November Special: Startup Of The Year 2022

Publisher’s Note

Himanshu Tyagi

Look around and you will see innovation everywhere. It’s the innovation that has led us to technologies we never imagined - flying cars, smartphones, aeroplanes and of course things we use in daily life - clocks, sticky notes, tissues, soaps, and more. But how did this happen? The answer is STARTUPS. Any startup filled with brilliant and innovative minds that designs its business model to address a genuine pain point adds to the innovation.

‘True innovation is coming up with a product that the customer didn’t even know they needed.’ And India has a bundle of startups that live on this ideology. Our Startup Of The Year 2022 Edition is a shoutout to all these startups, ranging from influencer marketing to human resources, education technology to restaurant operations, digital security to retail convenience, and more.

We also bring the spotlight on different startups offering reliable Digital Learning Solutions, helping restaurants upscale their business, and those revolutionizing the gaming industry.

If you turn the pages, you will also find industry updates, which include a detailed report about a platform which is used by 875 Million Users across the globe. Also, in this edition, we bring to you some really interesting articles like information about the World's Oldest Business, 5 Must-Visit Unheard Forts of India and much more.

Hope you enjoy reading this edition. Happy Reading!

The Global Hues

Editorial@theglobalhues.com

Vol 2 | Issue 11 | November 2022

Publisher: The Global Hues

Founder & CEO: Himanshu Tyagi

Editor-in-chief: Tannishtha Mukherjee Copy Editor: Priyanka Tyagi Content Manager: Himanshi Jain

Editorial Team: Neha Maurya, Kusum Vats, Aditi Gautam, Shreya Malakar

Design Head: Himanshu Koli Digital Team: Amit Sharma, Neha

Head of Sales & Marketing: Chetan Kaushik Sales Team: Ritu Chauhan, Malvika Saini, Anubha Singh Chauhan, Anushka Gupta, Sanchit Rathi, Shubham Goel

Data & Research: Naval Kishore, Sanjay Sharma Marketing & PR: Krishiv Kumar PR@theglobalhues.com

Advertisement: Mayank Gulati Subscription: Maniraj Reddy

HR: Simran Khanna Corporate Office Address: A-204, Third Floor, Vikaspuri, New Delhi-110018 Ph. no. : +91 9871258991 Email: info@theglobalhues.com

“The Indian Startup Industry has the power to determine the future economy of the country.”

Let’s Think

1. Who became the first company to cross a billion transactions on UPI? 2. Who is responsible for controlling the repo rate of the Indian economy? 3. Headquarters of Axis Bank 4. C in FMCG (with respect to companies) stands for 5. Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal are associated with 6. A very famous Indian philanthropist & industrialist 7. “Minute Maid” is a juice brand from 8. Which is the world biggest automaker? 9. A very famous application acquired by Elon Musk 10. In which city is the ISRO headquarters located?

Explorex

A Complete Solution For Restaurants

Consumers are now looking for hygienic contactless ordering & delivery options, digital payment methods and a seamless personalised experience since the pandemic hit the world. To help restaurants work with full efficiency and to make consumers' experience exceptional, Explorex offers full-stack solutions to streamline the business of restaurants. Revolutionising the restaurant industry with Empathy, Care and Passion, Explorex emerged as a rising star catering to the evolving needs of the restaurant industry.

Explorex offers exceptional services and helps restaurants upscale their business and generate more revenues by understanding the wants and needs of their restaurant partners. Explorex is democratising software access for the restaurant industry with its full-stack ecosystem, enabling the restaurant industry to ease its operation process and grow faster.

MAINAK SARKAR Co-Founder & CEO, Explorex

Our solutions ensure that not only a multichain restaurant but even the smallest cafe can use the tools that are necessary for its business by democratising technology for restaurants in the true sense.

MEET THE GENIUSES OF EXPLOREX

With a firm belief in the saying “You are never too small to make a difference”, Mainak Sarkar (Co-Founder & CEO) started Explorex along with Pritam Khan (Co-Founder & CTO) to make a remarkable change to the restaurant industry. Mainak started his entrepreneurial journey with his friend from IIT Kharagpur, Pritam Khan. The duo from IIT Kharagpur, Mainak and Pritam, together started their first startup ‘Eatable’ with a mission to help diners have a great dining experience ordering through QR Codes. Eatable started to swing but the 2020 pandemic hit the entire world and the duo was forced to shut down their first startup.

There is a famous saying when destiny closes one door, it opens many others for you. Taking lessons from the last journey, Mainak and Pritam understood the problems and the needs of the industry and incepted Explorex in 2020. Coming stronger than before, the duo hasn't looked back since then.

ON A JOURNEY TO BRING THE CHANGE

Born out of Empathy and Necessity, Explorex is on a path to becoming an industry leader providing restaurants with a complete ecosystem for every single requirement of the restaurants. Growing at 20% MoM (Month-overMonth), Explorex is currently working with 1000+ restaurants, including the

ones on the waiting list. After setting its firm foot in Bengaluru, the company is expanding in various cities in India including Delhi and Mumbai.

Explorex faced many challenges in its initial days but Mainak and Pritam never took them as a failure instead saw it as an opportunity to learn and improve themselves. The Founder duo experienced great difficulty while scaling the team. Mainak asserts, “We understood that great culture attracts great talent and that’s what we focused on at Explorex.” And now Explorex has a highly motivated team of enthusiastic and professional minds.

SERVICES OFFERED

Working closely with many restaurant owners and staff, Mainak and Pritam realised the need for a complete ecosystem solution that takes care of all the operational needs of restaurants. Stating the limitations of the software that were being used in the industry, Mainak iterates, “Existing solutions are inefficient and most of them lack the technical expertise needed to develop modern stable products that would enable the restaurants to match customer expectations.”

Bridging this gap, Explorex provides a full suite of solutions ranging from Full-scale POS Software, Inventory Management Tools to Vendor Management Tools and reduces

the complexity & costs associated with piecemeal solutions and legacy softwares.

Helping restaurants with collecting payments and providing access to capital, Explorex has partnered with reputed payment players in the industry including Razorpay, Paytm and MSwipe. Along with this, the full stack Customer Data Collection Tool offered by Explorex allows restaurants to collect customers’ names and numbers and also maps them to the customer’s visit count, order preferences and other important data.

‘‘Our solutions ensure that not only a multichain restaurant but even the smallest cafe can use the tools that are necessary for its business by democratising technology for restaurants in the true sense,” mentions the CEO of the company.

KEY FEATURES OF EXPLOREX

Catering to the end-to-end operations, the ecosystem designed by Explorex manages restaurants of every scale from large to small. Be it a small cafe or a multi-chain restaurant, Explorex has the expertise to manage them all. Eliminating all the hurdles from the process, the company work diligently to provide solutions that increase the overall efficiency and revenue of the restaurant but also improve the lives of their staff and improve the diners experience significantly. Some of the key features of Explorex’s full-stack ecosystem are: 

DIGITAL MENU

With the help of Digital Menu, the restaurant can offer their customers, a well-crafted dynamic menu that can be accessed by scanning the QR code simply with a customer’s mobile. Digital Menus are extremely helpful in managing and updating menus on special occasions and increase the visibility of dish items by adding images. It also controls the recurring costs of managing physical menus. 

INTEGRATED PAYMENT SERVICES

Explorex makes the process of payments and checkout absolutely smooth with its Integrated Payment Systems. Making payment process easier through various means of payment gateway with UPI,

MAINAK SARKAR & PRITAM KHAN (CO-FOUNDERS)

Restaurant Operating System

web apps and other digital modes of payment.



RESTAURANT ANALYTICS & REPORTS

Explorex not only makes the day-to-day operations of the restaurant easy but also provides them access to in-depth analysis of the restaurant’s analytics and reports. This helps the restaurants to make better future strategies and decisions to improve the efficiency and growth of the business.

In addition to these features, the other key features of Bridge by Explorex include Automated Ordering, Integrated POS/mPOS Solutions, Thirdparty Delivery Integrations, Inventory

THE PILLAR OF STRENGTH

Aligning with the core vision and mission of the company, the Team at Explorex is highly motivated and with their hard work and expertise, they are pushing the company closer to becoming the industry leader.

“Our team is not focused on just getting the job done, each one of them makes sure they are doing their best and are always flexible to the requirements that our clients and partners have,” says Mainak taking pride in his team. Standing right next to Mainak and Pritam in every situation, the team of Explorex is its biggest asset.

THE ESTEMEED CLIENTELE

In such a short span of time, Explorex has been able to establish a huge

client base. This shows the efficiency and effectiveness of its one-stop and complete ecosystem. Mainak says, “We can proudly say that 30% of the Microbreweries in Bangalore have adopted us, along with more than 1000 restaurants including ones on our waiting list, which include QSRs, Cafes, Breweries, Pubs, Dine-Ins etc.”

The company believes that open and consistent two-way communication is fundamental to maintaining a healthy client relationship. And this is what Explorex has been following from day one and will continue to do so going forward.

Putting emphasis on establishing trust and faith with clients, the Co-Founder says “we maintain an internal ritual, “Explore it Yourself,” which empowers all our employees to visit at least one partner restaurant, talk to the staff, experience the product for themselves, and provide valuable feedback to the team.”

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS

Since the inception of the company, Explorex has won many awards for its groundbreaking services. Some of the most prestigious ones include: 

Times Business Award Bengaluru 2022 as the “Best Ecosystem Solution in the Restaurant Industry” 

“Best Startups to Work for in 2022” from Startup City Magazine 

“Emerging Company of the year 2022” by Indian Achievers Forum

OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE

With the vision to make Explorex enable opening and running a restaurant easy in the future with just a few clicks, the company sees itself as an ecosystem becoming a mandatory necessity for every restaurant to be a part of. In the next 5 years, Explorex is planning to become partners with 80% of the restaurants in India and looking forward to expanding beyond the geographical boundaries of the country.

Ploogl Technologies

Revolutionizing the Gaming Industry

Ploogl is a platform where we are managing to make future technology, gaming products & equipment a ordable to the masses.

VARUN MITTAL

Founder

& CEO, Ploogl Technologies

he advent of the high bandwidth network, rising internet connectivity, and increased adoption of smartphone technology are pushing the Gaming Industry forward. The industry which was valued at USD 198.40 billion in 2021 is now expected to reach a value of USD 339.95 billion by 2027.

Unfortunately, there’s a catch too. Although the gaming industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, there still exists a lack of awareness and understanding. Thanks to Ploogl Technologies which is on a mission to revolutionise and spread awareness about the gaming industry. Incepted in 2019, Ploogl Technologies is making a 360-degree ecosystem for gamers and becoming a catalyst for their respective gaming journey.

ABOUT THE MAN BEHIND PLOOGL

Varun Mittal introduces himself as a dedicated real-world problem solver while also creating ample business opportunities. Ambitious Varun started working at her father’s store at the young age of only 14. Since then, he never looked back and is on a strenuous journey to turn can’ts into cans and dreams into plans.

Before entering into the persuasive gaming industry, Varun worked on multiple small and medium-sized businesses in the Hospitality, Distribution, eCommerce, and Real Estate sector.

T“Ploogl Technologies is equipped with a diverse team of Gaming professionals, each with a wide range of experience from the gaming industry. They stay updated with the latest trends and technology to stay ahead in the highly competitive and demanding gaming industry,” proudly mentions Varun.

OFFERINGS BY PLOOGL TECHNOLOGIES

Ploogl Technologies offers a wide range of products. Some are also in their early stages of development. The offerings include:  RENTAL

STORE

Buying is old school, renting is the new In. Gaming can go super expensive, especially with the ever-changing world of games. Gamers need to continuously upgrade their gaming technology to stay competitive and up-to-date. Ploogl’s gaming rental store comes as a solution to provide gamers with the products and keep cycling them as and when they need them.

“We are expanding our business of rental through franchises. We guarantee them 3% monthly income on investment and in return, we get 23% royalty from our franchise partners.”

ABOUT PLOOGL GENX

Ploogl genX is a powerful console offering a sublime current gen gaming experience.

Supporting a @120hz refresh rate, Poogle concept genX will be considered more powerful than most gaming consoles present in the market today. With 1TB of NVMe memory, immersive sound, USB c and in build Dolby sound.

“It’s a challenge in itself to convince people to get their children admitted to a gaming academy. We’ll have to let people see the humongous growth potential. It will take time but we will surely reach there,” affirms the Founder.



PLOOGL GAMING CONSOLE

The gaming ecosystem is set to become more important over the next few years. As per reports, 700+ million people play games on a dedicated console today. To capitalise on the increasing gaming demand, Ploogl is on a mission to launch

 93% Occupancy

 1892+ daily customers

 24,500+ reviews

 32000+ customers on the waiting list across India

PLOOGL FRANCHISE MODEL

Ploogl currently has 15+ running franchises all over India. Its first franchise was started in 2020 when the gaming sector was booming. Within 2 years, the franchise count has grown quite significantly.

“A considerable number of gaming products are rented every day in India. Therefore, each franchise gets the desired level of success,” says Varun.

The overall revenue and profit of a Ploogl franchise vary from one location to another. Various factors affect the profitability of a Franchise such as location and demand.

According to Varun, “On average, a franchise partner can expect to earn approximately Rs 2 – 3 lacs in a month.”

Varun also highlights the benefits involved in choosing to become a franchise partner with Ploogl Technologies:

a) 3% monthly income on investment

b) Break-even in less than 45 days

Moreover, via the development of gaming zones, Ploogl also enables gamers to learn about gaming along with how they can earn through gaming.

 GAMING ACADEMY

To be launched in the coming years, the online gaming academy by Ploogl will be designed to enable gamers to acquire the in-depth knowledge needed to run a successful online gaming operation. This academy will shape the next generation of game developers as it will help them understand:

a) How to make games

b) What is the framework involved in making a game

c) How to pitch for investment

d) How many developers are required to make a game and much more

its revolutionary product i.e. Ploogl Gaming Console which would not only let gamers learn about how to develop a game but also enable them to try to make games and collaborate with the gaming community if they have a unique and interesting gaming idea.

“The prototype and concept of the Ploogl gaming console are ready. We are looking forward to getting an investment of around 14 crore rupees to officially launch our product in the market,” explains Varun.

The best part about this console would be the affordability factor. The gamer will get this console for just Rs 3000 per month.

PLOOGL & ITS STATISTICS

 15+ Franchises

 3500+ Consoles

c) Security recovery insurance

d) Ploogl brings all the sales for the franchise

THE EXPANSION PLAN

Ploogl is expanding into multiple countries such as Dubai, Canada, New York, and the UK. The company is leaving no stone unturned to onboard more franchise partners who can help Ploogl turn its vision of making a Gaming Academy in India. In the next five years, Ploogl sees itself competing with big gaming companies like Sony and Microsoft.

In Varun's words, “India was never known to be such a huge market for gaming until recently. India can become a competition to the Chinese market in years to come. It will take time to bring the revolution but our strategies and our products are worth investing in.”

Sarmentum

Offering Digital Learning Solutions With Rapid Authoring Tools

The demand for e-Learning platforms with quality content has increased multi-fold in the past few years. Meeting this demand of learners, Sarmentum is a reputed name in the training industry that provides quality content solutions. It is a Digital Learning Company that pioneers the digitization of content using Rapid Authoring Tools.

Impacting the learning outcome of learners, Sarmentum delivers world-class digital content which is inclusive, engaging and personalised. Their core expertise is in creating content solutions which are engaging and relevant using various methods such as gamification, performance tools and simulation-based learning with an aim to help learners in knowledge retention and understanding better.

The core expertise of Sarmentum in rapid content authoring helps us to provide best-in-class solutions using experts in rapid authoring tools.

MEET THE CO-FOUNDERS

Sarmentum is the brainchild of two genius minds, Naveen Bhatnagar and Sharad Saran. Passionate about providing best-in-class digital learning solutions, Naveen and Sharad incepted Sarmentum in 2019. Sharad with his 20+ years of experience in the development of digital content using Rapid Authoring tools and video development ensures the quality deliverable of digital solutions.

Naveen comes with more than 17 years of experience in business consultancy and possesses the requisite expertise in maintaining healthy relationships with clients. He helps them to select the right learning strategy that suits their business needs.

The right mix of both these genius minds enables Sarmentum to stand among the leading digital learning solutions provider. Bringing expertise from their respective fields, Naveen and Sharad lead Sarmentum to become a digital learning company that creates immersive learning experiences for learners globally.

“Our technology experts work as a virtual team for the client to create engaging learning solutions and where required we play around with the tool to meet our client’s expectations,” says the Co-Founders, Naveen and Sharad.

PREPARING THE PATH TO SUCCESS

Intending to create an immersive and measurable learning experience, the journey of Sarmentum began in 2019. Starting with only 1 customer in its inception year, Sarmentum has now set its foot globally serving both national and international clients.

The Co-Founders firmly believe that “the first step towards getting somewhere is to decide, where you are and where you want to be”. With a passion to establish a “Solution Oriented Organisation”, the aim was very clear for the team of Sarmentum from Day 1.

“Getting full support from the family, we had that zeal to respect the entity of the organisation we serve and wanted to replicate the same in our business venture,” iterates Naveen.

Opting for the transparent approach, Sarmentum ensures the complete

authoring helps Sarmentum to provide exceptional digital learning solutions that cater to the business challenges of the clients. To ensure learners get what they want, Sarmentum performs learning effectiveness solutions.

Catering to the different needs of the clients, the expert team of Sarmentum offer solutions that are specially tailored for the client's needs. Striving to reach the various sections of the users, the digital learning platform of Sarmentum also encouraged the localization of content in various languages.

WHY SARMENTUM?

Being a Solution oriented organisation, the team of Sarmentum has the core expertise and passion for new technologies that help the clients with their needs. To ensure client satisfaction, the extremely talented team of Sarmentum works round the clock to facilitate effective and customized learning solutions.

“We are indebted to our clients for continuous faith in us. We are adding new clients to our portfolio and at the same time delivering quality solutions to our existing clients,” Naveen asserts proudly.

Sarmentum builds the trust of the clients by solving the problem of their clients even if it reduces the project value for the company. Sarmentum always put the satisfaction of its clients first. This transparent approach of the company helps it to maintain a healthy relationship with its clients.

visibility of the project since its establishment. Throughout the journey, the aim of the company is very clear; to build a trust factor in the clients and help them as a client virtual team rather than a vendor partner. Resolving the issues and challenges faced by the clients with expertise and professionalism helps Sarmentum to gain the trust and confidence of its clients.

“We learnt to build business relations by being transparent, trustworthy and focused during our journey so far and will continue following the same,” mentions the Co-Founders of the company.

SERVICES OFFERED The core expertise in rapid content

Putting emphasis on helping the learners in an easy-to-understand manner, Sharad asserts, One of the areas which helped in transforming learning is to move from the usual learning nuggets development approach to creating engaging, effective, and crisp learning programs.

Sarmentum not only just ensures hasslefree learning but also makes it accessible for everyone. Catering to the customers’ need for ‘information on the go’, Sarmentum also provides the facility of mobile learning. It enables the learners to access the digital solutions of the platform anywhere on their mobiles. “We also create learning videos for mobile devices to provide micro-learning,” adds Sharad.

In addition to this, Sarmentum offers LMS training as well as administrative management to host learning solutions that best suit the needs of the customers.

THE REPUTED CLIENTELE

The client-centric and solution-oriented approach of Sarmentum helps in maintaining a healthy relationship with its clients. Sarmentum has a reputation for creating world-class digital learning strategies that are not just only useful and functional but also cost-effective. The reputed clientele of Sarmentum includes reputed names in different industries including manufacturing, strategic consulting, IT, healthcare, banking and e-learning companies.

From day 1, the highly professional team of Sarmentum works flexibly to gain the trust of the clients. “We are open to new ideas as well as sharing our thoughts with the client to create a world-class product,” says Naveen. Sarmentum is working with the goal of creating low-maintenance, top-quality digital learning solutions.

SARMENTUM’S BACKBONE

A highly professional team has the incredible power to take the organisation to its infinite heights. The secret of Sarmentum’s excellent customer satisfaction is that they believe in their team and their expertise. The team of Sarmentum together takes all the decisions using the best of their knowledge. The highly professional team of Sarmentum develops exceptional learning courses for learners that are compatible with multiple devices.

“It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” These lines by Steve Jobs perfectly describe the importance of a team and its expertise. Naveen and Sharad always maintain open communication with the team and always support them.

“In the last 3 years, we have created a team that takes ownership of what they do and they have been instrumental in the growth of Sarmentum” affirms Naveen and Sharad.

BUILDING BUSINESS WITH TRUST

Sarmentum builds its business based on trust, faith and relationship with clients. The Founders of the company firmly

believe these three principles will help any organisation grow substantially. Being a family, for Sarmentum, the awards and milestones of the company are based on meeting the expectations of everyone who is associated with them.

Along with helping its clients, Sarmentum also takes care of its team and supports them in every difficult situation. Because of this support and trust, the skilled and professional team of Sarmentum is able to deliver the best and most efficient digital learning services.

THE ROAD AHEAD

For Sarmentum, success is all about

working towards meaningful goals and dreams. The company is working diligently to create a customer-centric organisation with the aim of collaborative growth of everyone who is associated with the company.

Sarmentum is looking forward to expanding its global presence and increasing the R&D budget aiming to create a product which eases the day-to-day activity of the users. The goal is to become a diversified conglomerate with different interests in terms of Technology, Real Estate, Education and many more. The future of Sarmentum looks quite promising as the team has been working tirelessly to achieve a common goal.

“The support of our clients, a fantastic team of professionals and our valuable partners helped us to achieve many accolades as Digital Learning Solutions provider.”

Sharad Saran

HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN SOMEONE SAYS

ey! Thanks for what you did today. Good Job!’, When was the last time you heard this? If recently, then congratulations, you are working in a good company! While you may feel lucky to get due recognition for your work, you are a part

Hof the minority. And there are chances that you may feel undervalued or ignored in the coming future.

We know this might have frustrated you but people out there often complain about not being valued for their contributions to the organisations. When companies analyse their culture, ‘gratitude’ isn’t a characteristic that pops up, but we all know how important it is for the success of a business.

The world out there constantly throws boatloads of challenges at us and it is the practice of gratitude that equips

leaders and employees with strategies and mechanisms to overcome the hurdles and emerge victorious.

THE POWER OF GRATITUDE

Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.

Gratitude is a positive emotion that arises when you are aware of what you have and are thankful for it. Feeling appreciated at the workplace is a fundamental desire of employees, and appreciated employees are likely to be more productive, loyal, and satisfied in their roles and responsibilities.

Well, if it sounds like a cheesy topic to you, research has shown that gratitude can truly impact a person’s mental and physical wellbeing, as well as their work performance.

Research on this subject didn’t take off until the 1950s, as different sociologists and psychologists began to examine and analyse the impact of gratitude on people.

HOW TO CULTIVATE GRATITUDE?

Promoting gratitude in the workplace can be a tough row to hoe in this fast-paced working world but there is nothing which is not possible. Here are a few ways to cultivate gratitude in your organisation:

 TIME IS THE ULTIMATE WEAPON:

Devote time to important relationships daily. Sometimes, what employees crave for, is someone who can listen to all their problems and the solutions they could come up with. And at that moment, a pat on the back can do wonders. Think about it!

And when they actually implement the solution and reach a significant milestone, congratulate them wholeheartedly for their success. You can demonstrate your gratitude by meeting them personally, doing a phone call, writing a handwritten note, or writing an email.

You can also do a newsletter shout-out to an employee who has made an exemplary effort, this will not only encourage him/her but the entire team that will also strive to get the same recognition one day. Another option can be to throw appreciation parties for employees to celebrate their tenure.



WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO NEVER GET THANKED?

Every organisation has a class of employees that gets all the benefits and recognition. In universities, it’s the faculty. In management firms, it’s the marketers & sales representatives. In

hospitals, it’s the doctors. But what about those who manage the invoices, solve customers’ grievances, and mop the floors?

Thanking the people who do thankless work holds a lot of significance as it sets the bar. It’s the top management that does all the research and core work to take a company to heights but without a cadre of staff that always supports them, the entire work cycle can get disrupted.

Thanking those who never get thanked broadens everyone’s understanding of how business functions and therefore leads to an increase in trust and improvement in morale in the longer run.



EDUCATION IS THE KEY

And here’s the most powerful weapon to teach someone to show gratitude… Education

You can send out blog posts, articles, research studies, case studies, and opinion pieces on the benefits of gratitude. Once employees understand the benefits on their own, they will be more inclined to practice gratitude.

When they start extending gratitude to each other, they get a better sense of what wonders can gratitude do to their productivity. You can also provide employees with printouts that they can fill out and send to one another. Ask

employees to give at least one thank you note to their teammates in a week. 

BE SPONTANEOUS

Do you really need to wait for something huge to happen to thank someone? Not really! How about thanking an office boy, peon, guard, or orderly who gets the morning tea and evening coffee?

Employees should always thank every person in the office who renders their service to them. Encourage mindful behaviour as this will help employees become more aware of their surroundings and notice little things happening around them. 

INVOLVE EMPLOYEES IN COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS

When you introduce employees to volunteering, you teach and promote gratitude. Provide employees with information on local organisations and NGOs that are looking for active volunteers. If you are able to, plan a team outing on a weekend for employees to volunteer together.

CONCLUSION

Building a cultured workplace starts with saying ‘Thanks’. Gratitude is not a one-day activity, but rather something to be practised every day. Make your team cohesive by cultivating a culture of gratitude at the workplace.

108 GB RAM

ONE-STOP SOLUTION FOR DIGITAL SECURITY SERVICES

As technology transforms the dynamic business landscape, it is also reinforcing erratic cyber threats to businesses. And to make the situation more complex, the constantly

changing AI and automation make it extremely difficult for companies to proactively defend against cyber threats. To solve the industry-defining challenges of cyber threats, 108 GB RAM Global IT Services Pvt Ltd offers the best cloud security and IT solutions and helps

businesses build a safer, more secure and connected world

With the aim to deliver the best IT solutions, 108 GB RAM was incepted in 2021. Within just one year of its inception, the company has been able to build a strong client base of more than 60 customers

“We, at 108 GB RAM, are developing our own SaaS product in Cyber security training and education to enhance the e ciency of Global cybersecurity.”

GOVIND KULKARNI Director,

108 GB RAM Global IT Services Pvt Ltd

around the globe. The company with its phenomenal services and expertise has marked its firm presence in different countries of the world.

“We have a strong customer base in Australia/New Zealand, India, the Middle East, Europe, the US and far west in California, so we are truly global,” says the Director of the company, Govind Kulkarni.

THE PROLIFIC JOURNEY Incorporated during the tough times of the Covid Pandemic, 108 GB RAM has had customers from day one. It started getting customers even before the company got registered. 108 GB RAM began the journey with a few thousand Rupees, and now, with the help of its expertise and top-notch cyber security services, the company has reached the phenomenal stage of nearing `1Cr business in just a year.

Even during the time of Covid when businesses were struggling to survive, the business of 108 GB RAM was flourishing in full swing. Today the company has a team of 12 expert professionals who enrich the services of the company with their stellar expertise. Witnessing the significant growth of the company, 108 GB RAM is planning to further expand its team in the next year.

MAN BEHIND THE COMPANY

With a clear vision to make the business landscape a secure place, Govind Kulkarni laid the foundation of 108 GB RAM. Holding the position of Director in the company, the strategic brain, Govind ensures that 108 GB RAM has the right mix of customers and revenues that lead the company to its infinite heights.

Along with creating the strategic growth plans of the company, Govind Kulkarni also focuses on daily operations in a timely manner to ensure the company’s smooth operations.

WHY 108 GB RAM?

The core strength of 108 GB RAM is its capability to deliver the best-in-class cybersecurity services to various organisations; be it small-scale businesses or big organisations. In the words of Govind, “We have got multiple customers through references and that gives us more satisfaction. For us, the customer is everything and we are giving a positive experience irrespective of the amount of business.”

Based on its capability and expertise, 108 GB RAM becomes the preferred choice in various IT services ranging from cloud security, GRC, VAPT, SIEM and many others. The qualified team of the company with its integrated expertise creates a vibrant digital ecosystem to deliver faster, better and enduring outcomes.

SERVICES OFFERED BY THE COMPANY

The highly qualified and experienced team of 108 GB RAM works with utmost dedication and offers world-class cyber security solutions with a key focus on cloud security, data privacy and

governance, risk & compliance. The company provides its services in various IT solutions including:

 ISO 27001 implementation  Data Privacy implementation for GDPR and other country-specific  SOC 2 implementation 

ITIL4 and COBIT 2019 implementation 

Vulnerability and Penetration testing

Along with these services, 108 GB RAM also delivers exceptional services in HIPAA/HITRUST implementation, PCI-DSS implementation, FFIEC implementation, FedRamp/Tx-Ramp implementation, NIST implementation, Security Operation Center, Security Information and Event Management, IT security independent auditing and ITIL4 and COBIT 2019 implementation.

108 GB RAM is also working round the clock to develop its own SaaS product in Cyber Security training and education. It is one of its kind training platform and there is no similar product currently available in India.

THE PRESTIGIOUS CLIENTELE

One thing that plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy client relationship is understanding the needs and requirements of the client. Bringing testimony to this statement, 108 GB RAM understands the capabilities of the client and then offers the right solution. The huge clientele of the company includes both small and medium organisations that deal in either AI or in SaaS products. And thus, every customer of 108 GB RAM is unique.

Govind says, “We engage in customer satisfaction surveys in constant efforts to improve our services. At regular intervals, we do discussions with customers to check what improvements are needed.”

A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD

With a vision to build a more efficient and reliable cybersecurity paradigm, 108 GB RAM is emerging as a trusted name in the cybersecurity industry. Focusing on holistic growth, the company has set the target to make $5 million by 2027.

The fundamentals are very clear, serve one customer well and satisfy all the needs by understanding their fundamental objectives, and this approach helps us greatly by onboarding lots of clients by referrals.

Budding Influencers

CONNECTING THE RIGHT BRAND WITH THE RIGHT INFLUENCER

hen the entire world went down on a strict lockdown, the lives of so many businesses changed in a matter of weeks. The field of marketing faced a

Wlot of turbulence and uncertainties but it also gave rise to creators filled with ideas, knowledge, and passion. Based on the absolute idea of “The Best Marketing does not feel like marketing”, an influencer marketing platform, Budding Influencers, took birth in the most challenging times, in April 2020.

Connecting the right brand with the right influencer may seem like a tough row to hoe but not for Budding Influencers imbued with creative minds. Budding Influencers is a top-notch influencer marketing platform that works round the clock to work on its outright aim of creating a chain of internet creators and consumers through scaling businesses.

“Right since our inception, we lean on working towards curating the right in uencers for the right brand to reach the desired audience.”

NADEEM SIDDIQUI CEO and Co-Founder, Budding Influencers

From curation to campaigns, creating brand consciousness to fulfilling the need for influencer marketing support, Budding Influencers masters it all. Equipped to help you create stories that resonate and reach the masses with the most top-of-the-line trends, the startup helps you reach the desired audience.

MEET THE MAN BEHIND THE BRAND

“A fresh start isn’t a new place, it’s a new mindset” practices and preaches Nadeem Siddiqui, the CEO and Co-Founder of Budding Influencers. Nadeem via his influencer marketing venture strives to create impactful marketing for different brands.

Nadeem possesses great leadership acumen and an unrivalled passion for Budding Influencers. As the company’s CEO, Nadeem oversees the strategic direction of the entire organisation, monitors its performance, and maintains the working culture.

STATISTICS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

Executed

and finding the right audience for its clients.

CONTENT SUPPORT

Team Budding Influencers helps a brand design the campaign and creates content that is strategic, attention-grabbing, impactful, and worth remembering. Content is King and Budding Influencers knows it quite well. 

CLIENT SUPPORT

digital creators, and create a home that serves all interests.

In Nadeem’s words, “We believe marketing is no more old-school advertisements but hidden in the content we create via the amalgamation of different ideas and thoughts. By creating the content people like to consume, we create opportunities for lifestyle people would like to adopt.”

A PERFECT CHOICE FOR BRANDS

Influencer marketing has been successfully used by thousands of businesses and has produced phenomenal results in the past decade. Given that many brands are increasing their budget for influencer marketing, why wait to be the next one?

Here’s why Budding Influencers becomes the right choice to try influencer marketing: 

HANDPICKING INFLUENCERS

Choosing the right influencer for a campaign is quite challenging. Budding Influencers handpicks each influencer from the big internet world. While others are struggling with this issue, Budding Influencers is busy picking the best fit

Handling and running a campaign can go a long way, making it confusing at times for first-timers. No worries! Budding Influencers has it covered with the right strategies.

PLETHORA OF SERVICES

Budding Influencers aims to grab the eyeballs of the desired audience towards its clients in order to make the visibility of the brand stronger. The company makes a campaign’s vision a practical reality by providing these services:

Influencer Outreach

Influencer Coordination

Campaign Tracking

Campaign Support

Content Support

Campaign Reporting

THE MISSION STATEMENT

Budding Influencers aims to scale businesses effortlessly, connect the age of

He further adds, “Our mission is not to be the best marketers in the industry but to be the best content creators because the content is the future, and we at Budding Influencers live to shape a bright future for the brands we are associated with.”

THE FUTURE PLAN OF ACTION

To continue winning the Internet Marketing Game, the content one produces has to be more than just perfect. It has to give consumers, the ability to become a better version of themselves. Budding Influencers realises the importance of the content. Therefore, it envisions creating a prosperous place for creators, brands, and consumers altogether to work and consume something all of them love.

“Each creative mind at Budding Influencers strives to create a chain of brilliant brands, iconic influencers, and captivated consumers of the internet to help each other grow and connect on the root level,” says Nadeem while signing off.

DroptheQ

MAKING THE CHECKOUT EXPERIENCE CONVENIENT WITH EXCEPTIONAL PHYGITAL SOLUTIONS

“

e idea of DroptheQ revolves around eliminating the physical queues from the Billing Counters using the best technologies available in India and abroad.”

VAIBHAV SINGHAL

CEO & Co-Founder, DroptheQ

veryone loves shopping but what no one really loves is waiting in the queue. The feeling of being stuck in the queue and waiting for your turn for the billing is a tedious task that nobody really enjoys. To save the

customers’ time by dropping the queue, DroptheQ provides its exceptional Phygital Solutions to the customers and vendors making the checkout experience more convenient and hassle-free.

Leveraging the technology, DroptheQ works diligently to save the precious

including food court outlets or standalone restaurants. DroptheQ efficiently reduces the waiting time and replaces it with a convenient and user-friendly experience.

The perfect blend of digital convenience while being physically present in the store is what makes DroptheQ an innovative and unique brand.

MEET THE MAN BEHIND THE BRAND

With unrelenting ambition and willingness to walk through the walls, Vaibhav Singhal incepted DroptheQ in 2021 to eliminate the physical queues from the billing counter. As a CEO & Co-Founder of the company, Vaibhav lays the strategic roadmap for the prolific growth of DroptheQ.

After pursuing Industrial & Production Engineering and MBA from IIM Indore, Vaibhav worked for a few years in Dubai and gained industry insights. Before starting DroptheQ, he was associated with an MNC company in which he was heading a P&L of `300 Cr. Vaibhav also brings with him 18 years of rich experience of cross-border and cross-industry experience in building a business from scratch.

Vaibhav iterates, “on average, any person spends around 2-3 years of his life standing in queues. This prompted us to think about where and how we can eliminate the long queues. Billing Counters and Pick Up Counters came foremost to our mind for solving the queue problem and that is where DroptheQ started.”

THE JOURNEY

The exhilarating journey of DroptheQ started in August 2021 with the goal to solve the queue problem in retail, QSR and restaurants. Gathering and understanding a large amount of data on customer buying behaviour at the places where DroptheQ has deployed its services, helps the company to get insights into the customer. These insights ultimately help the company to better their services to provide top-notch services to its customers.

With its best-in-class services, DroptheQ is emerging as a rising star in the startup ecosystem with its unique and innovative problem-solving approach. In just a few months after its inception, DroptheQ has grown multifold marking its presence in 7 cities across India.

In the words of Vaibhav, “we learnt that we all require convenience in everything we do, be it shopping, eating out, staying out and more. This encouraged us to keep developing new technologies which can provide convenience to the physical customers present at the stores.”

DRIVING FORCE OF DroptheQ

Various smart brains from different industries come together to take DroptheQ to its infinite heights. Vaibhav says, “We believe the company is formed by its team”. Along with Vaibhav Singhal, the other expert professionals of the company are:





NIKHIL MONGA

Co-Founder & CTO

The main architect of the technology

SWATI AGARWAL

Co-Founder & CTO

Leads the IT and operations part of DroptheQ

 YOGESH DORA

Director

With over 2 decades of experience in the F&B industry, he controls and manages the company’s overall operations

 MAYANK LAVANIA

Vice President

Takes care of self check out and AI/ML Analytics Vertical

SERVICES OFFERED BY DroptheQ

With a complete focus on making the customer experience seamless, DroptheQ works on 3 verticals:



Order2Serve At The Food Courts And Other Self-Service Restaurants

With an aim of converting QSRs to CDRs, DroptheQ has digitised the food courts with the Order2Serve model. This model allows customers to order through mobile or web apps and DroptheQ executive collects the food from the counter and serves it on the respective table. This model of DroptheQ is currently available in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Hyderabad.



Self-Checkouts At Modern Retail

Through its own indigenously developed Scan and Go technology, DroptheQ has digitised the checkout process at modern retail stores. In this, customers’ smartphones can be converted into a POS thus providing the facility of convenient self-checkout without getting into long checkout queues. This facility is extremely helpful in grocery and retail shopping.



Pre-Ordering And Pay-My-Bill At Local And Famous Restaurants

Digitising the local and famous restaurants, DroptheQ allows customers to pre-order their food and take away without any hassle. The company also provides service to pre-order in Dine-in also and enables them to pay the bill through DroptheQ’s mobile or web app. The customer can also avail of discounts using the company’s app. This service is currently present in Delhi-NCR.

“It is all about providing digital convenience to the retail customer, who is physically present at the Retail Store (both fashion and grocery), Food Courts and Quick Serving Restaurants,” mentions Vaibhav.

AWARDS AND MILESTONES

DroptheQ has added many feathers to its cap since its inception. The most significant ones are:



Won the "Technology Provider of the Year” by FCI.



Won the “Best App of the year 2022” by ET Hospitality.



Featured in the Top 30 startups to watch out for by INC42.



Featured in the Top 10 Best Retail Awards 2021 and 2022, by SiliconIndia Startup city.



Featured in Insights Success.

THE PATH AHEAD

DroptheQ's plan for the next 5 years is to expand its customer base and transit globally. With a mission to reach every city, highway, and airport, the company is looking forward to providing convenience to a broader spectrum of customers and also helping businesses grow their revenues through increased CX.

Imagine a platform that provides you audience full of professionals and high-quality contacts!

Imagine attracting the right audience that nurtures the possibility of generating good leads for your business!

We are talking about LinkedIn here. Choosing the right platform for marketing your business is as important as the marketing itself. The right platform gives you the opportunity to connect with the right audience which will save you a lot of time and effort.

If you still are not using LinkedIn for your marketing then you are missing a great audience. LinkedIn is one of the largest social media platforms in the world with over 875 million users in more than 250 countries across the globe. No, we are not exaggerating these numbers. And unlike any other social media platform, Linkedin users comprises of business professionals and executives.

Fun Facts

LinkedIn is the largest professional networking platform with over 875 million users.

The most followed Hashtag on LinkedIn is #India with 67.6 million followers.

Just after Facebook, LinkedIn is 2nd most popular platform among B2B marketers.

Every minute 6 people are hired via LinkedIn.

Approximately 10.7% of people on Earth have a LinkedIn account today.

Why

Marketers Are

Towards LinkedIn

Gravitating

The significant growth of the serious and professional audience on the platform is one of the main reasons why marketers have shifted their focus and marketing strategies to the LinkedIn platform. LinkedIn is the 2nd most popular platform among B2B marketers, just after Facebook.

With 190 million+ users, the US provides the largest group of LinkedIn advertising audience in the world. LinkedIn’s economic graph suggests that more than 180 million US workers have their profile on LinkedIn. After the United States, India is the second largest source of LinkedIn traffic.

still think that LinkedIn is only a job posting or recruitment platform, then we suggest you look at the numbers and think once more!

More than 58 million companies are using LinkedIn for marketing purposes. According to the survey conducted by Content Marketing Institute, LinkedIn is the highly preferred Content Distribution Channel for B2B marketers. 96% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for content marketing. And not just this, LinkedIn is the most popular social media platform for Content Marketers when it comes to paid campaigns. You’re missing out on a great opportunity if you haven’t tried content marketing on LinkedIn.

France (25.0 million), Indonesia (21.0 million), Canada (20.0 million), Mexico (18.0 million) and Italy (17.0 million) are also in the top 10 list of countries with the most LinkedIn users in the world.

Not Just A Recruitment Platform

It is true that LinkedIn was originally started as a recruitment platform but now things have changed completely. Now, LinkedIn has transitioned into a full-grown professional network. If you

The content impression on LinkedIn is 15x more than any job posting. LinkedIn has 9 Billion Content impressions. Yes, you read it right 9 BILLION! Now, you can imagine what wonders can LinkedIn do for your business.

Age Demographics

When we say LinkedIn has the most professional audience, we are saying it because LinkedIn is getting immensely popular among working professionals. 59.9% of LinkedIn users belong to the

LinkedIn for business and professional networking. Hence, the connections you make on LinkedIn give you better opportunities to engage with business decision-makers directly.

LinkedIn is most popular among men.

The audience on LinkedIn comprises 56.4% Males and 43.6% Females. The advertising audience on Linkedin is mostly men. However, this demographic is changing rapidly and the number

age group of 25 to 34 years. And this is also the age group when people are starting their new businesses or growing their careers. Instead of using the platform for entertainment, people use

of female audiences is also increasing rapidly on the platform.

Wrapping Up

As a business, it is not just about making

the marketing strategy but it is also about making sure that your brand reaches a genuine and relevant audience. So that your marketing plan can successfully give you fruitful results. If you are not using LinkedIn for marketing your brand then make informed choices and try to incorporate it into your strategy. And expand your professional network by engaging, communicating and connecting with the right audience on LinkedIn.

With 35 million followers, Bill Gates is the most followed person on LinkedIn.

Ikarus 3D

CREATING PREMIUM 3D MODELS READY FOR AR AND VR

ISHAN KUMAR GIDDU

onquering the digital realm, Ikarus 3D is emerging as the most trusted name in AR, VR, MR and WebAR service industry. With the

mantra of ‘pushing beyond limits’, Ikarus 3D is adding a new dimension to human life through the revolutionary technology of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. With a perfect blend of experience and professional expertise, Ikarus 3D has successfully delivered 225,950 models in production with a growth of 4700%

“Ikarus 3D is the venture of growth, be it the growth of our people, clients, or patron’s money or skill.”

CEO & Founder, Ikarus 3D

MEET THE BRAIN BEHIND IKARUS 3D

Ikarus 3D is the brainchild of Ishan Kumar Giddu, the CEO and Founder of the company. With the ignited passion for creating an impact on the world, it is Ishan’s dream to bring the next big revolution in the world of digital reality. To transform this dream into a reality, Ishan laid the foundation of Ikarus 3D in 2019 as an originator of a 3D asset creation company.

Demonstrating exceptional entrepreneurial skills, Ishan embraces every challenge and turns them into new opportunities for the company. Ishan always considers himself an HR & BD professional first and then a CEO. With his hard work and expertise, Ikarus 3D has grown tremendously and set its footprints globally.

Differing from the typical image of a boss, Ishan values the consistent effort and smart mistakes of his team and always encourages them to perform even better. Ishan believes, “Ikarus 3D is the Venture of Growth, be it the growth for our people, clients, or patron’s money or skill.”

THE STELLAR JOURNEY

The exciting journey of Ikarus 3D began in 2019 in a small cafe in Patiala, near the TIET campus. Ikarus made a bold attempt to start a company in the field which was unheard of at that time. And there were many people who made doubts about the survival and success of the company.

But as it is said, a great idea may have hurdles on its way but eventually gets its due success. The same happened with Ikarus 3D, the thought of creating something new that is not so common in the business world excites some farsighted people who got Ikarus 3D, the partners, clients, patrons and also amazing team members. Since the entire business of Ikarus 3D is bootstrapped, many obstructions came in the way but the clients believed in the potential of

the highly skilled team of Ikarus 3D and stayed despite all the speed bumps. And that’s how the company got bigger at each and every step.

SERVICES OFFERED BY IKARUS 3D

Ikarus 3D innovatively creates 3D models that can be configured on any platform. The various exceptional services of the company include:



AR AND VR READY 3D MODELS

Ikarus 3D introduces the best-in-class and innovative 3D modelling solutions to businesses. The immersive AR and VR 3D Modeling services of the company help businesses to showcase their products and services more interactively, attracting more customers and increasing the conversion rate significantly.



VTO READY 3D ASSETS

Leveraging the enormous potential of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, VTO Ready 3D assets allow customers to try and test the product virtually. Using this technology, one can virtually try various products including bags, shoes, accessories and automobiles. The benefits of Virtual try ons are that it increases virtual transactions, makes the product stand out in the market and enhances the brand identity which eventually helps in increasing the conversion rate.



METAVERSE READY 3D AVATARS

Providing the opportunity to become whoever one wants to be, Ikarus 3D delivers world-class Customisable avatars in the Metaverse. The company is fully equipped to bring any version of the virtual self to the digital realm. The high-definition avatars created by Ikarus 3D get the world close to the future of reality.



proprietary methods. Integrating the diverse expertise and knowledge of the professional team, Ikarus 3D delivers exclusively top-notch services.

THE DEDICATED TEAM

Bringing together different skill sets and areas of expertise, the enthusiastic and passionate team of Ikarus 3D takes the company to its new high. The dedicated professionals of the company are: 

SHAGUNA KHETARPAL

Head of International Partnerships, CHRO and Co-Founder 

NISHANT VERMA

Vice President 3D and Co-Founder 

ANANYA NIGAM

Head of Marketing 

PRITISH SEHZPAUL

Head of Technology

AWARDS AND MILESTONES

Since the inception of the company, Ikarus 3D has achieved many milestones. Some of its noteworthy achievements are: 

Nominated for Aegis Graham Bell Award for Innovation in AR, VR, and MR, 2022 

Featured in Silicon India’s Top AR/VR Startups, 2022  Grew from a team of 3 in 2019 to a team of 80 in 2022 

Delivered first 100,000 models in Feb 2022  Crossed the revenue mark of $ 1 million in August 2022

THE ROAD AHEAD

3D SCAN CLEAN-UPS

Ikarus 3D assists its clients with 3D scan clean-ups to bring accuracy to the work using its extensive experience and

With a passion-driven vision of capturing the world of AR/VR and the Metaverse world, Ikarus 3D is on the path to becoming a thought leader in the industry. The company is looking forward to expanding further providing cost-effective and reliable sources of 3D models for both creation and printing.

Lateral HR Consulting

ON A MISSION TO SOLVE TECH HIRING PROBLEMS VIA GLOBAL DEPLOYMENT

CHIRAG HARISH THAKKER CEO Lateral HR Consulting

e are getting into a recruitment-tech industry where we will be solving Tech hiring problems through global deployment,” are the stimulating words of Chirag Harish

WThakker who has just started trying different permutations & combinations to make a way for hassle-free hiring via his firm Lateral HR Consulting

Lateral HR Consulting is a full-stack HR Consulting firm that was incepted in 2021 and in just one year of its establishment, the company has made

remarkable progress in nurturing, supporting, and catalysing the growth of any organisation by providing exceptional recruitment and HR services. Believing in the philosophy of Life is a marathon, not a sprint, Lateral HR Consulting is consistently moving forward to achieve its goal of providing world-class recruitment services.

“Lateral HR Consulting is a full stack HR Consulting rm which is expanding into the recruitment-tech industry to solve tech hiring problems in a wink of an eye.”

When it comes to offering tailor-made solutions to help organisations in end-to-end Talent Acquisition, Lateral HR Consulting can be the ideal choice!

SHIFTING THE RADAR TO INTERNATIONAL HIRING

Lateral HR Consulting has victoriously established the clients’ trust with its stellar services and made its presence in various countries like Australia, New Zealand and Dubai. The company is also planning to open an office in New Zealand, which hopefully will be executional by December 2022. This will take its office presence in 3 geographies –India, the US, and New Zealand.

While exploring the different areas of the recruitment industry, Lateral HR Consulting observed the difficulty and complexity of tech hiring. But as they say, every problem has a solution; Lateral HR Consulting has brainstormed an incredible solution.

“We are entering into the recruitment-tech industry with a brand Lateral Bridge, where we will be solving tech hiring challenges through a global staff augmentation model,” says the brainchild who is working round the clock on this ideation.

The crucial aspects of the company’s services will be:



Increasing the supply of engineers from countries outside India.

will require some stronger solution. So I started studying about tech talent which would be affordable and zeroed down on a few countries,” mentions Chirag.

With a rolling database of ~1000 candidates, Lateral HR Consulting ensures that each and every candidate is efficient and beneficial for the company. Currently, the hiring process for any organisation takes 90-120 days but Lateral HR Consulting is creating a robust process that ensures the completion of the hiring process in just 8-10 days.

Chirag adds, “We take care of international compliance & their salaries. The client will just have to make a payment to us. There will be no recruitment charges to this so that this becomes super affordable for clients in all ways, and of course, an additional benefit when you get an essence of global culture.”

MEET THE MAN WITH GUERRILLA STRATEGIES IN BLOOD

Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans summarises the struggling days of Chirag Harish Thakker who went through many ups and downs in his career. Chirag started his career when he got an opportunity to work with NBFC like Fullerton India and then brush up his skills in Infibeam, UpGrad, and Paysense.

solution. Empowering the client with the best talent in the industry, the key services of the company include:

RECRUITMENT

Lateral HR Consulting helps businesses with choosing qualified and right candidates from a wide pool of people. The recruitment comprises two verticals:

1. Permanent Hiring: It includes providing quality talent to the clients and charging them on a success-based concept. With the Mid-Level, Senior Level, and CxO level hiring, the clients of Lateral HR Consulting vary from BFSI to the Internet to Web3 domain.

2. International Hiring: Reaching across the geographical boundaries of the country, the company provides its recruitment services in the US, Ireland, the UK, Singapore and Vietnam. 

RECRUITMENT PROCESS OUTSOURCING

Supporting the entire Talent Acquisition of the organisation, Lateral HR Consulting takes complete control of the process to scale the operational efficiency. “This is useful for those organisations who are getting into a hiring spree and don’t want to increase the recruitment team size,” says Chirag. It is the most cost-effective solution for the company in all aspects. 

HR CONSULTING



Building a habit of staff augmentation and deploying the staff remotely across the globe.



Finding the best candidate who is 100% dedicated to the well-being of the organisation.



Not just as external support, the client can consider them as their extended team member.

The company has done a litmus test with one client and it could deploy ~15 engineers from Vietnam in ~25 days and that’s when Chirag thought that this idea is bigger than the thoughts. Hence, he along with his team started digging further and it turned out to be a startup.

“I was pretty sure that this shortage of tech talent supply is just starting to begin and

It was not easy for Chirag to leave behind his well-settled career and build his own business empire. But being a Gujarati, business is in his blood and his desire to start his own company led to the inception of Lateral HR Consulting. Chirag knew it is not going to be an easy journey but his hard work and firm determination bagged Lateral HR Consulting a chance to work with some of the reputed clients in their respective fields.

“In October 2020, we cracked our first client for RPO of 3 months which got extended for 5 months and we ended up rolling out 120+ offers across the functions, levels, and geographies,” mentions Chirag proudly.

SERVICES OFFERED BY THE COMPANY

By understanding the needs and requirements of the clients, Lateral HR Consulting offers the best-suited HR

For organisations that have an employee size of 50-200, Lateral HR Consulting offers them the entire HR Function services and drives it by deputing the professional team of Lateral HR Consulting at the client site. 

ON-DEMAND RECRUITER

Offering economical and efficient service for those companies that are on a hiring spree but do not intend to take RPO as a service. In that case, Lateral HR Consulting provides the services of its expert recruiters who are fully dedicated to the needs and requirements of the clients.

Lateral HR Consulting is currently in talks with investors to raise 600 USD as it looks to enter into the recruitment-tech industry. Believing in the philosophy of “Neither your Ups nor your downs will be permanent. Every day is a new day,” Lateral HR Consulting is walking on the path of growth trajectory.

Maintenance House

OFFERING END-TO-END PROCESS AND SERVICE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS FOR AN EFFICIENT OPERATIONS AND

help users across industries Maintain, Operate and Improve their Assets, Services and Processes for better e ciency and experience to end users and institutions alike. We take pride in being bootstrapped, scaling organically, and increasing our presence to 7 Indian states whilst continuing to solve key problems every day.”

SIDDHANT KACHROO

aintenance and Repairs is a largely distributed and unorganized sector which has led institutions and corporations to create silos of service management capabilities within their organizations to ensure a good consumer experience. After all, experience counts at the customer’s and

Mvendor’s ends respectively. Maintenance House started off as a B2C company but through its journey, it has discovered the immense value creation possibilities for Corporations, Institutions and Government entities organically and without any additional acquisition cost. The company’s vast experience and capabilities enable its clients to experience a process-driven approach to service management across industries.

Incepted in 2015, Maintenance House takes great pride in all the services it offers to its clients. A purely bootstrapped start-up, Maintenance House has scaled organically since day one of its establishment. Today, Maintenance House is expanding its footprint in various cities of the country.

With a diverse experience in operations and improvements for Municipal Assets, O&M Services for property owners,

“We

CEO, Maintenance House

Service centre management for OEMs, Asset Monitoring, Data Center Management, Techno - Commercial facility management and many more, Maintenance House becomes a key trusted name in the services and operations industry.

“Today, we operate and manage multiple service centres across Delhi, NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Bihar and are expanding our footprint every day. We handle over 150,000 products a month and also close over 25,000 service calls a month.”

For businesses, Maintenance House manages service processes enabling pre and post-sales sections, managing projects, managing single/multiple facilities and preventive maintenance contracts.

Organisations, Institutions and Corporates have long had the challenge of managing their assets and service processes alike, be it hiring individual service partners for specific functions/ products to hiring a complete team of technicians, supervisors, managers and unit heads for critical process needs like Quality Assurance, Dealer Management, Defective Product settlement and Annual Maintenance Contracts.

Maintenance House with its tailormade service process solutions enables organisations to automate, increase the efficiency of settlement by 50% and reduce costs by 33% (In Cases). Saving on complete oversight or management costs has created a one of kind Business Process Outsourcing model for handling service operations for multiple industries and public infrastructure needs.

“Unlike service marketplaces that aim to aggregate service providers, or a traditional manpower provider who simply deploys manpower at a facility; Maintenance House creates service processes across industries solving key lifecycle problems for businesses and creating products to suit customer end markets,” explains Siddhant.

THE MAN BEHIND IDEATION

A civil engineer and infrastructure consultant turned entrepreneur, consultant & investor, Siddhant Kachroo is leading the Maintenance House since 2015. He enjoys turning ideas into operational models and driving multiple businesses across industries for consumer and business ended services and products. Siddhant’s pragmatic approach inspires confidence in all the team members. His strategic leadership

and risk-taking capabilities place Maintenance House among the leading maintenance service providers.

He has also won accolades from the best of Indian and International institutions like the Graduate School for Business at Stanford University and the Indian School of Business. He strives to learn and help fellow young entrepreneurs and also share his learning with the world as well someday.

THE CLIENTELE Maintenance House is a leading service solutions provider and has been working with the best of the Consumer electronics giants (Crompton, Havells, Philips, Signify, Surya, Usha, Microtek, OnePlus, Mi, Khaitan, Finolex and others), Retailers (Decathlon, Modi Group (TFS & ColorBar), Café Coffee Day, Landmark, Reliance retail, TSG etc), Public Infrastructure Management (Greenfield and Brownfield developments, Smart Meters, Solar Systems, Street Lighting, Solar Lighting, Data Centers, Public service centres, Command Control Management Systems, Power systems and associated components), Online Retailers (Amazon, Flipkart, Pepperfry etc), Real Estate Developers, Automobile (Toyota, Hyundai and Ford), Public Infrastructure & PSUs (MoP, EESL, IntelliSmart Infra, L&T, Tata Power, Discoms etc), Hospitality Industry (Nestaway, CoHo Stays, Placio, Oyo Flagship, Grand Omaxe, Olive Grand, Silver Leaf etc).

“These innovations in service process offerings have given us relevance with the best of the brands and recently with the government and public infrastructure entities as well,” adds Siddhant with immense pride while talking about the company’s clientele.

SERVING DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES

Companies from various industries trust the exceptional services provided by Maintenance House for well-rounded maintenance solutions. The company provides its services to industries such as:

 Process Management

Evolved into a one-of-a-kind Service BPO Unit, Maintenance House works for multiple industries on this model.

 Public Infrastructure Maintenance House offers solutions for the Operations and Maintenance of critical and essential Public Infrastructure. It also enables Public Infrastructure projects with Testing, Installation,

Commissioning, Retrofits and Upgrades to Power Systems. Maintenance House has worked with EESL and the Ministry of Power for Smart Meter Upgradation, Street Light Installation, CCMS systems and many more for various O&M and Upgradation work.



Hospitality Management

To assist management and operations of the assets with ease, Maintenance House is working with many hospitality companies and startups. It is also associated with reputed names in the industry including OYO, Nestaway, Mint Hotels, COHO, Accor Hotels and many more.



Retail Management

Enabling the Retailers to manage mass inventories with utmost ease and at multiple locations centrally by using a preventive audit-based annual maintenance module, Maintenance House operates, maintains and retrofits retail locations for its clients across zones. The renowned companies to whom Maintenance House provides its services include Flipkart, Amazon, Beer Cafe, Decathlon, Cafe Coffee Day, 24Seven, Home Centre and many more to the list.



Banks & Automobile Segments

With its exceptional preventive auditbased approach, Maintenance House skillfully increases operational efficiency and saves costs and keeps downtime to a minimum. The esteemed clientele of the company from Banks and Automobile segments include AU Bank, Toyota, Ford and Hyundai. Standing tall among the key players in the EV industry, Maintenance House is currently working on solutions for companies like Tata Motors/Power.

IIn addition to this, Maintenance House caters its top-notch services to other segments of the industry such as Process Management, OEM’s Life Cycle Management, and Infrastructure Management & Service management.

MOVING AHEAD

Maintenance House has been able to streamline process flow and service delivery for end customers, a network of dealers/vendors and even fulfil certain quality assessment needs by enabling an end-to-end solution through a network of its own service centres across the country. The company is planning to further expand its operations across the West and Southern Zones in the upcoming years.

Live On Earth

or every human being living on Earth, there are roughly 2.5 million ants. Yes, that’s true. Now, you must be looking for evidence… right?

Well, researchers from the University of Hong Kong and the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg in Germany examined 489 different ant-related studies. These papers represented at least seven different languages and several habitat types, including deserts, forests, grasslands and cities. The team further compiled all the information in a database and published their new results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“According to our estimates, the global ant population is 20 quadrillion. That is a 20 with 15 zeros, which is hard to grasp and appreciate,” said entomologist Patrick Schultheiss, co-lead author of the study.

AND NOW ANOTHER INTERESTING FINDING

The total biomass of ants is about 12 million tonnes and those of wild mammals and birds is two million tonnes and seven million tonnes, respectively which clearly means that the biomass of ants is much higher than that of wild mammals and birds.

F“I was amazed that the ants’ biomass was higher than that of wild mammals and birds combined, and that it reaches 20% of the human biomass. That gives you an understanding of the scale of their impact,” said insect ecologist Sabine Nooten who is also the study's co-lead author.

Ants are among the most powerful group of organisms on the planet. Therefore, these species greatly impact the nutrient cycle and also play a key role in the distribution of plant seeds. As per the researchers, further studies should concentrate on identifying the specific environmental factors that lead to the distribution of ants.

Business Oldest WORLD’S WAS

INCEPTED

IN 578

Kongo Gumi, a Japanese company, is the oldest business in the world. Operational since 578, Kongo Gumi predates the secondoldest company by more than 200 years. Now, you must be wondering what is this company about.

Kongo Gumi is a construction company that specializes in shrines and temples. The company got its start by building Buddhist temples and other popular buildings many centuries ago. It faced hard times in 2006 and lost its independent status. It then became a subsidiary of a Japanese construction and engineering conglomerate.

Kongo Gumi was founded slightly over 100 years after the fall of the Roman Empire. It built the historic Osaka Castle, one of Japan’s most famous landmarks.

The business sustained for such a long period because it was a generationally passed down business known as shinese. Since the beginning of the company, it had over 40 generations to run its operations.

LET’S NOW TAKE A LOOK AT THE OTHER 9 OLDEST COMPANIES:

1. St. Peter Stifts Kulinarium in Austria opened in 803

2. Staffelter Hof Winery in Germany opened in 862 3. Monnaie de Paris in France opened in 864

Sean’s Bar in Ireland opened in 900

Marinelli Bell Foundry in Italy opened in 1040 6. Affligem Brewery in Belgium opened in 1074 7. Munke Mølle in Denmark opened in 1135 8. Aberdeen Harbour Board in Scotland opened in 1136 9. Ma Yu Ching’s Bucket Chicken House in China opened in 1153

And let’s end this piece with another shocking fact. According to sources, there are around 59 companies in the world that are more than 700 years old!

Seva At Home

ON A MISSION TO OFFER QUALITY HEALTHCARE AT HOME IN INDIA

ATUL

ndia’s elderly population (aged 60 and above) stands at 138 million and the number is projected to touch 194 million in 2031, which means an increase of nearly 41 per cent in a decade. But why are

we discussing the numbers? It’s because old age is a sensitive phase and requires extra care, love and affection.

A growing number of India’s elderly population lives alone, with their children living abroad. But companies

like Seva At Home contribute to the community by bringing high-quality compassionate care for your loved ones within their homes and bridging the gap between hospital care and those requiring support at home.

“We are on a mission to provide life-changing access to quality healthcare at home, producing improved outcomes for patients and their families.”

GANDHI Co-Founder & CEO, Seva At Home

WH AT LED TO THE INCEPTION OF SEVA AT HOME?

The Co-Founder, Atul Gandhi had a personal experience in early 2017. Atul’s father was diagnosed with cancer. He was working in Boston, USA and therefore tried to look for a caregiver in India. Unable to find any reliable and dependable service, Atul had to travel back and forth from the USA to India to take care of his father.

Atul faced a lot of difficulties. And it was during this time that he realised the shortage of trustworthy and reliable remote care options for elderly people whose children live either abroad or in other parts of India.

That’s when Atul along with the other Founders sat down and decided to take the plunge. It was 2019 when a tech-enabled elder care startup, Seva At Home was born to give people an easier and safer way to hire and monitor caregivers for their loved ones, even if they were far away from their homes.

“Seva At Home was created as a solution to the rising problem of insufficient healthcare facilities and a lack of caregivers for the elderly in India,” says Atul.

ATUL GANDHI, HIS TEAM & ONE ABSOLUTE AIM

Atul Gandhi is a result-oriented leader with over 26 years of rich experience in managing organisations. His indubitable ability to turn seemingly complex business problems into technical solutions places him ahead of the rest.

As the company’s CEO, Atul prioritises long-term thinking and focuses on strategic planning and program management, architecting and designing Seva At Home’s platform, and blending health and wellness with telehealth.

With this philosophy, he has guided the company to various achievements, including the establishment of a B2B vertical Seva PRO to prioritise wellbeing at the workplace.

Prior to being at Seva At Home’s helm, Atul served as a Senior Director at AlixPartners, a global management consulting firm, and before that he was the Senior Director at Merkle Inc.

The Seva At Home Team has a combined experience of over 85 years in terms of delivering quality care services to loved ones. The team’s

commitment to providing quality home healthcare assistance makes Seva At Home a reliable home healthcare platform.

“We have a highly-qualified and trained team of senior care experts that not only provide outstanding care services but also treat patients like their own family,” mentions the Co-Founder.

Seva At Home has one absolute aim: Nurture its clients with the highest quality healthcare within the comfort of their own homes.

CARE SERVICES THAT YOU CAN TRUST



CAREGIVER SERVICES

Seva At Home provides patients and the elderly with an in-home caregiver that helps them with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, cooking, grooming, and eating. The caregiver not only gives the elderly time to rest and reduces stress regarding getting things done, but also curbs the risk of injury and falls associated with physical chores.



POST-SURGICAL RECOVERY

Seva At Home provides home-based post-surgical recovery services to allow patients to recover within their homes. Healing becomes easier when a qualified care expert handles every facet of the recovery process. These care experts include qualified and trained critical care nurses who are equipped to help patients recover post-hospitalisation.



PLAN FOR THE PATIENT

The service providers of Seva At Home do not prescribe medical advice but may prepare a plan for the patient with their providers like surgeons, therapists, physicians, etc or other family members’ advice.



MEAL PLANNING

Seva At Home’s nutritionists customise nutritional and diet plans depending on the person’s health parameters, dietary restrictions, and their environment, and help customers become healthier within the comfort of their homes.

 WELLNESS AT THE WORKPLACE

Seva At Home’s extensive range of healthcare services has been made available to corporates across the world. Employees of these companies have access to 24/7 telehealth services, expert content, webinars, discounted healthcare services, on-site medical support, ambulances, and more.

RELI ABLE RANGE OF IN-HOME CARE SERVICE PACKAGES



POST

KNEE/HIP REPLACEMENT CARE

To help patients regain knee/hip strength, reduce the risk of post-surgical problems, and of course regain mobility, Seva At Home provides absolute care.



CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Chronic diseases such as high/low blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, sleep apnea and others are unfortunately quite common now, but Seva At Home’s healthcare management and assistance can help you and your loved ones recover at home and manage the illness better.



POST-ACUTE CARE SURGERY

For patients who undergo serious medical procedures, Seva At Home offers Post-Acute Care Surgery services to help patients transition from a hospital setting to home care.



STROKE

RECOVERY

To help stroke patients relearn tasks, regain lost skills and achieve normal cognitive functions, Seva At Home deploys the best caregivers & provides Stroke Recovery Care Services.

A BUSINESS WORTH RELYING ON



Before deployment, all care providers at Seva At Home undergo an extensive screening process that involves rigid background checks.



Care Providers get regular training to brush up on their skills and update them about the latest developments and state-of-the-art technologies.



Seva At Home has partnered with quite a few popular names in the healthcare industry to fulfil their aim of providing the best quality care services.

WHAT’S NEXT?

The mission of Seva At Home is to provide life-changing access to quality healthcare at home, producing improved outcomes for patients and their families.

“We are currently providing at-home highly skilled and devoted nurses, care attendants, and virtual consultations with doctors, physiotherapists, and nutritionists across 70+ cities and we plan to cover 100+ cities in the coming months,” iterates Atul.

VIOSA

EMPOWERING PEOPLE WITH JOB-READY SKILLS

ASHISH SARDESAI

In today’s fast-paced world, it is essential for students to be career ready by acquiring real-world corporate skills. The foundation skills and being able to demonstrate job readiness can make a person stand out from the crowd. To make

people ready for the job market, VIOSA is offering world-class career guidance solutions to empower students, freshers and job seekers with corporate competencies.

Incorporated in 2020, VIOSA is India’s first AI-enabled Edtech learning

platform that helps people kick-start their careers. The platform guides students in building professional profiles, upskilling and personal development. The highly professional and experienced team of VIOSA paves a professional roadmap for a successful aspirational career of the learner.

“We, at VIOSA, have combinedface-to-face learning and AI technology to provide holistic career and professional guidance programs.”

Co-Founder & CEO, VIOSA

MEET THE BRAIN BEHIND THE COMPANY

The CEO & Co-Founder of VIOSA, Ashish Sardesai is the strategic brain of the company. His prudent decisions and visionary approach help the company to fly high to new heights. With 27 years of experience across various sectors, Ashish has been instrumental in establishing significant Sales & distribution models across FMCG, IT Education and Life Insurance sectors.

Ashish's rich corporate experience and deep understanding of the corporate needs of freshers and students have helped VIOSA to create its product and distribution strategy for learning. Ashish also guides and motivates the enthusiastic team to set benchmarks for performance and achieve the set objectives.

Ashish iterates, “Considering all realtime difficulties faced by school students, Job-seeking graduates, we, at VIOSA, have created a robust product map that helps them get JOB-READY.”

EMBARKING ON THE JOURNEY OF SUCCESS

During student interactions across various colleges in India, it is found that most of the student queries are related to understanding the right approach to identifying the required readiness for the desired jobs in corporate sectors. And to build this gap between corporates and graduates & post-graduates job seekers, the foundation of VIOSA was laid in 2020 by Ashish Sardesai.

VIOSA is a robust technology platform that transforms the world of corporate learning to help and guide students and job seekers to achieve their aspirational journey. “With the right expertise and skilled industry professionals, we assist you at every step to begin your exceptional professional career”, says the brainchild of the company.

SERVICES OFFERED

For creating the next level of job-ready professionals, the various digital learning solutions of VIOSA include:



FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS

It offers an AI-powered career guidance tool that helps school students to embark upon the right career path through 5-Dimensional AI Powered Career Assessment and expert counselling sessions.



FOR GRADUATES AND POST GRADUATES

The learning modules of VIOSA help freshers to achieve their aspirational employment through Job ready skill sets across functions and sectors. Leveraging AI technology, the platform assists students to create their ATS-compliant resumes along with Interview skill training and professional networking.

PROFESSIONALS WITH EXPERIENCE

The mentoring module provided by VIOSA helps professionals to upskill and achieve their aspirational employment through AI-powered automated job application tools.

Ashish mentions, “These courses are curated by Industry experts and the learning modules are available to be conducted at School/College campuses or for online learning anywhere anytime.”

Along with the learning modules, VIOSA also offers AI-powered technology products to help the learner stand out from the crowd. The most significant service in this area include:

Professional Competency Assessment - PCA

Interview skill training – InterviewPro

Resume Writer – ResuMatic

Job aggregation and automated application - JobEazy

WHY VIOSA IS A PERFECT CHOICE?

Not just offering professional courses, VIOSA empowers learners with job-ready skills and capabilities. The content of

the modules available on the platform is continually refined by industry professionals. Cultivating the right skills, the highly proficient team of VIOSA ensures efficient learning with live coaching classes, self-paced learning and weekly interactive Q&A sessions.

Round-the-clock services by the skilled experts at VIOSA establishes the brand at the top of the radar in the Edtech industry.

Taking pride in his core team, Ashish says, “They are the strong pillars of our success. Without this team, VIOSA would not have been able to achieve so much in such a short duration.”

THE CLIENTELE

The primary clientele of VIOSA is B2B schools and colleges. The well-defined process by VIOSA is implemented at every step of partnership with the educational institutions. For students and professionals, the platform has robust tech-enabled learning modules with active feedback mechanisms. VIOSA is maintaining a healthy client relationship by aligning the learning modules and courses with the goal of an aspirational career.

In the words of the CEO, “Under one learning umbrella, VIOSA provides hybrid career guidance solutions for a wide range of learners, be it school students, graduates and postgraduates or working professionals.”

THE WAY AHEAD

With a mission to provide simplified access to begin the dream professional career, VIOSA is rapidly growing across the globe. Through VIOSA Online University, the company is further expanding to provide career enhancement modules which will correlate with quantifiable outcomes at an affordable cost. Moving forward on the growth trajectory, VIOSA is eyeing to become the industry leader on which students can rely for a better future.

INDIAN STARTUPS

India’s startup ecosystem was in full swing in the year 2021 and the first quarter of 2022 when the country produced many unicorn startups. This rapid increase makes India stand at the third position in the list of the World’s Largest Startup Ecosystem with a total of 107 unicorns right after U.S and China. But as it says “Nothing is permanent but change”. The same goes for startups in India. Many experts believe that impending funding winter can affect startups to a great extent.

The startup funding was at its peak in the year 2021. The funding for tech startups accounted for $14.8 Billion in the July-September quarter of 2021 which is considered the highest. The funding is declining steadily after that. Financial experts and venture capitalists believe that funding winter is good to control the over-investing and hyper valuations of the startups.

Is funding winter a wake-up call for startups or is it something that is affecting startups for a time being and will be over soon? Let’s understand the concept of funding winter and its effects on the startup ecosystem.

WHY I S IT HAPPENING?

We dug a little deeper into statistics to help you understand better how real is winter funding. The funding in startups plunged by more than 82% in January 2022 and is predicted to remain so in the upcoming 15-18 months. In September 2022, startups raised a total of $810 million in the funding round, a fall of 58% on a year-on-year basis.

Tech startups are getting severely affected by the funding winter. According to the Traxcn survey, Indian tech startups raised only $885 million in August 2022 and only 10,000 companies received funding since last year out of 1,00,000 companies surveyed. The statistics clearly show us that it is getting tough for startups to get funding for their business. Now the question

arises if everything was going so well, how all of a sudden startups are finding it difficult to raise money?

The decline in funding is due to market slowdown and volatility because of macroeconomic and geopolitical situations, inflation and interest rates. To control the rising level of inflation, RBI increased the repo rate and restricted the cash liquidity in the market. Consequently, Investors and VCs started to invest in only those companies that bring profitability to the investors’ table.

HOW IS IT AFFECTING INDIAN STARTUPS?

Many investors and Financial experts believe that excess monetary investment is not healthy for startups and it may lead to the hyper-valuation of

the company and “drunken” over-investing. To cope with the funding winter the startup ecosystem is now heading toward M&A activity. According to the report by PwC, there were a total of 54 M&A transactions in the second quarter of 2022. The most significant acquisition deals that happened during this period were Zomato’s acquisition of Blinkit and Swiggy’s acquisition of Dineout.

PwC anticipates more buyouts and acquisitions in the future triggered by a broader correction in the market.

However, funding winter does not mean that startups will not get any investment at all. Those companies that are truly bringing value to the business world are still getting the appropriate amount of funding. For instance, UpGrad, an edtech startup raised $225 million in July and

Top Three Acquisitions In Q2 CY22 By Deal Value

for their business based on their pitch only. Venture Capitalists and investors are becoming more sceptical nowadays. Startups must come with certain strategies, profitability numbers and a solid plan to survive the funding crunch. Here are some tips for startups that help them to survive the funding winter: 

Source: Venture Intelligence

$210 million in August 2022 despite the funding winter. EarlySalary, a Punebased fintech startup is another example that raised funds of $110 million in September 2022 while other startups are surviving.

Funding winter is not going well for many Indian startups and they are finding ways to keep running their businesses. Rationalising their business vertices, startup companies are now cutting their costs by downsizing their workforce and closing the extra vertices. Recently, companies like Unacademy, Meesho, Cars24 and Vedantu have laid

off employees in mass numbers stating the tense financial situations of the company.

Struggling to raise funds, smaller startups like Udayy, Lido Learning and Valud have shut down their operations. In addition to this, many big startups including Ola, Snapdeal and Oyo have delayed their plans of launching IPO in the market.

HOW STARTUPS CAN SURVIVE THE FUNDING WINTER

Gone are the days when startups could raise a handsome amount of funding



Make sure that your business model has a solid base. Without the right business model, no investor is going to consider investing in your business because they might not find something valuable for them. So it is very important to prepare the right plan for your business model.

Keep your future goals realistic. Always remember, Venture capitalists and investors are financial experts with years of experience, and they know what goals can be achieved and what can not be achieved. If your business goals are realistic, investors might take interest in your business.



It is good to have an optimistic perspective but business comes with a lot of uncertainties also. So always prepare your business for unfortunate events in the advance.

FINAL WORDS

Building a startup is not easy as it sounds, it takes a lot of hard work and nurturing of ideas that make any startup successful. The road to success is bumpy for any startup. The world is standing on the verge of recession, where economies across the globe are struggling to cope with the inflation and rising price of everything. In this situation, it is not going to be easy for startups to raise funding for their businesses. Investors believe that funding winter is not going to be over soon, at least not before 12-24 months. Investors are optimistic stating that this funding crunch will normalise the sanity of the market.

5 Must-Visit Unheard

Standing tall as witnesses of wars, celebrations, and bloodshed, forts of India have great stories to tell. These towering monuments remind us of the colourful history of our country India. No matter what, a visit to these places can surely blow your mind.

So let’s not waste time and take you to the great forts of India:

BAHU FORT, JAMMU

Built In: 3000 years ago

Best Time To Visit: September To March

Constructed By: Bahu Lochan

Believed to be constructed 3000 years ago, Bahu Fort stands strong against time to date. In the 19th century, the Dogra dynasty kings renovated and extended the fort. The fort houses a sacred temple dedicated to the goddess Kali. The statue of the goddess is made out of black stone and is placed on an approx 4 feet high platform. Another interesting thing about this fort is its garden, Bagh-e-Bahu. Built like a Mughal Garden, Bagh-eBahu surrounds itself with flowers of rare species.

SIDHUDURG FORT, MAHARASHTRA

Built In: 1656

Best Time To Visit: October To March

Constructed By: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Situated 500 km south of Mumbai, Sidhudurg Fort is on an island off the coast of Malvan Town of Sidhudurg district in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. There are three temples on the fort namely Shri Bhavani Temple, Jari Mari Temple, and Shri Shiv Rajeshwar Temple. The fort also has a domical structure that houses the footprints and the hand impression of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. You can experience the taste of Malvani cuisine which includes Sol Kadhi, Dry fish, Kombadi Vade, Ghavane, Amboli, Appe, and many more.

DIU FORT, DAMAN & DIU

Built In: 1535

Best Time To Visit: October To May

Constructed By: The Portuguese

Diu Fort is one of the historical forts in India which is located at a distance of 2 kilometres from Diu Bus Station. Protected by sea on three sides, the outer wall of the fort was built along the coastline and the inner wall had bastions on which guns were mounted. From the fort, you can witness a spectacular view of Panikota Fort located in the sea, off the coast opposite to Diu Fort.

BASGO FORT, LADAKH

Built In: 1680

Best Time To Visit: April to July

Constructed

By: The Namgyal Rulers

Popularly known as Buddhist Monastery today, Basgo Fort consists of Basgo Citadel and three temples—Chamba Lhakhan, Chan Chung, and Serzing Lhakhang. For all the Bollywood fans, the song ‘Satrangi Re’ from the movie ‘Dil Se’ was shot here, hence quite evidently a favourite spot of not only photographers but filmmakers as well. Basgo Monastery was also listed among the 100 most endangered heritage sites in 20002001 by World Monuments Fund.

RANTHAMBORE FORT, RAJASTHAN

Built In: 944

Best Time To Visit: April to June

Constructed By: Chauhan Rulers

Characterized by tanks, temples, huge walls, and massive gates, Ranthambore Fort is famous for the historical legend of the royal women performing ‘jauhar’ (self-immolation) when Alauddin Khilji, a Muslim invader surrounded the fort with armed forces. Moreover, the fort includes many attractions like Mahadeo Chhatri, Sametonki Haveli, and Toran Dwar. The fort also has a presence of a mosque and a temple. You can also find Lord Ganesha's temple inside the fort.