Witness The IPL Like Never Before With GOVO's All-New GoSurround 955 Soundbar

GOVO, a rising player in the audio technology space announced the launch of its latest addition to the soundbar lineup - the GoSurround 955. Designed to elevate the home entertainment experience, this all-new soundbar promises exceptional audio quality and a truly immersive surround sound experience, making it the perfect companion for the much-anticipated IPL matches.

According to the latest industry research, the global soundbar market is poised for significant growth, projected to reach USD 10,432.49 million by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 12.7% during the forecast period. As cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the upcoming IPL matches, the demand for high-performance audio solutions to enhance the viewing experience is expected to rise exponentially.

Speaking about the launch of the GoSurround 955 Soundbar, Mr. Piyush Jalan, Co-founder and COO of GOVO expressed his excitement, stating, "We are thrilled to introduce the GoSurround 955 Soundbar, the ultimate audio companion for this IPL season. This new addition showcases our dedication to pushing boundaries and delivering an exceptional audio experience. It reflects our commitment to offering an unparalleled combination of superior sound quality, versatility, and truly immersive surround sound capabilities."

Here are the salient features of the GoSurround 955 Soundbar:

·         5.1 Channel: 3 x 2" & 2 x 2" speakers with 200 Watt peak output 3D Surround Sound,

·         DSP Enabled Subwoofer: Enjoy your theatre experience with the deep bass of the 5.25" subwoofer

·         3 Equalizer Modes: Switch through Movie, News, Music modes, and enjoy your home cinema experience

·         Remote control: Adjust the Bass, treble & volume with the most stylish remote control

·         Multiple Connectivity: Connect with HDMI (ARC), AUX, USB & OPT

·         Bluetooth V5.3: Connect automatically your mobile device and enjoy the music louder than ever

·         Integrated Controls: Control your music experience and pairing through the key panel on the soundbar LED Display: Check the status of your soundbar through the LED display

The GoSurround 955 Soundbar is available at Amazon at an exclusive price of Rs.7,998/-. This product comes with a one-year warranty and is available in the colour Black.

Olive By Embassy Announces Dhruv Kalro As The Co-Founder

~ Kalro's Strategic Vision and Operational Expertise Set to Propel Olive's Expansion ~

Olive by Embassy announced the appointment of Dhruv Kalro as Co-Founder today, marking a significant milestone in the company's journey of innovation. The hospitality management start-up has embarked on a novel hybrid strategy and pan-India expansion in the last year. Kalro will play a pivotal role in spearheading the company's growth across the country's underserved hotel spaces.

Prior to his appointment as Co-Founder, Dhruv served as the Chief Operating Officer at Olive by Embassy Group, where he played a central role in driving operational excellence and fostering the company’s development.

Additionally, Dhruv has showcased his entrepreneurial spirit as the Co-Founder of ScootApp, a global marketplace for taxis. During his tenure, he successfully secured funding from Startup Bootcamp and demonstrated his adeptness in financial management and regulatory compliance.

“Dhruv Kalro has embodied the organisation’s core values since its inception,” said Kahraman Yigit, Co-Founder & CEO, Olive. “With his strategic leadership during his time as COO and deep understanding of our company's culture, Dhruv has been instrumental to our success. As we embark on our next phase of growth, we are confident that his extensive knowledge of the industry landscape will help expand our footprint pan-India and become its foremost hospitality operating platform.”

Dhruv holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the Centre for Management Studies at Jain University and has furthered his expertise with a course in Commercial Property Management from New York University’s School of Professional Studies.

“I am truly honoured to embark on this journey as Co-Founder of Olive and to lead an incredible team at the cutting edge of India’s hospitality industry. As we continue to grow, I look forward to raising the bar on guest experiences, delivering exceptional returns to our stakeholders, and capitalising on the opportunities that lie ahead,” said Dhruv. 

Olive's innovative hybrid hospitality model emphasises a "hospitality first" approach, meeting the rising demand for versatile spaces that facilitate connections and elevate guest experiences. Hybrid Hospitality combines hotels, co-living, coworking spaces, members' clubs, wellness facilities, and dining options in one location. Olive offers tailored accommodation options for various market segments. Olive Life targets students and young professionals in Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities with stays of three months or more, while Olive Zip provides budget-friendly daily stays for budget-conscious travellers in similar locations. Olive Hotels cater to affluent travellers with a wide range of rooms and amenities, and Select Olive offers luxurious experiences in leisure destinations.

For more information, please visit: www.oliveliving.com

About Embassy Group:

Embassy Group is a leading real estate developer. The over 70 million square feet of commercial, residential, industrial and warehousing, hospitality, services, retail, and education spaces we have delivered emphasise high standards of quality, world-class services, environmental management, and safety. Founded in 1993, our operations now span the Indian and international markets of Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Pune, the NCR, Serbia, and Malaysia. Our 45 million sq. ft. of ready and ongoing residential developments encompass branded residences, uber-luxury villas, exclusive villaments, sky condominiums, integrated developments, senior living, and contemporary homes. Embassy was a sponsor of India’s first publicly listed and Asia Pacific’s largest Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT). We strive to build a resilient ecosystem and proactively foster the social, economic, and environmental developments of the communities we work in. Further information is available at www.embassyindia.com.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Introduces New Innova HyCross Petrol GX (O) Grade

* Fully loaded, the New GX(O) grade boasts of 10+ advance technology and comfort features based on customer demand

* Price starts at Rs 20,99,000/- (ex-showroom)

In line with its ‘customer-first’ culture and responding to their requirements, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced the introduction of a new grade in the Innova HyCross the GX (O) petrol variant. The latest addition to the Innova HyCross line-up, boasts of over 10 advanced comfort and technology features thus raising the bar of the value proposition for customers who are seeking for more. Bookings of the Innova HyCross the GX (O) grade is already open with deliveries expected to commence from April 15, 2024.

Key highlights of Innova HyCross petrol GX (O) petrol variant are as follows:

Reenergised Exterior - Front LED Fog lamps, Front & Rear Parking sensors, Rear Defogger

·       Superior Comfort – Chestnut Themed Interiors, Soft touch materials in Dashboard & Door Panels, Mid-Grade Fabric Seats & Rear Sunshade*

·       Refined Convenience - Auto AC, 10.1" infotainment system*, Wireless Apple Carplay, Panoramic View Monitor

Offered in 7- and 8-seater options, the GX (O) grade is available in seven dynamic colours - Blackish Ageha Glass Flake, Platinum White Pearl, Attitude Black Mica, Sparkling Black Pearl Crystal Shine, Silver Metallic, Super White and Avant Garde Bronze Metallic.

Commenting on the new introduction, Mr. Sabari Manohar – Vice President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “At TKM, we are constantly listening to the market needs thus ensuring that every vehicle we offer aligns with the evolving needs of our customers. The New Innova HyCross petrol GX (O) grade is a testament to this philosophy which offers enhanced comfort and advanced technology carefully blending the spirit of luxury and efficiency. While the performance remains top-class, the 10+ features is expected to strongly resonate with customers who are looking for a fully loaded petrol version with an attractive proposition aimed at meeting their evolving lifestyle requirements.

Furthermore, we express our gratitude to our customers for their overwhelming acceptance, not only of the Innova HyCross but also of our entire product portfolio. Our commitment to a customer-first approach will continue to drive us, inspiring the creation of innovative products and services in the future.”

obust performance:

Innova Hycross is powered by a 2L TNGA Gasoline Engine, delivering output of 128 kW (174 PS) and 205 Nm of torque, complemented by a Direct Shift CVT with launch gear mechanism and 10 speed sequential shift for smooth and responsive acceleration along with best-in-class leading Fuel Economy of 16.13 kmpl.

Tough Exterior:

On the exterior, the new grade impresses with a bold and muscular SUV-like stance, enhanced by 16-inch silver Alloy wheels, a Roof End Spoiler with LED Stop lamp, and ORVMs with Auto fold, Electric adjust, and Turn indicators.

Luxurious and comfortable Interiors:

The Innova HyCross GX (O) provides improved cabin aesthetics, with dark chestnut quilted leather seats along with soft-touch leather and metallic decorations lining the cabin. The cockpit is modelled in horizontal tones to give a sense of space, while vertical tones are used for the central cluster and door decor to mirror the powerful exterior.

Advanced safety offerings:

The Innova Hycross masterfully combines comprehensive safety features—including Electric Parking Brake with Auto-hold, all-wheel disc brakes, six SRS airbags, and ISOFIX anchors—with unparalleled comfort, offering captain seats for personalized luxury, fold-flat 3rd row for increased boot space, and reclining 3rd row seats to ensure every journey is enjoyable for all passengers.

Value Added Services:

The New GX (O) Grade is complemented by an array of value-added services such as five years of complimentary Road-Side Assistance, standard warranty of three years or 1,00,000 kilometres, personalized extended warranty program, tailored to meet individual needs and preferences along with Certified Exchange program.

Launched in November 2022, the Innova Hycross built on Toyota’s globally recognized Quality, Durability and Reliability philosophy has won immense love and widespread market acceptance. With sales surpassing 50,000 units, the Innova HyCross is being lauded for its versatility, attributed to its glamorous appeal, advanced technology, comfort, and comprehensive safety features.

In addition to petrol variant, the Innova HyCross is also available in the Hybrid variant powered by 5th Generation Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric System. Being a Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle (SHEV), the Innova HyCross is capable of running 40% of the distance and 60% of the time in electric (EV) or zero emission mode.

Honda Starts Work On New Spare Parts Warehouse Facility In Bengaluru

* The facility will cater to spare part requirements in the region for Honda 2W, 4W & power products It will be operational from Q1 of the next FY’25-26

Honda held the ground-breaking ceremony of its upcoming state-of-the-art spare parts warehouse facility in Doddaballapura near Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Managed by Honda Cars India, this new facility will support the spare parts operations for all Honda businesses including, Honda Cars India, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, and Honda India Power Products.

In the first phase, 60,000sq meter of plot area will be developed including covered space of 25,000sq meter. The upcoming facility which will be operational by Q1 of FY 25-26 will play an important role in faster availability of spare parts at Honda dealerships and improving the entire customer service experience. The total plot area of the facility is 140,000sq meter.

On this occasion, Mr. Takuya Tsumura, President & CEO, Honda Cars India Ltd. said: “We are delighted to start the development of our new spare parts warehouse facility in Bengaluru. This is in line with our commitment towards our customers for providing timely and quicker availability of spare parts for their Honda products. This new facility will not only enhance our spare parts accessibility in the southern region of the country but also pave the way for future requirements in the electrification era.”

The warehouse is strategically located in Doddaballapura, Bengaluru, with proximity to Bengaluru International Airport, Bengaluru City Region and Honda 2Wheelers manufacturing plant. 

The facility’s design layout will strongly emphasize on ergonomic excellence to maximize efficiency, and productivity with modern latest equipments while maintaining highest safety standards.

Further, the facility will focus on environmental conservation along with efficient use of energy through Rainwater Harvesting, Drinking Water Treatment Plant, Sewage Treatment Plant, use of Natural Lighting, Green electricity sources and Natural air circulation. In the first phase of the development of the warehouse facility, the company will be utilizing 25,000sq meter of covered area. The remaining areas will be developed basis future requirements.

This new facility in Doddaballapura will complement Honda’s existing spare parts centers in India, thereby strengthening Honda’s nationwide support infrastructure.

The development project of the facility will be undertaken by Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Company (SMCC).

Nutanix Study Finds AI, Security, And Sustainability Are Major Drivers For IT Modernization

* India leads the way globally in the use of hybrid multicloud to address challenges and adopt smart cloud strategies

Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX), a leader in hybrid multicloud computing, today announced the findings of its sixth annual global Enterprise Cloud Index (ECI) survey and research report, which measures enterprise progress with cloud adoption. It revealed that a notable surge in the use of hybrid multicloud is anticipated by Indian respondents.  It also showed that hybrid multicloud remains the dominant deployment model in India, with 44% of companies using it, surpassing all other ECI countries surveyed.

As organizations continue to grapple with the complexities of moving applications and data across environments, the ECI report highlighted the growing importance of hybrid multicloud infrastructure. The report highlighted that the primary reasons for shifting applications between environments in the past year were the need to enhance control over applications and to bolster security posture while meeting regulatory requirements. Respondents in India identified data security and ransomware protection as their number one priority, followed by implementing AI strategies for 2024. As AI further takes center stage for businesses, nine in 10 (90%) organizations plan to increase investment in AI strategy support as per the report.

“Indian businesses are leading the global shift towards cloud-smart IT strategies,” said Faiz Shakir, MD at Nutanix India. “Our latest ECI report found that a staggering 99% of Indian IT professionals surveyed are focused on this approach. This cloud-smart strategy, which involves using the optimal IT environment for each application, is critical for driving security and innovation, which our study also highlights as among the top priorities for Indian decision-makers.”

Other Key findings for the Indian market:

Focus on cloud-smart deployments: The vast majority (99%) of IT professionals in India surveyed said they are focused on taking a “cloud-smart” approach to their infrastructure strategy. Cloud-smart deployments involve leveraging the optimum IT environment for each application and/or workload. The 99% figure in India outpaces the global cross-industry response pool (90%).

Hybrid multicloud adoption is evolving in India. Many organizations already leverage hybrid multicloud, making it the dominant IT operating model. However, the data suggests a shift within the model. On-premises infrastructure use is expected to decline (from 56% to 18% in 1-3 years) as organizations move towards hosted private IT services (20% currently, expected to reach 46% in 1-3 years). This suggests a preference for managed services for the on-premises component of the hybrid multicloud model.

Top challenges for Indian IT teams: The top five application and data management challenges cited by respondents in India are:

Data privacy (61%)

Ransomware protection and data security (60%)

Linking data from multiple environments (49%)

Following guidance on data storage and usage (e.g., GDPR) (47%)

Cloud cost control (44%)

Planned investments to address IT challenges: The top five areas slotted for increased investment by respondents in India during 2024 are:

Data security and ransomware protection (55%)

Implementing AI strategies (48%)

Optimizing operations (43%)

Implementing the right hybrid IT operations (42%)

Minimizing cost/ Sustainability (39%)

Data privacy remains a top concern: Data privacy was ranked as a major data management challenge by 61% of respondents in India according to the ECI report. This aligns with previous findings about the drivers behind infrastructure choices in India, where data privacy and sovereignty were a more prominent concern compared to global averages.

High containerization adoption rate: Containerization adoption is high in India, with 63% of respondents indicating that they have containerized at least 50% to 99% of their applications.

Sustainability a top priority: In India, 94% of respondents said they expect investment in sustainability efforts and technologies to increase. Those in India ranked IT infrastructure modernization (70%) and improvements in identifying areas for reducing waste products (69%) as their top two sustainability initiatives during the past year.

For the sixth consecutive year, Vanson Bourne conducted research on behalf of Nutanix, surveying 1,500 IT and DevOps/Platform Engineering decision-makers around the world in December 2023. This report is supplemental to the global findings of the 6th Annual Enterprise Cloud Index (ECI) and focuses on the results of surveys conducted with 100 IT professionals in India. It highlights how findings in India compare to the rest of the APJ region and all respondents globally.

About Nutanix

Nutanix is a global leader in cloud software, offering organizations a single platform for running apps and data across clouds. With Nutanix, companies can reduce complexity and simplify operations, freeing them to focus on their business outcomes. Building on its legacy as the pioneer of hyperconverged infrastructure, Nutanix is trusted by companies worldwide to power hybrid multicloud environments consistently, simply, and cost-effectively. Learn more at www.nutanix.com or follow us on social media @nutanix.

upGrad Ends Fiscal’24 With Creating 55,000 Jobs Across Indian Market

~Skilling major also trained nearly 600,000 professionals under its Enterprise arm in a year~

upGrad, one of Asia’s largest integrated learning skilling and workforce development majors concluded FY24 with steady growth in annual placements and transitions record of 55,000 in a single year. Learners have secured positions in nearly 3000 national and global companies through new jobs, career switches, and promotions, with the annual CTC ranging from a baseline of INR 4.5 LPA to a max of INR 1.80 crore. 

Hiring sentiments have remained strong within the Marketing, Data, and Tech domains with nearly 50% of learners placed across major cities such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai followed by the rest across Pune, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Noida, Gurgaon and Ahmedabad amongst others. Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu regions have also remained talent-attracting markets. Post-pandemic market conditions have encouraged women professionals to either upskill for stronger career growth or re-enter the workforce through 'returnship' programs. Out of the total pool, nearly two-third of transitions were made by women professionals during the year. Interestingly, upGrad has also witnessed over 1.4 lakh enrollments for their free courses in GenAI, Data, AI/ML, and Technology reassuring the continued demand from India Inc. for instant skill-ups.

Commenting on the successful placement year, Mayank Kumar, Co-founder & MD, upGrad noted, “We’ve built a robust and integrated learning suite with courses, bootcamps, and certifications that are reverse-engineered to drive career outcomes for our learners. Freshers, first-time job seekers, mid-career and senior professionals undergo weeks of extensive training/learning to acquire hands-on skills for real-time benefits on jobs. Through our in-house capabilities, years of tech investments, robust university roster, and strategic business mergers, we have developed a master pedagogy that is now scalable and ready to be replicated across new geographies.”

In FY24, upGrad's Enterprise arm also upskilled and trained nearly 600,000 corporate professionals, enabling organisations maintain a ready talent pipeline. The portfolio served over 1000 mid and large-sized clients in a year including Fortune 500 companies, further consolidating its position as India's largest integrated learning and skilling major. 

“There’s been a strong demand coming from corporates looking for a cost-effective employee-payroll model, and upskilling existing talent has helped them reduce attrition and boost retention rates. FY25 marks a significant growth year as we expand our portfolio including university-led programs and own-branded certs & bootcamps, along with our learner operations globally,” concluded Kumar. 

About upGrad

Started in 2015, upGrad is Asia’s largest integrated Learning, Skilling, and Workforce Development Company. upGrad offers a range of online & hybrid skilling programs, Certifications, and Bootcamps under its B2C portfolio. It also facilitates top Indian and global universities to offer their Diploma, Master’s and Executive Doctorates. Additionally, select programs are tailored for enterprise clients under the B2B model, along with other recruitment and staffing services. www.upgrad.com

JJG Aero Secures $12 Million (INR 100 Crore) In Funding From CX Partners

Bengaluru-based aerospace components manufacturer, JJG Aero, has secured $12 million (INR100 crore) in inaugural funding from CX Partners. The funds will be used primarily for increasing its manufacturing capacity at its new facility, further vertical integration and other corporate initiatives.

Established in 2008, JJG Aero specializes in manufacturing build-to-print high-precision machined components, with in-house special process finishing capabilities. While the Company is primarily focussed on building its business in commercial aerospace segment, its diverse capabilities are put to use with its customers in automotive and industrial segments. The Company’s prestigious clients include marquee American & European OEMs and Tier-1 vendors. 

“We have spent the last decade in building best-in-class capabilities, processes, compliance standards, customer relationships and obtaining requisite approvals and certifications, and we are now in the right place to grow rapidly.  The aerospace supply chain is facing all-time high demand from aircraft manufacturers, which the legacy vendors in the Western world are struggling to meet. The global geopolitical issues, economic stability and Government support make India ideally placed to benefit from this. With our strengths and value proposition, we see ourselves emerging as a key player in the aerospace ecosystem.  India has emerged as an attractive destination for sourcing components and parts by global leaders and we are excited to be selected by so many marquee clients as a strategic growth vendor” said Anuj Jhunjhunwala, CEO, JJG Aero.

"We are thrilled to invest in JJG Aero, our first in this segment. JJG Aero has demonstrated remarkable growth, with a CAGR of 35% over the last three years. This investment will enable JJG Aero not only to continue on its growth path through capacity addition but also upgrade quality of earnings by focusing on higher value-added components. Indian businesses have proven ability to provide high quality products and services as an outsourcing partner to their customers. With strong industry tailwinds, we believe that aero-parts and component  manufacturing is emerging as one more segment in India’s manufacturing outsourcing story.  With its foray into manufacture of aero-engine components, we believe JJG Aero is well-positioned to capitalize on these opportunities and further solidify its presence in the market." - Vivek Chhachhi, Managing Partner, CX Partners 

From simple 2-axis to complex 5-axis machining, JJG Aero offers a wide range of manufacturing services, complemented by over 30 NADCAP-approved special processes, including electroplating, anodizing, paint, and NDT. Moreover, the company provides assembly, testing, and other value-added services to its esteemed client base. JJG Aero has 3 fully integrated manufacturing facilities in the Bommasandra-Jigani area, near Bangalore,  in Karnataka, ably run by a team of 700 people. JJG Aero is setting up an additional facility dedicated to the aerospace segment.

Veda Corporate Advisors acted as the sole transaction advisor on the deal. 

Website:

www.jjgmachining.com

www.cxpartners.in