India and Ad-ventures

Drawing parallels from spice routes, feedback as a catalyst, and generating wealth from waste

V for Vasco Da Gama, V for Venture Capital

Isn’t it fascinating to draw parallels between Vasco Da Gama’s expedition to India and today’s VC landscape?

• Da Gama’s patrons - the wealthy merchants and the Portuguese crown itself were betting on his ability to chart a sea route to the riches of the East. Talk about venture backing! :)?

• This "startup voyage" pressed on for over two years, braving all hostile adversaries until they reached the Malabar coast. That’s the modern-day equivalent of a viable product launch.

• His investors stood to reap a whopping 80% of the profits from his lucrative spice cargo. The remaining 20% went to the daring navigator and his crew as "carried interest" – their cut for spearheading this world-altering entrepreneurial venture.??

So you see, the concept of "carry" that VCs know so well has centuries-old roots in the fearless spirit of an ad-venture that reshaped global commerce.

And hasn't India's startup scene been blazing a similar trail in recent decades??

When I first started my journey in 2006, the words "startup" and "digital payments" seemed exotic. Fast forward to 2024, our nation now has over 600 million internet users and a thriving startup ecosystem that contributes 1% to our GDP.?

UPI has become the heartbeat of our $5 trillion economy – with 40% of the workforce relying on digital transactions daily.

Stats suggest – India's startups could quadruple the economic impact by 2030 as we march towards becoming the world's second-largest economy by 2047.?

The new age of Indian exploration and enterprise is upon us - and that’s what we celebrated at the Kalaari India Alpha Summit.

The India Alpha Summit was a great evening of incredible leaders – or more aptly ‘Alphas’, coming together to create the blueprint and unravel the India Techade and what lies ahead.?

This presents a golden period for new companies to be built out in various domains — be it consumer tech, deep tech, climate, or SaaS companies.?

Here are a few of our learnings and takeaways from the summit:

• Arvind Gupta's talk emphasised the role of the India Stack in driving market inclusivity and boosting the digital economy, alongside policy reforms like the GST and substantial investments in infrastructure, including highways and airports, that set the stage for economic growth.?
• KV Subramanian explained the foundational pillars for rapid economic growth. His detailed model walkthrough led to his prediction that India could become a $55T economy by 2047, further validating our excitement for India's potential in the upcoming decade!
• In a fireside chat, Mukesh Bansal, Gaurav Singh Kushwaha and I focused on unravelling their journey in building two of the most loved Indian consumer brands of the past decade - Cult and Bluestone.?
• Krishna's journey with Simplilearn provided insights on consumer focus and organic growth for EdTech in India's large population and shared a framework for young founders.?
• Zocket and Skit.ai founders Sourabh and Karthik’s chat with MR Rangaswami focused on the potential of global SaaS companies to be built in India - as India is a great centre to build companies that can compete on both quality and cost in global markets.??
• Jason’s fireside with Aakrit highlighted India’s importance as a market for OpenAI as well as the opportunity for the immense talent pool to build vertical first AI solutions.
• Anirudh who is building Digantara and Bhaktha Keshavachar, Founder/CEO at Chara Technologies emphasised the potential for core IP-led companies emerging from India. They also brought out the urgency to bring in sustainable rare earth-free technologies to address the climate change challenges.

The energy and optimism at the India Alpha Summit showed this will be India's 'Techade'.?

We're doubling down on backing the trailblazers shaping this incredible journey! It’s going to be an incredible ride!

Leadership Code ~ Mindful Musings with Vani

Mini Masterclass on The Power of Feedback

In today's fiercely competitive start-up world, outcomes depend on the willingness to adapt and evolve, alongside courage and mental strength.

Acting upon feedback and constructive criticism can make a lot of difference – between success and missed opportunities. It is, in fact, a catalyst for success.

As Charles Darwin wisely said –

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."?

Missed opportunities often stem from fixable flaws. And, the good news is that these flaws are often easily addressed with the right and timely feedback.?

By staying open to ideas and comments from peers, leaders, mentors, friends as well as family - one can unlock a plethora of opportunities and perspectives in varied aspects of life.

Learning to seek and receive feedback is a skill; while knowing how to respond to it is equally crucial.?

My life’s code is simple:

1. Listen Actively: Truly hear what others are saying without interrupting or getting defensive.

2. Ask Questions: Seek clarity to understand the feedback thoroughly.

3. Reflect and Analyse: Consider how the feedback aligns with your goals and values.

4. Take Action: Implement changes and show that you value the feedback.

5. Follow-up: Check in with those who provided feedback to show progress and openness to ongoing improvement.

Remember, feedback is a tool for improvement and not a personal attack.?

Feedback’s purpose is to drive positive change help you achieve better outcomes and help you reach newer heights!?

Pulse of Progress

Tales of Tech, Innovation and more

Jugaad - a word and philosophy very dear to Indians. :)

I feel this ability to create something valuable from waste materials is deeply ingrained in our culture.?

Remember we had the “best out of waste” competitions in school? I remember building makeshift tools, creating a functional fan from scrap and a pen stand from old bangles. It highlighted how much can be achieved with discarded resources.

Frugal innovation and creativity together have found umpteen sustainable ideas to build interesting products and create “wealth from waste.”?

One inspiring example is a company called FabBrick in France. As the name suggests - they create aesthetic bricks out of discarded fabric. Also, did you know, the world generates 92 million tons of textile waste annually?

In India, the Garbage Cafe in Ambikapur offers meals in exchange for plastic waste. This initiative ensures the reduction of plastic waste and feeds the needy.?

Another fascinating example – is the Indian company Sarjaa, which creates handbags from apple skin. And a company called Ochis in Ukraine is crafting spectacles using coffee waste - pretty cool right?

These few examples are just a trailer of the immense potential of the "wealth from waste" philosophy. There’s no limit to building products and sustainable solutions with jugaad.?

It’s great to see how entrepreneurs and communities around the world are generating economic opportunities but also driving significant positive environmental change.?

Cultivating a frugal, creative and minimalist mindset may very well hold the key to building a more sustainable future.

Generally, we aspire for abundance. But it’s time we relook at our choices and say hi to minimalism. Less is more, isn’t it?

What are the best “wealth out of waste” examples you have come across?

#LifeLines

#LighterNotes

May the force be with you,

Vani

Share your thoughts and comments with me at [email protected].