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As India continues to struggle to deal with the exponential rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, many startups and corporates have introduced a slew of tools and measures to help. 

Ecommerce company Snapdeal has launched an initiative to connect COVID-19 patients with potential plasma donors. Called ‘Sanjeevani’, the platform connects people from across India — including smaller towns and cities — to find relevant matches with potential donors. It was first launched to help the employees of Snapdeal find possible donors and is accessible via the website and mobile app.  

Fintech startup RapiPay has launched a tool on its website and app that enables people to book COVID-19 vaccination slots. The feature is expected to help non-tech users in rural areas register for vaccination on the CoWIN app. 

Similar initiatives have been launched by startups such as Paytm and HealthifyMe to enable people to get vaccinated.

Ride-hailing unicorn Ola has teamed up with Bengaluru-based NGO GiveIndia to provide free oxygen concentrators to those in need. Through the O2forIndia initiative, people can place a request for oxygen concentrators through the Ola app, which will be picked up and delivered by Ola’s cab drivers for free.

Razorpay merchants can now nudge their customers towards donating for COVID-19 relief campaigns with a dedicated ‘Donate Now’ feature on the payment checkout page of all its merchants. Razorpay says that within a week of launching the feature, Rs 20 crore has been collected by partner NGOs.

Meanwhile Paytm also announced that it is offering its payment gateway services at 0 percent transaction fees to all registered NGOs across the country.

Read about how the Indian startup ecosystem is battling the second wave of COVID-19 here.

Here are some useful tools and links that can help you find the nearest vaccine centres in real-time.

The Interview

According to John Hopkins University, India’s death toll since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has crossed 2.5 lakh, however, many experts believe this number to be higher. Many of us are experiencing pain and loss like never before. Dr SK Chaturvedi, Psychiatrist and Former Dean, NIMHANS, talks about how to deal with loss, death, grief, and anxiety.

Editor’s Pick: Techie Tuesday

Vinay Gaba has experience of over a decade of working on Android systems. He has built systems at Spotify and Snapchat, and believes that focusing on what one is good at and doubling down on that makes all the difference. The 30-year-old currently leads UI Infrastructure and Design Systems on Android for Airbnb in San Francisco. Read more.

Startup Spotlight

Taking automobile showrooms into the future using 3D visualisation

In 2016, Gaurav Rane and Varun Shah saw the opportunity and the need to democratise 3D visualisation for vehicle exploration. They started Eccentric Engine to impress customers at dealerships and on OEM websites, and claim it to be the only company in India that is strategically enabling omnichannel digital experiences. Read more.

News & Updates

• Bharat Biotech Joint MD Suchitra Ella said partnerships, technology transfers, and supply of various critical equipment and materials are a must for scaling up the production of COVID-19 vaccines to cater to the huge demand.

Before you go, stay inspired with… 

“We must come together and help our communities during these unprecedented times.”

— Bhavish Aggarwal, Chairman and Group CEO, Ola

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