Tejasvi Surya Confers Awards To Blockchain Builders At 'Building Future Cities’ Hackathon

Building Future Cities’, a joint initiative by CoinSwitch (India's leading Crypto investing app), Startup Karnataka (a Government of Karnataka initiative), and Tejasvi Surya, Member of Parliament (Bangalore South), successfully concluded on Saturday. The initiative was supported by Sequoia India Capital.

'TownSquare' was named the winner of the 24-hour hackathon aimed at recognizing and stimulating blockchain-based solutions to everyday problems faced by India’s 1.2 billion people. The hackathon received over 2,200 applications from blockchain developers and innovators from all over the country.

"For any country to progress, to be a superpower in the true sense, investing in foundational technologies and investing in emerging technologies is a non-negotiable policy requisite," said Tejasvi Surya, Member of Parliament, Bangalore South, at the award ceremony.

"It was inspiring to see young developers from different parts of the country develop blockchain solutions that address the real-world problems of Indians. At CoinSwitch, we believe this hackathon will kickstart a new innovation cycle that will lead us to a blockchain-powered India," said Vimal Sagar Tiwari, Co-founder and COO, CoinSwitch.

'TownSquare' conceptualized and built a universal public platform to solve community issues using the power of blockchain. The platform helps citizens find a common consensus to identify and vote on civic issues that need to be addressed on a public blockchain was adjudged the best project of the 24-hour hackathon. 

'Marvelous' and ‘Tautotree’ were declared runners-up. Marvelous leveraged blockchain to bring transparency to the real estate business, and Tautotree's project was a convergence of tech and sustainable development — aimed at improving urban forestry.

The winners received a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, and the total prize pool of the hackathon was Rs 6 lakh. 

The hackathon challenged participants to envision a blockchain-powered India, focusing on smart mobility, energy credits and trading, decentralized waste management, secure digital identity and certificate management, efficient and transparent vaccine distribution, and farm supplies and supply chain management.

Samsung To Launch New Foldable Phones On August 10; Customers Can Pre-Reserve The Next Galaxy At Rs 1,999

Samsung Electronics will unveil the next generation of its foldable smartphones at the Galaxy Unpacked event at Samsung Opera House in Bengaluru on August 10.

Customers can pre-reserve the next Galaxy smartphones ahead of the event to be eligible for early access. To pre-reserve the next Galaxy smartphone, customers have to pay a token amount of Rs 1,999 on Samsung.com or at Samsung Exclusive Store.

Customers who pre-reserve the next Galaxy smartphones will get additional benefits worth INR 5,000 after delivery of the device.

Samsung has been pushing boundaries and defying conventions of what a smartphone can do. Samsung believes meaningful innovations go beyond technical, providing a platform upon which our everyday lives become richer and more versatile.

Galaxy Unpacked will be live streamed on  Samsung Newsroom India at 6.30 pm IST on August 10, 2022

Hero MotoCorp Adopts 150 Covid-Affected Families In Bengaluru, Karnataka

Reaffirming its commitment towards betterment of the society, Hero MotoCorp, the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, has adopted 150 Covid-affected families in Bengaluru, Karnataka. 

Under the Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform “Hero WeCare”, the ‘Hero for Humanity’ project aims to support children who lost their parents or guardians and women who lost their spouses to Covid-19. This initiative will also support women from the affected families by creating supportive conditions to maintain their livelihoods, providing them essential services such as food security and nutrition along with education for their children.

Soon after adopting 150 families in the state of Odisha in collaboration with the Association of Business Women in Commerce and Industry (ABWCI), the ‘Hero for Humanity’ project will now offer a unique welfare package for 150 identified families in Bangalore who have been affected severely due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In the first phase of this project, 35 such families were distributed the relief packages in the state capital of Bangalore.

Mr. Bharatendu Kabi, Head – Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & Corporate Communication, Hero MotoCorp said, “Hero MotoCorp has continuously worked and supported the communities during Coronavirus pandemic. At such a time, it is imperative for businesses to join hands with the governments, as well as civil society, to support the communities we live and serve in. We are facilitating a Skill Development Program aimed at empowering women to make them employable and self-reliant in the long-term. This initiative will help them get the required training and develop their entrepreneurial skills to attain a better livelihood, thus contributing towards the sustainable development of communities. We will also provide a monthly allowance towards the educational and nutritional requirements of the children who lost their parents or guardians to Covid-19.”

Till date, Hero MotoCorp has extended support to more than 520 families through this project, in collaboration with different partners across multiple states such as Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and Odisha.

OPPO Successfully Concludes The Second Season Of OPPO Elevate; Offers Global Platform For Startups Innovating Humanistic Technology

* The second edition of OPPO Elevate program witnessed 2x growth in the number of participants

* Through Elevate Program OPPO India aims to sharpen focus on startups with an approach of virtuous innovation

With an aim to accelerate the development of high-potential tech startups and promote innovation in the market, OPPO India successfully completed the second edition of the OPPO Elevate Program. The 2022 edition of OPPO Elevate witnessed 2x growth in the number of participants. During the Demo Day held today in Hyderabad, the top 10 technology startups from India got the chance to present their proposals for innovative tech solutions in digital health and accessible technology to an esteemed Jury members from the industry. The top four India winners will present their innovations at the OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator's global final, held later this year, and stand a chance to win $46,000. 

Tasleem Arif, VP and R&D Head, OPPO India, commented on the event, saying, "We need companies with a core value to support virtuous innovation and are trying to look at the world differently. Startups have an inherent DNA of innovation and utilising the best technology can offer. OPPO will be working with these startups not just to guide them to succeed but to also deliver their humanistic innovations to the customers and transform lives. We aim to be a springboard for India’s startups success and add value to the ecosystem. Through the OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator and OPPO Elevate program, OPPO will continue mentoring the fantastic tech startups and spur a new wave of innovation empowering people to live healthier and happier lives.”

The OPPO India Elevate program serves as an incubator for a hub for driving ideas, innovation and action. Over the last year, OPPO Elevate has empowered several start-ups to build innovative solutions leveraging state-of-the-art equipment, global mentorship, and access to OPPO's rich network of partners, helping them drive and fast-track their way to reaching out to consumers. In addition to mentorship and technical project support, the elevate program includes deep dives and workshops focused on product design, customer acquisition, and founders' leadership development. This year OPPO Elevate program has been aligned with the global innovation accelerator program initiated by OPPO Research Institute to bring together resources and expertise from around the world. Focusing on two main areas of innovation, OPPO will provide both financial and technical support to aid the development of innovative technological solutions and bring them to more users worldwide.

All proposals submitted to the OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator are evaluated under the supervision of a professional Judging Committee against their ability to meet four key criteria: Feasibility, Innovation & Originality, Social Value, and Long-term Potential. Three of the ten proposals shortlisted for the Demo Day in Hyderabad were selected to progress to the global final later this year. The winners (displayed in no particular order) are:

YogiFiBy Wellnesys Technologies: The brand synergises technology with ancient Indian Yoga techniques to build a healthier India and help users with medical care.  Being the first patient treated through this method, the founder Muralidhar Somisetty aims to enable access to state-of-the art digital health and wellness solutions to users even from tier 2 and 3 cities.

TinkerTech Laboratories Private Limited: Developed by team of people who have experienced hearing loss in some form in their lives, the TinkerTech Lab solution is the world's first truly affordable heads-up captioning display. The product aims to solve the challenges of expensive medical treatments, uncomfortable devices and medical procedures and revolutionise the world for patients sufeering from hearing loss.

Backyardcreators: The innovative offering by the company will help do away with surgeries for hearing impaired patients. This will help avoid the need for pre and post sugery care and expenses related to such surgeries. With the help of  the world’s first Adhesive non-Surgical hearing device for by birth and totally hearing loss patients, Backyardcreators aims to provide the opportunity to hear again for patients who may lost the hope to be able overcome the loss of hearing. The offering will have a significant impact on the lives of 140 million children around the world.

CogniAble International Private Limited: CogniAble aims to empower children with special needs and their caregivers alike through data and affordable care. The platform helps differently abled childern acquire skills across  multiple areas like social skills, academic skills, speech skills, language skills etc. through therapy and digital screening. It offers the families across socio-economic status to help their children lead an independent life.

In addition to the winners, the remaining presenters are entitled to a collaboration with OPPO for applicable technical discussion and access to R&D facilities (Labs, spaces, Mobile devices) on mutually agreed terms and schedules. Further, they will also be invited to Microsoft for Start-ups Founders Hub, and eligible start-ups will receive up to USD150K worth of Azure credits, mentoring and guidance from business and technical experts, and access to the world-class developer and productivity tools.

The rapid development of technology has resulted in certain disadvantaged groups being left behind by society. OPPO initiated the OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator in May this year to explore solutions to some of the most urgent issues facing the world today that could help those most marginalized by current technology. This program draws on OPPO’s brand proposition of “Inspiration Ahead” to bring together technology and innovation professionals under the shared belief that Inspiration Matters to help solve some of the world’s most pressing issues.

For more updates on the upcoming the OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator and all upcoming events, please visit https://www.oppo.com/en/proposal/

About OPPO Mobiles India Private Limited

OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone - “Smiley Face” - in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO provides its users with the ColorOS operating system and internet services like OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO operates in more than 50 countries and regions with more than 40,000 of OPPO's employees are dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.

Prawaas 3.0 – India’s Largest Public Transport Conference & Exhibition Flagged Off

* Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India’s flagship event Prawaas 3.0 aims to promote Safe, Smart and Sustainable Passenger Mobility 

* The 3rd edition of the event brings together entire public transport eco-system including fleet owners and operators from 28 States and 8 Union Territories, OEMs, Government and policymakers 

Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI) along with Andhra Pradesh & Telangana State Bus Operators Association inaugurated the 3rd edition of India's flagship conclave and exhibition for public transport, “Prawaas 3.0”. The three-day event will bring together leading bus & car operators from across India in eight important segments viz: Intercity, Intracity, School Bus, Employee Transport, Tour Operators, Tourists Cabs, Maxi Cabs and PPP-SPVs.  

The central theme of the event - “Towards Safe, Smart, Sustainable Passenger Mobility” echoes ethos of the governing organization, BOCI. The event is supported of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Ministry of Heavy Industries, Govt. of India.  

Shri Prasanna Patwardhan, President, BOCI said, “Pandemic has disrupted lives of millions over the last couple of years. The transport sector has been brutally hit as well and lives of thousands of operators across India were impacted severely. We have been through a debilitating period and are still recovering from the havoc created by the lockdowns and pandemic. 

I am happy that the sector has come together and is present here full strength. Prawaas 3.0 is our endeavour to bring public transport stakeholders together to ideate, showcase innovations and share best practices. Public transport in India needs a major boost given the sheer number of people it transports. Public transport carries 32 crore passengers daily, far higher than any other means of transport in India. Of this, over 85% is serviced by private operators of BOCI. Prawaas is our effort to draw attention of the policymakers and the government to take the needs of our sector into cognisance and work towards creating a favourable environment for the sector to thrive. The sector badly needs fiscal impetus, tax relief and availability of capital. We also seek industry status from the government to enable and empower our sector.” 

Prawaas 3.0 will feature Exhibition, Conferences & Workshops, Awards Function, Round table discussions, CEO Leadership Talks and panel discussions featuring sector leaders from across the country. The Exhibition boasts of the largest showcase of passenger vehicles, after-market solutions, accessories, consumables, IT & ITS solutions, and allied products & services.   

Given the central theme, this edition of Prawaas has a strong focus on showcasing Electric Vehicles and sustainable mobility. The Conference will present new trends and explore new opportunities in the sector in new normal. The passenger mobility sector will also discuss current and recommended regulatory and policy framework to enable and empower the sector that truly moves India. 

Shri Jagdeo Singh Khalsa, Chairman, BOCI said, “Public transport in India needs urgent attention, given our vast country and large populace. There is a need for a greater collaboration between stakeholders both public and private to revamp the sector and bring it on par with the best globally. Our efforts with Prawaas is to create a platform that brings together all key stakeholders to revitalize the public transport in India.” 

Shri G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North-eastern Region (DoNER), Government of India and Member of Parliament – Secunderabad said, “I am happy to be here with the Prawaas family. I commend and appreciate BOCI for bringing all public mobility stakeholders together on one platform.  This is a great initiative and Prawaas is a platform that will help us introspect, ideate and formulate the roadmap for growth of public transport in the country.” 

Prawaas 3.0 will attract 10000+ Business Visitors from 28 States of India and 8 Union Territories, 100+ Expert Speakers in the conference and 200+ leading Exhibitors across all sectors. Ashok Leyland, Tata Motors, VE Commercial, Red Bus, Bharat Benz, Mahindra, Olectra, Cummins, Force Motors, Exide-leclanche, Blackbuk EV, Bitla Software, Valeo, SML, Intel, KPIT, Kyndryl, Paytm, ICICI Bank, etc. are some of the key participants. 

About Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI) 

Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India is the apex organization of all the State Federations of private sector Bus & Car passenger Transport operators across India. BOCI represents eight important passenger Transport segments viz; Intercity, Intracity, School Transport, Employee Transport, Tour Operators, Taxi Cabs, Tourist Cabs and PPP-SPVs. We are also adding Critical & Emergency response service for the first time which is emerging as a major sector. 

BOCI aims to promote Safe, Smart and Sustainable Integrated Passenger Mobility solutions to the citizens of India in close coordination with all the stake holders from public & private sectors. 

The significance of BOCI can be measured by the fact that over 1.5 million buses are operated by its members today on Indian Roads and it is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years. 

Photo caption :  Union Minister of Culture and tourism  G Kishan Reddy is lighting up the lamp at Inauguration of Prawaas 3.0 India's flagship conclave and exhibition for public transport At Hitex,  Prasanna Patwardhan, President, BOCI, and  Jagdeo Singh Khalsa, Chairman, BOCI along with the minister. 

Pine Labs Launches Second Innings Program In Association With Natekar Sports And Fitness

* Onboards six former Indian athletes from diverse sporting backgrounds

Leading merchant commerce omnichannel platform, Pine Labs today announced the hiring of six former Indian athletes under its ‘Second Innings’ program, an initiative to reskill and employ retired sportspeople in India. The company has partnered with Natekar Sports & Fitness (NSF) which is led by its founder Gaurav Natekar who is a former India number 1 tennis player, Arjuna Awardee, double Asian Games gold medalist, and son of the legendary Indian badminton star Late Nandu Natekar.

Pine Labs and NSF will be mapping each of these hired athletes to the right job within the Pine Labs organisation and provide the necessary skill development training as well. These new hires will be entitled to the same perks as existing employees, and they will also be a part of the Pine Labs Annual Review process.

Commenting on the initiative, B Amrish Rau, CEO, Pine Labs, said, “This could not have come at a better time. In the month when India celebrates 75 years of Independence, and the country’s sporting heroes vie for the top honors at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, I am delighted to announce the launch of the ‘Pine Labs Second Innings’ program. It is our initiative in partnership with Natekar Sports & Fitness to empower retired Indian sporting heroes who have given their all in the service of their state/country. We strongly believe this needs to be the start of a bigger movement and should not just stop at Pine Labs. Happy to have some real Champions join us this month.”

“The Indian sporting ecosystem has seen tremendous strides in the past few years. However, one area that has concerned me tremendously is the lack of job opportunities in the private sector for the thousands of Indian sportspersons and athletes who give their heart and soul to play for India but are unable to make the grade for various reasons and are then left stranded once they retire from active sport. I am delighted that ‘Second Innings’ an initiative by Pine Labs in partnership with Natekar Sports & Fitness will be aiming to address this huge issue. I strongly believe this initiative has the potential to be a path breaking program which will not only create more jobs for our sportspersons but will also inspire more youngsters to take up sport. We are confident that all the stakeholders in the Indian sports ecosystem including the ministry, federations, NGOs and sports organizations will support the program to ensure its success.” said Gaurav Natekar, Founder, Natekar Sports & Fitness (NSF).

"Appreciate the opportunity given to me. I have been working with the sports industry for a decade. During pandemic I lost my job, that is when I started looking for a non-sports job, and I was browsing on LinkedIn, and I came across Pine Labs post (2nd Innings program). Sounded interesting to me and applied.

One day I received a call that I was shortlisted, and I was happy, excited, confused (What am I going to do here.)

Appreciate the way we were welcomed and for the arrangements done for the training so far." said Rakesh Basavaiah, track & field athlete from Bengaluru.

The ‘Second Innings’ initiative by Pine Labs has the potential to transform into a big movement, driven by the startup community and one that aids government efforts in strengthening the aspirations of the sporting talent in the country once they are past their prime in sports.

About Natekar Sports & Fitness (NSF)

Natekar Sports & Fitness (NSF) is a firm founded by a family of sportspeople who have represented India on the international platform in their respective sports and have a combined experience of over 100 years in the sporting industry. They include the late Nandu Natekar, a doyen and legend of Badminton in India, his son Gaurav Natekar, multiple times national champion, Arjuna Awardee and double Asian Games gold medallist, and Gaurav’s wife Arati Ponnappa Natekar, a former India number 1 tennis player and multiple times national champion. Today, NSF works with some of the biggest companies in the public and private sector on sports advisory, consulting, infrastructure development, and management. To know more, please email contact@natekarsports.com and visit www.natekarsports.com.

Safety Sarathy: A Traffic Awareness And Road Safety Drive Conducted In Bengaluru

~Powered by ReadyAssist, ISBR’s youth take to the streets to spread road safety awareness in collaboration with LetsTagOn~

To remind citizens of road etiquette, Safety Sarathy, a traffic awareness and road safety drive was conducted across 11 junctions in Bengaluru on Saturday morning, 6th August. In collaboration with industry partner and thought leader ReadyAssist and implementation partner LetsTagOn Foundation, students from International School of Business & Research (ISBR Business School) marched from Traffic Management Center, Infantry Road to Chinnaswamy Stadium rallying for road safety.

With about 150,000 Indians losing their lives to road accidents every year, Safety Sarathy emphasized on lane discipline, safety precautions and pedestrian safety. Positioned at 11 traffic signals across the city, student volunteers sensitized 2-wheeler riders and 4-wheeler drivers plying the roads with curated IEC material. Expert guidance was provided to students by experienced road safety volunteers across the designated signals.

Vimal Singh, Founder & CEO of ReadyAssist opines, “Safety Sarathy resonates closely with ReadyAssist’s ethos. Encouraging citizens to make conscious efforts in maintaining road etiquette is a much needed intervention and the ReadyAssist team is humbled to collaborate with partners like LetsTagOn. The sheer quantum of participation by ISBR youth is commendable and I hope more people join this cause.”

To push out this key message, the Bangalore Traffic Police also lent their support towards this cause, encouraging students to keep up the prosocial activities and further drive road safety awareness among the locals. 

Dr. Manish Kothari, President of ISBR Group of Institutions, shares, “We at ISBR give a lot of importance to sensitizing students on various social issues on a continual basis. I am very glad this year to collaborate with stakeholders like LetsTagOn, ReadyAssist along with the support of ACP and the traffic management of Bangalore city, for starting this road safety and traffic awareness program at 11 different junctions. I am sure this move will go a long way in creating awareness among students and the general public. I wish all the best to our students and also other partners of this initiative.”

Social Entrepreneur & Founder of LetsTagOn, Chetana Koulagi, adds, “LetsTagOn’s core mission is to foster social responsibility and community engagement. With growing mobility and vehicular traffic, road safety continues to be a serious concern. This drive is a small step towards engaging youth in local issues and nurturing active citizenship.”

For more information about the event - www.letstagon.com/