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Indian Technology Company Quixy Sweeps through G2 Spring 2023 Reports

India, April 12th, 2023 – Quixy, the India-based No-Code Technology platform has been recognized as a burgeoning force in the G2 Spring 2023 Reports. The cloud-based, advanced no-code platform has ranked No. 1 Business Process Management and Digital Process Automation platform in the Momentum Reports, emerging as the only Indian company to acquire the position. Additionally, Quixy has been named the leader in 6 more categories such as Workplace Innovation Platform, No-Code Development Platform, and Drag and Drop App Builder among others.

Braced by the new recognition, Quixy enters G2’s list of Top 10 Products with the Most #1 Rankings, alongside companies in the likes of Zoom, HubSpot, and GitHub. Quixy has been recognized as a Leader 10th consecutive time in the No-Code Development Platform Category. The rankings are a powerful testament to the robust digital enablers in India and the rapidly growing digital infrastructure in the country. Quixy has been bestowed with 320 G2 badges, including the Easiest to Use, Easy to Do Business with, Best Support, and Best Results badges. (Please elaborate on the credentials of a G2 badge).

“It is an absolute honor to be recognized, yet again as a multi-category leader in G2’s Spring 2023 Reports. G2’s reviews, being noted globally for their authentic and verified nature, are a strong corroboration to our digital-first solutions. Our silver bullet is undoubtedly our easy-to-use no-code platform, which enables users to create smart, automated workflows with zero programming knowledge. G2’s recognition of Quixy as a leader in 8 categories represents our strengths and fierce understanding of the Indian and global enterprise and government needs in digitization,” said Mr. Vivek Goel, Vice President, Marketing and Evangelism, Quixy.

Since its launch in 2019, Quixy has expanded its services to 15+ industry verticals across more than 15 nations and 5 continents. In the recent past, Quixy was also recognized in Gartner’s Voice of Customer Report for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms for 2nd time in a row and Forrester’s Now Tech Report for General-Purpose Low-Code Development Platforms. Quixy is the only India-based Gold Tier Partner in PMI’s Citizen Development Partner Program. For more information about Quixy and how Quixy is enabling digital transformation for its customers, please visit quixy.com.

DP WORLD appoints Ashwani Nath as Chief Commercial Officer for Logistics

Mumbai, India – 12 April 2023: DP World, the leading provider of smart end-to-end logistics, has announced the appointment of Ashwani Nath as its Chief Commercial Officer for Logistics in the subcontinent. Ashwani will lead the commercial organization and prioritize growth initiatives for all logistics businesses in DP World Subcontinent. This appointment aligns with DP World’s vision to drive exponential business growth and serve a larger array of Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCOs).

Rizwan Soomar, CEO & MD India Subcontinent & Sub-Saharan Africa, DP World, said, “Ashwani is a versatile leader with an established record of optimizing operational efficiency. His leadership skills and vast experience will help us in achieving our vision to drive exponential business growth by offering customers end-to-end logistics solutions. As we help our customers navigate the complexities of global trade, we are confident that Ashwani will develop relevant solutions to make trade flow. We wish him the very best at DP World.”

Ashwani Nath, Chief Commercial Officer – Logistics, Subcontinent, DP World, said, “It is an honor to join the established and talented team at DP World Subcontinent. I am eager to work with the team in delivering the best the organization has to offer to all our existing and potential customers. I would like to thank the organization for this opportunity and look forward to unlocking value for our customers and stakeholders.”

Ashwani brings over 35 years of distinguished career experience, having held several senior roles in leading companies across India, Sri Lanka, Italy, the Netherlands, and France. He has led business development and solutions, created optimization and efficiency improvement, successfully established market leadership in several of the businesses he has managed, created innovative solutions for stronger partnerships with key C-suite clients, set up new businesses, and turned around existing ones with excellent project management skills.

HFCL becomes India’s first enterprise to offer OpenRoamingTM across their complete Wi-Fi portfolio

Bangalore, 12th April 2023: HFCL Limited (‘HFCL’), a leading technology enterprise and integrated next-gen communication product and solution provider announces integrated support for Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) OpenRoaming across their entire IO portfolio of Wi-Fi products making them the first Indian enterprise to do so. This support is available for all global customers looking to buy OpenRoaming enabled Wi-Fi solutions. The Company demonstrated OpenRoaming use cases at ‘Wi-Fi & Delicensing of 6 GHZ: The Driving Force of Broadband for All’ seminar hosted today on 11th April by the WBA and Broadband India Forum (BIF) in New Delhi and highlighted the importance of OpenRoaming and how it eases the life of end consumers.

OpenRoaming is a roaming federation service by the WBA that enables companies to provide a secure and automatic Wi-Fi experience to its users and further scale roaming relationships, across the globe. WBA OpenRoaming creates the framework to connect billions of users and things to millions of Wi-Fi networks globally. Deployed at over 1 million hotspots worldwide, WBA OpenRoaming platform has emerged as the standard for Wi-Fi network owners and service providers. It is based on cyber security, cloud federation, and network automation, which enable the function of roaming federation.

With its consistent focus on R&D, HFCL has emerged as a leading technology enterprise to bring innovative products and solutions like World’s First Open-Source Wi-Fi 7 Access Points and a complete 5G Access & Transport portfolio. HFCL has integrated OpenRoaming on all its Wi-Fi products, which will enable frictionless experience for the end-users, by offering automatic connection, secure device authentication for all enabled devices with only a one-time process.

Speaking on this development, Jitendra Chaudhary, Executive President, HFCL said, “We are immensely proud to be the first Indian enterprise that enables the deployment of WBA’s OpenRoaming across our Wi-Fi portfolio. We are currently working with telecom operators and large ISPs in India and in few other countries to deploy OpenRoaming. We aim to make the most of this first mover advantage and make the internet more accessible for all globally. This open connectivity framework allows organizations to power new opportunities in the 5G era and digital connectivity, and brings us a step closer to bridging the digital divide that exists in today’s world. It further tends to lay down the foundation for the future convergence of public Wi-Fi with 5G and other cellular services. Such a revolutionary move will enable our users to live and become digitally stronger in their daily lives. Backed by our consistent R&D efforts and ongoing commitment to innovation, this reiterates our position as the leading manufacturer of innovative telecom products and solutions on the global front.”

Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, said: “The Wireless Broadband Alliance applauds HFCL’s commercial launch of WBA OpenRoaming across their portfolio enabling users to access the Internet securely and ensure user privacy. Making Wi-Fi easier and better is the goal of all WBA Members and we are delighted to support HFCL in their endeavours.”

With OpenRoaming, HFCL is enabling its customers a hassle-free, seamless, automatic, fully secure Wi-Fi onboarding and roaming services to their network users across different OpenRoaming enabled networks across different geographies. The idea is to create a world where users can access Wi-Fi anywhere without having to search for available Wi-Fi networks, without having to worry about connecting to open-security Wi-Fi and go through complex authentication processes, which can be time-consuming and frustrating. With OpenRoaming, users can automatically connect to any Wi-Fi network that is part of the OpenRoaming ecosystem anywhere in the world and start using it immediately.

Bring back your Brow game with Anastasia Beverly Hills

April 12 2023 Anastasia Beverly Hills is the #1 U.S. Brow Brand*. Brows have become a major beauty trend in recent years, and it’s no surprise that the market for brow products has grown exponentially. Anastasia patented the Golden Ratio® method of doing the brows which is a mathematical principle of thirds to create aesthetic harmony on a human face as per their bone structure. In India, where beauty and grooming are important aspects of the culture, there is a growing demand for high-quality brow products where Anastasia Beverly Hills is changing the game with their Five Step Signature Brow service offered at their Brow Bars across the brand stores.

Anastasia Beverly Hills has the best-in-class range of brow products that have captured the entire market. One of the bestselling products introduced by the brand was the Brow Freeze which became the most popular styling wax and was admired by everyone across the globe. Brow Freeze is a quick-to-apply styling wax that lifts, tames, and shapes each hair while offering an effective grip. Your trick to locked-in, feathered brows can be found here. Anastasia Beverly Hills also have some other exclusive products to redefine the brow game that includes a Brow Wiz which gives sharp outlining and detailing to the brows. It makes the brows appear fuller and even more defined.

Another cutting-edge product in the brow segment is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo which creates hair-like details with the fine tip and is versatile in application. Anastasia Beverly Hills Pomade completes the look by waterproofing the details and with the long-lasting formula it glides on and dries down swiftly. This gives natural-looking textured brows and stays put for a longer period to ace the brow game.

Anastasia Beverly Hills has the most exciting and wide range of Brow Products that are loved by all globally and are available at Sephora, ABH exclusive stores in Delhi NCR & Mumbai, and e-retailing partners.

*Source: The NPD Group / U.S. Prestige Beauty Total Measured Market, Eye Brow Makeup Brand Sales, Jan. – Dec. 2022.

Luebbering Insurance Agency Joins Valley Insurance Agency Alliance

32-year-old insurance agency becomes a part of growing alliance.

(St. Louis, Mo., April 12, 2023) Luebbering Insurance Agency recently joined Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA), a cohesive family of more than 160 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois.

Founded in 1991, Luebbering Insurance Agency was created by owner Dennis Luebbering. The full-service nine-person agency is located at 2717 Industrial Dr. in Jefferson City, Mo. Luebbering Insurance Agency specializes in auto, home, commercial, life and health insurance.

Dennis has 32 years of experience in the insurance industry. Luebbering Insurance Agency began as a captive agency and switched to an independent agency in 2009. Luebbering currently serves on the board of the Missouri Association of Insurance Agents as the organization’s vice president.

“We have been in business for more than three decades, and we liked that Valley Insurance Agency Alliance is a locally owned and operated business which features so many member benefits,” said Luebbering Insurance Agency owner Dennis Luebbering. “The Alliance provides a variety of perks, everything from extensive training to the ease of reporting, and we look forward to a long-term mutually beneficial relationship.”

Founded in 2006, sister company Valley Insurance Agency Alliance generates more than $600 million in written premium and is the regional founding member for the Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance (SIAA), a $11 billion national alliance.

For more information about Luebbering Insurance Agency, call (573) 635-5810 or visit www.li-ins.com.

Broadband India Forum signs MoU with Wireless Broadband Alliance to expand NextGen Wireless Ecosystem

New Delhi, April 12, 2023 – Broadband India Forum (BIF) and Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) concluded their inaugural event on “Wi-Fi and Delicensing of 6GHz – The Driving Force of Broadband for All” on April 11, 2023, at Le Meridian Hotel, Delhi. The event jointly focused on the importance of the globally harmonized unlicensed 6Ghz spectrum band and the benefits it brings by addressing the Digital Divide, making spectrum available for the next generation. Wi-Fi products based on standardized IEEE 802.11 technologies viz, Wi-Fi6E and Wi-Fi 7, accelerate technology innovations including new applications like AR/VR, Holographic & Haptic systems.

The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders to discuss and deliberate on aspects around how the latest Wi-Fi technologies viz. Wi-Fi6E

(and upcoming Wi-Fi 7) that work exclusively in the delicensed 6Ghz spectrum band can help complement 5G and thereby help bridge the connectivity gap besides spurring new innovations and research & development of new applications & services.

India urgently needs the 6GHz spectrum to be opened up for Wi-Fi to achieve its broadband goals as well as meet the growth opportunities for business and societal needs, as has already been agreed in over 50 countries worldwide.

The event also focused on how next-gen Wi-Fi technologies, riding on the delicensed 6Ghz spectrum band, could help provide ultra-high-speed and low latency connectivity to every nook and corner of the country, thereby complementing 5G in places where conventional tower and fiber infrastructure deployment may either not be feasible or cost-effective.

There was a dedicated session on Public Wi-Fi Roaming. Two different standards & approaches were discussed & deliberated upon viz The Global ‘OpenRoaming‘ standard as well as our homegrown PM-WANI Roaming. The event also featured a live demo of both PM-WANI Roaming and OpenRoaming TM/, which drew a lot of appreciation from the policymakers, and other delegates. The PM-WANI Roaming was developed to provide easy and seamless roaming of users as they move from one PDOA to another PDOA without having to re-authenticate and revalidate their payment wallets every time. OpenRoaming is an initiative by the WBA that allows for automatic seamless and secure Wi-Fi roaming across different networks, platforms, and providers with the ability to rapidly scale.

During the event, BIF and WBA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand the NextGen Wireless Ecosystem together in a collaborative manner.

Commenting on the significance of the event, BIF Chairperson Smt. Aruna Sundararajan stated “Given that Public Wi-Fi is the way to go to accelerate Broadband penetration across the country, liberalization of Public Wi-Fi through the PM-WANI scheme is one of the important steps to help achieve the Government of India’s vision of Digital India and to attain the objectives of providing ‘Broadband for all’.

Mr. T V Ramachandran, President, of Broadband India Forum said “BIF has conducted a very exhaustive study for co-existence in the 6GHz band based on actual data, which has conclusively proved that

Wi-Fi can co-exist with incumbent users of Fixed Services (FS) and Fixed Satellite Services (FSS) in the band.

Mr. Tiago Rodrigues, Chief Executive Officer at Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), added “We are delighted to announce this partnership with Broadband India Forum. Extending the work of Wireless Broadband Alliance and leveraging the latest Wi-Fi capabilities to enable long-term sustainable wireless broadband solutions for India”

UGRO Capital Limited, India’s first listed fintech start-up announced its equity capital raise of INR 340 Crore

Mumbai, April 12, 2023: UGRO Capital Limited (NSE: UGROCAP I BSE: 511742), which was formed as a lendng FinTech in July 2018 as a listed entity by raising approximately INR 900+ Cr of Equity Capital, today announced its second capital raise since inception. UGRO Capital’s Board of Directors have approved a preferential allotment of INR 240 Cr to IFU (Investeringsfonden for Udviklingslande) through its Danish Sustainable Development Goals Investment Fund K/S. The equity fundraise is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory and shareholder approvals.

UGRO Capital is simultaneously raising up to INR 101 Cr from long-term shareholders like insurance companies, AIF, and other financial institutions through a Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP) of up to INR 101 Cr.

Preferential Allotment: UGRO Capital has entered into a definitive investment agreement with IFU. IFU is an independent Denmark government-owned fund offering risk capital to companies in developing countries and emerging markets is the Danish Development Finance Institution and an impact investor which invests to support sustainable development in developing countries and contribute to the realization of the SDGs by creating better opportunities for people in low and middle-income countries. The growth capital from the funds raised will primarily be used for onward lending, this shall assist the MSME segment and take credit to the last mile. This capital raise will further enhance UGRO Capital’s strong capital position and strengthen the balance sheet.

Commenting on the fund-raising announcement, Mr. Shachindra Nath, Vice Chairman, and Managing Director, UGRO Capital said, “We have seen multiple FinTech and NBFCs which were created as private ventures and then being floated in Public Market at a significant premium, it was our desire to create an Institutionally Owned, Independently Supervised and Professionally managed FinTech in the listed world so that the opportunity is available to the large universe of Public Market Institutional Investors, HNIs,

AIFs, PMS and Retail Investors.

We intent to gain 1% market share with 1 million small businesses – it has been our endeavour to change the life of small businesses and having a global development financial institution like IFU as a partner would help us achieve our mission with an accelerated pace.”

UGRO Capital Raise Background: UGRO Capital was envisaged to be built as India’s largest small business financing platform combining the power of Data & Tech and was uniquely created as India first listed startup. In 2018, its founder Mr. Shachindra Nath, acquired control of a small listed NBFC ‘Chokhani Securities Limited’ and simultaneously raised capital institutional equity capital from the likes of TPG –

UGRO CAPITAL LIMITED

Registered Office Address: Equinox Business Park, Tower 3, 4th Floor, LBS Road, Kurla (West), Mumbai – 400070

CIN: L67120MH1993PLC070739

Telephone: +91 22 41821600 I E-mail: info@ugrocapital.com I Website: www.ugrocapital.com New Quest, PAG, ADV Capital, Sameena Capital, and other domestic family offices and public market investors. This in 2018 was one of the largest capital raises for a listed company at a startup stage. UGRO Capital, over the last 4 years in spite of broader challenges to the lending industry has successfully built an AUM of INR 6,000+ Cr and with a monthly disbursement of more than INR 500 Cr as of March 2023. It has truly demonstrated the power of Lending as a Service (LaaS) by being one of the most preferred partners for Banks for Co Lending. Its unique Data-driven GRO Score is a leading platform for accessing credit for small businesses in India and have recently launched GRO X platform for fully digital credit through the UPI platform.

Birla Carbon brings advanced carbon black solutions at the Carbon Black World 2023

Jiangxi, China – April 11, 2023: Birla Carbon, one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality carbon black solutions, will participate in the Carbon Black World 2023, in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China, from April 12 – 14, 2023.

As a global leader in carbon black solutions, Birla Carbon is dedicated to providing advanced products to the industry while remaining committed to sustainability and circularity. Through its innovation and technical expertise, Birla Carbon has played a vital role in realizing the full potential of carbon black across the tire, mechanical rubber goods, energy systems, plastics, inks, and coatings industries.

Commenting on the participation, John Davidson, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Birla Carbon said, “The global Carbon Black World 2023 conference, presents a valuable opportunity for all stakeholders in the carbon black industry, including Birla Carbon, to collaborate and exchange knowledge, ideas, and best practices. We can contribute to and gain from this dynamic platform to enhance our industry know-how, foster innovation, and develop practical solutions to meet the evolving demands of the market.” He further adds, “Our sustainability efforts have led us to achieve the ‘Platinum’ rating by EcoVadis for sustainable business practices which reaffirms our efforts in providing high-quality sustainable alternatives to traditional carbon blacks. Ultimately, the knowledge and insights gained from this conference can help us and our peers to drive growth and make a positive impact in the industry.”

The theme of Carbon Black World 2023 – ‘Exploring Innovations and Sustainability in the Carbon Black Value Chain’ – aligns with Birla Carbon’s strategy in enabling significant and measurable reductions in carbon footprint.

The Carbon Black World 2023 technical conference aims to feature the most distinguished market analysts and experts from around the world, who will present diverse and balanced perspectives on various topics, including emerging opportunities, the latest technological advancements, and other critical industry updates in the carbon black industry.

SIG is set to become one of the fastest growing aseptic packaging players in liquid food and beverages

April 11 2023 SIG, a leading solutions provider of packaging for better, recorded exponential growth and is set to become one of the fastest-growing aseptic packaging brands in India. The brand aims to expand its business in India with increased manufacturing capacities and partnerships with most of the biggest Indian beverage, juice, and dairy players.

In 2017, SIG began operating in the Indian market. The brand has expanded its operations significantly and will have over 40 SIG filling lines for aseptic carton packs in operation at its customers in India by end of 2023.

The CEO of the SIG Group, Samuel Sigrist, visited India between April 3 and 5, accompanied by SIG executives, to open SIG’s second production plant in Palghar, which specializes in the production of SIG’s bag-in-box and spouted pouch packaging, previously marketed under Scholle IPN and Bossar.

The aim of his visit was also to further develop good relationships with industry experts, strategic partners, and customers.

SIG India’s aseptic carton journey started with two iconic customers: ITC and Coca-Cola India, as it set up its local headquarters in Gurgaon in November 2017. Its growth in the sector can be attributed to its strong value proposition, which provides clients with innovative, aseptic packaging solutions. As a result, SIG is now associated with leading beverage players in India like Amul, Parle Agro, Coca-Cola, ITC, Milky Mist, PepsiCo, KMF, Dabur, Haldiram, and Creamline Dairy. Today, with a strong base of installed filling machines across the country and a full-fledged, experienced local team, SIG is looking to further accelerate its growth trajectory in India.

Samuel Sigrist, CEO of SIG: “SIG’s growing customer base in India is a testimony to our attractive product offering and our sustainable packaging technology. With the new investment and increased production capacities, we are set to grow significantly in the upcoming years.”

Angela Lu, President & General Manager Asia-Pacific South at SIG: “SIG has received positive feedback from its customers, signaling a promising future for the company in the years to come. Recognizing the potential for growth in the sector, India is a crucial market for SIG. Our company’s objective is to establish a comprehensive framework for sustainable packaging solutions that can be customized, provides flexibility, and can meet the demands of customers and every Indian consumer.”

Vandana Tandan, Head of Markets for India, and Bangladesh at SIG: “It is impressive to see SIG’s operations in India expand rapidly, even amidst market fluctuations and challenges. The company has demonstrated remarkable potential, and I am confident that this success can be attributed to its focus on sustainability and integrated production capacities. With these strengths at its core, SIG is poised to remain at the forefront of the industry.”

In the current context, SIG’s expansion plans are in line with the “Make in India” initiative aimed at promoting local production. Keeping this in mind, the company recently announced the construction of its first aseptic carton plant in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It will invest up to €60 million over the period 2023–2025. The aim is to reach a production capacity of 4 billion packs per annum. Additionally, significant further capacity investments can be made over time and buildings will be financed through a long-term lease with an NPV of approximately €30 million.