Hero Motocorp Announces Investment of Rs 10,000 Crore Over the Next 5-7 Years at the Hero World 2020

“Sustainability and responsible growth remain at the core of Hero MotoCorp's technology, innovation and global expansion plans. With Hero World 2020, we have curated a novel and unique approach to showcase our future technologies, products and services.

“Over the next 5-7 years, we are aiming to create the next generation of mobility solutions that are relevant to customers across the world. To this end, we have earmarked an investment of Rs. 10,000 Crore along with our ecosystem, which will be utilized towards research and development of alternative mobility solutions, modern, state-of-the-art, sustainable manufacturing facilities, network expansion, and brand building across the globe.

“We are an ever-evolving, youth-centric, innovation led brand, that has remained the market-leader for nearly two-decades now, and yet we are not resting on our laurels. As we enter a new decade, we are aiming at ushering in the next wave of mass mobility that is accessible, convenient and environment-friendly, which is aligned with our rejuvenated Vision of ‘Be The Future of Mobility’.

The Hero World 2020 - a first-of-its-kind three-day event attended by Global Media, Investors, Dealers from India, Supply Chain partners and Global Distributors from around the world - got off to an action-packed start here today at the state-of-the-art R&D hub of Hero MotoCorp, the Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in the northern Indian city of Jaipur, India.

The Hero World 2020 began with the Company reiterating its commitment to remain at the forefront of mass mobility, by showcasing to the global media three new products, a world-class product accessory, and a display of the entire global product portfolio of Hero MotoCorp - the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters.

This was followed by the showcasing of several product concepts and business initiatives that showcase the seeds of its vision for the future of mass mobility, and provided a glimpse into the universe of Hero MotoCorp including the R&D labs, test-tracks, and technology.

The showstopper among the new products unveiled today was the new Hero Xtreme 160R, which further strengthens the Company’s fast-growing presence in the premium motorcycle segment. The Xtreme 160R – that marks Hero MotoCorp’s entry into the popular 160cc motorcycle category - is an attractive product for youth across the globe, with its Xtreme performance, head turning aesthetics and agile handling.

Giving a complete makeover to the iconic Passion brand, the company also launched the new modern and vibrant Hero Passion Pro. Packed with a 110cc BS-VI engine, the Passion Pro is attractively priced at Rs. 64,990 (Self-drum Alloy) and Rs. 67,190 (Self-disc Alloy).

*Ex-showroom Delhi

The third product to be launched was the versatile and stylish Hero Glamour 125cc, marking the generational upgrade of the motorcycle.  The new Hero Glamour now comes equipped with a more efficient and sturdier BS-VI engine and will be available at Rs. 68,900 (Self-drum Alloy) and Rs. 72,400 (Self-disc Alloy).

*Ex-showroom Delhi

Providing even more excitement for enthusiast and building on the cult of XPulse 200, Hero MotoCorp also launched the Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit.  Available as a complete kit for aspiring racers at Rs 38,000, the Rally Kit will be retailed at selected dealership from March onward. The Rally Kit adds to the XPulse 200’s supreme off-road capability and makes it the ideal motorcycle for amateurs and enthusiast to take-up off-roading.

Mr. Malo Le Masson, Head - Global Product Planning, Hero MotoCorp, said, “Constant innovation and cutting-edge technologies remain the hallmark of Hero MotoCorp. The new products and technologies showcased today display our pursuit to offer the most exciting, innovative and efficient products and technologies to our customers in markets across the world. The journey doesn’t stop, here we plan to strengthen our portfolio further and expect more exciting surprises in the future.”

PRODUCTS

Hero XTREME 160R

Setting the bar for sportiness and real-world performance, the new Xtreme 160R comes with a powerful 160cc air-cooled BS-VI Compliant engine with Electronic Fuel Injection. The Engine delivers an impressive power output of 15 BHP @ 8500 RPM. Combined with a low kerb weight of 138.5 Kg, the bike delivers class leading 0 to 60 Km/hr acceleration in 4.7 seconds.

* The new Xtreme 160R enjoys a commanding riding position and an ergonomically optimized set-up; courtesy the tubular rigid diamond frame with 5 speed Constant Mesh
* Gearbox and a Multi Plate Wet Clutch.

The 37mm Telescopic front forks and a 7-step adjustable rear mono-shock suspension work well in tandem to provide precise handling and smooth ride. The 130/70-17” radial rear tyre provides superior grip in all riding conditions. Braking duties are carried out by 276mm Front & 220mm Rear petal disc brakes. The 170mm ground clearance ensures extreme agility and precise handling.

* The new Xtreme 160R is paired with a first in segment LED package, from Front full LED
headlamp, to rear H signature LED tail lamp, all the way including LED Turn indicators with

* Hazard light switch. The inverted Digital display, together with the first in segment side stand engine cut off will ensure the ride is both exhilarating and safe.

This new head turner from Hero is available in two variants - Front Disc with Single Channel ABS and Double Disc (Front and Rear) with Single Channel ABS and three vibrant color combinations of White with Grey, Blue with Grey and Sports Red with Grey.

Hero Glamour BS-VI

A seamless blend of style and performance – the New Glamour BS-VI runs on the new 125cc engine with XSens Programmed Fuel Injection.  The new engine produces 19% more power with a power output of 10.73 BHP @ 7500 RPM and torque of 10.6 Nm @ 6000 RPM. Featuring Hero’s revolutionary i3S (idle start-stop system), together with Auto Sail Technology, the new Glamour BS-VI delivers on its brand promise.

Built on an all new rigid diamond Frame, with 20% more Ground Clearance, 14% more front suspension travel and 10% more rear suspension travel helps the rider glide over any obstacles all day.

The front 240mm disk brakes and ground clearance of 180mm provide the assertive reliability and all-day comfort with real road presence, thereby, staying true to the brand promise of performance and comfort.

With the two variants- Self Drum Alloy and Self Disc Alloy, and dual tone body graphics of Sports Red, Techno Blue, Tornado Grey and Candy Red, the new Glamour BS-VI ups the style quotient for the aspirational youth.

Hero Passion Pro BS-VI

The new Passion Pro comes with new 110cc XSens Programmed Fuel Injection BS-VI

Engine, delivering high fuel economy and a power output of 9.02 BHP @ 7500 RPM (9% more) and torque of 9.79 Nm @ 5000 RPM (22%). Featuring Hero’s revolutionary i3S (idle start-stop system), the new Passion Pro BS-VI delivers on the brand promise of performance with style.

Built on new diamond frame, the Front suspension travel has been increased by 14%, while the Rear suspension travel has been increased by 10%. The ground clearance has also been increased by 9% to provide unmatched riding comfort and responsiveness on all road surfaces.

The all new body with trend setting imagery - new sleek headlamp, signature tail lamp and triple tone graphics gives the bike a youthful and a trendy vibe.

All new Auto Sail Technology and the Digi-analogue cluster with Real-Time mileage indicator, ups the promise of technology, performance and style.

The new Passion Pro is available in two variants- Self Drum alloy and Self Disc drum, in four youthful color combinations of Sports Red, Techno Blue, Moon Yellow and Glaze Black.

Hero XPulse 200 Rally Kit

Hero MotoCorp’s experience at the world’s top rally races, including the Dakar Rally has been used to develop the XPulse 200 Rally Kit.

The Rally Kit transforms the XPulse 200 into an accessible and competitive purpose-built machine, enabling enthusiasts to improve their off-roading skills and test their limits. It also encourages young riders to build a career in motorsports.

The Rally Kit comprises of Front fully-adjustable telescopic fork with 250mm stroke and fully adjustable 10 step rear Mono shock with 220 mm stroke. Upping the comfort quotient and riding stance are a host of features -- the Flat ‘bench’ seat, handle bar risers, increased ground clearance of 275mm, rally tyres by Maxxis, longer side stand and an extended gear lever to accommodate off-road style boots.

Jaguar Land Rover Unveils Bold New Concept of Urban Mobility Vehicle

Highlights

* Bold new concept vehicle as part of Jaguar Land Rover’s Destination Zero mission
* Project Vector ‘autonomy-ready’ platform offers solution to today’s urban mobility challenges with unparalleled interior space and flexibility in vehicle configuration
* Jaguar Land Rover’s vision integrates Project Vector concept platform into future smart city infrastructures, delivering services for private and shared mobility needs
* On-road pilot programme in Coventry planned from 2021

National Automotive Innovation Centre, Coventry 18th February 2020: Jaguar Land Rover has today unveiled the bold new concept vehicle, Project Vector, as part of the company’s Destination Zero journey, offering its vision of an autonomous, electric, connected future for urban mobility.

Jaguar Land Rover’s Destination Zero mission is an ambition to make societies safer and healthier, and the environment cleaner. Delivered through relentless innovation, the company’s focus is on achieving a future of zero emissions, zero accidents and zero congestion – through its products, services and across its facilities.

As the next stage of that journey, the Project Vector concept showcases an advanced, flexible, multi-use electric vehicle that is ‘autonomy-ready’.

At the reveal, Jaguar Land Rover Chief Executive Officer, Prof Sir Ralf Speth, commented: “Jaguar Land Rover understands the trends shaping modern societies.  Project Vector shows Jaguar Land Rover as a leader in innovation to make our societies safer and healthier, and the environment cleaner.  Through this project, we are collaborating with the brightest minds in academia, supply chain and digital services, to create connected, integrated mobility systems – the fundamental building blocks for Destination Zero.”

“Project Vector is precisely the brave and innovative leap forward needed to deliver on our mission.”

The compact, flexible vehicle concept measures just four metres in length and is designed for the city, packaging all its battery and drivetrain components into a flat floor, to allow a variety of uses. The revolutionary interior cabin space allows seating configurations for private, or shared use and even the opportunity for commercial applications, such as last mile deliveries.

PROJECT VECTOR – Developing Tomorrow’s Mobility. Today.

Project Vector concept has been created with the mission to raise the quality of future urban living.

It has been developed at the National Automotive Innovation Centre to gain the advantages of working with agility and close collaboration with academic and external partners.

It will also address the wider landscape of mobility, from how customers connect with mobility services, to the infrastructure required to enable fully integrated, autonomous vehicles in our cities.

Dr. Tim Leverton, Project Director said: “The megatrends of urbanisation and digitalisation make connected urban mobility systems necessary and inevitable. Shared and private vehicles will share spaces with and be connected to public transit networks, so you can travel on demand and autonomously. That is a complex task, best achieved by working together with partners across the spectrum of vehicles, infrastructure and the digital world.

“With the technology and engineering power of Jaguar Land Rover, we can provide a unique opportunity for innovators to develop highly-functional urban mobility services, seamlessly integrated into everyday life.

“Future urban travel will be a composite of owned and shared vehicles, access to ride hailing and on-demand services as well as public transport. Our vision shows the vehicle as a flexible part of the urban mobility network that can be adapted for different purposes.”

The intention is to collaborate with Coventry City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority to plan a mobility service from late 2021, as a living laboratory for future mobility on the streets of Coventry.

Professor Dr Gero Kempf, Chief Engineer said: “It’s also a unique opportunity – a concept platform designed and engineered around urban centric use cases by a major car maker as a blank canvas, for developing tailored services and apps in the ecosystem of a smart city.”

Multi-Disciplinary Approach Saved Life of 36-Year-Old Patient with Spinal Paraganglioma Tumor at Manipal Hospitals

Manipal Hospitals Bangalore achieved yet another medical marvel by successfully removing a rare tumor of the nerve cells, ‘Paraganglioma’ which was secreting excess hormone and was present at the lower back, near the spine of 36-year-old patient Mr. Jagadeesh Ratha. A multidisciplinary team with specialized doctors from different streams got together to perform this complex surgery are Dr. Praveen M Ganigi, Consultant, Neurosurgery, Dr. Bopanna KM, Consultant, Neurosurgery, Dr. Shabber Zaveri, Consultant, Cancer Care and Dr. Karthik Prabhakar, Consultant, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Dr. G S Nagaraja Prabhakar, Consultant, Anesthesiology.

Mr. Jagadeesh Ratha, was on medication for Hypertension since many years. He was facing recurrent lower backache for the past one year with radiating right lower limb pain since 8 months. He also reported to have lost weight over the past 6 months. Thorough investigation revealed that he was suffering from a spinal paraganglioma, with excess secretion of Catecholamine hormone leading to hypertension.

Dr. Karthik Prabhakar, Consultant, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Manipal Hospitals Bangalore said, “According to a recent study, these kind of tumors are found in 2 out of every million people each year and are the cause of high blood pressure in less than 0.2% of people. Though in this case, it was a benign tumor, but excess release of catecholamine from the tumor in uncontrolled bursts could cause serious health problems like stroke, heart attacks and even death to the patient. Therefore, he required a multi-disciplinary attention.”

Speaking about the case, Dr. Praveen M Ganigi, Consultant, Neurosurgery, Manipal Hospitals Bangalore, said, “Spinal Paraganglioma is rare, with approximately 90 cases reported in the literature and can affect people between the ages of 30 and 50. The surgery was conducted in two steps, one from the front and another one from the back of the spine, taking a total of around 10 hours of complex surgery with constant monitoring of his vital sings”.

Dr. G S Nagaraja Prabhakar, Consultant, Anesthesiology, Manipal Hospitals Bangalore said, “Since the urinary metanephrines’ value was on the higher side, we had to initiate adrenergic receptor blockers, along with appropriate antihypertensive medications for preoperative BP management. During surgery, hormones in the tumor could be released and could cause serious problems such as elevated blood pressure and pulse. We had to be alert and maintain his body stable at the time of the surgery”.

“For these kind of rare case of paraganglioma, complete removal of tumour by surgical resection is the first choice of treatment with or without radiotherapy. However, since paragangliomas are highly vascular lesions and in view of anticipated large volume blood loss, Jagadeesh underwent pre-operative endovascular embolization to cut off blood supply to the tumor” added Dr. Shabber Zaveri, Consultant, Cancer Care, Manipal Hospitals Bangalore.

As it was a spinal paraganglioma, it could also change the shape of the spinal cord, which could have been disastrous. Therefore, the doctors had to reconstruct the spine as well, post removing the tumor.

Dr. Bopanna KM, Consultant, Neurosurgery, Manipal Hospital Bangalore said, “Post-surgery and upon review he was evaluated and was symptomatically better, mobilising independently and healing well with no fresh deficits. The patient underwent regular physiotherapy and was mobilised with thoraces-lumbar brace post the surgery as per the physical rehabilitation team and was discharged in a stable condition”

Expressing his happiness on the treatment, Mr. Jagadeesh Ratha said, “I have recovered completely and now leading a happy and normal life all thanks to the team of doctors’ at Manipal Hospitals. This was a true example of success achieved via team work. All the doctors were extremely supportive throughout the procedure and gave me confidence to recover. I appreciate the efforts and commitment of the doctors.”

OYO Hotels & Homes Revenue Globally Grows by 2.9x to USD 604 Million in FY19

Highlights

* Records consolidated revenue of USD 951 million in FY19 with India revenue at USD 604 million
* India contributes to 63.5% of fiscal revenue while International markets generate 36.5% of total revenue
* The company reduces net loss in India from 24% to 14% of revenue on the back of better-operating efficiency
* Consolidated losses increase from 25% in FY18 to 35% in FY19 on the back of international expansion; especially since China was launched at the end of the fiscal

OYO Hotels & Homes, the world’s leading hospitality chain, has today announced its financial results for FY 2019 (April 2018 to March 2019). As per audited financials, the company’s consolidated revenue stood at USD 951 million, which is 4.5X (year-over-year) higher from FY2018 when the company reported a revenue of USD 211 million.

As a six-year-old young startup, OYO’s business across markets today is seen to evolve through three key growth stages. In stage one, when we start our operations in new markets,  the focus of the company is on scale and presence; in stage two, when we have achieved scale and presence, the focus is on creating a strong brand resonance and ensuring improved gross margin, for the value proposition we bring in, while continuing to invest in accretive growth. In mature markets like India, where OYO is in the third stage of its growth journey, the focus of the company is to maintain strong brand preference while ensuring we have a clear path to profitability, enabled by accretive growth, operational excellence, and strong gross margin. In this context, this FY 19, business operations in India contributed to nearly 63.5% or USD 604 million of this consolidated figure as the business clocked a 2.9X (y-o-y) growth. Nearly 36.5% or USD 348 million was contributed by the company’s operations outside India, primarily China, signifying its strong commitment towards building a sustainable global business at scale with improved operating efficiencies.

The company reported an increase in both daily guest check-ins across its network as well as an increase in hotels and asset owners across the world. With over 43,000 asset partners, OYO hosted over 180 million guests from 120+ nationalities between January - December 2019.

In FY 2019, OYO had a primary presence in China and India. The inherent costs of establishing new markets, including those related to talent, market-entry, operational expenses among others, resulted in an increase in OYO’s net loss percentage in the near-term, which grew from 25% in FY18 to 35% of revenue in FY19 to USD 335 million. At the same time, in mature markets like India, the company reduced its losses from 24% to 14% of revenue in FY19 to USD 83 million.

Commenting on the development, Abhishek Gupta, Global CFO of OYO Hotels & Homes, said, “We have crossed an important milestone of achieving global revenue of USD 951 million in FY 2019, a 4.5 times increase on a year-on-year basis. OYO’s relentless focus on offering an exceptional guest experience, delivering value to asset partners and constant technological innovation supported by the hard work and perseverance of every OYOpreneur has been the core propellers behind this performance. As we work towards consistently improving our financial performance, ensuring strong yet sustainable growth, high operational and service excellence and a clear path to profitability will be our key to our approach in 2020 and beyond. The company’s increased focus on corporate governance and building a high-performing and employee-first work culture will also drive this next phase of sustainable growth for us. We look forward to adding value to the experience of travellers and asset partners across the globe.”

India is a high scale market moving towards profitability while showing continued growth.
OYO Hotels & Homes to focus on sustainable growth, operational excellence & profitability in 2020 & beyond

In 2019, OYO also continued to build a loyal guest base, with over 90% revenue coming from repeat and organic user base with repeat alone contributing to 73% of revenues.

Since China and other international markets were in development and investment mode during that time, they contributed to 75% of the losses for FY19 (USD 252 million). These markets constituted 36.5% of the global revenues. While consistently improving operating economics in mature markets like India where it's already seeing an improvement in gross margins,  the company is determined to bring in the same fiscal discipline in emerging markets in the coming financial year.

Sustainable Growth with Impact

The company’s gross margin in India increased from 10.6% in FY18 to 14.7% in FY19 indicating the strength of its business model and a positive correlation between market share and economics.

The OYO app is now among Top 3 Hotel booking apps globally with over 2.3 million downloads till October 2019 which has now increased to 10 million+ downloads. The company continues to delight its guests keeping in mind customer preferences, and its average ratings on OTA (Online Travel Agency) platforms were 7.5+/10.

India's Most Lovable Cop Chulbul Robinhood Pandey Makes Digital Debut on Amazon Prime Video with Dabangg 3

For Salman Khan fans, this Valentine’s Weekend is going to be even more special as Amazon Prime Video today announced the digital premiere of Bollywood’s most loved action comedy Dabangg 3.Directed by Prabhu Deva and starring Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha and Saiee Manjrekar,  the plot of Dabangg 3 revolves around the origin of Chulbul Pandey, and the circumstances that led him to go from Dhakkad Chand Pandey, to the eccentric Robin Hood of Uttar Pradesh. Prime members across 200 countries and territories can stream the third installment of the Chulbul Pandey film starting 15th February, 2020.

Commenting on the film, Salman Khan said “The Dabangg franchise has been very special to me – Chulbul Pandey’s character has become a favorite with my fans across the world! I am thrilled that Prime Members globally can now catch this movie on Amazon Prime Video. This Valentine’s Day weekend watch Chulbul and Raijo’s evolving love-story, coupled with the incredible action and humour one has come to expect from the Dabangg franchise.”

A circumquel to the 2010 film Dabangg and 2012 film Dabangg 2, this third installment of the Dabangg film series showcases the corrupt yet much loved Chulbul Pandey`s origin as a police officer after an encounter with his old rival named Bali Singh refreshes his memory.

Amazon Prime Video has the largest selection of latest & exclusive movies and TV shows, Stand-Up comedy, biggest Indian and Hollywood films, US TV series, most popular Indian & International kids’ shows, and award-winning Amazon Originals, all available, ad-free, with a world class customer experience. The service includes titles available in English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi and Bengali.

Divine Solitaires Felicitated for its Breakthroughs at National Jewellery Awards in Mumbai

Divine Solitaires, India’s first solitaire jewellery brand was recognised at the prestigious National Jewellery Awards (NJA) for achieving complete transparency in the diamond industry. The awards function took place on Saturday, 15th February 2020 at Hotel Renaissance, Mumbai.

Divine Solitaires was felicitated for being the first-ever solitaire brand in India to offer complete transparency in quality and pricing along with a unique digital solitaire experience to diamond consumers.

Since its establishment in 2006, the brand has introduced some pathbreaking innovations such as a 123-parameter quality guarantee, a Nationwide Standard & Transparent Price List, the Divine Solitaires mobile application and a Solitaire Price Index. The brand has an outreach in more than 160 stores across 82 cities in India, and has also reached out to consumers in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand and Nepal.

The National Jewellery Awards is considered as one of the most prestigious jewellery award in the gems and jewellery industry.  The All India Gems and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) accords recognition and award through the NJA platform annually to stimulate talent, honour innovation and creativity of the jewellers & designers to boost the industry.

NJA honours the work of designers and manufacturers in various categories such as Best Jewellery Designs, Best Diamond & Precious Metal Jewellery, and even has an award for the Best Retail Ambience. The jewellery platform aims to drive excellence across the various aspects of the industry segment and reward the passion and innovation, setting new benchmarks within the industry each year.

On winning the award Mr. Jignesh Mehta, Founder and Managing Director Divine Solitaires said “At Divine Solitaires, we constantly strive to meet our customers’ requirements and make their experience of solitaire shopping, hassle-free. We thank the GJC for selecting us for this award and recognising our efforts in the gems and jewellery industry. This award will further motivate us to work harder in creating world-class solitaire jewellery and offer unique services which will benefit the customers and the industry as a whole.”

About Divine Solitaires (www.divinesolitaires.com)

Founded in the year 2006, Divine Solitaires offers its consumers the world’s finest and brilliantly crafted quality solitaire diamonds that have been obtained through ethical sourcing and given quality certification. The brand offers a quality guarantee on all their diamonds on the basis of 123 parameters as against the international standard of 40 parameters. Globally only Divine Solitaires has a retail pricing mechanism that is standard and transparent. Realising the need for organised marketing of diamonds and diamond jewellery, Mr. Jignesh Mehta conceptualized and founded Divine Solitaires and the branding of solitaires along with the core values of consistently offering high quality diamonds with transparency and standardisation in pricing. Mr. Mehta is a 1st generation entrepreneur, having completed his Masters in marketing from Australia and a diamond grading course from Antwerp, Belgium. He and his brother, Mr. Shailen Mehta, Co-founder Divine Solitaires bring with them nearly 20 years of rich global experience of the diamond industry.

Edtech Startup PlanetSpark Raises INR 3.2 Cr Pre Series A from IAN, FIITJEE and Others

Gurgaon based edtech startup, PlanetSpark has raised a follow-on Pre-Series A round of INR 3.2 Cr from Indian Angel Network, Lead Angels and Hyderabad Angels. Existing seed investor and one of India’s largest education companies, FIITJEE Limited, also participated in this round, showing its faith in the company’s vision. Vikas Kuthiala and Nitin Zamre were the deal leads on behalf of IAN.

PlanetSpark provides neighborhood learning zones where children learn and develop all the 'new age' skills under one roof. It combines online learning with an offline experience for young children in grades K-8 through its in-house learning products. It operates in an asset-light model of partnering with unutilized assets in pre-schools, schools and strategic partners such as Oyo Townhouse to set up its neighbourhood blended-learning centres in a low cost and scalable manner.

“Pure online learning through videos is passive and suffers from very poor completion rates. The presence of a dedicated space, time and a mentor is essential for young kids to learn effectively. Hence, we blend online with an offline experience  at our neighbourhood learning spaces where kids can learn academic skills (English, Maths, Science) and 21st century skills (coding, robotics, public speaking etc) in the presence of a qualified teacher.”, said Kunal Malik, Co-Founder.

The company will use the funds in expanding its business into new geographies and increasing enrolments by 10x over the next 12-15 months. According to a report by KPMG, Primary and Secondary Supplemental Education will be the largest online education category at 773 Million by 2021 and growing at CAGR of 60%. While the grade 9 to 12 market has seen a red ocean with numerous big players established in the market in the past 20 years, there has been no trusted brand in the K-8 space to cater to the needs of young parents looking to develop their kids.

“Though our asset light model and an omnichannel approach, our acquisition costs go down considerably with time. As a Learning Zone grows, its brand builds in the area and it acts like a magnet to attract more students due to network effects, with a 42% referral rate. Due to our face to face interaction with children and learning analytics and live-feed system for parents, our engagement is very high, leading to 95% retention rates”, said Maneesh Dhooper, Co-founder.

The market for developing new age skills in young children is growing exponentially across the world, especially in China and the US to cater to the need to prepare children to be critical thinkers and problem solvers in an ever changing world. There is a growing trend towards using a Blended Learning model that combines online with offline. PlanetSpark is uniquely positioned to leverage its products and offline play to capture the market.

Delhi based CENSIE Capital Partners was the adviser to Planetspark for this transaction, “We are always passionate about the team that brings fresh prespective to the industry, said, Ankul Maheshwari, Founder – CENSIE.

About PlanetSpark:
Founded in 2016, Gurgaon-based PlanetSpark is the brainchild of Maneesh Dhooper and Kunal Malik. PlanetSpark provides neighborhood learning zones where children learn and develop all the 'new age' skills under one roof. It combines online learning with an offline experience for young children in grades K-8 through its in-house learning products. It operates in an asset-light model of partnering with unutilized assets in pre-schools, schools and strategic partners such as Oyo Townhouse to set up its neighbourhood blended-learning centres in a low cost and scalable manner.