Latest news with #Apna
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Apna.co launches job-posting-integrated multilingual AI calling agent
has unveiled what it claims is the country's first job-posting-integrated, multilingual AI Calling Agent . The AI Calling agent is said to be built on Apna's Blue Machines Agentic-AI stack. The company said that this AI-powered solution conducts round-the-clock interviews in Hindi, English, and other regional languages, using advanced voice analytics to assess and shortlist top talent instantly. Unlike traditional chatbots or email-based systems, Apna's AI Calling Agent claims to customizes interview to match the employer's job post and brand tone. It auto-generates role-specific questions, conducts live voice interviews, scores responses in real time, and follows up via calls, WhatsApp, and Email. Nirmit Parikh, Founder & CEO of said, 'Hiring is more than just filling roles - it's about shaping the future of India. India's recruiters spend countless hours chasing calls instead of meeting qualified candidates. That's the gap we set out to bridge. We built the AI Calling Agent under our proprietary Agentic AI stack, Blue Machines, to deliver enterprise-grade automation that's affordable, regional, and simple to use. By embedding our AI Calling Agent directly into every job post, we're putting Fortune 500-level technology into the hands of lakhs of MSMEs and enterprises across India. Employers can now focus on the human conversations that matter—while our agent handles the rest. This is the beginning of a new era in recruitment - fast, intelligent, and built for Bharat.' Karna Chokshi, COO of added, 'Building a DIY stack across job portals, dialers, speech AI, scoring engines, and CRMs is both expensive and technically complex. With Apna, we've unified sourcing and AI-driven screening into a single seamless workflow - no integrations, no third-party tools, no extra effort.'
Entrepreneur
30-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
ElevenLabs Rolls out India Data Residency for Voice AI Compliance and Speed
ElevenLabs is already working with several Indian platforms, including Meesho, Apna, and 99acres, mainly in conversational AI and customer engagement applications You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. ElevenLabs, an AI audio company, has launched a dedicated India Data Residency solution, enabling enterprises operating in or serving the Indian market to deploy its Voice AI models in full compliance with local data protection regulations. With growing scrutiny over data localisation, the new offering ensures that customer voice data is hosted entirely within India-based infrastructure, meeting the country's data residency mandates. The service is designed to support enterprise-grade use cases like multilingual customer support and real-time voice interfaces, particularly in regulated sectors such as financial services, telecom, insurance, e-commerce, and education. Key features of the India Data Residency initiative include local hosting, an isolated computing environment separated from global systems, and integration with ElevenLabs' existing compliance stack including GDPR-readiness, SOC 2 certification, HIPAA-ready frameworks, and Zero Retention controls. The company also claims improved latency for Indian users and access to an expanded multilingual voice library inclusive of Indian voices. "India has rapidly become one of our largest and fastest-growing markets outside the U.S., driven by enterprises, creators, and developers embracing voice AI at scale," said Siddharth Srinivasan, GTM at ElevenLabs. "With India Data Residency, we're deepening our commitment to the market by offering world-class voice quality tailored for India's languages and accents, while ensuring data stays secure, compliant, and locally hosted." ElevenLabs is already working with several Indian platforms, including Meesho, Apna, and 99acres, mainly in conversational AI and customer engagement applications. The rollout aims to make it easier for companies to adopt Voice AI without facing cross-border data transfer issues or latency challenges.
The Wire
15-07-2025
- Business
- The Wire
Chandigarh University in Collaboration with India's leading Job Portal 'Apna' & Investment Firm 'Venture Catalysts' Launch 'Campus Tank' – India's First University-Led Startup Launchpad for Young Innovators
'Campus Tank' to Nurture and Empower Next Generation of Entrepreneurs for a Viksit Bharat by 2047, says MP & CU Chancellor Satnam Singh Sandhu CHANDIGARH, India , July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Chandigarh University, India's leading private university, in collaboration with job platform Apna and investment firm Venture Catalysts (VCats) have launched 'Campus Tank', India's first university-led Startup launch-pad for young innovators below the age of 30 to pitch their ideas and get funding of $1 Million to launch their startups along with expert venture guidance, strategic ecosystem alliances and immersive startup incubation. 'APNA' which is India's largest early talent platform, trusted by over 6 Crore users and AICTE while Venture Catalyst is India's leading early-stage investment firm. The registrations for 'Campus Tank' are now open for Campus Tank, an exclusive startup challenge designed to empower India's next generation of founders, till 14 August through the portal ( which was launched in the presence of Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Chancellor of Chandigarh University, Satnam Singh Sandhu, Apna's Vice President Dr Preet Deep Singh, Founding Member and Managing Partner at Venture Catalysts, Rishabh Golchha in Chandigarh. By registering for Campus Tank, founders and co-founders under the age of 30 will compete for investment from a pledged fund of $1 Million to grow their startups. Startups will get the opportunity present their ideas to top investors from Venture Catalysts on Demo Day to be held at Chandigarh University. Selected teams will also get incubation support from Cube Founders Space by Chandigarh University and learn from founders and experts through training and master classes. Speaking at the launch of 'Campus Tank', Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Chancellor of Chandigarh University, Satnam Singh Sandhu said, "Universities and colleges are not just places for the students to earn degrees but they are places where ideas are born and transformed into great innovations. For instance, Universities and colleges are the biggest breeding ground in the United States which remains the top startup nation globally. In fact, 76 % of Fortune 500 companies in US, including major tech companies like Facebook, Google, Apple and Microsoft, were born in universities and colleges. In fact, US has over 10 lakh Startups, which make up approximately 50% of global VC investment, contribute in creating about 70 % of new jobs by providing services across the world." "It is commendable that India too is moving forward on innovations ever since the launch of Startup India initiative by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016 which has helped the country become the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world with over 1.76 lakh startups in the last decade as compared to 384 startups in 2014. As number of Unicorns has gone up to 118 in India with $1 billion valuation, our youth are now becoming job providers than job seekers as over 18 lakh direct jobs have been created by start-ups in the past 10 years with smaller cities contributing over 51% of these startups. So through 'Campus Tank', our aim is to play a role in nurturing this growth," he added. Sandhu further said, "With this dynamic collaboration between Chandigarh University, Apna and Venture Catalysts, I am sure Campus Tank will act as a catalytic force for igniting the entrepreneurial spirit among young innovators and help achieve the Union government's ambitious target of transforming the nation into 2nd largest start-up ecosystem in the world by surpassing China and create 1,000 Unicorns by 2047." He said as Chandigarh University encourages its students for innovating new technologies, CU students have created over 150 Start-Ups ever since its inception in 2012. "Spread across 17 cities in India and four foreign countries in 27 domains including agriculture, EdTech, Medtech, Healthcare, FinTech, Cleantech, Blockchain and Waste Management, eight of these CU startups are women-led. Chandigarh University's Technology Business Incubator (CU-TBI), which secured number 1 rank among all scientific research and development organizations in India by filing highest 1126 patent applications in 2023-24, is mobilizing Rs 5 Crore to catalyze growth in the startup ecosystem at CU. Chandigarh University was ranked among the top 5 institutions in filing the highest number of patents in the last 5 years and secured 3rd Rank amongst all private and government universities in India by filing 2581 patents in the last 3 years alone," Sandhu added. The Vice President of Apna, India's largest early talent platform, trusted by over 6 Crore users and AICTE, Dr Preet Deep Singh said, "At Apna, building livelihoods has always been at the heart of our mission. We are not just a jobs platform; we are an opportunities platform. With Campus Tank, we are launching a powerful stage for India's youngest and brightest entrepreneurs. This is where ideas from college dorms, canteens, and jamming sessions get the chance to be seen, heard, and funded. Each startup creates direct employment for 11 people on average and 4 times more of it indirectly. Supporting these ventures is not just about innovation; it is about nation-building. We believe India grows when Indians grow. Our job is to hand-hold these young founders and help take their ideas from chair to charts. With Campus Tank, we aim to unlock a generation of problem-solvers, dreamers, and doers." Founding Member and Managing Partner at Venture Catalysts, India's leading early-stage investment firm and the country's first integrated incubator, Rishabh Golchha said, "At Venture Catalysts, we believe India's next breakout founders are already building in hostels, co-working spaces, cafés, and garages. Campus Tank is our way of finding and backing them early. This platform is for young founders under 30 who are solving real problems with bold ideas. With up to $1 million in pledged investment pool on the table, we are bringing capital, mentorship, and access to help them scale. Some may be students, others recent grads, or early professionals. What matters is their hunger to build. We see Campus Tank as the start of long-term founder journeys. And as ecosystem catalysts, we are ready to roll up our sleeves and help make those ideas come to life." About Chandigarh University Chandigarh University is a NAAC A Grade University and QS World Ranked University. This autonomous educational institution is approved by UGC and is located near Chandigarh in the state of Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be honoured with A Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). CU offers more than 109 UG and PG programs in the field of engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce, and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC. Website address: Photo: (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).
Hindustan Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh: CU launches ‘Campus Tank' to fund young innovators' startups
To nurture innovation and support aspiring entrepreneurs, Chandigarh University, in collaboration with professional networking platform Apna and investment firm Venture Catalysts, launched Campus Tank — a university-led platform for young innovators to pitch their startup ideas and secure funding. The initiative was officially launched on Monday. (From left) Venture Catalysts managing partner Rishabh Golchha, Chandigarh University chancellor Satnam Singh Sandhu and Apna's CEO Karna Choksi during the launch of Campus Tank website at Chandigarh Press Club on Monday. (Keshav Singh/HT) The Campus Tank portal ( was unveiled in the presence of Satnam Singh Sandhu, MP and chancellor of Chandigarh University, Apna's chief operating officer Karna Choksi, and Rishabh Golchha, managing partner at Venture Catalysts. Campus Tank is open to young founders under the age of 30, who can register for free and submit their business ideas or startup details via the portal. The registration window remains open until August 14, 2025. Applicants will be guided through a series of webinars designed to help them refine their business plans and prepare for the next stages. Promising ideas will be shortlisted for funding opportunities. At the launch event, a total fund of ₹8.5 crore was pledged to support selected startups. These chosen startups will get the chance to pitch directly to investors from Venture Catalysts during a Demo Day hosted at Chandigarh University. In addition, they will receive incubation support from Cube Founders Space, an initiative by Chandigarh University, along with training, expert mentorship and masterclasses to aid their entrepreneurial journey. The Demo Day will also feature industry keynotes, live evaluations, and the possibility of funding announcements for outstanding ideas. Speaking on the occasion, chancellor Satnam Singh Sandhu said that Campus Tank aims to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs by offering tangible support in their growth journey. 'The initiative aligns with the Centre's Startup India mission, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016, by encouraging innovation and design thinking among the youth,' he added.
The Hindu
13-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Apna.co unveils AI interview tool for job seekers
a jobs platform, has launched AI Job Prep — a new AI-powered interview preparation tool designed to address the preparation gap in the country's job market. 'Over 7.6 lakh AI interviews have been completed on Apna's platform, across over 900 cities and towns, logging more than 39 lakh minutes of interviews — signalling a growing demand for smarter, tech-enabled ways of interview preparation,' the firm said. 'The tool offers realistic interview simulations, instant performance feedback, and personalized improvement tips to help candidates build interview confidence,' it said. Early data from AI Job Prep tool reveals adoption across roles, regions, and demographics. 'Adoption was highest in metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai — accounting for 44% of total interviews,' the firm said. 'Also non-metros such as Jaipur, Lucknow, and Patna showed strong and growing momentum, reflecting rising digital fluency beyond urban centers,' it added. Nirmit Parikh, Founder & CEO, said, 'AI Job Prep is our answer to the confidence gap that quietly stalls millions of careers. We have turned a nerve-racking interview into a safe, intelligent rehearsal—one that knows the company you are aiming for, knows your profile, speaks your language, and improves with every exchange.' 'Think of an actual interviewer looking at your profile for a particular role - taking your interview,' he added. 'When world-class preparation becomes a right instead of a privilege, talent stops holding its breath and starts realising its full potential,' he said. Karna Chokshi, COO, said, 'AI Job Prep is powered by Apna's Proprietary Agentic AI platform—a self-improving stack that fuses large-language reasoning, accent-adaptive speech tech, and a live graph of thousands of Indian employers. In seconds, it ingests a resume, maps it to the exact role and company, and orchestrates a back-and-forth dialogue with smart turn detection.'
