|In: Entrepreneurship|Last Updated:

Intel in India and the Department of Science and Technology announced the call for entries for the Intel & DST- Innovate for Digital India Challenge. The challenge is aimed at fostering a culture of innovation, create solutions that can address local needs and build an empowered ecosystem for pervasive technology adoption in the country.

The challenge will be open to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs, innovators, academia, designers, engineers & makers from diverse backgrounds.

To participate in the challenge, candidates must log on to Innovate For India & register their projects at the earliest. The registration closes on June 22, 2015

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Participants of the Intel & DST- Innovate For Digital India Challenge will be mentored by industry stalwarts and Intel experts. The participants will be trained in technical know-how, will be provided access to product kits and infrastructure and multiple commercialization opportunities.

Some key insights of the Innovate for “Digital India Challenge” are:

  • IIM Ahmedabad’s Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship to execute the challenge. Intel, CIIE & MyGov to work together for application management, program facilitation and popularization.
  • The challenge, running from April 2015 to January 20161, is open to academia, aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and startups.
  • Total grant worth Rs.1.5 crs; top three to get access to seed fund of Rs. 20 Lakhs each.

Speaking about the challenge, Narendra Bhandari, Director, Software & Services Group, Intel Asia Pacific said

Innovation is part of Intel’s DNA. This challenge combines Intel’s history of creating innovative technology with government’s Digital India vision, complemented by entrepreneurial talent to create a sustainable technology ecosystem. Through this challenge, we aim to encourage people to come forward and participate and create solutions that will help make Digital India, a reality.

Naganand Doraswamy, EVP & co-founder SPAN Infotech & President TIE Bengaluru, said

It is wonderful to see Intel actively collaborating with the government in the product start-up space. The Intel & DST Innovate For Digital India Challenge will offer a platform to the young creative minds of Karnataka to showcase their ideas and build start-ups that can make a difference in the Indian market.

Speaking at the event, Shankar Maruwada, Co-founder & CEO Ekstep said

Innovate For Digital India Challenge promises to be a timely platform for young creative minds across the country and we are extremely excited to be part of this challenge as this is the right time for students, innovators, and aspiring entrepreneurs in Karnataka to come forward and pave the way for enabling an innovative ecosystem.

Detailed T&C on the challenge and prize money are available at InnovateForDigitalIndia

[Image Credit – InnovateForDigitalIndia]

|In: Blogging|Last Updated:

Audiomatic is a podcast network focused on building a flourishing community of like-minded, mindful, discerning listeners by providing a wide variety of unique and exciting digital audio content. Started by media professionals with a background in print and radio, Rajesh Tahil & Tariq Ansari bring their considerable experience to Audiomatic. The shows package entertainment, knowledge and insights across genres to create memorable pod-casts that are an inimitable listening experience.

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Launched on April 8, the podcast network attracted over 100,000 listeners in its first month with its initial line-up of unique, genre-defining audio shows.

Audiomatic is the only place where a stand-up comedian and writer, a food writer, an actor and a journalist, all unite with one objective – to revive the old art of telling stories using new digital platforms and technology to reach a million ears.

Drawing on radio’s ability to be the theatre of the mind, Audiomatic’s portfolio has something for every listener. Ask Aakar Anything, features senior journalist and columnist Aakar Patel, who answers questions on just about everything from Apple to Air India, India’s corruption to PM Modi’s vision & Chetan Bhagat on TV to Twinkle Khanna in the newspapers.

Audiomatic podcast Our Last Week features the two funny men Anuvab Pal & Kunaal Roy Kapur and their candid conversations. They catch up on their personal and worldly encounters in the last week and ensure an audio experience as striking as their trademark logical reasoning.

Food writer Vikram Doctor with his life-size appetite for stories presents The Real Food Podcast, a fortnightly feast for the food-lovers.

Duo of Padmaparna Ghosh & Samanth Subramanian duo narrates stories that meld science, culture and history in India, in their signature ‘all pun intended’ ways on The Intersection every fortnight.

The podcasts, timed well within a modern day listener’s attention span, are uploaded weekly or fortnightly on Audiomatic, Apple iTunes as well as Android apps such as Stitcher, Podcast Addict etc.

Whether it is food [The Real Food Podcast], current affairs [Ask Aakar Anything] or Science [The Intersection], Audiomatic’s edge lies in its ability to tell compelling stories and be every listener’s ‘go-to’ destination for engaging, authentic & outstanding content.

[Image Credit – Audiomatic]

|In: Mobile|Last Updated:

TechProcess Payment Services Ltd, India’s leading payment solutions company, has announced the launch of Paynimo – the next generation mobile-first payment platform.

Paynimo powers a consistent user experience across different platforms, channels and devices. Its superior payment checkout experience enables an end consumer to complete transactions securely, and with minimal taps. It is India’s first truly revolutionary payment gateway that allows offline businesses to collect e-payments. Paynimo converts regular SMS and email reminders into actionable payment links, allowing merchants to e-collect from consumers. With ready-to-use APIs, it can be instantly integrated with billing systems for quick go-to-market!

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Launching Paynimo, Mr. Kumar Karpe – CEO, TechProcess Payment Services Ltd. said

Despite having 420 million plus debit and credit cards, the acceptance of electronic payments in India has been a challenge due to lack of POS penetration.

Paynimo empowers a merchants’ existing smartphone to collect e-payments without them having to invest in any additional infrastructure including a POS machine. As a ‘Super Wallet’, our solution will spur the activation of debit, credit and prepaid cards.

Our goal is to harness the potential of existing payment methods in the consumers’ hands and facilitate cashless transactions. Paynimo is a step in this direction as the platform operates independent of stashing cash in it. Hence, both consumers and merchants can opt for a secured ecosystem to transact without cash.

The salient features of this mobile payment offering are

  1. Effective and secure alternative to cash-on-delivery with anytime, anywhere, any device e-payment
  2. No Website, No POS, Converts your existing smartphone into Virtual POS
  3. With state of the art dashboard for effective consumer service, users no longer need to go through the hassle of creating a separate prepaid wallet and load cash each time
  4. It’s configurable UI support merchant branding guidelines and can be integrated with social network
  5. Instant Integration for quick go-to-market
  6. Instant and simultaneous payment confirmation to the merchant, consumer and delivery boy
  7. PCI DSS 3.0 certification for best in class security

To experience the process of sending, receiving and requesting money via Paynimo, have a look at the video below

About TechProcess Payment Services Ltd

TechProcess Payment Services Ltd. has been pioneering electronic payments in India since 2000 by setting up BillJunction, India’s first electronic bill presentment and payment service. TechProcess has been building, managing and servicing the e-payments ecosystem through its innovative cloud based payment platforms which have been adopted by leading brands. The service offerings cover the entire gamut of non-cash modes of electronic payments such as card payments, Net-banking, NACH, NEFT/RTGS, IMPS, e-wallets and the like. For more information, please visit their website

|In: Business|Last Updated:

State Bank of India & PayPal, the world’s leading open digital payments company have entered into a strategic partnership to promote cross border trade and facilitate payments for SBI & PayPal users both in India and abroad.

The partnership will enable SBI Debit cardholders to use PayPal when buying products from overseas websites and allow SBI’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprise [MSME] customers to gain access to PayPal’s secure payment solutions.

PaypalSBI

The announcement reiterates the importance of India as a strategic market for PayPal. In addition to having a strong engineering workforce based out of India, PayPal also has a very robust and growing cross border business in the country.

The partnership will help PayPal work closely with SBI to make it easy for Indian exporters and consumers gain access to a global audience. One of the key aspects of the partnership is the impetus that will be provided to e-Governance projects of the Government of India.

Mentioning about the strategic-partnership Shri B. Sriram, Managing Director, SBI said

SBI has been bringing value to its customers by providing them innovative financial solutions. SBI is very pleased to have this tie-up as it provides a perfect opportunity to both of us to collaborate and offer a wide gamut of customized financial solutions to merchants across the board. This would bring new opportunities for our SME customer base.

Speaking at the event, Vikram Narayan, Managing Director and Country Manager (India), PayPal said

It is an honor for PayPal to partner with the State Bank of India which is India’s largest bank. We foresee exciting times ahead as the economy is poised to pick up and support Indian citizens and, businesses to evolve through global transactions.

We understand the Government’s focus on the MSME and believe PayPal has a strong role to play in the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Collaborating with us gives SBI’s customers global access to businesses and consumers alike.

Key highlights of the partnership

Helping SBI Debit Cardholders buy from global merchants using PayPal

PayPal & State Bank of India will work together to provide SBI debit cardholders additional options for international spending. The partnership will enrich customer experience and provide them safe and secure payments method through PayPal for buying goods from international merchants who offer PayPal as a payment option.

Helping Indian merchants gain a global audience

PayPal & SBI will work closely to offer PayPal’s payments solutions to SBI’s MSME customers who can reach PayPal’s 165 million active accounts globally. They would also work on providing innovative financial solutions to the merchants who are using PayPal services.

PayPal and SBI will also create a joint coordination committee to grow and implement this strategic partnership.

About PayPal

At PayPal, we put people at the center of everything we do. Founded in 1998, we continue to be at the forefront of the digital payments revolution, processing almost 11.6 million payments for our customers per day. PayPal gives people better ways to connect to their money and to each other, helping them send money without sharing financial information and with the flexibility to pay using their PayPal account balances, bank accounts, PayPal Credit and credit cards.

More information about PayPal can be found here & here.

|In: Android|Last Updated:

MobieFit announced the launch of FirstRun App which is MobieFit’s first mobile app designed to make runners out of those who have never run before in their lives. FirstRun is the debut product of MobieFit, a company founded by Gourav Jaswal with Gul Panag as co-founder and born out of Prototyze, an incubator for technology-centered businesses.

Users can select from two running programs: a 5 kilometre program [based on Josh Clark’s world-renowned C25K program] and a 10 kilometre program. The most unique feature of the app is the personal trainer, Gul Panag.

FirstRun has many unique features that set it apart. Primary among which is the presumption that the user can run only one minute [yes, only one minute] at a time for the first session.

Gul Panag Launches First Run (1)

Features of FirstRun

Personal Trainer

A personal trainer guides users through the process, ensuring motivational levels never drop. Gul is the in-app personal trainer for the 5K and 10K programs, giving runners essential tips along the way.

Don’t worry about Speed or Distance

FirstRun does not focus on speed or distance, instead just encourages people to run for a set time.

With a combination of walking and running, the app ensures that exercising becomes easier for users at any stage of fitness or the lack of it.

Perfect for Beginners

On the first day, the runner only needs to run for less than 10 minutes with each run being only one minute. So even beginners can start running with ease. As they progress, the running time gradually increases.

Train for a 5K and 10K

The 5 kilometre program is structured in a way, that a beginner can go the distance in just 9 weeks, by running thrice a week. The 10 kilometre mark can be achieved by running thrice a week for 12 weeks.

Treadmill mode

Users can run outdoors or even indoors, since FirstRun has a unique treadmill mode, that gives you the right instructions at the right time.

In-app music player

Runners love music on their daily run, so there’s an in-app music player to keep them company every time they step out.

FirstRun is a great tool to train for marathons as it makes you a disciplined runner.

Quotes from Key People

Gul Panag, co-founder, MobieFit

I wish I had access to this kind of technology when I started running. If I had the support of a fantastic app like FirstRun, I would have definitely struggled less to run my first 3 miles.

Over the years, I have seen how important it is to bring fitness into our lives. I have witnessed first-hand the positive transformation it has brought in those close to me.

Gourav Jaswal, Founder and Director, MobieFit

FirstRun doesn’t just log your runs. It coaches you to run. While I have led an active life and been involved in many fitness activities, I was never a runner. This is what took me in nine weeks into running 5 km.

About MobieFit

MobieFit is a venture focused on m-Fitness. It helps you become as fit as you want, in the way that you want. MobieFit is one among many ventures born at Prototyze, an incubator founded by Gourav Jaswal. More information about MobieFit here

About Prototyze

Prototyze is an incubator, currently working in stealth mode on building mobile technology centered businesses in multiple sectors such as Financial Services, Health & Fitness, and Training & Learning. Two ventures catalyzed by Prototyze [MobieFit &HandyTrain] have already been incorporated as independent companies with independent teams, investment and trajectory. More information about Prototyze here

* Do give FirstRun [Download Link – FirstRun] a shot & share your feedback in the comments section.

|In: startups|Last Updated:

Eka Software Solutions, the leading global provider of Smart Commodity Management software solutions, announced today the general availability of Commodity Analytics Cloud, an advanced analytics solution for commodities companies in the agriculture, manufacturing, energy & metals industries. With Commodity Analytics Cloud, traders, risk managers, analysts, supply chain/logistics managers, IT specialists, back office personnel and executives gain previously unavailable insights into key business areas and can take action before competitors.

EkaSoftware

Speaking about Commodity Analytics Cloud; Manav Garg, CEO at Eka said

Commodities markets are characterized by risk, volatility and complexity. Business users can no longer afford to wait days and weeks to understand market changes, analyse the alternatives, and make decisions. Every business user needs the power to analyse data the way they want, and that’s exactly what they get with Commodity Analytics Cloud.

Harnessing data from internal systems such as ETRM, CTRM, ERP, CRM & spreadsheets, and external sources such as market curves and weather data, Commodity Analytics Cloud brings all the data together in one place to answer the most important questions. Information is displayed in an easy-to-understand way that facilitates deeper inquiry. Business users can focus on data analysis, not data collection.

Backed by years of deep domain experience, Eka has created a series of apps specifically designed for the commodities markets that address high value business issues. Providing an end-to-end analysis of the entire enterprise, these apps span multiple categories including positions, P&L, trading, risk, credit, finance, supply chain, reconciliation, counter parties, and more.

Users can download the specific apps needed for their area of the business, and even customize apps for their individual needs. Analytics are no longer restricted to the realm of the IT department or other specialists. Commodity Analytics Cloud opens analytics to everyone.

Eka’s revolutionary next-generation technology, Pace, processes millions of data entities in seconds which enables users of Commodity Analytics Cloud the ability to move through data at unprecedented speed. Users can mix and match different data sets and perform real-time analysis on extremely large volumes of data.

Available on both smartphones and tablets as well as desktops and laptops, Commodities Analytics Cloud can be deployed on-premise in an internal company network or externally on a public cloud. More information about Commodity Analytics Cloud is available at this link.

About Eka Software Solutions

Eka is the global leader in providing Smart Commodity Management software solutions. Eka’s analytics-driven, end-to-end Commodity Management platform enables companies to efficiently and profitably meet the challenges of complex and volatile markets.

The company’s best-of-breed solutions manage commodity trading, enterprise risk, compliance, procurement, supply chain, operations, logistics, bulk handling, processing, and decision support. Eka partners with customers to accelerate growth, increase profitability, improve operational control, and manage risks and exposures.

|In: Mobile|Last Updated:

National Instruments [NI], the provider of solutions that enable engineers and scientists to solve the world’s greatest engineering challenges, announced the opening of the new Wireless Innovation Lab at its Austin headquarters.

In the lab, NI supports ongoing collaborations with top academic and industry research groups participating in its RF/Communications Lead User program. Researchers at Intel, Lund University, Nokia Networks, NYU Wireless, Samsung, The University of Texas at Austin & TU Dresden are driving significant advances in the development of next-generation wireless systems and furthering research in 5G. Current demos and projects on display in the lab include mmWave cellular systems, the 5G Massive MIMO Test-bed & the LabVIEW Communications System Design Suite.

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“At the Wireless Networking and Communications Group [WNCG], we have had several research projects with the RF/Communications Lead User team that range from MIMO interference alignment to interference cancellation,” said Robert Heath, professor, PhD, PE, IEEE Fellow at The University of Texas at Austin. “We’ve seen accelerated prototyping on all of these projects and we’re eager to build on the latest research.”

The Wireless Innovation Lab showcases NI’s commitment and investment to help researchers define next-generation wireless communication systems using the power and capability of the NI software defined radio platform with LabVIEW Communications System Design Suite. This platform-based approach helps reduce the time from theory to results by testing designs in a real-world environment.

To learn more about the new Wireless Innovation Lab, please visit this page

About the RF/Communications Lead User Program

NI established several lead user programs to facilitate research in areas including controls, mechatronics and robotics with a common goal of rapidly moving from theory to prototype. Established in 2010, the RF/Communications Lead User program currently includes more than 10 research institutions working on multiple 5G communications projects.

|In: India|Last Updated:

Micromax is ready to shake the market this time with its latest smart phone at highly affordable price. The prices are quite competitive i.e. Rs.6999/- for the state of the art features it possesses. Let’s review the smart phone and find out is it actually value for money the way it is being claimed?

It is hosted by one of the biggest online players Amazon India exclusively having registrations opened. Micromax’s Yuphoria will be available for purchase on 28th May, 2015. It comes with a battery, data cable, adapter, earphone, screen guard and manual in the box.

AmazonYuphoria

Yuphoria, Dual SIM Smartphone, has 5 inch HD screen with Gorilla Glass 3 protection and 720p resolution (294ppi). The display on the screen is awesome as it has 16.7 million colors. It’s perfect for watching movies, flipping pictures and gaming. It does also have better sunlight legibility making it better than the other smart phones available in market in this range.

Features contributing to its lightening fast speed are described as Cyanogen based Android OS, v5.0.2 (Lollipop) operating system the latest available in market, powered by Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410, Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU and Adreno 306 GPU. Indians sick of the problem of getting smart phones hanged are given liberty to do multi-tasking with 2GB RAM.

Another attractive feature is 8 MP, 3264 x 2448 pixels, Autofocus Rear camera with LED flash. The camera also has Saturn rings around it adding to its beauty. Front camera of 5MP make it perfect for clicking selfies. It’s one more significant feature is health tracking service powered by HealtifyMe.

YuphoriaColors

Li-Ion 2230 mAh battery gets 60% charged in 45 minutes and possesses 160 hours standby time on 3G and 7 hours talk time. It has Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspot WLAN, Bluetooth v4.0 and GPS for connectivity. 85+ decibel of sound is also one of its highlight.

It has 16 GB internal memory and 2GB RAM which is expandable up to 32 GB using MicroSD card. It weighs 143 grams and the dimensions are 142.4 x 73 x 8.2-9.35 mm. Other minor features include Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Document viewer, Proximity sensor, Photo/video Editor, compass, MP4/H.264 player and MP3/eAAC+/WAV/Flac player etc.

All these features help customers make purchase decisions confidently. They can also use Amazon India coupons to make their shopping frugal. Amazon is an e-commerce giant and offers wide range of products to its customers with awesome discount deals and fast delivery services. Customers registering for Micromax’s Yuphoria will be delivered the smart phone soon after its launch on 28th May, 2015.