Startup Select Brands Secures INR 6.5 Cr Pre-Series A Funding, Aims to Redefine D2C Landscape

India, 08 May 2024 — JITO Incubation Centre (JIC), part of JITO Incubation and Innovation Foundation (JIIF), incubated Select Brands, has secured INR 6.5 crore in its Pre-Series A funding round. The funding round was led by Agra Gwalior Pathways and Airen Holdings. Other marquee investors include We Founder Circle, Prataap Snacks, Apricot Foods, Workie, and IVY League Ventures.

Select Brands, founded by brothers Agam Choudhary and Saksham Jain in 2022, epitomizes the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial excellence. With a vision to revolutionize the market, it is well-positioned to utilize the funding to not only expand its current operations but also to explore new territories and broaden its reach through category expansion.

Select Brands possesses the capability to leverage emerging opportunities and achieve its goal of becoming a prominent player in the D2C market. With the backing of this funding, the company will be able to launch new brands under the Select Brand portfolio.

Vikash Kawar, Vice-Chairman of JITO Incubation Centre, said, “We feel proud to witness the remarkable progress of Select Brands. This funding is a testament to their dedication and ingenuity in the competitive business landscape. It showcases the potential of startups incubated under JIIF’s guidance. India is definitely making a mark with the tremendous D2C disruption. And one of the biggest factors for the growth of D2C brands in India is rapid digitization. Also because of the nation’s high population, India will always be a D2C brand and we are contributing our part by supporting D2C startups with differential offerings and efficient user experience.”

Backing more than 32+ homegrown startups, the primary concept of JITO Incubation Centre is to invest in people and their ideas. JIC is dedicated to transforming promising early-stage startup ideas into viable business concepts with a local, national, and global effect.

Select Brands began its entrepreneurial journey with an aim for customer satisfaction and this is illustrated by its flagship product, Kyari, a D2C brand that specializes in home-grown plants. Despite initial challenges, Kyari has received widespread acclaim, with sales of INR 4 crores in its first fiscal year (FY-23) and currently records monthly sales of approximately INR 1.5 crores.

Agam Choudhary, Co-founder, Select Brands, said, “We are elated by the infusion of funding we’ve received. This funding will play a crucial role in driving forward our expansion plans, empowering us to introduce new brands under the Select Brand umbrella. With the support of our investors and mentors, we are confident in our ability to achieve our growth targets.”

JITO Incubation Centre is a structured program that consolidates essential resources for startups, including vital components such as mentorship, a global network, technology, peripheral services (such as legal and financial assistance), and business connections, all under one roof.

Tata Elxsi Collaborates with Arm to Accelerate the Software-Defined Vehicle Journey for OEMs

MumbaiMay 08, 2024: Tata Elxsi, a global leader in technology and design services has collaborated with Arm, the global semiconductor design and software platform company to offer advanced solutions on the latest Arm® processors, which will help Automotive OEMs and Tier-1s fast track their transition to software-defined vehicles (SDVs).

Automotive architectures are evolving from a distributed and domain-based paradigm to SDV, which includes the use of high-performance computing (HPC). This evolution requires a strategic shift in software development, validation, and deployment philosophies. Tata Elxsi brings its extensive portfolio of SDV solutions through Tata Elxsi AVENIR, a SOAFEE-based software suite that enables the development, integration, building, testing, and deployment of applications entirely on the cloud with ease for OEMs and suppliers. Through this technology collaboration, Tata Elxsi will makethis software suite available on the latest Arm® Automotive Enhanced (AE) technology that will power the high-performance requirements of next-generation vehicles.

Tata Elxsi AVENIR includes a cloud-native development and validation environment, that enables seamless collaboration to develop and validate SDV functionalities, a Connected Digital Twin Framework, which enables easier adoption and management of digital twins and a pre-integrated subscription management software. This allows end users to subscribe to automotive features on demand.

“The automotive industry is being transformedby a massive increase in software and AI that demands more computingwithin the efficiency and safety constraints of the vehicle,”said Suraj Gajendra, vice president of products and solutions, Automotive Line of Business, Arm. “By bringing together its SDV solutions withArm’s latest AE technology, Tata Elxsi isleveragingArm’s efficient performance and safety leadershipto accelerate software development cycles for next-generation vehicles.”

“Intelligent vehicles of the future will be powered by SDV, Data and AI, and it is critical that technology companies collaborate to overcome the growing complexities. We are committed to working with Arm to make Tata Elxsi AVENIR available on the latest generation of Arm cores, which will power future HPCs for SDV while fostering innovation and unlocking the benefits of scale.”said Shaju S, Vice President & Head, Transportation Business.

Tata Elxsi AVENIR integrated on Arm processors will provide automakers with a proven and ready-to-integrate SDV framework and modular software components that workseamlessly across Arm-based high-performance computing architectures and chips. This integrationaccelerates the “shift-left” in SDV development and validation processes, helping drastically cut down time-to-market and development risks.

3rd anniversary of Colonial Pipeline Attack: Comment from Marty Edwards, Deputy CTO for OT/IoT, Tenable

“The cybersecurity attack on Colonial Pipeline was a clear demonstration of how disruptions of privately-owned infrastructure can have a massive economic impact. Since then, we’ve seen countless other high-profile cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure. In 2023 alone, IC3 received 1,193 complaints indicating critical infrastructure organizations were victims of ransomware attacks. These are voluntary reports, the actual number of attacks is unknown – and likely much higher.

Efforts to infiltrate the underlying systems that support not only our daily lives but also our economies are emerging as an acute national security risk. These attacks are being executed by ransomware gangs and well-funded global adversaries that don’t share Western values. Last month, cybersecurity researchers linked a January 2024 attack on a Texas water facility to Sandworm, an infamous Russian threat group.

There is a clear and present threat that we cannot afford to ignore.

While organizations have become increasingly transparent about incidents as they happen or soon after, we need transparency now to prevent future catastrophic cyberattacks. We’ve witnessed the success of this collaboration in action after the attack on Unitronics PLCs in Aliquippa, PA. Industries and government officials have demonstrated they know how to work together, but collectively we have to be open and dedicated to continuing this practice.”- Marty Edwards, Deputy CTO for OT/IoT, Tenable

The Chatterjee Group (TCG) appoints Kashyap Mehta as CPO, Prashant Gagneja as CGRO for latest ventures Ziki and Sirrus.ai

Mumbai, 8th May, 2024 : First Livingspaces Private Limited (FLS), an enterprise of The Chatterjee Group (TCG), has onboarded Kashyap Mehta and Prashant Gagneja as key leaders of its new technology ventures — Ziki and Sirrus.ai.

FLS has positioned its new businesses in two core domains. Ziki focuses on crafting technology-enabled communities, both online and offline. Sirrus.ai is an experience ecosystem with AI-first principles, catering to the real estate industry.

Mehta, an e-commerce specialist with over 25 years of expertise in multiple industries, has joined FLS as the Chief Product Officer (CPO), while Gagneja, a seasoned strategist in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and Fintech industries, has assumed the role of the Chief Growth & Revenue Officer (CGRO).

Welcoming the two leaders, FLS spokesperson Sovon Manna said, “We are delighted to have the two visionary achievers joining us. Their experience, exuberance and unique approaches will be instrumental in propelling our businesses towards greater heights of success.”

Fondly known as ‘Kash’ in industry circles, Mehta had previously served as the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) at Croma. ‘Kash’ has also been a key contributor to several technology initiatives, having led SAP’s ecommerce vertical across APAC. He played a pivotal role in India’s consumer internet story, leaving his mark at Tata CLiQ, Baazi, and eBay.

Speaking about his new role, Mehta said, “I am thrilled to embark on this unique zero-to-hundred journey. Building a successful tech-enhanced business ecosystem from ground up, without any pre-existing template, is what drives me to embrace this adventure.”

Gagneja brings to the table his 16 years of extensive experience in driving operational success and optimising revenue streams through technology adoption. In his previous role as the vice president of organised trade at BharatPe, he had played a pivotal role in fostering key account relationships. His go-to-market strategy has been instrumental in advancing revenue strategies at several CPG and FMCG giants, including Pepsico, Kellogg, Coca-Cola, and Pernod Ricard.

Excited about his new responsibility at FLS, Gagneja said, “Drawing from my experiences thus far, I aim to champion operational efficiencies and revenue growth through strategic technology adoption.”

Prime Video’s Innovative Twist: Embracing the Humble ‘Lauki’ to Reveal the Launch Date of Original Series Panchayat’s Much-awaited Season 3

MUMBAI—8th May 2024 — Prime Video, India’s most loved entertainment destination, recently unveiled a one-of-its-kind marketing campaign as a precursor to the date announcement of its upcoming Original series Panchayat Season 3. What sets this campaign apart from other title announcement initiatives is the inventive use of one of the most underrated yet constant summer vegetables in many Indian households – Lauki. By positioning this simple yet highly versatile vegetable, which has been an integral part of the series’ narrative from the beginning, at the core of the campaign, Prime Video reinforces its commitment to delivering authenticity, originality, and innovation in its programming and marketing. This approach has made Panchayat ki lauki a buzzworthy topic nationwide.

The week-long hybrid marketing campaign, encompassing both digital as well as offline, began on April 29. Prime Video kicked off the campaign by launching an intriguing website – www.panchayat3date.com that featured the date announcement creative covered with laukis. The visitors were urged to pluck (click) the iconic Phulera ki lakes to unveil the official launch date. Simultaneously, the laukis adorned billboards across Mumbai and Delhi, concealing the date, and creating curiosity amongst the on-lookers.

As the lakes were being removed online, the progress was also being reflected on the hoardings across Delhi and Mumbai, further amping up the curiosity and fueling excitement amongst the public. The success of the campaign could be seen in the fact that over one million people were engaged, with 14,02,077 laukis being clicked off from the image on the webpage. Getting caught up in the lauki ki peeche ka raaz fervor, the cast of Panchayat, along with several social media influencers urged Panchayat fans as well as their followers to participate in this unique initiative by posting snippets about the campaign on their social media handles. The on-ground initiative also extended to prominent vegetable markets in major and smaller cities nationwide, such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Indore, and New Delhi, to name a few. These markets were inundated with laukis bearing the release date, accompanied by visits from the series’ cast, amplifying awareness of the show among the general public.

Prime Video also gifted the launch date stamped laukis, or as many will consider, the lucky mascot of Original series Panchayat, to several social media influencers.

Panchayat, with its light-hearted, realistic narrative and characters has become an antidote for many to tackle the mundane, stressful lives one leads. Over the last 4 years, the series has proved to be a perfect “comfort watch’, across demographics and age groups. Based on this interesting customer insight, the streaming service conceptualized the campaign line, ‘Tension Khatam. Panchayat Shuru’, with hoardings spreading the message of ‘Panchayat Lijiye’, as a magic pill to drive away all your worries and leave you with a smile and a lighter mood. Each season of Panchayat has become a proxy to actionable solutions to everyday problems. Through targeted advertisements, engaging social media content, and interactive experiences, Prime Video saw an unprecedented level of engagement amongst existing as well as potential customers. The success of this campaign underscores Prime Video’s unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional content and unparalleled experiences to viewers worldwide.

Prime Video executed the campaign alongside its agency partners Kulfi Collective, So Cheers, Initiative (IPG), and Trzy Innovations.

Created by The Viral Fever, Panchayat S3 is directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and written by Chandan Kumar. The star cast boasts Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Faisal Malik, Chandan Roy, and Sanvikaa in pivotal roles. The new season will premiere in Hindi, with dubs in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada, exclusively on Prime Video in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on May 28.

Sport Star Academy, Australia’s leading grassroots academy joins forces with Franchise India for business expansion in India Inbox

 08th May 2024: Sports Star Academy, one of the leading sports academies in Australia run by professional coaches is excited to announce its entry into the Indian market through a strategic collaboration with Franchise India, Asia’s largest integrated Franchise and Retail Solution Company since 1999, with absolute authority on Franchising, Retailing and Licensing.

This exciting alliance marks a significant milestone in the company’s global expansion strategy and also aims to revolutionize the sports academy franchise landscape in India.

The Academy has delivered across 330 school avenues and 100 franchises across Australia. The key objective for its expansion in India is to provide young players with access to high-quality training and development opportunities by focusing on mental well-being.

With exceptional achievements in Australia, Sport Star Academy has rapidly emerged as a quality children’s sports programs academy for creating a movement of change for tomorrow’s grassroots leaders. Starting over from only one sport, Football Star Academy in 2010 to 12 sports in 2024, the journey has been commendable for the company.

Commenting on the business expansion, Mr Peter Nikolakopoulos, Founder and CFE, Sport Star Academy stated “As we expand Sport Star Academy into the vibrant and diverse market of India, we are not just bringing coaching expertise, we are igniting a passion for sports and fostering a culture of excellence within local communities. Our goal is to empower young players with the skills, confidence, and values they need to succeed, both on and off the field. Through Sport Star Academy in India, we aim to make a lasting impact, shaping future leaders and champions who will inspire generations to come”

Mr Gaurav Marya, Chairman, Franchise India Group also expressed the excitement of collaboration, saying “The sports business in India is rapidly expanding and represents the next great opportunity. Training is the first and most important phase in professional sports, and it should begin from an initial stage. If we want to develop Olympic athletes in the next 20 years, we must train them to begin playing at the age of 4-5 years. This alliance will result in a significant revolution in the sports business.”

The two companies are collectively set to drive growth in the sports industry with three key objectives: skill-based development, mental wellbeing, and community building. By encouraging children and adolescents to engage in regular physical activity through organized sports programs, Sport Star Academy can contribute to reducing sedentary lifestyles and combating issues like childhood obesity.

Through its programs, Sport Star Academy aims to help young athletes in India build strong mental foundations, equipping them to navigate life’s challenges both on and off the field. By establishing sports programs in Indian communities, Sport Star Academy can contribute to community cohesion and foster a sense of belonging among participants which can lead to stronger social ties, increased civic engagement and a more inclusive society.

Mir and Marini back in the saddle for Le Mans

France,8th May 2024: With the season now in full flow, the Repsol Honda Team is back on track for the French GP after an important weekend last time out in Spain.

Made world famous by two and four-wheeled endurance races, the Le Mans Bugatti Grand Prix circuit sits just outside the town of Le Mans and has featured full-time on the World Championship calendar since 2000. With several slow corners and tight chicanes, late braking and hard acceleration are the order of the day at the French GP.
Joan Mir did well in front of his home fans to recover to two-point scoring results in the Sprint and the Spanish Grand Prix. Recreating that form and improving throughout the French GP weekend will be the objective again. The last race showed what Mir and his team can do throughout the weekend, building each session to maximize the potential of their package.

On the other side of the Repsol Honda Team garage, Luca Marini continues to work on improving his feeling with the Honda RC213V. Experimenting with setup options during the post-race test should give the Italian more tools when he arrives in France for Friday practice.

Joan Mir

“Finally when we look at what happened in Jerez we have to be content, we achieved the maximum that we could. Doing the same again this weekend is the goal. Le Mans is a different kind of track with lots of slow speed corners, so we need to work to setup for that as much as possible. It’s true it has been a bit of a tricky track for me in the past but we approach with our goals and our plan this weekend.”

Luca Marini

“Another opportunity for us to make improvements. Myself and my team are giving our maximum to make progress and we enter the French GP weekend with the same intensity. It’s important to stay focused and make the most of every opportunity we are presented. The weather in Le Mans can be quite wet and cold, so let’s see what we can achieve.”