Tide Commits To Incubate 500,000 Women-Led Small Businesses In India By End Of 2027

* Aims to support women in India to start and run their own businesses

* Launch ‘Tide Women Entrepreneurs Mentorship Programme'

* Create an internal Women in Business Mentor Panel for advisory services

Tide, the UK’s leading business financial platform[1], with operations and an imminent launch in India, today announced their target of supporting 500,000 female-led businesses, start out by the end of 2027.

This move comes on the heels of Tide’s ‘Women in Business’ initiative in the UK and the company’s plan to work as an incubator for women business owners in India. Through this initiative, Tide aims to help women led SMEs start and grow their businesses.

Today women run fewer than 13 percent of businesses in India. The primary reason for this low representation of women in business is access to finance. Nearly 20 percent of women entrepreneurs face rejection by lending institutions, more than twice the rate of 8 percent for men. Other key challenges that hold back women entrepreneurs include, absence of support networks and financial inclusion.

To further power the company’s vision for women entrepreneurs, Tide has also created an internal Women in Business Mentor Panel under their 'Tide Women Entrepreneurs Mentorship Programme'. The internal panel will feature in-house experts in Leadership, Marketing, Capital Investment, Hiring and Payroll, Taxation, and Legal, among others to provide one-on-one advice and host regular masterclasses, webinars, and AMA sessions for women entrepreneurs.

“Tide believes that there is a huge untapped potential for women entrepreneurs to contribute to the Indian economy. We want to support entrepreneurial women in their journey and believe we’re in a strong position to do exactly that. From the lessons learnt by working with small businesses every day in the UK, we understand the support and guidance needed to crack it as a small business owner. We believe this mentorship programme will not just prove instrumental in addressing their financial challenges but will also foster digital inclusion,” says Gurjodhpal Singh, CEO, Tide (India).

The mentorship panel will also play an advisory role for women-led small businesses and support them with tracking progress and reporting issues.

Select Tide employees who will be part of this mentor panel have been chosen based on the specific domain knowledge they possess. The business financial platform also plans to partner with external mentors, who have or are working in the MSME space, to play an advisory role in the programme.

About Tide:

Founded in 2015 and launched in 2017, London-based Tide is now the leading business financial platform in the UK. Tide helps SMEs save time (and money) in the running of their businesses by not only offering business accounts and related banking services, but also a comprehensive set of highly usable administrative solutions. Tide has over 400,000 SME members in the UK (7% market share).

Tide has been funded by Apax Digital, Anthemis, Augmentum, Creandum, Goodwater, Jigsaw, Latitude, LocalGlobe, Passion Capital, SpeedInvest and The SBI Group. It employs 800+ professionals worldwide, has recently been awarded the UK Fintech Awards' ‘Banking Tech of the Year’ and is among the Sunday Times Fast Track Disruptors to Watch. Tide has a long-term ambition to be the leading business financial platform globally.

Tide selected India as its first international market in 2020. With over 350 highly skilled employees in India, most based in its Hyderabad technology centre, Tide is presently ramping up operations for a full-fledged launch in India later this year.

Simpl To Recruit Over 250 Employees In The Fiscal Year 2022

Simpl, the market leader in 1-tap checkout, today announced its hiring plans for the financial year 2022. The fintech start-up expects to hire over 250 employees this year across different verticals.

The leading BNPL platform plans to expand its engineering team heavily and is looking to hire from top-tier colleges across the country. As a part of its commitment to gender- diversity, Simpl is also proactively putting efforts to bridge the male to female ratio in its engineering department. With women leaders already heading essential functions such as the Partner Success, Data Science & Engineering teams, Simpl is well on its way to establishing a gender-balanced organization over the coming years.

Commenting on the announcement, Nitya Sharma, Co-Founder- Simpl said, “At Simpl, we are constantly hiring talent with similar values, diverse backgrounds, and a passion for making a meaningful impact on changing the world for the better. We believe that a strong technology & engineering team would help us scale up the business & ensure continued operational excellence.”

Simpl tripled its engineering team over the past 18 months to 100. Co-founded in 2015 by Nitya Sharma, Simpl is at the forefront of the digital payments revolution in India. The fintech start-up aims to catalyse and simplify the payments domain through innovative offerings. With proven technology expertise, Simpl is committed to the simplification and democratization of digital transformation in the payments space in India.

About Simpl

Co-founded in 2015 by Nitya Sharma, Simpl is India’s fastest-growing Buy Now, Pay Later platform meant to make payments invisible and money intelligent. Simpl is on a mission to empower merchants to build trusted relationships with customers, one transaction at a time. With more than 10,000 available merchants and 25 million-plus users pan-India, Simpl envisions creating an inclusive digital payments experience for India that empowers and fosters trust between merchants and their customers.

Simpl is the leading Pay-Later platform in India, providing a full-stack solution for e-commerce conversion. It enables merchants to give customers 1-click checkout, buyer protection and a pay-later facility to allow them to feel safe and trusted when shopping online. Through Simpl, merchants can provide consumers with an easy, secure, and intuitive user experience.

3,00,000th Nexon Rolls Out Of The Ranjangaon Facility In Pune

* Tata Motors adds to this celebration by extending the portfolio

* Launches the XZ+ (P) / XZA+ (P) and XZ+ (HS) / XZA+ (HS) variants 

Tata Motors, India’s leading automotive brand, today celebrated the roll – out of the 3,00,000th Nexon – India’s first GNCAP 5star rated car, from its Ranjangaon facility in Pune. Since the 200k roll – out in June 2021, Tata Motors recorded 100k units of the Nexon, in less than 8 months. While being recently featured in the top 5 highest selling cars in India, the Nexon has multiple awards to its credibility, making it the #1 selling Compact SUV in its segment. Furthermore, the brand Nexon has not only proved its mettle in the internal combustion space but has broken the shackles to lead the EV revolution in India. Driven and proven over 50 million kms, the Nexon EV has saved close to 9860 tonnes of CO2 emissions, which is equivalent to planting of 1.47 Lakh trees. With 13500+ happy customers, Nexon EV currently dominates the Indian EV 4-wheeler segment with a market share of more than 62% (YTD).

To mark this milestone and keeping the New Forever brand promise, Tata Motors today launched 4 new variants in the top trims of this successful compact SUV - the XZ+ (P) / XZA+ (P) and XZ+ (HS) / XZA+ (HS) in both petrol & diesel with a new colour option in Royale Blue . These variants will also be offered in the #Dark avatar. With bookings commencing today, the new variants will be available across all Tata Motors authorized dealerships.

Commenting on this milestone, Mr. Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd., and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd. said, “It is indeed a moment of pride to witness the roll – out of the 3,00,000th Tata Nexon – a landmark product in the turnaround of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles. Being an integral part of the New Forever range, brand Nexon has successfully established its popularity in the compact SUV segment since its launch in 2017 and has become a part of many families. Adding to the popularity of the ICE variant, the Nexon EV too has created a niche for itself and has gained immense recognition from its customers. The story of building a strong and safe SUV brand started with the Nexon – being the first Global NCAP 5 star rated car in India. Creating benchmarks in safety, Tata Nexon has also been widely appreciated for its striking design, superior ride and handling characteristics, spirited performance, and comfort.”

He further added, “The success of Nexon has been pivotal in proving our leadership in the SUV segment and to rejoice this momentous occasion, we have expanded our Nexon portfolio by adding four new variants in the line-up for our customers. We are confident that the Nexon will continue to help expand our customer base and bolster the growth of Tata Motors in the future.”

The new Nexon XZ+ (P) / XZA+ (P) variants will be equipped with additional premium features such as Premium Benecke Kaliko Leatherette ventilated front seats, air purifier and auto dimming IRVM. Additionally, the new XZ+ (HS) / XZA+ (HS) variants will sport an air purifier to make the drives healthier for the occupants. These additional features will also be available in their respective #Dark editions.

Launched in 2017, Tata Motors has constantly modernized the Nexon for safety, design, regulations, emissions, aspirational and segment defining feature additions. This has helped the Nexon to stay contemporary and in line with the evolving customer needs. With the introduction of the recently launched Kaziranga Edition, the Nexon will now be available in 40 variants, offering customers an array of options at different price points to choose from, according to their requirements. The range will include 22 variants in petrol and 18 variants in diesel with automatic and manual transmission options.

The Nexon has been the flagbearer of Tata Motors’ commitment to safety as it has paved way for other cars from Tata Motors like the Punch, Altroz, Tiago and Tigor to establish new benchmarks in car safety in each of their respective segments. It is one of the most successful products from the New Forever range of Tata Motors’ portfolio.

To know more about offers and car buying options, call your nearest dealership or visit https://cars.tatamotors.com/suv/nexon

Manipal Academy Of Higher Education Celebrate National Science Day

* Students awarded for best science models, drawing and elocution competitions

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal celebrated National Science Day on February 28, 2022. The event was hosted by Manipal School Of Life Sciences (MSLS), in its auditorium, by following due pandemic-related precautions and restricted number of participants.

The Chief Guest of the event was Shri. Rohith Chakrathirtha, a renowned author, mathematician, and communicator. The presidential address was given by Lt Gen (Dr) MD Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor, MAHE.

National Science Day is celebrated across the country to commemorate the discovery of ‘Raman Effect’ by Sir CV Raman on February 28, 1928. Its aim is to spread the importance of science and its impact and applications in all aspects of life, by showcasing developments in science.

The Chief Guest, Shri. Rohith Chakrathirtha engaged with the audience which majorly comprised of school students. He meticulously articulated the scientific significance of Yugadi and the traditional Indian calendar. He also explained the way ancient Indian astronomers had considered the planetary movements while computing the calendar in symphony with nature. He encouraged students to explore the cultural history of Indian scientists, while pursuing their scientific ambitions.

Speaking on the occasion Lt Gen (Dr) MD Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor, MAHE said “Manipal Academy of Higher Education has been celebrating National Science Day for the past 20 years by organizing a number of activities for the higher primary and high school children in the region. Developing Scientific curiosity amongst the young students will greatly help in our nation’s development. Significant contemporary scientific discoveries in the fields of artificial intelligence, nanomaterials, space exploration and healthcare have played a crucial role in the improvement of the quality of life. We at MAHE, encourage the students to not only develop a scientific temperament but also be cautious and ethical in using scientific and technological advancements”

To celebrate National Science Day MAHE provides opportunities to students to participate in model building, drawing and elocution competitions in defined themes. In addition, MAHE hosts school toppers for a week-long residential, hands-on science training program at the Manipal School of Life Sciences (MSLS), culminating in a science exhibition and the Science Day celebrations

In the event Lt Gen (Dr) MD Venkatesh, Dr Narayana Sabhahit (Registrar of MAHE,), Mr. Chakrathirtha and Dr. K. Satyamoorthy (Director, MSLS) presented the prizes to winners of various competitions. Dr Sabhahit welcomed the gathering and Dr Raghavendra Prabhu (Deputy Registrar, MAHE), proposed the vote of thanks. 

Honda And HPCL Announce Partnership For Establishing Battery Swapping Stations At Retail Outlets Across Country

Honda Power Pack Energy India Private Limited, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.’s new subsidiary for battery sharing service, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), a Maharatna Oil & Gas Public Sector undertaking, signed a memorandum of understanding and commercial agreement to collaborate in the field of E-mobility and provide battery sharing services in HPCL’s retail outlets in major cities across India. This marks the global debut of Honda’s battery sharing service and HPCL has been chosen as preferred partner.

In October 2021, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Japan has announced its plan to begin battery sharing service in India starting with electric 3 wheelers through its newly established subsidiary, Honda Power Pack Energy India. Honda’s battery sharing service will enable rickshaw drivers to stop by at the nearest battery swapping stations being setup across the selected cities and swap discharged batteries (Honda Mobile Power Pack e:) with fully charged ones. The use of this service will significantly reduce drivers’ initial cost to purchase EV as well as reducing concern about running out of batteries. This will reduce the risk of drivers losing business opportunities while waiting for batteries to be charged.

Honda plans to start its Battery as a Service (BaaS) business on commercial basis from Bengaluru city in the first half of 2022. Honda will set up strong network of battery swap stations at strategic locations like HPCL’s retail outlets. The service will be launched in Bengaluru city with the intention to expand to other major cities in a phased manner. Initially, the focus will be on the three-wheeler segment and would eventually expand to two-wheelers as well. For this purpose, Honda has been developing its ties with multiple OEMs in various applications.

Online signing off ceremony has been held on 7th February 2022, where both parties reaffirmed their commitment towards carbon neutrality and join hands to achieve a greener future of India and the world by way of expanding utilization of renewable energy and to actively pursue electrification of transportation sector which accounts for approximately 20% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Speaker Notes for dignitaries, who addressed the occasion:

President & CMD, Honda Power Pack Energy India, Kiyoshi Ito said that he is looking forward to a long lasting partnership and friendship between Honda and HPCL to bring the reliable & customer centric battery sharing service in India and to ensure a greener future. Referring to the association of Honda with HPCL, he added that for Honda, it was a case of meeting the right partner at the right time.

Executive Director, Corporate Strategy Planning & Business Development, HPCL, Rajnish Mehta told that HPCL is already committed to become a net zero company by 2040 and the partnerships with global players like Honda will be instrumental in achieving this target. He also asserted that a strong collaboration between HPCL and Honda would definitely pave the way for both companies in expediting the energy transition process.

TKM Clocks Sales Of 8745 Units In February 2022; Registers 19% Growth Over Wholesales In January 2022

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced that the company sold a total of 8745 units in February 2022, thereby registering a growth of 19% when compared to sales in January 2022. The company had sold a total of 14,075 units in domestic wholesales in February 2021 and 7328 units in January 2022.

Expressing his views on the performance for the month, Mr. Atul Sood, Associate Vice President, Sales and Strategic Marketing, TKM, said, “First of all, we would like to thank all our customers for the overwhelming response that the new Camry Hybrid has received, as we have very promising booking orders for the new Camry Hybrid. Similarly, the overall sentiment in the market continues to remain positive as we witness a steady surge in demand trends. This has also led to a consistent rise in order bookings, especially for the Innova Crysta as well as the Fortuner and as a next step, we are looking forward to cater to the pending orders on our side”, he concluded.

Lam Research India Signs MoU With IISc For Sponsored Fellowship Program For MTech Students

Lam Research India today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru to offer a sponsored fellowship program for second-year Master of Technology (MTech) students, starting in the 2022-2023 academic year.

Lam India has been a part of CeNSE’s Industry Affiliate Program (IAP) since 2014 and is continuously engaging with the centre to collaborate on multiple innovative projects to advance the state of semiconductor technologies. The MoU reaffirms Lam India’s commitment to developing deeper industry-academia collaboration while creating opportunities for CeNSE students to acquire specialized skills leading to career opportunities in the wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) industry.

“We are delighted to continue our longstanding relationship with IISc to develop talent and drive the technological innovation in the semiconductor industry,” said Rangesh Raghavan, corporate vice president, and general manager at Lam Research India. “With access to a talent pool as strong as IISc’s, we expect to significantly enhance Lam Research India’s innovation contribution to the ecosystem. This MoU will facilitate the training and development of CeNSE MTech students as we continue to work on advanced semiconductor technologies at Lam India.”

As part of the sponsored fellowship program, second-year master’s students will be selected from the mechanical and electrical engineering streams of CeNSE. The selected students will receive an opportunity to conduct their MTech project on research topics related to Lam Research’s domains of thermal management, materials and coating, additive manufacturing, Equipment Intelligence®, and others, with CeNSE faculty advising on their dissertations.

“Industry-sponsored CeNSE MTech Fellowships are aimed at attracting talent from the traditional areas of engineering and science, and exposing them to new opportunities in the emerging electronics and semiconductor manufacturing industry,” said Prof. Srinivasan Raghavan, chairperson of CeNSE at IISc Bangalore. “Lam Research has been our Industry Affiliate for many years, and this collaboration is an extension of our commitment to solving industry challenges through academic research and technological innovations.”

The program will help the students to bridge the gap between the foundation they have acquired in their undergraduate courses in mechanical, electrical, materials, and chemical engineering or physical and chemical sciences and the job requirements of companies in this area. 

As part of the CeNSE MTech fellowship program, there will be various engagements planned between the students and Lam Research representatives to enhance knowledge exchange and foster stronger collaboration. The fellowship will encourage students to think of challenges faced by the industry, research solutions, and open up internship opportunities for students to join Lam Research. The students will get an opportunity to interact, learn, work, and get mentored by industry leaders from across the globe.

About Lam Research

Lam Research Corporation is a global supplier of innovative wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry. Lam’s equipment and services allow customers to build smaller and better-performing devices. In fact, today, nearly every advanced chip is built with Lam technology. We combine superior systems engineering, technology leadership, and a strong values-based culture, with an unwavering commitment to our customers. Lam Research (Nasdaq: LRCX) is a FORTUNE 500® company headquartered in Fremont, Calif., with operations around the globe. Learn more at www.lamresearch.com.