Startup news and updates: daily roundup (October 20, 2022)

PhonePe launches its first Green Data Center in India

Fintech platform PhonePe has announced the launch of its first Green Data Center in India, leveraging technologies and solutions from Dell Technologies and NTT. The Green Data Center is set to open up new opportunities in data management for PhonePe, with efficient data security, power efficiency, ease of operations, and cloud solutions. The center will also help the company to build sustainable and efficient infrastructure to further seamlessly scale its operations across the country.

This 4.8-megawatt facility, which occupies 13,740 sq. ft at Mahape, Navi Mumbai, is built and designed with advanced alternative cooling technologies like Direct Contact Liquid Cooling (DCLC) and Liquid Immersion Cooling (LIC).

Burzin Engineer, Co-founder and Chief Reliability Officer, PhonePe, said, “At PhonePe, we are driven by using technology to offer every Indian an equal opportunity to unlock the flow of money and provide them access to financial services. Today, if there is one thing about PhonePe that echoes with millions of users, it is the reliability and speed of the transaction. It is with this ethos that we are excited to work with Dell Technologies and NTT to launch our first Green Data Center in India. This data center will not only help in further seamlessly scaling our business but also help in reducing our carbon footprint.”

PickMyWork to acquire 500,000 gig workers

PickMyWork has announced its plans to empower livelihood for over 500,000 gig workers in the fiscal 2022-23. The brand has been onboarding 10,000 gig workers per month while simultaneously foraying into new geographies. 

PickMyWork is a digital distribution network on a pay-per-sale model which helps digital companies acquire end customers, including shops for their products at a lower CAC. The startup currently works with 3,00,000 gig workers as part of its network, offering them supplemental earning opportunities to increase their income.

Vidyarthi Baddireddy, Co-founder and CEO of PickMyWork, said “We have set our foot in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Delhi, and Punjab, enabling supplemental income opportunities for the youth. Now, in the new fiscal, we penetrate deeper in the existing geographies and add at least 10 more states. Following the current growth rate, we will be able to easily cover pan India in the next 5 years."

RISE appoints Devendra Nagle as VP of Marketing

Edtech platform RISE  has appointed Devendra Nagle as the company’s VP of Marketing. Incidentally, this is the first leadership hire outside the founding team. 

Before joining RISE, Nagle was Associate Vice President at the Internet and Mobile Association of India, where he was spearheading Digital Advertising and Venture Capital Committees.

In his role at RISE, Devendra will be responsible for scaling the brand’s industry-led and localised programmes, alongside supporting RISE’s vision to help colleges and universities expand their offerings by focusing on creating new digital credentials and degree programs with industry led training. His mandate would be to lead all marketing initiatives for RISE.

Devendra Nagle said, “With technology as an enabler, there is tremendous scope in the edtech sector across the world. RISE is leading the way in the edtech space through a tech-facing strategy that embraces innovation and is focusing on growing its operations rapidly. I am excited to be onboard this rocket ship and look forward to working with Gaurav Bhatia and the team.”

Spice Money eases PM-KISAN subsidy withdrawal for farmers

The Government of India has released the 12th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM Kisan) financial benefit to eligible farmer families via Direct Benefit Transfer ahead of Diwali. Spice Money, a subsidiary of DiGiSPICE Technologies, is assisting famers and their families to withdraw their subsidy with the help of their vast network of 10,00,000 Adhikaris (merchants/nanoprenuers).

Spice Money has been driving the digital and financial services to Bharat through its million-strong Adhikari network covering 95% rural pin codes spanning across over 2,50,000 villages, 18,000 pin codes, 700 districts and 5,000 blocks, serving over 10 crore households in India.

Sanjeev Kumar, Co-founder & CEO, Spice Money, said, “At Spice Money, we are committed to empowering the underserved rural population by providing access to banking & financial services across the hinterlands of India. With the disbursement of the 12th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi ahead of Diwali, farmers and farmer families are accessing the subsidy at their nearest Spice Money banking outlet through AePS with the help of our vast network of 1 million Adhikaris.”

(This article will be updated with the latest news throughout the day.)