Indian telecom major Bharti Airtel has acquired a strategic stake in Aqilliz – a Blockchain as a Service Company under the Airtel Startup Accelerator Program.
Singapore-based Aqilliz has developed a patented hybrid blockchain platform, Atom, integrating differential privacy and federated learning on a distributed digital ledger.
This allows brands to create secure and consent-based solutions to engage with customers in a rapidly evolving digital economy becoming increasingly decentralized.
Airtel aims to deploy Aqilliz’s advanced blockchain technologies at scale across its fast-growing Adtech, Digital Entertainment and Digital Marketplace offerings.
Adarsh Nair, CEO – Airtel Digital, said, “We, at Airtel, are deeply researching new technologies that drive the future of a digitally connected India. This relentless focus on innovation is also enabling us to unlock new growth engines within Airtel.”
“Blockchain technology is maturing, and we see its application across areas such as Adtech, Creator Economy, and Loyalty Programs. We are thrilled to have Aqilliz join our Startup Accelerator Program and be part of Airtel’s digital innovation factory,” added Adarsh Nair.
Airtel Startup Accelerator Program prying for technologies to support its business
The Airtel Startup Accelerator Program invests in early-stage startups working on technologies that are relevant to Airtel’s business offerings. The Program allows Startups to deploy their technologies and applications at a massive scale,
Gowthaman Ragothaman, Founding CEO Aqilliz, said, “We are incredibly excited to be a part of Airtel’s digital innovation play and bring this first of its kind blockchain technology to India. Legacy customer engagement, ad tech and marketing technologies are built for centralized databases.
“The future of the digital economy is already pivoting to managing value exchanges between brands, platforms and the consumer. Aqilliz’s patented technology will enable Airtel to capture and carry this value exchange in the form of consent and provenance across the digital supply chain,” added Gowthaman.
Aqilliz offers a first-of-its-kind middleware technology that strives to enable an interoperable and collaborative digital marketing ecosystem. The startup benefits brands, platforms, and consumers alike through solutions in cross-media measurement, privacy-compliant marketplaces and digital advertising supply chain automation.
