Category: Business & Economy

** Making waves

Two musicians from Bengaluru fusion band, MoonArra, are the latest guests on the celebrated Watford Jazz Junction Podcast, based in London.

City-based composer and guitarist Jagadeesh Ramanujam Mudambi and vocalist and songwriter Madhuri Jagadeesh founded the fusion music group MoonArra in 2006.

The band blends together the interactions and collective influences of Indian classical, jazz and world music. MoonArra — meaning ‘three streams’ — collaborates and connects with musicians and audiences worldwide, with a mission to share the messages of peace and harmony, goodwill and tolerance.

** Startups, crypto platforms among Bengaluru Impact awardees

The Bengaluru Impact awards were given away on Day 2 of Bengaluru Tech Summit 2021, to a number of recent as well as established startups from Karnataka. Bigbasket, Apna, Meesho, Curefit, Blackbuck were among those which took home the laurels, watched by a startup audience with participants from deep tech and medtech.

Fintech companies were also present, particularly CoinSwitch Kuber, a crypto exchange platform where more than 100 cryptos like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple etc can be traded at the best rate, and which offer a variety of payment options. 

Among the fintech awardees present were Zerodha, Cred and Groww. One of the awardees was online gaming platform Mobile Premier League (MPL). The lack of women entrepreneurs on stage was apparent, with an all-male fraternity gathering to receive awards.

** Infosys Foundation cardiac facility inaugurated at Jayadeva

With 1,800 cardiac beds, Jayadeva becomes largest heart care destination in the country

With the inauguration of the 350-bed Infosys Foundation cardiac hospital complex on its premises, the State-run Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research is now better equipped to accommodate increasing daily caseload for cardiac emergencies and elective cardiac care.

With the addition, Jayadeva Hospitals will have a total of 1,800 cardiac beds making it the largest heart care destination in the country, including the ones at Bengaluru, Kalaburagi, and Mysuru centres.

** BTS 2021: Beyond Bengaluru Startup Grid launched, 40 startups already on board

Aim is to take 5,000 startups to growth clusters across Karnataka

Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), a special entity with a mandate to take enterprises beyond the State capital, launched its ‘Beyond Bengaluru Startup Grid’ to facilitate network access, market access, mentor access and investment access for startups.

** IISc. study identifies biomarkers to predict progression in brain tumour

The team included researchers from the Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering (BSSE) at IISc., the Mazumdar Shaw Center for Translational Research and Mazumdar Shaw Medical Foundation.

** Karnataka set to become world leader in visual effects, gaming

State has 71 studios that develop hundreds of games and apps

Karnataka is poised to become a world-class hub for the AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) industry by 2025 as the State has been successful in positioning itself as the knowledge driver in storytelling for the global audience, said ABAI, an industry association that represents the sector.

** HCL, Applied Material, others to invest ₹5,000 crore in Karnataka

Tech firm HCL already has a significant presence in Bengaluru. U.S-based Applied Materials, Inc. supplies equipment, services and software for the manufacture of semiconductor (integrated circuit) chips for electronics, flat panel displays for computers, smartphones, televisions, and solar products. Rakon India is an electronic manufacturer while Noida-based Chint Electric makes isolator switches.

** Karnataka’s only govt cancer hospital backs giving cervical cancer vaccine to students

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in India and the only type of cancer which can be prevented with a vaccine. Yet, awareness on both screening for this cancer and the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to prevent it remains low.

Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology Cancer Research and Training Centre, the only government cancer hospital in Karnataka, sees nearly 1500 cases of cervical cancer each year, most of whom come in the late stages.

** Tech company offers farmers alternative to burning stubble

Disposing stubble after a yield is necessary to facilitate the next crop cycle, but constributes to air pollution

A Bengaluru-based firm is offering a microbial bioenzyme developed by Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) to help farmers across India dispose stubble (crop residue) on their farms responsibly.

Stubble decomposes within 25 days of spraying the bioenzyme, named Pusa Decomposer, and gets converted into manure, thereby improving the quality of soil, claims the company, which is also offering a free spraying service.

Dhruv Sawhney, COO and Business Head, nurture.farm