Nagaraja (Naga) Prakasam

As we gear up for the @WorldFoodIndia event in New Delhi, I am excited to represent Bambrew, a pioneer in sustainable packaging solutions. In a world where plastic waste is becoming a silent killer, infiltrating our ecosystems and harming wildlife, we must ask ourselves: how long can we continue this way? The convenience of single-use plastics is overshadowed by the long-term damage they inflict on our planet. At Bambrew, we believe that sustainability is not just a trend; it's a necessity woven into the fabric of our operations. Our innovative packaging solutions are designed to tackle the pressing environmental challenges faced by the FMCG, food and beverage, and fresh produce sectors. By shifting to sustainable packaging, brands can not only reduce their carbon footprint but also resonate with the growing consumer demand for eco-friendly products. Imagine a future where your brand is synonymous with responsibility and innovation. By choosing Bambrew, you are not just opting for packaging; you are embracing a movement towards a greener planet. Our materials are biodegradable, compostable, and designed to minimise waste, ensuring that your products stand out in a crowded market while contributing to a sustainable future. Join us in leading the charge towards sustainable practices. Together, we can turn the tide on plastic pollution and create a lasting impact on our environment. Let’s make sustainability our new standard. Looking forward to connecting with industry leaders and innovators at World Food India 2024!

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Indian VC Ecosystem Maturing Fast & Experiencing Exponential Growth In a recent conversation with #WomenEntrepreneursReview magazine, Surabhi Washishth, Founding Partner, Paradigm Shift Capital discussed impactful trends in the Indian VC ecosystem, the influence of emerging technologies on venture investment decisions, and the importance of diversity and inclusion in decision-making and team composition. Read More: https://goo.su/Z9b0 #IndianVCEcosystem #ExponentialGrowth #IndianVentureCapital #venturecapitalindustry

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I’m delighted to share that Arya.ag is embarking on an impactful initiative, which we recently launched at our climate summit, Rith 2.0 held in partnership with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Krishi Jagran.  The initiative aims to transform 200 FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations) in seven states into technology-empowered, efficient institutions. As recently featured in The Hindu businessline, this initiative will enable FPOs through strategic collaborations and technology embedded in their reality to enhance efficiency, advance sustainable farming, and develop climate-resilient supply chains. In our experience, the role of smart FPOs is crucial. These institutions can streamline agricultural processes and help promote sustainable practices, and I will continue to showcase some of our FPOs that have already started working on this transition successfully. With strong corporate partnerships and a stable, secure source of sustainable produce, together, we can open up new market avenues, positioning us at the forefront of sustainable agricultural development. Read the full story on The Hindu businessline: https://lnkd.in/dRrzuG6B #Aryaag #Rith2point0 #RithSummit #BillandMelindaGatesFoundation #BMGF #KrishiJagran #TheHindu #Businessline #FPOs #Agritech #Agriculture #SmartFPOs #SupplyChains

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🌍 It was an honor to be interviewed by Richa Bansal for this insightful article on the vital role that all players in India’s apparel sector have in advancing decarbonization. The piece highlights our (Apparel Impact Institute) recent report with Development Finance International, Inc. (DFI), "Landscape and Opportunities to Finance the Decarbonization of India’s Apparel Manufacturing Sector," which outlines pathways and financing strategies for a more sustainable future supply chain in India. As COP29, also known as the “Finance COP,” unfolds in Baku, new commitments from multilateral banks and pledges of up to $1 trillion annually are set to accelerate climate financing for developing countries, including India. This momentum aligns directly with our efforts to drive accessible, sustainable financing and empower the entire industry to work towards a low-carbon future. Thank you, Richa, for bringing attention to this essential work. Let’s build on this energy and pave the way for meaningful climate action in India’s textile and apparel sector! Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gFvCmfP9 #SustainableFashion #ClimateAction #COP29 #Decarbonization #IndianTextiles #apparelimpacts

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As we navigate the evolving landscape of Indian agritech, recent insights from the Blume Ventures Agritech Blueprint 2024 highlight both the challenges and immense opportunities within this dynamic sector. With over 6,224 agritech startups emerging in India, the potential for innovation is vast. However, the industry has faced significant hurdles, including a 60% drop in funding in 2023, as reported by AgFunder. In response to these challenges, Momentum has launched Earth Fund - a dedicated initiative designed to empower agri-tech startups to drive meaningful change in agriculture. What is Earth Fund? The Earth Fund is a ₹10 crore fund aimed at supporting innovative agri-tech startups who are changing the way agriculture is happening in India. Why choose Earth Fund? We're fixing your distribution challenges through corporations. Also providing funding support for you to scale your startup. To know more, https://lnkd.in/gJU9Hykc Apply here: https://tally.so/r/w5vQJP #startup #agritech Image credits: Freepik.com

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In Startup ecosystem session 6 (part 3) on “Emerging entrepreneurs: Making an impact in Bharat” at #BTS2024 panelist discussed about how emerging startups tackled critical challenges in agriculture, energy, and healthcare. These entrepreneurs led with purpose, building scalable solutions that created positive change across rural and urban India. From empowering farmers with tech to offering affordable healthcare and eco-friendly alternatives, they reshaped Bharat’s economy for a brighter, more sustainable future! #BTSUnbound #BreakingBoundaries #bengalurutechsummit

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Millet-Based Brand Troo Good Raises ₹72 Crore to Transform Healthy Snacking! Millet-based snack brand Troo Good has reportedly raised ₹72 crore in a new funding round led by Oaks Asset Management, Puro Wellness, and V Ocean Investments. The company’s board approved the issuance of 10,176 equity shares to secure the funds, as revealed in regulatory filings accessed by Entrackr. Oaks Asset Management, a returning investor, led the round with a contribution of ₹37 crore. Puro Wellness invested ₹25 crore, while V Ocean Investments contributed ₹10 crore. With these investments, Oaks Asset Management now holds 28.89% of Troo Good’s capital. Puro Wellness and V Ocean Investments command stakes of 7.75% and 14.28%, respectively. The Hyderabad-based startup is expected to use the raised capital to scale its business further and expand its product line. Founded in 2018 by Raju Bhupati, Troo Good focuses on millet-based snacks, offering products such as chikkis, protein bars, and nutri bars. The startup has rapidly grown its customer base, selling over 2 million millet snacks each day. troogood aims to capitalize on the increasing demand for healthy snack options in India, where millet-based products have become increasingly popular. "Are you running a D2C business looking to scale? Our marketing agency can help you achieve growth and reach new heights!" What are your thoughts on the growing trend of healthy snacks in India? Share below! 👇 #Millet #HealthySnacks #Funding #Startup #TrooGood #Investment #D2CBusiness #IndianFood #snacks #business #startupgrowth #fundingraise #FundRaisec

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Excited to announce our Early Spring investment in Troovy - a brand that caters to a new generation of health-conscious parents who are increasingly aware and concerned of the nutritional needs of their children. Founders Mansi Baranwal and Aditya Mukherjee are building a fantastic range of clean nutrition products that our children need and deserve. And making sure that the products are super tasty so kids are asking for more :-) Watch this fun video to get to know the founders. This market in India has been dominated by large incumbents, but recent concerns have popped up about the inclusion of harmful ingredients, high sugar content and misleading claims. This is a situation we at Spring Marketing Capital love - feisty, determined founders taking on the status quo and building clean, differentiated products with clarity and focus. May the force be with you, Mansi and Aditya - our children need all the love and clean nutrition they can get :-) Glad to be partnering with the fab team at Sharrp Ventures | Harsh Mariwala Investment Office for this funding round. Arun Iyer Vineet Gupta Rishabh Mariwala Antara Raychaudhury Kaushik Dasgupta Natasha Dhinda Vatsal Khullar Anurag Sheth Rohan Talati Varun Khullar Sandeep Balan Chaitanya Rathi Troovy Gokul Gopal Veltis Capital #NewInvestment #Funding #Founders #Children #KidsNutrition #CleanNutrition #D2C #Brands #MarketingCapital

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“Fighting food waste, one meal at a time! 🍽️ Check out how Pick’n’Treat is creating a sustainable future by connecting surplus food with those in need. 🌍✨ #FoodForAll #PicknTreat #ReduceWaste”

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At ICA Weekend by IndianCulinaryAgenda, we had a session titled "India’s Rice Future: In the shadows of climate change, sustainability and consumer pull."   The session was moderated by: Om Routray   Speakers: Vijay Pratap Singh Aditya, CEO, ekgaon Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Sheetal Sharma, Senior Scientist, International Rice Research Institute Dr. Eram Rao, Professor of Food Technology, Professor of Food Technology, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi. Key takeaways: It is possible to produce rice with less water. Just like wheat, it is possible. Rice production per se does not require 3000 liters of water per kg of rice production. Rice needs to be thought of from 2 pov; 1 nutritional security for high-income people and food security for low-income people. In Indonesia – they are talking about nutrition security – in Africa are looking to just produce more rice – increase yield. - Sheetal Sharma, Senior Scientist, IRRI Problem is that farmers’ approach is based on productivity, more production more income. When we are talking about new, different, or traditional varieties. We are talking about a niche. Cannot compete with what is currently being sold. - Vijay Pratap Singh Aditya, CEO, ekgaon We have carb-rich diet in India, filled with white foods – super refined, an indelible mark left by the Britishers which is everything that is white is the best. It also impacts how we view rice. - Eram Rao, #rice #india #farmer #nutrition #research #marketlinkage #smallfarmers https://lnkd.in/gnQwa8XY

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Decoding India's SAAS startup Ecosystem and Market Opportunity by 2030 India's SaaS ecosystem is a thriving environment for software as a service (SaaS) companies to grow and develop #startup #indianeconomy #vc #packaging #aluminum #foil #flexiblepackaging #sustainability #capex #growth #economy

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Despite today's funding challenges, the ecosystem is witnessing green shoots of recovery, with niche players attracting investors in new and emerging sectors. The resilience of these startups marks a promising trajectory for India's growth story. In a conversation with Pinak Ghosh of The Telegraph, Manish Kheterpal, Co-founder and Partner at WaterBridge Ventures, and Co-chair of the VC Council at Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA) commented, “In the early years, the ecosystem saw few sectors attracting funding, such as horizontal e-commerce and basic digitisation in consumer services like transportation, hospitality, food, and employment." Read the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/dqg-Pw5W #StartupRecovery #Innovation #IndianStartups #IVCA

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How Angel Investors are Transforming the Indian Startup Ecosystem Ratish Pandey, Founder and Business Coach, Ethique Advisory The readiness and willingness of Angel investors on untested ideas of early-stage startups are the life-driving force that can transform young businesses into successful market players. Read more: https://qrcd.org/6qd2 #IndianStartupEcosystem #businesscoach #collaborativeecosystem #financialbacking #startupcommunity #marketdynamics #strategydevelopment

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🚀 Big news this week! We just launched Apparel Impact Institute's latest report, "Landscape and Opportunities to Finance the Decarbonization of India’s Apparel Manufacturing Sector," developed in partnership with Development Finance International, Inc. (DFI) and supported by HSBC. This kicks off a deep dive into the financial landscape for decarbonization across global apparel hubs. Why India? As a major player in global supply chains, India holds a unique position to lead decarbonization efforts and drive systemic change within the region and beyond. The report reveals over US$1.3 billion in available financing through credit lines and revolving schemes, with another US$1.2 billion anticipated from IFIs, government, and NGOs. But here’s the key: this isn’t just about securing funds. It’s about creating a collaborative pathway where brands, manufacturers, and the finance sector align to bring decarbonization solutions to life in apparel manufacturing. That’s why we’re also rolling out the "Brand Playbook for Financing Decarbonization"—a practical guide to help brands and stakeholders make informed, impactful investment decisions. India has the chance to drive a climate-positive future for the apparel industry. Let’s use this momentum to bring together investments and partnerships that can fuel lasting change on a global scale! 🌍 #Decarbonization #Sustainability #GlobalSupplyChains #ClimatePositive #DecarbonizeIndia #SustainableIndiaApparel #IndiaForSustainability #IndiaSupplyChains #ClimateActionIndia https://lnkd.in/gx_Vt9bi

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🌿✨ Embracing AYUSH: Empowering Health Naturally! 🌟 Did you know? Recent data from the survey on AYUSH conducted by National Sample Survey Office, India reveals that 50% of Indians used AYUSH healthcare system in the last year! 🔹 AYUSH system of medicines refers to the use of one or more of the system(s) of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homeopathy 🔹 95% of rural and 96% of urban folks are aware of AYUSH traditions. 🔹 85% of rural and 86% of urban households practice Medicinal Plants/Home Remedies/Local Health Traditions. 🔹 Nearly half of rural (46%) and over half of urban (53%) individuals used AYUSH in the last year for health benefits. We at SaveIN work with several leading alternate medicine providers like Dr Batra’s Healthcare Jiva Ayurveda Madhavbaug Homeocare International among others, and are witnessing tremendous demand for alternate therapies, especially for chronic diseases and lifestyle disorders. Let's continue to explore the power of traditional wisdom in promoting holistic wellness alongside adopting the latest in healthcare! 🌱💪 #AYUSH #HolisticHealth #WellnessJourney #TraditionalMedicine #Healthcare #Lifestyle

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💪 Let's Build Strong Start Up Ecosystem We are happy to host Premananth (Pitch Deck Expert) from Star insights for a meet in Tirunelveli. Session will be on Helping StartUp founders to raise funds faster ✅ Essence of Investment ✅ Arts and roots of investments ✅ Branding entomology He will be available on 29th April 2024 @ Brand Mindz Tirunelveli Office. #brand #investments #growth #startups

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Great advice on growing D2C. Also a powerful lesson on how an entrepreneur thinks as opposed to a 'founder'. Public market benchmarking on bottom line, not top line. Operating with a ten percent profit margin, you need 150 crores of Earnings, which requires 1500 crore of topline, to get to a valuation of ~5000 crore+ These are similar multiples to what I offer, because they're close to reality. Seeking a 15x+ multiple on your topline? I'm the wrong person to chat with #venturecapital #founder #startups #scaling #valuation

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