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Mark Zuckerberg announces new WhatsApp app for Windows

Mark Zuckerberg announced a new WhatsApp app for Windows, which will enable group video calls with up to eight people and audio calls with up to 32 people—all from the desktop.

Sharing on Facebook, Mark said, “Launching a new WhatsApp desktop app for Windows. Now you can make E2E encrypted video calls with up to eight people and audio calls with up to 32 people.”

“WhatsApp started as a mobile app, and those roots remain as strong as ever. But with hundreds of millions of people using WhatsApp on computers and tablets, we’re focused on making the messaging and calling experience across devices even better,” he adds.

The new Windows desktop app is expected to load faster and is built with an interface familiar to WhatsApp and Windows users. Users can host group video calls with up to eight people and audio calls with up to 32 people. Further, the company aims to continue to increase these limits over time.

Chennai Super Kings onboards drone tech startup Garuda Aerospace as official partner

Drone startup Garuda Aerospace has partnered with Chennai Super Kings. As part of the agreement, Garuda Aerospace will be the official drone partner for the 2023 season, marking the first-ever drone partnership for a team.

Garuda Aerospace is a dual DGCA-approved drone startup that manufactures make-in-India drones and trains young professionals in the field of drone technology. The startup recently raised $22 million—the largest ever Series A fundraise in the drone sector. Former Indian cricket team captain and brand ambassador Mahendra Singh Dhoni is also a shareholder in the company.

The Change Engine accelerator for pre-idea startups announces first cohort

The Change Engine, a Gurugram-based startup studio, launched its inaugural cohort of ACE: Agents of Change Entrepreneurs, India’s first accelerator for pre-idea startups. The fully funded, six-month programme aims to foster a new generation of entrepreneurs who are passionate about solving ambitious problems by helping them go from problem discovery to launch and fundraising while developing scalable solutions to tackle difficult problems.

ACE is targeted towards enthusiastic final-year students and recent graduates who are interested in addressing complex challenges and developing solutions that can be scaled. The programme offers each founder Rs 6 lakh over six months, along with the possibility of receiving additional funding of up to Rs 2 crore at the end of the programme.

The founders, who will be chosen through a competitive process, will be mentored by seasoned entrepreneurs and product professionals, and have access to active advice from funders.

Additionally, the programme offers office space, credits and discounts on various SaaS tools, and free access to legal and accounting services. After completing, participants will receive support in raising funds from venture capitalists and angel investors during their demo day.

Foodpanda to work on e2W vehicle battery swapping pilot in Singapore

Gogoro and Cycle and Carriage Singapore (C&C) partnered with food delivery platform Foodpanda India in a battery-swapping pilot that will support smart electric two-wheel vehicles for last-mile deliveries in Singapore.

The partnership follows Singapore Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) announcement last year that it awarded Gogoro and C&C with a battery-swapping sandbox pilot for electric two-wheel vehicles.

As announced in September 2022, Gogoro and C&C have partnered to introduce a new and more efficient approach to electric refuelling for two-wheel delivery fleets using Gogoro’s six-second Swap and Go battery swapping.

The addition of Fodpanda as a partner allows for the trial of Gogoro’s Smartscooters and the battery-swapping platform to conduct last-mile deliveries. Insights from the trial will be used to guide the next steps to accelerate the adoption of sustainable mobility as Singapore moves towards a transportation system using cleaner and more sustainable energy.

Nearly 8 in 10 Indian professionals heading back to office by choice: LinkedIn

Workers are generally more receptive to working in the office, with 86% of Indians saying they feel positive about it compared to a year ago. New research by LinkedIn reveals a shift in workers’ attitudes towards going to the office. While they used to feel obliged to physically be in the office, 78% of Indian professionals say they now do it by choice.

Another trend embraced in the office is that of desk bombing. The research reveals that most workers like it when a co-worker shows up unannounced at their desk to have a chat. 62% of respondents in India see desk bombing as a great way to have impromptu conversations. The majority of GenZ workers in India (60%) have experienced desk bombing and find it useful.

The LinkedIn research revealed that 63% of Indians feel working remotely has no harmful impact on their careers, however, a similar percentage of people also believe their chances of career growth could be reduced if they didn’t go to the office as much. This could be a potential reason why 71% of Indians agree that they feel they have to overcompensate when working from home to show that they are serious about work.

Water utility startup Boson Whitewater partners with PYSE 

BOSON Whitewater, a water utility company that converts STP water into high-quality potable water, has partnered with PYSE, a fintech company that allows retail investors to invest in green and sustainable projects. Through this collaboration with PYSE, Boson Whitewater will be able to implement and scale its sustainable water infrastructure projects, while also prioritising and supporting the environmental goals of Pyse’s investors. 

Pyse is a specialised sustainability funding platform that helps individual investors participate in special assets. By investing in sustainable assets like water management, Pyse allows everyone to participate in making their cities resourceful and sustainable in terms of water. 

Over the last several years, Boson Whitewater has been actively working towards promoting sustainable water infrastructure by converting STP-treated water into the highest quality potable water.

RunR Mobility, EMF Innovations have partnered to encourage Make in India vehicles

High-speed electric scooter manufacturer RunR Mobility has partnered with EMF Innovations, a tech company that delivers cost-effective and reliable electric mobility solutions. With this partnership, EMF Innovation will be the powertrain design and manufacturing partner for RunR Mobility.

The partnership will cater to a collective objective of providing a better class of EVs for Indian roads. Furthermore, it will cultivate trust in the minds of Indian buyers who are looking forward to innovative, affordable, and 100% indigenous electric vehicles.

“This strategic partnership will build a stronger relationship between EMFi and RunR Mobility,” Sivasankari T P, Managing Director of EMF Innovations, said. “Technology today is playing a critical role, and both companies realise that they need to accelerate R&D to remain competitive. With EMFi’s application support and RunR’s strengths, I am sure we will be able to unlock our full potential while catering to the EV needs of the Indian buyers.”

(The story will be updated throughout the day with the latest news.)