📚 How to empower a community

The most interesting news selected specially for you! 13 August 2024 [View in Browser]( Hello, An exciting day for India’s startup ecosystem. Two companies—Unicommerce eSolutions and FirstCry parent Brainbees Solutions—will debut on the exchanges today. While both startups have generated market buzz, SaaS platform [Unicommerce]( is expected to launch with a staggering premium of [over 60%]( based on its grey market prices. Moving on, the newly listed Ola Electric Mobility was locked in the [20% upper circuit]( at Rs 109.41 for the second straight day on Monday. Speaking of startups, one company is on a mission to transform India into a manufacturing powerhouse. In episode 2 of Disruptor Dialogues, YourStory speaks with Amrit Acharya, Co-founder and CEO of Zetwerk to uncover the contract manufacturer’s journey. Click [here]( to watch. In other news, Bharti Enterprises’ international arm is buying a 24.5% stake in BT Group. The transaction, valued at about $4 billion, will make the Sunil Bharti Mittal-led company the largest shareholder in the British telecom giant. Did you know that BT held a 21% stake in Bharti Airtel between 1997 and 2001? [ICYMI:]( Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore may be stuck at the International Space Station for months, far extending their planned eight-day mission. But how do you survive if you’re stuck in space? Hint: Recycling! In today’s newsletter, we will talk about - A community cornerstone of empowerment - Redesigning iconic historical spaces Here’s your trivia for today: What was the original title of the novel Pride & Prejudice? --------------------------------------------------------------- Social Impact A community cornerstone of empowerment Mumbra, a neighbourhood widely recognised as one of the country’s largest Muslim ghettos, an NGO is steadfast in its efforts to empower young girls and women with exposure to Indian and global literature. Today, Rehnuma (translated to ‘Guide’ in Urdu) Library, a vertical of the NGO Awaaz-e-Niswaan, has over 350 members, and has bloomed into a community space where women receive education, legal assistance and support with matters like divorce, polygamy, and domestic violence. A world on a page: - While in the 1990s, Awaaz-e-Niswaan supported survivors of domestic violence and Triple Talaq, today, they complement these existing efforts with education—both academic and socio-political. - At Rehnuma, the girls also learn English speaking, computer science and legal education. - Once sufficient trust is established with the families, librarian Faiza Shaik takes the girls on residential programmes that explore subjects like gender and sexuality, law, and LGBTQIA+ education, which are conducted by specialists in these fields. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Funding Alert 1) OYO: Rs 1,457 Cr|Series G 2) Neo Group: Rs 400 Cr|Undisclosed 3) Pakka Limited: Rs 244.7 Cr|Undisclosed --------------------------------------------------------------- Woman Entrepreneur Redesigning iconic historical spaces from childhood, when she would refurbish dollhouses, Dr Masooma Rizvi had always been passionate about creativity. She wanted to grow up to choose a profession where she could beautify places. Today, she is an art curator and Managing Director and Founder of Belita Design Solutions Private Limited—an interior design firm behind redesigning historical spaces including the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Beautifying heritage: - Among all the projects Dr Rizvi particularly remembers the Rashtrapati Bhavan project. She created a simple design that used locally made baked bricks, and local vernacular architecture, and involved artisans from northeastern India and Rajasthan to build a green building. - Working with the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, she designed the Indo-Bahrain Friendship Mural for the Indian Embassy in Bahrain, and thematic art for the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, New Delhi. - Currently, she is working on various projects in Japan, including a digital and static exhibit showcasing Indian culture, an Indian cultural centre with a central sanctum for deities, and a museum project in Rajasthan. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Application open for Tech30 you a visionary founder at the helm of a startup poised to redefine industries? Look no further than Tech30, the ultimate platform to showcase your innovation. Tech30 is more than just a recognition; it's a catalyst for the future. We're on a mission to bring together India's brightest tech minds to unravel the next big thing. If you're building groundbreaking solutions that have the potential to reshape our world, Tech30 is your launchpad. Join us as we celebrate the pioneers driving India's tech revolution. [Apply for Tech 30]( --------------------------------------------------------------- From the CapTable RBI tightens grip on algorithmic credit models With an exponential explosion of data sources—structured and unstructured, new and emerging—and multiple digital public pipelines to lean on, Indian lenders continue to find newer ways of assessing creditworthiness. That someone, with their digital footprint or otherwise, could be evaluated as being creditworthy, though, is something financial regulators rightfully worry about. Last week, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gave voice to these concerns. Through a draft circular, the central bank brought credit risk models of regulated entities under supervisory review and mandating a raft of changes aimed at holding the boards of lending entities responsible for the models these companies use. This move is critical given that in the next decade, the Indian market could rapidly evolve into one driven by digitally-led algo-credit models as newer datasets emerge as trustworthy and reliable. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- News & Updates - [The fallout:]( Shares of Adani Group companies fell on Monday after a new report from US short seller Hindenburg accused the chair of India’s capital markets regulator of having conflicts of interest that prevented an in-depth probe of fraud allegations. - [Music deal:]( Universal Music Group, the world's biggest music label, announced on Monday an expanded agreement with Facebook-parent Meta Platforms to create new opportunities for its artists and songwriters across Meta's social platforms. - [Box office beast:]( Over the weekend, Disney and Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine became only the second R-rated film to top $1 billion at the global box office. And it’s on its way to becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. --------------------------------------------------------------- Did you know? What was the original title of the novel Pride & Prejudice? Answer: First Impressions. 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