The Indian Startup Show

Making it easier and cheaper for e-rickshaw drivers to earn a livelihood. Today my guest is Varun Goenka, CEO & Co-Founder of ChargeUp. Charge-up offers the simple solution of Battery as a Service (BAAS)  to a growing community of 2.4 million E-Rickshaws. The company enables the e-rickshaw drivers to join the service without any upfront costs. By subscribing to a daily battery rental plan. Charge-up allows the drivers to visit the swapping station as many as 2-3 times a day to swap the discharged batteries with fully charged batteries. In this episode he talks about how he got started by talking to over 500 drivers, finding huge pain points on the way. He will explain what they are. Talks about working backwards to create product market fit , which they did in 12 months. Talks about traction, the business model  and how they use technology and data to grow the business. E.g driver behaviour, patterns, performance analytics and how they leverage the data.   Talks about missing out on the opportunity in sol

Every year 300,000 wheelchairs are sold in india. 95% of all wheelchairs are one -size fits all. Imagine wearing shoes and everyone has to wear size 14 shoes! So today my guest is Swostik Dash, CEO & Co-Founder of Neomotion. This Chennai-based startup has developed a personalised wheelchair, and a battery-powered clip-on device that converts the wheelchair into a roadworthy electric vehicle. So they helping people with disabilities to live a more independent life with their products. So in this episode he talks about how the journey started by talking to 200 Wheelchair users in 40 locations around india. Talks about the initial stages product development. You will learn how  he makes decisions around feature requests.Talks about how they balance creating impactful products, social change while making money at the same time. Talks about the main 5 metrics he checks every morning. Why don't they go after fancy features.  Interesting thoughts on what Wheelchairs will look like in 100 years time . Talks about

Cryptocurrency is a trillion dollar industry & with a billion people in India the potential is huge! So today my guest Edul Patel CEO of Mudrex. A Y-Combinator startup building an algorithmic trading platform for cryptocurrency.  They help crypto traders create, test and deploy their trading rules into automated trading algorithms without writing code. Started back in 2011 reading the original white paper while still in college and now they are growing 40% month on month. They have 2.5k paying customers and $10 million of assets under management. So today you will find out how he got his first 1k customers. Insights into the crypto scene in india. Talks about the hype/greed/fear/excitement/ in crypto. Are crypto trading bots better than human traders? Talks about the best advice he received at YC(19)  & the intense 24 hr demo day. Edul shares his product strategies on how products should be built and should they how they should be killed. The 3 books he gives to all his employees. And finally I talk t

Today you will hear some of the best guests I have spoken to  over the past 5 years. You will hear from Vineet Rajan.  Co-founder of Scout My Trip  - India's premier do-it-yourself platform for road trips .talks about pivoting, new insights on the India travel market , growing 5x , expanding into S.E Asia, using virtual scouts & life changing road trips! Next we have Aayush Jindal Co-founder of Toesmith. (45m.46sec)  India’s first tech-driven footwear brand, offering customisation of shoes at an affordable price. Next up Vikas Jha CEO & founder of Alore CRM (1h 19m)   - On building one of India's fastest growing sales platform. And last but not least I speak to The Startup Guy aka Vijay Anand , Founder of the Startup Centre (1h 54m)  he talks about the Indian Startup Ecosystem - what's going right, what needs to be tweaked and where to next? So sit back  & enjoy some of the best moments  Vineet Rajan.  Co-founder of Scout My TripThis is an exciting new feature called Where Are They Now ? I catch u

Giving a voice to people who don’t have a voice. Today my guest is Meet Singhal. Co-founder of Stamurai.  A Mobile app that helps you learn & practice speech therapy exercises for stuttering & stammering. So in this episode he talks about how stuttering controlled his life almost having a breakdown and how he turned it all around by developing this mobile app.  Talks about the initial prototype & acquiring his first customers. Which now has 40,000+ installs across 155 countries around the world. Talks about the science and psychology around stuttering. Never ordering food he liked only ones that were easy to say. Dealing with speech therapists. (30% sceptical , 70% encouraging) Talks about the best day so far. What you should and should not do when dealing with a person who stutters and telling his first ever joke! Talks about the subscription based business model . Does music work? - We talk about the headphone scene from the King's Speech! And finally gives great advice about raising finance &am

Pampering your furry friends the right way! Today my guest is Anjali Kalachand, co-founder of  A Petter Life an e-commerce platform to understand your dog’s nutritional & lifestyle needs. In this episode she talks about why she quit corporate life to do this. Growing 150% after launching only 2 months ago. Talks about identifying gaps in the market and being a bootstrapped startup.   She talks about why the pet industry is similar to the children's industry. Mistakes made in the early days and lessons learned. The rise of dog ownership in India due to the pandemic. Thoughts on the offline competition. And finally she talks about dog friendly vegan ice-cream & why you should buy a dog!In this conversation we talk about:Helping new/existing pet parentsStarting this during the pandemicStray dogs in MumbaiWhat problem are they solving?Dealing with bureaucracy in corporate life.Do dogs have personalities similar to their owners?Is india a nation of dog lovers?and much morelinkshttps://www.apetterlife.in/P.

Dropping out of education to do an EdTech startup! Today my guest is Mohammad Yousuf CEO of Edunify. Edunify assists schools in connecting with prospective parents online and helps parents find the right schools for their children. Think of it like a matchmaking service. So in this episode he talks about great traction so far, talks about how they went about validating the idea. Why is selling to schools is one of the toughest markets you can be in. Thoughts on the indian education system & what can be improved. Talks about being a successful 3 time entrepreneur at the age of 21. Talks about successful SEO strategies to get parents to the website. Getting zero marks on his exams including entrepreneurship! and how he turned it all around despite personal hurdles like significant leg disability. Why pretending to be 24 yr old helps! And finally he talks about time blocking techniques that help him focus and be more productive.  Which you can try as well. In this conversation we also talk about:The business

I catch up with Dr Geetha Manjunath, CEO & CTO of NIRAMAI, a deep-tech startup, offering a radiation-free, non-invasive, non-touch, breast cancer screening solution. I spoke to her back in Sept 2017 (Ep67) when they only had a handful of customers, now they are one of the top deep tech startups in India.  In this episode we talk about their core technology  called Thermalytix. How they have innovated during the pandemic. Talk about how they create AI/ML models and how they test them before production. Talk about scaling issues & being part of Google Launchpad and Phillips accelerators. How they have shortened the B2C sales life cycle from 6 months to 6 weeks. Thoughts on selling to hospitals. A deep dive on how do they train the machine when there is little data.  She also talks about developing (AI)-based computer-aided software for controlling the spread of River Blindness with the help from Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. She takes a trip down memory lane and talks about  being a member of the C

My first ever guest is back on the show! Harshdeep Singh  Hura founder of WrapItUp - a text summarizer. He appeared on show back in August 2015. We talk about how his app now has 3.5M users. Why he turned down $20 million acquisition for the app. How a anthropology course on apes was a breakthrough moment. Talks why he almost quit tech, what changed and gives us his new fresh perspective on life. He gives us great insights on mobile app design, development &marketing strategies. Talks about going from idea to MVP (starts at 25.19 take notes!) and why does not want a co-founder. Talks about becoming a pastry chef. Thoughts on Clubhouse being the next big thing. And finally we take a trip down memory lane and talk about the embarrassing first ever episode of the indian startup show. in this conversation we talk about:Starting out writing algorithms on paper & not using existing NLP algorithmsBeing the most successful solo iPhone app developer in India (in my opinion!)Taking risks in your 20’sReaction to

Building India’s first home-grown AR headset. Today my guest is Pankaj Raut the co-founder & ceo of AjnaLens. AjnaLens designs & manufactures AI-powered mixed-reality glasses for defence , education and enterprise customers. He talks about it all got started by being inspired watching James Bond movies. He talks about how the product helps the Indian armed forces & talks about design and development process.  He talks about VC funding, future trends & opportunities. He gives us his thoughts on the AR/VR startup community in india. Thoughts on Google glasses 10 years on and dealing with the competition.  And finally he talks about leaving India at the age 17 to go study in London.  Meeting his co-founders at Google startup weekend.  Seeing his first hologram and being inside a tank! In this conversation we also talk about:Building the first prototypeChallenges in the AR/VR marketWhat will VR/AR devices look like in the future.Getting a scholarship to go LondonWhere the names comes from.Common m

Building a digital bank to help small businesses in india.  My guest today is Anish Achuthan CEO & co-founder of Open - a new age digital banking platform. In this episode he talks about how they raised $37 million from prominent investors, and shares amazing growth statistics. He talks about how they use customer acquisition channels.  He shares UX strategies when developing the website & mobile app. Talks about being a 5x entrepreneur. Talks about the importance of branding and PR in getting your startup off the ground. Talks about how they evaluate talent. Going from 10 to 250 employees. Thoughts on demonetisation 4 years on. Hiring a sales guy when they couldn't afford one.  Pitching to investors with a live demo instead of a slide deck.And finally you will learn how to deal with corporate companies if you’re a startup.In this conversation we also talk about:User testingCreating a pilotBeing the first mover in the marketBuilding Culture & LeadershipBeing persistanceBeing married to the co-foun

Nothing is useless in this world. What can be a waste to you is someone's asset’ - The ‘Recycle man of India’ aka Dr Binish Desai, social entrepreneur & founder of Eco-Eclectic . I spoke to him back in February 2019 (Ep 106) and he is back again to talk about inventing a new type of brick made from recycled PPE material. He talks about creating a female empowerment centre for former sex workers. He then talks about building low cost homes using 3D technology, talks about trust issues after getting ripped off by a business partner. The pillars of success and what we can expect in 2021. And why you should start identifying waste as an asset.In this conversation we also talk about:Observe - fail - Learn - Solve  framework.Creating Eco BinsThe process of converting PPE into bricks..Brick 2.0!Creating affordable housing in the USA, Philippines & india, & Africa The Recycle man - the bookWhat did he learn about himself during the pandemicMaking jewellery & crockery out of coffee wasteCarrying 2 bric

100 million famers are expected to be online in the next 5 years. So today I speak to Siddharth Dialani, co-founder & CEO of BharatAgri a farming technology platform where they work with farmers directly. improving their productivity. Think of it as a digital farming assistant. So in this episode he talks about what inspired him to do this, building the first prototype. The problems farmers face. Time spent working on a farm for a year & being treated like an outsider . He then talks about how they create an algorithm that decreases the cost of production to farmers. Talks about how they use analytics to improve the customer journey. Talks about raising finance , how you should pitch investors. Why 'investors want you to do less not more' How they on-board farmers online.  And finally he talks about his time at housing.com. The current farmers strike and being awarded Forbes 30 under 30!In this conversation we also talk about:-Insights gained from talking to over 400 farmersWhy agriculture is a compli

No 1 Best Business Podcast in india!  Big Thank You to CEO magazine India. I am humbled and honoured. Today you will hear some of the best guests I have spoken to over the past years. You will hear from Shankar Prasad. Founder of Pureplay Skin Sciences. They are Building India's fastest growing new-age, values-driven vegan skin care & beauty brand. Next I speak to  Akriti Khatri The founder of the Venus Detective Agency - India’s leading female private detective agency And finally  I speak to  Naina Hiranandani, COO & Co-Founder of Sirf Coffee.  A Bespoke dating service revolutionising dating for global Indians. So please enjoy the show, and i wish you all the best for the new year!Pureplay‘One piece of advice I will give is this - listen to the consumer , listen to the consumer, listen to the consumer , everything flows from that, if that’s not part of you equation then your starting at the wrong place - Shankar Prasad. Today I speak to Shankar Prasad, Founder, Pureplay Skin Sciences.One of indian fa

Today you will hear some of the best guests I have spoken to  over the past 5 years. You will hear from The Tech Witches - A group of 5  Indian high school girls. They have built  an app that connects children at orphanages to senior citizens in nursing homes, allowing them to spend time together. Next up  Dr Siddhant Bhargava co-founder & nutritionist at Food Darzee.He is tackling India's growing obesity problem.by creating a health & nutrition company offering fresh, healthy food delivered daily to your doorstep. And last but not least I speak to  Tanul Mishra CEO of Afthonia labs. Afthonia labs  focuses on early stage startups in Fintech and provides them with a trusted ecosystem to grow and succeed.Finally  I would like to pay tribute to everyone listening and subscribing to the show for the past five  years. Without you, this podcast would not have been possible! So I’m very grateful TechWitchesAfter losing both grandparents Ananya Grover & her fellow classmates decided to build something in

Charanjeev Singh aka CJ aka The Flying Sikh is back on the show! I spoke to CJ on the show 5 years ago  and he is still going strong.  In fact they are now launching in Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and Singapore.  He talks about acquiring 10% Sikh grooming market just through word of mouth. Talks about Product development life cycle and why the weather plays a big role. He talks about building a community centric brand. Talks about product failures Talks about the importance of Sikh culture in 2020. Why the indian hipster phase has died. Launching a streetwear brand. Shopping card abandon rates.  And finally he talks about creating the world's first beard deodorant and much more.in this conversation we also talk about:Not burning money on marketingThe good & bad of CovidWhy it takes 8/9 months to launch a product.Demonetization & implementing GST issuesNew thoughts on entrepreneurshipBeing patientGoing offlineWould  he change anythingBeing the 'GQ' for SikhsWhy beard textures are different around the

Making space explorable & economical for the future generation. Today i speak to Dr Srimathy Kesan CEO of SpaceKidz India - SpaceKidz india helps  students to pursue their space dreams regardless of their field of education, social status, and geographic location.   in this episode she talks about how it got started. How under her guidance, students designed Kalamsat - the world’s lightest satellite ever to be placed in orbit!  Her team of students are currently building the world's lightest rover for the moon. She also talks about how they use ‘ the make or break approach.  Using 3D technology.  Being mocked in the early days and people refusing to turn up to the first launch .She talks suborbital launches and trusting yourself. She talks about winning 20+ awards , Great advice for first time founders.  She talks about being a former paratrooper, why she called herself Indira Gandhi as a 5 year to get into a top school. And is there life on other planets?In this conversation we also talk about:Taking a 1

India's drone whizz kid Harshwardhan Zala is on the show today. He has built a drone that sniffs out landmines. So In this conversation we talk about how it all got started at the age of 9. Spending 6-8 hours in  a cyber cafe with his grandfather.  Being inspired  by a YouTube video where soldiers were trying to defuse a mine. Talks about the remarkable  journey from not being taken seriously to be mentioned in the speech by PM of Israel. Talks about working with the indian government and military. Talks about how they implement AI/Machine learning and GPS in the drone and how it all works. Talks about being invited to Silicon Valley, Talks about The early prototypes, accuracy rates, the successful demos and not so successful demos! Working with adults. Talks about the future of drones  . He then goes on to talk about burnout, and some insights on the drone community in India. And what makes a great developer. In this conversation we also talk about:Teaching engineering graduates at the age of 12 for extra po

Don’t be a Vanity SaaS. Be a value SaaS business. Today my guest is Shekar Nair - Partner & co-founder of Upekkha a business accelerator for early stage SaaS startups.  They help founders build value based startups not vanity based startups. So he talks about why they focus on SaaS startups only. We talk about pricing strategies. Launching strategies &  getting your first customers. We talk about co-founder issues, setting up in Delaware, USA. Why is there no Microsoft equivalent in India yet? and who could it eventually be and finally what  he learned most about himself during lockdown .in this conversation we also talk about:Developing the fundamentals of the SasS flywheelGrowing fastWhat does Upekkha mean?Biggest insights do farFuture of SAAS.Advice first time foundersWhat are they looking for?What is a vanity SaaS business?Being a thought leader for SaaS based businesses in India.and much morelinkshttps://www.upekkha.io/P.SPodcast Hosting Special Offer for Indian Startup Show Listeners.50% Off You

 I speak to Yashika Shah the co-founder of Nandoo. Nandoo is India's only FUN health & wellness startup. Since launching they already have 200,000 members. So in this episode she talks about how it all works. You will learn how she manages a full time job working in investment banking, while working on this startup. Being married to the co-founder. She talks about building a community & targeting stressed out Indian millennials and find out how many minutes you need to walk to get an IPhone!In this episode we also talk about:4.30AM starts!Taking fun seriously! TodayHow they went from 0-200,000 in under 6 monthsFuture business modelsIndian marketing strategies - what worked, & what didn't workWork life balanceNext up I Rajiv Talreja India’s Leading Business Coach and is the author of the International Bestseller called – “Lead or Bleed” So in this episode You will learn how to stand out from the competition. Mistakes entrepreneurs make. Examples of core strategies that you can use in your business.