HP BladeSystem for Telecom cos

HP on Thursday announced the expansion of its HP BladeSystem c-Class portfolio with a new carrier-grade version optimised for the needs of telecom service providers and network equipment suppliers. HP BladeSystem Carrier-Grade Platform provides a cost-effective and flexible foundation for wireless and wired infrastructure – delivering reliability and performance required by the telecom industry, said the company. In Q3, 2007, HP’s x86 Blade Server revenues grew 95 pc y-o-y in Asia Pacific region, according to IDC.

Vanu Inc’s R&D centre in City
Vanu Inc on Thursday announced that it has opened a R&D centre in Bangalore. Vanu looks to offer new solutions for emerging markets, particularly India’s rural communities. Pradeep Malhotra, MD, Vanu India said the R&D centre plans to expand its staff starting in 2008 to develop 3G and 4G waveforms in India. Dr Vanu Bose, CEO of Vanu Inc said, “Our shared infrastructure product may provide a cost effective way to bring cellular telephony to rural India, who don’t have any form of telephony.”

Anand Mahindra wins award

Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman and MD of Mahindra & Mahindra, was awarded Business India’s Businessman of the Year 2007 in Mumbai on Thursday. Mr Mahindra, a Harvard MBA, runs the Rs 24,000 crore Mahindra group. Mr Mahindra was appointed as MD in 1997. In 2003, he was given additional charge as Vice Chairman. Mr Mahindra is credited to make M&M a dynamic automotive major with global ambitions.

TiE Bangalore opens Institute

TiE Bangalore, on Thursday, launched the TiE Institute to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurship in Bangalore. The workshops and courses offered by the TiE  aims to provide practical value to budding entrepreneurs. The TiE Institute, Bangalore, is modelled on the lines of the TiE Institute in Silicon Valley. It’s vision is to be the “Entrepreneur’s University”, offering practical training in soft and hard skills, by faculties drawn from TiE Charter Members around the globe.

Gujarat wins CSI, Nihilent award

Gujarat has been awarded the prestigious Computer Society of India (CSI) and Nihilent Best e-Governed State Award for 2006-07. This was announced recently in Bangalore. The department of Health & Family Welfare, Gujarat and Department of Electricity, Lakshadweep were declared joint winners of the best e-governed department award.

Blue Star to acquire Naseer   

Blue Star is planning to strengthen its airconditioning projects business through the strategic acquisition of the businesses of Naseer Electricals, a Bangalore-based electrical contracting firm. With this move, Blue Star will also be in a position to deliver integrated Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing (MEP) contracting projects. 

House of Pearl’s stake in UK co

Apparel firm House of Pearl Fashions on Thursday said it has acquired 50 per cent stake in UK-based marketing company, FX Imports, for an undisclosed amount, a move that would strengthen its distribution circle in the overseas markets. The acquisition was done through the UK-based subsidiary of the company Poeticgem Ltd, House of Pearl said in a filing to the BSE.

Soros Fund buys 5.8% in GAEL

The Quantum Fund, run by the George Soros Fund Management, has picked up a 5.8 per cent stake in Gujarat Ambuja Exports Ltd (GAEL), an Ahmedabad-based agro-processing industrial unit, for an undisclosed amount. The stake by Quantum is higher than that of Reliance Mutual Fund, which bought 3.9 per cent in the company recently. 

GAEL, which achieved a turnover of Rs 1,400 crore in 2006-07, is anticipating sales worth Rs 2,000 crore in the current fiscal.