All posts by Gouri Achary

USA Content Community Start-Up Commaful raises undisclosed Seed Round from We Founder Circle

New Delhi, 06 December 2021: We Founder Circle, an early-stage start-up investor, focussed on founder backing, founder has invested in content community platform Commaful.

The USA-based start-up is a part of the new wave of creator economy and content creation + consumption platforms in the same space as Episodes, Wattpad, and Substack. The undisclosed seed round witnessed participation from NK Securities and esteemed angel investors including Hitesh Dhawan (Founder – Neuronimbus), Gaurav Juneja (CEO- Ruchi Twisters), and Siddharth Shah (Managing Director – Rajesh Motors).

Commaful is founded by Sydney Liu and Ryan Choi. The two met at the University of Southern California – since then, Liu took a leave of absence and Choi turned down a Ph.D. program offer to pursue Commaful. By creating a new storytelling format for people to tell engaging and interactive stories, the start-up expanded the $30B book publishing market, $136B film industry, and growing $10B creator economy.

“Community Building has been a key driver for any industry business growth. Considering how digitisation has taken place in the last decade, content has played a vital role. Building a community in content with innovation will give more avenues to the people to share stories to inspire the community. We can unlock the Stan Lee’s, JK Rowling’s, Dr. Seuss’s of this generation and allow them to build their audience via such platforms. Being a community first approach investment platform, We Founder Circle is glad to be supporting the start-up and can see its growth trajectory already,” said  Neeraj Tyagi, Co-Founder & CEO, We Founder Circle.

On the Fund Raise Sydney Liu, Co-Founder, Commaful, affirmed “Storytelling is a deeply human experience as old as humankind. Commaful today already has a global audience and we’ve been amazed by the incredible stories that have been shared by Indian creators. We are excited to bring on value-add investors from around the world to help support our mission.”

Bhawna Bhatnagar, Co-Founder of We Founder Circle who comes from global tech and content start-up like ByteDance, said “Global platforms like Commaful have great potential as it aggregates content of every format and hence have great appeal for the young creative audience. Moving forward We Founder Circle is committed to investing in content-focused start-ups.

Start-up plans at utilising the funds to build, maintain and scale the technology infrastructure that creates a better experience for the community. The start-up will also focus on activities related to scaling operations, building the brand, and creating a community with creative campaigns.

About WFC

Established in 2020 in Mumbai, We Founder Circle is a global community of successful founders & strategic angels that have come together to push the start-up industry and steer it towards aggressive growth. It invests USD 50K- USD 150 K amount in early-stage start-ups that are fueled with ambition, sustainability, and strategic approach. WFC provides seed funding, business development, and global networking opportunities to start-ups as it believes early-stage startups need a lot beyond just financial support to become scalable and stable.

Huawei Smart Railway Solution and 5G Network Support Laos-China Railway Grand Launching

[Vientiane, Laos, December 6, 2021] The General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President Xi Jinping, and the President Thongloun SISOULITH, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party on Friday jointly witnessed the grand opening of the Laos-China Railway on the online meeting. Departing from the north in Kunming, China, to the Vientiane station in the south, the Laos-China Railway is 1035 kilometer long. The railway is of great significance to bilateral economic, social and cultural exchanges as well as the regional connectivity, and make contributions to regional development and prosperity.

Travelling from the China-Laos border to Vientiane capital has shorten from 2 days to 3 hours. Departing from Kunming and arriving in Vientiane can now be achieved in the same day. This is the first railway in Laos, it has changed Laos from a “land-locked country” into a “land-linked country”, boost regional connectivity and supply chain resilience. The business activities and travelling between China and South-East Asia has become more convenient and easier. The railway has bring the country into a new era for the transportation network in the region. The 1035 kilometer long railway will boost the various sectors of the region and help Laos to recover its economic that hit by the Covid epidemic.

Huawei Smart Railway Solution has supported the Laos-China Railway in the digitalization efforts, enabling advances in safety and security across all aspects of the railway, including construction, operations and maintenance. At the same time, Huawei works closely with the Laos telecom operators to build the high-speed network, ensure stable connectivity, the advanced technology has benefited the Laos people and passenger.

“The launching of the Laos-China Railway is a great vision of the leaders of both countries, with the significant efforts of all the workers has made this come true in 5 year time. Huawei worked together with the Laos telecom operators to build the wireless network along the railway. 5G coverage will be available in the short future, that the people can enjoy a more stable, high-speed and smart connectivity. Working in the train and get in touch with friends and families anytime anywhere has become possible. Thanks to their big contribution! After we open the railway, we should open the digital-way, digital-one-belt-one-road.” Said by Dr. Boviengkham VONGDARA, Minister of Technology and Communications of Laos

The project director of Huawei Laos, Somlith Nammanininh said, “This is my great honor to participate in this grand opening and support the ceremony. As a Laotian, I am very excited that finally there is a railway in my motherland, this was out of my imagination a few years ago. I believe the Lao-China Railway will foster the economy, help Laos to integrate into the global market, create more opportunities for the local business and people. As a Huawei people that participate in the network construction of the whole railway, I am very proud of the HUAWEI CLOUD meeting, 5G technology and FTTX solution has ensured the online meeting of this historical moment. I look forward to see the merging of digital technology and modern transportation to bring a good future to the country.”

“Huawei has established in Laos for 23 years. “In Laos, for Laos” is our mission, we have witnessed and participated in this great historical moment. Huawei Laos will continue to make contributions to the digital economy and industry transformation in Laos.”

Amazon.in goes live with exciting offers on ‘Super Value Days’

Bengaluru, Dec 06, 2021: Post announcing the unified store ‘Amazon Fresh’ across 300+ cities, Amazon.in is now live with  ‘Super Value Days’, bringing up to 45% off on grocery and household essentials, packaged foods, personal, baby and pet care and much more. Super Value Days will be live till December 07, 2021, with grocery deals starting at ₹ 1 and free delivery for prime members. Consumers can avail great prices and offers from participating sellers and brands including Aashirvaad, Fortune, Tata Sampann and Dabur among others at convenient delivery options from one single online destination.

Customers can avail an additional discount of 10% on SBI Credit Cards with a minimum transaction of INR 2,500 till 3^rd December 2021 and on ICICI Debit & Credit Cards from 4^th -7^th December 2021. Prime members can enjoy free deliveries on the purchase of groceries.

Here are some of the offers by participating sellers:

 Grocery & Cooking Essentials:

1. Aashirvaad Select Premium Sharbati Atta, 5Kg – Made from the King of Wheat – Sharbati, Aashirvaad Select is a premium quality aata which is made with love in India. The sharbati wheat flour contains 100% MP Sharbati wheat from the Sehore region of Madhya Pradesh which makes sure your roti is soft and tasty. Get this on Amazon.in for INR 245.
2. Daawat Rozana Basmati Rice, 5Kg – Daawat rozana super is the finest basmati rice in the mid-price segment. It is specially processed for daily cooking across a multitude of regular dishes, a perfect fit for everyday consumption. Rozana super promises a sweet taste and rich aroma as each grain is naturally aged. Get it on Amazon.in for INR 309.

Household Essentials:

1. Savlon Moisture Shield Germ Protection Liquid Handwash Refill Pouch, 1500ml – Our hands are the hotbed of germs. Keep your family in safe hands with Savlon Handwash that provides effective cleansing and protects you and your family from a million germs. The Moisture Shield Handwash gently cleanses your hands and is coupled with moisturizing benefits. Get this on Amazon.in for INR 189.
2. Colgate MaxFresh Breath Freshner Toothpaste (150g x 2) – Switch on the power of freshness with Colgate Maxfresh toothpaste that refreshes you and helps you seize the day because every morning is a fresh start. The blue gel toothpaste contains unique cooling crystals that give you an intense cooling while you brush. You can buy this on Amazon.in for INR 128.
3. Pril Dish Washing Liquid (2L) – Pril Liquid has been a forerunner in the dish-washing segment ever since its inception in 1999. Its high grease dissolving powder and quick dry formula make Pril a superior cleansing agent. Since our customers deserve only the best, Pril Liquid has a unique formula making it non messy and gentle to the skin, thus leaving both your dishes as well as your hands clean, smooth, and pleasant. You can buy this on Amazon.in for INR 360.

Personal Care:

1. Dabur Vatika Ayurvedic Shampoo, 640ml – This shampoo helps fight multiple hair problems with the goodness of 10 natural ingredients including Yashtimadhu, Bhringraj, Aloe Vera, Henna, Methi, Amla, Reetha, Almond, Rosemary, Javakusum. It does not contain any parabens and is known to have essential oils and herb extracts that help provide hair and scalp benefits. Available on Amazon.in for INR 200.
2. NIVEA Body Lotion for Very Dry Skin – Get healthy moisturized skin everyday with Nivea body lotion. Its deep moisture serum formula gives you moisturized skin for up to 48 hours You can get this on Amazon.in for INR 351.
3. Palmolive Aroma Absolute Relax Body Wash – From enchanting the senses with its pleasant aroma to cleansing, this Palmolive shower gel has whatever you are looking for to relax and unwind. Containing a perfect blend of exotic Ylang Ylang essential oil and Iris extracts, it provides you the essence of a blissful shower moment. You can get this on Amazon.in for INR 299.

Packaged Foods:

1. Cadbury Oreo Choco Creme Biscuit Family Pack, 300g – This family pack includes 3 packs of delicious choco-flavored Oreo Cookies of 100g each. Oreo sandwich crème biscuit brings together the rich, smooth taste of choco crème filling with the bold taste of two crunchy chocolatey cookies. Take a delicious break with an Oreo cookie, the perfect anytime snack. Buy this on Amazon.in for INR 60.
2. Britannia Good Day Cashew Cookies, 600g – Loved by everyone in the family, they have a delightful taste. With abundant Butter & Cashew, these cookies make everyday moments special. Buy this on Amazon.in for INR 90.

Disclaimer: The product details, description and prices are as provided by the sellers/ brands. Amazon is not involved in pricing or determining the product description. As such we disclaim any liability for accuracy, truthfulness or completeness  of product information provided by the sellers.

Designer Vaishali S. Presents her 2021 Bridal Collection (Shakuntala) – ‘Love in Modern Times’

‘A connection between two souls, a thread that unites them together.’

The new bridal collection by Vaishali S. for 2021 embodies an artistic interpretation of handloom fabrics as a unique statement, with a desire to wear ensembles that define the bride and as an expression of her love and identity.

Vaishali’s collection, timeworn in its quality, combines textures from nature and its beauty. Corded ensembles seamlessly handcrafted with Bengal silks and brocades of Benaras, each craft stands out as a minimal expression of traditional textiles.

Blends of pure merino wool with silks, handwoven chanderis, in a myriad of colours establish unique trends to celebrate important events of one’s life. With an ageless paradigm of Indian textile vocabulary, every thread and fibre sings of lost tales and timeless love.

For designer Vaishali S., one representation of ‘love’ is the interplay of threads unravelling from a spool to form a bond as strong as a fabric. This is much like the love of Shakuntala for King Dushyanta, as depicted in the Mahabharata, which time and time again proved itself. The couple’s love overcomes an untold number of difficulties and is eventually rewarded when the pair are united in the holy and spiritual act of marriage.

We live in times where getting married is an expression of our unique sensibilities, standing for what we truly believe in and appreciate. This holiest of acts helps us pause, reflect and express our purpose and desire as we identify ourselves with that one person who becomes a reflection of all those hopes and dreams in our hearts. Vaishali S. believes in that eagerness to be unconventional and to express one’s uniqueness with something timeless.

In India, while traditions and beliefs may have changed with time, one thing that has remained constant is the love for handcrafted textiles and the ability of a pair of hands to create a timeless expression of our emotions and passed-down memories, which will always remain unchanged. In this collection, the traditional weaves of India, with Vaishali S’. signature handcrafted techniques, form a confluence of two worlds – traditional and modern on a platform of art and expression.

As she had with her Paris Haute Couture Week show in July 2021, the designer partnered with De Beers Forevermark. Their stunning jewellery is crafted with responsibly sourced, rare and natural De Beers Forevermark diamonds. These hand-selected and uniquely inscribed diamonds beautifully complemented the looks that made up the designer’s couture collection.

Speaking about the new bridal collection, designer, Vaishali S., says, “I really wanted to celebrate the success and the outpouring of love I received for my show at Paris Haut Couture Week. My bridal collection for 2021 is a mix of those uniquely articulated couture pieces, seamlessly blended to help express oneself with a distinctly modern trousseau. The collection is a statement and celebration of love in the 21^st Century, defined by the unique amalgamation of traditional beliefs and new age lifestyles.”

The Vaishali S. Shakuntala collection is available at the designer’s flagship store in Kala Ghoda, Mumbai.

How Flexible office spaces are the solution for workplace recovery?

By Mr. Nakul Mathur, MD, Avanta India

Nobody can predict the future but the one who prepares for everything well in advance keeping in mind and anticipating all the pros and cons without hitting the panic button is considered intelligent. If someone fails to plan, certainly he/she somehow is planning to fail even without an iota of knowledge. These heavy words containing the gravity of ‘Show Must Go On’ force us to think about how to ensure things keep going and moving forward in the right direction even when something unprecedented happens with us, especially when we are running a business.

So, how to be sure that businesses won’t be impacted even under highly negative circumstances like the Covid-19 pandemic, cyber-crime or internet related attack, fire tragedy, natural calamities like flood, earthquake, cyclonic storm, typhoon, hurricane, et al? Now, here ‘Workspace Recovery Plan’ comes into picture so that your business stays consistent with robust ‘Business Continuity Plan’.

Why ‘Workspace Recovery Plan’, ‘Business Continuity Plan’ should be an integral part of your long-term sustainable business strategy?

Any unprecedented and unexpected incidents may leave your business with an irreparable loss. Hence, it is better to be ready and geared up for Business Continuity Plan to ensure that the damage is minimum when unforeseen occurrences befall.

How Flexible Office Spaces Offers the Best Workplace Recovery Solution?

Now a day, when we talk about Business Continuity Plan, one of the most talked about terms that come first to our mind is Flexible Office Spaces or flex space or plug and play offices. Flexible work arrangements give a lot of boosts to dynamic environments as they have everything like traditional offices but arranged in a highly versatile way.

Flexible Office Spaces: Top benefits?

Peace of mind –The one who has peace of mind has everything and needs nothing! When office space is guaranteed in any case of uncertain future or unprecedented incidents, people running businesses can be at complete peace of mind about an alternative place that is always available and designed to fit your requirements.

Professional environment: Under most of the flexible office spaces arrangement, you get an office building that is already up and running with trained and professional staff. Businesses get all the basic amenities and facilities required to run your business smoothly.

Quick and easy set up: Under the concept of Flexible Office Spaces, the process of workspace recovery is quick and easy to set up – which means the transition from one space to another will be far smoother than business owners think.

Why Workplace Recovery Solution is the next big thing?

Workplace Recovery Solution protects your business from the impact of unexpected incidents and in times of crisis. Workplace Recovery Solution ensures that businesses run as usual with minimum impact of the negative incidents.

Workplace flexibility: Flexible workspaces have immense benefits attached to them. Basically, office space flexibility is all about adding dynamism to your workplace. Flexible office spaces as workplace recovery plans are a big responsive support to ensure business continuity. Flexible office spaces give your business everything they need to keep your business running in context with workplace recovery solutions.

Workplace recovery plans offer you a sense of security to recover from the loss and sustain all kinds of disruption and eventually keep the business running even in times of major crisis and unexpected events.

What all should be mandatorily included in Workspace Recovery Solution: Prerequisites?

Type of workspace

• Fully furnished, instant move-in workspaces
• Access to state-of-the-art meeting, training & conference facilities
• Private pedestal for storage of personal stuffs

Facilities management

• Onsite customer service staff and a business centre manager
• Onsite IT support
• Security access control
• Daily cleaning and office maintenance
• Utilities which includes electricity, water, heating and air conditioning etc.

Technical Support

• Unlimited high-speed internet
• Landline with designated numbers and business handset (if required)
• Video conferencing Audio/Video Conferencing

Common Areas

• Professionally staffed reception to greet visitors
• Fully maintained & equipped pantry and break-out space
• Access to fax machine, printers, scanners and photocopiers

Flex space: Work-life balance

In this era of work-life balance amid the Covid-19 pandemic hitting economies and disturbing lives across the world, the flexible workplace concept has gained immense importance. Not only flexible office spaces offer the workplace recovery solution, it enhances productivity, acts as a motivation booster, and encourages innovation amongst employees. Moreover, workplace recovery solution is important because disasters happen more often than we think. And, according to a report, 40-60% of small businesses don’t reopen following a disaster. Flexible office spaces allow businesses to recover securely, and that’s why the concept is gaining importance at a very rapid pace.

Flexible workspace: Big potential lies ahead

According to a survey, a flexible workspace has the potential to offer the right answer for many companies that are facing an uncertain future amid the pandemic. The current pandemic will drive further growth to the flexible workspace sector due to increased flexibility, reduced capital investment, and an enhanced customer experience. Flexible work spaces allow your business to flourish as truly flexible workplaces provide the versatility and dynamism sought by employees and employers.

Hafele’s Wooden Chopping Board Range

A key portion of your cooking time in the kitchen involves prepping for your recipes. With the right kind of utilities, this time can bear the most fruitful and desirable results. A very simple and essential tool, the chopping board, comes in handy for all your chopping, slicing and dicing requirements.

Häfele introduces its new Wooden Chopping Board Range made of Borneo Teakwood which has a rich and complex composition imparting the boards sturdiness and strength. As hygiene is the most important factor when it comes to dealing with food, the surfaces of these chopping boards are bacteria resistant and chemical free due to the inherent property of Borneo Teakwood, preventing risk of reaction in chopped food items that are exposed to the board. You can also use the chopping board as a serving tray for food such as cheese or cold cuts, platter for pizza or other party starters and as a charcuterie board.

Due to it’s easy-to-grip grooved edges, you can easily turn the chopping board and use both sides when you prepare food. These grooves also collect meat and fruit/ vegetable juice, preventing spillage onto your worktop. The rich walnut finish of the chopping board combined with its soft curved corners appeals to the aesthetical eye and its sturdy material is gentle on your knives. You can select a pick from the different sizes and designs available in our range.