Archive: June 16, 2022

Gig jobs see surge in demand for sales and marketing roles: Taskmo Gig Index

New Delhi, June 2022: Taskmo, an on-demand gig talent discovery platform, today revealed the first edition of the Taskmo Gig Index (TGI), a tool to measure the demand and supply for gig work across India. According to the Index, hiring demand for gig workers continues to grow at a rapid pace in the post-pandemic employment market, with the highest demand being recorded for sales and marketing roles.

The first Taskmo Gig Index report details various trends in the gig jobs for the period between Jan 22- May 22.

While digital transformation spurred by the global pandemic is constantly rewriting the marketing scenario, Indian companies are increasingly on the lookout for gig workers to fulfil roles in business development, field sales, last-mile delivery, digital promotion, brand promotion, and micro-influencers. Overall, the demand for marketing and sales jobs has seen a triple-digit growth, according to the newly created gig index.

“With the adoption of WFH and flexible models of working, there has been a vast expansion in the kind of jobs made available to workers and companies. One such model is the gig, which is today widely adopted by organisations across India. The Taskmo Gig Index (TGI) has been initiated to form a broad and comprehensive analysis of job opportunities and trends around the gig marketplace in India,” says Lohit Bhatia, President, Workforce Management, Quess Corp limited.

As per the TGI, The number of active gig workers registered on the platform in May is 60,000, marking a 15.38% growth in the workforce joining the gig economy compared to the previous month. Additionally, the Index reflects a 50% growth in active gig workers on the platform in the past five months. The Index has observed a similar trend in the number of gig job opportunities, where the platform completed around 10,000 allocated tasks daily and 3,00,000 allocated tasks monthly in the past five months. It is also promising that top recruiters have strengthened their roots across Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities such as Pondicherry, Mirzapur, Patna, Jabalpur, and Kanpur, which are picking up their way to gig jobs. In contrast, metro cities continue to maintain the growth momentum for gig workers.

The much spoken about social security rights and flexible payment options for the gig workers are reflected in the Taskmo Index with a majority of taskers (49.5%) preferring monthly payments while 28% of the economy opt for daily payouts based on completed tasks. A minority of 22.5% workers cashed their payments on a weekly basis.

Commenting on the growing demand for gig jobs, Prashant Janadri, Co-Founder, Taskmo said, “Gig is the newest trend in the employment market and today we see its expansion across each and every industry in the country. Over the last two years, rapid tech advancements followed by the introduction of flexible work models have created an evolution in the gig economy at large. Now we see every other company promoting gigification of traditional job roles. Furthermore, we have seen that emerging segments in gig are largely dominated by Millennials and Gen Z today.”

Amid COVID restrictions’ ease, Quick Commerce industry marks 4X growth

The growing gig segment has come a long way and brought in economic benefits of productivity and employment in the Indian economy. Amid worries over start-up layoffs, funding crunch, and shutdowns, Taskmo witnessed a surge in demand for gig workers across Quick commerce (300%), Healthtech (250%), Fintech (200%), and E-commerce (198%) sectors.

Quick Commerce segments, which include the delivery of grocery and everyday essentials, continue to exhibit steep demand for gig workers with a growing number of established players scaling up their hiring especially across top cities. Tech-based segments have also seen considerable demand in line with rapid digitization and robust growth of Healthtech, Fintech, and Foodtech industries. FMCG (up 17.65%) saw moderate demand for gig jobs this month as compared to the previous month. (May vs April, 2022).

Gig economy gaining foothold in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets

City-specific data indicates that the demand for gig work across Tier-1 cities saw an overall 33% growth month-on-month. While cities such as Hyderabad (45%), Mumbai (45.45%), Delhi (32%), Bangalore (25%), and Chennai (23.4%) saw maximum growth, demand across Tier 2 cities such as Indore (59%), Bhopal (22.4%) and Pune (20%) were almost at par with the metros.

Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities have noted improved demand for gig given that companies are expanding their geographical footprint beyond metros by setting up secondary offices in smaller towns. Recruiters are also going the extra mile to attract workers from smaller cities through a tech-driven approach, providing multi-language support, job tracking and monitoring solutions, as well as ease of payments. Moreover, location is no longer a deal breaker as many jobs today can be done remotely, which is also in line with the workers’ preferences. Other cities such as Coimbatore and Mysore noted hiring demand of 17% and 16% respectively. Across Tier 3 markets, Shivamogga (10%), Vadodara (11.11%), and Hubballi (11.11%) have shown moderate hiring demand for gig workers.

Roles in Business Development, Field Sales, Delivery note maximum demand

On the back of growing marketing and sales across segments, job profiles such as Business Development Executives (500%), Field sales executives (374%), Digital Promoters (200%), Brand Promoters (75%), and Micro Influencers (50%) have seen huge spike in demand for the gig segment. With the post pandemic reset, more and more companies are hiring freelancers for such job roles in the hopes of meeting their yearly targets. Last Mile Delivery Executives also witnessed a remarkable 302% increase in demand over the past month, while demand for Tele-callers increased by 247%.

Gen Z and Millennials make up about half of the Indian gig workforce

It is interesting to note that Millennials and Gen Z (19-25 years) make up 48% of the gig workforce today indicating that the youth in India are rapidly moving towards freelancing and gig jobs with a preference for flexible work schedules. The age group of 26-40 years hold a 32% share in the gig economy, while gig workers in the age group of 41-60 make up only 20% of the overall pie.

Furthermore, while women consist of only 28% of this segment, gig continues to be a flexible model of work for India’s working women who are able to pick their jobs based on their area of interest, location, availability and experience. Women have been majorly employed in roles related to Customer support, Content monitoring & moderation, Tele-sales, and Audits & Surveys.

Flourish: The e-commerce platform aims to bring producer stories and products to conscious consumers worldwide

India, 16th June 2022: The recently launched global e-commerce platform Flourish, is a brand that is not only fulfilling the needs of the conscious consumers but is also creating a sustainable impact on the livelihood of the artisans who have created these products.  The platform is curated with ethically sourced environment-friendly products across categories like apparel, jewelry, home decor, toys, and accessories. Flourish aims to impact producer livelihoods by bringing their stories and products to conscious consumers worldwide. By ensuring the products are responsibly made using natural raw materials that are good for the planet, Flourish is committed to being environmentally friendly. The Flourish framework is designed to make the consumer aware of where the products come from, how they’re made, and their impact on creating sustainable livelihoods for the producers and creators.

Co-created and co-convened by Industree Foundation, Flourish is visualized as a 100% producer-owned platform, where producers and producer groups are curated not only by their products but also by their intentions and ability to pay fair wages all along the value chain. In addition to fair wages, producers and producer groups on the platform will also receive dividends when the platform starts making profits. Flourish is also building a strong board of governance to involve thought leaders and well-wishers of India’s estimated 200 million artisans and the globe’s 1 Billion.

A landmark platform consciously curated with natural and ethically sourced products, it is aimed at the economic transformation of the millions of Indian and global artisans, paving the path for the next Regenerative Economy. So far, brands like Anantaya, Sasha, Rangasutra, Khamir, Kaarigar Clinic, Avani, Kadam Haat, Iro Iro, Paiwand, Reva, and many more from various parts of India have been listed on the platform.

Cafe Pride at Pride Plaza Aerocity New Delhi Celebrates Father’s Day

This Father’s Day express your love to the most special man in your life by treating him to an extravagant meal at Café Pride, Pride Plaza Hotel Aerocity New Delhi. The all-day dining restaurant hosts “A Treat for Your Dad”, a specially curated menu inspired by what dads would love to indulge in. To make the day even more memorable the restaurant is offering a 50% discount on the buffet lunch. Café Pride features a curation of delectable dining experiences set in a casual atmosphere, complemented by traditional Indian hospitality.

The buffet menu encompasses an excellent lineup of tantalizing appetizers and mains including specialties like Healthy Man’s Choice Salads, Cantonese Vegetables, Country Style Roasted Chicken, Fish Soya Garlic, Corn Fried Rice, Kaju Kofta Curry, Cabbage Foogath, Silwata Masala Chicken among others. Conclude the meal with sweet treats ranging from Refreshing Mint Moose, Strawberry Delight, and many more.

As the popular saying goes, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”. There are no better ways to pamper your loving dad than to surprise him with an exceptional gastronomic experience he truly deserves.

IZZHAAR has designed the beautiful invitation box for the 22nd edition of IIFA 2022

IZZHAAR has designed the beautiful invitation box for the 22nd edition of IIFA 2022 hosted by Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. For an event like IIFA, which is making its comeback, it became pivotal to create an invite that matches the grandeur of the event. Izzhaar being the official invite partner made sure of that and proved why they are a name to reckon with in the realm of luxe Invitations.

Izzhaar grabbed the attention of tinsel town by creating a stunning invite for Bollywood’s biggest carnival – IIFA 2022. Being the official Invitation partner of IIFA 2022, Izzhaar left no stone unturned while creating the Invite.s

Izzhaar took its inspiration for the invite from the labyrinth of skyscrapers and mirror-finished looks of Abu Dhabi. The invite is a splendid example of intricate craftsmanship and design genius. The project was led by an exemplary team, who tapped the spirit of Abu Dhabi. The invite comes with a one-of-a-kind candle that is made with one of the most premium oudhs of the gulf. It is not just an invite but a sheer manifestation of beauty and luxury. The overall look of the invite is unrivalled.

Institutional Crypto & Digital Asset Management Platform Rooba Finance raises $1.3 Million in Seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures

June 16, 2022, New Delhi: Institutional Crypto & Digital Asset Management Platform Rooba Finance has raised $1.3 Million in a Seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures. It also saw participation from LetsVenture, Endurance Capital, KubeVC, and Other prominent angel investors. The funds raised will be utilized towards Platform Development, setting up a licensed platform overseas, and enabling a global GTM.

Rooba’s Self Custodial full-stack digital asset management platform helps Institutions, Family Offices, HNI’s, Hedge Funds, etc to securely custody of their digital assets through a Threshold Multi-Party Computation-based custody network, and create trade strategies with a wide range of Defi apps, Layer 1 protocols, derivatives, etc, all from the convenience of a single dashboard.

The platform also allows Institutions to tokenise physical assets to enable efficient and transparent markets, extending into what would be the first digital commodities & derivatives exchange coming out of India.

Since Rooba’s launch, they have been able to gain substantial traction from traditional custody players, HNIs, and Investment Managers. The company is in the advanced stages of discussions with a large entity to set up its precious metal token and derivative offering, globally.

Mitesh Shah, Co-Founder, Inflection Point Ventures says, “Crypto and other digital assets are fast gaining popularity in India; however, many aspiring investors of this asset class still find it difficult to understand the trading in such assets. Because these assets are built on Web3 and pillars of decentralization, the system by nature is designed to be trustless as it is completely automated. Hence, there is a need for a safe, fast and efficient trading platform that can be adopted by enterprises to profit from by enabling digital asset trading. Rooba is addressing this largely untapped market, which we believe will experience exponential growth in the next 24 months.”

The platform comprises an institutional-grade layer 2 networks and a Threshold Multi-Party Computation Wallet that will let customers manage their assets without the need to ever create or manage a private key.

It is led by the passionate founder Srinivas L who is a cryptography and security expert with over 22 years of experience with companies like McAfee, Research in Motion Microsoft & Samsung, and his vision is to establish Rooba as the safest and fastest network to enable adoption of the web3 ecosystem by financial institutions, enterprises, and retail customers.

Srinivas L, Founder & CEO, Rooba Finance says, “At Rooba Finance, we are a team of passionate individuals with years of experience in the traditional security, banking, enterprise, and cryptographic space. The universe is at play, and we are out to build the most logical and functional network to support further adoption of the Web3 ecosystem.”

The platform is slated to go live on October 22, along with a strong international presence.  With a current market size of $1.7 Trillion, the global cryptocurrency market is expected to reach $32.42 Trillion by 2027 at a CAGR of 58.4% as per Research and Markets.  With retail investments peaking and regulatory clarity on the horizon, Institutional participation is expected to increase exponentially, thereby providing a unique growth opportunity for Rooba Finance and its infrastructure.

Space Matrix Acquires ‘Pursuite’ – Disrupting Workplace Design Ecosystem with Design and Tech Integration

Delhi NCR (India), 15 June 2022- Space Matrix, the sixth largest international design firm in the world with its headquarters in Singapore and offices across India, today announced the acquisition of Pursuite, one of Asia’s first and largest B2B e-commerce platforms in the hospitality sector. Pursuite, with business operations across Asia and Europe, is an online solution for procurement of Operational Supplies & Equipment (OS&E) and Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment (FF&E) segments, committed to revolutionising industry practices of procurement management.

More than 1500 vendors across key markets of India, Singapore, China and rest of Southeast Asia will be brought onboard Pursuite.

The acquisition of the e-procurement platform will enable Space Matrix to drive new growth opportunities through disruptive technologies and innovation. The company will also bring into play Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into the data of design to provide valuable insights for its clients in designing future offices and executing projects with enhanced effectiveness and efficiency.

“This acquisition is a game changer for the industry. The process of procuring products and services to build an office is very archaic and is filled with multiple issues including cost and time unpredictability, quality and consistency of products, price transparency, governance and even product discovery. Hence, the applicability of a digital procurement platform like Pursuite for the workplace sector is immense. The acquisition of this technology and the exceptional team lead by Amit will not only accelerate Space Matrix’s vision to provide trusted and predictable experiences for its clients but shall revolutionise the way the industry currently delivers service”, said Arsh Chaudhry, CEO of Space Matrix.

Amit Shukla, Founder and CEO of Pursuite and Former CTO of KOOVS, joins Space Matrix as the Global Chief Technology Officer, (CTO). He will be responsible for shaping the company’s global technological vision, leading cutting-edge, market-ready technology solutions across regions and fostering new skills within the organization tied to big data, analytics and machine learning.Amit has more than a decade of experience in business management, product development and cross-platform technologies. He has been a key mentor of several online startups, helping them define and scale products, harvest technologies and streamline operations.

“The procurement process and the associated supply chain in the workplace sector is extremely disjointed and technology has a significant role to play in solving it. We were trying to address this opportunity as an independent technology service provider however with Space Matrix and its annual throughput of clients and business across Asia, we have the ability to immediately deploy our technology solutions against a very large TAM and hit the ground running a lot faster”, said Amit Shukla.

“This proprietary technology platform will enable vertical integration for Space Matrix and help transition a fragmented workplace design and build industry into a unified ecosystem and provide a seamless end-to-end experience, offering our customers a compelling value proposition currently not available in the industry,” Chaudhry continues.

Space Matrix has seen strong demand in India, across South-East Asia and Singapore given the adoption of hybrid work practices and corporates choosing to re-design their existing workplaces on post-pandemic design principles. The company’s global revenues continue to grow 54% year on year.

Sattvik Council of India to expand operations in Gujarat

New Delhi, June 2022: World’s first and pioneering Vegetarian food & lifestyle Standard Development organization, Sattvik Council of India is starting its operations from its new regional office in Surat, Gujarat. The operations from Surat, known as Diamond city would allow SCI to enter the rapidly expanding India market and meet the needs of regional customers, as well as their existing global customers.

Mr. Abhishek Biswas, Founder at SCI said, “Gujarat can act as a global hub for Sattvik certification as it is equipped with all the resources necessary for a flourishing Sattvik certification sector. He added that India has the best resources for Sattvik certification as there are various markets such as Food, Textiles, Agriculture, Dairy, Hospitality, Ships & Air logistics system under them”. 

He further stated, “Opportunities to set up a Sattvik Certification base in Gujarat are immense. Firms from Gujarat, especially those in the food processing sector, top the list of companies that are eyeing the growing consumer segment that wants to buy ethically made vegetarian products and services. 

Firms seeking Sattvik certification have to adhere to certain norms like using no animal ingredients/derivatives in manufacturing processes, no alcohol, no harsh chemicals and no child labor, for which we would check the facilities twice in a year. Usually firms that come to us cater to global markets at large and we provide a platform to link them with these markets. We certify that all the components are to be followed as per the standards and pass all our compliances”.

Pinnacle Industries partners with Cityflo for the interior design of their new proprietary bus

Mumbai,  June 2022: Pinnacle Industries, India’s only integrated commercial vehicle seating & interiors company offering end to end solutions for commercial vehicle OEMs across the ICE and EV space, is once again leading the way as they partnered with Cityflo, Mumbai’s app-based commute company, to design, develop and manufacture the seating & interiors of their new proprietary bus. This is a first-of-its-kind-in-the-country bus design built specifically for urban Indian commuters. Cityflo aims to add 1,500 such new buses which will service 1 Lakh customers in the next 2 years.

Pinnacle Industries is India’s leading automotive interiors, seating systems, EV components, speciality vehicles, railway seating, and electric vehicles company. The design and manufacturing process for the Cityflo bus took almost 2 years to complete and saw the coming together of key mobility industry stalwarts to create the next edition of buses. Pinnacle Industries worked on the design, development and manufacturing of seats, interior trims panels, luggage racks, driver partitions/magazine holders, umbrella holders, roof, flooring & ambience lighting for the new, proprietary bus.

The design, development, and manufacturing of the interiors of Cityflo’s new proprietary bus were done by Pinnacles Industries. Based on exhaustive customer research within the Cityflo customer base, three prototypes of the seat were created before arriving at the final seat form, which considered customer behaviour onboard the bus. The bus was built with various iterations to meet the required standard & expectations using the Bharat Benz chassis. The existing bus interior was completely redesigned and converted to the new look accordingly.

Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Arihant Mehta, President, Pinnacle Industries Limited, highlighted, “Our partnership with Cityflo ensures the best comfort for the passengers’ commute. This collaboration strengthens our goal of positioning Pinnacle Industries as the leader in the commercial mobility space. I am confident that both Pinnacle & Cityflo will provide much more enhanced transportation for Indian roads.”

Speaking on the collaboration, Vipin Joe, Creative Head, Cityflo said, “Our partnership with Pinnacle Industries was instrumental in designing a customer experience that was truly unique to the Cityflo customer. With their expertise in developing automotive interiors and seating systems, Pinnacle provided us with the best resources in designing, prototyping and manufacturing based on our brief. Our collaboration with them carries on as we continue to test and improve our interiors.”

The new ergonomic seat profile has an adjustable neck rest with memory foam cushions, stiff lumbar support, individual charging ports per passenger, a centre armrest between seats and an intuitive reclining and seat sliding mechanism for a more seamless experience in a shared commute.

Apart from the seat itself, the overhead luggage rack has been redesigned to increase headroom and enhance the perceived volume in the bus. The aesthetics and environment of the bus have also seen a face-lift with the incorporation of a more premium colour palette, sturdier materials, and ambient lighting to induce a calm, comfortable and relaxed surrounding.