Sula’s Grand Finale of Selections ‘Globe in a Glass’ Roadshow 2017 Concludes in Mumbai

The 2^nd edition of Sula Selections ‘Globe in a Glass’ roadshow 2017 turned out to be a glitzy event where wine and spirits brands from around the world took center-stage at Sofitel, BKC in Mumbai. In an even grander format this year, the wine and spirit show also saw a debut of 8 new brands into India introduced by Sula Selections! The roadshow started in Goa, continued to Pune and the Grand Finale took place in Mumbai.

 The entire range under the Sula umbrella was up for tasting at the show - wines and spirits from Sula’s import arm - Sula Selections, the complete premium & elite range of Sula Vineyards’ wines and Sula’s premium homegrown brandy - Janus, J and also Eclipse whisky from its subsidiary Artisan Spirits. From Dindori to Tuscany, Chianti to Mendoza, Cognac to Barbados – all was served under one roof!

 Speaking about the event, Cecilia Oldne, VP Marketing & Global Brand Ambassador, Sula said, “What a fantastic Grand Finale of the roadshow! We returned to Mumbai in our 2^nd edition for a reason – the response that we receive from the Mumbaikars never fails to impress! Cheers to our winemakers, master blenders, partners and ‘Globe in a Glass-goers’ for making this a tasteful success!”

At the day-long event, guests had the opportunity to sample wines, vodka, whisky, liqueur, tequila, cognac, brandy, beer and more – and also meet the people behind the brands. The brands included world renowned wines & spirits which Sula Selections imports, like new world wines- Trapiche (Argentina), Hardys (Australia), Mud House (New Zealand), Kumala (South Africa) and Cono Sur (Chile). The  old world wines comprising of Bouchard Aîné & Fils (France), Le Grand Noir (France), Castillo De Monseran (Spain), Bolla and Conti Serristori from the house of Gruppo Italiano Vini (Italy), Cap Royal from Compagnie Médocaine des Grands Crus (Bordeaux, France). 

The beer range was led by Japan’s no. 1 and international favourite - Asahi. Sula’s partner Rémy Cointreau, the French leading alcohol beverage company showcased Rémy Martin Cognac Fine Champagne (France), Cointreau - Orange Liqueur (France) and Mount Gay Rum (Barbados). Antica Sambuca and Volare from the house of Rossi d’Asiago (Italy) was another hit at the show. This year vodka lovers also had something extraordinary to enjoy – one of the world’s most premium vodkas – Beluga from Russia made its debut with Sula Selections at the roadshow! The event partnered with prestigious brands like Lucaris glassware, Heaven on Earth Wellness, Brookside Chocolate by Hershey’s and Fortune Gourmet cheese.

Sula Vineyards’ award winning wines including the new vintage of the Sula Riesling, Rasa Shiraz and the all-time favourite Brut Tropicale were up for tasting too. Sula’s Head Winemaker Karan Vasani with his team of winemakers gave consumers unique insights into the Sula range. Spirit brands from Sula’s subsidiary – Artisan Spirits were showcased too wherein guests tasted Janus, India’s first grape based brandy, learnt different methods of concocting cocktails with J and tried the recently launched whisky Eclipse - exclusively with Yogesh Mathur – the master blender himself!

That’s not all. Sula gave guests a unique opportunity to meet winemakers, master blenders, brand ambassadors, producers and other industry stalwarts all under one roof! 

Distinguished names from the industry included – Sula’s CEO Rajeev Samant, COO Nick Pringle and Global Brand Ambassador Cecilia Oldne, Olivier Medigue of Bouchard Aîné & Fils, Georges Haushalter of Compagnie Médocaine des Grands Crus, Maurizio Bertacchini of Gruppo Italiano Vini, Ann-Marie Battista of Accolade Wines, Robert Joseph of Le Grand Noir, Prarrthona Pal Chowdhury of Rémy Cointreau and Maxime Pulci of LOUIS XIII Cognac Grande Champagne, Yangdup Lama – Cointreau Brand Ambassador (India), Bruno Vanzan Global Brand Ambassador of Volare, Matias Amstutz of Trapiche and Nikolay Agapov & Stanislav Panfilov of Beluga.

Other distinguished personalities attending were Chef Kelvin Cheung with wife Andrea, Jean-Michel Cassé – COO Accor Group of Hotels, India and South Asia, Biswajit Chakraborty – GM of Sofitel Mumbai, Joe Eva – GM of Soho House Mumbai, Kabir and Parveen Bedi, Prahlad and Mitali Kakkar, Kintu and Karyna Bajaj, Dimi Lezinska, Bharti Singh with Harsh Limbachiyaa and Aparna Badlani amongst others.

Guests were also seen attending master-classes on wine and spirits. The show was a great mix of good wines, beers, spirits, food, music and people!

AFL Forays into Indian Market, Announces Strategic Alliance with Citadel Intelligent Systems

AFL, a leading manufacturer of Fiber Optic cable, equipment and accessories, has expanded its global footprint by entering the Indian market. AFL has partnered with Citadel Intelligent Systems Pvt. Ltd. (CIS), a Bangalore-based start-up, to manufacture optic fiber solutions for India and rest of the world. 

Speaking about the business expansion and partnership, Jody Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer, AFL said, “India has evolved as digitally advanced market. The rising demand for high-speed broadband, increased investment in information technology and telecommunications, accelerated by government led ‘Make in India’, ‘Smart Cities’ and ‘Digital India’ initiatives, are scaling up exponential growth for the optical fiber solutions in the country. Globally, AFL has led the way with innovative products that deliver cutting edge solutions for its customers. We believe that our partnership with CIS will open new avenues for us, help in tapping new customer segments and remain competitive in the business”.

Spearheaded by the industry veteran, KK Shetty, CIS will provide the manufacturing excellence, sales and marketing support to AFL, while it will receive knowledge engineering, product, application and engineering support by AFL. As part of the alliance, CIS has developed a state-of- the-art manufacturing facility in Bangalore. Aimed at delivering customer – centric innovative solutions, the facility comprises world-class manufacturing equipments, backed by highly skilled and experienced workforce.

Gallagher further stated, “AFL’s optical assembly capabilities are recognized for innovation and high performance. Above all India has the right talent pool and by manufacturing in India we will be able to provide customization and “quick turn manufacturing” to support the specific requirements of our customers.”

Expressing his views on the partnership, K K Shetty, CEO and Managing Director, Citadel Intelligent Systems Pvt. Ltd. said, “We are delighted to partner with AFL who is among the top three suppliers of hyperscale and data center solutions globally. With our collective industry experience and technical expertise, we are confident of fostering the global optical fiber market with our unparalleled products and solutions. As the recent studies suggest the sector will reach a US$2 billion revenue mark by 2019.To be synchronised with this, our collaboration aims at establishing a world class organization that can support existing global clients of AFL in India as well as the incredible demand for innovation within the Indian data center customers.”

The AFL- CIS strategic partnership will bring many robust fiber distribution and cable management solutions to India, such as the latest fiber cable designs that address the growing innovation required to manage significant high fiber count applications within data centers. The partnership is primarily expected to provide customized fiber optic solutions for hyperscale & data center markets and harsh environments.

The Bangalore facility is located at Doddanekundi Industrial Area, Hoodi and sprawled over 20,000 sq. ft. Currently, it has a total workforce of 50 employees and the AFL-CIS partnership plans to increase it to 100 by March 2018.

Hot Wheels Ignites the Challenger Spirit of Young Fans in Bengaluru with Life-Size Hot Wheels Arena!

Hot Wheels, flagship brand from the house of Mattel Toys, challenged their spectators to an adrenaline-rushed, fun and enriching experience. VR Mall drew a large crowd as Hot Wheels nurtured the spirit of challenge amongst unsuspecting shoppers. Spectators at the mall witnessed a first-of-its-kind fully interactive gaming-zone, inclusive of exciting tracksets, virtual-reality challenges and an interactive science lab.

Lokesh Kataria, Head of Marketing, Mattel India, said, “We are thrilled to set the wheels of our new campaign in motion in an exhilarating way. Through ‘Challenge Accepted’, we aim to emphasize on the value of playing with Hot Wheels and bring alive the contender spirit amongst children and encourage them to reach their true potential. We are happy to have received an overwhelming response from children and parents alike."  

With the aim to better understand simple physics concepts of aim, angle and speed, Hot Wheels introduced the Trajectory zone, where participants received a chance to incorporate Physics to launch Hot Wheels die-cast cars from an elevation of their choice to hit the right target. Keeping in line with the philosophy of ‘Play with Purpose’ the event also comprised a series of challenges for the kids and parents alike that entitled them to create, experiment and compete while unleashing the energy of an epic display of Hot Wheels. Hot Wheels introduced a new play pattern with its Slot Car Race Track that included a challenging track set with a length of over 40 feet. In true challenger spirit, Hot Wheels, in association with Xbox 360, set up a grand LED wall for participants to engage in a competitive, virtual battle with Hot Wheels Forza. The zone also comprised engaging challenges, including the  Test Drive Zone, where children competed against each other in an action-packed trackset.

Mattel Toys has focused its efforts around the core philosophy of ‘Play with purpose’ – where each toy developed by the global leader has an intrinsic benefit linked to it. The toy-cars of Hot Wheels not only engages a child, but also gives practical knowledge about Physics & Maths like speed and distance. The Epic Race is designed in a manner to establish the importance of play in the lives of children by boosting their creativity, imagination and letting them push their limits.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Inaugurates a Mobile Medical Unit, Conducts Specialized Health Camp at Ramnagara

Toyota Kirloskar Motor inaugurated a Mobile Medical Unit [MMU] and conducted a specialized health camp at Ramnagara. In line with its continuous community development initiatives undertaken in the vicinity of the plant.  The event which was held at Government High School in Sheshagirihalli, also marked the launch of Toyota’s first employee volunteerism engagement ‘ICARE’, aimed at inciting a sense of social responsibility and care towards the society.

The camp which was inaugurated by R. Latha, IAS – Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Panchayat [Ramanagara District], Sunanda Venkatesh, President – Manchanayakanahalli Gram Panchayat Dr Arun Kumar, District Tuberculosis Officer and Dr. T. Amaranath, District Health Officer – Ramanagara District in the presence of Naveen Soni, Vice President - Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Sudeep Dalvi, Vice President, Toyota Kirloskar Motor. This primarily aims at providing free medical check-up and healthcare facilities to the communities actively supported by Toyota employees in mobilizing of community members, raising awareness and providing assistance to ensure smooth functioning of the activity.

Mobile Medical unit project was undertaken with an objective to cater to the medical requirements of the inaccessible villages by providing them the preventive & curative health care services and simultaneously strengthening the Government health care system as a sustainable measure. On a pilot basis, we have initiated this activity to provide better health care services to the community in the inaccessible villages. The inaccessible villages are those villages which are not able to reach to the government health care. In addition, specialized health camps will be organized on monthly basis by doctors from different specialties such as Gynecology, Orthopedics, Dental, Pediatrics and General Medicine. Medicines and consultation will be free, medical referrals and regular follow-ups will be done for critical cases. Through MMU, we are aiming to bring down the life style prone diseases [such as Diabetes, Blood pressure, etc] and seasonal diseases [like Chikungunya, Dengue, Malaria, etc]. Also, owing to Byramangala lake contamination, more cases are registered under skin related diseases, which will be effectively addressed through this MMU in the surrounding villages.

Commenting on Toyota’s initiative, R. Latha, IAS – Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Panchayat said, “We thank Toyota Kirloskar Motor for their continuous efforts towards the various community development initiatives undertaken in Ramnagara. We hope that this mobile medical unit and specialized health camps will provide easy access to quality health care services for the health benefits of the villagers, thus well-being of the society at large”.

Speaking on this initiative, Naveen Soni, Vice President, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “It has been Toyota’s continuous endeavor to enrich the community we live in, with our CSR initiatives by understanding and catering to the critical needs of the neighboring community. Access to quality and affordable healthcare service for everyone is of paramount importance, and we at Toyota hope that this Mobile Medical Unit and the specialized health camps conducted will address the immediate and critical needs of the community members. 

This program is also special for us at Toyota, as our employees have actively participated by voluntarily coming forth to support towards successful completion of this health camp activity. Toyota has been focusing on impactful embedment of the CSR policies into our business processes, and through employee engagement in our CSR initiatives, we aim to set the core values in our employees’ lives. This will not only inculcate a culture of sustainability and innovation within the company, but will also work as a platform for self-development, by giving a chance to enhance key skills such as teamwork, interpersonal communication etc. This indeed a proud moment and we are excited to build on the success of the first step in engaging our employees under this CSR initiative, which displays our company values and addresses some of the most pressing needs in our local neighborhoods” he added.

As a responsible corporate citizen, Toyota Kirloskar Motor is constantly working towards the development of people, communities, and the earth at large. The company’s efforts over the years include rebuilding a local residential school, construction of water tanks in rural Bangalore benefitting the community in Ramnagara district, setting up water purification units across the country further benefitting 100,000 lives. The company’s focus is on sustainable interventions in the community with flagship programs such as Development of Model School, Lake Rejuvenation, Project ABCD [A Behavioral Change Demonstration] on school sanitation, Toyota Safety Education Programme, Driving Safety Training Programs, etc. 

Under Health & Hygiene, TKM has been actively involved in construction of sanitation units in government schools and educating the children on the usage of the sanitation units and focus on the behavioral aspects in the children & community as whole. Setting up of water purification units to provide safe drinking water to community and launch of Mobile medical unit for the sustained intervention in health care system with focus on providing the basic medical equipments to the Primary Health Centers. Overall through its CSR projects, TKM has touched over 9, 50,000 lives.

Karnataka to Award Winners of India’s First Comprehensive Entrepreneurship Platform, Elevate100

ELEVATE100, India’s first comprehensive entrepreneurship platform, moved into fast lane on Saturday, November 18, 2017, with the Government of Karnataka earmarking Rs 20.03 crore to fund startups who were selected after 4 rigorous rounds in a 2-month long grueling contest.

The final list of Elevate100 Startups covers the entire gamut of the startup ecosystem in Karnataka. In all, 38 IT/ITES startups were sanctioned a grant of Rs 5.50 crores, 27 MedTech startups were sanctioned Rs 4.30 crores, 17 ESDM startups were allotted Rs 3.6 crores, 12 BT startups got Rs 2.80 crores, Rs 1.33 crore was earmarked for 6 AVGC startups, 4 Agriculture startups were sanctioned Rs 1 crore, Rs 40 lakh for 3 CleanTech startups and 4 startups working in the field of Aerospace & Aviation were sanctioned Rs 1.10Crore.

“Ideas transform cultures and ecosystems, and it's incredible to be a part of that,” said Priyank Kharge, Karnataka minister for IT, BT & Tourism.

“The efforts of Karnataka government don’t stop at elevating these chosen 100. We see ELEVATE 100 as a continuing process where the best ideas from the state gets the support and guidance it deserves,” the minister said.

“The incredible journey of Elevate100 through the length and breadth of the state also changed my perspective on the quality of talent we have here. Even the smallest lanes of an interior town in Karnataka has something offer which can truly change the world. Elevate100 shines night on our incredible social capital,” Kharge said.

“I’m fond of this quote by Leo Tolstoy — “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing themselves.” People are connected, informed, empowered and demand a more responsive governance. Elevate100 sets the stage for a new era of governance that’s more human, purposeful and adaptive,” the minister said.

ELEVATE 100 programme, an initiative of the Department of Information Technology and Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka, traversed the length and breadth of the state in a rigorous hunt to pick the top 100 startups and help them turn their ideas into successful businesses. The Pitching Sessions were held in Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Hubballi and Bengaluru, where around 1,700 startups pitched to elevate their ideas to successful ventures. The initiative also attracted 350 women entrepreneurs and 400 applicants from the rural areas. The selected startups will have access to Karnataka Government’s Rs 400 crore start-up fund besides access to Government VC funds, pilots, private VC funds, world class accelerators and mentors.

Thanks to the 8 MoUs inked by Karnataka government on the sidelines of the ‘Elevate 100 Conference’ in Bangalore on August 30, the selected 111 startups will receive additional support and assistance from a host of private players.

While Google will provide $3000 worth of cloud credits for startups registered with Startup Cell, PricewaterhouseCoopers will provide mentorship and consulting services for sustainable growth of registered startups. Yes Bank will offer banking services, API Integration and customized solutions and Kotak Bank will help startups set up business by providing assistance in registration processes, accounting, income tax returns, GST returns and tax audits among other support. TiE, Assocham and 3M to mentor startups in different areas and Growth Enabler to help in profiling the startups for provide greater visibility on digital space.

Amazon Activate which will provide $3000 worth of cloud credits for startups registered with Startup Cell and Indian Law Practices will provide legal consultancy services for the identified startups. Digital Ocean will also provide a $100 one-time credit for all startups registered with Startup Cell and a $1000 one-time credit for startups which are being funded under Karnataka Startup Cell. Zoho will provide the startups an unprecedented 35+ integrated applications on one account with complete administrative control and complementary mobile apps.

Bengaluru Partners with DataCity to Develop Innovative Solutions to Urban Sustainability

Climate change is no small issue and has been a hot topic on a global scale. Cities are the cause as well as the biggest victims of this all-encompassing issue, so why can’t they also be the biggest hope to bring about a change?

It is with this belief that DataCity was created by leading French innovation hub NUMA in 2015, to help cities test and implement solutions quickly, with the potential to be replicated to other cities for large-scale and fast impact.

An open innovation programme for smart cities based on 2 core beliefs: Data is key to identify challenges, design solutions and ensure scalability and that change can only happen through a multi-actor co-design approach, the programme brings together corporations, public authorities and startups, from challenge definition to co-developing innovative solutions. Drawing on the expertise and datasets provided by partners and with advice from DataCity experts, start-ups test and co-develop concrete solutions to build more sustainable, inclusive and livable cities.

The programme has been successfully implemented in Paris and Casablanca. It is now expanding internationally through a partnership between NUMA and C40 cities – a network of 91 of the world’s greatest cities committed to tackling climate change. The international development of DataCity includes 3 new cities joining the programme : Singapore with Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Government Technology Agency (GovTech) through a partnership with Impact Hub Singapore, Bengaluru with the Government of Karnataka (Ministry of Information and Technology) and Barcelona with the support of Barcelona City Council.

Priyank Kharge, Minister for IT/BT and Tourism, Government of Karnataka says of Bengaluru’s inititation into the DataCity programme, “A smart city ideally should look to be citizen friendly and help the city grow in a sustainable manner. The meaning of smart cities is not fulfilled unless there is a greener or more eco-friendly way of doing things.”

Mark Watts, C40, Executive Director was also looking forward to Bengaluru’s participation in the programme. “Cities in every part of the world are seeking innovative, data-driven solution to the threat of climate change, because they recognize the urgency of the challenges we face. Bengaluru will provide and invaluable contribution to the DataCity project,” he says.

The DataCity Programme is supported at a global level by technical partners who provide expertise and technology, including Carto, OpenDataSoft and Dataiku.

GoK, UK-based GrowthEnabler Signs MoU to Support 4,000 Start-Ups in Karnataka

The state government today signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with GrowthEnabler Global, a UK-based company, to foster an environment of support for start-up companies in Karnataka.

Announcing this at the three-day Bengaluru Technology Summit 2017, the Minister for IT, BT and Tourism, Shri Priyank Kharge, said that GrowthEnabler will provide global visibility to over 4,000 start-ups in Karnataka by joining the GrowthEnabler Pii (Personalised Intelligence Interface) platform.

“This MoU with GrowthEnabler will not only provide immense opportunity to the Government and and Karnataka-based start-ups by creating a democratic access to global senior leaders of large enterprises, but also an opportunity to collaborate with them using the GrowthEnabler Pii platform,” the Minister added.

The start-ups can join the GrowthEnabler platform for free and build their profile. This will provide every Karnataka based start-up an equal opportunity to get visibility with global Fortune 500 companies and the global VC ecosystem. Once the start-ups have built the profile, they can use the GEPii platform for free and get free leads and collaboration opportunities with Global Enterprises to solve their digital transformation challenges.

Rajiv Banduni, Co-founder and CEO of GrowthEnabler Global, said, “The MoU is a great opportunity for GrowthEnabler to showcase start-up innovation from Karnataka to global Fortune  500 companies and for investors who are keen to tap into the Bangalore start-up ecosystem.”

Worldover, large global enterprises use the GrowthEnabler Pii to find disruptive tech start-ups and solutions based on their business priorities using Solution Search, select relevant tech start-ups using algorithms, customised scoring and comprehensive analysis tools, connect with start-ups most relevant to their business needs using ConnectUp and manage, track and share progress on key startup engagements using workflow tools.