Nearly 1000 startups expected to be funded in 2016: Report

The forecast depends on the run-rate seen in Q1 2016, and the contribution from first quarter to the yearly deal volume. There have been 255 deals till mid-April this year, said the report. 

2016 will keep on being the year for startups as investment funds keep the money desiring a generally cash-compelled ecosystem. While financial speculators will keep subsidizing the startups, 'little is protected' is liable to be the characterizing theme for startup subsidizing, as deal size is relied upon to be much littler in contrast with the hyper subsidizing as of late, claims VCCEdge Q1CY2016 Startup India Funding Report. 

The year 2016, consequently, will be the year of solidification with startup valuations getting trimmed, early-stage financial specialists turning mindful and a general fixing of purse strings. 

The report characterizes startups as organizations that have reported raising an Angel or Seed-stage subsidizing, or a Venture Capital Round An or Round B in the course of recent years. 

On a quarter on quarter premise, startup financing deals have taken a hit of no less than half, with deal esteem tumbling from $611 mn. in Q1 CY2015 to $301 mn. in Q1 CY2016. 

While deal esteem has traveled south, startup subsidizing deal volume has remained genuinely unaltered with 234 deals in Q1 CY2016 as against 232 deals in Q1 CY2015. 

Angel, Seed, Series An and Series B stage wander financing transactions that crested with 287 deals, or one at regular intervals, in the quarter October-December 2015, have snuck past 19% to 234 deals in quarter January-March 2016. 

In quality terms, the slide is 41%, to $301.5 mn toward the end of January-March quarter finished 2016 when contrasted and the past quarter. 

While volumes of Angel and Seed subsidizing have risen by 33% from 142 in Q1 CY2015 to 189 in Q1 CY2016, financing has decreased by 35% in quality terms from $91 mn. in Q1 CY2015 to $59 mn. in Q1 CY2016. 

Investment Series A subsidizing volumes have dropped 52% from 67 deals in Q1 CY2015 to 32 in Q1 CY2016, while in worth terms, there has been a 56% drop from $240 mn. to $105 mn. in the same period. 

Investment Series B financing has seen a decrease from $281 mn. in Q1 CY 2015 to $137 mn. in Q1 CY 2016, a drop of 51%. In volume terms as well, there has been a fall of 46% from 24 deals in Q1 CY 2015 to 13 deals in Q1 CY 2016. 

Offer of startups in the general private investment pie is on the rise. By volume, startups represented 70% of the aggregate transactions in 2015, up from 62% in 2014. While the contribution of the startup deal esteem too has been on the rise, moving from 7% in 2011 to 11% in 2015, it has slipped in 2016YTD to 6%. 

Each fourth startup investment is in Bengaluru. Bengaluru keeps on contributing around 25% of the aggregate startups deal volume in India in the last five years. 

"The decrease in Series A deals or the primary institutional level of endeavor financing for startups is especially stressing, along these lines making it fundamental for them to embrace the strategy of 'Monitor and Grow," Nita Kapoor, Head – India, News Corp said in an announcement. 

Why odd-even doesn’t seem to be working this time?

The odd-even traffic policy has been actualized for the second time in the midst of huge public support for the first edition in January when residents of Delhi witnessed sliced traffic on Delhi's busiest stretches even however the impact on pollution has been sketchy. 

This time, be that as it may, things have not been as smooth even in the underlying stages. Huge traffic jams were witnessed on Monday on arterial stretches, for example, Akshardham, South Extension, Bhairon Marg, Azadpur, ITO (towards Vikas Marg), India Gate, Dhaula Kuan, Patel Nagar, Punjabi Bagh, Delhi-Gurgaon Road, and the Ashram crossing point in the morning surge hours. 

Top five possible reasons why the road rationing policy is not as powerful this time: 

1. Schools 

In the first phase, schools in the city were closed which implied less cars on the roads. This time, the schools are open and with private cars utilizing on exchange days, there are more school transports on roads. 

In around 1300 private unaided schools in the city, every school has a minimum of 5-10 school transports. In the first phase, the Aam Aadmi Party government had requested that schools give their transports to be utilized for public transport and just a couple transports close to 300 were given on loan. At that point the government had said close to 2500 private school transports were enrolled. 

In the second phase, every one of these transports are on the road. 

It is not just these school transports that are adding to the traffic however private school vans which are utilized for transporting children are additionally on the roads. Most schools have no under 25-30 such vans which drop and pick children. These numbers are just from private schools and after that there are taxicab administrations in every one of the 1100 government schools in the city. 

Parents, who drop their children to schools, are confronting an issue as the government has given exclusion just to those whose auto has a tyke in uniform to keep running on the roads before 8am when the limitations kick in. 

"It has turned out to be exceptionally hazardous when we need to go pick the tyke. At that time, there is no tyke in uniform. The main choice left is to convey the tyke's identity card and appear in the event that we get got. The second phase could have been effortlessly done amid the late spring break," Anurag Gupta, whose child learns at a private school in south Delhi, said. 

Even government sources on Tuesday said incorporating kids in odd-even this time has exploded backward. 

2. The heat 

The city woke up to a hot morning even on Tuesday. In the underlying days of odd-even, this has been a trend with the mercury timing 40 all the time. 

The minimum temperature took off to 26 degrees Celsius four indents over the season's normal. The greatest temperature is relied upon to settle around 40 degrees Celsius. 

Amid the first phase of the road rationing framework, which was in the first week of January, the climate conditions were wonderful and more individuals enthusiastically took to public transport. 

"In this heat, it is hard to take a transport or an auto to work. So two cars for exchange odd and even days," Balbir Singh, an occupant of Bhogal who drives to his work environment in Vasant Kunj, said. 

3. Less number of traffic cops? 

On Monday, which saw the first genuine test of the odd-even plan, a riotous traffic circumstance developed, with numerous bustling stretches seeing jams. Authorization organizations now claim to have fixed sending. 

Delhi Traffic police authorities said that more faculty have been put on obligation amid the crest hours. The arrangement was moved from the outskirts to the city on Tuesday and the quantity of staff was additionally expanded from 800 to 1000. 

"We have not got any dissension of serious jams since morning and that will be out as the day progressed. Despite the fact that there are less vehicles on the road, the trap will be to oversee them productively," a senior traffic official said. 

4. Breakdown making growls 

On Monday, 15 government transports separated over the city, refuting the advantages of squeezing extra transports to expand the Capital's lacking public transport framework. Delhi government has an armada of 4705 Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) transports and 1500 private transports while 680 extra transports were conveyed amid the odd-even period. 

"Most breakdowns were accounted for from south Delhi. Four transports separated in the Delhi Cantonment territory alone, moderating traffic development along that extend. The low floor transports can be evacuated just by particular cranes. So growls proceeded till a crane arrived and towed away the transport," a traffic officer said. 

The advantage of less traffic was invalidated at focuses on account of growls because of these breakdowns. 

5. Progressing construction works 

Progressing construction works crosswise over different focuses in the city likewise brought about traffic tumult. As a result of the remodel of water channels by the Delhi Jal Board, one and only carriageway of the Ring Road was opened. 

At Shahadra in upper east Delhi, a comparable DJB construction work postponed traffic. 

In south Delhi, the disassembling of the BRT postponed workers at Defense Colony and Andrews Ganj. 

Traffic police have additionally issued an admonitory about the PWD construction business related to the repair deal with the Nehru Place flyover. 

Are you Water Literate? Why its important?

Water Literacy implies knowing where your water originates from and how you utilize it 

It's a basic concept yet information about how all your water is supplied can be exceptionally mind boggling. To begin with, conveying water to you is not simply conveying stream to the tap and toilet. Each thing in your house obliged water to be made, so you are encompassed by their embedded water cost. Food, clothes, furniture, electronics – everything costs water to produce. 

For instance, creating electricity is extremely water escalated. Dams require solid streaming rivers, coal and nuclear plants need billions of gallons to operate. Indeed, even solar panels oblige water to be produced. Contingent upon where your electricity originates from, it takes 6 to 12 gallons of water to produce one hour of force for a single 60 watt light. 

Water Literacy sets standards for water information that each young adult ought to know by age 18 as essential knowledge for healthy and feasible living in the 21st century. 

Being Water Literate means having an essential comprehension of: 

• - Water footprints and how to calculate them. 
• - Virtual water – the embedded water footprint of imported items and food. How water travels far and wide to take care of demand 
• - Groundwater and healthy watersheds. Incorporated water cycles with human demand as a component of the system. Groundwater recharge and results of overdrafting. Avant-garde research on contaminants and how they go through the water supply. 
• - Base: how we move and control surface water, process waste water. 
• - The vitality water association. 
• - Water, wellbeing and sanitation. 

Moreover, lessons and examination questions on the accompanying worldwide water themes will be accessible for educators who wish to investigate water instruction in more prominent profundity: 

• - Contending demands: horticulture, industry, developing populations in urban focuses, wildlife. 
• - Responsibility for: worldwide trends and issues. 
• - Water lack: expectations and effects on food supplies. 
• - Water preservation decisions. Emerging practices and innovation. 

All that you touch has a water history 

No food or items could exist in your existence without water to make them. Knowing their water footprints will get to be as regular as knowing the calories and fat grams in the foods we eat. There is a social movement happening now as knowledge about water supplies turns out to be a piece of our national dialog. 

Fresh water is our most precious national heritage. Seeing how you utilize water helps you settle on insightful decisions for a practical way of life. Turned out to be a piece of the developing water discussion! 

Supplies of clean water characterize a general public's needs 

"Everyone comprehends that water is crucial to life. However, numerous are just barely now starting to handle that it is so vital to everything in life – food, vitality, transportation, nature, recreation, personality, society, social standards, and virtually every one of the items utilized once a day." — World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) 

Your supply of fresh water is going to choose your future. It will impact the occupations you will have, the food you eat, the items you purchase, whether you may come down with a sickness and significantly whether there's electricity for this PC. 

Take control of what you have to know for your future and find out about water! 

United Payment Interface (UPI): How Will it Make Life Simpler for You?

India drew a stage nearer towards turning into a cashless economy with the launch of National Payments Corporation of India's (NPCI's) Unified Payment Interface (UPI) on Monday. 

The NCPI works the Rupay payments infrastructure that – like Visa and MasterCard – permits distinctive banks to interconnect and transfer funds. The UPI can be considered as a digital framework to do likewise – the thought being that every single financial instrument can be given a unique identity on the UPI, which can then be utilized to rapidly and effortlessly complete online payments. 

With UPI, will we at long last see the tide move in the opposite direction of money towards digital money? There are numerous motivations to seek after this, as digital frameworks can be utilized to decrease the haziness of money, and to manufacture a man's financial history, which will be a vital device for financial incorporation. 

What is Unified Payment Interface (UPI) about? 

With the usage of UPI, clients can transfer money between various banks, or even do an online exchange without hardly lifting a finger. The NCPI cases it's as basic as sending a text message. 

Not at all like the present situation when you require an IFSC code and expansion of a recipient, with UPI the exchanges/purchases made are connected to a unique number which goes about as your virtual address number for all payments. 

What Will UPI Work on? 

It is a portable interface and will take a shot at cell phones as it were. 

One-Click Secured Payment is Here 

Rather than an internet banking password, trailed by an OTP code, now clients need to simply put in their single-access code for all exchanges. This procedure at long last gives you a solitary click payment system however in the two-variable verification mode - you require both a phone with an enrolled application, and your password, to acknowledge a payment - this implies it's a protected technique for payments as well. 

Since it doesn't depend on individuals having charge or Visas by any stretch of the imagination, and improves net-banking rather, the UPI could open up online payments for an immense number of individuals. 

How Does One Start Using UPI? 

A few banks have incorporated UPI into their existing applications. Some have launched new ones for it. Clients can download the application and register - the vital piece of this is a virtual ID and a versatile pin or MPIN. 

Password is Your License to Buy 

Individuals can send you money utilizing the virtual ID, and you can shop utilizing this ID. 

You can pay for your taxicab or online staple without sharing your bank points of interest. You should simply share your virtual address gave to you by the bank. The individual on the flip side will then demand you to make the payment, which can be finished once you authenticate the payment by writing in your password. 

One should likewise take note of that the UPI will be accessible to clients 24x7 as it depends on the Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) stage, right now utilized for internet banking exchanges. 

Who Needs E-Wallets? 

The UPI could make it less demanding to refill your virtual wallet and use it - however it could likewise get to be simpler to specifically execute with a merchant. All things considered, would individuals still require digital wallets? 

Mobile wallet organizations like PayTM, PayU and ItzCash say they are more than alright with the UPI coming into power. 

What's more, it appears to be enormous players like Flipkart, Snapdeal and Amazon have been preparing for it too. 

Not long ago, Flipkart purchased PhonePe which is said to be chipping away at an item in light of UPI system. Snapdeal as of now has FreeCharge under its wings and Amazon could make its turn in the coming months. 

The impact of UPI on electronic wallets is to be seen. A few individuals say it could mean the end for wallets—a passing stride between traditional payments mechanisms and a full-fledged digital one, for example, UPI—while others say it will essentially make it simpler to possess and work wallets. 

Driverless Shuttle Hogs The Limelight At Defence Expo 2016

The Defexpo India 2016, which is the ninth biennial Land, Naval and Internal Homeland Security Systems Exhibition, is being held at Naqueri Quitol in Quepem Taluka of South Goa, India. This edition of Defexpo has received an overwhelming and unprecedented national and international response. Though the scenario is changing now, if we take a stock of private involvement in Defense related technologies, we would find out that there were very limited numbers of player in the domestic scenario till the last decade or so. It is a matter of happiness that with the various schemes of the government say the Make in India etc even the defense sector has got an impetus. The change in scenario is bound to instill a renewed sense of pride in Indian industry by exhibiting the potential of design, innovation and sustainability across India's manufacturing sectors in the coming decade.

More than 1,000 companies, both foreign and Indian, are taking part in the exhibition this year. With a total of 510 companies, participation by Indian companies has doubled since 2014 which saw a participation by 256 companies. A total of 490 foreign companies are participating this year against 368 in DefExpo 2014.

The vehicle which caught the fancy of visitors at the Expo was the Novus-Drive, a driver less Shuttle manufactured by The Hi-Tech Robotic Systemz Ltd. (THRSL). It is India’s first driver less vehicle and it works on the technology of Artificial Intelligence. The path planning and obstacle avoidance is achieved through machine driven algorithms. It has the capacity to carry 14 people at a time.

Astha Lokhande, a visitor, who came all the way from Mumbai was delighted to see the vehicle and said, “Novus – Drive is State of the Art Artificial Intelligence in action and I was thrilled to take a ride on India’s first driverless shuttle. I am delighted that this has been innovated and made in its entirety in India.”

Novus-Drive is the first driverless shuttle in the country. The vehicle has the capacity to seat 14 people, it can autonomously navigate on its own with its high fidelity sensors and robust algorithms for path planning and navigation. The vehicle is indigenously manufactured at the THRSL’s Gurgaon facility. It’s a complete made in India product with all its research and development having taken place in Gurgaon.

Among other features , a feature which makes it a favourite is its battery run mechanism i.e. the vehicle is 100% environment friendly and runs 150 kilometers per charge. The safety features include autonomous emergency braking.

The vehicle is having 3 dimensional LiDAR sensors along with stereo vision cameras and GPS INS. The 3D Lidar maps the entire environment and creates a 3D reconstruction of the environment to take decisions for autonomous navigation and path planning. The stereo camera vision also creates video feeds with depth information for making out the traversable and non-traversable path. The vehicle autonomously navigates by creating an obstacle map, which further detects the roads, pavements, pedestrians and other vehicles on the path. This information is used by the plan the path of the vehicle with AI based path planners of the vehicle to dynamically and completely autonomously. The user can enter the destination over a tablet mounted on the vehicle. Once the destination is entered the vehicle starts its journey. It reaches the destination without any hiccups, pausing and moving according to the direction and road congestion.

These vehicles have been manufactured mainly for commuting in controlled atmosphere and is best suited for Intra-university travel, large office campus, elderly health care communities, trade fair and theme parks along with the upcoming smart cities. The vehicle is a first of its kind manufactured in India. The Hi-Tech Robotic Systems Limited (THRSL) was founded in late 2004. THRSL is India's pioneering company in the field of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.The Company has successfully developed and commercialized a wide range of robotic products catering to the needs of Defence, homeland security & Industrial Sectors. Over the last few years, a talent pool from premier institutes of the world is working in THRSL. The company has invested an undisclosed huge amount in R&D for developing Industrial Robots, Defence Robots and Driverless Vehicles.

A visibly pleased Senior Defence Personnel said, "I am delighted to witness this driver less vehicle. This vehicle is not only a made in India vehicle but it also addresses the environmental concerns. It gives me immense pleasure to see that the young generation is involved in the R&D of this project, I wish them luck for their future endeavor.

Talking about the success story of THRSL and Novus Drive, Mr. Anuj Kapuria, Director & CEO, The Hi-Tech Robotic Systemz Limited (THRSL) said, ‘I left my PHD midway to form this company in India, Robotics and automation were my passion and I chose them to be my profession. We have brought out is the first driver-less vehicle which is completely made in India from research to technology and Novus Drive would revolutionize the transport in large campuses and townships. Its success will pave for more driver-less vehicles from us.”

Smartron makes a foray into becoming india’s premier global technology oem brand

Smartron, India’s first true global IoT brand with “designed and engineered” in India for India and the world, today announced the launch of its first ever range of products, t.book, the impressive high performance Ultrabook convertible, t.phone, the lightest 5.5” Smartphone, and tron.x, its unique Smartron experience. On the occasion, Sachin Tendulkar legendary cricketer, shareholder and brand ambassador of Smartronalong with Mahesh Lingareddy, Founder & Chairmanunveiled these devices, platforms and services in the presence Narsi Reddy, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Rohit Rathi, Co- Founder & President, Smartron and its global partners, customers and vendors.

(L-R Narsi Reddy,Co-Founder & Managing Director, legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Mahesh Lingareddy, Founder & Chairman, Rohit Rathi, Co-Founder & President unveiling the tbook and the tphone)

These next generation of smart IoT devices, platforms and services from Smartron are built on the breakthrough concept of Internet of TronsTM (IoT) to deliver truly amazing “tronxperience” for the discerning customer at home or on the go or at office or in the car. Tron.x seamlessly integrates all the devices, software, cloud, crowd, hub, services and care platforms to deliver highly intelligent and personalized experience through hubtron. Hubtron comes with every Smartron device and customer can access all his or her profile, data like documents, content like pictures and music, services like professional and payment, care, community as well as can manage all other IoT devices.

Smartron t.book, the perfect mobile workstation will go on sale exclusively on Gadget360.com starting April 8th, 2016 and the t.phone booking will start on April 18th, 2016. All Smartron devices come with hubtron to enjoy the amazing tronxperience (tron.x).

Smartron believes that it is the right time to size up the opportunity of Internet of Things (IoT) and design products in India with an impressive technology for a global audience. Positioned as “We are Engineers at Heart” “building Smart things to life”Smartron aims to create a network of integrated smart devices for seamless communication.

Speaking on the occasion, Sachin said, “We are moving towards Internet driven experiences and Smartron’s vision in unlocking the potential of IoT will bring compelling experiences to people, making their life more productive, safe, intelligent and convenient. An Indian brand making a great leap into technology product innovation is commendable. I am delighted to be associated with Smartron, a global technology brand from India.”

Speaking at the launch, Mahesh said, ‘The success formula for making India globally competitive and respected is to ensure a holistic approach to the products and services and ensure they go hand-in-hand. Realizing the need for developing products and global brands from India for a global market, Smartron aims at innovating in this sphere’’.

On the product line up, he further said, “we have an exciting line up of products for 2016, beyond smartphone and ultrabook segments across mobile, home, auto, enterprise and infrastructure markets. Our aim is to make customer’s life simpler, smarter, and safer using Smartron products”.

Smartron commissioned its operations in Hyderabad and Bengaluru in August 2014. The company has so far invested over $10 Million to support the R&D activities and plans to spend $ 100 million over the next couple of years to establish Smartron as a global brand. Striving to innovate in the smart devices and IoT segment, the launch of the first two products, t.book and t.phone coupled with tron.x is the first step towards achieving this goal.

Powered by Intel® Core™ M processor and a Microsoft Windows 10 Operating System, the t.book aims at enhancing the user experience. The device comes with Hubtron, a one-stop destination to access all the data, content, services and care and to shop for all other devices and accessories and to be participate in the community and to enjoy the amazing tronxperience. Hubtron will be active across all Smartron devices. Apart from this, the t.cloud feature will enable Smartron users with free unlimited storage and the data can be accessed across all devices using Hubtron. The Smartron customer service, which is known as t.care, will offer online and offline support. The offline support will be present across 100 cities and with doorstep services making it hassle free.

The premium built t.phone is designed to be the world’s lightest 5.5” smartphone. More details will be announced in a separate event in April 3rd week this year.

About Smartron

Led by experienced management and passionate engineering teams and funded by investors from US, India, Middle East and others, Smartron started as a global organization from day one with R&D centres in Hyderabad and Bengaluru and teams around the globe to enable global technology sourcing, marketing and sales. Smartron has been working closely with vendors, partners and customers to co-create and collaborate in building a strong product ecosystem.

Govt grants 100 per cent FDI in Online E-commerce Market place

In a move that is required to help Foreign Investments in the e-commerce space, the government on Tuesday elucidated its position on foreign investment in e-commerce and allowed 100 per cent FDI in the marketplace configuration of e-commerce retailing under the automatic course. 

While FDI has not been allowed in stock based model of e-commerce, the government extended the meaning of marketplace to incorporate bolster administrations to sellers as for warehousing, logistics, order satisfaction, call center, payment accumulation and different administrations. 

In spite of the fact that the elucidation comes without clear FDI guidelines on different online retail models, the online marketplaces in India have as of now seen substantial outside ventures by a few worldwide players, (for example, Amazon) and into homegrown players, (for example, Flipkart and Snapdeal) who are working in the space. 

To bring clarity, the DIPP has additionally turned out with the meaning of 'e-commerce', 'stock based model' and 'marketplace model'. 

Marketplace model of e-commerce implies giving of an IT stage by an e-commerce element on a digital and electronic system to go about as a facilitator in the middle of buyer and seller. 

The stock based model of e-commerce implies an e-commerce movement where stock of merchandise and administrations is possessed by e-commerce element and is sold to shoppers specifically, as indicated by the guidelines. 

A marketplace substance will be allowed to go into exchanges with sellers enlisted on its stage on business-to-business premise, DIPP said. 

It said that an e-commerce firm, notwithstanding, won't be allowed to offer more than 25% of the deals influenced through its marketplace from one vendor or their gathering companies. 

"So as to give clarity to the surviving strategy, guidelines for FDI on e-commerce part have been planned," DIPP said. 

The government has as of now permitted 100% FDI in business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce.