Blog

Shopify announces multi-year investment in Partner Program

Mumbai: 25 February 2023: Shopify (NYSE: SHOP), a provider of essential internet infrastructure for commerce, has today launched a reimagined Partner Program, marking the beginning of a multi-year vision for partners in India as Shopify enters its next era of growth.

Since the inception of the Shopify Partner Program over a decade ago, Shopify’s partner network has become the largest commerce ecosystem in the world, a powerful community helping merchants grow faster. Shopify now has more than 3,300 partners in India alone.

To make it easier for every partner to build their business with Shopify, the enhancements focus on three areas: exceptional rewards, skills building, and a simplified, engaging partner experience.

“Our partners add unparalleled value to Shopify and our merchants. To recognise and enhance their offerings, we’re making a commitment to include partners in every possible engagement. Our continued investment in our partner ecosystem is anchored by a singular goal: helping our partners win more business, based on what they’ve told us they need most.” — Bobby Morrison, Chief Revenue Officer at Shopify

“India’s thriving partner ecosystem is unmatched and key to the success of Indian commerce on the world stage. Shopify’s reimagined Partner Program demonstrates our commitment to delivering unrivaled opportunities for partners to accelerate their own business and the success of Indian brands and retailers with Shopify. I can’t wait to see the incredible experiences local partners continue to build here for our merchants.” — Apsara Chidambaram, Head of Partnerships (India) at Shopify

New incentives built to accelerate partner growth

Shopify is significantly expanding program incentives to recognize and reward partners. Partners can now earn up to 2x or more in 2023 through revenue share and promotions to re-invest back into their business. Shopify is also focused on helping partners close more deals by increasing its investment in joint marketing and co-selling programs.

“Shopify’s investment in its Partner Program opens up immediate opportunities for us to grow our business. The partnership team has focused on building a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship with us and truly listens and responds. The new rewards and incentives are a perfect example of them responding to the voice of their partners.” — Mary Krause, Strategic Alliances Manager at CQL

“The Partner Program investments are another example of what makes Shopify such an innovative company and powerful platform. The transformation of Shopify’s Partner Program, particularly with more earning potential, will help fuel our growth and support our customers’ goals.” — Isaac Newton, Co-Founder of Pattern

Comprehensive education and enablement

Shopify continues to lead the commercial market in innovation, including the recent release of over 100+ new product updates in the Winter ‘23 Edition. To ensure partners are equipped to bring those innovations to their clients, Shopify is launching the first-ever certification program for Shopify partners, with both business foundation and technical certifications.

Eight new Shopify Certification courses and specialisation badges will help partners quickly upskill their teams with modules on products such as Shopify Plus, Markets, Checkout, and POS, to business fundamentals like introduction to data, marketing, and developer opportunities.

“Shopify’s pace of product innovation is unprecedented, and their exciting new vision for training and education will unlock more capabilities for EY teams to deepen skills faster and more efficiently. Having access to these tools will accelerate the ability to help EY clients react faster, do more and exceed new consumer expectations.” — Warren Tomlin, EY Global Shopify Alliance Leader.

Partners now have access to an expanded product and sales enablement resource library in their partner dashboard. These assets, along with ongoing live enablement webinars, are built specifically to support partners and help them grow their businesses.

More ways to engage with Shopify

How partners engage with Shopify and build relationships within the Shopify ecosystem will also be reimagined. Shopify has increased its focus on supporting partners’ education and earnings potential with expanded virtual and in-person events starting with Partner Education Day on April 4. There will also be an in-person event later this year to celebrate and recognise top-performing commercial partners.

“Shopify’s continued innovation and investment in the program has played a crucial role in our company’s success. That includes their readiness for enterprise-scale commerce, which is the foundation that enables our agency to build world-class websites for some of the largest brands on the planet. Like Shopify we’re committed to constant iteration, and these updates to rewards, education and networking reflect that desire to continue learning and improving together.” —

Piers Thorogood, Co-Founder of We Make Websites

Building for the long term, together

Shifting consumer expectations, the rapid pace of commerce innovation, and a changing economic landscape all significantly increase the value Shopify partners add to merchants navigating constant change. This evolution of the program is designed to empower Shopify’s network of development and digital marketing agencies, system integrators, technology, venture capital and private equity partners to meet the needs of merchants together.

DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations partners with Studio Trika to create breath-taking experiences in the sky

New Delhi, February 25, 2023: DroneAcharya Aerial Innovations, an end-to-end data solution provider, today announced that it has partnered with Studio Trika to bring together their expertise in drone technology and art to create breathtaking experiences in the sky. With DroneAcharya’s aerial and geospatial solutions, the Indian UAV industry has witnessed a revolution across multiple domains, including agriculture, energy, mining, infrastructure, oil and gas, smart cities, urban planning, and water resources.

DroneAcharya’s latest venture is the use of swarm drones and drone light shows, which are gaining popularity in the entertainment industry. The company’s commitment to innovation has enabled them to provide exceptional services and solutions to its clients, helping them to stand out in its respective domains. Studio Trika is conceptualised by Chandrakanth Rajapure and Vineet Sabharwal in 2009.

The partnership between DroneAcharya and Studio Trika has the potential to create a new genre of entertainment by bringing together the cutting-edge technology of drones and the creativity of art. By leveraging DroneAcharya’s expertise in drone technology and Studio Trika’s artistic capabilities, the partnership aims to provide unique experiences to its customers. Studio Trika has earned a well-deserved reputation as a leader in the drone light show industry, with its recent achievement of being crowned the “Best drone show for the anniversary” on 20th December 2022, at the 3rd International Drone Show Competition. This prestigious competition, initiated by SPH Engineering’s Drone Show Software team, saw participants from 31 countries compete for the right to get to the final and become the winner in one of 5 categories. With 51 finalists, the competition was fierce, and for Studio Trika to be one of the 15 winners selected is a testament to their skill, expertise, and innovative approach to drone light shows. This achievement is expected to further enhance the company’s reputation and attract new clients from around the world.

ASAP Kerala Announces First Batch of Wastewater Treatment Plant Technician Course

Kochi: ASAP Kerala is now accepting applications for the first batch of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Technician Course, which will be conducted offline at the Skill Parks in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kannur, and Kozhikode. The course aims to address the shortage of certified technicians in Wastewater Treatment Plants, which is crucial in large malls, industrial establishments, hospitals, and other similar facilities. It is estimated that there are about 20,000 vacancies for such technicians across India, and there are also many opportunities in the Gulf region.

The course is approved by the National Skills Qualification Framework, and it has a duration of 200 hours, with 70 hours of theory and 130 hours of on-the-job training. Admission is open to those who have passed higher secondary or 10th with an ITI. The course fee is Rs 17,200, inclusive of GST, and ASAP Kerala facilitates skill loan assistance from Canara Bank and Kerala Bank.

In other states, including Karnataka, the respective pollution control boards have made it mandatory to appoint certified Wastewater Treatment Plant technicians. It is expected that the state of Kerala will follow suit, which will create more job opportunities in the state.

Q&I by Thomson Digital bags ArdorComm’s ‘Outstanding Digital Education Platform Provider of the Year’

Noida, 25th February 2023- Thomson Digital is proud to announce that its breakthrough Edtech platform, Q&I (Qanditoday.com), has been awarded the much coveted “Outstanding Digital Education Platform Provider of the Year 2023” by ArdorComm Media at the New Normal Education Leadership Summit and Awards 2023 held at Kolkata, West Bengal. The prestigious award recognizes the best and the most innovative digital education platforms in the industry.

Q&I is an interactive and user-friendly platform that enables learners to access educational content anytime, and from anywhere. The platform has been designed to provide NEET and JEE aspirants with personalized learning experiences, while also empowering educators with effective tools that would let them create engaging and informative lessons. The platform’s cutting-edge technology has revolutionized the way students consume digital educational content, making it much more immersive and understandable.

Mr. Vinay Singh, CEO, of Thomson Digital and Q&I said, “We are delighted to receive the Outstanding Digital Education Platform Provider of the Year 2023 award. Our proprietary platform, Q&I, is the result of years of hard work and dedication from our team, and we are thrilled by the recognition conferred to us by ArdorComm Media. We believe that Q&I is a game-changer for the education industry, and we look forward to further developing and refining our platform to meet the evolving needs of competitive exam aspirants and educators.”

ArdorComm Media’s awards are highly respected within the education industry, and the ‘Outstanding Digital Education Platform Provider of the Year 2023 award’ is no exception. The award is a testament to the impact that Q&I has had on its stakeholders across the globe with more than 50 prestigious schools, colleges, and organizations participating in the event.

“We were impressed by the quality of Q&I’s platform and the wide range of features it offers. The platform is highly innovative, and we believe it has the potential to transform the way students and teachers engage with digital content. We are pleased to confer this award to Thomson Digital.”, said a representative from ArdorComm Media.

Thomson Digital is committed to delivering high-quality digital education solutions that are tailor-made to empower the education sector. Q&I is just one of the many ground-breaking edtech platforms that the company has developed in recent years. Over the years Thomson Digital’s dedication towards innovation and excellence has made it a pioneer in the digital education space.

“Story-telling never change, but technology is making a huge change in it,” says Shekhar Kapur

Mumbai, 25th February 2023: “Digital has allowed me to do anything on screen and we do not need to roll the negatives to shoot a movie now. If we embrace the metaverse right then it will be a trillion-dollar business for the Indian film industry. It will not just film, it will be content creation as a whole. There is a Tsunami of content coming in, which we need to be prepared for” said Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur here today.

He added, “If I can’t disseminate my product in metaverse in 15 minutes then somebody else will.”

Speaking at the second edition of the “Ideas of India” Summit, Kapur said, “If you believe in something, you believe in it. If I hadn’t believed in my career I may not be here. I have never been scared of losing when I am doing something I believe in. If you lose because somebody has else said something to you then you will never forgive yourself. ”

He added, “Panic is fundamental to creativity for me. There is no structure and only chaos, creativity arises out of chaos. Life comes out of chaos. You make sure that you know what you are doing and people should know what you are doing.”

The ABP Network’s “Ideas of India” Summit 2023 was discussing the topic of “The Future is Here, Building the New Narrative.”The summit has brought together policymakers, cultural ambassadors, industry experts, celebrities, and business leaders to discuss the critical role of India during the global churn and changing dynamics. ABP Network is a leading multi-language channel with 535 million individuals in India therefore this summit provides one of the biggest platforms for the brightest minds across various sectors to express their views.

About ABP Network

An innovative media and content creation company, ABP Network is a credible voice in the broadcast & digital sphere, with a multi-language portfolio of news channels reaching 535 million individuals in India. ABP Studios, which comes under the purview of ABP Creations – the content innovation arm of the network – creates, produces, and licenses original, path-breaking content outside of news. ABP Network is a group entity of ABP, which was incorporated almost 100 years ago and continues to reign as a leading Indian Media Conglomerate.

A Good Film Will Always Find Its Right Audience: Yami Gautam

Mumbai, 25 February 2023: The Indian Film Industry has evolved with time and uses the medium of cinema halls as well as OTT to release movies, said Yami Gautam, a renowned actress. Speaking at ABP Network’s second edition of the ‘Ideas of India’ summit on the topic, ‘Breaking the Mould – Making it Big’, she said “Films were meant to be made for the big screen to make people forget the world outside the cinema hall. But, the industry has adapted to the change.” Explaining this, she added, “My last five films were released on OTT. It has its own metrics to judge the success of the film such as viewership and how well it was liked by the audience.”

Further speaking on the topic, she said that “the industry is evolving” to accommodate better characters and scripts. “Change doesn’t happen overnight, every generation brings change,” she said. On being asked about her take on women-centric films, she explained, “I think the term ‘women-centric’ will become redundant in the times to come. People only care about the story and the characters of a film, not the gender of the person playing it.”

The summit promises an invigorating line-up of speakers with prominent figures from the world of business, politics, artists from the Hindi Film Industry, authors and other eminent sectors. The two-day conference confluences diverse ideas from various industries to promote India in becoming a burgeoning leader in the world.

CJ Darcl Logistics Selects Netradyne to Improve Fleet Safety Performance

Delhi, 25th February 2023: Netradyne, a SaaS leader in artificial intelligence (A.I.) and edge computing focusing on driver and fleet safety, today announces that CJ Darcl Logistics Ltd, one of the largest logistics providers in India, has selected Netradyne to provide advanced fleet safety solutions. The engagement provides fleet of 1000 vehicles of CJ Darcl with AI-enabled embedded safety technology, helping the company improve fleet operation performance, and driver behavior, and reduce thefts.

By deploying Netradyne’s Driver•i, CJ Darcl Logistics enhances their fleet management and further builds upon cost-effective services, and sets new safety standards. The Driver•i system helps the company achieve its goals of improving driving behavior through automated driver coaching. It also supports in expediting driver exonerations as well as in handling insurance claims.

Durgadutt Nedungadi, Vice President – International Business, Netradyne, said, “We are thrilled to partner with CJ Darcl Logistics, and we will deliver our industry-leading AI-based safety technology solutions to its fleets. The partnership paves the way for us to showcase our technology’s flexibility to cater to our customers’ diverse needs.”

A joint venture between DARCL Logistics and CJ Group from South Korea, the company serves more than 2000 varied customers through its 174 offices across India. The company stays ahead of the curve when it appears to adoption of technological advancements and safety. The company remains at the forefront of adopting technological advancements and prioritizing safety. To enhance road safety, the company is integrating technology and safety measures by installing AI devices on its trucks. These devices control visibility and speed, which in turn improves the overall safety and security of the road.

“Our vision is to train and to make the drivers follow the best road practices to avoid accidents. CJ Darcl aims to accomplish zero accidents and to understand and address the areas of concern while driving. Partnering with Netradyne’s Driver•i with smart safety dash cams will help to control the driver’s distracted sight. We have also conducted certain trials. Hence, it is helping in maintaining the Driver’s scorecard with other promising results.” said Nikhil Agarwal, President- CJ Darcl Logistics Ltd.

Japan considers India a natural ally. Our relations are closest in the world: Consul-General of Japan in Mumbai, Yasukata Fukahori

Mumbai, 25 February 2023: “Spiritual closeness between India and Japan is very deep. Indian people and Japanese people can understand each other. Relations between the two countries are the closest in the world. India and Japan are natural allies” said Yasukata Fukahori, Consul-General of Japan in Mumbai.

Yasukata Fukahori was speaking at the second edition of ABP Network’s “Ideas of India” Summit 2023, on the topic of “India and Japan, Seventy Years of Friendship.” The summit has brought together policymakers, cultural ambassadors, industry experts, celebrities, and business leaders to discuss the critical role of India during the global churn and changing dynamics.

Commenting on the future of Indo-Japanese economic ties, Fukahori, said, “I predict a bright future between India and Japan economically.”

He further added, “Achieving the 5 trillion yen investment target in India within the next five years seems attainable. There is optimism that investments will continue to flow into India, and the cultural closeness between the nations also aids in this endeavor,”

The second edition of ABP Network’s “Ideas of India” Summit is being held on the theme “Naya India: Looking Inward, Reaching Out.” Along with global leaders, 60 eminent national and international speakers will share the stage this time. The two-day event primarily addresses India’s stand as a burgeoning economy and global leader in shaping the future.