Facebook launches SheLeadsTech to support women founded startups

Source:http://www.gizmodo.in

As four out of five women in India wish to become entrepreneurs, the country is missing out on a potential 15.5 million new businesses and 64 million additional jobs by not addressing the challenges facing such women, a new Facebook study said on Wednesday. 

The study revealed that if just 52 percent of women were empowered to start a business today, it would not only boost economic growth, but also help to build 15.5 million new businesses, and create 64 million additional jobs -- all by the end of 2021. 

"If we were to harness the largely untapped potential of women's entrepreneurship and provide them greater support, it could lead to more jobs being created, economic growth and more diverse and representative small business communities," Ankhi Das, Director of Public Policy, Facebook India, South and Central Asia, told reporters here. 

Women have had tremendous potential but often lacked platforms that can harness their potential, but Facebook is opening up great opportunities for them, added Aruna Sundarajan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). 

"We are very optimistic about partnering with platforms like Facebook to empower women. We are trying to forge deep partnerships with platforms like Google, Cisco and Intel for the betterment of woman's livelihood through technology," Sundarajan told the gathering. 

Ahead of the International Women's Day that falls on March 8, Facebook also launched "SheLeadsTech", a programme that will give women-founded/co-founded start-ups access to a year-long programme that provides tools, mentorship and resources to help overcome some of the barriers they face. 

"Facebook, with its two powerful initiatives #SheMeansBusiness and the new #SheLeadsTech programme, has opened up lot of opportunities for young woman entrepreneurs whether in small towns (with access to internet) or suburban areas -- with or without access to financial resources," Sundarajan emphasised. 

The year-long #SheLeadsTech programme will include access to "FBStart" which grants access to FBStart tools and resources and mentorship through a regular cadence of interactions with a pool of mentors. 

According to the findings, the most commonly cited reason that prevents women from setting up their business in India is the constraint of family responsibilities or commitments (38 percent). 

Other key barriers are lack of access to finance (29 percent), worry over personal financial security (30 percent), and having an idea but not knowing where to get started (30 percent). 

Interestingly, small businesses on Facebook tell a different story. 

There are more than two million active small businesses Pages on Facebook in India -- and an increasing number of women are using this community to start and grow successful businesses. 

In the last five years (between 2012 and 2016), the number of new women-owned SMB Pages on Facebook in India has increased seven-fold, growing 85 percent year on year from 2015 to 2016. 

Nearly 87 percent of women surveyed also agree that having access to the right digital tools and support would help them get their business off the ground. 

"We see amazing examples of how digital can be the equalizer on Facebook every day. How it gives women access to new opportunities, new markets, new ideas, all from their own home," Das added. 

Facebook's SheMeansBusiness was launched on International Women's Day in 2016. 

Through this initiative, Facebook has visited 18 cities across six states in India, providing skills training to more than 14,000 small business and self-help groups including 4,500 women entrepreneurs across the country. 

This year, Facebook is targeting eight new states including Jammu and Kashmir. 

"With technology empowering Indians all over, women can benefit the most. It is because traditionally women do not have access to other forms of support. The easiest way to reach out is technology platforms which gives them ascess to best practices, mentors as well as help in crowdfunding," Sundarajan said.

Read More

ISRO Chief wants to make Space Station and launch majority of global satellites in future

Source:https://tecake.in

India has the capability build its own space station, but it needs approval from the government and needs to work efficiently on a long-term plan, said ISRO Chief A S Kiran Kumar who was present at the foundation day ceremony of Raja Ramanna Center for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore.

Kumar further added that the Indian Space Research Organisation is waiting for the government to make a decision and they soon will start the work once they get the policy and necessary funds to start the project.

He accused people of expecting immediate benefits of manned space mission and said this is why India is lagging behind when it comes to setting up a space station and hasn’t made up its mind to invest in a space station.

“We still talk about what would be the immediate benefits of a manned space mission. That is why the country hasn’t made up its mind about when to invest in a space station,” said Kumar.

He explained that several technological developments were made for space programs that are being used by the common man at present. Megapixel camera, MRI, image processing and there are over 100 such more things that were developed for space missions and are now benefitting the life of every people on Earth. Every country citizen should understand the need of investing in research and development as it will repay by improving the future, said ISRO chief.

ISRO has gained the reputation of launching satellites with precision at low price, and now foreign space agencies are contacting Indian space agency for their satellite launches. Kumar said that the scientists are working on enhancing the communication network of satellites for which they need to launch more satellites and need to do more research to reduce the cost of equipment.

Several small space startups are emerging these days and want to launch their small satellites at cheap cost. ISRO can provide them with a solution, and Kumar believes that this area has immense commercial potential and he wants Indian space agency to launch the majority of the satellites worldwide.

Moreover, ISRO chief added that the record-breaking feat of launching 104 satellites in one go was not meant for creating record, but it showed the power and capability of ISRO for launching the vast number of satellites precisely at low cost and it will attract more foreign clients.

Read More

Donald Trump: 'The leaks are absolutely real. The news is fake'

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk


Donald Trump has launched a wide-ranging and at times incoherent attack on the media, accusing journalists of deliberately lying and saying leaks about his administration’s ties to Russia were “real” but the news was “fake”.

In a rambling and chaotic news conference in Washington, the US President repeated his accusation that reporters were "dishonest" and had spread misinformation about his first month in power.

But his statement appeared to be entirely contradictory, and prompted fierce questioning from reporters in the audience.

"The leaks are absolutely real, the news is fake, because so much of the news is fake," Mr Trump said.

The attack on the media appeared to be pre-meditated and came after a torrid few days for the President, amid mounting pressure over his and his team's links to Russia.

He insisted he could handle a bad story "better than anybody" but only if it was true and said he would make a "pretty good reporter".

Asked by a CNN reporter for clarification on the apparently mixed message of "real" leaks but "fake" news, Mr Trump replied: “The reporting is fake. The public read newspapers, they see television. They don’t know if it is true or false because they are not involved.

"But I am involved, so I know when you're telling the truth and when you’re not.”

The Republican billionaire, visibly agitated, clashed with journalists throughout the lengthy question and answer session, telling the room, "quiet, quiet, quiet", at one point and instructing a reporter to sit down mid-sentence.

He also took aim at the BBC, after the broadcaster’s North America Editor Jon Sopel was chosen to ask a question.

“Here’s another beauty,” Mr Trump said. “It’s a good line. Impartial, free and fair”, the BBC reporter replied.

“Yea, sure, just like CNN,” the President responded.

Donald Trump is questioned over whether he ordered General Flynn to discuss sanctions with Russia
However, he insisted he was “actually having a very good time” and described reporters at Fox News, a conservative-leaning broadcaster, as “very honourable people”.

“I’m not ranting and raving I love this, I’m having a good time,” Mr Trump said, adding that he was changing his mantra of “fake news” to “very fake news”.

“I know when you’re telling the truth and when you’re not," he said.

“I just see many, many untruthful things, and you know what else I see, I see tone, you know the word tone.

“The tone is such hatred. I’m really not a bad person by the way.”

Questioned on whether he was undermining the freedom of the press by calling stories he did not like "fake news", Mr Trump responded: “I know when I should get good and get bad, and sometimes I’ll say, ‘Wow, that’s going to be a great story’, and I get killed.

"I know what is good and bad, I’d be a pretty good reporter.”

He added: "There is nobody I have more respect for, well maybe a little bit, than reporters, good reporters. It’s very important to me, especially in this position, it’s very important.

"I don’t mind bad stories, I can handle a bad story better than anybody, as long as it’s true.

Read More