Appreciate breaks down barriers for investing outside India, from India – removing high remittance fees, hidden charges, and minimum investment amounts. With this app, millions of Indians to invest in the $46 trillion U.S. stock market effortlessly. Investors can now purchase fractions of leading global stocks for as little as Re. 1.

The company was founded by Subho Moulik (CEO), Shlok Srivastav (COO), and Yogesh Kansal (CMO).

Mr. Subho Moulik, Founder and CEO of Appreciate, said, “This is huge savings and returns unlock where millions of people want to take the first step towards financial diversification but have always been deterred by high minimums, high fees, and a poor experience. We have solved bottlenecks others have failed to solve to make investing in U.S. stocks easy and low-cost.  With Appreciate, even a kirana store owner in Vidarbha can open a free U.S. trading account, buy a fraction of any U.S. stock for as little as Re. 1 – and participate in the growth story of these companies.”

He added, “Today, an investor needs to go to their bank, fill out an A2 form, identify and sign-up with a brokerage firm abroad, and then pay anywhere between Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,500 for the wire transfer, on top of dealing with the back and forth with a bank on remittance processing. This has been a key challenge for Indian investors who want to diversify their investments abroad – a challenge that we have worked on diligently and solved.”

Appreciate’s partners include YES Securities – a leading full-service Indian broker – for cost-effective access to Indian securities, and Samhita – a leading social sector financial inclusion and livelihoods accelerator – to promote financial literacy, a key enabling step towards driving mass adoption of regular saving and investing habits.

Appreciate’s user-friendly interface offers personalized investment recommendations and expert insights, supported by an AI-driven recommendation engine. Beyond U.S. stocks, the platform plans to expand its offerings to include Indian mutual funds, stocks, fixed deposits, and other domestic financial products, aiming to become the go-to financial destination for one billion Indians.

Mr. Prashant Kumar, Chairman of YES Securities (India) Limited, said, “Our partnership with Appreciate signifies a landmark moment where 1.4 billion Indians gain the unique opportunity to not only invest but to truly create wealth, now with seamless access to overseas markets. I firmly believe that this collaboration is not just about expanding our scale and distribution; it’s about elevating the standard of service we provide to our customers. Together, we see an exciting journey of innovation and growth that will have a lasting impact for years to come.”

Ms. Priya Naik, Founder and CEO of Samhita said, “Our partnership with Appreciate to drive financial literacy and empowerment using digital learning supplemented by digital saving and investing tools will provide support to women and those sections of society that are beginning their saving and investment journeys.  This is a key step to help 1.4 billion Indians build resilience through a regular saving and investing habit.”

In addition to providing a full suite of savings and investment products for consumers, Appreciate also has a strong B2B technology solution stack across investments, remittances, financial distributor management, cash management, credit sourcing, credit scoring, and Gen-AI applications.  The company works with multiple financial sector customers to embed these B2B technology solutions into B2B customer applications and customer interfaces, enabling B2B customers to achieve their product and customer goals better and faster.

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Tentacle has recently entered the field of ground power unit (GPU) manufacturing by launching its innovative new product, Tentacell. It marks an important step forward in the government’s Make in India initiative and the company’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology with a focus on performance, efficiency, and user satisfaction. The product recently received Innovation Excellence Award at the recently concluded Wings India 2024, held during January 18-21 in Hyderabad.

Tentacell is crafted as a next-generation smart GPU, specifically designed to elevate aviators’ performance and efficiency to unprecedented heights. With a focus on aviator comfort and ergonomics, Tentacell redefines the core purpose of a GPU, offering a seamless blend of cutting-edge technology and user-centric design for an unparalleled GPU experience in aviation.

It is a next-generation smart GPU that redefines simplicity and groundbreaking innovation. Proudly made in India, it is the world’s first Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled portable GPU. Boasting a feather-light design with a 50% weight reduction compared to traditional GPUs, Tentacell prioritizes manoeuvrability and ease of use. Its 75% efficiency enhancement during startup and charging propels operational speed to new heights, ensuring swift and reliable GPU performance.  However, Tentacell aims to be more than just a GPU; it’s a commitment to sustainability. The inclusion of a unique Solar Power Unit reduces dependence on traditional power sources, cutting costs and minimizing the environmental footprint. With a built-in Battery Management System (BMS) ensuring safety and longevity, Tentacell stands as a beacon of reliability. Be it aviation, defense, medical evacuations, or research, Tentacell’s versatility across aircraft and diverse applications showcases its adaptability. The IoT integration enables remote monitoring, providing real-time insights into GPU health and usage.

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List of services include – Aadhaar Enabled Payment Services, Micro ATM Services, Domestic Money Transfers, Mobile & DTH Recharges and Bill Payments

For the initial launch, Hitachi Payment Services has partnered with YES BANK, demonstrating its commitment to collaborative efforts for financial inclusion. The partnership leverages YES BANK’s strong banking expertise and Hitachi Payment Services’ extensive network and technology infrastructure to provide reliable and secure financial services to the underserved.

The financial inclusion business will be operated under the brand ‘Hitachi Money Spot Plus’ through a network of retailers called Hitachi Partners and will have a strong focus in Tier 3 to Tier 6 towns across the country. Driving financial empowerment and innovation, the array of services under financial inclusion business has been made available through its comprehensive app ‘Hitachi Money Spot Plus’ on Google Playstore. The app provides a convenient one-stop platform for financial services and this digital approach complements the Hitachi Partners network, ensuring accessibility and seamless service delivery across the country.

On the launch of the financial inclusion initiative, Anuj Khosla, Chief Executive Officer – Digital Business, Hitachi Payment Services, said, “The remarkable growth of internet penetration and financial literacy in India, especially in our rural communities, presents an urgent call for a resilient payment infrastructure that can keep pace with this rapid expansion. Retailers and merchants are the last mile touchpoints, enabling easy access to finance for customers. Recognizing this, we are extending our services to include financial inclusion initiatives. In essence, we are not just building a payment infrastructure; we are building bridges to financial empowerment and contributing to the nation’s progress.”

Mr. Naveen Chaluvadi, Chief Digital Officer at YES BANK, said “YES BANK has partnered with Hitachi Payment Services to launch Hitachi Money Spot Plus as part of our commitment to promote financial inclusion. This initiative is aimed at enabling financial transactions at hinterlands, focus on taking digital benefits to last mile in an assisted digital mode”.

Anuj Saraswat, Business Head, Financial Services & Inclusion, Hitachi Payment Services, stated “At Hitachi Payment Services, innovation and financial empowerment are the guiding principles that drive everything we do. We believe that everyone should have access to the financial tools and resources that they require to progress, and we are committed to using technology to make that a reality. Our mission is to bridge the financial divide to empower individuals and communities to thrive. With ‘Hitachi Money Spot Plus’ we have embarked on a transformative journey to build a more inclusive financial ecosystem in India.”

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The HPX initiative will collaborate with disruptors in the fintech and payments domain to deliver “superior payment experiences through groundbreaking innovation” for both businesses and consumers.

This programme will serve as a platform to unite diverse entrepreneurs who have been diligently crafting technology-driven solutions to shape the future of payments.

Participants in the HPX will get access to capital, an expedited path to commercialize innovative payment solutions, connections with key industry partners, and the opportunity to expand their reach beyond the borders of India.

As part of HPX, the company will concentrate on key segments, including core banking, banking as a service, embedded finance, Web3/CBDC, issuance, payments compliance, and AI/generative AI.
Hitachi Payment offers a range of payment solutions, including ATM services, cash recycling machines, white-label ATMs, POS solutions, toll & transit solutions, and payment gateway solutions.

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With this launch, the Hitachi Group has extended its association with Plug and Play in Asia Pacific. Plug and Play already has an existing association with Hitachi group in Japan and the United States.

This partnership’s primary objective is to bring innovative products and platforms into the Hitachi Payments ecosystem. It seeks to provide start-ups the capital, integration with the Hitachi Payments’ stack, access to extensive customer network and platform to launch and scale up. Additionally, it will endeavour to expand the impact of these solutions beyond India, accelerating the growth and innovation of the global fintech industry.

Hitachi Payments has been at the forefront of the digital payment revolution in India, bringing innovative solutions that have furthered merchant acceptance, as well as enabled accessibility of digital payments for the masses.

Anuj Khosla, Chief Executive Officer – Digital Business, Hitachi Payment Services, said, “Hitachi Payments is committed towards innovating and introducing new technologies to enhance the overall merchant and customer digital payments journey. The Digital Payments Innovation Hub will help in building future-ready offerings in the digital payments arena. The collaboration aims at investing in, co-creating, and deploying cutting-edge digital payment and fintech solutions that cater to the evolving needs of businesses and consumers.  It is an exciting time for the Indian fintech ecosystem, and we look forward to working closely with Plug and Play and start-ups to drive growth and innovation in the payments industry.”

Jupe Tan, Managing Partner of Plug and Play APAC, said, “We are delighted to be working with Hitachi Payments and to be able to deepen our relationship with the overall Hitachi group. Our goal is to provide Hitachi Payments with a line-of-sight into the most innovative start-ups that are shaping the financial services industry across India and Asia Pacific.”

Hitachi Payments is a pioneer in the payment industry in India, offering a comprehensive range of end-to-end payment solutions including ATM Services, Cash Recycling Machines, White Label ATMs, POS Solutions, Toll & Transit Solutions, Payment Gateway Solutions and innovative offerings such as SoftPOS, POS Value Added Services and Digital Merchant Onboarding. The company is committed to delivering exceptional customer experiences and driving financial inclusion across India.

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The primary goal is to enhance the ease of doing business for women entrepreneurs across India by improving their access to information and uptake of public schemes and initiatives.

The Sarthika web portal (https://www.tide.co/en-in/wehub-tide/) will work at the grassroots level and help navigate through the application process, eligibility criteria, and other important aspects of the schemes. After the completion of full KYC process, Tide India and WE Hub will work with relevant government departments to quicken operationalisation of the schemes.

The programme’s first phase consists of three schemes

• Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP): Focuses on credit subsidy for self-employment.
• Raw Material Assistance Scheme: Offers access to higher quality raw materials.
• Barcode Registration Subsidy: Enables businesses to conform to global standards of trade and commerce.

The government has rolled out several measures to boost growth and opportunities for women in business. However, a lack of information about eligibility and availability of schemes, poor allocation of resources, and complex processes have led to weak demand from those who these schemes could best serve.

WE Hub CEO Deepthi Ravula said, “Enabling access and opportunity for women to partake in the economic workforce of the nation is of pivotal importance to the growth of the nation. While there have been efforts to ease this process, awareness and handholding support is often amiss. In our collaboration with Tide, we are looking at addressing this problem statement and are positive that this will lead to a monumental change!”

This move also elevates Tide’s India Chapter of ‘Women in Business’ and the company’s plan to work as an incubator to digitally transform women-led SMEs beyond Tier 2 and 3 regions of India.

Earlier this year, Tide conducted a mentorship programme for women entrepreneurs to decode the Union Budget 2023 and help them understand how new government policies, tax laws, and funding opportunities may affect their businesses.

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Now the company continues to add to its list of “firsts” with the launch of its Investor portal, a first of its kind initiative in the Indian private equity space which sets the gold standard for investor reporting and transparency.

The SEBI regulated Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) provided investors an opportunity to participate in the warehousing sector across the asset creation cycle right from the land buying stage and through the leasing, development and exit of the asset with a potential to earn attractive returns.

The investor portal is a web-based service which an investor can access using a PAN number and OTP based login. The portal is organized in to two key sections- a document repository and the investment and portfolio dashboard.

The document repository provides the investor with a repository of all investment documents including the private placement memorandum, copies of executed on-boarding documents and contribution agreement, historical and current statements of account, tax statements, quarterly investor reports, etc. 

The investment and portfolio dashboard offers investors a comprehensive summary of their investments and underlying assets. This includes investment amount, drawdown amounts, next drawdown date, current investment value, investment breakdown by asset, total square footage of the portfolio by asset, development and leasing status, and granular information on each asset, such as construction progress and leasing status. This level of detail helps address the issue of limited visibility on investment performance often associated with private equity funds.

Anshul Singhal, Managing director, Welspun One said, “As a fund manager, our fiduciary duty to our investors is paramount and ensuring that our investors have seamless and transparent access to investment performance information is an important component of this. This initiative is also an extension of the Welspun Groups ethos of customer centricity and strong emphasis on being a market leader in ESG practices across each of its businesses.”

Welspun One Logistics Parks Fund 1 has invested its entire Rs 500 crore corpus across six investments in five cities, totaling 6.6 million sq ft of gross leasable area, and plans to deliver approximately 50% of this portfolio by 1QFY24. The company also has an active pipeline of around 600 acres of land, which will allow the development of 12-13 million sq ft of warehousing space. Over the next 4-5 years, the company aims to develop a portfolio of 20-25 million sq ft across first and last mile facilities in Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities throughout India.

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The platform aims to bridge the gap between farmers and customers, expand the food product distribution network for farmers and other stakeholders in domestic markets, and provide timely access to finance for FPOs/agribusinesses for community infrastructure in terms of storage and transportation.
It also has walk-in Agrani centres that act as the physical outlets for all platform services to the stakeholders.

Navneet Ravikar, Chairman and MD of Leads Connect Services, said, “Through Agrani, we’re aiming to provide stage wise agronomy advisories such as impact of weather, biophysical, and crop management practises on yield productivity.”

“We’ve created agricultural credit and value chain scores for seamless, and efficient farm lending with electronic applications, disbursal of loans, insurance pay-outs linked to weather, field data all this aimed to benefit transfers in agriculture and help farmers struggling to get timely access to finance,” he added.

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The BOLT LITE charging sockets are available at an introductory price of INR 2,599 ($32).

BOLT LITE has been designed to address all the issues arising from ineffective home charging. It is compatible with two, three and four-wheel EVs, requires no additional infrastructure, and can be installed in under 30 minutes with little to no maintenance. 

It offers dual layer protection with an in-built MCB that automatically switches off electrical circuits during any abnormal condition in the electrical network, such as overload and short circuit conditions. Furthermore, the smart energy meter provides bifurcation for energy consumed by the BOLT LITE charging socket vs the home’s power supply via the BOLT app. 

BOLT LITE is IP65 certified and therefore provides complete protection from dust, oil, water and other non-corrosive material and can endure all weather conditions. BOLT LITE gives an efficient power transfer, and users get faster charging to help ensure their EV is fully charged overnight.

It is also IoT-enabled and helps connect EV users across the country. It comes with an energy calculator to monitor power consumption and gives users access to a lifetime of passive income. 

Owners can choose to switch the device status between ‘Public’ and ‘Private’, where ‘Public’ charging sockets are open to the public and are available for booking on the BOLT app. The charging sockets marked as ‘Private’ are exclusively for the use of device owners. 

Furthermore, BOLT LITE can be operated with or without the BOLT app and supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and WiFi communication. When set to private mode, BOLT LITE does not require the internet or the BOLT app to be operated.

Consumers can place an order for BOLT LITE via the BOLT website, any of the channel partners or dealers/distributors. BOLT has partnered with more than 25 OEMs globally, including seven out of the top 10 OEMs in India, to build a safe, smart and connected ecosystem for electric vehicles.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, India has more than 1.3 million EVs on the road as of August 2022. This year’s EV sales have gone up over 3x compared to FY 2020-21. 

India targets to achieve EV sales penetration of 30 per cent for private cars, 70 per cent for commercial vehicles and 80 per cent for two and three-wheelers by 2030. India needs safe, smart and affordable EV charging solutions for homes to achieve this. The presence of safe EV chargers at home not only provides users with the convenience of charging their EVs but also boosts confidence among people considering purchasing them.

According to reports, more than 80 per cent of EV owners charge their vehicles at home due to the convenience and low cost of residential charging. Most EVs come with an onboard charger which allows users to plug their vehicles into a standard 15A charging socket directly. 

However, apart from being slow and least energy efficient, these sockets do not offer any direct safety or monitoring features and are not recommended for long-term EV charging. Unsafe charging at home using a standard 15A socket can result in sudden power surges, damaging the EV battery. 

News reports of EV batteries bursting into fire and creating blazes in India have been primarily due to the owner not knowing how to charge a battery safely. EV users also face challenges with power theft, access control and unidentified energy consumption in shared parking spaces.

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Natural Battery Technologies’ lithium-ion-based inverter batteries store high volumes of power with a range of steady output that ranges from 1kVA to 50kVA; thus, they are ideal for use as UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply). They are safe to keep in any setting and can last up to ten times longer than Lead Acid alternatives. Li-ion batteries are also leakproof and spill-proof; they work efficiently as Telecom Tower Energy Storage, GIS Backup batteries, etcetera; They offers customization with respect to the battery storage capacity as desired by the client. 

According to Puneet Jain, Founder of Natural Battery Technologies, “The ideology of Natural Battery Technologies since inception has been to create sustainable and clean energy that does not compromise performance output. Our breakthrough innovations in Li-ion technology have been a major differentiator for us in this space.

In the words of Saurabh Patawari, Co-founder Natural Battery Technologies, “Our new inverter batteries have been developed as a safer alternative to lead-acid batteries that are not hazardous to the environment and have a very short life span than our Li-ion batteries, which last five times longer. Made for both home and commercial use, these are lean machines of solar energy storage with optimal power outflow.”

India’s lithium-ion battery market is expected to reach USD 4.85 billion by 2027 and projected a CAGR of 17.23% during the forecast period of 2022-2027. The increasing recycling activities of lithium-ion batteries in the country are expected to secure the supply of raw materials and reduce the reliance on extracting materials from natural resources. Our breakthrough innovations in the Li-ion technology segment have been a major differentiator for us.

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