The world’s third-largest startup ecosystem has seen a fresh capital inflow of over $158 Bn in the last decade, along with 119 startups breaching the $1 Bn valuation mark. This highlights the resilience of India’s innovation-driven ventures, even amidst global economic uncertainties. 

Now there is little doubt that the growth has been fuelled by investors actively backing startups to tap into a dynamic and evolving market. However, the twist in the tale is that the rapid influx of new investors into the VC space has not been without its ripples. 

According to the founder and managing partner of Rukam Capital, Archana Jahagirdar, investors have rushed into the Indian market, prioritising their investments or thesis over understanding the market’s actual needs. Consequently, the focus has somewhat shifted from addressing critical gaps in the ecosystem. 

Jahagirdar believes this challenge of misaligned dynamics of investments and market requirements has become even more pronounced in the past few years, underscoring the need for a more thoughtful approach to venture capital investments in the country.

Speaking with Vaibhav Vardhan, cofounder & CEO of Inc42, she said, “The point of a VC is to respond to a trend. The point of a VC is not to think about trends. When you spend so much time thinking, you’ve fallen for the sunk cost fallacy already, saying ‘I believe in this, I created this thesis and so I have to go and invest accordingly’.”

For the journalist-turned-general partner, Jahagirdar, prior knowledge of any niche is crucial before entering the VC market. She believes that the space requires investors who can build brands from scratch. 

Notably, Jahagirdar launched her first venture fund Rukam Capital in 2019, raising $19 Mn to invest in early-stage consumer brands. She has backed D2C brands like GoDesi, and Sleepy Owl, through her first fund.

Aligned with the latest trends, she is currently working on Fund II and has also launched Rukam Sitara, a fund that focuses on opportunities in India’s tech space, including GenAI, robotics, semiconductors, and climate technology. Her folio of tech comprises startups such as beatoven.ai and Unscript.

Diving deeper into the conversation about the recurring need for adaptable and multi-faceted capital in India’s ever-evolving business landscape, the GP said Indian startups currently need capital that “can support multiple strategies and multiple kinds of company formation”.

She added that VCs are playing a crucial role in innovation, job creation, and entrepreneurship. Therefore, they have a huge impact on individual businesses as well as national economies. 

Besides, economic development can be supported and accelerated by participating in high-growth startups. 

Jahagirdar further pointed out that despite being the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, the country lacked a flagship event to showcase its achievements. This is precisely from where the idea for Startup Mahakumbh emerged. 

Spearheaded by Union minister Piyush Goyal’s vision and with Jahagirdar as one of the members of the organisation committee, the initiative is aimed at creating a platform where startups, government, and private stakeholders could collaborate.

“I think it’s rare for government and private sectors to work so closely,” she said.

Notably, this kind of collaboration has come at a time when India’s startup ecosystem has grown exponentially in the last decade, as mentioned above. 

Therefore, Jahagirdar advocates for a capital market environment that helps in scaling up businesses and innovations by the entrepreneurs towards the fulfilment of national goals to create lasting economic value. Meanwhile, the VC also emphasised the critical need for domestic capital to drive the growth of startups, especially in India. 

The post Rukam Capital’s Archana Jahagirdar On Why Domestic Capital Is The Need Of The Hour appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Why is “strategy” overrated in startups? Why do professionals often struggle to grow beyond ₹1 crore in salary? What truly sets successful leaders apart? And what’s the one mindset shift every ambitious professional needs?

Dhruvil Sanghvi, founder and CEO of LogiNext, answers these questions with brutal honesty in the latest episode of The 80/20 Podcast.

As the leader of one of the world’s foremost SaaS businesses, Dhruvil shares a rare, unfiltered perspective into the realities of startup leadership, delivering lessons that are as thought-provoking as they are practical.

Key Takeaways From The Episode

“Work-Life Balance is a Concept for the Weak”

Dhruvil begins by calling out the much-celebrated notion of work-life balance. “Work-life balance is a myth sold to underperformers,” he says bluntly. Instead, Dhruvil champions the idea of work-life harmony, asserting that leaders who aim for greatness find harmony between work and personal life instead of treating them as separate silos.

Why Professionals Hit a Career Ceiling at ₹1 Crore

One of the most thought-provoking moments comes when Dhruvil explains why many professionals struggle to break past the ₹1 crore salary mark.

“Above ₹1 crore, the job market shrinks dramatically. To succeed, you must make yourself indispensable by staying ahead of the curve,” he says, offering a roadmap for breaking through career stagnation.

The True Role of Leadership

The conversation also delves into the roles of Individual Contributors (ICs), managers, and leaders. As Dhruvil explains, “ICs master their craft, managers bring structure, and leaders inspire teams to go beyond their limits,” adding that real leaders create impact by leading through clarity and example, not by title.

Rather than treating these roles as steps in a hierarchy, he encourages professionals to see them as interdependent functions critical for success.

“There’s No Such Thing as Strategy in Startups”

One of Dhruvil’s most striking points is his take on strategy. “There’s no strategy meeting in startups,” he says. Instead, real progress emerges from solving ground-level problems and relentless execution. For Dhruvil, startups succeed not by overthinking but by doing.
If you’ve ever wondered why some people rise to the top while others get stuck in the middle, this episode will challenge your assumptions and give you a roadmap to create a high-impact career in startups.

The post The 80/20 Podcast – Ep 2 With Dhruvil Sanghvi, Founder of LogiNext appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Why do 20% of leaders drive 80% of a company’s success? 

What’s the crucial 20% that separates high-growth leaders from the rest? 

How do top startup leaders identify the vital few factors that truly move the needle amidst chaos?

Welcome to The 80/20 Podcast by Inc42 – offering you a backstage pass to the minds shaping the future of India’s startup economy. We’re diving deep into the trenches with maverick startup founders who are rewriting the rules of success in the digital age.

Each episode is a masterclass in high-impact leadership – unpacking the frameworks, habits, and decision-making that create exponential impact. 

We extract the hidden 20% that catapults good teams to greatness, unravelling the strategies that separate high-growth startups from the rest. From crucial pivots that saved companies to cultivating high-performing teams to managing high-stakes situations, we leave no stone unturned.

Inaugural Episode With Ritesh Malik 

The debut episode sets the stage with none other than Ritesh Malik – entrepreneur, investor, and visionary behind Innov8 Coworking. 

Starting with an unconventional team and bold ambition, Ritesh built Innov8 into a leading co-working brand, achieving a landmark ₹220 Cr acquisition by OYO in just four years. His journey, one of India’s first successful exits in the co-working space, is packed with lessons for aspiring leaders. 

Hosted by CEO of Inc42, Vaibhav Vardhan, the episode delves into the mind of Ritesh to explore what it truly takes to thrive in high-stakes environments. 

From transitioning from an individual contributor to a transformational leader to busting myths about high-performance leadership, this conversation is a masterclass in actionable insights and game-changing perspectives.

Key Takeaways From The Episode

1. Employee Mindset vs. Leadership Mindset

Ritesh highlights the shift from a survival-focused employee mindset to an ownership-driven mindset as the cornerstone of leadership. 

“Ownership is not defined by equity,” he asserts. “The day you start working somewhere, consider you have equity. Your reputation is your true currency.”

He urges viewers to abandon the “bare minimum” approach and instead adopt an entrepreneurial spirit that thrives on impact and accountability.

2. Integrity, Will, and Skill (IWS Framework)

Hiring for startups is notoriously tricky, but Ritesh offers a unique perspective – prioritise integrity above all else. 

“Integrity with will, wins the world,” he declares, emphasising that skills can be learned, but trust and drive are irreplaceable.

3. The 20% That Drives 80% of Results

Central to the podcast’s ethos is identifying the critical few actions that yield outsized results. Ritesh advises professionals to focus on value creation and attention. 

“Attention is a beautiful currency,” he notes. “Do one thing so well that it becomes impossible to ignore.”

4. Trust Quotient: The Future of Leadership

In an era where relationships define growth, trust is non-negotiable. Ritesh predicts that the 2020s will pivot from emotional intelligence (EQ) to trust quotient (TQ) as the defining trait of successful leaders. 

“Trust Quotient is built not during good times but when challenges arise,” he explains. 

5. Navigating Insecurity in High-Pressure Roles

In an era of volatility, insecurity is both a challenge and an opportunity. 

Ritesh reframes insecurity as a driver of preparation, urging leaders to channel introspection into decisive action. His framework – “Insecurity → Introspection → Action → Learning” – provides a roadmap for growth.

Closing Notes

The 80/20 Podcast is more than a series of interviews, it’s a toolkit for ambitious professionals navigating the complexities of high-growth startups. With candid discussions, unfiltered insights, and actionable advice from industry leaders, each episode equips viewers with the mindset and strategies to excel.

The inaugural episode with Ritesh Malik is a fitting kick-off, packed with insights that resonate far beyond the startup ecosystem. Whether you’re a startup manager seeking growth or a professional looking to redefine your career trajectory, this conversation offers the clarity and inspiration you need to take bold steps forward.

So, what’s your 20%? Find out by tuning into The 80/20 Podcast – where India’s top startup minds share the secrets of leadership success.

The post Announcing The 80/20 Podcast – Ep 1 With Ritesh Malik, Founder of Innov8 appeared first on Inc42 Media.

In the fast-moving techno-business landscape, big data and artificial intelligence (AI) are effectively changing how companies operate internally and externally. Indian startups are also catching up with this technology transformation. Many are increasingly adopting AI solutions to automate routine tasks, increase accuracy in data analytics and improve customer interaction through personalisation.

According to a SAP India-Dun & Bradstreet study, more than 77% of startups are now investing in AI-ML, IoT and blockchain, and 79% think that enterprise-grade applications integrated with new-age tech such as AI are essential for scaling and improving unit economics. Also, 40% of India’s tech startups operate from Tier II and III locations, turning them into the country’s new innovation hubs.      

Inc42 and cloud applications major Oracle recently hosted a virtual panel discussion to assess this transformative ecosystem. It was part of an ongoing series called Boardroom: Powering Data With AI and delved into the theme of How Indian Startups Are Fusing Human Intelligence & AI To Transform Business Growth.

The session covered many critical topics, including:

• AI integration with human-in-the-loop system
• Facilitating business growth through AI tools and engines
• Navigating ethical concerns and combating the threat of data leakage

Moderated by Kshitij Shah, founder and CEO of Digital Strategy Works, the panel brought together many tech leaders, including:

• ⁠Ranjith Babu, associate director (data science), Cuemath
• Shalabh Aggarwal, CTO, CredFlow
• Rajat Garg, founder & CEO, myUpchar
• Neelmani Gupta, VP (data science & analytics), Lenskart
• Raksh Anand, head of engineering, AltMobility
• Pijush Mukherjee, head of digital natives (JAPAC), Oracle

A Close Look At How Human-AI Collaboration Can Drive Business Growth 

The human-in-the-loop (HITL) approach is rapidly becoming popular as it helps redefine human-computer interaction (HCA) and strikes the right balance between automated efficiency and the power of human decision-making. According to a Stanford communiqué, full automation could be a big red button, but an AI system designed with a human in the loop will ensure an entirely different system ethos. This may not result in a perfect algorithm, but the constant fine-tuning (human-machine interactivity, to be precise) with a focus on granularity ensures better outcomes in a given situation, enhanced adaptability across industries and businesses and more transparency.

During the discussion, Rajat Garg of myUpchar dived deep into a healthtech use case and explained how his ‘digital hospital’ uses AI to assist doctors instead of replacing them. The startup’s AI systems are designed to handle initial patient assessment, make a tentative diagnosis based on patient input and pre-fill a prescription. However, only a medical professional can decide how to proceed with the diagnosis and treatment.  

The human-AI collaboration not only boosts treatment accuracy but also reduces the risk of false positives (wrongly indicating that a person is suffering from a health condition), a critical loophole plaguing the healthcare industry.

“[The AI collaboration] works in medicine as everything is repetitive here. People have, let’s say, cough, cold, fever or hair fall. You can diagnose it through an [AI-based] algorithm and figure out the symptoms, the root cause and how to treat it. It will be applicable 99% of the time,” added Garg.

India’s medical technology market is witnessing rapid growth due to these advanced tech solutions and may reach $12.3 Bn by 2029 from $6.9 Bn in 2024 at a CAGR of 7.6%. 

Meanwhile, Neelmani Gupta of Lenskart, a D2C brand-turned-an integrated eyewear business, said it had primarily focussed on customer feedback to drive growth.

Long before the pandemic, the brand recognised how customers sought an immersive experience when shopping for eyewear online. This led to AR (augmented reality) integration, allowing people virtual try-ons and enhancing their shopping experiences.

“At Lenskart, we do things the consumer way. When we found that our customers wanted a look-and-feel kind of experience online, we introduced the whole AR thing. It is all about continuous improvement, and we are getting good feedback from them. That really drives us, and technology helps us do it.”

To know how startups use AI for human-in-the-loop development that drives business growth, watch the Inc42-Oracle panel discussion on How Indian Startups Are Fusing Human Intelligence & AI To Transform Business Growth.

The post How Indian Startups Are Fusing Human Intelligence & AI To Transform Business Growth appeared first on Inc42 Media.

In today’s fast-paced AI/ML landscape, early stage investors meticulously follow all relevant developments that can redefine business models and improve efficiencies. The use of AI/ML for business excellence has always been a hot topic. But the GenAI boom in the past two years has carved the path for startups looking to use this technology genre.

Although the overall funding scenario remains subdued, venture capital (VC) firms are doubling down on AI investments all over the globe. A Goldman Sachs report published last year forecast that businesses may invest around $200 Bn globally by 2025 to accrue the full benefits of GenAI, while private funding at a global level may rise to $158.4 Bn by that time.

According to a NASSCOM-BCG report, India’s AI market is estimated to reach $17 Bn by 2027, growing at an annualised rate of 25-35% between 2024 and 2027. Most of this growth will be driven by the rise in enterprise tech spending on AI tools and talent and an increase in AI investments. 

In addition, there shall be emphasis on AI-driven consumer services. Ecommerce startups using AI to personalise shopping and automate customer support have primarily gained here, raising $561 Mn in 102 deals during the first six months of 2024, according to a report by Inc42.This trend is in line with widespread online shopping and the need for smart tech to boost businesses.

To explore things further, Inc42 and Oracle recently organised a virtual panel discussion on VCs Bet Big On AI To Drive The Next Wave Of Startup Success. It was part of an ongoing series titled Boardroom: Powering Data With AI.

Moderated by Ankur Dubey, principal at Capria Ventures, the session brought together leading investors and partners from the industry, including:

• Arjun Rao, partner at Speciale Invest
• ⁠Girish Shivani, executive director & fund manager, YourNest Venture Capital
• Rajiv Mehta, MD & general partner, Athera Venture Partners
• ⁠Vikram Ramasubramanian, partner at Inflection Point Ventures
• Anagh Prasad, investor at Accel
• Sahil Makkar, VP at IndiaQuotient
• Saravanan Palanivel, VP (cloud engineering), Oracle India

How Startups Can Corner Success In An AI-First Ecosystem

The rapid advance of AI-GenAI applications and cloud-based AI platforms, software and services are driving AI implementations at scale. The all-new tech ecosystem has also transformed communications, not just between humans and machines (although chatbots/AI agents are becoming conversational wizards day by day) but between machine and machine to optimise data flow and automate routine-to-complex tasks.

AI is accelerating time-to-market for products and services, reducing costs and improving end-user experience to bring a better return on investment (RoI). 

“In my opinion, we have to reimagine these experiences [of product building] from the ground up,” said Arjun Rao of Speciale Invest. 

“Startups are often asked whether they are building AI-native products as opposed to embedded AI. In the first case, they build products from scratch with AI at the core. It requires imagining interfaces and making things much more seamless. Then you can possibly deliver 10x value. These are specialised developments instead of embedding, which is adding GenAI layers on top of existing workflows (products and services),” he added.

Rajiv Mehta of Athera Venture Partners (formerly Inventus India) emphasised the importance of strategic focus and agile monitoring.

“Given how fast [technological] disruptions are happening, you should be acutely aware of what the market demands and must focus on those priorities. I would say speed is critical here. The way things are moving, you must try and stay ahead of the curve.” 

Another critical factor is competitive vigilance.

“Make sure you are watching what your competitors are doing. Sift through the data and catch the signal, discarding the noises. There is always a fine line between what you can build and what needs to be built,” he said. 

Speaking about target investment areas and growth opportunities, Anagh Prasad of Accel said, “We have made substantial investments in enterprise automation. We are now pursuing verticalised assistance for services outsourced to India.”

The panel also explored opportunities around quantum computing and algorithms, AI DevOps and autonomous databases, as these innovations are set to shape the future of startups and legacy players alike.

The post VCs Bet Big On AI To Drive The Next Wave Of Startup Success appeared first on Inc42 Media.

As the global economy faces headwinds, brands and business platforms increasingly enhance customer experience (CX) to boost the top line and lower customer acquisition costs. However, CX is no longer limited to routine support or after-sales services in this consumer-driven economy. Businesses today have a deeper understanding of CX success criteria and how tech innovations can help them achieve real-time customer centricity.

This is especially crucial as great CX is a growing demand in post-Covid times. According to a recent Salesforce report titled State of the Connected Customer, 80% of customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services and 81% expect faster service as technology advances.

CX is a vast area, though, spanning the entire customer journey. But at a granular level, growth, profitability and customer satisfaction hinge on a seamless and multi-channel payment experience rather than struggling with random digital tools every time a transaction is made. Startups in the travel and mobility sector require a transformative payment system even more. Whether it is ride-hailing for local travel, long-distance tourist mobility or travel package/hotel booking, these businesses are essentially volume and value-intensive and need to accommodate multiple payment methods as people embrace the latest payment solutions.

Take, for instance, new solutions like BNPL (buy now, pay later) or the UPI-credit card linking that provides customers with many choices. As consumers demand instant, hassle-free and secure payment options in sync with their unique needs, building an overarching payment ecosystem is emerging as a successful CX hack in the travel and mobility space, enabling startups to build a major competitive moat.

To explore how to enhance CX in travel and mobility through an inclusive payment approach, Inc42 and Simpl (a Bengaluru-based payments startup) recently held an online panel discussion titled How Seamless Payments Are Reshaping Travel & Mobility, Taking CX A Notch Up. The panel discussion was part of an ongoing series called Consumer Brands Reimagined.

The session covered many critical topics, including: 

• Understanding one’s target customers and their key pain points
• How a seamless payment experience can shape and enhance CX 
• Decoding the needs and expectations of new-age consumers

Moderated by Nitya Sharma, founder and CEO of Simpl, the panel brought together CX leaders from the travel and mobility sectors, including

• Avinash Banavathu, VP (growth) at AbhiBus
• Ameya Sood, associate VP (product) at ixigo
• Abhishek Bhasin, director (brand & app performance marketing) at MakeMyTrip
• Pramod N, VP (head of product and data science) at Rapido 

Navigating The Customer Experience Matrix In Travel And Mobility

The travel and mobility space is undergoing a major change thanks to the rise of Gen Z. This new-age consumer class values instant gratification, looks for asset-light consumption (renting over owning) and prefers flexible payment methods like BNPL. Per a June 2024 PYMNTS report, nearly 50% of Gen Z and millennial consumers used BNPL in the past 12 months, and 63% of them cited better control on cash flow as an important reason for their choice.

The BNPL market size is estimated to reach $122.8 Bn by 2031, but there is no set usage pattern in a diverse market like India. Newer payment solutions like UPI and BNPL have not wiped out cash or traditional plastic money (credit and debit cards), although new-age consumers rarely carry physical cards. Nevertheless, travel and mobility businesses will do well to cater to all payment preferences if they do not want to overwhelm not-too-tech-savvy customer cohorts.      

Bhasin of MakeMyTrip narrated a use case where a payment service was designed to enhance customer experience. “We focus on being proactive and recently launched a product called Visa Rejection. It provides a 100% refund on flight tickets if your visa is rejected.” 

The product meets customer requirements in unforeseen circumstances. The goal is always to stay ahead of the curve and come up with solutions that consumers may not even realise they need, he added.

According to Sood of ixigo, when customers hit the pay button, they are at the final stage of their journey. Therefore, any friction at this point is bound to impact CX metrics. 

“At ixigo, we rely entirely on digital payments. It is the last stage of the [sales] funnel and extremely critical for our LOBs (lines of business). Our payment solutions must ensure that a user making it to the payment stage has a zero-friction experience,” he said.  

To know how consumer brands master seamless payment experiences and enhance customer satisfaction, watch the Inc42-Simpl panel discussion – How Seamless Payments Are Reshaping Travel & Mobility, Taking CX A Notch Up. 

The post How Seamless Payments Are Reshaping Travel & Mobility, Taking CX A Notch Up appeared first on Inc42 Media.

In a connected world, smart mobility is critical for road safety, operational efficiency and productivity growth. Fully autonomous vehicles with zero human interventions are no doubt the future of mobility. But for now, the automotive dialogue revolves around integrated communications technologies powered by AI/ML-based sensor devices, and energy efficiency for a sustainable future. 

Capturing real-time data on traffic, road conditions and driver’s behaviour through multiple cameras, quickly analysing the same to understand if all is well and promptly conveying it through tech alerts to truckers on the road is a smart system called ADAS (advanced driver assistance system), which is rapidly gaining traction. Set up in Bengaluru in 2015 by Avneesh Agrawal and David Julian, Netradyne is doing just that to bring down road accidents.

“We use IoT devices with multiple cameras [both road-facing and driver-facing] to track what’s happening on the ground. The data collected goes to cloud storage, where our patented algorithms and edge computing analyse it, and alarms are immediately raised [through a beep or audio]. These are industry-proven safety solutions for drivers and fleets, and we are keen to set up a new safe-driving standard for commercial vehicles,” explained Agrawal in a one-to-one interaction with Inc42.

Netradyne’s flagship product called Driver•i also extracts actionable insights from the data pulled and coaches truckers to improve their driving. This, in turn, reduces the number of accidents by 40-50%. 

If Netradyne has a humane mission – media reports say as many as 19 people die hourly in road accidents across India – one cannot undermine its economic impact, either. The financial burden of road accidents is often devastating, costing most countries 3-5% of their GDP.  

A Legacy Of Innovation & An AI-Driven Product For Ultimate Road Safety 

“Globally, the deeptech ecosystem is fairly mature, and the US has taken the lead. We also operate from San Diego, essentially propagating that strong legacy. Our company is a proud contributor at every stage. On the other hand, India is critical for Netradyne’s R&D play. All our devices are manufactured here,” said Agrawal. 

Besides India and the US, the startup operates in six more countries, including the UK, Germany, Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, and employs 800+ people globally. Additionally, it is exploring GenAI to enhance its products, as this new technology segment holds immense potential for R&D and on-road safety. 

For instance, Netradyne will increase its training ability by leveraging cutting-edge tech. Although the startup analyses 600Mn miles of driving data every month, the founder-CEO now aims to invest heavily in R&D and amp up its GenAI usage to detect accident risks accurately.

“We are building a model to predict what every agent on the road will do in the next few seconds. We can predict with interesting and uncanny accuracy how pedestrians will move. Once you start making such predictions, it’s no longer a leap of faith to surmise that we can design our algorithms to be extremely safe and guide the drivers,” he explained.

India Has Got Talent, So Netradyne Is Building In India For The World

Agrawal is also enthusiastic about India’s diverse talent pool. “I believe that the Indian ecosystem is adding up and maturing. A significant part of our complex value chain, including the design, hardware, AI and cloud computing, has been developed and manufactured in India for the rest of the world,” he added. 

Agrawal says the biggest transformation in deeptech is that smart people nowadays are more inclined to work in startups. This creates a deeptech ecosystem that fosters raw talent and innovation, leading to a dynamic and competitive tech landscape where companies are constantly innovating and evolving. 

Netradyne, too, plans to nurture talent by ensuring that its employees have access to cutting-edge technology and value-added resources. This will strengthen its position as a leading startup and contribute significantly to the growth of technology in India and beyond. 

To explore how Netradyne is powering next-gen smart mobility, watch this discussion with Avneesh Agrawal.

The post Putting India On The Deeptech Map: How Netradyne Technology Is Powering Next-Gen Smart Mobility appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Today’s business environment demands strategic agility from companies, the power to think outside the box, thrive amid disruptions and stay ahead of the curve through constant innovation. This has ignited a technology revolution, with artificial intelligence (AI) and automation rapidly taking over various aspects of business operations.

However, the advantages of speed, flexibility and a fresh perception are mostly embraced by two categories – deep-pocketed design thinkers with a penchant for winning at any cost and the new kids on the block, young startups requiring business transformation for cost-cutting, scalability and success. 

For those in the middle – micro, small and medium businesses (MSMEs) – digitalisation, or any other tech advancement, brings a sense of uneasy familiarity. They continue to struggle with time-consuming manual processes due to their entrenched reliance on ‘that’s how it works’.

But the times are changing, and many SaaS (software-as-a-service) platforms have entered the fray to help improve the business performance of small and medium enterprises. 

“Our vision is to become the de-facto cloud-based system for the maximum number of MSMEs,” Unesync’s cofounder and CEO Rohan Chopra told Inc42 in a recent interview.

Unesync aims to do so “by becoming the go-to financial tool that completes the automation trifecta, including banking, accounting and compliance”, according to Chopra.

Set up in 2023 by Chopra and Ujjwal Agarwal, the Gurugram-based fintech SaaS platform offers a robust suite of accounting solutions, such as GST-compliant e-invoice and e-bill generation and developing insightful financial reports.

The startup further aims to digitalise India’s MSMEs, targeting an ecosystem featuring 63 Mn ventures or thereabouts.

“Today, nearly 50% of all GST-registered businesses are disconnected from the technology landscape,” said Chopra, underscoring the huge opportunity. “This is the market most fintech (SaaS) players are addressing now.”

Consequently, the fintech SaaS space shows promising growth potential in India. A report by Inc42 also estimates that the market is set to surge from $4.6 Bn in 2022 to $31 Bn in 2030, growing at a CAGR of 27%.

Chopra also thinks fintech SaaS should explore niche, specialised use cases to cater to the diverse requirements of small and medium businesses. As Unesync’s custom connectors function as gateways, allowing developers to build on top of the platform, the startup can develop solutions for different industry segments. 

Talking about use cases, Chopra said, “People have used them [custom connectors] to streamline BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) registration or even automate e-waste recycling directly from their inventory, a crucial practice that is now mandatory.”

Can fintech SaaS solve the growth challenges of India’s SMEs/MSMEs? 

Watch Rohan Chopra of Unesync decode the potential of fintech SaaS, how one can tailor it for diverse requirements, its adoption challenges and more.

The post How Unesync Is Supercharging Small and Medium Businesses In India appeared first on Inc42 Media.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are pivotal in reducing air pollution, tackling planet warming and lowering fossil fuel dependency. Given these sustainable, eco-friendly advantages, the Indian EV market anticipates significant growth, with projections reaching $110.7 Bn by 2029. As the transition from ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles to green mobility unfolds, data-driven strategies become critical for maximising EV benefits across the rapidly evolving industry landscape.

But how does data analytics help scale EV services and maximise vehicle performances? After live data is captured, advanced algorithms analyse crucial metrics such as battery efficiency, vehicle range, charging patterns and energy consumption to develop predictive models that can help eliminate operational challenges.

To understand and navigate the intricacies of a data-driven approach within the EV ecosystem, Inc42 and Qlik (a data analytics platform set up in Sweden and now based in the US) organised a panel discussion titled How EV Startups Can Leverage Data Analytics To Revolutionise $110 Bn+ Industry. 

The session covered a number of critical topics, including:

• The importance of data analytics in optimising EV performance & driving efficiency
• The benefits of data-driven fleet management for EV operations
• How data analytics ensures improved customer experience

Moderated by Himanshu Ghawri, Partner at PwC, the roundtable brought together leaders from various EV startups. Among them were Shashank Sathe, CTO at Magenta Mobility; Amitabh Saran, founder & CEO of Altigreen Propulsion Labs; Jaideep Dhok, head of data at Yulu; Ankit Mogra, director (insights & analytics) at Ather Energy; Kumar Prasad Telikepalli, cofounder & group CTO of Matter, and Rishi Beri, automotive sales head at Qlik India.

Data Is Steering The EV Market Forward

The future of electric vehicles is increasingly shaped by data-informed decision-making. A major source of this data is telematics systems embedded in EVs, turning them into mobile information hubs.

For instance, telematics data is a potent tool widely used across industries and applications, including automotive, logistics, transportation and fleet management, insurance and more. Vehicular telematics can collect a wealth of data, including usage, direction, current location, engine health, charge status and battery temperature. 

This comprehensive data is then analysed to identify anomalies, enhance battery performance through efficient charge cycles and mitigate degradation. Besides early detection of potential issues and the corrective measures that EV manufacturers can adopt, telematics data also helps fleet operators manage their resources efficiently and assess driving patterns and drivers’ behaviour. 

“Once we have telematics data, we can use it for proactive alerts. In fact, some of the most important vehicle control features are often managed [remotely] through the telematics dashboard,” explained Shashank Sathe of Magenta Mobility. “Think of fleet operations. In case there’s a driver misuse or one leaves the geofencing area of the commute, we receive a proactive alert. A remote immobilising feature gives us time to stop the vehicle anywhere, reach out to the driver and resolve issues.” 

Data insights not only ensure strategic decision-making in fleet operations but also play a crucial role in enhancing customer experience. Understanding customer preferences through data analytics helps manufacturers tailor their services, thus increasing customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. 

“Today, customer interaction with a brand/company has become very complicated,” said Ankit Mogra of Ather Energy. “If a person buys our vehicle from a big town and takes it to a small town, he is happy (maybe because it is an aspirational purchase). But another challenge comes up immediately. How will they get the servicing done? So, [alongside telematics], we use geospatial analytics to deliver a vehicle and plan for services even before the customer requires it at that location.” 

That’s the beauty of data in a digital-first era. Apart from best-possible operations at the vehicular level, many companies are now looking at data-driven intelligent charging networks (call it infrastructure planning, if you want) to do away with range anxiety for good. 

To better understand how data is shaping the future of green mobility, watch the Inc42-Qlik panel discussion – How EV Startups Can Leverage Data Analytics To Revolutionise $110 Bn+ Industry.

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