India to encourage more space startups; Apple’s new MacBook Pro; TCS wins Cainz contract; and a chat with Dhyanesh Bhatt, CEO of GramCover

India is revising its space industry policies and is also in the process of bringing in new ones to increase private industry participation, K Sivan, chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation and secretary, department of space, said. He was speaking at the inaugural session on ‘Future of space — international participations and collaborations' at the India pavilion in Dubai’s Expo 2020 trade fair. The policies will enable ISRO to collaborate much more with India’s space tech startups. Pawan Goenka, chairman of, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) said that India aspires to launch a dozen missions every year as against four or five currently. He also added that the country is working on reusable launch vehicles and other advanced applications. Apple has unveiled its new MacBook Pro equipped with new processors, the M1 Pro and M1 Max that feature a 16-core Neural Engine. Available in 14-inch and 16-inch models, MacBook Pro delivers superior processing, graphics, and machine learning performance without compromising on battery life, Apple said in a press release. The new MacBook Pro also features a Liquid Retina XDR display, a wide range of ports for advanced connectivity, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, and the best audio system in an Apple laptop. The MacBook Pro starts at about $2000, with orders open now and shipping to customers starting October 26. Tata Consultancy Services has been selected as a strategic partner by Cainz Corporation, Japan’s leading home improvement company, to accelerate its digital transformation, improve customer experience, and drive growth, India’s top IT company said in a press release. CAINZ operates 226 stores across 28 prefectures nationwide, making it the largest home improvement retailer in Japan. TCS will set up a new global development centre for Cainz and bring in agile development of software solutions for the retailer, including ‘Find in Cainz’ a mobile app. Bumble, an online dating app company that allows women to make the first move, has found the next set of women leaders to support through its ‘moves making impact’ feature, the company said in a press release. Launched in 2019, ‘moves making impact’ is a product feature where Bumble gives back on behalf of every person who makes the first move on its app. Bumble users can choose one of three causes — human rights, women’s health, or inclusive arts and culture — that they want to support through making the first move. The programme offers up to $60,000 for each woman leader with additional funding from the company over the next 12 months based on the number of first moves made on Bumble that are associated with their cause. The donations will be made to each woman through Vital Voices, a non-profit organisation. (3:09) Interview: Dhyanesh Bhatt, CEO, GramCover on tapping tech to bring insurance to rural India Much of rural India doesn’t have any access to insurance, be it agriculture related or personal health cover. And the problem represents a massive opportunity for new tech-enabled insurance startups. I spoke to Dhyanesh Bhatt, CEO of one such company, GramCover, to learn a bit more about how tech can help bring insurance to those who need it in rural India, with innovations that make cover both relevant and affordable.