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<ul><li>Built inside the world’s largest premium publisher, <keyword id="9451639" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="m360">M360</keyword> provides publishers a comprehensive global solution.</li><li>Publishers can concentrate on content by offloading publishing and hosting hassles, while leveraging monetization offerings to increase revenue.</li></ul>To resolve rising complexities in digital publishing - both in terms of technology and monetization options, <keyword id="51757" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="TIMES-INTERNET">Times Internet</keyword> has launched the <a href="https://www.colombiaonline.com/publisher-solutions" data-type="tilCustomLink">M360 </a>platform that will help Indian publishers navigate a dynamic digital media landscape with an end-to-end solution. M360 enables cross-platform publishing, content personalization, audience insights, and free-and-fair advertising at scale. This "Software-as-a-Service(SaaS)" platform is designed to integrate comprehensive publishing capabilities with a seamless experience and is now available at a competitive price along with a cost-efficient ad revenue share. As the most comprehensive publishing platform in the world, M360’s Content Management System provides the convenience of being both simple and reliable and is integrated with major platforms like Google AMP, Facebook IA, and Apple News. It sports an intuitive Website Builder and an advanced Machine Learning-backed content intelligence engine that drives contextuality and provides every avenue of monetization under a single umbrella with seamless access to the Colombia Audience Network and Data Management Platform (DMP). This enables publishers to build unique audience profiles for precise targeting, directly sell slots, and engage with premium programmatic revenue partners, or choose from a roster of quality ad-networks for their campaigns. Speaking about the launch, Puneet Gupt, COO - Times Internet said, “Technology has become an intricate part of publishing - from authoring to hosting, to personalized layouts, algorithms, faster load time and monetization - consuming disproportionate bandwidth of publishing teams and organizations. Built over the very same components that power The Times Of India Digital, M360 aims to bring these technology gains to the smallest of the publishers allowing them to focus on bringing great content to their readers. “ <keyword id="9451641" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="arjun-satya">Arjun Satya</keyword>, Co-founder of M360 added, “M360 is a world-class SaaS platform built in India that helps publishers develop engaging content through its CMS, grow traffic and drive personalized ad campaigns thereby increasing effective CPM. With the increase in ad revenue along with reduced engineering and IT costs, our publishers on M360 are seeing a 40-60% increase in their operating profits than before.” M360 leverages Times Internet's premium ad network, Colombia, to monetize its publisher traffic. With more than 15 Bn personalized feeds across content and ads to over 470 Mn+ users across 110 publishers, the Colombia Audience Network has monetized 55% of digital news traffic in India for the last 2 years. It offers marketers the advantage of content recommendations, video, and native advertising to deliver a seamless and highly engaging content experience to its nearly half-a-billion loyal audience. M360's users also have access to a dedicated support team for rapid query-resolution and to help them make the most out of their monetization requirements.

Times Internet launches M360 publishing platform to empower digital publishers

Newly launched adtech <keyword id="13755187" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="platform-parva" source="Orion">platform Parva</keyword>, with 360 million monthly active users and serving 2,241 million monthly ad impressions, is all set to become a key option for media buyers in India. <keyword id="6378430" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="parva" source="Orion">Parva</keyword>, which is a consortium of premium Indian publishers has partnered with some of the largest and most loved domestic publishers such as Times Internet, <keyword id="3265848" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sakal-media" source="Orion">Sakal Media</keyword>, etc. to create a scaled-up media buying solution for our customers. At its core, Parva is a technology platform that allows media buyers to reach their customers in a trusted, premium, and brand-safe environment. Through the use of a proven adtech stack, Parva enables advertisers to reach their customers at scale while driving superior business outcomes for them. Parva aims to bring together leading publishers in India to combine their reach while giving media buyers access to premium inventory that is 100% viewable and brand safe. Parva seeks to provide an integrated and seamless experience across multiple devices and touchpoints for media buyers. On the launch of the platform Raghu Seelamsetty, Founder of Parva, said, “The explosive growth of digital media has created amazing opportunities for digital media buyers and sellers alike. We see a need for a scaled-up adtech service that delivers real measurable results for our customers while leveraging a transparent business relationship with our publisher partners.” <keyword id="4720613" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="puneet-gupt" source="Orion">Puneet Gupt</keyword>, Chief Operating Officer of Times Internet, said, “Parva is an exciting new partnership for TIL. Parva creates new opportunities for advertisers to reach some of the most premium audiences in an environment they trust across a curated list of premium publishers. Parva enables top-tier publishers, like us, to create additional direct sources of revenue while continuing to exceed our customers' marketing objectives.” In addition to this, Swapnil Malpathak, Digital Business Head for Sakal Media Group said, “This is a great opportunity for all digital media platforms, as it makes media selling easy. It also gives us (publishers) the opportunity to meet new clients and help showcase our solution-providing capabilities in the best possible manner. <keyword id="13755186" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sakal-digital" source="Orion">Sakal Digital</keyword> currently claims a high MAU of 20M+ users, and leveraging our services to Parva will only help us grow as a brand solution provider.” With Parva, the Indian media buyers and sellers will play a more central role in India’s internet story and would be the stewards of our data.

Newly launched adtech platform Parva seeks to create new opportunities for advertisers to reach premium audiences at scale

<ul><li>Re-commerce marketplace <keyword id="3501427" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="cashify" source="Orion">Cashify</keyword> has been witnessing good growth, owing to its focus on making the process of buying used phones and gadgets seamless for consumers.</li><li>It has also been spreading awareness about the platform through its marketing and had roped in actor <keyword id="1946388" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rajkummar-rao" source="Orion">Rajkummar Rao</keyword> as its brand ambassador earlier this year to connect with a wider set of audience.</li><li>It is now also focusing on expanding its offline presence, <keyword id="342913" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="puneet-arora" source="Orion">Puneet Arora</keyword>, Director - Marketing (Brand &amp; Content), Cashify tells us to spread its reach in the segment.</li></ul>The pandemic has brought a lot of new users onto the internet, many of who have slowly and steadily got comfortable with transacting online. Many have said how the pandemic has accelerated the country’s digital adoption, perhaps more than two years. A lot of businesses have been focused on solving consumer pain-points have witnessed good growth. There has always been a market for refurbished gadgets but it has so far been a largely unorganized market. Cashify, a re-commerce marketplace that has been working towards simplifying the process of making used smartphones and other gadgets, has been able to make the most of this gap in the market has witnessed healthy growth. Having started its journey in 2013, Cashify is reportedly trying to raise $50 million as it is planning its foray into international markets and aiming to boost its marketing. While it had been on a trajectory, the lockdown meant the platform had to completely restructure its marketing strategies. “We diverted our budgets from offline to online and TV. Online and TV content consumption was at an all-time high. We leveraged the surge in content consumption and released hundreds of blogs, articles and news posts throughout the Covid times engaging users around mobile technology,” said Puneet Arora, Director - Marketing (Brand &amp; Content), Cashify. The move had the desired effect, Cashify’s YouTube channel gained 110K subscribers in a span of 18 months. The next step was to spread awareness about what it does and what better way of roping in a popular face like Rajkummar Rao. Speaking about its first campaign with the actor, Arora said, “In June, we planned our first major ATL campaign which started with the onboarding of Rajkummar Rao as our brand ambassador. Our first campaign was an introduction to the category and its objective was to spread awareness about Cashify’s USPs of price &amp; convenience around selling and buying pre-owned Mobiles. Other USPs and gadgets will be covered in the subsequent campaigns.” <div type="Youtube" id="qvTDlsgqwYU" title="Cashify - Old Phone Means Cash - Feat. Rajkummar Rao | 30 sec" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qvTDlsgqwYU/mqdefault.jpg"></div> While the platform’s awareness majorly exists in Tier I cities currently, Arora is hopeful that in the next few months, they will be able to penetrate the largely unorganized Tier II and Tier III pre-owned goods business and market. Cashify’s current media mix includes performance, content and BTL and ATL (TV, Radio, Print and Outdoors). “Our estimated FY22 spend on marketing is around Rs 35 crore,” he added. Meanwhile, the change in strategies also brought in growth. The platform’s business grew by 2X in comparison to its pre-Covid numbers. On how the pandemic affected its business and where it stands now, Arora said, “Overall, due to the change in online shopping behavior, the pandemic helped us increase the top funnel with more and more users becoming open to transact online. The good part is that we were the first platform to revive to 100% pre-covid levels within two months of opening up and with our major ATL in Q3 our growth sustains to 2X in Q4 so far.” We do not have a sizable organised competition in the industry as of now. Our biggest asset is our large supply chain and QC line we have built on the foundation of cutting edge technology over the last 8 years. Our ML and AI based price calculator gives you the best price for your device with millions of data points being updated each day. And even if buying old phones could seem easier, the biggest challenge starts thereafter. Bringing each and every device on the QC table and adding value to it in order to re-introduce in the market at a scale like this can take years. And with each year passing by our ever improving processes and teams have made our business formidable. So, for now our biggest competition right now is ignorance which we plan to handle through marketing and stay relevant in any time and age. On where their next phase of growth will come from, Arora said, “One third of the country’s population is yet to migrate to a <keyword id="28168" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="smartphone" source="Orion">smartphone</keyword>. Our growth will depend on how we can educate the users to extract value out of their old phones and not let these become e-waste and pollute the environment. An old smartphone is valuable and we want every smartphone user to avail it. This way, not only will we be able to benefit millions of users but also make a much bigger impact in protecting the environment by increasing the average lifespan of an electronic gadget which otherwise would have become e-waste.” Cashify will also focus on opening more offline stores. With over 85 brick-and-mortar stores, the plan is to add another 100 stores within the next 12 months.

How Cashify will focus on its marketing and offline stores to ring in its next phase of growth

<ul><li>President of AWS India and <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> Internet Service across South Asia, Puneet Chandok, believes that '<keyword id="10152900" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="time-to-value">time to value</keyword>' is the only efficient metric to measure innovation. </li><li>It is the ratio of amount of time it takes for an innovative idea from an organisation to reach its customers against the value it offers.</li><li>The 'era of the virtual enterprise' had leveled the playing field, and whoever is the first to the punch will take the cake. </li><li>"The way to innovate is to double your failure rate," he said at the Business Insider Global Trends Festival 2020.</li></ul>The term 'innovation' is the buzzword of the decade. However, it remains one of the most important aspects of business, albeit misunderstood, according to the President of AWS India and Amazon Internet Services across South Asia, Puneet Chandok. According to him, the only truly efficient way of measuring innovation is by 'time to value.' "Creativity is thinking of new things… Innovation is doing things. Innovation is making things happen," Chandok said at the Business Insider Global Trends Festival 2020. <div type="twitter" handle="BiIndia" handlename="Business Insider India🇮🇳" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1232926719016718336/sfffJHNV_normal.jpg" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" status="#LIVEnow: &quot;Make sure you are 'failing well' and learning from your mistakes&quot;: Puneet Chandok (@puneetck) on failure… https://t.co/pGHQXqXlH6" createdat="1603367011000" id="1319242978452336645"></div> He asserted that a company can have a great idea and can see its value for customers too. But without execution, it's more likely that somebody else — probably a competitor — will beat them to the punch. Which is why 'time to value' is the only metric that matters, according to Chandok. It is the ratio of amount of time it takes for an innovative idea from an organisation to reach its customers measured against the value that the product has to offer. "If you're taking months and quarters to get your ideas to customers, I can promise you there's somebody out here who's thinking about getting those ideas to your customers faster," he explained. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="78769249" title="EXCLUSIVE: Amazon AI executive explains three things every business needs to address before using machine learning" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> The way to innovate is to double your failure rate Innovation in the 20th century is an intentional process with a structure to it. According to Chandok, two types of innovation exist — continuous and discontinuous. <keyword id="10152901" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="continuous-innovation">Continuous innovation</keyword> is when you upgrade an existing product to make it better, and <keyword id="10152899" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="discontinuous-innovation">discontinuous innovation</keyword> is when you create new processes, products, or services altogether. For both of them, Chandok believes that the primary pillar to assess whether it's a good idea or not is to keep the customer at the center. In addition to that, the business should also invest in a culture of experiments and give its employees the freedom to fail. "The way to innovate is to double your failure rate," he quipped. This doesn't mean conducting the same mistakes repeatedly but learning from each experiment to increase the chances of success for whatever comes next. "Most large organisations today will embrace the idea of invention and innovation, but they're not willing to suffer a string of failed experiments," said Chandok. If there's a <keyword id="150208" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="fear-of-failure">fear of failure</keyword>, employees are more likely to make safe bets, resulting in successful experiments, but they won't be innovative. "If you know in advance to a high degree of certainty what the outcome of an experiment will look like, it's not really an experiment," he explained. High-velocity decision making Having the failure to fail and the drive to innovate also means making quick decisions on the fly. According to Chandok, at Amazon, the rule is to make decisions with 70% of the information that you wish you had. "If you're good at course correcting, if you're at learning, if you're good with failure — you will develop judgement and continue to move faster," he said. The era of the virtual enterprise Innovation happens "First gradually and then suddenly," Chandok explained, quoting Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. Examples of this have already been with Blackberry, the company that more-or-less invented the concept of a smartphone. Innovation happened in the US steel industry after World War II facing competition from Japanese manufacturers. Come 2020, COVID-19 has changed the way the world is working, how companies are selling, and how customers are consuming. The playing field is also being leveled between startups, small companies, and tech giants. Anyone can set up a business from anywhere and find customers all over the world. "I call this the era of the virtual enterprise," said Chandok. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/twitter-ceo-is-facing-fire-from-india-after-a-map-showed-jammu-and-kashmir-as-part-of-china/articleshow/78805315.cms">Twitter CEO is facing fire from India after a map showed Jammu and Kashmir as part of China</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/hcl-tech-is-bringing-employees-back-to-offices-weekly-once-to-start-with/articleshow/78802219.cms">EXCLUSIVE: HCL Tech is bringing employees back to offices — once a week to begin with</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/kumar-mangalam-birla-says-cement-industry-is-recovering-and-analysts-find-evidence-of-it-outside-ultratech-too/articleshow/78791281.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla is surprised by the rebound in infrastructure and construction in India</a>

EXCLUSIVE: AWS' India head believes 'time to value' is the only metric to measure innovation

Recently, connected <keyword id="18974" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="fitness">fitness</keyword> wearables leader, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Fitbit&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Fitbit</a> announced that they had acquired Coin, a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Silicon+Valley&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Silicon Valley</a>-based consumer electronics and financial technology firm. <keyword id="6486191" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Fitbit">Fitbit</keyword>’s interest in Coin stems not from the latter’s signature technology but from a desire to jumpstart the creation of an <keyword id="2653452" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="nfc-payment">NFC payment</keyword> solution for embedding into their fitness devices of the future. 
 For someone not in the thick of the technology business, this deal might sound like a peculiar alliance. For those in it, however, it’s a marriage made in IoT (<keyword id="970768" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="internet-of-things">Internet of Things</keyword>) heaven. 
 
As more and more devices – an oft-quoted estimate says 50 billion by 2020 – connect with each other in the Internet of Things, the lines between various activities of daily life will start to melt away. Without doubt, the way we buy or pay for things will change even more than it already has, as banking integrates deeper into our routines. 
 
This is exactly what Fitbit hopes to leverage by acquiring Coin. In the words of James Park, CEO, “The inclusion of their payment technology into our offerings will further our strategy of making Fitbit products an indispensable part of people's lives.” 
 
In my view, that is the logical way forward for most businesses. Wearable fitness trackers are facing stiff competition from other devices, such as smartwatches, which are in fact much more versatile. For fitness trackers to hold their own against the likes of an Apple Watch, they need to expand their utility. Integrating financial capability into their device enables firms such as Fitibit do exactly that. For instance, by embedding NFC payment technology into their trackers and smart watch, Fitbit would make life more convenient for early morning joggers who would no longer need to carry their wallet to pay for that orange juice or energy drink. 
 
This is not to suggest that wearables, or any other device for that matter, will displace traditional payment mechanisms anytime soon. However, device manufacturers must seize the opportunity of context – namely situations where consumers would find it more convenient or opportune to use their device, than cash or card – with both hands. 
 
That’s a thought most technologically advanced industries are thinking. When driverless cars become a reality, they will need some automatic mechanism to pay for their energy. So it should come as no surprise if automobile companies were to enhance the capabilities of their already smart dashboards with a payment mechanism sometime soon. Even the humble business of grocery retailing is latching on to the opportunity of context. Two years ago, Amazon introduced Amazon Dash, a service that made it even easier for consumers to order supplies online. One of its components is the Amazon Dash Button, a small electronic device that is linked to a product that is ordered frequently – detergent, for example. Customers can configure the button by specifying product and order quantity, and place it near the point of consumption (washing machine, in case of detergent). When a product is running out, a simple press of the button will send a replenishment order to Amazon. 
 
In the Internet of Things, virtually every device with an iota of smart capability will have an opportunity to insert itself into this new value chain. The key to doing that is to be open enough so that it automatically becomes the primary device of value exchange in its particular context. Ensuring low cost of usage along with high quality of experience is equally important. 
 
And what of security, one might ask. Contrary to their image of vulnerability, wearable devices are actually showing potential for user verification. For instance, Royal Bank of Canada is using a heart rate monitoring wristband to authenticate contactless payments. This is just one of the many examples on how banks are creatively integrating wearables in their omnichannel service delivery strategy. Many banks are leveraging the consumer interest in wearables to create smart marketing campaigns. For instance, Emirates NBD, the largest bank in the UAE, introduced a fitness based savings account for Apple Watch users. Account holders are rewarded with higher interest rates based on the steps one takes during the day. This trend will only pave the way for further integration of financial activities into “non-financial” settings. 
 
In fact, in a large client forum at my organization (Infosys Finacle) earlier this month, we presented couple of our latest innovations around wearable devices. We talked about multiple ways wherein consumers can use their voice to authenticate themselves through a smart watch, while also performing various banking activities through the watch itself. Think of times, when you are cooking, or driving to work and you suddenly remember that your credit-card bill is due today. Worried about forgetting to do so after completing the activity, one may like to trigger the activity immediately through the smart watch. Those are the moments when wearable can complement existing channels to make banking simple, safer and faster. 
 
(Image Credits: Thinkstock) 
 
(About the Author: This article is contributed by Puneet Chhahira, Global Head of Marketing, Infosys Finacle at EdgeVerve)

When Fitness Meets Finance

<ul><li>India’s <keyword id="12134566" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget-2022" source="Orion">Union Budget 2022</keyword> is expected to focus more on the learning loss due to COVID-19, and the implementation of the new National Educational Policy.</li><li>Last year, the budget allocation for the education sector was ₹93,224 crore, constituted 2.67% of the central government’s estimated budget for 2021-22.</li><li>Here’s what we can expect from the Union <keyword id="12134563" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2022-23" source="Orion">Budget 2022-23</keyword>.</li></ul>India’s Union <keyword id="10547300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2022" source="Orion">Budget 2022</keyword>, which will be presented by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, is expected to focus more on the learning loss due to COVID-19, and implementation of the new National Educational Policy. Last year, the budget allocation for the education sector was ₹93,224 crore, which was ₹6,000 less than the previous year, constituted 2.67% of the central government’s estimated budget for 2021-22. <div type="image" title="Education sector budget over last five years" msid="89176503" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Education sector budget over last five years&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> According to the Economic Survey 2020-21, the expenditure on education by the union government as a proportion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been around 3% between 2014-15 to 2018-19. The National Education Policy (NEP), 1968 recommended the spending on education to be 6% of the GDP. NEP 2020 has reaffirmed this recommendation. However, the experts expect this percentage (2.67%) to go up to at least 8-9% this year. “At least 8-9% of GDP should be put aside for education. More allocation isn't only necessary at primary, secondary and higher education but, we need to also look at schemes for skilling our youth that are outside of the education system and make them eligible for employment opportunities currently there,” said Prateek Shukla, cofounder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Masai School. Here’s what we can expect from the Union Budget 2022-23 — 1. Increase in spending on teachers’ training The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the teaching mode from offline to online, which was difficult for some teachers to cope with the latest technology. Experts say that the government should draw their attention towards the teachers training programmes, as there is a massive need for the educators to be well versed with the latest technologies. Budget allocation to National Education Mission (NEM) in 2021-22, which consists of — Samagra Shiksha and teacher training and adult education, was ₹31,300 crore — a 2% decrease as compared to 2019-20. The Budget 2021-22 allocated to teachers training and adult education was ₹250 crore. “There is a gap in faculty training. We need to empower our experienced educators to understand new tools and techniques. It is important now to allocate budgets toward upskilling the existing instructors and training of fresher teachers, ensuring qualitative pedagogy. Further, there is a need to reimagine effective assessments focused on using digital methods and amplifying their benefits," said Ravi Panchanadan, managing director (MD) and CEO of Manipal Global Education Services (MaGE). Puneet K, President of the Narayana Group said, “There is an urgent need to raise the quality of our teachers, at the level of subject knowledge and in the use of technology and other tools for teaching. Furthermore, implementing the NEP requires a fundamental shift in the mindset of teachers towards engagement rather than instruction. This can only be achieved through a significant investment of time, effort, and funds on teacher upskilling. The government must consider this in its budgetary allocations.” 2. Access to smart devices like laptops, smartphones at subsidised prices Shifting of classes to online mode created a huge requirement for laptops and smartphones. A National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) survey conducted in August 2020 revealed that at least 27% students in India did not have access to smart devices, which ultimately led to learning loss during the COVID-19 lockdown. According to a PRS India report, the Central government shared ₹818 crore across states and union territories to promote online learning. The Economic Survey 2020-21 observes that, as of October 2020, the percentage of students in government and private schools owning a smartphone increased from 36.5% in 2018 to 61.8% in 2020 in rural India. Experts believe that this year the government should roll out more initiatives, which can help students to get access to laptops and smartphones at subsidised rates because the future is online and the online classes will continue even after the pandemic comes to an end. “While we have ensured continuity, it is mainly limited to city limits due to erratic digital connectivity, which must be fixed on a war footing. Along with accessible internet, it is also vital to ensure that learners in need of digital assets are supported. Scholarships or subsidies to purchase laptops, smartphones, and other tech requirements, including more imaginative ways to utilise old digital assets, need to be explored, further,” said Panchanadan of MaGe. 3. Bring more focus on the edtech sector The edtech sector in India has been exponentially growing especially during the pandemic when the entire world moved towards digitalisation. The industry, which attracted a lot of private players like Byju’s, Vedantu, UpGrad and many more, is poised to become a $30 billion in size in the next ten years, according to a report by advisory firm RBSA Advisors <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/indian-edtech-industrys-market-size-to-reach-30-billion-in-10-years-report/articleshow/82295097.cms">cited</a> by the Economic Times. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, on January 3, 2022, said that the Ministry of Education is in talks with the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Electronics and Information and Technology to work out a common policy to regulate the edtech sector in India as it has been gaining traction from the past two years. The edtech players in the market are expecting the Budget 2022-23 to have higher focus on the edtech sector and are also expecting to bring down the GST slab on educational services. “The 2022 budget is expected to have a higher focus on the edtech sector as a whole, with significant investments to enhance greater access to robust and improved digital infrastructure. The GST for educational services is expected to be brought down to 5% from the existing 18%, to increase accessibility and feasibility for students from lower and middle-class families. With greater internet penetration, the upcoming budget is expected to announce various initiatives to accelerate digital innovation in the edtech sector,” said Vaibhav Singh, co-founder of Leap Scholar, an online platform which provides guidance and coaching for study abroad. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2022-needs-to-maximise-on-lithium-ion-battery-manufacturing-for-rising-ev-demand/articleshow/89174199.cms">Budget 2022 needs to boost lithium-ion battery manufacturing for rising EV demand</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/railways-stocks-rally-on-expectation-of-strong-budget-allocation-to-the-sector/articleshow/89173796.cms">Railway stocks have been buzzing for the last one month on expectation of significant budget allocation</a>

Indian education sector’s budget wishlist – Subsidised access to laptops and smartphones, focus on edtech

<ul><li><keyword id="141088" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Web-Services">Amazon Web Services</keyword> (AWS) and <keyword id="6358918" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="deloitte">Deloitte</keyword> have launched a new endeavour called the ‘<keyword id="10372250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="cloud-garage">Cloud Garage</keyword>’. </li><li>The new concept is a first for both companies in combining a physical space with virtual infrastructure to help companies experiment with their cloud solutions before taking them live. </li><li>According to the company, the main industries set to benefit from the new environment are financial services, energy and renewables, retail, manufacturing, and telecommunications. </li></ul><keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> Web Services (AWS) and Deloitte are extending their global collaboration by opening a ‘Cloud Garage’ in India’s financial capital, Mumbai. This is a pivot from their old approach, which was more point-to-point, to one that adjusts for the new business models emerging in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. “The garage is a sort-of a playground where the infrastructure is there for people to come in, ideate, put forward their prototypes, figure out what will work and what will not work, find a viable product and then really scale,” Romal Shetty, the president of consulting at <keyword id="6356108" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="deloitte-india">Deloitte India</keyword> told Business Insider. Outside India, AWS has been hosting Startup Garage events in the UK since 2019 to create a community of entrepreneurs and startups to work on technology-related topics. But, this is the first time there’s a dedicated permanent space for the Cloud Garage. There’s an actual physical garage set up in Mumbai at Deloitte’s Knowledge Centre supplemented by virtual infrastructure. The main beneficiaries of AWS’ and Deloitte’s Cloud Garage The main industries that are set to benefit from the new environment are financial services, energy and renewables, retail, manufacturing and telecommunications, according to the company. Shetty highlights the example of going to put fuel in your car. According to him, the Cloud Garage would allow oil marketing companies to find ways to make the process from queuing up at a petrol station to making the payment for gas completely contactless — something a company would not have thought is an urgent requirement in the pre-COVID world. For telecommunication companies, <keyword id="8632828" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aws-india">AWS India</keyword> and Deloitte have already built one possible product around customer value management. According to Shetty, the product can be designed around each individual customer, like a labourer, housewife or anyone else. It can also detect customers who may be unhappy with a particular service and find ways to bring them back. “This asset was built by AWS India and Deloitte. It is now being taken globally,” said Shetty. But, not all solutions have to be geared towards customers. Solutions can also be for internal use like making factories smarter using the Internet of Things (IoT) or make employees more productive. Proof of concept The solution is currently an exclusive partnership between AWS and Deloitte. The aim right now is to perfect this model and work out all the kinks before expansion, according to Puneet Chandok, the president of commercial business for AWS India and South Asia. “Many parts of Deloitte will also get inspired saying that if we can make this work for customers in this part of the world, then we can also take it to other parts of Deloitte globally,” said Chandok. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rbi-directs-hdfc-bank-to-suspend-its-digital-business-and-new-credit-cards-amid-rising-incidents-of-outages/articleshow/79542055.cms">RBI tells HDFC Bank to stop new digital launches and selling new credit cards after recent outages of online banking</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/india-may-reportedly-block-wikipedia-if-the-site-doesnt-delete-the-map-showing-aksai-chin-as-a-part-of-china/articleshow/79541391.cms">India may reportedly block Wikipedia if the site doesn't delete the map showing Aksai Chin as a part of China</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/geo-tagged-bottles-in-the-ganges-river-show-how-plastic-pollution-can-travel-thousands-of-kilometres-in-just-a-few-months/articleshow/79540173.cms">Geo-tagged bottles in the Ganges river show how plastic pollution can travel thousands of kilometres in just a few months</a>

AWS and Deloitte new ‘Cloud Garage’ in Mumbai will allow companies to experiment with their solutions before taking them live

In line with global trends, Indian consumers are also taking to the consumption of content in the digital space. “Digital video space is the fastest growing sector, even within digital. It is growing faster than even eCommerce. The bull run that you had in eCommerce space, Expect the same bull run from 2015-2020,” said Puneet Johar, co-founder and CEO of To The New Ventures (TTNV), a digital services company. He gave us an insider view of the industry and also shared insights on the cut-throat battle that lies ahead for the <keyword id="2436335" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="online-video-streaming">online video streaming</keyword> players. Tighten your seat belts before we take you in for a ride. . 

	Numbers decoded
 

	You can never understand an industry and its game better, unless you learn all the numbers associated with it by heart. Let’s take a look at the numbers that matter in the digital space. 
 

	• Internet population: India added 43 million Internet users (20.5% growth) from October 2013 to September 2014 and total Internet users crossed 254 million out of which 235 million users accessed Internet through mobile devices. 
 

	• Expenditure: The amount spent by an Internet user on an average on entertainment also increased by a whopping 34% from 2012 to 2014. 
 

	• How the netizens spend their time: In terms of media consumption, an average mobile Web user in India consumes 6.2 hours of media daily of which 21% of the time is spent on audio and video entertainment by youths.
 

	• Present Growth: Online video content space is growing at a pace of 70-80% YoY, in terms of consumption and revenue growth.
 

	• Future growth: Spending per month by users on digital media especially entertainment is expected to grow by 2.5 times by 2020. 
 

	The big hack code
 

	On-demand entertainment services led by audio and video content are at the heart of digital space in India. While the evolution towards on-demand download and streaming of the content has just begun, a very promising ecosystem is already evolving as multiple players have launched their digital streaming platforms.
 “In the next 2-3 years online video consumption will become a mass consumption medium. It will definitely take shares from television which is expected to be a disproportionate share in the next five years. I think 20-25 per cent of television advertising money would move to <keyword id="1583722" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="mobile-video">mobile video</keyword> or online video in the coming five years,” said Puneet. 

	One wouldn’t be surprised with the projections if one looks at the present numbers. The number of online video users crossed 200 million in 2014, an increase of more than 70% since 2011.
 

	Major players
 The space that was mainly dominated by established players like <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword> has seen an influx of other players who are bringing in innovation and support to the industry. There are mainly three buckets comprising the industry: 

	1. The established, pure digital video players like YouTube ;
 

	2. Users making their own content like Star and Zee who are television networks;
 

	3. Innovative players like TTNV, who are coming up with innovation on the video space, like TTNV’s new app <keyword id="2860973" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="fame">#fame</keyword> which allows live mobile video streaming. 

	YouTube gets around 60 million unique visitors every month. About 63% of Indians using YouTube watch videos, and about half of them watch TV shows and film trailers.
 

	The innovative players who are pioneering live streaming through their apps in India are growing at a fast pace too. Within 3 months of the launch TTNV, there has been over a million downloads, over 20,000 creators who are participating in the journey, over 250,000 registered users and more than 40,000 live videos have been created through this app.
 

	VuClip report states that 80% of its consumers watch videos on their mobile devices at least once every 2-3 days with more than half opting to watch daily.
 

	Weapon of Death
 

	Advertising is one the major factors which would be the major factor that will enable this industry to conquer TV. Digital ad market size in India is estimated to increase to Rs 354 billion by 2020. 
 

	The number of brands coming in to join this platform is an exponential growth. There are over 25 brands who are participating in content creation through #fame (TTNV’s initiative). 
 

	TTNV’s Puneet is expecting to grow up to 50 brands by the end of this year. 
 

	High-definition and ultra definition video content usage is the next major weapon which is expected to increase exponentially and its combined share is expected to be 21% of Internet video traffic in 2018, up from 4.5% in 2013.
 

	Challenges
 

	Educating people about a new innovation is always the biggest challenge.
 

	Infrastructure would be the next big challenge as providing Wi-Fi zone and upgrading from 3G to 4G would require immense infrastructure in which India is still lacking. More operators need to come into the game sooner.
 

	Future
 

	TTNV claims the gamification of app is going to be the next big thing in the online mobile video streaming industry. After entertainment, users spend maximum amount of their time in gaming. Once there is a gaming like experience between the app and the user, it would attract more audience.
 

	“The whole experience of the creator and the user will be gamified in the next 2 months. This will enhance the user experience hugely,” says the CEO of TTNV.
 

	He added that localisation and social influence are going to be other two big drivers for the new players.
 

	So,this is how the game would end with clearly one winner. We wait anxiously for the day when the gravestone would read R.I.P- our very own idiot box.
 (Data and statistics source: <keyword id="6358918" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Deloitte">Deloitte</keyword> analysis; Digital Media: Rise of On-demand content) 
	 
	Image credits: rysham

Deadly game of online mobile video streaming decoded!

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>Hello,Welcome to this week's edition of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/dispensed">Dispensed</a>, our weekly healthcare newsletter here at Business Insider, where we're recovering from sugar rushes induced by a company-wide summer party last night. If you're following along with what's happening <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bernie-sanders-elijah-cummings-ask-doj-for-generic-drug-action-2019-6">on the hill</a>, you might have noticed a refrain that echoes <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/full-state-antitrust-complaint-generic-drugmakers-collaborated-on-prices-2019-6">what Emma Court had the scoop on last week</a>. Are you new to our <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/dispensed">newsletter</a>? You <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/health-insider&amp;hash=f4e91136c13f3c40c496d77bc7347502">can sign up for Dispensed here</a>. This is your last reminder to submit nominations for our <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfeU4EfMIJ91DU8yYNrp9ims75fm5O1brRn2MQmCMK1Aqe-CA/viewform">under 40 in healthcare</a> list. <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfeU4EfMIJ91DU8yYNrp9ims75fm5O1brRn2MQmCMK1Aqe-CA/viewform">The form for nominations is here</a>. Submissions will close next Wednesday, June 19. As a reminder, we're looking for rising stars within the healthcare industry bringing interesting ideas to their roles - regardless of whether it's in the C-Suite or earlier in their careers. To start off this week's newsletter, I wanted to be sure you caught <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/erin-brodwin">Erin Brodwin's</a> deep-dive into uBiome. It's a must-read for anyone following the fallout after the FBI raid in April. It's full of new details about what working at the company was like over the years, and where corners may have been cut. <h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ubiome-poop-testing-startup-inside-story-what-happened-timeline-2019-5">uBiome convinced Silicon Valley that testing poop was worth $600 million. Then the FBI came knocking. Here's the inside story.</a></h3><ul><li>The Silicon Valley health startup uBiome is in hot water on the heels of an FBI raid in April.</li><li>Founded in 2012, uBiome raised $105 million from investors on the promise of exploring the microbiome, a "forgotten organ."</li><li>As uBiome advanced from a citizen <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> project to a clinical-testing company, it overstated the medical value of its tests and prioritized growth over patient care, according to insiders, lawyers, and government officials.</li><li>"Some of my uBiome results remind me of astrology," one former employee said.</li><li>uBiome may also have run afoul of federal and state regulations while running some of its tests, according to the experts, insiders, and documents.</li></ul>Need a refresher on all of our uBiome coverage? <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/ubiome">You can find it here.</a>Relatedly, Erin teamed up with our colleagues on the strategy team again to bring you an important guide.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/avoid-next-theranos-healthcare-startups-venture-capital-guidelines-2019-6">The VC's ultimate guide to sniffing out risky healthcare startups - and not getting tricked into backing them</a></h3>And while we're on the topic of VCs, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/emma-court">Emma</a> took a look at Mary Meeker's massive Internet Trends report released this week. Parts of the healthcare slides reminded us a lot of the 2014 slides Meeker presented, which are a good reminder of how slow healthcare moves. Emma <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mary-meeker-internet-trends-report-on-digital-health-telemedicine-2019-6">explains why that should be a warning for startups looking to disrupt the industry.</a>Two other tidbits from the world of startups to put on your radar: <ul><li>First, NYC-based behavioral health startup <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quartet-health-raises-60-million-led-by-health-insurer-centene-2019-6">Quartet Health just raised another $60 million in a round led by the insurer Centene</a>. The largest provider of Medicaid plans in the US is rolling out Quartet's software (connecting mental health providers to physical health providers) in Illinois and Louisiana.</li><li>And we got our hands on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/health-insurance-startup-bind-pitch-deck-to-employers-customers-2019-6">the slide deck that on-demand health insurance startup Bind</a> uses to explain its unconventional health plan model that has no deductibles or co-insurance. After spending a few weeks in the weeds with other health insurance startups, it was definitely an interesting presentation to go through. </li></ul>Erin and finance reporter Jeremy Berke had the scoop on a new VC that's looking exclusively at psychedelics. They see it as an emerging field following all the growth in the cannabis industry. <h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/first-vc-psychedelics-field-trip-ventures-canada-2019-6">Investors just launched the first VC dedicated exclusively to psychedelics, which they call the 'next wave' after the cannabis boom</a></h3><ul><li>Psychedelic drugs like psilocybin and ecstasy are starting to attract attention from investors.</li><li>In an exclusive interview with Business Insider, the world's first psychedelic-focused VC firm shared its plan for seeding promising startups in the space.</li><li>Based in Canada, the firm, called Field Trip Ventures, aims to open clinics in the US and partner with existing research groups.</li><li>Field Trip's founders hail from the marijuana investment world. They see psychedelics as "the next wave of the path that's been created by cannabis," they said.</li></ul>Speaking of field trips, Emma in May sat in on a "biotech for dummies" course in which she - alongside biotech executives - got a refresher on biology. That included running an experiment to extract DNA from a strawberry.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-biotechnology-introductory-classes-for-nonscientists-2019-5">We took the two-day, $1,300 'biotech for dummies' class where healthcare executives, HR managers, and investors catch up on science for the first time since high school</a></h3>Our new healthcare fellow <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/clarrie-feinstein">Clarrie Feinstein</a> put out her first story this week - a look at why UnitedHealth Group or Carlyle Group are the likely acquirers of Magellan Health. <h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unitedhealth-carlyle-likely-to-acquire-magellan-health-leerink-2019-6">The biggest US health insurer and a top private-equity firm are likely buyers for $1.6 billion Magellan Health, according to Leerink</a></h3><ul><li>Magellan Health is likely to be acquired by UnitedHealth Group or Carlyle Group for about $85 to $90 a share, according to Ana Gupte, an analyst at SVB Leerink.</li><li>Magellan has a pharmacy-benefits business and a healthcare unit that offers insurance and other services, such as behavioral health.</li></ul>Clarrie also has the details on a move made by C<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-budget-health-insurance-for-undocumented-residents-2019-6">alifornia lawmakers to extend Medicaid coverage to undocumented residents between 19 and 25</a>. That makes California the first state to do so.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div> <h2>A trip out to Long Island</h2>Back in April (it's been a busy couple of months), I hopped on the Long Island Rail Road so I could see firsthand the ways in which hospitals are prepping for the future. What I saw took me a bit by surprise. As Northwell Health CEO Michael Dowling explained to me, about 50% of the health system's revenue now comes from services that are provided outside of the hospital. That's a big shift from a decade ago, when 80% of the health system's revenue came from hospitals. Here's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/northwell-healths-michael-dowling-on-the-future-of-the-hospital-2019-5">a look at what Northwell's doing with its existing hospitals</a>. Dowling also made the case to me of why he thinks hospitals will be the one to disrupt the healthcare industry - rather than newcomers like Amazon or even CVS Health. You can <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-dowling-on-why-hospitals-are-the-disruptors-2019-6">read more about his reasoning here</a>. We also discussed how Dowling - even after a devastating first attempt - still wants to be in the insurance business one day. He <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/northwell-health-ceo-michael-dowling-on-owning-a-health-plan-2019-5">explained why that is</a>.A flash from the past: A year ago, the Department of Justice came out with its criminal charges for Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes and former president Sunny Balwani, making for a busy Friday evening. We're still waiting for that trial to get underway. Be sure to send your thoughts/words of encouragement as we sift through under 40 nominees next week to healthcare@businessinsider.com. You can also find me directly at lramsey@businessinsider.com.With that, I'll leave you all to your weekends. I'll be out next Friday, so there will be a guest writer of Dispensed. Stay tuned! - Lydia

Dispensed: The inside story of uBiome, a visit to the largest health system in New York, and what it's like to take a 'biotech for dummies' course

He is no longer the CEO of India’s biggest online marketplace, but who cares! He has built a billion dollar business, has topped the list of India's most wanted entrepreneurs in 2015, and most importantly look at that queue for selfies! Even the organizers want some. That’s when you know he’s a star. 
 Business Insider got chatting with <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> former-CEO <keyword id="225032" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sachin-Bansal">Sachin Bansal</keyword>, much to the disgust of the ringing phones, lapel mike and white balance sheet holders. Sorry Boss, but we had to do it! 
 
Life post-CEO 
 
I still have a pretty active role. I’m just 34, so definitely not a full-time ‘mentor’. My role might be slightly more external facing than before, that’s all. 
 
I’ll be focusing on shipping the ecosystem outside, working with industry peers and so on. I am also jointly looking at strategy with Binny. I’m also keeping an eye out for key investment areas, expansion and acquisitions for Flipkart. 
 
Expansion? What expansion? 
 
We’re constantly thinking about what category to expand to next. I was looking into that ever since we started. We’re also building a lot of warehouse space for our sellers. 
 
Any target for Profitability? 
 
We don’t have any timeline as of now. 
 
The market is big, and we’ll continue to grow the business. It still requires more investment. That’s what we’re focusing on right now. We’re not so much worried about profitability. 
 
So Mr. Puneet Soni is leaving Flipkart? 
 
These are complete rumours. 
 
Any plans of launching Physical stores? 
 
None, really. 
 
Plans to list in India 
We don’t have any specific plans as of now. However, we’ll what to be a public company sometime later. 
 
On what best defines Flipkart 
 
It’s a digital-first, customer-first company. We spend our time trying to understand and solve customer problems creatively. Also, although we’re small, we believe in audaciousness. 
 
We think big and we live to change things, sometimes permanently. 
 
On Modi’s Startup India Policy 
 
It shows the right intent from the Government’s side. They’ve recognized startups as one of the focus areas. We’re ready to contribute in whichever way we’re asked. 
 
Stand on Net Neutrality 
 
I’m a big supporter. It’s the reason why we’ve come up, really. 
The Internet shouldn’t be made partial, ever. 
 
His role as an Investor 
 
I’m going after people who’re after big ideas. Big ideas excite me. 
India is amidst a big transformation in terms of smartphone penetration. Our country has a lot of problems, and the Internet can be used to solve a lot of these problems. 
 
E-commerce Vs. Brick-n-Mortar Tussle 
 
E-commerce is an unfounded sphere. It’s growing, but is still very small in India. E-commerce is at 8-10%, even in developed markets. 
 
Vision for Indian E-commerce 
 
E-commerce will solve a lot of access problems for a lot of customers. It’ll also sort problems of sellers and brands to reach out to customers across India. 
 
The E-commerce edge: 
 
By bringing down the cost of supply chain, we’re able to give access to a large number of consumers at a very low cost. Brands and consumers also get access to large consumer bases. That’s the big value we provide. 
 
His idea of Success 
It’s a measure of impact. If you’ve gone from 0 to 1 in terms of impact, you’re successful. There’s no end, just a journey. 
 
Message to Young India 
Constantly have a goal to grow bigger as times progress. 
 
Strategy to trump <keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword> 
We don’t obsess over competition. We’re more focused on our strategy, and what works best for our consumers, sellers, and for the market. 
 
Sachin Bansal the Entrepreneur, the Investor, the Innovator? 
What do I choose? *Laughs* Um…maybe Sachin Bansal the Entrepreneur. 
 
Message to Young Entrepreneurs 
Be focused on what you want. Stay true to your mission. There will be difficult times, but you must constantly focus on what needs to be done to move ahead. That’s most important. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Exclusive: Sachin Bansal- ‘Growth over Profits’

Business Insider's India edition recently celebrated its sixth month in operation and has already doubled its audience since launch. Congrats to the BI team at Times of India on your spectacular growth!
From BI India's publisher, here's how they did it:
<div class="entry-content" style="padding-left: 30px;">
India is the fastest growing English speaking digital market in the world. With over 100 million users online, and the fastest growing mobile user base, it's become a land ripe with opportunity. At the same time, there has been an incredible blossoming of digital content globally, with new publishers emerging everyday, offering new perspectives and engaging content that challenge the traditional ways content has been produced.
We started Times Local Partners just over a year ago to help great, emerging digital publishers tap that potential. We wanted to leverage our reach with consumers, our understanding of the Indian market, and our connect with advertisers to build great businesses in India for companies succeeding in other markets.
It's been 15 months, and we've launched ten partnerships. Today, we're sharing the latest results from our first three - Gizmodo, Lifehacker, and Business Insider - which have seen enormous growth since we started.

And when we look at some comparable properties, which haven't had the same Indian focus, it becomes even clearer how strong these properties have become.

It's not just about traffic growth. We've invested into making our partner brands salient within India, leveraging their expertise and emphasizing their brands in other media, like print and television. Our other media editorial teams are encouraged to leverage our partner's content, giving proper branding for our partners, which has contributed to the improved reach of our partners' sites. And today, that improved salience is translating into meaningful ad revenues, which are growing healthily for our partners.
Developing an India strategy is increasingly becoming a requirement for any global publisher (see these posts in <a href="http://www.themediabriefing.com/article/buzzfeed-quartz-business-insider-digital-publishing-india-launch" target="_blank">theMediaBriefing</a> and <a href="http://www.niemanlab.org/2014/05/everybodys-starting-news-sites-in-india/" target="_blank">Nieman Journalism Lab</a>). Many are already building out plans, and more will develop soon. At Times, we hope to work with the best global publishers in making a successful and prominent footprint, and most importantly, to help expose our consumers to the vast array of digital content being made around the world. ----- Times Local Partners (TLP) is an initiative of Times Internet, India's Largest Digital Company and a part of Times of India Group (India's Largest Media Company). TLP offers global publishers improved local distribution, local operational expertise, and a top-tier sales operation, to grow brands for consumers and advertisers. If you are interested in working with us, please drop us a line at <a href="mailto:tlp@timesinternet.in" target="_blank">tlp@timesinternet.in</a> 
- Puneet Singhvi, Business Head, Times Local Partners
</div>

Way To Go, BI India!

India is seeing a <keyword id="138263" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="startup">startup</keyword> boom thanks to the internet proliferation. But as the deadline for <keyword id="6356988" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="TRAI">Trai</keyword>'s consultation approaches, the nationwide clamour for <keyword id="6391709" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Net-neutrality">net neutrality</keyword> is touching a crescendo with a number of internet ventures and startups telling Times of India <keyword id="6358815" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="tech">Tech</keyword> that they firmly stand in favour of an unfettered net. 
 
Almost all entrepreneurs that the TOI spoke to for this report unequivocally expressed that a free internet is their lifeline to future growth. Here are their reasons (in their own words) to vociferously demand that status quo be maintained. Read on... 
 
Metis Learning-- Bharat Gulia, founder, Metis Learning 
 
Startups are taking India by storm and companies that did not exist 10 years ago now have billion dollar valuations. In the process, they are creating thousands of jobs, strengthening India's image in the global markets and creating tremendous value for customers. However, the scenario was very different in the India of yore. 
 
Today's youngsters may not have witnessed the dreary 'License Raj' days. Contrived barriers, reinforced by obscure government policy, created monopolies. Uncompetitive, well-connected and cash-rich conglomerates and PSUs dominated. They thrived in an environment of scarcity where it took many years to buy an outdated scooter model, or even get a phone connection.The recent debate on net neutrality throws one back to those days. The choice India needs to make is simple - do we go back to the imprisoned economy of the license raj, or do we encourage fresh thinking and innovation. 
 
The lifeblood of innovation is a level-playing field where an 18-year-old can come up with a great solution that can beat the option that a huge telecom company is shoving down the throat of its users. Customers need to be free to choose what gives them greater value and entrepreneurs should not be constrained by artificial barriers to provide that solution to customers. 
 
The internet lies at the centre of the digital economy and the game-changing innovation we are seeing today. Let it be open! Let not fuddy-duddy babus and big businesses conspire to set up roadblocks that stifle entrepreneurship. Let's have an India where start-ups thrive along with big businesses and may the best man win. 
 
Whatfix --Vara Kumar, co-founder &amp; CTO, Whatfix, an online productivity tool that allows users and businesses to create interactive guides on their and third party websites 
 
I and Khadim started Quicko Labs after decades of experience of building world class products, this would have been difficult if not for net neutrality. We believe that an open system encourages innovation and if operators start charging for faster access, it would stifle the entire ecosystem. More importantly, competition is inevitable for any product and we believe that innovation and great customer service is what will drive your business ahead rather than faster access. 
 
Infinity Assurance - Puneet Gargya, co-founder and COO at Infinity Assurance Solutions, a startup that provides service administration of warranty programmes "No discrimination should be made against any user for any kind of internet usage. It is THE lifeline for people today with more and more businesses moving to the net. It is as essential as electricity and water. Trai must do whatever is required to protect it." 
 
ePaisa -- Siddharth Arora, CEO and co-founder, ePaisa ISPs and governments should treat all data on the Internet as equal. This means they shouldn't discriminate or change differentially by user, content, site, platform, application, type of attached /equipment or mode of communication. There has been a lot of commentary on these principles of Open Internet since the launch of Airtel Zero and the Trai consultation paper. ISPs think they have cracked the formula of a whole new revenue stream, but at the core of this discussion is the online business and consumer relationship. 
 
Large online players may think they have found a strategic way to find new traffic sources (today's non-internet users) and hold the customers. I believe this is a short-sighted view. Not only will these companies need to offer free access to their sites across all ISPs (increasing their costs, while they are already not making money), but their competition (also with deep pockets) will follow suit. 
 
More importantly, businesses that have focused on ways to lock customers instead of innovating and offering better services have failed. While it's a great introduction to the web for the non internet user, let's not undermine the intellect of this user. Over time, this user will want more and will move on to a service that gives him/her real value, not free access. 
 
ISPs are calling this the toll-free number equivalent of the internet. The truth is, toll-free may get you a customer, but it will not help you retain one." 
 
Binge -- Ajay Joseph, co-founder, Binge (Noroc Solutions), a billing startup that enables restaurant bill presentment and payment over the phone 
 
Net Neutrality is a very critical factor given that the core tenet of the internet is built on being a democratic platform. With the rapid increase in the penetration of the internet, it is critical that we as a country stay true to the core tenet of the internet. All the stakeholders, across the service providers, the OTT players and the governing authorities need to work in unison to continue to improve the value to the consumer and net neutrality will be at the centre of it. 
 
Konotor -- Srikrishnan Ganeshan, co-founder at Konotor, a mobile marketing and CRM product startup firm that helps businesses engage, retain and sell more to their app users 
 As an <keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword>, I can definitely relate to why not honouring net neutrality creates an uneven playing field. In fact, when my startup was earlier building a messaging app, the fact that there were "Whatsapp only" plans was something that surprised me. Something that has the potential to stifle competition cannot be good for the customer. 
 
Citrus Pay --Satyen Kothari, MD and founder, Citrus Pay 
 
Free market competition and encouraging grass roots innovation is a critical aspect of building up a powerful entrepreneurial ecosystem. Creating obstacles in a truly open, neutral internet creates serious obstacles in enabling this ecosystem. 
 
The concept of net neutrality has been discussed deeply and upheld in many countries across the world, and India should not regress and violate this core foundational concept of the open internet. 
 
GoodWorkLabs -- Vishwas Mudagal, CEO, GoodWorkLabs 
I'm all for net neutrality. Let's not let corporate greed take over the internet. Let's nip this cancer in the bud. #?BhartiAirtel? - I know it makes perfect sense for you to ensure robust revenues from breaking net neutrality by preferring companies that have deep pockets. But it will kill all the innovation and startup boom that has just started. We need a level-playing field where a minnow can take on a shark, and it's the internet medium alone that can provide it. So let's end this right now. 
 
I also know there are various forms of net neutrality issues and violations from various companies both in India and outside, so we need to end this and we need everyone on neutral ground. 
 
Knowlarity -- Ambarish Gupta, CEO and founder, Knowlarity Communications 
 
Net neutrality is fundamental to having a robust set of internet companies in India. In its absence, we are not going to have a level-playing field and ultimately make the innovation suffer. I can understand the revenue pressure telecom operators are feeling because of many of the internet applications. 
 
However, the current position of telecom operators is neither very fruitful, nor sustainable in long term. If there is an end to net neutrality, it will reduce the innovation and increase the barrier to entry for young innovative start-ups to do new things. 
 
Internet is a corridor of doors, like the space Morpheus and Neo enter along with the Key Maker in film 'The Matrix Reloaded'. Just that, once you are at one of the doors of internet, it is endless and you don't need additional keys to open subsequent doors. This, in essence, is also the principle of net neutrality. 
 
The empowering nature of the internet is not merely because it facilitates flow of information, as the advent of radio and television did in the twentieth century. The core trait of the internet is that it has not only given access to abundant reservoir of information to consumers, but most crucially, it has given a level-playing field for the users - to not only consume, but to create, voice and dissent over the internet. 
 
By violating net neutrality in any of the forms, the core principle of the internet will be lost. And with it the aspirations of millions, who are yet to experience the internet, will be trampled. 
 
TripHobo -- Saket Newaskar, CTO and co-founder of TripHobo 
 
Internet is a market place and net neutrality ensures that ISPs don't interfere in this market place. Disturbing net neutrality can not only create a havoc in the online space but may affect offline business in a big way. 
 
Not only market place activities like branding, consumer communication and consumer experience be impacted, even essential activities like consumer service and support will be affected. Big players can give better experience while the smaller ones will struggle. Startups with deep pockets will definitely have a bigger advantage. All the existing big startups have become big because of net neutrality today. 
 
Startups of the future will be at a disadvantage. Airtel's new initiative is about helping Airtel make money. If big apps and content providers are able to subsidize data costs of their users, Airtel will make money. Users are not going to stop using essential and interesting apps even if they cost. However, this creates differential pricing for the same service i.e streaming. 
 
Thus Airtel is interfering in the marketplace. Airtel's role is streaming and not creating content. It could be dangerous in the long run. Internet startups will definitely be affected. Innovation will be scuttled as the cost of reaching one's users will increase. Competitive landscape and even playing-field is essential for new internet startups to flourish." 
 
PropTiger -- Dhruv Agarwala, CEO and co-founder, PropTiger.com 
 
"Net neutrality makes the internet a level playing field. Airtel's Zero will favour app developers and websites with larger pockets who have capacity to pay. As a result, small start-ups may suffer. People and firms with small budgets will have to think long and hard before choosing between various data 
 
packs because certain applications will be free or costly depending on the data pack. People who use free data packs will also not be able to access the websites or apps which have not paid for preferential treatment. What may happen with plans such as Airtel's Zero is that when big app developers and websites pay for it, others might find it difficult to refuse to be part of the race for very long. They might also be compelled to pay eventually. When consumers are compelled to choose between free and paid internet, it is obvious that they would reject paid internet. This might put many internet start-ups out of business. The internet will become less diverse than it is now". 
 
Toppr.com -- Zishaan Hayath, co-founder, Toppr.com 
 
Toppr stands completely in support of net neutrality and the idea that access to internet/data should be same for all without any external throttling. Net neutrality is the basis on which internet was built and it has been successful in providing a level-playing field for all without any bias. Lack of net neutrality would clearly affect the freedom of choice of consumers which could end up creating monopolies across industries". 
 
Wingify -- Paras Chopra, founder, Wingify, PriceBaba.com 
 
It is extremely important to ensure that freedom of speech is upheld. That's a basic human right. Net neutrality implicitly defeats that freedom of speech. We are all in support of net neutrality and want the regulator / government to do the right thing. Internet is an opportunity for innovation to occur without barriers of wealth, access and background. Thus. it should be truly a level playing field for everyone. - Annkur Agarwal, founder, PriceBaba.com 
 
ClearTax -- Archit Verma, founder, ClearTax Net neutrality is required for infrastructure services. I moved back from the US and Silicon Valley to India to start ClearTax. In the US, it took a lot of effort to keep the internet neutral, but now the US president and the FCC have strongly committed themselves to net neutrality.We in India are a fledgling Internet economy and growing quickly. Any mistakes here will stifle innovation. The internet is built for disruption and it gives the big and the small an equal platform to innovate and compete. Net neutrality is a first principle. It is core to the infrastructure. 
 
Thenwat -- Umashankar Das, founder, Thenwat If India believes that it can create a Google, then it should support #NetNeutrality. Otherwise, this will push us to stone ages in another 10 years. - 
 
Rockmetric -- Nimesh, founder Rockmetric 
 
Internet gives a level playing field for 'anyone' with motivation and skills to compete with the biggest players and win over customers with limited capital. Openness of the internet allows this miracle to happen! If the internet starts favouring larger players by increase entry barriers, it will only kill innovation. 
 
Liberated Keypad -- Jayanthkumar, founder, Liberated Keypad Internet Neutrality is part of a larger issue of Trai playing servant to COAI. COAI has successfully made it such that people who by mistake violate their 3G packs face huge bills on postpaid. Airtel, for example, has reduced its monthly validity pack to 28 days so that you might forget to recharge your pack, and not carry forward your balance. That, or they simply just reduced your pack value, urging you to consume more.We need to get more and more people aware that the COAI is a very powerful lobby, and has had its way for a very long time. I will not stand by a service provider so greedy with profits. I want them to serve the consumers, instead of serving themselves.We need to get rid of products like Free Facebook, Free WhatsApp, Free Flipkart, which reduce the ability of small players like myself to compete with bigger media houses, companies, startups." 
 
MeraCareerGuide.com -- Love Chopra, founder, MeraCareerGuide.com The basic foundation of internet is neutrality. Airtel Zero is a very basic attempt to kill its neutrality, you can't imagine how bad this could go if it is allowed; this will surely kill product innovation. No blocking, No throttling, No paid prioritization, No special treatment to deep pocket player. I support #NetNeutrality. 
 
www.tinqr.in -- Karan Aggarwal, co-founder, www.tinqr.in 
 
We are bootstrapped technology startup from Delhi. We have put all our lives' savings into our company because we were confident that in a free country like ours, excellence and hard work will thrive. But today, our confidence is fading. We see a threat to our freedom, a threat to our dreams. We thrive on the internet. Without net neutrality, there will be no level-playing field, no startup dreams. We sincerely request you to let this be the way it is. Don't take this away from us. We demand net neutrality for total online freedom. 
 
Chorusplay --- Hari PK, founder, Chorusplay 
 
India, as a country that's embracing technology, is growing at a massive pace. And it will take us decades to match the pace of developed countries. The only, and the most effective level-playing field for all of us - individuals and businesses, is the window to grab the new technologies, especially for startups. 
 
The compromise on net neutrality (or the idea behind it) will kill the upcoming startups and new businesses. And it will also have a (very) strong retrospective impact on the existing startups (who cannot afford to BUY their way through this problem). With the prime minister spearheading the ""Make In India"" campaign, we all dream of a nation that will be the next tech hub and a budding ground for startups. 
 
The absence of net neutrality will be a potential death row for all those dreams. Let's unite for a better country, a better dream and a much-needed revolution. And we have to do it today, right now. 
 
Yogurt Labs -- - Shardul Mohite, founder, Yogurt Labs 
Telcos controlled VAS and we all know how that whole industry ended up. They were acting like thugs demanding 70-80% of revenue as a fee from VAS companies. If they get to control how the data is being used on their network, we would see similar kind of attitude repeated again. Startups that think Airtel Zero or Internet.org are good ideas for customers are not thinking long term. When telcos start controlling who gets in front of the customer, they would demand huge amount of fees too. Net neutrality is the only way to ensure that no one gets to control (in short-term or long-term) how anybody uses internet to reach potential customers.

What tech startups have to say about net neutrality

<keyword id="1738613" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mobile-Insights">Mobile Insights</keyword> is delivered first thing every morning exclusively to <a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/517ed0731e240a9c3f6f09291doup.1n8/Urw1KOYQCXXqYC2oBa4c8" target="_blank">BI Intelligence</a> subscribers. 
Editor's note: We will not publish Insights on January 1. Happy holidays from the team at Business Insider Intelligence!

<keyword id="6363321" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Audi">AUDI</keyword> GOES WITH <keyword id="6355645" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="android">ANDROID</keyword>: Google has just forged a partnership with German automaker Audi to bring an Android-powered entertainment and information system to Audi vehicle dashboards in the near future. It's a clear shot against Apple, which announced an 'iOS in the Car' program last year, with the collaboration of Mercedes, BMW and Honda - as well as GM in the United States. Here's the Wall Street Journal's take on the deal, which was their scoop: "With 80 million new <keyword id="20632" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Cars">cars</keyword> and light trucks sold each year, automobiles represent a significant new opportunity for Internet-based software and services. 'The car is becoming the ultimate mobile device,' said Thilo Koslowski, an analyst at the research firm Gartner. 'Apple and Google see that and are trying to line up allies to bring their technology into the vehicle.'" (<a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB10001424052702304591604579288670734733740-lMyQjAxMTAzMDIwOTEyNDkyWj" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a>)
In other news ...
A VERY KINDLE CHRISTMAS: Kindle tablets saw the highest bump in daily activations on Christmas Day in 2013 versus the average day in December, when compared to other popular mobile device brands like Apple, Samsung, and Acer. According to a new report from <a href="http://blog.flurry.com/bid/103332/Amazon-Delivers-A-Great-Christmas-For-Its-Kindle" target="_blank">Flurry</a>, Amazon's Christmas Day Activation Index level was almost five-times higher than the next in line, Acer. Flurry tracks both tablets and smartphones, meaning Amazon achieved this enormous bump with its lone Kindle Fire tablet next to companies with multiple smartphones and tablets in the market. Amazon achieved this massive Christmas Day bump several years in a row, though the size of the one-day increase has declined. 
There are a few reasons for the Kindle-Christmas nexus, but the biggest explanation is cost. Amazon's Kindle Fire devices are priced competitively compared to iPads and even some Android models. They make an attractive but cost-effective item for somebody to gift. Business Insider's own Jay Yarow even went so far as to call the Kindle, "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/more-proof-that-the-kindle-fire-is-the-fruitcake-of-tablets-2013-12" target="_blank">the fruitcake of tablets</a>." (<a href="http://blog.flurry.com/bid/103332/Amazon-Delivers-A-Great-Christmas-For-Its-Kindle" target="_blank">Flurry</a>)
AMAZON MOBILE COMMERCE SOARS: More than 50% of Amazon shoppers browsed for holiday gifts from their mobile devices throughout the holiday season, reports Mobile Commerce Daily. Wilson Kerr, vice president of business development and sales at <a href="http://unboundcommerce.com/" target="_blank">Unbound Commerce</a>, thinks Amazon will have generated more than $20 billion in mobile commerce revenue for all of 2013. (<a href="http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/amazon-meets-with-success-and-challenges-this-holiday-season" target="_blank">Mobile Commerce Daily</a>)
FACEBOOK MOBILE: Facebook users on mobile topped 50% of the user total in several key markets throughout Europe and in parts of the Middle East, according to new data obtained by TechCrunch. It is extremely popular in Sweden, where almost 82% of Facebook users access the site via mobile. While other parts of the world may need more work, Facebook is continuing to prove that it has successfully moved beyond the desktop and now has the mobile user base in place to generate significant mobile revenue. (<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/29/facebook-international-user-growth/" target="_blank">TechCrunch</a>)
Here's how Snapchat became the breakout consumer product of 2013. (<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/29/snapchat-is-the-breakout-consumer-product-of-2013/" target="_blank">TechCrunch</a>)
Om Malik Fires Back At Quartz: "<a href="http://gigaom.com/2013/12/27/dear-quartz-maybe-its-you-that-needs-new-glasses-and-a-map-2013-was-not-a-lost-year-for-tech/" title="Permalink to Dear Quartz, maybe it's you that needs new glasses and a map. 2013 was not a lost year for tech">Dear Quartz, maybe it's you that needs new glasses and a map. 2013 was not a lost year for tech</a>." Last week, Christopher Mims at <a href="http://qz.com/161443/2013-was-a-lost-year-for-tech/" target="_blank">Quartz</a> discussed why he felt there was virtually no innovation in the mobile industry during 2013. Om Malik of GigaOm thinks Mims was looking at mobile in 2013 with too narrow of a lens. <a href="http://daringfireball.net/2013/12/the_year_in_apple_and_technology" target="_blank">Apple blogger John Gruber has posted a similar take</a>. (<a href="http://gigaom.com/2013/12/27/dear-quartz-maybe-its-you-that-needs-new-glasses-and-a-map-2013-was-not-a-lost-year-for-tech/" target="_blank">GigaOm</a>)
The Internet of Things according to Samsung: The Korean tech and consumer electronics giant sees touch screen-displays proliferating until everything from cutting boards to windows has an interactive display. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-display-concept-video-2013-12" target="_blank">This concept video illustrates Samsung's vision</a>. (<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-display-concept-video-2013-12" target="_blank">Business Insider</a>)
Puneet Mehta at MyCityWay, a cloud-based mobile technology partner for brands, gives his outlook on the Apple iBeacon and pays special attention to ways brands, and their marketers, can leverage this new technology to reach consumers in new ways. (<a href="http://gigaom.com/2013/12/28/the-guiding-ibeacon-helping-brands-navigate-customer-relationships/" target="_blank">GigaOm</a>)
Prosthetic Knowledge takes a deeper look at the Oculus Rift and comments on the tech world's growing interest in virtual reality. (<a href="http://rhizome.org/editorial/2013/dec/23/prosthetic-knowledge-picks-oculus-rift/" target="_blank">Rhizome</a>)
GOOGLE'S 2013: The evolution of Android, Chromebooks, Google+, YouTube, Google Glass and more. "Google continued to develop its hardware platforms, Android and Chrome OS, but its Web-based services such as Google+, YouTube and Google Maps also evolved in delightful and unexpected ways." (<a href="http://thenextweb.com/google/2013/12/17/google-2013/#!qUYU7" target="_blank">The Next Web</a>)

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