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Innovative marketing solutions have always been of paramount importance to expand the landscape in the luxury market. The future of India’s luxury market will also be determined by the same factors, especially after the lockdown. The brands will aim to stabilize the processes and sustain their businesses in the coming months, rather than looking for fancy options.
Earlier, the luxury market in India was attracting a number of international brands. However, the scenario has changed after the increasing threat of Covid-19 pandemic. Most of the brands will be apprehensive to foray into the Indian luxury market anytime soon. Those who are already operating in the country are unlikely to think about the expansion.
There is hardly any doubt about the fact that the luxury market won’t be the same post lockdown. The world’s most vibrant and diverse market will undergo a litmus test with changing market dynamics. The brands will need to understand the complexities of the market. The issues that existed a decade ago will once again be the talking point.
Luxury brands will need to come up with innovative ideas to counter the complexities. Luxury expert Gaurav Bhatia’s tryst with the luxury market flourished on the back of similar factors in the last couple of decades. The history may be repeated with young and enthusiastic leaders taking the charge this time around.
The millennials in India will not be able to relish the magic of luxury brands due to the prevailing situation. The market won’t operate to its full potential either. However, it presents an exciting opportunity to the new businesses in the domestic market.
All these firms will need to be vary of the present circumstances, as the customers would definitely be more value conscious. This is where excellent strategy will be required, rather than looking too far ahead.

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Lotus plans to reinvent itself, and in addition to a range of new products, a dealership makeover is in the cards. PistonHeads reports that Lotus CEO Dany Bahar sent out a letter to the company's European dealers informing them that their contracts will be terminated as of July, 2012. Why the long notice? The company's current contract with its dealers stipulates that Lotus must give two years notice prior to contract termination. The move will likely result in many dealers losing their ability to sell Lotus' wares, but current dealers will reportedly be given the opportunity to re-apply for a new contract.
Back in June Lotus announced to the world that it was entering the "Dawn of a New Era." Lotus has reportedly been spending its time and money picking up ex-Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin employees in an effort to build up its brand as a high-performance luxury make.


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For a niche brand in the luxury car segment, Bentley sure has plenty to offer to visitors at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show that runs until March 17, as it chose the Swiss event for the world premiere of the new Flying Spur and the enhanced 2014 model year Mulsanne flagship, as well as the European debut of the GT Speed Convertible. Arguably, the most important introduction is the Flying Spur, which is the sedan model of the renewed Continental series. Besides the crispier bodywork incorporating the British firm’s latest design cues and the revamped interior that gains all sorts of gadgetry, such as a touch-screen infotainment and mobile connectivity, Bentley overhauled the platform and coupled a new 8-speed automatic transmission to the tweaked 6.0-liter twin turbocharged W12 engine that now delivers 616hp (625PS). “The new Bentley Flying Spur marks a big step forward. We have re-designed and re-engineered almost every part of the car,” said Bentley boss Wolfgang Schreiber during the company’s press gathering in Geneva. “In simple words, we have created the best luxury sedan in the world – a perfect combination of exquisite refinement, effortless performance, elegant styling and state of the art technology,” he added. The other two models at Bentley’s Geneva motor show booth are the 2014 Mulsanne offering a new suite of entertainment and communication system options, and the 202mph (325km/h) GT Speed Convertible featuring a 616hp (625PS) twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12, which promises to deliver a 15 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency over the outgoing model.
BENTLEY FLYING SPUR
BENTLEY IN GENEVA


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It is no news that the counterfeiting nemesis is becoming more rampant and aggressive by the day; According to the United States Department of Treasury, an estimated $70 – $200 million in counterfeit bills are in circulation at any given time. According to a report by the ECC-Net (European Consumer Network), between March and August 2016, 562 cases of counterfeits were reported to the network of European Consumer Centers 1. Most of the goods that were bought in these cases were clothes, shoes, or electronic devices.
Puffbar and Cypheme are collaboratively doing everything within our power to stop counterfeits at all levels in the United States. We truly go the extra mile and do much more than most vape brands in the fight against counterfeiters.
Switzerland based medical supply chain industry leader, Medihands AG, is set to start making use of Cypheme’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) solution to safeguard its products from counterfeiters. The deal sees to it that every year, 600 million Medical Protective and Preventive Equipment (PPEs) from Medihands would be embossed with anti-counterfeit labels from Cypheme.
A recent article report by ‘Reporterre le quotidien de l’écologie’ on food fraud reveals that one in every twelve purported organic food products is not organic. It also adds that one in two spices is not purely a product of the supposed base ingredient. The article is largely centered on an interview they had with journalist Ingrid Kragl who works for the NGO called Foodwatch; the NGO has its mission centred on “safe, healthy and affordable food for all.”
We have once again added another plaque to our shelves, and this time it is the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Awards under the auspices of Wealth & Finance International. Wealth & Finance International is an outfit which provides fund managers and private investors with up-to-date industry news across various investment sectors. Cypheme receiving an award from this dedicated finance industry player goes to show how diverse (industry wise) the usage of our solution is.
U-Earth is a company that specializes in using cutting-edge biotech to naturally destroy contaminants and improve the air the users of their products breathe. The company recognizes the problem of air pollution currently confronting the world, mostly due to industrial fumes and vehicular emissions. Ironically, this has led to a situation where the air indoors is five times more polluted than the air outdoors. As such, U-Earth products seek to help people breathe in cleaner air and help people in overcoming their allergies and other air related life-threatening situations.
Cypheme has been noted by many renowned outfits as a stand-out entity with our state-of-the-art anti-counterfeit solution. We take pride in the fact that we are a leading active anti-counterfeit solutions provider to players in various industries, thus playing out in the proportional coverage we do get from time to time.
In 2013, fake goods made up 2.5% of the value of global trade. By 2016 (just a year after), the market share of fake goods had grown significantly, making up about 3.3% of the value of global trade to understand the gravity of the issue, that 3.3% fake goods market share was equivalent to the total value of the sports industry for that year.
The award winners for the fifth edition of the APAC Insider Business Awards was released over the weekend, and Cypheme was one of the celebrated recipients. The APAC Insider Business Awards is an annual event which seeks to recognise and celebrate the very best of businesses and individuals across the Asia Pacific region.
In March last year (2020), as the coronavirus pandemic started to take its toll on various aspects of daily social and economic life, there appeared to be a lot of gloom. In the bid to help nip the pandemic in the bud and contribute to getting things up and running once again, the European Commission through its European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Pilot programmelaunched a call for ideas to tackle the viral epidemic.


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Shares of Roku (ROKU 2.72%) have popped today, up by 5% as of 12:40 p.m. EST, after a Wall Street analyst increased its price target on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted its valuation estimate on Roku shares from $110 to $150 while remaining bearish overall.
Analyst Benjamin Swinburne reiterated an underweight (equivalent to sell) rating on the streaming TV technology company, after initially downgrading Roku shares nearly a year ago over valuation concerns. The analyst expects Roku to grow its gross profits at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 30% over the next three years, and the price target is based on a valuation multiple of 18 times expected gross profits for 2022.
Swinburne justified the bearish rating by arguing that "the stock is already pricing in a streaming market in which 1) Roku addresses a large [total addressable market] and 2) has dominant share." In other words, the analyst is still worried about Roku's overall valuation while acknowledging the company's success in becoming the leading streaming TV platform.
Roku is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings results tomorrow after the market closes. Swinburne is modeling for platform revenue of $300 million in the third quarter, which the analyst expects to yield gross profits of around $168 million (representing a platform gross margin of 56%). Roku did not provide a formal outlook due to ongoing uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but consensus estimates call for third-quarter revenue of $366.3 million and a net loss per share of $0.40.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., facing slowing U.S. sales, may benefit from further trimming its U.S. store and square footage growth, and using the saved capital to buy back shares or pay dividends, analysts said.
Ahead of its two-day analyst meeting that begins Tuesday, analysts and investors said the world's largest retailer, which already scaled back its supercenter store growth plan, can use some additional cutbacks. Wal-Mart in June said it will increase U.S. square footage growth by about 4% to 5% for fiscal years 2008 and 2009 and lowered its capital spending forecast to $15.5 billion from $17 billion.
Same-store sales at U.S. Wal-Mart stores in the first 35 weeks of the year rose 0.8% this year, compared with 2.5% last year after the retailer failed to lure higher-income shoppers with more upscale apparel and home furnishing products, analysts said. The retailer last week cut prices on 15,000 additional items, 20% more than last year, as it said it plans to be more aggressive with price cuts heading into the holidays, many retailers' biggest sales and profit period.
"Wal-Mart is a mature business," said Craig Nedbalski of Fifth Third Asset Management, which owns Wal-Mart shares. "There's only a certain way you can grow. Everybody is going to be watching their capital spending. Square footage growth in the U.S. is very capital intensive. A few billion dollars from there can go a long way to buy back shares or pay dividends."
Wal-Mart has over 4,000 stores, including Sam's Club and Neighborhood Markets, in the U.S. and more than 2,800 more overseas in countries including Argentina, Brazil, Canada and China.
'Definite timeline' anticipated
Analysts also said they want to hear an update on the company's lagging apparel and home goods businesses. Wal-Mart has named new executives for the two categories after its more affluent customers stuck to buying consumable items such as toilet paper instead of converting to buying Wal-Mart's apparel, analysts said.
It's also rebalancing the mix of fashion in these two categories toward more basic items, with only up to 10% of the assortment geared toward trendier products, Christine Augustine, a Bear Stearns analyst, said in a report.
The retailer signed an agreement with Ocean Pacific in August to have the exclusive rights to sell the apparel line in the U.S. and has set up a new home goods layout in a few stores, such as curved shelving that opens up the aisles, she said.
Soft goods and domestics, including home and apparel, represented 15% of Wal-Mart U.S. stores' fiscal 2006 sales and have underperformed, Augustine said.
"When can investors expect acceleration and what will it take to get there?" said UBS analyst Neil Currie in a note to clients previewing the analyst meeting. We hope to hear "a definite timeline for the Wal-Mart U.S. turnaround."
Defying expectations with Seiyu offer
In contrast to many analysts' expectations, Wal-Mart said Monday it's offered to pay $862 million for the rest of Japanese supermarket operator Seiyu Ltd. it doesn't already own. Wal-Mart said it remains committed to tapping into the world's second largest economy after the U.S. It also said taking full ownership of Seiyu will give it "increased flexibility to invest in merchandising, store renovation, distribution and logistics." See full story.
Wal-Mart first partnered with Seiyu in 2002 and became a majority owner in 2005. Seiyu is expected to post its sixth year of losses.
Bear Stearns' Augustine had named exiting the Japanese market as one item on the wish list she had for Wal-Mart management. Wal-Mart exited the South Korean and German regions after failure to generate desired returns in those markets.
"Japan has long been a thorn in Wal-Mart's side," said Credit Suisse analyst Michael Exstein in a note after Wal-Mart's announcement. "Management will need to justify its decision and provide its long-term strategic view for its Japanese operation."
Sales outside of the U.S. have outpaced Wal-Mart's growth in the U.S., rising to 30% of the retailer's sales from 4.8% of sales in 1996 as it expands in countries such as China, Currie said.
Augustine said Wal-Mart should sell Asda, its largest international division, as the U.K.-based unit has limited growth opportunities in a mature retailing environment, Augustine said. Asda's $28.9 billion in 2006 sales represented 37% of Wal-Mart's international sales or 8.4% of total company sales, she said.
In the U.S., Wal-Mart plans to open just 190 to 200 new supercenters this year, including relocations and expansions, from an original plan of as many as 270, it said in June. It also has planned to open about 170 supercenters each year for the next three fiscal years.
It also said then it sees consolidated square footage growth of 6% for the company for fiscal 2008 and 2009.
"Greater clarity on capital allocation would be a positive," said Goldman Sachs analyst Adrianne Shapira.
While the company may need to reduce its supercenter store growth, it may benefit from opening a small food concept much like rival Tesco (TSCO) is launching its Fresh & Easy convenience store format in the U.S. this year, UBS' Currie said. A smaller shop format can also help Wal-Mart expand in states such as California that are not as friendly to the opening of big-box stores, the analyst said.


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Trippie Redd‘s upcoming album was set to release on October 6th, 2017. This morning, an online source thats currently unknown made the album public to everyone before the release date, not many people are aware of this leak yet but if you want to get an early listen, check it out below.
“A Love Letter To You 2” comes with a total of 14 songs and also features many artists. Artists such as UnoTheActivist, Khalil, Chris King and many more.
UPDATE 10/5/17 7:10 PM – Embedded Apple Music Stream


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Myanmar is working to make more solar power available to its farmers, following in the footsteps of India and Africa, with the help of a U.S. company.
The government has set a goal of achieving 100% electrification in the country by 2030, but the power grid cannot keep up with soaring electricity demand.
In early July, solar power system provider Greenlight Planet opened its first outlet in Bago, north of Yangon. The U.S. company sells power systems aimed at farmers that combine solar panels, highly efficient light-emitting diode lighting and batteries to supply nighttime electricity.
Greenlight offers a "pay as you go" system for its customers that lets them use the products by paying an upfront fee. The equipment is then paid for in daily installments.
To ensure payment, the company has installed a chip that prevents these customers from using their devices unless they pay on time. Customers receive a 15-digit number from collection officers when they make a payment. They cannot use the electricity generated until the proper number is entered into the device. Vice President Dhaval Radia said the system works well for both customers and the company.
The system is drawing attention as a successful example of businesses operating in Africa, India and rural areas elsewhere in the developing world. Simpa Networks, which provides solar power systems in northern India, has sold 35,000 units since it launched a similar service three years ago.
Once installed, solar power systems eliminate the need to pay for fuel. Solar power systems are far more common in villages in developing countries than a decade ago, but the high initial cost has hampered their spread. Greenlight Planet makes these systems more affordable with its installment payment plan.
Myanmar, which is less developed than its neighbors, has learned from the experience of Thailand and Vietnam. But given recent technical advances, these older development models may not be ideal. Myanmar can instead draw lessons from India and African countries, many of which are at a similar stage of economic development.


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So the suspense has finally ended. HTC has taken the curtains off its flagship device at a live event in China and officially unveiled the U11 smartphone. Real live images of the HTC U11 have started doing the rounds giving us a proper look at what HTC has brought to the stage this time.
HTC U11 has been launched in five color options — Amazing Silver, Sapphire Blue, Brilliant Black, Ice White, and Solar Red – with a glossy and shining back. The official specsheet has finally arrived putting all past speculations to rest.
So the HTC U11 will be powered by Snapdragon 835 processor. There will be two versions – one with 4GB RAM and 64GB in-built storage for overseas market and the other with 6GB RAM and 64GB ROM to be sold in domestic market. There’s a 12MP UltraPixel3 rear camera with impressive features such as f / 1.7 aperture, optical image stabilization and dual LED. In the front sits a 16MP selfie shooter. Notably, HTC U11 has received a score of 90 by DxOMark which surpasses the scores of Google Pixel (89) and also Samsung Galaxy S8 (88). This means that the cameras on board this flagship HTC phone are the best seen so far.
To keep the juices flowing, there’s a 3000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 support and IP67 rating which makes it waterproof. For great audio experience HTC has equipped its flagship device with the latest BoomSound HiFi tech and 3D audio recording. The phone runs Android 7.1 Nougat.
Coming to the design, the live images show a not so minimal bezel HTC U11. The fingerprint scanner is in the front. The phone comes with HTC Edge Sense with pressure sensing bezels and HTC Sense Companion AI.
HTC has listed the U11 on its online store where it can be grabbed for $649.


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Fiat Finance has chosen SunGard’s AvantGard for SWIFT messaging and connectivity. It will use AvantGard for integrating the payment messaging of its treasury operations to SWIFT and to help improve its existing international payment factory. This project will encompass multiple centres across Europe, helping Fiat Finance to improve its visibility and control over company-wide financial flows. AvantGard will be used to capture payments from Fiat’s existing systems, manage the payment workflow and authorisation and integrate them with the SWIFT network. Taking advantage of SwiftNet services to manage its treasury and commercial payments will help the firm streamline payments processing and exception handling both internally and for its European corporate clients, facilitating the auditing of the payment process. The project will consist of three phases. Phase one will address the treasury payment flows across Swift FIN MT1xx for both unitary payments – the process to administer individual low volume, high value payments rather than on an aggregated level – and manual entries, typically for urgent payments. Phase two, the ‘European payments factory’, will address batch payment flows for Fiat entities in France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, the UK and Denmark. Phase three will address the integration of the SWIFTNet accord matching service for deal confirmations.
A report by broking group Marsh examines the repercussions from the administration of the South Korean company, which filed for bankruptcy protection at the end of August.
Global research by C2FO suggests that smaller businesses are less concerned with the repercussions of Brexit and the upcoming US presidential election.
A squeeze on skilled talent means it now takes an average of seven weeks to fill open permanent roles in finance in the UK according to new research from financial services recruitment firm Robert Half.
Early-stage merger and acquisition deals in Asia-Pacific show nearly 10% year-on-year growth in recent months.


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Illinois' Tech Innovators
Tech incubators are putting Illinois on the innovation map—and bringing a wealth of jobs, funds and invention with them.
By Carolyn Kmet |
Once predominantly rooted within agriculture and manufacturing, the
Illinois economy is experiencing a bit of a shift these days thanks to an influx of tech sector R&D.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
, in 2013 approximately
5.28 percent of Illinois’ private businesses resided in the high-tech space—above the national average of 4.47 percent, and more than double the 2.46 percent attributed to the high-tech sector in 1990.
With new businesses come
new jobs. And according to an Illinois Science and Technology Coalition report released in 2014, over the past decade Illinois’ economy has generated more than 16,000 new jobs for Web developers, programmers and other computer-related occupations.
This is certainly contributing to the state’s less daunting unemployment rate, which hit a low of 5.8 percent in July 2015—its lowest since August 2008.
Much of this growth would not be possible without the existence of technology
and innovation incubators—companies that help new businesses get their start through shared workspaces, knowledge sharing and even funding. By reducing overhead costs and providing structured mentorship, these incubators can significantly
reduce the risks associated with launching a new enterprise. According to the National Business Incubation Association, as of October 2012, there were more than 1,250 incubators
in the United States, up from only 12 in 1980—and more than a third of these cater to technology firms. Catapult,
cross between an incubator and a co-working space, is one example of an organization that’s supporting and boosting the efforts of tech startups. There are a variety of incubator program models, but Catapult distinguishes itself as a nonprofit
focused on companies that already have demonstrated some business traction (usually having an existing staff of three to five employees, an existing though early product, and a little bit of capital raised). Catapult doesn’t take equity or provide
funding in the businesses it incubates; rather, its singular objective is to accelerate growth by providing educational programming, mentoring and access to a strong community of like-minded entrepreneurs. The Catapult community is peer-selected, so founders
of existing resident companies refer in and vote on new companies invited to join.
“Peer selection and business traction are huge, the premise being that from the most serious founders, those in the trenches know best who they
want to work with side by side,” says Galen Mason, Catapult co-founder and an attorney with Foley & Lardner.
Mason explains that when done right, incubators provide entrepreneurs with not only ready access to the support necessary
to drive the startup phase, but also the foundation for continuous growth. “Thus, incubators increase both the odds of someone starting a new enterprise and their subsequent success,” he says. Similarly, incubators also help entrepreneurs
recognize poor ideas faster, which saves time and money in the long run.
To date, Catapult has seen 31 companies pass through its doors—18 alumni and 13 current residents. These companies have raised nearly $60M in funding and
hired almost 400 employees.
Mason argues that small businesses create more jobs than established corporations tend to do. And, in fact, the Small Business Association
reports that small businesses create seven out of every 10 new jobs, and have generated 64 percent of net new jobs over the past 15 years. Focusing specifically on incubators, a study commissioned by the US Economic Development Administration
in 2008 reveals that for every $10,000 investment, business incubators created between 46 and 69 jobs.
As recently as October 2014, former Governor Pat Quinn announced a $1M investment in business incubator Chicago Innovation Exchange as part
of the Illinois Jobs Now!
program. These funds added to the University of Chicago’s
$5.4M investment in the enterprise. “Our technology and innovation sectors are helping us grow and create new businesses and jobs across Illinois,” said Governor Quinn in a press release. “This investment will pay dividends for our state
by giving students, faculty and local community entrepreneurs the opportunity to grow in Illinois.” Chicago Innovation Exchange
is part of a larger strategy
to position the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago and the South Side as global destinations for discovery, innovation and entrepreneurial activity. These companies will address local and global issues in the areas of life sciences, water conservation,
energy storage, high-powered computing, and more. Once completed, Chicago Innovation Exchange’s campus will have room for 300 innovators to work on their ventures on a daily basis, including 20 to 30 companies in the incubator space. In addition
to resources, staff and University of Chicago students, the Exchange will feature partners such as the Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Laboratory and the Urban Education Institute. Corporate partners include JPMorgan Chase, Samsung and Cisco
Systems. Several startups already have taken up residence, including Qualia Health, Quantitative Insights and Legacy Complete.
But job creation isn’t the only benefit of tech sector incubators; they contribute to wealth creation
as well. Mason explains that the $60M in funding that Catapult companies raised generally reflects an increase in value that angels and venture capitalists, who are typically Illinois-based (although this is changing), are attributing to those companies.
“That in turn means more hiring, and eventually a return to those investors,” he says. That return can then be reinvested in other companies showing promise in incubators or the market generally, and the cycle becomes self-perpetuating.
“If you have more investments, you have more exits, and then more reinvestment, more jobs, more wealth, etc.” says Mason. “Getting these things started and moving quickly but thoughtfully is exactly what a good incubator
does. It’s an engine of new growth that hopes to pay out scaleable returns for decades.”
What’s more, incubators help to position Illinois competitively within the overall domestic economy, which in turn enables the state
to attract new businesses and investments.
“Think of Microsoft and Seattle, Google and Silicon Valley, Sears and Chicago,” says Mason. “Incubators help to ensure that our region is inherently thought of as a place where things
can happen. Such branding reassures investors, attracts talent to the region and ‘seeds’ future growth.”
Whereas “large, established businesses optimize for execution on an existing revenue stream,” he contends,
“startups by definition have no revenue stream and will die unless they create one. Incubators, when designed right, help to ensure that the startups most likely to create new technology have the best chance of success.”
incubators provide indirect benefits to established businesses, as well. “It’s commonly the case that startups are solving issues that much larger, established businesses face,” Mason argues, explaining that startups may create a tool
or process that enables established businesses to optimize their existing processes, which in turn makes them more cost-efficient. “Having a healthy base of startups in Illinois is a bit like outsourced research and development,” he observes.
“Incubators are a constant well from which established businesses can look for ammunition in their fight to retain or grow market share.”
Plante Moran serves as Catapult’s accounting firm sponsor, and as such the firm consults
with early stage Catapult clients to help them work through the growing pains of a startup business. “We’ve also helped companies identify opportunities that can help them as they grow. For example, some companies are developing new
and unique solutions that could qualify them for research and development tax credits,” explains Matt Dopp, CPA, partner with Plante Moran.
Dopp recognizes the positive impact incubated companies have on the regional economy, explaining
that, “We‘ve seen a number of companies graduate successfully through their incubators to leasing their own space with continued staff growth. Many of these companies have had a positive impact on the business community, as well as the local
Dr. Kyle Harfst is the executive director of Economic Development at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, as well as the executive director of the SIU Research Park, which sits on 41 acres and has approximately 200 full-
and part-time people working on 20 different enterprises. The mission of both these institutions is to establish and support an environment that fosters innovation, commercialize University discoveries, and advance entrepreneurship and economic development
within Southern Illinois and throughout the region. Looking at the numbers, in 2014 SIU Economic Development assisted 57 area businesses with either startup or expansion phases, which led to the creation or retention of 313 jobs, and secured $7.8M in
financing and investment.
Harfst explains that organizations such as SIU Economic Development/SIU Research Park are instrumental in advancing the state’s economy in several ways. “We provide technical assistance to nascent
entrepreneurs who have not yet started a business. In many cases, they are unsure of what it takes procedurally to start a business,” he says.
“Beyond that, they may need assistance in understanding their industry, obtaining relevant
market research, assistance in writing a business plan, or assistance in obtaining financing.” A Technology and Innovation Services division further supports incubated businesses with services that include 3D prototyping and product development,
guidance on protecting intellectual property, exploratory patent research and technology-focused market research.
Another Illinois incubator, EnterpriseWorks
focuses on science and research-based startups commercializing technology from the University of Illinois. Personify is one of EnterpriseWorks’ greatest success stories. This video-conferencing software company uses 3D technology based on software
developed by Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Sanjay Patel, Personify’s CEO and co-founder. The software visually separates the user from his or her environment and projects the resulting image within a shared digital space. In January
of this year, Intel announced that it would begin including Personify’s new software in Windows computers outfitted with its new RealSense 3D camera.
"Imagine watching a movie online with your friends, or
playing a game together while being able to see their faces, not in a separate video window, but together and overlaid in the same space, sharing the experience as a group," explains Patel in a Personify press release. "With Personify, that experience
is possible today. From the beginning, our vision has been to make a video call feel more life-like."
Currently, there are more than 85 startups being incubated at EnterpriseWorks, and over 110 companies have graduated. According to numbers
released in 2015, the incubator graduates approximately a third of its tenants annually. Of those graduates, 77 percent remain in Illinois. Furthermore, EnterpriseWorks incubated companies have raised more than $822M in outside capital.
Perhaps surprising for some, incubators have been a part of the Illinois government’s economic strategy for decades. Starting A Small Business Incubator: A Handbook for Sponsors and Developers
, released by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs back in 1985, stated that, “With the expansion of small firms
within and beyond the incubator building itself, the local economy is strengthened; job opportunities are created; and physical, economic and social benefits can be achieved for the neighborhood and the city. Incubators themselves are not a cure-all for
a troubled economic base, but they can be integral parts of broader economic development strategies at the local level.”
Thirty years later, incubators remain a key component of Illinois’ economic development strategy.


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Rotterdam Square is on the verge of being purchased by a downstate retail investor pledging to bring in more tenants and improve the standards at Schenectady County’s only indoor shopping mall.
Mike Kohan of the Kohan Retail Investment Group said he is poised to buy the sprawling center off of Campbell Road from the Macerich Co. sometime next week, possibly as early as Monday. He said his goal will be to invest in the property and bring in new tenants that will revitalize the mall.
“We have to bring in some more tenants, adjust the issues with maintenance and work with the community to bring it to standards that are acceptable,” he said Friday.
Kohan — who also goes by the name Mehran Kohansieh — wouldn’t discuss the purchase price of the mall prior to closing on the deal. He said he’s been interested in purchasing the property since the fall.
“It’s been on the radar for a couple of months,” he said.
Karen Maurer, a spokeswoman for Macerich, did not return calls for comment.
Macerich had scheduled a two-day online auction for the property and set the starting bid at $2 million. But the auction was abruptly canceled earlier this month.
Built in 1988, Rotterdam Square comprises 463,987 square feet of retail space and about 70 acres of land. The structure, valued at more than $30 million, includes a 10-unit food court, restaurant, movie theater, three anchor stores and more than 50 retailers.
The mall’s three anchor stores are Macy’s, Kmart and Sears. Sears recently renewed its lease for five years, ending in 2018. Macy’s owns its 120,000-square-foot store and the seven acres of land on which it sits.
Other major tenants include Gap, TJ Maxx, Shoe Dept. Encore, American Eagle Outfitters and Victoria’s Secret. The mall also has a long-term lease with Rotterdam Square Cinema, the seven-screen theater that completed $500,000 worth of renovations in 2010.
Kohan Retail Investment Group owns about a dozen properties spread across the United States. These holdings include the 926,000-square-foot Tulsa Promenade in Oklahoma, the 429,000-square-foot Crystal River mall in Florida, the 423,967-square-foot Staunton Mall in Virginia and the 265,000-square-foot Mayberry Mall in North Carolina.
Ray Gillen, Schenectady County’s commissioner of economic development and planning, said he was encouraged after having a phone conversation with the prospective owner, whom he declined to name prior to the closing. He said the new owner has done revitalization projects at other malls around the country and seems like a good fit for Rotterdam Square.
“The first step is to close the transaction, which they have not done yet,” he said.
Macerich bought Rotterdam Square eight years ago in a $2.3 billion acquisition of its Rochester-based parent company, Wilmorite Inc. The buyout came with 11 regional malls, including Wilton Mall outside of Saratoga Springs, and two open-air shopping centers.
Rotterdam Square has struggled to maintain a high occupancy rate for years, especially during the height of the economic downturn when roughly a fifth of the mall’s storefronts were empty. The mall’s occupancy was listed at 86.9 percent just prior to the online auction.
Both of the Capital Region properties owned by Macerich are reportedly on the market as the Santa Monica, Calif.-based company attempts to divest non-core malls. Wilton Mall was listed among 17 so-called Class B malls — ones generating at least $350 per square foot — being sold by the company through Eastdil Secured, according to a report by Reuters published on Dec. 7.
Larger real estate investment trusts have been selling off lower-performing malls in an attempt to bolster portfolios. Investors are more likely to pay premium prices for companies with higher-quality malls.


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Interactive Media Platform Crater Raises $700k In Funding
Interactive media platform Crater.Club has raised $700,000 in seed funding from LC Nueva AIF, Director of TransContinental Venture Fund.
The startup has also raised funds from angel investors, including Prakash Mody, CEO of Unichem, Naresh Wadhwa, President Asia Pacific and Japan- Arista Networks and others.
As per the startup, the funds will be used towards further product development and growth of the platform.
Speaking on the development, Vignesh Prasad, Co-founder and CTO of Crater, said,
“On Crater, you can join live streams with creators and mentors, have curated interactions with peers and take part in live auctions. Our goal is to enable creators and mentors with distribution, engagement and monetisation. While 56 percent of creators create content in the entertainment and gaming sector, we are focusing on the other 44 percent that includes content created by stock traders, marketers, advisors and designers.”
Crater.Club | Live Stream Your Knowledge
Launched initially under the brand name of WorkNetwork, Crater.Club sees itself as Twitch meets Linkedin 2.0. The Bengaluru-based startup already claims to have over 5,000 creators and mentors that live stream their knowledge and skills.
Additionally, Crater will be launching a monetisation tool in the next few weeks.
Speaking about the platform, Vivan Puri, Co-founder and CEO of Crater, said,
“Clubhouse, Twitch, Tiktok, etc., have all democratised access to creators in the domains of gaming and entertainment. Furthermore, they have provided new ways to distribute and monetise content. But in the social-professional space, we are yet to see such a platform. On Crater, millennials can join live streams where creators and mentors share their knowledge and skills. They can meet peers via curated 1-on-1 interactions. And take part in live auctions to buy tickets that unlock exclusive access to the creators and mentors they follow.”
With the founding team of Crater comprising of Georgia Tech and NYU graduates, the interactive media platform is currently focused on the Indian market but plans to build for a global audience.
Need legal assistance for your startup? Just contact us.


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Giorgio Armani has announced the arrival of a new addition to its Lip Power collection.
Called the Lip Power Matte, the new beauty essential is available in up to 17 shades and delivers a luminous matte finish combined with a comfortable, caring sensation.
Even better – the new product promises long-wear durability and vivid colour for up to 10 hours.
Discussing the new launch, a spokesperson for Giorgio Armani said: Lip Power Matte’s perfect balance of powder and caring oils results in a matte and intense colour. With a seamless, intuitive application thanks to Lip Power’s signature drop-shaped bullet, the lip colour’s concentration of powder-based ingredients creates its smooth, uniform look and matte result.”
“Alongside this new striking matte effect, the formula’s olive and jojoba oils bring comfort, glide, and a moisturizing sensation. These lightweight oils then evaporate to “lock” colour onto the lips, achieving Lip Power’s distinctive staying power,” the spokesperson explained.


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Mecum Auctions held two auctions simultaneously in two different cities over the October 13-15 weekend.
One of the events, Mecum Chicago 2022, was held in Schaumburg, Illinois, and brought $15.2 million in total sales, while the other, Mecum Chattanooga 2022, was held Oct. 14-15 at the Chattanooga Convention Center in Tennessee and reached overall sales totals of $21.2 million.
In all, the auction house achieved a grand total of $36.4 million in total overall sales for the weekend, with 1,052 vehicles sold of the 1,433 offered.
Top sales in Chattanooga were led by two 4-speed convertibles: a 1968 Shelby GT500KR (Lot S125.1) that achieved a $302,500 selling price and a 1957 Chevrolet Corvette (Lot S123) that sold for $220,000. Two modern sport utility vehicles followed in top sales, with a 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor (Lot S84.1) with just 32.6 miles selling for $209,000 and a 2020 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG (Lot S282) with a Brabus 800 kit and the AMG Night Package demanding $187,000.
The auction’s headlining Firehouse Find Collection saw all 70 of its vehicles sell for an aggregate $2 million, while the 3,668-mile 2007 Ferrari F430 Spider (Lot S176) from The Exotic Low Mile Collection became the auction’s fifth highest seller at $183,700. The 16-car Blackmon Collection sold in its entirety for $321,200 overall.
The complete top 10 collector car sales at the Mecum Chattanooga 2022 auction include:
- 1968 Shelby GT500KR Convertible (Lot S125.1) at $302,500
- 1957 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible (Lot S123) at $220,000
- 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor (Lot S84.1) at $209,000
- 2020 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG (Lot S282) at $187,000
- 2007 Ferrari F430 Spider (Lot S176) at $183,700
- 1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS Convertible (Lot S107) at $181,500
- 1953 Packard Caribbean Convertible (Lot S139) at $165,000
- 2023 Chevrolet Corvette 70th Anniversary Convertible (Lot S94.1) at $159,500
- 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe (Lot S192) at $145,750
- 2022 Ford Shelby GT500 (Lot S118.1) at $137,500
SUVs proved to be hot on the auction block in Chicago as well, where top sales were led by a 2021 Jeep Gladiator Apocalypse Hellfire 6×6 (Lot S193.1) that sold for $198,000, and two 2022 Ford Bronco Raptors (Lots S103 and S85.1) also made the top seller’s list bringing $170,500 and $143,000 for top-seller slots No. 3 and 6, respectively. A multiple-time Top Flight-winning 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible (Lot S100) became the Chicago auction’s second highest selling vehicle with a sale price of $181,500, and two 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 models (Lots S129 and S119) grabbed back-to-back spots on the top-10 sellers list, bringing $132,000 and $126,500.
Chuck Comer’s collection of Corvettes and more was well-received at the Chicago auction with the entire group of 16 cars selling for a total of $412,500, and The Jimmy V Collection offering also did quite well, with all eight of its vehicles changing hands for a total of $445,000.
The complete top 10 collector car sales at the Mecum Chicago 2022 auction include:
- 2021 Jeep Gladiator Apocalypse Hellfire 6×6 (Lot S193.1) at $198,000
- 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible (Lot S100) at $181,500
- 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor (Lot S103) at $170,500
- 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible (Lot S163) at $167,750
- 1962 Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster (Lot S151) at $165,000
- 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor (Lot S85.1) at $143,000
- 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 (Lot S129) at $132,000
- 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 (Lot S119) at $126,500
- 1968 Dodge Charger R/T (Lot S132.1) at $126,500
- 2019 Ford Shelby Super Snake (Lot F85) at $104,500
Learn more at www.mecum.com.


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Elon Musk Predicts that in the future people will demand that there be no human drivers. This will make it inevitable that steering wheels will be removed from safe full self-driving cars. The steering wheels will be removed.
Elon Musk believes that it is crazy to buy any car other than a Tesla. This is because a full self-driving car is far more valuable than a non-self-driving car. Tesla is the only car that is full self-driving hardware enabled at this time.
Elon expects to be feature complete with self-driving by the end of this year.
Tesla will be feature complete with self-driving which does not require driver attention by the middle of next year.
Tesla should start getting regulators in some jurisdictions to approve full self-driving which does not require driver attention towards the end of next year.
Regulators should be willing to approve truck platooning and other truck self-driving that is simpler use-cases ahead of wider approvals.
Elon Musk said the two crutches to self-driving that will in hindsight be obvious dead ends are LIDAR and high-definition maps.


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Melton Mowbray’s Town and Country Petfoods is working in partnership with movie giant 20th Century Fox to promote brand new film Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie.
Selected products from its HiLife range of dog food are being redesigned to feature iconic characters from the film. These will be seen in stores during the countdown to ‘Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie’ launch on 21st December.
Town and Country marketing director, Peter Parkinson, said: “We’re really proud to be partnering with 20th Century Fox in the launch of its latest film. Everybody loves the Peanuts comic strip and I’m certain Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie will prove equally popular.”
To give the trade an exclusive promotion, we’ve decided to run a store window competition with a large super cuddly Snoopy as the prize. To be in with a chance of winning, retailers should send a photo of their Snoopy and HiLife display via email to email@example.com. The winner will be picked at the end of November and Snoopy will be posted out in early December – just in time for Christmas and the film’s release.
For more information, visit www.hilifepet.co.uk


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California electric car rebate application
Southern california electric car owners might qualify.
The cost of plug-in electric vehicles at first qualify for ca's cvrp program and/or clean air vehicle rebate. federal tax credit. california hov.
Tesla treated unfairly in ontario rebate program.
Essential facts about californiaвђ™s electric car rebates. Enroll in the drive electric program and get a rebate of up to $8,000 on the purchase or lease of an eligible vehicle.. California proposes new $3 billion in incentives to support electric vehicle california currently offers a rebate after the and trade program funds.
Program incentives are available to highway capableвђќ in order to qualify for our program. all new or used electric vehicles must meet all canada administered by cse for the california air resources board, the clean vehicle rebate project (cvrp) offers up to $7,000 in electric vehicle rebates for the purchase
2016-06-18в в· california lawmakers unplug the state's electric car program 2017-08-29в в· california would spend up to $3 billion under a bill to widely expand its fledgling consumer rebate program for zero-emission vehicles.
2017-08-28в в· the legislature is pushing forward a bill that would lift rebates from $2,500 to $10,000 or more for a compact electric car. california laws and incentives. light-duty vehicle rebates; electric vehicle supply and heavy-duty vehicle program; electric vehicle supply
Government incentives for plug-in hybrid to fund a three-year extension to the electric-vehicle rebate program. in california a vehicle that meets 2016-06-18в в· california lawmakers unplug the state's electric car program
Electric vehicle incentives tesla canada. Southern california electric car if you sell the vehicle within the time the program is you might already be aware of californiaвђ™s clean vehicle rebate. 2016-06-21в в· california's electric-car rebate program has exhausted its funding, and allocating more money has proved somewhat difficult. all applications since june 10.
...Home в» resources в» news в» california clean vehicle rebate project initiates new eligibility requirements. california clean vehicle program. rebates vary by.Legislation calls for $3b in rebates for electric cars in california. california assembly member phil ting, the state already offers a rebate program for zevs,....
California ev rebates now based on income edmunds. Find out how much of a rebate you could receive on the purchase/lease of a new electric vehicle вђ“ drive electric program: the quг©bec government electric vehicle. The california green car rebate program has been funded for the 2016-17 fiscal year, with changes aimed at improving opportunities for low-income buyers..
Tesla wins lawsuit against ontario government over. Electric hybrid vehicles and millions of but now expired program for early hybrid vehicles. on the market and find incentives, visit californiaвђ™s car buying. The money for rebates, which will be smaller than in the past, comes from vehicle registration fees and smog abatement fees, so the programвђ¦.
Sacramento, california вђ” california's clean vehicle rebate program has helped make electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids more affordable for state residents since administered by cse for the california air resources board, the clean vehicle rebate project (cvrp) offers up to $7,000 in electric vehicle rebates for the purchase
The clean vehicle rebate project (cvrp) is launching rebate now, a preapproved rebate program that makes it easier and faster for california residents to lease or 2018-04-27в в· watch videoв в· early adopters of the electric car often pay out the rebate at the moment they sell the car, california taught china to sell electric cars
2016-03-28в в· new rules go into effect tuesday for california's electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle rebates, eliminating the cash given back to high earners and upping san diego is testing a new approach that could make it easier to buy fully electric or hybrid cars and trucks. a new electric vehicle rebate plan being tested in san


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Ever since, the Nintendo Switch was first released in retail stores worldwide it has become one of the most popular game consoles that we have see so far in the 10’s decade. In fact, in less than two years the Nintendo Switch has sold at least 20 million units worldwide surpassing the likes of the Wii-U and the Sega Dreamcast as far as sales are concerned. As of right now the sales figures for the sales in relation to the Xbox One is unclear but research analysts have speculated that it sold somewhere between 15-20 million units worldwide. Its quite possible that the Xbox One ended up sell more but the fact is the Nintendo Switch definitely ended up selling more in a short period of time than the Xbox One which was released back in late 2013.
Some might argue that high pricing and backwards compatibility were factors in relation to why the Xbox One flopped in sales in comparison to the PlayStation 4 which reached approximately 83 million in sales. In terms of graphics and visual quality along with having more storage space in relation to memory the Xbox One definitely seems like a more superior game console than the Nintendo Switch. However, the $299.99 price tag for the Nintendo Switch was more appealing than what Microsoft was selling the Xbox One for which was $499.99 when it was first released. But there is no question that the Nintendo Switch will most likely end up selling more than the Xbox One has in the past five years or so.


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North East-based Encore Packaging Solutions has been helping national paint brand Rust-Oleum to ensure deliveries of its product samples are boxing clever.
The packaging firm based in Peterlee was appointed by Rust-Oleum to produce a series of eye-catching branded shipping boxes that would safely transport product samples to the media and competition prizes to winners.
The 828mm by 874mm, four-colour laminated boxes have provided the ideal solution for Rust-Oleum. Russell Croisdale, Encore Packaging Solutions’ managing director, said: “Rust-Oleum required a shipping solution that would not only be robust enough to house a selection of its paint tins through their delivery journey, but that would also still look great on arrival.
“After working closely with the team we were able to produce a premium solution that ticks all of the right boxes for Rust-Oleum.”
As a leading brand of premium decorative paints, Rust-Oleum manufactures its range of products, including furniture, appliance and spray paints, from its purpose-built facility in County Durham.
Paul Waller, brand director at Rust-Oleum, said: “We regularly send out samples to the media as well as product prizes to our competition winners. Given the nature of these items the packages are often quite heavy and the paints must be secured to avoid spills. The boxes produced by Encore certainly offer the wow-factor, even after they’ve passed through the postal or courier system.
“As a national brand operating from the North East of England we were delighted to work alongside Encore Packaging Solutions as a fellow firm from the region to produce our product boxes.”
Encore Packaging Solutions manufactures everything from corrugated outer packaging to printed folding cartons at its new 73,000 sq. ft. factory in Peterlee, offering customers a bespoke production service to deliver quality from the initial enquiry to finished product.


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The recent renovation at Golden Sands Hotel Apartments, part of A.A. Al Moosa Enterprises and pioneered the concept of hotel apartments in the region, will be the highlight of this year’s participation at World Travel Market (WTM), the leading global event for the travel industry, taking place in London from 3 to 6 November 2014.
The team of Golden Sands Hotel Apartments to be headed by Mohammed Khoori, General Manager, will update existing and new industry partners of the refurbishments to show their continued commitment in enhancing the stay of visitors to Dubai, maintain the quality of the offering and meet the customer’s expectations.
Golden Sands 10 has renovated their rooms to reflect a homey feeling. The newly refurbished apartments are designed with muted color palettes and an eclectic mix of stylish modern furniture and rich fabrics, completed with up-to-date fittings.
“We are always working to enhance our guests experience and we have carried out the refurbishment to reflect a relaxing atmosphere when they stay at Golden Sands. We would like to maintain our status as a good budget option for holiday makers to Dubai so keeping our hotel apartments in good and pleasant condition are important to us. The opening of several new hotels in the area will bring intense competition; therefore, we want our guests to feel that they are getting the best value for their money,” said Mr. Khoori.
The team will also focus on developing new markets such as Australia and the Far East in addition to their existing markets from GCC, Europe and the sub-Continent. Hotel packages for the winter season will be unveiled to attract more visitors to the property.
WTM is a vibrant must attend business-to-business event presenting a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to UK and International travel professionals. It is a unique opportunity for the whole global travel trade to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business.
The team of Golden Sands Hotel Apartments will be exhibiting under the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) stand ME200. Visitors to the stand will see the latest images of the newly-renovated property.


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Bojangles set to break ground on first Ohio restaurant
The North Carolina-based fried chicken chain Bojangles will break ground on its first Ohio restaurant on Thursday.
The first of 15 new restaurants planned in the Columbus area, announced two years ago, is expected to open in April at 831 Hilliard Rome Rd. on the city's Far West Side, offering a much shorter drive for central Ohioans than the current nearest Bojangles north of Lexington, Kentucky.
Longtime Bojangles restaurant franchisee and Columbus native Jeff Rigsby expects to open 45 Bojangles over the next several years in the Columbus area, and in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Rigsby plans to open the 15 Columbus-area restaurants over the next seven years.
Bojangles currently has 780 company-owned and franchised restaurants in 15 states. In addition to its fried chicken, the chain is known for its biscuits.


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WHAT DO TORTILLA COASTERS, green-chile-infused olive oil, and sopaipilla-shaped candles have in common? They’re all handcrafted by New Mexican artisans and available at the Brotique 505 shops, in Albuquerque and Las Vegas.
Expect a riot of familiar items, including Los Poblanos lavender soap, New Mexico Piñon Coffee, and 505 Southwestern salsas. “You’re also going to find things you’d probably never find anywhere else,” says co-owner Marka Garcia. “But they all celebrate New Mexico pride.”
The inspiration for Brotique 505 incubated out of state. When Marka’s brother, Eric Garcia, moved to Colorado for a job, he was blown away by the residents’ zeal for locally made products. Why don’t we have that in New Mexico? he wondered. After Eric moved back to New Mexico, he and Marka opened a 250-square-foot shipping container space on the second level of Albuquerque’s Green Jeans Farmery food hall. They expanded with a Brotique 505 in Las Vegas’s Historic Serf Theatre Hall in 2019 and added a second Duke City outpost last year, in the Tin Can Alley food hall.
“We’re seeing a lot more people taking pride in where they came from,” Marka says. “The state is full of creatives now. That’s what we’re all about: telling their stories.”
In addition to carrying goods by makers from Silver City to Tucumcari, Brotique 505 has its own line of T-shirts featuring only–in–New Mexico expressions like bueno, bye and all sick. Other fan favorites include cartographer Tom Lamb’s tea towels, and burrito koozies by the husband-wife duo at Seraparito Supply Co.
“ ‘Buy local’ is the real enchilada here,” Marka says.


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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA — Port Metro Vancouver on March 27 said that it welcomes the joint announcement by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, that Canada and Japan will launch negotiations for a free trade agreement between the two countries.
Robin Silvester, president and chief executive officer, Port Metro Vancouver welcomed the development, “Japan is one of Port Metro Vancouver’s top three trading partners, representing more than 10 percent of total volume through Canada’s largest gateway. The trading relationship between Canada and Japan is vital to long-term growth and prosperity.”
Japan is the world's third largest national economy, Port Metro Vancouver’s fourth largest import economy and second largest export economy. In 2011, top export cargoes to Japan, by volume included: metallurgical coal, grain, specialty crops and forest products; and top import cargoes to Canada included: vehicles and auto parts, household goods and electronics.


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German consumer price inflation eased to the lowest since 2016, preliminary data from Destatis revealed Thursday.
Consumer price inflation slowed to 0.6 percent in May from 0.9 percent in April. The rate came in line with expectations. A similar lower rate was last reported in September 2016.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices dropped 0.1 percent in May, as expected.
Data showed that cost of goods fell 0.4 percent annually, while cost of services increased 1.3 percent in May.
Inflation, based on the harmonized index of services, slowed to 0.5 percent from 0.8 percent a month ago. The annual rate matched expectations. This was the lowest rate since August 2016, when prices climbed 0.3 percent.
Month-on-month, the harmonized index of consumer prices remained flat, while economists had forecast a 0.1 percent fall.


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Affymax gets $50M milestone payment for kidney disease drug
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Biopharmaceutical company Affymax said Monday it received a $50 million development milestone payment from Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. as part of the two companies’ agreement to develop and commercialize an injection for adult chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis.
Omontys, a once-monthly treatment for anemia that stimulates the production of red blood cells, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on March 27. Milestones, also known as benchmarks, are performance goals against which a company’s success is measured.
The $50 million from Deerfield, Ill.-based Takeda on the event of FDA approval is on top of $5 million that Palo Alto-based Affymax received from the same company when the drug was approved by the European Medicines Agency in February. The two companies entered into an exclusive global agreement to develop and commercialize Omontys in 2006. They are also exploring options for commercializing the drug in Japan, including consideration of licensing it to a third party.
David Goll covers health care, retail, nonprofits and education at the Business Journal. His phone number is 408.299.1853.
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As the world continues to buzz about this season's New York Fashion Week and the other sartorial extravaganzas taking place across the globe this month, diversity among models always seems to emerge as a major topic.
Trailblazers have emerged over the years to try and make a difference in the fashion industry and the world at large, the latest of which is the group of trans models sharing their stories in the new Oxygen series Strut. "It's a look at all of these models and their hopes and dreams, and they happen to be transgender. So along with that, they have family and friends and husbands and wives and how all of this affects everyone. You know, we have someone saying, 'Here's my life. This is who I am,'" the series' executive producer Whoopi Goldberg told The Lookbook on the red carpet of Strut's premiere in New York last week. "It's a crazy world out here, so these are some of the bravest people I've met because they're like, 'I don't care who you think I am. This is who I am.' And willing to stand up and live it. I love it."
Whoopi Goldberg (second from left) with the cast of Strut on the red carpet of the series' premiere in New York on September 12, 2016.
The models featured in Strut are all represented by Slay Model Management, the first modeling agency that caters exclusively to trans models. Slay's director of scouting and development, Cecilio "CeCe" Asuncion, created the agency after working with the transgender community during the filming of his 2013 documentary What's the T?. "After a while, we're all just people," he told The Lookbook at the event. "And it's about employment. The trans community needs employment. And I've always been a fan of fashion and supermodels, and I said, why not?"
Arisce Wanzer, one of the models featured in Strut, told The Lookbook that, as a transgender woman, there are advantages to being represented by an agency with only trans models. "I've been at several cisgender agencies, and it's better for me this way just because you can be so comfortable with who you are. I get called to go to a casting, they already know they cannot be rude or disrespectful," she explained. "When people block transgender people from opportunities, such as modeling, it doesn't make any sense. Like, can they wear the clothes, do the clothes fit, are they selling it, are they working it. Yes? Then why aren't they hired? Because of some stigma from, like, the '80s? I don't know. So I'm not here for it... At the end of the day, these people are hiring models, and there's a respect to that that I really like. I feel respected every time I get into the job."
Cassandra Cass, Slay's office assistant, also said that there's an incredibly strong bond among the agency's models. "It's wonderful because it's not just an agency; it's a family," she told The Lookbook at the premiere. "We have moments, and there's definitely drama, but there's a lot of love there, too."
Of course, that love is something the trans community has not always experienced in the public eye. However, veteran trans model Dominique Jackson said she feels more acceptance in the industry — and the world — today. "We're so much freer now. We were always on the runways, but we were hiding ourselves. We were just going to work. But now, with everything that's happened in the world, where you have so many trans women being murdered, where you have so much prejudice and discrimination going on against the trans community, it's really tough," she told The Lookbook on the red carpet. "So now being out and being more visible gives a lot of the younger ones and even older ones the work that they really need. It gives them a sense of value, and it helps them to pursue their dreams. We don't have to hide at home anymore."
Whoopi echoed that sentiment, saying that trans models like Dominique have ruled the runway for ages. "I think the fashion industry was always inclusive and didn't know it because transgender models have been around us for years and nobody talked about it because it was dangerous and people were frightened and didn't want to feel like they were different," Whoopi said. "[Strut is] really about people standing up for who they are, and I love that. It's something I've always felt was important."
Arisce Wanzer, Ren Spriggs, Isis King, Cecilio "CeCe" Asuncion, Dominique Jackson, Laith de la Cruz, and Cassandra Cass strut their stuff on the red carpet of the Strut premiere in New York on September 12, 2016.
Arisce, who has been modeling since she was 17 years old, said she never imagined the visibility that trans people have achieved in recent years. "I think the funny thing is when people ask, 'Can you believe this is happening?' Absolutely not. I had no idea this would happen," she said. "I've seen the change that trans people in general have accomplished [and it] has been absolutely amazing, and I never thought this would happen. I'm just trying to create a space for myself where there wasn't one. That's all I wanted. I wanted to work, and I wanted to sell clothes, that's all I wanted to do. And now I get to do that."
But as much progress has been made in the fashion industry in the last few years, CeCe said there's still work to be done. "The truth is [Slay is] an agency first. It's a model agency first and a trans community second. Sooner or later, hopefully sooner, it's just going to be a model agency," he said. "I really think [the fashion industry is] changing, just with this current season of New York Fashion Week. Our models have been working New York Fashion Week. They've used our models who are African American, Asian American, Filipino American. There's a change, but there has to be more of a change."
Cassandra added, "We want our piece of the pie, that's all. We want what's fair."
And after two decades of modeling, Dominique said she is now more than ready for the spotlight. "A lot of people have actually said, 'It's your time.' And I do believe in that. I do believe that everything has its season," she told The Lookbook. "And for some of us, we just have to persevere. We just have to be determined. There's that little gut instinct that lets you know this is where you belong. And this is where I belong."
The Lookbook is Bravo's home for inspiring content and experiences that feed fashionistas with a steady diet of share-worthy styles, personalities, and industry news.Like us on Facebook to stay connected to our daily updates.
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India – Global beauty and personal care brand Sephora in India has renewed its partnership with digital agency RepIndia to handle its social media business.
The agency has won the rights to retain the brand on its books to continue building the French premium brand’s pan-India presence on digital channels. The partnership between the two began in 2015.
Internationally, the brand operates over 2700 stores in 35 countries. According to the agency, Sephora India is driven by the purpose to create ‘a welcoming beauty shopping experience’.
The brand is not new to crafting innovative user experiences which include the use of AR and 3D images that let customers try out products virtually on their website. RepIndia’s task is to bring to life similar disruptive and engaging experiences on digital to serve the needs of increasingly beauty-conscious Indian audiences.
Ayesha Chenoy, the agency’s founder, commented, “My favorite beauty brand, and a client who has become a friend now for over 6 years! Sephora, you’re going places and we’re right there with you.”
Meanwhile, a marketing spokesperson of Sephora India said, “The one-stop-shop for all things digital marketing! RepIndia precisely understands the brand ethos of Sephora India and executes it immaculately via our social media.”
Aside from the current remit, RepIndia has also recently announced its two newly acquired accounts from Singapore-based brands, escrow platform Tazapay, and kitchen appliance brand Rotimatic. The agency said the new partnerships mark its expansion outside India.


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Customers of Pizza Hut will soon be able to place orders using Facebook Messenger and Twitter through a new chatbot launched by the pizza chain and technology provider Conversable. “With this service, customers will be able to reorder their favourites or saved orders from any US Pizza Hut location by chatting directly with the Pizza Hut accounts on Facebook Messenger and Twitter as well as get answers to frequently asked questions and receive the latest deals and promotions,” Pizza Hut says.
- Japanese bank plans new biometrics firm
- Boon launches in France for Apple Pay users
- Mobile marketplace offers African farmers promise of richer, cashless harvest
- US bank backs top five mobile payment services
- Mobile payments market worth $3,338bn by 2022


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Baidu Appears To Be Betting Future Of Co. On Smart Transport Initiatives, Including Its Apollo Autonomous Driving Unit Established In 2013.
When Baidu Launched Its Initial Public Offering On The Nasdaq In 2005 It Was Widely Hailed As China’s Answer To Google, And It Would Later Follow The California-Based Giant Into The Field Of Artificial Intelligence, But Today The Chinese Company’s Market Valuation Is Only 6.3 Per Cent The Size Of Google’s. Since its own listing in 2004, Google has parlayed its 90 per cent dominance of the global internet search market into an online advertisement juggernaut that pulled in US$146.9 billion last year, taking an estimated 45 per cent of every new digital advertising dollar spent.
Baidu, which solidified its position as the dominant search engine for the world’s largest internet population after Google pulled out in 2010, made about 72.8 billion yuan (US$11.2 billion) in digital advertising last year, paltry in comparison yet still the company’s primary source of revenue which has been on a declining trajectory since 2018. Baidu’s US$3.1 billion secondary listing in Hong Kong marks the first time in 15 years that the world is getting a peek at how one of China’s first and most famous internet companies wants to stake a claim in China’s ever-evolving digital future.
Blessed by strong capital, protective state policies and an untapped market, Baidu had been one of the most valuable Chinese internet companies. The acronym BAT was coined in the early 2010s in reference to China’s top three tech firms at the time: Baidu, Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings. As cheaper smartphones and faster 4G services in the following decade became a catalyst for rapid growth in China’s mobile internet, Tencent and Alibaba (owner of the Post) seized the opportunity to develop their businesses around these new trends.
Baidu has largely failed to keep up, analysts said. Its market capitalisation dwindled to a small fraction of Alibaba’s and Tencent’s as its search business increasingly came under attack from other rapidly rising tech firms such as ByteDance, owner of short-video app Douyin. “Baidu doesn’t have an impressive recent record of innovation,” said Brock Silvers, CIO at Hong Kong-based Kaiyuan Capital. “The company coasted from a formerly market-leading position to a second-tier reputation, and was left with an over-reliance upon a tired search engine business.”
In its post-hearing information pack for investors, Baidu portrayed itself as a leader in smart transport and artificial intelligence (AI), growth opportunities it said would keep it relevant in China’s fast-changing tech sphere. But analysts say even with strong offerings like these, the company will have a tough time competing. “Baidu’s AI business is doing very well, but its overall sales volume is still relatively weak,” said Bill Bai, a Shanghai-based sales manager at VSTECS Holdings, China’s second-largest IT solution distributor. He expects that Baidu would struggle to catch up to rivals in the cloud business this year.
As its online marketing revenue waned, Baidu has taken steps to tap into the massive demand for public AI clouds from traditional companies and government agencies. The company’s AI cloud service has grown rapidly in recent years with non-marketing revenue posting a 28 per cent year-on-year increase to 12.4 billion yuan (US$1.9 billion) last year.
Even with Baidu’s expertise in AI, first applied in 2010 to optimise search results, and its Kunlun AI chip design unit, recently valued at US$2 billion after a funding round, the public cloud market will be competitive, with Alibaba, Tencent and telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co also in this sector. In 2019, Alibaba topped China’s public cloud market with a 37 per cent market share, followed by China Telecom’s Ctyun (Tianyi Cloud) with 13 per cent and Tencent Cloud at 11 per cent, according to data from the Qianzhan Industry Research Institute.
However, Baidu Appears To Be Betting The Future Of The Company On Its Smart Transport Initiatives, Including Its Apollo Autonomous Driving Unit Established In 2013, as well as a new joint venture with carmaker Geely with the goal of launching a smart electric vehicle (EV) within three years. Baidu Apollo boasted 4.3 million accumulated self-driving test miles as of December last year and operates a large fleet of robotaxis in several cities in mainland China.
Despite its technical achievements, the Apollo business has been hemorrhaging cash for the past seven years as monetising self-driving technologies proves a difficult task. Most self-driving robotaxi operators have to apply for licences from local authorities to operate fleets in designated areas, and current regulations stipulate that a human driver must be present to take over in case of an emergency caused by failure of the self-driving system. “Fully autonomous driving is not a purely technical issue, currently it can only be used in designated areas,” said Gartner vice president and analyst Roger Sheng. Commercial prospects for robotaxi services remain nebulous in the near term due to the immaturity of the technology, the absence of legislation to clearly define responsibility in case of a self-driving accident, and persistently high costs associated with the complex self-driving systems.
In January, Baidu announced a move into China’s fiercely-competitive EV market in a bid to explore additional ways to monetise its autonomous driving technologies. Asked about the rationale behind the partnership with Geely, Baidu’s CEO and founder Robin Li said in February that carmakers had taken a “wait-and-see” attitude to the adoption of Baidu’s “very advanced autonomous driving technologies”.
“Most of the traditional OEMs tend to wait until someone else adopts the latest technology,” Li said. “That’s why we decided to build a benchmark vehicle,” he added, referring to the Baidu-Geely smart EV. Baidu will encounter serious competition in a crowded market of more than 500 players,including foreign brands like Tesla and home-grown ones like Nio, Xpeng and Li Auto – all pinning their future growth on China’s market. As a result, analysts are pessimistic on whether Baidu can make a comeback based on its ambitious EV and autonomous driving strategy.
“China’s EV sector is already fiercely competitive and overcapitalised,” said Silvers. “Baidu aims to conquer smart transport, but search engines aren’t automobiles, it needs a near-term business transition strategy, and the market isn’t yet convinced by the company’s announced plans.” Gartner’s Sheng added, “There is already too much competition in China’s EV market and those who entered the market early are kings.” Baidu’s EV venture is still short on specifics. A former Geely sales manager, who requested anonymity as he was not authorised to speak with the media, told the Post that details such as the model and price range have not been finalised, adding that the project remains at a very preliminary stage.
For other observers, Baidu’s prospects in smart transport are not so bleak because of the potential size of China’s EV market and the fact that the company has an edge in areas like high-definition maps and AI. “Baidu’s automobile-related business is worth watching, but it has to invest a lot in the first place because a profitable business model is not clear at the preliminary stage,” said Shawn Yang, manager director of Blue Lotus Capital Advisors.
This news was originally published at SCMP.


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Domaine Paul Mas has launched a new sku into beleaguered UK wine retailer Oddbins, demonstrating the support that producers have for the specialist retailer that is currently operating under administrators.
The Languedoc powerhouse has launched its Château Paul Mas Clos des Mures 2018 – a blend of 85% Syrah, 105 Grenache, and 5% Mourvedre – into the retailer (RRP: £17), which is now on shelf.
It is described by the retailer as a wine with ‘splendid, weighty body and smooth tannins supporting a sensual dark fruit palate of blackcurrant, blackberries, dark cherry violet and cacao concluding with a long mineral finish’.
It joins others recent additions to the range, including from Australian producer Santolin Wines, three organic, low intervention winesAlexander Gysler – Gysler Grauerburgunder 2018, Gysler Kammerton Riesling 2018 and Gysler ‘Kraft’ Bio 2018 – and Israeli wine brand, Dalton Winery, which won its first listing at the beleaguered retailer in September for its Canaan Red Blend 2018.
The retailer also launched a web exclusive range of around 15 wines over the summer, including Maison Dousset Chablis 2018 (RRP: £14), Masseria Borgo dei Trulli Primitivo IGP Salento 2017 (RRP: £18) and Mystic Ocean Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (RRP: £12).
Oddbin’s parent company, European Food Brokers Retail Ltd has been in administration since January, but joint-administrators Duff & Phelps confirmed in a report for creditors published on Companies House in August, that terms of a sale were in the process of being agreed with a proposed purchaser, who is believed to be the business’s former owner.
The deal is thought to involve the purchase of individual stores within the 56-strong retail portfolio, which comprises 32 Oddbin stores across the UK and 24 stores that trade under the Booze Buster, Simply Drinks, Oddies, and Shop2Go fascias. In March, nearly half (45%) of the retail stores owned by parent company European Food Brokers Retail Ltd were deemed unprofitable and shut.


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COLUMBUS, Ind. — Cummins has announced strong first quarter earnings, despite a drop-off in sales to the heavy- and medium-duty truck engine markets. Despite the decrease, which the company blamed on the increased cost of the new EPA-certified engines, results from Cummins’ other operations led the company to higher sales and net income for the quarter.
For the quarter, Cummins reported sales of $2.82 billion, up 5.2% from $2.68 billion during the same period in 2006. Net income of $143 million increased 5.9% from $135 million in the same period last year.
Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) decreased 4.7% to $243 million during the first quarter. This reflects lower sales in the North American heavy-duty truck market, investment in global growth opportunities and costs associated with introducing 2007 emissions-compliant products.
“Despite the predicted decline in the North American heavy-duty truck market, we achieved outstanding results in the first quarter,” said Tim Solso, chairman and CEO of Cummins. “These results show our strategy is working, and we expect that type of performance to continue the rest of this year and beyond.
“We did what we said we would do continued to deliver superior products and service to our customers, even in the face of significant changes to US emissions regulations. Despite our outstanding performance in the first quarter, we don’t intend to relax. We remain committed to making the 2007 product launch cycle the best in our history and we are focused on controlling our costs and providing the best possible products and service.”
Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry. All posts by Truck News


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In what can only be bad news, Climax Racing, the developer behind the popular Xbox and PC franchise MotoGP and the PS2 franchise ATV Offroad Fury, has been bought up by Disney of all people.
“The Walt Disney Company holds one of the largest and most exciting portfolios of intellectual property in the world, and through BVG, we look forward to having access to the company’s deep resources in the video games space to continue creating remarkable interactive entertainment,” said [Climax VP] Beckwith. “This promises to be a mutually beneficial relationship and we believe that together we will make outstanding games for the next generation and beyond.”
What does this mean? Goofy in leathers? Minnie getting mad air off of a tabletop jump on an ATV? Oh the horror…
Buena Vista Games To Acquire Award-Winning Climax Racing
Addition of UK Studio Furthers Buena Vista Games’ Commitment to Quality and Creativity
BURBANK, Calif. and LONDON — (September 28, 2006) — Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG), the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), today announced the acquisition of the award-winning Climax Racing from Climax Group Ltd. The studio is of both strategic and geographic importance to BVG as it becomes the third internal studio, and the first in Europe, that BVG has added to its development capacity. BVG currently operates development studios in Vancouver, British Columbia (Propaganda Games), and Salt Lake City, Utah (Avalanche Software). The addition of Climax Racing allows BVG to create triple-A racing titles that meet the highest standards for creativity and quality. Terms of the deal are not being disclosed. The deal is expected to close in early October.
“The acquisition of Climax Racing aligns perfectly with our strategic and geographic goals by allowing us to both reach into new genres and new markets for creative talent,” said Graham Hopper, senior vice president and general manager, Buena Vista Games. “Adding Climax Racing to our creative family will provide an additional catalyst for our continued growth in the video games market.”
“As a premier, award-winning studio that has created some of the best racing titles of all time, Climax Racing is an ideal component of BVG’s expanding portfolio of development talent,” said Karl Jeffery, founder and chief executive officer of Climax.
Climax Racing is known as a leading developer of racing games, including its critically-acclaimed work on the best-selling franchises “MotoGP” and “ATV Offroad® Fury.” The studio and its products have won or been nominated for dozens of awards, including winning four IGN “Best of Show” awards at E3 2006.
Tony Beckwith, co-founder of the studio, has been named vice president and general manager of Climax Racing as it continues its creative direction under BVG. Climax Racing is based in Brighton, England, and employs more than 100 talented video game artists, programmers and designers.
“The Walt Disney Company holds one of the largest and most exciting portfolios of intellectual property in the world, and through BVG, we look forward to having access to the company’s deep resources in the video games space to continue creating remarkable interactive entertainment,” said Beckwith. “This promises to be a mutually beneficial relationship and we believe that together we will make outstanding games for the next generation and beyond.”
About Climax Racing
Climax Racing was established in early 2000, with the goal of becoming the industry’s premier vehicle game development house. With carefully managed and rapid growth, it has evolved into a three team studio employing over one hundred people, working for some of the largest publishers in the business on current and next-generation consoles. Using its proprietary render engine and DYNE physics libraries the studio has become experienced at producing triple-A, critically acclaimed titles in very competitive development times.
About Buena Vista Games
Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG) is the interactive entertainment affiliate of The Walt Disney Company. BVG develops, publishes, markets and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games and interactive entertainment worldwide. The company also licenses properties and works directly with third-party interactive game publishers to bring products for all ages to market. For more information, please log on to www.bvg.com.
Founded in 1988 by Karl Jeffery, Climax has grown to become the world’s leading independent video game developer. At the cutting edge of the games industry, Climax develops technologically advanced and critically acclaimed interactive games software for all major console platforms. The company works with major worldwide publishers such as Microsoft, SCEA, Buena Vista Games and THQ to create such hit titles as “ATV Offroad Fury 3,” “Sudeki” and the “MotoGP” series on Xbox, Xbox 360 and PC.
Climax is headquartered in Portsmouth, England. Additional information on Climax is available at www.climaxgroup.com.


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by Kylie Stanley, Public Relations Technician
Influencer marketing is one of the top forms of marketing, especially in 2021. With influencer marketing being in demand, marketers must use it to seek their target audience.
In a recent report from Linqia, “State of Influencer Marketing,” they outline some of their key findings. While this report is focused on enterprise marketers, these broader B2C influencer marketing trends eventually make their way down to the B2B market.
Here are some of the key highlights:
- Interest in using TikTok in influencer marketing campaigns rose 325% in just one year
- 90% of enterprise marketers wanted to work with micro-influencers
- Marketers are working with significantly fewer influencers than three years ago
- 86% of respondents are already using shoppable links to allow consumers to go from inspiration to purchase instantly
- 65% of respondents indicated that measuring ROI continues to be the biggest pain point in influencer marketing
It’s no surprise that the top two platforms are TikTok and Instagram as video content is continuing to grow within influencer channels. In fact, one in three marketers said it is extremely important.
Influencers are more than just their audience; they also create compelling content across channels and this is why they’re so effective.
What changes are you making to your Influencer Marketing Program for 2021?


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Pictures have surfaced showing a new Wii remote on retailer Gamestop's website.
The new "Wii Remote Plus" is shown bundled with upcoming title FlingSmash, which is due to be released in November.
According to Edge, the "Wii Remote Plus" is a standard Wii remote with integrated Motion Plus technology.
The bundle is priced at $49.99 (£31.58), although the item has since been removed from the retailer's website.
Nintendo is yet to comment on the existence of the controller.


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Japanese automakers Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. are temporarily halting production at their North American plants due to supply shortages of essential components amid the pandemic crisis, reports said. Crowded ports that import parts for their U.S. factories are also a concern.
Toyota will suspend production at some North American plants due to shortage of petrochemicals, and will intermittently cut shifts or production lines. Meanwhile, Honda will halt production at some of its U.S. and Canadian auto plants for the next one week due to supply-chain issues.
At Toyota, vehicle factories in Kentucky and Mexico, as well as an engine plant in Alabama will be affected by the supply chain issues. To deal with the shortage, the company is expected to intermittently cut shifts or production lines of certain vehicles including Camry and Avalon sedans, Tacoma pickup truck and RAV4 sport-utility vehicle. The company is not expecting to furlough any workers at present.
For Honda, shutdown is set to start at most of its five auto plants in the U.S. and Canada on March 22. The port issues, a shortage of semiconductors, pandemic-related problems and fallout from severe winter weather across the central U.S. jointly resulted in the decision to half the production. In some factories, the cold caused pipes to burst.
Meanwhile, Honda workers reportedly will continue to work at the impacted plants, despite production issues.
The global shortage of semiconductors and weak demand for cars during lockdown restrictions amid coronavirus pandemic have already hurt many automakers.
Earlier itself, Toyota, Honda and several other automakers including General Motors, Ford Motor, olkswagen, Daimler, Fiat Chrysler, and Nissan had warned about cuts or temporary plant shutdowns to deal with the issues.
Source: Read Full Article


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|Picture source: People's Daily|
Baidu is a long-time investor in AI technology projects and has been developing autonomous-driving research since 2014. Baidu is not the only one in the race of self-driving cars. Many major auto makers such as GM, Ford, along with tech giants including Google and Apple are also rushing to develop such vehicles or the software behind them. While Google has quit China, it still has Waymo for the rest of the world. Apple started testing its autonomous-car technology on a Lexus car in California earlier this year.
Unfortunately, things have not gone so well in China. Chinese government has strict regulations on self-driving technology making it difficult to test and develop driverless vehicles. Traffic regulations in most Chinese cities ban self-driving cars that not even a seemingly powerful home-grown enterprise like Baidu could get around as Baidu CEO Robin Li learned the hard way recently.
At the Baidu Create Conference held in Beijing last week, Li video-called into the conference from the passenger seat of a driverless car. While the footage has gone viral on Chinese social media, Li apparently forgot this is against the law in Beijing. According to Shanghaiist, it was a Beijing Youth Daily reporter who immediately contacted local police and prompted a police investigation on Li.
Tesla came under fire last year after a fatal crash involving its "self-driving" model marketed and sold in China. Baidu and Baoding City (保定市) are taking extra care. For now, Baidu's self-driving cars will stay within an enclosed "car test zone," without the risk of getting into accidents with normal traffic flows hurting other drivers and vehicles.
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With increasingly affordable travel and stay options, interest in holiday travel is consistently growing beyond the metros.
With Summer break around the corner, Google India today, revealed the top travel search trends for this summer, based on searches conducted by Indians between the months of February to April this year.
Overall travel related queries including planning, transport, accommodation, vacation packages and travel documentation witnessed a53 per cent YoY growth (February - April). The surge in vacation queries started in February 2017, a clear indication that more number of Indians are now planning for summer holidays earlier in the year.
With increasingly affordable travel and stay options, interest in holiday travel is consistently growing beyond the metros. Google search data shows a 70 per cent YoY growth in travel queries from non-metro cities over the past year, with 40.80 per cent of all travel related queries emerging from cities and towns beyond Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad.
The growing use of mobile devices has made it more flexible for travelers to research, plan their itinerary and choose their favourite destination from anywhere and at any time. YoY growth for travel queries was as high as 96 per cent. Another interesting trend witnessed this year is the growing interest reflected in ‘Alternate Stays’ with 111 per cent YoY search query growth. Further, ‘destination activities’also witnessed 102 per cent YoY growth.
Queries for ‘International accommodation’ and ‘International air’ reflected a positive increase starting mid-February with 18 per cent and 13 per cent increase in total queries compared to last year. Among international destinations, United States continued to be the most preferredfollowed by UAE and Thailand. Interestingly, among the countries that have witnessed high YoY growth are Nepal (64.8 per cent increase),Indonesia (42.1 per cent increase) and Bhutan (40.8 per cent growth).
Within India, while Goa continues to be the most preferred destination, hill stations like Manali, Shimla and Ooty also made it to the top 10 destinations list. This summer, Andaman and Nicobar Islands have witnessed a boom in popularity with 39.8 per cent YoY growth.
In terms of mode of travel, rail services emerged as the most searched witnessing a 56 per cent YoY growth. The quantum of search queries for rail services was nearly twice as high as the combined searches for all other modes of travel including air, bus, taxi, and car rentals.