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|In: Interviews|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

There is a famous quote – ‘Risk & Rewards are two sides of the same coin’ and the same is applicable for monetary investments. However, the investment portfolio would differ from person to person since it is dependent on many factors like risk appetite, assets, liabilities, dependencies, etc. and hence, it becomes virtually impossible for any investment firm to cater to varied investment requirements of such a large audience.

Image Source – Fintech

There is a wrong notion that investing in Mutual Funds or SIP’s is similar & equally risky as investing in the stock market. Due to this, less than 1.5% of the Indian population invested in equity markets and only 2% of India’s household savings were exposed to equity [as per a report from Bloomberg]. However, times are changing and more & more people are willing to invest in SIP’s for long-term benefits, given that they get proper guidance.

This is the problem that many new-age Fintech companies are trying to solve using Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, etc. by giving investors more personalized tailor-made portfolio suggestions based on their persona, long-term & short-term goals, etc. As it is said, you learn from your own mistakes and the 2008 market crash resulted in an Aha moment for entrepreneur Arjun Sarkar. Though he lost a significant amount of money in the crash due to misguidance, he soon realized that it was a ‘larger’ problem that required to be solved. Arjun Sarkar, along with Anup Abhonkar co-founded Everguard Life Ventures Pvt. Ltd. and came up with their first product named SIPtm with the aim to make equity investing simpler by taking investor’s persona and various other data points into consideration. In this episode, we have a chat with Arjun Sarkar, Founder & CEO of the Pune-based startup. The Q&A revolves around the core product SIPtm, fintech, persona-based investing & more. Let’s get started with the Q&A…

Note – ‘I’ in the interview refers to Arjun Sarkar.

Can you walk us through the idea of SIPtm and the team behind the same ?

Idea of SIPtm came to solve the problem of investing for retail investors i.e. answering the questions – Where to invest?, When to invest?, and How much to invest? Because the investor does not know what to do, they invariably go for the default option i.e. trust their friendly neighbourhood bank which is the worst decision they can make. Personally I lost a significant portion of my net-worth in the 2008 crash because I was misled by my relationship manager and invested in the wrong product, that’s when I started taking this subject seriously.

The team comprises of myself – Arjun Sarkar, CEO & Founder of Everguard Life Ventures Pvt. Ltd., the parent company behind the development of SIPtm. I have an MBA from University of Toronto. I have personally managed money for CXO’s and NRI’s in tens of crores for close to a decade and 80% of my personal wealth is invested in mutual funds.

Anup Abhonkar, CTO & Co-Founder has over 18 years of IT experience across domains like Banking, Insurance and Securities. He has worked for leaders in the industry like, Accenture, Barclays and Wipro delivering business critical solutions for Fortune 500 organizations like Aviva and Charles Schwab.

Both of us are passionate about our field. Ask our wives and you will find that we spend most of our time talking about the subject.

What does ‘tm’ stand for in SIPtm ?

TM stands for Through Mobile.

What are some of the data points that you take while recommending a particular SIP or Investment to a particular customer ?

We follow a thorough process backed by research, where we consider multiple quantitative and qualitative factors across domains like Economics [Macros and Micros] and Market and also take customer specific inputs like time-horizon and quantum of investment before suggesting a fund. Research further shows that some categories of funds are better suited for SIP mode of investments so we take that in to consideration as well.

In other words, it is not a cookie cutter approach of following ratings of funds or just looking at the past performance of funds. We are talking investments here, not buying e-commerce products where customer can buy just based on reviews and ratings, they may do well in the short term but will not able to sustain it for a meaningful period of time.

Please talk about ‘Persona Based Investing’ and how can millennials use a platform like SIPtm to plan their investments and maximize their savings ?

‘Persona based investing’ is a concept which maps life stage of investors to priority goals which then helps to filter the optimal investment mix for them. SIPtm is a great product for millennials as it is prescriptive in nature i.e. it is like a doctor listing out the medicine and the dosage which makes decision making very simple. More importantly, the dosage or SIP amounts are in the range of typical monthly savings which can be channelized in a disciplined manner thereby earning much higher returns than other traditional saving products like recurring deposits or insurance products.

Which is the target market segment of SIPtm and can you share some details about the customer demographics of SIPtm ?

Target market segment of SIPtm is people with regular income as SIP mode of investing is a good fit for them.

There are lot of Fintech companies like Scripbox, Sqrrl, etc. that are into goal-based investments, what are the USP’s of SIPtm over their competitors ?

SIPtm is a vehicle to achieve goals but takes a different route than its competitors to reach the goal faster, more predictably and with less volatility. The USP is in the name itself, the app is built ground up for SIP investments only i.e. no lump sum investments which makes the journey less bumpy and more predictable.

The other differentiator is that SIPtm offers a complete solution, right from prescribing the monthly SIP amount, to selection of funds, to distribution of monthly amount between the funds. More importantly, it re-balances the portfolio at appropriate times during the journey i.e. It does not take the fill it, shut and forget it approach.

We are a fintech company i.e. a financial services company that leverages technology to make life easier for our customers. Not the other way round i.e. a technology company that has built a financial app? The nuance is very important as you are suggesting an investment solution not a consumer commodity like laptops and mobile phones where ratings work.

As per a report, there is very small percentage of investors/would be investors who plan to invest in the Equity market [or MF], how does SIPtm plan to change this ‘resistant’ behavior from investors ?

Resistant behaviour is because of fear of loss – The answer is SIP mode of investing as SIPs manage volatility better and as a result, give higher returns at lower risks. Also, SIP amounts are small, so you are not putting a lot of money at risk at any point in time. In case of SIPtm there is another level of assurance, as the suggestions are coming from experts based on 5000+ hours of research. There is also a visible change in the behaviour in the recent times, as per latest figures, India is raking in over a billion dollars in SIPs per month now.

What is the Total Addressable Market [TAM] that you are trying to address with SIPtm?

20 Million SIPs with average investment of Rs 5000 per month

How is the response from the early adopters of SIPtm and what are some the best features that are liked by the community ?

The response from early adopters is great with SIP values ranging from Rs. 5000 right up to Rs. 20,000 per month. The best feature liked by the community is the prescriptive investment suggestion and the overall simplicity of the investment experience.

Currently how many AMC’s are syndicated on the SIPtm platform and how frequently the data is updated on the app ?

This is one more differentiator for us, we have shortlisted only the top 5 AMCs of the country based on some key criterion’s, one of them being the staying power and that is a conscious decision. We may add a couple more in the near future if they pass the criterion’s that we have laid out.

SIPtm Core Team – Anup Abhonkar, Co-founder & CTO [L], Arjun Sarkar, Founder & CEO [R]

Once the user has created an account on SIPtm [and all his investments from various AMCs are under one window], what other services does your team provide to the investors so that they can get more returns from their investments ?

The most relevant and important service provided is the rebalancing of the portfolio and timely interventions to ensure that the customer goal is achieved in time.

Can you give a small glimpse about the tech behind SIPtm ?

SIPtm App has a very simple process flow and UI only because, underneath lies a network of multiple systems, including the App back-end, payment gateway, our back-office tech and RTAs and these systems talking to each in a secure and efficient manner through APIs.

What is the on-boarding process for customers on SIPtm and how has initiatives like IndiaStack, Aadhaar, etc. helped Fintech companies like SIPtm in on-boarding & other services ?

The Customer on-boarding process is very simple and totally paperless. We take minimalistic information from the customer as a one time setup. We know paper work is boring, however this basic information is a part of the Regulatory requirements. After verifying the Customer information, we activate the customer. The customer then goes for the eMandate process. Here is where we use the Aadhaar based e-Sign process that is very simple and reduces the manual 15 days process to just 3 days. So yes, Aadhaar helping immensely in reducing the cycle time as well as going paperless.

SIPtm is currently limited to MF’s/SIP’s, are there any plans/timeline on whether it would be expanded to cover other financial instruments ?

Not in the immediate future as we want to focus all our energy in one area that we are really good at and an area that is under penetrated.

With growing investor and entrepreneur interest in Fintech, many wallet companies like Paytm via PaytmMoney, FreeCharge, MobiKwik, etc. have launched a boutique of finance products on their platform, does this growing competition have an impact on a startup like SIPtm and how it could result in expansion of the fintech ecosystem ?

We do not consider wallet companies as competitors as they do not have the expertise or experience in mutual fund investments. It is like going to a pharmacist who just stocks different products and asking them for a recommendation on medicines to treat a serious disease. But  the fintech ecosystem can benefit if the wallet companies tie up with players like SIPtm as, as they can generate an incremental revenue stream and actually add real value to their users by helping them generate wealth vs earning cashbacks.

Does SIPtm charge any commission from the investment that is being done on the platform ?

Not directly from the customer but through the AMCs we have partnered with. That being said, we do not push mutual funds suggested by the asset management companies as a typical distributor does, just position funds shortlisted by our algorithm.

What is the revenue model of SIPtm and does it follow the Freemium model & do you plan to be a preferred investment partner for enterprise customers ?

As of today our revenue model is commissions. Yes, we plan to partner with enterprise customers in the future but the value proposition for them has to be worked upon.

There is a growing demand of products like SIPtm in Tier-2, Tier-3 cities [and beyond], what are some of the marketing initiatives that your team has taken in order to penetrate into that particular market ?

Yes, we are in talks with potential partners who have a strong existing network in the Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

SIPtm is backed by a very experienced founding team and there are very experienced domain-expert mentors behind SIPtm, how has the mentorship helped your team in building the ‘right set’ of features on SIPtm ?

The mentorship has helped us focus on the essentials and cut out the noise. Some of our key decisions on the product road-map have come through the regular calls we have with our advisors. The right set of features has come through a market research project we conducted for our target segment before developing SIPtm and we continue to collect feedback from our live customers.

Can you touch upon the funding of EverguardLife Ventures & are looking for institutional funding in the near future ?

Everguard is internally funded as of now, but we are looking for institutional funding this year for product development and marketing.

The app is currently present on Google Play Store, is there any timeline for the app to be released on the iOS platform ?

We are currently focussing on building traction and incorporating valuable feedback into the Android version. Work on the iOS version is underway and we shall release it shortly.

Do you plan to follow an app-only strategy or there is a plan to open-up a desktop version of the SIPtm platform [since it would definitely be useful for users who log-on the platform from their work location] ?

SIPtm is an app as mobile phones are the preferred mode for our target segment based on our customer research. That being said the algorithm that runs SIPtm is based on our earlier desktop platform called Finanswer which we plan to develop further for other target segments.

After demonetization, there has been a huge demand for payment apps [including UPI], wallet providers providing investment options like Digital Gold, etc. do you see that trend working in favor of apps like SIPtm [that makes an investor’s life smoother] ?

Absolutely, as users get more comfortable using and moving money through Apps it will help apps like SIPtm. We however, do not see payment apps as serious competitors because of the differentiators we touched upon earlier.

2017 was a tough year for startups [especially from funding point of view], how according to you should entrepreneurs deal with such adverse situations ?

Entrepreneurs should always be prepared and focus on their customers to earn revenue. Also, look out for investors who understand your domain well and who can help raise money when it is required, so that the team can focus on the product and business development.

SIPtm team is currently working out from a co-working space in Pune, what are some of the advantages for a startup/growth company while working out from a co-working space ?

You grow your network and get a chance to test your ideas quickly since the target segment is around you and more accessible.

There is lot of talk about implementation of Blockchain, AI, etc. in Finance & Fintech, what are your comments on the same and where do you see the tech moving ahead in the next 3~5 years ?

The ‘Blockchain’ and ‘AI’ landscape looks promising in delivering value to businesses and thereby increasing customer service levels which is very important in Finance. Organizations currently are trying to get a hang of it in multiple use cases and it will be a mainstay in the near future.

Some books that you highly recommend for entrepreneurs and some closing comments for our readers ?

The books I would recommend are E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber, Founder of Michael E Gerber Companies and Zero to One by Peter Thiel, Founder of PayPal

We work really hard all our lives to earn money but do make our money work hard for us, by the time we realize this, half our working life is over. I would advise your readers to start investing early as time in the market is the most important factor and it is totally under our control. Investing is a process, boring maybe, but definitely life changing if taken up seriously.

SIPtm for Android can be downloaded from here. We thank Arjun Sarkar for sharing his insights with our readers and walking us through his journey. If you have any questions for him, please share them via a comment to this article or email them to himanshu.sheth@gmail.com

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There is a common saying ‘Only thing that is Constant in life is Change‘ and in order to witness change, you need to just look around you. Every day you would have witnessed changes in your vicinity, though some might be good and some might be ‘not so good’. There is an increasing amount of urbanization in every city/town and though it helps in improving infrastructure, planning for the long-term, providing jobs, etc. it has its own share of disadvantages associated with it. The major drawback being the deterioration of air quality due to a rapid increase in the number of vehicles, thereby leading to jammed roads and air-pollution. We can definitely do our bit to contribute towards a sustainable environment, but when you are indoors you can improve the air-quality by using an air purifier.

Image Source – Air Purifier

Many Indian cities lead in the list of most-polluted cities/cities with bad Air Quality Index. Who can forget the negative media coverage of the Air Quality Index in New Delhi where the air was considered as ‘highly unsafe for breathing’. When we breathe polluted air that is filled with harmful gases like CO, Ozone, NO2; we are prone to catch air-borne diseases like allergic cold, asthma, etc. Such kind of air will affect kids and infants more since their immune system is weak and immunity is under development. You either have the option to shift to a less populated and less polluted city or take the necessary precautions outside. When you are indoors, you & your loved ones can breathe clean & purified air when you opt for the best air purifier.

As the name suggests, Air Purifiers are high-tech devices that clean the indoor air by removing the harmful particles that could cause deterioration to human health. Many middle-class homes are also opting for air purifiers due to which air purifiers India market is rapidly expanding at a CAGR of 15~18% and this is where renowned brands like Livpure are trying to create a dent in the industry. Growing affordability, rising hygiene concerns, the aspiration to lead a healthy lifestyle, and a rapid decline in prices of air purifiers will further boost the growth of the market*.

Majority of the air purifiers use the HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration technology that is designed to arrest very fine particles effectively, but they do not filter out gasses and odor molecules*. Livpure has a range of products in the air purifier category, namely ‘Livpure Smart O2 450’ air purifier that has a 5-stage filtration technology and is suitable for 750 square feet area. Since the world is becoming more connected with the advent of IoT, Livpure has also released the ‘Livpure Smart O2 580’ air purifier which is India’s first air purifier with built-in Wi-Fi technology. Consumers who want clean air on a tighter budget can opt for ‘Livpure Fresh O2 130’ air purifier which has a 4 stage filtration technology and is suitable for 200 square feet area.

Though phones have become an indispensable part of our lives, it is high time we also take health and air-quality more seriously and make air purifiers an integral part of our homes 🙂 In case you own an air purifier, do leave your experience in the comments section…

References* – 1, 2

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As part of Microsoft India’s continued efforts in building awareness around cloud technologies, data privacy and security subject areas, the company today announced the availability of online courses on cloud computing, with a focus on data protection regulations, security and compliance. Launched in association with learning partner myLaw, the free-of-cost online course enables students, business and legal professionals, and overall legal and compliance communities to understand data protection, the basics of GDPR, security and best practices around cloud better.

Image Source – MyLaw

Titled Cloud Computing: Data Protection Regulation, the first phase of the course covers questions that arise in the context of privacy and data protection, including the transfer of data across transnational cloud computing networks, data protection and data security.  This course will also cover how regulations such as the GDPR and Indian data security laws are seeking to address issues in these areas.

The second phase of the course, Cloud Computing: Data Protection Compliance, to be launched in September 2018, will provide the legal fraternity with tools and practical insights required to meet the heightened privacy and security standards set out under the General Data Protection Regulation [GDPR], Indian IT Act [2000] and other regulatory frameworks that are imperative to the modern data economy.

Keshav Dhakad, Director & Assistant General Counsel, Corporate, External & Legal Affairs [CELA], Microsoft India, said

Microsoft has been at the forefront of building awareness around the benefits of cloud services and the importance of privacy & security. As India’s digital transformation accelerates, it is clear to us that equipping and empowering the right person with the right knowledge & skills is crucial to sustain the digital economy.

We are excited to partner with myLaw to provide the legal and business fraternities with a platform that will help equip them with knowledge of cloud computing, data protection and key regulations, more so with the evolutionary changes in global laws on privacy through the GDPR and with India being at the cusp of a new privacy regime.

Speaking of the partnership Nikhil Chandra, Founder & CEO of myLaw, said

We are proud to partner with Microsoft as the next step in our vision to make professional learning available to all. As a platform focused on professional learning and skills, we want to provide students and professionals access to high quality learning on the most industry relevant areas of law and regulation.

With heightened awareness about the privacy of personal information and the General Data Protection Regulation [GDPR] coming into force recently, this short-duration free course, featuring easy-to-understand videos and application-based questions for self-assessment, will be invaluable for professionals across the board.

Short and easily accessible through MyLaw and the myLaw app, the course is focused on up-skilling professionals on the go with a flexible time schedule in a mobile first, cloud first environment. Microsoft India and myLaw have co-curated the coursework for the program, which has a short run time of 2 -3 hours. The audio-visual course also provides additional downloadable supplementary content and reference materials for learners.

The platform will also feature the latest news-feed and updates on Data Protection Regulation on a monthly basis. The coursework is open for pre-launch registrations here.

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Uniphore Software Systems has been awarded the NASSCOM AI Game Changer Awards for 2018 under Speech Recognition category for its innovative Automated Speech Recognition [ASR] engine for language processing. The award is instituted by NASSCOM’s Centre of Excellence; Data Science and Artificial Intelligence [CoE-DSAI].

Image Source – Uniphore

Uniphore’s award winning innovation, ASR engine for language processing converts speech to text. This engine is trained to understand the differing accents, pronunciations and vocabulary that are common in the Indian languages as well. This has led to significant improvement in overall customer experience and brand loyalty for the enterprises.

While commenting on this recognition, Umesh Sachdev, CEO – Uniphore Software Solutions said

We are very happy and proud of this recognition from NASSCOM. Speech Recognition is the most complex deep technology space. Uniphore has built three products which unleashes the power of speech for enterprises. Our products help enterprises to mine the big data and help deliver better business out comes and superior customer experience. Today our products can recognize 100 plus global languages, including 17 Indian languages.

NASSCOM has constituted AI Game Changer Awards award to recognize, showcase & publish the most innovative, high impact and high-tech AI solutions that organizations have delivered internally or to their clients. The award that featured 50 innovative ideas in AI included categories like NLP, IoT, computer vision, advanced analytics and robotic process automation apart from speech recognition.

About Uniphore

Uniphore Software Systems is headquartered in IIT Madras Research Park, Chennai. Uniphore was incubated in IIT Chennai, India in 2008 and currently has offices in India, Singapore and U.A.E with about 100 employees spread across all locations. Uniphore’s investors include John Chambers, Kris Gopalakrishnan, IDG Ventures India, India Angel Network, YourNest Angel Fund and Ray Stata. Uniphore has worked with over 70 enterprise customers and served over 4 million end users.

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NXP Semiconductors N.V.  has been named one of the world’s most impactful Industrial Internet of Things [IIoT] companies based on recent research by IoT ONE. NXP’s core focus for the industrial IoT include – security concepts and anomaly detection to ensure the reliability and safety of connected automation equipment; advanced wired connectivity for deterministic data transport, such as, Time Sensitive Networking [TSN]; edge computing including machine learning; and secure cloud connectivity involving state of the art cyber-security concepts and technology.

Image Source – NXP

Erik Walenza, CEO, IoT ONE, said

From end-node to the cloud, NXP provides an unrivaled portfolio for supporting the incredible growth of smart, connected solutions for the IIoT – including microcontrollers, microprocessors, connectivity, analog, sensors and RF technologies. It is an honor to recognize NXP as one of the top companies influencing and driving growth in the Industrial IoT.

In addition to ranking-4 on the IoT ONE 500 Top Industrial IoT Index, NXP announced it’s new Industrial Competency Center. Based in Hamburg, Germany, the center further strengthens its IIoT commitment by providing a comprehensive industrial system program portfolio with research and collaborative programs that will fuel innovation for the connected manufacturing and industrial processes of tomorrow.

Sanjay Gupta, VP & India Country Manager, NXP, said

By driving and enabling leading-edge solutions that will transform industrial companies, NXP is rapidly becoming the partner of choice to help customers tap into their full potential of Industry 4.0.

Christian Wiebus, Head of NXP’s Industrial Competency Center, said

The IoT ONE 500 Index puts a spotlight on NXP’s ongoing dedication to create a smarter, more connected world, and our new Industrial Competency Center will further accelerate automation and connected ecosystems for the smart industry.

The center’s industrial system program incorporates Human Machine Interface [HMI], edge compute solutions for machine learning and artificial intelligence, and other core technologies required for developing robust IIoT product road-maps, including TSN and Industrial Linux enablement. The center’s research and collaborative programs are geared towards building and extending NXP’s industrial partner ecosystem of Original Equipment Manufacturers [OEMs], integrators, consultants, leading cloud and edge partners, research institutes and standard bodies. Also, the center’s programs are designed to fuel NXP’s strong momentum and its ability to support the strategic direction of NXP customers by anticipating and driving the future of the Industrial IoT.

About NXP’s IoT ONE Ranking on the IoT ONE 500 Top Industrial IoT Index

Every year, IoT ONE assesses over 2,000 IIoT solution providers in the IoT ONE ecosystem to create the IoT ONE 500 Index, which aims to identify and showcase the premier companies that are making the greatest impact in the IIoT ecosystem. NXP achieved the premium Industrial IoT Index ranking based on its brand influence, technology innovation, ecosystem openness, and input from industry experts and end users who validated the results generated by IoT ONE.  Some of NXP’s top scores were in the categories of processors and boards, transceivers, and sensors and actuators. Click here for more information on the IoT ONE 500 Industrial IoT Index.

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Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cyber-security solutions, has announced its new channel incentive and reward program in India. TrendSetter reward is designed to help re-sellers grow their business with Trend Micro, while offering re-seller representatives the opportunity to earn personal rewards. The reward program is a year-long program, which concludes on 3rd June, 2019.

TrendSetter Channel Rewards Program allows Trend Micro channel representatives to earn reward dollars on a personalized Virtual Visa Prepaid card for every eligible sale. This incentive program aims to encourage its existing channel partners and the broader channel community to work together and grow with Trend Micro. In India, Trend Micro has 2 Platinum partners, 8 Gold partners and the rest are Silver and Bronze partners. In SMB business, they have 2200 partners.

To join in Trend Micro’s rewards program, channel representatives need to register for TrendSetter Rewards program, transact eligible new product sales to net new customers and earn rewards for every deal. Once channel representatives are registered for the program, they will receive their personalized reloadable prepaid TrendSetter Visa card to start turning claims into rewards. Trend Micro channel representatives can earn up to $2,000 per deal.

The Trend Micro TrendSetter Rewards Program is open to all Trend Micro Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Partners. Organizations that haven’t participated in Trend Micro’s rewards program would need to join the Trend Micro Partner Program here.

Tom Cheeran, Head Channel Business, Trend Micro India said

We are excited to announce the TrendSetter Rewards Program for our channel representatives. TrendSetter Program rewards and recognizes our hard working and successful channel representatives. Our channel is at the very heart of our business and this latest reward program is designed to help them further grow their business with Trend Micro. TrendSetter Program would be a great opportunity to maximize the rewards for our channels representatives.

Trend Micro’s award winning partner program offers upfront competitive discounts, deal protection, specialization bonus and a broad range of technical sales and marketing support to ensure that Trend Micro’s channel partners are consistently profitable. Trend Micro Channel Program focuses to enable, engage and execute together with partners, in order to meet customer challenges.

To register for the program, channel partners can visit Trend Micro Trendsetter Rewards.

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TalentQuest, a global talent management and learning solutions company, has launched India’s first Academic AR/VR Centre of Excellence [COE] in association with PES University, a private university in Bengaluru, India, and Unity Technologies, the creator of the world’s most widely used real-time 3D development platform that powers more than 60 percent of all AR/VR content. Managed by TalentQuest, the centre will provide a one-year AR/VR certification programme, resulting in a diploma from PES University. Unity will provide licenses of its software for hands-on learning at the Centre of Excellence.

Image Source – AR VR

Dr. Frank Merrit, CEO of TalentQuest, said

The gap between the AR/VR talent available and the talent required is growing, which is why this is the ideal time to establish a physical space in India to equip our citizens with the skills they need to excel in the existing job landscape. With the help of PES University and Unity, we’re proud to help address this critical need.

Yogish Shanbhag, President, Global Learning Solutions, TalentQuest, said

This certification program is aimed at making the candidate employable across job roles in Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality for gaming and non-gaming domains, applications and products. This programme is immensely beneficial for professionals wishing to upgrade their skills and boost their career.

Taught by industry experts the programme will impart knowledge and develop industry standard skills through hands-on experiential learning on Unity development platform and live projects. We have also setup an AR and VR experiential center at the PES Banashankari Campus for people to appreciate AR and VR, its applications and the underlying difference between the applications.

AR/VR adoption is gaining popularity in a competitive market, with AR/VR headsets and eye-wear shipments projected to grow to 4.9 million units this year [25% increase] reaching $1.2 billion in revenue [18% increase].

Speaking on the launch, Ramesh A, Head of Education -APAC and COEs, Unity Technologies said

We are excited to launch the Centre of Excellence for AR/VR considering the enormous adoption rate of AR/VR in mainstream sectors. And on the same lines, we look forward to helping the talent build a thriving and innovative AR/VR ecosystem in India to its full potential with the help of the CoE.

Professor Ajoy Kumar, COO of PES University, said

PES is thrilled to work with TalentQuest in developing AR/VR skilled talent in India. We have always believed in developing a framework to curate technical and proficient individuals, creating an employable and productive talent pool.

About TalentQuest

TalentQuest is a global talent management and learning solutions company headquartered in Atlanta, USA, helping organization intelligently solve their challenges through the combination of Talent Management Software, Behavioral Science, and Immersive Learning. For more information, please visit TalentQuest

About Unity Technologies

Unity Technologies is the creator of a flexible and high-performance end-to-end development platform used to create rich interactive 2D, 3D, VR and AR experiences. Unity’s powerful graphics engine and full-featured editor serve as the foundation to develop beautiful games or apps and easily bring them to multiple platforms – mobile devices, home entertainment systems, personal computers, and embedded systems. Unity also offers solutions and services for creating games, boosting productivity, and connecting with audiences including Unity Ads, Unity Analytics, Unity Asset Store, Unity Cloud Build, Unity Collaborate, Unity Connect and Unity Certification. For more information, please visit Unity Technologies

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Truecaller introduced their newest Premium feature, Call Recording, for its Android users globally. This is another step towards upgrading their Premium offerings aimed at making communication safe and efficient by helping users report harassment related or fraudulent calls.

From helping users identify new business clients, to empowering women in their fight against harassment or objectionable calls, Truecaller has safeguarded users by identifying unknown calls and SMSs.  The latest Call Recording feature will also assist its users in keeping track of important conversations with businesses, colleagues, or friends.

Call Recording has been one of the most highly requested features by Truecaller users. The team decided to develop and combine it into their Premium package along with the Who Viewed Your Profile feature.

How Call Recording Works

When a Premium user dials or receives a call, they can toggle ‘ON’ the recording feature from the Truecaller Caller ID screen. The recordings are then stored on the user’s phone. All users without a Premium subscription can get a free 14-day trial of this feature, the company announced.

Call recordings are stored locally on the user’s phone, and not on Truecaller’s servers. The users of this feature are responsible for following local laws around two-way consent.

More Premium features when you subscribe

  • Who viewed my profile
  • Ad-free experience
  • Contact requests
  • Premium badge for your profile

To upgrade to Premium, tap on the ‘Upgrade to Premium’ tab in the Truecaller app.