Google Wallet In India Comes With A First-To-Market Gift Cards Integration Powered By Pine Labs

*        Pine Labs’ market-leading presence in powering brand Gift Cards combined with Google’s tech prowess set to boost customer engagement for brands.

*        Deliver a frictionless usage experience for consumers to manage their Gift Cards journey from within the Google Wallet app.

*        Empower brands to improve customer experience and build long-term engagement with their customers.

Earlier this month, Google launched its much-awaited Google Wallet™ app in India. Leading fintech company Pine Labs today shed more light on the close collaboration with Google Wallet to enable a seamless integration of Gift Cards on the product.

The ‘power of choice’ associated with e-gifting appeals to young consumers and therefore brands in India are constantly looking to cater to this important and growing consumer base. Many exciting Gift Cards use cases such as issuing refunds, credit notes, and promotional offers have emerged as growth drivers which offer brands the opportunity to foster customer loyalty and build long-lasting engagement.

The Gift Cards market in India is expected to increase from US$7.6 billion in 2023 to US$15.7 billion by 2028, as per a report by Research and Markets.[1] A frictionless Gift Cards usage experience enabled by this exclusive partnership between Google Wallet and Pine Labs will provide unprecedented ease and convenience to existing and new users and will eliminate the complexity around usage. Google Wallet users will be able to seamlessly store and manage their Gift Cards journey from within the app and will be intuitively reminded to use it at the point of purchase.

“Pine Labs is delighted to partner with Google India to enable Gift Cards integration with the Google Wallet app. In recent years, we have witnessed a seismic shift in the way merchants have embraced digital modes of payments. Considering the huge Android user base in the country we anticipate a sharp jump in the usage of Gift Cards as more retailers and brands will now look to leverage it in their omnichannel strategy to expand their customer base, improve customer experience, retention, and loyalty,” said Navin Chandani, President - Issuing Business, Pine Labs.

Highlighting the significance of this launch in bringing new levels of convenience for Android users across the country, Ram Papatla, GM & India Engineering Lead, Android at Google, said, “The arrival of Google Wallet in India marks an important milestone in Android’s India journey, bringing innovative and convenient experiences to simplify peoples’ daily lives. We are delighted to partner with many of India’s top brands to offer a comprehensive solution that helps you securely access and manage your everyday essentials. From boarding passes to loyalty, gift cards, and event tickets to public transport passes – they’re there when you need them.”

Pine Labs' issuing business offers end-to-end capabilities to businesses across diverse industry verticals to issue, process, distribute, and manage prepaid cards. With a market-leading presence in India, the business is now expanding its footprints in Southeast Asia, Australia, USA, and the UAE.

Google Wallet is a trademark of Google LLC.

About Pine Labs

Pine Labs is a leading merchant commerce omnichannel platform operating across India, Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Pine Labs’ tech-first approach to digital payments and focus on simplification at the front end aims to help many businesses embrace fintech products at scale.

In digital payments, our online payments cloud-based software Plural represents a one-stop payments destination across channels. Plural is designed to deliver secure and frictionless online payment experiences to the end user, powered by an advanced tech stack that can augment an existing online business or build an all-new e-commerce payment setup from the ground up.

Our Issuing business is powered by Qwikcilver – Qwikcilver offers a cutting-edge, full-stack, end-to-end technology service solution in the Pre-paid Transaction Management, Gift Cards, and Sales/ Distribution Space, with a strong presence in multiple countries and live service engagements with leading brands and major customers from the Retail, Hospitality and Airline Industries, across the following geographical  regions; South Asia - India, South East Asia and the Far East - Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines,  Middle East and Africa - Dubai, Abu Dhabi, South Africa, Europe - Luxembourg and Czech Republic, Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii in the United States of America, at  the present moment.

In consumer app, Fave is a fintech platform for the next generation of consumers, providing smart payments and savings, while empowering merchants with a loyalty solution to grow and engage with their customers in a whole new way.

Schneider Electric Inaugurates One Of Its Largest Employee Campuses At Bagmane, Bengaluru

·         This state-of-the-art campus will host a Global Innovation Hub, Training Center, R&D Center, Skill Center and Digital Hub

·         Prioritizes sustainability with off-site green power, energy-efficient systems, and 100% greywater reuse via a sewage treatment plant.

·         Spread across 6.3 lakh sq.ft. and built with an investment of INR 200 crore (EUR 22 million), the new campus in Bengaluru will house over ~ 8000 professionals.

Schneider Electric, the global leader in energy management and nextGen automation, today inaugurated one of its largest employee campuses globally, at Bagmane Solarium City, Bengaluru, also known as India's Silicon Valley. This state-of-the-art campus covers an area of ~ 630,000 sq.ft and features a Global Innovation Hub, Training center, R&D center, Skill center and Digital Hub with a capacity to accommodate over ~ 8000 professionals.

This new campus reaffirms Schneider Electric’s commitment to be an employer of choice by providing world class infrastructure for employees to collaborate, develop, and deliver industry leading solutions for customers. It also reinforces the company's pledge to "Make in India for India and for the world," showcasing ongoing investments in manufacturing, innovation, people, R&D, and skill building.

Underlining Schneider Electric focus on accelerating its investments in India, Peter Herweck, Chief Executive Officer, Schneider Electric, said, “I am delighted to open one of our largest employee campuses worldwide in India. This new investment underscores our dedication to accelerating our contribution to India’s rapid growth. We strongly believe in its potential as a springboard for innovative ideas benefitting local customers, while making a global impact.”

Commenting on the new campus inauguration, Deepak Sharma, Zone President - Greater India, MD & CEO, Schneider Electric India, said, “Our new employee campus goes beyond being just a workplace. It exemplifies the creation of a dynamic ecosystem aimed at fostering collaboration and igniting creativity across the entire energy sector value chain. Through this campus, we aim to provide an immersive, hands-on learning experience, offering comprehensive insights into energy management and industrial automation. Furthermore, it underlines our commitment to expanding our workforce of over 37,000 in India to drive the development of cutting-edge products and solutions not only for India but also for the global markets”

The innovation Hub at Bagmane offers an immersive experience that integrates all Schneider Electric offerings to showcase a comprehensive journey, transforming sustainability ambitions into tangible actions at the intersection of automation, electrification, and digitization. This innovative approach underscores Schneider Electric's commitment to providing a holistic view of its solutions and their impact on driving sustainable practices and outcomes.

The Bagmane Campus Training Center will feature interactive demonstrations, workshops, and expert-led sessions, ensuring that our employees, partners, and customers, gain practical knowledge and expertise in the latest technologies and solutions. It will harness internal expertise to foster a learning culture, offering an advanced learning environment equipped with latest technologies and infrastructure.

Standing by its commitment towards sustainability, the Schneider Electric Bagmane Bengaluru Campus is designed to prioritize sustainability with off-site green power, energy-efficient chiller systems, and 100% greywater reuse via a sewage treatment plant. The campus has already applied for LEED Gold certification, demonstrating Schneider Electric’s commitment to international sustainability standards. Further, the Schneider Electric interior fit-out works are also striving for LEED – Platinum certification, reflecting the company’s ongoing pursuit of excellence in sustainable building practices.

Pioneering Workshop On The Design, Development, And Commercialization Of Medical Devices

The MIDAS (Medical Instruments, Devices, and Allied Services) Hub, an initiative by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) — recognized as an Institute of Eminence by the Ministry of Education, Government of India — is proud to announce the successful completion of a pivotal workshop on the design, development, and commercialization of medical devices.

In the contemporary healthcare system, technology plays a crucial role, driving up costs significantly. Hospitals and healthcare centres rely heavily on expensive diagnostic devices and equipment, most of which are imported. Despite numerous attempts to manufacture these devices domestically, success has been limited. To address this, MAHE has launched the MIDAS Hub in Manipal, supported by the DST, Government of India, through a public-private partnership model.

The vision of the MIDAS Hub is to design, develop, and conduct ethical and clinical trials, leading to the manufacturing and marketing of innovative healthcare devices. This initiative aims to serve institutions and industries along the west coast region of India. The MIDAS Hub at Manipal will provide a platform for individuals, institutions, and industries to engage in multidisciplinary and collaborative technical activities, leading to the development of a variety of medical devices.

A significant aspect of the Hub's activities is the training it offers in various facets of healthcare technology development. In line with this, the Hub organised a workshop on the design, development, and commercialization of medical devices.

The workshop was inaugurated by Lt. Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor of MAHE, who expressed pride in the substantial participation from faculty members and doctoral students from both MAHE and external institutions. He emphasized that the widespread interest in the MIDAS, DST-MAHE Hub reflects its broad reach among future academicians and entrepreneurs.

Dr Sharath K Rao, Pro Vice Chancellor of Health Sciences, underscored the necessity for cost-effective, high-quality indigenous medical devices to improve healthcare in the country. Dr G Arun Maiya, Dean of MCHP, and Principal Coordinator of the DST-MAHE HUB, welcomed the attendees and highlighted the primary objectives of the Hub.

The workshop featured eminent national and international specialists, including Dr Lazar Mathew, Senior Advisor; Dr Premanath, CEO of Venture Centre, Pune; Dr Joseph L Mathew of PGIMER, Chandigarh; and Dr Sudesh S, Head of the UCT Med Tech Laboratory at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Their insights and experiences enriched the event, which saw the many delegates from institutions along the west coast region.

This workshop represents a significant step towards realizing the MIDAS Hub's vision of fostering innovation and self-reliance in the development of medical devices, ultimately enhancing the quality of healthcare in India.

For media inquiries and further information, please contact: Deputy Director PR and Communications, Phone: 7338625909, Email: sachin.karanth@manipal.edu

AiDash Rolls Out Its First ESOP Buyback Plan For Employees

* New buyback plan underscores the company’s commitment to shared wealth creation

* The company has offices in Gurugram and Bengaluru and over 300 employees in India

AiDash, an enterprise SaaS company making critical infrastructure industries climate resilient and sustainable with satellites and AI, announced the rollout of its first Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) buyback programme. The new buyback programme underscores AiDash’s commitment to shared wealth creation.

The introduction of the company’s new buyback plan follows the recent closing of its successful, oversubscribed $58.5 million Series C funding round, which brought the total amount raised to $91.5 million. The new buyback plan covers existing full-time employees with an established tenure of more than three years, allowing them to cash in their vested shares to realize the value that has accrued over time.

“Our growth is a testimony of the hard work demonstrated by our team members,” said Cofounder and CEO Abhishek Singh. “We have always been an employee-centric company that believes in giving a strong sense of ownership.”

ESOPs have traditionally proven to be a very successful compensation tool and a way to attract and retain talent for top tech companies. With recent investments in AiDash, the company plans to continue to scale its products and services and grow by adding new talent to its current bench of all-stars around the world.

“Our employees are the driving force behind our success,” said Co-founder and CPTO Rahul Saxena. “This buyback underscores our commitment to rewarding our team and nurture a culture of growth within the organisation.”

To learn about employment opportunities at AiDash, please visit: https://www.aidash.com/careers/

About AiDash

AiDash is making critical infrastructure industries climate-resilient and sustainable with satellites and AI. Using our full-stack SaaS solutions, customers in electric, gas, and water utilities, transportation, and construction are transforming asset inspection and maintenance – and complying with biodiversity net gain mandates and carbon capture goals. Our customers deliver ROI in their first year of deployment with reduced costs, improved reliability, and achieved sustainability goals. Learn more at www.aidash.com.

MayaaVerse Creations And NTPC School of Business Partner To Explore Virtual Reality And Immersive Tech Education

MayaaVerse Creations Private Limited (MCPL), a leading developer of World’s first photo-realistic Immersive Tech platforms, and NTPC School of Business (NSB), a premier business school under the NTPC Education and Research Society, today announced a strategic collaboration to explore the use of virtual reality (VR) technology and create an immersive virtual campus within MCPL's Immersive Tech space.

This groundbreaking partnership aims to combine MCPL's cutting-edge Immersive Tech development capabilities with NSB's expertise in business education. By leveraging virtual reality, the collaboration seeks to provide students and faculty with an innovative and engaging learning environment within a fully realized virtual world.

"At NTPC School of Business, we are committed to embracing innovative technologies that enhance the learning experience for our students," said Dr. Rajeshwari Narendran, Director of NTPC School of Business. "By partnering with MayaaVerse Creations, we aim to explore the boundless possibilities of virtual reality and the Immersive Tech in education, fostering a more engaging and interactive learning journey for our students while preparing them for the digital future."

As the initiator of this long-standing partnership, MCPL is creating a virtual experience center for the NTPC School of Business. This center will provide students and visitors with an immersive journey through the institution's rich history, vision, achievements, and faculty lectures, along with various videos. Attendees will navigate through the remarkable story of this significant institution, gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of its contributions to the country.

MCPL and NSB will also work together to create a virtual replica of the NSB campus within MCPL's Immersive Tech platform. This virtual replica will also allow students to attend classes, participate in discussions, and engage in various academic and extracurricular activities in a fully immersive and realistic digital environment.

By making education immersive, this collaboration is a joint step towards making education more comprehensive and extensive. With this enablement, we are adding a new chapter to modern education, where students don’t just learn but experience learning.

"We are thrilled to join forces with NTPC School of Business in pioneering the future of education in the metaverse," said Ashish Minocha, Chief Business Officer at MayaaVerse Creations. "This collaboration represents a significant step towards revolutionizing the way knowledge is imparted and experienced, empowering students with immersive and interactive learning opportunities that transcend traditional boundaries."

The collaboration between MCPL and NSB represents a significant milestone in the integration of virtual reality and Immersive Tech technologies into the education sector. As the Immersive Tech continues to evolve and gain mainstream adoption, this partnership positions both organizations at the forefront of this transformative shift, paving the way for new and innovative learning experiences.

About MayaaVerse Creations Pvt Ltd:

MayaaVerse is dedicated to delivering more than just a concept—it’s a comprehensive immersive technology platform embedded with AI, accessible to everyone. By empowering individuals and organizations to create, experience, and monetize in unprecedented digital environments, MayaaVerse is setting new standards in immersive experiences.

Add social links:

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

About NTPC School of Business:

NTPC School of Business, established in 2014 under the aegis of NTPC Education and Research Society, is a premier business school dedicated to nurturing human capital for the energy sector. With a focus on innovation and industry-relevant education, NSB aims to produce future-ready professionals equipped with the skills and knowledge to drive the energy industry forward.

Wacom Launches Its First OLED Pen Display Wacom Movink

* Weighing 420g & measuring a mere 4mm at its thinnest point, Movink is the thinnest & lightest Wacom pen display ever

Wacom, the leading innovator of digital pen and ink solutions, today announced the launch of Wacom Movink, its first OLED pen display designed and developed to meet the needs of creative professionals, digital artists and design students.

Wacom Movink is a radically new product category that combines the professional pen experience of the Wacom Pro Pen 3 with a brilliant 13.3” inch full HD OLED display in a super slim, ultra-light, highly versatile, portable device at a competitive price. Because it works with most operating systems, users have access to their full software suite without compromising on performance, precision and preferred operating system.

“Wacom Movink is a first of its kind OLED pen display, designed to open up new possibilities for creative users. It is a great, competitively priced upgrade for many existing setups,” says Koji Yano, Senior Vice President for the Branded Business Unit at Wacom. “Market Data shows that 1 in 3 digital creatives use more than one creative pen device. They are also increasingly looking for portable solutions that deliver the same experience as their studio or desktop solutions. With Wacom Movink we can offer them the perfect solution that takes them wherever they need to be without compromising on performance, precision or experience. This quality could only be achieved with the cutting-edge OLED technology developed and provided by Samsung Display.”

“Wacom leaps into the next generation of display technology with the launch of a ground-breaking new product category. Wacom Movink unites the art of drawing and inking with moving and portability by combining a professional pen experience with a brilliant 13.3” inch, full HD OLED display in a super slim, ultra-light, highly versatile, sturdy device without compromising on performance, precision and software preferences”, says Rajiv Malik, Director, Wacom India.

Weighing only 420g and measuring a mere 4mm at its thinnest point, Wacom Movink sets a new standard as the thinnest and lightest Wacom pen display to date and many all-in-one devices currently on the market. The robust Corning Gorilla Glass and durable magnesium alloy body make Wacom Movink is a sturdy device that easily fits into any bag. The 13.3" Samsung OLED display delivers a Full HD resolution with 10-bit color, a contrast ratio of 100,000:1 and perfect black point thanks to the exceptional qualities of OLED technology.

Wacom Movink comes with a dedicated version of the Wacom Pro Pen 3* that offers impressive pen sensitivity and tilt detection for a wide range of artistic expressions, from powerful brushstrokes to delicate lines. Wacom Movink achieves the fastest response time along with increased pen detection height and no visible parallax. Wacom Movink is compatible with Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, and Android operating systems. Wacom Movink is also fully supported by Wacom Bridge, an innovative solution that radically improves working on supported remote desktop connections.

Wacom Movink 13 is very competitively priced at 72,999 INR, respectively and will be sold exclusively through the Wacom eStore (https://india-iws.in/products/wacom-movink-13) and selected resellers for enterprise and education customers starting today.

About Wacom

Wacom’s vision is to bring people and technology closer together through natural interface solutions. This has made it the world’s leading manufacturer of interactive pen tablets and displays as well as of digital styli and solutions for saving and processing digital signatures. The advanced technology of Wacom’s intuitive input devices has been used to create some of the most exciting digital art, films, special effects, fashion and designs around the world and provides business and home users with their leading interface technology to express their personality. Founded in 1983, Wacom is a global company based in Japan (Tokyo Stock Exchange 6727) with subsidiaries and affiliate offices around the world to support marketing and distribution in over 150 countries. For further information about the products of Wacom, see also www.wacom.com.

PhonePe Extends Loan Offerings To Consumers Across Multiple Categories

* Enables users to access loans across six categories including Mutual Fund Loan, Bike Loan, Car Loan, Home Loan/ Loan against Property, Gold Loan and Education Loan on the PhonePe app

PhonePe, today expanded its loan distribution offerings on its platform across six major categories - Bike Loan, Car Loan, Home Loan, Gold Loan, Education Loan and Mutual Fund Loan, in partnership with a network of trusted banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and fintechs.  With its unmatched distribution strength of 535+ Million registered users, PhonePe aims to create a powerful and seamless user experience in the secured loans category.

PhonePe has partnered with a carefully curated selection of top lenders such as Tata Capital, L&T Finance, Hero FinCorp, Muthoot Fincorp, DMI Housing Finance, Home First Finance, rupyy, Volt Money, Gradright and more lenders to be added in the coming weeks. The platform currently has 15 active partners and aims to scale to 25 by the next quarter. Users can avail the loan facility under the existing ‘Loan’ section on their PhonePe app, select their desired loan category, and choose from a list of lenders. The loan application journey is initiated within PhonePe’s familiar app environment, eliminating the need to navigate multiple applications and simplifying the process for the user.

Speaking on the launch, Hemant Gala, CEO, PhonePe Lending said, “We are excited to announce the launch of our lending platform across all major categories with top Banks and NBFCs. This provides us with the opportunity to connect lenders and millions of our customers across the country on a single platform to meet their financial needs. Lenders are investing heavily in digitising the secured loan journeys and customers are adapting to the digitisation at a rapid pace. We believe it’s a great time to revolutionise secured lending product experience for the customers working with the lending ecosystem.”

About PhonePe Group:

PhonePe Group is India’s leading fintech company. Its flagship product, the PhonePe digital payments app, was launched in Aug 2016. In just 7 years, the company has scaled rapidly to become India’s leading consumer payments app with 535+ million registered users and a digital payments acceptance network of 39+ million merchants. PhonePe also processes over 255 million daily transactions with an annualized Total Payment Value (TPV) of USD 1.5+ Trillion.

On the back of its leadership in digital payments, PhonePe Group has expanded into financial services (Insurance, Lending, Wealth) as well as new consumer tech businesses (Pincode - hyperlocal e-commerce and Indus App Store - India's first localized App Store). PhonePe Group is an India headquartered technology company with a portfolio of businesses aligned with the company's vision to offer every Indian an equal opportunity to accelerate their progress by unlocking the flow of money and access to services.

For more details: media@phonepe.com