Copa Airlines now available on Verteil’s NDC Platform

Verteil, a leading provider of NDC technology for over 40 global airlines since 2016, announced the successful implementation and go-live with Copa Airlines to become an authorized Copa Connect Tech Partner.

 

With this new implementation, Verteil’s travel seller partners, previously approved by Copa, can get enhanced content, with the ability to offer superior services to their customers, including ancillaries not available in the GDS EDIFACT channel, leveraging promotions, and lower fares.

Verteil offers an API and a desktop solution that both allow for shopping, booking, and servicing of flights and ancillaries (voiding, cancel and refunds, rebooking).

The new partnership will enable Copa Airlines to expand its global NDC distribution to Travel Sellers across various geographies who would like to access their content via Verteil for their NDC solution requirements. Apart from the superior and real time content, bookings via Verteil Direct Connect, will not be surcharged.

Jerrin Jos, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Verteil Technologies, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Copa Airlines in their NDC transformation journey. This collaboration further solidifies Verteil’s position as a leader in the NDC technology market and highlights our commitment to providing top-notch solutions and services for travel distribution. With this partnership, Verteil is poised to expand its presence in the Latin American market and strengthen its global footprint.

Our ongoing transformational journey in the airline distribution space is progressing significantly. We are currently implementing changes with several airline partners and investing heavily in building product capabilities to support advanced functionality for travel sellers’ diverse business models.

National Camera Day- The top cameras we need

Get ready to smile! June 29 is National Camera Day, a special day dedicated to celebrating the transformation of photography from a complex art mastered by scientists to an integral part of our daily lives. The word “photography” itself originates from two Greek words that, when combined, mean “writing with light.” This beautifully captures the essence of what a camera enables us to do: tell stories without relying on words. The roots of photography can be traced back over 800 years to the invention of the camera obscura. This “dark chamber” was essentially a box with a single hole, allowing light to enter and project an image onto the inner surface in the darkness. However, unlike modern photography or Instagram, the image would vanish once the light disappeared. Today, we have come a long way with cameras everywhere we go and how much they help us in our day-to-day life.

Here is a list of a few helpful cameras which keep us safe and secure.

 

Qubo Dashcam

Qubo Dashcam, by the Hero Group, offers a range of impressive car video cameras designed to continuously record events on the road. With various models available with price starting from Rs 3,690 such as Dashcam Pro 4K (Front & Rear), Dashcam Pro 4K, Dashcam Pro GPS, and Dashcam Pro, the Qubo Dashcam provides users with crystal-clear image quality through its Full HD 1080p@30FPS resolution, Sigmastar Main Processor, and 2MP CMOS image sensor. It offers a wide field of view to cover multiple lanes simultaneously and excels in low-light conditions with superior night vision capabilities and a unique Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) video system. The dashcam supports loop recording and can store footage on up to a 256 GB SD card. It is designed to withstand extreme temperature changes, and operates between -5 ⁰C to 65 ⁰C.

 

 

CP Plus security camera

 

The CP Plus camera is a 1080p full HD Plug & Play Wi-Fi PT camera with Alexa and Ok Google compatibility. It offers a 360-degree view, eliminating the need for multiple cameras. The camera allows remote access through a mobile app, and installation is simple with Wi-Fi connection. It supports up to a 128GB SD card for local storage prices ranging from Rs 1,699. The EzyKam+ mobile app offers four split live views, while the web client supports nine split live views. It features motion and human detection to reduce false alarms from pets. The camera also includes smart tracking, recording real-time videos, and sending instant alerts to the user’s mobile device.

 

 

Qubo 360 security camera

 

The Smart Cam 360 ULTRA offers an exceptional level of convenience with its Ethernet connectivity option in addition to Wi-F with prices starting from Rs 2,290. This advanced security camera ensures comprehensive coverage with its 360-degree view, providing users with complete peace of mind. With its dual motor head, the camera has the capability to rotate and capture a full 360° horizontal view and a 96° vertical view through pan and tilt controls, all easily managed through the accompanying app. The camera’s high-quality 1080p resolution and infrared night vision guarantee clear visuals in any lighting conditions. Instant alerts are received when motion or a person is detected within the camera’s field of view, enhancing security. In case of intrusion, the camera can activate an automatic loud siren to deter potential intruders. The device can be conveniently placed on a table or easily installed on the ceiling, ensuring flexibility in positioning. With a simple plug-and-play setup, users can effortlessly enjoy the extensive features and benefits of the Smart Cam 360 ULTRA.

 

 

Airtel Xsafe security camera

 

Airtel Xsafe smart security cameras offer a range of exclusive features for enhanced security and surveillance. These cameras provide full HD video, motion detection, and person detection capabilities, allowing users to receive alerts and record footage when activity is detected. With easy installation and Wi-Fi connectivity, users can remotely access live footage, communicate through two-way talk, and benefit from night vision capabilities for clear visibility in low-light conditions. Airtel offers three types of Xsafe security cameras to cater to different surveillance needs. The Sticky Cam and 360° Cam are designed for indoor surveillance, while the Active Defense Cam is specifically built for outdoor use. Airtel focuses on affordability, with prices starting from Rs 2,499 for the Sticky Cam, Rs 2,999 for the 360° Cam, and Rs 4,499 for the Active Defense Cam, making these security cameras accessible to a wide range of customers.

 

 

Qubo Baby Camera

 

The Qubo Smart Baby Cam is an Indian-designed and Indian-made smart baby monitor that provides round-the-clock peace of mind available at Rs 2,290.  With its 1080p FHD camera and ultra-wide lens offering a 110-degree field of view, it enables 24×7 live remote monitoring with crystal-clear image quality. The intelligent AI feature automatically detects your baby’s cries and sends instant notifications, allowing you to attend to them promptly. The two-way talk function, powered by echo cancellation technology, enables seamless communication with your little one, ensuring clarity in both directions. Additionally, the built-in lullabies feature helps soothe your baby whenever they cry.

 

Unicommerce launches Advanced Inventory Management Solution

Unicommerce, India’s leading ecommerce enablement SaaS platform has launched its advanced inventory management solution with real-time inventory synchronization to help brands fulfill 100% of the orders received and to further boost the speed of processing orders.

Unicommerce’s advanced inventory management solution enables the rerouting of unfulfillable orders by automatically reallocating the orders to next warehouse or store basis real-time availability of inventory across multiple stores and warehouses, with an aim to improve the overall order fulfillment rate.

It also offers the option to pre-compute the availability of bundled stocks per facility to boost the fulfillment rate of bundled orders. The enhanced version will also allow brands to improve product procurement and ensure that they are able to place orders for products well in advance and optimize inventory currently available across multiple facilities. The new solution also allows the sellers to set a minimum threshold for each SKU below which procurement and reallocation processes kick in automatically.

Unicommerce continues to enhance its order management system with new features to further simplify the process of e-invoicing, manage cancellations and reallocation of orders. With clear visibility and real-time tracking of inventory, brands will be able to improve their stock decisions leading to better operational efficiency across warehouses and stores, the benefit of which will eventually be passed on to the end consumer. The addition of AI-based capabilities will help brands to pre-decide on the critical level of inventory and automatically redirect SKUs based on real time inventory sync sending notifications to sellers to route orders for such SKUs.

Speaking about the launch of the solution, Kapil Makhija, CEO Unicommerce said, “At Unicommerce, our product development pipeline is closely guided by the needs of our users. Our aim is to develop and deploy best-in-class technology solutions that remove the operational complexity for fast-growing e-commerce businesses. Our new advanced inventory management solution will allow brands to optimize their inventory utilization to fulfill each serviceable order and will also seamlessly augment the experience for buyers.”

Unicommerce has been enabling ecommerce companies, D2C brands, omnichannel retailers and other online sellers With a nationwide presence across 8000+ warehouses and 3000+ stores, Unicommerce currently powers 20000+ businesses across 45+ industry segments and has achieved an annual run rate of processing over 600 million transactions amounting to USD 7bn+ annual GMV.

Cigniti Technologies Digital Engineering Services (DES) Appraised at CMMI® Development V2.0 Maturity Level 3

Cigniti Technologies Limited, the world’s leading AI & IP-led Digital Assurance and Digital Engineering Services company, has been appraised at CMMI® Development V2.0 Maturity Level 3 for its Digital Engineering Services. This significant milestone reinforces Cigniti’s commitment to excellence and sets new standard in the field of digital engineering.

The Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is an internationally recognized framework that assesses an organization’s maturity and capability in various process areas. The Level 3 appraisal showcases Cigniti’s establishment of robust and standardized processes for managing and delivering digital engineering services, ensuring consistent quality and efficiency in its offerings. This certification is in addition to the existing CMMI-SVC V2.0 Maturity Level 5 certification for Cigniti’s software testing services.

Acknowledging the achievement, Srikanth Chakkilam, CEO of Cigniti, said, “We are happy to have achieved the CMMI Development V2.0 Maturity Level 3 appraisal for our Digital Engineering Services. This achievement is aligned with our mission to become a $1 Billion company. It lays a strong path to help increase the confidence of our customers in our ability to offer world-class digital engineering services on top of our existing market leading digital assurance services. We remain committed to leveraging our standardized processes and industry best practices to drive exceptional value for our clients and fuel our continued success. This is a firm step towards marching ahead in achieving our stated goals of growth and being a preferred partner of choice in helping customers accelerate their digital journeys.”

“This certification is a testament to our internal processes and reflects our dedication to meeting and exceeding client expectations. The CMMI Development V2.0 Maturity Level 3 certification benefits our clients by assuring them of our commitment to quality. It provides a more systematic, innovative, robust project management framework and risk-aware approach to project delivery. This certificate also serves as tangible proof of our competence to consistently deliver excellence, empowering our clients with the assurance that they are partnering with a trusted organization for their digital engineering requirements,” said Raghuram Krovvidy, Chief Delivery Officer, Cigniti Technologies.

Mr. Rajiv Shetye, the first SEI authorized lead assessor in India for the CMMI, performed the appraisal using the latest version of CMMI Development Model V2.0. The appraisal evaluated various aspects of Cigniti’s digital engineering services, including requirements management, planning, technical solution, risk & opportunity management, and quality assurance.

KarmaLife raises ₹44 crores in Pre-Series A-extension from Krishna Bhupal’s family office, Artha Venture Fund and others

 

KarmaLife, an earnings-linked financial solutions provider for the gig and blue-collared workforce and already the largest Early Wage Access (EWA) platform in India, has raised ₹44 crores in an extension to its Pre-Series funding round led by Krishna Bhupal’s family office and existing investor, Artha Venture Fund, amongst others.

The financing round saw participation from other existing investors, including Net Graph Investments, Singularity Ventures, LogX Venture Partners, Balesh SharmaAmit JainVikram Kailas, and Shaji Kumar Devakar.

Founded by Rohit RathiNaveen Budda, and Badal Malick in March 2020 with a combined 25+ years of business experience, KarmaLife operates in a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) model and has partnered with 50+ organizations, which includes Flipkart, Elastic run, Uber, Porter, Delhivery, and others, to give their employees an option to access their pay-out before payday.

Rohit RathiCo-Founder & CEO – KarmaLife, says, “The Company plans to use the fresh capital for scaling, expanding into different geographies, launching more products, and spreading awareness about the product. We welcome this funding round, which reaffirms our investors’ alignment with KarmaLife’s mission. Together, we aim to drive financial inclusion and offer alternatives to predatory lending. Our unwavering goal is to transform the financial lives of millions of blue-collar workers.”

The Company has impacted the lives of 2.70 lakh workers to date. It offers personalized, subscription-based credit products, such as Earned Wage Access and dynamic Line-of-Credit, based on a proprietary real-time credit scoring system called ‘KarmaScore.’ KarmaLife currently serves over 1,00,000+ blue-collar workers through its platform, continually striving to expand its reach and impact.

“We invest in people and entrepreneurs who have the vision, purpose, and team, who have the ability to create great teams and execute. This is the secret sauce to creating any great company. Our portfolio spans geographies (Silicon Valley, Singapore, India, etc.) and mission-critical businesses such as fintech, quant investing, wealth management, and healthcare. KarmaLife is creating a long-term business that is underserved not only in India but in markets globally. We share the business’ growth plans as a portfolio investment, and more importantly, the impact of the business connects a few hundred million Blue collar and gig entrepreneurs into a network-based approach to transparently access credit which is sustainable and affordable,” says Krishna BhupalChairman of his family office.

Earned Wage Access (‘EWA’) gives individuals access to a portion of their earned but unpaid salary any time before their payday. Freeing up employees and employers from the traditional pay cycle, EWA helps disrupt predatory lending models and incentivizes employees to stay longer with an organization. Within six months of partnering with KarmaLife, companies are seeing a 37% increase in retention, enabling them to drive more productivity.

B2B Fin-Tech platform, BharatNXT raises USD 1.2 Mn in a Seed Round led by Inflection Point Ventures

BharatNXT, a B2B Fintech platform in the financial technology sector, has raised USD 1.2 million in a Seed Round led by Inflection Point Ventures. The round also saw participation from Japanese VC – Spiral Ventures, Keiretsu Forums, and Panthera Peak Capital. The funds will be utilized to invest in product development and expanding the team size by 4x and enhancing the scalability of the core technology to accommodate ten times the current growth.

The funds will be further used to implement top-notch governance systems such as PCI DSS, ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and to introduce effective risk management practices and controls to ensure optimal outcomes.

Ankur Mittal, Co-Founder & COO, Inflection Point Ventures, says, “Over the last decade, India has witnessed a significant rise in digital transactions across sectors. However, credit card usage has been low among Indian SMEs, with credit utilisation typically ranging around 15% to 20%  of allocated limits. Entrepreneurs with good CIBIL scores that already have credit cards with pre-approved limits still don’t have easy access to formal credit to manage their working capital. This is where BharatNXT steps in and provides an avenue via their platform for these entrepreneurs to make business payments like GST, Vendor Payments, Utility, Rent and much more. This provides these entrepreneurs real-time and paperless access to precious credit at low costs, if timed well, while unlocking precious additional payment days based on their credit card cycles”

BharatNXT has a highly experienced and competent team that has the ability to attract and retain top talent in the industry. Furthermore, their technology platform is scalable and has already been designed to accommodate ten times the current growth. Given the data-rich nature of their business, the company is well-positioned to explore newer business models focused on inclusion & credit in the future.

Founded in 2022, BharatNXT is a payment platform that allows small and medium-sized businesses to use credit cards for their B2B transactions. This provides a credit extension of 45-50 days. The platform is integrated with various portals, which allow for instant or T+1 settlements for all business payments, including GST, utility, and vendor payments. By doing this, it helps SMEs manage their cash flows better.

At the point that IPV invested in Jan 2023, the founders of BharatNXT, Akshat and Aljo had already facilitated payments close to INR 50 crore for approximately 10,000 SMEs. Since then the company has already grown 30x and has processed approximately 4 lakh transactions, which involve at least 6 million backend computations with 100% accuracy. Moreover, the company has a high on-time settlement ratio of 99.7%, indicating its commitment to timely and efficient payment processing for its customers.

Akshat Birla, Founder & CEO, BharatNXT, says, “We have hit hockey stick growth, crossed Rs. 1500+ Cr in GTV and expect to be doing Rs. 1000+ Cr per month by the end of FY 23”.

Aljo Joseph, Founder & CBO is working towards diversifying revenue streams, building trust and stickiness with transacting customers, and believes “We should be running a profitable company in the next 2 quarters, and closing FY 23 with Rs 100+ Cr in revenue.”

BharatNXT operates in an industry with significant potential for growth. The market for business payments made on credit cards is projected to reach $200-300 billion in the next three to five years. Currently, less than 2% of the $1.4 trillion B2B spends are made using credit cards. Furthermore, there is a significant amount of unused credit limit on credit cards, with approximately $750 billion out of the $900 billion annual allocation remaining unutilized. Bankers estimate that approximately 25-30% of these unutilized credit limits belong to SMEs.