Umakant Soni

🌿✨ 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

21

On Dhanwantari Jayanti (Ayurveda Day), my post on: "How Disease Occurs & How the Body Heals with Ayurveda* https://lnkd.in/gVurtXSn #Medicine #Spirituality #Hinduism #Yoga #Healing #TraditionalMedicine #Ayurveda #HealTheWorld

57

2 Comments

Climate change is accelerating rapidly, with emerging markets facing disproportionate risks despite contributing less to emissions. In India, climate tech startups have received investments exceeding $7 billion from 2018-2023, showcasing robust growth and innovation in sectors like Electrification, Renewables & Energy Storage, and Climate Adaptation/Mitigation. The climate tech evolution and growth in India has been bolstered by progressive government policies, technology innovation, ongoing infrastructure development and increased corporate adoption. At B Capital , Climate is a key pillar of our investment strategy, and we see India's climate investment landscape reaching a critical inflection point. We are excited to partner with visionary founders emerging from India, contributing to sustainable solutions and impactful change. Explore our thoughts on climate investments in India as part of an ongoing series and join us in shaping the future of climate technology together. Jeff Johnson Don Wood Deepanshu Pattanayak Karly Wentz https://lnkd.in/gjxyq_yp

65

1 Comment

Looking forward to boosting India’s vibrant #venturecapital ecosystem as part of Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA)’s VC Council for 2024–26! The Indian VC ecosystem has proliferated in the last decade. It’s a golden era for Indian #entrepreneurship, and the more we foster domestic capital pools, the farther #India will be able to advance in the global economic arena.

38

4 Comments

🚀 A $7 TRILLION economy by 2030 - the biggest wealth creation opportunity of our generation is unfolding in #India. But how will we get there? This week, we launched #Upstart - a groundbreaking series that decodes India's unprecedented growth story through the lens of its innovators and architects. The numbers are staggering: 👉🏼 97 million people joining the workforce in next decade 👉🏼 371 million middle-class consumers (world's largest) 👉🏼 40% of power capacity from renewables 👉🏼 Digital payments transactions highest globally, 2-10x of developed nations 👉🏼 Services exports hit record $341.1 billion in FY24 But numbers only tell half the story. In Episode 1, we sit down with Pranav Pai, Founding Partner of 3one4 Capital, one of India's most influential VCs who has backed 70+ category leaders including Licious, DarwinBox, and Open. Highlights from the episode: 💡 Why services are "India's LeBron James" for the next 30 years 💡 How PLI schemes are transforming manufacturing 💡 The critical policy shifts needed for global competitiveness 💡 Where the biggest startup opportunities lie in this transition Want to understand where the next decade of opportunity lies in the world's fastest-growing major economy? 👉 Watch Episode 1 of Upstart today! https://lnkd.in/gjqcU47W WeWork India | #WeWorkLabs | Aniket Jagtap | Mohini Kumar | Shenjit Basu | Akanksha Sarma | Tanuj Ahuja #Startups #VentureCapital #Founders #MakeInIndia #StartupIndia #IndianEconomy #Leadership #Entrepreneurship

55

2 Comments

Establishing a deep-tech focused VC fund would greatly benefit entrepreneurs at the idea, seed, pre-Series A, and Series A stages. Moreover, startups also require grants, joint investment opportunities with deep-tech vendors (both public and private), mentorship, orders, timely payment of invoices, prompt approvals, and access to a global knowledge-sharing platform. These supports enable them to build upon existing foundations rather than starting from scratch. Indian entrepreneurs are currently emphasizing the development of consumer-centric products such as food brands and cosmetics, rather than investing to build deep-tech assets that could enhance production capabilities. We anticipate that this will change with the backing of all stakeholders. Startup India | Invest India | Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India | MeitY Startup Hub | SIDBI Venture Capital Ltd | SiriusOne Capital | Angel Scions | O2 VC Fund (fund under process)| o2 Angels Network https://lnkd.in/dtfBpWUF?

10

1 Comment

Investing in Aaiena has been immensely rewarding. Their innovative use of AI in fashion technology aligns perfectly with our mission to support transformative solutions. Aaiena's team's dedication, expertise, and clear vision have resulted in impressive growth and market impact. We are proud to back a venture that is redefining the fashion industry, and we eagerly anticipate their continued success and contributions to a technologically advanced fashion future. Unnati Ventures India Raj Gaurav Sakshi Chhapolia Aaiena #investment #fundraise #funding #fundingalert #investmentnews #startupindia #startupnews #investor #familyoffice #angelinvestor #venturecapital #india #investmentgrowth

6

1 Comment

The process of getting deeper into the Indian start-up ecosystem as an angel investor and limited partner (2 new hats of mine since 2023) is well on its way. Today spent the day attending Ivycap day 2024 as a special attendee. getting to understand the dynamics of investing, assessing business models and plans, valuation and most importantly founders. should have started a bit earlier but then no regrets. these new hats are part of a larger connecting the dots am attempting.

16

5 Comments

Join us! With great power (capital, position, trust) comes great responsibility. Following the launch of Ortella Global Capital - OG Capital, India's only fund that co-builds companies, we are humbled by the overwhelming support and enthusiasm for our mission to empower the next generation of groundbreaking startups. As we embark on this exciting journey, we are reminded of the profound impact we can make through responsible and strategic investing and co-building. At Ortella Global Capital - OG Capital, India's only fund that co-builds companies, we firmly believe that with great power comes great responsibility. We are dedicated to upholding the highest standards for our investors, our co-builders, our founders and every individual whose lives we touch. As stewards of capital, we understand the importance of harnessing our resources for the greater good, not just for financial gain (yet focused on delivering 50%+ CAGR). As we grow, we are eager to expand our team with exceptional individuals who share our vision. We look forward to potentially working together to create the next hundred unicorns. Who is it for: a. If you had started a company ever and successfully exited, Reach out to us b. If you are a current founder who is passionate about building but for some reason, your business is not working out, Reach out to us c. If you had started out a few times before but for some or other reason it did not work out, Reach out to us And by the way, all our team members are ex-founders :) Additionally: - It does not matter whether you are 15 years old or 60, Reach out to us - It does not matter whether you are in Ahmedabad or Agartala, Reach out to us - It does not matter whether you are from IIT/IIM or a college drop out, Reach out to us --- because we have seen that success does not have a tag, you just need it to click once. And that's it! Please fill out the form in the comments :)

239

30 Comments

Co-lead a workshop (with Sumathi my business partner and Komal lath of Tute Consult) on branding and communication and why/how its' strategic & important for the portfolio companies of an early stage growth focused PE fund in Mumbai this noon. very interactive session. lots of takeaways. one of the biggest benefits of doing such workshops with founders and CXOs of growth companies is that you get to first hand understand their pain points and priorities. which makes you realize there is a long road ahead laden with great opportunity for those in PR & comms if we take off our hats and look at it from their perspective.

21

3 Comments

As an MSME, what do you think you would need to get to the next level? How can you be bolstered and end up helping India realize its $5 trillion ambition? That's why Rizing would like to arm you with knowledge, meaningful and tangible insights & perspectives that'll help you be strapped to a rocket. We're curating The Rizing Equality Entrepreneurship Forum - The Delhi Chapter on the 25th of July 2024 in Delhi. And this event is in partnership with the CGTMSE (Credit Guarantee fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises) - jointly formed by the Government of India, the Indian Ministry of MSME and SIDBI - and supported by Qila. Why you should attend: Learn how to deal with the intricacies of fundraising your MSME in 2024 and beyond Understand how AI can go beyond just ChatGPT and actually help your business Learn how Blockchain is more than just cryptocurrency and how there are unexplored use cases for your venture Understand what it takes to foster entrepreneurial resilience and navigate the turbulent waters of entrepreneurship Network with MSMEs such as yourself and get face-to-face time with the CGTMSE that's facilitating collateral-free loans for MSEs and more! So, what are you waiting for? Register now before the seats fill up: https://lnkd.in/gj4CvcD4 So, here's to strengthening India's backbone: its MSMEs.

1

⏩ ⏩ Antler is coming to Mumbai: October 25, Friday Announcing the 24-hour Fastrack to the Antler India Residency for AI founders on the sidelines of the NVIDIA summit in Mumbai The Why and What? In line with our commitment to investing $10M in 20+ startups by the end of the year, we are doing a fast-track option to bring exceptional founders (individuals or teams) into the Antler India Residency within 24 hours of us meeting you, with the potential of investing in 4 weeks or less. The Who? We are living through a generation-defining technology wave. With the unprecedented pace of AI breakthroughs changing consumer behaviours and disrupting a wide range of industries; here are some of the themes we’re particularly excited about: * Vertical SaaS, especially in industries with low digitization * Agentic automation for complex workflows in industries such as BFSI and Healthcare * Modern AI stack such as testing and monitoring of AI models, model security, retrieval infra, agent infra, specialized small language models and edge AI * Developer productivity in SDLC using AI * Models for new ‘languages’ such as robotics, genetics and material science * Differentiated consumer plays in education, health, media, gaming and personal AI hardware * Startups ‘selling outcomes, not software’ Over the past two months, via Fastrack, we have met over 150 founders and accelerated 13 of them into Residency. We have some exciting new investments from this to be announced soon! The Perks: Antler is the best place to start your company. Besides the capital commitment of up to $500K, we are uniquely positioned to help companies ‘build from India for the world’. Visit us to learn how we support our companies from inception to scale. We also provide a host of perks; some relevant ones for AI founders include up to $25K AWS credits, up to $250K GCP credits, $150K worth of perks from Microsoft, preferred pricing from NVIDIA, $100K of cloud solution credits from OVHcloud and $3K credits from OpenAI and Anthropic. The How? Send us your working demo link on the form in the first comment. Bonus: To strengthen your chances, you can also get someone in our network to refer you to me or any of our team members over email with a strong, specific, warm intro All shortlisted founders will get a direct slot with Antler India on Oct 25 to meet us IRL in Mumbai. The location will be conveniently located just a few minutes from Jio World Convention Centre incase you are attending the NVIDIA summit. You will get a decision to get into the Antler India Residency (through which we commit up to $500k for each early-stage startup) over the weekend. The deadline for being referred or sending us your demo is Oct 21 With Nitin Sharma Gowri Shankar Nagarajan Ishavasyam Dash

61

7 Comments

India's deeptech startup ecosystem is thriving, with 3,600 startups ready to tackle complex societal challenges. These innovative ventures are pushing the boundaries of technology, addressing critical issues in areas like healthcare, climate change, and cybersecurity. Focusing on solving real-world problems, startups drive economic growth and create a positive impact on society. As they continue to innovate and grow, India's deeptech startups are poised to shape the future and address some of the most pressing issues of our time. IAN Group (formerly Indian Angel Network) is pleased to back startups with a vision. By investing in deeptech startups that have the potential to take the country forward, IAN Group reinforces its commitment to better the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gNq66G2V Astrome Dhruva Space AutomataPi Solutions Private Limited Data Sutram Futr Energy Manastu Space mirrAR Process9 Skit.ai Skylark Drones SmartVizX - We are VR® Unbxd Inc., A Netcore Company Uniphore YelloSKYE WorkOnGrid #Innovation #DeepTech #Startups #SocietalImpact #TechForGood #Sustainability

33

2 Comments

🚀 The Tech Burner Fiasco and What It Reveals About Manufacturing in India 🇮🇳 Navigating India’s manufacturing landscape, I’ve experienced firsthand how difficult it is to bring a product from idea to reality. The recent controversy around TechBurner’s smartwatch highlights a much larger issue: India’s manufacturing ecosystem isn’t yet built for startups. For startups, rapid prototyping and experimentation are critical, but the current system feels geared toward established companies with large order volumes. This leaves many startups in a tough spot, forcing them to compromise on innovation or look elsewhere. Read my full take here: https://lnkd.in/gya3Mq7n Or listen to the Podcast: https://lnkd.in/g7fjg2ng #Startups #ManufacturingInIndia #TechBurner #Entrepreneurship #Prototyping #Innovation

16

Managing a VC fund is not as easy or glamorous as it might seem. While there are opportunities, there are also many challenges. Here's a candid conversation with Dr. Srikanth Sundararajan general partner at VenturEast Investing since 1997! Dr. Sundararajan has experience in both the US and Indian startup ecosystems and has witnessed the evolution of the venture capital industry. He shares valuable insights on how to improve the investment landscape, focusing on policy and regulatory changes. Link to the video in the first comment. #venturecapital Excluto

5

1 Comment

Co-Build a VC fund in Public: Day 4 (and funding announcement) We not only co-build but invest too :) Today, at Ortella Global Capital - OG Capital, India's only fund that co-builds companies, we take our first leap into the future with Medial as our inaugural portfolio company announcement. This is not just an investment—it is a partnership with a vision to solve one of the most pressing challenges in the professional world. The tech and startup ecosystem are fragmented, forcing users to switch between countless platforms for news, networking, career opportunities, and meaningful insights. Medial changes the game, bringing it all together in one seamless, intuitive space. What drew us to Medial was the team. From our first meeting with Niket Raj Dwivedi, Aishwarya Raj Pandey, Prateek Kaien, and Harsh Dwivedi we saw a rare combination of audacity and discipline. Their commitment to profitability and monetisation from day one along with their relentless focus on user engagement, made it clear they were not just building a company—they were creating a movement. In just a few months, Medial has surpassed critical milestones: collaborating with top global partners, rapid growth, and extraordinary user metrics. But beyond the metrics, they are building a sustainable business with a clear-eyed vision and sharp execution that inspires us. This team is not just chasing trends—they are creating a legacy! This is why we exist as a fund: to back founders who dream boldly and deliver consistently. Founders like these remind us why we started OG Capital—to build alongside those who dare to reimagine what is possible. Thank you Prateek Agarwal (Pre-seed investor) for everything :) P.S.: Here is a snapshot of the moment when my co-founder, Rajvardhan Mohite and I, with pens in hand and excitement in our hearts, sealed the deal with Niket and the team. The start of something extraordinary, captured in ink and ambition. Docusign is too old school for us :P

376

44 Comments

Commoditization of AI models Yesterday evening I had the pleasure of watching Aravind Srinivas' (founder of Perplexity) interview with Aarthi Ramamurthy and Sriram Krishnan . It's a great interview and I would recommend AI founders to watch it if possible. https://lnkd.in/gnM2NeS8 Couple of things that stuck me from the interview: 1. Aravind believes in the commoditization of AI models in the long run. His take his firms like Perplexity which focus on user problems and solve for it using relevant models will win. Perplexity does it quite well, do check them out if you haven't already. This is something that AI entrepreneurs should think about. Creating foundational models is freaking expensive! and for conservative capital allocators like us it is too risky a bet (not betting on AI is even riskier 😅, I guess we need to learn more) I am going to tag the platform Guru and distinguished IIMB alumnus Sangeet Paul Choudary for his take on this. 2. The initial employees (5-10) have to be truth seekers rather than social affirmers(?) It was great hearing him talk about the culture at Perplexity of seeking the truth through open conversations and arguments on Slack rather than provide positive affirmation. I think it's something that every founder should strive for. Truth will prevail in the longer run. This works in technology, finance, politics, society, anywhere. (Satyamev Jayate is true in itself!) But to be able to have an open conversation, the founders need to have depth themselves. This is something that I feel the Indian ecosystem lacks, as most of the founders seem to be managerial in nature. I find them shifting to jargons rather than simplicity when questioned deeper. (By the way this is a classic test to check whether someone really knows it, people who know what they are talking about will make it simpler, those who don't take the cover of jargons to increase complexity and portray intelligence) I understand my analysis could be biased due to self-selection, and I would love to be proven wrong. It's pretty cool that Aravind chose Larry Page as his favourite entrepreneur due to their common background of coming from academic research to entrepreneurship. What I definitely don't agree with Aravind on The idea that luck doesn't play a role in outcomes. Successful people generally attribute success to their hard work/smartness / enterprise without understanding their privilege. For e.g. A smarter/more hardworking/more enterprising Dalit girl from Bihar will never have the kind of opportunities that I had as a Tam Bram born in a lower-middle class but very well educated family in Chennai. One has tried to solve for it using our Sakhi Scholars programme, which supports gifted girls from underprivileged communities to achieve their dream through financial support. On a lighter note, Aravind is a 2017 IIT-M alum and has already built a $8 billion company, what the hell am I doing with my life? 🤔

1

1 Comment

Excited to join the Panel discussion at the launch of LEAP AHEAD 2nd Edition by STPI - Software Technology Parks of India and TiE Delhi-NCR! 🗓 15th October 2024 🕟 4:40 PM 📍 ASPIRE, Hall No. 5, Pragati Maidan Grateful to STPI for driving innovation and supporting startups across emerging technologies like IoT, AI, Blockchain, MedTech, and more. With initiatives like the Next Generation Incubation Scheme (NGIS), 110+ startups have been funded and 350+ received vital support. 🚀 Looking forward to this amazing opportunity to foster tech entrepreneurship and accelerate growth! At BIORx Venture Advisors Pvt. Ltd., we're passionate about propelling the Startup ecosystem. We offer expert fundraising support and strategic advisory services to empower startups at any stage, from scaling ventures to investors seeking new opportunities. Whether you're looking to navigate the Startup ecosystem or seeking investment insights, we're here to help. Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss how we can assist you in achieving your goals. Stay connected for updates on groundbreaking ventures and opportunities by following us at BIORx Venture Advisors Pvt. Ltd. Indian Healthcare Angels Let’s shape the future of healthcare together! Connect with Team BIORx: Harshit Agarwal | RAHUL KUMAR | Awdhesh Kumar Shukla |Arpit Maheshwari #AI #DigitalIndia #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Technology #Networking #iDay2024 #TiEDelhiNCR #FutureOfAI #Startups #BIORx #IHA #HealthcareInnovation #Fundraising #StartupEcosystem #BIORxVentureAdvisors #IndianHealthcareAngels #LEAPAhead #Innovation #Startups #TechEntrepreneurship #STPI #TiEDelhiNCR

36

1 Comment