Over 15 Miliion Indians Use WhatsApp Business App Every Month

#business #India #whatsapp #marketing

WhatsApp on Thursday said it has over 50 million users of its business app globally, of which more than 15 million are in India. The Facebook-owned company, which had launched WhatsApp Business in 2018 to facilitate communication between businesses and customers, is also introducing new features like QR codes and catalog sharing to help companies get discovered.

"As businesses across the world prepare to reopen and expand online, people need simple ways to get in touch with them to ask questions, get information, or find something they might like to buy. Today we support more than 50 million WhatsApp Business app users," WhatsApp said in a statement.

It will offer QR codes to businesses globally. Previously when people came across an interesting business, they had to add its WhatsApp number to their contacts, one number at a time. Now, people can scan the QR code a business displays on its storefront, product packaging, or receipt to initiate a chat.

"Scanning a QR code will open a chat with an optional pre-populated message created by the business to start the conversation. With the app's messaging tools, businesses can quickly send information such as their catalog to get the conversation going," it said.

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Over 15 Miliion Indians Use WhatsApp Business App Every Month

WhatsApp's catalogs offering allow businesses to showcase and share the goods or services they offer, which can help them close sales. WhatsApp on Thursday said it has over 50 million users of its business app globally, of which more than 15 million are in India.

How data analytics startup Near went from adtech to become a SaaS company

#martech #adtech #startups #startegy #startupstories

The Singapore and Bengaluru-based startup Near, which was initially called AdNear, used location data to serve customer-relevant ads. Eight years on, Near, founded by Anil Mathews in 2012, has emerged as a #SaaS (software-as-a-service) startup, which collects real-life data about consumers and merges it with online data to create their profile. Near has raised over $134 million from marquee investors like Sequoia Capital.

Near gathers data from a diverse set of data partners such as data aggregators, app partners, Wi-Fi partners, public hotspots, census data sets, and regional data partners across markets. It then takes the raw, unfiltered, and unstructured data signals and puts it into context by adding a layer of data science on it. Near’s customers can then understand the behaviour of users not just based on the places they are visiting, but the behaviour they exhibit in the real world. At present, Near has clients like Mastercard, WeWork, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG). It has taken the startup close to seven years to expand globally to reach the $1.6 billion scale.

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How data analytics startup Near went from adtech to become a SaaS company

In today's digital era, marketers are collecting massive amounts of data from consumers through the internet. Platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Google have a lot of data about people, and companies are on a constant chase to capture user data to promote their products. However, not many companies have the data from the physical world.

Indian Government launches PM FME scheme to help micro food processing enterprises

#food #foodprocessing #government #india #microenterprises

The Indian government on Monday launched a Rs 10,000 crore scheme for micro enterprises which offers 50% subsidy for storage and transportation to prevent distress sale by farmers.

The scheme, called Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Enterprises (PM FME), aims to bring in new technology, apart from affordable credit to help small entrepreneurs penetrate new markets.

The scheme will be implemented for five years until 2024-25. It will generate investment of Rs 35,000 core, generate 900,000 jobs and help 800,000 units.

Under the PM FME scheme, micro enterprises will get 35% subsidy on project cost, with a ceiling of Rs 10 lakh. The beneficiaries will have to contribute at least 10% of the project cost while the balance will come from loans. Nearly 200,000 micro enterprises will get credit-linked subsidy support.

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Govt launches PM FME scheme to help micro food processing enterprises

New Delhi: The government on Monday launched a Rs 10,000 crore scheme for micro enterprises which offers 50% subsidy for storage and transportation to prevent distress sale by farmers.

Startup Funding Alert: Canva, a startup for non-designers to design, raises $60 million on a $6 billion valuation

#startups #designs #saas #unicorns #unicornclub #startupideas

Any SaaS startup venture, which enables non-designers to design their requirements like sales pamphlets, is an opportunity even in India. Please listen to this.

Sydney-based Canva, the design platform for non-designers, has announced the close of a $60 million funding round, bringing its valuation to $6 billion, according to the company.

Canva was founded in 2012 with the mission of democratizing design tools. While many non-designers can navigate their way around Google Slides or PowerPoint, or maybe even crop an image, going more in-depth on a design project can be daunting, as the suite of tools provided to designers can be incredibly complex.

The company’s tools are meant to simplify the design process for folks who don’t work in the design department, whether it’s the sales team putting together sales materials, marketers working on content or other departments working on internal materials to send to the broader organization. The drag-and-drop interface gives folks a way to create something beautiful and impressive without having to learn Photoshop.

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Canva raises $60 million on a $6 billion valuation

Sydney-based Canva, the design platform for non-designers, has today announced the close of a $60 million funding round, bringing its valuation to $6 billion, according to the company. The startup has raised a total of more than $300 million, including this latest round of financing, from investors...