Bits and Bytes: Know about startup, business news in Pune
With the objective of supporting early-stage startups in Maharashtra, the Government of Maharashtra is launching the Maharashtra Virtual Incubation Centre (MVIC) in partnership with 91Springboard Business Hub
Registration open for character modelling course
Lakshya Digital, leading game art and animation studio, is looking for fresh candidates for its next batch of Masterclass on Character Modelling, run by Lakshya’s not-for-profit training division - inGame Academy. The batch will commence in April 2023 at Lakshya’s state-of-the-art studio in Pune. Interested participants can register for the course at Lakshya Digital’s website. The registrations are available until March 15, 2023. The six-month course will provide an in-depth understanding of character modelling techniques, tools, and workflows used in the production pipeline of the global Video Games industry. Manvendra Shukul, CEO of Lakshya & Governing Council Member of the Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC), said, “Gaming is one of the fastest growing sunrise sectors in India, having seen phenomenal growth over the last four-five years. While it is poised to be a $2 billion industry this year, Indian gaming industry is staring at a severe talent crunch. At Lakshya, we have been doing our bit to create a robust pipeline of skilled workforce for the sector.”
MVIC launched in partnership with 91Springboard
With the objective of supporting early-stage startups in Maharashtra, the Government of Maharashtra is launching the Maharashtra Virtual Incubation Centre (MVIC) in partnership with 91Springboard Business Hub.
In the first phase, MVIC platform is being launched for 300 startups which are incorporated in Maharashtra and are recognized by DPIIT, Government of India. 91Springboard will be providing access to the services either by itself or through suitably qualified service providers/vendors. Through MVIC, incubation-related products and services like legal, financial, Intellectual Property, cloud and mentoring will be offered at preferential rates to startups in Maharashtra.
Through this virtual platform, startups can access resources and services remotely, making it convenient and cost-effective. The various services being provided include finance, taxation, accounting like payment gateways, investment management etc; technology infrastructure like cloud services, website designing, application building etc; legal support like IP filing, M&A service, compliances; marketing tools like CRM solutions, digital marketing tools, marketing analytics; product development and prototyping services; office spaces like co-working spaces, office complexes, incubation support; mentorship and Learning and other services like hospitality and travel, access to investor community.
SheWork startup launches skill development campaign for women
SheWork.in, a Pune based startup which helps women get back to work, announced an initiative for women including free-of-cost skill development sessions, master classes, and health camps. The company had organized a health camp at Teerth Technospace on International Women’s Day and will be conducting various online and offline initiatives master classes and skill development workshops in coming days.
Tejas Kulkarni, co-founder, SheWork.in, said, “Amidst the household responsibility, taking care of family members and work pressure, women often ignore their own well-being. Women are the true backbone of the economy. Through our various women focused initiatives, we want to acknowledge their contribution and help them live their best life. Our free preventive health camp for women is the first step in that direction. With free health camp, we want to implore women to take their wellbeing more seriously. We have tied up with a team of expert doctors for this. SheWork.in will also be conducting various upskilling workshops, initiatives, master classes focused on helping women succeed in their careers. These will be provided free of cost too.”
Silvostyle by PNG launches flagship store in Aundh
Silvostyle by PNG launched its 500 square feet flagship store in Aundh. The brand aims to roll out 15 stores through 2023-24 across urban geographies in India through a mix of owned and franchise stores. Silvostyle by PNG currently clocks ₹20 crores in revenue annually and aims to clock over ₹100 crore business in the next three year of retail expansion.
Saurabh Gadgil, promoter, Silvostyle by PNG said, “The new store will create an engaging and immersive experience for young shoppers. We have always believed in making jewellery accessible to everyone, and this new line is a testament to that commitment.”
The new store will feature five new extensive collections speaking the language of FashionNext in sterling silver jewellery, oxidized jewellery, marcasite jewellery, jewellery in silver and pearls and Lightweight CZ jewellery. The product lines are inspired by globally trending designs in rings, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. In addition to the silver collection, the new store will also feature a line of Lab-grown Diamond jewellery in 14 kt gold called “Omeeka”. The collections have been created with deep emphasis on design and global trends.
NRAI to host National Cloud Kitchen and Home Delivery Summit
The ‘National Restaurants Association India’ (NRAI) Pune Chapter will host the ‘National Cloud Kitchen and Home Delivery Summit’ convention for the food and beverage sector professionals at Kharadi. This summit will witness leading players from the cloud kitchen and home delivery space from the country come together and share extensive knowledge during the sessions, network and integrate.
The announcement was made in a recent event ‘Insight into the World of fine dining’ with participation of more than 170 prominent restaurateurs. The session was moderated by NRAI Pune Chapter Head Praful Chandawarkar, who engaged Gauri Devidayal, Co-Founder of Food Matters Group, into an insightful conversation about her journey as an entrepreneur and restaurateur.
SaaS startup ParaBooking raises ₹50 lakhs in seed round
ParaBooking, an online paragliding booking portal from FlutterBuy Ecom Ventures, announced seed funding of ₹50 lakhs under the Him Startup Yojana of the Department of Industries, Himachal Pradesh. The company has undergone incubation at IIT Mandi Catalyst in Himachal Pradesh.
Founded by Ankush Rana, Deepak Abrol, Sohail Lalani, and Vikram Thakur in 2021, ParaBooking is an online portal for customers to book paragliding flights in some of the major destinations across India like Bir-Billing, Dharamshala, and Manali. ParaBooking operates through a two-pronged model for generating revenues: adventure sport (paragliding) and SaaS tools for adventure tourism operators/agencies across the nation.
Ankush Rana, CEO of Parabooking said, “Over the 18 months of operations, the company has facilitated more than 5,000 flights across India and now we are also venturing into trekking and adventure sports like kayaking. One of the biggest problems with adventure sports in India is that the focus on safety and a good experience is so low that a customer gives it up after one attempt. At Parabooking, we started out with a mission to provide the best customer experience by creating an onboarding process of certified pilots, verified equipment, along with insurance that enables Heli rescue in paragliding for the first time. A local weather station for latest local developments in the weather can help choose the best timings for Take-Offs and avoid unnecessary anxiety. This funding from IIT Mandi will help us move the needle in this mission of ours to take safe and secured adventure sports to the masses.”