MUMBAI: POP, the fintech startup targeting young Indian consumers, has appointed Chandresh Pancholi as its new head of engineering and product.
Pancholi joins from Navi, where he served as director of engineering, leading a 90-person team that helped propel the company’s UPI payment application from 12th to 4th position in India’s competitive digital payments market.
During his tenure at Navi, he oversaw several key initiatives including the development of a credit line on UPI with Karnataka Bank and a central abuse detection platform for UPI reward systems.
Prior to Navi, Pancholi held technical leadership positions at Paytm and Flipkart, building considerable experience in India’s e-commerce and financial technology sectors.
POP, founded in 2023 by former Flipkart executives, offers a rewards-based payment ecosystem where users earn “POPcoins” worth Rs 1 each for transactions made through its platform. The company is backed by India Quotient and several angel investors from the consumer internet sector.
At POP, Pancholi will be responsible for scaling the company’s technical infrastructure and developing new product features as the startup attempts to challenge established players in India’s increasingly crowded digital payments market.
Mumbai: In celebration of Karnataka Bank’s remarkable century-long journey, a visionary Phygital Experience Center emerges as a beacon of innovation, inviting audiences to embark on an immersive exploration of the bank’s past, present, and future. Developed in collaboration with DaveAI, the leading AI-powered experience creators platform sets a new standard in customer engagement and showcases Karnataka Bank’s unwavering commitment to pioneering technologies.
The Phygital Experience Center, inaugurated by the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka – D. K. Shivakumar, promises a transformative encounter that seamlessly merges the physical and digital realms. By transcending conventional celebratory formats, Karnataka Bank aims to offer patrons a dynamic space where they can delve into the institution’s rich heritage while envisioning its trajectory in the digital age.
At the core of this innovative venture lies DaveAI’s proprietary visual synthesis pipeline, meticulously integrated into captivating narratives, gesture-controlled experiences, and immersive simulations. Visitors were greeted by virtual avatars, could take part in virtual reality tours, and engage with augmented reality experiences, all curated to provide an unparalleled glimpse into Karnataka Bank’s evolution over the past century and its vision for the future of banking.
“When Karnataka Bank celebrated their centenary year, one of their most important questions was, what do they need to do so that their legacy continues for another 100 years. They turned to us to ideate on what is possible in the future of banking. Together we came up with a very futuristic experience center with great ideas to showcase what they are already doing as well as what they would plan to do.
Concepts such as, Metaverse, Virtual Branches, Autonomous banking with the help of AI etc. were experienced by 100s of people from their staff and family as well as other dignitaries. Everyone was wowed by Karnataka Bank’s vision as well as their management’s commitment towards making it reality in the near future,” said Dr. Ananth, CTO & Co-Founder at DaveAI.
The highlights of this Digital Bank of the Future included:
1. Gesture-Controlled Experiences: A journey through the bank’s 100-year legacy, featuring a virtual avatar narrating key milestones and achievements, setting the stage for an enlightening exploration.
2. Virtual Reality Tour: Visitors could step into a VR pod for a 360-degree tour of the futuristic digital banking unit, experiencing firsthand the fusion of tradition and technology that defines Karnataka Bank’s future.
3. Innovation Showcase: A dynamic zone showcasing the bank’s innovative initiatives, featuring interactive kiosks and augmented reality-powered card discovery, designed to engage and educate visitors on Karnataka Bank’s diverse range of products and services.
Commenting on the launch, Karnataka Bank CDMO Pankaj Gupta expressed excitement saying, “It is a proud moment for Karnataka Bank as we seamlessly blend tradition with the boundless possibilities of the future. Our Digital Experience Center stands as a testament to this fusion, exuding beauty and innovation in every corner. Now, our mission extends beyond mere admiration within our experience center; it’s about bringing these immersive experiences to the doorsteps of all our customers, enriching their lives both within the confines of their homes and beyond.”
Mumbai: Karnataka Bank, one of India’s oldest and most respected Private Sector Bank, has launched its centenary campaign, ‘Bharat Ka Karnataka Bank’. This milestone campaign marks a hundred years of trust, excellence, resilience, and commitment to serving the nation.
In commemorating a century of banking legacy, Karnataka Bank has embraced the theme of adaptability and evolution. The campaign encapsulates the idea that true legacy lies in understanding the need to evolve with the times. Karnataka Bank has not only created a legacy unique to itself but has also transcended its roots in Karnataka to become a Bank that resonates with every corner of the nation.
Jointly executed by Havas Media India and Havas Worldwide India, the campaign underscores Karnataka Bank’s ability to adapt to the changing times while staying true to its core values. It aims to strengthen Karnataka Bank’s brand awareness, fostering a deeper connection with customers while also inviting new patrons to be a part of its storied legacy.
Karnataka Bank has not merely stayed true to its values but has also paid homage to the culture and ethos of every state it has been a part of. It is today ‘Bharat Ka Karnataka Bank’.
Talking about the association, Karnataka Bank MD & CEO Srikrishnan H said, “Karnataka Bank’s centenary is much more than just a celebration of a century of accomplishments; it is a bold assertion of our vision for the next hundred years. This astounding milestone exemplifies our unwavering commitment to advancing India’s agenda of national financial inclusion. We’re happy to have Havas India as our trusted strategic partner as we continue to work towards this ambition.”
Talking about the campaign, Karnataka Bank executive director Sekhar Rao said, “For a century, we’ve been more than just a bank; we’ve been a trusted partner in millions of people’s journeys. By remaining true to our core beliefs and embracing innovation, we have remained a steadfast partner to generations of families. We’re excited to launch our new brand campaign, celebrating Karnataka Bank’s 100-year legacy while looking ahead as a Bank, not just Karnataka, but for Bharat – Namma Karnataka Bank, Delhi walo ka Karnataka Bank, Mumbai walo ka Karnataka Bank – Bharat ka Karnataka Bank… This campaign marks our journey towards a tech-driven future, blending tradition with cutting-edge solutions for customers and communities nationwide”.
Havas India, South East Asia & North Asia (Japan & South Korea), group CEO Rana Barua said, “I would like to congratulate Karnataka Bank as it marks a century of excellence. Amidst global financial challenges, Banks in India have displayed remarkable resilience, surpassing global counterparts in growth and profitability. Hence it is the perfect time to forge a profound partnership with one of India’s premier financial institutions. We thank Karnataka Bank for placing their trust in us.”
Havas Media India managing director Uday Mohan said, “Creating a symphony that echoes the remarkable journey of Karnataka Bank, we have meaningfully positioned the bank’s narrative via this campaign across multiple media channels. This milestone campaign not only reflects our dedication to precision, apt messaging and targeting but also ensures that every story shared resonates deeply with audiences, cementing Karnataka Bank’s legacy for generations to come. We are immensely proud to be part of this centennial celebration and wish many more years of success for this iconic brand.
Havas Worldwide India chief creative officer Anupama Ramaswamy said, “It is easier to count the number of days in a hundred years than to count the relationships we’ve built over that time. This thought is at the heart of our campaign. A thought driven by a steadfast commitment to customer satisfaction. A thought that is also captured by showcasing real stories of real people, who have been our bedrock for close to a century now.”
The campaign will be live on television, digital channels, social media platforms, out-of-home displays, and print media.
Mumbai: Karnataka Bank, a leading private sector Bank is launching “Door -Step Gold Loan” facility named “KBL-Swarna Bandhu” for its customers, a unique product for gold loans with end to end digitization. Through this product, the Bank will be able to provide Gold Loan Services at customer’s doorstep. Initially, this product will be available to customers in select centres of the Bank and will be gradually rolled out to all the branches of the Bank.
Karnataka Bank is well positioned to expand its Gold loan portfolio and capitalise on the huge market opportunity. Door step Gold Loan product is a big step towards Bank’s goal of creating a robust & healthy Gold loan portfolio. By leveraging on technology services & Door step service framework, Karnataka Bank aims to focus on quality gold loan portfolio in the ensuing days.
To achieve this, the bank has partnered with SahiBandhu, a leading aggregator platform for gold loans backed by The Manipal Group. SahiBandhu will act as a Corporate Business Correspondent and a Lending Service Provider. This collaboration aligns with extant guidelines on digital lending and will also help in improving the gold loan portfolio of Bank. KBL-Swarna Bandhu showcases the comprehensive digital capabilities of both KBL and SahiBandhu.
Karnataka Bank CEO & MD SriKrishnan H has expressed that, “Door Step Gold loan lending model is one of the innovative avenues of lending against gold. “KBL-Swarna Bandhu” shall create a dynamic synergy in the entire gold loan portfolio of the Bank. This arrangement will help us in extending gold loans at the Door step of the customers once again proving our Bank’s orientation towards collaborative digital innovations to improve the customer service arena and by this we aim to achieve better Customer Delight.”
Speaking on this occasion, Karnataka Bank executive director Sekhar Rao stated that “Bank is progressing on the Fintech initiatives with strong collaborations with partners in various fields. This initiative is also, one among the many such steps taken by the Bank. Our aim is to see this Century old Bank in a new Digital Avatar.”
On KBL-Swarna Bandhu launch, SahiBandhu CEO & co-founder Rajesh Shet has expressed that, “As we continue to expand our footprint in the ever-evolving financial landscape, we are excited to announce our strategic partnership with Karnataka Bank (KBL). Our innovative tech platform enables gold loan at the customer doorstep. Through our unwavering commitment to customer-centricity, we continue to excel in the gold loan industry. Together with KBL, we are poised to unlock new opportunities, offering digital-first lending solutions through our gold loan aggregator platform.”
