service Centre to You with Service on the Wheels

Indian Mobile handset brand, Lava International Limited, launched a unique customer service program to provide service and repair facility to its customers at their location. Lava’s Service on Wheels will enable customers to get access to Lava service centre at their city/town/village without having to travel to the service centres for fixing their phones.

Lava’s Service on Wheels has been launched in districts of UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Bihar and will be expanded to 300+ locations by the end of the year. This is in addition to Lava’s current service strength of 800+ service centres throughout the country.

Speaking about this launch Satya Sati, Head- Customer Service, Lava International said- “Providing excellent after sales service to our customers along with quick turnaround time has been our key focus at Lava. We understand that during these unprecedented times there is a lot of anxiety and apprehension in travelling to the nearest service centre. To ease our customers we thought of this unique program through which we can take our service centres to our customers.”

Service on Wheels is being offered through Lava authorised technicians who will travel to nearby areas/markets including rural locations and help their customers. These Lava authorized technicians will follow the requisite social distancing norms. Technician will carry all necessary spare parts and replacement devices and repair the handset on the spot. In case of any major repairs the handset will be taken to the service centre and delivered to the customer during the next visit of service on wheels.

Snapchat Rolls Out ‘Here For You’ Features in the Indian Market

Snap Inc. (NYSE: SNAP) today, launched Here for You in India, a feature that provides in-app support to Snapchatters who may be experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis or those who want to learn more about these issues in order to help friends. Mariwala Health Initiative and the Manas Foundation are the first partners in India, who have created resources around anxiety, depression, loneliness, suicide and general mental health.

The creation of Here for You was informed by research conducted late last year into how Snapchatters and their friends experience mental health. Snapchat found an overwhelming majority of Snapchatters experience feelings of stress and anxiety and that their friends are the first people they turn to when they need help, more than professionals - or even their parents. They also see their friends as the most positive force in their lives - consistent with other studies that have shown that spending time with friends can be one of the most effective ways to combat feelings of loneliness and depression. The research also revealed that many young people are deeply interested in understanding these issues, and how they can support friends who are struggling with them. 

“At Snap, we have always been inspired by the power real friendships have in supporting health and happiness. Now more than ever, in a socially distanced world, we see friendship and connection is vital to our wellbeing. Here For You was designed to empower our community with resources to help themselves, as well as educate on how to spot signs in loved ones. It’s great to partner with Mariwala Health Initiative and the Manas Foundation to do this - organisations with a great wealth of experience and expertise in India,” said Jennifer Park Stout, VP of Global Public Policy, Snap.

“These are unprecedented times. COVID-19 has changed how we live our lives, how we work or study, how we connect with each other and more. We are collectively experiencing feelings of worry, stress, tension, anxiety, numbness, sadness - which are all routine responses to periods of crises. It is therefore crucial to have mental health resources available and accessible for those experiencing distress. Platforms like Snapchat provide a powerful medium to disseminate these resources. Our videos discuss how to deal with stress and anxiety, how to support a loved one experiencing distress and ways to enhance mental well-being through mindfulness/grounding exercises,” said Raj Mariwala, Director, Mariwala Health Initiative.

“For over two decades we have been striving to demystify mental health in India. Students, facing school and college closures, are missing out on robust dialogues, outdoors, experiential learning and interpersonal interactions that add to their well-being. For many, the loss of routine is also leading to erratic eating and sleeping schedules; which is directly linked to one’s mental health. This launch is a unique opportunity for users to relate with mental health as part of their everyday life. We want to tell them that it is ok to talk about mental health and Snapchat and Manas are here for you,” said Naveen Kumar

Trustee & Psychologist, Manas Foundation.

Here For You will be available to Snapchatters in India from today. They can access resources by searching for words such as ‘anxiety’, ‘depression’, ‘loneliness’, ‘suicide’, ‘mental health’ and ‘wellbeing’. The content covers topics such as ways to cope with mental health issues and how to spot signs in loved ones, as well as questions from the community, answered by clinical psychologists and mental health professionals. Each ends with further information on the Manas Foundation and Mariwala Health Initiative, and advice on how to contact a trained counsellor directly for help.

The Here For You feature  is part of a concerted effort designed to educate and empower the Snapchat community to look after themselves, and support friends who might be struggling with their own social and emotional wellbeing. Other features announced recently at Snap’s Partner Summit in June include a partnership with Headspace, new Snap Originals and expanded in-app tools.

Homegrown Startup Trell Surpasses International Social Networking Giants like Twitter and Pinterest in India

Homegrown Startups 

* With over 45 million downloads, 20 million monthly active users, the lifestyle community commerce app witnesses a 25x surge in last 1 year

With the increasing demand for home-grown apps in India, the Lifestyle content commerce platform Trell has surpassed International Social Networking Giants like Twitter and Pinterest in India with more than 5 million daily active users. Trending at #1 in Free Lifestyle Apps, the platform has received 1.2M uploads in a single day with 400K+ New content creators.

 

With the bold decision by the Indian Government, budding startups like Trell are emerging as a leading industry player in the space. In comparison with Trell, Pinterest and Twitter have also seen an upsurge after the ban on the Chinese app with more than 2 Million DAU on Pinterest and 4.4 million DAU on twitter.

Popularly known as Video Pinterest for Bharat, Trell is the go-to platform for users to share their experiences, recommendations, and reviews across various categories including health and fitness, beauty and skincare, travel, movie reviews, cooking, home-décor and much more. The lifestyle vlogging platform allows users to create 3-5-minute videos in their native languages along with a ‘shop’ feature that lets them purchase the products featured in the vlogs. Additionally, the platform also allows users to earn rewards, goodies and vacations through its interface.

Commenting on the development, Pulkit Agarwal, Co-Founder - Trell said, “We are very excited to see the regular developments on the platform and the increasing interest from users and content creators. With this opportunity, the Indian Internet Startups can grow faster and build a superior experience for the consumers in the long run which was being capped by the established players earlier.”

Since its inception in 2017, Trell has been committed to serving the Lifestyle content needs of vernacular consumers across the country with over 60% of its users hailing from tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Trell has recently launched its platform in three new languages; Marathi, Kannada and Bengali, making the total count to 8 languages (Additionally, Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam) active so far. 

Indian Apps Making a Clear Win Post Ban of Chinese Apps

This is the demonetisation moment for many Indian companies, with Prime Minister addressing to be ‘Atmanirbhar ‘ it has opened several opportunities for many young entrepreneurs, product specialists to enter the blooming ‘Vocal for Local’ market. Ban of 59 Chinese apps has given push and opportunities to many ‘Made in India’ companies. Many users of the Chinese apps have been looking for a good alternatives to start creating content again. If you are also looking for Indian alternatives, here is all you need.

1.      Mitron: Mitron a short video-making app platform Made in India. The app allows users to reimagine digital entertain and engagement which is designed for people to showcase their innovative videos online with the theme of light humour. You can create, edit and share your videos as well as browse through a library of top videos across the globe. Just over a day after the Government of India announced a ban on several Chinese apps, popular short-form social video app Mitron reported that its daily traffic jumped up by more than 11 times. Mitron has crossed 21 million downloads, Mitron app has been one of the most downloaded apps in India during the last two months with 40million video views per hour. Nearly 1 Million new videos created per day on the platform

2.      Trell: Popularly known as Video Pinterest for Bharat, Trell is the go-to platform for users to share their experiences, recommendations, and reviews across various categories including health and fitness, beauty and skincare, travel, movie reviews, cooking, home-décor and much more. The lifestyle vlogging platform allows users to create 3-5-minute videos in their native languages along with a ‘shop’ feature that lets them purchase the products featured in the vlogs. Additionally, the platform also allows users to earn rewards, goodies and vacations through its interface. Trell records a whopping 12+ million new downloads since the Chinese app ban. Trending #1 in Free Lifestyle Apps, the platform has received 500K original content uploads in a single day with 220K New content creators on board. With over 40 million downloads, 20 million monthly active users the lifestyle community commerce app witnesses a 25x surge in last 1 year

3.      Rooter:In Sports, Rooter is a very unique product and has built a strong moat for its business with fans and community-driven content. India’s only and biggest User Generated Content platform for Sports and Gaming. Rooter’s unique product positioning is in Live Content Technology that allows tools like Sports commentary, Live Quizzes, Mobile Game streaming etc. Rooter offers a personalized sports feed consisting of videos, images, polls etc & Scorecards in 10 Indian languages covering Cricket, Football, and multiple other sports. Rooter has witnessed 8x growth in daily users since the Chinese apps ban.

4.      Khabri: Khabri is a podcast application with more than a million downloads, is turning out to be a great platform for creators in Hindi-speaking markets across India. With around 40,000 influencers already on the platform, the company has got over 5,000 new influences onboard in the last two days. "Influencers can join 'Earn With Khabri' programme through Khabri Studio App and make their channel on which they can start creating content and publish it on Khabri App. There is an opportunity to earn from day one through 'Gigs' in addition to regular monthly earning basis content consumption"

5.      Sharechat: A social media startup, Sharechat is an Indian initiative to share daily WhatsApp messages, status across 15 Indian languages. What started out as a sharing only platform developed into enabling users to generate content to share posters, images, audios, GIFs and hashtags.

Dedicated Amazon Prime Video App Now Available on All Windows 10 Devices Across Indian Market

Customers in India can now access Prime Video through a dedicated app available on the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 devices.

Using the new Amazon Prime Video for Windows app, customers are now able to stream Prime Video content online or download Prime Video content for offline viewing on their device. This feature only works through the app on the Windows 10 operating system and includes desktop PCs, laptops, and tablets. The online streaming experience will be the same as the current experience on the Prime Video website today.

Customers can find the new Amazon Prime Video for PC app through the Microsoft Store on their Windows 10 device.