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Two students <keyword id="3129376" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Malav-Sanghavi">Malav Sanghavi</keyword> and <keyword id="201800" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mustafa">Mustafa</keyword> Khanwala made India proud as they were featured in the top 10 of the London Mayor's 2016 recently concluded innovation competition, thanks to their stunning innovations.<br />
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Malav was the highest ranked Indian grabbing the fifth spot followed by Mustafa in 10th position. While Malav designed a smart amputee socket which can be adjusted via an app to suit the individual’s needs, Musatafa produced an app that stops queuing in shops, allowing one to immediately pay for goods and services. The other two Indian entries in the competition were by:<br />
<br /> <keyword id="71605" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Suresh-Kumar">Suresh Kumar</keyword> - Idea: An app to help educate stroke victims. It is programmed to make use of every day things, such as sarees.<br />
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Surabhi Mittal- Idea: He designed a tea set made of papier-mache. It is an attempt to revive handmade crafts in the era where everything is prepared in industries. Surabhi's idea was commended by panelists.<br />
<br /> The top prize was claimed by Italian origin Luca Alessandrini, a post-graduate from <keyword id="108001" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Imperial-College-London">Imperial College London</keyword>, who beat hundreds of other entries from 49 different countries and 17 universities, with a violin which is made from a mixture of spider silk and resin. He won 10,000 pounds top prize in the competition.<br />
<br /> Mayor of London <keyword id="6518726" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sadiq-Khan">Sadiq Khan</keyword> said, "The incredible range of talent on show in these awards celebrates the best of the capital and clearly demonstrates that London is open to talent and ideas from across the globe."<br />
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"We need to do all we can to ensure that London remains the best and most welcoming destination for international students," he said.<br />
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The awards were set up to highlight the work of the city's international students and also to provide some financial help to assist students in taking their innovation to the next stage of development.<br />
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It was devised by London and Partners, the Mayor's official promotional company and is also supported by the UK Government's Education is GREAT campaign and the British Council, Cambridge English, IDP Education and The PIE.

Meet the two Indian students who are among the top 10 winners of London Innovation Awards

5G - the fifth generation of mobile network technology – is a generational leap with several far-reaching applications, and it is expected to bring significant changes and improvements to the way we communicate and access information. With advantages like superior connectivity, higher bandwidth, and ultra-low latency, 5G is an imperative innovation for smarter tomorrow. <br /><br />Let’s take a look at <a href="https://www.infosysbpm.com/podcasts/business-transformation-services/5g-and-its-global-implications.html">some of the ways</a> through which 5G is going to drive disruption.<br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Unlocking the 5G World" comment="subhead" text="Unlocking the 5G World"><span data-til="noop">Unlocking the 5G World</span></cmsannotation><br />The potential advantages of 5G go far beyond just enhancing a network connection. It opens up new possibilities, allowing us to offer ground-breaking solutions that benefit the entire society.<br /><br /><ul><li><strong>Improved speed and performance:</strong> 5G is expected to offer significantly greater speeds and reduced latency in comparison to previous generations of mobile technology. It can enable a wide range of applications and services such as virtual and augmented reality, telemedicine, and connected cars.</li><li><strong>Increased connectivity:</strong> Imagine connecting a multitude of devices – with the number running in billions – in real-time. This will ramp up the adoption of new applications and services that require high levels of connectivity, such as the Internet of Things (IoT).</li><li><strong>Enhanced experience:</strong> 5G will provide a more seamless and immersive experience for users, with improvements in video quality and the ability to support high-bandwidth applications like 4K video streaming.</li><li><strong>New business opportunities:</strong> The increased speed and connectivity of 5G will potentially reshape industries by creating new business opportunities, especially in the arena of cutting-edge technologies like IoT, virtual reality, and augmented reality.</li></ul>With <a href="https://www.infosysbpm.com/offerings/functions/finance-accounting/documents/digitizing-and-automating-the-way-to-epic-transformation.pdf">innovation at its core</a>, 5G is expected to bring significant changes and improvements to the way we communicate and access information, with potential impacts on a wide range of industries and applications.<br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Digital transformation on a global scale" comment="subhead" text="Digital transformation on a global scale"><span data-til="noop">Digital transformation on a global scale</span></cmsannotation><br />We know that large telcos like AT&amp;T, Verizon, and Vodafone are working on newer 5G trends. There are several important trends we see in the market. <br /><br /><ul><li>Network slicing, which is the process of creating multiple virtual networks on top of a single physical infrastructure</li><li>Edge computing, which improves the latency and speed of networks</li><li>Private 5G networks, which are dedicated 5G networks owned and operated by a single organisation.</li><li>Internet of Things (IoT)</li><li>Virtual and Augmented reality</li></ul>As an example, AT&amp;T has developed its private 5G network offering called “AT&amp;T 5G Edge”, which is aimed at large enterprises and government agencies. AT&amp;T has also developed its connected cars platform called “AT&amp;T Drive” which uses its 5G network.<br /><br />Similarly, Telstra announced the Enhanced Enterprise Wireless (EEW) program that guarantees 99.9% wireless connectivity to consumers, touting it as the key step towards unlocking full <keyword id="13023853" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="5g-benefits" source="Orion">5G benefits</keyword>.<br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="5G applications in the IT universe" comment="subhead" text="5G applications in the IT universe"><span data-til="noop">5G applications in the IT universe</span></cmsannotation><br />5G is going to dominate the IT space through a variety of offerings. Some major trends observed in this market are: <br /><br /><strong>5G strategy and consulting:</strong> Organisations can help their clients develop a tailored 5G strategy that aligns with their business goals and objectives. This includes identifying potential use cases and applications for 5G, as well as helping service providers understand the benefits and challenges of implementing 5G.<br /><br /><strong>Network design and deployment:</strong> Firms can design and deploy 5G networks, including the selection and integration of the necessary hardware and software components.<br /><br /><strong>Network optimisation:</strong> Organisations can optimise their 5G networks for their clients to ensure that they are operating efficiently and effectively, and to identify and address any potential issues or challenges.<br /><br /><strong>Application development:</strong> Custom applications and solutions that leverage the capabilities of 5G technology, such as virtual and augmented reality, can be implemented for clients for a better competitive advantage.<br /><br /><strong>Managed services:</strong> Managed services for 5G networks, including monitoring, maintenance, and support to ensure that 5G networks are operating smoothly and reliably are going to be a necessity soon.<br /><br />A paradigm shift that is set to transform the business models of service providers and enterprises across the globe, 5G technology may just be the biggest technological revolution of the decade. Its unprecedented speed, connectivity, and user experience enhancements will have a far reaching impact on industries ranging from healthcare to entertainment and beyond. By embracing 5G, we can unlock a world of possibilities, enabling a smarter and more interconnected future for all. <br /><br /><em>Disclaimer: This article is authored by </em><em>Mehul Sanghavi, Global Head of Sales for the Telecom, Media, Utility, Service, and Oil &amp; Gas sectors, Infosys BPM</em><em>. </em><em>The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Business Insider India.</em>

Embracing the 5G revolution: A paradigm shift in technology

<ul class="summary-list"><li>At least 132 people were killed when a suspension bridge collapsed in Gujarat, India.</li><li>More than 400 people plunged into the Machhu River as authorities continue searching for survivors.</li></ul><p>A suspension bridge in Gujarat in western India collapsed and killed at least 132 people on Sunday, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/india-accident-bridge-idAFKBN2RQ068">local government officials told Reuters.</a> Local authorities continue to look for survivors as over 400 people had plunged into the river below.</p><p>"The death toll in the bridge collapse incident has gone up to 132. The search and rescue operations are continuing," NK Muchhar, a senior official, told the wire on Monday. He added that the death toll is expected to rise.</p><p>A video posted by local news channel News24 showed the exact moment the footbridge collapse into the Macchu River, as hundreds of people were celebrating Diwali, a Hindu festival. The footage showed people smiling and chatting when the cables suddenly snapped, causing them to fall into the river. </p><p>Another video posted on Twitter by News24 showed dozens of people hanging on the collapsed bridge, some of whom attempted to climb the structure. Bystanders can be heard shouting and screaming, as sirens blared in the background.</p><p>Indian Army personnel were deployed to conduct search and rescue operations, as national disaster management and emergency teams continued to look for missing people.</p><p>In a Twitter post by the news agency ANI, several photos showed army personnel in boats sifting through marshland. One photo showed dozens of orange boats cruising through the river tracing survivors. </p><p>Gujarat state minister Brijesh Merja told local television station NDTV that at least 17 people were sent to a hospital and were undergoing treatment, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/30/asia/india-bridge-collapse-intl/index.html">per CNN's report.</a> Indian Minister of Parliament Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya told NDTV that children were among the fatalities, as cited by CNN.</p><p>A photo taken by Reuters on October 31 showed Indian Army personnel carrying bodies on a stretcher as search and rescue teams in boats continued to look for survivors.</p><div type="image" title="Army soldiers carry the body of a victim after a suspension bridge collapsed in Morbi." height="2482" width="3309" msid="95199168" hostid="261" sizebytes="642606"></div><p>The footbridge was built during British colonial rule in the 19th century. It had been closed for half a year undergoing renovations and was only opened to the public recently, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/india-accident-bridge-idAFKBN2RQ068">according to Reuters.</a> The state of Gujarat had lodged a criminal complaint against the maintenance agency in charge of the bridge, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/morbi-bridge-collapse-gujarat-police-fir-books-bridge-maintenance-agency-for-culpable-homicide/articleshow/95196656.cms">per The Times of India,</a> citing Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi.</p><p>Another photo by Reuters showed dozens on people gathered at the base of the bridge the day after it collapsed. </p><div type="image" title="People gather as rescuers search for survivors after a suspension bridge collapsed in Morbi town." height="2620" width="3493" msid="95199169" hostid="261" sizebytes="999958"></div><p>Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/Bhupendrapbjp/status/1586731282578694144">Twitter post</a> on October 30 the state government would be giving each family of the deceased around 4 lakh, or $500, in compensation. He added that each injured person would be receiving around $600 in compensation.</p><p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1586729348748410880">Twitter post</a> on October 30 that he was "deeply saddened by the tragedy at Morbi."</p><p>"Talked to Gujarat Chief Minister Shri @Bhupendrapbjp and other officials about this. Relief and rescue operations are going on in full swing and all necessary assistance is being provided to the affected," Modi wrote in Gujarati.</p>

Photos and videos show the deadly moment a suspension bridge collapsed into a river in India, leaving survivors clinging to shredded cables

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<p>Welcome to <keyword id="933977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="power-line">Power Line</keyword>, a weekly <keyword id="6357014" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="energy">energy</keyword> newsletter brought to you by Business Insider.</p><p>Here's what you need to know:</p><ul><li>Want to get Power Line in your inbox every Friday? <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/power-line">Sign up here</a>. </li><li>Most of our content is available to BI subscribers. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/prime-discount?r=birefer-bjoneshttps://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/prime-discount?r=birefer-bjones">Click here for 20% off</a>. </li><li>Got feedback or tips? Email us at energy@businessinsider.com. </li></ul><p>I was off last week — when, of course, some of the biggest energy stories of the summer poured in, from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7">Sunrun announcing a bid to acquire rival Vivint Solar</a> to legal snarls for major pipelines. </p><p><keyword id="6359072" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="oil">Oil</keyword> <keyword id="31671" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="markets">markets</keyword>, on the other hand, have moved very little, though analysts say they're at risk of slipping again should the second wave of coronavirus cases swell. More on that below. </p><p>Before we get to it, one quick note: I'm working on a story about the experience of LGBTIQ workers in the oil and gas industry, including those who are based overseas in countries that out-law same-sex relations. If you know anyone who might be open to chatting with me, please have them reach out at <a href="mailto:bjones@businessinsider.com">bjones@businessinsider.com</a>. </p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-of-top-investors-fueling-the-clean-energy-industry-2020-7">Even a pandemic can't stop the rise of clean-energy investments</a></h2><p>2020 won't be remembered as a year of prosperity. Thousands of energy workers have lost their jobs, and global investment in oil exploration and extraction is set for a 15-year low, according to the consulting firm Rystad Energy.</p><p><strong>But:</strong> There are some signs of resilience, at least in the clean-energy industry. </p><ul><li>In the first six months of the year, investment in <keyword id="34553" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="renewable-energy">renewable energy</keyword> was actually up about 4%, relative to the same period last year. </li><li>Investment from VC and private-equity firms rose even more, by about 10%, according to the research firm BloombergNEF (BNEF). </li></ul><p><strong>Details: </strong>Offshore wind investments are behind the surge, while funding for solar and onshore wind slid. </p><ul><li>In the first six months of the year, total funding for offshore wind was up more than 300%, year-on-year. </li><li>"The first half of this year saw investment decisions made on 28 sea-based wind farms, including the largest ever, the 1.5GW Vattenfall Hollandse Zuid array off the coast of the Netherlands, costing an estimated $3.9 billion," BNEF said. </li></ul><p><strong>The key investors: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-of-top-investors-fueling-the-clean-energy-industry-2020-7">We compiled a list of the top VC and private-equity investors fueling the industry. You can see all of those here.</a> </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7"><div type="image" title="Sunrun Tom vonReichbauer" height="2794" width="3725" msid="77026426" hostid="261"></div></a></p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7">Mega-merger: Sunrun's CFO told us what's behind the $3.2 billion bid to buy Vivint Solar</a></h2><p>Should the deal close, it will be the largest consolidation in the history of the residential solar industry, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7">valued at a whopping $3.2 billion</a>. </p><ul><li>The new solar behemoth will have half a million customers, at least 15% market share, and an enterprise value of $9 billion. </li></ul><p><strong>Behind the deal: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7">In a call with us on Thursday</a>, <keyword id="1567748" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sunrun">Sunrun</keyword>'s CFO, Tom vonReichbauer, said it's about brand recognition, the opportunity to upsell batteries, and a more-diverse sales strategy. </p><ul><li>Vivint, for example, has almost 200,000 customers, and less than 10% of them have batteries attached to their solar systems, according to analysts at Wood Mackenzie. </li><li>Sunrun is a leader in selling batteries with solar panels. The company will inherit Vivint's customers and gain the opportunity to profit big by upselling them batteries. </li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunrun-cfo-3-key-reasons-behind-vivint-solar-acquisition-2020-7">Read the story here.</a> </strong></li></ul><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bloom-energys-plan-to-take-on-the-hydrogen-industry-2020-7"><strong><div type="image" title="Bloom Energy" height="2608" width="3477" msid="77026432" hostid="261"></div></strong></a></p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bloom-energys-plan-to-take-on-the-hydrogen-industry-2020-7">Bloom Energy is dipping into the booming hydrogen industry. It's already paying off. </a></h2><p>If you follow my work, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exxons-investment-in-algae-based-biofuels-with-synthetic-genomics-2020-6">you know I love algae</a>. Hydrogen gas is a close second. </p><ul><li><strong>Fun fact 1: </strong>Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. </li><li><strong>Fun fact 2: </strong>It was called "flammable gas" in the 18th century. You may recall the Hindenburg — a hydrogen-filled airship that exploded in 1937, killing 36 people. </li><li><strong>Fun fact 3: </strong>The gas is a ubiquitous industry feedstock, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">used in the production of ammonia (used, in turn, to make fertilizer) and steel</a>. </li></ul><p>As I detail in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">this explainer</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">, the hydrogen industry is no stranger to booms and busts.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1"></a> Today, it's booming again — thanks, in part, to cheap renewable energy, which you can use to make hydrogen through electrolysis. </p><p><strong>What's new: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bloom-energys-plan-to-take-on-the-hydrogen-industry-2020-7">The $2.3 billion fuel-cell company Bloom Energy revealed its strategy this week for entering the hydrogen market with two new technologies. </a></p><ul><li>Bloom Energy is one of the few large and public clean-tech companies that aren't in the solar and wind sectors. </li><li>It makes batterylike fuel cells, typically run with natural gas, that can power buildings. Now the company says it will make cells that run on hydrogen. </li><li>Plus, Bloom is developing electrolyzers that will use renewable electricity to make hydrogen from water — yielding what's called green hydrogen. The vast majority of existing hydrogen gas is derived from fossil fuels. </li><li>The company's stock spiked on the news. </li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bloom-energys-plan-to-take-on-the-hydrogen-industry-2020-7">Read our full story to see what analysts are saying, and what this means for the future of the company</a>. </strong></li></ul><h2><strong>6 essential updates on the oil industry </strong></h2><ul><li><strong>BP continues to grow its renewable energy business.</strong> This week, the oil giant <a href="https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/news-and-insights/press-releases/bp-partners-with-jinkopower-a-leading-chinese-solar-energy-company-to-offer-integrated-decarbonised-energy-solutions.html">announced a partnership with JinkoPower, a top Chinese solar developer, to take on China's commercial and industrial market.</a> We also learned that BP is set to acquire a 100% stake in a large wind farm in Indiana. </li><li><strong>The recovery of oil prices remains stalled. </strong>US oil futures were trading at about $40 a barrel on Friday, up less than 3% over the last month. <a href="https://www.axios.com/oil-industry-coronavirus-case-surge-68a67285-5028-4fcf-9d06-cadc6c041119.html">The second wave of the coronavirus pandemic has something to do with it. </a></li><li><strong>But oil demand could rebound sharply next year. </strong>Our markets reporter Ben Winck<a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/news/oil-market-outlook-opec-demand-reach-past-levels-next-year-2020-7-1029393949#"> reports that demand for OPEC-sourced crude oil will recover 25% in 2021 and surpass levels seen in 2019, according to an OPEC report. </a></li><li><strong>OPEC Plus is set to increase oil output. </strong>After a historic deal in April to curb oil production in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, OPEC and its allies will raise production by 2 million barrels per day starting next month, as stipulated in the April agreement. </li><li><strong>More oil-and-gas companies file for bankruptcy protection. </strong>California's biggest oil driller, California Resources, filed for Chapter 11 on Thursday. Just a few days earlier, fracking-sand supplier Hi-Crush also filed. </li><li><strong>The Dakota Access Pipeline can continue operating for now. </strong>Earlier this month, a US court ruled that the Dakota Access Pipeline — which carries oil from the Bakken region of North Dakota to a terminal in Illinois — must be shut down and emptied. This week, a federal appellate court temporarily blocked that order.   </li></ul><h2><strong>A few startup updates</strong></h2><ul><li>ClassPass co-founder Sanjiv Sanghavi <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/14/classpass-co-founder-sanjiv-sanghavi-joins-arcadia-bringing-consumer-marketing-savvy-to-clean-energy/">is joining the digital utility <strong>Arcadia</strong></a> as the chief product officer. More on that next week. </li><li><strong>Form Energy</strong>, a startup focused on developing new, long-lasting battery chemistries, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/form-energy-welcomes-charlotte-beard-and-zachary-judkins-to-its-executive-team-301094302.html?tc=eml_cleartime">brought on two new high-powered execs with experience at Tesla, Apple, and SunPower. </a></li><li>Sodium-ion battery startup <strong>Natron Energy </strong><a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200708005317/en/Natron-Energy-Raises-35-Million-Series-Financing">raised $35 million</a>. It's backed by Chevron and Khosla Ventures, among other funders. </li></ul><p>That's it! Have a great weekend. </p><p>- Benji </p><p>Ps. I spent one of my days off hunting for blue-spotted salamanders among the mosquito-ridden swamp-forests of northern Iowa, along with herpetologist Jeffrey LeClere. We found two! Look at this cutie. </p><p><div type="image" title="Salamander Benji Jones" height="2268" width="3024" msid="77026433" hostid="261"></div></p>

The 20 top private investors fueling the clean-energy industry with $2.5 billion

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/business-insider-2015-silicon-alley-100-2015-9"></div><p></p></div></div>When ClassPass CEO Payal Kadakia took the stage at Dreamforce, she didn't act like a normal startup founder.<p>Instead,&#xa0;she danced, arm outstretched, her fingers contorted into a Bollywood pose.&#xa0;</p><p>A quick costume change and 15 minutes later,&#xa0;Kadakia returned to address the&#xa0;crowd about ClassPass, the fitness subscription service she claims is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/classpass-400-million-valuation-2015-5">valued at $400 million</a>. The company raised $40 million in new funding in January and expanded to 36 cities and 3 countries, landing Kadakia at spot number 32&#xa0;in the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-alley-100">SAI 100</a>, our annual list of the biggest movers and shakers in New York tech.</p><p>While her dance performances and business career&#xa0;looked seamless together on the stage, it wasn't always so effortless. She was often pulled in two directions at once.</p><h2>From business to Bollywood</h2><p>Dancing came first to Kadakia. She had been dancing since she was three and founded her own dance troupe for&#xa0;once she got to&#xa0;MIT. However, like many college graduates, Kadakia quickly found herself in the corporate world&#xa0;at Bain&#xa0;&amp; Company.</p><p>She liked her day job, but at night, she would squeeze in rehearsals.&#xa0;It was the height of the "Slumdog Millionaire" craze, and as the movie raked in great reviews,&#xa0;Kadakia found herself swept up in the popularity of the Bollywood lifestyle.</p><p>As her friends left for business school, Kadakia realized she wasn't ready. She decided to quit Bain and start at Warner Music Group, a company that was flexible and let her take time off to go shoot commercials. After work, she had started a dance company and crowded out every spare minute in her schedule for dance.</p><p><div></div></p><p>Her parents were confused by what she was doing, and eventually, so was Kadakia.</p><p>"I was feeling really lost. I still had this great job and my life at Warner, but then I had this crazy life outside of it," Kadakia said. "You kinda start feeling like you're lying, and I always feel like if you're in a place where you're not being authentic, it's the time to think about it."</p><p>Her dad wanted her to go to business school and for Kadakia to be spending more time on studying for the GMATs. Instead, she was focused on prepping for a big showcase of her dance troupe. Her dad attended the show and watched as his daughter got a standing ovation from the crowed.</p><p>"He decided the next day to call me and say 'Hey, I looked into arts programs at Columbia,'" Kadakia said. "It was funny because my dad took it still as I need a degree."</p><p>Momentum was building, and it wasn't until Kadakia&#xa0;landed on the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/22/arts/dance/22borders.html?_r=3&amp;emc=eta1">cover of the New York Times art section</a> that she finally reached a turning point.</p><p>"These moments made me realize there was something bigger for me to do in life. "</p><h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></h2><h2>Launch, then nothing</h2><p>Kadakia didn't realize the path ahead would mean two failures and lost co-founders before&#xa0;she was able to build&#xa0;a $400 million company. Instead, she&#xa0;started slow.&#xa0;</p><p>"<span class="s1">I was still just lost and I was stuck in my career. In a weird way I had let it expand to every extra hour I had and there was nothing more I can do without it expanding into the rest of my life. So I was just feeling trapped," Kadakia said.</span></p><p>A trip to San Francisco in 2010&#xa0;showed her how her entrepreneurial friends were working on creative ideas that they loved - not the torn feeling she'd been experiencing herself, even as she tried to cut back from dancing.&#xa0;</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>"<span class="s1">I realized these guys do this full time. Why am I sitting here and not investing my full life into something that I've dreamed about?" Kadakia asked herself.&#xa0;</span><p><span class="s1">She gave herself two weeks to think of an idea.&#xa0;She took a red-eye back from San Francisco and was too exhausted on Monday to think. On Tuesday, she wanted to go to a dance class and instead spent hours searching online to find one.</span></p><p><span class="s1">Building a directory of fitness classes like an OpenTable&#xa0;would help, she thought.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span class="s1">On day two, she had found her idea.</span></p><p><span class="s1">In January 2011, Kadakia decided to quit Warner and work on her startup idea.&#xa0;</span><span class="s1">Her high school friend Sanjiv Sanghavi joined her as a co-founder and the two spent a year and a half, cataloging fitness classes and building a really pretty website.&#xa0;</span></p><p>They got into the TechStars incubator program in New York and launched Classtivity in July 2012 to headlines of "top startups to watch" and "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-is-getting-ready-for-these-promising-startups-at-techstar-demo-days-2012-6#classtivity-takes-the-hassle-out-of-finding-fitness-food-and-art-classes-4">most highly anticipated NY startup</a>."</p><p>"We put it on the market....<span class="s1">" Kadakia trails off with a laugh. "A<span class="s1">nd there wasn't much that happened."</span></span></p><h2>Unlocking the secret</h2><p>Kadakia and Sanghavi first thought that maybe some buttons were in the wrong place or the check-out process for buying a class was too long.</p><p>But selling fitness turned out to be harder than booking a gym class.&#xa0;The real trick was getting people to go.</p><p>"I realized it wasn't about the psychology of giving the people information. It was about the psychology of getting them to actually go," Kadakia said. "Our whole thing before was finding a class shouldn't be as hard as taking one. But it turns out finding a class isn't even as hard as going to one. The actual motivation was the hard part."</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>So they tried another tack.<p>Classtivity&#xa0;launched a "Passport" product that let gym-goers&#xa0;buy a pack of 10 classes in advance. It was great for people who wanted to try a bunch of different places, but it didn't keep people coming back.</p><p>People were returning to classes about 15 percent of the time - far short of their goal of 75 percent.</p><p>"<span class="s1">To me, that was a failure," Kadakia said. "Because this means studio owners weren't going to benefit, people weren't going to benefit, and Classtivity wasn't going to benefit. To me, my mission and vision was always about changing people's lives, and a month of people's time isn't going to change anyone's lives."</span></p><h2><span class="s1">Third time is the charm</span></h2><p>With the Passport not living up to its goals, Kadakia was left to pivot again.</p><p>This time, she suggested a subscription model - an idea&#xa0;that initially didn't go over well with staff.&#xa0;Kadakia pushed it, though, and they launched the $99&#xa0;subscription model on June 1, 2013.</p><p>The first month, it only saw 35 users. The next month was 70. And then it kept doubling. Kadakia was reading every customer service email that came in as it started to&#xa0;take off.&#xa0;</p><p>As the subscription service took off, there was a leadership change within.&#xa0;Kadakia lost her co-founder Sanghavi&#xa0;in November 2013 as he&#xa0;left to start his own company.</p><p>In January 2014, Classtivity was officially rebranded as ClassPass. It was also the same month they hit 1,000 users, putting the startup on track for $1 million run rate.</p><p>"Up until then, Classtivity as a search engine was still up. In that whole entire time, we did 100 bookings total," Kadakia said. "We've done 9 million on ClassPass." (That number, a month later, is now up to 10 million.)</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>For Kadakia, the reservation number is the most important metric: those are the hours of people's lives the company is actually changing.<p>The company also started expanding outside of New York City.&#xa0;Dubbed "Operation 2015," Kadakia wanted ClassPass to be in 20 cities by January 1, 2015. It hit that goal, and two years since launch, is now in three countries (soon to be four with Australia) and 34 cities.</p><p>Like all startups, growth has come with some challenges. Some have wondered if ClassPass will <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/fashion/classpassdeep-discounts-but-some-discontent.html?_r=0">run into the "Groupon" problem</a> where the discounted class rates end up hurting the studios. The startup charges $99 a month for its membership in most locations, but then allows users to reserve classes that normally cost as much $30 to attend.</p><p>Studio owners <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-classpass-wants-to-help-studio-owners-2015-5">have complained</a> that accepting ClassPass has hurt their regular members because they know the ClassPass attendees are not paying as much to attend. There's a difference of perception between a $10 workout class and a $30 one.</p><p>However, Kadakia&#xa0;sees the company helping studios a lot more this way than it did when it was just a search engine.</p><p>"We are not Groupon. We're about sustainability, we're about growth. We're not a one-time thing where we write a check and then we're out the door," Kadakia said.</p><p>The company is on track to pay out more than $100 million to studios, she said, &#xa0;and they'll also make that same amount back from its users, she said.&#xa0;</p><h2>Next up: "More like a life pass than a fitness pass"</h2><p>While it's dancing that inspired Kadakia to start ClassPass, her vision for the company is moving beyond the fitness search engine that started it.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Instead, it's about connecting people with what they love and&#xa0;letting them try new experiences.<p>"As long as I've known her, Payal's vision has been about connecting people with what they love in a very authentic way," said Adam Valkin, a partner at General Catalyst that lead the last round of funding. "Her thinking and vision is broad, but her focus is still on the fitness right now."</p><p>Over the next five years, Kadakia said she wants ClassPass to eventually move from a fitness pass to more of a "life pass."</p><p>"When you're younger, everyone tells you to go and try all these things, and the all of a sudden you graduate form college, and you're supposed to be plain vanilla at your job," Kadakia said. "Artists, museums, things you can do with your time, we really believe are essential to the ClassPass model."</p><p>She hints that there's "lots to come" in 2016 for the company and even longer in the future.</p><p>"It will be more like a life pass versus a fitness pass like it is today," Kadakia said.</p>

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