Background

India has a young population. In the coming years, this will be a key driver of GDP growth and a source of India's competitive strength among the nations of the world. As Nirupama Sen, India’s UN representative, says, “India is on the cusp of a demographic dividend”. By 2020, the average age of an Indian is expected to be 29 years, compared with 37 for China and 48 for Japan. A majority of these young people will be in Tier II, III, IV cities, small towns and villages.

On the other hand, India faces the challenge of low economic activity and low wealth creation in its small towns and villages. This is causing the mass migration of talented youth and entrepreneurial talent to big cities, which are bursting at the seams. This issue is aggravated not only by the lack of centers for vocational and computer literacy training but also by the absence of big-screen, fresh, entertainment that big city youth enjoy.

Centers of activity, primarily built around entertainment, playfulness and education are a big draw for youth and helps to bring them together to interact and exchange ideas. They are the places where seeds of entrepreneurship and new ideas are sown and dreams of a brighter and bigger future are woven.

Interactive, audio-visual, information, education and entertainment is creating the next generation of opportunities for IT enabled services. These next-gen services, powered by ubiquitous Internet connectivity and broadband, will be a significant employment and self-employment opportunity for Indian youth. It is also a proven fact that learning happens most easily in a playful and entertaining environment. Digital technology has made it possible to develop entertaining, rich-media content for learning. Therefore, the nature of vocational training itself, needs dramatic change due to the digital revolution, wireless & wired Broadband and the Mobile Internet.

The Need

There is a pressing need for entertainment centric, vocational education centers in small towns and rural India. These Infomedia Centers need to be a place where youth can receive vocationally relevant education through rich-multimedia course material and also get together for the latest big-city entertainment. Digital electronic equipment, media and merchandize must be available as well in these centers.

The TimePass Solution

TimePass fulfils this need by creating a nationwide chain of Entertainment and Infomedia Centers known as Digiplexes that offer computer based vocational training, infotainment material, digital electronic items and merchandize in an environment that offers mainstream, big screen, fresh, entertainment. This is a youth friendly and attractive environment and becomes a place for young people to meet and interact.

TimePass is a chain of Entertainment and Infomedia Centers all across the nation, which will be established through a Local Entrepreneur/Local Partnership Model.

Services and Products available in each of these Centers will be priced at affordable and small town price points. The feel, ambience and consumer experience of each Digiplex will rival those of urban centers.

In addition to the above the Company, in order to fulfill its Corporate Social Responsibility shall also open a Primary Health Care Centre at select Digiplex locations to spread health awareness and provide basic health care facilities.

• A 3D Digital Cinema capable of playing all 2D and 3D Bollywood, Dubbed Hollywood and International and Regional Movies
• A Vocational Training Academy that enables learning through rich-multimedia course material
• A Gaming Arcade and Cyber Café
• A Fast Food Restaurant/Café
• A Retail Store which would sell:
  • Home Video CDs, DVDs, Data Cards etc.
  • Mobiles, Electronic Gadgets, Mobile and Media Refills
  • Entertainment Merchandise/Gifts/Toys, etc.
• A Bank Correspondent Counter including an ATM

The Business Model

The TimePass Management Company (TimePass Media Pvt. Ltd.) owns the brand and supports the nationwide chain of Infomedia Centers/Digiplexes through the provision of:

• Cutting edge technology for hardware, software and communications
• Licensing for the latest mainstream entertainment – First Day First Show Movies, Games, Programs and Information.
• Educational material and staff through alliances with best of breed national and global institutions
• Managing a nationwide digital distribution virtual private network through satellite and leased lines
• Centralized sourcing and vendor management services for the fast food café and the retail store
• Marketing and brand building support
• National advertising tie-ups for Out-of-Home media and On-Screen Advertising

Each Digiplex will be either owned by TimePass or will be a partnership with a local entrepreneur and will provide the services directly to consumers according to uniform brand standards established by TimePass Management Company. TimePass will also provide assistance in capital and debt fund raising to the local entrepreneur.

The Revenue Model

TimePass Digiplex will have seven (7) revenue streams:

• Fees from end consumers through the provision of entertainment services (Box Office Collections from Ticket Sales to be managed by a national exhibition Company)
• Fees from end consumers through the provision of educational and vocational training services
• Revenue from end consumers through the sale of goods from the retail store
• Revenue from end consumers through the sale of food and beverages from the F&B counter/café
• Advertising revenues from On-Site Out-of-Home media
• Advertising revenues from On-Screen Advertising
• Rentals and fees from the bank for providing space for the ATM and services of Bank Correspondent.

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