Kissflow Strengthens Its Low-Code Business Unit With Two Senior Hires

* Appoints Ex-Ramco Systems Vinitha Ramani as Global Head - Product Marketing & Ex- AWS Srihari Prasad as Global Head - Strategic Alliances

Kissflow, one of India’s Top 5 SaaS companies whose products are used by organizations in 160 countries, appoints two senior leaders to drive growth for its Low-code offering. 

SaaS adoption by Indian enterprises achieved new highs in the last 12 months, with an increase in adoption of Low-code and process automation tools. According to Gartner, the needs of business-driven hyper automation will be one of the top three drivers for low-code adoption through 2022. To capitalise on this upward trend, Kissflow has brought in two veterans in the enterprise applications space to pursue the global opportunity for its Low-code & No-code business unit.

Vinitha Ramani, who was previously the head of marketing at Ramco Systems will spearhead the global GTM for Kissflow’s Low-code platform, and will be at the intersection of customer, product and sales. Her extensive experience in driving demand generation across the mid-market &  enterprise segments will pave the way for Kissflow’s enterprise market play.

Srihari Prasad will lead the System Integrator (SI) partner program at Kissflow. He will be responsible for developing alliances with Global System Integrators (GSIs) and driving collaboration with extended teams. Srihari has previously worked in companies such as AWS, Sun Microsystems, Adobe, ServiceNow, & Cisco AppDynamics.

“The appointment of Vinitha and Srihari represents a key part of our strategy to provide a strong focus on the Low-code business application development market. They both bring a wealth of experience in enterprise markets. They will play a pivotal role in increasing Kissflow’s product reach and expanding our market presence,” said Suresh Sambandam, CEO at Kissflow.

About Kissflow:

Kissflow offers pioneering Low-code & No-code work management solutions for organisations to manage all of their work on a single platform. Kissflow’s suite of products are used by over 10,000 organizations spread across 160 countries, including more than fifty Fortune 500 companies. G2 Crowd named Kissflow as a leader in the BPM and Workflow category, with a customer satisfaction score of 4.3 out of 5, the highest in the category. 

Covestro Teams Up With Tsinghua University On CMF Design Of Recycled Materials

* Optimized use of recycled plastics, taking into account aesthetics, function and carbon footprint

* Development of a methodology for designing plastic recyclates through color, material and finish

* 20210604_Covestro-cooperates-with-Tsinghua-University-Pic-1

Covestro is collaborating with the Colour & Imaging Institute at the Art & Science Research Center of the prestigious Tsinghua University on a study of sustainable materials from a color, material and finish (CMF) perspective. © Covestro

While the circular economy is gaining importance and more efficient recycling technologies are being developed, there has been a lack of methods to optimize the use of recycled materials in terms of aesthetics and function. That's why materials manufacturer Covestro is joining forces with the Colour & Imaging Institute, Art & Science Research Center at the renowned Tsinghua University in Beijing to develop a study on sustainable materials from the perspective of color, material and finish (CMF). The two partners made the announcement at the start of the Design Shanghai 2021 exhibition, June 3-6.

The goal of the research project is to jointly develop solutions for an aesthetic, design-based identity of recycled materials. The empirical project is based on research findings, designs and experiments. It aims to integrate aesthetic CMF design into Covestro's more sustainable polycarbonate material portfolio and promote a design approach that brings together aesthetic and circular design.

Combining circularity with aesthetic design

"While the environmental benefits and technical performance of recycled plastics have been widely researched, additional research is needed on the sensory properties of these materials and how people experience and appreciate them from an emotional and sustainability perspective," says Dr. Christopher Stillings, Vice President and Global Head of Color & Design (CMF) in Covestro's Polycarbonates segment. "These insights would help us learn how to differentiate these materials from a CMF perspective. They would also contribute to the business success and adoption of recycled plastics. To achieve a full circular economy, we need to synergize circular design and aesthetic design. That means innovating in materials, services and business models."

"The industry must not only consider the technical and environmental performance of recycled materials, but also make sure they evoke an emotional response from consumers when it comes to sustainability," says Roy Cheung, Head of Sustainability Solutions in Covestro's Polycarbonates segment. "At Covestro, we take a holistic approach to our sustainability offerings by finding the right balance between aesthetics, functionalities and environmental footprint of sustainable material solutions."

Asian approach with potential for other regions

Under the multi-phase project, Tsinghua's Colour & Imaging Institute of the Art & Science Research Center will use consumer surveys, expert interviews, Big Data mining and design industry research to explore design paths and inspirations for the CMF design of Covestro's recycled polycarbonate plastics.

"It is a stringent, science-based and consumer-centric design process that aims to provide visual and tactile impressions to consumers and tell stories about sustainability with aesthetic design," says Song Wenwen, Deputy Director and Executive Director of the Colour & Imaging Institute at the Art & Science Research Center. "In China, we want to achieve results that meet the need of consumers around the world for more sustainable materials." The goal of the collaboration, she said, is to promote an Asia-Pacific-based approach that combines circular and aesthetic design and can be applied in other regions.

Covestro is a pioneer in meeting environmental and sustainability goals, not only for itself but also for the value chain. The company recently teamed up with consultancy REnato lab to publish the "Circular Design Guidebook", a guide to help designers and developers in the electrical, electronics and appliance industries make their next-generation products more circular.

About Covestro:

With 2020 sales of EUR 10.7 billion, Covestro is among the world’s leading polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative, sustainable solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. In doing so, Covestro is fully committed to the circular economy. The main industries served are the automotive and transportation industries, construction, furniture and wood processing, as well as electrical, electronics, and household appliances industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. At the end of 2020, Covestro has 33 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,500 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Aviva India Launches Aviva Saral Jeevan Bima In The Indian Market

* A simple term insurance plan that ensures financial security of your loved ones

Aviva Life Insurance, India’s most trusted private insurance company, today announced the launch of Aviva Saral Jeevan Bima, a standard term life insurance plan. The Individual Non-Linked, Non-Participating, Pure Risk Life Insurance Plan is designed to offer affordable financial protection to customers. The plan offers easy to understand features and allows flexibility to the customers to adapt the policy basis their needs to provide financial protection to their loved ones.

Aviva’s Saral Jeevan Bima plan offers a minimum sum assured of Rs 5 lakhs and a maximum sum assured of up to Rs 25 lakhs for a policy term ranging between 5 – 40 years. The policy also offers customers the flexibility to choose between premium payment term options of regular pay, single pay and limited pay of 5 or 10 years. Another advantage is that customers get to choose from multiple premium payment mode options i.e., annual, semi-annual or monthly payment.

Mr. Vinit Kapahi, Head, Marketing Function, Aviva Life Insurance said, “At Aviva, we have always aimed to cease complexity in every endeavour and our focus is to deliver simple, relevant and good customer outcomes every day. Aviva Saral Jeevan Bima is in line with the IRDAI’s Guidelines to offer standardised simple term insurance plan with affordable premium. The introduction of this product will cater to the demand of our audience and provide an ease to make an informed choice of financially protecting themselves and their family. This product will not only personify this value but will also play an important role in building trust among the customers.”

He further added “With this launch, our aim is to expand the term insurance market and increase insurance penetration of India. We are hopeful that Aviva Saral Jeevan Bima will extend adequate financial protection cover at an affordable price for our customers and ensure financial security against uncertainties in life.”

Some Key Features of Aviva Saral Jeevan Bima are:

* Entry age for this plan is up to 65 years and customers can avail insurance benefits from a short period of 5 years to as long as 40 years.

* The plan offers to choose a life cover amount from INR 5,00,000 up to INR 25,00,000.

* Aviva Saral Jeevan Bima allows to pay a single lump-sum premium, or for the initial 5 or 10 years of the policy term or for the entire policy term.

* Flexible mode of payment; once a year, twice a year, monthly or a single premium. 

About Aviva Life Insurance:

Aviva Life Insurance Company India Limited is a joint venture between Dabur Invest Corp and Aviva International Holdings Limited, a UK based insurance group, whose association with India goes back to 1834. By choosing Aviva Life Insurance, you benefit from the management experience of one of the world’s oldest insurance groups, with a history dating back to 1696. Today, Aviva Group has 33 million customers in 16 countries (as on 1stJanuary 2019).

o9 Solutions Facilitates Vaccination Camps For Employees, Dependents; Introduces HR Policies And Practices To Provide Relief

o9 Solutions, the premier AI-powered platform for next-generation integrated business planning and decision-making for the enterprise, has made a move to focus on helping employees and their dependents during the difficult times imposed by Covid-19. The company recently conducted its first vaccination drive in Bangalore, through which nearly 132+ employees and dependents were safely vaccinated and monitored for post vaccination symptoms.

With the outbreak of the second wave, the company is focusing on ensuring that the health and wellness of its employees continues to be a top priority. o9 has partnered with EmedLife to ensure seamless vaccination for all employees through Apollo Hospitals. Based on vaccine supply, employees and their dependents have been administered with Covishield. Additionally, the second dose was also organized for employees who had already taken their first dose of Covaxin.

Siddhartha Niyogi, Director, India Operations, o9 Solutions said, “Our top priority is to ensure that all our employees and their families are inoculated. In addition to this, it has been fantastic to see our o9 team unite in the form of “COVID War-rooms” to help and provide relief to the various employees getting affected by this virus. We aim to continuously work towards new initiatives and policies to support our people during these unprecedented times.”

Other initiatives taken by o9 Solutions in the pandemic:

The “o9 Helpline” group: An employee driven buddy ecosystem that provides a helpline for employees and their family members infected with Covid. The aim of this group is to support the concerned people with oxygen cylinders, finding hospital beds and medical tests.

Availability of Oxygen Concentrators: o9 solutions offices are equipped with oxygen concentrators (imported from Europe – since India faced shortage). These are available for employees to use.

Leaves for Care givers: In addition to the mandatory leaves for Covid-19 infected patients, the company is also providing limitless leaves for caregivers.

Instant loans: The company provides tax-free and interest-free loans to employees who are in need.

“o9 solutions cares for your health” wellness kits: Kits that contain sanitizers, masks and disinfectants are dispatched to employees.

CSR Outreach: o9 will also be donating funds to reputed NGOs as part of the CSR outreach to help the larger population cope up with the pandemic-related needs.

o9’s global leadership is also closely following and supporting the India team. Igor Rikalo, COO of o9 Solutions, said, “We are very proud of our team for rallying together and supporting each other through this unprecedented crisis. o9 has mobilized internal and external teams to provide direct support, from shipping concentrators from Europe to India, making donations through global relief organizations to expanding our outreach to local Indian communities and helping them cope with the debilitating effects of the pandemic. o9 is with its employees and the people of India through every step of their arduous journey to recovery.”

About o9 Solutions

o9 Solutions is the premier AI-powered platform for integrated business planning and decision-making for the enterprise. Whether it is driving demand, aligning demand and supply, or optimizing commercial initiatives, any planning process can be made faster and smarter with o9’s AI-powered digital solutions. Bringing together technology innovations—such as graph-based enterprise modelling, big data analytics, advanced algorithms for scenario planning, collaborative portals, easy-to-use interfaces and cloud-based delivery—into one platform. 

The Pandemic Changes The Way Used Cars Are Bought In Urban India, Perhaps Forever

Buying a pre-owned car has traditionally required in-person showroom visits, detailed inspections and prolonged negotiations. No longer. Today an increasingly large number of car buyers are content to click on the pages of an e-tailer’s online showroom, compare and match offerings, read about verified details of the cars and then narrow down on the one they would like to test-drive. And, more often than not, this test drive has led to outright purchase.

This confident buying behaviour may be owed to the way car retailers who are online, address factors that breach the trust gap between the industry and prospective customers. Detailed inspection reports, verified ownership history, 360 degree view of cars, fixed prices and a range of other measures have earned customer trust. Also, contactless and fully sanitized car-buying, replete with doorstep test drives and deliveries, has increasingly appealed to would-be car buyers in the new normal. Moreover, 2021 has been the year where reliable personal transportation, a car of one’s own, in effect -- has been the need of the hour.

Spinny, a full-stack used car retailing platform, can attest to this change in buying behaviour.

It has recorded conversions and sales, from online bookings to home delivery, in a matter of hours in cities like Bengaluru, where over half its carefully selected inventory finds its way to new owners. Spinny reports an online buys without even a test drive, undertaken by among others, an IT engineer based in California, for his aged parents in Bengaluru. Another Pune-based customer became a loyalist after being disappointed by the quality and experience in the city’s local dealerships.

Spinny has sold about 1200 cars a month from January, 21 with more than 80% of the overall transactions are done via choosing a car online, home test drive and home deliveries across the 14 cities that Spinny operates in. In Bengaluru, the number is more than 90% where transactions are complete in a matter of hours, from online booking to home delivery of their car.  Used-car platform Spinny sees 65% of first-time buyers; the percentage of women has doubled from 10% in 2019 to more than 20% presently.

Says Niraj Singh, Founder, Spinny - “Our limited and extremely finely-tuned catalogue is working in our favour. In these times, customers want a reliable car, and we are well-known for our diligence in terms of quality. Besides quality, a customer seeks a well-rounded ownership experience weighted in their favour. We offer a five-day moneyback guarantee, Assured buyback within 6 months, a 1 year warranty complimentary year-long insurance and a very favourable upgradation policy.” That’s why people who browse for a used car online, are more often than not - driving Spinny cars, home-delivered to them in safety and on time.”  

About Spinny:  

Founded in 2015, Spinny is a full stack used car retailing platform that aims to bring about transparency and convenience in the car buying/ selling process in India. Spinny operates across the entire value chain of pre-owned cars, embedding superior technology and processes to deliver a premium experience to customers. As a testimony of Spinny's commitment to transparency and quality, every car on the Spinny platform comes with a 200-point inspection check-list, 5-day money-back guarantee, and 1-year after-sales warranty. Currently, Spinny has 16 car hubs that operate across 8 cities - Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad cities.

About Niraj Singh (Founder & CEO)

He is a serial entrepreneur and investor and is an IIT-Delhi alumnus. Spinny was born out of his desire to deal with a core area that directly addresses the customer’s challenge; in this case a car. He noticed the absence of a platform that offers a completely trustworthy and premium experience to people purchasing second-hand cars, even though they are spending a significant amount and the purchase being a very aspirational one for them. He was determined to solve this problem by eradicating the distrust and making the process simpler and straightforward for the customer.

Godrej Security Solutions Expands Its Health Security Portfolio To Help India Inc. Restart Work From Office

* The company aims to create safer office/ commercial spaces by addressing threats using 5D + 3S approach of security

Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the Godrej Group’s business Godrej Security Solutions (GSS), the leading player in future technology of security solutions, announced the expansion of its health security portfolio adding four new products to its existing range. To meet the growing demand for products in the Covid Defence Security Range, the company has introduced the ‘Touch free’ Facial Recognition System integrated with flap barriers for access and attendance purpose, UV Tunnel for Baggage Sanitization, G Scan Pole Detector for Contactless Frisking of Visitors and Self-Temperature Screening Device. The company to aims to target 25% of the total health security solutions market through this launch. This range is an addition to last year’s product launch in the category which catered to the growing demand for such solutions.

The onset of the second wave of Covid 19 has delayed recovery for India’s commercial sector since offices had to be shut again owing to the rampant spread of the virus. On corporate India’s return to office, these are some solutions that will be extremely essential for the safety of employees. Consequently, corporates need to take cognizance of this evolved need of the hour and adopt health and physical security solutions to ensure continuity of work once offices reopen.

Commenting on the segment expansion, Pushkar Gokhale, Head of B2B & Vice President, Godrej Security Solutions, said, “Godrej Security Solutions has always been at the forefront of securing our nation through solutions that are technologically advanced. The pandemic has further propelled technology adoption in the space as health security takes the center stage in customer’s priority during these uncertain times. Our health security portfolio is designed keeping in mind the challenges of Indian work-spaces and how we can facilitate gradual return to work. With experts predicting that the virus will be a part of our lives in the near future, we see significant potential in this sector”.

Shuvendu Gupta, Chief General Manager (Operations), HPCL, commented, “The safety of our employees and Security of our Supply Locations is of utmost importance to us. During the current Covid-19 Pandemic also, our Supply Locations had to continue serving the Nation with continuous supply of essential commodities- Petrol, Diesel etc. While we were looking for various contactless solutions for our Locations, Godrej Security Solutions approached us with touchless, Face Recognition based Access Control System for our Petroleum Depots and Terminals. We found the solution very safe and enabled with the latest features. We have implemented Face Recognition based Access Control System at our Depots / Terminals across country to enhance safety & security and streamlining the overall personnel entry process. It benefits hundreds of stake holders including contract workmen, Dealers, Security Staff, Crew Members etc. apart from our own Employees, who enter our Depots and Terminals daily. We appreciate that Godrej Security Solutions were early to detect the need to innovate in Health security solutions for the workplace of tomorrow. We are happy to have partnered with Godrej Security Solutions for this Project.”

The company’s current clientele includes HDFC Bank, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL). With lockdowns across the country, most offices and commercial establishments have been closed yet again however, installing products and solutions such as these can be a game changer for the retail, hospitality, healthcare sectors. Installing them in places that attract huge crowds like airports, railway stations, and courts, can also help in following social distancing norms.  Godrej Security Solutions aims at creating safer office and commercial spaces thus making them future ready against the anticipated third wave of the virus. They plan to achieve this by addressing threats to such premises and health security through the 5D + 3S approach. Here, 5D stands for Deter, Detect, Deny, Delay, Defend and 3S denotes Scanning  for Elevated Temperature &  Mask, Sanitization and Social Distancing.

These products come with a number of features like face recognition with and without masks, thermal screening, chemical free sanitization process, motion detection, etc. The Ministry of Home Affairs recently issued guidelines for ‘Touchless’ access control system in all offices to comply with Social Distancing norms, designed to fit in the current needs of the workplaces. Hence, these products are appropriate, keeping the current situation in mind.

About Godrej Security Solutions:

Godrej Security Solutions is a division of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd and part of the USD 4.1 billion Godrej Group. A pioneer and leader in the business, Godrej Security Solutions Division is the largest manufacturer and marketer of Security Solutions in India. It is the largest supplier of security solutions to several prestigious banking, corporate and public institutions. For the first time in the category and the industry, Godrej Security Solutions Division has been awarded the Superbrand status. It has also won the “Most Preferred brand” award in the Home Segment. The Division currently exports its products to over 45 countries including Middle East Asia, South East Asia, Far East Asia, East Africa, the US, Europe and the SAARC Countries.

Biotech Testing Services (BTS) Laboratory Certifies Livinguard Masks Effective Against “Black Fungus”

Biotech Testing Services (BTS) laboratory in Mumbai certifies Livinguard Masks as effective against black fungus (Mucormycosis). Switzerland based hygiene technology company, Livinguard AG launched its antiviral face masks in India in 2020 which is noted to be a one-of-a-kind mask that can destroy bacteria and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 /COVID-19 virus. 

With the surge of Covid cases in the country, Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) has quickly emerged as the next big threat to the country  with India reporting over 28,252 cases of black fungus (data on 7th June); Out of the 28,252 Mucormycosis cases, the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said 86% of infections have a history of Covid-19 and 62.3% a history of diabetes. In light of this, the Indian Government has also urged states to declare black fungus (Mucormycosis) an epidemic, thereby making it a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. 

Mr. Sanjeev Swamy, Founder, Inventor & CEO, Livinguard AGstated, “Our mission has always been to provide hygiene suited for the modern world. Hence when we learnt about the rise of Mucormycosis cases in India, we quickly tested our Livinguard treated masks at the Biotech Testing Services (BTS) laboratory and the results showcased strong efficacy against the black fungus. We are happy with the results, and strongly believe in the unique characteristics of Livinguard masks that will provide users with an unprecedented level of security. People, having comorbidities and who have just recovered from COVID can wear the masks to keep themselves protected against the deadly fungus.” 

One of the most respected science leaders of India, Padma Vibhushan, Dr Raghunath Mashelkar stated, “It is a huge relief for immuno-compromised patients living with serious diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Cancer or those that have just recovered from COVID to wear a Livinguard mask and know that they will be protected from Mucormycosis. This scientific breakthrough of deactivating Mucormycosis on contact with the mask, is a global game changer; Wearing the Livinguard PRO or ULTRA mask can save lives, control prolonged infection in COVID patients and allow them to return to normalcy much quicker.” 

Dr S Nair, PhD Microbiology, Quality Manager at Biotech Testing Services (BTS) laboratory commented, “We have tested Livinguard’s masks in our laboratory and the results showed that the masks are effective against the black fungus.”  

It has been further confirmed by testing carried out by Mrs. Shradha Dongre from The Synthetic & Art Silk Mills' Research Association (SASMIRA laboratories), in Mumbai, that Livinguard mask is found to be very effective against Black fungus.The outer layer of the mask exhibited complete resistance against Mucor racemosus ATCC 42467  when tested as per a modified Antifungal test  AATCC-30. 

Livinguard products are ISO 9001:2015 certified for the scope of Design, Research & Development of Self Disinfecting Products like Face Masks, T-Shirts, Filtration Candles, Medical Clothes, Hand Gloves, Sanitary Pads. Livinguard’s current focus is to apply this Technology to solutions that lessen the health risk and economic impact of the crisis by enabling people to protect themselves, return to work, and take back their lives. Livinguard masks have been proven effective against a wide range of bacteria and viruses, and now with its proven efficacy against the black fungus, it is sure to be instrumental in the multifaceted fight against COVID-19 and related health problems. 

About Livinguard AG: 

Livinguard is an environmentally friendly hygiene technology platform based in Zug, Switzerland. It is the first company in the world to empower textiles and other materials with self-disinfecting properties, it licenses its patented technologies to companies from various industries to improve the health and wellbeing of consumers. Livinguard AG operates in Switzerland, Germany, USA, Singapore, Japan, India, and South Africa. The ever-increasing levels of pollution, global travel, shared mobility, and the prevalence of drug resistant microbes have led to growing threats of infectious disease. The company sees its solutions as essential safeguards that can offer enhanced safety and better health to billions of people. Livinguard believes that our future is tied to sustainable solutions that treat our world kindly. Their commitment is to develop highly effective technologies that also minimize waste and use of resources. The company views personal and planetary health as inseparable imperatives and the foundational base of everything that they do. Livinguard is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Innovators Community.