ITV

Category: Applications

  • Storage work collab platform LucidLink makes two senior hires

    Storage work collab platform LucidLink makes two senior hires

    MUMBAI:  California-headquartered LucidLink, the storage collaboration platform that frees creative teams to work together from anywhere, is gearing up for its next phase of accelerated growth with two powerhouse leadership hires.

    Building on its success in the creative industries, LucidLink is extending its reach into new markets as it redefines how companies connect and collaborate with their data. To lead this expansion, the company has appointed Mike Maimone as chief revenue officer (CRO) and Gregor McCole as chief financial officer (CFO). With proven expertise in scaling high-growth SaaS companies, Mike and Gregor are set to supercharge LucidLink’s mission to make data instantly and securely accessible from anywhere. 

    LucidLink has achieved remarkable growth, which has been further fuelled by its $75M Series C investment round at the end of 2023, new brand re-launch in April and the recent release of its next-generation product, which transforms how teams access, share and collaborate with data. These milestones mark a major inflection point as LucidLink extends its extraordinary impact on the creative industries into other data-dependent verticals.

    Looking ahead to 2025, LucidLink is poised to launch new platform offerings that will shape the future of collaboration and simplify workflows for all enterprises.

    “Mike and Gregor bring outstanding expertise to LucidLink at a pivotal time as we redefine global file access, collaboration, and productivity for businesses worldwide. Mike’s strategic leadership will drive our expansion into new verticals and regions, while Gregor’s deep financial acumen across private and public enterprises will be essential in navigating our accelerated growth,” said CEO & co-founder Peter Thompson.

    Mike Maimone, an experienced software executive, brings a proven record of driving customer engagement and accelerating revenue. At ZoomInfo, he recently led the enterprise customer division, generating $330M in revenue and growing emerging products to $75M ARR. As LucidLink’s CRO, Mike will oversee global sales, customer success, and partnerships, focusing on scaling the company’s presence in new and existing markets.

    “LucidLink’s trailblazing technology is a game-changer, and I’m thrilled to spearhead our expansion into untapped markets,” said Mike. “There are tremendous opportunities ahead not only to expand within our customer base but also to get LucidLink into the hands of more and more industries.”

    Gregor McCole, with deep experience in leading high-growth SaaS companies, joins as CFO to drive LucidLink’s financial strategy. Previously, he led Arctic Wolf Networks through significant valuation growth, increasing ARR by 10x and overseeing three funding rounds that propelled the company’s value to $4.3B. Gregor will guide LucidLink’s financial operations as the company continues its rapid expansion.

    ”LucidLink is uniquely positioned to redefine creative collaboration, and I’m eager to help drive its financial strategy during this pivotal moment,” said Gregor. “The unparalleled platform innovation and tremendous market demand will ensure even greater success during this time of incredible growth.”

  • Adobe unveils 2025 creative trends: Escapism meets reality in surreal visuals

    Adobe unveils 2025 creative trends: Escapism meets reality in surreal visuals

    Mumbai: Adobe’s 2025 Creative Trends Forecast explores how imagination and reality collide, highlighting top trends like surreal visuals, humour, and immersive experiences. This year’s trends reflect a growing desire for escapism and authentic connection in creative storytelling.

    Here’s a closer look at the key trends set to define creativity in 2025.

    Key 2025 creative trends

    Fantastic frontiers

    The Fantastic Frontiers trend invites audiences to explore magical, uncharted worlds where imaginative and unreal new visuals reflect our desire for escapism. Fantastic Frontiers merges technology and culture, signalling a future in which our imaginations are truly limitless. Years of digital world-building, especially in gaming, have prepared us for this shift, fueling consumer appetite for these dreamlike images. Generative AI is also revolutionising creativity, allowing artists to make the extraordinary possible. And we are seeing this trend now in traditionally produced commercial projects just as often as in AI-generated content.

    Levity and laughter

    Humour has long been the media’s secret sauce, with 90 per cent of consumers more likely to remember funny ads over serious ones. At the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, 52 per cent of category-winning films were comedies —up 43 per cent from 2022 — highlighting humour’s universal appeal.

    Representing the next wave of comedic perspectives in brand messaging, the Levity and Laughter trend is characterized by the use of humour to make content more engaging and memorable. Brands are discovering that memes and other funny posts are shared more often than serious posts on social platforms, so they’re crafting humorous posts to reach larger audiences. By embracing the casual, playful tone we use online, companies are building more personal connections with consumers, making their brands feel more relatable and human.

    This trend also allows creators to approach serious issues without being heavy-handed or divisive, boosting engagement with sharable experiences that are at once joyful and meaningful.

    Time warp

    As the space economy surges, reaching an estimated US $1 trillion in annual revenue by 2040, we’re seeing a similar rise in retrofuturism.

    Turbocharged by AI, the Time Warp trend blends futuristic components with historical and vintage elements, pulling styles from ancient Rome, the roaring twenties, the groovy seventies and beyond, to create a nostalgic yet fresh aesthetic. Generative AI has played a key role in popularizing this style by making it easier to experiment and combine elements from different eras. But as this aesthetic has gained mainstream engagement, we are seeing a surge of traditionally produced (non-AI) commercial projects in this style as well.

    This juxtaposition of past and future is even capturing the attention of Gen Zers, who are increasingly showing interest in, and even yearning for, a past they didn’t experience firsthand. The world is changing rapidly and Time Warp remixes eras and reimagines history for the future.

    Immersive appeal

    As we spend more time on screens, there’s been a corresponding demand for multisensorial experiences. The Immersive Appeal trend offers a powerful solution by creating interactions that spark joy and wonder. From immersive art installations and theme parks to experiential shopping, examples of this trend can go far beyond the visual to involve touch, sound, and even smell.

    With consumers craving more sensory involvement and today’s technology making it possible, we’re seeing a rise in marketing campaigns that surround us. Brands are using a strategy known as ‘world-building’ to transport us into their fully realized universes. The best-known example of this is the Barbie marketing phenomenon, which encompassed a blockbuster movie, real-world events, and a variety of themed “Barbie-core” experiences.

    Immersive Appeal cures screen fatigue by inviting audiences to enter fantastic interactive worlds and prioritizing profoundly felt experiences over passive consumption.

  • Amagi acquires OTT recommendation & automation specialist Argoid AI

    Amagi acquires OTT recommendation & automation specialist Argoid AI

    MUMBAI: This is an Indian tech company which has been winning rave views in every market in which it operates. In fact, in most places it is  mistaken for an American firm. Now, Amagi – one of the top companies globally in  cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TVs (CTVs) – is  gearing up to add some more  trophies to its already well-stacked award gallery. The company has acquired Argoid AI – a company specialising in recommendation engines and programming automation for OTT platforms.

    Amagi believes the acquisition strengthens its mission to empower media companies with intelligent content planning, distribution, and monetisation solutions.

    Argoid AI has as developed innovative AI products that enhance content recommendations and enable real-time programming decisions. Its solutions have been pivotal in increasing viewer engagement and optimising channel operations for customers in the streaming media space. By integrating Argoid AI’s advanced algorithms into Amagi’s existing platform, the  acquisition will significantly boost the functionality of Amagi’s product suite, Amagi Now and Cloudport’s offerings, enabling media companies to make faster, smarter, and personalised content scheduling decisions at scale.

    It will also allow Amagi to deepen its AI-powered content programming, metadata enrichment, and recommendation engine services, which are crucial for transforming to personalised streaming as part of the  FAST 2.0 innovation.

    Argoid's founders

    “Amagi has been investing in AI/ML over the last couple of years. We strongly believe in AI/ML’s pivotal role in transforming the media and entertainment industry, creating efficiencies, enhanced monetisation, and a superlative viewer experience,” said Amagi co-founder & CEO  Baskar Subramanian. “With this acquisition, Amagi will integrate Argoid’s AI components into its award-winning cloud solutions, significantly enhancing value for our customers. The combined tech expertise of both companies will address key challenges in the streaming industry, such as content discoverability, viewer retention, and intelligent programming.”  

    Argoid’s founders, Gokul Muralidharan, Soundararajan Velu, and Chackaravarthy E will join the Amagi team, contributing to the future roadmap and further integrating AI into Amagi’s offerings. The three founders have one commonality: they all worked at the Walmart-owned Flipkart in Bengaluru around the same time.

    “We are thrilled to join forces with Amagi, a true leader in media technology,” said Gokul Muralidharan. “This partnership allows us to scale our AI-driven solutions, delivering even greater customer value. Together, we will revolutionise how content is programmed and distributed in the digital era.”

    Amagi provides a complete suite of channel creation, distribution, and monetisation solutions. The company’s clients include some of the world’s biggest names, including Hearst Networks UK, ABS-CBN, Astro, Cox Media Group, DAZN, Globo, Lionsgate Studio, NBCUniversal, Tastemade, and VIZIO.
     

  • Saleha Williams takes over as IABM CEO

    Saleha Williams takes over as IABM CEO

    MUMBAI: The international trade association for broadcast and media (IABM)  today announced the appointment of Saleha Williams as CEO. Williams took up the role with effect from 2 December 2024. She succeeds Jerry Gepner who was CEO from October 2023 to May 2024. He had replaced Peter White who occupied the corner office for around 13 years before stepping down in January 2023.

    As the CEO of the association, Williams will lead IABM’s mission to advance the interests of the global broadcast and media technology industry. She will work closely with its board and team to develop and implement strategies to drive innovation, foster collaboration, and promote the industry’s growth.

    Williams brings a wealth of global experience and a proven track record in the media technology industry. Over her 30 plus  year career, she has spearheaded profitable growth and elevated market positioning for entities, including BBC, Google, WPP, Cognizant, Cisco, Siemens, BT, UK Gov, the Olympics, and media and entertainment clients from Hollywood, Indian cinema and everywhere in between. 

    As a passionate technology ESG advocate, she also serves as a non-executive director at WCMC – the United Nations Environmental Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC).

    A multi-award-winning tech thought leader, speaker, and DEIB evangelist (Financial Times Top 100 Tech Leaders, London 2012 Olympics Inspire a Generation, Insead Tech Inspirational Female, NAB Show, IBC Show, Mobile World Congress, Royal Television Society, Broadcast Asia and more), Saleha is deeply committed to driving strategies that foster an inclusive culture of innovation across the global media and entertainment industry. She believes in creating environments where teams and talent can flourish, clients and partners can succeed, and where media and technology stories have the power to positively impact people and the planet.

    IABM chair Josh Arensberg said: “Saleha brings a deep history of leadership in the media industry and understands the potential of our industry to deliver groundbreaking products and services. She is the right mix of thought leader, entrepreneur, and relationship builder to help bring the entire industry together. The board of IABM is eager to work closely with her to build our future vision together. We could not be more excited to welcome her onboard.”

    Said Williams: “IABM has a long history of supporting the global broadcast and media technology industry, and I am excited to work with the board and the team to build on this legacy. Our industry is at a pivotal moment, and I am committed to working with our members to shape the future of media technology and drive innovation across our entire ecosystem.”  

    “Saleha will bring a completely fresh approach to IABM, and I am very much looking forward to working with her as we strive to make it  even better at delivering on its primary purpose – helping all our members to do better business,” said IABM chief finance & operations officer Lucinda Meek.

  • 8Bit Creatives scores naming rights sponsorship for three esports teams with smartphone brand iQOO

    8Bit Creatives scores naming rights sponsorship for three esports teams with smartphone brand iQOO

    MUMBAI:The Indian esports segment  is  driving at a zippy speed into the fast lane. 

    Consider: esports and talent management agency 8Bit Creatives, has scored big by landing what it calls one of the largest naming rights sponsorship deals in Indian gaming history.  

    8Bit Creatives pitched and managed to get performance smart phone brand iQOO to sign up for the sponsorship package for three of the five naming rights deals. The agency represented its own team 8Bit Esports, Reckoning Esports and Revenant Xspark.

    iQOO has been associated with esports for a while, and the current deal builds on its ongoing association with team iQOO Soul, which has been a flagship collaboration with 8Bit Creatives for over a year.

    “We  are happy to support their (iQOO) gaming & esports initiative,” said 8bit Creatives founder & CEO Animesh Agarwal.  ”This is a moment of great pride for Indian gaming, and we are excited to see iQOO’s continued contribution to growing the esports landscape in India.”

     

    IQOO13

    “Partnering with 8Bit Creatives has always been a key driver of Reckoning Esports’ growth,” said  Reckoning Esports owner Sarang Naicker.  “This historic association with iQOO reflects the strength of our collaboration and our shared vision to elevate the esports ecosystem in India. Together, we aim to continue setting new benchmarks for gaming excellence.”

    Revenant Xspark owner Rohit Jagasia added: “Our partnership with 8Bit Creatives has always been focused on driving innovation and creating meaningful opportunities for our players and fans. This association with iQOO is a testament to that vision, and we are thrilled to continue our journey together to elevate esports in India.”

    A press release issued by 8bit Creatives states that iQOO continues redefining the boundaries of brand integration within esports, ensuring that fans and players benefit from an elevated experience. 

    “By associating its  high-performance brand with some of India’s leading esports teams, iQOO reinforces its position as a key driver of the country’s gaming revolution. The naming rights deal is not just a commercial success but also a testament to the thriving Indian esports ecosystem, as brands increasingly recognise the value of investing in gaming’s vibrant community,” it said. 
     

  • Anju Chaudhary joins Innominds as VP – artificial intelligence business

    Anju Chaudhary joins Innominds as VP – artificial intelligence business

    MUMBAI: She is one lady who can’t get enough of all things tech. Anju Chaudhary – a B. Tech in computer science from Kurukshetra university – spent the early part of her career in Dell Computers, before moving on to a banking job at Stanchart and then onto GE Capital. She then tried her hand at a human capital opportunities website as a founding member for three years before moving into cloud platform C-Zentrix Cloud as vice-president cloud in 2016.

    Whilst she was there, she had to define the strategy for the global partner ecosystem, build out a cross-functional team, create critical relationships with C-level partner executives, and showcase the company’s  innovation and technology solutions to potential customers.

    Then she moved on to Builder.ai ( previously known as Engineer.ai )  arguably world’s first AI powered platform trying to solve the  massive issue of idea to code. The solution eould build, run and scale almost anything that could be thought of. Her mandate as head of APAC and Mena was to build business as well as manage clients.

    The latest move she has made is once again in the area of artificial intelligence. She has joined Innominds as vice-president of AI business, taking charge of markets, leveraging the research and development company into developing cutting-edge capabilities in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital transformation.

    Said she: “Our focus at Innominds  spans critical domains like hitech, healthcare and life sciences, automotive, fintech and manufacturing, where we’re pioneering generative AI, intelligent automation, and cognitive computing technologies.  With a commitment to bridging technological innovation and business needs, I’m looking forward to expanding our AI capabilities globally and helping organisations unlock unprecedented value through intelligent digital solutions.” 

  • Lynx Technik hires Ross Video’s Vincent Noyer as product marketing director

    Lynx Technik hires Ross Video’s Vincent Noyer as product marketing director

    MUMBAI: Lynx Technik, a  provider of modular signal processing solutions, has appointed Vincent Noyer as its director of product marketing. With over 20 years of combined experience as a technical product manager and software developer, Vincent brings an exceptional innovation and leadership track record in the live sports and broadcast market.

    At Lynx  Technik, Vincent will lead the product strategy, align product development with customer needs, and deliver go-to-market plans for the company’s portfolio of signal processing solutions, including the award-winning greenMachine, yellobrik, LynxCentraal and yelloGUI software, Testor, and Series 5000 solutions. His market-focused approach and technical expertise align with Lynx Technik’s mission to deliver high-performance, quality solutions that address the evolving needs of the broadcast, professional AV, and media markets.

    “I’m honoured to join Lynx Technik and collaborate with such a respected team and brand,” said Vincent. “Lynx offers a diverse portfolio of solutions, and I am excited to work alongside the development and product teams to support sustainable growth and innovation. I’m looking forward to designing and bringing to market products that truly make a difference for our customers.”

    Vincent brings a wealth of expertise in product design, full-stack software development, and real-time applications, with a special focus on live graphics, and video and image processing. Vincent joins Lynx Technik from Ross Video, where he most recently served as director of sports analysis. He helped turn the Piero sports graphics solution into a major revenue driver, and successfully introduced it to the US market, where it quickly gained ground and became a go-to technology in American football broadcasts. 

    Said Lynx Technik CEO Winfried Deckelmann:  “Vincent’s twenty years of experience in the broadcast and media industry, together with his strategic and commercial skills, will be invaluable in helping guide our business forward in its next phase of growth. I look forward to working closely with him as we continue to expand the business and bring to market the high-quality products and solutions that Lynx Technik is known for.”

    Vincent will be based out of the Lynx  Technik headquarters in Weiterstadt, Germany.

  • 56 per cent of Gen Z prefers GenAI over managers, finds upGrad Enterprise study

    56 per cent of Gen Z prefers GenAI over managers, finds upGrad Enterprise study

    Mumbai: UpGrad Enterprise, the corporate skilling and workforce development arm of India’s largest online skilling platform upGrad, has unveiled a groundbreaking report, The GenAI Gap: GenZ & the Modern Workplace. The study captures how Gen Z professionals are integrating Generative AI (GenAI) into their workflows and outlines opportunities and challenges for organizations in adapting to this shift.

    Based on insights from over 3,500 Gen Z professionals and 1,000 HR leaders, the report examines GenAI usage patterns, workplace attitudes, and the growing demand for AI-focused organisational policies and training.

    The findings reveal that Gen Z is embracing GenAI at a rapid pace:

    1    73 per cent of Gen Z professionals already use GenAI in their daily tasks, with 72 per cent trusting outputs with minimal edits.

    2    56 per cent prefer consulting GenAI over their managers, citing constant accessibility and impartiality as key reasons.

    3    65 per cent of Gen Z professionals feel optimistic about GenAI’s potential, viewing it as a catalyst for new opportunities, despite job security concerns.

    4    54 per cent believe their organization lacks adequate GenAI guidelines, while 52 per cent express dissatisfaction with workplace AI training programs.

    5    21 per cent of HR professionals feel comfortable using GenAI for regulatory training, highlighting a need for compliance-focused resources.

    upGrad Enterprise, CEO, Srikanth Iyengar emphasised the report’s relevance, “Years of working closely with global organizations have provided us with valuable insights into the challenges faced by both professionals and businesses navigating AI adoption. This report sheds light on Gen Z’s enthusiastic embrace of GenAI and highlights the urgent need for organizations to implement robust policies and targeted training. At upGrad Enterprise, we are committed to equipping professionals with the skills and tools they need to succeed in an AI-powered world.”

    The report also reveals Gen Z’s environmental consciousness, with this demographic being three times more concerned about GenAI’s ecological impact compared to organizations. The findings urge companies to address skills gaps and align workplace policies with Gen Z’s aspirations for innovation and efficiency.

    The GenAI Gap: GenZ & the Modern Workplace underscores India’s growing adaptability to AI and the unique expectations of Gen Z, a generation that sees technology as a key enabler of streamlined and impactful workflows.

    https://www.figma.com/proto/8D89EoVpct0rqMZvXadNTd/Insights-Report?page-id=0%3A1&node-id=1-2&node-type=frame&viewport=792%2C347%2C0.05&t=udSrXxTkSNxRQtp5-1&scaling=contain&content-scaling=fixed

  • India’s nonprofit sector lags in AI adoption, says new survey

    India’s nonprofit sector lags in AI adoption, says new survey

    Mumbai: As Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolutionises industries worldwide, India’s nonprofit sector finds itself at an early stage of AI adoption, with nearly 30 per cent of nonprofits yet to implement the technology, according to the India AI Readiness Report. Released by GivingTuesday Data Commons, the report offers insights into how 251 nonprofits across India are navigating AI’s transformative potential.

    The survey identifies two distinct groups—early adopters and late adopters—based on AI usage. Larger, urban nonprofits dominate the early adopter category, leveraging tools like generative AI and expressing a keen interest in expanding AI applications. In contrast, smaller, rural-focused organisations often lack technical resources, limiting their AI adoption primarily to basic tools.

    “This research is a critical benchmark in the efforts to ensure that the social sector is not left behind as AI becomes increasingly relevant. The India AI Readiness Report was developed as a supplement to the global study, focusing exclusively on insights from 251 organisations across the country. We hope this report will help anchor your decision making in relationship to AI, whether you’re a nonprofit considering how you compare to others in the AI adoption scale, a technology platform looking to better understand current nonprofit needs, an educator looking to develop resources for nonprofits, or a funder considering how to best support the sector’s AI adoption. By spotlighting India’s progress, we hope to spark further conversation around how to collectively approach AI adoption in the social sector and guide Indian nonprofits, funders, and stakeholders in their decision-making and collaborations,” said GivingTuesday, CEO, Asha Curran.

    The report highlights that systemic challenges—knowledge gaps and limited infrastructure—are significant barriers to equitable AI adoption. Addressing these requires collaboration among philanthropy, technology, and the nonprofit sectors.

    “This report highlights the nuances in current AI adoption and knowledge, and understanding these differences is integral to achieving equitable and beneficial AI adoption in the social sector. Addressing the systemic challenges of knowledge and infrastructure gaps, which are not unique to this technology, requires cross-sector collaboration among philanthropy, technology, nonprofit, and researchers. Collectively, identification of strategic and tactical use cases to move us from “how do we use” to “what do we need” will support an ecosystem that centres mission needs in the design, development, and governance for equitable outcomes,” added GivingTuesday, chief data officer, Woodrow Rosenbaum.

    Key Findings:

    . Early Adopters: Representing organisations with robust data-use policies, cloud-based systems, and technical expertise, 60-80 per cent are eager to explore advanced AI applications.

    . Late Adopters: Often resource-constrained, only about 10 per cent of these organisations show interest in future AI uses, with 40 per cent unsure of potential applications.

    . Regional Insights: Western India leads in AI demand but has the lowest percentage of nonprofits employing technical staff.

  • VdoCipher launches new live streaming service

    VdoCipher launches new live streaming service

    Mumbai: VdoCipher launched its live streaming service one-to-many live broadcast solution in its efforts to offer secure, scalable, and high-performing online digital content delivery service for its customers all over the world. With its live streaming offerings, the company aims to empower businesses, educators, and creators to engage audiences in real-time with seamless, smooth, and immersive streaming experiences.

    Since this new service is integrated with the platform’s existing suite of video hosting solutions, it provides users with a comprehensive platform to manage and deliver both on-demand and live content. This unified solution is built on top of a robust infrastructure with advanced protocols for smooth video playback of very high quality, giving audiences an immersive experience worldwide.

    Building on this integration, the service is designed to serve all kinds of use cases, from small webinars to huge events, regardless of the audience size. Its scalability feature is backed by dedicated streaming servers and AWS and Google Cloud infrastructure to ensure both uptime and reliability in 6 continents.

    To complement its versatility, the live streaming service includes several key features, such as real-time engagement during a live session through anonymous and authenticated user chat functionality. Other key offerings include DVR (option to go back in live stream), domain restriction and schedule streams in advance. Streamed content is automatically recorded with DRM protection and securely stored on the customer’s dashboard, which can then be embedded in websites or apps. It also supports flexible stream setup by integrating with broadcasting software such as OBS, Vmix, and simultaneously enabling screen sharing and multi-source streaming from a single account.

    Use cases on VdoCipher are from five key industries

    1    Education and e-learning platforms stream live lectures, workshops, and seminars, increasing accessibility for students.

    2    Events and entertainment reach global audiences through live streaming of concerts, sports, and conferences.

    3    Religious organizations stream services and ceremonies, allowing remote participation in significant events.

    4    Spiritual organizations and health creators stream yoga, meditation and wellness programs live.

    5    Businesses, from corporations to influencers, utilize live streaming for product launches, customer support, and real-time engagement.

    VdoCipher already serves more than 3,000 platforms in 120+ countries across 6 continents. Since the launch of the new service, its user count has begun to increase as more paid users subscribe to the product.

    VdoCipher CEO Siddhant Jain said, “We understand the immense value content creators and broadcasters place on their intellectual property. With our new live streaming services, we aim to empower businesses, educators, and creators to engage their audiences in real-time with seamless, immersive, and best-in-class streaming experiences. The global live-streaming market size was valued at $55.4 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow from $71.63 billion in 2023 to $559.62 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 29.30% during 2023-2032. As this industry continues to experience exponential growth, we are well-positioned to meet the increasing demand for real-time content delivery. By combining high-quality video delivery, scalability, and our renowned features, we are providing a comprehensive platform that enables our users to focus on creating compelling content while we handle the technical complexities of live broadcasting. We are committed to driving innovation in the live streaming space and helping our customers succeed in the digital age.”