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The Vast Drop of India's Unicorns

Flipkart Snapdeal Zomato were all area of the legendary $1-billion plus value membership. Today they've encounter trouble

Bahl is definitely an enthusiastic vendor on Shopo of her niche biryani -to- platform put up by Snapdeal about Alibaba’s Taobao's outlines. She is actually Snapdeal’s creator and CEO Bahl's mother. Snapdeal introduced it'll commit $100-million in Shopo and also the cost gateways totally free to vendors like Bahl to get a trouble- encounter that was free. It wished to create cash through marketing. It never did.

Anxiety about Amazon pushes Flipkart into 2 L that is extremely poor &Just Like eBay

So when Snapdeal was pressured to save money, in Feb 2017, the guitar first dropped on Shopo. Next, it's thought to have set its cost budget Freecharge about the stop to some fraction of the $400-million it compensated to get it at between half. About 600 workers have now been provided the requests that were marching, Bansal and creators Kunal have given paychecks up. However, Snapdeal proceeds to bleed. Having failed in its bet to outrun competing Flipkart within the competition to this past year that was No.1, Snapdeal has overtaken --or, was actually displaced in the No.2 place by intense beginner Amazon, that will be today about the brink of overpowering.

Like Snapdeal, piece by piece, the tale of India’s Unicorns (start ups appreciated at $1-billion or more) is switching out to be always a situation of distributing themselves also slim, also quickly. Besides Snapdeal, Flipkart, Ola Taxis (ANI Systems), Paytm (One97 Emails), InMobi, Mu Sigma, Backpack, Shopclues, Zomato and Quikr have now been financed at values of $1-billion or more, providing them with the label of Unicorns. On March 2 Ecommerce introduced it had been appreciated in a $200-million infusion from SAIF and Alibaba Companions, which makes it the Unicorn. Together, the 10 Unicorns attracted collective financing the largest $3.2 billion, of $8.5 billion by Flipkart, followed $1.7 billion. But, in only yesteryear five years, they've cumulatively likewise burned up `15,827 crore (almost $3 million) in accumulated deficits and write offs (some will be in procedure for eight-twelve years). The most by two Flipkart organizations (`5,698.4 crore), followed closely by Snapdeal (`4,745.5 crore).

However, is a definite difference between them. As solely customer Unicorns or the B2C such as for instance Snapdeal Flipkart Shopclues or Ola are bleeding B2B profusely or business Unicorns like the Bangalore-centered InMobi and Sigma are better-off. If InMobi is relatively possibly moderately lucrative or moderately reduction-producing year-on-year, information technology company Mu Sigma Organization Solutions (which lifted $209 thousand in financing) was the only real lucrative Unicorn in the united states in 2015/16, confirming a net revenue of `463 crore on income of `810 crore.

“They attempted to become everything to everyone. Function is simply doesn’ted by it,” claims Associate Nayar and boss of KKR Asia. Money was raised by “Entrepreneurs at values that were insane. All overstated and over-estimated development and usage. Not many prevailed. How will you benefit a business?” in the event that you don’t earn money

The Unicorns chased development in the cost of success; chased customer-acquisition in the price of client satisfaction as fundamental company measurements such as for instance device economics and requirement for wholesome money moves were ignored. That competition to outdo one another through discounting in customer-acquisition has taken a within their sheets while deficits continue steadily to attach uncontrollably. If 2015 was the entire year of financing, 2016 was the entire year of delivery, claims Nikesh Arora, former leader and boss of Softbank (which committed to Snapdeal, InMobi, Ola and Grofers): “People need certainly to work out how to repair this.”

Unicorns might have been emboldened from the types of WhatsApp Amazon and Uber which extended despite reporting deficits for a long time on-end to obtain financing. But traders are yanking back. Unicorns that were many are nowadays appreciated somewhat less than their maximum value. Ola’s newest round of $300 thousand financing from Softbank a week ago is believed to its maximum value of $5 million in a 30 percent markdown. National account Morgan Stanley Select Measurements Expense Sequence discounted Flipkart’s value 38 percent from $84.29 per-share to $52.13 per-share (between July 30, 2016 and September 30, 2016) in its processing towards the people Investments and Exchange Commission. Till day, Flipkart has already established five discounts in most. By some quotes it's today appreciated just a next of its $15 million maximum value. Being that they are not centered on actual dealings Flipkart termed a. Flipkart created some deadly mistakes like the test that was devastating to maneuver to a software-only design which had when revenue dropped to be corrected. Or, the expensive drive right into a la-carte audio with WIFlyte' which bombed because of the introduction of music-streaming websites such as for instance Saavn and Gaana. Additionally, a failed test in a budget 'Flipkart Cash', today collapsed into Pe’ that was ‘Phone.

Additionally Study: Amazon pushes Flipkart into 2 extremely poor L&As

Https : /heartbeat/concern-amazon-pushes-flipkart-two-extremely-poor-mas-e-bay-rajeev-dubey

The creators of Snapdeal and Flipkart required potshots at one another on Facebook. Flipkart’s Executive Chairman Sachin Bansal tweeted: Alibaba determining to begin procedures straight displays how poorly their Indian opportunities did so far.” Since Alibaba is definitely a buyer in Snapdeal, Bahl shot again: “Didn’t Morgan Stanley simply flush `5 million worth market-cap in Flipkart down the bathroom? Concentrate on your company, not commentary.”

An existential disaster is faced by additional Unicorns. Can there be room, for example, to get a No.3 (Snapdeal) in addition to a No.4 (Shopclues) participant in e-butt? And, underneath the reader, their company versions are in some instances, such as for instance Paytm.

As their handbag stiffened and started the attack on money burn, panic-stricken Unicorns that are are reacting in methods that are similar. Low-primary companies are being hived down, closed or offered; businesses are getting through prevalent cost cutting; workers are now being set off in thousands. Oftentimes, traders are currently getting it to operate the organization. Creators and senior professionals are possibly being nudged out or kicked-up, as in the event of Flipkart creators Sachin and Binny Bansal who're today within the functions of chairman and team boss, correspondingly, while buyer-supported Kalyan Krishnamurthy hasbeen hired the brand new boss in Jan, 2017. Where synergies are found by them, you will find whispers of the feasible merging, between reduction, for example -producing e- Snapdeal and butt company. Intel Money and Alibaba Class Keeping are typical traders in equally. Besides, the largest investor in Snapdeal, Softbank, can also be the largest investor in Alibaba. “We assist them accomplish their proper objectives and are seriously devoted to our profile businesses. We can not discuss dealings or particular ideas,” claims Leader Sama & CFO.

PAMPERED BY SUPERABUNDANT MONEY

Organization consulting Bain & reckons they dropped victim to ‘Superabundant Capital’. Its research “Strategy within an Era of Superabundant Capital” claims worldwide monetary money (nowadays at 10 occasions the worldwide gdp) has significantly more than tripled previously three years. An incredible $516 thousand has been internationally elevated by a typical Unicorn. Superabundant money leaves a ton of money that they find it difficult to release sensibly to businesses. Bain claims professionals inspired to stay devoted to investments after it had been obvious that they're not paying down.

“...for the following decade –'s stability at-least – areas may continue steadily to deal with money that was superabundant,” stated controlling director of Developments Team, Harris. “Too money that is much is likely to chase not enough great investment suggestions for several years, needing a simple change in how businesses handle capital.” and apply their company method

While foreign-owned opponents Amazon and Uber switched heat on Indian rivals through their well-financed Indian organizations, quick money burn pressured Flipkart, Snapdeal and Ola to create a coalition and enhance the nationalistic card by claiming that Amazon and Uber were “dumping capital” to get rid of them. However they easily overlooked the truth they themselves have been throwing VC-borrowed all of this while to money obtain opponents or to eliminate. Despite their make an effort to secure its own financial think-tank Jagran Manch and the support of the RSS, gain grip is didn’ted by their coalition.

Since there is no champ “It’s a ridiculous proposal,” claims Dhanpal Everstone Managing Partner. Government isn't to simply help businesses perish or endure, simply because errors have been made by somebody. The primary dissertation that people are Indians is wrong since (oftentimes) the Indian creators own significantly less than 5 percent today. International capitalists them.” that is own

EVASIVE SUCCESS: VALUE PROBLEM

John Maynard Keynes stated: you've an issue in the event that you owe your lender one hundred lbs. But when 1000000 is owed by you, it's. So it's with traders. Because of the size of expense not even close to being the problem concerned, problem is be now investors’ed by the careless Unicorns.

And it’s harming. Softbank, wrote 550 thousand towards its opportunities in Ola and Snapdeal. That simplified from the end-of Dec due to increases within the pound-money value to $351 thousand. “The write offs are because of particulars of currency variances and sales methods, as well as in many instances signify a change of earlier increases. Your general expenditure profile in Asia is designated nicely above price. We're set for the longterm,” says Sama.

Everything started in the finish-line using the poster boy of. Valued within the financing round 2015, of May valuation has been since the world’s biggest ever around query e tailer Amazon started nudging it.

Based on web-traffic monitoring and statistics company Alexa (which furthermore is possessed by Amazon.com), Amazon has already been India’s fifth-most frequented site while Flipkart reaches No.9. Amazon documented 8.73 everyday pageviews per-visitor . Even though a customer invested a typical 9.09 moments per-visit on Amazon, 5.26 moments were invested by him . It attracts cent of traffic. Abruptly, Flipkart invincible. It attempted to purchase development to remain ahead by obtaining style e-tailers past competed. By 2016, March, Amazon documented an income of `2,275.4 crore against Flipkartis `1,951.7 crore. Meanwhile deficits that were yearly increased to `2 from `63 crore in,306 crore.

Traders, consequently Accel and Lion Worldwide required cost of the organization greater than a year-ago. 2016, in January, CEO Bansal was marketed towards the part of government chairman. Co-founder Main managing officer Bansal and was handed cost as boss. In Jan 2017, in under annually, while Binny was relocated as much as the team CEO’s part the traders chose to appoint Krishnamurthy as boss. In a ending up in workers in July, 2016 Bansal accepted his elimination who's management, and as boss was associated with efficiency: “Just take a look at who had been at management 6 months ago, twelve months ago nowadays. It’s totally transformed. Right? I had been the boss and that I have transformed. It had been efficiency linked.”

With Snapdeal currently moving emphasis to pursuing customer-experience from pursuing development, the Unicorns have extended to find that elusive success. Reported an online lack of `2,960 crore at income of `1,456.6 crore.

The 3rd many borrowed Unicorn in Asia, ANI Systems which possesses Ola Taxis, had a reduction that is net

On income of `418.3 crore of `754.9 crore in 2014/15. It is value that is present stands at $3.5 billion, along from $5 billion. Founder Aggarwal informed BT in a prior assembly the organization may strike on success from the end-of 2016/17 that was financial. “If we would like, we're able to be lucrative this season,” claims Bhavish. “We are trading strongly in customer-acquisition, in creating our community, in incorporating more vehicles, in climbing more towns, in-growth. That’s where all of the expense moves. About the additional aspect, it's in each one of these innovations.”, items and engineering

The following, One97 Emails which possesses the absolute most universal cellular budget in the united states ‘Paytm’ has increased its deficits from `370.8 crore in 2014/15 to `1,548.5 crore in 2015/16 because of its admittance in to the money-burning e-butt company (although Paytm is increasing its admittance into e-butt having a clean round of expense). In financing in One97 in 2016's last round, it guaranteed a greater value of $4.7 billion. Since that time, a sharpened 50-million customer ramp-up has been observed by Paytm since demonetisation, as people scrambled to consider cost choices that were electronic, By Feb 2017's finish, Paytm had an incredible 200-million customers. CEO Shekhar Sharma & Paytm’s creator didn't react to BT’s survey.

InMobi Engineering, a-mobile-centered electronic advertisement community, has obtained $321 thousand in financing till day, but has battled to locate fresh backers since Dec 2014 (it lifted $60 thousand with debt). Ceo Tewari says financing was not required by the organization aside from tactical purchases. It documented a moderate profit but InMobi documented an online lack of `15.52 crore on profits of `262 crore in financial 2014/15 because procedures extended to 17 nations. “Technically, therefore we need the higher level of money it's recognized we need our prices are reduced,” claims creator Tewari and InMobi.

Social networking and the cellular message application Backpack, started by Mittal, Bharti group Sunil Mittal's boy was appreciated at $1.4 million in August in its round of financing. It's many distinctive in its strategy—somewhat like Dependence Jio. Despite increasing $260-million from Foxconn Engineering till day, Enterprises and Tencent Holdings, Mittal hasn’t kick started the income product up to now. Alternatively, it's centered on creating a user-base and creating an Asia-particular message answer in numerous dialects that were nearby before it begins making income. Inaddition it had more than 100 thousand customers that makes it India’s second-most applied message app although in 2015/16, Backpack documented an online lack of `217 crore.

Hints Community, who owns e tailer Shopclues.com documented an online lack of `383 crore. It was financed in January and has been financed with $231 thousand. It’s looking for a distinct segment for itself.

That has generated a kind of bubble and “There hasbeen a massive quantity of money pursuing several possibilities says Deputy Chairman of worldwide investment advisory company Rothschild & Corp, de Rothschild.

Zomato Press that has obtained $223 thousand in financing till day and was appreciated at $1-billion in March 2015 documented an online lack of `266 crore. Boss Deepinder Goyal and Zomato creator didn't react to BT’s survey.

And system Quikr, made on-us-centered Craigslist had lack of `534 crore in 2015/16 and an income of `95 crore. BT’s inquiries were not responded to by Quikr creator Pranay Chulet. At $1-billion in September 2014, it had been last appreciated with complete financing of $370 thousand.

TRYING TO FIND A COMPANY DESIGN

If Snapdeal Flipkart, Shopclues have value-destroying income versions, others such as for instance Backpack have however to uncover an income flow, concentrating rather on customer-acquisition just. Zomato have spread by growing to worldwide areas themselves slim. Advertisement system design that is InMobi’s encounters the might of larger marketing platforms such as for instance Bing, Facebook LinkedIn, even and Alibaba Flipkart and marketing systems. By getting for quality entries and and Quikr, which makes from advertisements, needs to discover since its design is however to achieve grip free income channels. Ola, which extended with choices as horizontal and into 102 towns as e-rickshaws, will need to keep the impact of the assault global Uber is getting through quick discounting into Asia. But Sigma is roaring to success.

“Undoubtedly management may stay there is imperative even yet in a period of superabundance waste a company waste, the Bain research is said by ”. “But, the brand new bedrock which methods that are successful is likely to be constructed may be the volume of suggestions that are useful a people leadership’s and may produce capability to effectively commercialise them.”

The query is.

These experiencing the problem that is best are opportunistic company versions such as for instance electronic advertisement system InMobi and One97’s wallet online Quikr.

Paytm’s wallet—one of our times—is' very related improvements a product's very best exemplory instance being in the correct period within the correct location, but just so-long. The developing need certainly to create funds that are little immediately via a moderate apart from money was the requirement of the changing times. Whilst additional purses, shied from the effort of popularising it within the perception that it'll multiply alone and including these by top banks, waddled, Paytm competed ahead because of its vendor tie-ups intelligent manufacturer placement and and marketing. Subsequently demonetisation occurred also it seemed the federal government that was invincible—until -possessed NPCIL got together its work to start its particular budget monster BHIM application and UPI in sequence that was fast.

Abruptly, despite its $807 thousand financing, Paytm seems susceptible. Unlike Paytm, where in actuality the customer’s cash rests in a prepaid wallet (a type of an escrow account), BHIM moves cash straight in one bank account to a different bank account, removing the requirement for a middleman such as for instance a budget. Whilst Paytm is just a loop community that is closed, BHIM is interoperable between bank balances. Paytm could also include QR or UPI into its budget for interoperability. However, its greatest problem is stability. The query is: whether customers will remain your day it begins getting for dealings about the software! Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Naidu, that has been assigned to mind main ministers' panel to suggest installments that were electronic also have no potential and informed BT. Alternatively, BHIM may be the approach to take. The query to request is, “if will people are raised by you stay with you? Nayar is asked by ”.

Besides, there is a larger query over Paytm’s business design, particularly using the government decided to accident electronic deal costs towards the minimum to advertise utilization of electronic dealings in the place of money. “There isn't enough border within the cost company for that purses to truly have a future HDFC director Puri stated in Mumbai in the Nasscom Asia Authority Community lately. “Wallets like a legitimate proposal that is financial is uncertain. There's no profit the installments company,” he explained.

You might contact it an outcry of perhaps a lash or the impacted . In the end, Paytm has got the government’s jerk to change right into a installments bank which might contend with HDFC Bank and Bank. But internationally installments lender telcos have been just prevailed with by company versions or with e- retail that is butt. Paytm had. Therefore it started an e- business originally providing around 100 percent cashback within the budget to purchase on its - platform. Today Paytm’s guardian One97’s' main cause balance-sheet being awash in crimson.

For Snapdeal Phase-II that is “the is approximately ensuring we've the best group of clients and guaranteeing an excellent customer-experience. That’s where all Snapdeal's emphasis must be” Bahl claims he's at it. “People burn business and outside genuinely believe that it's a slash. Money is never made by will. It’s positively false. People hadn’t made deeply enough where am I dropping many cash to express, where am I producing most money—on numerous measurements such as for instance groups, items, manufacturers, clients, geographies , Bahl informed BT in middle-2016. “There are destinations of success these dimensions in each. You've to recognize profitability's islands, develop these destinations. And also the destinations of low-success are shrunk.”

Having quit within the competition to become the first choice, Snapdeal started concentrating on building abilities that CAn't be duplicated overnight. “We realised that India has fundamental structure that was fragile. Until we well invest it, we won’t have the ability to provide our vendors and the clients an excellent encounter , Bahl claims. Their emphasis hasbeen on building the very best customer-experience in e-butt: “We are now actually No.1 to shipping on delivery purchase. Amazon is 4.1. Such that it suits 70 percent of its deliveries Snapdeal created proper group expense in logistics company GoJavas. “When somebody really wants to reunite anything, he simply pushes ‘return’ about the software. The material also returned 85 percent of times and gets acquired. It had been 24 percent in June 2015.”

For InMobi, the best problem would be to discover its market on the planet of electronic marketing centered from the loves of Bing, Fb and today actually e tailers such as for instance Alibaba and Amazon. Creator Naveen Tewari claims he's a distinct segment because even when these people dominate 50 percent of the $250 million marketplace, there’s nevertheless half the marketplace to perform for businesses such as for instance his. Which may be basic. The process for electronic advertisement systems such as for instance InMobi stays that any big Web-centered company such as for instance Snapdeal or Flipkart, that has its guests that are faithful, also wants to produce its marketing system that is electronic, removing the need. Businesses such as for instance InMobi that don’t possess the are in an inherent drawback. Therefore does Flipkart Bahl, for example, has its electronic advertisement system. But Tewari claims everybody on the planet is searching for choices beyond Google. “That’s among the greatest reasoned explanations why several-many businesses use us. The truth that these businesses that are large don't wish to reveal their information with Fb and Bing, don't wish to handover a sizable section of monetisation or their finances to Fb and Bing,” claims Tewari.

He demands his advertisement community is pertinent in three containers: the e-commerce the telcos, businesses, the OEMs such as for instance tv and phone producers. “They require it actually since marketing is likely to be primary enterprise model, for their income model to operate their company. They require advertisement systems like that company to be built by us. Or each goes to Fb and Bing but that’s likely to be very- hard since they're likely to consider the company absent,” claims Tewari.

For Ola: Dreading Uber, it joined every feasible town and Tier-II city and actually feasible region and extended laterally, including taxi cars and electrical rickshaws. Inaddition it advances them slim, although carpet-bombing may be the typical reaction of an incumbent to some risk. For, town or its not all company is likely to be lucrative. On where you can turn fully off the faucet to get involved with the dark Aggarwal needs to consider the challenging call.

Mittal continues to be not likely to monetise even the more than 100 thousand customers or his message application it's. Its customers invest more than 120 minute-per week on Backpack on a typical and trade more than 40 million communications monthly. Mittal claims there was in nearby dialects providing to indigenous flavor a local message item usually his objective. “If in message you've to be, you've to become diverse from everyone on the market. Your objective wasn't to construct message. Your objective was how can a million people are brought by us online. Which was the large query Masa (Softbank president Masayoshi Child) and that I requested,” claims Mittal.

The very first strike at Backpack was -to-SMS, where people could be messaged by you even when they didn’t have smartphones. “It got lots of people. We were shown by that the way in which that there surely is a chance to develop anything really nearby. Backpack released the concealed style which provides childhood utilizing a typical smartphone within the household solitude,” claims Mittal. Nevertheless, it’s the nativity of the stickers that's captured on than other things quicker with Backpack customers recently. “We ourselves underestimated stickers' ability. Stickers informed us the information technique is essential. Since basically we're not really a information organization we were against information. Inside Backpack we've an equipment which in fact creates quite happy with 6-7 business companions nowadays. Asia is just an audio and view marketplace,” claims Mittal.

Hike’s objective would be to produce a fresh type of message application that simplifies individuals certainly will alter how they connect to providers and information on cellular and relate genuinely to others, claims Mittal. “We genuinely believe that message is going to do for cellular exactly what the visitor did for that pc, times a hundred.” this involves an extremely heavy knowledge of the Web marketplace and much more significantly how their lifestyles stay.

Another Unicorn is battling as its income design through online purchasing ad, desk booking and its own offering for eateries-- pos program Zomato Foundation and the white-label application --is not shooting on all cylinders. In overdue 2015, Zomato terminated 10 percent of its staff when it didn't fulfill with revenue goals. It's today appreciated considerably less than its $1-million maximum.

For Quikr: profile extended by obtaining home website Commonfloor for $200-million but this past year it documented deficits of five occasions its profits.

Arora claims technology-led businesses are here to remain due to the effectiveness they provide in. given that they permit us togo from offer-brought businesses to need-directed companies. “I anticipate there's 10-15-20 percent inadequacy in offer brought buildings. Increase the price of property, inventory-control, submission, possibly provides another 15 percent. Which means with if you're able to release a brand new company with fresh engineering,” claims Arora, you have to perform. He thinks that today's entrepreneurs might have produced items at 20-25 percent .

But think about that exit—that traders that are lucrative imagine for every among their opportunities?

When Unicorns provide magnificent development that does not fulfill buyer objectives values seem creamy. The largest injury may be the Unicorn's public listing. Today, not record isn't a choice both. In the wish of the extremely lucrative leave, PE companies invest in the end. This kind of irretrievable scenario results in all-manner-of compromises: IPO delayed or might be postponed; two businesses that are investee could get combined; the Unicorn might be offered in a valuation; VCs might accept cash-out in a valuation that is lower. “Most individuals who arrived in, arrived in, came to be omitted with worries. That concern went a myriad of values available. Jhaveri is nearly like augmented-reality as opposed to the actual image,” said by It’s.

But when they hit on the market having a swollen value, they often meet with Facebook's destiny whose stock exchange valuation experienced halved within five weeks of its record 2012, on May. Alibaba, which decreased by one third from its maximum following the record.

“Once you will find disappointments about transformation of indications into actual success and industrial software tests the design, then there's a without a doubt. ” claims Rothschild while businesses have lifted cash too quickly then there's additionally a fall.

Actuality has struck on Unicorns. That product worth that is major isn't revenue and actual purchase; that application packages do not suggest visitors; and, that customers that are energetic aren't dealings. Consequently, actually the sum total quantity of outside e tailers is along in 2011/12 from more than 550 to simply about 4/5 nowadays. In ride-sharing, the figures have reduced from almost twelve people to some two way competition between Ola and (Meru) nowadays. It's fairly obvious that they not all may survive 2017. Fatalities are painfully sluggish when you yourself have money. Fall in the ledge in the event that you don’t.

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