Piyush Goyal Urges Deeptech Innovation for India’s Technological Sovereignty at TiEcon Delhi

Policymakers, industry stalwarts, investors, founders and startup leaders converged at TiEcon Delhi to celebrate India’s accelerating deeptech revolution. TiEcon Delhi, organized by TiE Delhi-NCR, a two-day summit kicked off on an inspiring note, setting the stage for powerful conversations, visionary ideas, and collaborations shaping the future of technology and entrepreneurship in India.

The highlight of the opening day was the Grand Keynote by Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce and Industries, Government of India, where he outlined Government’s Vision for Building a Vibrant Deeptech Ecosystem Driven by Innovation and Youth Engagement. He observed that India’s digital journey has been integral to its economic rise, from becoming the world’s fourth-largest economy to being on track to reach the third position within two years, and achieving the vision of a USD 30–32 trillion economy by 2047. He stated that the foundation of India’s growth rests on the power of technology and innovation.

“Over the last decade, India’s remarkable digital transformation has created unprecedented possibilities for the millions of Indians from the bottom-of-the-pyramid to millions of our innovators. Programmes like the Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar identity, Direct Benefit Transfer, the growth of the UPI payments ecosystem, expansion of 4G networks and now 5G across the country, all these have shifted India from coverage to access, from access to usage, from usage to outcomes.As we move towards becoming a global engine of deep-tech innovation, through AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, emerging technologies, the entire ecosystem of talent, institutions, investment, start-ups is aligning with this vision. Happy to see platforms like TiEcon Delhi-NCR bring together entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who embody the spirit of inquiry and enterprise that drives India forward. Together, we must aim not just to participate in the global technology revolution but to lead it with confidence, creativity, and conviction,” said Shri Piyush Goyal, Honourable Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Government of India.

The sessions covered diverse themes from startup profitability to AI innovation and research commercialization. The Power Panel “Mission 2047: What Got Us Here Won’t Get Us There” saw participation from STPI, DPIIT, BIRAC, and NSIC leaders discussing India’s roadmap to becoming a global tech powerhouse. A series of fireside chats and keynotes followed, including “Quantum Leap: Accelerating India’s Tech Sovereignty” with Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, DST, and Dr. Saurabh Srivastava, Chairman Emeritus, TiE Delhi-NCR, and “How India Can Win the Global AI Race” featuring Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, and Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Founder, Info Edge.

“The Honourable Minister Piyush Goyal’s remarks on the need for Indian startups to focus on deep tech inspired us to take decisive action. We shifted our focus and the 25th TiECon Delhi has now become India’s largest deep tech conference. In a world where technology and trade are increasingly being weaponised, technology sovereignty represents national sovereignty. As India moves towards Viksit Bharat 2047, investing in deep tech and research is essential. This vision now defines TiE’s mission” said Dr. Saurabh Srivastava - Chairman Emeritus, TiE Delhi -NCR.

“India is witnessing an exciting phase in its artificial intelligence journey, powered by our strong technology ecosystem and exceptional talent base. Through the India AI Mission, we are focused on building an inclusive and innovation-driven framework that provides access to compute infrastructure, quality datasets and AI skills for startups, researchers and enterprises. In this, TiEcon Delhi NCR play an important role in fostering collaboration among industry leaders, entrepreneurs and policymakers, helping translate India’s AI potential into real-world impact. Our collective goal is to make AI accessible, responsible and transformative for every citizen, driving sustainable and equitable digital growth across the nation,” said Mr. Abhishek Singh, Addl. Secretary, MeitY India AI Mission.

The event also marked the unveiling of SPF 100 Desi Deeptechs, a first-of-its-kind showcase celebrating India’s most promising homegrown Deeptech ventures. Engaging sessions such as ‘AI Unlocked: Innovation, Scale & Competitiveness’ and ‘Deeptech on the Move: AI Innovations Powering Mobility 2.0’, powered by MG Motor, further reflected the vibrancy and depth of India’s Deeptech ecosystem, emphasizing the collective efforts of government, investors, and entrepreneurs in shaping a future-ready innovation economy.

In another key highlight, TiE Delhi-NCR announced the launch of the DeepScale India Accelerator Program at TiEcon Delhi-NCR 2025, a national initiative designed to fast-track the commercialization and scaling up of MVP-ready DeepTech startups. Supported by SIDBI as the Investment Partner, DST as the Ecosystem Partner, and AWS as the Technical Partner, the program will empower early-stage innovators across AI, robotics, quantum, biotech, spacetech, and semiconductors through mentorship, funding access, and masterclasses, culminating in a Demo Day at the TechSwaraj DeepTech Summit 2026.

Alongside the accelerator, TiE Delhi-NCR also introduced Lab2Scale, a DeepTech bridge designed to move TRL 4–7 research from proof-of-concept to pilots and commercialization. The Lab2Scale session at TiEcon featured rapid 5-minute pitches by select innovators, followed by curated Founder–Industry Huddles that enabled pilot discussions, partnerships, and opportunities for technology validation.

About TiE Delhi-NCR

Fostering entrepreneurship for over two decades, TiE Delhi-NCR stands as one of the most dynamic and impactful chapters of the global TiE Network. Renowned for its marquee events, high-impact mentoring programs, prestigious entrepreneurial awards, and powerful investor pitch platforms, TiE Delhi-NCR plays a pivotal role in shaping India’s startup landscape. With a mission to empower entrepreneurs at every stage, TiE Delhi-NCR offers access to industry experts, seasoned mentors, and global networks, helping founders scale their ventures beyond imaginable limits. Through consistent efforts to expand, explore, and elevate, TiE Delhi-NCR continues to evolve as India’s most credible and influential platform supporting entrepreneurial growth and innovation.

India’s Flagship Sci. & Tech Conclave ESTIC-2025 to Chart Roadmap for Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat

• A stage for young innovators and startups to showcase solutions and connect with industry, says Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister
• Designed as an outcome-oriented forum, the event aims to accelerate the lab-to-market journey for disruptive innovation. 
• Scheduled for 3–5 November 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, the conclave will feature three days of plenaries, technical sessions, and exhibitions. 

India's flagship Emerging Science, Technology, and Innovation Conclave, ESTIC-2025 is set to bring together the nation's top scientific minds, innovators and policymakers. Scheduled for November 3-5 at New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam, the conclave will propel the nation towards an Atmanirbhar Bharat, turning the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 into action. 

As India's flagship S&T conclave under the theme Imagine, Innovate, Inspire for Viksit Bharat 2047, ESTIC 2025 will unite the country's innovation ecosystem across the entire gamut of the scientific spectrum. Curtain raiser programmes by participating Ministries and Departments are building momentum for detailed discussions across the 11 thematic sessions spanning Advanced Materials & Manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence, Bio-Manufacturing, Blue Economy, Digital Communications, Electronics & Semiconductor Manufacturing, Emerging Agricultural Technologies, Energy--Environment--Climate, Health & Medical Technologies, Quantum Science & Technology, and Space Technologies. 

The programme features plenary addresses by global experts and Nobel Laureates, thematic technical discussions with S&T leaders, women entrepreneurs, and deep-tech startup CEOs, and on-ground showcases that spotlight disruptive innovation, including an exhibition by deep-tech startups and a poster forum for young scientists, faculty, and engineers. Designed as an outcome-oriented forum, ESTIC-2025 aligns research, standards-readiness, and scale-up mechanisms to accelerate the lab-to-market journey.

"The conclave is a stage for young innovators, startups and researchers to showcase innovative solutions, find mentorship, and connect with industry and stakeholders," said Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology; Minister of State for Earth Sciences; PMO; Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh. He highlighted the integration of key frontier technologies, including semiconductors, AI, quantum computing, biotech, space, and clean energy, across all eleven themes.

“ESTIC brings together India's scientific community, industry and startups on a single platform to turn ideas into impact. By connecting efforts across ministries and aligning with national priorities, the conclave strengthens translation pathways from laboratories to scale," said Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

"Through eleven thematic sessions and high-level panels, ESTIC-2025 will chart a comprehensive roadmap for Viksit Bharat 2047, enabled by a whole-of-government approach," said Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST), emphasizing ESTIC's role in advancing collaborative pathways that translate science into societal and economic impact.

ESTIC-2025 is designed as an outcome-oriented forum that celebrates stakeholder contributions while fostering collaborations among researchers, entrepreneurs, industry and funding bodies. The conclave's discussions and showcases are structured to identify actionable next steps and measurable follow-ups so that momentum continues beyond the three event days.

The conclave is a collaborative initiative of the Department of Science & Technology, under the guidance of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, and brings together an association of key ministries and departments including the Department of Atomic Energy, Ministry of Ayush, Department of Biotechnology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Space, and Department of Telecommunications.

About ESTIC-2025:

The Emerging Science, Technology, and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) is India’s premier STI platform, bringing together ministries, innovators, and global visionaries. A flagship annual event, ESTIC fosters collaboration, celebrates disruptive innovation, and drives forward the vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047." This transformative platform showcases cutting-edge research, deep-tech breakthroughs, and thought-provoking discussions with Nobel Laureates, global experts, policymakers, and emerging leaders. ESTIC-2025 is scheduled for 3-5 November 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

T-Hub Launches a Platform to Reinforce the Need for Innovation in Global Corporates

• Focus on boosting and empowering the open innovation concept, enabling organisations to stay ahead with their global technological advancements.
• Launches ‘Corporate Innovation Conclave,’ for October 2022 with 500 + attendees and 50 + thought leaders - the Biggest platform ever in India to strengthen the engagements of corporates with startups.
• Series of roadshows in Bengaluru and Chennai scheduled to raise awareness with corporate participants like Honeywell Aerospace, Boeing, SAP Labs India and Maruti Suzuki Pvt Ltd, Stellantis, TAFE Limited, UST, Renault Nissan Technology and Business Centre India, among others.

T-Hub, which leads entrepreneurs’ success with defined results through effective global collaborations, today announced that it will launch initiatives to encourage constant innovation in corporations. To further the innovation, T-Hub is launching a series of roadshows called Ino-Connect in Bengaluru on 20th September 2022 at The Oberoi and Chennai on 22nd September 2022 at the Taj Coromandel, followed by a two-day conclave called the Corporate Innovation Conclave on 18th and 19th October 2022 at New Delhi which is the biggest platform ever in India for open innovation engagement. The conclave will witness 500 + attendees and 50 + thought leaders from across the globe.

It is predicted that by 2023, 60 per cent of industry ecosystems will establish open innovation hubs for cross-industry collaboration so that organisations stay ahead in this era of disruptive innovation. The conclave is set to empower businesses in a rapidly changing economy and enable them to leverage disruptive technologies, and build a culture of intrapreneurship. It will bring together CXOs (Chief Experience Officers) and CIOs of corporates, entrepreneurs, investors, government organisations and academia - as they play a pivotal role in shaping the innovation growth strategy, design, emerging technology advancements, and development.

MSR, CEO, T-Hub, said, “The majority of corporates now recognise that they need to unlearn the old tactics and playbooks to remain relevant in the current world. With our Corporate Innovation Conclave, T-Hub hopes to bring together leaders in charge of revising those playbooks and creating new business strategies through collaboration. The conclave will also shine the spotlight on the radical growth of technological innovation resulting from the open innovation ecosystem in India.”

With an engagement of 600+ corporations across sectors like EV/ Mobility, Healthtech, Enterprise tech, Gaming, Artificial Intelligence and others, T-Hub’s corporate innovation ecosystem is creating a culture of innovation through collaborations between entrepreneurs and corporations. The conclave is yet another step toward furthering the innovation agendas of the corporates through panel discussions, networking events, fireside chats, masterclasses, and startup pitches. Aligned with the event’s theme, ‘The Power of Co-creation,’ T-Hub will focus on four curated streams: Digital transformation, Sustainability, Innovation and the Future of Work.

Panneerselvam Madanagopal, CIO, T-Hub, said, “In this era of innovation, any organisation's success depends on collaboration and co-creation. Our conclave aims to bring together these Corporate leaders, startup innovators and other innovation leaders to solve real business challenges through open innovation”.

T-Hub is organising Ino-Connect in Bengaluru and Chennai to create momentum for the conclave. The roadshows will allow corporations to power up their corporate innovation strategy and network with entrepreneurs and other ecosystem stakeholders. It will see participation from corporate leaders like Vijay Yaram, Senior Director, Commercial Excellence Group, Honeywell Aerospace, Nandita Aroor, Senior Manager, IT Manufacturing Operations Quality Management System and Factory Technology, Boeing, PVN Pavan Kumar, Chief Expert & Head APJ Platform Adoption & Advisory, SAP Labs India, and Aditya Aggarwal, Executive Vice President, Digital Enterprises, Maruti Suzuki Pvt Ltd, Pravin Swaminathan, Head Software Business and Product Management (India -Asia Pacific region), Stellantis, T. R. Kesavan, Group President Corporate Relations & Alliances, TAFE Limited, Bhavesh Sasirajan, Alliance Partnership, APAC, UST, Subramani Ailoor, Deputy Vice President, Renault Nissan Technology and Business Centre India, among others. The sessions will provide an array of opportunities such as partnership and networking opportunities, in-depth knowledge of open innovation needs, T-Hub’s case studies on successful corporate-startup engagements and growth strategy.

T-Hub will host innovation awards on the second day of the main conclave to encourage the spirit of corporate innovation and felicitate around 30 corporate innovators.

So far, T-Hub’s corporate innovation programs have successfully achieved 50+ scaling interventions, 150+ corporate interactions with startups, 60+ corporate innovation programs and curated innovative startups in 50+ countries. It has over 600 international and national corporates and 2000 mentor connections who have supported the scaling of over 2000 startups. T-Hub will continue to drive collaboration between startups and leading innovation ecosystems worldwide.

T-Hub (Technology Hub) is an innovation hub and ecosystem enabler. Based in Hyderabad, India, T-Hub leads India’s pioneering innovation ecosystem and is the world’s largest innovation campus. Over the six years, T-Hub has pivoted around the 6Ms (Mentorship, Money, Market Access, Motivation, Mindset, Manpower) and 2Ps (Partnerships & Policy advisory) framework with a mission of driving results and collaboration for entrepreneurs’ success. It has delivered 100+ innovation programs so far, creating an impact for startups, corporations, and other innovation ecosystem stakeholders. Since inception, it has provided over 2000 national and international startups with access to better technology, talent, mentors, customers, corporates, investors, and government agencies.

EventTech Company EventX Acquires Toasty to Enhance Growth Strategy in Asia

EventX, an Asian-focused event SaaS company providing event technology and event management solutions for businesses and marketers, today announced an acquisition of Toasty, a meeting platform that helps engage people in meaningful conversations, to strengthen EventX’s position in Asian high-growth markets with a focus on hybrid event management solutions.

Founded in 2020, Toasty was designed to bring interactive workshops online and has since become the video meeting platform that is intentionally interactive to incorporate various social capabilities. Used by over 16.5K participants and available in over 25 countries, Toasty is poised to bring back human connection in a digital world.

"The acquisition partnership further cements our position as the leading hybrid event management solutions provider in the industry. We are very excited to enter into this partnership with Toasty to drive further growth and value creation to strengthen our operation in Asia." said Sum Wong, CEO of EventX.

Sum Wong, CEO of EventX

 

Through this strategic acquisition, EventX will continue to broaden the product range and maximize the capabilities in hybrid event solutions that enable our clients to grow by delivering next generation event technology solutions. This will also help accelerate the company’s strong growth across its hybrid event management solution, and its recently launched metaverse-enablement solution to strengthen the value proposition to both Asian clients and partners.

“We believe that we will be in an even better position for the next phase of our growth with our new partner EventX. Together we will bring in next-gen event technology to the industry and better serve our clients in Asia.” a spokesperson for Toasty said.

To address the event industry’s needs of increasing the quantity and quality of attendees acquisition, EventX has recently rolled out a new "Attendee Generation" offering as a marketing hacking tool for event organizers and marketers. With information such as the company size, profile and job title of potential prospects, the function is an effective outreach strategy to help organizers to get more target audiences to join their events. It also aims to enable event organizers to get familiar with the notion of a well-defined persona and segmenting, personalizing and ultimately connecting more attendees with the right value.

Built with tech-first products such as check-in solution, online event registration system, event app and virtual event solution that emcompasses features from all-in-one CRM management, event analytics to email sending tools to streamline invitation, EventX strives to serve companies of all shapes and sizes to let them spot new business opportunities by enhancing audience reach, helping small and medium enterprises or even the startup community to strategically harvest leads through engaging and interactive events with its extensive expertise in event management.

About EventX

EventX is an Asian-focused SaaS company providing hybrid event management solutions. We enable brands and enterprises to unlock the power of events, bringing authentic human connections and connecting people without limitations. Equipped with a strong support network, we provide both organizers and participants with a smooth online experience. EventX serves a wide variety of industries ranging from financial institutions, entertainment, music, education to large-scale concerts and conferences. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the company currently caters to 100+ countries and has organized 20,000+ events with 5+ million attendees, making it the best end-to-end platform for any organization to broaden its audience.

Starscapes Celebrates ‘International Dark Sky Week’ With a Series of Astronomy-related Events

As a part of the celebration, Starscapes will host astrophotography sessions, a planetary parade, and the ‘Messier Marathon’ from 22nd April to 30th April

Starscapes, India's leading astro tourism company, will host a series of astronomy-related activities as a part of the ‘International Dark Sky Week’. Activities such as astrophotography sessions, planetary parade, and the ‘Messier Marathon’ will be held from 22nd April to 30th April at Starscapes’ observatories in Kausani, Bhimtal, and at their mobile observatories in Virajpet, Madikeri, Goa, Munnar, and Pondicherry.

What is International Dark Sky Week?

Endorsed by International Dark-Sky Association, a non-profit that works to preserve and protect the night sky, International Dark Sky Week is celebrated across the world during the New Moon week in April, which this year occurs from April 22nd to April 30th. The event, which began in 2003, aims to raise awareness about the night sky, the ecosystem that flourishes in the dark on Earth, and the universe that exists beyond our planet. Astronomy enthusiasts globally commemorate this week with activities such as switching off the light to minimise light pollution, stargazing sessions and astrophotography workshops.

Starscapes has been actively working towards promoting Dark Sky Locations in India in a bid to boost interest in astro-tourism. Very recently, Starscapes partnered with the Uttarakhand Tourism Board to develop Benital as India’s first astro village. Initiatives like these are slowly becoming a priority for many other state governments. Hanle, a historic village and home to the world's tallest astronomical observatory, was designated as a Dark Sky Sanctuary by The Union Territory administration in Ladakh a few months ago.

Commenting on the celebration, Paul Savio, CEO and Co-Founder, Starscapes, said “International Dark Sky week celebrates the magic of the nocturnal world and the importance of preserving and protecting our night sky from light pollution. To bring more awareness to this cause, Starscapes has curated a series of fun events for astronomy enthusiasts to learn all about the universe.

“A number of locations in India have low levels of light pollution and provide an undisturbed view of the night sky, making them ideal for a Dark Sky Park. At Starscapes, we aim to assist in opening many more Dark Sky locations across the country in a bid to promote Astro tourism.” he added. 

Events at Starscapes observatories for International Dark Sky Week celebration.

The Messier Marathon

Here’s your chance to learn who Charles Messier was and his contribution towards cataloguing the night sky. With Starscapes’ state-of-the-art telescopes, observe some of the galaxies, nebulas ,and star clusters that he catalogued. Go back home with a profound understanding of DSOs – Deep-Sky Objects that few people have seen!

Where: Starscapes observatory in Kausani and Bhimtal

Planetary Parade

Watch the planets as they line up in the eastern sky heralding the rising of the Sun, early in the morning. Marvel at once at the phases of Venus, the clouds, the satellites of Jupiter, and the rings of Saturn. Go home with a fascinating photo you will learn to click by yourself of the planets all lined up to offer you a rare spectacle!

Where: Starscapes observatory in Kausani and Bhimtal, and mobile observatories in Madikeri, Virajpet, Pondicherry, Goa, Munna

Astrophotography with Shikhar Gupta

Starscapes Light Painting at the Astrophotography Workshop

Here is your chance to put that DSLR to better use! Astrophotographer Shikhar Gupta will teach you all about night landscape photographs, using telescopes and mounts to capture images of deep sky objects; and learning how to process them to get the desired output. You’ll see galaxies and nebulas in colours you never thought existed!

Where: Starscapes observatory in Kausan

For more details, visit: https://starscapes.zone/event-dark-sky-week/

Contact: 9667307015

About Starscapes Private Limited

Starscapes is a unique platform that offers a holistic astronomy experience to give voice to your curiosity about the vast skies beyond our stratosphere. Founded in 2015 by astronomy aficionado Ramashish Ray with Paul Savio joining him as Co-Founder and CEO in 2019, Starscapes is India’s first and only chain of observatories that gives travel enthusiasts an integrated astronomy experience. With private observatories at Kausani and Bhimtal in Uttarakhand, Starscapes sports state-of-the-art equipment for observations, astrophotography and research projects.

IIIT Hyderabad’s Annual R&D Showcase to Be Presented for the 1st Time in Metaverse

Themed around Technology takeaways from the COVID pandemic

 Total showcase, focus on translation 

Metaverse hosting by CIE’s Avishkar accelerator startup NextMeetLive

Recently, Telangana state government has announced that it will launch its SpaceTech Framework on April 18 using Metaverse platform, with virtual avatars of government representative, startups, and other stakeholders.

Now in a latest, IIITH Hyderabad’s annual R&D Showcase will be held this year on Saturday 12 March 2022 in a hybrid model – physically on campus for students and in the metaverse for visitors. The Showcase will be hosted on the metaverse by NextMeetLive, one of CIE at IIITH’s Avishkar accelerator startups.

The Showcase this year is themed Tech-away – Accelerating the Future, specially technology orbitshifts triggered by seminal life-altering events like the COVID pandemic in the metaverse.

IIITH’s annual R&D Showcase celebrates the spirit of Research & Development where faculty and students share their work with the public in keeping with its endeavour to promote applied research that benefits society.

This year’s lineup includes roundtables on Quantum Science & Technology as well as Cyber Physical Convergence. There will also be pitches on research product possibilities, research connected startup demos, 600 research demos from IIITH’s 28 research centres, and a summary showcase.

Vinod K Nandicoori, Director, CCMB will deliver the inaugural keynote on how research is integral to the world today and tomorrow.

More details at https://rndshowcase.iiit.ac.in/

World’s Biggest Culinary Competition for Student Chefs, to Be Hosted Virtually From January 30th to February 5th, 2022

The winner will receive the coveted YCO 2022 title and a cash prize of USD 5,000

The world’s biggest Olympiad for culinary students – the IIHM International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) – is back with a bang to celebrate the multicultural diversity of food from across the world. After the success of YCO 2021, the eighth edition of the event will be held virtually this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic from 30th January to 5th February. YCO 2022 will witness the participation of student chefs from more than 40 countries, including Spain, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, Turkey, UAE, Sweden, among others. The competition will unite the young talents of the culinary world to champion this virtual culinary battle through their positive action.

During the 6-day long intense competition, which is being organized by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) in partnership with the International Hospitality Council London, the contestants will undertake 2 rounds of culinary challenges in their quest to win the coveted YCO 2022 title with Gold for a cash prize of USD 5,000; Silver for USD 3,000 and Bronze for USD 2,000 with digital certificates would be awarded to the winners.

Talking about YCO 2022, Dr Suborno Bose, the CEO of International Hospitality Council (IHC) and Founder YCO said, “With the overwhelming success of YCO 2021, more than 40 countries are coming together virtually consecutively for the second year, to celebrate the diversity of food from across the borders, YCO 2022 is not just the biggest culinary competition in the world but also a global platform fostering the spirit of youth, friendship, diversity and inclusiveness. Moreover, it brings all the young and talented future stars of the international culinary scene on a single platform where they connect with each other and share insights out of their experiences. YCO 2021 saw an unprecedented level of talents in young chefs, YCO 2022 is levelling up by inviting participants from more countries to compete for the title.”

YCO 2022 will commence on 30th January with a grand opening ceremony at 06:30 PM IST and the competition rounds will start from 1st February on Zoom video conferencing. The Opening Ceremony can be viewed at https://myiihm.com/YCO22OpeningYT. The top 10 contestants as per the scores of the previous round will compete in the Grand Finale of YCO 2022 on 4th and 5th February split into 2 groups of 5 countries in each, across 2 days in different time zones to accommodate all. The Plate Trophy will also be held on 4th and 5th February wherein the contestants holding positions 11 to 20 in the first round will compete. The Olympiad will conclude on 5th February with a closing ceremony, where the YCO 2022 Champion, runners-up and other awardees will be announced. This year, the participants will be competing for awards such as ‘Plate Trophy’, ‘Best Knife Skills’, ‘Best Vegetarian Dish’, ‘Best Crème Caramel’, ‘Best Hygiene and Kitchen Practice’, ‘6 Ambassador’s Awards’ ‘6 Mentor Awards’, ‘Best Use of Kitchen Cut Management Award’ and ‘Spirit of Young Chef Olympiad International Award’, ‘International Diamond Research Award’.

It is anticipated that more countries will participate in YCO 2022 online on Zoom, each participant will be recorded live in his or her kitchen carrying out a skill test and preparing each of the 2 dishes within the prescribed time and a team of judges will be able to view the work of each participant throughout the entire competition period. Due to the time zones, competing countries will be divided into groups according to their local time’s proximity. Virtual competition rooms will be created for each group of judges allowing for the judges to interact throughout the full period of the competition, to discuss each competitor and to mark accordingly.

In the competition’s first round, the contestants will be required to prepare three dishes – the first competition knife skill test, where the candidates have to cut various vegetables in different chopping styles, 4 portions of Creme Caramel served with an innovative fruit sauce to complement the caramel using their choice of ingredients and 4 portions of a Vegetarian stuffed pasta dish. The contestants will be judged on their basic skills, nutrition, health, safety and hygiene, taste and creativity in this round.

The Grand Finale and Plate Trophy Finals of YCO 2022 will test the contestant’s creativity, innovation, cooking skills and professional good practice in a time-bound environment. For the grand finale, the contestants will be given 2 and a half hours to create 4 portions of chicken from 1.5 kg prepared chicken and a new 4 portion chocolate dessert with prescribed ingredients. For the Plate Trophy Finals, the contestants will be required to prepare a chicken dish from 1.5 kg chicken, but in 2 hours.

The YCO and Kitchen Management 2022 is joining with the IIHM Global Centre for Hospitality and Tourism Research in a new initiative this year. To help research skills development it has been decided to expand opportunities for culinary students and teachers/lecturers to demonstrate research skills in the global hospitality and tourism industry. Colleges and Universities are being asked to submit a research paper of no more than 5,000 words the theme is ‘The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals’.

Prof David Foskett (MBE) will be the Chairman of the Jury while Padma Shri Chef Sanjeev Kapoor will be the Principal Judge and Mentor for YCO 2022. The panel of judges will include internationally acclaimed judges and celebrity chefs including Chef Brain Turner CBE, the President of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, Chef Andreas Muller from Hong Kong, Chef Enzo Oliveri (Italy), Chef Chris Galvin (UK), Chef John Wood (UK), Chef Garth Stroebel (South Africa), Chef Gary Maclean, Chef Stuart Littlejohn, Chef George Smith, Chef Karl Guggenmos and many more. The judges will evaluate the contestants on their ability to efficiently manage a food production area keeping in mind factors like health and safety, good hygiene, practice, ability to follow a recipe, culinary skills, creativity, etc.

Launched in the year 2015, YCO aims to give young student chefs from around the world a platform to showcase their skills and compete at the global level. Through the last seven editions of the Olympiad, the world has seen culinary stars being born and dreams being celebrated on the global culinary stage. The winners of the past editions of YCO were Ashwin Nicholas Oon from Malaysia (2015), Daniella Germond from Canada (2016), Tham Jiajun Mathew from Singapore (2017), Lai Jia Yi from Malaysia (2018), Cyrene Randrianasolo from France (2019), Chen Khai Loong from Malaysia (2020) and Lee Manki from Hong Kong (2021).

More details of the Young Chef Olympiad can be seen at https://ycolympiad.com/

VouchPro Unlocks the Power of AI to Build a Resilient Live Commerce Platform for Enterprises

VouchPro, a vigital technology solutions provider, is bringing much-required digitisation to the hybrid events industry in India. Leveraging the power of artificial intelligence, VouchPro has designed a 3D immersive live commerce platform that helps businesses to covert their user interface into visual, creative, engaging, and more interactive for audiences.

When it comes to marketing, understanding the right marketing strategy has been one of the major challenges faced by brands. As hybrid events are gaining momentum, VouchPro has opened the doors to a larger and more diversified audience, allowing businesses to reach both offline and virtual attendees.

VouchPro is a one-of-a-kind platform that assists brands in enhancing their online presence by promoting their products through high-resolution graphics and an interactive and user-friendly interface. By utilising emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), the company offers 3D avatars to its customers by allowing them to move through a virtual space. The platform helps customers click on a specific product to reveal its information and see it in 3D, as well as allows customers to consult with a sales representative via the chat function.

Mr Anubhav Bajpai, Founder & CEO, VouchPro

 
Commenting on the same, Mr Anubhav Bajpai, Founder, VouchPro, said, "Hybrid events provide necessary flexibility by assisting organisations in saving costs, expanding their audience reach across countries, providing multiple branding options for exhibitors and organisers, capitalising on objectives, and overall helping in cultivating optimal event ROI. At VouchPro, we ensure complete event success by delivering the most simple, immersive, engaging, and thrilling hybrid event experience."

With the help of VouchPro solutions, brands are using hybrid platforms to showcase their products, providing customers with a fully immersive experience.

About VouchPro

Founded in 2016 by Anubhav Bajpai and Manish Singh, VouchPro is one of India’s fastest-growing virtual and hybrid events service providers.

VouchPro offers a one-stop solution for its customers as it provides an array of services right from virtual and hybrid events including live streaming solutions, video APIs, and digital activations, and customer engagement enablers. The company has powered over 15,000 live internal and external events for some of the world’s most successful companies.

Pioneers in Video Content Services, VouchPro was acknowledged by the Asia Book of Records and the India Book of Records for organizing the largest virtual event on Health & Wealth for HDFC Bank Ltd. on August 21, 2020.

Since its inception, the company has been clocking the annual CAGR of 70% and is on a journey of transforming the virtual events space with its comprehensive suite of services.

Govt of India Organized 'Prarambh' Largest Startup Confluence Since Launch of the Startup India Initiative in 2016

PM to interact with Startups and address ‘Prarambh: Startup India International Summit’ today

On Day One, “Prarambh -Startup India International Summit” attracted world’s best strategic minds for accelerating international collaborations

With participation from over 25 countries and more than 200 global marquee speakers, the Summit is the largest startup confluence organised by the Government of India since the launch of the Startup India initiative in 2016

With a focus to reimagine the importance of convergence and collaboration between countries to further their startup ecosystems, Day 1 of Prarambh: Startup India International Summityesterday brought some of the leading minds from around the world on one platform. They deliberated on issues and topics ranging from technologies, innovation, robust policies and initiative. It enabled government and international organizations to share their views to ignite the minds of young innovators and entrepreneurs. The 2-day event is being organizing by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, M/o Commerce & Industry. Prime Minister Shri NarendraModi will interact with startups and address the Summit today at 5 p.m. via Video Conferencing.

The two-day summit was yesterday inaugurated by Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry where he addressed a gathering of innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, regulators, industry leaders, and academic luminaries from India and across the world including BIMSTEC countries and also launched the Virtual Startup Showcase.

Day 1 of the Summit saw over 1,20,000 registrations and was devoted to host dignitaries and stakeholders from BIMSTEC member States. The Summit witnessed participation of renowned stakeholders from startup communities of BIMSTEC member states who engaged in multilateral discussions and showcased the best of their innovations. The day also saw non-stop pitching by 54 enterprising startups with 75 investors.

A marathon of sessions focussed on various aspects of global best practices and nurturing stronger startup ecosystems, bringing together experts/ startup founders from BIMSTEC Member countries to share their experiences and guide young minds on how to convert Ideas to Proof of Concept,building robust go-to-market strategiesand leveraging Social Innovation. Key stakeholders of the ecosystem also discussed strategies on building successful Incubation Programs and enabling more avenues for Procurement &Market Access for Startups.

A closed door roundtable was also hosted with emphasis on internationalization for startups and mobilizing global capital for Indian Startups while promoting ease of doing business for global venture funds.The roundtable was attended by major Indian regulators, policy makers, Ministries and Global VC Funds.

Day 1 was graced by leading industry leaders, from the wider innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems from across the world including Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan (Chairman and Founder, Axilor Ventures), Ms.ShobanaKamineni (Executive Vice-Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise), Mr. Deep Kalra (Founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip), Mr. Manoj Kohli (Country Head – Softbank India), Mr.KunalBahl (CEO & Co-Founder, Snapdeal) and many more.

There was a special session “Star Talks” with Ms.SheerenBhan, Managing Editor, CNBC TV-18 in exclusive conversations with Mr. John Chambers, Former Chairman & CEO, Cisco and Mr. Sunil Kant Munjal, Chairman, Hero Enterprise. The session also included a special chat with Ms. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, leading actress.

Prarambh: Startup India International Summit marks the fifth anniversary of the Startup India initiative launched by the Prime Minister Shri NarendraModi on January 16, 2016. The Summit is built on the foundation set through the 19-point action plan of the Startup India initiative in 2016.

The event is supported by Industry bodies Invest India, FICCI, Indian Angel Network, IVCA, TiE Delhi NCR, CII, NASSCOM, SIDBI, TiE Globaland International Finance Corporation.

Binance Launches "Build For Bharat"; First DeFi-focused Hackathon in India

: Binance, the global blockchain company behind the world’s largest digital asset exchange, today launched ‘Build for Bharat’, a twofold program with a hackathon and acceleration opportunities for blockchain developers and startups in India.

The hackathon is sponsored by Google Cloud, along with leading technology companies Matic Network, Marlin Protocol, Band Protocol and Ankr cloud infrastructure, while the acceleration comes under Polaris, an initiative by the Blockchain for India 50M fund, launched by Binance and WazirX in March 2020.

Spanning over a few months  -- from 24th August to 31st October 2020 -- the Build for Bharat hackathon will be open to creators, innovators, startups, and BUIDLers from all over India working on unique and creative products utilizing digital assets and blockchain technology. The solutions will be centered around decentralized finance (DeFi) such as mini-Tokens, micro-financing products, blockchain datasets, blockchain-AI solutions and more.

“India has been one of the most interesting countries Binance has tapped into!” said Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ). “We’ve seen entrepreneurs create robust blockchain-based solutions from scratch and scale it. With the second-largest blockchain developer base in the world - India has already kickstarted the revolution of decentralization and we’re here to fuel it!”

Selected participants will undergo three stages of filtration with 100 teams shortlisted in the first cohort, 20 teams in the second, and five teams in the final cohort. The finalists will receive rewards from a pool of 30,00,000 INR while the winning teams stand a chance to secure additional investment and mentorship opportunities under the Polaris accelerator, an initiative by the Blockchain for India fund.

To apply for Build for Bharat program, head over to the event registration website. Registrations for the program are open from today till 11th September 2020.

[The event is managed by Lumos Labs (Formerly known as IBC Media) - A Singapore-based innovation management platform.]

About Binance

Binance.com is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. Binance Exchange serves users from 180+ countries and regions. Binance’s dual-chain architecture comprises Binance Chain & Binance Smart Chain that empowers the developer community to build their own decentralized apps and digital assets on one blockchain, while also taking advantage of the fast trading performance offered on the Binance Decentralized Exchange (DEX).

ASSOCHAM- MeitY & DST Join Hands to Launch India’s 1st & Largest Exhibition on Smart Technology - SMARTecIndia2020 Virtual exhibition to be kicked off on Sep 25

Apex industry body ASSOCHAM in partnership with Ministry of Information Technology & Electronics, Govt. of India and Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India has announced the launch of SMARTecIndia2020 on 25 Sept 2020, which aims to be India’s first and largest Smart Exhibition of Smart Technologies. Biggest technology giant Ericsson has come on board as ICT Awards Partner to support the initiative.

As the whole world fights the challenge of the on-going COVID19 pandemic, the Industry sectors all over the world are motivated to moving towards digitization of their operations. Smart Technologies have truly become a boon for the businesses during such times, when almost every sector has started using AI, IoT and various other technology platforms to continue their operations and serve their customers.

In a bid to provide necessary boost to this sector and initiate a global dialogue on strengthening the policy framework, international business potentials, etc.

The uniquely curated confluence of smart technologies from all sectors will experience a week long virtual exhibition which will be attended by over 400 Exhibitors from India and various leading countries, live demonstrations and product launches of exciting products and services, participation from progressive state governments.

In order to celebrate the spirit of innovation, the initiative will also award 10 top innovations from various sectors on 27^th of September 2020 in the EnnovateIndia2020 conference.

Mr Deepak Sood, Secretary General of ASSOCHAM shared “We are experiencing a new normal and smart technologies are playing a very vital role in making, not only our lives smarter and simpler, but also making our businesses more efficient and competitive. Initially, only few sectors like Education, Manufacturing, Entertainment etc were using smart technologies, but I am glad to see sectors like Agriculture, Energy, BFSI etc also joining in. I am expecting huge growth of this sector in future, with more and more users and businesses coming up to start using them. I am glad, India is taking a lead here as well. ASSOCHAM has always advocated that economy of nations must continue and hence once again ASSOCHAM is taking lead in providing a timely and cost effective business development platform to businesses across globe.”

SMARTecIndia2020 platform is aimed to be a highly cost-effective sales tool for smart technologies which ensures round the clock global outreach to potential business prospects, providing complete flexibility of timing and convenience for visitors from any geography.

Countries like USA, Israel, Russia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Germany, Peru, Estonia, Korea, Japan, Argentina, Canada, El Salvador, Chile, Costa Rica, Brazil, Mauritius and Singapore are expected to participate and showcase their unique propositions in the smart technologies from all sectors. Out of which Latvia & Israel have already confirmed their partnerships.

TiE announces the World’s largest TiE Global Summit in India

Will attract 20,000 entrepreneurs from 25+ countries, world leaders, influencers and policy makers, potential funding for 250 start-ups by 200 global investors attending the summit

TiE, Hyderabad will be hosting TiE’s largest ever and first Virtual Global Summit between December 8-10, 2020. A total of 20,000 entrepreneurs, 200+ investors, 10+ world Leaders, 50+ star speakers, successful celebrities, sports persons and spiritual and wellness gurus will be attending the summit. A total of 25 TiE chapters from Americas, Europe, Africa, India, APAC will be represented at the summit.

TiE, the world’s largest network of successful entrepreneurs and professionals will be hosting the ‘TiE Global Summit 2020’ through an online platform due to COVID-19 pandemic as there are travel, social distancing restrictions world over.

The summit based on the theme ‘Entrepreneurship 360’ will focus on issues faced and challenged by entrepreneurs, provide a platform for funding, insights into strategies to grow and scale business with focus on new start-up ideas, investments in start-ups, pitching tactics to help start-ups attract b2b and b2c businesses and scaling strategies to grow their business by 10x. Keynote sessions

Global leaders such as Satya Nadella, Ratan Tata, Elon Musk, Sundar Pitchai,  Anand Mahindra, Vijay Sekhar Sharma, Ritesh Agarwal, Kiran Majumdar Shaw, Sheryl Sandberg, Indra Nooyi among others are likely to attend. Distinguished world political leaders such as Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, Candian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, Lee Hsien Loong, UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister of New Zealand,  Jacinda Ardern, nobel laureates including Abhijit Banerjee, Mohammad Yunus, Amartya Sen, Dalai Lama, Malala Yousafzai, Kailash Satyarthi and spiritual leaders Sri Sri Ravishankar, Sadhguru, Sridharan are likely to address the summit.

TiE Global Summit 2020 is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi.

The summit will provide an opportunity for entrepreneurs to network, share ideas and interact with investors, business leaders, policy makers across the globe, besides allowing investors access to the world’s brightest minds to fulfil their investment objectives and are likely to invest a few hundred crores after reviewing 200 start-up pitches. Women awards have been planned to acknowledge and motivate women entrepreneurs. A total of 100+ highly successful global entrepreneurs will be showcasing their products and services. Keynote sessions, technology lounge, investor lounge, pitch competitions, boot camps are planned to add value to the 20,000 start-ups and entrepreneurs attending the summit.

Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, IT, Government of Telangana, addressing the media said, “Given the times we are in, it would have been easy for TiE to have cancelled the summit, however ‘am glad they are transitioning to a virtual event. The present times mean a lot to innovators, entrepreneurs, young start-ups. While it is true that businesses may have been disrupted, we are also seeing umpteen number of opportunities coming our way, and if one is agile, smart and mentored well, I am sure they can once again rise in their business.” He went on to add, “The TiE Global Summit 2020 is bound to have such experience to all the participants. And I am very glad that the summit is taking place in December 2020. My best wishes to all the participants and congratulations to the organizers.”

Speaking on the announcement, Mahavir Sharma - Chairman TiE Global, said, “The TiE Global Summit 2020 is a very special initiative, perhaps the largest and most diverse gathering of entrepreneurs and investors on a virtual platform (due to covid-19). It aims at bringing together students, start-ups, entrepreneurs, global leaders including heads of countries, successful business leaders, investors with a strong intent to invest in start-ups and Nobel laureates aimed at exchanging ideas. It will foster collaboration and networking, between entrepreneurs attending the summit from across 25 plus countries. This will enhance opportunities for startups across India to get investments worth billions of dollars”

Sridhar Pinnapureddy, President, TiE, Hyderabad said, “The Covid-19 situation has offered us an opportunity to engage 20,000 start-ups and entrepreneurs on a virtual platform due to social distancing norms and scare of contracting the dreaded virus. The TiE Global Summit 2020 is based on the theme ‘Entrepreneurship 360’ and aims at fostering ideas, provide a platform for investors to identify and funding curated start-ups and entrepreneurs, provide marketing inputs on pitching to grow their business in the b2b and b2c space, and gain deep insights into scale business by 10x. We plan to make the summit very enriching from a networking, learning, and funding perspective. We expect at least 200 entrepreneurs to be funded by investors during the three day summit.

Srini Raju, Founder President TIE Hyderabad, Kali Prasad - Board of Trustee, TiE Global, Manohar Reddy - Vice-President TiE Hyderabad and JA Chowdary, Founder Dir. STPI, CM, TiE, Hyderabad, attended and addressed the media today during the virtual conference.

The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), was founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and senior professionals with roots in the Indus region. TiE Global, is a not for profit organization dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship around the World and currently has 15,000 members in 61 chapters across 14 countries. TiE’s mission is to foster entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking, and education. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community, it’s focus is on generating and nurturing our next generation of entrepreneurs.

Asia’s Virtual Fintech Fair: Top Indian Fintech leaders including NPCI to participate

The Virtual Fintech Fair, co-hosted by FinStep Asia and Novsphere Media will witness debate and discussion on the Asian financial ecosystem from over 70 renowned speakers on 4^th and 5^th August 2020.

Among Asian leaders Praveena Rai, Chief Operating Officer, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will speak at the Regulator and Clearing House Roundtable on the ‘Keys to Principle Based Regulations to drive innovation in Financial Services’. Sukarela Batunanggar, Deputy Commissioner of OJK Institute and Digital Finance, OJK, Nouran Youssef, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) and Firas Al Lawati, Head of Fintech Committee, Central Bank of Oman will join the roundtable, which will be moderator by Douglas Arner, Kerry Holdings Professor of Law, The University of Hong Kong.

Among other international leader to speak at VFF include, Lariena Wang, Head of Smart Banking, HSBC, King Leung, Head of FinTech, Invest Hong Kong, Greg Krasnov, Founder & CEO, Tonik Bank, Anish Achuthan, CEO, Open, Monica Jasuja, Head of Product Management, Comviva.

VFF has received registration from over 60+ countries and 200+fintech companies. Asia’s first fully virtual conference will see participation from more than 3,000 delegates and 50+ exhibits from countries including India, China, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, MENA and ASENA.

From virtual banking, Open APIs, InsurTech to the application of blockchain, delegates will gain unique insights from the speakers into the latest trends that are shaping finance, and understand how they can be applied within their own organisations.

Musheer Ahmed, Managing Director of FinStep Asia, said, “The world as we know it will be completely different once the crisis settles, and COVID-19 has accelerated the transition to a digital economy. Those who do not take significant steps now will be left behind, so it is essential that financial executives have the knowledge, understanding and opportunity to connect with the people who have experience in leveraging the power of digital technologies. The panel of speakers and sessions we have created will help them to achieve this.”

Sherry Shi, Founder of Novsphere Media, said, “With so much upheaval going on within the financial industry at the moment, it is important that the community has the opportunity to come together to discuss how we can overcome the biggest challenge the industry has faced since the 2008 financial crisis. The Virtual FinTech Fair has created a virtual arena to achieve this, allowing delegates to hear from and connect with some of the brightest minds in fintech and finance industry.”

As COVID-19 continues to severely impact the world economy, and many countries are experiencing second or third waves, it is now more important than ever for financial executives to understand how they can digitise their organisations.  Not only is this important to help serve the immediate financial needs of the general population, but also to ready themselves for the new digital economy that will emerge once the pandemic subsides. With travel restrictions across the world, cross border business has decreased significantly and many firms are not able to engage with each other to facilitate digital transformation.

For more information, including how to participate in the event, please go to www.virtualfintechfair.com

Three Times Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Evelin G Lindner Graces First Edition of E-Conclave "SRIJAN" in Indore

With everything that has been happening around the globe at present, be it the pandemic, the climate change crisis, casteism, racism, economic downfall, it has become important to realise that there are certain things that we need to re-learn. The wheels of the normative grain of the society need to be broken and reconstructed, the 'new normal' has given us an opportunity to start afresh and there is no better place to do that than our educational institutions. Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar, Indore recently organised its first edition of "SRIJAN", an e-Conclave dedicated to and aimed at renewing the idea of education beyond the realm of subjects and concrete school walls.

The school is known for its vast teaching philosophy extending from academic learning to moral values and life skills. This initiative by the School aspires to create a platform for students to be able to garner insights on social and personal skills from esteemed professionals in an interactive and engaging manner. It aims to provide a positive lens to the young minds and help them look at the society from a broader perspective. To develop more compassion and undertake a healthy and sustainable outlook on things so they can not just incorporate these in their lifestyle but also lead towards a better tomorrow.



The event was graced by three times Nobel Peace Prize nominee Ms. Evelin G. Lindner, MD, PhD (Medicine and Psychology). Ms. Evelin is the Founding President of HumanDHS (Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies) and a Co-founder of the World Dignity University Initiative. Some of her most notable work includes 'Making Enemies': Humiliation and International Conflict (2006), 'Emotion and Conflict': How Human Rights Can Dignify Emotion and Help Us Wage Good Conflict (2009) and 'Gender, Humiliation and Global Security' (2010).

It was kicked off by an introductory speech by the Principal of the School, Ms. Punita Nehru and thoroughly moderated throughout by Dr. Siddharth Jain and Tanishqua Kanetkar. During the course of the interview, Ms. Evelin introduced her idea of dignity. According to her, keeping aside all categories of classification such as religion, caste and class etcetera, solidarity amongst citizens and states should be practiced through mutual respect and dignity. She suggests each one to look forward to dignified humility as a way of motivation and not humiliation. She further discussed her fascination with the country, Norway for its capacity to uphold the idea of equality and dignity. When talked about India, she was appreciative of the vast cultural background of the country as well as the family values and the idea of togetherness in the society.

The event was organised by a group of 8 alumni of the school, Mr. Swapnil Kothari, President of the Old Sathya Sai Students Association, Mr. Shyam Bhatia, Ms. Firoza Aklesaria, Ms. Shachi Maheshwari, Ms. Shweta Mallick, Dr. Siddharth Jain and Tanishqua Kanetkar. SRIJAN is a brain child of the Principal of the School, Ms. Punita Nehru who brought the above team together. We are grateful to our sponsors Mr. Tarun Agrawal, Mr. Akhil Bandi, Mr. Vikas Bansal and Mr. Gaurav Mehta.

The event ended on a positive note and received participation from over 8000 students, faculty and alumni of the institution paving way for many more such events to take place. The message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: The world is one and all its inhabitants are a part of one big family was drawn as a conclusive note for the event.

South Korea’s Largest Startup Event COMEUP 2020 Invites Startups for Virtual Pitches

South Korea’s most significant event for startups and small businesses - COMEUP 2020 (www.kcomeup.com) will be held from November 19 to 21, 2020. The event will be livestreamed to tens of thousands of viewers globally. The objective of the COMEUP 2020 event, organized by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), is to support startups expand globally. The annual event has started accepting applications from startups for the opportunity to virtually present their pitches. 

Startups are invited to use this opportunity to connect with leading investors, companies and government agencies from South Korea and other countries, as well use this as a platform to grow their business in South Korea, Asia's fourth largest economy and a global leader in ICT, home to tech majors like Samsung, LG, Kakao, and others. 

“International startup conferences are being canceled one by one due to the COVID pandemic, and there is a lack of opportunity for startups to attract international investment and go global through networking. In this context, COMEUP will be a silver lining,” said Lee Soonbai, Director of the Startup Policy Division at MSS.

COMEUP was launched in 2019 to promote the Korean startup ecosystem at home and abroad. The event was developed on lines of similar global events. In 2019, the event had over 21,000 attendees from 60 countries. More than 4,900 startups and 650 VCs attended the event. COMEUP is hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Korea Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), and the private startup ecosystem, at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul.

Online Pitching opportunity for startups from all over the world

This year, the event will hold online pitching sessions for global startups to get an opportunity to showcase their startup to investors and other stakeholders. Promising startups can sign up for the virtual startup pitch from July 24, 2020 to August 23, 2020 (GMT+9). The virtual startup pitch consists of a total of 120 teams in 2 leagues - the Rocket League (84 teams), and the Rookie League (36 teams). The Rookie league will accept applications from startups that are less than 3 years old and have raised less than 410K USD investment. The Rocket league will accept applications from growth-stage startups.

The 120 selected startups will receive support in creating their pitching videos, which will be showcased during the event as well as streamed online. The organizers will facilitate meetings between the startups, investors and media representatives. More than 700 investor firms are expected to attend the event. There will also be an award ceremony based on public votes. 

The theme of COMEUP 2020 is ‘Meet the Future - Post Pandemic, Led by Startups’ 

The three-day event will be held with the theme ’Meet the Future -Post Pandemic, Led by Startups’. COMEUP 2020 will be a hybrid event consisting of 12 sessions based on three focus areas: ‘Social System’, ‘Work’ and ‘Life’. ‘Social system’ will comprise sub-topics of COVID-19, Politics, Digital healthcare, and environment. ‘Work’ will comprise sub-topics of open innovation, Robotics & AI, remote work, and manufacturing. ‘Life’ will comprise sub-topics of commerce, education, entertainment, and offline retail. 

Some of the featured speakers this year are Chris Lee, CEO, SM Entertainment; Emmanuel LaLagarrigue, Chief Innovation Officer, Schneider Electric; Sophie Kim, CEO, Market Kurly; Saeju Jeong, CEO, Noom; and Henry Chesbrough, Professor at UC Berkeley. Investors like Sequoia Capital, Vickers, BAM Ventures, Collaborative Fund, and Grab Ventures are expected to attend as investor mentors. 

HyunWook James Jung, COMEUP Secretary-General, stated, “Our expert-led Organizing Committee consists of functional teams like program planning, operations and PR. We are doing our best to prepare an online global conference so that practical assistance can be provided to the startups participating. Our objective is to help international and Korean startups gain recognition, networking and funding opportunities.”  

More information about COMEUP 2020 can be found on the website https://www.kcomeup.com/, where the conference will be livestreamed. 

Open Credit Enablement Network (OCEN) will Revolutionise Micro Lending: Nandan Nilekeni

The first day of Global Fintech Fest 2020 - the largest two-day, virtual fintech meet-up witnessed the grand confluence of industry veterans and thought leaders in the Fintech & BFSI ecosystems across the globe. The two-day fest is organised by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Fintech Convergence Council (FCC) and Payments Council of India (PCI).

Speaking at the largest two-day, virtual fintech meet-up – Global Fintech Fest 2020, Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog said the future of lending will be Phygital. Betting big on digital lending he stated the latter will be the next big driver in fintech, driven by retail loans. Digital lending will constitute 50% of total lending by 2023. Kant said that the financial technology sector has been the shining star of India’s startup and technology ecosystem, enabling seamless transition from physically connected to a physically distant but socially connected environment.   

Addressing the delegates, Nandan Nilekani - Co-founder and Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, Infosys stated that democratising credit in India is the need of the hour as he captured the remarkable journey of the Indian fintech industry which had now become a global hot bed for innovation. According to him, for reviving the economy India needs to kick-start consumption, offer credit a larger role whilst lubricating small businesses with capital. 

India needs to go that extra mile in offering credit to the most deserving, smallest businesses and individuals. With most credit directed to large companies in large volumes, smaller companies and micro enterprises are left in the lurch with little or no access to credit at all which is a huge concern for the next growth phase of the industry he said. According to Nilekani, Open Credit Enablement Network (OCEN) which enables to connect lenders to marketplaces and thereby to borrowers is a technology system, currently under discussion. If implemented, the technology can democratise lending to micro enterprises and street vendors in a big way.

Moreover, with the cost of lending being too high, small value loans become unfeasible. He therefore suggested, account aggregator service protocols developed and backed by RBI can be the game changer. While it can be implemented across fintech firms like wealth management, broking and banking, he highlighted the fact that the latter, most importantly and immediately, needs to be implemented in lending so the well-deserving smaller and micro businesses are able to opt for loans. 

Citing the examples of home-grown innovations such as – UPI and AEPS, he highlighted the fact that there is a need to realise that public systems need to be designed keeping in mind not just the top 50 million users but the 1 billion users, the masses. 

State Bank of India (SBI) chairman Rajnish Kumar said “Mobile banking may become the most preferred banking channel, even more than internet banking, in the days to come. Out of 100 transactions at SBI, only 9 transactions are being made in branches. While transactions at ATMs at the time of demonetisation were around 55 per cent, now they are down to around 30 per cent and digital, mobile banking has seen a rise from 25-30 to 55 per cent now. Going ahead it is going to be internet banking and mobile banking that will flourish, Kumar said delivering a key note address at the Global Fintech Fest.

In his opening address, Dilip Asbe, Managing Director and CEO, NPCI said: “The phenomenal success of our home-grown platform of UPI and the global recognition it received is a testimony in itself as to how far we have come as a nation - from being followers to innovators and pioneers in the industry. The pandemic has been a great catalyst for the industry and we aim to develop an eco-system where digital transactions are executed remotely, possibly by majority of our population. We appreciate the concerted efforts of the government authorities in offering the necessary tailwinds in promoting the industry.” 

Earlier in the day, Naveen Surya, Chairman, Fintech Convergence Council said “India, currently, is a very fertile ground for the progression of collaborations between banks and fintech, accelerating the growth of nascent sectors like - neo-banking and digital lending. The role of non-banks in growth of UPI, BBPS and PPI has been sizeable. The phenomenal funding and global attention attracted by sectors like – payments, lending and wealth-tech speaks volumes of the kind of impact the Indian fintech has had on the society and the world at large. With low-cost, high-volume transactions across payment technology, digital banking and lending, fintech has helped serve millions in a way that the legacy systems couldn’t. Aadhaar kyc and video kyc is the future and will pick up pace extensively in the near term.”

The Global Fintech Fest has witnessed a participation from 50+ countries, 100+ speakers and 10000+ registered delegates in attendance. Significantly, 45% are international speakers and 30% women speaker participation. Of the total delegate participation, around 30% are from international community. In addition, there are 75 Indian and international 75 exhibitors showcasing their products and services in the two-day fest. Global Fintech Festival has brought together representatives of banking, financial technology and investment industries from across the globe to host impactful dialogues, public discussions and a curated exhibition of the latest disruptive technologies.

About Fintech Convergence Council (FCC)

FCC is formed under Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and represents the FinTech industry and traditional companies in the BFSI space. The purpose of the council is to encourage collaboration, seek complementarities and build synergy between leading BFSI companies and the emerging FinTech start-ups. The council has worked towards interpreting the regulatory and legal framework, aggregating the concerns and feedback of the various players within the larger FinTech community, communicating it to regulators and lawmakers, and organizing events and gatherings for the industry participants to meet, share ideas and work together in the interest of creating a safer, more open and more collaborative operating environment through a transparent forum.

FCC & NPCI to Host World’s Largest Virtual Global Fintech Fest

One-of-a-kind global event convened by NPCI and IAMAI and presented by RBI and Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), to bring together Fintech & BFSI ecosystems

Event supported by World Bank and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) 

• Premier global fintech event to be hosted on 22-23 July 2020
• To host 50+ countries, 100+ speakers and 10,000+ delegates
• Amitabh Kant, Nandan Nilekani, Uday Kotak, V Vaidyanathan, Sachin Bansal and Alderman William Russell among key speakers
• To facilitate discussions on the road ahead and collaborations for businesses in the post-pandemic world

To bring together fintech and BFSI ecosystems across the globe, the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC) the flagship fintech committee of Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) along with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and the Payments Council of India (PCI) will host the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) a first-of-its-kind international virtual fintech event. 

The event is presented by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The two day event themed – ‘Fintech: With and Beyond COVID’ is scheduled for 22-23 July 2020. The event is also supported by the World Bank and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).

In times of global uncertainty, India continues to be a bright spot in the world economy. GFF aims to showcase India’s thought leadership across the global ecosystem, while harnessing the BFSI and fintech sector to be the ‘change agent’ for the economy in the post-pandemic world.

Naveen Surya, Chairman, Fintech Convergence Council & Chairman Emeritus, Payments Council of India, said, “The bank and fintech ecosystem has the potential to act as ‘agents of change’ for the economy in the post-COVID-19 world. With more than 2000 fintech startups as we speak, India today stands tall as the world’s second biggest fintech hub which puts a lot of onus on us to drive this growth momentum. GFF is our endeavour to bring all stakeholders together to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the BFSI and fintech sector globally whilst sharing ideas on fuelling sectoral growth through collaboration.”

Dilip Asbe, Managing Director and CEO, NPCI said, “The contribution of fintech start-ups in digitalizing the economy is important and hence NPCI wants to act as a catalyst for bridging the gap between the established financial entities and the start-ups. By encouraging open discussion among start-ups and established entities we hope that it will lead to collaborations benefiting the nation.

GFF will be the largest virtual congregation for the BFSI and Fintech ecosystem. It will be the ‘go to platform’ for companies and entrepreneurs to showcase their innovations and ideas as well as connect with peers, investors and potential customers thus creating growth and networking opportunities for the eco-system.”

Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog, Nandan Nilekani, Co-founder and Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, Infosys, Uday Kotak, Managing Director & CEO, Kotak Mahindra Bank, V Vaidyanathan, MD & CEO, IDFC First Bank and Alderman William Russell, The Rt Hon Lord Mayor, City of London are among the keynote speakers for the fest. 

Justice BN Srikrishna, Retired Judge, Supreme Court of India, Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief Fintech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore, G Padmanabhan, Non-Executive Chairman, Bank of India, Sachin Bansal, Founder, Navi, Stephen Ingledew, Chief Executive, Fintech Scotland, Lizzie Chapman, Co-founder & CEO, Zestmoney, Denise Gee, Managing Director, Finexable, Dilip Asbe, Managing Director & CEO, NPCI, Praveena Rai, COO, NPCI, Arif Khan, CDO, NPCI, Rajan Anandan, Managing Director, Sequoia Capital, Kunal Shah, Founder & CEO, CRED, T R Ramachandran, Group Country Manager, India & South Asia Visa, Sameer Nigam Founder & CEO, Phonepe, Shivananda - SVP & CTO, Paypal, are some of the distinguished speakers among many others.

The global platform will host discussions by eminent industry stakeholders on -- the next stage of growth for financial institutions, ways for businesses to collaborate and the role fintech will play in the post pandemic world. The fest will drive thought leadership and conversations across sectors and subjects including -- Digital Payments, Digital Lending, Digital Insurance, Data Management, Financial Inclusion, Digital Transformation and Blockchain etc.

With 50+ countries, 100+ speakers and 10000+ delegates in attendance, GFF will bring together representatives of banking, financial technology and investment industries from across the globe to host impactful dialogues, public discussions and a curated exhibition of the latest disruptive technologies.

The fintech fest will stream live on social media platforms of YouTube and Facebook and is likely to be viewed by 100,000+ audience. For more information on GFF, including how to participate in or sponsor the event, please go to https://www.globalfintechfest.com

FCC has been at the forefront, working towards positioning India as a thought leader across the global fintech map. In the recent past, the body had joined hands with the Mumbai Fintech Hub, Government of Maharashtra, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and NPCI to host ‘India Fintech Festival (IFF)’. A first-of-its-kind global platform, IFF eyed for a collaborative growth ecosystem for fintech in India. The event which got stalled on account of the global pandemic is set to resume soon and the dates are expected to be out shortly.

About NPCI – 

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) was incorporated in 2008 as an umbrella organization for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India. NPCI has created a robust payment and settlement infrastructure in the country. It has changed the way payments are made in India through a bouquet of retail payment products such as RuPay card, Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), BHIM Aadhaar, National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC Fastag) and Bharat BillPay. NPCI also launched UPI 2.0 to offer a more secure and comprehensive services to consumers and merchants. 

NPCI is focused on bringing innovations in the retail payment systems through use of technology and is relentlessly working to transform India into a digital economy. It is facilitating secure payments solutions with nationwide accessibility at minimal cost in furtherance of India’s aspiration to be a fully digital society.

Microsoft and Schneider Electric to Host Digital Event: ‘Buildings of The Future: Smart to Autonomous’

Schneider Electric, the global leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, and Microsoft India today announced a digital event ‘Buildings of The Future: Smart to Autonomous’ centered around creating secure and resilient buildings during a crisis. Scheduled for July 7, 2020, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. the session willexplore key differentiators which building management should embrace to facilitate cost optimisation, energy savings and safety of occupants. Technology intervention can make critical requirements like contactless management, predictive and remote operational efficiency, real in today’s environment. The session will be led by Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India and Anil Chaudhry, Zone President & Managing Director, Schneider Electric, India.

The recent health crisis and economic scenario has led businesses and communities to have an even sharper focus on the health, safety and well-being of people, making contact-less operations crucial. As most companies transition to a hybrid work environment, smart buildings that enable secure, efficient operations will be critical. Technology is playing a big role in enabling that, with  technologies like IoT and AI being used for remote monitoring services that provide  insights into a building’s performance and health, helping organisations, and communities achieve operational efficiency and build resilience.

Schneider Electric and Microsoft have brought IT & OT & AI together to create a seamless and secure AIoT- enabled platform providing customers the tools they need to build resilience in these challenging times. Powered by Microsoft, Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Building Advisor, EcoStruxure Power Advisor and Workplace Advisor are intelligent tools that enable condition-based monitoring and maintain power network operations along with building HVAC systems, while teams are operating with reduced strength or off-site.

Talking about the engagement with Schneider Electric, Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India, said, “In today’s world of remote everything, technology is playing a central role in building economic resilience. Technologies like AI, IOT, big data and machine learning are helping businesses transform, adapt and drive business success by providing real time actionable insights for efficient and secure operations. Our collaboration with Schneider Electric reflects our commitment to help organizations build the digital capability required to pivot toward recovery and accelerate digital success for India.”

Teams can continue making data-driven decisions, using powerful diagnostics to anticipate potential malfunctions in electrical and HVAC equipment. Microsoft’s technology that powers these platform gathers data from sensors to create parallel digital twins to drive insights, is scalable and can integrate

with any digital environment. It helps in digitising power and building management systems, increases remote service capabilities, controls costs, and maintains operations when resources are low.

“Building owners, operators, and facility managers in critical facilities, such as data centers, hospitals, and airports, today face a daunting task of keeping operations running smoothly at maximum capacity, with minimum resources and this can be only achieved through digitisation and the right use of technology. Organisations today need to become more resilient and adapt to disruptive measures to ensure business continuity,”said Anil Chaudhry, Zone President & Managing Director, Schneider Electric-India.

The event will highlight measures to optimise operational efficiency without compromising on comfort and safety, discuss preventive checks on assets with digital tools and predictive maintenance of assets nearing breakdown and share insights around safeguarding premises from cybersecurity threats.

To join the event, please register: https://tinyurl.com/ycvdp393

About Schneider Electric

At Schneider, we believe access to energy and digital is a basic human right. We empower all to make the most of their energy and resources, ensuring Life Is On everywhere, for everyone, at every moment.

We provide energy and automation digital solutions for efficiency and sustainability. We combine world-leading energy technologies, real-time automation, software and services into integrated solutions for Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries.

We are committed to unleash the infinite possibilities of an open, global, innovative community that is passionate about our Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.