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Category Archives: Eco System

StartupWave for entrepreneurs in smaller cities

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For entrepreneurs from smaller cities who complain of not getting access to mentors and angel funding, there is good news.

Indias first free-to-use virtual incubation platform StartupWave that was launched in April this year has been adopted by close to 190 entrepreneurs.

StartupWave is a virtual incubation platform that has been built as an infrastructure for the Indian start-up incubation eco-system, conceptualized by Intellecap in partnership with Government of UKs Department for International Development in India and GIZ on behalf of the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Ipshita Sinha - Manager, Intellecap; currently developing the StartupWave platform said that the platform was in the making since early 2013, but the thought process had started in 2012. We had conducted a survey in 2012 and found that the rejection rate of entrepreneurs was about 90 per cent and most of these came from tier II and III cities. We found that they do not get access to mentoring or access to funds and hence, felt that there was a need to fill in this gap, she added.

The 190 entreprenueurs that have joined belong to cities like Jaipur, Bhubaneshwar, Ahmedabad among others. Intellecap also found that incubation process or incubators at present were concentrated in metros and Tier I cities. Also lot of startups find it difficult to travel long distance to connect with mentors during scale up times.

StartupWave is a virtual incubation platform that has been built as an infrastructure for the Indian start-up incubation eco-system. This platform will give access to mentors online. Startups now just need to have internet connection. Of course they can always connect offline as well. Secondly, they can now access capacity building module online, said Sinha. As a collaborative platform, it aims to democratise incubation and is a one-stop service, providing a blend of virtual and in-person support to take start-up enterprises from idea to investment stage. This platform is designed in consultation with and is being used by incubators, corporates, funds and start-ups.

Stefanie Bauer, Project Manager, Private Sector Development at Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, who is a founding partner of this initiative said, StartupWave has the potential to bring startup support providers on a common stage. We believe that we can help young entrepreneurs in a better way through collaboration in the eco-system and cooperation between incubators, investors, corporates and other support organisations.

StartupWave does not only make it easier for the entrepreneur to find the right support, it also helps incubators and investors to build a good pipeline for entrepreneurs.

This platform is designed in consultation with, and is being used by, incubators, corporates, funds and start-ups. Though at present the focus is pre-incubation wherein entrepreneurs can connect via the platform and fine-tune their business plan before they are connected to mentors, Intellecap also plans to extend this to investment ready stage. The platform has 20 mentors and a network of 25 partner incubators, five of which are from low income states such as Jharkhand, Rajasthan etc.

According to Intellecap, Indias yearly job creation requirement over the next decade is predicted to be 10-15 million per year, which can be addressed by boosting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). While there has been a steady growth of such enterprises, over 21 per cent of them failed in early years due to roadblocks to scale.

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StartupWave for entrepreneurs in smaller cities

Cutting Electric Vehicle Energy Use 51 Percent

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UC Riverside created tool that takes into account real-time traffic information, road grade and road type cuts down on energy use

By Sean Nealon on September 8, 2014

A vehicle navigation tool created at UC Riverside can cut electric vehicle energy use up to 51 percent.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) Researchers at the University of California, Riversides Bourns College of Engineering have shown that a vehicle navigation tool they created can cut electric vehicle energy use up to 51 percent.

The researchers tested the eco-routing navigation system which takes into account real-time traffic information, road type and road grade on three routes around Riverside. Using road testing and computer simulations, they studied three types of navigation systems: shortest distance, least time and least energy.

They found:

Guoyuan Wu, an assistant research engineer at UC Riverside.

The researchers, who are part of the Bourns College of Engineering Center for Environmental Research and Technology, outlined their findings in a report to the California Energy Commission, which paid for the study with a $95,000 grant. The researchers are: Guoyuan Wu, an assistant research engineer; Matthew Barth, the director of the research center; and Kanok Boriboonsomsin, an associate research engineer.

Past research by these UC Riverside engineers has shown that the eco-routing navigation systems can potentially reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from conventional fossil fuel-powered vehicles by five percent to 15 percent.

For electric vehicles, the benefits of the eco-routing navigation system go beyond energy and emission savings. The technology can cut down so-called range anxiety, meaning the driver of an electric vehicle fearing he or she wont be able to complete a trip without running out of electricity to power the cars battery.

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Cutting Electric Vehicle Energy Use 51 Percent

Gem mining damages eco-system

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Gem mining in the Bogawantalawa area has affected the eco-system and created a milieu in which estate women are raped by some involved in gem mining. Measures should be taken to avoid environmental destruction and women molestation, said Ambagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha Member S.Suresh Kumar (NUW).

He was speaking at the monthly meeting of the Ambagamuwa PS at its auditorium at Ginigathena with its Vice Chairman W.G. Rukshan Prdeep Ranasinghe in the chair recently.

Member Kumar said that a few estate houses had been destroyed by torrential rains experienced in the area several months ago and the affected families are still living in huts. Steps should be taken to look into their grievances and help them to reconstruct their houses, he said. Vice Chairman Ranasinghe said steps will be taken to open a children's park constructed with the funds provided by Livestock and Rural Community Development Minister Arumugam Thondaman.

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Gem mining damages eco-system

More driver- and eco-friendly Ford Focus on the way

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FORD is to introduce a facelifted Focus later this year which offers more driver aids, more fuel-efficient engines but at no extra cost to the buyer.

Due in November and priced from 13,995 the entry level car will cost the same as today but the range-topping versions will be 100 less than the current equivalents.

The new Focus is the first Ford to offer Perpendicular Parking, an additional hands-free parking technology to help drivers reverse into spaces alongside other vehicles. The current Focus debuted Active Park Assist that, at the push of a button, uses ultrasonic sensors to locate parking spaces and steer the vehicle while the driver controls the accelerator and brake. The addition of new sensors to the rear enables Perpendicular Parking to operate in the same way.

Other new aids include Cross Traffic Alert that warns drivers reversing out of a parking space of vehicles about to pass behind them and Park-Out Assist which helps drivers as they exit a parallel parking space. After the driver has chosen either the left or right hand side, the system operates the steering while the driver operates the accelerator and brake

It will also be offered with Fords second generation connectivity system which has a high-resolution, eight-inch colour touch screen and voice control to access audio, navigation, climate control and mobiles phones.

Fords innovative MyKey aid for novice drivers will also appear on the new Focus. First seen on the Fiesta it lets owners programme a key usually for younger drivers that restricts the top speed, reduces the maximum volume of the audio system, and can disable it altogether if the driver and passengers are not using safety belts.

Under the bonnet will be a range of even more fuel-efficient engines. For example the 120PS 1.5-litre diesel engine will offer a 10 per cent fuel economy improvement with CO2 emissions reduced from 109g/km to 98g/km bringing it below the threshold for road tax. A new 1.5-litre EcoBoost engine delivers the same power as the outgoing 1.6-litre unit yet with fuel economy improved by seven per cent and lower CO2 emissions. The diesel range, priced from 17,995, returns 10 per cent better fuel economy than today.

Mark Ovenden, chairman and managing director, Ford of Britain, said: "The Ford Focus is the UKs favourite family car so the launch of the new model is an exciting time. With unmatched levels of technology and impressive fuel economy, combined with Fords traditional driving dynamics and competitive pricing, we believe that the new car will not only delight our existing customers but also expand the appeal of the Focus brand.

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More driver- and eco-friendly Ford Focus on the way

Science & art merge as 3,500 pound eco-system dropped into Lake Superior

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By KBJR News 1

Credit: Great Lakes Aquarium

Science & art merge as 3,500 pound eco-system dropped into Lake Superior

Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) - An entire ecosystem, encapsulated in a ceramic sphere, was dropped into Lake Superior Tuesday with the help of a crane.

The 3,500 pound Ark of the Anthropocene is the brain child of Minneapolis-based artist and musician Sean Connaughty.

The white orb measures seven feet in diameter and contains a variety of plants and organic materials.

It also carries an on-board camera that streams the arc's every move in the lake.

Tuesday's launch comes ahead of an exhibit by Connaughty starting September 11th at the Duluth Art Institute.

The orb is expected to float around Lake Superior for the next four to six weeks.

Written by Kevin Jacobsen Bio - Facebook - Twitter - E-Mail

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Science & art merge as 3,500 pound eco-system dropped into Lake Superior

Gov't approves new policies for telecommunications

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Business News of Tuesday, 2 September 2014

Source: GNA

The government in an effort to improve the eco-system of the telecommunications industry has approved four new licencing policies to regulate emerging value-added services.

Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, Minister of Communications said the new licences include Interconnect Clearing House Licence: with a potential to control the incidence of by-pass of incoming international telephone traffic to the country, International Wholesale Licence, Unified Access Service Licence and Mobile Virtual Network Operations Licence.

He said the Final Acts of the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) 2012, has provided a framework to guide the regulation of international telecommunications services that Ghana could take advantage of to enhance transparency and eliminate fraud within the Ghana telecommunications eco-system.

He said the introduction of the new licences would expand the range of value-added services, especially the introduction of premium services by third party content providers.

Dr. Boamah made the disclosure at a Joint Press Conference held in Accra by the Ministry and the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service on the arrest of Simbox Fraudsters.

The Minister said the new licences would encourage competition and grant a level and fair playing field within the communications eco-system.

He assured that the improved interconnection regime would ensure high quality of service delivery to consumers and the positive impacts include benefits of expanded access to communication services.

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Gov't approves new policies for telecommunications

New initiative to develop sports in the country

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The author has posted comments on this articleAjit Bezbaruah, TNN | Aug 25, 2014, 10.38PM IST

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This agreement will make way to ensure that India's college going youth get an opportunity to compete at the highest level and bridge the gap between school sports and professional sports.

All stakeholders are associated to encourage sports at the higher education level and with the aim to discover, nurture and promote young hopefuls and provide national and international exposure. AIU has been conducting national and zonal university games in numerous sporting disciplines. TransStadia along with AIU aims to give further impetus to the spirit of education through sport. It is a platform for aspiring young sporting talent to prove their mettle.

TransStadia is a pioneering company in the sport infrastructure business where it has signed a landmark Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with the government of Gujarat to create the culture of sport in the state. It is also coming up with a multi discipline stadium in Maninagar which is likely to be functional by 2016.

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New initiative to develop sports in the country


  1. Eco System