- How Indian startups fared in 2020 amid COVID-19 pandemicThe Covid shock of March devastated most industries and the startup ecosystem was no exception. Sequoia issued its now-famous memo calling Coronavirus the Black Swan of 2020 and Nasscom said 40% of Indian tech startups were forced to halt operations. But investments and startups have shown resilience and recovered, as India saw a rapid shift to digital services and payments. Here's ET NOW's Chandra R Srikanth with detailed report on How Indian Startups fared in 2020 amid COVID-19 pandemic.How Indian startups fared in 2020 amid COVID-19 pandemic
- China stocks retreat on coronavirus worriesThe blue-chip CSI300 index fell 1.5% to 5,437.52, while the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.8% to 3,566.38.
- ET Startup Awards 2020 | Role in Covid-19 fight got MyLab the prizePune-based Mylab Discovery Solutions was the first Indian company to receive commercial approval to manufacture Covid-19 test kits in the country. This helped it win the Covid-led Healthcare Innovation prize at ET Startup Awards 2020.
- 2020 Year in Review | Covid-19 split startup world into haves, have-notsWho gained, who lost? ETtech takes stock of the changing startup fortunes in a pandemic-marred year.
- Living with less: How pandemic has inspired some people to make permanent changes in their livesDuring the lockdown, people were forced to make do with less. Now, some are carrying on with this life lesson, cutting down on city life, eating out, new clothes.
- Startup Jobs | [24]7.ai steps up hiring in India amid the pandemic[24]7.ai, a customer engagement solutions provider, has added 2,500 people to its workforce, primarily in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. About 80% of [24]7.ai’s employee strength is currently working from home.
- CitiusTech expects Covid-19 impact to boost business in FY22CitiusTech expects to grow at more than 20%, in line with its ambition to cross $500 million in revenue over the next 4-5 years, CEO Rizwan Koita says.
- How to negotiate your salary during the coronavirus pandemicNegotiating salary in normal times is stressful. It becomes even more stressful during pandemic times if you have been through salary cut or received a pink slip. Here is how you can talk to your manager about the revision of pay during the pandemic
- New pandemic plight: US hospitals are running out of vaccinesIn the midst of one of the deadliest phases of the pandemic in the United States, health officials in Texas and around the country are growing desperate, unable to get clear answers as to why the long-anticipated vaccines are suddenly in short supply.
- Govt supporting hundreds of projects in fight against coronavirus: Harsh VardhanSpeaking at the India-Portugal Tech Summit, organised by the Department of Science and Technology and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Vardhan said the government has announced a USD 120 million grant for COVID-19 vaccine research.
- The next Tesla? Investors bet big on electric truck startupRivian is hoping to cash in on the same opportunity that Tesla identified and has advanced — the electrification of transportation.
- Indian startup develops tech to complete COVID-19 sero-survey of 1 cr samples in a weekIndian IT startup Thalamus Irwine claims to have developed an Artificial Intelligence and IoT-based solution to complete a sero-survey with 1 crore samples of COVID-19 cases within a week.
- We should never waste a good crisis: Pawan Munjal, Hero MotoCorpEven as industries world over faced unprecedented challenges last year amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the country’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp took a relook at its operating models and defined new ways to expand.
- Coronavirus pandemic is the catalyst to speed up technological changes, says Anand Mahindra"The crisis has shaken up the way we view the world and exposed the fault lines in our society. It has also emphasised the necessity for quick and relevant solutions for the new world that is rising from the ashes of the old," said Mahindra.
- After a year-long sprint, coronavirus vaccines are finally at hand, but questions remainThe European Medicines Agency (EMA), charged with overseeing drug approval in the European Union, told AFP that it could approve the first Covid-19 vaccines by the end of the year, or early in 2021. France, Spain and Italy have all sketched out distribution plans on that basis.
- Stars aligned for India’s Internet cos to create value in next 10 years: BofA SecuritiesAccording to the brokerage, Reliance Industries will garner over 500 million users over the next 3-5 years, offer broadband services to 20-25 million households and cater to 12-15 million small businesses.
- UN report cites ISRO efforts in assisting Indian government to contain COVID-19 pandemicThe UN report 'Geospatial Practices for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific 2020' cites the role being played by 'BHUVAN', the national geo-portal developed and hosted by ISRO comprising of geo spatial data, services and tools for analysis, in combating COVID-19.
- From SaaS to Reliance effect, here are eight trends that are reshaping pandemic-hit startup worldThe pandemic has reshaped the startup landscape. Stress took its toll but SaaS sector grasped at new opportunities and biotech firms rose to the Covid-19 challenge. If the border standoff swung the pendulum away from Chinese investors, Reliance created a ripple effect. Here are eight trends in the Startup world.
- Dubai ruler joins coronavirus vaccine trialTwo vaccines are undergoing third-phase trials in the UAE, one produced by Chinese drug giant Sinopharm, and Russia's Sputnik-V, named after the Soviet-era satellite.
- With people stuck at home due to the coronavirus lockdown, a writing boom has sparkedThe pandemic lockdown has not just spawned a wave of first-time authors - including celebrities who have a story to tell- but also encouraged many others to finally complete long-pending manuscripts.
- Centre to map out cold chain storage facilities in preparation for COVID-19 vaccine deliveryA national expert group is talking to public and private sector entities in the pharmaceutical sector, food processing industry and agro businesses as well as food delivery start-ups such as Swiggy and Zomato to identify cold storages or fridges at the taluka level that can stock and distribute the vaccine.
- Indian start-up claims IoT-enabled smart mask can protect against Covid, monitor Oxygen levelsThe system can be activated remotely using IoT Mobile applications.
- Can a startup mentality save small businesses?Small businesses are employing a strategy similar to the “fail fast” approach well known in startup culture.
- Navigating 2021 with ET: Trends that will help you navigate a risky and uncertain worldA number of themes will shape the course of the Indian economy through 2021 and beyond. These themes — investing, the future of work, the acceleration of digitisation, and the impact of the pandemic on contact-intensive.
- Approval of 2nd COVID-19 vaccine another milestone in US' fight against pandemic: Joe BidenModerna's COVID-19 vaccine mRNA-1273 on Friday became the second drug in the US to get emergency use authorisation from the US FDA, a week after the one developed by American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech received a similar approval.
- Ratan Tata on the 4 things India needs to keep in mind as it enters 2021Whether we find an effective vaccine or not, I am hopeful that we will eventually find some cure that will reduce the intensity of this pandemic. But it will be imperative for all of us to learn not to take this pandemic for granted.
- Breathe easy! Researchers develop new breath analyser test for Covid-19 with over 90% accuracyA person would simply have to blow into a mouthpiece connected to a 'high-precision breath sampler'.
- New career reality for the new decade: Trends that will affect your work, income and choicesThe biggest impact of the pandemic on businesses worldwide was to speed up the penetration and adoption of technology. Digitisation penetrated to the extent of eliminating travel for business, replacing it with virtual meetings everywhere.
- Pivot is not just a startup word anymoreThe staggering impact of COVID-19 has unleashed a wave of innovation and witnessed the birth of new ideas across the innovation landscape.
- Resilient European tech startups near record $41B investment: ReportWith 115 venture capital-backed 'unicorns', with a valuation of more than $1 billion, the total valuation of tech firms founded in Europe since 2000 has grown to nearly $1 trillion.
- Japanese startup creates "connected" face mask for coronavirus new normalDonut Robotics' engineers came up with the idea for the mask as they searched for a product to help the company survive the pandemic.
- Coronavirus-fueled uncertainty could accelerate the consolidation of flexible office spacesWhile a large operator like RMZ is exiting the business, global major WeWork plans to expand as per client specifications only for some time. Awfis and Smartworks have also slowed down the pace of expansion as they continue to study the evolving market dynamics.
- Japan shares end lower as COVID-19 cases jump in TokyoThe index, which has gained nearly 12% so far this month, posted its highest close since 1991 on Tuesday.
- Cadila, one of India's two Covid vaccine makers, is going in for a huge capacity boostWhile Cadila’s plasmid DNA candidate doesn’t use an infectious agent like others, and instead introduces the DNA sequence encoding the antigen, the other tests being done are for traditional delivery methods. Serum Institute is conducting tests for the candidate developed by Oxford University. Dr Reddy’s plans to distribute the Russian vaccine.
- India's top unicorn founders share their experience of building large businessesIn the year 2020 alone, the country minted over 9 such new Unicorns, despite the disruption to businesses and the economy caused by the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic.
- China's blue-chip, start-up indexes hit over five-year high on growth hopesThe blue-chip CSI300 index rose 1.4% to 5,113.71 points, its highest close since June, 2015. The Shanghai Composite Index advanced 1.1% to 3,414.45 points.
- We look forward to working with Germany on cooperation in Indo-Pacific: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan ShringlaIn an address at a virtual conference on Indo-German ties, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla referred to Berlin's release of policy guidelines for the Indo-Pacific region, and said that India was happy to note the "high degree" of convergence between the two countries on the issue.
- Startup seeks approval for inhaler that would help smokers quitThe coronavirus pandemic has spurred new interest in products that help users of cigarettes and vaping products quit. Some public health agencies, including the FDA, have said smoking may worsen Covid-19 outcomes.
- Budding companies face tough task overcoming pandemic, recession despite easy fundingsA recession amid a pandemic may seem like the worst time to start a business. Despite millions of loans and grants from federal and state governments, it's estimated that hundreds of thousands of companies have already failed since the virus outbreak began.
- Indian startups eye virtual wedding space amid coronavirus curbsAs weddings go online amid lockdown, startups and even bigger firms are exploring virtual wedding space.
- Startups race to develop tech that can clear workplaces of CovidIn the spring, the Smithfield plant in Sioux Falls became the number one virus hotspot in America, with a cluster of 644 confirmed cases among employees and people they were in contact with.
- Indian startups get creative as coronavirus crisis fuels funding crunchBookMyShow is promoting free-to-watch Instagram Live performances in an effort to keep its users engaged, while restaurant aggregator and food delivery firm Zomato is targeting a push into alcohol delivery.
- Nikkei falls as coronavirus resurgence in Europe hits sentimentAll but two of the 33 sector sub-indexes on the Tokyo exchange traded lower, with real estate, pharmaceuticals and land transport leading the decline on the main bourse.
- Coronavirus: US aid excludes startups, entrenches big techThe $2.2 trillion emergency relief will help many workers and businesses dealing with an unprecedented economic shutdown.
- How some startups are being inventive in the face of coronavirus pandemicSuddenly, startups that were looking for growth avenues were scrambling for ways to survive. The smart ones, however, have learnt to adapt.
- Coronavirus prompts layoffs at e-scooter startup BirdBird recently raised hundreds of millions of dollars from investors, but is slashing costs to ensure it has enough money to keep it running through next year, according to VanderZanden.
- Coronavirus: Startups by IIT-KGP alumni unveil tech to fight pandemicIIT Kharagpur alumnus Debayan Saha has collaboratively developed Airlens Minus Corona, a device which may help sanitise large areas.
- Airbnb creates endowment, advisory board for hosts ahead of IPOAirbnb told its shareholders that it was splitting its privately held shares, which will lower its stock price per share ahead of the IPO.
- On factory floors, a chime and flashing light to maintain distanceThe sensors were programmed to go off when two people were within 1.5 meters, roughly 6 feet, of each other for more than 5 seconds.
- SUGAR Cosmetics CEO finished 120 days of daily workouts at home during lockdownWhile Vineeta Singh’s main objective was fitness, the workout routine helped in an unexpected way.
- IIT Madras-incubated startup comes up with coating that neutralises coronavirusThe startup’s pilot machine can coat textiles of length up to 100 metres within a few minutes – according to them, it can deployed immediately for use.
- Oil prices extend gains on COVID vaccine hopesOil prices extended their gains on Monday as traders were optimistic about a recovery in crude demand thanks to successful coronavirus vaccine trials, but price gains were contained by renewed lockdowns in several countries. Sentiment was also bolstered by hopes that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia and other producers, a group known as OPEC+, will keep crude output in check.
- MyClassboard raises Rs 4.5 crore funding from ICICI BankMyClassboard, a Hyderabad-based edtech startup, will use the funding from ICICI Bank to expand its offerings to 50 lakh students across 10,000+ and enter the Middle East and Southeast Asian markets.
- Startups ask government to taken steps to flatten the coronavirus curveStartups like Urban Company, Bounce, Cred, Snapdeal, Unacademy, 1MG have supported the findings of the report.
- S&P 500 ends lower as COVID worries lightened by stimulusThe Nasdaq dipped slightly to join the S&P 500 in the red, but financials helped the blue-chip Dow reverse course for a modest gain.
- Lockdown: Startup to launch online funeral management serviceThe objective behind this service is to provide a "one-stop solution" to the families and give them support in their hard times and help them perform the last rites in a hassle-free manner.
- Indian researchers working towards developing effective vaccine strategies against SARS-CoV-2 and HIVIn two studies published in the past week, they reported the design of a 'heat-tolerant' Covid-19 vaccine candidate and a rapid method to identify specific regions on the HIV envelopeprotein that are targeted by antibodies, which can help design effective vaccines, an IISc press release said.
- China's blue-chip index ends at 13-year high led by gains in banking, healthcare stocksAt the close, the blue-chip CSI300 index was up 0.92% to 5,417.68, its highest since January 16, 2008, while the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.63% at 3,550.88.
- 25% of Indian startups in serious trouble if COVID-19 persists for long: Expert"About 25 per cent of the startups have less than six months of runway," the co-founder of IT major Infosy Ltd, told P T I. "They will be in serious trouble if the recovery does not happen in six months, it does not look like (happening within that period)."
- Pandemic outside, paradise inside: How India's super-rich are dealing with COVID-19Amid work from home, their mega closets gather dust as loungewear becomes the new suits. Understandably, those periodic shopping trips overseas are off bounds. The summer skiing trips to the Swiss Alps have been cancelled. The coronavirus has been truly democratic in its rage, not sparing even the rarefied and gilded world of India’s super-rich.
- Muse Nanobots launches nanotech coating for textiles to inactivate coronavirusMuse Nanobots conducted a study with the U.S.-based Situ Biosciences, an independent product test laboratory in Chicago, to understand the effectiveness of Muse Nanobots antiviral coating on coronavirus 229E, showed that it inactivated 99.99 per cent of the coronavirus 229E within five minutes of contact time.
- KSUM webinar to train nascent firms, investors to thrive through Covid-19The May 1-2 RAISE webinar will feature marquee venture capitalists, angel investors and other leading ecosystem players throwing light on the various dimensions of the stalemate .
- Airbnb makes tweaks to refund policy amid spread of coronavirusAirbnb’s policy is that all reservations are able to be canceled within 48 hours of booking for a full refund. Beyond that, it’s up to hosts to determine the refund policy, which are stated on the listings and range from flexible to strict.
- Billionaires, startups team up to fix broken Indian health careShocking videos of coronavirus patients lying next to corpses in overrun hospitals and ambulances with critically-ill driving around in search of hospital beds have conferred fresh impetus to the task of rescuing Indian health care.
- Memories: What 2020 meant for business leaders and other prominent personalitiesAs the year draws to a close, ET Magazine reached out to a cross-section of people — politicians and bureaucrats, diplomats and CEOs, activists and artists, writers, sportspersons and actors — to ask what their diary entry for 2020 would read like.
- Tracking app to thermal camera, Indian startup ecosystem is coming together to fight coronavirusStartup founders in India have joined hands and are taking the initiative to help the government and citizens battle the ongoing coronavirus pandemic by bringing various solutions ranging from a quarantine app to a disease-free vehicle shield.
- Covid-19 research: 45 Bengaluru startups working on medicine, testing methods and vaccineDeputy chief minister CN Ashwath Narayan on Thursday asked the IT/BT department to set up a committee at the earliest. The deputy chief minister took a decision to this effect after he visited Bengaluru Bio Innovation Centre.
- Sequoia Capital warns startups of Coronavirus ‘Black Swan’ eventSequoia has been a fixture of Silicon Valley for decades, helping fund generations of companies, including Apple Inc., Google, Instagram and DoorDash Inc. In 2008, the VC firm sent a similar, ominous note to founders called “RIP Good Times” during the depth of the recession.
- From flipping burgers to baking bread, demand for robot cooks skyrockets as Covid-19 hits kitchensRobot food service was a trend even before the coronavirus pandemic.
- Virus pushes Wendy’s to open hundreds of cloud kitchens in IndiaWendy’s, with 6,800 restaurants in 30 markets worldwide, followed rival burger chains like McDonald’s Corp. into India, opening its first restaurant in New Delhi in 2015. It plans about 150 physical stores over the next decade, in addition to the cloud kitchen push. Sierra Nevada Restaurants, the chain’s franchise partner, will help with both initiatives.
- Startup executives launch Covidmaps to help users find essential products nearbyCovidMaps.in lists details around when a store is open, what items are available and how much, safety precautions being observed, crowding, wait-times to help people get their essentials in a safe way.
- Coronavirus will finally give artificial intelligence its momentPandemic lockdowns have affected consumer behavior in ways that will spur AI’s growth and development. As consumers buy more online to avoid the new risks of shopping in stores, they are giving sellers more data on preferences and shopping habits.
- Coronavirus outbreak chills China’s red-hot home rental startupsBefore the outbreak, some rental managers were counting on a seasonal bump in business after prospective tenants return to large cities for work after the Lunar New Year Holiday. Instead, they’re now forced to cope with a decline in revenue.
- Nikkei hits 29-year high as vaccine optimism boosts risk appetiteThe Nikkei share average rose 0.42% to 26,014.62, its highest close since May 1991. The broader Topix added 0.15% to 1,734.39, after having slipped into negative territory in morning trade.
- Govt defers global summit on AIRAISE 2020 summit is expected to feature some of the most exciting global startups working in AI-related fields and is expected to have multiple events, such as the AI Startup Pitchfest, AI Startup Theater and The AI Startup Awards.
- What COVID-19 crisis means for India’s startup funding ecosystem in 2020The COVID-19 crisis has brought a change in startup investment patterns. Venture capital firms are shifting their focus from tech-centric startups to the ones operating in sectors such as FMCG, online grocery delivery, home entertainment etc.
- IIT-Madras startups develop PPEs from 3D Printers and regular stationery materialsInitial batches have been supplied in Chennai, while some were in the process of being scaled up towards mass production for use in hospitals and clinics across the country.
- DPIIT, Startup India seek innovative solutions from startups to fight Covid-19 crisisIt said that the challenge is open to all startups, companies, and innovators - whose innovation can plug the gap between the demand and supply of essential medical items to fight the Covid-19 outbreak.
- Coming together of tech leaders to fight Coronavirus is commendable: RS PrasadThe Action Covid Team (ACT) Grants, which is possibly a first-of-its-kind initiative globally, has already received about 40% of its target corpus, with some of the country’s top entrepreneurs also coming on board to not only provide capital, but also identify ventures that may be still at an ideation stage.
- Tech startups ask workers to trade in salary for stockMedal is among a growing number of startups offering stock-for-salary trades to preserve cash as the tech industry reels and economic uncertainty mounts.
- Shanghai shares ease as data shows soft growth in Oct bank loansThe blue-chip CSI300 index rose 0.1% to 4,908.46, while the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.1% to 3,338.
- China stocks post biggest monthly rise in 17 months amid coronavirus uncertaintySEC gains 0.71 per cent, CSI300 up 0.84 per cent, SSEC gains 10.9 per cent in July, CSI300 up 12.8 per cent, biggest monthly rises since April 2015.
- View: Coronavirus could be India's black swan eventModi demonstrated leadership by announcing a lockdown and 3 packages to help citizens & businesses to cope.
- Physician engagement startup Doceree closes seed funding round of $1 millionThe New Jersey-based health-tech startup plans to utilize the funds for customer acquisition, recruiting talent, scaling up operations in India and the US and ramping up technology to further digitalize physician engagement experience, said a press statement issued by the company.
- Here are the things Indians have been spending their cash on during the coronavirus pandemicConsumers around the world are showing an increased interest in safeguarding their health and boosting their immunity. In India, that often means ayurveda, the country’s ancient system of medicine. Here are a few of the products shoppers in the world’s biggest open consumer market have been stocking up on.
- Coronavirus: The biggest challenge right now is business continuityAs the Covid-19 outbreak hits companies hard, CFOs like Vaish are bracing for what many are referring to as the toughest phase in their careers.
- Apps don face masks to promote healthy practices amid Covid-19Apna Mask initiative, an effort by StartUpVsCOVID, is promoting homemade masks and aims to drive behavioural change to ensure that people wear masks and stay protected as they step out of their homes.
- In the fight against Covid-19, MSMEs and startups can help each otherCash is king but the significance of mergers, collaborations and sector specific reforms needs to be duly recognised too if one wants to find a way forward.
- Abu Dhabi aims to attract skilled expats by making life cheaperThis year’s two crises have forced many foreigners to reconsider their lives in the UAE.
- View: Design for hope amidst pandemic gloomLike other cities of the world, Indian cities will also remain vulnerable to threats like pandemics unless we re-innovate urban design and products having a large public interface. Making them safe and resilient is a challenge for urban planners and designers alike.
- India extends quality norms enforcement deadline for domestic toy industry to Jan 2021The move came in the wake of a study by the Quality Council of India (QCI) revealing that 67% of imported toys failed a testing survey, which prompted an aggressive push to produce safe toys in the country. Imports from China and Taiwan account for around 90% of the domestic toy market.
- Nasscom seeks relief for technology startups for business continuitySome of the important measures demanded from the government to help the startups include rental subsidy for workspaces used by start-ups which are regulated/owned/managed by government agencies; blanket suspension of all deadlines including tax payment deadlines and filing deadlines until at least four weeks post lifting of all city lockdown.
- How KARMIbot, others are making isolation wards robot readyThe robot is expected to be cost-effective. Once the mould is completed and spares made available, the company will be able to manufacture one robot a day.
- Can stem cells treat Covid-19? There’s hopeAs the global race for vaccine or a treatment for Covid-19 reaches a frantic pace, stem cell treatment is the latest to throw its hat in the ring.
- For Indian gaming startups, Covid-19 lockdown is a boon for businessWith hours in hand, people in India are spending a majority of their time playing mobile games during the lockdown. This has led to a massive surge in user engagement of gaming startups in India.
- This Canadian start-up used AI to track coronavirus and raised alarm days before the outbreakBlueDot's algorithm can sift through several news stories a day in order to detect and monitor the spread.
- COVID-19: Silicon Valley prepares for layoffs, reduction in salary and job freezeM Rangaswami, well-known venture capitalist and entrepreneur, told that while the IT giants like Google and Facebook might have a different approach, many of the startups were instituting either layoffs or reduction in salary or a combination of both.
- SoftBank is winding down options trading after investor backlashInvestors have questioned the rationale of a company known for its years-long bets on technology startups dabbling in public securities, especially derivatives.
- Japanese shares extend falls as coronavirus worries persistThe broader Topix lost 0.33% at 1,573.85, with all but seven of the 33 sector sub-indexes on the Tokyo exchange trading in the red.
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