Merck Launches Cutting Edge Fertility Technologies in India

Merck, a leading science and technology company, launched its cutting-edge fertility technology in India today. The business launched two devices, namely Geri and Gavi, as well as Gems, a complete culture medium suite. This will be made available in partnership with Genea Biomedx, to IVF clinics and hospitals.

This new technology provides an environment that helps to reduce external stresses on the embryos of patients undergoing fertility treatment. Individually-controlled chambers allow the embryos of each patient to grow separately and real-time cameras attached to each chamber reduces the frequency of opening and closing the chambers in Geri. Not only does this allow observation of the progress of embryo growth without removing the embryo from the chamber, it also reduces the impact on the embryo of factors such as changes in gas concentration and temperature.

“Merck has a market-leading portfolio of drugs and offers an array of clinic optimization services. Fertility lab procedures involve various steps and variables which can impact the overall success rate of IVF treatment. The introduction of cutting-edge fertility technology complements our portfolio and promises to decrease manual labor, increases precision and thus optimizes IVF outcomes for patients in India. Studies say nearly 27.5 million* Indian couples are actively seeking solution for infertility and with this technology are in position to offer them better access to world class treatment” said Anandram Narasimhan, General Manager –India Cluster, Merck Biopharma.

Through the expansion of its portfolio of innovative pharmaceutical and technology products that fulfil unmet medical needs in the field of fertility treatment, Merck is aiming to provide broader range of products to help support Healthcare professionals to optimize treatment outcomes and fulfil the dream of becoming a parent.

With this latest addition to its market-leading IVF drugs and services, Merck offers a comprehensive and holistic portfolio that facilitates IVF outcomes delivered by clinicians and specialists in India.

World’s First Blockchain Enabled Commercial Communication Stack, TRUBLOQ Unvieled at MWC19, Barcelona

Tanla Solutions, one of the world’s largest Cloud Communication providers, today launched Trubloq, a first of its kind blockchain enabled commercial communication stack for the telecom sector. The solution has been developed to comply with the new TRAI regulation (TCCCPR 2018), and it empowers individual mobile users to set and manage their communication preferences and consents.

The genesis of this journey goes back to the issues of commercial communication with respect to Trust, Security, Spam, Fraud and privacy breaches which are essentially agnostic to developed and emerging markets. Globally regulators have had middling results to safeguard against Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC) and privacy breaches. This is due to a practice of reactive redressal mechanism on customer complaints.

The Indian telecom regulatory body (TRAI) seeks to converge technology and policy, using emerging technologies – distributed ledger, artificial intelligence and machine learning. This comprehensive regulation is built on two key facets of empowering and safeguarding mobile consumers. With a strong focus on recording customer consent and preferences, the regulation unlocks all good virtues of blockchain i.e. Trust, Security, Immutability and creating a digital audit trail.

Speaking during the launch Uday Reddy, CMD, Tanla Solutions said “Trubloq is a ground-breaking innovation for the telecom industry, powered by Tanla’s blockchain based communication stack. This initiative would perhaps be the largest use case for Blockchain in the world with potential transactional volumes of above 10 billion per month. We are confident that it will empower the billion plus mobile users. It truly is Made in India for Digital India and beyond!”

Over $ 12 Billion Investment Likely at ASEAN Summit in Bengaluru

The three-day ASEAN Chambers of Commerce and Industry Business Meet opened in Bengaluru on Monday has already lined up investment proposals worth more than US $12 billion in various sectors including infrastructure, aerospace, defence, artificial intelligence, machine intelligence and robotics.

Sudhakar S Shetty, president of Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), which is hosting the conference for the first time in the south, said, “We have received a number of investment proposals from ASEAN, ASEAN Plus and Special Invitee countries. Two major ones on our table are: from a business council in the United States and the Indian subsidiary of a prominent Chinese construction company. The details will be announced at the conference.”

He said will sign memoranda of understanding with the Government of Karnataka during the ASEAN summit, and follow them up with letters of interest from the investors in specific sectors.

The conference was inaugurated on Monday by Governor VajubhaiVala at the banquet hall, VidhanaSoudha, in the presence of distinguished guests including Union ministers Suresh Prabhu and Sadananda Gowda, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara.

Shetty said the next two days of the conference, February 26 and 27, is being held at Lalit Ashok, which include panel discussions on 18 different sectors, a session on ‘Look East, Act West’ with the ambassadors from ASEAN countries and a special event with a focus on investment opportunities in Karnataka.

Over 1,200 delegates, including about 300 from abroad, have confirmed their participation in the business meet. Around 30 foreign delegations, including ministers and diplomats, like Shamsul Iskandar, deputy minister of primary industries, Malaysia, Pham SanhChau, ambassador of Vietnam, Savankhone Razmountry, vice minister, information & tourism, Laos, Paduka Sidek Ali, high commissioner of Brunei, Milan Hovorka, ambassador of Czech Republic are among those attending the conference.

The FKCCI President said large business delegations from Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, the US and the UAE. Indian billionaire businessman BR Shetty, who is settled in the Emirates, is leading a team of 25 business leaders.

One of the highlights of the international conference is that both the days will begin with one-hour yoga and meditation session led by the Art of Living team and one more hour of cultural programme.

The founder of Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar made a special address on Day 2.

Many interesting panel sessions have been lined up on artificial intelligence, innovation in healthcare, renewable energy, opportunities for SMEs in aerospace and defence, global trends in fin-tech, digital transformation in the supply chain and the future of mass transportation, besides delegation-level B2B, B2G and B2C meetings.

Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman will be the chief guest at the valedictory on Feb 27, along with state ministers G Parameshwara, KJ George, UT Khader and Shobha Karandlaje, MP.

A large exhibition has been planned, with around 150 exhibitors participating, to explore new business avenues and look for outsourcing collaboration with other ASEAN countries.

Accenture Launches Applied Intelligence Platform to Help Clients Use AI Without Need for Deep Data Science Expertise

Accenture has launched its Applied Intelligence Platform today at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, to make it easier for clients to transform the enterprise through artificial intelligence (AI). The new platform allows organizations to apply pre-configured self-learning industry solutions, as well as develop new solutions, without the need for deep data science expertise – which is becoming an increasingly scarce resource.

Applied Intelligence Platform builds on the proven Accenture Insight Platform through which Accenture has been offering analytics applications using machine learning and deep learning to clients. It will integrate these capabilities with edge analytics and Internet of Things (IoT) services, as well as access to more than 350 data sources – all made accessible via an on-demand, low-code platform. As a result, clients are less dependent on specific technologies as the platform leverages solutions and tools from leading technology providers, to enable creation of the proper solutions across industries and functions.

“The Applied Intelligence Platform enables AI-powered transformation at scale as clients will be able to systematically embed AI across their operations – from the edge right through to the cloud,” said Mike Sutcliff, group chief executive, Accenture Digital. “Thanks to the platform, the power to leverage AI to drive unprecedented new growth and efficiencies and unlock new insights, business models and experiences is within reach of every organization.”

Applied Intelligence Platform can deliver numerous benefits to clients including:

Scaling impact not investment. The platforms pre-configured services won’t require clients to build and maintain costly custom infrastructure and services from scratch.

Increased speed and agility. The platform uses open, standards-based platform services, APIs, and tools, which clients can use to rapidly build and move from prototype to production.

Chance for new growth opportunities. The Applied Intelligence Platform ecosystem fosters intelligent applications that run models on continuously updated enterprise and device data, which can drive network effects and new business models.

Edge analytics and IoT integration. The platform allows businesses to run machine learning and deep learning applications at the edge, and also better source data from IoT devices to power real-time applications and automated processes – enhancing efficiency and providing more data to fuel operational insights.

Enhanced security. Recommended, end-to-end security and privacy services are enhanced through the localization of sensitive data processing at the edge.

Accenture, with its team of industry specialists and more than 3,000 data scientists, has already developed a range of use cases and more than 40 intelligent industry solutions for Applied Intelligence Platform to help bridge the gap between information technology and operational technology. Use cases include asset and fleet management solutions expected to unlock efficiencies across manufacturing, transportation & logistics and energy. Examples from the platform’s suite of intelligent industry solutions include:

Remote monitoring – a global asset monitoring solution based on device data from installed industrial equipment. It is designed to reduce warranty repair costs through diagnostics to calculate mean-time before failure, as well as enhance equipment knowledge and supply chain efficiencies for spare parts.

Fleet management – an IoT-enabled telematics solution to improve operational efficiencies and reduce cost with embedded analytics and AI. It provides fleet operators better insights including vehicle tracking, diagnostics, critical event alerts, driver behavior monitoring, reporting, and route management.

“Data science to date has largely been decoupled from operations and application development, and models are often created and deployed only to be orphaned as there is a limited feedback on their effectiveness,” said Athina Kanioura, chief analytics officer and global lead of Accenture Applied Intelligence. “Our new Applied Intelligence Platform provides non-data scientist with the tools and access to the data they need to rapidly assemble and apply applications while the platform ensures the effectiveness of the underlying advanced analytics.”

PerkFinance Launches App in Indian languages to Enable Blue-Collar Workers Access Affordable Loans

India’s leading salary-linked personal loan company, PerkFinance, has launched its app in four Indian languages. PerkFinance enables employees of partnering companies to apply for a loan easily. The app is now available in Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu and is primarily targeted at blue-collar workers.

Blue-collar workers, who are traditionally not part of the formal banking ecosystem, find it hard to obtain loans from mainstream financial institutions due to the complex documentation involved and their lack of credit history. They also form a large part of the Indian language internet users who are estimated to account for 75% of India’s total internet user base. A study by KPMG and Google found that the Indian language internet user base is growing at a CAGR of 18% and will reach 536 million by 2021.

“We believe that having our app in multiple Indian languages makes our financial products accessible to a larger section of the Indian population including blue-collar workers. Our aim is to make affordable loans available to anyone who has a smartphone. We have partnered with 50+ companies, which together employ more than two lakh people. With the launch of our multilingual app we hope to scale our reach to 15 lakh people by the end of the second quarter of 2019,” said Vivek Kandkur, Co-founder, PerkFinance. 

With easy access to loans, blue-collar workers will no longer need to turn to informal moneylenders who often charge exorbitant interest rates. Since PerkFinance uses the employee-employer relationship for risk assessment, it is able to offer better interest rates and faster processing times.

PerkFinance partners with companies to provide financial wellbeing products like affordable personal loans to their employees at no cost and no risk to the company.  Its financial products improve employee well-being, thereby boosting productivity and reducing attrition. The loans are reported to the credit bureau and improve the borrowers’ credit score. Borrowers can get approval for higher loan amounts and longer tenures at reduced rates of interest, with improved credit. 

About 65% People in South India not Prepared for Home Threats says Godrej Locks Report

Around 65% people in South India are not prepared to handle home safety threats such as burglaries, robberies, among others, highlights Godrej LocksS ‘Har Ghar Surakshit 2018 Report: India’s Safety Paradox – Home Safety Vs Digital Safety’, conducted by Research Now. While the Southern region seems unprepared for home safety threats, 57% people are also not ready to upgrade to high-tech safety solutions for homes. This is a startling fact, as Southern India is perceived to be a step ahead than other regions in adoption of technology.

While 82% people in South India are aware of home safety technologies such as digital locks, they have not felt the strong need of adopting it for their homes. South region is swift in adopting technologies, for convenience, comfort and productivity.  In this tech savvy region, 25% change their computer passwords and 19% change banking PIN’s every 2-5 months. Over 51% use fingerprint sensor on smart phones. Most of the safety options that people in South India use, like the fingerprint and PIN, are also available in home locking solutions, but they lag behind in embracing such technologies for home safety.

Commenting on Godrej LocksS ‘Har Ghar Surakshit 2018 Report’ and its findings, Mr. Shyam Motwani, Executive Vice-President and Business Head, Godrej Locking Solutions and Systems, said, “As a brand that is synonymous with trust and safety, Godrej LocksS purpose is to make people aware of the importance of home safety. Har Ghar Surakshit report suggests that Indians, although feel safe at home, are unprepared to deal with home safety issues. Moreover, home safety has become secondary in this digital age. We want to encourage people to prioritize home safety just like how they secure their digital assets. In line with this vision, #HarGharSurakshit campaign will promote the larger cause of enhancing safety across homes of people in urban and rural India.”

‘Har Ghar Surakshit 2018 Report’ is released as part of #HarGharSurakshit, a nationwide awareness campaign by Godrej LocksS, to promote home safety across Indian homes.  The report states 64% Indians are not equipped to handle home safety threats. Surprisingly, 70% of all thefts in India are home thefts while only 30% are digital thefts. This emphasizes that at a national level, home safety requires equal or more attention that is enjoyed by digital safety as 61% people don’t want to upgrade to high tech safety for homes. While speaking of the South, home safety needs greater attention as more than half of the population in the region are unprepared to deal with home safety threats. The report presents this interesting behavior pattern of people from across India towards home and digital safety.

Indian homes have a lot to protect like important documents and credentials, money, jewellery, and other valuables. However, Indians seem to be lagging behind in upgrading even the primary source of protection of their homes i.e. locks as only 40% Indians change their locks in 2-3 years and 20% have never changed it.

Indians enhance their digital safety actively due to regular updates of digital risks through information across platforms. They also receive reminders to change their passwords or upgrade their digital security level to the next advanced versions. Similarly, people are willing to enhance their home safety if they are made more aware and provided with information, which will bring about a behavioural change amongst citizens towards the perception of home safety. Through #HarGharSurakshit campaign, Godrej LocksS intends to bridge this awareness gap. The company has pledged an investment of INR 100 crore over the next 3 years towards #HarGharSurakshit and will be undertaking multiple initiatives through various platforms across India.

Grab Recognized as a Top Innovative Company in the World

Grab, the leading super app in Southeast Asia with a global R&D centre in Bangalore, has been ranked as a top transportation company and second overall on Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” list for 2019. The list honors the businesses making the most profound impact on both industry and culture around the world. Grab in Bangalore currently employs almost 200 and has plans to double this workforce in the next 12-18 months. In giving Grab the No 2 rank, Fast Company described it as a “transactional super app” that brings together various lifestyle services that connect hundreds of millions of customers to local businesses in South East Asia.

Grab’s Bangalore based employees are an integral part of the company’s most innovative and exciting projects across the region and play a critical role in developing the company’s next generation technologies. “We are proud to be recognized as a top innovator by Fast Company. These are exciting times for Grab employees in Bangalore who are currently working on some of our most innovative and cutting-edge initiatives in the region” said Vikas Agrawal, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Engineering, Grab Financial Group. “Our teams here are focused on using state of the art technologies to solve the biggest everyday challenges for millions of people across the South-east Asian region - whether its safe and affordable transport or financial inclusion and access to the cashless economy. It is a huge opportunity and responsibility, and one that we take seriously” added Agrawal.

Grab set up its Bangalore R&D centre in 2017 and today employs almost 200 engineers. The company has grown its India workforce by 300% in the past year and has further plans to ramp-up its hiring in the next 12-18 months.

Grab is the leading provider of ride-hailing, fintech and marketplace services in Southeast Asia, operating in 336 cities across 8 countries, supported by 7 global R&D centers located in Singapore, Beijing, Bangalore, Seattle, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur. From advancing its leadership in transportation technology, to expanding its delivery, digital payments and financial services offerings, to launching an open platform “GrabPlatform” to support other local developers and services, Grab is providing solutions for Southeast Asians’ everyday needs in one convenient app. Leading the digitization of Southeast Asia’s economy, to date, Grab has served over 3 billion rides, the Grab app has been downloaded over 138 million times, and the Grab platform empowers over 9 million micro-entrepreneurs.