Archive: May 10, 2022

Business World

This Summer, every 1 in 2 Indian travellers plan to head out on their first trip since the 2020 lockdown: OYO’s Mid-Summer Vacation Index 2022

May 10, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Chennai: This isn’t any ordinary summer. It’s the first one since pandemic-led travel restrictions have been lifted completely across most parts of the country. This means travel aspirations are at an all-time high this summer. Tracking consumer travel sentiment across India, global travel technology company, OYO, has published a Mid-Summer Vacation Index 2022. As per the report, over 61% of Indian travellers plan to take vacations this summer, out of which a whopping 94% showed a strong preference to travel domestically. This shows that despite the opening of international air travel, exploring local destinations is here to stay in 2022.

Interestingly, every 1 in 2 Indian travellers plan to head out on their first trip since the 2020 lockdown this summer. This is a strong indicator of the bounce back in travel confidence across India, mainly due to mass vaccination drives, combined with the receding pandemic severity.

With about 65% votes a majority of travellers are keen on leisure trips, for a much-needed break from the routine. In December 2021, as travel opened domestically, most respondents had preferred travelling mostly to meet their family & friends after a long time due to the pandemic. While there are certain trend shifts, short trips continue to be the top choice among travellers. Nearly 55% of respondents still prefer shorter trips of about 1-3 days. As per OYO’s survey, over 50% Indians opted to travel with friends, while 26.5% said they would love to spend their vacation with family. 13% of respondents also wished to go solo this summer.

Where is India heading this summer? 

The Hills Vs The Beaches

While some love to spend their summer amid quaint hillside towns, many also love spending this season soaking in the sun alongside white sandy beaches. As per OYO’s consumer survey, with 1/4th of the votes, hill stations emerged as the clear winner. However, that’s not it. Nearly 22% said they would love the best of both worlds – with a mix of hill stations and beaches. This was followed by preferences for seaside towns, staycations, adventure sports destinations, riverside stays, among others. When it comes to the hills, over 1/3rd of Indians opted for Manali as their cooling destination of choice, followed by approx. 20% who wish to visit Kashmir this summer. Sikkim, Ooty and McLeodganj were also popular choices among vacationers. Among beach lovers, 58% said that hands down Goa is their dream beach destination in India. This was closely followed by the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Kerala with 12% and 11% respectively.

From catching sunsets at Goa to adoring the beauty of Kashmir in a Shikara, India’s summer wishlist

Well, who doesn’t love a relaxing waterfall during the summers? Among destinations popular for their rivers and waterfalls, a large proportion of respondents (38%) expressed interest in visiting Kullu this summer, followed by Rishikesh (of course, for its watersports!). Alleppey and Jim Corbett were also in the running as India’s top waterfront destinations. It’s summer and who wouldn’t love to catch a beautiful sunset? Almost 30% Indians would love to enjoy stunning sunset views while at a beautiful beach in Goa. A close second, 21% said there is no better way to admire the sunset other than a shikara ride on Dal Lake in Srinagar. This was followed by the majestic sunset at the Taj Mahal.

Think summer, think picnics. Right? With 35% each, respondents were split between the houseboats in Kashmir or ruins of Hampi as their favorite picnic spot. The rest would like to visit any soulful Indian village or countryside for a quick picnic.

Going international, or maybe not?

With more than 1/3rd respondents opting for this beach destination, Maldives is once again India’s international dream destination, followed by Dubai, Thailand, and USA. And yet still, OYO’s consumer survey shows that Indians are still keen on desi alternatives over videsi destinations. 58% of consumers prefer taking vacations in Gulmarg over Switzerland, 70.3% in Coorg over Scotland, and 67.9% choose Auli over Alaska.

Sneak peek into traveller behavior this summer

Over the past two years, Indians have embraced spontaneity when it comes to travel. This trend continues to dominate travel decisions even today. 1 in every 3 Indians prefer booking their travel within the same week. With 44% upvotes, hotels continue to be the preferred choice of accommodations, followed by alternate accommodation options such as villas and homestays. However, 60% of respondents want to stick to a budget under INR 10000. Additionally, data from OYO’s Mid-Summer Vacation Index 2022 showed that 25.9% Indians travel for a relaxing stay while 16.4% Indians look forward to exploring nature followed by photoshoots of scenic locations to Instagram and trying out delicious food.

Commenting on the ever-evolving consumer trends, Shreerang Godbole, SVP – Product & Chief Service Officer – OYO said, “We have already had two record breaking festive weekend bookings in April. Over the Good Friday and Vishu week, we received 8 lakh bookings, the highest ever in 2022, surpassing New Years. Over the next couple of weeks, we expect this demand to further rise across destinations. The past few years changed the way we travel. People are much more open to taking smaller breaks, working from a scenic location, or even making their travel bookings at the very last minute. Alongside these trends, consumers are now looking for higher personalization and flexibility – when it comes to digital payments, easy booking modifications, or even support to resolve queries. Adding to this trend, we strongly believe that domestic destinations will benefit the most from this bounce back, especially the smaller unexplored ones.” 

He adds, “At OYO, we innovated several products and features to provide utmost convenience and flexibility to travellers. Some of our features such as ‘Pay at Hotel’, easy cancellation and refund policies, 3-click booking process, or Nearby stays give consumers the confidence to travel on a whim, without worrying about the ‘what if’s’. This uptick in demand puts the country back on track to welcome pre-pandemic era growth.” 

Some more power-packed travel trivia

● Vacations or Staycations? 64.3% Indians chose vacations over staycations, 54.1% chose beach destinations over cold locations
● Not everyone loves the sun, some prefer a star-studded summer: Pushpa star Rashmika Mandanna beats SRK, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt; becomes India’s dream travel buddy this summer vacation
● What’s travel without the journey? 22% Indians said they usually make a pitstop to try local cuisines, while 15% said road trips can be too stressful, they might as well stay at an affordable local hotel to take a nap during their travel
● Prized possessions: 19% respondents said that they would never leave their camera back home while on vacation. This was followed by some truly practical choices for the summer, such as water bottles, sunglasses, among others
● Well, here’s the make-or-break situation: 27.9% of respondents said that their ideal hotel room must have an amazing view, while 26% prefer comfy beds and 17.3% won’t do without a jacuzzi
Sample size: 1000+ respondents across India surveyed in April 2022

Business

FinShell Pay appoints Shilpi Sadhu as Director and General Manager of Mkash

May 10, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Delhi | May 2022: FinShell Pay announces the appointment of Shilpi Sadhu as the Director and Head of Mkash. As the Director and Head of Mkash, Shilpi will be in charge of administering NPCI, BBPS, UPI, loans, and other Fintech services, as well as overseeing the smooth operation of all departments while keeping an eye on the organization’s overall development and strategic growth.

Shilpi will be heading India strategic growth for FinShell Pay, an application that provides fast, easy, and reliable digital financial services to all Android users.

Having worked with Intex, Panasonic, Transsion, and Oppo—to name a few of the IT behemoths—Shilpi has experience in the Fintech and Telecom industries for over 12+ years, managing Fintech Apps and VAS (Internet Business and Revenue Development Strategy). She has a track record of driving firms to profitability and facilitating long-term growth. Through a well-designed localization and Indianization plan, she worked at Oppo to improve the company’s personalization and user experience in the country. As a result, she had a significant influence on the strategy for key products like the App Store, Theme Store, and Lockscreen.

Motivated by her desire to learn more about technology, Shilpi graduated with a bachelor’s of technology in computer science. Her tenacity has served her well, as she has extensive expertise in developing payments and fintech products, as well as developing operational strategies.

This recent appointment comes in the wake of Zafar Imam’s resignation, who was the former CEO at FinShell. Speaking on his exit, Shilpi Sadhu said, “Zafar was an integral part of the company, and I wish him all the best for his future endeavors.” 

Speaking on her new role, she said, “I’m looking forward to my role at Finshell Pay as the Director and General Manager. With more than a decade of working experience in the strategic role, I’m eagerly looking forward to working with the firm and seeing Fisnhell expand. With the team, we will be working towards making the company a premier digital fin-tech platform in the market.”

Business

Increase in demand for BPM services across sectors driving growth for One Point One Solutions

May 10, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Mumbai, May 10, 2022: One Point One Solutions, leader in BPM services is experiencing flow of new clientele from mid-February. The company has signed 3 new and other marquee clients in the last two to three months and is in final stage discussion to add up more clients during the current quarter. One Point One is also witnessing a growing trend with their existing partners by about 15 to 20% purely due to market demand.

The company has 5,500 seats on one shift basis, spread across its offices located in Mumbai, Gurgaon, Bengaluru, Chennai and Indore. The current capacity utilisation stands at 3,500 seats, which is moving upwards 100% utilisation of current capacity on one shift basis by end of the current financial year. The company has enough room for expansion on a two shift basis to double the current capacity to 11,000 seats based on the demand scenario.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Akshay Chhabra, Managing Director said, “The demand for BPM services is increasing as the economy opened up and every sector is focussing on winning new customers and making their existing customers experience delightful.

We would be the biggest beneficiaries of the fastest growing Indian economy as the demand for our services is directly proportionate to growth in the service sector. Increasingly companies are focussing on their core business and outsourcing major process and other aspects to us. This is going to be the biggest driver for our growth.

As our user Industries like Telecom & Broadcasting, Retail and E-commerce, Consumer Durables & FMCG, Banking and Finance, Travel & Hospitality and Insurance pick up buoyancy in their offerings and acquire more and more consumers, we are excited to lap this opportunity and grow in these exciting times.”

Education

Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Ghaziabad, conducts Virtual Award Ceremony for students

May 10, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Vasundhara, Ghaziabad, organised a ‘Virtual Award Ceremony’ on April 30, 2022, to acknowledge and felicitate the academic achievements of its sedulous Jaipurians.

The ceremony was graced by the inspiriting presence of Mr. Vinod Malhotra, Chairman, Academic Council, STTAR, Advisor, Seth Anandram Jaipuria group of Educational Institutions, renowned author and a retired Civil Servant. The event initiated with the lighting of the sacred lamps amidst the chanting of shlokas, which sanctified the precincts of the iridescent school and lent propitiousness to the event. This was followed by the students of the school choir exuberantly welcoming the virtual audience through their enthralling and mellifluous rendition.

At the outset of the event, the Director Principal, Ms. Shalini Nambiar, lauded the assiduous students for achieving eminence in the field of academics. Through her motivating words, she urged the students to keep growing and evolving and never rest on their laurels. The Chief Guest of the event, Mr. Vinod Malhotra, exhorted the students to make the most of the opportunities being provided by the school to foster their holistic development and develop into responsible citizenry.

It was a proud moment for all when the section toppers of Grade I-XII were awarded prizes and the toppers of the last three consecutive years found their stardom in the coveted Hall of Fame. Also, the scholars of 2019-20, whose achievements couldn’t be celebrated due to the sudden surge of the pandemic, were accorded glory in the Hall of Fame.

This was followed by a ‘Musical Art presentation’, an aesthetic blend of music and art, followed by an invigorating presentation by the students on ‘Shiv Stuti’.

The ceremony culminated with the students and their parents, being inspired by the meritorious achievements of the scholars, followed by a vote of thanks by the Vice Principal, V. Suprabha.

Technology

Now buy TCL Video Call QLED 4K C725 at LOTUS Electronics Supermarket Indore, first 25 customers will get exciting offers

May 10, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Indore, May 10th, 2022: In a sensational new development, TCL, the global top-2 TV corporation, has launched its flagship product TCL Video Call QLED 4K C725, in LOTUS Electronics Supermarket, Indore. The first 25 customers will get bumper offers on purchasing this formidable innovation that elevates the TV-viewing experience to a magical level. The offers will only be applicable between May 9 and 23. Don’t miss the chance to take home TCL C725 along with a free soundbar (worth INR 9,990) or TCL camera (worth INR 2,999) or up to 10% cashback.

Vijay Kumar Mikkilineni, Marketing Head, TCL India said, “We are excited to have TCL C725 become an integral part of LOTUS Electronics Supermarket. We are sure customers that are not comfortable with online shopping will find buying here more convenient. At TCL, we are committed to providing world-class TV technology to our customers so that they can enjoy truly cinematic experiences in their homes. This is the latest step in our plans to get closer to our customers. So that we can strengthen our relationship by going beyond the digital world. In the future, TCL will continue to make such conscious decisions as we aspire to make a place in the hearts and homes of our customers.”

Here’s a brief about TCL Video Call QLED 4K C725:

TCL C725 is India’s first Video Call QLED 4K TV. The next-generation model is integrated with cutting-edge technologies like 4K QLED, Dolby Vision, HDR 10+ and Motion Estimation & Motion Compensation (MEMC) for clear, immersive, and lifelike visuals. It also comes with Dolby Atmos and an ONKYO-certified sound that makes even a pin-dropping sound incredibly prominent.

In addition, TCL C725 is embedded with an AiPQ engine that optimizes content in real-time and delivers more accurate audio-video output. The groundbreaking feature Video Call Camera allows users to make seamless personal and professional calls through Google Duo at high resolution. One can also send voice or video notes or make group calls within a few taps.

This TV model also has TCL Home Entertainment Center, the home of 7000+ Android apps, 700,000+ TV shows and movies, YouTube, and leading streaming channels like Netflix and Prime Video. Furthermore, TCL’s Home Control Center has two distinguishing features: MagiConnect and Screen Mirroring, making it easier to stream mobile content on the TV screen and even take screenshots to post on social media.

Its Hands-Free Voice Control 2.0 feature allows users to connect with Google Assistant and make commands like changing channels without touching the remote physically. The device has in-built Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things that make it easier, efficient, and convenient for users to give voice commands to Google Home enabled devices such as washing machines, AC, thermostats, and even lights.

TCL C725 also champions Android 11 TV with upgraded security features, better memory management, productive app testing, and G-board facilities. It also has dual-band Wi-Fi and HDMI 2.1 for faster content processing and quicker refresh rates for a flawless streaming experience.

Powered by TCL Smart AI and Android R(11) the P725 comes with a magical web camera to give you cutting edge intelligent functions and a range of entertainment experiences. The viewers also get to enjoy super smooth visuals through MEMC. The TV is built for more interactive functionality and better entertainment. It looks good in every angle with a metallic slim bezel-less design and an inverted V-Shape stand, combined with a fabric block that resides at the center of the TV that houses the power LED.

Business

DoubleTree by Hilton, Pune-Chinchwad brings Assal Konkan to your plates

May 10, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Assal Konkan – Something Fishy Coming Your Way

May 10, 2022, Pune: DoubleTree by Hilton, Pune-Chinchwad brings to you delicious and lip-smacking delicacies straight from the land of Konkan. Curated by speciality Chef Narayan Rawale from DoubleTree by Hilton, Goa – Panjim with appetising food from the land of Malwan and Konkan comes the ‘Assal Konkan’ seafood pop-up restaurant that commences from May 10, 2022 in the evening hours 7:30pm onwards.

The gastronomic extravaganza at DoubleTree by Hilton, Pune -Chinchwad is offering the choicest of traditional Konkani and Malwani delights to its patrons during the 15-day-long ‘Konkani Food Trail’ called ‘Assal Konkan’ meaning Truly and Authentically Konkan.

Taking the name ahead in its true spirit the festival will capture and celebrate the beautiful nuances of the Konkan region which will be visible in the décor of the restaurant as well as the way the food is served.

Speaking on this gastronomical journey, Mr. Vinay Nair – General Manager, DoubleTree by Hilton, Pune-Chinchwad said, “We are very excited to bring the Konkan delicacies to the plates of Punekars and we hope to bringing and giving the best services to our guests which creates for them a true Konkani experience. It is very rare that you see an authentic Konkani food festival in a branded hotel but that is what we are famous for, for doing something out of the box and going that one extra mile to give our patrons the best of gastronomical experiences.”

The menu at the festival is a treat for all food lovers and includes delicacies from the rich belt of Konkan ranging from Jeere Meere chicken and Peri Peri prawns to Ambotik and Bharli vangi. So, get ready to tickle your taste buds with some delectable delights at Assal Konkan.

DoubleTree by Hilton Pune-Chinchwad is ideally located in the corporate hub of Pimpri Chinchwad on the old Mumbai-Pune highway with easy access to key business districts such as Chakan, Hinjewadi IT Park and Talegaon. The hotel features 115 spacious guest rooms, including executive club rooms and suites. Indulge in a lavish gastronomical dining experience from a choice of multiple food and beverage outlets namely: 3 Spices – all-day dining multi-cuisine, Level 12 – rooftop resto bar, Miyuki – authentic Japanese cuisine with Teppanyaki seating and a choice of efficient meeting spaces and banquet facilities accommodating up to 150 people. Revivify with a dip in the outdoor swimming pool; energise with a work out at the 24-hour fitness centre or luxuriate with relaxing massage at the spa.

Business

Cosmo Films announces new name ‘Cosmo First’, bonus post record results

May 10, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

New Delhi, May 2022: Cosmo Films Limited, a Global Leader in Films for Packaging, Labelling, Lamination and Synthetic Paper and an emerging player in Specialty Chemicals, Polymers & Pet care today declared its financial results for the quarter ended March 2022.

The Q4FY22 EBITDA has increased by 31% on the back of higher speciality sales, better operating margins and uptick performance by subsidiaries. Enhanced EBITDA together with lower effective tax rate led to increase in PAT by 45%.

FY22 ROCE and ROE stands at 29% and 39% respectively with increase in EPS to Rs.222 per share. Net debt at Rs.303 crores is less than 0.5 times to EBITDA.

Considering that Company’s business activities have expanded beyond films into specialty chemicals (master batches, coatings, textile chemicals and soon-to-launch adhesives), D2C Pet care and soon-to-launch films for consumer applications, the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on 9th May 2022 have recommended change in name of the Company from “Cosmo Films Limited” to “Cosmo First Limited”, subject to the approval of its shareholders. Cosmo First Limited stands for four-decade young Indian business conglomerate that thrives on innovation to unlock value in diverse sunrise sectors such as Films, Consumer care, Speciality Chemicals and D2C Pet Care (under Zigly brand).

The Board of Directors of the Company have also recommended for approval by shareholders, bonus issue of 1 equity share of Rs 10/- each for every 2 equity share of Rs 10/- each held by shareholders of the Company as on the record date. The bonus issue reflects management’s confidence in the company’s business strategy and growth prospects.

Commenting on Company’s performance Mr. Pankaj Poddar, Group CEO, Cosmo Films Ltd. said “All through our journey, we have prided ourselves in our ability to provide industry first niche solutions in the areas of packaging, lamination, industrial and labelling applications. We have made inspired diversifications into Speciality Chemicals, Consumer care and D2C retail, aiming to be a pioneer in previously fragmented industries. In coming years, the Company’s growth will be driven by Films Division (Specialized Polyester line, largest CPP and BOPP line) as well as growth into consumer care, specialty chemicals & Pet care business.”

News

KNMA’s Research as Practice series showcases: ‘Crafting Thought’- Creating Infrastructures

May 10, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

New Delhi, May: Kiran Nadar Museum of Art presents the fifth segment of the digital lecture titled ‘Crafting Thought’, consisting of six sessions, has been conceptualised by Annapurna Garimella and featuring Lilly Irani.

This set of six sessions conceptualized and moderated by Annapurna Garimella takes the idea of research in practice to explore how scholars, curators, publishers, and artists reflect on the way they think and shape an enquiry. Thought has to be continually and skillfully crafted and re-crafted as they engage archives, forms of art and new information. How do practitioners do this? Conversations, modes of research output and engagement with art publics evolve while people, life and world events shift. Thought is immaterial and often evanescent but to gain gravity as an idea and then seed an enquiry, it must be crafted.

In the crafting of research practices, accident, intuition, intention, will, desire and fear play important roles. The conversations in this series seek to engage committed practitioners in a discussion about how they work to think.

‘Creating Infrastructures’

Lilly Irani in conversation with Annapurna Garimella

When: 12th May, 2022

Time: 6:30 pm IST

Live on Zoom, Facebook & You Tube

Zoom Webinar ID: 868 7350 3088

Lilly Irani is a Science, Technology and Society (STS) scholar and academic. She focuses on how infrastructures shape our collective ways of life and require collective efforts and alignments. Her doctoral research was on India’s national policies, design studios and hackathons. In this conversation, she discusses her effort to understand, counter, and create infrastructures to counter the labor inequities of innovation economies, in her work with data processing gig workers, smart city technologies, and taxi drivers.

Lilly Irani is an Associate Professor of Communication & Science Studies at University of California, San Diego. She also serves as faculty in the Design Lab, Institute for Practical Ethics, the program in Critical Gender Studies, and sits on the Academic Advisory Board of Al Now (NYU). She is author of Chasing Innovation: Making Entrepreneurial Citizens in Modern India (Princeton University Press, 2019) and Redacted (with Jesse Marx) (Taller California, 2021). Her research examines the cultural politics of high-tech work and the counter-practices they generate, as both an ethnographer, a designer, and a former technology worker. She is a co-founder of the digital worker advocacy organization Turkopticon. She sits on the Editorial Committee of Public Culture and on the Editorial Advisory Boards of New Technology, Work, and Employment and Design and Culture.

Annapurna Garimella is an art historian and designer. She researches medieval Indic architecture and vernacular visual and built cultures in India after Independence. Garimella is the Managing Trustee of Art, Resources and Teaching, a research library dedicated to projects and teaching in the visual, built and performing arts. She also heads Jackfruit Research and Design, which specialises in design, research and curation for the arts. Recent curatorial projects include Mutable: Ceramic and Clay Art in India Since 1947 (Piramal Museum of Art, 2017) and Barefoot School of Craft in Goa (Serendipity Arts Festival, 2017-18). Her recent books are the co-edited The Contemporary Hindu Temple: Fragments for a History (Marg, 2019) and the upcoming edited volume The Long Arc of South Asian Art in honour of art historian Vidya Dehejia (Women Unlimited, 2022). Digesting the Past: The Discourse of Sacralized Architectural Renovation in Southern India is her next book.

The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art

Established by art collector Kiran Nadar in 2010, the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) is the first privately-funded museum of art exhibiting modern and contemporary works from India and the sub-continent. Located in New Delhi NCR, India’s capital city, KNMA hosts an ever-growing collection of artworks that both highlights a magnificent generation of 20th-century Indian painters from the post- Independence decades and engages with the different art practices of younger contemporaries.

Sponsored by the Shiv Nadar Foundation, KNMA is focused on bridging the gap between art and the public and fostering a museum-going culture in India. KNMA aims to become a place for confluence, dialogue and collaboration through its curatorial initiatives and exhibitions, school and college workshops, art appreciation discourses, symposiums, and public programs.

Business

Yas Island goes Hart: Kevin Hart announced as the destinations first ‘Chief Island Officer’

May 10, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Mumbai – 10th May, 2022: Globally acclaimed comedian and actor, Kevin Hart, has been officially appointed as the first Chief Island Officer of Yas Island Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s leading leisure and entertainment hubs, in a trailer video published on the destination’s social media platforms.

In the trailer, the destination’s newly appointed Chief Island Officer is seen cruising around Yas Island in a white Ferrari and keeps his fans guessing as to how he plans to “Hartify” the Island. He suggests something big is coming and asks the viewers to keep a look out.

Fans of the Hollywood superstar are encouraged to stay tuned on Yas Island’s social media platforms as Kevin goes ‘Hart’ on Yas Island while visiting the destination’s award-winning landmarks and attractions, including the world’s first Ferrari-inspired theme park- Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Middle East’s leading waterpark-Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, the world’s first ever Warner Bros. branded indoor theme park -Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi- home to the region’s tallest indoor climbing wall,Yas Links-the first true Links Golf Course in the Middle East golf course designed by Kyle Philips, Yas Mall and Yas Marina Circuit-home to the FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX™.

Liam Findlay, CEO of Experience Hub, the trade and promotion arm of Yas Island and a subsidiary of Miral commented: “We are delighted to see Kevin Hart take on the role of Chief Island officer for Yas Island Abu Dhabi. As one of the most multifaceted and entertaining comics in the world, fans will get to watch Kevin Hart ‘Hartify’ everything on the Island, we encourage everyone to stay tuned and watch why Yas Island Abu Dhabi is ‘Hart’ to beat”

Kevin first kept his fans guessing suggesting he might be up for a job on the Island and expressed enthusiasm for his collaboration with Yas Island on his social media platforms in August of last year. He will now be sharing his first-hand experience as the Chief Island Office with his fans and holidaymakers alike.

Business

Global brand for educational games, Skillmatics raises US$ 16 Million Series B

May 10, 2022 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments

Mumbai, May 10, 2022: Skillmatics, a global brand for children’s educational games and resources has raised US$16 million in Series B funding, led by Sofina with participation from existing investors, Sequoia Capital India and Jalaj Dani Family Office. The funds will be used to strengthen Skillmatics’ presence in the US, expand the brand’s product offerings to new age groups and product categories, scale up its presence in new international markets and make strategic acquisitions in adjacent categories.

Operating in a US$100 billion global toys and games market, Skillmatics designs innovative content-led games and play centric learning resources. Their engaging products build core skills such as reading, logical reasoning, STEM and social-emotional skills in children through the joy of play. The company has launched a number of successful product lines including Guess in 10, Write & Wipe Activity Mats and Found It!.

“Parents today want to provide their children with meaningful play experiences that drive social interaction and build formative skills. This fundraise gives us the fuel to build new capabilities, grow our team across our offices in the US and India, expand our reach, and take us one step closer to building an iconic brand that is loved by families around the world,” said Dhvanil Sheth, Founder & CEO of Skillmatics. 

“We have built a rapid and iterative product development engine that is 5X faster than incumbents and has a highly data-driven approach to product design. We are excited to leverage this process to launch new products across a wider range of categories,” said Devanshi Kejriwal, Co-Founder & Creative Director of Skillmatics. 

“The Skillmatics team exudes contagious energy balanced with a deeply thoughtful approach to creating delightful educational experiences for young families. As a company that operates at the crossroads of consumer brand building, education and sustainability, Skillmatics’ mission resonates with several of Sofina’s investment priorities and we look forward to partnering with them in their growth journey,” said Tanya Sen, Principal, Sofina. 

Skillmatics sells globally via online marketplaces, its own website and offline retailers like Walmart, Target and Hamleys. A bestseller on Amazon, Skillmatics has garnered tremendous customer love with over 100,000+ reviews from customers globally, with an average rating of 4.7 (out of 5). The company is currently present across 15 countries and has sold over 5 million products since its launch. Skillmatics was recognized as the Global SMB of the Year, 2021 at the Amazon Smbhav Awards.

With the Series B round, Skillmatics has raised close to $24 million, including a $6 million Series A round led by Sequoia Capital India in April 2021 and a $1.8 million Seed round in April 2019 led by Sequoia India’s Surge program.