SAP Ganges Launch; India Retailing To Come Of Age

By Manu Sharma

Finally retailing in India will come of age. At the on-going SAP TechEd 2013 summit in Bangalore, the German software company announced the rollout of SAP Ganges, a business network built on the SAP HANA cloud platform will connects the last mile in retail consisting of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies, distributors, banks, and your neighboring mom and pop or kirana retail stores.

According to industry sources, about 9.3 million retailers are in India today and that amounts to 40 percent of the world's retailers, However, most of them are in the unorganized kirana stores. Only 4 percent of India’s retail market is the organized sector i.e. controlled by large supermarket or chain stores, while in China the share is about 20 percent and in Brazil 36 percent .

Technology is reshaping the world around us and is removing barriers across geographies and businesses. Customers are seeking out the best offers, the best prices, and the best service levels with the help of real-time data. It has become imperative for CPG companies to work off a foundation of optimal processes across their entire value chain. The SAP HANA cloud platform powers the business network with real-time data on a massive scale.

Vishal Sikka, member of the Executive Board of SAP AG, Products and Innovation, said: "With SAP Ganges, we have shown that SAP HANA has the ability to transform and evolve entire industries in India. SAP HANA is helping connect businesses of all sizes in real-time: from the millions of kirana stores; to the large CPG companies serving them, and the financial institutions supporting them; by bringing new value to all points along this network and empowering people to conduct businesses in a totally open, transparent and real-time way."

Developed in India (Bangalore) for the Indian market by a team of 10 developers along with 75 more outsourced globally, SAP Ganges is a business network offering seamless connectivity for CPG companies to the last mile of their supply chain, which consists of millions of unorganized retail stores. Other partners in the business network are: distributors of the consumer product companies; banks, which provide credit to the retailers; value-added services providers; telecom services providers which enable remote connectivity; and manufacturers of affordable point-of-sale (POS) devices.

Conceptualized through intensive design thinking-based co-innovation with leading industry players, SAP Ganges offers a range of holistic offerings for different stakeholders including:

* CPG companies: enabling visibility through reporting and forecasting based on sales information aggregated from the retail stores. In addition, they can use SAP Ganges as a direct marketing channel to reach retail stores.

* Distributors: providing the distributor to take orders, track inventory at the retail stores, and to allow them to receive payments digitally.

* Banks: enabling banks to assess credit eligibility of retailers and to adjust credit limit periodically based on retail store sales.

* Retail Stores: enabling retail stores to connect to business network using PoS devices and to access business services.

According to the India Brand Equity Foundation, the Indian fast moving consumer goods sector consisting of personal care, household care, and food products was valued at $36.8bn in FY2011-12; and is one of the fastest growing retail markets in the world. Following the release in India, SAP plans to roll out SAP Ganges to other retail-intensive economies such as Brazil, South Africa, China and Indonesia.

India Adds 13 More Budding Tech Entrepreneurs In 2013

Microsoft Ventures in India recently announced the graduation of its Winter Batch from the Microsoft Ventures Accelerator program in India. At a Demo Day held at the Microsoft Lavelle Road office in Bangalore, the 400 plus audience of mentors, industry influencers, venture capitalists, angel investors and media professionals witnessed the amazing progress made by each company over the last four months at the Accelerator.  The 13 startups which graduated now include: AdSparx, ShieldSquare, Chance, Frrole, Native5, SignEasy, TommyJams, Whalelogix, Scibler, HasGeek, Nanobi, Tookitaki and 1000Lookz.

Congratulating the graduating batch, Ravi Narayan, Director, Microsoft Ventures in India said: “The last four months have been exciting and a great learning experience for all of us—the startups and the Microsoft Ventures in India program team.  The companies in the batch ranged from first-time entrepreneurs to more seasoned, experienced entrepreneurs who have just hit upon their best idea with this venture. Hence, we had to cater to a very varied set of asks from the batch – from improvements in UX, to global expansion, customer acquisitions and product development. I am extremely proud that we could make some really successful customer acquisition and investor connections for some of the startups. In this context, I would also like to thank some of our mentors for the amazing support they provided us.”

The accelerator, which was until recently headed by Mukund Mohan, now director of Microsoft Ventures, shifted hands after the global reorganization that took place in July.

“It is amazing that 90% of the companies in this batch are running on revenues, as opposed to just 30% in the first batch. We are talking revenues of about $100,000. That is dramatic shift in the last one and half years,” said Mohan, former CEO in residence, Microsoft Accelerator.

A notable ones that graduated are Chance, a video interaction application; Frrole, a media social intelligence platform; SignEasy, an online document signing application; and TommyJams, a Web platform that connects music artists to venues. All the graduating companies, except two, are close to getting funded, people with direct knowledge of the matter said Mohan.

The Microsoft Ventures Accelerator team in India is now busy shortlisting applications for the fourth batch, which will start in January 2014. After rigorous screening, the final list of up to 15 startups will be announced soon. The four-month incubation process at the state-of-the-art Microsoft office in downtown Bangalore will begin on January 22, 2014 and end with Demo Day in May.

Avail Technology Courses In Semiconductor & Manufacturing In India

 

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) and Applied Materials, Inc. today announced the extension of their partnership to offer a certification course in “Semiconductor Technology and Manufacturing” through IIT Bombay’s Continuing Education Programme (CEP) for the second year. This course, designed to bridge the existing skill gap in this specialized high-tech sector, complements the Government of India’s in-principle approval for the establishment of two semiconductor manufacturing facilities in the country. The Semiconductor Technology and Manufacturing certification course was jointly launched by IIT Bombay and Applied Materials in the year 2012 and was received enthusiastically by industry as well as academia.

The six-day course starting on December 10, 2013 endeavors to impart knowledge about the basic concepts of integrated circuit (IC) fabrication and manufacturing, develop an understanding of semiconductor processes, hardware and system technologies, as well as provide hands-on user training on production level tools and systems widely used in the industry. Renowned faculty members from IIT Bombay will deliver lectures along with industry professionals from Applied Materials. The lab sessions will be held at the IIT Bombay Nanofabrication Facility (IITBNF) and the Applied Materials Nanomanufacturing Lab, Electrical Engineering Department, IIT Bombay.  On successful completion of the course, participants will receive the Continued Education Programme (CEP) certificate by IITB.

Speaking about the programme, Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Head of the Electrical Engineering Department, IIT Bombay, said, “We are glad to take this certification program to its second year. It will strengthen the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India through our state-of-the-art nanofabrication facilities and partnership with Applied Materials. The hands-on training and high level of faculty expertise are the highlights of the course that generated very positive feedback from participants last year. We plan to increase and diversify the hands-on lab sessions this year to enhance the quality and breadth of exposure to semiconductor manufacturing and R&D for the participants.”

Speaking on the occasion, Aninda Moitra, President & Managing Director, Applied Materials India, said, “This is an opportunity to reiterate our commitment to the overall growth of the Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) sector. Talent development is critical to maximize the impact of this sector. India has high-quality talent, and they need to be continually channeled to move from a purely theoretical environment to a combination of theory and practice, especially in industries that are R&D intensive. This is exactly what the course addresses – giving students and individuals in the ESDM ecosystem hands-on exposure to manufacturing, and the opportunity to utilize India’s only 200mm semiconductor fabrication facility dedicated to university-industry research.”

In India, Applied Materials is a strategic partner and an enabler of the semiconductor and solar manufacturing ecosystem. Since it started local operations in 2002, Applied Materials India has grown into the second largest engineering resource pool for the company globally, providing design engineering, engineering support services, and cutting edge innovation in materials science and engineering to the global organization. The India region, which is a key link to the company’s global IT infrastructure footprint, provides IT solutions and services, and hosts the second largest data center for Applied globally.

The CEP programme is intended for working professionals in the semiconductor industry, research scientists and technical staff, and academics. It includes modules on VLSI & Semiconductor Technology, Semiconductor Equipment Overview and Lab Equipment User Training.  Those with a diploma or a bachelor's degree in Science/Engineering are eligible to apply. One can register for the course at http://www.cen.iitb.ac.in/cen/events/cep_course.php. Application submissions are due by November 24, 2013.

HealthKartPlus Expands Its Footprint In Bengaluru

HealthKartPlus, a online pharmacy network and medicine application, has announced the expansion of its drug delivery services in Bengaluru region. After successfully catering to the consumers within Delhi/NCR, the company is now ready to expand its services in other cities. Followed by Bengaluru; the service will be introduced in other metros in phase manner. With this approach, the company aims at making orders of medicines more convenient and accessible to its consumers across all major cities in India.

The online pharmacy network HealthKartPlus is a platform to connect local pharmacies directly to consumers. Also, it provides consumers with value added information about their medicines. It keeps consumers informed on how their medicine works, explains the side effects, interaction with other drugs and potential contraindications – besides giving information on more economical substitute available for the same generic salt. The company has also made its app available for free across Android, iOS and Windows 8 for users.

On the occasion, Prashant Tandon, Founder Healthkart, said “We are really excited to start our service in Bengaluru. HealthKartPlus has received extremely good reviews in Delhi/NCR for its service and utility as a pocket chemist app. This is a one of a kind service in India and Bengaluru, being the technology hub of the country, is the obvious choice for our second location."

1 Million Die Premature In India; Philips Holds Awareness Campaign

By Manu Sharma

In India over 35 lakh children are born premature. Proper handling and efficient medical care is the need of the hour. On the occasion of “World Prematurity Day” on November 17, 2013, Philips Innovation Campus observed an awareness session with Dr. Karthik Nagesh on the topic “Developmental care for premature babies” in Bangalore.

Speaking to the event, Dr. Karthik Nagesh, a senior neonatologist and founder, managing trustee of the ‘Foundation for Newborns’ which is a trust that does charity for sick babies and promotes newborn health said, “Two of the deadliest diseases infecting the new born are pneumonia and prematurity. Ever year about 15 million children are born prematurity in India and out of which I million of them die annually. The new born need a good start in life. Hence we should do whatever it takes to reduce the burden and mortality associated with prematurity by spreading awareness on the need for their safe delivery in institutions where they can be cared for.” 

Until three years ago the survival of babies born in just 28 weeks of gestation and weighing less than 1kg was zero. According to industry sources mortality in India accounts for 50% of infant mortality, which has declined to 84/1000 live births. There is no prenatal care for over 50% of pregnant women, and over 80% deliver at home in unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Those women who do deliver in health facilities are unable to receive intensive neonatal care when necessary. 

Anxious parents of pre-term babies can now deal with the difficulties of handling a premature baby if they are well-informed and work closely with care givers.

Dr Karthik says, “Earlier all the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in India were only in a few cities and tier 1 like the Kasturba Medical Hospital, Fortis. Shankara Cancer Foundation and CMC Vellore were equipped. However, now we also see an advent of NICUs to the Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities as well.” 

However, Level I and Level II neonatal care is unavailable in most health facilities in India, and in most developing countries, he said adding there is a need in India for Level III care units also. The establishment of NICUs in India and developing countries would require space and location, finances, equipment, staff, protocols of care, and infection control measures. Neonatal mortality could be reduced by initially adding NICUs at a few key hospitals.

In fact, India stands second in the world wherein out of every 100 children born 14% are born premature while Malawi in Africa leads with 18.1% per every 100 born.

These tiny patients are at a high risk of a variety of long term developmental complications including motor impairments, cognitive deficits, and behavioral disorders. Although physical and motor disorders may be more noticeable, increasingly more focus is being directed towards the mental health issues that children born prematurely or at low birth weight are at higher risk for attention-deficit, attention-deficit-hyperactive, anxiety, and other emotional disorders.

With emphasis on Integrated development care for neonates, Philips showcased a range of products to promote family centered care including positioning aids like Bendy bumpers, Prone Plus, Snuggle Up, Fredrick T Frog, and Wee pee Diapers for premature neonates.

Demonstratiing the products, Srikanth Muthya, director, Healthcare, Philips, said “Each product is developed with seven evidence based core measures in mind: Healing Environment, Partnering with Families, Positioning & Handling, Protecting Sleep, Minimizing Stress & Pain, Optimizing Nutrition, and Safeguarding Sleep” He also added “Philips has extended beyond basic therapeutic devices and moved into cognitive developmental care for premature new borns.”

Asia’s First Hybrid Cloud Now Powered By OpenStack

Rackspace Hosting has launched Asia’s first hybrid cloud powered by OpenStack, the open source cloud computing platform. The new public cloud joins Rackspace’s existing portfolio of private cloud and dedicated solutions to complete the Open Cloud Company’s Hybrid Cloud offering to businesses throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

“We are excited to launch Asia’s first hybrid cloud powered by OpenStack,” said Ajit Melarkode, managing director of Rackspace Asia Pacific. “OpenStack already gives thousands of our customers access to the power of open standards and enables them to enjoy freedom from vendor lock-in as they open new gateways to faster innovation through cloud computing.”

Rackspace identifies India as a robust and upcoming market, seen in their decision to launch the first hybrid cloud in Asia powered by Openstack. The public cloud services market in India is forecast to grow 36 percent in 2013 to total $443 million, up from $326 million in 2012, according to Gartner, Inc. Studies done by Deloitte indicate that organizations that can bridge hyper hybrid clouds with their core systems will be at the forefront to elevate business performance with the next wave of digital innovation.

Scania Invests Rs 250 cr to Set Up Assembly Plant in India

With an initial investment of Rs 250 crore, Sweden's Scania Commercial Vehicles has set up an assembly plant in India to manufacture about 2,500 heavy haulage trucks besides 1,000 inter-city buses and coaches annually at a factory near Bangalore. 

Currently the localisation is 18% for trucks and 100% for bus bodies, the company said, adding that they have plans to increase the locolisation of trucks to over 25% by next year.

The facility first of its kind in Asia will serve as the company's head office and centre for all commercial operations . The operations will consist of final assembly of trucks with bodywork and building of complete coaches along with a service workshop and a central parts warehouse.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era for us in India, and it is our largest industrial footprint in Asia so far," said Martin Lundstedt, president and chief executive, Scania Global.

Scania said that it plans to employ over 800 people at this facility within five years. The unit employees about 198 presently.

The plant will house two manufacturing units- one each for truck assembly and another for buses. The facility will also have service workshop and a central parts warehouse.

Scania had started production of trucks at the new facility during June and production trials have taken place for mining and off-road trucks.

The company plans to start the production of on-road trucks soon followed by bus rollout which is planned for the first quarter of 2014.

The company is bullish on improving highway infrastructure in India and acceptance of international industry practices like hub-and-spoke model.

Scania has been present in the Indian market since 2007 through a partnership with Larsen & Toubro (L&T). The company in India has also forayed into the engines segment with the launch of products for industrial, marine and power generation.