Most cryptocurrency enthusiasts see Ethereum as a project that has a lot of potential. Itstechnology most notablysmart contracts is certainly worth exploring. Unfortunately, any new form of technology will also attract people with less-than-honest intentions. The Ethereum ecosystem has become a home to cybercrime in a disturbing way. Millions of dollars have been stolen over the past few years, and it looks like things will not be improving anytime soon.

Most Ethereum enthusiasts will agree that the technology used by project developers leaves much to be desired. This is especially true on the security front. Some very disturbing exploits have been discovered and taken advantage of in recentyears. A new post on the Chainalysis blog explains how cybercrime related to Ethereum is on the rise, as it has proven to be a very profitable undertaking. Whether a DAO or cryptocurrency ICO, hackers will exploit any weakness they can find.

Cryptocurrency userswill remember how Ethereum started gaining a lot of momentum when The Dao was announced. This massive project had a lot of promise, and itsbusiness model is still considered to be solid to this very day. Unfortunately for The DAO and the team behind this project, their dream concept quickly turned into a nightmare. Raising around US$177 million in funding was a big milestone, but was also bound to attract criminals. It did not take all that long for smart contract flaws to be discovered, eventually leading to 40% of all ICO funds being stolen. Some of this money was eventually recovered, but it showed how immature the technology was at that time.

Unfortunately for Ethereum, things have not improved all that much in the past year. Cryptocurrency ICOs have become more popular than ever. Not only do these crowdsales cripple the blockchain on a regular basis, there is also a significantsecurity risk associated with such projects. There are dozens of scam sites and phishing attempts to steal investors funds in one way or another. According to Chainalysis, around 10% of Ethereum holdings inICO investments are in the hands of criminals. This means nearly US$150 million worth of Ether has fallen into the wrong hands. Thatis a substantial amount that will most likely never be recovered.

As more cryptocurrency ICOs take place, there will naturally be more ERC20 tokens. That in itself is not a big deal, for the time being. With over US$1.6 billion raised by most recent projects, there is a lot of money movingaround in the cryptocurrency world. This will always attract people with both honest and malicious intentions alike. In a recent incident, one cryptocurrency ICO saw the smart contract address on itswebsite changed by a hacker. This situation was resolved quickly, but not before some customers had sent a lot of money to the wrong address as a result.

Bugs found in the code used by Ethereum-based projects are just one of the potential threats. Phishing attacks are the main concern, with the number of victims well above the 16,000 mark. Exploits are the second-most commonthreat, followed by effective hacks and Ponzi Schemes. All of this goes toshow that most projects themselves have nothing but honest intentions. Whether or not that will remain to be the case is anybodys guess.

Having entities such as Chainalysis keep tabs on these trends and highlight bad elements is quite beneficial to the Ethereum community as a whole. Clearly there is work to be done in this regard. The technology itself is improving, which is a positive trend. Protecting users from phishing attacks is a different matter altogether. If auser cannot tell the difference between a fake and genuine email or website, there is very little project operators can do to make it more obvious.

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Cybercrime Is on the Rise in the Ethereum Ecosystem - The Merkle

MUMBAI: Managing relations with founders and key stakeholders has emerged as a vital lesson for CEOs from the Infosys saga. Industry leaders and HR experts said transformation of an enterprise such as Infosys, which is steeped in legacy, especially with an outsider CEO, was not possible without a clear alignment with the company's founders. At the same time, experts said promoters, too, need to change their outlook and not confuse the values of an organisation with personal lifestyles.

"To me, this is an organisation culture crisis," said Harsh Goenka, chairman of RPG Enterprises. "Mr Narayana Murthy, by far one of India Inc's most respected leaders, is known to lead a frugal life. Simplicity is in the DNA of many promoters who have built their organisations from scratch. On the other hand, Dr Vishal Sikka, an exemplary global CEO, is a professional who wanted to steer Infosys the way he deemed right and with the board's approval. What emerges from this as well as the Tata-Mistry episode, which is equally painful, is changing relationship dynamics between founders and key stakeholders in today's day and age."

According to K Sudarshan, managing partner of EMA Partners India, there is a fundamental disconnect between the CEO and the key founder. "A transformation is not possible in this environment. How much ever Sikka can do, you cannot wish away the fact that the company was built the way it was.

The founders have their eyes and ears in the organisation and any CEO would be under scrutiny till such time there is mutual trust. At the same time, it is critical for the business to set up a CEO for success, else even the best of them will fail," said Sudarshan.

The lesson is critical as the next CEO, too, would require support from all key stakeholders to make an impact. Ronesh Puri, managing director of Executive Access, said, "One can draw a lot of parallels between what happened at the Tatas and now at Infosys. The promoters are highly accomplished people with a great track record and an awesome reputation, so there is bound to be a lot of emotion at play. Any CEO who tries to change the ecosystem and values of an organisation without proper buy-in from key promoters will not succeed. Nobody gets a blank cheque in today's world."

Several promoter-driven companies today have professional CEOs and the reason they run like well-oiled machines has a lot to do with clarity on individual roles, mutual respect and a good rapport between the CEO and the founder as also the board and the founder. Infosys appears to have failed on many of these counts, except that Sikka had strong support from the board.

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Sikka saga: CEOs must be able to manage ecosystem, say industry experts - Times of India

BENGALURU: At a time when foreign capital primarily continues to fund Indias startup ecosystem, Nandan Nilekani, former chief executive of Infosys Technologies, pointed out that there were signs that domestic investors were beginning to weigh in as well.

The architect of Aadhaar said that while the spends by domestic pools of capital were yet to be at par with global investors, who have poured in billions into the countrys new economy ventures, the increase in activity was encouraging.

There are certainly now a number of Indian startups that are willing to invest now. It may not be at the level, of say, SoftBank, but theres certainly a lot more of it coming in now, Nilekani said, as part of a panel, at The Economic Times Startup Awards on Friday.

The panellists discussing the topic of the evening, Growing Pains: managing culture, scale and returns, also included Sachin Bansal, executive chairman of Flipkart, Rajan Anandan, vice-president, South-East Asia and India, Google, Naveen Tewari, chief executive, InMobi, and Falguni Nayar, CEO, Nykaa.

Once again touching upon the rather sensitive topic of a sensitive playing field, Bansal said entrepreneurship in the country needed to be nurtured.

There are some areas where Indian companies tend to be at a disadvantage as compared to global counterparts. We need to create a level playing field for them so that they are able to use their best capabilities to make an impact to customers and reap the best advantages of the investments they are getting, Bansal said.

We are seeing government outreach and they ask us about the problems we face on the way to scaling up. The new environment for smaller companies is pretty conducive, he added.

The comments come at a time when the startup ecosystem is, once again, beginning to see an uptick in funding after a rather barren 12-18 months that saw investors adopt a more cautious approach as they looked to rejig their portfolios and focus more on returns.

According to Naveen Tewari, chief executive of InMobi, the first startup that emerged from the country to gain the Unicorn status, it is exactly at times like these that ventures, and their founders, have to adapt.

Drying up of capital has different consequences in different environments Capital will follow where great talents go, Tewari said.

The animated discussion on the dais also addressed a burning issue that continues to hold greater relevance not just in India, but also globally - the need for more women in entrepreneurship.

At a time when Silicon Valley, the Mecca of startups, is coming under increasing scrutiny for the lack of female representation in the startup ecosystem, the demands for greater gender diversity has only become more strident.

Starting from the top, one has to show that they care for the consumer, for the business and for the employee. Maybe that comes more naturally to women. Once you show that, it becomes the culture of the company, pointed out Falguni Nayar, chief executive of online beauty retailer, Nykaa.

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Encouraging signs of more domestic capital in the startup ecosystem ... - Economic Times

I am writing in response to an Aug. 15 guest editorial published in The Independent by Jim Ammons, chairman of the Arizona Game and Fish Dept., concerning the Mexican Gray wold recovery plan. He indicated that originally, there were seven wolves left. That was in 1998. Now there are approximately 113. That does indicate progress but marginal progress at best. To a large extent, the increase can be attributed to the Endangered Species Act and locally, the work of the AZGF.

Unfortunately, even with the ESA, recovery has been slow due to poaching and the failure of states to release wolves. And, the ESA is currently under attack.

According to David Parsons, former Wolf Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are plans to hand over to states the management of wolves. The last time states managed wolf recovery their numbers decreased by 24 percent.

I believe this is not a wolf problem but a rancher problem. Ranchers have lobbyists and wolves do not. Wolves were removed via a bounty system, at taxpayer expense, to the point there were seven left. Currently, a cow and a calf are allowed to graze on public land for a year for $2.36. Unfortunately, this is about money.

Wolves are critical beneficial components of our ecosystem. Cows are not. This is setup for failure. If cows die, wolves die. Get the cows off of public land, our land, where the wolves are. They belong there. These issues need to be considered.

Patrick Stocks,

Show Low

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Wolves are critical to ecosystem - White Mountain Independent

The Texas Water Resources Institute's Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Education Program will host a free workshop from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 in McKinney for area residents interested in land and water stewardship in the Upper Trinity/Denton County and Lavon Lake watershed.

The workshop will be at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary, 1 Nature Place, with the morning session in the museum. The afternoon session will include a walk and presentations along a creek at the sanctuary.

The workshop is co-hosted by the North Texas Municipal Water District, Upper Trinity Regional Water District, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offices in Denton and Collin counties, and the Texas Water Resources Institute.

The program will include a lunchtime presentation. A catered lunch is available for $10 or participants may bring their own lunch.

Register for lunch online at http://bit.ly/2hOaHb5 or pay cash at the door.

Attendees must RSVP by Sept. 8 to Nikki Dictson at 979-575-4424, via email ton-dictson@tamu.edu or online at http://nrt.tamu.edu/schedule/.

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Riparian, stream ecosystem workshop set for Sept. 13 - Denton Record Chronicle

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NICE inContact (Nasdaq:NICE) today announced that SpiceCSM has joined the DEVone development program and has products available on CXexchange, the most extensive technology ecosystem currently available in the customer experience market. Products available on the CXexchange marketplace are designed to integrate with NICE inContact CXone, the worlds #1 cloud customer experience platform. SpiceCSM enables customers to easily create a Customer Engagement Hub that further extends the CXone platform by integrating existing systems and data sources into a unified interface for agents with powerful automated and guided workflows.

NICE inContact CXone empowers organizations to provide an exceptional customer experience by acting smarter and responding faster to ever-changing consumer expectations. To meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, CXone combines best-in-class Omnichannel Routing, Workforce Optimization, Analytics, Automation and Artificial Intelligenceall on an Open Cloud Foundation.

NICE inContact customers will benefit from SpiceCSM through its ability to further enhance the customer experience by:

Customers wanting to expand their customer experience capabilities, while removing expensive and time-consuming technology hurdles, turn to SpiceCSM for its broad applicability in contact center environments and very quick return on investment.

SpiceCSM is excited about partnering with NICE inContact to enable customers to easily create a complete Unified Customer Engagement Hub that further extends the CXone platform," says Mike Ryan, CEO of SpiceCSM. "We make possible a modern, application-focused approach leveraging existing systems and data sources now available on CXexchange. This provides powerful, automated and guided workflows that are often built and refined by internal citizen architects and business users who immediately transform the enterprise."

Customers of both NICE inContact and SpiceCSM have realized tremendous value across many industries for use cases ranging from sales to healthcare benefits support, customer service, and business process outsourcing. Typical benefits seen include much lower handle times, higher employee retention, improved customer satisfaction, reduced training times, and higher quality in data capture and call documentation.

Paul Jarman, CEO, inContact: Contact center operations vary so vastly company to company and CXone customers can leverage our Open Cloud Foundation to customize the system for their contact center operations. The platform includes DEVone with extensive developer resources and CXexchange with the most extensive ecosystem of any cloud provider. We welcome SpiceCSM as part of the CXexchange marketplace.

DEVone offers partners broad tools and resources to enable them to create new applications on CXone including extensive documentation and support, and access to an online developer community. Companies interested in how SpiceCSM works with CXone can visit CXexchange to view the application, see a demo and read reviews. CXexchange is a centralized, state-of-the-art marketplace for developers to market and sell their CXone-based applications.

About NICE inContact NICE (Nasdaq:NICE) is the worldwide leading provider of both cloud and on-premises enterprise software solutions that empower organizations to make smarter decisions based on advanced analytics of structured and unstructured data. NICE helps organizations of all sizes deliver better customer service, ensure compliance, combat fraud and safeguard citizens. Over 25,000 organizations in more than 150 countries, including over 85 of the Fortune 100 companies, are using NICE solutions. http://www.nice.com.

NICE inContact is the cloud contact center software leader, with the most complete, easiest and most reliable solution to help organizations achieve their customer experience goals. Recognized as a market leader by Gartner, IDC, Frost & Sullivan, Ovum and DMG, inContact continuously innovates in the cloud and is the only provider to offer a complete solution that includes NICE inContact CXone cloud, an expert service model and the broadest partner ecosystem. http://www.incontact.com

ABOUT SPICECSM SpiceCSM is the leading platform for creating a digital ecosystem that connects disparate systems, people, and processes, and orchestrates interactions to greatly enhance the user experience and better leverage existing infrastructure. Combining a powerful integration platform, robust business rules and work-flow engines, intelligent robotic process automation, and a unified interface with dashboard and analytics, SpiceCSM allows organizations unparalleled capabilities to innovate and transform their business operations without expensive, time consuming rip and replace initiatives. To learn more about SpiceCSM, visit http://www.spicecsm.com.

Trademark Note: NICE and the NICE logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NICE Ltd. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners. For a full list of NICEs marks, please see: http://www.nice.com/nice-trademarks.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements, including the statements by Mr. Jarman, are based on the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of NICE Ltd. (the Company). In some cases, such forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as believe, expect, may, will, intend, project, plan, estimate or similar words. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results or performance of the Company to differ materially from those described herein, including but not limited to the impact of the global economic environment on the Companys customer base (particularly financial services firms) potentially impacting our business and financial condition; competition; changes in technology and market requirements; decline in demand for the Company's products; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications; difficulties or delays in absorbing and integrating acquired operations, products, technologies and personnel; loss of market share; an inability to maintain certain marketing and distribution arrangements; and the effect of newly enacted or modified laws, regulation or standards on the Company and our products. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting the company, refer to the Company's reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Companys Annual Report on Form 20-F. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise them, except as required by law.

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SpiceCSM Joins NICE inContact DEVone Ecosystem to Provide ... - Business Wire (press release)

By Saurabh Kamdar

In purchasing parity terms, per capita income in India is the second-highest compared with its four immediate south Asian neighbours.

Yet a cylinder of cooking gas (liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG) in Pakistan and Nepal costs twice as much as in India, and ~40 per cent more in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Clearly, these countries with far more difficult developmental challenges have bitten the bullet.

In the context, the Narendra Modi government's move this week to hike LPG prices by Rs 4 every month is exactly what the doctor ordered. Just as would be the reported move to raise the price of kerosene by 25 paise every fortnight.

To be sure, LPG prices by itself are not the sole barometer of any government's commitment to extending affordable services. The ability to invest in infrastructure, making services -including revenue models -efficient and viable, while simultaneously extending subsidy to the economically deserving class, actually matter more.

The government seems seized of this and has looked at access to LPG from social, health and environment perspectives.

Switching from wood to LPG reduces net carbon emissions by 67 per cent, according to a study by World LP Gas Association. Estimates are that annually, a non-LPG household -and there are 8 crore of them -consumes wood equal to 10 trees, so the environmental gains from proliferation of LPG are humongous.

Chronic exposure to smoke from the burning of traditional cooking fuels such as firewood and cow dung is said to cause ailments such as asthma and bronchitis. Reasons why LPG connectivity is crucial from a health perspective.

But any attempt to strike a balance between economic and social compulsions throws up challenges, and the politically easier path to take in the case of LPG would be to continue with generalised subsidy .

To be sure, subsidy is a sensitive issue, especially because it affects the livelihood of the poor. And more so since it protects them from market-price vagaries and facilitates sustenance.

Last fiscal alone, under-recoveries in LPG and kerosene tantamount to Rs 20,000 crore. This year's Union Budget has set aside Rs 25,000 crore for oil sector subsidy. And one past attempt to rationalise -ration would a better word, actually -consumption of subsidised LPG cylinders at homes had limited impact because, after setting an annual quota of 6 per year, the number was revised to 9 and eventually to 12 under political pressure, which pulled things back to square one.

The Modi government has adopted a different approach by limiting the amount of subsidy it bears per cylinder.Not surprisingly, as a proportion of the price of a cylinder, subsidy has been reducing. Of course good luck in the form of falling crude prices have played a very important role here. To its credit, the government has been trying to wean people away from subsidy in a methodical manner: it's sourcing more LPG, is ramping up infrastructure or supply and distribution -especially last-mile connectivity -and extending connections to below poverty line (BPL) households through the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

Most importantly, the government has been extraordinarily successful in persuading tens of thousands that didn't need subsidy to Rs Give It Up' voluntarily.

It is also trying to tackle illegal diversion of domestic gas for commercial usage, which in a country as large as India is very difficult to curb completely.What creates room for such sharp practices is a 35 per cent cost differential between a commercial LPG cylinder (Rs 1,000 for a 19 kg cylinder) and a domestic one (Rs 477 for a 14.2 kg cylinder).

The government's approach has been two-pronged: one, target reduction in subsidy and consequently increase the capacity to invest in infrastructure, and two, continue extending benefits to BPL households through PMUY.

Indeed, these are stepping stones to creating open-market efficiencies, and in a progressive society, generic subsidies should be avoided for they are fiscally debilitating incentives and end up creating moral hazards.

Open markets always attract investments, and competition results in better services to consumers. At the end of the day, revenue models have to be viable, too. An efficient LPG ecosystem that offers access to cleaner fuel for the masses at fair prices, and which doesn't haemorrhage through wanton subsidies -or one where subsidies are reinstated at the first sign of political pressure -would indeed qualify as a fairly viable business model.

India's LPG ecosystem seems to be finally taking that road, towards longterm sustainability, by limiting subsidy to only the most deserving lot. Clearly, good economics is good politics.

(Author is Director, CRISIL Infrastructure Advisory)

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View: What's cooking? A healthy LPG ecosystem is what - Economic Times

August 1, 2017 Common murres flying with forage fish (likely anchovy) in their mouths near their breeding ground on the Farallon Islands off San Francisco. Credit: Point Blue Conservation Science

Interpreting relationships between species and their environments is crucial to inform ecosystem-based management (EBM), a priority for NOAA Fisheries. EBM recognizes the diverse interactions within an ecosystemincluding human impactsso NOAA Fisheries can consider resource tradeoffs that help protect and sustain productive ecosystems and the services they provide.

In the coastal ocean of Californiaseabird predators, forage fish on which they feed, and the survival of salmon out-migrating to sea are each of particular interest, and an improved understanding of their interactions could in turn improve the management of the ocean ecosystem.

For example, in the California Current, understanding the interactions between predator seabirds, forage fish in the coastal ocean and out-migrating salmon from San Francisco Bay could improve the understanding of salmon early survival in the ocean and a measure of the possible strength of the year class return.

In the Gulf of the Farallones, new research by scientists from NOAA Fisheries' Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Point Blue Conservation Science, H.T. Harvey and Associates, University of California Santa Cruz, U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that the common murre, a small ocean seabird, can make a difference in the number of salmon that survive to return as adults. This is especially true when ocean conditions cause the murres to feed primarily on salmon and anchovy. The research has been published online in the Journal of Marine Systems, and will be included in the journal's October print issue.

Large colonies of more than 500,000 common murres nest throughout the Gulf of the Farallones, offshore of San Francisco. In typical years, with nutrient-rich water welling up from the depths, the murres prey primarily on young rockfish around their offshore breeding sites.

When ocean conditions change, and the upwelling falters, young rockfish that are the typical prey for the murres become scarce. Then the murres switch, feeding instead on adult northern anchovies found closer to shore. That's a problem for the young salmon entering the ocean at these near-shore locations, because the murres eat them too.

The finding documents one of the first examples of what biologists call "bottom-up" influenceschanges at the base of the food webcausing "top-down" effects on West Coast salmon, such as an increase in predation by a species higher in the chain, in this case the common murres.

"This is the first example we've found involving salmon where bottom-up drivers are causing top-down impacts," said NOAA Fisheries research biologist Brian Wells, lead author of the research. "The lack of upwelling affects salmon in a top-down way."

The new research shows that salmon survival drops sharply in the years when ocean conditions lead the murres to prey on anchovy and salmon. Even in years when the murres are preying on anchovy, salmon comprise less than 10 percent of the diet of the murres; but the impact can be a significant factor in the survival of salmon. The research concludes that predation by the seabirds can make a difference in the number of salmon that survive to return as adults.

The salmon affected are primarily fall-run Chinook, which are the primary species supporting salmon fisheries off the California Coast. The research helps reveal the complex relationships between species and their environment, which in turn helps NOAA Fisheries anticipate and respond to changes that affect fish, birds and people.

For example, the murres preyed heavily on anchovy and salmon in 2005, which likely contributed to the collapse of the California salmon fishery in 2007 and 2008, the researchers found. Congress appropriated $170 million in disaster relief for fishermen affected by the collapse.

NOAA Fisheries managers can use the details to make better decisions about how best to protect and manage marine species.

"Understanding the dynamics behind these connections can help us anticipate impacts to salmon, which are very important both economically and environmentally," said John Field, a research fisheries biologist at the SWFSC in Santa Cruz. "That can help fisheries managers make smart and informed decisions about how to manage these species into the future."

Explore further: Anomalous ocean conditions in 2015 may bode poorly for juvenile Chinook salmon survival

More information: Brian K. Wells et al, Environmental conditions and prey-switching by a seabird predator impact juvenile salmon survival, Journal of Marine Systems (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2017.05.008

All animals use a combination of senses to survive. But where the majority typically rely on one or two especially sensitive sensory systems, the oilbird excels by apparently having keen senses all-around.

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Interpreting relationships between species and their environments is crucial to inform ecosystem-based management (EBM), a priority for NOAA Fisheries. EBM recognizes the diverse interactions within an ecosystemincluding ...

After Dan Levitis and his wife lost two pregnancies, before having their three children, he was drawn to investigate why pregnancy loss is so common, and whether other living beings face the same struggle his family did.

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Dietary restriction - the reduction of a specific nutrient or total dietary intake without triggering malnutritionincreases longevity and improves learning, but are these processes regulated separately? A new study publishing ...

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Thank You.

I am in WA State, and enjoy salmon fishing myself, and I can see how this can affect localized populations, in this case the runs from the San Francisco Bay or the Russian River runs, where the San Francisco runs are impacted more easily by close-feeding birds and areas where, like the Russian River, there is not a huge area that is drained, and so there are not that many smolt to begin with, comparatively,

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New research reveals ecosystem cascades affecting salmon - Phys.Org

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Your immediate IT ecosystem is just one part of the broader IT ecosystem and therefore just one source of information that can be used to authenticate identities and grant access to systems. From your threat detection system to your organizations physical security systems, there are a variety of sources of data that can provide insights into identity assurance. When building out your identity assurance strategy, its worthwhile to look at the system management and security tools in the broader ecosystem and ask yourself: What information from these sources do I wish our identity system knew?

Here are a few examples of how you can apply data from a variety of sources for authentication and access purposes.

1. Threat Detection Including SIEM and CASB

We all know that identity assurance systems can feed log information to threat detection systems -- like Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) systems -- to help identify threats. In hand, SIEM and CASB systems can send threat alerts to identity assurance systems to step up authentication requirements. For example, when an alert is raised for a specific user, the identity system can adjust in response by requiring multi-factor authentication or, if the threat is significant, blocking access for the user until the threat is cleared. Similarly, if an alert is raised on a resource, anyone attempting access to that resource should be required to provide a higher level of assurance to get it. Again, in extreme cases, all access to a resource may need to be blocked.

The value of threat alerts from threat detection systems, whether raised on users or resources, lies in triggering the appropriate additional access security in real time. In addition to real-time threat information, many threat detection tools also offer additional risk analysis. This data should work with the risk analytics of the identity assurance system to raise or lower confidence in the users identity.

2. Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)

Mobile devices that are managed through a corporate EMM have a wealth of device data available for strengthening identity assurance. This device information can provide additional context for static rules, such as policies that foster easier access for users of corporate managed devices. It can also provide additional analytics insights to the identity risk engine.

3. Physical Security Systems

Information about how people physically access buildings may not appear to have much of an impact on how they access digital information, but in reality, building access data can instill confidence that a user is who he or she claims to be. Integrating data from physical access systems into the identity risk engine extends identity insights. For example, if a user badges into an office in San Francisco and then, within a few minutes, attempts a login from London, thats a clear signal to reassess the identity risk. Conversely, if the user enters the building he or she normally does and, following day-to-day patterns, accesses Office 365, that behavior is also worth considering in determining whether additional authentication is required.

Threat detection, EMM and physical security systems are by no means the only systems from which additional data about users can help feed behavioral recognition and static policy rules. By looking throughout your organization for systems that contain data to increase identity assurance, you can improve access security and, at the same time, reduce end-user friction. The important thing for your identity assurance strategy is not only having systems that contain these types of data, but also having real-time response capabilities in your identity system.

The message is simple and clear: Dont overlook data from the broader IT ecosystem to help with ensuring secure, convenient access to resources. You can learn more about how RSA SecurID Access is enabling access to the modern enterprise in this on-demand webinar.

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Authentication and IT Ecosystem: Leveraging Data from Multiple Sources - CSO Online

HOBOKEN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NICE inContact (Nasdaq:NICE) today announced its new first-class ecosystem program for product partners and IT developers. This is the most extensive technology ecosystem currently available in the customer experience market, with more than 250 APIs, and will allow NICE inContact customers to benefit from the markets widest range of cloud customer experience solutions.

The program enables partners to hook into the leading capabilities of the NICE inContact CXone platform, an open, cloud native foundation that powers customer experience innovation with Omnichannel Routing, Workforce Optimization, Analytics, Automation and Artificial Intelligence. Partners are able to amplify the value of the platform through the development of integrated value-add applications, and the exchange of information and services.

CXexchange offers a centralized, state of the art marketplace for developers to market and sell their CXone-based applications. CXexchange, which already hosts over 65 ISV partners, allows NICE and inContact customers to easily access the full list of partner applications, and enables them to:

In addition, DEVone offers partners broad tools and resources to enable them to create new applications on CXone, including:

Barak Eilam, CEO, NICE: Open technology platforms allow access to vastly more technology capabilities than any one company could provide, at a far lower cost and with much greater scalability. With the launch of DEVone and CXexchange, we have opened our doors to technology partners and developers, inviting them to join the markets most extensive ecosystem program. The value of this program for our customers and for the market is the creation of tailored cloud customer experience solutions that will help our customers meet their specific needs and business goals.

About NICE NICE (Nasdaq:NICE) is the worldwide leading provider of both cloud and on-premises enterprise software solutions that empower organizations to make smarter decisions based on advanced analytics of structured and unstructured data. NICE helps organizations of all sizes deliver better customer service, ensure compliance, combat fraud and safeguard citizens. Over 25,000 organizations in more than 150 countries, including over 85 of the Fortune 100 companies, are using NICE solutions. http://www.nice.com.

Trademark Note: NICE and the NICE logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NICE Ltd. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners. For a full list of NICEs marks, please see: http://www.nice.com/nice-trademarks.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements, including the statements by Mr. Eilam, are based on the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of NICE Ltd. (the Company). In some cases, such forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as believe, expect, may, will, intend, project, plan, estimate or similar words. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results or performance of the Company to differ materially from those described herein, including but not limited to the impact of the global economic environment on the Companys customer base (particularly financial services firms) potentially impacting our business and financial condition; competition; changes in technology and market requirements; decline in demand for the Company's products; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications; difficulties or delays in absorbing and integrating acquired operations, products, technologies and personnel; loss of market share; an inability to maintain certain marketing and distribution arrangements; and the effect of newly enacted or modified laws, regulation or standards on the Company and our products. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting the company, refer to the Company's reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Companys Annual Report on Form 20-F. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise them, except as required by law.

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NICE inContact Launches its CXone Ecosystem Program for Product Partners and IT Developers - Business Wire (press release)

From corporate support for the largest collegiate hackathon in Pennsylvania to engaging with the local technology community through our partnership withInside INdiana Businesson their Town Hall series, we believe innovation is imperative to shaping cities of the future and the next generation of entrepreneurs.

During the recent Tech Town Hall at Union 525, a new high-tech haven for startup and growth companies in Indianapolis, it was clear Indianas future economic success will be shaped significantly by emerging technology entrepreneurs. Three common themes were conveyed throughout the discussion about how the community as a whole, including political figures, educational institutions and technology companies, can actively support entrepreneurship, innovation, and invention throughout Indiana and across the nation.

Live, Work, Play Trifecta

To create an entrepreneurial, business-friendly environment, its imperative to lower the risk factors for entry. Providing affordable and abundant housing in an urban environment as well as commute-friendly suburban options for growing families are key. Additionally, while entrepreneurs may think about their business 24/7, they dont want to be tied to their desk every day. A vibrant community overflowing with activities and amenities, at home and on the go, continues to play a crucial role in where entrepreneurs choose to set up shop.

Supportive Community

Understanding that we need to tap into communities across Indiana, not just in the metropolitan areas, will continue to be a benchmark for our success. Consequently, we need to provide knowledge and experience to the next generation of entrepreneurs at a very early age via internships, programming and a strong network of educational options. That includes advice from successful mentors who are willing to share their wisdom and possibly financial windfall. Lastly, low barriers to entry, such as start-up investment from regional venture firms and technology companies, will continue to play a crucial role in the states success.

Easy Access to Tools & Resources

Cloud computing has made it possible for entrepreneurs to leverage the latest technology in order to build and do business with anyone, anywhere. Business technology infrastructure is helping to accelerate the speed of innovation by providing entrepreneurs with a superfast internet environment and other amenities to meet their business and personal needs, alike.

This infrastructure gives entrepreneurs the flexibility to scale at a pace that best fits their needs and budget at work and at home.

It is evident from the Town Hall event that the momentum and innovation being felt throughout the state is substantial. In order to continue to make waves, we need to insert a bit more swagger into our step and not be too polite to boast about our entrepreneurial prowess in an effort to continue to move our economy forward.

Jeff Marston is vice president of Comcast Business in Indiana as well as Michigan and Kentucky.

IIB Note: You can see more from theInside INdiana Business Indy Tech Town Hall through the links below:

Indy Tech Town Hall: Women in Tech

Indy Tech Town Hall: How Did We Get Here?

Indy Tech Town Hall: The Union 525 Overview

Indy Tech Town Hall: State of Venture Capital

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Growing Indy's Entrepreneur Ecosystem - Inside INdiana Business

Equity broking firm Rakuten Trade has launched a new rewards programme which aims to bring together three leading loyalty providers AirAsia BIG, Berjaya Groups B Infinite and BonusLink under one robust ecosystem.

The Rakuten Trade rewards ecosystem is a free point rewards programmewhere investors can earn RT points from their trading activities, introducing members by referral link or code, share transfer, and by participating in Rakuten Trade marketing campaigns.

Earning points is automatic for all Rakuten Trade customers, in which they can be converted into AirAsia BIG, B Infinite and/or BonusLink points of the same value.

Victor Kaw, chief commercial officer of AirAsia BIG loyalty programme at Think BIG Digital said, Like AirAsia, Rakuten Trade extends the nations first cost efficient retail solution, in this case equity broking.

The Rakuten Trade rewards programme, Kaw said, is a good complement to its BIG platform, as it rewards our loyal members with another way to earn and redeem AirAsia BIG points. Reward redemptions are fast, easy and are made via app, similar our BIG app, thus appealing to new clients right up to the savvier ones.

Meanwhiles BLoyaltys director of retail and innovations, Yau Su Peng also added, as its B Infinite progresses in its transformation from the physical world to the realm of mobile, it is imperative that it prepares for the growing preference amongst consumers for digital-based channels.

Our affiliate partners will give Rakuten Trade the opportunity to provide a diverse range of benefits under one robust ecosystem. We believe this will hold tremendous appeal for the growing number of digitally savvy investors,Kaoru Arai, managing director of Rakuten Trade said.

We wanted to differentiate our platform by giving retail investors an added advantage when they trade shares through us. With AirAsia on board, one can redeem points for airline tickets or hotel accommodations while B Infinite and BonusLink points can be converted to everyday lifestyle needs from a cup of coffee to fuel, he added.

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Rakuten Trade launches Malaysia's first rewards ecosystem - Marketing Interactive

31 July 2017 | Earlier this year, Moodys Corp said the green bond market would double in 2017, from $93 billion last year to $206 billion. On Friday, JPMorgan Chase lent that projection credence by committing to funnel $200 billion into clean energy and general sustainability projects between now and 2025, and to get all of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

The company offered a detailed strategy for achieving its own shift to renewables, which includes long-term power purchasing agreements like a 20-year deal it signed last year with the 100-megawatt Buckthorn wind farm in Erath County, Texas. That commitment alone will meet 13 percent of the banking groups nationwide needs.

The clean financing commitment represents more than $20 billion per year in finance, up from roughly $16 billion per year currently, and spokesperson Stephen OHalloran said the mechanisms will focus on supporting capital increases, managing risk and underwriting debt primarily in the renewables sector, but also by underwriting debt with a sustainable use of proceeds for municipal, corporate and multilateral clients and supporting clients sustainability initiatives.

The wording clearly leaves the door open for finance beyond renewable energy initiatives, and the announcement comes as consumer-facing companies are competing to out-green each other by pledging to reduce their impact on forests even as banks come under heat for financing projects that do the opposite.

In March, for example, the Forest Trends Supply Change initiativeidentified 447 companies that have promised to improve the way they source palm oil, soy, timber & paper and cattle products, but the Tropical Forest Alliance has pointed out that such commitments will come to naught if banks continue to finance projects that contribute to climate change or drive deforestation.

Last month, banking giant HSBC won green cred by asking the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to investigate a company that the bank was lending money to after NGOs said the company would use the money to convert pristine forest to palm plantation a clear indication that investors were beginning to perceive dirty projects as financial risks.

But avoiding risks and proactively investing in sustainable projects are two different things, and beyond renewable energy its not clear where the bank may seek to funnel finance.

On the one hand, the United States is home to a $25 billion restoration economy that employs over 220,000 people, but research from the Forest Trends Ecosystem Marketplace initiative shows that impact investors looking for sustainable projects left over $3 billion undeployed last year.

The bank clearly sees returns in wind power and solar energy, while other investors are struggling to find returns in broader sustainability investments. The challenge now is to create a vortex of risk, reward, and common good that attracts that money and helps us evolve a truly sustainable economy.

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Where Will JPMorgan Chase Put Its 200 Billion Green Dollars? - Ecosystem Marketplace

Nikita Vashisht

Moneycontrol News

Unavailability of an appropriate ecosystem and lack of trust among digital means could prove to be the biggest hindrances Indias ambition to turn fully digital, according to experts.

A lot of digital isnt digital you still have to carry papers when it comes to verification, said Raj Kumar Jha, national creative director, Ogilvy & Mather, an advertising agency.

He said that the backend wasnt ready in India yet to go completely digital. Jha was speaking at the CII Fintech 2017 conclave here last week.

Adhil Shetty, chief executive officer (CEO) of BankBazaar.com, an online platform to compare various financial services, voiced similar concerns, saying that customers want to go digital and paperless but the means remain a question.

People want everything on their mobile phone. They realise that as long as it is trustworthy, dependable and secure, they are willing to interact with the platform People want everything in seconds, Shetty.

I believe the ecosystem exists customers are demanding it. The question is when will the mass market move, he said.

Bharat Anand, chief of technology, NATGRID, said that it was important to create trust among the customers to make them go completely digital.

People want to be sure who they are providing information to, said Anand, adding that digitisation can be promoted only with trust itself. It has to go hand in hand it has to be evolved.

The idea is to reach end customer and remove intermediaries, he said. We need to bring technology as last mile connectivity to build that trust.

Its a paradox. As a customer, I want highest security for my money but I want it really easy to be used, said Sriram Jagannathan, vice president, Amazon Payments, an online payment process of making payments routed through ones account on Amazon.

Jha said that India needs to develop system that can bring a behavioral change among people, making them comfortable with digital platforms.

What this country needs to think is that fintech is the real enabler for the next generation, country and economy, said Prem Chand, executive vice chairman, MitKat Advisory, management consultancy firm.

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Fintech leaders feel unavailability of ecosystem could delay digital push - Moneycontrol.com

Entrepreneurs are addicted to other peoples money, or OPM, sounds like a succinct description of the state of the e-commerce industry in India. The pun on opium is clearly intended. It comes from K. Vaitheeswaran, the man who pioneered retail e-commerce in India with Fabmart in the late 1990s. He recently spoke to The Hindu to promote his book, Failing to Succeed, that takes us through his successes and later travails in building the predecessor to todays e-commerce giants in India.

The book has an equal mix of stomach-clutching thrills and disappointments that an entrepreneur faces, cloaked with gentle humour. In it, the author has been brutally honest about himself, his ventures and the ecosystem. It contrasts starkly with todays corporate world whose PR machinery helps gloss over failure and highlight the rosy parts. A great read for those aspiring to start up, and a must read for entrepreneurs who feel things are not going according to plan. Excerpts from the interview:

For many entrepreneurs, fund raising is like a drug. They get addicted to it. They get money, and then want to raise more money. How do you do that? By spending what you have very quickly. So, you are raising the bar on just raising more and more money.

The other bane of the industry is lack of patient capital, according to him.

Indian entrepreneurs need capital but also patience. Foreign capital is impatient. Most investment funds come seeking returns in a 4-7 year time frame from the time the fund commences. So, if they invest in your firm in their third year, an exit is staring at you in the face.

As investors are in a hurry to see returns, they tend to look for scale quickly which means availability of more funds for expansion. The entrepreneur is glad to see so much money. But once invested, there is a hustle for returns as well. Quick returns, he said, may not be practical in all cases.

Fabmart, later rebranded as Fabmall and then Indiaplaza, folded up in 2013, after a 14-year roller coaster ride. Asked what disappointed him the most, he said, I dont have a problem with the business closing down. Thats the nature of the beast. In a start-up, you may not get the financial outcome you want.

But there is bitterness about the way the company failed, he said. Others, who were also equally accountable, in the company should have owned up to the responsibility. There were a series of incidents that led to this ending. Having to see the collapse of a business I had built for 14 years, customer by customer, in this manner is what leaves me pained and bitter.

So what did happen? What happened to me is surreal cant believe it happened. People who had invested in the company and who were in the board of directors should have shouldered equal responsibility when the company was going down, he said.

He insisted that we werent out-competed, but were undeniably out-funded.

The Indian start-up ecosystem is like a caste system its hard to break in. Mr. Vaitheeswaran is an engineering graduate from the Government College of Engineering in Tirunelveli and did not go to an IIT or an IIM. Investors indulge in pedigree investing, thats not a great idea. You cant assume that all the smartness in India is confined to two or three institutions.

Get out of pedigree investing, he exhorted investors. To do that, investors must spend time and effort and potentially pick winners at the start of the race. Obviously, those who come out of premier institutions are smart. But there are smart people outside those walls too.

What should e-commerce start-ups focus on? In the book, Mr. Vaitheeswaran says, that Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) is an overrated metric and that it does not mean anything. In his own business, he had focussed on making each transaction with a buyer profitable. He preferred to focus on metrics such as customer acquisition and customer retention costs. Deep discounting models work only when the concept of LMS works.

In the interview, he said, The Last Man Standing, or LMS model, is outstanding, but will work only if there is no other competitor left in the market. But in reality, there is always someone left standing in the market. Indian unicorns have a hard problem to win foreign competitors have more money, bigger brands and they execute better. Its a mugs game.

For someone who pioneered the concept of Cash on Delivery in India, he has had to withdraw the facility both times he tried introducing the concept. Cash on delivery is a strain on the business. It also shows a lack of trust from the customer. In the book, he argues that paying online is far more convenient and that CoD looks smart only as long as there is unlimited funding.

More money going into unicorns that want to outfund others, could lead to funding drying for truly deserving ventures, he said. They may not get funding because a large part of the ecosystem will pay for the follies and fallacies of a few. Thats when the bad news will hit us. Worse, we may not even hear about them since they are unknown people they may just collapse and fall by the wayside.

It will cause permanent long-term damage to Indias start up story. I dont want that to happen.

What questions would he ask of a unicorn, as an investor? You have already raised several billion dollars. At 10% of this fund raise, I want to see evidence of sustainability. Show me a path where you will definitely make money.

If someone shows me a 17-year path to profitability, I wouldnt fund it. No one knows what will happen three years from now!

Is he itching to start-up all over again? Writing a book is no different from a start up you need time, discipline and effort. Sure it does not require a co-founder or the money. Yes, I have done another start up this book is my biggest start up!

Does he see warning signals in the ecosystem now? One thing that all start ups will realise is rarely do things go according to plan. In such a scenario, the investors, entrepreneurs, board of directors, founders, management they all must read from the same page. Whatever the page says, they must all be fine with that.

When things go wrong, I find that they are all reading from different books, forget the same page! They may not agree, they may debate and argue but should finally agree on one plan of action.

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Start-up ecosystem akin to caste order, says Vaitheeswaran - The Hindu

SLIPPERY ROCK - Ugandan professor Joseph Ssekandi traveled to America for the first time in June to see what appears, on the surface at least, to be little more than a couple of shallow swimming pools at Slippery Rock University.

However, its what will eventually grow in those pools will benefit students, farmers, the Ugandan economy and a budding partnership between SRU and Uganda Martyrs University.

Ssekandis visit is yet another step in a burgeoning aquaponics project at SRU that has been years in the making. Aquaponics is an integrated system that combines raising fish, or aquaculture, and the soilless growing of plants, or hydroponics.

Through SRUs Sustainable Enterprise Accelerator, a University-owned, student-run business consultation firm, a team comprised of SRU students, faculty and members of the local community started building an aquaponics prototype last summer that will help others adopt the sustainable plant-growing system, beginning with the Ugandan group.

Theres a lot of things that we can learn together, said Ssekandi, professor of environmental and climate change adaptation at UMU. Ssekandi spent his time in Slippery Rock learning how SRU built its aquaponics prototype, which is housed at the Macoskey Center for Sustainable Systems Education and Research.

He also met with SRU faculty, students and administrators, including John Golden, assistant professor of business and director of the SEA.

Together they are planning ways to not only build an aquaponics system that Ssekandis students can learn from, but also develop ways that SRU students can collaborate, share best practices, simplify the technology and ultimately deliver methods so that Ugandans can have produce available to eat and sell during long droughts.

If were able to demonstrate that this works, well be able to transfer this technology to other parts of the world, not just Africa, Golden said. Were hoping this is the initial prototype for a long relationship for the universities to explore other types of cultural, scientific and environmental exchanges.

The aquaponics process is achieved through a symbiotic relationship between fish and plants in separate, adjacent tanks. Fish waste is pumped from one tank to provide an organic food source for plants that sit on containment trays above a second tank.

The plants naturally filter the water back to the fish tank for the fish to prosper. Aquaponics can increase the yield of vegetation up to seven times normal soil production because it does not follow the normal growing season and requires 90-93 percent less water for growth.

Sizes of the tanks can vary by need, but the prototype at SRU is 16 feet by 4 feet and 3 feet deep for the plant tank and 8 feet by 5 feet and 2 feet deep for the fish tank. Water is pumped through an air lift system using a 200-watt solar panel at three amps per hour.

Its a living laboratory for every discipline, said aquaponics project director Daniel Burtner, a senior double major in marketing and sustainable management from Butler. Students learn marketing, science, business management, teaching and theyll being able to see the fruits of their labor.

If any SRU students want to get involved in a project that can actually make a difference in the world, they can do it here, said Golden, who added that the project is open to all SRU students and community volunteers, not just the 17 interns at the SEA.

Its an amazing thing to see the students involved in the cultural exchange, to understand how other cultures think. Its been a learning experience in a lot of different areas. The aquaponics is just sort of a vehicle.

Because of the sub-70-degree temperatures during Ssekandis visit, the tanks did not have fish. Tilapia, a fish that reproduces quickly, will be added to the fish tanks and vegetables such as tomatoes, basil and lettuce will grow on the second tank.

Golden anticipates the system to be fully functional by the start of the fall 2017 semester. A greenhouse will be built to protect the tanks and extend the season.

Nearly $15,000 has already been raised for the project through private donations, which include faith-based organizations and individuals like Slippery Rock resident Ken Bennett, who provided the seed money and founded the project as a SEA client.

Bennett is active in the Rotary Club, which funded a project in Lukaya, Uganda, to support the Mustard Seed Academy, a school for orphaned and abandoned children.

After making a visit to see the facilities in Uganda, he was eager to do more. Bennett wanted to create an enterprise that could be sustained by the Ugandan people, not American missionaries.

We knew so many well-intentioned Westerners who would go over for a week, build something and then walk away and say, Here you go; we built you something, without buy in or local management, Golden said.

Bennett eventually discovered aquaponics, a technique that is not new but difficult to implement in Uganda because the conventional farmers dont have the funding for start-up costs or the scientific knowledge to maintain it, such as balancing the right PH levels in the water or bacteria levels to change the ammonia into nitrates. The road block that developed was that even though we know aquaponics and can build a system in Uganda, we cant stay there and teach, Bennett said.

During a return trip to Uganda three years ago, Bennett showed up late one afternoon at UMU and was introduced to Ssekandi. In turn, Bennett introduced Ssekandi to the possibilities of implementing aquaponics in Uganda through a partnership with SRU.

Now we have a teacher, Bennett said. Hes very learned and interested in helping his country and expanding this idea.

Under Ssekandis direction, students at UMU will build their own aquaponics system this fall and interact with SRU students to determine best practices. Additionally, Golden plans to take credit hours out of his economics of sustainable development class in the spring 2018 semester for projects with Ssekandis classes under a curriculum program called COIL which stands for Collaborative Online International Learning.

Its been a lot of work, said Ssekandi, cracking a smile. Of course, I came to work; I didnt come for holiday. But if the partnership between the two institutions result in providing a new and sustainable food source for parts of the African nation, Ssekandis trip may earn him a holiday after all.

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SRU developing aquaponics ecosystem with Ugandan university - Allied News

Source: The HitavadaDate: 31 Jul 2017 09:28:56

Business Bureau,

THE region of Vidarbha and especially Nagpur has achieved several milestones by persuading several major domestic IT companies to set up their units at the IT Park in MIHAN. Most of the IT companies have started operations or are either in the process of construction and establishing infrastructure for their units. With this, the IT Park at MIHAN is almost full with occupants like TCS, Tech Mahindra, HCL, Infosys etc. This has set the ball rolling to embark on setting up the Phase-II of the IT Park.

The objective of the IT Park in Nagpur is to create an ideal IT ecosystem where big IT companies as well as small ancillary units will synchronise their capabilities and coexist, said Arvind Kumar, Centre Head at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) while talking at the session on IT and ITES at the Inter Divisional Committee on Industrialisation of Vidarbha and Marathwada recently organised by Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA).

Present on the occasion were Anoop Kumar, Nagpur Divisional Commissioner, Sunil Porwal, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries), Piyush Singh, Divisional Commissioner, Amravati, senior officers, representatives of trade and industry and other stakeholders.

Giving recommendations on how to overcome hurdles on creating an ideal IT ecosystem to accelerate growth of the region, Kumar said, Government needs to attract the biggest IT companies of the world like Microsoft, Dell, Oracle, Google etc., to the IT Park at MIHAN. Cities like Bangaluru, Hyderabad and Pune have developed and grown to dizzy heights to become IT hubs in the country due to the ecosystem which was created by these large companies.

Large foreign IT companies outsource a huge chunk of their work from smaller domestic players thereby establishing a thriving ecosystem where there is supply and demand, he said. In order to put Nagpur on the IT map of the world a proper IT ecosystem needs to be developed in a similar manner at MIHAN, he added.

In order to attract top IT companies of the world there is a need to develop better air connectivity from Nagpur to other parts of the country and the world. Also, efforts have to made to connect MIHAN with the city through the Metro Rail operations, he said.

The IT industry is plagued with high employee retention levels. Employees after working for more than four to five years tend to leave and join other companies. An employee should get chance to get job in Nagpur itself, otherwise he would move out for greener pastures in other cities.

An ideal ecosystem would also attract smaller IT players which would perform outsourced work. In this manner a market would be developed which would create more employment opportunities for local youth, he said.

Another representative said that for any minor work regarding IT, the matter is sent to Mumbai for approval. Government should appoint a nodal officer who can take administrative decisions to resolve issues related to IT in Nagpur.

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'Need to create an ideal IT ecosystem at MIHAN' - The Hitavada

UPDATE June 13, 2017: Last week I posted V1 of our Map of the Canadian AI Ecosystem, and since then Ive been inundated with additions. While its still incomplete, I thought it was important to update the map currently being sent around and reinforce the idea that this ecosystem is in constant flux. Already, our list has mushroomed from about 160 startups to over 550. Goes to show how much is happening just below our attention.

Ive been putting together a map on Canadas AI ecosystem, which I first revealed last week in my keynote on C2 Montreals main stage. As promised, Im publishing that map at the bottom of this post.

Given the speed at which the industry is progressing, this map is constantly evolving, so Ill be sharing updates as we add them. If you have an addition to make, drop me a line!

The talent pool for AI research is tiny; at the office, weve tracked about 5600 researchers globally who are making an impact in the field. This size makes it critical that the industry players build relationships and share knowledge, to create an ecosystem that helps facilitate progress in AI so that were able to better specialize.

In the last couple of years, the Canadian AI ecosystem was pretty fractured, each cluster trying to win the race and get ahead of the pack. Cities like Montreal, Vancouver or Toronto would announce how their city was the place to be: great quality of life, financial incentives, a flourishing venture capital scene, some of the best researchers in the world, etc. The message tended to be that we have the ingredients to be the next hot spot.

Up until recently Canada was not a heavyweight in the artificial intelligence market. The United States dominated (some even calling it a strategic monopoly), with China and Japan holding second and third place. Where Canada shined was fundamental research. Thanks to the Canadian governments willingness to invest in long, difficult pursuits, our universities are the source of some of the big breakthroughs that lead to deep learning and reinforcement learning, two of the most important innovations in AI up to now. Having some of the best universities also means that we train some of the best artificial intelligence specialists in the world. But, without much serious competition here in Canada, much of that talent went south to the tech giants in Silicon Valley.

This is where the new influx in research funding from Ottawa as well as Ontario and Quebeccomes into play. All three governments have chosen to offer massive support for the artificial intelligence scene, giving $125M, $50M and $100M, respectively, to keep this research engine running. Indeed, Edmonton received $35M from Ottawa while Vancouver received none of that federal money, despite having 5x the number of startups that Edmonton has.

The reason is that Edmonton is home to Richard Suttons lab, Amii, where hes done a lot of very influential research in Reinforcement Learning. Meanwhile, its been no secret that Vancouver is just too expensive for a research professor, causing many to leave for other universities or companies. The balance of funding will soon be leaning towards building up tech companies, but those are built on the solid research coming out of our Universities. Edmonton has a great opportunity to build their startup ecosystem before the venture funding really kicks in.

For now, research is what gave Canada its edge and its important we dont lose that before our startup ecosystem matures. But if we want to go beyond research and become big players in the AI market, research is not enough. Thats why we didnt want to ignore Vancouver in our map as the startup scene heats up, and they have historical economic links to East Asia where a lot of the action is for the AI industry.

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Mapping the Canadian AI Ecosystem jfgagne

Social startups aim to address not only the various problems which plague the country, but also provide employment and support women empowerment.

In the last one decade, India has seen a considerable amount of growth in social enterprises. Though the word social entrepreneur saw the limelight only in 1981, their insurmountable contribution has reflected in health care, employment, education, and the uplifting of the marginalised sections of the society. With startups and corporate social responsibilities (CSR) activities hustling the possibilities, the way ahead for social enterprises is promising. Having said that, one cannot deny the challenges faced by the sector.

India is the youngest country in the world with approximately two-thirds of the population aged below 35. Despite being the second fastest growing economy after China, India is home to 40 percent of the worlds poor with over 30 percent of the population living below the poverty line.

Given the scale of illiteracy, malnutrition and poor health care dominating the list of woes in the country, the onus of solving these issues lies both on the citizens and the government. Further, with the increasing digital presence and initiatives such as Digital India and Start-up India, social enterprises have become an integral part of solving and helping the communities battle various problems.

While the social sector is experiencing growth every day, there are several incubators that mentor and advise the younger venturers to manage manpower, resources, and act as knowledge hubs. Few of them include UnLtd India, Villgro, Deshpande Foundation, IKP Knowledge Park, Center for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship, among others. And more importantly, they help navigate the key challenge faced by this crucial sector, i.e. funding.

Deepanwita Chattopadhyay, Chairman and CEO at the IKP Knowledge Park at the SIGMA Accelerator launch programme for social startups, says that knowledge of the available market is the first step to build a successful social startup. She said:

For a social entrepreneur to be successful, market access is very important. Startups are not able to scale after idea validation from few customers in India. Hence, we need a channel for startups to sell their products and services.

Discussing the various other problems surrounding this ecosystem, Ramamurthy Badrinath from Ericsson which works primarily in the SmartAgri projects said, Startups always have major constraints in doing the pilot. As a suggestion, he said that the stakeholders for a particular product should also include end-customers and they should be kept informed while developing the product. Focus on the problem is very important while building any product, he added.

With CSR becoming an integral part of MNCs, funding routed through incubators can provide a boost to the social startups ecosystem. Startups can get the velocity and corporates will get the weight; both of them will create the momentum needed to make an impact. We have a win-win relationship, says Harsha Muroor, CEO of Teslon Technologies, who was part of the CiscoLaunchPad Accelerator in 2016.

The social enterprises in India have a huge mandate to cater to the vast problems of 1.3 billion Indians. Along with funding and access, there is a need for these startups to evolve in an environment of enabling policies. Companies can bring technology for social ideas to scale and the government can create policy for a thriving social startup ecosystem. Data accessibility is more important than availability, Ramamurthy adds.

Leading the way for government intervention, Karnataka State has partnered with NASSCOM and 91Springboard to enable incubation. Gaurav Gupta, the Principal Secretary to the governments Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, says:

Because of startups, Government of Karnataka changed the way they were managing investments, and started with the ambitious goals of having more than 20,000 startups in Karnataka in the span of five years. The government has started Idea to Proof of concept for startups, in which they provide assistance to startups without equity.

A thriving social startups ecosystem, apart from addressing its own solutions, is contributing to employment generation. Almost two-third of these firms provide employment to the marginalised groups.The state of social enterprise in Bangladesh, Ghana, India and Pakistan, a report by the British council, further highlighted that over 24 percent women leaders are spearheading these enterprises as against 8.9 percent of women in the mainstream companies.

India already boasts 2 million social enterprises till date; with more support through government policies and corporate funding, VCs and social angels, the startups can grow exponentially and address the various problems faced by India.

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A nurturing social enterprises ecosystem can address multiple problems in India - YourStory.com

Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff

Anna Cole, left, and Charlotte Rivas work in the lab at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Anna Cole, left, and Charlotte Rivas work in the lab at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Research assistant Markia Smith works in the lab at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Research assistant Markia Smith works in the lab at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Graduate student Suite ASukumaran works in the lab at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Graduate student Suite ASukumaran works in the lab at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Student researcher Moriah Chermak works in the lab at Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Student researcher Moriah Chermak works in the lab at Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Manik Kuvalekar works in the lab at Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Manik Kuvalekar works in the lab at Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Cell samples are prepared at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Cell samples are prepared at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Student researcher Moriah Chermak works in the lab, counting cells, at Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Student researcher Moriah Chermak works in the lab, counting cells, at Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Student researcher Moriah Chermak works in the lab, counting cells, at Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Student researcher Moriah Chermak works in the lab, counting cells, at Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Texas Children's Hospital on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

Life-saving treatment shows why Houston needs medical-startup ecosystem

Imagine completing a difficult transplant only to acquire a viral infection that fills your bladder with blood and causes abdominal pain.

Such infections are common among patients with suppressed immune systems, and until recently, doctors could do little about them. But a Houston-based startup will soon supply hundreds of transplant patients across the country with a new immunotherapy treatment for these potentially deadly infections, ameliorating suffering and saving millions in medical costs.

ViraCyte's T-cell therapy has shown amazing promise with five viruses and could potentially treat many more. But getting this revolutionary product from the lab to doctors outside Houston reveals the importance of creating an ecosystem that nurtures companies like ViraCyte and shows how a stronger system is needed in Houston.

The basic research that led to ViraCyte began more than 20 years ago with funding from the National Institutes of Health, said Ann Leen, an immunology professor at Baylor College of Medicine and the chief scientific officer at ViraCyte. Since then, researchers have worked to harness the body's natural defense system against viral infections, focusing primarily on those that afflict vulnerable transplant patients.

"What we've been doing in the lab is figuring out where this cell therapy could work, against what viruses, and figuring out how healthy people control different viruses," Leen said. "And then figuring out how can we create an immune response in the lab."

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A healthy person's immune system has cells that fight viruses. ViraCyte identifies the parts of a virus that trigger these protective cells to act. They then mix those bits with parts of a healthy person's blood to grow protective cells in the lab.

"It's almost like gardening," Leen said.

A few years ago, researchers could grow protective cells in three months to help one person fight one virus. That kind of research is typically done at research centers like Baylor College of Medicine using state, federal and private grant money.

But a three-month process to help a single person with a single virus is not commercially viable. Leen knew she needed to develop an off-the-shelf, easy-to-manufacture therapy that could help almost any patient. Coming up with a commercial therapy, though, is beyond the purview of academia, and many promising ideas never make it past this stage because researchers don't have the financial support, the expertise or the business knowledge to form a company.

"We can accommodate our own patients, and we've done that for many years, but there are many patients across the country and worldwide," Leen said. "It's hard to get funding to continue to provide that to patients because there is little research to do. We had to move to the next stage."

That's when Leen and her co-founders started ViraCyte. Using their own money, and with help from family and friends, Leen and her team applied for more grant funding and applied to business incubators to help build a company and to offer a commercial therapy.

JLABS, a medical technology incubator in the Texas Medical Center sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, accepted ViraCyte, offering office and laboratory space as well as business advice.

"It was important to be in the Medical Center, but to have a separate footprint outside of academia," Leen said. "Before JLABS, there were not a lot of options within the Medical Center."

ViraCyte has made major strides and licensed the intellectual property from Baylor. The company has developed Viralym-M, an off-the-shelf treatment that can help almost all transplant patients fight the five most common viruses that infect them.

The company is moving Viralym-M into Phase III clinical studies at health centers across the U.S., the most crucial step in the Food and Drug Administration approval process. Dr. Bilal Omer, a pediatric oncologist at the Baylor College of Medicine who led the successful Phase II study, said the treatment is already savings lives.

"For the first time, we have a treatment where you can go to a freezer, take out some cells, you infuse these cells, and the patient often improves within a few days. Sometimes within a week the patient is back to baseline, feeling good," he said. "I'm getting daily emails from all over the country asking if they can get these cells."

Meanwhile, ViraCyte has reduced the cost of growing the cells to $100,000 for 300 doses. While expensive, the therapy is cheaper than patients spending weeks or months in the hospital at $8,000 a day. Despite the progress, the company will need to raise money for commercial production and to develop cells to treat more viruses, such as HIV, hepatitis or even Zika.

"We've started looking at new targets," Leen said.

ViraCyte could not have happened without financial backers, professional advisers and JLABS, Leen said, but Medical Center researchers still need more such programs that help researchers turn their ideas into companies, and that means more investments and business expertise.

"There are so many things going on in the Medical Center that are really ready for prime time, but people just don't quite know how to move forward," she said.

Houston needs a complete ecosystem beginning with academic research institutions leading to business incubators and angel investors and venture capitalists. For this, we need business leaders and corporations to put as much attention into science as they do into oil and gas.

The life sciences offer an opportunity to diversify Houston's economy - if we create the right environment.

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Life-saving treatment shows why Houston needs medical-startup ecosystem - Houston Chronicle