The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), joined by Google Cloud India, Antler in India, Paytm, Protean and Startup India, on Monday officially launched the 'Build for Bharat' initiative. This nationwide program aims to tackle pressing challenges in digital commerce, fostering innovation and practical solutions across various sectors.

With over 200,000 people scheduled to participate in the program, representing a varied mix of startups, enterprises, and educational institutions, the 'Build for Bharat' project is expecting a huge turnout.

This project takes an ecosystem-driven, participatory approach and is implemented in more than 50 cities with the active participation of leaders, specialists, venture capitalists, and incubators.

The 'Build for Bharat' initiative encompasses three key categories. In Category 1, 'NextGen Ventures', the focus is on propelling venture creation on ONDC, offering a pathway for aspiring founders and early-stage teams to raise capital, launch, scale companies, and incubate new businesses. Category 2, 'Scalable Solutions', welcomes participation from organisations and individuals, with a specific focus on addressing friction points faced by Network Participants. In Category 3, 'Foundation Solutions', exclusively designed for college students over 18 years of age, the aim is to identify proof of concept for the friction points faced by NPs.

Winners across these categories are set to receive a range of prizes and collaborations. Category 1 winners in 'NextGen Ventures' stand to gain exclusive opportunities from Antler in India, mentorship from established personas in the industry, and equity-free grants of up to 5 crore rupees ($600,000). Category 2 and 3 winners will receive Cloud credits from Google Cloud India, fostering further innovation in their projects.

What top industry leaders said

Speaking at the launch, Bikram Singh Bedi, the Vice President and Managing Director of Google Cloud India, said that the digital ecosystem in India faces three major issues, namely about onboarding, cataloguing and language. &nbsp;

Bedi noted that small businesses and sellers need to be onboarded onto the ONDC platform, which in turn shall accelerate the business. Problems surrounding cataloguing, according to him need to be addressed by the generation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to enhance the ecosystem through a “seller app” for sellers to list themselves and foster discoverability.

On the issue of language, Bedi said users prefer to use platforms in their regional language and emphasised that platforms should enable users to set their language preferences to facilitate smooth usage.

Suresh Sethi, CEO of Protean eGov Technologies, spoke of the necessity of bringing centralised resources and building a network.

He also highlighted that Tech teams have a lot to build on like “teaching people how to talk to machines”. “A lot of barriers are removed when that happens," he added.&nbsp;

Commenting on leadership in the digital landscape, Dr. Pramod Varma, the Former Chief Architect at Aadhaar &amp; India Stack said, “Governance has to be done with optimism, (bearing in mind) regulators and innovators have different mindsets.”

About ONDC

Founded on December 31, 2021, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry oversees the ONDC as a Section 8 business. Its goal is to democratise and decentralise e-eommerce, giving customers more options and autonomy while guaranteeing accessibility and inclusion for sellers—especially small and local enterprises. "Build for Bharat" is a big step towards transforming digital commerce in India and fits in perfectly with ONDC's mission

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The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), joined by Google Cloud India, Antler in India, Paytm, Protean and Startup India, on Monday officially launched the 'Build for Bharat' initiative.

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), joined by Google Cloud India, Antler in India, Paytm, Protean and Startup India, on Monday officially launched the 'Build for Bharat' initiative. This nationwide program aims to tackle pressing challenges in digital commerce, fostering innovation and practical solutions across various sectors. With over 200,000 people scheduled to participate in the program, representing a varied mix of startups, enterprises, and educational institutions, the 'Build for Bharat' project is expecting a huge turnout. This project takes an ecosystem-driven, participatory approach and is implemented in more than 50 cities with the active participation of leaders, specialists, venture capitalists, and incubators. The 'Build for Bharat' initiative encompasses three key categories. In Category 1, 'NextGen Ventures', the focus is on propelling venture creation on ONDC, offering a pathway for aspiring founders and early-stage teams to raise capital, launch, scale companies, and incubate new businesses. Category 2, 'Scalable Solutions', welcomes participation from organisations and individuals, with a specific focus on addressing friction points faced by Network Participants. In Category 3, 'Foundation Solutions', exclusively designed for college students over 18 years of age, the aim is to identify proof of concept for the friction points faced by NPs. Winners across these categories are set to receive a range of prizes and collaborations. Category 1 winners in 'NextGen Ventures' stand to gain exclusive opportunities from Antler in India, mentorship from established personas in the industry, and equity-free grants of up to 5 crore rupees ($600,000). Category 2 and 3 winners will receive Cloud credits from Google Cloud India, fostering further innovation in their projects. What top industry leaders said Speaking at the launch, Bikram Singh Bedi, the Vice President and Managing Director of Google Cloud India, said that the digital ecosystem in India faces three major issues, namely about onboarding, cataloguing and language. Bedi noted that small businesses and sellers need to be onboarded onto the ONDC platform, which in turn shall accelerate the business. Problems surrounding cataloguing, according to him need to be addressed by the generation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to enhance the ecosystem through a “seller app” for sellers to list themselves and foster discoverability. On the issue of language, Bedi said users prefer to use platforms in their regional language and emphasised that platforms should enable users to set their language preferences to facilitate smooth usage. Suresh Sethi, CEO of Protean eGov Technologies, spoke of the necessity of bringing centralised resources and building a network. He also highlighted that Tech teams have a lot to build on like “teaching people how to talk to machines”. “A lot of barriers are removed when that happens," he added. Commenting on leadership in the digital landscape, Dr. Pramod Varma, the Former Chief Architect at Aadhaar & India Stack said, “Governance has to be done with optimism, (bearing in mind) regulators and innovators have different mindsets.” About ONDC Founded on December 31, 2021, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry oversees the ONDC as a Section 8 business. Its goal is to democratise and decentralise e-eommerce, giving customers more options and autonomy while guaranteeing accessibility and inclusion for sellers—especially small and local enterprises. "Build for Bharat" is a big step towards transforming digital commerce in India and fits in perfectly with ONDC's mission WATCH WION LIVE HERE

ONDC unveils 'Build for Bharat', seeks transformative e-commerce solutions

Leading digital payments platform, Paytm, is set to onboard 10 million merchants on the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform by the end of 2025. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, CEO and founder of One97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm, revealed this ambitious plan during an ONDC event on Monday, emphasising the company's commitment to assisting small merchants and businesses in becoming integral parts of the mainstream economy.<o:p></o:p>

According to a PTI report, Sharma highlighted Paytm's focus on small merchants within its ecosystem and its mission to facilitate their inclusion in the mainstream economy through digital payments. He stated, "Paytm's ecosystem is built around small merchants, and the mission that we are on is to help small merchants and small businesses become part of the mainstream economy. We plan to bring 10 million merchants on ONDC before 2025 ends."<o:p></o:p>

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a government-backed platform open to all e-commerce stakeholders, including digital payment firms, has gained significant traction. Notable players such as Paytm, PhonePe's Pincode, and hyperlocal e-commerce firm magicpin are already part of this platform, making it a crucial space for digital commerce growth.<o:p></o:p>

Vijay Shekhar Sharma emphasised the potential of ONDC by revealing that Paytm has witnessed nearly 11.8 million customers redirected to its product from the platform. Discussing the significance of onboarding additional merchants to ONDC, he stated that the presence of a substantial number of merchants would attract customers actively seeking their services. <o:p></o:p>

To ensure this, he said that resolving issues surrounding trust and discovery, further noting that there is a considerable customer base eager to engage in online shopping once these challenges are addressed.<o:p></o:p>

T Koshy, the Managing Director and CEO of ONDC, provided a glimpse into the recent performance of the platform, signalling a positive initiation. According to him, there were approximately 1,200 transactions in January, while the current month has witnessed a remarkable surge with nearly 5 million transactions. <o:p></o:p>

Notably, transactions are occurring in 600 cities, indicating a widespread adoption. Koshy expressed optimism, describing this as the inception of a significant surge over the next 1-2 years. He articulated the platform's ambitious goal to increase the current transaction volume saying, “We aim to add one more zero to the current level of transactions in a year."<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from PTI)<o:p></o:p>

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Leading digital payments platform, Paytm, is set to onboard 10 million merchants on the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform by the end of 2025.

Leading digital payments platform, Paytm, is set to onboard 10 million merchants on the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform by the end of 2025. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, CEO and founder of One97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm, revealed this ambitious plan during an ONDC event on Monday, emphasising the company's commitment to assisting small merchants and businesses in becoming integral parts of the mainstream economy. According to a PTI report, Sharma highlighted Paytm's focus on small merchants within its ecosystem and its mission to facilitate their inclusion in the mainstream economy through digital payments. He stated, "Paytm's ecosystem is built around small merchants, and the mission that we are on is to help small merchants and small businesses become part of the mainstream economy. We plan to bring 10 million merchants on ONDC before 2025 ends." The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a government-backed platform open to all e-commerce stakeholders, including digital payment firms, has gained significant traction. Notable players such as Paytm, PhonePe's Pincode, and hyperlocal e-commerce firm magicpin are already part of this platform, making it a crucial space for digital commerce growth. Vijay Shekhar Sharma emphasised the potential of ONDC by revealing that Paytm has witnessed nearly 11.8 million customers redirected to its product from the platform. Discussing the significance of onboarding additional merchants to ONDC, he stated that the presence of a substantial number of merchants would attract customers actively seeking their services. To ensure this, he said that resolving issues surrounding trust and discovery, further noting that there is a considerable customer base eager to engage in online shopping once these challenges are addressed. T Koshy, the Managing Director and CEO of ONDC, provided a glimpse into the recent performance of the platform, signalling a positive initiation. According to him, there were approximately 1,200 transactions in January, while the current month has witnessed a remarkable surge with nearly 5 million transactions. Notably, transactions are occurring in 600 cities, indicating a widespread adoption. Koshy expressed optimism, describing this as the inception of a significant surge over the next 1-2 years. He articulated the platform's ambitious goal to increase the current transaction volume saying, “We aim to add one more zero to the current level of transactions in a year." (With inputs from PTI) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Paytm pledges to enlist 10 million merchants on government-backed ONDC platform by 2025

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has expanded its operations to 236 cities in India, welcoming over 36,000 merchants. Ondc aims to level the playing field by providing small businesses with the same processes and technologies as industry giants like Amazon and Walmart. With ambitious goals to increase e-commerce penetration to 25% of consumer purchases, ONDC continues to revolutionize the landscape, empower small traders, and foster fair competition in the digital marketplace.

ONDC goes big: Expands to 236 cities

In a significant development for India's e-commerce landscape, the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), the government's open e-commerce network, has expanded its operations to 236 cities across the country, a senior official told Reuters on Thursday.&nbsp;

This expansion comes with the addition of over 36,000 merchants, enabling small businesses and retailers to access the processes and technologies typically dominated by major e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Walmart.

Launched last year, ONDC operates as a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering inclusivity and accessibility in e-commerce for both consumers and small merchants.&nbsp;By displaying products and services from all participating e-commerce platforms in search results across various apps on its network, ONDC is helping level the playing field and promote fair competition.

T. Koshy, CEO of ONDC, has emphasized the network's commitment to supporting small merchants and making e-commerce more accessible.&nbsp;"ONDC is handholding small merchants while aiming to make e-commerce more inclusive and accessible for consumers," Reuters quotes Koshy.

He also revealed that the network is witnessing a steady increase in transactions, indicating its growing popularity among users.

ONDC: Redefining the E-commerce Game

The Indian government has expressed concerns about existing e-commerce platforms being tightly controlled, which limits the participation of many small players. ONDC is seen as a solution to this issue, expected to increase competition in the market and foster innovation among startups.

Taking the initiative a step further, ONDC is currently in talks with cab operators to expand its services to at least four cities. After successfully launching mobility operations in two cities in South India, over 55,000 taxi cab owners have already joined the network. Consumers are also benefiting from this move, with approximately 35,000 rides being booked through the platform daily.

The introduction of ONDC has enabled cab owners to provide services while reducing the hefty commissions paid to other platforms, allowing them to offer more affordable rates to passengers. Reuters quoted Shaikh Salauddin, head of the Telangana Four-Wheeler Drivers Association and a taxi driver, as saying that&nbsp;the ONDC initiative benefits&nbsp;both consumers and small players.

With ambitious goals in mind, ONDC aims to raise e-commerce penetration in India from the current 8 percent to 25 percent of consumer purchases within the next two years. This transformation is expected to have a significant impact, given India's population of 1.4 billion people.

Adding to the network's capabilities, the state-run Indian postal service, with a vast network of nearly 160,000 post offices, will also join ONDC. This collaboration will enable the provision of logistics services to small traders across the country, further strengthening the support system for small businesses.

&nbsp;

(With agency inputs)&nbsp;

In a significant development for India's e-commerce landscape, the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), the government's open e-commerce network, has expanded its operations to 236 cities across the country, a senior official told Reuters on Thursday.

In a significant development for India's e-commerce landscape, the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), the government's open e-commerce network, has expanded its operations to 236 cities across the country, a senior official told Reuters on Thursday. This expansion comes with the addition of over 36,000 merchants, enabling small businesses and retailers to access the processes and technologies typically dominated by major e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Walmart. Launched last year, ONDC operates as a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering inclusivity and accessibility in e-commerce for both consumers and small merchants. By displaying products and services from all participating e-commerce platforms in search results across various apps on its network, ONDC is helping level the playing field and promote fair competition. T. Koshy, CEO of ONDC, has emphasized the network's commitment to supporting small merchants and making e-commerce more accessible. "ONDC is handholding small merchants while aiming to make e-commerce more inclusive and accessible for consumers," Reuters quotes Koshy. He also revealed that the network is witnessing a steady increase in transactions, indicating its growing popularity among users. ONDC: Redefining the E-commerce Game The Indian government has expressed concerns about existing e-commerce platforms being tightly controlled, which limits the participation of many small players. ONDC is seen as a solution to this issue, expected to increase competition in the market and foster innovation among startups. Taking the initiative a step further, ONDC is currently in talks with cab operators to expand its services to at least four cities. After successfully launching mobility operations in two cities in South India, over 55,000 taxi cab owners have already joined the network. Consumers are also benefiting from this move, with approximately 35,000 rides being booked through the platform daily. The introduction of ONDC has enabled cab owners to provide services while reducing the hefty commissions paid to other platforms, allowing them to offer more affordable rates to passengers. Reuters quoted Shaikh Salauddin, head of the Telangana Four-Wheeler Drivers Association and a taxi driver, as saying that the ONDC initiative benefits both consumers and small players. With ambitious goals in mind, ONDC aims to raise e-commerce penetration in India from the current 8 percent to 25 percent of consumer purchases within the next two years. This transformation is expected to have a significant impact, given India's population of 1.4 billion people. Adding to the network's capabilities, the state-run Indian postal service, with a vast network of nearly 160,000 post offices, will also join ONDC. This collaboration will enable the provision of logistics services to small traders across the country, further strengthening the support system for small businesses. (With agency inputs)

Government's open network revolution: ONDC spreads its wings to 236 cities

"Pincode," a brand-new shopping app from PhonePe that is based on the ONDC platform, was just released. The app is already accessible for download on the Google Play Store and App Store and will concentrate on hyperlocal e-commerce. The software will soon be made available to users outside of Bengaluru, according to a press statement from the company. It seeks to connect customers with all of the nearby brick-and-mortar retailers they often purchase from offline while also promoting neighbourhood store owners and vendors.

PhonePe launches e-commerce app 'Pincode' on ONDC network

Nandan Nilekani is no stranger to both innovation and multi-billion-dollar projects. The 66-year-old is probably the most well-known for founding tech giant Infosys along with N. R. Narayana Murthy and he even played a major part in developing the Aadhar biometric ID system for the government.<o:p></o:p>

The accomplishments continue for Nilekani as also helped in the introduction of United Payment Interface (UPI) – a payment structure which is used by giant companies like Google and WhatsApp.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;However, the latest project for Nilekani is to save the online retail market of India from the challenge of mammoth e-commerce companies like Amazon and Flipkart and to provide the local shops an online platform that will allow them to participate in the space of digital commerce.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/will-elon-musk-take-u-turn-from-offer-to-buy-twitter-474562" hreflang="en">Will Elon Musk take U-turn from offer to buy Twitter?</a><o:p></o:p>

The project currently known as Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) will reportedly be an open network for small merchants to directly provide their products to traders as well as consumers.<o:p></o:p>

With companies like Amazon and Flipkart providing door-to-door service at breakneck speeds, the market has become skewed in their favour and this has directly impacted the smaller merchants. <o:p></o:p>

But, with the application and adoption of ONDC, the consumers will have to able to look for a number of services at the same place and it will provide a space for all traders to showcase their products. As a result, it will become a direct competition for foreign companies who currently occupy around 80 per cent of the entire e-commerce market of India, according to News18.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amid-fourth-covid-19-wave-fears-india-reports-3303-new-cases-active-cases-increase-to-16980-474564" hreflang="en">India experiences substantial growth in daily number of COVID-19 cases</a><o:p></o:p>

According to the report in Business Standard, the ONDC network will soon be rolled out with government assistance and the first five test cities will be Delhi, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Bhopal, and Shillong. However, the plan for the government is to expand it to 100 cities within the next six months.

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Nandan Nilekani is no stranger to both innovation and multi-billion-dollar projects. The 66-year-old is probably the most well-known for founding tech giant Infosys along with N.

Nandan Nilekani is no stranger to both innovation and multi-billion-dollar projects. The 66-year-old is probably the most well-known for founding tech giant Infosys along with N. R. Narayana Murthy and he even played a major part in developing the Aadhar biometric ID system for the government. The accomplishments continue for Nilekani as also helped in the introduction of United Payment Interface (UPI) – a payment structure which is used by giant companies like Google and WhatsApp. However, the latest project for Nilekani is to save the online retail market of India from the challenge of mammoth e-commerce companies like Amazon and Flipkart and to provide the local shops an online platform that will allow them to participate in the space of digital commerce. Also read | Will Elon Musk take U-turn from offer to buy Twitter? The project currently known as Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) will reportedly be an open network for small merchants to directly provide their products to traders as well as consumers. With companies like Amazon and Flipkart providing door-to-door service at breakneck speeds, the market has become skewed in their favour and this has directly impacted the smaller merchants. But, with the application and adoption of ONDC, the consumers will have to able to look for a number of services at the same place and it will provide a space for all traders to showcase their products. As a result, it will become a direct competition for foreign companies who currently occupy around 80 per cent of the entire e-commerce market of India, according to News18. Also read | India experiences substantial growth in daily number of COVID-19 cases According to the report in Business Standard, the ONDC network will soon be rolled out with government assistance and the first five test cities will be Delhi, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Bhopal, and Shillong. However, the plan for the government is to expand it to 100 cities within the next six months. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Nandan Nilekani looking to help Indian small merchants with Open Network for Digital Commerce

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