SMA Sapience Celebrates Grand Opening Of Global Competence Center In Bengaluru

SMA Solar Technology AG, a renowned German multinational inverter company, leading the way in Solar PV Inverters, Energy Storage, and Power Electronics, is delighted to announce the successful grand opening of its Global Competence Center -SMA” Sapience” in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The celebration was held at the prestigious Hilton Hotel, Manyata Business Park, on the 18th of October, 2023. 

The company’s Global Competence Opening Celebration marks a significant milestone in SMA Global’s history as it establishes a hub to cater to its worldwide installation base and customers. The event highlights the deep commitment of this prominent German MNC to the Indian market and its global operations. 

Ms. Barbara Gregor, CFO of SMA Solar, Global Competence Center expressed her excitement about the event, stating, "We are truly honored to inaugurate our Global Competence Center - SMA ”Sapience” in Bengaluru, India. This marks a pivotal moment in SMA Solar's journey, and we look forward to furthering our commitment to renewable energies and the Indian market."

Distinguished guests and dignitaries graced the momentous occasion, including top executives and esteemed dignitaries Amita Bagga, Head of SMA Sapience, Bengaluru, India, Mr. Friedrich Birgelen, Deputy Consul General - German Consulate General Bangalore, Hariram Prabhakaran Head of Industry Solutions - Large Scale SMA Solar Technology AG,  Kai Ludolph - Head of Project Engineering Services at SMA Solar Technology AG was present. Additionally, the event hosted Dr. Jai Asundi, Executive Director, Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy, Bangalore, and Mr. Idris Mohammed, Climate Change Advisor from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

Establishing the Global Competence Center in Bengaluru solidifies SMA Solar's commitment to driving innovation in renewable energy and enhancing its service to global customers.

About SMA:

For 40 years, SMA has been setting technological trends and driving the development of renewable energies. With their groundbreaking inverter technology, they have made significant contributions in seeing that renewable energies leave the pioneer phase behind and increasingly become the norm worldwide.

With the digitization of the energy industry, they are now entering the energy world of the future. Photovoltaics are playing an important role, given that they will soon be the most cost-effective energy source in all regions.

In 1996, one of the first large solar PV plant was powered with SMA central inverter in India. SMA opened its Indian subsidiary at an opportune time in October 2010 when the market was about to expand rapidly. The SMA India team has also grown to spread across 6 locations.

Mother's Recipe Introduces Affordable Small Spout Packs For Its “Exotic Sauces Range”

Indians are increasingly trying & enjoying flavors from around the world due to the increase in eating outside food, exotic sauces play an integral role in creating such food in the comfort of your home. 

Understanding the need of the hour Mother’s Recipe, India's leading food brand has recently announced the launch of a smaller-sized spout pack of their Recipe Global “Exotic Sauce Range” in four exciting flavors: “Red Chili, Green Chili, Garlic Chilli, and Soya Bean”. The 85g spout packing is not only more affordable but also offers convenience in storing & usage.  

Recipe's Exotic Global Sauces make your food taste amazing and make it easy to cook international dishes at home. What makes Recipe unique is that these sauces contain no added MSG or no added artificial colors. The Recipe brand is all about giving you something special: the ability to cook in many ways, authentic and genuine flavors, and a taste of the world at an affordable price. These sauces are the perfect choice for preparing tasty Chinese dishes such as fried rice, Chow mein and Paneer chili. 

Commenting on the launch Ms. Sanjana Desai, Executive Director, Mother’s Recipe, said "In today's fast-paced world, we understand the importance of convenience without compromising on quality. Our sauces are free from added colors and MSG, and cater to the needs of our customers, providing them with the flavors they love in a convenient, portable package.” 

The product range is now available at your neighborhood store and leading supermarket chains in Indore, Jabalpur, Bhopal, Nagpur and Bangalore, priced at Rs. 25 ONLY for 85g. 

About Mother’s Recipe 

Desai Foods Private limited owns the brands Mother’s Recipe, ELMAC, Spread On Dabee. The company with a robust distribution network across the country caters to diverse formats ranging from mom &  pop stores, modern trade outlets, multi-functional outlets, e-commerce, Defence and to Hotel Restaurants & Cafes (HORECA) / Food Service outlets. The company is one of the largest providers of traditional & authentic Indian taste exported to more than 50 countries in the world. The current product portfolio in India consists of Pickles, Condiments Pastes, Blended Spices, Ethnic Chutneys, Papad, Ready to Cook Spice Mixes and Instant Mixes. The company has 3 state of the art manufacturing facilities – in Pune, Kolkata  in Bharoda and is certified under ISO 9001-2008 and ISO 22000-2005. 

Mother’s Recipe has won various awards like the Consumer Voice Award, the Super brand Award, Product of the Year award along with ‘Two Star Export House’ status by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. 

All the products are available to buy online on www.mothersrecipe.com . 

Amplifying The Reach Of Jansuraksha Schemes As A Step Toward Financial Inclusion

The State Bank of India, the country’s largest public sector bank, to support the Government's Jansuraksha campaign, organized a day-long workshop for its Lead District Managers and Nodal officers from various regions. The workshop focussed on sensitizing employees to amplifying the reach and understanding of Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jhoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) to cover every eligible citizen under these schemes. 

Launched to cater to financial needs during unforeseen events, PMJJBY provides life insurance and PMSBY provides accidental insurance cover of ?2.00 lacs each at a nominal premium of ?436 and ?20 per annum, respectively. The program launched by the Chief General Manager, of Hyderabad Circle, Chief General Manager (FI), and General Manager (FI) Corporate Centre, Mumbai, will focus on ensuring mass awareness about these schemes with the help of SBI employees.

All the Lead District Managers (LDMs) allocated to SBI, SLBC officials, and Nodal Officers (Lead Bank) from the State/UTs of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Kerala, and Karnataka participated in the workshop.

With this initiative, SBI strengthens its commitment to Financial Inclusion. At the launch, Dr. P.C.Saboo, CGM(FI), emphasized that "The Bank's goal is to cover all the eligible citizens under the Jansuraksha Scheme by spreading awareness about these products through SBI's strong network”. 

Shri Rajesh Kumar, CGM, Hyderabad Circle, motivated participants to facilitate banking services including Government Schemes like PMJJBY, PMSBY, etc. to all the sections of the society, particularly to the unbanked and under-banked strata to fulfill the aspiration of Financial Inclusion. The Bank officials were instructed to successfully conduct these camps at each Gram Panchayat and Ward across the country. 

About State Bank of India:

State Bank of India is the largest commercial bank in terms of assets, deposits, branches, customers, and employees. It is also the largest mortgage lender in the country which has so far fulfilled the home buying dreams of over 30 lakh Indian families. The home loan portfolio of the bank has crossed Rs. 6.53 lakh crore. As of June 2023, the bank has a deposit base of over Rs. 45.31 lakh crore with CASA ratio of 42.88% and advances of more than Rs. 33 lakh crore. SBI commands a market share of 33.4% and 19.5% in home loans and auto loans respectively. SBI has the largest network of 22,405 branches and 65,627 ATMs / ADWMs in India with 78,370 BC outlets. The number of customers using internet banking and mobile banking stand at 117 million and 64 million respectively. With SBI’s digital strategy right on track – the bank witnessed 63% of new savings accounts opened through the integrated digital and lifestyle platform YONO in FY23. SBI observed 23,400 new digital savings bank accounts being opened per day via YONO in the quarter ended June 2023. YONO, which has more than 6.36 crore registered users, witnessed more than 1 crore average daily logins in Q1 FY24. In terms of digital lending, the bank disbursed pre-approved personal loans worth Rs. 5,428 crore through YONO in the same period. SBI also has the highest number of followers on Facebook and Twitter amongst all banks worldwide.

Unisys Opens Registration For Its 15th Annual Unisys Innovation Program

* The program's next iteration will focus on emerging, solution-oriented technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and data analytics

Unisys (NYSE: UIS) has opened registration for its fifteenth annual Unisys Innovation Program (UIP), the company’s flagship technical project competition for engineering students in India. The ten-month program provides a platform for budding innovators to learn hands-on from Unisys mentors, subject matter experts and other leaders before entering the workforce. This experience is designed to push participants to think creatively and develop cutting-edge technologies that have the potential to make a significant impact on organizations in various industries.

This year, the program will center on ten themes related to business and technical challenges that students can select from to develop solutions. Once they have chosen their theme, participants can apply their creativity, problem-solving skills, technical expertise and teamwork as they navigate various stages of the program.

The themes explore a variety of subjects, including:

AI Ubiquity: Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has firmly established itself in a multitude of industries today. Additionally, the capacity of generative AI to produce human-like content equips organizations to explore innovative opportunities with exceptional speed.

Connected World (IoT): The future of IoT looks promising, with new advancements and applications constantly emerging. As more people, systems, devices and objects become interconnected, the potential for innovation is boundless.

Zero Trust Security: Zero Trust operates on the principle that no user or device should be inherently trusted, regardless of location. This has gained significant traction due to its proactive stance against cyber threats and adaptability to emerging technologies.

Quantum computing: Quantum computing is becoming more mainstream as a viable option to digest and analyze vast amounts of data. Domains like cryptography, optimization, AI and machine learning are gaining momentum with advances in quantum technologies.

Sustainability Equilibrium: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) extends beyond traditional corporate social responsibility efforts today. By fostering creative approaches to address systemic issues, leveraging technology, data-driven insights and collaborative partnerships, companies can contribute to a more sustainable future for our planet.

Immersive Experiences: Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies create immersive experiences that transport users to new realms, blurring the lines between the digital and physical worlds. As technologies evolve, their versatility and potential can enrich user engagement, learning, creativity and interactions.

Supercharged Developer (also known as 10X Developer): 10X developers are known for their deep technical knowledge and expert proficiency in programming languages, frameworks and tools. Applying students may create tools that enable average developers to become supercharged developers.

Systemic and Algorithmic Innovation: This theme involves developing novel and efficient algorithms that address complex problems across various domains. Systemic and algorithmic innovation explores their ability to produce cutting-edge breakthroughs, trends and impacts on technology and society, along with processes and systems that can potentially reform industries.

Data: We live in a digital era where data creation has amplified exponentially. This influx has paved the way for transformative technologies that thrive on data-driven insights, adhering to ethical considerations and privacy regulations. Data is the cornerstone for personalized experiences, predictive analytics and process optimization across sectors.

Open Innovation: While there are ten themes, the technology landscape expands beyond them. Open innovation has emerged as a transformative paradigm, revolutionizing how organizations approach problem-solving. 

Teams may choose among these themes and technologies when creating their project demos.

"India's digitally skilled talent pool has grown synonymous with tech innovation in recent years, making it the home of some of the world's most talented youth in IT. At Unisys, we hold a steadfast belief in breakthroughs, underscoring the significance of a platform where emerging professionals can bring them to the forefront of India’s technology revolution,” said Sumed Marwaha, managing director of Unisys in India. “Our Unisys Innovation Program is focused on equipping the participants with the specialized technical skills of the future and enhancing their employability across the globe.”

Registration is open until February 15, 2024. About the Unisys Innovation Program:

Since its inception in 2009, the program has received submissions from over 76,500 students, solidifying its status as one of the country's highly anticipated technical competitions. Unisys received an astounding response in its 2023 edition of the program, with a record-breaking 7,327 registrants and over 700 abstract submissions from approximately 190 colleges.

About Unisys

Unisys is a global technology solutions company that powers breakthroughs for leading organizations worldwide. Our solutions – digital workplace; cloud, applications & infrastructure; enterprise computing; and business process – help our clients challenge the status quo and create new possibilities. To learn how we deliver breakthroughs for our clients – and have been pushing the possible for 150 years – visit unisys.com and follow us on LinkedIn. #Unisys150.

Voice Of The Adolescent Survey By Happiest Health reveals What Parents Should Do Differently

Health and wellness knowledge platform Happiest Health conducted ‘Are You Listening? – Voices Of the Adolescent Survey 2023’, a comprehensive research survey that voices the concerns of adolescents among 564 children, from Classes 8 to 12, across 22 schools in Bengaluru and Mumbai. The results highlighted the communication gap between parents, educators, and children in a world of increasing stress from technology and career pressure. The results were presented at the ‘Get Set, Grow! 2023: Children’s Wellness Summit. The study focused on screen time, extra-curricular activities, and adolescents’ relationships with parents and teachers in the two formative environments – home and school. 

At the ‘Get Set Grow! 2023: Children’s Wellness Summit’, experts from various fields discussed the findings. The eminent panel included Mr Akash Ryall, CEO of Bethany Education Institutions, Ms Maryanne Pais, HOD Psychology, St Joseph's College of Commerce, and Ms. Sulata Mitra, a parent, and Brand Influencer The Panel Discussion was moderated by Dr Sharon Rajkumar, Happiness and Wellness Evangelist, Happiest Health.

Mr Akash Ryall - CEO, of Bethany Education Institutions, Bengaluru said, "Some people think that children today are entitled, but they are impatient. If we practice qualities like forgiveness and humility at home, children will emulate whatever they see. We need to practice and demonstrate empathy, even as parents. This is especially true for children in the world of social media - everyone is so busy getting likes that they forget that people around them need help.”

With reference to their relationship with parents, what adolescents want most is an environment of trust and a non-judgemental listening ear. While most students were happy with their relationships with their parents, they expressed the desire for parents to spend more time with, trust, and understand them, listen openly, not compare them with others, and be included in family decisions. While 27% of them were comfortable talking to their parents about anything, nearly three-fourths expressed discomfort talking about critical issues like romantic relationships, sex, and sexuality.

Talking about the need to have open conversations, Ms. Maryanne Pais, HOD Psychology, St Joseph’s College of Commerce, emphasized that everyday behavior is also important. "We have to understand that conversations on sexuality are socially situated. We as adults are not comfortable talking to other adults. More important than telling children directly to have these conversations, is the everyday behavior around these topics. Creating a comfortable space for discussion is crucial." 

Schools form a crucial environment for adolescent growth, academically and in terms of social confidence. While students reported feeling safe and comfortable in school, they wished to be able to talk to teachers more openly and to have less homework. Among the respondents, 49% of students reported that they were unable to talk to teachers, feeling discomfort in sharing about their personal lives, academics, family problems, or friends. However, 35%  felt that they could talk to their teachers about anything. 58% of the students felt stressed by homework, and a greater number of girls than boys felt this way. When dealing with stress, adolescents mostly tend to go to parents, family, siblings, or friends, and alarmingly 14% of students had no one to go to when stressed.

The study found that more than 25% of high school students and 68% of higher secondary school students spend more than 2 hours on screens daily with the majority of content being focused on social media. Extra-curricular activities took a back seat as children went to higher classes, with less than an hour a day being spent, and one-third of the girls did not spend any time pursuing any extra-curricular activity.    

"Adolescence is a particularly difficult time for any person, and the institutions of parents, family, and school are critical in helping teenagers navigate these confusing times. Through this Voice of the Adolescent survey, we wanted to delve into their world and help the family and school understand their needs. At Happiest Health, we hope to bring home the importance of non-judgemental support to parents, caregivers, and teachers, to help create a nurturing and positive environment for growing up.", said Anindya Chowdhury, President & CEO, of Happiest Health.

IAN Group Appoints Sarika Saxena As Managing Partner At IAN Alpha Fund

IAN Group has appointed Sarika Saxena as Managing Partner, IAN Alpha Fund, a SEBI registered AIF Cat II, sector agnostic Venture Capital fund. Sarika brings extensive experience with a proven track record in startup and early stage investments.

Sarika brings over 25 years of diverse professional experience and having served in key & leadership positions across different organizations. Her investment portfolio has covered a range of sectors, including consumer, technology, fintech, edtech, etc both within the domestic and international markets. Her leadership has been instrumental in facilitating early-stage investments totaling ~USD 100 million and has overseen an AUM of around USD 300 million. Sarika brings critical value to the Fund with experience in scaling companies & M&A. 

Raman Roy, Co-Founder IAN, said, "We are thrilled to welcome Sarika Saxena as the new Managing Partner of IAN Alpha Fund. Her exceptional insights, extensive industry expertise, and unwavering commitment to early stage investing makes her a perfect addition to the top class team of current Managing Partners. We are confident that Sarika will not only accelerate our diversified investment strategy but also drive growth for the portfolio companies, the Fund invests in"

Sarika Saxena, Managing Partner at IAN Alpha Fund, said, "I am truly honored to be a part of IAN, an esteemed organization that has consistently led the industry as a pioneer for an impressive 16 years. I am excited to join the prestigious IAN leadership team and I look forward to utilizing my domain expertise, extensive global network, and multifaceted experience to drive the IAN Alpha Fund's success, both in India and on the international stage." 

IAN Alpha Fund

IAN Alpha Fund, a Rs. 1000 crores (US$125mn) SEBI registered AIF Category II VC Fund, is the second Fund in IAN’s series of Funds. It is being built to leverage the portfolios of both IAN Angel Platform and IAN Fund I apart from investing in innovative startups solving real problems for India and the world, with sustainable business models enabling scale by leveraging technology. With the IAN Alpha Fund, IAN continues its legacy of building a portfolio of high-quality companies by founders who not only understand the customer need but have leadership qualities to build a high quality management to build valuable businesses.

About IAN

IAN Group is the country’s single largest platform for seed and early stage investment platform with IAN Angel Group, BioAngels and IAN Fund I, the first in the series of VC Fund enabling entrepreneurs to raise from Rs. 50 lakhs to Rs. 50 crores from quality investors who provide funds, mentoring and global market access. The platform brings money, mentoring from successful entrepreneurs and dynamic CEOs. The platform is sector-agnostic and has funded innovative start-ups across 19 sectors in India and 7 other countries, thereby growing the global footprint of companies. IAN has been listed by Forbes as one of iconic business and economic events of Independent India, over 75 years along with LIC, NASSCOM, RBI, Naukri.com amongst others. 

Bengaluru FC Welcomes Quest Global As Official Engineering Partners

* Blues Ink One-year Partnership with Singapore based Engineering Services Firm

Bengaluru FC have signed a partnership with Singapore based global engineering services provider Quest Global, the club announced today. The one-year deal will bring together the best in sports and engineering expertise. With Quest Global coming on board as the Blues’ ‘Official Engineering Partner’. The partnership is based on the two organizations’ shared culture of aspiration, hunger, and humility. 

“At Quest Global, our engineers embody our founder’s principles of aspiration, hunger, and humility.  In the BFC Football Club, its players, and fans, we found a perfect cultural match for our global team of 17,500+ who work to solve the world’s hardest engineering problems. The passion of Bengaluru FC fans, the hunger for victory displayed by players, and the aspiration embodied by the team is mirrored in the culture of our company,” said Shelly Latimore, Head of Global Brand for Quest Global.

Renowned for its excellence in providing engineering services across diverse sectors, including digital, supply chain, software, and mechanical, Quest Global believes   in going beyond engineering solutions, aspiring to build a brighter future. The company draws parallels with the fervor displayed by BFC players in every match, emphasizing their shared commitment to progress.

“We are thrilled to welcome Quest Global as our Official Engineering Partners. Their expertise in technology and engineering across various fields opens up a wide array of possibilities for Bengaluru Football Club and I’m looking forward to what this partnership holds in store for us,” said Blues’ Director of Football, Darren Caldeira.

In echoing the players' determination to win, Quest Global channels this same drive into their work, seeking excellence across the projects the company leads across the Healthcare, Rail, Aerospace and Defense industries, among others. This collective hunger for success fuels their innovative spirit, propelling them to overcome challenges and achieve business results.  With a nod to the humility exemplified by the BFC team, Quest Global underscores the power of collaboration and diverse perspectives. The company collaborates closely with customers, recognizing that impactful solutions often emerge from collective efforts.

About Quest Global

Founded in 1997, Quest Global is one of the world’s leading engineering research and development (ER&D) services companies. Quest Global believes engineering has the unique opportunity to solve the problems of today that stand in the way of tomorrow. For more than 25 years, the Company has strived to be the most trusted partner for the world’s hardest engineering problems. As a global organization headquartered in Singapore, the team at Quest Global live and work in 17 countries, with 67 global delivery centers and offices, driven by 17,500+ extraordinary employees who make the impossible possible every day. Quest Global delivers world-class end-to-end engineering solutions by leveraging deep industry knowledge and digital expertise. By bringing together technologies and industries, alongside the contributions of diverse individuals and their areas of expertise, Quest Global is able to solve problems better, faster. This multi-dimensional approach enables the team to solve the most critical and large-scale challenges across the aerospace & defense, automotive, energy, hi-tech, healthcare & medical devices, rail, and semiconductor industries.

About Bengaluru Football Club

Bengaluru Football Club (BFC) is one of the most popular and successful football clubs in India. The club was founded in 2013, and it has since won the Indian Super League (ISL) twice and the Federation Cup once. BFC has a large and passionate fan base, and it is known for its commitment to developing young Indian players. BFC is also a pioneer in the use of technology in Indian football, and it has been at the forefront of developing new ways to improve the fan experience. The Blues are also the first and only Indian club to play in the final of an AFC tournament, representing India in the final of the 2016 AFC Cup.