LUCAS TVS Plans To Invest In A Giga Factory To Manufacture Innovative And Disruptive SemiSolidTM Cells In India

* The Company plans mass production of cost effective, safer and high energy density lithium-ion cells

Leading automotive electrical components manufacturer Lucas TVS Ltd. and 24M Technologies, Inc., developer of next generation lithium-ion battery technologies, announced the signing of a license and services agreement to construct one of the first Giga factories in India using 24M’s innovative and disruptive SemiSolidTM platform technology.

The first plant with world class safety standards will be set up in Thervoy Kandigai, Gummudipundi near Chennai and Lucas TVS expects to build other plants throughout India to support the growing energy storage, electric mobility and lead acid battery replacement markets. The Chennai Plant is expected to begin commercial production in second half of 2023. Based on the aggressive targets set by Govt in the Renewable energy and Electric Mobility space, Lucas TVS plans to grow the capacity of the plant to a globally competitive scale of 10 GWh in two stages.

24M’s SemiSolidTM platform has significant benefits as compared to conventional manufacturing processes.  The process, protected by more than 80 issued and 100 pending patents, offers a significantly simpler process flow reducing capital costs substantially.  The SemiSolidTM technology enables the production of a thicker electrode, increasing energy density and reducing materials costs.  Beyond its cost advantages, 24M’s patented cell design enhances safety, reliability, and traceability, by virtually eliminating potential metal contamination, the most common cause of shorts in conventional lithium-ion cells.  In addition to these benefits, the SemiSolidTM electrode eliminates the use of binders and thereby enables the simplest and most efficient recycling of rejected or end of life cells. These advantages make it a preferred choice for demanding customers in critical areas such as energy storage and electric mobility. 

The unique SemiSolidTM platform offers innovative solutions to the fast-growing storage and electric mobility markets and the emerging lead acid battery replacement markets and is already seeing large capacities being planned globally in Japan, ASEAN, Europe, East Asia and the US.  Lucas TVS will be the first to introduce SemiSolidTM lithium-ion batteries produced in India and specifically designed for the Indian market.

Lucas TVS plans to build products using different chemistries, in Pouch and Prismatic cell formats, with high energy density. The products will meet customer needs in e-mobility, stationary energy storage, including grid-scale markets, and lead acid battery replacement. Lucas TVS will also be offering complete battery solutions to those customers who need them.

“Lucas TVS believes in investing in the next-generation technologies, which is why we chose to partner with 24M.” stated Mr. T.K. Balaji, Chairman and Managing Director, Lucas TVS.  “We are confident that their innovative SemiSolidTM platform technology will enable us to provide our customers affordable e-mobility, lead acid battery replacement and storage solutions with improved quality and best-in-class safety.”

“We are delighted to partner with a market leader like Lucas TVS with a 60+ year track record of performance as a leading provider of electromagnetic solutions to the mobility market,” commented Naoki Ota, Chief Executive Officer of 24M.  “Our innovative SemiSolidTM technology and ongoing R&D investments will support Lucas TVS’s ambition to become a leader in the energy storage space for mobility, lead acid battery replacement, storage and grid scale markets in India.”

About Lucas TVS Ltd.

Lucas TVS Ltd., is an Indian manufacturing leader in mechatronic components for automotive, EV, industrial and consumer industries. Lucas-TVS Group with a turnover of over Rs. 3,500 crore is the market leader in this field for over 6 decades supplying its products to all segments of auto industry. Its products include starter motors, alternators, automotive motors, EV traction motors, BLDC motors for consumer and industrial applications as well as various controllers and sensors. Lucas-TVS has been in the forefront of introduction of high technology products to meet the demanding needs of the fast-growing auto industry in India. The group has already forayed into manufacture of several components of the fast-emerging electric mobility industry. For more information visit www.lucas-tvs.com.

About 24M Technologies Inc.

24M answers the world’s need for affordable energy storage by enabling a new, more cost-effective solution — SemiSolid™ lithium-ion technology. By re-inventing the design of the battery cell as well as the manufacturing method, 24M solves the critical, decades-old challenge associated with the world’s preferred energy storage chemistry: reducing its high cost while improving its safety, reliability and performance. Founded and led by some of the battery industry’s foremost inventors, scientists and entrepreneurs, 24M is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass.

Open Your Snapchat’ To Express, Connect And Play With Your Real Friends

* Snapchat’s new campaign urges Indian users to explore the world of AR

Snap Inc. has launched the India leg of its largest global marketing campaign titled  ‘Open Your Snapchat’ today. The campaign is aimed at showcasing the power of Snap’s camera as it opens doors to endless possibilities and activities including connecting with culture, e-commerce and meaningfully engaging with friends and family.

This multi-pronged marketing campaign was launched globally on July 30th across the U.S, UK, and Mexico. The localized India launch of the campaign in Hindi,  Hinglish and English is a part of creating experiences that are socially relevant and culturally contextual with a hint of local humor. The integrated brand campaign launches across digital platforms and will include Snapcodes revealing dozens of AR Lenses and custom creatives.

‘Open Your Snapchat’ features a range of popular Indian phrases & daily lingo which translate into quirky, immersive lens experiences for Snapchatters. Users can now display their cool quotient with Snap’s  ‘Daadi Cool’ lens or even build up their glam avatars with the ‘Desi Munde’ lens or take a trip down nostalgia lane with the ‘Beta, Aunty Ko Dance Karke Dikhao’ lens. This and many more fun lenses will be available for the Snapchat community in India to explore, engage and entertain. 

Speaking about the campaign launch, Kenny Mitchell, Chief Marketing Officer at Snap Inc. said, “Snapchat is a platform that is deeply personal because it often serves as a way to connect people with their real friends to share fun or memorable moments. Most importantly, they are doing so in their environment, sharing experiences that are focused on them and their surroundings. ‘Open Your Snapchat’ is an invitation to fully dive into the world of creativity and AR as we ask current and future members of the Snapchat Generation to open their Snapchat to unlock a world of possibilities and expressions through the camera.”

‘Open Your Snapchat’ invites users to have immersive experiences that they can share with friends and family. Through storytelling, design, activations, experiences, and more, the campaign demonstrates how opening your Snapchat is a simple gesture you can do dozens of times a day to add all sorts of wonder, joy, magic, and convenience to your life in totally new ways. More than 200 million Snapchatters engage with AR on an average daily and the brand has leveraged this technology to bring the campaign to life by showcasing the fun and engaging experiences Snapchatters have across the world.

In India, Snap has seen users engage with AR to celebrate cultural moments and festivals like Diwali, Holi, Pongal, Onam, Baishakhi amongst others and learn local languages through unique language lenses amongst many other local initiatives. Leveraging the power of technology, the brand continues to transform how Indians are communicating with each other visually and aims to bring more experiences that will resonate with Indian Snapchatters.

About Snap Inc.

Snap Inc. is a camera company. We believe that reinventing the camera represents our greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. We contribute to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together. 

Tata Motors Inaugurates 70 New Sales Outlets In Emerging Markets Across Southern India In A Single Day

* One of the largest expansion drives conducted by the company so far

Corresponding to its retail acceleration strategy, Tata Motors, India’s leading automobile company, today inaugurated 70 new sales outlets across Southern India in a single day. Spread across 53 cities, these outlets have been strategically mapped to key emerging markets of the Southern region. These modern showrooms will be home to the company’s ‘New Forever’ range of passenger vehicles, including its electric vehicles portfolio.

With the addition of these new showrooms in a rapidly growing market, Tata Motors’ network in Southern India (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh & Kerala) will be 272 and the retail footprint in India will grow to 980.  32 new dealership chains have opened in Bangalore (7), Chennai (5), Hyderabad (4), and in Kochi (4). Further, this widespread expansion also includes the launch of 38 outlets in upcountry markets of the South India. 

Inaugurating the new dealerships, Mr. Rajan Amba, Vice-President, Sales, Marketing & Customer Care, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors stated, “The Southern India contributes to 28% of the total Industry volumes and hence it is very critical for us to be strategically present in the emerging markets. With a 12.1% market share in Southern India, we are committed to our customers and want to make our New Forever range of passenger cars easily accessible. The trailblazing launch of these 70 new sales outlets, marks an important milestone in our aggressive retail expansion plans in India. This expansion will help us cater to our consumers’ requirements and tastes that are constantly evolving, with both online and offline solutions, to provide a seamless ‘phygital’ experience that is more convenient and relevant today.”

Tata Motors is making huge strides in the passenger vehicle market on the back of its New Forever range. The company recorded its highest ever passenger vehicle sales in 9 years, in March ‘21 and Q4 FY21. In FY21, the company’s PV business registered its highest-ever annual sales in 8 years, while posting a growth of 69%, compared to FY20. 

IAMAI-BACC To Organise Crypto Asset Event HODL With Focus On Consumer Safety On Sept 7-8, 2021

In order to create a consumer safe environment for 15 million crypto users in India, the Blockchain and Crypto Assets Council (BACC), an industry body whose members are crypto exchanges operating in India and are signatories of a self-regulatory code of conduct that ensures they comply with basic KYC and other regulatory guidelines, is organising the first edition of HODL’2021 -- a crypto asset conference, on 7th & 8th September 2021.

Shri Jayant Sinha, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha and Chairman Standing Committee on Finance, will address the conference and speak on ‘Innovation & Governance’. In addition, other keynote speakers are Dr Amar Patnaik, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha; Mai Santamaria, Head of Financial Advisory team at Department of Finance, Ireland; Dr Gulshan Rai, India’s First Cyber Security Coordinator and Advisory Board Member, IAMAI-BACC, among others.

The event will see extensive discussions around global experiences of crypto, opportunities and challenges that crypto brings to India, crypto as an investment class, crypto consumer security, economic impact of crypto in India. Building the right infrastructure to secure crypto assets; Pacing the adoption of blockchain by businesses; Security crypto assets; DeFi trends & outlook; NFTs – a bubble or a long-term bet, are some other interesting topics of discussion at the event.

The two-day event will see over 2000 attendees, including participants from about 20 countries. HODL ‘21 will be a platform where policymakers, ex-regulators, industry experts, investors, developers, enterprise leaders, financial institutions, researchers, academics and emerging tech pioneers, startups will be sharing their insights to build a thriving crypto ecosystem in India.

The conference will also see the launch of a report around crypto ecosystem in India that examines global models of crypto regulations and proposes an outline of the same in the Indian context.

The event will witness over 30 sessions. Other speakers at the event are Priyanka Chaturvedi, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha; Avinash Shekhar, Co-CEO, Zebpay; Rahul Pagidipati, CEO, Zebpay; Sumit Gupta, Founder, CoinDCX; Ashish Singhal, Founder & CEO, CoinSwitch; Sharan Nair, CBO, CoinSwitch; Nishchal Shetty, CEO, WazirX; Gaurav Dahake, CEO, Bitbns; Vikram Subburaj, Founder, Glottus; Sandeep Parekh, Former ED, SEBI; Vincent Lau, Managing Director of International Operations, Huobi Global; Anirudh Rastogi, Founder, Ikigai Law; Gabriella Kusz, Board Director, Global Digital Asset and Cryptocurrency Association, among others.

About BACC

The Blockchain and Crypto Assets Council (BACC), under the aegis of Fintech Convergence Council of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), represents the crypto industry in India. BACC has been supporting the crypto industry since 2017. It was formed with the vision of doing public advocacy for the industry, to increase awareness about crypto and provide industry guidance. All major crypto exchanges are members of this industry body.

About IAMAI

The Internet and Mobile Association of India [IAMAI] is a young and vibrant association with ambitions of representing the entire gamut of digital businesses in India. It was established in 2004 by the leading online publishers, and in the last 16 years has come to effectively address the challenges facing the digital and online industry including mobile content and services, online publishing, mobile advertising, online advertising, digital entertainment, ecommerce and mobile & digital payments among others. Sixteen years after its establishment, the association is still the only professional industry body representing the online industry in India. The association is registered under the Societies Act and is a recognized charity in Maharashtra. With a membership of nearly 300 Indian and overseas companies, and with offices in Delhi and Mumbai the association is well placed to work towards charting a growth path for the digital industry in India.

Continuing The Unity Run Collaboration, Milind Soman Visits Fujifilm India’s NURA Facility In Bengaluru

* Spreads awareness around early detection and health screening

* At the NURA center, Milind Soman got a full non-invasive screening with Fujifilm’s technologically innovative devices and shared his experience

Fujifilm India Pvt Ltd, the visionary leader in global healthcare and diagnosis technology, has announced their collaboration with actor, model and fitness-fiend, Mr. Milind Soman. As part of the Unity Run association, Mr. Soman visited the NURA AI- Health Screening facility in Bengaluru on 3rd September to spread awareness around the importance of early detection of cancer and also got a full non-invasive screening with Fujifilm’s technologically innovative devices.

NURA is a collaboration between Fujifilm Healthcare & Dr. Kutty’s HealthCare, that combines the best of AI enabled imaging and expert healthcare. During his visit, Milind Soman highlighted the importance of regular screening and check-ups for people of all ages, to detect the early onset of cancer and other preventable ailments. To signify Fujifilm’s resolute commitment in dealing with cancer issues and complications, he also entail a short-run to create awareness among women in the city. As part of the screening, he will undertook a quick 120 minutes- program to access his personal health. The AI-assisted devices at the facility have been designed to deliver intelligent scanning and diagnosis at ultra-low doses of radiation, making it a safe environment for regular screening. Along with cancer screening programs, the facility also addresses concerns regarding various lifestyle problems, and helps in minimizing potentially life-threatening diseases.

Fujifilm India and Milind Soman have a firm commitment to make the world a healthier and fit place. To take this commitment further, Fujifilm India even collaborated and supported the Ironman Marathon runner during his “The Unity Run” from Mumbai to Statue of Unity, Gujarat as the healthcare-imaging partner on the 75th Independence Day.  The visit to NURA facility, is an extension of the Unity Run.

Commenting on this association, Mr. Koji Wada, Managing Director, Fujifilm India Pvt Ltd said, “With the increasing rate of cancer in the nation, it is pertinent to spread awareness regarding early screening and detection of various types of cancers. We are glad to be associated with Mr. Milind Soman for the herculean task of voicing out the importance of early screening and regular diagnosis for preventable disease as we spread awareness of the health hazards associated with the deadly disease. Fujifilm has always remained at the core of providing technologically advanced healthcare solutions and with this association; we take a step ahead in our commitment to make India fit and healthier.”

Reaffirming his commitment towards a fit future, the Ironman Marathon runner Mr. Milind Soman said, “A healthy body is the best defense one has against numerous diseases in the world. It is our responsibility to keep our health in check and opt for early detection and screening. I am amazed by the work Fujifilm India and NURA have been doing in this field of early diagnosis, helping scores of people in their fight against cancer. It’s my great pleasure to be associated with a leading imaging brand and support them in this cause by doing my bit in spreading awareness around the importance of early detection of cancer. Cancer is a demon that needs to be quashed, and it fills me with pride that I am associated with a cause that aims to overcome it”

Dr. Tausif Thangalvadi, Medical Director & General Manager, NURA said, "As a community, we have a culture of reactive medicine. We wait for diseases to strike before we can fight back. At NURA, we give you the opportunity to all-round diagnosis so that disease is prevented. With precision accuracy and enhanced safety using artificial intelligence (Ai), NURA is committed to enhance the diagnosis system. Cancer, Heart disease, Visceral Fat level, Bone density can all now be detected before they become dangerous and difficult to treat. We encourage everyone to try NURA and shift to a culture of preventive medicine. And like Mr. Milind Soman, we encourage you to become a part of the NURA family and be the changemakers for health."

Cancer is a growing epidemic in Indian women. According to a recent report published by National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP), estimates that the number of cancer cases is likely to increase from 13.9 lakh in 2020 to 15.7 lakh by 2025, an increase of nearly 20%. However, the one good thing is that at least one-third of common cancers are preventable. With initiatives like these and world-class screening facilities like NURA, Fujifilm has stood firm on its commitment towards the fight against breast cancer.

Bikayi Gets $10.8 M In Series-A Funding Led By Sequoia Capital India

* Mobile e-commerce start-up’s merchant base grew 5X over the last eight months

* Plans to accelerate product development, market penetration, and talent acquisition

Bikayi, one of the fastest-growing mobile-commerce enablers, has raised $10.8 million in Series-A funding round led by Sequoia Capital India. Earlier in August 2020, the company had raised $2 million as a part of its seed round of funding led by Y Combinator.

Founded in 2019 by IIITians Sonakshi Nathani and Ashutosh Singla, Bikayi enables Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) to scale up on digital platforms thereby enabling them to reach out to a wider audience base. The platform provides businesses with a digital storefront, professional features, and tools to help them grow. Some of the features include a Dedicated Business Coach, Catalogue Listing, Shipping Facility, Payments, and also Insights on Customer Behaviour to manage their e-commerce stores through a single platform.

With its merchant base growing at 5x over the last eight months, Bikayi's annual Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) has grown 1800% alongside. The company currently has more than 4 million+ registered users on the platform. Bikayi is helping them sell their products across India and stand tall in the constantly evolving online commerce industry. With the aim to scale up product offerings, the company plans to use this capital to accelerate product development, acquisition, and talent hiring.

Commenting on the fundraise, Sonakshi Nathani, Co-founder & CEO, Bikayi, said, “Our vision is to empower every small business to win in the emerging online market by providing them with affordable tools, helping them achieve unimaginable goals. We are on a mission to fulfil the aspirations of millions of small businesses that drive our economy. There are merchants who have made more than a million dollars via Bikayi e-stores in the span of a year. Such stories keep us obsessed to do better for our customers every single day.”

Shraeyansh Thakur, Vice President, Sequoia Capital India, said, “India is on the cusp of an e-commerce revolution and we believe small and medium businesses will play a pivotal role in shaping this landscape over the next decade. India is home to over 75 million SMBs, which account for over 30% of India’s GDP, employ over 130 million, and form the backbone of the economy. Rapid digitization of SMBs and the deepening of the e-commerce ecosystem are huge trends in India and Bikayi is building a next-gen product that sits at the confluence of both these trends, integrating the entire infrastructure of commerce onto one single platform. The team is excited to partner with Sonakshi, Ashutosh, and the Bikayi team in their mission to empower millions of SMBs to engage their customers online.”

About Bikayi:

Bikayi is one of the fastest-growing mobile mobile-commerce enablers offering India’s aspiring SMBs a digital platform to reach a wider scale of audience. Founded in 2019 by IIITians Sonakshi Nathani and Ashutosh Singla, the Whatsapp-integrated platform provides businesses with a digital storefront, professional features, and tools to help them grow. Some of the features include a Dedicated Business Coach, Catalogue Listing, Shipping Facility, Payments, and also insights on customer behaviour to manage their e-commerce stores through a single platform.

Website: https://app.bikayi.com/

Bengaluru Plays Host To Post-Covid Health Wellness Program

●     The initiative was taken by Health-tech and wellness brand RESET and renowned S-VYASA Yoga University

●     The program focused on methods to strengthen immunity and ways to deal with post-covid symptoms through Yoga and a healthy lifestyle.

An initiative called “RE-SET Yourself” was conducted in Bengaluru on 3rd September aimed at a holistic approach towards healthy lifestyle, building up immunity and more. The program also put specific emphasis on addressing issues relating to post-covid symptoms and ways to deal with them. Conducted at RESET’s fitness facility which is one of the finest fitness centres in the country, the event saw participation from Prof. B R Ramakrishna, Dr Manjunath N K and DR. Saoji Apar Avinash from the S-VYASA University, who shared their valuable insights on the importance of Yoga in overall wellbeing.

During the event, a preventive module offered by the university was also presented, the focus of which is on optimising immunity and enhancing functioning of the respiratory system. The key elements of the program consist of asanas, pranayama and relaxation. Even the severe cases of covid can practice Makarasana (lying flat on the tummy) and undergo guided deep relaxation technique. This helps in reducing anxiety, breathlessness and enhancing oxygen saturation. The experiential showcased the same.

Says Prof. B R Ramakrishna, Vice Chancellor, S-VYASA & Dr Manjunath- Pro-Vice- Chancellor & the Director of Research at S-VYASA University, “The pandemic posed by Covid is yet not over. We must not let our guards down and focus more on a healthy lifestyle to strengthen our immunity. Even after people are discharged after testing Covid negative, there are lingering symptoms due to cytokine storms during the disease. Yogasana, pranayama and relaxation techniques help in regaining normalcy quickly. Our module is especially targeted towards building immunity and post Covid recovery and is readily available for everyone to use.”

Said Karan Talreja, Co Founder Reset, “The pandemic has highlighted the need for taking care of our health and strengthening our immunity. Like the rest of the world, the pandemic brought the fast paced city of Bengaluru to a halt, including our centres in the city. However, now that our facility has reopened, we invited everyone, including our members who have recovered from Covid, to this session to provide them guidance on how to increase their immunity and lead a healthy lifestyle. The objective with this was to help everyone be prepared for the projected third wave and lead an overall healthy life, hence this was completely free of cost.”

These classes offer a scientific approach and are designed specifically to help in the post Covid recovery process as well as to build resistance against the expected third wave of the pandemic. The master class opportunity will be open to all following the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6euXtIv87eo

Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) has been on forefront in helping people through Yoga practice, Ayurveda and Naturopathy based lifestyle. Specific, evidence -based yoga practices were evolved to help prevent Covid infection and also for people who are recovering from the Covid infection.

About S-VYASA

Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana or S-VYASA is a Deemed to be University established in 2002 working for making Yoga as a socially relevant Science. Based on the teachings of Swami Vivekananda the four streams of Yoga with unity in their diversity, the key essence of Indian culture, applications of Yoga to bring health, harmony, peace the world over are now spread across the globe in nearly 30 countries. The mission of S-VYASA is to combine the best of the East (Yoga and Spiritual lore) with that of the West (modern scientific research).

About RESET

A premium health-tech & wellness company based out of Mumbai, RESET specializes in holistic healing and Fitness. It provides solutions for the body and mind to cope with the exhausting modern-day lifestyle. The company offers tailor-made wellness plans which help ensure that the lost balance in life is restored. It is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur Karan Talreja & Luke Coutinho who is a globally renowned Holistic Lifestyle Coach in the field of Integrative lifestyle Medicine. Luke’s approach towards prevention and healing revolves around four important pillars: Balanced Nutrition, Adequate Exercise, Quality Sleep and Emotional Detox.