MAM
Wondrlab launches open tech platform WISR
MUMBAI: MarTech network Wondrlab has launched ‘WISR’. This is an open tech platform that connects brands and schools with the ambition to empower schools through brand partnerships.
Wondrlab said that it believes in the power of brands and ‘marketing for good’. WISR was created to fundamentally solve the problem of below-par teacher salaries and the poor state of infrastructure in schools. Brands have the power to solve this problem. Wondrlab believes that WISR has the potential to add 20 percent additional salary for teachers across every participating school.
WISR is a platform that creates additional revenue streams for schools. The opportunity is to help brands create unique opportunities to connect with 260 million students in more than 1.5 million schools across the country.
The segment presents an opportunity for brands. Kids have huge power and influence purchase decisions across many key categories. The pocket money of kids even in 2017 was 22000 crore and grew by 100 percent every five years (in fact the pocket money is more than the GDP of 52 countries).
The problem for marketers has always been a disorganised database. Seeking permissions has always been a manual and extremely cumbersome process. There has never been any ability to track and measure the effectiveness of communication initiatives.
WISR lets brands Identify schools: an intelligent algorithm selects the right schools based on the category, marketing objectives and budgets. The platform lets brands schedule, deploy and optimize campaigns at the click of a button.
WISR, at its launch, covers more than 1500 schools across 21 cities.It will onboard more than 50,000 schools over the next five years.
Wondrlab founder & CEO Saurabh Varma said, “Our schools need help. They need help to better teacher salaries, create better infrastructure and create superior experiences for students. Brands can play a constructive role in making this happen. India’s move towards a five trillion economy is conditional on a superior education. That is our power. It will be extremely satisfying if we can play a small role in making this dream a possibility.”
Wondrlab co-founder & managing partner Vandana Verma said, “Our aim with WISR is to do marketing for good. But we understand that this comes with its own set of challenges. As schools benefit from brand partnerships, they are also faced with a moral responsibility towards children with regard to the pieces of communication they interact with. So, to safeguard this, the platform has on-boarded a panel of educationalists, child psychologists, and a legal team of experts responsible for vetting all brand communication. As a team, they will ensure that all school guidelines and ethical advertising principles are being adhered to. The open platform will let all brands, media agencies and creative agencies participate across key verticals like sports, health hygiene and edutainment.”
Wondrlab CTO Siddhyesh Narkar said, “Building this platform in-house has been a thrilling and rewarding experience. Careful planning and a clear vision have helped us develop this platform into something impactful. WISR allows school and brands collaborations by successfully deploying technology, data, and robotization.”
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
