MAM
Mary George Parayil appointed as principal – Kantar Analytics India
Mumbai: Kantar, the world’s leading marketing data and analytics company, has appointed Mary George Parayil as principal – Kantar Analytics India. Parayil has been a part of Kantar Analytics for the last 10 years, having managed global engagements as part of the global analytics hub in Bengaluru before taking on the responsibility of the Indian market. Parayil’s expanded responsibilities confirm the company’s continued growth trajectory in the market.
Recent additions to the analytics portfolio include UMMO (Unified Marketing Measurement & Optimization), a cookie-less unified measurement solution that provides highly scalable, AI-powered, unified measurement of online and offline media, and Digital Mirror, an NLP-based digital analytics solution that decodes digital footprints using AI, helping brands to understand people more holistically – from unknown personality traits to emerging trends and detailed media consumption habits.
Kantar executive managing director South Asia – insights division Deepender Rana commented, “Our clients already use the power and precision of Kantar’s analytics solutions to answer critical business questions. Clients use our pricing analytics offer to enhance profitability and combat inflation. CrossMedia helps allocate campaign budgets across media for optimal brand outcomes. Our AI-infused solutions are a natural evolution of our offer. Link AI is helping our clients test hundreds of creative assets, including digital ones, cost-efficiently in a matter of hours. UMMO uses AI for real-time advice on media allocation to optimise short- and long-term sales. Advanced technology capability is core to Kantar’s differentiation, and we will continue to invest in this area, helping businesses grow with speed and profitability.”
Kantar MD & chief client officer South Asia – insights division Soumya Mohanty said, “Kantar in India is the leader in brand measurement, and as our client teams work closely with Mary, it will further amplify our ability to provide end to end solutions to modern-day brand problems.”
In her new role, Parayil will report into Kantar lead – innovation South Asia – insights division Ranjana Gupta and will continue to be based in Bengaluru.
Kantar Analytics is a global network of over 1,500 data scientists, analytics consultants, technologists, and designers. Kantar’s analytics offer delivers world-class thinking, innovative technology, and solutions to help clients achieve differentiation across the entire marketing journey.
Brands
SatLeo Labs raises $5.5m seed funding led by Unicorn India Ventures
Fresh capital to power thermal satellite mission and AI data platform
MUMBAI: SatLeo Labs has raised $2.2 million in a fresh seed round led by Unicorn India Ventures, taking its total funding to $5.5 million as it steps up efforts to scale its space-based thermal intelligence platform.
The funding round also saw participation from existing backers including Merak Ventures, Java Capital, IIMA-CIIE and deep-tech investor Manish Gandhi.
The capital will be used to accelerate SatLeo’s flagship thermal satellite mission and further develop its AI-powered platform designed to deliver high-resolution thermal and visible data from low Earth orbit. The company aims to turn this data into actionable insights for sectors ranging from climate monitoring to urban planning.
Over the past year, SatLeo has scaled rapidly, growing its team from 8 to 30 specialists across satellite engineering, thermal sensing and AI-led geospatial analytics. It has also achieved a key milestone with the development of its first experimental payload, TAPAS-1, which reached near flight-ready status within six months and is now positioned for launch.
On the ground, the startup has begun translating its technology into real-world use cases. Pilot projects in cities such as Ahmedabad and Tumakuru have focused on monitoring urban heat islands and air pollution, impacting over 400,000 citizens. At the same time, its commercial pipeline has expanded sharply, with letters of intent rising from around $15 million to over $42 million within a year.
SatLeo Labs co-founder and CEO Shravan Bhati said, “Sustainability has become imperative amid accelerating climate change and rapid urbanisation. This fundraise represents a critical milestone as we move into the execution phase of our next mission.”
He added that the company is focused on scaling its satellite constellation and enhancing payload performance to deliver thermal intelligence at a global level.
Backing the startup, Unicorn India Ventures managing partner Bhaskar Majumdar said, “Space is an arena where the next wave of technological innovation will emerge. SatLeo’s ability to combine thermal and visible satellite data into real-time insights positions it strongly for long-term growth.”
Looking ahead, SatLeo plans to focus on launch readiness, expanding commercial deployments and scaling its technology stack over the next 12 months.
As demand for climate and environmental intelligence grows, SatLeo’s latest fundraise signals rising investor confidence in space-tech solutions that bring data from orbit down to everyday decision-making.
