Set to Showcase Cutting-Edge Tech Trends

Karnataka’s newly appointed Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, to attend; will present his government’s vision for Tech and IT sector

BT Tech Today, India’s sought-after tech news and views platform, will be hosting its maiden Tech Congress by bringing together the best of technology professionals, entrepreneurs, and business leaders on June 2, 2023, at the Taj West End hotel in Bengaluru.

The premier signature tech event will set the stage for an enriching and transformative experience where luminaries from the tech industry will converge to explore the cutting-edge trends shaping societies and propelling future business strategies. The Congress aims to serve as a platform to delve into stimulating conversations with technology luminaries, uncovering the potential of technology to address significant challenges, be they environmental, societal, or economic.

The event will feature an impressive line-up of esteemed speakers and thought leaders sharing their insights, experiences, and expertise across various thought-provoking sessions, case studies, and discussions.

The newly appointed Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, will present his vision for the state and showcase Karnataka’s achievements and unwavering commitment to technology and entrepreneurship. His address will highlight the state's accomplishments, vision for the future, and ongoing efforts to create a conducive environment to drive technology-led solutions, promote entrepreneurship, and pave the way for continued growth and innovation.

The event will begin with a thought-provoking session titled “AI: Super Intelligent - Super Trouble.” Industry experts including Jaideep Kewalramani, Head of Employability Business & COO at TeamLease Edtech; Kanishk Gaur, Founder & CEO of India Future Foundation; Apar Gupta, Executive Director of Internet Freedom Foundation; and Vinayak Godse, CEO of Data Security Council of India will engage in discussions surrounding the challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence.

This will be followed by Romesh Wadhwani, Chairman & Founder of SAIGroup, shedding light on “Keeping an 'AI' for Transforming Industries & Society,” emphasising the transformative potential of artificial intelligence across various industries. The 5G Revolution will take centre stage in the next session with Mohan Rao Goli, CTO, Samsung R&D Institute India; Muralikrishnan B, President of Xiaomi India; Manoj Gurnani, Head Strategy & Technology, India, Nokia; and Harmanpreet Dhillon, Chief Technology Officer of Airtel, Karnataka Circle providing insights into the technology, connectivity, and collateral benefits brought forth by the 5G revolution.

As the tech funding landscape faces challenges, the session “Catching a Cold: Tech Winter - Weathering the Storm” will feature Siddharth Pai, Founding Partner of 3one4 Capital; Mahankali Srinivas Rao, Chief Executive Officer of T-Hub; and Anas Rahman Junaid, Founder & MD of Hurun India. They will discuss strategies for navigating difficult times and emerging stronger from technology-related setbacks.

Next, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, will address a session titled “Communicate India: The Big Picture, 5G Foundation, Industry 4.0, Digital Nation.” He will provide insights into the Indian government’s tech roadmap, the foundation of 5G technology, Industry 4.0, and the path to becoming a digital nation.

The session “World on a Chip: Wafer Wars, Tech Dominance, Supply Crimp” will bring together industry leaders such as David Reed, CEO of Vedanta Foxconn Semiconductor; Hitesh Garg, Country Manager of NXP Semiconductors; Santhosh Kumar, President & MD of Texas Instruments India; Satya Gupta, President of VLSI Society of India; and Neil Shah, Vice President, Research at Counterpoint Research. They will shed light on the intense competition, technological dominance, and supply challenges within the semiconductor industry.

The next session, “India’s Techade: The Skills, The People, Vision for the Next Decade”, will have N.R. Narayana Murthy, Founder of Infosys, sharing insights into developing tech skills, nurturing talent, and the vision for the next decade.

The “Women in Tech, Leaking Pipeline, Missing Talent” session will discuss diversity and inclusion in the tech sector. Sindhu Gangadharan, Managing Director & SVP of SAP Labs India, and Irina Ghose, Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft India, will shed light on the challenges and solutions to bridging the gender gap in technology.

'Digital Bharat & The New Internet' promises to be an engaging session. Barnik Chitran Maitra, the esteemed Managing Partner and Head of Arthur D. Little India & South Asia, will delve into the transformative concepts shaping India's digital landscape as a part of the Congress.

The session “New Gaming Frontier: Leveraging Cutting-Edge Technologies, Gaming Monetisation, Investing in Gaming.” will feature Rajan Navani, Founder & CEO of JetSynthesys; Sai Srinivas Kiran G, Co-Founder & CEO of Mobile Premier League; and Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO of KRAFTON Inc. India. They will explore the gaming potential, cutting-edge technologies, and investment opportunities within the gaming industry.

In the next session, Manish Gupta, Director of Google Research India, will shed light on the inclusive nature of artificial intelligence in India, fostering an AI-ready culture, and promoting research and innovation in the session “AI for India: Inclusive AI, Developing an AI-ready culture, R&D and Innovation.”

The event will conclude with the session “Security Playbook: Data Privacy, Next-Gen Security, Governance & Compliance” session will address critical aspects of data privacy, next-generation security, and governance and compliance. Priyanka Chaturvedi & Tejasvi Surya, Members of Parliament and Rajeev Gowda, Former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, will share their insights on the subject.

The Tech Today Congress event will bring together industry executives, innovators, and visionaries, play a pivotal role in India’s Tech ascendancy. The event will serve as a unique platform for individuals to comprehend, explore, and embrace the revolutionary power of technology. With a keen focus on showcasing the latest advancements and trends, the BT Tech Today Congress will facilitate in-depth discussions, knowledge sharing, and networking opportunities. It will foster collaboration and drive technological innovation in India and beyond by bringing together the brightest minds and thought leaders to help shape the future of technology and its impact on business and society.

IndiaDotcom Digital Private Limited (IDPL), formerly known as Zee Digital and one of India’s largest Digital entities, announced the mega launch of its Entertainment portal ScreenBox.in.

A unique Video-First Entertainment platform, ScreenBox.in will offer sharp, snappy 360-degree coverage from the world of showbiz across various genres, including World Cinema, Bollywood, Hollywood, Regional Cinema, OTT, TV and music industry.

ScreenBox is a portmanteau, blending the two words. Screen is derived from “Silver Screen” or the world of entertainment, while “Box” denotes how it will be packed in one place for the user to dip in and discover the delightful content every time. Its visually appealing User Interface allows users to easily navigate and discover their favourite content in multimedia format.

Speaking on the market demand in terms of news content consumption, Roshan Tamang, Chief Content Officer, IndiaDotcom Digital Private Limited, says, “Video is now the preferred format of content on Digital. However, classic film journalism in text format is also hard to beat. So ScreenBox.in was born to be a perfect blend of both. We hope our users will be delightfully engaged with an innovative coverage of happenings from the world of entertainment.”

Mr. Shridhar Mishra, CRO, IndiaDotcom Digital Private Limited, further highlighted, “IDPL has been consistent in delivering program content package as per the market demand. The launch of video-first website ‘ScreenBox’ will also encourage stakeholders and advertisers to strengthen visibility in terms of branding via video during different timeslots throughout the day."

GOAL has sent a model of Erling Haaland into space to celebrate the striker’s out-of-this-world debut season with Manchester City and launch their new GOAL Galacticos series.

The launch of the 3D-printed Norwegian striker is the first of a new content series called GOAL Galacticos. The regular series will use innovative cross-platform activations across the site’s global editions and social channels to celebrate elite footballers and is kicking it off with Erling Haaland. The objective of the series is to delight fans with never-been-done activations that hero the biggest players in the game.

GOAL teamed up with Sent Into Space for the one-of-a-kind launch held to celebrate Haaland’s record-breaking debut season with Manchester City, which has seen him become the record holder for the most goals in a Premier League season with 36.

Haaland took off from a launch site in Sheffield (UK) and climbed for two and a half hours to 34km (111,549 feet or 21,127 miles) - the closest region of space to Earth - otherwise known as Near Space.

The journey was streamed across GOAL's YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels as well as hosted on GOAL's website.

The miniature Haaland was designed by Omar Momani, a regular cartoonist for GOAL who captured Haaland’s iconic meditation celebration. The models were created by the digital fabrication and rapid prototyping agency Duke Makes.

While it will take Manchester City fans months to come down from their Premier League title win, Haaland touched back down in the UK suffering only minor damage when he landed in Yorkshire, the county of his birth, after a two-hour journey.

Footballco’s Editorial Planning Lead, Miles Chambers, said: “Erling Haaland’s first year at Manchester City will surely go down as the greatest debut season in the Premier League’s history. He hit the ground running and never stopped. He is, simply put, a phenomenon.

“GOAL’s social and video team crafted this truly unique concept for Haaland’s out-of-this-world year as part of the first edition of GOAL Galacticos - a celebration of elite footballers with innovative content. We can’t wait to share what we have planned next.”

In total five ‘baby Haalands’ were 3D printed, with Manchester City fans to be gifted them in GOAL videos ahead of the FA Cup final, including one signed by the Norwegian striker. These videos are part of GOAL’s Fan Led Video strategy, where our hosts take to the streets to interview and challenge fans around matchday.

Haaland’s Season in Numbers

Premier League Goals Scored - 36

Premier League Assists - 8

He holds the record for scoring the most goals (nine) in his first five Premier League games

He is one of only six players to score back-to-back Premier League hat-tricks

Haaland is the quickest player ever to reach three Premier League hat-tricks after getting there in eight games

Haaland has scored more hat-tricks in all competitions this season (6) than every other Premier League player combined (5)

Haaland is the fastest player to ever score 25 goals under Pep Guardiola

Flight Details

Haaland went into space carried by a hydrogen balloon travelling at 17-20 mph

At the top of his flight, Haaland would have experienced temperatures around −65°C (−85°F)

The expanding balloon expands as it rises and at peak altitude will have been the same height as Buckingham Palace

During Haaland’s first five minutes of descent, he would have reached a speed of 200mph before his parachute opened

The veteran German Sports leader eyes an India visit to promote the sport.

Synopsis: The recently organized News9 Plus Corporate Cup promoted by TV9 Network brought forth an exciting development. The organising team and the champions, HDFC Bank, had the opportunity to travel to Germany to witness a thrilling Bundesliga match. Presented Lord Ganesha idol as a gift, Lothar Matthaus celebrated it saying that it would augur well for driving immense football talent in India.

TV9 Network recently organized the News9 Plus Corporate Cup, where the victorious HDFC Bank team had the privilege of experiencing a Bundesliga match in Germany. It is evident that this event has much to offer.

Before the highly anticipated match at Allianz Arena, the HDFC Bank Team had the privilege of visiting the Bundesliga Esports centre, where they witnessed virtual football competitions involving Bundesliga teams. TV9 Network and the winning team got a chance to meet and interact with Lothar Matthus, the inaugural FIFA World Player of the Year in 1991, 1990 Ballon d’Or winner, and Roman Weidenfeller, former Germany, and Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper.

When the TV9 Network team presented the Lord Ganesha idol to Lothar Matthaus, he held the statue in his hands and was overwhelmed with emotion. The gift of Lord Ganesha brought him immense joy. It is no surprise, as he, a legendary figure in German football, has the World Cup under his belt. Currently seated in Bayern Munich's den, Matthaus continues to inspire. Just as TV9 Network presented a gift to Lord Ganesh, Matthaus reciprocated by signing a Bayern Munich jersey and sending it back.

Matthaus himself expressed his interest in Indian football, acknowledging that India has a relatively young football culture. He conveyed his willingness to contribute to Indian football if the need arises. Additionally, he expressed his desire to visit India and meet his fans.

He commended TV9's remarkable initiative, acknowledging its lasting impact. The Corporate Cup serves as a platform to discover new talents, and in the days to come, it will continue to uncover promising individuals. Bringing talented players from a vast country like India should not pose a challenge; it simply requires effective scouting.

Roman Wiedenfeller, another distinguished World Cup player, shared valuable insights into Indian football and engaged in separate discussions with the team.

Having secured the championship in the one-of-a-kind corporate tournament on May 7, the members of HDFC Bank Team experienced the exhilarating spectacle of the European giants Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig clash in a highly anticipated German first-division football match on Saturday, May 20, in Munich, Germany. Joining the winning team in the stands to witness the breath-taking football action was Girish Mahajan, Maharashtra's Sports, and Youth Welfare Minister.

With bated breath, the football aficionados watched from the stands as the two powerhouse teams battled it out on the pitch. The match was filled with pulsating moments, brilliant displays of skill, and relentless determination from both sides. The crowd erupted in applause as the players showcased their exceptional abilities and strategic prowess. The visitors RB Leipzig emerged victorious with a stunning 3-1 win, ending Bayern Munich’s hopes of securing their 11th successive title.

While sharing his experience Sukesh Shastri, Senior Vice President of HDFC bank, said, “Our time in Germany was truly electrifying. Witnessing the match alongside passionate football fans from around the world was a remarkable experience. Meeting legends like Mr. Lothar Matthus and Roman Weidenfeller was the main highlight of our trip. It is a great experience for all the corporates in India that TV9 Network has built and from here we just expect to go to the next level.”

The News9 Corporate Cup has left an indelible impression in the corporate realm, weekend football has typically revolved around prize money. However, TV9's visionary initiative has sparked a different kind of dream, opening new horizons for the future.

YouTube is live at Upfronts 2023, sharing even more ways for advertisers to tap into the creators and content viewers love on every screen.

Live from Lincoln Center Theater, we returned to the Upfronts to celebrate creators like Airrack, AllyiahsFace and MrBeast, share news about YouTube’s partnership with the NFL, highlight amazing brands like Hershey, and unpack world-changing shifts in video.

Major shifts in creation and consumption

Now that we have the power of a production studio in the palm of our hands, the universe of creators is growing every day. Today, creating is about participating in a cultural moment, and making the most of every kind of video format. From 15-second Shorts to 15-hour live streams, more creators are coming to YouTube than ever before—which means more fans coming to watch, which drives more engagement for advertisers.

We also see major shifts in how people experience content. YouTube is where people engage with Shorts in a big way, and of course, more viewers are tuning into YouTube on the biggest screen in their home. In the latest Nielsen Gauge Report, YouTube viewership increased last month, making YouTube the No. 1 most-watched streaming service for TV in America—again. The leader in streaming watch time, YouTube (including YouTube TV), reached over 150 million people on connected TVs in the United States.

Across every screen, genre, and format of video, in a world where they can watch anything, the world watches YouTube.

Introducing new ways to reach CTV viewers

More and more advertisers are eager to respond to these shifts in viewership, and reach the largest streaming audience. So we’re excited to share two announcements in YouTube’s streaming offering.

First, we’re bringing 30 second non-skips to YouTube Select ... Instead of seeing two :15 ads consecutively, they'll see one :30 ad.

First, we’re bringing 30 second non-skips to YouTube Select on CTV. We know that running longer-form creative on the big screen aligns with your objectives, and allows for richer storytelling. YouTube Select is now landing over 70% of impressions on the TV screen2, so we’re making it easier for you to use existing assets in front of the most-streamed content. This format also seamlessly fits into what viewers already expect and experience on the big screen. Instead of seeing two :15 ads consecutively, they'll see one :30 ad.

Next, we’re bringing new Pause experiences to CTV, so you can drive awareness or action by owning that unique interactive moment when people pause a video. This is seamless for viewers and allows them to learn more about your brand.

YouTube is where the fans are

YouTube is the new home of NFL Sunday Ticket. Tonight on stage at Brandcast, Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National Football League, and Deestroying joined forces to share the highlights of football culture on YouTube—and how brands can get in the game.

As part of our NFL partnership, there’s even more original programming, like Game Day All Access, where you can listen in as mic’d up players bring you onto the sidelines during the game. And we’re launching a new original Shorts series on the NFL’s YouTube channel after the football season kicks off this year: “NFL Creator of the Week.”

Soon, advertisers can reach football fans across YouTube’s entire array of NFL content, whether they’re viewing live games on YouTube TV and Primetime Channels, or watching highlights, post-game commentary, and other related content across YouTube.

Sony Electronics used Google AI to seamlessly add relevant voice over into their products ads, and saw a 25% lift in ad recall.

Your marketing and creative, multiplied by Google AI

The world is experiencing the next major platform shift with AI. Google is ready for this moment—and in fact, it’s powered by our technology and innovations. Today, people’s viewing habits may be complex, but reaching them on YouTube isn’t. AI can help you find the best mix of formats to hit your campaign goals from reach to action.

Google AI can also meaningfully help scale and multiply one of the most critical drivers of ROI: your creativity. Sony Electronics used Google AI to seamlessly add relevant voice over into their products ads, and saw a 25% lift in ad recall.

This is one of the many examples of what’s possible with Google AI right now. From endless iterations of your ads to videos trimmed or flipped for the right formats, Google AI helps businesses market at the speed of consumers. And this is really just the beginning. Google AI is accelerating creativity, and the possibilities will extend beyond anything we can imagine today.

YouTube delivers superior returns

With the power of Google AI, YouTube works. And you see it in the returns. One brand that’s found sweet success on YouTube? Hershey. According to Nielsen MMM results, YouTube’s ROI has grown by 65%—making YouTube Hershey’s #1 ROI-driving media partner.

We’ve seen results like that at scale, so we asked our partners if they see the same. Nielsen, TransUnion and Ipsos MMA, confirm that on average, YouTube delivers higher ROI than TV and other online video.3

No place is better equipped to connect you with key audiences and drive the results you care about. The best of YouTube is yet to come—and we’re excited to get there, together.

Source: Nielsen's Streaming Platform Ratings, Live+7, YouTube inclusive of YouTube TV and YouTube Main, December, Total Day Reach with a 1 minute viewing qualifier

Source: YouTube internal data, US, December 2022

Source: Nielsen: Compass ROI Benchmarks for US including all available results for two years from January 2020 - March 2022. TransUnion: commissioned MMM meta-analysis for the US including all available results for two years from January 2020 - December 2021. Ipsos MMA: MMM results for US including all available results for 2022

Written by Anne Marie Nelson-Bogle, Vice President, YouTube Ads Marketing