Meta gears up to launch dozens of AI chatbots for younger users

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September 25, 2023

This week, Meta is reportedly planning to launch “Gen AI Personas,” a generative AI chatbot designed for younger users.

The social networking company is prepared for its annual’ Meta Connect’ event, which will begin on Wednesday.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the AI chatbot “would come in multiple personas geared towards engaging young users with more colourful behaviour”.

“Facebook parent is developing bots with personalities, including a ‘sassmaster general’ robot that answers questions,” the report mentioned.

Meta is planning to develop dozens of AI personality chatbots.

According to internal chats the WSJ viewed, the company has tested a “sassy robot” persona inspired by Bender from Futurama and an overly curious “Alvin the Alien” that one employee worried could imply the bot was made to gather personal information.

A new AI model that Meta is reportedly planning to train will likely be just as powerful as OpenAI’s latest chatbot, GPT-4.

According to earlier reports, it is increasing infrastructure investment and buying more Nvidia H100 AI-training chips to train the new chatbot.

In order to speed up the development of AI tools that can emulate human expressions, Meta has assembled a team to build the new AI model.

Meta launched its own AI tool called Code Llama in August to generate new code and debug human-written errors. Text prompts can be used by the large language model (LLM) to generate and discuss code.

The company’s US headquarters will host this year’s “Meta Connect” as a two-day in-house event.

It will include a keynote by Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and breakout sessions covering AI and virtual, mixed, and augmented reality.

Myntra to increase share of women hiring to over 21% this festive season

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September 22, 2023

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Myntra, a Walmart-owned online fashion retailer, will increase the number of women it hires for positions in its contact center and supply chain. This is taking place as the holiday season approaches, and Myntra prepares to stage its annual marquee event, the Big Fashion Festival (BFF).

As part of the festive hiring ramp-up, Myntra will increase women’s hiring, taking it to over 21 per cent higher than last year’s festive season. This initiative aims to increase opportunities for employment and hire women from economically underprivileged backgrounds. It is ensured that these women are not only employed but also contribute skillfully to the tasks for which they will be hired through training provided by in-house experts and external professional trainers during the holiday season.

These roles include picking, packing, organizing, and unpacking. In states like Haryana, Telangana, West Bengal, and Karnataka, the recruiting would be spread out among rural areas and villages. In addition to the supply chain, this holiday season, 45% of all hires in the contact center will be women.

“Our preparations for Big Fashion Festival are in full swing to cater to the high demand from our customers,” said Nupur Nagpal, chief human resources officer, Myntra. “We are particularly excited about onboarding the on-ground staff, where women will play a pivotal role in offering optimal experience to customers and adding to their joy in the festive season.”

BFF is also an opportunity for temporary workers who are already on the ground, who see it as a way to supplement their income over the holiday season. They receive a variety of benefits from Myntra in addition to increased pay, including availability bonuses, festival bonuses, and special rewards based on performance. Additionally, for their overall wellness, they have access to services like late-night transportation, nap rooms, and period leaves.

Myntra said that its Kirana network Mensa (Myntra Extended Network for Service Augmentation) has empowered many delivery partners, providing them the freedom to pursue their dreams and the financial independence to do so. In Ghaziabad and Uttar Pradesh, the company has introduced the all-female Dexter team from Mensa Network.

The company added that through its Return to Work program, Phoenix, it also provides options for second career inning for women on a break and employs thousands of artisans and delivery partners.

Myntra is part of the Flipkart Group. Ahead of the festive season, Flipkart recently said it will generate over 1,00,000 new job opportunities across its supply chain, including fulfilment and sortation centres, and delivery hubs.

Boon marks entry in Bhutan, partners with &Beyond Hotel to eradicate plastic wastage

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September 22, 2023

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Boon, a water technology startup utilizing cutting-edge IoT technology, is delighted to announce its strategic partnership with &Beyond Hotel, marking its entry in Bhutan.

Together, they are committed to ensuring everyone has access to clean drinking water while addressing the crucial problems of plastic waste and water inefficiency using Boon’s cutting-edge ZeroMileWater™ technology. This pioneering project demonstrates our dedication to sustainability, eco-friendly hospitality, and the broader cause of environmental conservation within the Bhutanese context.

Boon’s patented Zero Mile Initiative delivers an innovative in-house water purification system that filters and packages water in eco-conscious glass bottles, substantially reducing plastic waste. This project significantly reduces the carbon emissions linked to long-distance transportation by adopting a zero-mile delivery approach.

The partnership between Boon and &Beyond in Bhutan aligns entirely with the country’s unwavering dedication to environmental preservation. Bhutan, often heralded as the world’s first carbon-negative country, is a vital carbon sink in the global fight against climate change. The collaboration between Boon and &Beyond is expected to substantially contribute to Bhutan’s sustainability efforts, potentially reducing over 2,800 kilograms of carbon emissions and over 930 kilograms of plastic waste annually.

Vibha Tripathi, managing director of Boon, remarked, “Our collaboration with &Beyond Bhutan extends the reach of our global impact. Boon’s innovative NetZeroWater™ technology seamlessly complements &Beyond’s steadfast commitment to sustainable tourism and the broader development goals of Bhutan. Together, we are setting new benchmarks in sustainable hospitality and environmental preservation.”

Boon employs advanced AI and IoT technology to provide sustainable glass bottles for monitoring water quality and hydration delivery as part of a circular economy approach. This initiative considerably reduces the amount of plastic waste generated in hotel rooms and premises.

Agritech startup Ergos raises $10 million in funding

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September 22, 2023

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Agritech startup Ergos announced on Friday that it has raised $10 million in a funding round headed by Norway’s Abler Nordic, with participation from existing investors Aavishkaar Capital, Chiratae Ventures, and Trifecta Venture Debt Fund. The funds were raised via a combination of equity and debt.

Bengaluru-based Ergos digitizes grain storage, helping farmers convert their grains into tradable digital assets and maximizing their profits from selling their produce. It provides safe grain storage in warehouses, access to affordable finance through partner lenders, and a buyer’s platform connecting farmers to markets.

“There is a pressing need to revitalise agriculture by empowering farmers and catering to their needs at the farmgate. Ergos’ Grainbank platform enables farmers to take optimal decisions on sales/storage of their produce, access credit from banks as well as get access to competitive prices through planned liquidations,” said Kishor Jha, founder and chief executive of Ergos.

After the harvest, Ergos provides farmers access to storage services for eight to nine months. Farmers can then use a digital process to receive credit from banking partners at affordable interest rates for up to 70% of their digitally stored grain.

According to Ergos, it currently supports over 160,000 farmers on its platform and has a physical network of farm-gate warehouses with the Grainbank brand in over 200 locations.

“Our Investment in Ergos demonstrates Abler Nordic’s approach of investing in a wide range of innovative, inclusive solutions that help build financial and climate resilience. Ergos is helping solve the problem that many farmers in India increasingly face — produce spoiling due to lack of access to quality storage, affecting both the farmers’ income and general food security,” said Arthur Sletteberg, managing director of Abler Nordic.

EaseMyAI secures Rs 3-Cr in seed round

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September 21, 2023

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EaseMyAI, a platform for artificial intelligence and automation as a service, has raised Rs 3 crore in a seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The funds will be used for product development, recruiting a sales and marketing team, and expansion of the distributor network.

EaseMyAI aims to help businesses by automating complex tasks and removing the possibility of mistakes. To understand and make use of data from various sources, including pictures and sensors, it leverages cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence.

“As the technology advances across the globe, it’s imperative for the businesses to use technology to its favor and make the most of it. EasemyAI’s end-to-end solution allows businesses to deploy AI based operating systems to automate their operations and processes.” Madhukar Bhardwaj, sr. vice president, Inflection Point Ventures, said.

Gagan Randhawa, CEO, EaseMyAI, says, “AI and IOT based automation will drive the industry 4.0 and dark warehouses. EaseMyAI automation platform smoothens the digital transformation journey of enterprise where the platform is capable of handling AI models, IOT devices and 3rd party software’s. This investment will help us to scale up in markets other than India especially the USA and Middle east market and turn operationally profitable within the coming months”.

Gagan Randhawa (CEO and co-founder), Yaman Bharadwaj (COO and co-founder), Surendra Sancheti (CCO and co-founder), and Jekin Dedhia (CTO and co-founder) founded EaseMyAI in May 2022.

Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) is an angel investing platform with over 8600 CXOs, HNIs, and Professionals to invest together in startups. The company helps new-age entrepreneurs by giving them financial and experiential capital and by connecting them with a variety of investors.

White Garden, an artisanal kitchen, opens in Bengaluru

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September 21, 2023

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A new restaurant has opened in Bengaluru to cater to the city’s evolving love for innovative cuisine and delicious modern twists on traditional Indian food. White Garden in Kalyan Nagar opens an elegant avenue with tasteful aesthetics that calm the busy streets. It is influenced by nature. A unique approach and trending recipes are used in the artisanal kitchen to create a mix of Indian food.

Pattabhi Ram Madhyastha and Shrinidhi Hegde, the two dynamic professionals who founded White Garden, have been its strong pillars. The increasing popularity of this endeavour is a result of their shared enthusiasm for providing extraordinary guest experiences.

“We wanted to embark on our passion for innovation into the culinary experience, especially for vegetarians. The vibrancy of Bengaluru‘s food scene seemed just ideal to pave the way and blend in our hotel management expertise over the years. We created a space that fuels artistic expression. White Garden is not just a restaurant; it’s an experience of taste, aesthetics, and serenity,” says Hegde.

Being an artisanal vegetarian kitchen, its strength is its commitment to using only fresh organic ingredients to provide a great dining experience. It disproves the myths about vegetarian food’s lack of diversity while bringing culinary delight to people moving toward a plant-based diet. Sanjoy Dhali and Krishna Khetle, two chefs, curated the menu.

E-visa startup Atlys bags $12mn from Elevation Capital, Peak XV, others

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September 21, 2023

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Atlys, an online visa application provider, has secured $12 million in a Series A round led by Elevation Capital and Peak XV Partners (formerly Sequoia Capital India). Existing investors, including Pinterest Founders, South Park Commons, Musical Duo Chainsmokers, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), and others, participated in the round.

According to a statement from Atlys, the funds raised will be used to expand the platform’s product offerings for travellers, attract new clients, and hire.

The company has now processed more than 250,000 visas. “By leveraging over a million data points, we’re able to predict when you’re going to get a visa, reduce visa rejection rates,” said Mohak Nahta, Founder of Atlys, in a statement.

It seeks to address many other problems associated with international travel, such as travel insurance, remittance, and credit for travel.

In 2021, Atlys has already raised a $5 million seed round. With this latest round included, the company has raised $17.25 million.

“Our partnership with Mohak represents a significant step towards Atlys’ efforts to streamline global mobility. Their strategy to offer a new age visa service that’s economical, risk-free and data-driven will encourage quicker adoption of newer, more efficient procedures,” said Mayank Khanduja, Partner, Elevation Capital.

Audio Platform Kuku FM raises $25mn in Series C funding

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September 20, 2023

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Audio content platform Kuku FM announced on Wednesday that it has raised $25 million in a Series C funding round, which was co-led by The Fundamentum Partnership and International Finance Corporation (IFC) with participation from Vertex Ventures.

The latest round is Fundamentum’s second investment in the audio content platform.

For the Bharat 2.0 audience, Kuku FM said it will use the funds to enhance the content ecosystem, increase the breadth of content across Indian languages, and focus on technology.

“In our journey towards building a business model focused on the Bharat 2.0 segment and creating a sustainable business model with a clear path to profitability, Fundamentum team’s insights and support have been invaluable,” Lal Chand Bisu, Co-founder & CEO, Kuku FM, said in a statement.

The Fundamentum Partnership has led the $21.9 million Series B1 funding round that the audio content platform secured in September 2022. Google, Paramark, Krafton, Inc., 3one4 Capital, V Cube Ventures, India Quotient, and FounderBank Capital are other investors in the audio platform.

“Kuku FM has created a niche category which caters to the unique and rapidly evolving demands of the new digital natives of India. Moreover, Bisu and team have demonstrated a great understanding in terms of creating a business model with a strong focus on unit economics and robust fundamentals,” said Prateek Jain, Principal, Fundamentum Partnership.

Additionally, IFC’s investment in Kuku FM intends to assist the development of India’s creator economy by transforming how people-first audio content is created and consumed across the country.

“Our partnership with Kuku FM, a leading vernacular audio content platform, aligns with our shared gender and inclusion priorities and aims to empower underrepresented voices, especially those of women, fostering upward mobility and sustainable economic growth,” said Wendy Werner, IFC’s India Country Head.

Kuku FM currently provides more than 150,000 hours of content in various formats, including audiobooks, stories, book summaries, courses, and podcasts, with the majority of the content being unique to the platform.

WhatsApp introduces new features for businesses in India

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September 20, 2023

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WhatsApp has announced several new features for businesses in India at Meta’s second annual Conversations conference in Mumbai. The features include Flows, which enables businesses to customize chat experiences for customers; Payments, which allows users to pay for businesses within the chat; and Meta Verified, which gives businesses additional advantages and a badge of authenticity.

Flows is a feature that lets businesses create rich menus and forms within the chat so customers can perform various actions without leaving the conversation. For example, a bank can make way for customers to book an appointment to open a new account, a food delivery service can build a way to place an order from any of their partner restaurants, or an airline can build a way to check in for a flight and pick a seat. In the coming weeks, Flows will be accessible to companies utilizing the WhatsApp Business Platform worldwide.

Payments is a feature that makes it simpler to finish a transaction in chat. Customers in India can now add things to their shopping carts and transfer payments using the method of their choice, including debit and credit cards and any of the supported UPI apps. To make paying for something as easy as sending a message, WhatsApp collaborates with partners Razorpay and PayU. Payments is currently live in Brazil and Singapore as well.

Meta Verified is a feature that enables businesses to prove their authenticity to Meta, thus earning a verified badge, receiving enhanced account support, and safeguarding against impersonation. Businesses seeking Meta Verified status must demonstrate their legitimacy to Meta, and in return, they will be granted a verified badge, enjoy improved account support, and benefit from impersonation protection. Additionally, Meta Verified provides premium features like creating a customized WhatsApp page that is easily discoverable via web search and multi-device support for multiple employees to handle customer inquiries. To begin, Meta will conduct tests of the Meta Verified feature with small businesses using the WhatsApp Business app, with plans to later extend it to businesses on the WhatsApp Business Platform. This phased approach allows Meta to gather feedback and refine the feature before widespread implementation.

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Meta, said India was at the forefront of many of the innovations WhatsApp introduced at the conference. “You’re leading the world in terms of how people and businesses have embraced messaging as the better way to get things done,” he said in a pre-recorded address. India is one of the biggest markets for WhatsApp, with more than 500 million users in the country.

Offline bags $2mn from a clutch of angel investors

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September 20, 2023

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Offline, a private members’ community for tech founders and CEOs for India, has raised $2 million from a clutch of angel investors including Groww’s Lalit Keshre, Razorpay’s Harshil Mathur and Shashank Kumar, Xiaomi’s Hong Feng and Alvin Tse, Ultrahuman cofounders Mohit Kumar and Vatsal Singhal, in addition to cofounders of startups such as Shiprocket, Polygon, Park+, Fashinza, GoKwik, Mosaic Wellness and others.

The community platform, launched by former AngelList India CEO Utsav Somani, will develop a close-knit community of startup founders with a defined growth trajectory.

“They need to meet either of these criteria to even apply – $5 million raised or $5 million in revenue or $10 million in a previous exit,” according to a statement.

Microfunds such as Better Capital, DeVC, Huddle, Riverwalk Ventures, and India Silicon Valley have also backed Offline.

“We are bringing in the best executive coaches and trained facilitators in the country and even globally to build out a playbook that will enable us to host these monthly meetings with 6-8 founders that we will have in our member network. We will curate these very selectively,” Somani said, adding that the members will be selected through a two-tier system.

“(In the first phase) the Offline team – of people that have worked at Soho House and Quorum – will be involved…following which five to six people who are respected in the startup ecosystem for building large companies will shortlist members,” Somani said.

According to Somani, Offline plans to expand its community to around a hundred members across Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru and soon will expand to Singapore and Dubai.

The launch of Offline comes with the beginning of paid communities and networks for business entrepreneurs and individuals working in the startup environment. Ragini Das and Anand Sinha, two former Zomato executives, joined forces in 2020 to launch Leap.Club, a social platform for women professionals that offers a membership model through which its users can access a curated network of peers, executive coaching, upskilling programs, and mental wellness support.

Leap.Club has reportedly raised $2.6 million so far from investors such as Titan Capital, Whiteboard Venture Partners, Enzia, Artha India Ventures, and AngelList, according to data from Tracxn.

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