Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

The <keyword id="20288056" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP-led-NDA" source="keywords">BJP-led NDA</keyword> on Tuesday surged ahead with leads in more than 200 <keyword id="21073505" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliamentary-seats" source="keywords">parliamentary seats</keyword> out of 350 for which trends were available, with opposition <keyword id="19895684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="INDIA-bloc" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="INDIA bloc" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="INDIA bloc">INDIA bloc</keyword> ahead in 120, according to television reports. India Today gave leads in 205 seats to the NDA, while the INDIA bloc was ahead in 129; ABP News gave 230 to the NDA and 120 to the opposition alliance; and NDTV showed NDA leading in 194 seats with INDIA bloc closing in on 135 seats. Counting of votes for the <keyword id="56978" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections" source="Orion">Lok Sabha elections</keyword> has begun across states and Union Territories, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar told PTI. According to the Conduct of Election Rules, postal ballots were taken up for counting first and the process of counting of votes recorded in electronic voting machines (EVMs) began 30 minutes later. The process of counting votes cast through postal ballots and EVMs will continue simultaneously. <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Infographic"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div> While the Lok Sabha has 543 members, counting is being held for 542 seats after the BJP's Surat candidate Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed. Counting of votes is also underway for the assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, where polling was held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections. Elections to the assemblies of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim were also held alongside the Lok Sabha polls. The results of these elections were declared on June 2. Since 2019, VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) slips from five randomly selected polling stations per assembly constituency -- or segment in case of Lok Sabha seats -- are matched with the EVM count for greater transparency.

Lok Sabha elections results: INDIA bloc leads in 120 seats in early trends; BJP-led NDA crosses 200 mark

Kolkata, The 2024 <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> elections are on track to break past records and become the most expensive electoral event in the world, according to a poll expert. The estimated expenditure is expected to reach a staggering Rs 1.35 lakh crore, more than double the Rs 60,000 crore spent in 2019, claimed N Bhaskara Rao, who chairs the Centre for Media Studies (CMS), a not-for-profit organisation, and has been tracking election spending for 35 years. Rao stated that this comprehensive expenditure encompasses all spending, direct or indirect, related to polls, including that by political parties and organisations, candidates, the government, and the Election Commission. With the BJP vying for a third consecutive term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, industry observers have noted the party's dominant presence in campaigns, irrespective of the mediums used for publicity. In an interview with PTI, Rao said he revised the initial expenditure estimate from Rs 1.2 lakh crore to Rs 1.35 lakh crore, factoring in electoral bond disclosures and accounting for all election-related expenses. "Initially, we estimated the expenditure at Rs 1.2 lakh crore. However, post the electoral bond stake disclosures, we've revised the figure to Rs 1.35 lakh crore," he said, adding that this estimate covered spending that took place 3-4 months before voting dates were announced. Rao emphasised that money flowed into the process through various means beyond electoral bonds. Recent observations by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) revealed a "significant lack of transparency" in <keyword id="20596430" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="political-funding" source="keywords">political funding</keyword> in India. From 2004-05 to 2022-23, approximately 60 per cent of contributions to the nation's six major political parties, totalling Rs 19,083 crore, came from undisclosed sources, including funds from electoral bonds, it claimed. The ADR has, however, refrained from providing any cumulative expenditure projections for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. "Pre-election activities are integral to <keyword id="21426857" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="campaign-spending" source="keywords">campaign spending</keyword> by parties and candidates, covering political rallies, transportation, hiring of workers including field and influencers and even the controversial horse-trading of political leaders," Rao said. The Election Commission's budget to manage the polls is expected to be 10-15 per cent of the total expenditure projection, he added. With a voter base of 96.6 crore, per-voter spending is estimated at around Rs 1,400. This surpasses the expenditure of the 2020 US elections, which stood at USD 14.4 billion or Rs 1.2 lakh crore, according to OpenSecrets.org, a nonprofit organisation based in Washington, DC, that tracks and publishes data on campaign finance and lobbying. Media campaigns across various platforms are predicted to account for 30 per cent of the total election spend, Rao said. "While visible spending is concentrated in the 45-day direct campaign period, the actual expenditure far exceeds this amount," he added. Parties and candidates often find ways to circumvent spending restrictions imposed by the Model Code of Conduct. In 2019, the CMS reported that the BJP accounted for 45 per cent of the total spending of Rs 60,000 crore, a share that Rao believes will increase in the 2024 elections. In his latest book, 'Next Big Game Changer of Elections', Rao highlighted the growing reliance on 'money power' over ideology in Indian politics. He lamented the transformation of election campaigns from ideology-driven movements to "jingoistic apparatuses" that leverage demographics to create divisive tactics and polarisation. Rao identified six key trends in the ongoing general election -- prolonged pre-poll activities, affluent candidates dominating the fray, the 'Mandi' phenomenon of political crossovers, manipulation through various channels, lack of fair play, and the power dynamics favouring incumbents. As digital campaigning gains prominence, political parties are engaging professional agencies for higher brand recall. Amit Wadhwa, CEO of leading advertising agency Dentsu Creative, said that there has been a significant surge in digital campaigning this year. He said political parties were behaving like corporate brands and were engaging professional agencies for higher brand recall. "With the inclusion of both direct and indirect digital campaigns, this medium's footprint is poised to become the mainstay, potentially outshining all others in this election. Television, digital platforms, and outdoor advertising are ahead, relegating print to fourth place," he projected, based on his observations. A top ad agency official said voters unaffiliated with any political ideology, referred to as 'fence-sitters,' are the primary targets of the intense visual campaigns launched by parties across various media. Social media giants like Meta and Google play significant roles in political campaigns, he said. Advertisement professional Jadavendra Sen categorised advertisements into three types - Above the Line (ATL) activities, which include outdoor, television, and print; Below the Line (BTL) activities, encompassing wall writings and posters; and Through the Line (TTL) activities, which involve third-party like influencers and digital platforms. Sen highlighted that during the initial voting phase in North Bengal, there was a notable demand for flex advertising. He anticipated that the intensity of visual campaigning would escalate with every passing election phase. In response to the spending budget this year, agencies associated with leading national parties like BJP and Congress did not offer any comments but acknowledged the increase had been significant. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/jiocinema-introduces-new-ad-free-premium-plans-starting-at-29/articleshow/109581033.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/jiocinema-introduces-new-ad-free-premium-plans-starting-at-29/articleshow/109581033.cms" target="_blank">An Ambani disruption in OTT: At just ₹1 per day, you can now enjoy ad-free content on JioCinema</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-narzo-70-narzo-70x-5g-smartphones-launched-in-india-starting-at-11999/articleshow/109557895.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-narzo-70-narzo-70x-5g-smartphones-launched-in-india-starting-at-11999/articleshow/109557895.cms" target="_blank">Realme Narzo 70, Narzo 70X 5G smartphones launched in India starting at ₹11,999</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-let-loose-event-scheduled-for-may-7-ipads-expected-to-be-launched/articleshow/109553148.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-let-loose-event-scheduled-for-may-7-ipads-expected-to-be-launched/articleshow/109553148.cms" target="_blank">Apple Let Loose event scheduled for May 7 – New iPad models expected to be launched</a>

2024 LS polls pegged as costliest ever, expenditure may touch ₹1.35 lakh crore: Expert

The <keyword id="19895782" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission" source="keywords">Election Commission</keyword> has received eight applications from aggrieved <keyword id="19902220" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="candidates" source="keywords">candidates</keyword>, including those from the <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> and the <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword>, for verification of tampering or modification in micro-controller chips embedded in the EVMs post declaration of Lok Sabha election results on June 4. Terming the suspicion of manipulation of the electronic voting machines "unfounded", the <keyword id="19895345" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court" source="keywords">Supreme Court</keyword> had on April 26 rejected the demand for reverting to the old paper ballot system. But at the same time, the top court had opened a window for the aggrieved unsuccessful candidates securing second and third places in the poll results and allowed them to seek verification of micro-controller chips embedded in five per cent EVMs per assembly constituency on a written request upon the payment of a fee to the poll panel. BJP's Ahmednagar (Maharashtra) candidate Sujay Vikhe-Patil has sought verification of the machines from 40 <keyword id="20300567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="polling-stations" source="keywords">polling stations</keyword>. Vikhe-Patil had lost to Nilesh Lanke of NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction. A YSRCP and a DMDK candidate too have applied for the verification, according to data shared by the poll panel. According to the EC, eight parliamentary seats spread across six states are involved. The total number of polling stations for which verification has been sought is 92. Candidates who come second or third and seek verification of the EVMs will have to pay Rs 47,200 per EVM set, according to the standard operating procedure issued by the EC on June 1. According to the EC's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the cost submitted by manufacturers BEL and ECIL to carry out EVM "check and verification" is Rs 40,000 (plus 18 per cent GST) per set of EVM. "In addition to the cost incurred by the manufacturers, there are also administrative costs like cost of labour to shift the units, CCTV coverage, electricity charges, videography costs and various other operational costs at the district election officer level," the document said. It, however, said to make the <keyword id="21143428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="verification-process" source="keywords">verification process</keyword> "more accessible" and inclusive in compliance to the referred mandate of the Supreme Court, it is decided that instead of going purely by the actual economic costs incurred, the administrative expenditure on <keyword id="22122362" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="EVM-verification" source="keywords">EVM verification</keyword> will be treated as "election expenditure and borne by the central or state government, as the case may be". "Accordingly, the administrative charges will be waived for the applicants -- the same shall not be charged to the applicants," it noted. The charges for EVM verification to be paid by the applicant candidate is for the current financial year 2024-25 -- till March 31, 2025, it said. An EVM set has at least one Ballot Unit, one Control Unit and a <keyword id="19975285" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vvpat" source="keywords">VVPAT</keyword> machine. Separately, YSRCP and BJD candidates from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha respectively have also applied for EVM check following the announcement of assembly results on June 4. Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh were held along with the Lok Sabha elections. In the verification exercise for assembly poll results, total assembly constituencies involved are three where verification has been sought in 26 polling stations. According to the SOP, the concerned state chief electoral officer (CEO) was required to communicate to the manufacturers the consolidated list of applicants within 30 days of the date of declaration of results -- by July 4. The CEOs have already conveyed the same to the manufacturers 15 days ahead of the schedule, the EC said. The technical SOP enumerating the methodology and steps for checking and verification of burnt memory/ micro-controller of the EVM units will be issued by the EC in due course.

EC receives applications for EVM verification on 8 LS seats in 6 states

The <keyword id="19895782" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Election Commission" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Election Commission">Election Commission</keyword> (EC) on Wednesday increased the <keyword id="21499618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="polling-time" source="keywords">polling time</keyword> for the <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha elections</keyword> in <keyword id="19909031" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telangana" source="keywords">Telangana</keyword> by an hour in view of <keyword id="20715549" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heat-wave" source="keywords">heat wave</keyword> conditions prevailing in the state. The new timing would be 7 am to 6 pm against the earlier 7 am to 5 pm. Polling for all 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state will be held on May 13 in the fourth round of the seven-phase elections. While the extended time for voting will be applicable in all assembly segments of 12 Lok Sabha constituencies, in the remaining five parliamentary seats, the timing will apply in certain assembly segments, according to a notification issued by the commission. The hours of polling will be 7 am to 6 pm in the Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Zahirabad, Medak, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, <keyword id="19900176" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hyderabad" source="keywords">Hyderabad</keyword>, Chevella, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool (SC), Nalgonda and the Bhongir Lok Sabha seat, it said. The new timing will also be applicable in five assembly segments of the Adilabad Lok Sabha seat, three of Peddapalle seat, six of Warangal (SC) seat, three of Mahabubabad (ST) seat and five of the Khammam Lok Sabha seat, the Election Commission said in its notification. The decision -- to change the timing -- was taken following a request from the Telangana chief electoral officer in view of representations received from various political parties and contesting candidates on the prevailing situation of heat wave in the state and its effect on voter turnout, according to the notification. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/webstories/india-t20-world-cup-squad-kulcha-back-on-menu-kl-rahul-dropped/slidelist/109730805.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/webstories/india-t20-world-cup-squad-kulcha-back-on-menu-kl-rahul-dropped/slidelist/109730805.cms" target="_blank">India T20 World Cup squad: KulCha back on menu, KL Rahul dropped</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-cars-and-two-wheelers-launching-in-india-in-may-2024/slidelist/109723620.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-cars-and-two-wheelers-launching-in-india-in-may-2024/slidelist/109723620.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming cars and two-wheelers launching in India in May 2024</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/mahindra-xuv-3xo-compact-suv-launched-in-india-starting-at-7-49-lakh/slidelist/109715525.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/mahindra-xuv-3xo-compact-suv-launched-in-india-starting-at-7-49-lakh/slidelist/109715525.cms" target="_blank">Mahindra XUV 3XO compact SUV launched in India starting at ₹7.49 lakh</a>

LS polls: EC increases polling time in Telangana in view of heat wave

At least five political leaders, including four from the BJP, crushed the previous record of the highest <keyword id="21384901" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="victory-margin" source="keywords">victory margin</keyword> in the <keyword id="19912155" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-polls" source="keywords">Lok Sabha polls</keyword>, with Indore's incumbent MP <keyword id="20906514" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shankar-Lalwani" source="keywords">Shankar Lalwani</keyword> topping the chart with a winning margin of more than 11.72 lakh votes. Home Minister Amit Shah, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and BJP's Gujarat leader C R Patil were also leading with more than seven lakh votes each from their respective constituencies at the last count. Congress's Rakibul Hussain is also leading from Dhubri in Assam by a margin of more than 7.36 lakh votes. Before their record-crushing spree, the record for the <keyword id="21936451" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="highest-winning-margin" source="keywords">highest winning margin</keyword> was held by Pritam Munde, also from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who had won a bypoll in October 2014 from Beed in Maharashtra by more than 6.96 lakh votes. Patil, a three-term MP from Navsari, held the record for the second-highest margin after he won the poll contest by 6.89 lakh votes in 2019. He has now broken his own record and was leading by 7.67 lakh votes at 4:30 pm. Chouhan was ahead from Vidisha by more than 7.96 lakh votes. Shah was leading the poll race in Gandhinagar by a margin of more than 7.37 lakh votes while Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia was ahead from Guna in Madhya Pradesh by more than 5.4 lakh votes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was leading by more than 1.49 lakh votes from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has bettered Sonia Gandhi's 2019 victory margin from the Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh and was leading by more than 3.88 lakh votes against his nearest rival Dinesh Pratap Singh of the BJP. Gandhi was also leading from Wayanad in Kerala by a margin of more than 3.64 lakh votes. Former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb of the BJP was leading from Tripura West by a margin of more than six lakh votes while Kriti Dev Debbarman of the saffron party has won the Tripura East constituency by a margin of more than 4.86 lakh votes. BJP's Hemang Joshi was also leading by more than 5.82 lakh votes from Vadodara. Congress's Amasahayam Raghuram Reddy was winning from Khammam by a margin of more than 4.59 lakh votes. BJP's Eatala Rajender was leading by 3.81 lakh votes from Malkangiri while Ajay Bhatt from the Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar constituency was leading by a margin of more than 3.26 lakh votes. BJP's Brijmohan Agrawal was leading by a margin of more than 4.43 lakh votes from Raipur. Hema Malini of the BJP, who is seeking a hat-trick from Mathura, was leading by 2.61 lakh votes while Mahesh Sharma was leading by 5.57 lakh votes from Noida. In Haryana, Congress's Kumari Selja and Deepender Singh Hooda are ahead from Sirsa and Rohtak by 2.67 lakh votes and 3.01 lakh votes respectively. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/lok-sabha-election-results-2024-live-counting-begins-at-8-am-as-bjp-led-nda-hopes-for-a-historic-third-term/articleshow/110685785.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/lok-sabha-election-results-2024-live-counting-begins-at-8-am-as-bjp-led-nda-hopes-for-a-historic-third-term/articleshow/110685785.cms" target="_blank">Lok Sabha Election Results 2024 LIVE: BJP-led NDA crosses halfway mark in terms of leads; INDIA bloc still putting up a fight</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/may-auto-sales-tata-motors-and-hyundai-continue-to-fight-for-the-second-spot-as-car-sales-grow-by-4/articleshow/110649713.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/may-auto-sales-tata-motors-and-hyundai-continue-to-fight-for-the-second-spot-as-car-sales-grow-by-4/articleshow/110649713.cms" target="_blank">May Auto Sales – Tata Motors and Hyundai continue to fight for the second spot as car sales grow by 4%</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-cars-and-two-wheelers-launching-in-india-in-june-2024/slidelist/110591467.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-cars-and-two-wheelers-launching-in-india-in-june-2024/slidelist/110591467.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming cars and two-wheelers launching in India in June 2024</a>

LS polls: 5 leaders crush highest victory margin record, Indore's Lalwani tops chart

There has been an increase of 104 per cent in the number of <keyword id="20013498" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="political-parties" source="keywords">political parties</keyword> contesting <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha elections</keyword> from 2009 to 2024, according to an analysis by poll rights body <keyword id="19978362" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ADR" source="keywords">ADR</keyword>. According to the analysis, 751 political parties are participating in 2024 as compared to 677 who participated in 2019, 464 in 2014, and 368 in 2009. This surge represents a staggering 104% increase from 2009 to 2024. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and <keyword id="21327094" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Election-Watch" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="National Election Watch" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="National Election Watch">National Election Watch</keyword> have conducted a comprehensive analysis of the self-sworn affidavits of 8,337 <keyword id="19902220" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="candidates" source="keywords">candidates</keyword> vying for seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha 2024 Elections. Out of the total 8,360 contesting candidates, the breakdown reveals a diverse landscape of political representation: 1,333 from national parties, 532 from state parties, 2,580 from registered unrecognised parties and 3,915 independent candidates. The analysis also sheds light on the prevalence of <keyword id="20092857" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="criminal-cases" source="keywords">criminal cases</keyword> among candidates. Among national parties, 443 out of 1,333 candidates have declared criminal cases, with 295 facing serious criminal charges. State parties exhibit a higher proportion, with 249 out of 532 candidates facing criminal cases and 169 facing serious charges. Registered unrecognised parties show comparatively lower figures with 401 out of 2,580 candidates having criminal cases and 316 facing serious charges. Independent candidates fall in between with 550 out of 3,915 candidates facing criminal cases and 411 facing serious charges. Additionally, the analysis reveals financial assets of the candidates with 2,572 out of all 8,337 candidates being crorepatis or millionaires. Among national parties, 906 out of 1,333 candidates are crorepatis, followed by 421 out of 532 in state parties, 572 out of 2,580 in registered unrecognised parties, and 673 out of 3,915 among independent candidates.

104% rise in number of political parties contesting LS polls from 2009-24: ADR

Lok Sabha Election Results 2024 LIVE: BJP-led NDA crosses halfway mark in terms of leads; INDIA bloc still putting up a fight

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>France's digital minister Axelle Lemaire is on a crusade at the moment, travelling around the world trying to encourage startups and established technology companies to relocate or expand to France.Lemaire is in Las Vegas this week for CES, and she spoke last year at TechCrunch Disrupt London. Her appearance in London was especially interesting as a number of startups are considering moving out of the <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> after the result of the EU referendum.The tech world overwhelmingly supported remaining in the EU.&#xa0;One poll <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/mar/04/britains-tech-sector-overwhelmingly-opposed-to-brexit">found that 87% of respondents</a> who work in tech wanted to remain.Business Insider interviewed Lemaire about the outcome of the EU referendum, and why she feels that France is the perfect place for technology companies.This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.Business Insider: How many British startups have made enquiries about moving to France? Axelle Lemaire: Many companies have already been in touch although I think many more will come in the forthcoming months when the timetable for Brexit becomes clearer.In any case, whether they plan to leave now or have yet to decide, I've noticed an increased interest in the French ecosystem from British fintech companies. Whatever happens with Brexit, many startups find and continue to find France an attractive place to do business. If and when the UK leaves the single market, British startups will want to keep open access to the EU market: They will either leave the UK or at least develop their activities on both sides of the channel.Altogether, what strikes me is the renewed interest that international investors show for France, partly but not only linked to the uncertainties created by Brexit. While investments in British startups plummeted in 2016, amounts invested in French tech have soared, increasing by 71% in January through&#xa0;September in 2016. In the third&#xa0;quarter of 2016 alone, funding obtained by French startups reached €857 million (£729 million), double the amount invested in Germany and almost equaling the €919 million (£781 million) invested in the UK.This attention surrounding French tech is not trivial. We're now harvesting the fruit of our longterm efforts to create a business-friendly framework and to promote worldwide the quality and versatility of our startup ecosystems, especially with "La French tech" initiative. BI: Is France changing any of its regulations around hiring and firing to make it easier for startups to exist? AL: In the last years this government has been implementing many regulatory reforms to promote a business-friendly environment. New labour laws and fiscal regulations have significantly lowered the burden on businesses. In the 2017 budget, we've cut taxes for companies who employ staff in France, cut taxes on shares distributed by startups to their employees, and enabled business angels to make tax-free investments in French startups.Our labour law reform, six months ago, gives more flexibility and legal security to firms while creating a new framework for a more effective and constructive relationship between work unions and companies' management. In particular, the new law generalises the primacy of firms' agreements over branch agreements. It also makes redundancies for economic reasons more straightforward. BI: What does the French government view as its strengths and weaknesses in the tech scene compared to Germany? AL: I am not very keen on these comparisons which I find counter-intuitive as ecosystems in the larger European countries like Germany and France are increasingly interconnected. EU tech companies face massive global competitors from Silicon Valley and&#xa0;China. Our goal should be to create real European champions and not to focus on a narrow competition between European states. I strongly believe the European Union can help a lot there by promoting a homogeneous and startup-friendly framework that could help European digital champions to become truly global. BI: Many French VCs that I've talked to are conscious of previous decisions by the French government which were seen as being harmful to businesses (such as the Dailymotion saga). What would you say to entrepreneurs who have seen previous work by the French government and are worried about coming to the country? AL: Have you heard of retinal persistence? Our eyes continue to see for a few nanoseconds an image that is not there anymore, which helps the brain to make sense of the flow of information it catches. Maybe that's what's happening to some entrepreneurs and VCs who have not yet grasped all the essential changes that have been happening in the French environment, and are seeing it as it used to be rather than as it is now!<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Actually, it's not the case for all of them! Many understand that today's France is business-friendly. In the coming months, we will welcome 180 new entrepreneurs from abroad, who have applied for the special package called the "French Tech Ticket." We created the "French Tech Ticket" specifically to facilitate entrepreneuralism. It includes a €45,000 (£38,000) grant, visa facilities, and a fast track for all administrative procedures. Consider this: In 2016, the number of foreign entrepreneurs who settled in France tripled the 2015 number. Interestingly, the first nationality among entrepreneurs selected through this program was … American! I really think entrepreneurs stuck in the past should keep up with the times or they might miss great opportunities. By the way, I'm not alone in this view. Take John Chambers from Cisco for instance, who decided to double his investment in France this year, saying "France is the next big thing…" BI: Station F is obviously a big boost for the French tech scene. How much participation is the French government having there? AL: Station F will be the biggest startup incubator in the world with 30,000 square meters of space and will host no fewer than 1,000 startups. This private project is led by our successful entrepreneur Xavier Niel. It symbolises the maturity of our ecosystems and the will of our entrepreneurs to reinvest to support the ecosystem. It has full support from the French government. Our national deposit and consignment fund will have a minority shareholding in it.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>BI: You spoke recently at TechCrunch Disrupt in London, and you're now going to CES in Las Vegas. How do you see the division between working domestically to support French companies and doing international outreach? Is there a danger of spending too much time abroad? AL: Startups think globally so as minister for digital affairs and innovation I do so to and strive to show the entire world how strong French tech is. That's why I try to attend major events like TechCrunch Disrupt London or CES. But be assured I still spend most of my time working directly with the French innovative ecosystems in Paris and in our 13 French tech metropoles. BI: Is there a danger of creating a single tech hub in Paris and ignoring the rest of the country? That's something that the UK has struggled with - how is France avoiding that? AL: I'm glad you asked this question. This is a very important issue to me. Since the start, we've conceived French tech as a network of versatile local ecosystems spread all around the country, rather than a Paris-only business. One of the first programs I launched was to support 13 French tech metropoles, which included cities with robust local innovative ecosystems throughout the country like Montpellier, Bordeaux, Grenoble, and Lille. Startups from all of these 13 "Métropoles" will actually attend CES this year. We want our entrepreneurs to know that they can create a startup and make it grow in the place where they come from.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>We've been investing a lot in hardware too in order to make this vision a reality. In 2013 we launched a €20 billion (£17 billion) investment program to spread ultra-fast optic fiber internet broadband all around the country. It's being rolled out&#xa0;now and by 2024 every city or village in France will be connected to high-speed internet. BI: France has traditionally been seen as a hub for media companies and video games, but something that it isn't known for as much is fintech. How is France suited to fintech companies? AL: France is very well-positioned in the fintech market for several reasons. First, the size of the payment market, with around 65 million payment cards circulating in France. Second, some historical players in this field, like Gemalto or Ingenico, were founded in France. Third, our engineers are arguably the best in the world, a key point for this sector, particularly hungry for talents and technical competences. This is one of the reasons why blockchain technology is developing so rapidly in France with numerous applications, chiefly in the financial field.A fourth key support mechanism for French fintech is smart regulation. A series of new laws have boosted the development of fintech in France. For instance, my government has allowed transactions of non-listed securities to rely on blockchain technology; the Digital Republic law that I led through Parliament set a threshold under which no authorisation is needed from the regulators to start a business in this field. Last but not least, our regulatory authorities are well-known for being very meticulous, which results in quality authorisations that are valued everywhere in Europe. And they have set up a one-stop shop, which streamlines and speeds up authorisation procedures for those who want to settle in France, whether it is due or not to Brexit.All this context enables fintech innovators to thrive in this ecosystem and to rapidly scale to a critical size.BI: You've said multiple times that you don't need to pay for buses with adverts in London (or anywhere else). You may not need that now, but would you consider that in the future if you felt your current outreach wasn't having the impact you want? AL: I have no reason to think this kind of communications trick will be necessary to shed light on the quality of the French innovative environment. As minister for digital affairs, I've been meeting lots of entrepreneurs and investors around the world. When it comes to where to put their money, they don't rely on promotion but on facts. Is the fiscal and social environment business-friendly? Is the ecosystem dynamic and mature? Is it easy to find staff with excellent skills there? Just consider the latest investment rates in France, you'll see we've been quite convincing … without having to resort to renting any buses.BI: France has traditionally been seen as risk-averse in its approach to business. Is that changing now, do you think? AL: Yes, it has really changed. I see it every day. According to a recent study, one in every three French people under 30 would like to create a startup within the next two years, and 52% of French people believe that startups can save the economy. More and more new graduates want to create a startup rather than work for a big firm. We were a country of engineers and we are becoming a country of entrepreneurs. I believe that La French Tech initiative played a great role in this cultural revolution. BI: Is it correct that coding isn't currently on the curriculum in France, but is an optional course in schools at a certain age? Isn't that a barrier towards creating a new generation of tech works? How is the French school system geared towards technology? AL: Things are changing fast as far as education is concerned. Now all French kids in all schools are taught to read, count, write, and code. The ministry for education launched a digital plan which is promoting the use of digital tools by both children and teachers from primary school to high school. It will still take time to bring the education community up to speed with the digital challenges but the journey has started for good.In order to develop digital skills and fill the needs of our companies, we also created in 2016 the "Grande Ecole du Numérique" - one could translate it as the great digital college - which is a network of 255 labelled digital courses throughout France, open to everyone. Roughly 10,000 people fully trained in web development, graphic design etc. will have completed one of these courses by 2017.<div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/plastic-surgery-double-eyelid-south-korea-explained-2016-12">Why Korean parents are paying for their kids to get plastic surgery</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="N3anZreDpn-2nQvRx1Ucqnt93GqH8mTZ" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

You Searched For "2024 LS polls" and got 8 results

Lok Sabha elections results: INDIA bloc leads in 120 seats in early trends; BJP-led NDA crosses 200 mark

PTI

2024 LS polls pegged as costliest ever, expenditure may touch ₹1.35 lakh crore: Expert

PTI

EC receives applications for EVM verification on 8 LS seats in 6 states

PTI

LS polls: EC increases polling time in Telangana in view of heat wave

PTI

LS polls: 5 leaders crush highest victory margin record, Indore's Lalwani tops chart

PTI

104% rise in number of political parties contesting LS polls from 2009-24: ADR

PTI

Lok Sabha Election Results 2024 LIVE: BJP-led NDA crosses halfway mark in terms of leads; INDIA bloc still putting up a fight

BI India Bureau

France's digital minister: There's 'increased interest' in France from British fintech startups after Brexit

James Cook

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides