Ribbon App is bringing next-generation digital financial solutions for the global Indian community. Following the launch in the UK, Ribbon is poised for further expansion across Europe, India, and other major markets
Ribbon Plc, an Indian fintech based in Gibraltar, is proud to announce the official launch of its innovative financial services app in the United Kingdom.
Building on its successful launch in Gibraltar, Ribbon is now expanding its user-friendly, carbon-neutral digital financial services platform to serve customers in the UK. One of Ribbon’s standout offerings is its ‘Account Before You Fly’ feature, designed specifically for students and professionals relocating from India to the UK.
This service allows users to open a Ribbon account in the UK, while still in their home country (India), ensuring immediate access to financial services upon arrival in the UK, making their transition smoother. For those already in the UK, Ribbon provides easy onboarding and seamless integration into its services.
Ribbon caters to a range of financial needs with features including multi-currency accounts and wallets supporting 36 currencies, international remittances, financial literacy tools, and bill-splitting capabilities, to name a few. Whether travelling, sending remittances, or managing money on the go, Ribbon’s app offers convenience and flexibility for its users. While the app is tailored to the financial needs of the global Indian community, blending convenience, sustainability, and financial inclusion, Ribbon’s accessible platform is ideal for anyone looking to benefit from a versatile digital financial service.
As part of Ribbon’s sustainability commitment, users have access to a carbon footprint tracker, aligning with the company’s broader eco-conscious approach to financial empowerment. Ribbon combines digital financial innovation with sustainability to offer a comprehensive solution in today’s fintech landscape.
“Ribbon’s launch in the UK marks an important milestone in our mission to make financial services accessible to the ethnic Indian community and beyond,” said Mr Ashesh Jani, CEO & Co-founder of Ribbon Plc. “Our solutions make everyday financial management simple and accessible for everyone – whether you’re a student, a professional, a business owner, or an NRI sending money back home. With our UK expansion, we aim to empower users with a smart, efficient, and sustainable way to manage their finances, no matter where they are travelling in the world.”
Following the launch in the UK, Ribbon is poised for further expansion across Europe, India, and other major markets.
“There is a large, growing, and discerning global Indian diaspora that we believe can and should be better served by using modern financial and money management tools,” added Suchit Punnose, Chairman & Co-Founder, Ribbon PLC. “Planet, People and Profit are at the core of Ribbon. In a fintech space that is slowly becoming crowded with commoditised offerings, Ribbon provides a tailored digital account built to keep pace with the global Indian’s aspirations.”
According to the report, the number of patents filed in India in 2023 was 64,480. The country’s growth rate in patent filing was 15.7 per cent compared to 2022…reports Asian Lite News
India’s patents and industrial design filings for Intellectual Property rights doubled between 2018 and 2023, taking the country to the sixth rank, according to the latest World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) annual report.
For the first time, India was included in the top 10 countries of the world for three main intellectual property (IP) rights: patents, industrial design applications, and trademark applications. The patent filing in India has shown the fifth consecutive year of a double-digit growth rate.
According to the WIPO report, the number of patents filed in India in 2023 was 64,480. The country’s growth rate in patent filing was 15.7 per cent compared to 2022.
The report states that more than 35 lakh patents were filed worldwide in 2023 and this was the fourth successive year that global patent filing has shown positive growth.
In 2023, the maximum patent filing was in China (1.64 million), followed by the United States of America (518,364), Japan (414,413), South Korea (287,954), Germany (133,053) and India (64,480).
Asia remains the top spot for patents, accounting for 68.7 per cent, 66.7 per cent, and 69 per cent of global patent, trademark, and industrial design filing activity, respectively, in 2023.
Intellectual Property Rights refer to the creation by human minds, which do not exist in nature. They include inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, names, and images used in commerce. Intellectual property Rights are protected by law to prevent their illegal use.
Intellectual property rights include Patents, Copyright, Trademarks, Industrial Designs, Geographical Indications, and Trade Secrets.
Patented stamp
Patents refer to the exclusive rights given to an invention by a human being, such as the discovery of medicine while copyright refers to creators’ rights to their literary and artistic works, such as songs, music, books, etc.
A trademark is a legal term that distinguishes one company’s goods or services from those of others. It could be a symbol, design or name that the company uses on its products.
An industrial design constitutes the ornamental or aesthetic aspect of mass-produced goods.
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) was established in 1967 as a United Nations’ agency. Based in Geneva in Switzerland, the organisation’s main function is to promote the protection of Intellectual Property rights worldwide.
The UAE national domain name (.ae) is one of the vital elements in promoting the digital infrastructure of the UAE…reports Asian Lite News
The UAE national domain .ae has achieved 347,000 registrations reflecting the demand and confidence in it by companies, individuals and businesses.
These domains are managed by the UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, which is working constantly to improve the services and provide the latest technologies to ensure the security and effectiveness of the domains.
The UAE national domain name (.ae) is one of the vital elements in promoting the digital infrastructure of the UAE. It contributes significantly to strengthening the country’s digital identity and supporting the digital economy. It is considered a symbol of trust and credibility for business owners, individuals and businesses, as it validates the status of their activities, and increases their chance for digital visibility and access to local and international customers.
In order to improve the user experience, the National Domain Registry in the UAE launched several features, including the “Name Ideas” service, which suggests domain names for aspiring registrants with the help of generative artificial intelligence.
Companies and individuals are required to provide a simple description of their business activity and the AI tool will suggest domain names that reflect their business.
The service, which is the first of its kind in the region, has achieved more than10,000 visits since its launch in 2023. In addition, the .ae domain has attracted major registered companies, bringing the total number of accredited registrars to 26.
Commenting on these improvements, Mohammed Ibrahim Al Zarooni, Deputy Director General of the Information and Digital Government Sector, said, “As a result of the continuous efforts and improvements by TDRA, the UAE national domain (.ae) remains an ideal choice for companies and individuals seeking to enhance their digital presence and achieve growth in a competitive digital market.”
He added, “The UAE national domain (.ae) is more than just an internet domain name. It reflects the UAE’s commitment to strengthening its digital economy and providing new opportunities for businesses and individuals alike”.
Migrant rights campaigners called for the Home Office to withdraw the system, claiming it was “technology being used to make cruelty and harm more efficient”…reports Asian Lite News
A Home Office artificial intelligence tool which proposes enforcement action against adult and child migrants could make it too easy for officials to rubberstamp automated life-changing decisions, campaigners have said.
As new details of the AI-powered immigration enforcement system emerged, critics called it a “robo-caseworker” that could “encode injustices” because an algorithm is involved in shaping decisions, including returning people to their home countries.
The government insists it delivers efficiencies by prioritising work and that a human remains responsible for each decision. It is being used amid a rising caseload of asylum seekers who are subject to removal action, currently about 41,000 people.
Migrant rights campaigners called for the Home Office to withdraw the system, claiming it was “technology being used to make cruelty and harm more efficient”.
A glimpse into the workings of the largely opaque system has become possible after a year-long freedom of information battle, in which redacted manuals and impact assessments were released to the campaign group Privacy International. They also revealed that people whose cases are being processed by the algorithm are not specifically told that AI is involved.
The system is one of several AI programmes UK public authorities are deploying as officials seek greater speed and efficiency. There are calls for greater transparency about government AI use in fields ranging from health to welfare.
The secretary of state for science, Peter Kyle, said AI had “incredible potential to improve our public services … but, in order to take full advantage, we need to build trust in these systems”.
The Home Office disclosures show the Identify and Prioritise Immigration Cases (IPIC) system is fed an array of personal information about people who are the subject of potential enforcement action, including biometric data, ethnicity and health markers and data about criminal convictions.
The purpose is “to create an easier, faster and more effective way for immigration enforcement to identify, prioritise and coordinate the services/interventions needed to manage its caseload”, the documents state.
But Privacy International said it feared the system was set up in a way that would lead to human officials “rubberstamping” the algorithm’s recommendations for action on a case “because it’s so much easier … than to look critically at a recommendation and reject it”.
For officials to reject a proposed decision on “returns” – sending people back to their home country – they must give a written explanation and tick boxes relating to the reasons. But to accept the computer’s verdict, no explanation is required and the official clicks one button marked “accept’ and confirms the case has been updated on other Home Office systems, the training manuals show.
Asked if this introduced a bias in favour of accepting the AI decision, the Home Office declined to comment. Officials describe IPIC as a rules-based workflow tool that delivers efficiencies for immigration enforcement by recommending to caseworkers the next case or action they should consider. They stressed that every recommendation made in the IPIC system was reviewed by a caseworker who was required to weigh it on its individual merits. The system is also being deployed on cases of EU nationals seeking to remain in the UK under the EU settlement scheme.
Jonah Mendelsohn, a lawyer at Privacy International, said the Home Office tool could affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. “Anyone going through the migration system currently has no way of knowing how the tool has been used in their case and if it is putting them at risk of wrongful enforcement action,” he said. “Without changes to ensure algorithmic transparency and accountability, the Home Office’s pledge to be ‘digital by default’ by 2025 will further encode injustices into the immigration system.”
Fizza Qureshi, the chief executive of the Migrants’ Rights Network, called for the tool to be withdrawn and raised concerns the AI could lead to racial bias. “There is a huge amount of data that is input into IPIC that will mean increased data-sharing with other government departments to gather health information, and suggests this tool will also be surveilling and monitoring migrants, further invading their privacy,” she said.
Launched last March by the UAE Council for Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain, the UAE AI Award seeks to inspire federal, local, and semi-government entities to embrace advanced AI applications….reports Asian Lite News
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, honoured winners of the UAE AI Award in a ceremony held in Abu Dhabi during the UAE Government Annual Meeting 2024.
Sheikh Mohammed said, “Artificial Intelligence will radically change business and the delivery of public services, and we are determined to be at the forefront among countries adopting AI tools to accelerate government work.”
Launched last March by the UAE Council for Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain, the UAE AI Award seeks to inspire federal, local, and semi-government entities to embrace advanced AI applications. It aims to establish a national benchmark for AI utilisation and foster groundbreaking solutions that envision a future driven by digital innovation, collaboration, and enhanced creative competitiveness.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs won the Service Excellence category award for its groundbreaking Smart Mission project – AI-driven consulate services that require no human intervention. The Smart Mission project, a first of its kind, was launched at the UAE Embassy in South Korea, with five additional missions set to open over the next six months.
DP World received an award in the Operational Efficiency category for its ‘Tanbeeh’ platform – an advanced, AI-powered solution developed by Emirati talent that provides four core capabilities to boost readiness in the face of various challenges faced by swift response teams.
Key features include: detection of fires within five seconds by processing over 500 hours of surveillance footage from cameras across Jebel Ali, proactively monitoring compliance with personal safety protocols, enabling seamless site access with up to 99 percent accuracy through facial recognition technology, and analysing traffic patterns to predict and avoid congestion with up to 90 percent accuracy.
The Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility) received the award in the Decision-Making category for its STEAM+ integrated modelling and analysis system – a significant advancement for Abu Dhabi Mobility. This ecosystem serves as a key tool for informed decision-making and enhancing transportation investments within the emirate. Harnessing big data and AI, STEAM+ processes over 70 billion data matrices, categorising and merging them to support seamless decision-making. The system provides insights into current transportation patterns, identifies population needs, anticipates shifts in demand, and forecasts future developments in mobility across Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council secured the Emirati AI Solutions award for its Falcon language model, a groundbreaking achievement that has propelled projects like RAZI and LAW71. Developed by the Technology Innovation Institute, Falcon is a large generative language model (LLM) designed to support scalable and high-performance application development. Trained on an extensive web dataset enriched with curated sources, the Falcon LLM series stands as the Arab world’s first language model to rival offerings from major tech players such as Meta, Google, and OpenAI. The UAE AI Award attracted over 225 entries from 76 government and semi-government entities and 44 private organisations, with 12 projects advancing to the finals – a testament to the award’s role in shaping the digital future and strengthening the UAE’s competitive edge. Nominations underwent rigorous evaluation by a panel of experts and specialists, with criteria focused on innovation, AI ethics, AI maturity standards, scalability and growth potential, and overall impact.
The Budget will fully fund the UK’s association with Horizon Europe, providing scientists and innovators access to the world’s largest collaborative funding scheme…reports Asian Lite News
At Wednesday’s Budget the Chancellor has announced the highest ever level of government investment of £20.4 billion in research and development for next year, reinforcing the government’s commitment to back the UK’s R&D ecosystem to drive economic growth and achieve its five national missions.
The Budget will fully fund the UK’s association with Horizon Europe, providing scientists and innovators access to the world’s largest collaborative funding scheme, with over £80 billion available for cutting-edge projects under the EU scheme. DSIT’s own R&D budget has increased to £13.9 billion, and core research funding has also been increased to a record £6.1 billion, bolstering the UK’s leading research base.
A significant part of this Budget is dedicated to the UK’s life sciences sector, a cornerstone for positioning the UK as a leader in science and innovation, through a £520 million commitment to the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund.
Additionally, the Chancellor announced funding for several other programmes to be led by DSIT. Together, these investments underscore the importance of science and technology in driving economic growth essential to raising living standards and funding public services, positioning the UK at the forefront of global innovation and progress.
Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said, “The Autumn Budget is clear recognition of this government’s view that driving economic growth and improving people’s lives cannot be done without investing in science and technology. That’s why we are taking R&D investment to record levels and matching our words with action by empowering researchers and businesses to solve real-world problems, grow emerging new industries and create high-quality jobs.”
DSIT’s Autumn Budget announcements include: Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund. The Chancellor unveiled the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund (LSIMF), starting with £70 million in grants, as part of a long-term commitment of up to £520 million to secure major life sciences manufacturing investments across the UK.
This fund strengthens the country’s ability to develop and produce life-saving treatments, ensuring quicker access to vital medicines and bolstering NHS stability.
The LSIMF is expected to unlock up to £1.8 billion in private investment, supporting thousands of high-skilled jobs and driving economic growth nationwide, while preparing the UK for future health emergencies and enhancing NHS resilience.
The new R&D Missions Programme (RDMP), which we are initially investing £25 million for, will address specific challenges our National Missions face, such as advancing healthcare and transitioning to cleaner energy. Partnering with private and third-sector organisations, this initiative aims to turn scientific advancements into real-world benefits, improving public services and quality of life across the UK.
To support the UK’s Growth Mission, the government is investing £40 million over five years in a Proof of Concept Fund, to turn pioneering university research into successful companies. This initiative aids researchers in bringing their innovative ideas to the market, creating high-potential start-ups that drive job creation and economic growth.
Successful spinouts like Pragmatic Semiconductor, which raised £182 million to help open its first manufacturing facility and create 500 high-skilled jobs, or Oxford Nanopore with over 1,000 employees, highlight the potential impact of research-led innovation.
The government has extended for a further year, two key programmes that promote innovation across UK regions and manufacturing. The Innovation Accelerator programme will continue for another year, focusing on high-potential clusters in the Glasgow City Region, Greater Manchester, and the West Midlands.
Successes include Chemify, a Glasgow-based spin-out developing new methods for chemical manufacturing, which has since attracted £28 million in private funding, and the Biochar Cleantech Accelerator in the West Midlands, which is creating new products to support green growth. These projects demonstrate the benefits of R&D across the country and its support for regional economic growth.
Meanwhile, the Made Smarter Innovation programme will continue to be funded with up to £37 million, and empowers manufacturers to adopt digital technologies, enhancing productivity and sustainability by connecting digital solution providers with industry.
The government will invest at least £500 million over the next year in Project Gigabit and the Shared Rural Network, accelerating the rollout of digital infrastructure to underserved regions in the UK. The funding aims to deliver full gigabit coverage by 2030, ensuring fast, reliable internet access for communities and businesses, enabling equal access to digital opportunities nationwide.
DSIT will invest up to £80 million to enhance corporate functions across nine government departments. It aims to transform shared services and streamline systems, making them more efficient, modern, and cost-effective, delivering better value for taxpayers.
Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, receives an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Seattle, the United States. (Xinhua/Qin Lang/IANS)
Bill Gates criticises cut to overseas aid
Bill Gates has joined a chorus of international development voices criticising the government cutting billions in overseas aid spending in the Budget. On Wednesday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves chose not to renew a £2.5bn top-up to the UK’s overseas aid budget introduced by the Tories to compensate for the huge amount of foreign aid being spent housing refugees and asylum seekers in hotels.
The Treasury announced government departments would spend £13.3bn on overseas development assistance this financial year – meeting its target of spending 0.5% of national income on aid. Gates, the billionaire co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, called the Budget “a disappointing outcome for the world’s most vulnerable people”.
The Tory foreign aid top-up has been in place for two years – ensuring aid spending in 2023 amounted to 0.58% of national income, some £15.3bn. Last year, the Home Office spent £4.3bn on asylum seekers in the UK – more than a quarter of the foreign aid budget.
In its so-called “red book” setting out the Budget details, the Treasury acknowledged the government had spent “an increasing proportion” of overseas aid on refugees and asylum seekers which had “significant implications” for aid spending overseas. “The government is committed to ensuring that asylum costs fall, has taken measures to reduce the asylum backlog and is ending the use of expensive hotel accommodation,” the Treasury said.
“These plans should create more space in the [Official Development Assistance] budget to spend on our international development priorities overseas.”
International aid charities were dismayed at what they said was a cut worth almost £2bn in the UK’s aid priorities overseas. Following the announcement, Gates said the UK “withdrawing” from its overseas aid role “leaves us all at greater risk”.
“Today’s Budget is a disappointing outcome for the world’s most vulnerable people,” he said in a statement. I hope to see the UK chart a path back to the commitments that demonstrate this global outlook in action.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez inaugurated the country’s first private military transport aircraft production plant on Monday….reports Asian Lite News
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran on Monday said that the TATA Aircraft Complex, built in partnership with Airbus, aims to deliver its first C295 aircraft within the next two years.
“Exactly two years from now, we will deliver the first indigenously manufactured C-295 Aircraft,” Tata Sons Chairman said in his address at the inauguration of the TATA Aircraft Complex for manufacturing C295 military transport aircraft in Vadodara in Gujarat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez inaugurated the country’s first private military transport aircraft production plant on Monday.
Chandrasekaran emphasised, “This is a very, very important day for India and Indian defence sector. We will deliver the first aircraft in next two years. This project will propel India into the next generation of advanced manufacturing. It will build a diverse and sophisticated skills ecosystem, as well as a very strong supply of base, more importantly, give a lot of high tech opportunities for our entrepreneurs and youth.”
The facility marks a significant step forward in India’s defence manufacturing capabilities and exemplifies the “Make in India” initiative, providing a new impetus for the country to emerge as a global hub for aerospace production.
Chandrasekaran credited the visionary leadership of Ratan Tata for conceiving the project over a decade ago in 2012.
He said, “I will fail in my duty if I forget to mention that this project was originally conceived more than a decade ago, in 2012, by the then Tata Sons Chairman, Ratan Tata Ji, who led the whole concept to build a relationship with Airbus and created this partnership with Airbus and laid the foundation stone for this opportunity.”
He added, “So I would like to remember him for his visionary leadership in this very path-breaking initiative. It is a historic moment not only for the Tata Group but also for India.”
Chandrasekaran said tha the first 200 engineers from Tata Group are already in Spain going through the training that is required. “We have worked with 40 SME companies and we will be adding more companies to build the entire localisation that is required for the product…,” he said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also addressed the gathering, praising the collaboration between Tata and Airbus as an extraordinary example of partnership.
He said, “Prime Minister Modi, this is your vision to turn India into an industrial powerhouse. This partnership between Airbus and TATA will contribute to the progress of the Indian aerospace industry, and will open new doors for the arrival of other European companies.”
Highlighting the synergy between Indian and Spanish industries, he described Tata as “a giant among giants” and the best representative of Indian industrial strength. (ANI)
With massive battery life realme C61 improves the user experience through a variety of innovative artificial intelligence capabilities and technology, reports ASIAN LITE NEWS
MUSCAT : With the latest trend in mobile phones, realme, a rapidly expanding global brand in the smartphone sector, recently launched the cutting-edge “realme C61” model across the Oman market.
The new smartphone “realme C61” is designed to empower you to live life to the fullest, allowing you to take stunning photos while enjoying smooth, responsive productivity, games, and media—all in a slim, fashionable, and affordable phone.
Designed for the youth and other dynamic users, the “realme 61” is one of the most durable mobile; with an IP54 dust and water resistance rating, it can weather the numerous challenges of a hectic lifestyle.
Harsh Vardhan Shukla, realme Country Manager for Oman, said: “C61 is a smartphone that will be your companion for many years, offering plenty of storage for your media, an unprecedented battery guarantee, and the performance you need to multitask across your favorite personal and work apps. All this power comes packed into a phone thinner than ten credit cards stacked together”, adding further, the GCC incharge Shukla says, “It’s a device you can trust, no matter where you are or what you’re doing.” Battery life The C61 comes with an innovative long-term battery, ensuring that it retains a significant portion of its original capacity, even after four years of regular use and it can also power through two full days on a single charge.
The screen is designed for pleasing eye comfort, providing a crisp display that enhances responsiveness to scrolling, animations, and transitions, making it suitable for various activities such as watching series, gaming, or browsing social feeds.
The C61’s 50MP camera sensor is a high-resolution device that captures detailed, sharp images with rich colors and excellent dynamic range. It allows for vivid video and photo capture for preserving memories and easily sharing them on social media.
Innovative Features:
realme C61 improves your user experience through a variety of innovative artificial intelligence capabilities and technology. With the Air Gestures control function, you can answer and mute calls or switch between video streams on social media without touching your device, which is ideal when both hands are occupied.
AI Noise Reduction intelligently detects, isolates, and suppresses background noise, improving call quality in noisy environments like wind, traffic, or chatter.
Meanwhile, the AI Boost Engine dynamically optimizes the performance of your phone based on what you’re doing at any given time. Smooth Boost and Game Boost optimize the system’s resources to match the needs of various workloads.
realme C61, which comes in dazzling gold & dark green, makes a dramatic fashion statement is distributed by reputed MHD group in Oman. Premium materials and sophisticated production techniques work together to create a device that is both visually appealing and tactilely satisfying. The finish contains millions of small mirror components. This produces a mesmerizing effect in which the light appears to dance across your phone’s surface.
IMC 2024 aims to bring together global leaders, innovators, and industry experts to collaborate on next-generation technologies…reports Asian Lite News
The eighth edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, Asia’s largest digital technology forum, commenced at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on Tuesday. IMC 2024 is happening concurrently with ITU-WTSA.
Organized by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), IMC 2024, running from October 15 to 18, is set to be a premier global platform for showcasing cutting-edge innovation and technology.
IMC 2024 aims to bring together global leaders, innovators, and industry experts to collaborate on next-generation technologies. The event focuses on key areas such as 6G and 5G advancements, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, cybersecurity, semiconductors, cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), CleanTech, and electronics manufacturing.
Tarun Chhabra, Country Head, Nokia India, said, “IMC 2024 and ITU-WTSA happening concurrently will pave the way for India to solidify its position and take a lead in the global telecommunication standardization efforts. PM’s call today at the inauguration reaffirms this further and we are committed to support India’s journey in developing a robust and sustainable telecom infrastructure along with innovations in new-age technologies like AI.”
The extensive lineup of more than 100 sessions will highlight the transformative potential of these technologies across industries such as healthcare, education, and agriculture, and their impact on society and the economy worldwide.
Ramakrishna P, CEO, India Mobile Congress said, “With the focus on this year’s theme ‘Future is Now’, we will witness discussions highlighting subjects like quantum technology and circular economy along with spotlight on 6G, 5G use-case showcase, cloud & edge computing, IoT, semiconductors, cybersecurity, green tech, satcom and electronics manufacturing.”
The scale of IMC has expanded significantly since its first edition, which saw only 152 speakers, 100 exhibitors, and 2,000 delegates. Last year, the event attracted over 1.50 lakh visitors, 1,300-plus CXO-level delegates, 230-plus exhibitors, and more than 400 startups.
IMC 2024 has surpassed these numbers, with more than 400 exhibitors and nearly 900 startups and 120 + countries participating.
Anku Jain, Managing Director, MediaTek India said, “We are committed to harnessing technology as a transformative force for India. Our mission is to empower the Indian ecosystem with cutting-edge digital solutions, contributing significantly to the country’s emergence as a technology leader, and this commitment is in line with the theme of IMC 2024 – ‘The Future is Now’.”
The participation of over 13 ministries underscores the comprehensive government support for technological innovation and digital transformation.
IMC 2024 will feature a series of dynamic side events and summits, including the AI for Good Summit, the International 6G Symposium, the Semiconductor Round Table, the Quantum Summit, and the CleanTech Summit.
These events aim to foster dialogue on cutting-edge technologies and explore their role in driving global digital transformation.
Additionally, workshops on topics like 5G Test Labs, smart mobility, and digital public infrastructure will provide valuable networking opportunities for attendees. (ANI)
In today’s world, relying on a generic training plan is a mistake. What you need is a targeted approach to learning that fits your personal career goals … writes Meenu Chadha
A few years ago, my friend Sarah felt secure in her tech career. But when her company restructured, she found herself laid off, realizing her once-relevant skills no longer kept her competitive. Sarah’s story isn’t unique. With major layoffs at companies like Apple, Dell, and IBM, it’s clear that the skills needed to stay employable are evolving faster than ever.
The key lesson? Generic, one-size-fits-all training programs don’t work anymore. Your career is unique, and your upskilling approach should be too. It’s not enough to take broad courses or follow what everyone else is doing. The real value comes from aligning your learning with the specific demands of your industry and role.
Why Personalized Upskilling Matters
In today’s world, relying on a generic training plan is a mistake. What you need is a targeted approach to learning that fits your personal career goals. Don’t wait for your company to dictate your development. Ask yourself:
What skills are in demand in my field?
How does my current expertise measure up?
What new skills do I need to remain competitive?
These are critical questions that require proactive thinking. Upskilling isn’t just about adding new qualifications but about acquiring the right skills that will keep you valuable.
Choose the Right Skills, Not Just More Skills
The flood of available courses and programs can be overwhelming. But the secret to staying relevant is strategic upskilling—focusing on what will actually move the needle for your career. If your field is moving toward data analytics, remote work, or new technology, prioritize learning in those areas rather than chasing generic “skills improvement.”
Continuous Learning is Essential
Career success isn’t just about landing a good job; it’s about staying relevant as the world of work changes. Continuous learning is the new normal. You can’t afford to be complacent, no matter where you are in your career. But this doesn’t mean constantly enrolling in courses for the sake of it. Instead, adopt a growth mindset, regularly evaluate your skills, and focus on areas that will make the most impact.
Take Charge of Your Career
Like Sarah, you have the power to stay ahead, but it requires action. The job market is evolving rapidly, and the skills that got you here may not be enough to take you forward. Proactive, personalized upskilling is the key to future-proofing your career.
Call to Action: Take control of your learning journey. Assess your skills, identify what’s missing, and choose focused learning opportunities that align with your goals. Don’t wait for change—prepare for it.
(The writer is a Career Coach and Job Search Strategist with over 20 years of global recruitment experience. She can be reached at Meenu Chadha’s LinkedIn)
