Next Gen Consulting

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  • The Leela Launches Centre of Excellence with Le Cordon Bleu & GD Goenka University

    New Delhi, May 13 : The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts today announced the launch of the Leela Centre of Excellence (LCoE), a strategic initiative designed to build a future-ready talent pipeline. As the company plans to expand from 15 to 24 hotels over the next three years, the initiative is expected to play a key role in inducting, training, and developing more than 3,000 associates across The Leela’s luxury ecosystem. The LCoE will focus on strengthening leadership capabilities, operational excellence, and service standards to support the brand’s long-term growth strategy.

    The Leela Launches Centre of Excellence with Le Cordon Bleu & GD Goenka University

    Developed in association with Le Cordon Bleu and GD Goenka University, part of the GD Goenka Group operating over 150+ K12 schools across the country, the LCoE strengthens The Leela’s learning ecosystem at a defining moment in the brand’s growth journey.

    Spread across approximately 9,600 sq. ft. of purpose-built infrastructure, part of the 50,000 sq. ft. GD Goenka School of Hospitality & Culinary Management, the Centre has been conceived as a fully immersive learning environment, with dedicated classrooms, an auditorium, specialised training kitchens, and integrated residential and recreational facilities. Guided by experienced faculty and industry practitioners, it seamlessly combines academic rigour with real-world hospitality exposure to shape future-ready professionals aligned with The Leela’s standards of excellence. It introduces structured academic pathways such as a BBA in Hospitality aligned with NEP 2020, along with dual certifications through Le Cordon Bleu and GD Goenka University, enabling globally benchmarked learning.

    As The Leela accelerates its growth as India’s leading pure-play luxury hospitality brand, the LCoE also represents a long-term investment in elevating hospitality talent at scale. Designed to nurture individuals across every level of the organisation, The Leela will annually invest in structured learning and capability-building initiatives impacting over 650 associates and managers across the organisation. This includes leadership and functional development programmes for over 250 managers through its Leela Executive Accelerated Development (LEAD) program, specialised bootcamps, conclaves and industry conferences, alongside academic and operational training for over 220 associates across The Leela Palace Services (TLPS), Leela Leadership Development Program (LLDP) and Butler Development programmes. The initiative will also strengthen service and cultural excellence through dedicated soft skills training for over 200 associates annually, while advanced culinary capability-building under Shefs at The Leela will train 30 culinary professionals each year.

    Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Anuraag Bhatnagar, Chief Executive Officer, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, said:

    “As we celebrate four decades of True Indian Luxury, the launch of the Leela Centre of Excellence (LCoE) marks an important step in strengthening the foundation of our growth. As we expand, it is critical that our people, culture and service standards evolve with consistency. The LCoE brings together global partnerships and operational depth to build a strong pipeline of talent aligned with our values. It is an investment in people, culture and capability that will support our next phase of growth.”

    Mr. Nipun Goenka Managing Director G D Goenka group and Pro-Chancellor of GD Goenka University, said:

     “Our association with The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts for the Leela Centre of Excellence reflects a shared commitment to building future-ready talent for the hospitality industry. The Leela stands at the epitome of true Indian luxury, and it is a privilege to partner with a brand that has consistently set benchmarks in service, culture and excellence. By combining academic depth with industry relevance, we aim to shape professionals who are grounded in values, capability and purpose”

    Prof. Rajiv Gulshan, Dean of Le Cordon Bleu and Centre Director Leela Centre of Excellence said:

     “The collaboration between Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts and Le Cordon Bleu along with G D Goenka University is designed to develop talent equipped with both technical mastery and a deep understanding of service, culture and international standards. LCoE will bring about much-needed transformation in hospitality education by creating future-ready professionals grounded in excellence, innovation, and gracious hospitality.”

    The Leela Centre of Excellence serves as the strategic hub for The Leela’s learning ecosystem, bringing together and strengthening existing programmes including Leela Leadership Development Programme (LLDP), The Leela Palace Services Programme (TLPS), Leela Executive Accelerated Development Programme (LEAD) and Shefs at The Leela.

    These initiatives sit under the LCoE umbrella, creating a structured platform to continuously develop, up skill and elevate talent across the organisation, alongside functional certifications including Butler and Sommelier programmes. As The Leela enters its next phase of growth, Leela Centre of Excellence reinforces its long-term commitment to institutionalising excellence, ensuring every experience reflects the brand’s standards of warmth, grace and excellence in service.

  • CleverTap and Rabbit Rewards win Silver at Thailand MarTech Awards 2026 for real-time, agentic customer engagement

    The partnership delivers 85% uplift in engagement and drives measurable impact through AI-powered decisioning. 

    MUMBAI, INDIA, May 13 - CleverTap, the all-in-one customer engagement platform, has won Silver at the Thailand MarTech Awards 2026 in the Impact MarTech category, in partnership with Rabbit Rewards, the loyalty and lifestyle platform for Bangkok’s BTS Skytrain and a widely used commuter ecosystem in Southeast Asia. 
     
     

    CleverTap and Rabbit Rewards win Silver at Thailand MarTech Awards 2026 for real-time, agentic customer engagement

     

    The recognition highlights how CleverTap and Rabbit Rewards have transformed customer engagement by building a real-time, agentic engagement model powered by autonomous decisioning, designed to serve millions of commuters in a high-frequency environment. 

    Rabbit Rewards operates at the intersection of daily commuting, payments, and lifestyle services, where user behavior shifts constantly based on routine, timing, and location. Traditional campaign-led approaches, built on static segmentation and fixed schedules, were unable to keep pace and often resulted in delayed or irrelevant engagement. 

    To address this, Rabbit Rewards partnered with CleverTap to implement a real-time decisioning layer that continuously interprets live behavior and determines the next best action for each user. 

    With CleverAI™, and its suite of tools — including IntelliNODE and Best Time Optimization among others — Rabbit Rewards deployed trigger-based, omnichannel journeys across push notifications, in-app messaging, email, and SMS. These journeys span onboarding, renewals, promotions, and re-engagement, and adapt continuously to commuter behavior. 

    The shift to real-time, behavior-led engagement delivered clear, measurable outcomes: 

    • 85% uplift in click-through rates (CTR) 

    • 62.6% week-4 repeat transactions among engaged users, compared to 18.7% for non-engaged users 

    • 2.4% of total transactions directly influenced by CleverTap-powered engagement 

    Beyond these results, Rabbit Rewards significantly improved the quality of customer engagement. Communication became more timely, contextual, and aligned with commuter needs, strengthening trust and positioning the platform as a more intuitive, lifestyle-oriented companion for daily users. 

    “Our vision has always been to make everyday commuting more seamless, rewarding, and relevant for our users. Through our partnership with CleverTap, we have successfully transitioned from traditional campaign execution to a real-time engagement model that understands and responds to commuter behavior in the moment. 

    CleverAI™ has enabled us to deliver more personalized and timely experiences at scale, strengthening both customer engagement and long-term loyalty. This collaboration goes beyond technology — it is about ensuring Rabbit Rewards shows up for our members in ways that feel personal, timely, and genuinely useful throughout their daily journeys,” said Kamolwan Korphaisarn, Program Director, Rabbit Rewards 

    “Enterprises today sit on a surplus of data, but turning those data points into timely, meaningful action remains a big challenge. With CleverAI™, we’re enabling brands to move beyond static campaigns to intelligent systems that continuously interpret behavior, determine the next best action, and deliver truly personalized experiences in real time. Our work with Rabbit Rewards shows how this approach drives stronger engagement while enabling seamless, context-aware customer journeys at the scale of the individual,” said Anand Jain, Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, CleverTap. 

     

     

  • Woxsen MBA 2024–26 Placements See 47 Percent Rise in Top Package

    Hyderabad, May 13: Woxsen University has announced the final placement outcomes for its MBA 2024–26 batch, with the highest package witnessing a 47% increase from the last two years to ₹28 LPA, reinforcing the university’s growing industry standing and recruiter confidence in its management programme talent.

    Nearly 84% of participating recruiters comprised listed companies and multinational corporations, reflecting the increasing industry relevance of Woxsen University’s MBA programmes. This year we had 71 New Marquee names added to our Recruiters list, while several leading companies returned to campus for repeat hiring.

    The university recorded Top 20% Average CTC of ₹15.10 LPA. While, the overall average package was ₹10.10 LPA, and a median package was recorded at ₹9.20 LPA. The placement season also saw participation from 151 recruiters, up from 133 companies last year, marking strong growth in corporate engagement.

    Recruitment took place across consulting, BFSI, technology, FMCG, telecom, healthcare, infrastructure, e-commerce, and real estate sectors. Prominent recruiters included Silicon Labs, IBM, UBS, Oracle, Deloitte, KPMG, Mastercard, Nestlé India, Asian Paints, Flipkart, Airtel and Adani Group. 

    Finance and consulting emerged as the largest hiring domain, accounting for 40% of placements, followed by management and strategic roles at 25%. Sales, marketing and client-facing functions contributed 16%, while HR, research, market intelligence, analytics, and technology-focused roles together accounted for nearly 20% of total offers.

    Commenting on the placement outcomes, Vishal Khurma, Group Chief Executive Officer, said,

     “Our highest-ever placement outcomes reflect the quality, resilience, and commitment of our students, supported by deeply industry-aligned academic delivery and outcome-driven learning by our top-class faculty. At Woxsen University, true student success is defined by transforming potential into meaningful career outcomes.”

    Sara Hazel Philip from the MBA Business Analytics programme secured the highest package of the season, Reflecting on her achievement and placement journey, she said, “Securing the highest placement package has been an exciting and humbling milestone for me. Coming from a technical background, I always aspired to build a career at the intersection of technology, business, and strategic problem-solving. My journey at Woxsen University, particularly the exposure provided through industry projects, collaborative learning, and support from the Placement Cell and Center of Talent Development (COTD), played an important role in shaping my professional outlook.

    “The opportunity to work on diverse projects and interact with industry professionals helped me better understand how technology and management come together in real-world business environments.”

    Shivaramakrishna Gajawada, General Manager-Corporate Relations, Woxsen University added,

    “The MBA 2026 final placements reflect the collective effort of our students, faculty, Corporate Engagement & Talent Office, and recruiting partners, along with growing trust from the industry. Higher recruiter participation, sustained growth in average and median compensation packages, and a notable increase in top-tier offers reflect the strong upward momentum of our placement outcomes. The the well-balanced recruiter mix, marked by strong retention of existing recruiters alongside the addition of several new organisations, signify both continued trust and growing confidence in our talent pool. These outcomes reinforce our commitment to industry relevance, student preparedness, and building long-term partnerships.”

    The placement cycle reflected rising recruiter demand for MBA graduates with skills in analytics, consulting, digital transformation, and strategic business operations, underscoring the growing importance of future-ready management talent across industries.

  • Inshorts Turns Heatwave into Real-Time Commerce Boost for Flipkart

    Noida,  May 13 : As soaring summer temperatures swept across India, air conditioners quickly moved from wishlists to shopping carts. But while consumers continued delaying the final purchase, the rising heat outside became the perfect moment to drive action.

    With India in the grip of an early summer heatwave, Inshorts Group partnered with Flipkart to create a dynamic weather-triggered ad innovation for Flipkart’s ‘Super Cooling Days’ campaign  with the ‘Heat Trigger Weather Widget’ at its core. The widget captured users’ locations to display their city’s real-time temperature and live weather conditions directly within the Inshorts feed. 

    But the real innovation lay in what happened next – the moment temperatures crossed the 32°C mark, the widget animated live – transforming from a real-time weather display into Flipkart’s Super Cooling Days creative. Rising heat, in that instant, became a purchase trigger.

    Conceptualized and executed by the Inshorts team, the pan-India campaign ran from April 16 to April 25, 2026. The triggered experience showcased AC deals from Voltas and Haier, alongside pricing offers and a prominent ‘Buy Now’ CTA redirecting users to Flipkart to complete their purchase journey.

     Speaking about the campaign, Rohan Dixit, Associate Director, Brand Solutions at Inshorts Group said

    “At Inshorts Group, we are constantly exploring how real-time moments can be transformed into more meaningful advertising experiences. With Flipkart’s Super Cooling Days campaign, we used live weather intelligence and contextual storytelling to turn rising temperatures into a real-time commerce trigger – creating an experience that felt intuitive, immersive, and naturally integrated into the consumer journey.”

    The campaign also reflected a broader shift in how brands are approaching contextual advertising. Sharing his thoughts about the campaign, Chetan Gupta, Associate Director – South and East, Inshorts Group, said:

    “Consumers today respond to advertising that meets them in the moment – not just in the feed. With Flipkart’s Super Cooling Days campaign, we didn’t just serve an ad  we responded to a real-world signal, in real time, with content that made complete sense to the consumer at that exact instant. The advertising landscape is moving towards experiences rooted in real-world consumer behaviour and this campaign is a good example of what that looks like in practice. That’s the kind of contextual advertising experience we’re building at Inshorts Group.”

     

     

  • Inc. 5000 Agency Founder Ric Militi Launches Leadership Series Inspired by InnoVision’s Internal Success Framework 

     

    The InnoVision CEO Expands the Agency’s Internal Leadership Training Into a Free Professional Development Series for Aspiring Leaders 

    SAN DIEGO — May 13 — While many businesses have been struggling to navigate economic uncertainty and workforce instability, national marketing agency InnoVision Marketing Group has continued to expand, a success CEO Ric Militi attributes to the company’s core philosophies and commitment to elevated client service. After earning a spot on the Inc. 5000 list of Fastest-Growing Private Companies in 2025, the Anti-Agency™ continues to demonstrate how strong leadership and organizational culture can drive long-term growth. 

    Now, Militi is bringing those leadership principles to a broader audience through a free professional development series titled The Fundamentals of Success. 

    Created from the same weekly companywide meetings that have helped shape InnoVision’s culture for more than two decades, The Fundamentals of Success transforms internal leadership lessons into short-form digital content designed for professionals, entrepreneurs and aspiring leaders seeking practical guidance in today’s evolving business landscape. 

    During each companywide meeting, Militi introduces five different fundamentals ranging from extraordinary communication and detail obsession to grit, humility, accountability and enthusiasm. These sessions are recorded and repurposed into accessible educational content, offering viewers an authentic look at the principles that shape leadership and culture inside the agency. 

    “My family immigrated to the United States when I was three years old, and everything we owned fit inside an old ocean liner trunk. I still have it today as a reminder of where I came from,” said Militi. “Financially, we struggled. I went out on my own at a young age and often had to scrape together enough money for my next meal. It took me too long to figure out that success is rarely built on talent alone. Most of the time, it comes down to human behaviors like trust, loyalty, respect, communication, attention to detail and consistently showing up. The Fundamentals of Success is my way of sharing the many lessons I had to learn in a simplified, relatable, format. So even if it enriches only one person’s life, then it was worth doing.” 

    The series explores dozens of soft-skill principles designed to support long-term growth in both business and life. Each video focuses on a specific fundamental, with broader themes including leadership, communication, discipline, collaboration, consistency and personal development. By making this coaching content widely accessible, the series provides professionals with practical insights they can apply both personally and professionally. 

    Having taught these principles for more than 20 years, Militi and InnoVision Marketing Group have 

    demonstrated the impact of investing in people, culture and consistency. Through The Fundamentals of Success, Militi aims to inspire the next generation of leaders while reinforcing the importance of integrity, accountability and character in achieving sustainable success. 

    As companies continue adapting to shifting workplace dynamics and economic pressures, the demand for strong leadership and people-focused culture has become increasingly important. By opening these leadership conversations to a wider audience, Militi is extending InnoVision’s impact beyond the workplace while creating a practical resource for professionals seeking growth, resilience and long-term career development. 

     

     

     

     

     

  • Kalyan Jewellers Launches Gold4India Initiative

    Chandigarh, May 13 : Kalyan Jewellers India Limited today announced the launch of the ‘Nation First – Gold4India Initiative’, a strategic framework to activate dormant household reserves of the precious metal, formalise trust in gold liquidity, and encouraging more responsible consumption patterns.

    The initiative is in direct response to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s appeal to all Indians to exercise restraint to help conserve the country’s foreign exchange reserves. It is expected that the ‘Nation First – Gold4India Initiative’ will target to reduce imports by 5 tonnes of gold over the financial year.

    India has one of the largest privately owned gold reserves in the world, much of it lying idle in bank lockers, household vaults, inherited collections, and unused jewellery accumulated over decades.

    T S Kalyanaraman, Managing Director, Kalyan Jewellers India Limited said,

    “A stronger domestic recirculation ecosystem can sustain employment in the jewellery sector and help states preserve GST revenues linked to organised trade. The ‘Nation First – Gold4India Initiative’ is far beyond just a promotional campaign. The initiative will strive to spark a behavioural shift in consumers, from viewing gold solely as a static asset preserved indefinitely, to recognising it as a renewable domestic resource capable of continuously generating economic value within the country. If even a fraction of this inactive gold can be responsibly brought back into circulation, India can potentially reduce incremental dependence on imported gold without disrupting consumer aspirations or cultural traditions.”

    The four pillars of the ‘Nation First – Gold4India Initiative’ will include

    1. Old Gold Exchange Promotion: Across Kalyan Jewellers showrooms nationwide, customers will be encouraged to exchange old, unused, broken, or outdated jewellery through attractive exchange programmes and value-led incentives. Gold exchanged through the programme can be refined, redesigned, and reused within the domestic jewellery ecosystem, reducing the need for equivalent quantities of newly imported gold. The programme allows consumers to unlock value from idle jewellery while preserving the emotional and cultural continuity of family-owned gold.

    2. Encash Gold: Kalyan Jewellers will open dedicated “Encash Gold” counters across its showrooms to provide consumers with a professionally managed and transparent gold monetisation experience. Gold backed lending and monetisation services through NBFCs and local unorganised financiers had grown largely because organised jewellery players offering transparent gold monetisation solutions were not readily available. The new initiative will formalise this activity and offer customers a credible alternative for unlocking liquidity from idle gold during moments of financial need. The “Encash Gold” counters will offer scientifically calibrated purity assessment, transparent valuation, and prompt cash disbursal within a trusted retail environment.

    3. My Kalyan Gold Recirculation Drive: Kalyan Jewellers intends to leverage the strength of its extensive My Kalyan network; comprising over 1100 centres and 4300 associates spread across diverse geographies, to build awareness around responsible gold recirculation at the grassroots level. A majority of these associates belong to the very regions and communities they serve, enabling them to build deep local trust, strong personal rapport, and meaningful community connections that extend far beyond conventional retail outreach.

    In much of India, behavioural change is driven less by institutional messaging alone and more through trusted interpersonal relationships within communities. My Kalyan associates often function as local connectors who understand regional customs, cultural sensitivities, household decision making patterns, and long-standing community dynamics. The initiative therefore aims to create not merely a corporate campaign, but a broad based community movement around gold recirculation.

    4. Wider Adoption of 18K Gold Jewellery: The fourth pillar of the initiative focuses on promoting more efficient and responsible patterns of gold consumption through the wider adoption of contemporary 18K jewellery. India’s jewellery market has historically been dominated by higher purity gold formats, particularly 22K jewellery, owing to longstanding cultural preferences and traditional purchasing patterns. While these preferences remain deeply rooted in Indian society, evolving consumer tastes and contemporary design trends are gradually expanding acceptance of alternative jewellery formats across markets.

    Kalyan Jewellers believes this transition presents an important opportunity to encourage smarter and more sustainable gold consumption without compromising on aesthetics, craftsmanship, or emotional value. Compared to 22K, 18K jewellery requires a lower quantity of pure gold while still enabling the creation of high quality, intricately crafted, and design led jewellery collections. Wider adoption of such categories can therefore contribute meaningfully towards optimising overall gold consumption volumes over time.

    Through the “NATION FIRST – GOLD4INDIA INITIATIVE,” Kalyan Jewellers envisions becoming a predominantly gold recirculation-led institution aiming to preserve India’s deep cultural relationship with gold while strengthening economic resilience, reducing dependence on fresh imports, and advancing the larger national interest.

    “The recirculation of gold cannot remain confined to policy discussions or urban consumption patterns,” Mr. Kalyanaraman said.

    “Its long-term success depends on participation from the very households and communities where India’s gold ownership is most deeply rooted. Responsible consumption and cultural continuity can, and must, coexist.”

  • Bio-Fertilisers Could Help India Achieve Up to 40 percent Lower Farm Emissions, Says FAI Director General

    Bio-Fertilisers Could Help India Achieve Up to 40 percent Lower Farm Emissions, Says FAI Director General

    Chandigarh,  May, 13: Dr. Suresh Kumar Chaudhari, Director General, The Fertiliser Association of India (FAI), said that bio–fertilisers hold an immense and largely untapped potential to reduce India‘s dependence on imported mineral fertilisers. Speaking at FAI‘s four-day Training Programme on Bio–fertilisers for Agricultural Sustainability in Port Blair, he stated that even a realistic 20% nutrient supplementation target through bio–fertilisers could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from farmland by up to 40%. He attributed this to the high global warming potential of nitrous oxide and described it as bio-fertilizers’ hidden potential.

    Dr. Chaudhari further emphasised that Integrated Nutrient Management combining mineral fertilisers, bio–fertilisers, and organic inputs in the right proportion, is the only scientifically validated pathway to sustaining soil health and long-term agricultural productivity. He said this conclusion has been firmly established through six decades of long-term fertiliser experimentation in the country.

    FAI DG called on industry to step up on three fronts: scaling up production capacity through greater private and cooperative investment; maintaining rigorous quality from manufacturing to the farmer’s doorstep; and developing innovative, location-specific microbial formulations — since unlike mineral fertilisers, bio-fertiliser efficacy is inherently soil and ecosystem-specific, and cannot be applied as a one-size-fits-all solution.

    The four-day residential Training Programme on Bio–fertilisers for Agricultural Sustainability is currently underway at Peerless Resort, Corbyn’s Cove, Port Blair from 11 to 14 May 2026. The programme has drawn participants from 15 companies and institutions, including scientists from the ICAR system, fertiliser industry representatives, and government officials.

  • Mantle8 raises Euro 31M in Series A funding to prove commercial viability of natural hydrogen production

    Grenoble, May 13: Mantle8, the Grenoble France based natural hydrogen exploration company, has raised €31M in Series A funding to leverage its proprietary technology stack across a global exploration and drilling campaign targeting the first commercially exploitable reservoir of high-purity natural hydrogen. The round was led by Sandwater and includes Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Ecotechnologies 2 fund managed on behalf of the French government by Bpifrance, IP Group, Wind Capital and Calderion (an Audacia-backed investment platform).

    This capital will be deployed during the next two years to fund the world’s most advanced natural hydrogen exploration and drilling campaign. Mantle8’s novel technology platform, which is tailored to identify commercially viable natural hydrogen reservoirs, will be employed across its global development pipeline to identify and rank the most promising opportunities. These sites will then be drilled to confirm natural hydrogen accumulations and to evaluate volume, purity, and reservoir quality in support of commercially viable, large-scale production.

    Hydrogen is a crucial part of our future decarbonised industrial system; however, the importance of its role will depend on its price and origin. Mantle8’s novel technology for identifying commercially viable natural hydrogen reserves reduces exploration risk and cost, with economic models projecting production costs as low as €0.80/kg, significantly contributing to a much lower average cost of clean hydrogen supply. This will fundamentally change the hydrogen sector’s economics, unlocking a low-carbon source of sovereign energy supply for Europe as well as other geographies. By cooperating with partners focused on drilling and exploiting target reservoirs, the technology can be rolled out quickly and at scale.

    “This raise reflects the growing conviction among leading clean tech investors that natural hydrogen is a resource worth pursuing at scale,” said Emmanuel Masini, Founder and CEO of Mantle8. “The existence of natural hydrogen is a well-established scientific fact; the challenge has been finding free gas accumulations of high-purity hydrogen that are commercially viable. I’m proud that we’ve built and patented an entire technology stack to answer this critical challenge, meeting the expectations of our existing shareholders” he continued. “The next steps are to identify the prospects in our pipeline that meet our commercial hurdles and drill them. I’m excited to welcome investors who have a long history of involvement in subsurface resources, sovereign investments and ecosystem building.”

    “We built Sandwater to back exceptional founder teams with the technical depth and operational rigour to solve critical challenges and deliver solutions that lead to a better future”, said Tom Even Mortensen, Founder and Managing Partner of Sandwater. “Mantle8 is exactly that kind of company. Emmanuel and his team have built truly proprietary exploration technology, validated it in the field, and now have a clear plan to move into the commercial phase. Natural hydrogen sits at the intersection of energy transition and resource discovery, two areas where Europe must lead as it seeks energy sovereignty. This is a demanding challenge but with the potential to create a new clean energy source, which is what we need and why we see in Mantle8 the opportunity for outsized impact and return”

    “Geologic hydrogen is one of the most surprising energy developments of the past decade, with the potential to play a significant role in the global energy mix,” said Carmichael Roberts of Breakthrough Energy Ventures. “The Mantle8 team has made impressive progress in advancing its rigorous, geology-driven approach to exploration, and the team continues to execute on targeting the first commercially exploitable reservoir of high-purity natural hydrogen.”

    “Natural hydrogen represents a strategic opportunity for France and for Europe,” said Alexandre Wagner, Investment Director at Bpifrance Green Venture. “Mantle8 combines a proprietary exploration technology stack with a clear path to commercialization. Backing this company, aligns with our mandate to accelerate the energy transition through sovereign, low-carbon solutions that could be developed before the end of the decade.”

    Mantle8’s Series A follows a period of significant momentum for Mantle8. In 2025, the company raised a €3.4M Seed Round led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and went on to complete the world’s first 4D imaging of an active underground natural hydrogen system using HOREX® at its Hydrogeco project in the French Pyrenees. Earlier this year, Mantle8 received a €2.06M grant from the EU Just Transition Fund to industrialise its core exploration technologies.

    This investment round brings total funding raised by Mantle8 to €37M (US$44M). “With this backing, we will work alongside industrial partners globally to move from exploration through to commercial development”, said Bart Markus, Mantle8’s chairman. “The next two years are about proving that the active hydrogen systems our technology has pinpointed can deliver sustained, commercially viable flow.”

     

  • F1® Authentics Hosts Charity Auction in Unique Sporting Crossover

     

    May 13: F1® Authentics, operated by Memento Exclusives, is auctioning a rare collectible this month, combining motorsport and American football, captured at the 2026 Miami Grand Prix.

    Brought together by Atlas Air Worldwide, the signed helmets of both Aston Martin Aramco F1® Team driver Lance Stroll and Miami Dolphins NFL player Jordan Phillips, will be available for collectors to purchase as a unique set. This activation was created to help raise money and awareness for Movember and its work supporting men’s health.

    F1

     

    A sporting exchange took place ahead of the 2026 Miami Grand Prix, celebrating the power of using high-profile platforms to raise money for an important cause. The helmets then went on display over the race-weekend at the track before now being made available for one lucky collector to own.   
     
    Moments like this are incredibly rare and made extra special for the way they unite sports such as Formula One® and the NFL, as well as charitable purposes in one distinctive collectible. This exciting set is expected to attract significant interest as it offers collectors the chance to acquire a unique multi-sport collaboration while also contributing to fundraising efforts that support vital conversations and action around men’s health. Atlas Air Worldwide and Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team have both committed up to $25k to match the winning bid. 

    Previews of this listing and exchange are live now, with bidding set to begin on 11th May.

    Collectors wishing to find out more and register their interest can do so by visiting F1® Authentics now.

  • Oxford International and University of Bradford expand partnership with new routes to market

    May 13: Oxford International and the University of Bradford have today announced the expansion of their long-standing international college partnership with the addition of a new 5-year collaboration incorporating direct entry recruitment alongside programme delivery designed and awarded by the university at Oxford International’s higher education institution, Universal Higher Education UK (UHE UK) in Greenwich, London. The triple pronged approach to student recruitment has been designed to support the university’s international growth ambition.

    This development marks a significant milestone in the partnership, enabling international students to access a broader range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at the University of Bradford via an expanded set of entry routes.

    A university on the rise

    The University of Bradford continues to strengthen its global standing, recognised for both academic quality and social impact. In the latest QS World University Rankings 2026, the University is ranked 47th in the UK, reflecting continued upward momentum.

    Renowned for its commitment to social mobility and student success, the University of Bradford continues to deliver strong graduate outcomes and impactful research aligned with global challenges. According to the most recent Higher Education Statistics Agency figures, the University of Bradford ranked 16th in the UK for graduates entering high-skilled employment, marking a major step towards its strategic ambition of being in the UK top 10 for graduate outcomes. Additionally, the University of Bradford offers careers advice up to five years after graduation.

    Expanding access through multiple access routes

    The introduction of further routes to higher education with the University of Bradford will provide international students with increased flexibility and choice for higher education study, reinforcing the university’s commitment to broadening access to higher education for international students, while creating new opportunities for students to benefit from a career-focused education in the UK.

    This expansion complements the existing international college, which has successfully prepared international students for progression to degree-level study at University of Bradford for many years. 

    Supporting over 80,000 students each year, Oxford International’s global recruitment team, enhanced by a network of over 2,500 educational consultants, operates across more than 50 international source markets, seamlessly working alongside partners’ recruitment teams and providing local insight and strategic guidance.

    Lil Bremmerman-Richard, Group CEO of Oxford International states:

    “This expansion represents an important step in the evolution of our partnership with the University of Bradford. By introducing direct entry recruitment along with programme delivery designed and awarded by the university at UHE UK, in addition to our established international college, we are creating a more comprehensive and flexible offering that meets the diverse needs of international students around the world. We are proud to deepen our collaboration with an institution that shares our commitment to access, quality, and student success.”

    Nick Braisby, Interim Vice-Chancellor of University of Bradford added:

    “Our partnership with Oxford International has helped us to build a vibrant and diverse international student community. In line with the University‘s 10-year Strategy, this partnership will expand the ways international students can study with us. By widening access to our award-winning education, we can help more students to become career-ready and achieve success, wherever they are from. I look forward to welcoming more international students to our global community in the coming academic year.”

    More details on programmes to be offered and first intake dates will be available soon.