League of innovators 2022

I N D I A VOL 04 TechnOvate ISSUE 01 Future Media Industry 2022 of the Metaverse New League Changing Dimensions of Industry 4.0 Innovations Jason Gladu President LLC Your B2B Brand Accelerator

Editor's Note Abhishek Joshi Deputy Editor abhishek.joshi@insightssuccess.com A SAGA OF THE PIONEERING LEADERSHIP SPIRITS Company Name Featuring Brief The evolutionary process is very simple. Nature records Nature calls them innovators. We, as species homo living organisms’ responses to the changing sapiens, survived, thrived, formed and advanced our environmental scenarios surrounding that organism. It civilization because of the fittest spirits of such leagues Acer Inc is a Taiwanese multinational hardware and electronics Acer India Harish Kohli, corporation specializing in advanced electronics technology. is stored in the cells in the form of genes. of innovators, generation over generation, challenging Bangalore President & MD the established status quo and always asking questions Taking those genes, a fundamental survival and to themselves and finding out innovative answers and reproductory framework is created. Generation after solutions to the many and all human problems. generation, every organism then operates, survives and Avani Media is a B2B Marketing and Advertising Jason Gladu, Avani Media reproduces according to that pre-established Underlying innovation is their nature. An innovative Agency based in Nashville, Tn. President framework. approach is their frame of reference. They look at challenges as opportunities, problems as chances to This process continues if the surrounding environment prove their worth, and crises as possibilities to explore Fusion VR is India's leading Customer Focused VR, AR remains unchanged. How can it happen when change is their shortcomings and correct themselves so that they Dr C. S S Bharathy, and Industry 4.0 solutions company that is focused on Fusion VR Chennai the only constant? Change keeps happing, and the can seek their ultimate goal, improvisation. These noble Founder helping businesses in their Digital-Transformation. organism keeps adjusting itself to that change, again spirits and innovative minds are the torchbearers of our keeping a record of everything in the RNA or DNA at collective genius. They will lead us in the race to the the genetic level. future—humankind in the race of survival of the most Muthoot FinCorp Ltd., the flagship company of Muthoot innovative minds. Muthoot Microfin Sadaf Sayeed, Pappachan Group, is one of the largest NBFCs in India, However, when an avalanche of changes occurs, giving Ltd CEO registered with the Reserve Bank of India. the organism little time for adjustment, chaos erupts. CIOLOOK India’s exclusive edition titled ‘League of The simplest mechanism of natural selection termed Innovators – 2022’ brings you gems of such pioneering ‘survival of the fittest’ kicks in. It naturally selects only leadership spirits and their stories to reassure you that Solutions India System Pvt Ltd – (SISPL) is an Audio-Visual Punit Rastogi, those who are fittest to survive. our future is safe in their awe-inspiring acumen. Solutions India solutions and system integration Company, for turnkey MD Systems Mumbai greenfield projects. Nature further investigates into it and finds that those You can further quench your curious mind’s thirst by organisms who challenged the established framework reading two crisp and trendy articles written by our in- and kept themselves changing even when that change house editorial team. was not needed are the ones from the fittest category. So, don’t you wait. Just read, learn, and innovate!

Y c o n t e n t R Acer India 16 Connecting People and Technology R O Fusion VR E T Bringing Forth Indian Industrial 24 Revolution Via Enterprise Metaverse 08 V S Muthoot Microfin Ltd O 28 Micro-Financing Indian Dream for a Better Future C Solutions India Systems 36 Delivering Top-Class Unified AV Communications to The World of Business Articles 32 20 New League TechnOvate Changing Dimensions of Future Media Industry LLC Industry 4.0 Innovations of the Metaverse Your B2B Brand Accelerator

I N D I A Pooja M. Bansal Editor-in-Chief CONTENT FOLLOW US ON Abhishek Joshi Deputy Editor www.twitter.com/ciolookindia www.facebook.com/ciolookindia/ Gaurav PR Wankhade WE ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON DESIGN VisualizerSandeep tikode CONTACT US ON Art & Design Director Rashmi Singh Email Associate Designer Revati Badkas sales@ciolookindia.com For Subscription www.ciolookindia.com SALES Operations Head Megha Mishra Copyright © 2022 CIOLOOK India, All rights reserved. The Assistant ManagerTejaswini Whaval content and images used in this magazine should not be Sr. BDE Suraj Gadekar reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, Business Development Executive Meera Patel electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior TECHNICAL permission from CIOLOOK India. Reprint rights remain Technical Head Aditya K. solely with CIOLOOK India. Technical Consultant Tanaji SME-SMO Research Analyst Amol Wadekar SEO Executive Sujay Bhavsar sales@ciolookindia.com APRIL, 2022

y r o t S r e v Jason Gladu President LLC o C Your B2B Brand Accelerator Our USP is our people, our ability to understand the industry, and our proprietary database of B2B publishers worldwide

League of Innovators - 2022 o thrive in today’s digital arena, every brand needs “We’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with and plan an accelerator that helps it navigate the programs for a broad range of industries including fintech, T complexities of outbound marketing and generate automotive, healthcare, physical security, and artificial high-impact demand. intelligence,” says Jason Gladu, the President of Avani Media. Avani MediaLLC, a B2B marketing and advertising agency based in Nashville, Tennessee, is that accelerator. An operator by nature, Jason has played a pivotal role in Its tight-knit team of experts specialise in demand and lead taking the company to where it is today. Prior to his current generation; it focuses on planning, managing, and executing role at Avani Media, Jason built and scaled Spiceworks’ marketing programs that transform its customers’ lead generation business and moved to Ziff Davis to run businesses. their B2B partnerships. With deep roots in content syndication and outbound In addition to running Avani Media, Jason also speaks on marketing, the company works with brands and venture podcasts and at conferences, usually on demand and lead capital firms of all shapes and sizes to accelerate their generation, and invests in commercial real estate - but, if he outbound marketing and drive new customers. It always had it his way, it might be more about wine, whiskey, or aims to do things a little differently. soccer – ideally Liverpool Football Club. Rising Faith, Scaling Mountains Jason mentions that for all of Avani’s clients, the company Avani Media was founded in 2007 as a publisher’s rep firm stays on top of the latest trends in B2B marketing, be it representing publishers based in Europe who wanted to sell developing relationships with new publishers or leveraging media to the United States. In 2019/2020, the firm pivoted previously unavailable data. Its job is to constantly innovate to becoming a demand gen agency that focuses primarily on and accelerate outcomes by refining programs and B2B technology companies largely driven by customer executing tailor-made solutions. Its proprietary technology requests. and dedicated client success team allow the company to sift through leads to deliver unparalleled quality assurance. The clients loved the campaign management and insights they were receiving from Avani Media. They were An Inspirational Compass increasingly asking the company to expand its service When asked Jason about his inspiration to venture into the offerings. It was their client’s faith that pushed Avani Media advertising industry, he said that he had always enjoyed to move and grow in this new direction. advertising - and Lead Gen was more or less an accident. He was introduced to demand gen at Mindshare, where he From NVIDIA, Sage, Khoros to LogMeIn, the Avani Media worked on the SAP account. team has created complex, multi-vendor demand generation programs for some of the best brands around. Avani Media has collaborated with and planned programs for a broad range of industries including fintech, automotive, healthcare, physical security, and artificial intelligence

We understand that the B2B marketing and technology world moves very quickly, and we are here to ensure our clients feel supported every step of the way From there, he moved to Spiceworks. There, he ran multi- While defining Avani Media’s uniqueness, Jason puts,“Our channel demand gen programs for some of the largest USP is our people, our ability to understand the industry, advertisers in the B2B space, such as Microsoft and Dell, and our proprietary database of B2B publishers worldwide and also built the lead gen product line, which encompassed which contains the audiences they cater to, the media they everything from product management to building an intent offer, and how they perform for current and past clients. model and a delivery and campaign management team. Our team comprises folks who show up and want to help our clients succeed and want our clients to feel like we're The biggest draw to running the lead gen business at an extension of the team rather than just an agency or a Spiceworks was being able to run a business unit that grew vendor. No request from our clients is too small or too big from under $1M annually to north of $20M in a short span of a burden because, at the end of the day, our job is to of time. make their lives easier, save them money and time, and ultimately drive growth for their brand. Surmounting the Challenges Jason believes that the media and demand gen agency space So when you combine the passion that our people have for is very crowded. You've got very large holding companies helping our customers, our unique database of hundreds of that do billions of dollars a year of revenue, and then you've B2B media publishers worldwide, and our team, we are got a more recent push where brands are moving to more able to plan and execute more efficiently. Those three things independent and smaller agencies. are what contribute to our growth and the growth of our customers.” There was no shortage of competition when Jason made this jump in 2020. He knew that based on Avani’s history of Success, A Journey of Relationships knowing how the lead gen and international media space, it Talking about the core values, Jason states that the people at could provide additional value to its customers and help Avani Media operate with below key values in mind: them accelerate their growth. • Being Agile • Treating everyone with respect Team-work is the Key • Being Transparent The quality of work is only as good as that of the team • Putting people first behind it. With decades of combined experience in the • Going the extra mile demand and lead generation space, Jason states that his team strategises and develops top-notch services and These five values are reflected in everything Avani Media programs. does. These values allow the company to get programs into the market very quickly as it focuses on ensuring that it has From complex, global media buys to lead generation great relationships with its clients, the vendors who are programs spanning six continents, the team at Avani Media important to execute programs for its customers, and its continues to increase its value to its clients, resulting in people who need to be in an environment that allows them long-lasting, fruitful relationships. to be fresh, be themselves and operate at the highest level for its clients.

We are scaling up our team and spaces to meet the needs of our clients Jason notes, “We understand that the B2B marketing and Valuable Wisdom technology world moves very quickly, and we are here to In his advice to the budding aspirants, Jason states, “Your ensure our clients feel supported every step of the way.” career path will not be linear, and you're in control of your career path. It is imperative that you take control of your The Future Digital Navigator growth and career path. Lean in and go solve problems for Jason firmly believes that the digital advertising landscape the business. only intensified during the pandemic, and he doesn’t see that slowing down in the near future. Don't be complacent, and don't wait for your business, boss or the world to hand you something. If you can find Talking about the roadmap ahead for Avani Media, Jason problems that need to be solved in the business (and you are marks, “We are scaling up our team and spaces to meet the already doing a great job in your current role), solve needs of our clients, which entails ensuring we have enough them!” coverage in all of the timezones our clients operate in, building out a new office to ensure we have a space where He concludes, “You'll become invaluable to not only your current business but also to other businesses in the future. If clients can meet when they are in Nashville, and building you're going to start your own business, you’ll certainly out unique specialities to ensure our clients can take need the mindset of being able to solve multiple problems advantage of the increasingly complex digital media while keeping the business moving forward.” landscape.”

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TechnOvate Future Media Industry of The Metaverse elieve it or not, we are already into the future. It will be a universe converged of interoperable virtual Because of a futuristic conception of an spaces in which users from all around the globe, B entertainment event based not on physical but irrespective of their physical location, will have a choice. A virtual reality. Where instead of real people, a huge crowd choice of multiple kinds of entertainment venues, services, of 3D avatars cheering and jeering has already happened. and events as they liked and preferred. It all began when Travis Scott held his virtual concert in The Future is Here: April 2020 in the immersive surroundings of Fortnite, Metaverse media and entertainment is going to be truly where an audience of over twelve million was playing. K- futuristic. The metaverse can be defined as a unified virtual pop group BTS followed it at the same virtual venue by space integrating multiple extended realities – including debuting in September 2021 with their new single. augmented, virtual, and mixed realities – into single, inseparable, and interoperable localities that multiple users Although the trend began, thanks to the COVID-19 access. pandemic restrictions on physical gatherings, metaverse as virtual reality was already in enthusiastic tech companies' In science-fiction language, the metaverse reflects our fancy. As the industry has started its foray into the physical reality into a stunning verisimilitude amplified by metaverse realm, extended reality – XR – entertainment advanced conveniences, content projection, teleportation, infinite appearance personification, and customisation. This brings in renewed momentum. surreal reality will be based on technologies like advanced Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Instead of being standalone events like a VR app service or Augmented Reality (AR), big data management, even a live webinar, our future media and entertainment experience in the metaverse is going to be beyond our blockchain, cloud computing, and mixed and virtual reality. imagination. It will enable users to perceive, sense, and intermingle in virtual reality with other metaphysical entities just like they are real. 20 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com 21 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com

The metaverse can be seen as a highly seducing and Metaversal Concerts: entertaining experience in its early sensations. Because the The leading artists have already established and exploited very fact that users could escape their physical reality and the idea of virtual concerts, showcasing its effectiveness engage with familiar-yet-unfamiliar surroundings is beyond even during the pandemic. So, if media and entertainment sensational. providers could imagine and conceptualize future VR concerts similar to those organized in the last two years by Media Psychology of Virtual Engagement: leading artists like BTS, Dragons, Muse, Post Malone, The human brain as hardware and its operating system Travis Scott, and other contemporary artists. called the mind is a truly extraordinary creation of natural evolution. Some facets of it are amazingly bamboozling Then similar to real life, the metaverse will become a even for the scientists. One such aspect is a phenomenon successful platform where multiple artists can perform, and called psychovisualisation, or a fact that the human brain – everybody wins. Since it will ensure flexibility and greater including its mind – cannot distinguish between actual and visibility for the user, and greater guaranteed reach for virtual realities. That is because our sensory perception and artists. consciousness lead us all the time to suspend our disbelief and accept the virtual/visual as 'real' although we know Metaversal Theme Parks: otherwise. Theme Parks are always a rage amongst the hardcore fans. Since the pandemic, they too struggled like every other This is why watching a genuinely immersive movie in a industry. However, come metaverse, and such theme and theatre; we forget that we are sitting in a chair but feel like amusements parks are prime candidates for XR. we are a part of that on-the-screen story. Now imagine that Because building them in physical reality is very costly we are watching a movie not in 3D but inside the virtual compared to extended reality, where they could be created reality of the metaverse, where we as an avatar can move and executed efficiently and safely. Similarly, physical around in that imaginary world, believing it to be real. parks have limitations of localities, as visitors from long distances must travel to that place, which is still difficult Are you getting why the media and entertainment industry during the restricted times. However, XR parks have no are so excited about the metaverse? That is because such key phenomena – like psychovisualisation – of media such limitations. Global visitors can visit them without psychology explain perfectly why we are so hoping for the moving out of their homely comforts. The metaverse metaverse to succeed. defying physical laws could also enable complex parks to give easy access to international visitors while rapidly Another such phenomenon called synesthetic describes how innovating without extra costs. How Amazing! a deep cumulative impact could be created with multiple sensory experiences. Media psychology also explains the Virtual Sports and Competitive Tournaments: science behind our emotional attachments, habit-forming VR Sports, competitive tournaments and betting would be through self-influencing behaviour, and the capacity of an incredibly futuristic and monetarily profitable emotions to influence our brain, mind, and behaviours. phenomenon in the Metaversal media and entertainment business. These factors altogether affect how we intermingle with digital and virtual entities and why we are always eager and VR would allow global players to participate in erasing excited to do so. physical boundaries and enable betters to make better decisions by observing the game closely. A Global Survey of DFC Intelligence, in 2021, revealed that not only amongst teens and adults, content streaming is In other words, the metaverse phenomena fulfil the basic hugely popular – 96% – but also that if it is possible, then human psychological desire of socializing by finding 84% of the audience are ready to virtually interact with the commonalities, connecting and having shared experiences. content. What is more, half of them (50%) are ready to pay As a result, the future of the media and entertainment for these experiences. industry is extended into the metaverse. Practical Cases of Metaverse: - Gaurav PR Wankhade As the media and entertainment industry explores practicalities within the metaverse realm, three possible scenarios are to consider. 22 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com

The metaverse can be seen as a highly seducing and Metaversal Concerts: entertaining experience in its early sensations. Because the The leading artists have already established and exploited very fact that users could escape their physical reality and the idea of virtual concerts, showcasing its effectiveness engage with familiar-yet-unfamiliar surroundings is beyond even during the pandemic. So, if media and entertainment sensational. providers could imagine and conceptualize future VR concerts similar to those organized in the last two years by Media Psychology of Virtual Engagement: leading artists like BTS, Dragons, Muse, Post Malone, The human brain as hardware and its operating system Travis Scott, and other contemporary artists. called the mind is a truly extraordinary creation of natural evolution. Some facets of it are amazingly bamboozling Then similar to real life, the metaverse will become a even for the scientists. One such aspect is a phenomenon successful platform where multiple artists can perform, and called psychovisualisation, or a fact that the human brain – everybody wins. Since it will ensure flexibility and greater including its mind – cannot distinguish between actual and visibility for the user, and greater guaranteed reach for virtual realities. That is because our sensory perception and artists. consciousness lead us all the time to suspend our disbelief and accept the virtual/visual as 'real' although we know Metaversal Theme Parks: otherwise. Theme Parks are always a rage amongst the hardcore fans. Since the pandemic, they too struggled like every other This is why watching a genuinely immersive movie in a industry. However, come metaverse, and such theme and theatre; we forget that we are sitting in a chair but feel like amusements parks are prime candidates for XR. we are a part of that on-the-screen story. Now imagine that Because building them in physical reality is very costly we are watching a movie not in 3D but inside the virtual compared to extended reality, where they could be created reality of the metaverse, where we as an avatar can move and executed efficiently and safely. Similarly, physical around in that imaginary world, believing it to be real. parks have limitations of localities, as visitors from long distances must travel to that place, which is still difficult Are you getting why the media and entertainment industry during the restricted times. However, XR parks have no are so excited about the metaverse? That is because such key phenomena – like psychovisualisation – of media such limitations. Global visitors can visit them without psychology explain perfectly why we are so hoping for the moving out of their homely comforts. The metaverse metaverse to succeed. defying physical laws could also enable complex parks to give easy access to international visitors while rapidly Another such phenomenon called synesthetic describes how innovating without extra costs. How Amazing! a deep cumulative impact could be created with multiple sensory experiences. Media psychology also explains the Virtual Sports and Competitive Tournaments: science behind our emotional attachments, habit-forming VR Sports, competitive tournaments and betting would be through self-influencing behaviour, and the capacity of an incredibly futuristic and monetarily profitable emotions to influence our brain, mind, and behaviours. phenomenon in the Metaversal media and entertainment business. These factors altogether affect how we intermingle with I N D I A digital and virtual entities and why we are always eager and VR would allow global players to participate in erasing excited to do so. physical boundaries and enable betters to make better decisions by observing the game closely. A Global Survey of DFC Intelligence, in 2021, revealed that not only amongst teens and adults, content streaming is In other words, the metaverse phenomena fulfil the basic hugely popular – 96% – but also that if it is possible, then human psychological desire of socializing by finding 84% of the audience are ready to virtually interact with the commonalities, connecting and having shared experiences. content. What is more, half of them (50%) are ready to pay As a result, the future of the media and entertainment for these experiences. industry is extended into the metaverse. Practical Cases of Metaverse: - Gaurav PR Wankhade As the media and entertainment industry explores practicalities within the metaverse realm, three possible scenarios are to consider. 22 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com

League of Innovators - 2022 Bringing Forth Indian Industrial Revolution Via Enterprise Metaverse he disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic celluloid to digital film making production pipeline design has forced the Indian (and global) industry to adopt in 2004. T fast, disruptive technologies coming under the umbrella of extended reality (XR). The globe's I have trained innumerable professionals with my expertise technological and social media giants have already during my teaching stint in Singapore. I became an immersed themselves into this eminent virtual reality (VR). entrepreneur and succeeded in multimedia training and stereoscopic imaging, and in the process, I helped many The focus of Fusion The hesitancy on the part of India Inc. is due to their people achieve their dream careers in multimedia. VR is to deliver profoundly conservative attitude and age-old traditional innovative Industry business mindset. Dr CSS Bharathy, Certified Industry 4.0 With a doctorate in Stereoscopic 3D and a team of Professional and the Founder and CTO, has taken a engineers, technologists, and creative professionals, I 4.0 solutions to the pledge to replace that hesitancy by infusing his positive founded Fusion VR, becoming one of the very first to manufacturing sector attitude, caring nature and visionary leadership style commercially launch a VR experience, ImmeX Zone, for reflected in his futuristic mission called Fusion VR. the general public. I helped develop indigenous VR-HMD and a simulation chair integrated with dynamic haptic and In an interview with CIOLOOK INDIA for its ‘2022 effects for experiencing VR in 2014. Who inspires you to wake up every day and keep Except for a few, there are many manufacturing companies League of Innovators,’ Dr Bharathy is compellingly making a difference in the respective industry you are that are hesitant to implement disruptive technologies; this detailing his very promising plan, demonstrating the reality- We have developed the technological and domain catering to? hesitancy disappears after a demonstration of use cases and altering future scenarios of this alternate reality. experience to provide many Industry 4.0 solutions in the The unlimited potential and benefits of immersive the finer aspects of our products and services. areas of VR, AR, MR, and digital twins. We have technologies such as VR, AR and MR is the most important Highlights of the discussion are produced below so that you successfully developed VR training modules for local and reason. And wondering how companies can tap into these With the government’s focus, energy, and incentives, I hope can enthral yourself by going beyond your imagination. international clients. We have developed a proprietary XR benefits is what gets me up each day. to see greater adoption of VR/AR/MR. platform to deliver top-notch solutions to customers with Describe your professional journey. compressed development timelines. The future of Industry 4.0 and the enterprise metaverse is Brief us about the operations of Fusion VR, its mission, My professional journey began as a humble plant operator promising and opens the door to provide huge advantages vision, and core values. in the petrochemical industry twenty-seven years ago. Such I’m a keynote speaker at industry conferences and to all manufacturing sectors. I really want all verticals of The focus of Fusion VR is to deliver innovative Industry a beginning has made me appreciate the struggles and the seminars, in addition to being recognised by Forbes and the manufacturing industry to step boldly into the Fourth 4.0 solutions to the manufacturing sector. meaningful contributions of people at every level of an Fortune magazines for technological leadership. I’m also Industrial revolution and help make this country a leader in organisation. I had the opportunity to work in India and actively contributing to the Government of India in the manufacturing. Our expertise is in the oil and gas, chemicals, utilities, framing of the new XR policies for the nation. Singapore and gain expertise in plant operations. mining, and automotive sectors. We have diversified our As a leader of Fusion VR, what challenges have you operations, collaborated with like-minded partners, and I am also looking ahead as there is an excellent future for My passion for multimedia and a creative drive motivated faced while establishing and running the business? entered the education space where we deliver end-to-end me immensely, and I became the first Adobe certified video the manufacturing industry in what I call the Enterprise The most significant challenge is convincing the solutions for VR infrastructure and training. We have also specialist in Southeast Asia. I have been closely associated Metaverse. manufacturing industry leaders about the benefits of delivered innovative projects in the digital museum’s space. with the Panasonic SEA core team and worked on the industry 4.0 technologies. 24 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com 25 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com

Our mission is to make Industry 4.0 technologies more accessible for all manufacturing companies. Fusion VR is not just a technology company, but one with extensive as well as deep domain expertise to develop and implement effective solutions, unlike companies that have come out of the VR gaming and entertainment sector. Our vision is to become India’s leading provider of all Industry 4.0 services such as VR, AR, MR, Digital Twins and become a key player in the Enterprise Metaverse. Our core values are innovation, excellence, and exceeding customer expectations. How has the current pandemic affected your business, and what steps have you taken to safeguard your employees while catering to your clients? While the first and second waves of COVID infection affected, our employees readily embraced remote working technologies, which significantly minimised the impact on our operations. What is important to note is that our processes were geared for remote working through our challenges as opportunities. This kind of leader also needs secure infrastructure even before the pandemic began. Such to be open, inclusive, and caring. A leader who eliminates technological leverage helped us sail through the pandemic fear and job insecurity promotes greater innovation. To without hiccups and any such situations in the future. In become an innovative leader, transparency in all aspects fact, Fusion VR delivered on significant projects within and walking the talk are a must. agreed timelines amidst the pandemic. Perhaps the only constraint created by the pandemic was our inability to What would you like to share with the young generation meet potential customers and conduct product demos and of entrepreneurs looking to step foot in a leadership role interactions due to quarantine and travel restrictions. We in their respective businesses? always believe in direct discussions with our clients to The young generation stepping into leadership roles need to establish a personal connection and tap into the unlimited foster a work environment that is open, flat, inclusive, potential of immersive technologies and the Enterprise empathetic, and results-oriented. They also need to focus on Metaverse. creating a learning organisation and demonstrate that they have something to learn every day. Humility, respect for What creative ways have you employed to make the experience and genuine caring from leaders will enable work environment of Fusion VR vibrant? employees to contribute more than what they are asked for. At Fusion VR, we strive every day to foster an open and inclusive work environment. We promote an informal and In terms of future growth, where do you see yourself results-focused approach with our internal and external and Fusion VR? customers. Our work culture promotes excellence and Fusion VR will continue to provide excellence in delivering rewards employees who deliver that. Employees are indeed innovative solutions to the manufacturing industry and play our partners in the many growth initiatives we undertake. a key role for companies embrace in joining the Fourth We believe a positive and caring leadership style makes our Industrial revolution. We will continue to work with a broad workspaces more vibrant and working more fun. spectrum of industries and customers in the private as well as government sectors. We firmly believe we will be part of According to you, what are the essentials of being an the tremendous manufacturing growth path and blaze our innovative business leader? own innovative trail towards the Enterprise Metaverse. As a In my humble view, an innovative leader demonstrates a leader, I will continue to evangelise the enormous potential keen willingness to embrace opportunities. This inspires the of Industry 4.0 while encouraging young leaders to be bold, team to develop a can-do attitude and always view innovative, and persistent in their endeavours. 26 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com

League of Innovators - 2022 Micro-Financing Indian Dream for a Better Future t the beginning of the twentieth century, Mahatma certification in the meantime. We have envisioned the Gandhi said, ‘the soul of India lives in its villages.’ company to become the most prominent microfinance A Though the percentage of rural India came down institution in India by 2025. from 89% to today’s 69%, it is safe to say that the real India Mr Sadaf Sayeed still lives in its villages and semiurban population. Who inspires you to wake up every day and keep CEO making a difference in the respective industry you are And after seventy-five years of Independence, the biggest catering to? challenge faced by real/rural and semiurban India is The 190 million unbanked population and 8500 Muthoot inequality in the provision of basic needs to live a life of Microfin employees working on a mission to eradicate dignity, including financial inclusion. poverty from India motivates me every day. The opportunity and the vast canvas of the financial inclusion Currently, out of the 1.35 billion people, over eighty million landscape inspire me to think of new ideas and innovate to people (or 6.5%) still lives below the poverty line, which fill the gap between the have and the have nots, along with means surviving on the daily income of meagre ₹93. the opportunity to alleviate millions out of poverty and change the lives of many households. This is where micro-finance ushers the rays of hope to bridge this ever-widening rural-urban divide. And Muthoot As a leader of Muthoot Microfin, what challenges have Microfin Ltd. is leading this missionto elevate India out of you faced while establishing and running the business? poverty and put it on the growth pedestal. The challenges in establishing or running a business are continuous, and the secret of overcoming them is to invent In an interview with CIOLook India for its edition of solutions every day. Lately, the COVID-19 pandemic posed ‘League of Innovators – 2022,’ Mr Sadaf Sayeed, an the biggest challenge for us, but we managed to overcome enigmatic leader and the CEO, is speaking all three waves of the pandemic with a collective effort of compassionately to achieve their goal of helping Indian all the employees and management. families enhance their financial well-being and empowering the entrepreneurial spirit by mainly focusing on the women, We protected all our employees and maintained the business with minimal damage though our door-to-door the real transformers of the humanity. collection process was hit hard. Despite all, MML Below are the highlights of this pathbreaking vision. registered a modest growth of 5.08 per cent in its portfolio during the period. Describe your professional journey. After completing my MBA in Finance and Marketing from With systematic planning and a long-term approach, we Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, I decided to have been managing risk and unsolicited instances such as pursue a career in the banking and financial services COVID quite efficiently. industry. Before joining Muthoot, I have worked with organisations such as HDFC Bank, GE Money, Spandana Brief us about Muthoot Microfin’s operations, mission, Sphoorty Financial Limited and Satin Creditcare Network vision, and core values. Ltd. Muthoot Microfin offers micro-loans to women entrepreneurs from the remote rural sectors of India. Our Being passionate about the financial inclusion drive, I opted operations are designed to promote entrepreneurship among to head the microfinance business of Muthoot Pappachan women and financial inclusion. Group in 2010. The microfinance business was started from scratch and emerged as the fifth largest microfinance Our financial inclusion drive aims to deliver financial company in India. services to the masses, including underprivileged and disadvantaged people, living in the rural sectors of the I am also the longest-serving Chief Executive for Muthoot Indian society at affordable terms, in quick turnaround time Pappachan Group. And our company - Muthoot Microfin, and with hassle-free processing. has won several accolades, including Great Place to Work 28 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com 29 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com

We have adopted the joint liability group model of certification for retaining a “high trust, high performance” challenges they face and never give up. We live in a world microfinance, which caters exclusively to women in lower- culture in the organisation. filled with Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexities and income households and is premised on the fact that if such Ambiguity (VUCA); businesses face challenges all the individuals are given access to credit, they will be able to Muthoot Microfin considers employees as its greatest asset. time, but only those businesses/entrepreneurs who do not identify new opportunities and supplement and grow their As a Pan India organisation, our workforce is diverse, with give up and adapt to the changing environment survive and existing income. people from different regions, ethnicities, traditions, and thrive. social structures working for a common cause. Our vision is to become the most innovative and successful As Jeff Bezos said on entrepreneurship, “You can be financial institution in India, serving the life cycle needs of To take care of our employees, especially during pandemic grinding for four years with no result and in the fifth year, it the underserved. And our mission is to be the No. 1 times, we availed the best insurance coverage to our staff, becomes the biggest thing on the planet,” Don’t be afraid of microfinance company by 2025, managing the best including special COVID protection policies. failing; keep hustling. portfolio quality, highest level of customer satisfaction and highest wallet share among our customers. Apart from healthy incentive schemes, we have plenty of In terms of future growth, where do you see yourself The 190 million employee recognition and rewards schemes to boost the and your company? How has the current pandemic affected your business, morale of our employees. Every employee becomes an We have set our target to become the largest microfinance unbanked and what steps have you taken to safeguard your integral part of our company culture the moment they join company in India. We have been growing phenomenally employees while catering to your clients? the organisation. Our Internal and external communications well in the last decade. The company will double its AUM population and Microfinance is a touch-and-feel business. Our operations always reflect employee contributions and recognitions. to Rs 10,000 crore over the next two years, with an and collection of funds are all community oriented. immediate target of Rs 6,200 crore AUM by March 2022. 8500 Muthoot Microfinance is one of the worst affected businesses during We have quickly adopted the latest technologies to our this pandemic. business, making our employees' work easy and more We’ll also go for an IPO within a couple of years. The Micron productive. Professional training is provided to all company will open around 500 branches in the near term However, we could resume the operations after the employees at regular intervals to ensure our workforce's and establish itself as the market leader. employees government of India categorised this industry as an personal and professional development. essential service. Our competence and leadership in the Personally, my growth is aligned with the organisation. My working on a market helped us survive the pandemic with minimal Our company’s values have been pivotal in grooming our core team at the organisation and I have a long vintage and impact. culture for the well-being of employees. We are a “Purpose” enduring commitment to the company. Our promoters have mission to driven organisation, which is the key factor in stimulating always held us closer and have helped us grow with the As far as the safety of our employees is concerned, we took our daily work culture. company. all the necessary precautions for the wellbeing and safety of eradicate our workforce. According to you, what are the essentials of being an Being a continuous learner, I experience new things here innovative business leader? every day, and of course, I can utilise the tons of experience poverty from The staff from our head office individually called up the As I mentioned above, coming out with solutions for I am gaining from this business. We are looking forward to 7000 employees in the field and offered them all the help continuous business challenges is an inevitable quality for a brighter future. India motivates and guidance throughout the lockdown. The company any business leader. Further, an innovative business leader ensured the much-needed emotional support to our needs to think out of the box to lead his team, especially me every day employees during the period. We protected all our during troubled times. employees and paid them full salaries throughout the lockdown and pandemic. Further, employee loans were They need to apply technology along with creativity to run extended, and COVID vaccination reimbursements with the business in the modern era and always involve their paid leave were provided. team before taking critical decisions. Thinking and moving along market trends and inspiring a team is vital. A leader We also provided free online doctor consultations through should be willing to take risks and ready to explore new video calls, chat, and phone calls for all the employees opportunities. during the period and most of these services are still active. What would you like to share with the young generation What creative ways have you employed to make of entrepreneurs looking to step foot in a leadership role Muthoot Microfin’s work environment vibrant? in their respective businesses? Muthoot Microfin has been a Great Place to Work certified My advice to the young entrepreneurs would be to hustle company for the last four consecutive years. We won the hard and stay focused irrespective of the size of the 30 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com

New League Changing Dimensions of Industry 4.0 Innovations ivilization has undergone important industrial Ÿ Advanced digitalization revolutionary phases to reach the level of Ÿ Integration of industrial processes of C productivity that the industry has arrived at today. manufacturing and logistics, In Industry 1.0, the development of steam-powered and Ÿ Use of the cloud computing and Internet of Things mechanical production facilities changed the game. In (IoT) and 'smart' objects – automated machines and Industry 2.0, these mechanical production facilities were products powered by electricity resulting in mass-scale production Ÿ Amalgamating the tangible and the virtual realities levels. by adopting ICT. In the third stage, or Industry 3.0, electronics and Industry 4.0 fosters novel organizational business models information technology wholly automated the production. combining human and mechanical production systems, The further advancements in electronics, information and enhancing the overall value chain, environment, and communication technologies (ECT and ICT) as an society. It is already positively influencing sectors like extension of these three industrial revolutions became manufacturing, construction, supply chain management, st Industry 4.0, an early 21 -century revolution in production. logistics, shipping, etc., transforming all aspects of humanity and civilization. The Dawn of the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Industry 4.0 describes an ecosystem of new production Industry Four Rise: techniques; automated systems are fully integrated with Over the last few decades, Industry 4.0 has gained technologies so that the exchange and flow of data happen widespread recognition and popularity due to ongoing across the entire entity in real-time. Industry 4.0's innovations in cyber-computing capabilities. characteristics are The virtual-physical divide is narrowed down by advanced techs like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing, 32 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com 33 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com

Extended Reality (XR), and the Internet of Things (IoT). It In the XR Industry scheme, various cyber-real systems creates an interoperable digital environment between actual function together to make self-corrective decisions physical operations and Information Technology (IT). enhancing the final output. Further, to ensure uninterrupted assembly functioning, timely alerts of predicted cause and This cyber-physical domain is leveraged by Industry 4.0. likely maintenance needed are generated and passed on to Then combining it with Big Data science, 3D printing, 5G, humans for their timely intervention. Drones, Communications etc., it is leading to hi-tech innovations of smart machines within the framework of An analytics framework is created by a centralized streamlined processes. decision-making hub that logically distributes the processing of regular tasks. This framework is extensively The entire assembly is thus capable of a smooth decision- utilized in Industry 4.0 scenario. making process through real-time information exchange over the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT). The result is The process happens like this: First, using the smart less human effort and time investment, error and accident- sensors, information is generated, stored, and shared across free assembly lined manufacturing, and enhanced industrial the cyber-physical systems. Then, the emanating productivity. information and data are processed on the cloud servers. Industry Four Tech: Second, mathematical models based on AI analytics run predictive algorithms on that data and information in the Today, along with the human-to-machine interactions and cloud servers. It is then utilized to assist in guiding the interface, machine-to-machine real-time communication is process of manufacturing and improve productivity. already happening. The advanced visualization and augmented simulation techniques have been striding rapidly The implementation of Industry 4.0 requires a complete due to increased semiconductor chips' processing power. inter and intra organizational transformation. Because it achieves horizontal factory-to-factory integration and a Various complex, personified, customizable, and modular hierarchical production line vertical Integration. This leads products designed with the help of computers can directly to smart factory intelligence, which is achieved by be communicated to assembly line machines to follow and converging information processing technologies produce. Thus, in a cyber-physical environment, designers, streamlining the digital ecosystem. planners, engineers, and workers within the embedded systems of factories connect over the IIoT to collaborate The Future is Surely Here: and work together. In the past decade, the concept of Industry 4.0 was initiated in Germany and accepted globally. Today, it has Today's digital industrial robots equipped with pre- revolutionized the industrial civilization of the modern era. programmed AI, ML, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) But the story does not end here. It is only the fourth chapter, and IoT are so flexible that they can make real-time human as the European Commission already announced the fifth decisions by themselves in a factory environment. chapter called Industry 5.0 on the eve of Industry 4.0's tenth birthday. So, now, we have Autobots: Automated Robots performing almost all of the human activities and taking many critical Industry 4.0 is technovation-driven, while, Industry 5.0 is decisions, Cobots: Collaborative Robots joining and will ultimately be value-driven. Innovation and intrinsically through human-like activities, and Chatbots: technological advancements keep our civilization on the Communicating Robots used to answer FAQs (Frequently evolutionary path. Asked Questions). The co-existence of two Industrial Revolutions promises a Welcome to the Smart Factory: future beyond our wildest imagination. A future of XR (Extended Reality) technology is an umbrella term innovation, technological advancements, and a futuristic which contains the Augmented, Mixed, and Virtual Reality value continuum. The future is surely here, in our present (VR) techniques. This reality is a combination of both the moment, that is for sure. real as well as the digital world synced together to enrich - Gaurav PR Wankhade the virtual world's applicability. 34 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com

League of Innovators - 2022 another 1 year. I was selling high-end photocopiers and Office Automation to Corporate and SMB clients before the Entrepreneurial bug bit me. By June 1995, I was clear that I would want to do something on my own. We are Technology has always fascinated me and the Audio-Visual committed to a Industry in the late 90s had just begun to grow or boom. It was a leap of faith that made me jump from being an consistent, employee to an entrepreneur to launch my own company in 1995-96. Having understood the nuances of the market and honest & reliable gaining knowledge from my previous experiences, we ““ way of action Delivering Top-Class Unified AV entered the market with the inception of “Solutions India” with a team of three people. With our product base to be Communications to The World of Business with empathy projectors from Philips and security systems from Zicom. In March 1997, Solutions India Systems was registered as a here are n-number of enterprise or consulting Pvt Ltd. company and incidentally, this year happens to be organizations in the world. To be an honourable and th our 25 year of foundation! T reliable organization one must exhibit a high degree of proficiency through a notable and sustainable Early in 1998 -2000, the Economy had started to liberalize contribution. and the effects of the reduction in customs duty were adding to the use of High-End Projectors and other display Moreover, consulting services is one such square-shooting products in use. We started promoting Philips and Sony Centre at a new facility in Mumbai. We are even today one industry. They often bridge the gap between the evolving Projectors and during those days they were heavy and of the few players who have our own Experience Centre needs of the industry to current practices in the industry. expensive. where the customer can come in touch, see the kind of work we do, and what they can expect from us. We are constantly One such reliable and the evergreen firm is achieving new In 2000, we introduced NEC Japan to India for their high- updating and adding to our facility. It works as a tech Lab heights year after year. Solutions India Systems PVT LTD end projectors and were appointed as distributors for where we try out and evaluate new technology and is a multifunctional consultancy firm that provides unified projectors in India. solutions for the future. AV solutions to numerous settings like corporate offices, educational institutes, retail industry, and many among In 2001 and 2002, our need to grow and expand operations In 2014 and 2015, we crossed the Rupees 40 Crore turnover them. It plays a major role in seamlessly incorporating across Pan India was the only way forward and so we set up mark, and the team is now 150 members strong. technology and helps provide a smooth and efficient system branches in Delhi, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, for the constructive functioning of the business world. and Kolkata. The year of 2017, Solutions India Systems completed 20 years in the AV Industry. We are a name that instills trust In a talk with CIOLOOK INDIA, the Founder and We had now specialized and moved from box sales of and where customers have complete faith in our ability, Managing Director Punit Rastogi have helped explore the Projectors to Smaller AV Integrations Jobs by providing proven time and again with repeat business. 25 years of their miraculous journey. Let’s see some of complete AV setup other than Projectors as well, giving our the ways they have implemented various strategies to expertise in complete solutions to the AV needs. In 2020, we have ventured into retail spaces and home become a pioneer and leading consultancy firm in the automation as well. Broadening our base and extending our country. In 2005, we partnered for Videoconferencing with Poly- expertise in these sectors as well. com & Tandberg, as the future became more evident in the Describe your professional journey. “Meeting on Video” though it had challenges on Bandwidth Who inspires you to wake up every day and keep and several other issues. making a difference in the respective industry you are Began my journey in 1993, right after my graduation with a By the year 2008, we had consolidated quite a bit and catering to? Bachelor in Electronic Engineering from Pune VIT. That started working on larger AV projects saw our achievement, too became a matter of chance that I opted for Electronics and crossed the Rupees 20 Crore turnover mark. The team To do what we are doing requires a passion for Audio when all my friends were all set for Mechanical size also grew to 100 members. We had decided to take a Visual Technologies. How do we work and how do we use Engineering! leadership position in the industry. them to solve the various problems that customers face in Punit Rastogi day-to-day operations? The approach to “Problem My 1st stint was with Plus Business Machines in the year Founder and In the year 2010, we established State of Art Experience Solving”, and “Putting a Smile on the Customers Face” is Managing Director 1993-94 was there for 1 year. with HCL which lasted for what drives us on a day-to-day basis. 36 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com 37 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com

What differentiates us, is that we understand that all Our Mission: “We aim to create value and make the We also ensure to celebrate all the festivals together. What would you like to share with the young generation stakeholders need to be given attention and, if we don’t take difference in the lives of people through innovative Saturdays are birthday celebrations. We have sports of entrepreneurs who are looking to step foot in a care of them someone else will. We also differentiate by solutions and thus helping our clients improve their activities and similar team-building activities to bond with leadership role in their respective businesses? going that extra step in serving our clients to meet or workspace efficiency and business productibility” each other. Annual picnic, movie evenings, a disco night exceed their expectations. This relationship-building is the post-sales meet are all a part of bringing in the good vibes It is a very different time to do business in today’s scenario reason why we have so many returning clients. Our Vision: “To be the trusted partner of choice that and celebrating our hard work together. where the concept of funding and investments is quite inspires and fulfills every audio-visual need and in creating active and prevalent. With ample liquidity in the markets I strongly believe that I am responsible for the 150 families an amazing experience for their customer” there are lots of opportunities, but eventually, what that are a part of the SISPL family and that is my biggest According to you, what are the essentials of being an entrepreneurs require is a long-term vision and goals to inspiration to strive to do better each day. How has the current pandemic affected your business innovative business leader? deliver value to the customer in a manner that can meet and what steps have you taken to safeguard your their pain areas and solve problems. Proper handling and a As a leader of your company, what challenges have you employees while catering to your clients? However, cliched it may sound but “thinking out of the committed approach to growing with the customer is what faced while establishing and running the business? box” or rather not confining to thinking there exists a box is should be the Mantra towards building leadership. This has been a very difficult time for everyone globally a way to go. For a Business Leader to be out of the box, one We had to compete with businesses that were ahead of us in and we were surely not an exception. But having said the of the attributes is that he or she must be innovative in In terms of future growth, where do you see yourself the industry years before we entered. And that is true for difficult part was that of physical and emotional challenges everything that they do. and your company? anyone that starts afresh. So, our struggle was not a new that everyone passed through in one form or another. The one but unique in its own way because we had to handle the discipline that has been instilled in our culture luckily Innovation is not only about using the latest technology but We are what we Build. market differently with an approach that would be unique. played out to be a huge boon and we were able to stay also about ensuring that you create an experience for the If we construct a process-driven, disciplined company Being a startup with just three people, to begin with, and afloat through the finances even when there was no income customer, in a way that they come back to you repeatedly where “Ownership towards the Customer” is a Motto, trying to break into the big leagues from day one has been generation due to lockdown. for all the good work that you do. All the while when we then Sky is the Limit. We are working steadily to meet nothing short of a fascinating journey for us. Proving our do a Consulting Role with the customer, we are always customers’ high expectations in a challenging business capabilities and delivering the promises with sheer We didn’t have any layoffs and managed with minimum thinking out of the box for creating AV Solutions that environment where technology changes rapidly and the dedication, hard work, and commitment we could run the pay cuts, jumped up right back to the pre COVID times as simplify the customers’ user experience and help to costs of Electronic Products are becoming affordable. In such situations, there is a process of continuous learning race with the established firms in the industry. soon as the markets opened up. Collaborate with the Best and “At Par with the World” and evolvement is inevitable. To ensure the safety of our SISPL family we organized a Solutions. Brief us about the operations of your company, its vaccination drive. Also, we made sure that medical mission, vision, and core values. assistance was given to those who needed it. Sanitizing our Having said that, we have built an organization that is In 2010, when experience centers were a thing of awe and premises and ensuring regular monitoring has been caught eyeballs, we created one in our own office to let the Solid and reliable with strong Fundamentals, for whom Customers are at the center of everything we do. maintained. customer come and experience the beauty of technology he Quality is at the Core of Customer Excellence. Hence can expect us to create for him. For him to touch, feel, and there is only one way for us to go. Higher, Faster, and Our Values: reflect who we are and what we stand for as a Our client visits were only through video conferencing see before he would set up his own. This was something no Stronger. We have been one of the pioneers in the industry, company. early on and since some time that the client visits have one in the industry had done at that point in time. and in the future, we will continue to work on our begun, COVID regulations are followed. leadership position. Ownership: We take responsibility for our area of influence with a strong sense of ownership or involvement. What creative ways have you employed to make the work environment of your company vibrant? Trust and Integrity: We are committed to a consistent, honest & reliable way of action with empathy. We spend so much time at work and to be able to be comfortable, work well, but giving in your best consistently Diversity and Inclusion: We embrace differences and use a requires a lot of commitment. This is possible only if the consultative approach with our clients and partners. work environment is conducive. We have our own sprawling office of over 3500 square feet, where we have Team Spirit: We actively contribute to facing and made creative workspaces. This also includes our branch overcoming challenges as a team. offices which are adequately furnished and thus enhance productivity. Transparency: We provide the full information required and communicate openly and sincerely. Talking about the work front, we have empowered teams that take complete ownership of what they do and they with Customer Focus: We create state of art solutions for our their trust and merit provide for a superlative customer customers by carefully listening to their needs and trying to experience. exceed their expectations. 38 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com 39 | April 2022 | www.insightssuccess.com

League of innovators 2022

League of innovators 2022

Presentation Transcript

Voices of Grassroots Innovators

Young Innovators 2011

Innovators Team

League of Legends

Inventors Innovators

Unmasking Analytical Innovators

Innovators and Inventors

Innovators 2010

Innovators 2011

The innovators project

Creating Innovators

League of Legends:

They Are Innovators

Creating Innovators

Innovators

HIKING SUPPLY INNOVATORS

League of Nations

The Innovators Dilemma

Computer Innovators

The League of Corinth (Corinthian League)

PCB Innovators

Young Innovators 2009