Building With CO₂-Based Material, Technology Now Becomes Possible

 

Up to 20 percent CO₂ instead of oil in rigid polyurethane foam

Innovative rigid foam for insulation boards

Materials show enhanced sustainability in initial tests

More sustainable, CO₂-based materials for the construction sector - in the future, this could become reality. Since 2016, Covestro has been working with research and development partners as part of the "DreamResource" joint project (FKZ 033RC002) funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to research new, more environmentally friendly polyols with the potential to be used, for example, in the form of rigid polyurethane foam in insulation for the construction sector. An initial prototype of an insulation board has now been developed together with the project partner puren gmbh, which contains the novel polyols based on conventional ethylene oxides and CO₂. This marks a decisive further development of Covestro's CO₂ technology for a particularly important part of the climate-relevant construction industry.

"Buildings are responsible for a large share of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This makes it all the more important for us at Covestro to contribute to the Circular Economy and make insulation even more sustainable and efficient in the future. Our goal is to end the use of fossil fuels and make our production processes more sustainable," says Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer at Covestro.

Using innovative CO₂ technology, Covestro already produces the CO₂-based precursor cardyon®, which is utilized in the manufacture of mattresses, sports flooring, textile fibers and components for vehicle interiors.

New, promising approach thanks to CO₂ technology

Covestro has now succeeded in combining the petroleum derivative ethylene oxide with CO₂ in a chemical reaction to produce first polyols and finally rigid polyurethane foam. Up to 20 percent of petroleum-based raw materials are expected to be replaced by this process in the future. "With the development of these materials, we are endowing the greenhouse gas CO₂ with a new use with versatile applications," says Dr. Christoph Gürtler, Head of Catalysis and Technology at Covestro.

Together with Covestro's industrial partners puren gmbh, BYK-Chemie GmbH and PSS Polymer Standard Service GmbH, it proved possible not only to investigate a wide range of applications but also to develop new analytical methods for the CO₂-based materials. With RWTH Aachen University and the Technical University of Berlin, the ecological and economic potential of this expanded CO₂ technology was investigated along with the in-depth characterization of the novel materials. "The results of DreamResource very clearly demonstrate the diverse opportunities that arise from the use of CO₂ as a basic building block for polyols to produce a wide variety of polyurethane types. The interaction between industry and science plays an essential role in this innovative field," says Dennis Krämer, project manager for national and international research projects for CO₂ utilization at DECHEMA e.V.

Versatile and sustainable insulation

"This renewed expansion of the product range yields enormous leeway," continues Gürtler. Thanks to the promising combination of ethylene oxide and CO₂, surface-active substances can also be produced through this new route in addition to CO₂-based rigid polyurethane foam, which can be used in insulating boards for buildings, for example.

Lake Constance-based puren gmbh is one of the pioneers of rigid polyurethane foam technology and investigated the use of CO₂ polyols in the rigid foam segment in this research project.

Following more than three years of joint research in the collaborative project, over 400 kilogram of the CO₂-based polyol was successfully delivered to puren for further processing. "These initial rigid foam insulation boards made with a CO₂-based rigid foam polyol conform to standards and are already comparable with the market standard in terms of their key technical specifications. During further cooperation, we plan to manufacture additional prototypes and to enhance the properties with the aim of taking a giant step closer to the use of CO₂ as an alternative raw material in rigid foam insulation boards and ensuring rapid final development to market readiness," says puren Managing Director Dr. Andreas Huther. Thanks to this successful collaboration, CO₂ can now be used as an alternative raw material in the rigid foam sector. This will make building insulations even more sustainable and will further reduce the dependence on fossil raw materials.

Bengaluru Based Rishi Shiv Prasanna With IQ level Of 180 Recognized As Young Genius!

As a child, many of us are curious and have lots of questions about many things, but Rishi Shiv Prasanna surprises everyone with his knowledge. The 6-year-old from Bengaluru has an insatiable thirst for knowledge and is a genius in the true sense. Rishi has been certified to have an IQ level of 180. and has been admitted to the Mensa High IQ Society. He is arguably amongst the youngest Certified Android application developers (has developed 3 apps  that are listed in Google play store-”IQ Test App” for kids,  “Countries of the world” and CHB which is COVID Help for Bangaloreans) and has even authored a book.

Rishi Shiv Prasanna’s extraordinary talent will now be recognized in Young Genius, a show that celebrates child prodigies. Rishi met former Indian Hockey player, Padma Shri awardee Sardar Singh and impressed him with his knowledge. Sardar Singh, who has made over 350 international appearances for India and became the youngest Hockey captain was awestruck when he met Rishi.   

Rishi started exhibiting his brilliance at a very young age. Rishi’s mother, Recheshwari S. says, “At the age of 3, Rishi started narrating about the Solar System, the Universe, planets, shapes and numbers. We were surprised to see his knowledge.” In fact, India Book of Records issued him a Certificate of Appreciation in 2019 at the age of 5 for his IQ.

Rishi developed an interest in space, science, technology and computer science at the age of 4. Rishi Shiv Prassana said, “At the age of 5, I learnt coding and now I have developed many user-friendly apps. I want to become a scientist who helps protect Mother Earth.”

Watch Rishi Shiv P with Sardar Singh in an exciting chat in the sixth episode of Byju’s Young Genius on 20th February 2021 (Saturday) and repeat telecast on 21st February on News18 Network!

Snapbizz Publishes State Of Kirana Retail 2020 Report In Indian Market

 

* Report shows how Kirana stores adapted to the situation and transformed their approach to daily selling

SnapBizz, India’s only vertical platform exclusively for the FMCG Industry fulfilling last mile connectivity with Kirana stores has released a new report outlining the transformation that Kirana stores from across India have gone through to fulfil the changing requirements of their consumers while facing a pandemic.

According to the new report, the majority of Kirana stores have created some system where customers can order via the internet or through an app, in an attempt to safeguard themselves from losing their customers to e-commerce platforms. The study also shows how in 2020 there was an increase in spends per bill reflecting more items in a bill, price rises and switching to more expensive items due to supply shortage and migration of new shoppers with different shopping habits from modern trade to Kirana stores.  

The study analysed over 2 million consumer bills recorded in the SnapBizz network of Kirana stores spread across 10 cities which include Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. SnapBizz is backed by marquee VCs such as Jungle Ventures, Taurus, Blume Ventures and strategic investors such as Nielsen, Qualcomm, AUO and Mr. Ratan Tata.

Prem Kumar, Founder & CEO adds “The consumer retail segment has witnessed rapid growth in terms of digitization of MSMEs in 2020. This was fuelled by the current COVID-19 era which brought in new opportunities in the retail sector specially for Kiranas. As a result, over a million Kiranas have gone digital in recent months and their stores have gone online by accepting online payments, ordering supplies online, managing inventory, etc. The technology cover now enables them to leverage their strengths like proximity, personal touch, and flexibility further to acquire new customers effortlessly.”

The report gives an in-depth analysis into food and non-food categories and a clear analysis on the effects of COVID and lockdowns on FMCG selling pattern, availability and pricing.

Highlights of the Study-

The staples categories witnessed a surge in baskets and spends by 20% even though the store presence had a marginal increase in 2020 vs. 2019; possibly due to more people working from home and eating out was limited for the greater part of the year. 

Most of the retailers (more than 90%) were not supported by distributors in terms of larger credit lines or longer credit periods; Adding to the working capital problem, more than 50% retailers had difficulty in collecting from customers. However, overall, the credit bills have remained stable in 2020 compared to the previous year.

Home deliveries increased and 75% stores are working towards going online

80% of Kirana stores saw an increase in customers

Banking sector has become very involved in the Kirana Eco-system

Sales were more consumption driven rather than price except for Dals & Pulses. It was observed that during lockdown and till Oct’20, the shopper spends increased significantly, however declined and went to pre-COVID-19 levels post that.

Overall, the consumer spends increased and this was primarily from the larger outlets than the smaller ones.

The consumer spends on categories like Snack Foods, Biscuits and Noodles also increased by 25% in 2020 and the same trend was noted except for Biscuits where the spends dropped in Nov '20.

Digital payments were on the rise in 2020, more through payment apps, and a lesser rise through credit / debit cards which require more KYC formalities.

There was a spike of 50% in the share of spends in the food category in March but now it is coming back close to pre-COVID-19 levels even though it is still 18% higher than pre-lockdown days.

The Kirana stores continue to leverage online ordering apps to cater to the current consumers. The number of consumers that ordered from grocery stores via SnapOrder mobile app increased by 5x as compared to Pre-COVID-19 levels.

SnapBizz is currently working closely with FMCG brands, distributors, wholesalers, e-commerce players (B2B/B2C), financial service players, consulting companies and Kirana stores to help bridge the information gap and find solutions based on the results of these reports. This analysis also helps Kirana stores better deal with their consumer requirements.

About SnapBizz

Headquartered in Bengaluru, SnapBizz provides new age solutions to convert the neighbourhood Kirana stores into smart stores and enable them to leverage their current strengths to gain competitive edge and increase store profitability.

SnapBizz provides Kirana stores with easy-to-use solutions to manage and optimize store operations with products such as Snapbilling (touch-based billing solution), SnapOrder (online B2C app), SnapSupply (FMCG distributor app) and SnapPulse (retail analytics solution).

With a presence in 7 major cities in India, they are today the only vertical platform exclusively for the FMCG Industry fulfilling last mile connectivity with Kirana stores its consumers and other stakeholders in the FMCG ecosystem. The stakeholders include FMCG brands, distributors, wholesalers, E-commerce players (B2B/B2C), advertising agencies, logistic players, and financial service players.

The company presently has a network of 10000+ Kirana stores who collectively do a business (GMV) of approx. of $1 Billion/year. Given its increasing relevance in the space due to the current circumstances, SnapBizz is on a fast-track mode to build a network of 150,000 stores across 42 cities and becoming a $ 15 billion platform.

Vodafone Idea Foundation Scholarships 2021 Now Open Across India

* All Teachers and Students from across the country can apply under ‘Learning with Vodafone Idea’ programme

* Rs. 1 lakh Cash scholarship for Teachers; Rs. 20,000 for Students

* 200 Teachers and 2500 Students were granted scholarships in 2020

Vodafone Idea Foundation - the CSR arm of Vi, has invited applications from Teachers and Students for the ‘Learning with Vodafone Idea Scholarship’ programme for the year 2021-22.

The Vi CSR initiative aims to bridge the social and fiscal divide that teachers and students face in terms of availability and accessibility to the necessary resources to help them excel.

Launched in 2020 these scholarships entitle teachers as well as students to access Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT) covering a list of permissible expenses. The scholarships are merit based for teachers and merit-cum-means based for the students. The selection process is entirely online, overseen by an independent jury, including eminent educators, representatives of civil society organizations.

Vodafone Idea Foundation is offering Rs. 1 Lakh cash Scholarship to Teachers and Rs. 20,000 to Students to help them avail necessary resources for quality education.

Launching the Scholarship this year, P. Balaji, Chief Regulatory & Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited said “Vi is committed to leverage our technology expertise and network to create social impact. Providing access to education is one of the fundamental ways of improving employability, thereby reducing poverty in the country. We strongly believe that no student or teacher should be held back from achieving their true potential due to financial constraints.”

Eligibility Criteria:

Full time teachers from government/government-aided schools or low income private schools with 3+ years of experience can apply for the scholarship. They must be teaching standards 8 and above and possess credentials in the form of recognized academic awards, papers, teaching-learning innovations and content creation, to be eligible.

Students from government/government-aided schools from 6th to 12th class with recognized academic or extra-curricular achievements can apply for the Vi CSR Scholarship.

Scholarship winners can use the money to procure IT equipment (laptop, printer) and pay for course fees, educational books, magazines, school tuition fees, amongst other school related essentials.

To know more and to apply, please visit: www.learningwithvodafoneidea.in/vi-scholarships

Quotes from Beneficiaries of ‘Learning with Vodafone Idea Scholarship’ 2020

Kalpana Rajauriya, one of one winners last year said “Students often find books boring and we as teachers have to constantly find new ways to keep them engaged. I always wanted to create content for students myself since it will be more relevant. However, doing it on a mobile phone was always cumbersome. Upon receiving the Vodafone Idea Teachers’ Scholarship, I have now purchased a laptop and recently created my first content and shared it with my students. Especially during the pandemic with the help of the laptop I could easily conduct classes and show my students a variety of content. The scholarship will inspire me to work harder for my students.”

Shmruti Prashant Patro, a student scholarship winner from Maharashtra said, “This year we could not go to the school and suddenly we were told to study from home. Our teacher was taking classes on mobile phones, but my parents could not provide me a phone and I had to borrow it sometimes from neighbours which was causing delay and many times I had to miss my class since the phone was not available. On receiving the Vodafone Idea Students’ Scholarship, one of the first things I purchased was a mobile phone, which I am now using to attend all classes and also use the internet as the teacher tells us. My school fee for the last few month was also pending, which I have paid using the scholarship.”

Vodafone Idea’s CSR has transformative programmes in the domain of Education, Agriculture, Women Empowerment and Technology.

About Vodafone Idea Limited

Vodafone Idea Limited is an Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group partnership. It is India’s leading telecom service provider. The Company provides pan India Voice and Data services across 2G, 3G and 4G platform. With the large spectrum portfolio to support the growing demand for data and voice, the company is committed to deliver delightful customer experiences and contribute towards creating a truly ‘Digital India’ by enabling millions of citizens to connect and build a better tomorrow. The Company is developing infrastructure to introduce newer and smarter technologies, making both retail and enterprise customers future ready with innovative offerings, conveniently accessible through an ecosystem of digital channels as well as extensive on-ground presence. The Company is listed on National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India.

The company offers products and services to its customers in India under the TM Brand name “Vi”.

Ookla® - the global leader in broadband testing and web-based network diagnostic applications, has verified Vi, based on analysis of Speedtest Intelligence® data as the fastest 4G network pan-India in Oct to Dec ’20.

Twitter - @VodaIdea_NEWS

Logo And Theme Launch For The 15th Global Conclave Of PRCI Communication 2021 - 2030, Mapping The Mega Trends

 

The Public Relations Council of India, PRCI, launched the logo and theme for its 15th Global Conclave scheduled for May 28 and 29, 2021, in Goa, at Hotel Woodlands, recently. 

Mr. M.B.Jayaram, Chief Emeritus and Chief Mentor said, "We have been witnessing a major change in PR and Communication in the last few years. But the pandemic triggered off a change that was gradual to the fast lane. Out of necessity is born a new era of invention and innovation, the theme, 'Communication 2021 - 2030, Mapping the Mega Trend' is intended to tap into shaping the trends of our times."

The logo represents the theme of the 15th Global Conclave very aptly. Mr.R.T Kumar, Director and Logo conceptualizer, PRCI said, "Whether it is education, medical consultancy, shopping, customer relations, news and even eating out, all now at your fingertips. The fingertip is a prominent tool to communicate. The conclave logo shows how our lives and all that we do revolves around this one finger. The colour chosen is a stylish corporate grey since the focus of the conclave will be on PR and Communications."

The logo and theme was unveiled by Dr. K.R Venugopal, Vice Chancellor, Bangalore University. The launch was moderated by Nikhil Kumar, a multifaceted global music and media professional in the presence of Mr. M.B.Jayaram, Chief Emeritus and Chief Mentor, PRCI, Mr. Srineevasamurthy, Chairman, Governing Council, Dr. T Vinaykumar, National President, PRCI, Mr.US Kutty, Secretary General, Governing Council, Mr.R.T Kumar, Director and Logo conceptualizer, Dr.Latha T.S , State Head, PRCI, Karnataka and others.

Syska Accessories Launches Innovative Syska P2024J Power Bank On Flipkart Flash Sale

* The Flipkart Flash Sale will be live on 19th February from 12pm to 12am

• Syska Power bank is a Made in India product with premium metal body finishing

• 20,000mAh 18Watt quick charge power delivery Power Bank for fast charging requirements

• 2 way Input-Output fast charging technology for enhanced performance

• 12 layer advanced chip protection to avoid malfunctions

• Dual Input Ports – Micro USB and Type-C for easy charging options

Syska Accessories, a leading brand in the mobile accessories segment, offering innovative and unique products today announced the launch of the Syska P2024J Power Bank which will be exclusively available for purchase on Flipkart. The power bank is an ideal option for charging all sets of smart devices and smart phones. Syska mobile accessories offer a wide range of top quality products such as wireless speakers, wireless headsets, wireless earphones, car chargers, and others.

Syska P2024J zoom charging power bank consists of a steady capacity of 20,000mAh. Syska has manufactured this power bank with superior technology offering a prodigious charging experience. With the spike in work from home accessories, Syska has been striving to offer consumers innovative products that help make work-life more comfortable and seamless. The power bank charges multiple smart devices simultaneously with a uniform fast charging speed and offers a safe current supply through its 12-layer chip protection.

Commenting on the launch of the P2024J power bank, Mr. Gurumukh Uttamchandani, Executive Director, Syska Group said, “At Syska, we have always conducted an in-depth market research to gauge the requirements of our large consumer base. As a company, our aim is to meet the necessities of our customers by offering best products which are examined for quality and reliability and are equipped with the latest technology. The latest Syska P2024J Power Bank has been manufactured in India for consumers who are on the lookout for a compact power bank with an uninterrupted power flow that presents a smooth charging experience. This charger is the complete solution for everyone out there.”

Syska P2024J Power Bank is priced at Rs. 2499/- but will be available at a very interesting introductory price of Rs. 1,099/- only on 19th February 2021 from 12pm to 12am during the Flipkart flash sale across three colors Midnight Blue, Blazing Red and Pearl Black. The Syska P2024J Power Bank comes with a 6 months warranty against any manufacturing defects. The warranty will be effective from the date of purchase of the product. A fast charging Type-C cable is given as an additional accessory in the same box for better performance and the product is compatible with multiple devices.

WhiteHat Jr Expands Product Bouquet By Launching The ‘Create with Math’ Curriculum

* Marks milestone in the journey of establishing the largest online live learning platform offering multiple subjects to benefit students around the world

WhiteHat Jr, the leading EdTech company that made inroads in multiple international markets by teaching Coding to students through its live online format, has expanded its offerings by launching the ‘Create with Math’ curriculum. This foray marks the first of multiple new subjects that the company is targeting to launch over the next few months. Currently, WhiteHat Jr’s 11,000 strong women-only teacher workforce from India, conducts more than 40,000+ 1:1 LIVE online classes every day on its proprietary platform.

Highlighting the importance of the launch, Karan Bajaj, WhiteHat Jr Founder and CEO, said,   “At WhiteHat Jr, our core philosophy has always been to empower the next generation to become creators rather than consumers by channelizing their natural creativity with an engaging curriculum and personalized live 1:1 teacher attention. The launch of ‘Create with Math’, executed with a unique tech-enabled curriculum, is a logical next step as we scale up our platform to make each child fall in love with learning. Aligned with our vision to establish the world’s largest live learning platform, we are working towards launching multiple subjects to fully enable kids’ to fulfill their creative destinies.”

The curriculum aims to empower children to be Math confident for life by making even the most Math anxious students fall in love with the subject. Anchored on US Common Core Math Standards, which is among the most rigorous global standards, the ‘Create with Math’ curriculum will cater to children from class I to VIII in India and across the world progressively. The launch follows a detailed test phase across hundreds of classes that received exceptional feedback from students, parents and teachers.

“We have carefully designed the ‘Create with Math’ curriculum to help children understand the 'why' behind Math and use it confidently to solve real-world problems around them. We have designed the learning experience to be like a playground - where the child interacts and builds with Math. We emphasize visual learning, build concept mastery, and deep application skills through our in-class and post-class activities," said WhiteHat Jr's Chief Learning Officer Balaji Ramanujam. "What's truly meaningful about our program is that we consciously build a mathematical mindset - inspiring children to 'learn to learn,' accept mistakes as part of the learning process, develop grit and creativity, and work collaboratively to solve problems."

The curriculum is brought to life by a specialized batch of highly trained and qualified all-women teacher workforce who have undergone extensive training on being math certified.

About WhiteHat Jr

WhiteHat Jr. has been launched with a singular mission of enabling kids to become creators versus consumers of technology. Kids learn logic, structure, sequence and algorithmic thinking to generate creative outcomes like animations and apps.

To date, we have taught more than 175k students across the globe, including countries such as India, the USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Our 11,000 strong women-only teacher workforce conducts more than 40,000+ 1:1 LIVE online classes every day on our proprietary platform.