eXp India Attracts 1000+ Agents Within 10 Months Of Launch

* The cloud based real estate brokerage continues to grow rapidly with  a presence in over 15 Indian states

eXp India, a subsidiary of eXp World Holdings  (NASDAQ: EXPI)  has on-boarded over a thousand real estate agents across India since their launch 10 months ago. A growing number of agents continue to join the cloud-based brokerage every day, signalling a marked trend in the way real estate transactions are being conducted post-pandemic. 

eXp’s cloud-based brokerage is powered by the company’s immersive and collaborative platform, which enables its agents to communicate, meet and conduct business in a virtual world.  Named eXp World, the cloud-based platform comes replete with meeting rooms, presentation collateral, conferences, extensive training and networking opportunities, myriad ways to personalize the virtual avatar, and much more. eXp India also offers a unique remuneration model for agents with attractive incentives and options to earn additional income by helping grow the company’s agent base globally and earn through listing and selling activities."We entered the Indian market in the last quarter of 2020 excited about the opportunities here, and the last 10 months have seen phenomenal growth. The Indian market has incredible potential, and the real estate agents themselves are talented and well-versed in market trends. We have seen extraordinary adoption of eXp's work model, and are confident that our footprint will continue to grow and attract agents who are looking to break the status quo," says Michael Valdes, the President of eXp.

“We are working towards building a strong foundation for an extremely progressive and transparent real estate sector in India. With that in mind, we give all our agents world-class training, flexibility and support, and have seen immense interest in the market as a result. Our agents have industry-first perks like a chance of acquiring equity shares and an attractive commission model which encourages more entrepreneurial minded agents, as well as existing brokerages to join our growing virtual community” says Shashank Vashishtha, the Executive Director of eXp India. 

In India, eXp conducts business in Delhi & NCR, MMR & Pune, Goa, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Indore, Lucknow, Agra, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Amritsar etc with a focus on both commercial and residential real estate. The brand began its operations by obtaining RERA licences in 15 states. At present, eXp India works with over 25 developers with 100+ projects and over 3000 property listings on their website and is looking to soon obtain RERA licences for an additional 5 states. The company has also witnessed exponential growth internationally in the last 12 months. eXp Global has launched operations in 14 countries, including India, in the past 12 months and has exceeded 67,000+ agents, making it the fastest growing real estate brokerage. eXp now operates in 18 countries worldwide.

About eXp India - eXp India and its global brokerage, eXp Realty, is one of the fastest-growing real estate tech companies in the world with more than 67,000 agents in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, India, Mexico, Portugal, France, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Italy, Hong Kong, Colombia, Spain, Israel, Germany and Panama. As a publicly traded company, eXp World Holdings provides real estate professionals the unique opportunity to earn equity awards for production goals and contributions to overall company growth. eXp World Holdings and its businesses offer a full suite of brokerage and real estate tech solutions, including its innovative residential and commercial brokerage model, professional services, collaborative tools and personal development. The cloud-based brokerage is powered by an immersive 3D platform that is deeply social and collaborative, enabling agents to be more connected and productive.

Safe Harbor Statement: The statements contained herein may include statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update them. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the economic and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; continued growth of our agent and broker base; expansion of our residential real estate brokerage business into foreign markets; demand for remote working and distance learning solutions and virtual events; development of our new commercial brokerage and our ability to attract commercial real estate brokers; and revenue growth and financial performance. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in forward-looking statements include changes in business or other market conditions; the difficulty of keeping expense growth at modest levels while increasing revenues; and other risks detailed from time to time in the company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Move Over ‘Natural’; Choose Certified Organic Products For Your Babies With goodnessme Organic

 

The outermost layer of baby’s skin is 30% thinner than that of adults. Hence, it is super sensitive and permeable. That is why it is necessary to choose products which are made from pure ingredients and are extremely safe. Organic, as we know, is the purest form of nature, grown without any harmful chemicals, synthetic pesticides, or fertilisers – just how Mother Nature intended. And zero toxins ensure the products are super safe to use.

Products available in the market today that claim to be natural may not be 100% safe (product makers could include only 0.01% ingredients that are ‘natural’ to be able to market it as such). This could mean that these so-called ‘natural’ products may still contain harmful preservatives and chemicals or include toxic ingredients grown using pesticides.

Understanding the dilemma of parents, the house of Godrej Consumer Products has introduced goodnessme, a premium range of certified products made from organic ingredients and zero toxins for sensitive baby skin.

goodnessme products have been formulated keeping harmful chemicals as far away as possible. The range has taken over 3 years of research and testing to develop, with ingredients having been sourced from all around the world. The baby skin care range is Certified COSMOS Organic by ECOCERT, France – one of the world’s largest organic certification organisations. The certification can only be achieved after passing through stringent compliance processes including raw material testing, formulation approvals, even annual factory audits, including banning more than 1300 ingredients deemed not fit for use for baby products as per European standards. It’s no surprise, then, that the products don’t include any toxins, parabens, petroleum, phthalates, synthetic fragrance, mineral oil, or silicones, ensuring 100% transparency and re-establishing the promise of purity.

goodnessme products also go through rigorous testing outside of the European standards and are hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested, paediatrician certified, vegan and cruelty-free, making them super mild and safe to protect the delicate skin of babies.

Meant for little ones between 0-2 years, the goodnessme range includes a variety of products in multiple SKU’s like certified organic baby soap; certified organic baby oil; certified organic baby moisturizer; certified organic multipurpose baby cream; certified organic baby head-to-toe wash, and so on. The products are made with organic ingredients and zero toxins and are perfect for sensitive baby skin.

MASSAGE RANGE:

goodnessme Organic Baby Oil

Product Bio: A super-pure blend of 6 organic oils - Almond, Olive, Jojoba, Sesame, Argan, Safflower - and Vitamin E to help nourish, protect and soothe the baby’s delicate skin.

Sizes Available: 100 ML @ INR 700 / and 200ML @ INR 1350 / -

goodnessme Organic Coconut Baby Hair and Massage Oil

Product Bio: A 100% organic and cold-pressed coconut oil for baby hair protects, nourishes, strengthens, and conditions your baby's hair rom the roots, helping protect against hair damage and promoting longer, smoother, and shinier hair. The oil is also great for a nourishing body massage and it’s anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties protect against irritation.

Sizes Available: 1U X 100 ML @ INR 299

BATHING RANGE:

goodnessme Certified Organic Baby Head-To-Toe Foam Wash

Product Bio: A certified organic Baby Head-to-Toe Form Wash is a 3-in-1 gentle cleanser that is tear and irritation free, keeping the baby’s face, hair and body clean. Made with the goodness of organic ingredients like Chamomile, Rose and Lavender, this foam-based wash is ideal for the baby’s head-to-toe bathing requirements.

Sizes Available: 200 ML @ INR 470 / and 400ML @ INR 900 / -

goodnessme Certified Organic Baby Soap

Product Bio: Made with the goodness of organic ingredients like Jojoba Oil, Olive Oil and Chamomile, this certified organic, super-mild soap gently cleanses and moisturizes the baby’s skin after every bath.

Sizes Available: 1U X 100G @ INR 250 / 2U X 100G @ INR 400 / and 4U X 50G @ INR 425 / -

LOTIONS AND CREAMS:

goodnessme Certified Organic Baby Lotion

Product Bio: This certified organic Baby Lotion is a super-safe, moisturizing lotion that helps nourish the baby’s skin and keeps it soft & supple for the whole day. Made with the goodness of certified organic Shea Butter and Aloe Vera, it is perfect for the baby’s delicate skin that deserves only the gentlest protection and nourishment.

Sizes Available: 100ML @ INR 230 / 200ML @ INR 410 / 400ML @ INR 730 / and 2U X 400ML @ INR 1460

goodnessme Certified Organic Multi-Purpose Baby Cream

Product Bio: Whether you are looking for the best baby cream for dry skin or organic diaper rash cream, your search ends at this certified organic multi-purpose Baby Cream. Made with the goodness of organic ingredients like Chamomile, Aloe Vera, Glycerin and Rose Water, this super-good cream provides a safe solution that keeps the baby’s skin protected against rashes, redness, minor cuts, skin inflammation and dryness. Many skin problems, one solution.

Sizes Available: 50G @ INR 350 / and 100G @ INR 650 / -

Being a digital-first brand, goodnessme products are only available online as of now and can be purchased from the brand website (www.goodnessme.com) and across online marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart and FirstCry.

Coforge: Operating Performance Misses Expectations In Q2 Of FY2022

 HOLD

CMP: Rs5069  |  Target Price: Rs5100

■    Coforge's operating performance was lower than expectations in Q2FY22. Revenues grew 6.5% QoQ to USD212.8mn (7.5% CC; organic 3.9% CC), missing our estimate by 2.3%. EBITM expanded by 280bps QoQ to 13.6% on the back of offshore shift, higher utilization and other operating efficiencies.

■    Coforge raised its organic revenue growth guidance to at least 22% YoY CC (from 19%), based on H1 performance, solid deal intake, NTM order book and a strong pipeline. It retained adjusted EBITDAM (ex-ESOP and acquisition related costs) guidance of 19% for FY22.

■    Order bookings were robust with a total fresh order intake of USD285mn on the back of three large deals won during Q2, with two of them having a TCV of over USD50mn each. The order book executable over NTM increased 41% YoY to USD688mn (organic 23%).

■    We cut FY22E/FY23E/FY24E EPS by 3.1-4.4%, factoring in the Q2 miss. We upgrade Coforge to Hold from Sell with a revised TP of Rs5,100 at 34x Sep'23E EPS (earlier 29x), factoring in the stock price correction and underperformance (~10% down in 1M; underperformed Nifty IT index by 5%/9% in 1M/3M), and higher medium-term growth assumptions (see Exhibit 18).

Tech Mahindra: Communication-Led Revenue Growth In Q2; Growth Momentum To Sustain

BUY

CMP: Rs1524  |  Target Price: Rs1870

■    Tech Mahindra's Q2FY22 operating performance was better than expectations. Revenues grew 6.4% QoQ (7.2% CC) to USD1,473mn, led by Communication, Media & Entertainment (6.7%) and Enterprise (6.3%) verticals. EBITM remained flat QoQ at 15.2%.

■    Net new deal wins were robust, with a TCV of USD750mn, split across CME (USD255mn) and Enterprise (USD495mn). The deal pipeline remains healthy, and management expects healthy deal win momentum to continue in H2 as well.

■    Management remains confident of sustaining revenue growth momentum and EBITM in H2 on the back of broad-based demand, uptick in 5G-led spending, robust demand for digital engineering, cloud, data & analytics services, healthy deal intake, and deal pipeline.

■    We raise FY22-24E EPS by 1.3-2.6%, factoring in the Q2 beat and recently announced acquisitions. Maintain Buy with a revised Sep'22 TP of Rs1,870 at 25x Sept'23E EPS (23x earlier), reflecting higher medium-term growth assumptions.

Data-As-A-Service Startup QoreNext Closes Seed Funding Round, Backed By Wavemaker Partners

 

QoreNext, a Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) provider for the enterprise B2B market, has raised US$1.5 million in seed funding from Wavemaker Partners, one of Southeast Asia’s leading venture capital firms.

Previously, the Singapore- and Seattle-based startup closed an angel investment round from leaders in the insights, payments, and data spaces.

Founded by data scientist and entrepreneur Rahul Sahgal, QoreNext has applied machine learning to robotic process automation via its collaborative platform. The business idea was based on IP specifically carved out of Annik, the data and analytics company Sahgal founded and sold to French IT services giant CapGemini. Annik was part of a private equity-driven roll-up under digital customer engagement firm LiquidHub, which was acquired for US$500 million in 2018.

Rahul realized that corporations expend a great deal of time and resources in acquiring data from various common public sources and then maintaining this data to their high standards. He recognized that there were better ways to resolve this pervasive issue. The Qore platform changes the way foundational data is produced and consumed, while the virtual collaborative aspect brings the gig-economy model into the corporate data management world. This precludes the need for armies of data stewards or editors.

"We have already had many constructive discussions with corporates that show a genuine interest in our data offerings", said Rahul Sahgal, founder and CEO of QoreNext. "In Wavemaker, we are excited to have found the perfect partner to help us get the company to the next level."

Paul Santos, Managing Partner of Wavemaker Partners said, “With over a decade of industry experience and a successful exit under his belt, Rahul deeply understands the problems faced by enterprises when it comes to data. QoreNext’s ML-RPA-driven approach not only allows for various cost-efficient optimizations and automations within data science teams, but also gives companies access to foundational data that are vital for decision-making. We are confident that with the team’s extensive network and experience, they are best-placed to scale their solution globally across verticals, starting from the US.”

Headquartered in Singapore, WaveMaker is Southeast Asia’s go-to VC firm investing in B2B and deep tech. Since 2012, it has backed 140+ companies, of which 85% are in enterprise and deep tech. The firm has US$180 million in AUM across three funds and has seen 10 exits valued at close to US$700 million.

The seed round will help the QoreNext platform to advance production of its main modules and to bring its first set of data products to the market.

For more information on QoreNext, visit qorenext.com.

About QoreNext

QoreNext is a Singapore- and Seattle-based tech startup that is re-inventing the future of data creation for the enterprise B2B market. It consists of a platform for enterprise data content, powered by machine learning and robotic process automation. From healthcare to finance, corporations need data to operate. QoreNext is created to be a virtual data factory, where customers can leverage its interconnected data products with seamless integration—always updated and current. QoreNext provides its clients with reliable high-quality data, with a flexible DaaS pricing model. This results in business-ready data that allows major time and cost savings. With a remote-first, office-agnostic approach, the QoreNext team is distributed across North America, APAC, and India.

Tinder’s Swipe Ride Series Celebrates All Ways In Which Women Choose To Date

* Kusha and Sara drive a Tinder member to her date and you don’t want to miss this!

Tinder, the world’s most popular app for sparking connections with new people, is set to spotlight uninhibited, meaningful conversations about what women really want from their dating lives in India. Social media content creator, Kusha Kapila, takes the driver’s wheel as she picks up a Tinder member to meet her date  and bond over dating, intimacy and dilemmas caused by the confluence of age-old traditions and modern beliefs in our world. Joining the two ladies this week is none other than Sara Ali Khan, Bollywood’s sassy queen!

The trio chat about all things dating - from fun Tinder bios to first date jitters, the rules of dating to the importance of being authentic. And a lot more. The first episode of Swipe Ride series will premiere on  Friday, 22nd October, 2021 on Tinder’s YouTube channel.

“It's so important to be who you are because if you’re not, it’s easy to tell. Over the years, I have also learnt that there is no way to please everyone - individualism and being your authentic self is key,” said Sara Ali Khan. “Tinder understands how Indian women date and I had so much fun being a part of the Swipe Ride series - a non-judgmental, safe space where the truths about our love lives universally experienced but rarely shared are laid out in the open. It’s as raw as it gets and I am thrilled to be a part of the conversation, and a generation that is redefining the rules of dating! 

“Indian society has often defined how a woman must conduct herself in all aspects. With the Swipe Ride series, to see Tinder female members redefine such age-old societal ideas and rewrite their narratives was almost like talking to my younger self, different but yet so similar. Being in the driver’s seat, literally and metaphorically, is what women need today and I am really proud to have a role to play in facilitating these meaningful discussions.” added Kusha Kapila.

“Young people face constant pressure and judgement to conform to someone else’s ideas of good relationships, acceptable partners and rules of romance. All women are wonderfully different and unique, and with the Swipe Ride series, we want to celebrate and encourage the diverse perspectives of young Indian women and their dating journeys, said Taru Kapoor, GM, Tinder and Match Group India. “At Tinder, we’ve always focused on making our app inclusive by enabling autonomy, choice and creative ways to express oneself to create a better experience for our members.”  

Co-created with film director Debbie Rao along with popular ace comics and writers - Shreeja Chaturvedi and Supriya Joshi, the Swipe Ride series, is a product of the coming together of these women who like to call their own shots whether it's in their careers, or their dating lives. Aside from making the dating experience fun and accessible via mobile and pioneering the double opt-in and the Swipe feature, Tinder continues to invest in technology that reduces anonymity, increases accountability, and helps to keep members stay safe.

About Tinder

Tinder was introduced on a college campus in 2012 and is the world’s most popular app for meeting new people. Available in 190 countries and 40+ languages, Tinder is the highest grossing non-gaming app globally. It’s been downloaded more than 450 million times and led to more than 65 billion matches. 

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission Under Beyond Bengaluru Initiative Shares New GCC Strategy ‘Spoke-Shore’ At The Big-Tech Show

With upcoming Bengaluru Tech Summit 2021, the Government of Karnataka and KDEM under Beyond Bengaluru initiative in the city of Mysuru launched a big event called ‘The Big Tech Show’. The program is aimed at enhancing growth in the IT /ITeS, Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO), Electronic System Design Manufacturing (ESDM), and Telecom sector industries located in emerging technology clusters in Tier II & III cities across the State. ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ is an initiative of KDEM and the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and S&T, Government of Karnataka. Earlier this month, the first ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ conclave was held in the city of Hubbali.

Bengaluru in the last two decades has emerged as the most preferred destination for investments by leading Indian and global multinationals. The Beyond Bengaluru initiative of KDEM will contribute to Government of Karnataka’s existing efforts to move the technology and innovation related activity to the cities beyond Bengaluru. The Government of Karnataka has already taken a number of steps and rolled out several initiatives aimed at enhancing the ecosystem in these cities, leading to an increase in demand from IT/GCC/ESDM companies for workforce in Tier II & III cities.

The Beyond Bengaluru Event was inaugurated today in Mysuru with a host of dignitaries like Ms. Kiran Majumdar Shaw, Executive Chairperson and founder of Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited;  Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Hon'ble Minister for Electronics, IT, Bt, and S&T, and Minister for Higher Education, Skill Development; Sh. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology of India; Dr. E. V. Ramana Reddy, ACS Dept. of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T; Sh. Debjani Ghosh, President NASSCOM; Sh. Ramkumar Narayanan, VP Technology & Managing Director VMWare; B.V. Naidu, Chairman Karnataka Digital Economy Mission; Sh Sanjeev Gupta, MD & CEO, Sh. Sanjay Srinivasmurthy COO Nous Infosystems.

In India, 30% of the overall GDP is driven by the digital economy.  With the aim to attract at least 100 GCCs by 2025, KDEM has launched the new strategy called as ‘Spoke-Shore’ initiative at The Big Tech Show in Mysuru. This initiative of the Beyond Bengaluru mission of KDEM, will focus on attracting and setting aspirational goals for GCCs and creating employment opportunities for 10,00,000 (direct and indirect) candidates by 2026. The Beyond Bengaluru initiative aims to attract and host 5000 IT companies and start-ups by 2026 in the Mysuru, Hubbali and Mangaluru clusters.              

The new GCC Strategy Spoke – Shore was shared by KDEM in the presence of Honourable Minister, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India; Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology, Government of Karnataka, Ms Debjani Gosh, President Nasscom, who graced the event

Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Hon'ble Minister Electronics, IT, BT, and S&T, and Minister for Higher Education, Skill Development announced in the launch of Future DigitalJobs@Mysuru an exclusive initiative by KDEM for Spoke Shore strategy. Speaking at the event, he said, “Through this initiative, new engineering graduates in tier 2 and tier 3 cities will have the opportunity build careers. Candidates selected through this initiative in the Mysuru Cluster will also be provided launch pad training, specific to the job roles. With the Spoke Shore strategy, we are looking at 5 new GCCs now coming to Mysuru, under the Spoke-Shore GCC strategy of KDEM, in the next six months. As a part of the strategy, select companies were recognized and MoUs have been signed between KDEM and Bherunda Foundation, ISAC, as well as KITS and VMWare.”

Speaking at the Inaugural program Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary- Department of Electronics, IT-BT & S&T said, “The Government of Karnataka has a clear vision on building the innovation and technology ecosystem in cities Beyond Bengaluru. In line with the increasing importance to support and promote innovation, growth and development in these cities, the skill development plan of the Spoke-Shore initiative is to focus on creating a talent pool for Spoke Shore strategy for beyond Bengaluru. The aim is to create employment opportunities for 10,00,000 (direct and indirect) candidates by 2026. Further, the Beyond Bengaluru initiative is a harbinger to ushering dividends from IT, ITES, BPM & Electronics sector along with employment creation in tier 2 & 3 cities of Karnataka”

Mr B.V. Naidu, Chairman Karnataka Digital Economy Mission addressing the gathering explained that last two decades, Off-shore strategy has helped many GCC to come and create their off-shore Hubs in Bangalore.  Now the time has come that these hubs need to be supported by “Spoke-shore strategy” and create their Spokes at Beyond Bangalore clusters, Mysore, Hubli and Mangalore. Spoke-shore strategy will help GCCs to expand to these emerging clusters where the Talent is available. KDEM will help in creating such transformation.

In his keynote address by Mr. Alok Kshirsagar, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company said, the reality of ‘1 Trillion Dollar Digital Economy’ by 2025 depends upon Stares like Karnataka and initiatives like KDEM and its Spoke Shore strategy. With over 13,500 start-ups YTD in Karnataka and the robust ecosystem giving wings to start ups through strategic investment and policy interventions by leveraging the robust innovation climate, the state will contribute towards tapping the 1 Trillion Dollar digital opportunity.

Mysuru being a preferred destination for businesses across several industry verticals will play a key role in the digital transformation and development in the state. Further, as a part of the event, His Highness Sh. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamraja Wodeyar, Royal Palace Mysuru delivered a special address highlighting the potential of Mysuru as a driving force for the future digital economy and businesses in India.

Further, Sh. Javagal Srinath, Renowned International Cricketer, along with Mr. Sh. Sanjeev Gupta, MD & CEO, Lahari engaged in a Fireside chat on ‘Sports Tech’. Speaking at the event, Sh, Javagal Srinath said, “With the rapid digital transformation across sectors including sports and shifts beyond the metros, the new GCC strategy will be a catalyst for growth in markets such as Mysuru. Not only will this create employment opportunities in the new digital economy but will also put Karnataka on the map of driving futuristic growth across sectors.”

The event included a series of panel discussions by industry heads – Spoke-shore: the new GCC strategy, Pace of Technological Changes, Mysuru Ready for Future Digital Jobs, and Start-ups from the soil of Mysuru, on the future of cluster cities and technological changes in business, promising a level-playing field in new business opportunities and investments for cities like Mysuru.

Industry experts who presided the event shared their views on areas of technological interest like Agri-tech, artificial Intelligence, and the concept of Industry 4.0. The first event in this series ‘Impact & Innovation @ Hubli’ successfully concluded on October 5, 2021 at Hubli with the inaugural address by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sh. Basavraj Bommai. Before culminating into the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS 2021) event, scheduled for 17th to 19th November, a third cluster event titled ‘Mangalore- a strategic IT destination’ Mangaluru will be held on the 29th of October, 2021.

The Bengaluru Tech Summit 2021 is scheduled to be held in its virtual avatar between November 17 and 19th, 2021 with its central theme "Driving the Next". BTS 2021 will witness the coming together of Global Leaders, Indian Corporate, R&D and Start-Ups from IT, Deeptech and Biotech deciphering the future, showcasing next-gen technologies, forging partnerships and alliances.

Details of the Panel Discussions

Spoke-shore: the new GCC strategy was addressed by Mr. Lalit Ahuja, CEO ANSR with key panellists such as Mr. KS Viswanathan, Vice President, NASSCOM, Mr. Anil Kumar, Vice President, Concentrix, Ms Lalitha Indrakanti, Head of Global Operations, IKEA and Mr. Shailendra Tyagi, Director, STPI Bengaluru.

Pace of Technological Changes that discussed the new normal and the need for introducing and embracing changes in technology was addressed by Professor G Ramesh, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore with panellists such as Dr. Dharma Prasad, CEO and Chief Scientist, Prosetta Bioconformatics Pvt Ltd and Dirctor, Bherunda Innovation and Entrepreneurship Foundation along with Mr. Badari Narayan, Managing Director, S3V Vascular Technologies Pvt Ltd and Dr. Anil Dutt Semwal, Director and Scientist ‘G’, Defence Food Research Laboratory.

Mysuru Ready for Future Digital Jobs that laid emphasis on the talent pool and infrastructure in Mysuru city to make it job-ready was addressed by Mr. Harish Krishnan, MD & Chief Policy Officer, CISCO. The panellists included Mr. Ramaiah Pattabhi, Talencia Global, Dr. Lakshmi Jagannath, CEO Derbi Foundation, Dr. Ramasastry Ambarish, Dean & Chairman MYRA Business School and Ms. Deepa Nagraj, Senior Vice President & Head - Sparkle Innovation Ecosystem and Communications, Mphasis

Start-ups from the soil of Mysuru was closest to home that celebrated and spoke about the successful start-ups that Mysuru has offered to the state and the industry. The keynote address was given by His Highness Sh. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamraja Wodeyar, Royal Palace Mysuru. The panellists included Mr. Bhaskar Kalale, Founder & CEO Fifty5Plus, Mr. Siddarth Pai, Founding Partner 3one4 Capital, Mr. Chamaraj Prasad, Co-Founder & Director, Indibean Speciality Coffee Pvt. Ltd., Mysuru, Mr. Rohan Muralidhar, CEO & CTO Bellatrix Aerospace, Ms. Shrilakshmi Desiraju, Co-Founder, Tri-phase Pharma and Ms. Shweta Rajpal Kohli, Chief Public Policy Officer at Sequoia Capital.

TiE Mysuru Chapter aims to build and nurture next generation of entrepreneurs and start-ups in Mysuru region by the special initiatives like TiE University Program to promote Student Start-ups and TiE Women Pitchfest to promote women Entrepreneurship in Mysore region.

About Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM)

With an objective to increase the share of Digital economy in the state, the Government of Karnataka set up the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), a Section-8 organization, which acts as a knowledge bridge between the industry and the government. To meet the objectives, KDEM has been working towards the five focus areas, viz. IT Products & Services, BPM & GCC promotion; Innovations & Start-ups; ESDM; Beyond Bengaluru; and Talent Accelerator.

The Beyond Bengaluru Program

The Beyond Bengaluru program of KDEM, in particular, is spearheading the objective of proliferating the growth of digital economy in clusters beyond Bangalore. This is done for select identified clusters in the state by developing and facilitating a product-based ecosystem. Building a community of key industry players, entrepreneurs, start-up owners, academia, accelerators, and student community, the Beyond Bengaluru program of KDEM is steering towards getting investments and generating employment in the state.