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|In: AppReview|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

Couple of weeks back, I switched from Google Keyboard to Xploree Keyboard, a keyboard that can do much more than typing! In simple words, Xploree is an intent based keyboard that is powered by AI, NLP, Machine Learning and host of other technologies. It is a product from Hyderabad based KeyPoint Technologies that has earlier developed adaptxt and has mastered the art of building a keyboard that ‘Users Want’!.

Xploree doubles up as an effective ‘Discovery Platform’ that learns from user’s intent. Since it is a keyboard app, it also does the job of a regular keyboard 🙂 Xploree App review was earlier published here, today we have an interactive session with Deepti M. Saxena, Sales & Marketing Director, KeyPoint Technologies. The Q&A revolves around Xploree, technology behind the app, learnings from adaptxt, etc.

Image Source – Xploree

What are some of the advantages of using the Xploree Keyboard over other traditional keyboards ?

Xploree is a smart mobile keyboard app that doubles up as a discovery platform. Powered by AI, the keyboard allows users to receive relevant suggestions and content while they chat, browse apps, etc. Even before users realize, Xploree gauges user’s intent & suggests recommendations based on who and what the users care about, current context [location, availability, etc.] and their likelihood to care about things when in a similar context.

Unlike other keyboards in the market, Xploree is the first smart keyboard app that augments predictions: not just that of words but INTENT. This smart keyboard app supports 110+ global languages including 29 indic languages thereby connecting people to content, products, services and solutions, almost faster than ideas can actually lead to words that too in their moment of need!

Can you share some details about the team behind the revolutionary Xploree keyboard.

While Sunil Motaparti, Founder & CEO- leads the business, Nutan Chokkareddy, CTO leads the technological innovations at KPT. Prima Dona, COO oversees company wide operations, with a special focus on scaling Xploree. Kiran Karthikeyan is the Vice President Product and is involved in the overall success of the product offerings.

Deepti M. Saxena is in-charge of Xploree’s nationwide sales and marketing activities. Today KeyPoint Technologies has over 100 enthusiasts working towards achieving the end goal-that is-making the mobile SMART with its INTELLIGENT KEYBOARD.

Can you please touch base upon some of the tech aspects of the Xploree Keyboard ?

  • First smart keyboard that identifies intents, categories and sentiment on the fly
  • Following the standards to handle context better [schema.org, IAB Taxonomy etc.]
  • Supports multiple languages and powered by NLP & Machine Learning [Neural Networks, Classification algorithms, recommendation systems etc.]
  • Ontology with frequent updates to capture trending topics
  • Captures and uses multiple contexts to provide the best discoveries
  • Application & Domain Context, Time Context, Location Context, User Context, Typed Text Context
  • Unlocking potential of mobile retail by integrating ability to buy products from within the app
  • Works across apps
  • Non-Intrusive. Follows EULA privacy policies
  • Available in SDK and SaaS models – to be consumed by third party applications

How secure is it to use the Xploree App since it gives suggestions in Real-Time [when typing], is there any data stored on any server ?

Xploree follows strict EULA and data privacy policies and does not capture, store or map users’ data. We do it on the device in real-time and do not send any typed text to our server

The only data thread that hits the server is the context, which is never stored beyond the keyboard session.

Keypoint had earlier developed Adaptxt [which was also available on other platforms], what are some of the learnings developing Adaptxt that was carried over in development of Xploree

During building of Adaptxt we got to understand the nuances of different languages and how users express similar thoughts in variety of expressions. This helped us understand that language is not a straight math but an art to understand and predict next words or phrases. It called for nonstop iterations to keep improvising on the predictions.

For Xploree, we heavily rely on machine learning & sentiment modeling to churn different intents and expressions among zillions of text strings. To make the task simpler, we built lightweight NLP [natural language processing] that sits on the user device [not on our servers unlike other search engines] and does everything within the device without compromising on user privacy.

Xploree is built over Adaptxt by adding advance layers of intent technology and machine learning.

Who are some of the partners who are present on the Xploree platform

Zomato, Flipkart, Amazon, Shopclues, First Cry, Housejoy, CouponDunia, Daily Motion among several others.

Recently Google released GBoard that also uses NLP, Machine Learning, etc. what are some of the USP’s of Xploree vis-a-vis GBoard

Any other keyboard in the market do not promise to be as ‘smart’ as Xploree besides offering a personalized dictionary. Xploree does more than a normal keyboard by capturing intent and context thereby becoming a virtual friend to users:a friend who understands their intent, context, desires, motives and matches them to relevant recommendations in real time.

KPT has been primarily working on Keyboards [LIPI, Adaptxt, Xploree,etc.], how as a company have you seen the Keyboard(s) evolve over a period of time ?

KPTs’ passion for linguistics and technology has enabled the company to deliver a better user experience across all types of connected devices over the years. KPT has seen a lot of success in the last couple of years with regards to the in-house innovations.

Adaptxt is an industry leading predictive text application for smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. Adaptxt was created with the aim of delivering a faster, error-free and personalized text input experience to users. Adaptxt won the Appy Awards for Productivity and Horizon Interactive Awards Silver for Best Productivity App. Adaptxt has been built for a pan-global audience and supports over 120+ languages.

Xploree, the latest keyboard app built by KPT is an AI and NLP driven discovery platform that offers unified hyper-context and intent precision on multiple screens, multiple apps and in multiple languages.  Xploree will be the first ‘Made in India’ smart keyboard app that has taken predictions and discoveries to a whole new level.

KeyPoint currently has representation in key markets including U.S., UK, India, Japan and China and continues to grow with its latest innovation Xploree.

Are there plans on developing a stand-alone keyboard SDK that can be used by 3rd party app developers

We already have a stand-alone, off the shelf keyboard SDK available for the market and 3rd party developers. Currently, service is available only on request.

How many languages are currently supported by Xploree

Xploree supports 110+ global languages that includes 29 indic languages. Additionally, the smart keyboard also offers mix of languages such as Hinglish (English+Hindi) Tamlish (Tamil+Hindi), Bonglish (Bengali+English), etc.

Can Xploree work on low-cost Android handsets that have less RAM, less internal memory, etc. since there has been huge mobile penetration in tier-II, tier-III cities, rural areas, etc who might not have high-end phones.

Yes. We have considered those aspects while developing our product. Xploree works best with mobile phones with 1 GB RAM and android version 4.4 & above.

How according to you can brands [not only e-commerce] but advertisers, etc. utilize the growing eco-system of Xploree

By showing brand cards at the right time, Xploree brings brands and consumers closer. This happens whenever an intent is expressed on the keyboard. Even before the user types out his desire, Xploree’s smart algorithms capture user’s intent basis the context and matches them with relevant recommendations.

In other words, brands and advertisers will be sitting right there on the user’s keyboard waiting for a context to show up. Needless to say, Xploree’s growing user base which is close to 3 million currently will be the exposure bandwidth for brands and advertisers.

How has the response been for Xploree Keyboard on iOS [if it is available and if not, then any timeline on when it might be available]

Xploree is currently available only on Android-version 4.4 & above. So far, the responses have been overwhelming. Xploree on iOS will be out soon!

Xploree Keyboard app is available on Play Store & can be downloaded from here. If you have used the Xploree App, please leave your feedback/suggestions in the comments section.

|In: Technology|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

Leading tech firm Novire Technologies Pvt. Ltd, in association with ‘Autoplant’ and ‘ITBS-Truck ka Load’, recently held its day-long annual customer meet Ignite 2017. The conference witnessed the presence of nearly 200+ key industry leaders, decision makers & IT Heads from leading Indian companies, including Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd, Ultratech Cement, Jindal Steel & Power, Varuna, Essel Mining (Aditya Birla Group), Flipkart, HDFC Ergo, Jindal Saw, JSW Steel Ltd, Lupin, Reliance Industries Ltd., Philip India, Vadilal Industries Ltd & more.

Based on the theme, Logistic 4.0: Preparing for the New Industrial Revolution, the conference debated and discussed how emerging technologies like mobile, cloud computing, Big Data and IoT are transforming logistics and supply chain services worldwide. Industry veterans discussed why a strong logistics sector is a pre-requisite for the success of the Indian Government’s Make-in-India initiative and technology adoption in the sector is at the core for bringing transformation in logistics.

Novire Technologies, a company of Indian origin started by NRIs had initiated the Make-in-India vision in the year 2007 and was rejuvenated & exited with the PM Modi’s vision of ‘Make in India’ initiative. It has adopted the vision as an integral part of its policies and is all set to give a boost to the logistic sector in India, with its intelligent end-to-end solutions. The company has embarked upon the journey and is catering to 200+ customers, which are accruing significant benefits like reduction in cost by 5~10%, increase in on-time deliveries by 20%, increase in asset utilization, improvement in customer satisfaction level by deploying smart IT solutions in the logistic sector.

Shedding light on the central theme Logistics 4.0, Hiten Varia, Chairman, Novire Technologies said

Manufacturing companies are moving into ‘Smart factory’ models [industry 4.0], which leads to manufacturing and warehouse units that rely more and more on the work done by machines. These machines plug into IoT networks to communicate with each other, and in the process allow us to access all aspects of the manufacturing/logistics chains.

Logistics 4.0 is the new paradigm of human-machine interaction in logistics that is being implemented by manufacturers to support their industry 4.0 trends. Logistics services will need to be able to communicate with the increasing number of automated processes at factories and warehouses to provide an ever increasing seamlessness in the transition of the product/service from the manufactures silos to the customers’ doorstep.

VS Girish, Executive Director, SCM PRO added

Due to the increasing use of cyber physical systems and IoT networks, big data analysis for human-machine interactions has never been this important. The current scenario of a segmented approach to logistics is ineffective and needs to be realigned with the trends that are currently being followed.

Technology fuelling business innovation

The conference further witnessed customers sharing their best practices and how they are driving innovation in supply chain with the use of technology. Arun Attri, CIO, Wonder Cement shared how his company achieved in-plant automation and is accruing significant benefits from it.

On similar lines Abhishek Singh, Akzo Nobel elaborated how the company has eliminated bottlenecks and optimized processes by implementing mobile technology in supply chain.

Abhishek Singh, Akzo Nobel said

With our earlier manual process, improving on-time delivery, which is a key component of dealer satisfaction, was a challenge. We implemented mobile GPS device across all our warehouses to address the business issue. This has enabled web-based order and vehicle tracking for both sales and logistics teams. Post implementation, email and SMS alerts are sent to dealers regarding material dispatch, which has led to significant rise in dealer satisfaction. Further, vehicle utilization, detention and delivery delays have been substantially minimized.

Some of the early adopters of Logistics 4.0, have re-looked at their end to end processes and also adopted Novire-Auto plant’s end to end to plug the gaps in logistics and supply chain.  V.V. Benugopal, CEO Panther Transfreight Limited and Ittaya Sirivasukarn, CEO OF INSEE Digital Company Ltd had partnered with Novire-Autoplant to implement their E2E Solution.

Swapnil Bagul, CTO of Writer Safeguard Pvt Ltd shared his company’s achievement by implementing IoT solution for their cash vans & ATMs. Additionally, Shidan Murphy, Angoss and Mrugank Parikh, Byte Prophecy discussed how Big Data can be leveraged to enhance business efficiencies and also presented real life use cases illustrating the use of Big data.

About Novire Technologies Pvt Ltd

Novire Technologies Pvt Ltd, founded in year 2004 by Hiten Varia and Suresh Sachdev, is in the business of developing and providing business solutions that are basically confluence of four major business trends-Mobile Technologies, Cloud Computing, Big Data and IOT. The company has a nationwide presence and has also recently forayed into international market with its first operations in Thailand. For further information, please visit Novire Technologies Pvt Ltd

|In: Technology|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

DigitalOcean, a cloud platform focused on simplifying the complexities of infrastructure for software developers and businesses and Hasura, a technology platform that helps developers build apps faster are collaborating with IIT Madras to bring the second edition of IMAD [Introduction to Modern Application Development].

IMAD is a free online course designed by Hasura & IIT Madras which aims to combine theory and practice and encourages students to build applications on the cloud. After the astounding success of the previous offering of IMAD, DigitalOcean and Hasura have partnered again for the second edition of IMAD to encourage students to build solutions to local problems or launch their own business ventures.

The first edition saw participation from a wide gamut – from college students to faculty, from working professionals to retired professionals to stay at home parents. They cut across geographic barriers [participants came from 21 countries], age [7% of the participants were over 40] and gender [30% of the participants were women].

Speaking about the program, Prabhakar Jayakumar, Country Manager, DigitalOcean said

We partnered with IIT Madras and Hasura on the first edition of IMAD, which turned out to be the largest ever MOOC in India with more than 57,000 registrations. We are happy to continue our association with the launch of the second edition of IMAD and we look forward to equipping our next generation of developers with the knowledge and tools required to build their applications on the cloud.

Beginning from January 23rd, the 8-week hands-on course has been divided into five modules, and will go over the basics of the Internet, browsers, databases and web and mobile application development.

The key benefit for students from this course will be to help broaden their technical skills, which is a pertinent need amongst graduates today. The participants who take an exam at the end of the course will be eligible for a certificate from IIT Madras and course toppers will be provided with internship opportunities in premier tech companies.

Registrations for the course are open until January 23rd, for more details please visit here

About DigitalOcean

Founded in 2011, DigitalOcean is a cloud platform that is simplifying the complexities of infrastructure for software developers. DigitalOcean has become the second largest and fastest growing cloud computing platform in the total number of public facing apps and websites, according to Netcraft.com. The company has raised $123 million in funding from Andreessen Horowitz, Access Industries, IA Ventures, CrunchFund, and Techstars. The company is headquartered in New York City with data center regions throughout the world, including one in Bangalore (India). For more information, please visit Digital Ocean

About Hasura

Hasura.io is a technology company that builds tools for developers to build apps fast. For example: a working backend of an app like BookMyShow can be built in under a day. Apps built on Hasura are built on some of the most cutting edge technologies today adopted by companies like Pokemon-Go, Netflix, SoundCloud & Flipkart. Hasura abstracts away these tools to help developers set up a sophisticated architecture in a few clicks. Building on Hasura is the fastest way for a developer to go from an idea to a live application that is inherently production grade and cloud native! For more information, please visit Harusa

|In: Technology|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

Expanding its leadership in helping customers thrive in a changing technology landscape, NetApp announced the opening of its Bengaluru, India, Global Center of Excellence to further innovation in data management for the hybrid cloud era.

The new engineering facility, located in the technology hub of Whitefield, is home to one of the company’s largest R&D teams. It also houses the company’s first startup accelerator program, called Escape Velocity, that will help nurture technology startups. As one of the first all-steel buildings in India, the facility and its surrounding campus are a model for sustainable design.

Mr. Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister-Government of Karnataka on this occasion said

Bengaluru is the technology, science, and knowledge capital of India and this is a matter of great pride for all of Karnataka. The State Government offers its complete support to technology companies in establishing their centers here. I am very happy that NetApp has invested in a great future with their new campus.

He inaugurated the center in a ceremony attended by government and civic officials, NetApp employees and senior company leaders from around the globe.

George Kurian, NetApp CEO  said

The innovations that come from our Bengaluru Global Center of Excellence will help customers around the world get ahead of the competition by enabling their data-powered digital transformation strategies. Our continued investment in India, with its highly skilled talent, collaborative government and global business partners, strengthens our ability to succeed in the new era of hybrid cloud.

Talented team helps customers maximize value of data

NetApp has been in India for 15 years, fueling advancements in the company’s portfolio of flash, cloud, and next-generation data center solutions that help manage and protect the world’s data. The Bengaluru team’s mission includes expanding NetApp’s line-up of Data Fabric solutions and services that maximize control and improve the secure movement of data across the hybrid cloud. The diverse skills of employees and partners available at the new center will further innovations in these areas. NetApp India has been ranked as one of the top 50 best places to work since 2009, and the new campus provides an inspiring, collaborative and state-of-the-art environment for its engineers to develop new offerings even faster.

Startup Accelerator Program expands Data Fabric ecosystem

The new NetApp startup accelerator program, Escape Velocity, will house and help nurture technology startups.

Deepak Visweswaraiah, Managing Director of NetApp India & head of NetApp’s worldwide Data Fabric & Manageability Group said

The digital revolution is creating a need for partnerships to fully support customer needs. As we evolve our Data Fabric approach, the Escape Velocity program will help to share our technology expertise and business acumen with innovative startups who will add to the robust cloud data management ecosystem our customers need. With our support, these startups will be on a path to win in a dynamic global IT environment.

New facility designed for collaboration and sustainability

The Global Center of Excellence is uniquely designed to create a collaborative environment that inspires employees to be their best. With a 12,000-square-foot data center and engineering laboratory, employees can access the latest and most sophisticated technologies across the world. The 15-acre campus incorporates a million square feet of workspace that supports multiple collaborative options with hi-tech conferencing capabilities, a 1,000-seater auditorium, and informal meeting areas to foster teamwork.

The center is also one of the first all-steel buildings in India. It was built with 7,000 metric tons of nearly 100% recyclable steel, which reduced water waste during construction. Sustainable features are built into every design feature to optimize energy usage creating carbon savings of over 12000 tons per year, which is same as planting as many trees a year. In addition, the construction processes applied resulted in a saving about 1500 tons of CO2. With over 70% of land area free for open, green spaces, and all possible water recycled through an ‘eco-pond’, the campus is a benchmark for green buildings.

Beyond its work amenities, the campus supports multiple recreational and convenience options to support employees’ active lifestyles. Sports offerings include football and tennis, and for personal fitness, a gymnasium and yoga program. A ‘mall street’ allows employees to buy daily conveniences, pay bills, book tickets and visit doctors at work.

|In: e-commerce|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

E-commerce has been a huge game changer as now electronics, furniture, books, grocery, professional home services, etc. are all available on the push of a button. Apart from the entire digital experience, what makes it more unique is the speed with which the parcel is delivered to the customer! In today’s hyper-competitive environment, logistics definitely plays a very crucial role since a few days of delay [in delivering the shipment to the customer] can result in a bad customer experience.

The Trust Factor comes into picture when you are sending important documents to some or planning to shift to a new house. Though the Indian logistics market is expected to touch USD 307 billion by 2020 [Source], it is still disorganized and none of the existing logistics companies have multi-modal logistics options i.e. shipping via road, rail, air, ocean, etc.

This is where Jyotheesh Kumar & Dr Sharad Nair saw an opportunity and started ValueShipr, that offers customers (B2C) and Businesses (B2B) various shipment options namely Surface, Ocean, Rail, and Air. Their platform leverages IOT and Big Data for efficient tracking & shipment of consignments. In simple words, ValueShipr is a Logistics Platform ecosystem connecting SHIPPERS with Loads to TRANSPORTERS.

Today we have a chat with Jyotheesh, Co-founder & CEO of ValueShipr about his journey, learnings while building ValueShipr, funding, scaling up, etc.

So, let’s get started with the Q&A….

How and when did you come up with the idea of ValueShipr ?

In 2014, I was out to transfer goods for a personal matter as well as for office related requirements, wherein at the end of both the tasks, I was left with a deep irritation due to the experience. That’s when I realized how disorganised, unprofessional and customer unfriendly the whole logistics framework in the country was. Coincidentally Dr. Sharad Nair [the co-founder of ValueShipr] who is a director of another logistics company happened to meet me on a chance meeting and we just kind of exchanged notes and our frustration. One thing led to the other and our frequencies matched.  We drew a rough blueprint on the problems, the solution and the opportunity this presented. By end of 2015, we had a framework of business model and the number churning was done and ready. The official curtain on this project was raised in April 2016.

Can you give a small background about you, your start-up and its founders ?

Mr. Jyotheesh Kumar

ValueShipr is heralding in an innovative logistics platform ecosystem on On Demand Logistics marketplace by aggregating, organizing and bringing Transporter Partners and Clients-Shippers to harmoniously conduct business. The company is founded by Jyotheesh Kumar who brings in close to 20 years of experience in diverse and varied business roles. The company has received seed funding in 2016. The platform focuses on Multi Modal Logistics Solutions [Surface, Ocean, Rail, and Air] for cargo movement and brings together consignors, consignees, fleet owners, transport companies, warehouse owners as well as agencies on one common platform and enable them to transact and manage their business. Leveraging technology and diverse experience, ValueShipr focuses on delivering quality service by facilitating goods, cargo and parcel movement for every load capacity, at competitive price, flanking every shipment or freight with latest technology and outstanding customer service.

ValueShipr was conceptualized by Dr. Sharad Nair and myself. Dr. Nair and I have known since we were in school. Thus this venture brings us together after a gap of 20 years.  At ValueShipr, I am the Chief Executive Officer of ValueShipr, I am responsible for the day to day functioning of the company and ensuring that the company is successfully able to meet the requirements of the industry by providing seamless and easy to deploy solutions while also meeting the business objectives. Leading and mentoring a team [currently over 25] I oversee products, technology, businesses, marketing & PR, digital channel & marketing, distribution channels, project management & technology, CRM and business development owing to the proficiencies established due to my vast and diverse experience, I always look towards empowering vertical owners across multiple functional areas to take responsibility and keep raising the bar.

Dr. Sharad Nair the co-founder of ValueShipr has over 19+ years of work experience in private banking and wealth management. Dr. Nair is an active investor who has successfully help ed several start-ups bloom their venture into well-established organisations. At ValueShipr, Dr. Nair brings in his rich work experience and is the sounding board for all key decisions made at ValueShipr.

Does ValueShipr own the vehicles or it operates in a marketplace kind of a model ?

ValueShipr is an innovative logistics platform, aggregating, organizing and bringing ‘Transporter Partners’ and ‘Clients-Shippers’ to harmoniously conduct business on ‘On Demand Logistics’.

The platform would be focusing on Multi Modal Logistics Solutions [surface, ocean, rail, and air] for cargo movement. The stakeholders of logistics industry like consignors, consignees, fleet owners, transport companies, warehouse owners and agencies look to us to provide a common platform and facilitate them to transact and manage their business.

The focus is on aligning and blending technologies to systematise and organize with-Digital Sourcing, Internet of Things [IOT], cloud, CRM, document automation, GPS tracking, analytics, Artificial Intelligence [AI] and other value added service systems inherently as features of the platform

Interchangeability, Omni-channel access to platforms 24*7, CRM, Safety and reliability would further augment the user experience manifold for users of ValueShipr

ValueShipr caters to first-mile or last-mile delivery or both ?

ValueShipr is agnostic to the modes and being a technology led transportation platform can conform to both the requirements of transportation in the supply chain throughput.

What are some of the business verticals i.e. cargo, warehouse, inter-city logistics, etc. that ValueShipr caters to ?

These are facilitators in the value chain that are essential to complete the transportation of goods. We offer value added services viz; warehouse, packaging, loading, Insurance, intra city logistics to complement our services.

From customer’s perspective, tracking a parcel becomes very important. What are some of the technologies that ValueShipr uses in order to ensure safe & timely delivery ?

At ValueShipr, one of our core USPs is that we are involved through out of cargo movement, so we have built technology [IOT based GPS system] alerts, notifications right after the trip is confirmed until the delivery to the consignee is made. Besides this, we have a call center which is monitoring any aberrations/deviations during the trip on our dashboard and intervening with the driver/pilot to make sure that there is nothing amiss and the consignment is safely delivered.

ValueShipr has multi-modal logistics solutions (Surface, Ocean, Rail, and Air), how & when as per the experience at ValueShipr, should a customer opt for these options ?

So these modes are requirement based-meaning the determinants are-type of goods, geography, time, warehousing, packaging, price etc. are considered whilst taking a decision on which mode to opt for. Needless to say they have their own format that needs to be considered while adopting the right fit for transportation.

Can you please take us through the steps on how a transport company can partner with ValueShipr ?

Registering with ValueShipr is very simple. Transport business owners could just visit ValueShipr or download the ValueShipr mobile app from the Android store or else call 8655012255 to register. Post this stage, transport owners will need to share a few documents, which they could upload, scan or ever send us whatsapp images to fulfill the requirements. After verification and confirmation we schedule a boarding call led process on familiarization to help the person/transporter completely acclimatize with the process.

Most of the startups [tech & logistics] are focused on solving the last-mile problem, how much according to your experience is it critical to focus on first-mile as well ?

There are problems and challenges in all strata of society and this presents an opportunity to solve the problem. We know necessity is the mother of all inventions and ideas. Having said this, when you look at the challenges that surmounts any activity, one realizes the loss of efficiency and productivity in the entire throughput.

Both First Mile and Last Mile activities are vital cogs in the Supply Chain and cannot be wished one over the other.

Talking about logistics, there are companies like Delhivery, E-kart services, DHL [the traditional couriers], Post, etc. what according to you are the USP’s that customer can get if they ship via ValueShipr [either in terms of value/efficiency, etc.] ?

All the names mentioned above are respected companies in the logistics arena and are fairly entrenched in the 17% organized marketplace. ValueShipr firstly focuses on cargo goods>30 kgs and above and is a technology led platform focusing on enabling and empowering the 83% unorganized logistics players to efficiently undertake business and enhance their business.

Customers using ValueShipr gets-validated transporters, transparent transaction system, shipment tracking, proper documentation, payment options and access to call centre’s in a complete package

Can you please share details on the funding of ValueShipr ?

The company has received seed funding in 2016.

Does ValueShipr also cater to reverse-logistics [especially for big ticket items items like furniture] shipped by e-commerce partners using your services ?

We have factored this as a part of the plan and will be launching it suitably in 2017.

At the moment, ValueShipr caters to how many cities in India ?

Currently ValueShipr services are available across 18 cities in India, by March 2017, we will be adding another 10 more locations.

As ValueShipr  operates in marketplace kind of model, how do you ensure that your driver partners deliver the best experience [in terms of on-time delivery,etc.] to your customers [considering that all the truck drivers are un-educated and their style might not go well with customers] ?

Firstly at the time of transport partner enrollment, we look to ensure the transport owner provides us with their best drivers. Also at ValueShipr we also focus on getting transport owners who are involved or is a driver himself. Secondly we have a process of continual engagement with the driver during the transactions from our control centre to ensure compliance’s. Shortly in 2017, we plan to kick of the hygiene training program for drivers of our partners at select centres whereby they would be sensitized on the operational effectiveness and conduct for good services.

Currently ValueShipr [partner & customer app] is present only on PlayStore, any plans of launching the iOS version of ValueShipr ? 

Our Business plans have factored in the iOS application; however our surveys have shown a higher presence of Android phones amongst our user groups.  We would like to understand the market feedback while we look to develop the app for the iOS platform.

Are there any existing competitors of ValueShipr, how has the response been so far from the users [both logistics partners and retail users] ?

As far as the intercity model is concerned, we understand that there are a few players both in the transaction and classified models. However we are committed to provide the most unique logistics in the current market place with a powerful transaction led technology backbone. The entire innovation, algorithm, machine learning, BI, IOT framework are all developed internally.

What are the initial challenges that you faced once you started working on the idea [or turned an entrepreneur] ?

Like in every entrepreneurial journey, idea validation, funding, product and work flow finalization, resources, identifying right scalable technology, go to market and distribution have all been challenging and continues to be so even to this day.

What are some of the growth hacking techniques that are being used for ValueShipr and some tips for our readers ?

Growth hacking is a coinage of the Digital Revolution. Every startup that posts its A/B testing phase will look at means of rapid scale up at the shortest possible time, all at the back of limited financial resources and distribution. The growth hacker or simply the marketer is that messiah whom the team looks up to, who is deft in using multiple channels, focused strategy and execution ability and create vitality, to carve out distribution scale for the company.

ValueShipr believes in adding value to all associated stakeholders in the ecosystem and therefore is fully focused on massive reach out using multiple channels viz; traditional methods, digital marketing, social media, micro market campaigns to create awareness, acclimatize prospective clients and create the experiential effect of the assets with the consumers. While there is a sense of urgency, however we are clearly customer oriented and want to repose their faith and trust in the product.

When according to you should an entrepreneur look out for external funding ?

My personal view is that after validation of the MVP and there is a steadfast traction established, should one look at funding for growth.

2016 has overall not been a good year for startups [falling valuations, shutdowns, demonetization impact, etc.],  how do you see 2017 from start-up perspective and how should a start-up founder deal with such down-time ?

If solutions are built with a core focus of solving ‘identified problems’ and the concerned startup/entrepreneur has validated the proof of concept, it has nothing to be concerned about. Events, economic cycles of upward and downward trend would happen and that is the nature of the beast. However every start-up founder has to be resolute in his focus on their objectives and they could tide over any surprise challenges.

Some tips for aspiring entrepreneurs and something that keeps you motivated every day for your start-up ?

Every aspiring entrepreneur has to mentally be prepared for an action packed life. I would personally call every start-up CEO a ‘Chief Everything Officer’ so much so that the events on a daily basis hardly leave them with any time to spare.

He is a lonely ranger out there, possessed by his idea, convincing both internal and external customers to toe his belief & ideas and deliver. Due to the nature of complexity of challenges, there could be stress, anxiety and frustration at times. Keep doing the good work since it’s only through your belief that your team and customer will begin to believe in the enterprise. Hence every startup entrepreneur needs to have the ability of self-motivating themselves. I would recommend that entrepreneur try and lead a balanced and disciplined life to the best possible extent, give time to your physical well-being, inculcate reading habits, spend quality time with their family and also bake in sporadic travel plans.

Do give ValueShipr App a shot and share across your feedback/questions in the comments section. If you have any questions for Jyotheesh & his team about ValueShipr, entrepreneurship etc., email them to himanshu.sheth@gmail.com

|In: IOT|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

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 NI Industrial IoT Lab at its Austin headquarters.

The NI Industrial IoT Lab focuses on intelligent systems that connect operational technology, information technology and the companies working on these systems. Designed with flexibility for the future, the lab’s operational focus includes areas such as micro-grid control and communication, advanced control for manufacturing, and asset monitoring for heavy equipment.

Additionally, the NI Industrial IoT Lab fosters collaboration between different companies to improve interoperability. In this space, companies with expertise in communications protocols, controller hardware, I/O components, processing elements and software platforms come together to validate end-to-end solutions that can dramatically change the way businesses operate.

Companies sponsoring the NI Industrial IoT Lab include – Analog Devices Inc, Avnu Alliance, Cisco Systems, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Industrial Internet Consortium, Intel, Kalypso, OPC Foundation, OSIsoft, PTC, Real-Time Innovations, SparkCognition, Semikron, Viewpoint Systems and Xilinx.

Jamie Smith, business and technology director at NI said

We are excited to strengthen partnerships with other world-class technology companies. A working showcase for new technologies can help all companies involved drive breakthrough innovations for utility grids, manufacturing, asset health monitoring and several other industries.

The lab is a working showcase for Industrial IoT technologies, solutions and systems architectures. Through demonstrators, such as the on-site Industrial Internet Consortium [IIC] test-beds, participating companies can promote innovative solutions and drive discussions with the domain experts that see the real-world challenges.

To learn more about the new NI Industrial IoT Lab, please visit IIOT Lab from NI

|In: Android|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

BankBazaar, the Personal Finance marketplace backed by Amazon, has unveiled new features on its Android App to further help users manage their finances. In the new Personal Finance section, a user views a real-time snapshot of their aggregated balance across multiple savings accounts and transaction history of individual bank accounts. Most people use more than one bank account, which makes it difficult to keep track of transactions and balances. BankBazaar.com solves this problem by displaying consolidated information in one single simple interface.

Customers can view a personalized summary of their consolidated bank balance from the Home Screen itself, with the option to view bank-specific balances too.  They can also use the app to quickly and seamlessly update their balance in real time.

In addition, the app also tracks credit card spends, due & minimum due amounts corresponding to the billing cycle. All this is done in a reliable, secure, non-intrusive manner after the user signs in using their Google or Facebook login credentials.

Rati Shetty, CPO and Co-founder, BankBazaar.com said

In our busy day-to-day lives, keeping track of personal finance transactions can take a backseat. When mobile applications help people make every aspect of their lives simpler, why should money matters be any different? We’ve simplified everyday banking transactions and accessibility to the right financial products together in one simple, secure, unobtrusive application.

According to BankBazaar, the app helps reinforce responsible fiscal habits in the user in three ways:

Enhance savings :  The app provides a direct window into a user’s financial health and will help a user get a better handle on over-expenditure and better budgeting.

Schedule payments : The app keeps track of a user’s credit card billing cycle with gentle reminders to pay their bill on time. This will help improve credit score.

Easy credit access : The app delivers the best loan and credit card offers with the added convenience of instant approval, real-time application status tracking and a paperless process.

The new feature update combined with the app’s existing features such as EMI calculators, IFSC search, application tracking etc., gives the user extra fire power with absolute control over cash assets and credit card liabilities in a simple interface. This is yet another firm step in BankBazaar.com’s mission to help users access the right financial products.

BankBazaar app for Android can be downloaded from here

|In: Technology|Last Updated: | 0 Comments

Jigsaw Academy, the Online School of Analytics in association with CityMandi, India’s first Wholesale online B2B e-commerce venture came together and concluded an Analytics contest that was organized recently, the winners of which were awarded cash prizes & recommendation letters.

Participants who were training in analytics by Jigsaw Academy had to showcase their analytics skills on a professional platform. They formed a group of four members to work on and compile the submissions for the contest.

The contest involved CityMandi’s company data that was shared with participants of Jigsaw Academy to work on a real-life project. The final presentation would answer the problem statement by CityMandi while highlight the participants’ analytics skills and insights.

The overall objective of the contest was to demonstrate the use of analytical tools to derive insights from the company data that was made available by CityMandi. The learning objective was to demonstrate use of tools like SAS/R to extract, manipulate, analyse and visualize data.

Submissions for the contest by participants were evaluated on factors like Understanding of the Problem, Approach, Technique, Interpretation/ Insights, Visualization [relevance, ease of comprehension and interpretation by the reader], Presentation and the overall Effort by the participants.

The biggest highlight of the contest is CityMandi’s proposition to interview candidates who have made submissions, for suitable roles in their company.

Speaking on this occasion, Sarita Digumarti, COO & Co-Founder, Jigsaw Academy, The Online School of Analytics said

We were glad to see the enthusiasm shown by our students given the fact that it was an open-ended research study that dealt with corporate data that was not straightforward. We thank and appreciate the time and effort put in by all of them. We hope to bring more of such interesting projects in the year 2017 to hone and strengthen skills in our students and to imbibe data exploration, analysis, and visualization.

Dr. Srinivas Padmanabhuni, Co-Founder and Director of CityMandi said

We are glad to have associated with Jigsaw Academy and are excited about giving an opportunity to Jigsaw students for working on CityMandi’s business project, and are thrilled to have received submissions from them, we are thrilled about this association and look forward to more. We will be using the winning analytics ideas for optimization of our business operations furthering our cause of sound unit economics, and business expansion.

The top four winners were awarded cash prizes under the CityMandi Online Award program. The winners also received letters of appreciation and recommendation letters that can be a strong differentiator in a job change or higher studies.

About Jigsaw Academy

Jigsaw Academy, the online school of analytics, head-quartered in Bangalore, has trained over 40,000 students across 30+ countries in the most widely used industry-relevant data analytics tools and techniques. Jigsaw Academy’s founders, Gaurav Vohra and Sarita Digumarti, have over 25 years of combined experience in consulting and analytics, across multiple industry verticals in India and the United States. Jigsaw Academy is funded by Manipal Global Education Services (MaGE). For more information, please visit Jigsaw Academy

About CityMandi

CityMandi is India’s first Wholesale online B2B ecommerce venture. It is an attempt to restructure this complicated mesh of supplies from the farm to the point of consumption using technology based standardization, an end to end ERP, mobile based order capture combined with rich analytics, and cost effective wholesale payment solutions to offer an integrated solution for managing the supplies for B2B segment. Primary segment of consumers includes HoReCa (Hotels, Restaurants and Caterers). The key idea of CityMandi is to use technology and analytics to standardize the currently highly organized supply chain of HoReCa segment in India. For more information, please visit CityMandi