12, Jul 2023
Pakka Limited Makes its Debut on the National Stock Exchange
Pakka Limited Makes its Debut on the National Stock Exchange with a New Identity, Marking a New Era for Regenerative Packaging Solutions
The company is undergoing rapid expansion as it took the wraps off its facility development plans in Guatemala and has also kick-started capacity expansion for its plant in Ayodhya, UP.
India, 12th July 2023: Yash Pakka Limited, a leading provider of regenerative packaging solutions for food products, has been listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) with a new identity of Pakka Limited (pronounced as Packa or पैका). The 42-year-old company envisions simplifying its brand identity and unifying its presence across all regions globally with this renaming. The change reflects the company’s commitment to its mission of transforming food packaging by providing regenerative solutions that contribute to a cleaner planet.
Present at the NSE listing were Mr. Pradeep V. Dhobale (Chairman), Ved Krishna (Vice Chairman), Mr. Jagdeep Hira (Managing Director), Mr. Himanshu Kapoor (Director) and Ms. Neetika Suryawanshi (Chief Financial Officer), along with marquee customers, investors, well-wishers, and team members. The company is targeting revenues of $1 billion (Rs. 8,250 crores) by FY30. The key drivers are to service new geographies with compostable packaging solutions, such as flexible packaging and moulded tableware with better Net Service Revenues (NSR) and with new strategic tie-ups for capacity enhancement driving this growth.
Mr. Ved Krishna, Vice Chairman, Pakka Ltd., said, “Today, we honour the legacy of fierce determination, innovation, and creative problem-solving by a name change— from now, we will be called Pakka. Pakka is a combination of “packaging” and “ka”— which means soul. Packaging with a soul means you get our best effort. While we have distributed globally for 20 years, for the first time we are setting up international production facilities. With this in mind, we need a name that is simple, universal, and relevant. And, of course, the double-K is a subtle nod to my father, KK Jhunjhunwala. As he often modeled: we are led by our convictions. We are grateful to so many of you who have been with us on this ride of building good business by doing good. We will continue to contribute to a cleaner planet. We look forward to creating a deeper impact together.”
Mr. Jagdeep Hira, Managing Director, Pakka, said, “Pakka lists on NSE with a new identity and mission to scale regenerative food packaging. Pakka has developed a compelling go-to-market strategy encompassing value-added products, new geographies; new strategic tie-ups for enhancing manufacturing capacity. We intend to sustainably scale up our business with a new offering of compostable flexible packaging and our existing successful offering of compostable tableware products under the brand name CHUK. Pakka is looking for outsourcing of moulded products to double our capacity and has found partners across India. We shall grow the Ayodhya unit to increase pulp production capacity by 30% and provide more value-added products for flexible packaging. Pakka is also working on global research tie-ups for compostable flexible packaging on several biomaterials.”
Pakka’s upcoming facility in Guatemala is expected to be operational by mid-2025 with a production capacity of 400 tonnes per day. The company plans to invest US$250 million to set up the world’s largest compostable flexible packaging and moulded fibre facility, based on bagasse fiber. Pakka has signed MOUs with Guatemala’s major sugar companies to procure sugarcane, which is the primary raw material used for the company’s products. Pakka is also expanding its capacity in India at its Ayodhya facility under the name Project Jagriti with an investment of ₹550 crores.
Pakka provides regenerative packaging at scale for Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), food carry and food services across the world. The company has been developing compostable packaging solutions as alternatives for single use plastic. CHUK is aiming to become the preferred sustainability partner when it comes to food service packaging for large institutions. Large food service operators like Haldiram’s, Zomato’s Hyperpure, Wow Momos, Chai Point, A2B and Devyani International, are prominent brands that use CHUK products.
Pakka Ltd. posted the highest annual revenue of Rs. 419.9 crore in FY23 with the highest FY profit of Rs. 72.3 crore (EBIDTA of 23%) in FY23. It posted the highest exports of 27% of the total volume production as moulded tableware production was up by 24% — almost 50% of its installed capacity as of now.
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- By Neel Achary
12, Jul 2023
New Study Reveals Gender Inequity Continues to Persist for Employees Around the World
Coqual’s “Challenging Norms: A Global Analysis of Gender at Work” Finds Stark Differences Between Men and Women & Highlights the Unique Challenges of Transgender and Gender Diverse Professionals
NEW YORK, July 12, 2023 — Are corporations prepared for a gender revolution? Today, Coqual, a leading global think tank, released its new report, “Challenging Norms: A Global Analysis of Gender at Work,” that examines gender equity at work in eight markets: Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The report finds that while there has been notable progress, achieving gender equity is still a challenge globally. Through an intersectional lens, the new research considers how race, class, caste, sexuality, and other identity characteristics complicate how gender is seen, experienced, and understood in employees’ daily lives.
The study employed Coqual’s rigorous mixed methodology with survey results from 5,481 full-time employed professionals who were at least 21 years old, as well as focus groups, Insights In-Depth® sessions and expert interviews. The new report delves into three primary areas: gender and career advancement (promotions, professional networks, etc.); gender and social environment (microaggressions, stereotypes, etc.); and gender and caregiving (childcare, eldercare, etc.) and addresses the challenges that women face regarding pay, career mobility, prejudice in the workplace, and outdated cultural gender norms.
The report also highlights the unique experiences of transgender and gender diverse (TGD) professionals and unveils a major generational shift in how respondents understand gender identity and expression. To conclude, Coqual provides data-driven solutions and a new framework for organizational change that leaders can use to develop and execute their DE&I goals.
“All around the world, professionals from historically marginalized gender identity groups are still required to navigate exclusionary, inequitable, and hostile workplace environments that make it difficult to achieve their full potential,” said Lanaya Irvin, CEO of Coqual. “Organizations must look beyond the binary and create more equitable workplaces through gender-inclusive policies, programs, and people management strategies. We hope this report helps leaders and allies create a braver, more gender-inclusive corporate landscape.”
“We are proud to sponsor this important study that provides insights, data and a new framework for companies to prepare for the future of the global workplace,” said Shane Lloyd, Head of Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging and Societal Impact, Baker Tilly. “Women, transgender, and gender diverse professionals all face different challenges, and Coqual’s new report provides actionable ways for companies to navigate the complexities of gender around the world.”
Data By Country:
United States
Women in the U.S. still face barriers to career advancement, as Coqual finds two-thirds of men (67%) say they have been promoted or considered for a promotion at their company in the last four years compared to only about half of women (53%). The study also highlights the importance of considering the intersection of race and gender, finding that 42% of Black women say they have often considered leaving their job in the past year. Additionally, the majority of transgender and gender diverse professionals (60%) say that gender non-conforming employees experience negative stereotypes and social interactions in the workplace, but only 39% of cisgender professionals agree. According to the report, nearly half of transgender and gender diverse professionals in the U.S. are often told that their gender non-conformity is just a phase (47%), more than half are misgendered (54%), and two in five (41%) are told that they make their colleagues uncomfortable because of their gender identity.
United Kingdom
Coqual finds that women in the UK perform significantly more childcare (65% vs. 54%) and housework (67% vs. 57%) on average than men. With so much time and energy expended on domestic labor, only 19% of women professionals say having children has helped their career compared to 46% of men who say the same. Coqual’s report finds that barely one in five women professionals (21%) say they are very satisfied with their work-life balance compared to 40% of men. Nearly half of UK women surveyed (48%) say they have experienced gender-based prejudice in the workplace compared to 37% of men.
Australia
Coqual reports the documented “motherhood penalty” and “fatherhood bonus” impacts Australian employees, finding that over half of women (54%) say that having children has hurt their career compared to 39% of men. Additionally, only a quarter (25%) of women say that having children has helped their career compared to 43% of men who say the same. Coqual’s research shows that younger professionals’ growing consciousness and understanding of gender issues may make them more keenly attuned to unacceptable behavior in the workplace. The study finds millennial and gen-Z professionals are over two and a half times (54%) as likely as baby boomer and silent generation respondents (20%) to say they have experienced prejudice related to their gender at work, while 39% of generation X respondents say the same.
Brazil
Coqual finds that in Brazil, the intersection of race and gender continues to disproportionately impact women’s lives in negative ways, as Preta (Black women) are 53% more likely to have experienced gender-based prejudice than Branca (White women). In Coqual’s sample of transgender and gender diverse professionals, 70% say they have experienced gender-based prejudice at work. Furthermore, about one in five transgender and gender diverse employees say colleagues often misgender them (23%) and tell them that their gender non-conformity is just a phase (19%) or that they make their colleagues feel uncomfortable because of their gender identity (23%).
Germany
The study finds that gender and heritage or country of origin are critical intersections to consider in Germany, which does not collect racial data at a national level. Coqual finds that more than half of women with non-German or multiple backgrounds (56%) say they have been passed over for promotions for colleagues who were less qualified compared to 19% of women with German backgrounds. Additionally, 41% of women born outside of Germany say that someone of their gender identity would never achieve a top position at their company. Underlying these feelings of career stall are frequent invalidations including facing dismissive stereotypes from colleagues significantly more often, such as being less credentialed (35%) and more junior than they are (32%).
India
The Hindu caste system continues to dictate Indian social structure in countless ways. Coqual gives particular attention to highlighting the experiences of lower caste women, finding that nearly half of lower caste women (49%) say their social class background often has a negative impact on their professional experience and 55% say they have often considered leaving their jobs in the past year. A staggering 71% of lower caste women say they often change what they share about their family to fit in at work. The hierarchical structure of Indian society places heavy expectations on women to be wives and mothers. More than half of both lower caste women (65%) and upper caste women (51%) say that having children has hurt their career compared to 30% of lower caste men and 40% of upper caste men.
Japan
Coqual finds a dramatic drop-off of women from entry-level to senior positions. Nearly three quarters of women in the sample (73%) hold entry level positions, 23% are from middle management, and only 4% hold senior management or C suite positions. In contrast, men in the sample have more equitable representation, with 40% in entry level positions, 45% in middle management, and 15% in senior management or C-suite positions. Eldercare is a growing focus in Japan. Cultural expectations around eldercare result in a burden of labor that inevitably falls on women.i At present, women agree significantly more than men that their eldercare responsibilities have hurt their careers (42% vs. 31%), and this discrepancy has the potential to worsen as seniors are predicted to make up more than a third (38%) of the population by 2060.ii Coqual finds that TGD professionals (52%) are significantly more likely than cisgender professionals (17%) to say they have been passed over for promotions for colleagues who were less qualified. Nearly half of LGB+ women surveyed (47%) say they have been passed over for a promotion in favor of someone who was less qualified.
South Africa
Race is a critical factor to consider when assessing the experiences of South African professionals. Coqual finds that White professionals hold disproportionate leadership representation, with 37% of White men and 21% of White women compared to 20% of Black men and 19% of Black women in senior-level positions. TGD professionals also continue to face challenges at work. Coqual finds over half (58%) of TGD professionals have experienced gender-based prejudice at work compared to 35% of cisgender professionals. Additionally, more than a third (38%) of TGD professionals say their gender often or always negatively affects their professional experience compared to 15% of cisgender professionals.
To address gender bias and challenges, company leaders must look beyond the binary and create more equitable workplaces. The report outlines Coqual’s new framework — Define, Refine, Reimagine, to provide tangible solutions and guide leaders in advancing gender equity in their workplaces.
Define, Refine, Reimagine
• Define: To cultivate a shared understanding of complex issues, companies must define the mission, vision, and purpose of any DE&I initiative. These efforts cannot succeed without clear definitions of key terms and leaders must become familiar with the ever-evolving language around gender identity. Key terms are especially vital with the growing interest and investment in company-wide self-identification campaigns. This first step requires an ongoing commitment to assessing sensibilities, sensitivities, and employee needs.
• Refine: Companies should continually assess the effectiveness of existing policies, programs, and procedures in generating equitable outcomes. Not every change has to be a radical one. While some efforts may need to be introduced for the first time, there are many existing efforts that can be refined rather than reinvented entirely. Companies can refine current efforts, norms, and policies to support career advancement for women and gender diverse professionals, as well as the daily demands of caregiving responsibilities for professionals around the world.
• Reimagine: The most successful companies proactively anticipate market trends and strategize accordingly, and Coqual suggests companies take the same approach when it comes to the needs of their employees. To prepare for the future of the global workplace, companies must reimagine leadership norms, gender, masculinity, and provide an infrastructure of support for TGD professionals.
Methodology: The primary sources of data for this research report consisted of a survey distributed across each of our eight markets; virtual focus groups; Insights In-Depth® sessions (a proprietary web-based tool used to conduct voice facilitated virtual focus groups); and one-on-one interviews. This report incorporates a mixed-methods analysis of quantitative and qualitative methods. Through our qualitative methods, we reached more than 100 professionals, experts, and practitioners across our eight markets. We then deployed a web-based survey using a criterion sampling approach to reach 5,481 respondents, who were at least 21 years old and currently employed full-time in professional occupations.
Lead Sponsor: Baker Tilly; Research Sponsors: Bristol Myers Squibb, Credit Suisse, Cushman & Wakefield, EY, Intel Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal, Morgan Stanley, The Walt Disney Company.
Research Advisors: Melanie Brewster, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University; Sam H. L. Fouad, JD, Professor, Fundação Getulio Vargas’ Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration, Brazil; Tina Opie, PhD, Chief Vision Officer, Opie Consulting Group LLC; Visiting Scholar at Harvard Business School; Associate Professor of Management at Babson College; Kathleen McGinn, PhD, Cahners-Rabb Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School.
About Coqual: Coqual is a leading global, nonprofit think tank dedicated to helping leaders design diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces where every person belongs. Founded in 2004, Coqual provides in- depth research, thought leadership, and data-driven, actionable solutions for companies to address bias and barriers to inclusion for underrepresented populations in the workplace. Coqual’s cutting-edge research and advisory services focus on gender, race, ethnicity, disability, veteran status and LGBTQ identities, and others—as well as the intersections among these groups. For more information, visit www.coqual.org.
11, Jul 2023
Eclipse Hires Uniswap and dYdX Executive Vijay Chetty as Chief Business Officer
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, July 11, 2023 — Eclipse, a leader in customizable blockchain solutions, today announced the appointment of Vijay Chetty as their new Chief Business Officer. Chetty was formerly Head of Business Development at decentralized finance (DeFi) powerhouses Uniswap and dYdX. In this new role, Chetty will leverage his extensive knowledge and experience to propel Eclipse’s growth and market penetration.
Chetty is widely recognized in the DeFi sector for his leadership roles at Uniswap and dYdX, where he drove substantial growth and development for both platforms. He has been pivotal in navigating the intricate DeFi landscape, establishing valuable partnerships, and driving broader liquidity and adoption.
“We’re beyond excited to welcome Vijay to the Eclipse team,” said the Eclipse CEO, Neel Somani. “Given Vijay’s proven track record launching and scaling dYdX and Uniswap, he navigated the exact challenges that Eclipse solves. This marks the expansion of Eclipse’s DeFi offering in addition to the suite of growing use cases powered by our cross-ecosystem infrastructure.”
Eclipse enables highly scalable, customizable solutions for applications across multiple ecosystems. Eclipse’s technology provides optimized, modular blockchains called “rollups” for applications with unique infrastructure needs, including those in DeFi, gaming, decentralized physical infrastructure networks, and social.
Chetty shared, “I am incredibly excited to join the Eclipse team. The work they’re doing to enhance Ethereum scalability is groundbreaking. I look forward to contributing to the growth of Eclipse’s modular infrastructure, and to shaping the future of decentralized finance.”
Chetty’s leadership will play a critical role in driving the adoption of rollup technology in the wider crypto and blockchain ecosystem.
Eclipse’s mainnet is targeted for the second half of 2023 and is currently onboarding multiple cohorts of projects including Polygon, React Network, Injective, Zebec, Worlds, and more. To learn more about Eclipse’s customizable rollup solutions and deploy an optimized appchain, contact team@eclipse.builders.
11, Jul 2023
Dreamtime Learning Launches Community Program, Inspiring Growth and Learning for Children
India, 11th July 2023:Dreamtime Learning Community (DTC), founded by a disruptor in the Indian Education landscape, Lina Ashar, has launched two after-school community courses– “Game Changers” and “Mavericks”. With expert faculty and an inspired vision aimed at challenging established norms while equipping children for a rapidly changing future, DTC aims to partner with 100+ schools in its initiatives to elevate learners via its after-school enrichment programs.
‘Game Changers’ offers interdisciplinary teaching of language and literature, providing an immersive learning experience for students and leaving them brilliant communicators. ‘Mavericks’ focuses on exploring the wonders of science. It is designed in a way to quench student curiosity all while inspiring a lifelong quest for learning. Children between the ages of 5 – 10 Years are invited to enroll in the weekend program that spans 55 sessions in a three-month period. The first cohort is all set to start on the 5th of August, 2023. Further, DTC will be rolling out the program for learners across borders in South East Asia and the Middle East.
This community course provides students with the knowledge, abilities, and views required to navigate and positively impact the world. Further, this molds children into knowledgeable, proactive citizens in whom we can all take pride.
Applauding the new approach, Ms. Lina Ashar, Founder of Dreamtime Learning, said, “Transformation in education is essential today. Our community program bestows on this as it represents a unique opportunity for children to learn, grow and develop their identity. With advancements in teaching methodology and strong competition churning the education system, it is imperative to reshape the world by transforming education, which will further influence society. Our program will be a game changer for our students in building confidence, awareness and critical thinking skills. With this program, we are confident in building self-leader quality in our young minds, inspiring new ideas, challenging established norms, and promoting innovation”.
The programs encompass an array of captivating activities and experiential learning opportunities crafted to ignite children’s imagination, nurture creativity, and foster critical thinking skills. The primary objective of the program is to broaden horizons and cultivate a sense of curiosity in young learners. They also hope to connect students with community resources, esteemed experts, and mentors. Carefully curated, these activities seamlessly complement the core curriculum provided in schools, providing a well-rounded and comprehensive educational journey for participants.
DTC is keen on encouraging experts, and organizations to collaborate and provide young learners with valuable experiences, mentorship opportunities and prides itself in being a first of its kind after-school program in India and with the aspiration to make students future-ready, engaged citizens of tomorrow.
11, Jul 2023
Japan Career Promotion Forum INDIA 2023
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) organized a webinar ‘Japan Career Promotion Forum INDIA 2023’ on 28th June 2023, focusing on Indian students aiming to build their careers in Japanese companies in Japan or India.
Background
JETRO is working towards attracting foreign talent to work in Japan. Every year, we support more than 300 Japanese companies for their recruiting process. We have a dedicated online JOB SEARCH PORTAL. Please visit this link for more information – https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/
It is a webinar focused on Indian students aiming to build their careers in Japanese companies in Japan or India.
The webinar will introduced various career opportunities and working environment in Japan, business scenario and the trend of global talent acquisition. It also featured presentations from companies that are utilizing Indian talents for their international business, Bilateral Relations between India and Japan, and Japan’s Immigration Policy, Voices of Indian professionals living in Japan and JETRO’s support for international talent (“Open For Professionals”)
Date:
Date: Wednesday, 28th June 2023, Time: 16:00-17:10 (IST), Online
Participants and Supporting Organizations
Additionally, the Ambassador of India to Japan Ambassador Sibi George and the Ambassador of Japan to India, Ambassador Hiroshi Suzuki, and Chief Director General, JETRO New Delhi, Mr.Takashi SUZUKI also participated.
Ambassador of Japan to India, Ambassador Hiroshi Suzuki
Our countries are bonded by special partnership which is both global and strategic. Prime Minister Kishida visited New Delhi in March and PM Modi visited Hiroshima for G7 Summit in both these meetings, the two leaders confirmed, that it is critically important to strengthen people to people exchange. Since India and Japan are like brother countries, I would like see talented Indian people to go to Japan and work there and Japanese professionals to come to India and work.
In India’s highly skilled and educated youth provides a ready and capable work force to engage in highly technical jobs at R&D. Partnership of human resource is welcome under the ongoing India-Japan digital partnership. It will also help in enhancing the digital economy through promotion of joint projects for digital transformation and to provide opportunities for Indian IT professionals to work in Japan and Japanese companies and collaborations in the area of IOT, AI and other emerging technologies.
Talk session with Indian Professionals working in Japan
The session was moderated by Swastik Kulkarni from JETRO, Headquarters, Tokyo. During the sessions the professionals talked about the challenges they face in their daily lives and how they overcome the challenges, also their inclination towards learning the language and reasons to move to Japan, etc. One of the participants said that he can’t speak Japanese but is still able to survive in Japan, however, other participants said that it helps if you learn the language as Indians, in general, have a linguistic learning mindset.
Chief Director General, JETRO New Delhi, Mr.Takashi SUZUKI
He gave a brief presentation about India -Japan economic relations. He started the speech by saying that he loves India. Also briefly explained current Japanese businesses in India and Japanese investment in India. He said that the average amount of Japanese investment in India, for ten years is 2.4 billion US $ Per year. He also mentioned that the Japanese companies in India have the world’s no.1 appetite for business expansion. Also, he gave some very interesting insights on seizing Japan’s unique opportunities and navigating a unique landscape. This session included Japan’s technologies and innovations, Japanese SMEs, and start-ups. How to build and utilize professional networks in Japan by attending networking events by industry associations and how to embrace Japanese culture by attending various local events and interacting with local people in Japan can help in surviving in Japan. Also to try Japanese content like anime and manga and lastly if anyone is going to Tokyo to work in Japan, please go visit JETRO, headquarters in Japan.
11, Jul 2023
Femtech Company, Sonio, Raises $14 Million to Improve the Health of Pregnant People and Children Across the World
Paris, France – (July 11, 2023) – Sonio, a French medtech specializing in pregnant people and children’s health, is today finalizing a series A fundraising of $14 million following the initial commitment of the EIC Fund (European Innovation Council) last December.
This round is led by Cross Border Impact Ventures, a North American impact fund dedicated to the health of women and children, and the Elaia funds, French Tech Seed managed on behalf of the State by Bpifrance in the framework of France 2030, OneRagtime, as well as business angels very active in the health field, including Dominique Gaillard (former president of France Invest), Alain Decombe (Dechert) and Yann Fleureau (founder of Cardiologs), who renew their trust.
True to its mission to improve access to quality pregnancy monitoring for all, Sonio will use this fundraising to continue to improve its SaaS solution, initiate its commercial development in the United States, and adapt its technology for the use of portable ultrasound scanners.
“Sonio has created an innovative platform that empowers fetal ultrasound technology, enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of fetal medicine specialists. Additionally, it aims to bridge the increasing shortage of specialized healthcare workers worldwide. We take pride in leading this significant round of financing, as it contributes to the early growth of this venture.” Says Annie Thériault, Managing Partner at Cross-Border Impact Ventures.
The Company has developed the first SaaS, agnostic and interoperable, to automate ultrasound reporting, while providing image quality control and detection of potential anomalies using AI. Sonio will continue to enrich its artificial intelligence for image recognition in order to extend the number of automatically recognized images, to be able to check their quality, and to help detect anomalies, and will integrate data into its multimodal platform imaging and genomics.
Sonio has always had the ambition to offer quality care to all pregnant people and all children, including in the poorest regions, particularly affected by maternal mortality. Of the 287,000 women who died in such circumstances in 2020, 70% were recorded in sub-Saharan Africa. Sonio’s technology, made available to manufacturers of portable ultrasound scanners, will enable healthcare personnel to carry out ultrasounds all over the world to high and verified quality standards. Sonio has identified the mission of meeting the specific needs of these new equipment manufacturers both to equip new non-expert practitioners in developed countries (emergency physicians, general practitioners/midwives in medical deserts) and in developing countries. development.
Cécile Brosset, CEO and co-founder of Sonio states: “This lifting is a pivotal step in the development of Sonio. By supporting our technological and commercial growth, it makes it possible to achieve our mission. I am fortunate to be surrounded by a team of deeply committed experts, and I would like to thank them. Our board of directors is today in the image of Sonio, inscribed in the diversity of men and women, international, and in search of a model of both impact and growth. In a financing universe largely dominated by men, I am delighted to have found partners so aligned with our ambitions and who understood and valued Sonio’s mission as well as its strategy and rapid execution capacity.”
About Sonio:
Sonio is an Artificial Intelligence solution for prenatal screening and diagnosis with over five years of research and collaborations between leading experts in fetal medicine and artificial intelligence. Sonio’s goal is to support the analysis of practitioners in prenatal screening and diagnosis by assuring the completeness of their examination and increasing the accuracy of their patient scan results.
To learn more about Sonio, visit our website https://sonio.ai/us/
10, Jul 2023
Bengaluru Finds Mysterious Download, Unlock, and Search Buttons amidst Public Garbage Dumps: Is the IT City Redefining Digital Innovation
Bengaluru, the IT capital of India, has always been at the forefront of technological advancements and innovation. However, today morning, the city woke up to something interesting when huge, discarded buttons of ‘Download’, ‘Unlock’, and ‘Search’ were found in several public garbage dumps at places like Jyoti Nivas College, Cubbon Park, Lal Bagh and Church Street among others.
Residents of Bengaluru are intrigued and filled with anticipation by the juxtaposition of these buttons against the backdrop of garbage dumps. Social media platforms are buzzing with debates as individuals exchange ideas and speculations regarding the importance and meaning of these peculiar buttons. It is worth mentioning that terms such as ‘download’, ‘unlock’ and ‘search’ are quite integral in the world of internet and mobile technology.
As citizens eagerly await the mystery to unfold, the city of Bengaluru continues to capture the imagination of the nation with its relentless pursuit of technological excellence. Whether this unconventional placement of buttons signifies a novel approach to digital detox or heralds an upcoming breakthrough in digital innovation, Bengaluru has once again positioned itself as a hub of curiosity, inspiring discussions and speculation about the future of technology in the city and the country at large.
10, Jul 2023
Cobham and Ultra Electronics pledge £5 million investment in UK skills
The scholarship programme will offer up to 500 students funding for each year of their university education.
LONDON, 10th July 2023: In an effort to support and encourage the next generation of engineers, Cobham and Ultra Electronics, two leading UK defence, aerospace and technology companies have today announced the Cobham & Ultra Scholarship programme for university students from underrepresented groups.
Pledging a total of £5 million to six universities – with the potential of two more to come – that are recognised both in the United Kingdom and globally as leaders in engineering given their reputation and research in the field, the fund hopes to support over a hundred students starting their studies in September 2023 who will receive funding for each remaining year of their undergraduate degree. Supporting up to 500 students over the life of the fund, Cobham and Ultra Electronics have worked with the institutions located across the UK to guarantee the scholarship conditions ensure students most in need of financial support are selected.
Engineering is at the heart of what Cobham and Ultra Electronics do. For example, Ultra Electronics currently employs over 600 engineers in the UK alone, who work on military hardware, satellite communications and projects which ensure the UK and its allies’ national security. The £5 million worth of funding builds on this impressive feat and continues both Cobham and Ultra’s significant investment in advancing defence capabilities and staying ahead of the ever-evolving threat.
The Cobham & Ultra scholarship is a collaboration with engineering faculty leaders from the University of Oxford, University of Strathclyde, University of Nottingham, Northumbria University, Queen’s University Belfast and University of York. These universities have already received their scholarship funding, while discussions around funding agreements are ongoing with two other leading institutions. This collaboration could also potentially see students access a number of added benefits including first-hand mentoring and guidance, should students wish for it.
In addition, Cobham and Ultra Electronics’ relationship with the prestigious universities will allow the chance for students studying a range of engineering degrees including electrical and electronic, civil and mechanical to explore work experience opportunities and even a year in industry.
Shonnel Malani, Chairman of the Board of Cobham and Ultra Electronics stated: “Ultra Electronics and Cobham’s history are steeped in contributing to the UK’s national security, and through this investment we are ensuring the UK maintains this defensive capability moving forward. This investment unlocks future growth, boosts productivity and will help build the skilled workforce of the future in the UK.
Further to this, our £5 million pledge to these leading engineering higher-education institutions offers students from underrepresented groups the opportunity to pursue their educational goals and build a stronger platform for success in their future careers and life ambitions.”
For further information please visit: www.cobhamultrascholarship.com.
ENDS
Cobham
Cobham is a leading global aerospace and defence company, specialising in technology and services innovation. Respected for providing solutions to the most challenging problems, from deep space to the depths of the ocean. Founded in 1934, Cobham designs and manufactures intelligent hardware for defence, aerospace and space markets.
Ultra Electronics
Ultra Electronics (“Ultra”) is a leading provider of mission–critical defence electronics solutions. Ultra provides highly engineered and mission critical solutions primarily to defence end–markets. Ultra is a leading provider of sonar and radio frequency electronics solutions across marine, air, land and space environments, and has at its core the purpose of supporting a safer tomorrow. The company’s technologies are typically sole–sourced, reflecting the cutting–edge engineering capabilities it provides to many of the world’s largest commercial and military platforms.
10, Jul 2023
500,000 MPH UK Space Rocket Hotter than the Sun
A.I. Sparks Nuclear Fusion Rocket Breakthrough
UK aerospace company Pulsar Fusion has started constructing the largest practical nuclear fusion rocket engine ever built.
The 8-metre fusion chamber is being assembled in Bletchley, England and when fired in 2027, will temporarily become the hottest place in the solar system creating exhaust speeds of over 500,000 MPH.
Researchers at Pulsar Fusion hope to reach several hundred- million degrees when the final plasma shot is fired in the chamber, creating temperatures hotter than the Sun.
Dr James Lambert, CFO of Pulsar Fusion said: “The difficulty is learning how to hold and confine the super-hot plasma within an electromagnetic field.
“The plasma behaves like a weather system in terms of being incredibly hard to predict using conventional techniques.
“Scientists have not been able to control the turbulent plasma as it is heated to hundreds of millions of degrees and the reaction simply stops.
“This unpredictability is attributed to the science Magneto-Hydro Dynamics (MHD) and Gyrokinetics, the state of the plasma is changing all the time.
“Scientists can get to fusion temperatures, as recently demonstrated at the Lawrence Livermore laboratory in 2022, and this will be achieved again more often going forward, but small improvements can dramatically improve the results in our favour.”
Crucially, very recent advances in machine learning techniques may have changed the playing field in favour of scientists.
Pulsar have teamed up with Princeton Satellite Systems to take the data from the World record holding PFRC-2 reactor, feed it into supercomputer simulations to better predict how super-hot plasma behaves under electromagnetic confinement and thus, guide and improve the design of the rocket engine prototype.
Pulsar’s CEO Richard Dinan said “Our current satellite engines we make today at Pulsar, produce up to 25 miles per second in exhaust speeds. We hope to achieve over 10 times that with fusion.
“If the Pulsar rocket test can achieve fusion temperatures at its demonstration to Aerospace partners in 2027, then the technology has the potential to half mission times to Mars, reduce flight time to Saturn from 8 years to 2 and ultimately empower humanity to leave our solar system.
“We will be keeping our existing partners up to date at every step even as we begin early firings in 2025, we will be able to know if we are on the right track.
“Pulsar would then need to conduct a test firing in orbit. To the fusion community, AI truly does have the potential to allow us to achieve engines capable of interstellar space travel.”
10, Jul 2023
Shemaroo Entertainment appoints Saurabh Srivastava as Chief Operating Officer – Digital Business
Mumbai, 10th July 2023: Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd., one of the leading players in the Indian media and entertainment industry, has announced the appointment of Saurabh Srivastava as the Chief Operating Officer – Digital Business. This strategic move underscores the company’s commitment to maintaining a competitive edge in the dynamic digital landscape. Saurabh will be responsible for driving digital growth, revenue strategy, and operational excellence, ensuring continued success in the evolving digital ecosystem.
With a distinguished career spanning 17+ years across diverse industries, Saurabh has held key positions at Disney Star India, Marico and Coca Cola India, and was also the co-founder of Studio Samsara. In his previous role at Disney Star India, he demonstrated exceptional leadership as the Head of Product & Revenue Strategy for the Hindi Entertainment Network, driving ad-sales revenue on linear successfully. At Marico, Srivastava demonstrated his strategic acumen by spearheading the complete P&L responsibility of the South East Asia business and effectively establishing operations in the region. He had co-founded Studio Samsara in Malaysia, where he established an omnichannel model and developed a robust digital marketing strategy, exemplifying his expertise beyond his corporate roles.
Hiren Gada, CEO – Shemaroo, commented, “We are delighted to welcome Saurabh Srivastava as our Chief Operating Officer – Digital Business. Saurabh’s extensive and highly successful stints across multiple business functions and geographies at global organisations like Disney, Marico and Coca Cola will play a pivotal role in accelerating our digital expansion. This appointment reinforces our commitment to strengthen the leadership at Shemaroo as we continue on the path of disruptive growth in the rapidly evolving world of media and entertainment.”
Arghya Chakravarty, COO – Shemaroo, added, “Saurabh’s extensive leadership and proven track record in driving monetisation across platforms basis not just vanilla pricing growth but also multiple industry first innovations on linear as well as digital, make him an invaluable addition to our digital transformation journey. His experience at Disney Star and Marico will be instrumental in driving growth across our digital video, music and OTT businesses in the fast-evolving digital landscape. His strategic leadership and expertise will enable us to take the next leap towards our B2C agenda at Shemaroo.”
In this role, Srivastava will report to Arghya Chakravarty and will be a part of the Shemaroo Executive Committee.
Saurabh is an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur and holds a Chemical engineering degree from IIT Delhi. His appointment highlights Shemaroo’s commitment to embracing industry changes and seizing new opportunities in the digital realm.
