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Paytm Mall Is India’s Next Unicorn

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Paytm Mall Is India Next Unicorn,Startup Stories,Inspirational Stories 2018,2018 Latest Business News,Ecommerce firm Paytm Mall,Startup News India,Paytm Mall Reach Unicorn Status,Paytm Mall Latest Funding,Paytm Mall Business News 2018,Paytm Mall India Latest Unicorn


Ecommerce firm Paytm Mall is the latest India based startup company to reach unicorn status after raising $ 445 million from SoftBank and Alibaba. In this latest funding round, Paytm Ecommerce raised $ 400 million from SoftBank while Alibaba invested $ 45 million in the firm.

According to documents filed with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, post this funding round, Paytm Mall will be valued close to Rs. 12,300 crores or $ 1.9 billion. The Economic Times reported, the company is also in advanced talks to further raise an additional Rs. 1000 crores.

The Chief Operating Officer of Paytm Mall, Amit Sinha confirmed the latest development saying, “This latest investment led by SoftBank and Alibaba reaffirms the strength of our business model, growth trajectory, execution capability and the potential of India’s massive O2O model in the retail space.” The fresh funds, according to Sinha, will be used for empowering shopkeepers with superior technology, building superior logistics, strengthening the Paytm Mall brand and bringing an enriching experience to the customers.

Until now, Alibaba along with Alipay held close to 57% stock in Paytm Mall. However, post this investment round, SoftBank Vision Fund would hold 21% and Alibaba along with Alipay will hold around 46% stake in the ecommerce company.

Last year, the Japan based venture firm SoftBank also led a funding round, investing around $ 1.4 billion in the parent company Paytm. Speaking about this investment round, a SoftBank spokesperson said “The SoftBank Group is excited to continue supporting Paytm as it develops into one of the leading internet ecosystems in the country. Our investment in Paytm Mall is part of that ongoing commitment. We believe Paytm Mall’s offline to online operating model, combined with the strength of the Paytm ecosystem, is uniquely positioned to enable India’s 15 million offline retail shops to participate in India’s ecommerce boom.”

Launched as an independent entity in 2017, Paytm Mall currently claims to have over 10 crore customers, over 500 categories and has reached 39,000 pin codes across India. The company also replaced Snapdeal to become the third largest player in the Indian ecommerce ecosystem after Flipkart and Amazon India.

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Entrepreneur Stories

Inside T-Hub: India’s Launchpad for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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Imagine a building that’s not just a structure but a buzzing ecosystem. A space where startups, corporations, universities, and investors come together to create the future. This isn’t science fiction; it’s T-Hub, India’s largest innovation hub, and it’s rewriting the rules of entrepreneurship.

 

T-Hub isn’t just about workspaces. It’s a launchpad for ambitious dreams. They’ve empowered over 2,000 startups, turning ideas into thriving businesses. Think funding woes? T-Hub’s got your back, connecting entrepreneurs with angel investors and government grants. Need a mentor to guide you through the rough patches? T-Hub boasts a network of 2,000 mentors ready to share their wisdom.

 

T-Hub’s vision extends beyond startups. Here’s a glimpse into what makes T-Hub special:

  • From Seed to Scale: Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur with a bright idea or a scaling startup ready to take on the world, T-Hub has programs to support you. From the “seed-accelerator stage” Lab32 program to the “early-stage technology startups” RubriX program, T-Hub provides the tools and guidance needed to thrive.

  • Corporate Muscle: Innovation isn’t just for startups. T-Hub bridges the gap between startups and established corporations like Facebook, Uber, and Boeing. This collaboration allows startups to tap into corporate expertise and resources, while corporations benefit from the agility and fresh perspectives that startups bring.

  • Funding Powerhouse: T-Hub is more than just an idea incubator; it is also a reality maker. Through initiatives like T-Angel and the Digital India Scaleup Program, T-Hub connects startups with high-net-worth individuals, angel investors, and government funding sources.

  • Global Ambitions: Thinking Beyond Borders? T-Hub has you covered. With partnerships across the globe, from the UK government to La Trobe University, T-Hub helps Indian startups access international markets and provides foreign startups with a foothold in India.

 

And it doesn’t stop there. T-Hub 2.0, their new colossal campus, is a testament to their ambition. This behemoth is not just the world’s largest technology incubator; it’s a microcosm of innovation itself. Universities find a home here, churning out future tech leaders. Foreign partnerships open doors to international markets for Indian startups. It’s a melting pot of ideas, cultures, and expertise, all focused on creating a brighter tomorrow.

 

T-Hub’s story is far from over. They’re aiming to empower a staggering 20,000 startups in the next five years. With their focus on internationalization and capacity building, they’re poised to become a global hub for innovation. So, if you’re an entrepreneur with a dream, T-Hub might just be the launchpad that takes you to the stars.

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Meta’s AI Assistant, Meta AI: Friend or Foe for Searching Giants?

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Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) has introduced Meta AI, an AI assistant, powered by Llama 3 language model, designed to be your one-stop shop for information, chat, and creativity. This means you can get real-time information on Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram without ever leaving the app!  

Meta AI’s search strategy is an intriguing twist. While it may appear to be a competitor to Google and Bing, it contends that Meta AI is not a competitor, but rather a collaborator. Here’s why:

By relying on established search engines as sources, Meta AI positions itself as a user-friendly tool that combines the best of Google and Bing. Imagine getting results from both Google and Bing in the same search. As you are exposed to different points of view, you may gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject. They’re calling it the “most intelligent AI assistant that you can freely use,” so it will be interesting to see how it compares to other assistants on the market. 

How does Meta AI help you? 

Search Powerhouse: Meta AI combines Google Search and Microsoft Bing results to provide you with a more comprehensive view of your queries.

Chatty companions: Need answers or simply want to talk? Type “@MetaAI” into Facebook Messenger, Instagram, or WhatsApp and let the conversation begin.

Creative Spark: Feeling artistic? Meta AI allows you to create custom stickers and photos based on your text descriptions.

Where to Find Your Meta-AI Buddy:

  • Look for Meta AI in the search bars on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.
  • To respond to posts, interact with Meta AI directly in Facebook’s main feed.
  • Explore the new meta.ai website for extended conversations.
  • Type “Imagine” into your WhatsApp chat to generate real-time images.
  • The future may even include access via Meta’s VR headsets and Ray-Ban smart glasses.

The Future of AI Assistants

Only time will tell how Meta AI integrates into our lives, but it certainly offers a glimpse into an interactive future where AI assistants cater to our search, chat, and creative needs.  Whether Meta AI becomes a true partner to search giants or forges its own path remains to be seen.

Meta AI promises a brand new way to search and interact with information.  Do you think this AI assistant will change the way we use social media? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 

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Emerging Startup Stories

Suki: This Startup Wants To Transform Healthcare With Its Artificial Intelligence Tool

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We live in a rapidly transforming era where humanity is making exponential leaps in technology.  Thirty years ago, no one would have believed you could talk to an online voice assistant to create tasks and get things done.  Ten years ago, no one would have believed humanity would land robots on Mars.  Technology truly has improved the quality of living of every human who owns a smartphone and has access to an internet connection.  Voice assistants are slowly replacing manual tasks and making lives easier and efficient.  Siri, Alexa, Google Voice Assistant are just some of the widely used artificial intelligence based tools which are employed on a daily basis.  Artificial intelligence, which is hailed as the technology of the future is now slowly making its way into much more complex domains like self driving vehicles, quantum computing and also health care.

Suki, a United States of America based startup founded by Punit Soni, developed their own voice assistant which runs on artificial intelligence to simplify healthcare for doctors and other healthcare professionals.  In simple terms, Suki is akin to Siri for doctors.  While you could order a pizza or schedule an appointment on Siri, doctors could modify, edit and add health records of their patients.  Suki is a powerful tool to help doctors with documentation of health records which often take hours of their (doctors) time.  

Suki currently focuses on documentation but has the potential to expand its usage to data queries, ordering, prescribing and billing.  According to a white paper published by Suki, using its technology increases the time a doctor spends with a patient by 12% by cutting note taking time by 76%.  The time which is saved also brings in a financial benefit of $30,000 more in revenue a year on average for doctors.  

Suki raised a $ 20 million Series B round from Flare Capital Partners, First Round Capital, and Venrock, doubling its total funding to $ 40 million since its 2017 launch.  Suki is also looking to expand its reach in India and has decided to establish Bangalore as their base of operations.  India holds a lot of potential for Suki considering the amount of manual work which goes into almost any sector.  

It would be interesting to watch how Suki and other similar AI based startups would transform healthcare across the world.

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