Subex Joins GLF’s (Global Leaders’ Forum) Communications Blockchain Network

Subex has announced that it will be a part of the ITW Global Leaders’ Forum’s Communications Blockchain Network (CBN), a blockchain-based consortium which aims to revolutionize the ICT Service Provider industry’s commercial settlement infrastructure. Through its mission to accelerate the adoption of automated settlement applications, CBN represents an opportunity worth billion to the global industry in terms of costs savings and revenues from new products and services.

The ITW Global Leaders’ Forum is a global network of leaders from the world’s largest International Carriers, who convene to discuss strategic issues and to agree collaborative activities, with the aim of upholding the principle of interoperability and ubiquitous international and technological coverage.

The CBN, which is expected to go live in the coming months, will be governed by a collaborative structure. Besides technology providers like Subex, the platform will see support from 11 leading global carriers to ensure this blockchain-based, special purpose mechanism can become a reality.

Blockchain, or distributed ledger technology (DLT), can provide significant benefits that will transform inter-service provider settlement processes by enabling automation and improving security. DLT-based automation can facilitate carriers to settle new types of traffic, underpinning network and service innovation, and save costs.

The objective for the platform, and the collaborative industry-wide governance framework, is to facilitate development of open-source standards and APIs that enable service-provider interoperability of DLT-enabled services and manage critical infrastructure elements of the platform.

Louisa Gregory, leading the GLF working group on blockchain and Chief of Staff of Colt, said: “For the past 14 months the GLF and its partners have been putting rigour and processes behind this platform and we believe that now is the time to launch. The blockchain-based ecosystem has been tested with resounding success at every stage, and we believe that this platform signals nothing less than the future of ICT financial settlement.”

Vinod Kumar, Managing Director and CEO, Subex said “Digital Trust is increasingly gaining importance in the connected ecosystem and there is an urgent need to simplify inter-service interactions, without diluting the trust within these transactions. This is where technologies like Blockchain can be of great significance. In line with this, Subex is excited to be a part of GLF’s CBN initiative and work together with leading carriers and technology partners towards democratizing trust and simplifying the settlement process by using blockchain.”

Rohit Maheshwari, Head of Strategy and Products, Subex adds, “Subex has been at the centre of enabling digital businesses to effectively partner and transact with each other. Through the open and secure nature of Blockchain, the potential to fundamentally transform the way digital service providers (DSP) interact with each other is now on the table. Subex’s Blockchain based partner management solution is designed to enable DSPs to innovate, launch new services faster and disrupt markets while ensuring safety and security. We are also excited about possibility of leveraging Blockchain for use cases beyond partner management to areas with far reaching use cases for establishing Digital Trust. Therefore, we believe being part of a consortium of leaders like GLF will only propel our R&D efforts in Blockchain and help make it a business reality.”

Tata Motors Conducted the Fourth Edition of ‘TechFest’ and ‘SkillFest’ Programs

True to its moto of ‘Connecting Aspirations’, Tata Motors had recently conducted the Season-4 of Tata Motors Global TechFest and Global SkillFest 2019, an initiative to improve the skill and knowledge of commercial vehicles technicians and service advisors across the globe. The program saw over 7400 technicians and 3400 service advisors’ entries from 29 countries globally, including 801 channel partners from India and 500 from 28 countries globally i.e. Asean, LATAM, SAARC, LHD Africa, RHD Africa and Middle East.

Through this championship, Tata Motors aims to promote a mutual understanding between Tata Motors’ and the technicians and service advisors of their commercial vehicles channel partners. The theme of this year’s edition was to celebrate the technical & advisory skills of participants, allowing them to learn the latest in service technologies, at the same time understanding their training needs, ensuring the highest levels of service quality and delivery. The winners’ won cash prize worth $2000 (1st), $1500 (2nd) and $1000 (3rd) for SkillFest, whereas cash prize worth $1700 (1st), $1200 (2nd) and $700 (3rd) for TechFest.

Commenting on the championship, Mr. R. Ramakrishnan, Global Head Customer care, CVBU, Tata Motors Limited said, “The automotive industry is challenged with acute shortage of skilled manpower, especially technicians. With the transforming nature of the industry, it is imperative that the service aspect evolves correspondingly. The aim of this initiative is to bridge the skill gap in the industry and provide participants with hands-on learning. As a responsible company, we are committed towards the cause of promoting skill development and employment generation in the industry.”

The program familiarizes the participants about various aspects of commercial vehicles through competitive testing on technical know-how, product diagnosis, trouble shooting skills, knowledge on tools equipment usage, safe working practices, knowledge on processes, service IT ecosystems including CRMDMS and customer care APP, customer focused approach, soft skills, and new technological advancements.

The 5-stage competition was based on technical and theoretical tests, which analyses the quality of technicians. Through these evaluation processes, Tata Motors has been able to design and develop advanced training modules to upgrade technical skills and usage of specialised tools, also rewarding and recognising best talent, and thereby creating healthy competition among channel partners. Since its inception, the program over the last four editions has trained and provided exposure to over 20,000 technicians and service advisors of their commercial vehicles channel partners.

FIA Tech Achieves Milestone “20 Million Customers” in June 2019

FIA Tech, a leading fintech company in digital payment & distribution systems for the last mile financial inclusion, has crossed milestone 20 million customers in June 2019. The company has got maximum number of subscribers from states such as West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, UP and Rajasthan who have opted for financial services through wider network of FIA tech.

To further increase the customer base, company is also planning to cross sell key products through their innovative technology platform besides focusing on deepening their presence and adding new customers in the next 2 years.

Commenting the development, Ms. Seema Prem, CEO of FIA Tech said, “Reaching a 20 million customer base is a milestone achievement for us and is a testimony of customers having faith in FIA. With the industry showing upward trend, we are hopeful to see a large base getting added into Indian financial inclusion system enabled by FIA’s cutting edge technology.” “We are aligned to Govt’s larger agenda of enabling financial inclusion to the last mile” She further added.

With a digital payment network spanning 622 districts in the country, FIA Tech provides banking and financial services at the door step of customers in underserved low-income households and minorities in India and Nepal. Profitable since inception, company has seen increased adoption of financial services across its range of products – basic banking services, mutual funds advisory and loan sourcing. Company will soon be rolling out intuitive investing platform for the masses and focus on loan origination for the credit invisible.

Airtel Thanks its Mobile Customers with FREE Hello Tunes

As part of the growing range of exciting benefits under its refreshed #AirtelThanks program, Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”) said the its Postpaid and Prepaid mobile customers can now set their favourite songs as their Hello Tunes (ring back tones) for FREE through Wynk Music app. 

 All 40 million songs from Wynk Music’s library will now be available to eligible Airtel mobile customers as ‘Hello Tunes’ without the monthly subscription charge of Rs 36.

 This exclusive benefit will be available to all mobile customers on prepaid bundles or postpaid plans of Rs 129 and above.

 To get their FREE Hello Tunes customers simply need to download the latest version of Wynk Music app (available for both iOS and Android) and click on the Hello Tunes icon to set their favourite songs as their ring back tone.

Customers can set and change their ‘Hello Tunes’ as many times as they want. One only needs to renew the FREE ‘Hello Tunes’ subscription through Wynk Music every 30 days.

Wynk Music’s extensive library offers popular music in 12 genres and 15 languages, including English, Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Haryanvi, Bhojpuri, Bengali, Oriya, Assamese and Rajasthani.

 Says Sameer Batra, CEO – Content & Apps, Bharti Airtel: “We are happy to offer Wynk Music’s full catalogue as ring back tone on a subscription free basis as part of #AirtelThanks. Wynk Music’s focus has been on leveraging technology and deep data science to deliver a personalized and intuitive user experience. ‘Hello Tunes’ is a product that Airtel mobile customers use to express themselves. Airtel mobile customers can now enjoy their favourite songs on Wynk Music and also at the click of a button set them as their Hello Tune. This is yet other delightful benefit from Airtel to thank its customers.”

 How eligible customers can set their favorite songs as FREE Hello Tunes using Wynk Music   

1.      Download the latest version of Wynk Music or update your existing app to the latest version
2.      Launch the app and click on the ‘Hello Tunes’ icon on the top right hand corner of the app
3.      Search for your favourite song and select as your Hello Tune
4.      Alternately users can play their favourite song and click on the Hello Tunes icon in the music player to set the song as their Hello Tune
5.      Confirm your Hello Tune on Wynk Music app every 30 days to continue enjoying the free subscription

#AirtelThanks is part of Airtel’s motto of winning with quality customers and the refreshed program is designed to deliver exclusive rewards. The new program is tiered in its offering – Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each tier opens a whole new set of benefits for Airtel customers. The benefits are powered by Airtel’s strong partnerships, which go from premium content brands like Amazon Prime, Netflix and Zee5 to Wynk music, device brands and many more.

Swiss Re is Working Towards Affordable and Accessible Water Treatment

The first edition of Swiss Re Bangalore’s Shine social entrepreneurship programme saw Pure Paani, a social enterprise dedicated to affordable drinking water, complete a successful run. Shine is an initiative that combines social innovation with entrepreneurial thinking to shape next-generation Swiss Re leaders and help early-stage entrepreneurs achieve wider social impact.

Co-created by Swiss Re Foundation and Swiss Re Bangalore, Shine represents the company’s strategic commitment to realizing Sustainable Development Goals. Through this programme, Swiss Re Bangalore shares expertise on business acumen and encourages out-of-the-box thinking to solve problems. The larger objective is to help maximize social impact by teaming up with the right experts, collaborating with diverse partners – from University research bodies to think tanks – through social enterprises to enable organizations and development-focused NGOs.

Amit Kalra, MD and Head of Swiss Re Global Business Solutions Centre Bangalore said, "As a young and growing office of the company, Swiss Re Bangalore focuses on nurturing socially aware leaders as part of its Talent Development strategy. We all have a collective responsibility towards the communities in which we operate, and I strongly believe the solutions to most of our pressing social challenges will come through innovative and entrepreneurial thinking.

Swiss Re globally is committed to making the world more resilient, and that includes empowering and enabling the less privileged in the society to be able to realise their potential."

Swiss Re Foundation, in association with BOOKBRIDGE, a social enterprise, and Ashoka, a leading NGO nurturing social entrepreneur, supports ideas and initiatives that address social and civic challenges pertaining to any region in India. This is in addition to the on-going focus on girls' education from Swiss Re Bangalore.

Stefan Huber Fux, Head of Swiss Re Foundation, said, "The Swiss Re Shine programme is modelled on our Global Entrepreneurs Program (GEP). We not only support an aspiring social entrepreneur to help boost socio-economic development but also empower Swiss Re employees to become socially conscious. It is a co-learning platform for them where they are encouraged to push their boundaries as professionals by supporting the social entrepreneur with its business plan.”

Swiss Re selects an aspiring/early-stage entrepreneur based on his/her holistic understanding of the social challenge and innovative approach to the solution, among other parameters. The innovator then undergoes a four-month immersive training programme during which it collaborates with experts, a business coach, and leaders in Swiss Re to develop a financially viable and as well as structurally feasible business model that can scale up.

The outcome of this intense training is then presented to a 'Shark Tank' panel who decides if the business case merits the final grant. Following this, the progress of this new social enterprise is monitored to analyze impact.

Pure Paani, the winner of the first edition of the Shine programme, is a Bangalore-based business whose mission is to make drinking water available to all by providing access to affordable filtration and treatment solutions. Through a collaboration of designers, technicians and engineers, Pure Paani is focused on developing a series of portable, high-flow water filters and pumps which resident entrepreneurs can use to provide water treatment services to their neighbors at a sustainable price.

Speaking on the partnership with Swiss Re, Kaylea Brase, Co-founder and Director of Pure Paani said, "The Shine programme came at a critical time in my entrepreneurial journey, when I was looking for encouragement and guidance on how to grow and scale the business. Collaborating with a talented team of Swiss Re employees helped me persevere through the challenges and celebrate the successes towards sustainability.

The team's focus on the business plan empowered me to communicate the vision, bring key stakeholders together, and increase both the product readiness and market readiness to enable long-term impact. We now plan to expand our product offerings, build our team, and increase our impact to other communities within India."

The Call to Action for the second edition of Swiss Re’s Shine programme will kickstart from June and the focus will be to Incubate resilience in India in any of the focus areas of Climate Risk Management, Smart Agriculture, Access to Healthcare, and Renewable Energy.

Bengaluru Deemed as the Creative Capital of India: Day 3 of Bengaluru GAFX 2019

The three-day Bengaluru GAFX 2019 saw a plethora of experts looking at Bengaluru as the Animation Capital of India. With labs of companies like Dreamworks, Technicolor, Zynga, MPC, Mr. X and many others investing in Bengaluru’s AVGC sector, the talents in the state and city are shown more pathways to make a mark in the industry.

Deputy Chief Minister and the Minister for ITBT Department Dr. G Parameshwara said that Karnataka is one of the first states to give prominence to animation and gaming. This is an encouraging step towards creating jobs in this emerging sector, he added.

He also expressed confidence that the Centre of Excellence for AVGC will nurture small, medium as well as independent studios to produce work of global standard. “The Government of Karnataka encourages students of creative arts and creators to come forward with their IPs. This is the way forward to lead the industry.”

The one-of-a-kind global event identified and provided a global platform to talents and also attracted industry veterans, professionals, students, academia, technology partners, animation, VFX and games studios and production houses and generate jobs. Experts from all over the world including Avrill Stark, Sheila de Courcy, Pete Draper, Axel Bonami, Avneet Kaur, Munjal Shroff showcased the work of AVGC industry both nationally and globally.

Bengaluru GAFX 2019 and Secretary, ABAI, B.S. Srinivas, said, “With GAFX event, we have successfully brought together greatest minds of the AVGC industry and provided an incredible platform to students and professionals alike. GAFX has been a bridge to connect B2B and students with mentors.”

Biren Ghose, President, ABAI, applauded the enthusiasm of participants and foresaw a brilliant future for AVGC industry in Bengaluru.

Gaurav Gupta, Karnataka Principal Secretary, Dept.of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology said, “Previously we have introduced the AVGC policy under the ITBT department. This has paved the path for artist collaborations, B2B and  flourishing academia. We aim to provide support in every form to take the industry ahead.”

Valedictory Ceremony

The winners of ’GAFX Art Animathon 2019’, Asia’s biggest art and animation competition were announced at the valedictory ceremony. The premiere competition had eight categories to compete for, with a cash prize of INR 8 Lakhs+ as well as premium goodies. The winners of ‘Kalayodha-2019,’ a contest exclusively for all digital art centres across Karnataka, too were announced on the occasion.

The career expo and exhibition saw a footfall of students and professionals from all over the country and abroad. The three-day event included ‘The Sketchbook,’ attended by artists handpicked for their unique artistic personalities. On the lawns of The Lalit Ashok, visitors to Bengaluru GAFX 2019 saw these artists indulge in live sketching and clay sculpting. Artists Abhishek Kesarkar, Anand Radhakrishnan, Sanjana Desai and Saumin Suresh Patil were a few among those who filled canvases. The event also hosted talks and presentations, film screenings, panel discussions and competitions. 

Global Robotic Process Automation Software Market Up 63% in 2018

Robotic process automation (RPA) software revenue grew 63.1% in 2018 to $846 million, making it the fastest-growing segment of the global enterprise software market, according to Gartner, Inc. Gartner expects RPA software revenue to reach $1.3 billion in 2019.

“The RPA market has grown since our last forecast, driven by digital business demands as organizations look for ‘straight-through’ processing,” said Fabrizio Biscotti, research vice president at Gartner. “Competition is intense, with nine of the top 10 vendors changing market share position in 2018.”

The top-five RPA vendors controlled 47% of the market in 2018. The vendors ranked sixth and seventh achieved triple-digit revenue growth (see Table 1). “This makes the top-five ranking appear largely unsettled,” Mr. Biscotti added.

 North America continued to dominate the RPA software market, with a 51% share in 2018, but its share dropped by 2 percentage points year over year. Western Europe held the No. 2 position, with a 23% share. Japan came third, with adoption growth of 124% in 2018. “This shows that RPA software is appealing to organizations across the world, due to its quicker deployment cycle times, compared with other options such as business process management platforms and business process outsourcing,” said Mr. Biscotti.

Digital Transformation Efforts Drive RPA Adoption

Although RPA software can be found in all industries, the biggest adopters are banks, insurance companies, telcos and utility companies. These organizations traditionally have many legacy systems and choose RPA solutions to ensure integration functionality. “The ability to integrate legacy systems is the key driver for RPA projects. By using this technology, organizations can quickly accelerate their digital transformation initiatives, while unlocking the value associated with past technology investments,” said Mr. Biscotti.

Gartner expects the RPA software market to look very different three years from now. Large software companies, such as IBM, Microsoft and SAP, are partnering with or acquiring RPA software providers, which means they are increasing the awareness and traction of RPA software in their sizable customer bases. At the same time, new vendors are seizing the opportunity to adapt traditional RPA capabilities for digital business demands, such as event stream processing and real-time analytics.

“This is an exciting time for RPA vendors,” said Mr. Biscotti. “However, the current top players will face increasing competition, as new entrants will continue to enter a market whose fast evolution is blurring the lines distinguishing RPA from other automation technologies, such as optical character recognition and artificial intelligence.”

Gartner clients can read more in “Market Share Analysis: Robotic Process Automation, Worldwide, 2018”.