Eleven Winners Felicitated At BCIC Emerging Stars - Namma Startup Awards 2023

* Eight Startups win in ‘Deep Tech’, ‘Women Entrepreneur’, ‘Social Enterprise’, ‘Beyond Bangalore’; One wins Campus and Two Special Category Awards

In an effort to give further imputes to Startups and the role that they play in the ecosystem, Bangalore Chamber of Industry Commerce (BCIC) recognised Eleven winners as part of the BCIC Emerging Stars - Namma Startup Awards 2023. These included eight startups and one campus and two special category awards. These awards were instituted to identify, recognize, and encourage start-up organizations that have the potential to make a material impact on society through innovation with new products or services. The aim of the award is to enhance the value of brand "India" as a leading global hub for innovation, create and deliver value to the society and industry and to create an ecosystem to support startups in terms of mentorship, entrepreneurial development program and in raising funds. Winners were chosen in four categories including, ‘Deep Tech’, ‘Women Entrepreneur’, ‘Social Enterprise’, ‘Beyond Bangalore’. There were also special category awards for ‘Campus Startup’ and recognition for individual contribution towards Management of R&D in the IT Industry and for a company making a difference in Social Impact and Data Enrichment.

DeepTech Startup Category was won by Faunatech Solutions Pvt. Ltd while Avay Biosciences Pvt. Ltd. was the runner up. In the Beyond Bangalore Startup Category, Zupple Labs Pvt. Ltd. (Prev. Crossforge Solutions Pvt. Ltd.) was the winner and Yappes Technologies Pvt. Ltd was the runner up. Varnaaz Technologies was the winner in the Women Led Startup Category, while Carditek Medical Devices Pvt. Ltd was the runner up. Rakshobhya Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. (Vaximum) won the Social Startup Category and Soc Zen Technology Pvt. Ltd. was the runner up. Prafal Agro LLP won the Campus Startup Category Award while in the Special Category awards section, Dr. Sridhar Mitta was recognised for individual contribution towards Management of R&D in IT Sector and Nextwealth Entrepreneurs Pvt. Ltd. won the Entrepreneur awarded for making a difference in Social Impact and Data Enrichment.

Speaking at the felicitation ceremony Dr. L Ravindran, President BCIC said “the BCIC Emerging Stars “Namma Start Up Awards 2023” is a platform that recognises these potential startups and provides opportunities for them to showcase their product or service offerings to members of the chamber for business collaboration, mentoring, go-to market strategy support and assist in raising funds through startup hub initiative. In the runup to the awards BCIC conducted roadshows and outreach activities at Mysore, Mangalore and Hubli to propagate BCIC’s initiative towards start-ups and how BCIC could help start-ups beyond Bangalore in realising their dreams. The chamber got overwhelming response from startups across Karnataka from various business verticals and tech domains with applications being shortlisted and 24 finalists making it to the Jury round.”

The 3rd Edition of the Awards was Launched in the Month of October 2022 and received applications from startups innovating in technology to solving societal issues ranging from AgriTech, FinTech, MedTech, EdTech, Manufacturing etc. BCIC will extend all support to the winners through its member companies to help these startup winners take their business propositions to the next level.

Photo Caption: (From Left to Right) Mr. Prashanth Doreswamy - President and CEO, Continental; Dr. Lakshmi Jagannathan - CEO DERBI Foundation; Mr. Prashant Gokhale - MD, Buhler India; Dr. Alok Mohan, IPS - Director General of Police and Director General Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services Dept. GoK; Shri. K. Jairaj-IAS Retd, Chairman Startup Awards Jury BCIC; Dr. S Devarajan - SVP BCIC ; Mr. Vineet Verma - VP BCIC and Dr. L Ravindran - President BCIC at the inauguration of  BCIC Emerging Stars - Namma Startup Awards 2023.

FC Goa Win “Hero ISL Grassroots Award For The 2022-23 Season”

FC Goa, along with Bengaluru FC, were honoured with the “Hero ISL Grassroots Award for the 2022-23 season” on account of their significant contributions to the development of Indian football at the youth and  grassroots level. 

Carlos Pena, the head coach of FC Goa, speaking after he collected the award and a cash prize of ?10 lakhs in a special ceremony following the ISL final, said, “I love the mentality of FC Goa - they’re not only concerned about signing big names, and equally value player development. It’s one of the main reasons why I signed up to be their head coach last summer. 

“The key with young players is to trust them and have patience with them, and this is something that doesn’t happen easily in professional football.” 

The Gaurs, along with their community wing, the Forca Goa Foundation have launched the Little Gaurs League, one of India’s biggest baby leagues. The competition, now in its 4th season, sees over 1000 children participating (including over 200 girl participants) in the U6, U8, U10 and U12 categories in a three-month long tournament which spans over 3 months. 

FC Goa, which launched its full-fledged youth structure in 2017, has over the years seen its teams win laurels both at the state and national levels with wins in the Goa Pro League and Police Cup to highlight other notable performances.  

The Gaurs, this season saw the U17 side win the Goa Football Association (GFA) 3rd Division (Bardez zone) title whilst their U15 and U13 side romped home to convincing wins in their respective GFA championships. The U13 and U15 teams ended up scoring 95 and 45 goals respectively from their 8 games, while conceding 5 each.  

About FC Goa 

FC Goa is a professional football club based out of Goa that competes in the Indian Super League (ISL). Nicknamed the Gaurs, FC Goa has been one of the most consistently successful teams in the ISL - reaching 4 semi-?nals and 2 ?nals in 8 seasons. 

Heading into the 2022-23 season of the HISL, FC Goa holds the record for most wins, most goals, most golden boots and most number of playoff appearances in the history of the competition. 

FC Goa became the first team from India to qualify for the league stages of the AFC Champions League in 2021 by virtue of winning the first-ever Hero ISL League Winners Shield in the 2019-20 season. 

The Gaurs trophy cabinet is also adorned by the 2019 Super Cup, the 2018-19 GFA Pro League,  and the 2021 Durand Cup. 

Co-owned by Mr Jaydev Mody, Mr Akshay Tandon and Mr Virat Kohli, FC Goa is one of the few Indian Clubs to have a complete youth development ecosystem. Its U14, U16, U18 and Developmental Teams compete at the highest levels in Goa and India. 

Godrej Security Solutions Expands Its Physical Security Products Range; Launches ‘SmartFog’ And ‘AccuGold’ In Karnataka

~ The brand unveiled ‘SmartFog’ and ‘AccuGold’ at the IIJS Tritiya, the latest innovations for financial institutions and Jeweler Community ~

Godrej Security Solutions, a division of Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the Godrej Group, today launched their latest innovations ‘SmartFog’ and ‘AccuGold’ at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bengaluru. The company displayed and demonstrated their innovative offerings at the ‘India International Jewellery Show – IIJS Tritiya’ between March 17th – 20th. The event was organised by The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).

The ‘SmartFog’, is a powerful fogging security system enabled to stop intruders in their tracks, whereas the ‘AccuGold’ is equipped to determine gold purity with the highest accuracy without damaging the ornament. Both these innovations are designed to take the brand’s physical security range of products to the next level establishing them as leaders in the space of institutional security. Godrej Security Solutions is keen on transforming the financial institutions and the jewellery sector through such technology and products. 

The growing presence of regional rural bank branches in rural areas and private banks targeting rural customers in Karnataka has triggered a massive growth in the state. Moreover, gold jewellery shops  have a strong demand for storage of gold and other valuables i.e., safes and strong room doors. In addition to this, the late rise in crime rates has created awareness among Jewellers with respect to higher grade of safes and doors and technologically advanced security systems.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Pushkar Gokhale, Business Head, Godrej Security Solutions, said, “At Godrej Security Solutions we are committed towards continuously innovating and delivering effective solutions to meet the security needs of our customers. Over the last few years, we have witnessed the growth and demand for physical security products range in Karnataka and we are expanding our physical security product offerings in the institutional security segment. Currently, we are at the early adoption stage and going by the overwhelming response shown during our roadshows and demonstrations, we expect annual sales of 2500 units nationally (for both products) in next 2 years horizon and an expected growth of 25%in revenue.

Mr Gokhale further added “Karnataka is the one of the fastest-growing major state economy. It has been one of emerging markets for institutional security with equal focus from both public sector undertakings (PSU’s) and private banks in terms of branch expansion and roll-out of new banking services, witnessing one of highest GDP growth in last 3 years. Known as the Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore is the home to the most successful technology based companies. It is the  centre of economic activities, a hub for HNIs and many manufacturing facilities including gold and precious stones. It is one of fastest growing branches of south zone.   In order to reach-out to new segments of the market, our focus is to build a robust network of channel partners and ASPs especially in the rural part of Karnataka. We are confident that both these innovative offerings will aid the brand to successfully spearhead and play a significant role in growth across Karnataka’s fast growing physical security products category.

SmartFog is one of a kind and first ever concept to be introduced in Indian market. This revolutionary product adds extra layer of protection to the overall security ecosystem of banks and jewellers. It utilizes advanced technology to detect unauthorized attempts to open any vault or safe. It is equipped with remote cloud based application as well as wireless technology for triggering the system. When triggered, Smart Fog emits a thick fog made of concentrated liquefied glycol – harmless to humans but capable of causing panic and immobilizing the culprit owing to zero visibility, allowing ample of time to the on-site personnel to take necessary measures.

AccuGold is the most advanced and accurate gold purity-testing machine. AccuGOLD is designed to give the accurate composition of any ornament under testing, without damaging the ornament in any way, making it a perfect choice for jewellers, banks, and financial institutions who seek the highest accuracy to determine gold purity.

Secure 4.0 is a continuation of the initiative by Godrej Security Solutions to spread awareness around the change in type of threats and making users conscious about upgrading to the best security measures. The previous edition in 2021, the Secure Spaces Banking Conclave bought together banking industry stalwarts to discuss how the banking industry needs to transform their institutional security.

YouGov Survey Finds Four Out of Five Digital Users In India Consider Snapchat As Their Fun, Happy Place

~Survey shows 97% of users associate the terms Happy, Fun, Creative or Trendy with Snapchat ~

~The survey also confirms that creative lenses, filters are Snapchat’s #1 feature that helps users celebrate festivals and special occasions with loved ones~

On the occasion of the International Day of Happiness, YouGov, an international Internet-based market research and data analytics firm, and Snap Inc, published the results of their joint study, which was undertaken to assess consumer views and key trends that make the digital generation happy.

Key Survey Findings:

97% of users associate the terms Happy, Fun, Creative or Trendy with Snapchat.

87% users consider Snapchat as 'the best' platform compared to other platforms among the competition for using creative lenses/ filters, sharing special/happy moments with dear ones.

80% of users prefer Snapchat for celebrating festivals with loved ones.

AR lenses are Snapchat’s #1 feature that helps celebrate festivals and special occasions with loved ones.

The wide assortment of lenses and filters on Snapchat was also the most recommended feature for non-users to share happy moments with dear ones.

As Snapchat has become a natural fit for brands to leverage a community that feels happy, the survey revealed that Snapchat plays a vital role in connecting brands and users as the platform helps them discover new and relevant products in a fun and trendy way.

According to the report, there is a lot of interest among users for Snapchat’s AR shopping try-on lenses. These try-on lenses add a playful twist to their shopping experience enabling them to find new and relevant products in a fun and practical way. Moreover, shopping using AR lenses aid in decision-making, with 4 in 5 users stating that they would be less likely to return clothing if they could try it on first.

The respondents for the survey comprised an equal mix of males and females in the age group of 18-29 years. Respondents from 17 cities participated in the survey, including Tier 1 cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bangalore, as well as Tier 2 cities like Bhopal, Surat, Patna, and Kanpur among others.

Commenting on the collaboration with Snapchat for the survey and current consumer trends, Deepa Bhatia, General Manager, YouGov India said “Our survey shows that compared to general social media users, Snapchat users show a stronger likelihood to share personal stories and pictures, and also enjoy adding filters and using lenses when it comes to pictures. The use of creative filters and lenses is a standout feature for Snapchat users. But it also goes beyond this for users. Many seeing the platform as a mode that helps them connect with their community and celebrate festivals with loved ones.”

Speaking about the findings of the survey, Kanishk Khanna, Director, Media Partnerships for APAC, Snap Inc. said, “At Snapchat, our mission is to enhance real relationships with friends, family, and the world and empower Snapchatters to live in the moment and have fun together. It is wonderful to see that Snapchat is helping spread happiness across India through the use of innovative AR technology for visual messaging. ”

In the digital domain, freedom of expression is key to increasing happiness for users to be their authentic selves. According to the report, 63% of users feel secure sharing stories and photographs on Snapchat, which enables them to express their creativity and have fun while building relationships with friends and family.

This survey by Snapchat conducted with YouGov India comes at the back of the announcement of its inaugural Digital Well-Being Index (DWBI) to understand the digital safety of Gen Z wherein India registered the highest DWBI count at 68. The findings from both studies reinforce how India’s digital generation continues to thrive in a safe and happy environment.

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar Delivers The 29th Leadership Lecture At T A Pai Management Institute , MAHE

T A Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), which is a constituent institution of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, hosted Dr S. Jaishankar, Hon'ble External Affairs Minister, Government of India, who delivered the 29th Leadership Lecture on the topic ‘India in the Amritkaal. The leadership lecture was attended by over one thousand students, faculty, as well as senior functionaries from various academic institutions of MAHE. During his visit, Dr. Jaishankar also interacted with students at the campus and participated in the foundation stone laying ceremony of the TAPMI New Academic Block.

Addressing the students at Manipal, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and External Affairs Minister of India, said, “It’s an honour to be a part of the 29th TAPMI Leadership Lecture with Manipal Academy of Higher Education is a highly reputed institution for research and innovation around the world. The last 75 years have been a period of considerable achievements, and challenges. Now, we are looking at 25 years, so that during the period ahead leading up to the centenary of India, we can strive to become a developed country. To all the students here, I would say that these 25 years are your years to realize history. Look at the next 25 years and ask yourself, what awaits you.”

Dr Ranjan R Pai, President, MAHE Trust and Chairman Manipal Education & Medial Group (MEMG), said, “Dr. Jaishankar has built an illustrious career, first as one of the best diplomats not just in India but across the globe, and then as an external affairs minister. It’s a great opportunity for students to hear his valuable insights on foreign policy and how he sees the bright future of India.”

Speaking on the Occasion Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), said “It’s an honour to welcome a stalwart like Hon'ble External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. Our students will certainly benefit from his wisdom gained from years of experience throughout his stellar career. It was indeed a pleasure to hear Dr. Jaishankar’s insightful words on why India is poised to rule over the next decades.”

Dr H.S. Ballal, Pro-Chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), said, “Beyond academics, it’s critical for students to hear from diverse personalities and experts to help shape their worldview and bring conviction in their decisions. I’m sure that the wonderful talk by Dr. Jaishankar was enlightening and thought-provoking for our students.”

Speaking at the Event, Professor Madhu Veeraraghavan, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Management, Law, Humanities and Social Science), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) said, “It was a great honour and privilege to welcome Dr. S Jaishankar to TAPMI. The student community at TAPMI and other constituent institutions of MAHE have gained immensely from the interaction. Dr. Jaishankar has inspired them to pursue greatness in India's Amritkaal.”

Over the years, TAPMI has invited leading luminaries from the world of business, government, and academics to share their wisdom with the young minds at TAPMI. Previous leadership lectures have been delivered by eminent personalities such as Shri. Ratan Tata, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Dr. Gerd Gigrenzer, Shri. Nithin Gadkari, and Dr Y V Reddy.

About Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)

(Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University)

MAHE is recognized as a leading quality academic and education service provider and has significantly contributed to continuously improving the standards and penetration of higher education in India. The Manipal Academy of Higher Education has, as its genesis, an enthralling story of a genius, the late Dr. T. M. A. Pai who had the vision of making society rid of the three major ills of illiteracy, ill health, and poverty. It provides a great variety of graduate and postgraduate skill enhancement educational courses covering several important disciplines like medicine, engineering, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, allied health, management, communication, life sciences, hotel administration, etc. through its 25 Professional Higher Education institutions. It has also taught and researched departments in Statistics, Commerce, Geopolitics & International Relations, European Studies, Philosophy & Humanities, Atomic & Molecular Physics, etc.

Over 35,000 students from all over the world pursue undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in diverse subjects. The finest of infrastructure facilities, state-of-the-art equipment, well-equipped laboratories, and dedicated and competent faculty have enabled the MAHE to be reckoned as one of the best-deemed universities, attracting students from all over India and 60+ countries of the world. The MAHE currently has 3000+ faculty and 10500+ support and service staff. The MAHE is a Wi-Fi-enabled campus and has excellent facilities for sports and games. MAHE has been accredited by NAAC with an A++ Grade and its technical programs are also accredited by NBA. MAHE’s quest for excellence is best exemplified in national and international recognitions. As per the National Institutional Rankings Framework (NIRF)-2022 of the Ministry of Education, Government of India, MAHE has ranked 7th in the ‘Universities’ Category.

The MAHE has an Off-Campus, each at Mangalore, Bengaluru, and Jamshedpur, and has two Off-Shore campuses, one in Dubai (UAE) and the other in Melaka (Malaysia). The MAHE and its Off-center Campuses and Off-shore Campuses have world-class infrastructural facilities and follow pedagogy, which is constantly reviewed and upgraded to reflect the latest trends and developments in their respective disciplines.

For further information log on to: https://manipal.edu/mu.html

KISNA Hosts Cluster Meeting For Its Retail Partners In Karnataka

KISNA Diamond and Gold Jewellery from Hari Krishna Group hosted Karnataka cluster meet for its key retailers in Karnataka. The main objective of this cluster meeting was to offer a platform for insightful discussion on industry trends and to collaborate with its loyal and long standing business partners for successful roll out of KISNA franchise stores. 

Kisna from Hari Krishna Group is a reputed jewellery brand since 2005, with a wide distribution to 3,500+ retailers across the country making it the largest distributed diamond jewellery brand in India. KISNA has been growing exponentially by driving business growth through a retailer-enabled franchise model.  In 2022, KISNA began its expansion by launching its first store in Siliguri followed by Hyderabad, Hisar, Ayodhya and Bareilly. 

The business cluster was graced by Mr. Ghanshyam Dholakia, Founder & Managing Director, Hari Krishna Group and Mr. Parag Shah, Director, Kisna Gold & Diamond Jewellery. Engaging discussions took place on the industry overview and KISNA’s product offerings, services and business development. A jewellery exhibition was also organized to showcase a new range of impeccable and unique designs by KISNA for the retailers of Karnataka with an intent to make certified and affordable diamond jewellery accessible to their consumers in the state. Through this meet, various retailers in Karnataka have expressed interest in creating KISNA brand corners in their stores. 

Mr. Ghanshyam Dholakia, Founder and Managing Director, Hari Krishna Group. said, “Karnataka possess huge potential for the growth of Indian economy and it was a privilege to host a cluster meeting for our valued retailers in this region.  We are optimistic that the business synergies discussed during the meeting will lead to the expansion and development of the company and the retailers.’’

Mr. Parag Shah, Director, Kisna Gold & Diamond Jewellery said, “With this business conclave, we aim to bring together our retailers of Karnataka under one platform to interact, learn, grow and explore more business opportunities with KISNA. The company is focusing towards rapid expansion of its franchise operations and to have the widest KISNA Franchised Retail Chain across the country. We take this opportunity to invite our business partner to become a franchise partner of KISNA Diamond & Gold Jewellery’’

Zolo Scholar Joins Hands With Manipal Academy of Higher Education To Elevate The Student Experience

*  Zolo To Exclusively Manage Three MAHE Campuses In Bengaluru, Mangaluru, & Manipal, With More Than 20,000 Beds

Zolo Scholar, India’s largest Student Living platform by ZoloStays backed by Investcorp, Nexus Ventures Partners, IDFC Alternatives, Trifecta Capital, and Mirae Assets has partnered with Manipal Academy Higher Education (MAHE), one of India's leading academic with a long-standing legacy of over 65+ years, to provide world-class hostel facilities with a learning experience.

With an intention to nurture the student experience, MAHE is refining the student hostel experience, to ensure students are at ease to focus on their studies while the stay is designed to be comfortable and well-equipped. The partnership between Zolo and MAHE is a significant step towards enriching the student experience.

Zolo Scholar will exclusively manage three MAHE campuses in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, & Manipal, with more than 20,000 beds. The experience is designed to create a comfortable and supportive student living environment, focusing on amenities promoting wellness, learning, and socialising.

Zolo Scholar’s proprietary “Brand 360” program leverages technology, operations & community building expertise to help students thrive and make the most of their college experience. In its student housing hubs, the company provides modern amenities such as well-appointed rooms, sports facilities, a gym, a modern kitchen, professional housekeeping, and 24x7 security.

At this event, Dr Nikhil Sikri, Co-founder & CEO, said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and elevate the student living experience.” In the field of education, the Manipal Group has been at the forefront of embracing innovation and technology. In our previous partnerships, we have consistently achieved mutually beneficial outcomes where we not only improved the financial performance but also significantly enhanced the student experience and generated positive word-of-mouth.

Lt Gen  (Dr.) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE, said,” The Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) is committed to providing students with a supportive and inclusive environment, and this partnership with Zolo scholar aligns with that mission. We understand that a holistic campus experience is essential to a student's success, and this partnership will help us meet that need,"

Zolo Scholar is India’s biggest Student Living platform. It serves 50,000+ students across 20+ campuses in 10 cities.

About Zolo Stays

Headquartered in Bengaluru and founded in 2015, Zolostays is India’s largest co-living and student-housing platform. At the company's helm are three young entrepreneurs, Nikhil Sikri, Akhil Sikri, and Sneha Choudhary - all fiercely passionate about making a difference in the overcrowded co-living market by keeping customer experience and technology as their core focus. Zolostays’ offerings are divided into three verticals: Coliving Spaces, Student Housing, and Pre-leased Real Estate Investment. And underpinning all these three verticals is the company’s core philosophy of providing hassle-free living with freedom, flexibility, and functionality.