Brands
Reliance acquires majority stake in UrbanLadder
New Delhi: Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries continues with its acquisition streak. After acquiring stakes in NetMeds, Future Group and Flipkart, it has now taken a controlling stake in the popular furniture etailer UrbanLadder.
RRVL has acquired 96 per cent equity holding in Urban Ladder Home Décor Solutions Pvt Ltd (Urban Ladder) against an investment of Rs 182.12 crore. RRVL has a further option of acquiring the balance stake, taking its shareholding to 100 per cent of the equity share capital of UrbanLadder.
RRVL has proposed to make a further investment of up to Rs 75 crore, which is expected to be completed by December 2023.
The acquisition further helps Reliance to expand its product portfolio and widen its offerings to the consumers. Some of these categories are apparel, electronics, white goods, groceries, medicines, furniture, and others.
“The aforesaid investment will further enable the group’s digital and new commerce initiatives and widen the bouquet of consumer products provided by the group, while enhancing user engagement and experience across its retail offerings.”
UrbanLadder was one of the earliest entrants in online furniture retailing. It started operations in February 2012 and has been selling home furniture and décor products. It also has a chain of retail stores in several cities across India.
As per a BSE listing, UrbanLadder’s audited turnover was Rs 434.00 crore, Rs 151.22 crore and Rs 50.61 crore, and Net Profit / (Loss) of Rs 49.41 crore, Rs (118.66) crore and Rs (457.97) crore in FY 2019, FY 2018 and FY 2017 respectively.
The furniture retailer has created a big online community and strong recall. It has nearly 830k+ members on Facebook and 185k members on Instagram. It is also expected to have a strong pool of databases of consumers that will help Reliance new commerce initiatives in the long run.
Brands
HP launches Smart Champs learning game show with JioStar for students
Sanya Malhotra hosts quiz series blending fun, learning and prizes
NEW DELHI: HP India has teamed up with JioStar to launch HP Smart Champs, a new learning-based game show designed to make education engaging for school students across the country.
Hosted by Sanya Malhotra, the 10-episode series brings together students from Grades 5 to 9, who compete in teams through quiz and puzzle-based challenges that test knowledge, logic and teamwork. The show will begin streaming on JioHotstar from April 11 and will premiere on Nick on April 18, with weekend episodes airing at 7 PM.
Powered by HP Smart Tank printers, the format integrates print-based learning into the gameplay, using worksheets, clues and visual problem-solving tools to encourage hands-on participation. The idea is to move students beyond rote memorisation and towards more applied, curiosity-led learning.
The competition promises high stakes, with winners set to receive a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, while runners-up will take home Rs 5 lakh. Additional rewards include HP AI laptops, Smart Tank printers and accessories, while the winning school will be awarded an HP Smart Tech Lab.
Speaking about the initiative, HP India managing director Ipsita Dasgupta said, “At HP, we believe nurturing India’s youth is key to the country’s progress, and technology plays a foundational role in enabling this. With HP Smart Champs, we wanted to create something beyond traditional learning, a fun-filled platform where curiosity, creativity and critical thinking take centre stage.”
On the show’s reach, JioStar head entertainment sales Mahesh Shetty said, “HP Smart Champs reflects how children today learn through exploration and experience. With Nick and JioHotstar, we are creating a multi-screen approach that is both engaging and meaningful.”
Highlighting the role of print, HP India senior director print Satish Kumar said, “The show brings print-based learning to life in an engaging format, helping students develop deeper understanding through hands-on experiences.”
The journey to the finale began with participation from over 1,000 schools across 26 cities, narrowing down to 34 finalists who will compete in a studio showdown in Mumbai.
With its blend of entertainment, education and technology, HP Smart Champs is positioning itself as more than just a quiz show. It is a nationwide push to make learning interactive, accessible and, above all, a lot more fun.
