Cleartrip Charts A Paradigm Shift In Corporate Travel With Launch Of The New Corporate Travel Management Product 'Out of Office'

Cleartrip, a Flipkart company, plans to be synonymous with the corporate travel space, and the launch of its new corporate travel management product - Out of Office (OOO) - is a starting step in this journey.  This unique corporate travel booking tool - OOO is designed to empower small, medium, and large enterprises. With 300 SMEs onboarded and ~10 large and enterprise corporations actively transacting, the platform is processing a monthly business volume of Rs 20 Crore.

The platform's flexible architecture and user interface design enables a seamless configuration to cater to the unique requirements of large enterprises and SME clients. The core principle of OOO’s approach is to enable the unique travel behaviour of every business.

Early-stage adopters of the OOO platform include reputed firms like The Federal Bank, Sify Technologies, MGM Healthcare, Sterlite Power Transmission Ltd and ACC Limited. Key features that make OOO stand out amongst its peers include the ability to change or build policies in real-time, Integrated travel expense with travel offerings, the ability to access self-contracted corporate fares, real-time invoice and reconciliation engine. A Native app for IOS and Android is due to be released shortly.

Speaking on the development, Ayyappan R., CEO, of Cleartrip, stated, “As businesses worldwide experience a notable resurgence, we observed an unprecedented spike in the demand for corporate travel. In this scenario, 'Out of Office' (OOO) emerges as a pivotal solution. Unlike conventional platforms, it provides an end-to-end travel experience, user-centric interface, policy adherence, and cost-effectiveness—all in one comprehensive package. OOO caters not just to the current demand surge but also helps redefine how businesses approach corporate travel."

OOO is a plug-and-play solution that adapts to organizational needs quickly. It can manage multiple booking behaviours (Self-booking, travel desk booking) and multiple entities in a single instance. The focus of the tool is 30% on bookings and 70% on policy adherence. Notably, the tool addresses a common pain point for corporates by enabling the procurement of hotel invoices.

Unique features of OOO

One-click onboarding feature provides a quick onboarding process allowing businesses to start transactions immediately.

Large enterprises can access savings through the GST billing function.

The detailed expense report dashboard ensures accurate reporting of all travel-related expenses for easy tracking.

The multiple provider options feature allows the tool to provide the cheapest fares from multiple vendors.

The one-click switch lets users switch between reseller and agency models based on invoicing preferences.

With OOO, Cleartrip has further strengthened its presence in the corporate travel domain. The tool’s unmatched adaptability, policy-centricity, and user-friendly interface make it a truly unique proposition that will help the company scale its B2B business to new heights.

To learn more about OOO, visit https://ooo.cleartrip.com/

About Cleartrip

Launched in July 2006, Cleartrip Pvt Ltd., a Flipkart company, has emerged as India’s fastest-growing online travel technology company. In April 2021, Flipkart acquired 100% of Cleartrip’s shareholding. Cleartrip recently emerged as the no. 2 OTA player as per a study by VIDEC. With an aggressive plan to emerge as a leading innovator in the industry, Cleartrip is on its way to building a differentiated value proposition for its customers looking for end-to-end travel solutions. With industry-first offerings such as ‘CT Flexmax, CT Flex, CT Upgrade and Cancel for No Reason’, Cleartrip has a clear vision to provide innovative solutions in the OTA segment. Combining intuitive products with a customer-centric approach and a wide selection of flights and hotels, Cleartrip brings a unique selling point to the market, offering its customers convenience, choice, competitive prices, and premium content.

BNP Paribas Partners With Nasscom Foundation To Empower 300 Women Students From Marginalised Backgrounds

In a move to bridge the digital skill gap among women, BNP Paribas has partnered with Nasscom Foundation to train over 300 engineering women graduates through an employment-linked training project called Skill Development for marginalised Young Women towards Employment.

Marking its first year since launch, this hybrid program is designed for technical skilling of the next generation of women engineers in India from marginalised sections of society. The program is currently working with women engineering graduates from tier two and tier three colleges in Bengaluru, Tumakur, Mumbai and Pune.

“Women’s empowerment has been identified as key lever to a Viksit Bharat by the Government of India. By supporting women-centric skill development and enhancement programmes through philanthropic grants, corporates can lower barriers and carve out an accessible gateway for women to enter into various sectors of the economy and contribute to India's progress,” said Sanjay Singh, CEO and Head of Territory, BNP Paribas India.

“At BNP Paribas, we pursue an active policy of Diversity, Equity and inclusion. Our partnership with nasscom is another step in this direction to drive inclusion in India. Through this partnership, we aim to deepen access to technology skills for economically weaker sections, thereby enabling improved and more inclusive livelihoods in India's digital economy,” Sanjay Singh, added.

The hybrid programme trained students from select colleges on a range of technical skills. These include Python Developer and data analytics and soft skills including (verbal / non-verbal reasoning, numerical aptitude, logical reasoning, business etiquette, problem solving, time management, customer orientation and interview skills.

“The World Economic Forum's 'Future of Jobs' report highlights the urgent need for new-age skills, with 60% of companies recognizing a deficit among candidates. Aligned with the government's Skill India Mission, Nasscom foundation is dedicated to advancing the skills of the youth and fostering equal opportunities for all. In our partnership with BNP Paribas, we embarked on a journey to cultivate a young, digitally skilled talent pool. We are committed to train 300 dynamic young women in tech, empowering them with future-ready competencies that align with the dynamic needs of the job market,” said Nidhi Bhasin, CEO, Nasscom Foundation.

The women students are provided opportunities to secure job offers through placement drives and job fairs conducted by Nasscom foundation. A large percentage of these students, who are in the age group of 18-25 years, have already been placed with companies like IBM, CGI, Unisoft, etc.

About BNP Paribas:

BNP Paribas Group has been in India since 1860 and is among the leading international financial institutions providing a wide range of financial services covering corporate & institutional banking, and personal investment services for individuals. As the second oldest foreign bank in India, BNP Paribas has branches in key metros and has a rich and broad offering across the entire range of corporate and institutional banking products and services, covering flow banking (transaction banking), financing, hedging, global markets, derivatives and investments. Asiamoney has also accorded “Best International Corporate Bank for India” to BNP Paribas in 2023 and 2022.

About nasscom foundation:

Established in 2001, nasscom foundation has been witness to the transformative power of technology for the last 20 years. Part of the nasscom ecosystem, we are the only neutral not-for-profit organization representing the Indian tech industry. We remain rooted to our core philosophy of TechForGood, where our efforts are focused on unlocking the power of technology by creating access and opportunity for those who need it the most. We work on helping people and institutions transform the way they tackle social and economic challenges through technology. We have five key areas of intervention - Digital Literacy, Skilling and Employability, Women Entrepreneurship, Scaling Social Innovation and Empowering NGO Ecosystem.

Ciklum Expands Global Presence, Acquires Infogen With Global Presence

Ciklum, a global experience engineering firm, has announced its acquisition of Infogen, a digital engineering services company, headquartered in the United States with India headquarters in Pune. With this deal, Ciklum, currently headquartered in London with a development center in Chennai, propels its drive into the North American market and expands its global delivery footprint to strengthen its position engineering the leading digital products of tomorrow.

Ciklum blends next-generation product engineering, exceptional customer experiences, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence to build digital products for global enterprises and digital disruptors alike. The business’ global team of over 4,000 highly skilled engineers, design specialists, product owners and consultants are at the forefront of groundbreaking technologies that are helping reimagine and redefine the future of business and technology for more than 250 clients, globally. In India, the company has employees primarily in the roles of software engineering, quality assurance and UX/UI.

With a global workforce of over 350 employees, Infogen has a large delivery footprint in India and specializes in edge tech like augmented and virtual reality, among other technologies. Infogen’s experience and expertise, alongside a significant presence on the west coast of the US, will propel Ciklum further to establish a more expansive global presence. Infogen’s unique capabilities in edge-based R&D and Microsoft are designed to build best-in-class solutions that meet the current and future needs of its clients.

Infogen and Ciklum share a dedicated commitment to exceptional customer experiences and engineering excellence, fostering a culture of collaboration with clients. With expertise in pivotal sectors such as Retail and Consumer, Financial Services and Hi-tech, they create a synergy of knowledge and technology, further amplifying their collective impact.

“The combination of Ciklum and Infogen leverages the complementary capabilities and cultures of each company to drive even greater impact and results for our clients. By aligning with a like-minded company such as Infogen, we operate from a stronger collective operational footprint and with technological advancements across several lines of business,” said Raj Radhakrishnan, CEO of Ciklum. “We have systematically built out our capabilities to support our ongoing international expansion and with the backing of our investor partners, we will continue to deliver even greater innovation and technology solutions to help our clients bring their businesses to the next level.”

Infogen’s CEO, Dr. Sanjeev Kuwadekar, will continue at Ciklum and will drive the continued growth of Infogen’s core services. “We’re excited to have found in Ciklum the perfect partners for taking what we have built at Infogen to the next level.”

Francisco D’Souza, Chairman of Ciklum and Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Recognize, the majority shareholder in Ciklum, commented, “Ciklum works with some of the most exciting, innovative companies in the world and builds services uniquely designed for these businesses. Since our investment in 2020, we have seen meaningful growth in demand for Ciklum’s software solutions and there is significant opportunity to deliver yet more value to Ciklum’s global clients. We continue to bring our experience and network to support Raj and Ciklum’s team to execute on the exciting growth plan that we collectively built. and we are incredibly excited for what the future holds.”

Urban Company Launches Project Nidar To Support Service Partners Facing Domestic Violence And Abuse

*        Project Nidar is inclusive and covers all active service partners on the platform who are currently facing or have faced domestic violence and abuse

*        Urban Company will provide counseling, medical, legal and financial aid to partners seeking support

*        Urban Company to drive extensive awareness programs against domestic violence and abuse

Urban Company, Asia's leading marketplace for on-demand home services, has introduced a comprehensive policy against gender-based violence for its fleet of service professionals. This policy, released under the aegis of Project Nidar, will help the company’s active service professionals who are currently facing or have faced domestic violence and abuse by creating awareness and supporting them during challenging times.

Under Project Nidar, Urban Company has partnered with the Invisible Scars Foundation, an NGO supporting survivors of gender-based violence, to spread awareness about domestic abuse and to implement this initiative. The company, with the help of the foundation, will provide counseling, legal assistance and emergency lodging support. Apart from this, the company will provide medical support, beyond the already existing Rs 1 lakh insurance cover, and financial aid of up to Rs 50,000 to service partners seeking help. This policy is applicable to all active service partners on the Urban Company platform in India.

“Urban Company is a people-first organization and the well-being of our Service Partners is one of our core priorities. We recognize the deep and lasting psychological impact of domestic violence and abuse, and want to set up a robust support system for our service partners. Women comprise about 35% of our partner fleet which makes ’Project Nidar’ even more critical and has been carefully crafted with gender experts to not only provide tangible medical and financial support, but also raise awareness about domestic violence and abuse.”, said Abhiraj Singh Bhal, CEO and Co-founder, Urban Company.

To drive awareness about what constitutes domestic violence and the support extended by the platform, Urban Company will release a series of videos. These videos will touch upon topics ranging from ‘What is domestic violence & abuse’ and ‘Types of violence’ to ‘How to report’ and deep dive into the support provided by Urban Company. They will be accessible to all service partners on the Urban Company Partner App. 

"We applaud Urban Company for their courageous move with the workplace domestic violence policy and Project Nidar initiative. In a society where domestic violence is considered a private issue, Urban Company emerges as a visionary brand, creating a safe and empowered environment for partners. Their remarkable effort sets a benchmark, inspiring others to prioritise workforce well-being. This initiative reflects Urban Company's commitment to addressing domestic violence in the workplace, and we are proud to be their implementation partner for this.", said Ekta Viiveck Verma, Founder, Invisible Scars Foundation.

Gender-based violence1 is a disturbing societal issue which particularly impacts women in the beauty and wellness sector. According to research published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, one in three women in India is likely to have experienced intimate partner violence, and of these victims only one in ten formally report it to the police or healthcare professionals. Recognizing the urgent need for intervention, Urban Company has, therefore, initiated Project Nidar to create a safe space for our service partners, by helping them notice signs of abuse and foster a supportive community.

About Urban Company 

Vision: Empower millions of professionals worldwide to deliver services at home like never experienced before.

Founded in November 2014, Urban Company is Asia’s largest technology marketplace for home services. The company offers services such as beauty and spa at home, cleaning, plumbing, carpentry, appliance repair, painting, and more through its mobile app and website. It operates in 60+ cities in India, the UAE, Singapore and The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It has a partner network of over 50,000 hand-picked service professionals transforming them into organized and high-quality micro-entrepreneurs. This full-stack approach helps the company live up to its promise of delivering high-quality, delightful services at home.

Socomec India Unveils Strategic Expansion Plans To Sri Lanka And Bangladesh, Reinforces Commitment To Make In India

Socomec India, a leading global specialist in Low Voltage (LV) power management, has unveiled its ambitious expansion plan today. The Chennai-headquartered French powerhouse is set to venture into the markets of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, effective immediately. Termed as 'Greater India,' this strategic move consolidates the three countries into a unified business entity, marking a significant milestone for Socomec India and opening up new opportunities for business growth.

Speaking on the expansion, Mr. Meenu Singhal, Managing Director of Socomec India, stated, "Our commitment to meeting the evolving energy needs with innovative power solutions in the Asian market remains unwavering. Engineered in Europe and proudly manufactured in India, our products are poised to make a substantial impact in the markets of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. This reaffirms our commitment to support the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and energize the country, while also solidifying our dedication to the ‘Make in India’ initiative with India serving as a pivotal hub for Socomec’s strategic growth in the Asia Pacific region. Our adherence to global quality standards positions us to navigate this journey with ease. We look forward to building lasting partnerships and empowering businesses with sustainable and efficient power solutions, further strengthening Socomec's position as a trusted leader in the industry.”

With a recent €5 million investment by Socomec Group in the Indian market to enhance manufacturing capacity, the goal is not only to meet local demands but also to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh markets through exports. Socomec India is energizing the country through its innovative power solutions, including Uninterrupted Power Supply, Power switching, and monitoring solutions. Leveraging cutting-edge Technology, these products are tailored for Data Centers, Manufacturing and Process Industries, Healthcare, Infrastructure, Commercial Buildings, and Renewable Energy. With a focus on local presence, these product categories will now be available in the Sri Lanka and Bangladesh markets. With this expansion, Socomec India aims to double its revenue in these regions within the next 3 years.

To fortify this ambitious growth plan, Socomec proudly announces the appointment of Mr. Suhard Amit as the General Manager, tasked with steering the company's initiatives in the emerging markets of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Mr. Amit, with a distinguished career spanning over 25 years in diversified market segments, brings a wealth of expertise to the role, positioning him as a key driver of Socomec's strategic endeavors in these dynamic markets.

As Socomec India embarks on this exciting journey of expansion, the company remains dedicated to delivering excellence and innovation in power management. The commitment to sustainable solutions and superior quality will not only benefit businesses in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, but also contribute to the overall development of these regions. This move contributes to the broader South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) initiative, promoting economic cooperation and regional integration. The 'Greater India' vision positions Socomec as a catalyst for cross-border trade and cooperation within the SAARC nations. 

V-TRANS Sets Sights High: Propels Growth And Expansion In Logistics

* Targets INR 3000 Crore Turnover by 2026 with focus on expansion in Northern India

V-Trans, a prominent player in the logistics landscape, has unveiled ambitious plans for rapid growth, targeting a turnover of INR 3000 Crore by 2026. The company, known for its leadership position in the industry, has outlined a comprehensive strategy focusing on surface transport and leveraging technology for sustainable profitability.

Key Highlights of V-Trans' Growth Plan:

Strategic Focus on Core Competence: V-Trans will prioritize growth in its core competence area, surface transport, while also expanding its multimodal logistics operations, including air and road combinations.

Full Truckload (FTL) Segment: The company aims to capitalize on the $120 billion FTL market, intending to capture a more significant share by enhancing its presence in this lucrative segment. We are digitizing the process to bring in more efficiency and transparence in the entire process from procure to pay process.

Northern India as a Focused Market: With 30% of overall revenue coming from northern India, V-Trans will make substantial investments in expanding branches, warehouses, and infrastructure in this region.

Expansion in Northern Region: We are moving to new Transhipment facilities in Ghaziabad and Zirkapur apart from the existing large warehouses in Dharuhara and Raliawas in Haryana, which are already operational. The company plans further expansions by opening new branches in 3 & 4 tier cities eastern UP, western UP, Uttarakhand, and Punjab.

Technology Integration: Acknowledging the role of technology, V-Trans has invested in a new ERP system, ensuring advanced functionalities, and API integrations with government portals, customers, and vendors for seamless information flow. Also building on its commitment to transparence and compliance it is moving its financial system to Standard Global platform for the entire group.

Third-Party Logistics Operation: V-Trans is expanding its third-party logistics operation under the V-Logis brand in the northern region, providing employment opportunities and world-class facilities.

Sustainability Initiatives: The company is actively working on reducing its carbon footprint through optimization tools, efficient truck utilization, proper routing, and driver education. Already implemented Solar Panel installation in all our large hubs substantially reducing our electricity consumptions

Commenting on this, Mr. Mahendra Shah, Chairman and Managing Director, of V-Trans (India) Ltd said, “At V-Trans, our vision goes beyond logistics; it encompasses building a future where growth is sustainable, technology is transformative, and our ecosystem flourishes. The INR 3000 Crore turnover target by 2026 reflects not just our ambition but also our commitment to a responsible and impactful journey. We are not merely transporting goods; we are creating opportunities, embracing innovation, and contributing to a greener tomorrow." Further, he added, “I am proud of the team's dedication, and I assure our customers, partners, and stakeholders that V-Trans will continue to be at the forefront of positive change in the logistics industry. Together, we are not just moving goods; we are propelling growth, fostering innovation, and building a future that transcends expectations."

Embassy Group To Launch A Premium Residential Project In Bengaluru’s Prime Micro Market Of Whitefield

·         Enters into a joint development for 3.75-acre land with a 5.4 lakh square feet saleable area; the project has a revenue potential of Rs. 550 Crore

Embassy Group, one of India's leading real estate developers, announced today that it had inked a joint development pact for 3.75 acres of land in Whitefield to launch a premium residential project. Designed for millennials with cosmopolitan mindsets, the project will offer future-first housing that blends modern efficiency, unparalleled amenities, and timeless aesthetics. It will have an estimated revenue potential of around Rs. 550 crore.

The land, strategically located on Whitefield Main Road, is also close to Hoodi Junction and will cater to a global lifestyle with the area’s booming social infrastructure comprising of hospitals, schools, banks, employment hubs, and malls and shopping centres. With easy access to public transport and recent connectivity through the East-West corridor of the Metro Purple Line, the project is well-linked to the rest of the city.

Encompassing about 5.4 lakh square feet of saleable area, including approximately 400 apartments (comprising 2 BHK, 2.5 BHK, and 3 BHK), the units will feature natural lighting and ventilation, large windows, and balconies with expansive views. The project is expected to go live by Q4 FY24 and will cater to the housing demand from young professionals of the booming IT and ITeS sector in the area.

A part of Embassy’s ongoing pivot towards the residential asset class, the Group has over Rs. 2,000 crore of OC-compliant projects ready for possession this year. Additionally, they are looking to launch around Rs. 5,000 crore of inventory in the coming year to meet the existing demand for premium and luxury living spaces.