BYJU's in talks for potential US acquisition, Google My Business app making it easier for SMBs

Daily Capsule | 5th Jan Hello Video games – boon or bane? The debate has been raging for decades, but have you ever wondered how the same tool, depending on the way it’s used, could help or harm? While most parents would flinch at the thought of graphic details and intense emotions evoked by these games, one study has found that some special games could help when it comes to the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention/deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The idea was put to use as part of a ‘digital medicine’ tool called Project Evo, the benefits of which were later stated in a study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Deemed as an alternative treatment option for children with ASD and ADHD, Project Evo, with the aid of an action video game experience, basically offered sensory and motor stimuli. The results were promising. Most participating children and parents were of the opinion that the treatment helped improve attention. Now that opens up a whole new dimension in the world of video games, right? Game designers, are you listening? Cheers, Team YourStory Stories you shouldn't miss Just last year, BYJU'S raised $540 million in a fund raising round to become the [world’s highest valued edtech company](. And now [BYJU'S is looking to use a part of the funding to finalise a US deal within the next six months](. The company is said to be in talks with several US edtech firms for a potential US acquisition, as it looks to launch into new markets and acquire products that have a global offering. Google is pretty much our go-to directory for everything under the sun. The [Google My Business app, launched in 2014]( lets SMBs and SMEs manage online listings and profiles on Google Search and Google Maps, to be more discoverable. But that’s not all. Just last year, the tech giant announced a massive update to the app. The goal? To help India’s small entrepreneurs to grow their business online. Mobikwik's loss soars by 52 percent in FY2018 even as revenue doubles for t[he Gurugram-based financial services startup MobiKwik. In fact, for the fiscal year 2018]( the company reported a consolidated loss of Rs 202.98 crores while its total consolidated revenue stood at Rs 85.65 crores. This is after the company beefed its operations to provide other financial services on its platform – including digital insurance and digital gold. Artificial Intelligence – Coming soon to classrooms! It’s just a matter of time before students are introduced to the world of artificial intelligence in their classrooms. The initiative, courtesy of the CBSE, will see [AI being included as part of the curriculum, as an elective subject for Classes VIII, IX and X](. The idea is to bring school education on par with ongoing advancements in technology and CBSE took the decision after a session with government’s policy think tank NITI Aayog. What’s in store for Bharat or India 2.0 in 2019? It might sound funny but the past year saw Bharat, or India 2.0, turn into a lucrative business proposition. The hypothesis is [backed by the exponential growth in the number of users witnessed]( by content platforms (focused on Indian languages) such as ShareChat, DailyHunt, Vokal, Newsdog and Pratilipi. While 2018 may have seen a lineup at the start line, the year 2019 may be the one that actually see action and perhaps local language content even overtake English as the preferred medium for Indian internet users. The new year has began on a great note for Bengaluru-based Manch. The content generation platform, which was founded by IIT-Bombay alumni Pritam Roy in April 2018, [raised seed funding of $750,000 from Stellaris Venture Partners](. With this, the platform that has 30,000 monthly active users, will be focusing on capturing the 'next 500 million' Tier II and Tier III market who are conversant with Indian languages. Going Global: Ashwin Damera on scaling your startup in new geographies How can a business successfully scale across geographies? Answers to this and more as Ashwin Damera, Co-founder & Director, Eruditus Executive Education, shares his take on the key ingredients for businesses to go global on #BuildingItUp with Bertelsmann. [Listen to Podcast.]( -- [Click Here]( to unsubscribe from this newsletter.