Sumit Tayal

Merak MeetStreet in Gurgaon was one for the books! 💯 Reflecting on our journey with MeetStreet, we've now hosted 5 events across 5 different cities, shortlisting 52 businesses from a large pool of registrations. Each edition has highlighted the innovative spirit of early-stage founders, yet some challenges resonate universally. A few key hurdles we've observed: ➡️ Hiring: The first few hires are crucial lifelines for any business. Founders often find this process daunting as these early team members can significantly influence the trajectory of the business. Are there any firms (or even better, early-stage businesses) that specialise in assisting with these critical early hires across multiple functions? ➡️ Working Capital & Supply Chain Financing: A perennial challenge for businesses (more so, B2B ones), which we have observed getting mitigated with time (and scale). Despite its importance, solutions remain limited for early-stage companies. Founders, how have you navigated this tightrope? ➡️ Tech Roadmap & Development: For non-tech founders, establishing a tech foundation can feel like navigating unchartered waters. Until you find a permanent tech co-founder, where do you start? Are there any consultants who specialise in guiding early-stage startups? ➡️ Fundraising: The classic conundrum! It's often why many founders attend MeetStreet, hoping to unlock funding opportunities. But let's face it, early-stage fundraising might be more of an art than a science. How are you creatively approaching fundraising beyond the traditional VC route? MeetStreet isn't only about funding; it's about building a community where founders can share insights & explore solutions together. The learnings from these sessions have been tremendous & there's so much more to uncover as we continue this journey with many more gatherings to come. ✨ Merak Ventures #VentureCapital #Business #Startups #India #EarlyStage #Founders #MerakMeetStreet #VC

42

1 Comment

Super stoked to announce the close of our third fund! Grateful to have been a part of the journey thus far. 🚀 🚀 If you are building in the consumer brand space, please reach out to us- we would love to have a chat. We invest in businesses at a pre-seed, pre-revenue stage with the ability to support our portfolio companies until growth/ late stages. #Fund3 #ConsumerBrands #EarlyStageInvesting #SauceVC #Startups  #Entrepreneurship #IndiaGrowthStory #PreseedInvestment #VentureCapital #Consumer

50

1 Comment

This is going to be a super tight-knit all-girlies coffee chat on investing tomorrow evening in Gurgaon between 5-7:30 pm. Happy to see new faces sign up already, we have the *last 2 spots left!* RSVP before the form closes: https://shorturl.at/ehrK3 <Location will be shared once you fill out the form> #women #womenininvesting #femaleinvestors #womeninVC #startupinvesting #funding #startups #venturecapital

39

2 Comments

IvyCap Ventures Advisors Private Limited, an early-stage startup #capital firm, has declared that the third fund’s final closing was at Rs 2,100 crores. The company intends to invest via this fund in roughly 25 early-stage #firms, with an average initial investment of Rs 30–50 crore. About 50 businesses in industries including health, consumer, deeptech, fintech, edtech, agritech, and spacetech have received #investments from FIvyCap Ventures. Promising start-ups, in addition to funding, could receive invaluable advice and scale-up support within the IvyCap Ventures #ecosystem under the Mentorship Program. Founded in 2011, IvyCap Ventures is one of India’s leading homegrown venture capital funds leveraging IIT and IIM alumni #networks to power the Indian startup ecosystem. Vikram Gupta Ashish Wadhwani Anju Gupta Vishal Gauri To share your startup story write us on - [email protected] #ivycapventures #startup #venturecapital

3

Exciting Developments in the Indian Budget 2024 for the Startup Ecosystem! 🚀 The Indian Budget 2024 has unveiled several groundbreaking measures that reflect a strong commitment to economic stability, growth, and innovation. Here’s a quick overview of the key highlights: ✅️ ₹5000 Crore Innovation Fund: A substantial new fund has been introduced to support innovative startups and extend tax benefits, providing a significant boost to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. ✅️ ₹1000 Crore Venture Capital Fund for Space Economy: The establishment of this fund demonstrates India’s forward-looking vision and positions the country as a leader in the emerging space sector. ✅️ Angel Tax Abolished: The removal of angel tax is a major step forward, eliminating a significant barrier for startups and investors. ✅️ Long-Term Capital Gains Tax Reduced to 12.5%: The new rate of 12.5% on long-term capital gains will enhance investment attractiveness and encourage more funding into startups. These measures are set to invigorate the startup landscape, drive innovation, and support long-term growth. As an entrepreneur and angel investor, I’m excited about the opportunities these initiatives will unlock for the startup ecosystem! For a deeper dive into these developments and their implications, check out my views in a detailed article in the Economic Times https://lnkd.in/g_znAT9r #IndianBudget2024 #StartupEcosystem #Innovation #EconomicGrowth #SpaceEconomy #VentureCapital #AngelTax #CapitalGains #Faad Aditya Arora Dr.Dinesh Singh Harshika Paliwal Shivani Khare Neha Mourya Vatsal Lunawat Abhilash Gupta Samarth Gupta Sanyam Jain

28

2 Comments

Announcing the next big conversation at the D2C Unlocked Delhi-NCR chapter 🗣️🎤 Join Arush Chopra, Co-Founder of Just Herbs, and Manu Chandra, Founder & Managing Partner of Sauce.vc, as they dive into the topic: 𝐈𝐏𝐎 𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃2𝐂 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 Arush brings to the table his firsthand insights from steering Just Herbs through this pivotal chapter of the Marico partnership, meanwhile, Manu enriches discussions with a comprehensive understanding of the D2C ecosystem, drawing from Sauce VC's investments in pioneering brands like XYXX Crew and The Whole Truth Foods. The conversation, “IPO or Strategic Acquisition: The End Game for D2C Brands,” is more than just a debate—it’s an in-depth examination of what the future holds for D2C brands. What's the secret sauce for D2C brands to flourish in today's market? Is going public the ultimate goal, or are partnerships a smarter move? Inviting all D2C Founders/CXOs in Delhi-NCR to join us on April 25th, 2024, at 6 PM for an exchange of ideas that’s as thought-provoking as it is insightful. D2C Unlocked is presented by Simpl and powered by Affinidi, AdYogi, & Shipway. See you there—let’s fuel the buzz! Register : https://lnkd.in/gAabp73G

65

8 Comments

Cloud kitchen startup Curefoods (EatFit) has raised Rs 80 crore ($9.6 million) in debt from investors Binny Bansal and Jitender Kumar Bansal, marking its second fundraising round within six months. This infusion will bolster Curefoods’ growth strategy as the company prepares for an additional $40 million Series D round, potentially increasing its valuation to $500 million. Founded in 2020, Curefoods operates popular brands like EatFit and Yumlane, with over 100 kitchens across 15 cities. The startup recorded a Rs 384 crore revenue in FY23, establishing itself as a prominent player in India's growing cloud kitchen market. #Curefoods #CloudKitchen #Fundraising #BinnyBansal #JitenderBansal #StartupFunding #FoodTech #InvestmentNews #CulinaryInnovation #GrowthStrategy #EatFit #Yumlane #SeriesDRound #KitchenExpansion #IndianStartups #RevenueGrowth

3

At Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, we used to do a Wealth Creation Study every year under the guidance of Raamdeo Agrawal. In 2021, we did one on "Atoms to Bits" (https://lnkd.in/gdyic6Ny). Key insight when we were researching was Digital Business Design is about business first, design second and digital third. A simple framework that comes from this (Think of it like a 2x2) 1. Quality of Business Design and 2. Degree of Digitization When we started interacting with Namma Yatri, it struck us that this is one of the rare teams which not only has the most simple and innovative use of a protocol but also innovated on business design. The enduring moat of the business actually comes from their frugal DNA which supports this innovation. It is invisible like the best moats are :) Their data is transparent on https://lnkd.in/gARxQEsA which is also a window into one of their other key facets of culture - Collaboration and Transparency I have no doubt in my mind that this is one of the most exciting population scale companies being built and it is a privilege to be a yatri with Magizhan Selvan Shan M S. More details from Nitin Sharma https://lnkd.in/gbgzTPdp

34

1 Comment

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

Deal Announcement – Complete transaction in Less than 3 months! Maiz Kitchens, a first of its kind modern QSR chain that believes in serving fresher, healthier fast food at an affordable price, successfully closed its Series A fundraise. Founded by Veer Bharatiya, Maiz is poised to replicate the Chipotle story in India! Radix acted as the Exclusive banker for this transaction which was closed in less than 3 months’ timeframe! What does Maiz’s super quick Series A turnaround tell us? In one line, despite how the larger macro environment, whether it's the Funding winter or the preceding Unicorn race, Investors fundamentally are always looking to unearth those Diamonds in the rough. Startups with strong fundamentals, visionary leaders, proven execution capability and large TAMs don’t have to rely solely on burning investor money for growth. These companies are always poised to leverage their customer love and execution strength to get the likeminded and right investment partners for targeting next big milestone. Maiz is one such diamond! 4 things that worked in favour of Maiz: o  A great team with clear vision and phenomenal execution capability. o  A solid plan executed to last decimal point details. o  Abundance of customer love which is visible in stellar Unit Economics. o  Super nimble approach of management with clear focus on Capital Efficiency Maiz is both a testament and validation of the Radix way! At Radix, we pride ourselves in being able to spot these gems. We are always long-term partners with the founding team and do our part in materializing their vision. Today, Radix Capital Advisors takes immense pleasure in announcing the successful closure of INR 21.5 Cr Series A fundraise for Maiz Kitchens. All the best to Maiz team! Brace yourself for the next Maiz outlet in your city! Congratulations Veer Bhartiya Rahul Chhabria, Pratiksha Barasia Maya Taparia Ashish Chacko Akash Bagul Mahesh Triplicane Damodaran Vignesh Ramanan Maiz Kitchens Radix Capital Advisors Yash Vora   Keep Spicing Up and Scaling New Heights – Onwards & Upwards ! #startups #SeriesA #Fundraise #DealAlert #consumer

108

39 Comments

Discretionary consumer spending in India will continue to rise with time. We believe several new consumer brands & businesses will be built in India. We look forward to partnering with teams looking to capitalize on these tailwinds! Sorin Investments #sorin #d2c #consumer

84

1 Comment

Disruption: The Key to Building Consumer Brands in India A founder's journey is akin to navigating uncharted waters, where every decision is a delicate balance between probabilities and possibilities. Sometimes, the founders are at the right place at the right time when disruptive waves are manifesting primarily in three formidable forms: regulatory, technological, and demographic. 1. Regulatory Disruption: Regulatory changes often appear as a vast blue ocean, promising untapped opportunities. Yet, one must tread carefully. The very nature of regulation implies that what is granted can be swiftly taken away. And many times, what is generally not specified also treads towards an eventual "No." 2. Technological Disruption: Technological advancements offer a compass for our voyage. Leveraging emerging technology platforms to create breakthroughs can unlock tremendous growth. 3. Demographic Disruption: India, a nation teeming with youth, stands at the precipice of never before seen disposable income that can be monetised digitally at scale. By meticulously segmenting markets, one can craft products and services that not only sell but seamlessly integrate into the lifestyle narratives of the emerging consuming class. At Endurance Capital, we work with early stage founders to be leaders in India's consumer revolution. As founders, the opportunity is immense. It's time to disrupt the old guard and innovate with an India-first approach. Let's craft consumer brands that aren't just loved but become a legacy for the generations to come. 🚀🇮🇳

13

1 Comment

Thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Harbinder !! We are at an inflection point in India on Consumer health !! Bio science + Data/AI will massively disrupt this space !! Do write to me if you are an entrepreneur disrupting this space !! #consumerhealth #innovation

49

1 Comment

🚀 **New Podcast Alert!** 🚀 Join us as we dive into the world of digital marketing with expert Sujay Khandge! In this episode, Sujay shares powerful strategies, emerging trends, and actionable insights to help businesses stay ahead in today’s fast-evolving digital landscape. Don’t miss out on these game-changing tips! 🎧 #DigitalMarketing #Podcast #MarketingStrategies #Trends #SujayKhandge #BusinessGrowth #MarketingInsights https://lnkd.in/gt_s2Yxm

6

1 Comment

We had the pleasure of interacting with Radhika Gupta (MD & CEO, Edelweiss Mutual Fund) for a freewheeling round table discussion. Some of the key learnings and takeaways: - Effective use of social media platforms by budding entrepreneurs to propel business growth. - 2nd & 3rd generation entrepreneurs are bringing a new dimension to the business by backward & forward integration and expanding geographies, taking the businesses to new heights. - Penetration of MFs is ~15% in India. Out of the total working population only 5% are investing in MFs. We will witness a multi multi fold increase in the years to come. - Women will have an increasing role to play in the India shining story.

56

4 Comments

Trifecta Capital has launched its largest venture debt fund yet, totaling a whopping ₹2,000 crore, with an additional ₹500 crore greenshoe option. This fund is sector-agnostic, targeting: ✅ Electric mobility ✅ SaaS ✅ Fintech ✅ Enterprise tech Founded in 2015 by Rahul Khanna and Nilesh Kothari, the firm has already invested in over 30 unicorns and numerous high-value companies like Zepto, Meesho, BlueStone, and Urban Company. While staying clear of riskier sectors such as cryptocurrencies, gaming, and P2P lending, Trifecta Capital has successfully deployed ₹6,000 crore from its three funds, including recycled capital. For enquiries, drop an email to [email protected] #VentureCapital #Investment #ElectricMobility #SaaS #Fintech #EnterpriseTech #Startups #Unicorns #TrifectaCapital #Funding #BusinessGrowth

28

4 Comments

How innovation is essential for building truly great economies, especially for emerging economies e.g., for India and OECD ?? Exports indeed is a reflection of your ability to compete and win. But for that, one has to have differentiating competitive advantages that typically are enabled by one's core competencies. For example: - China, "by-design", since 1976, combined power of clear domestic policies, incentives, verticalization of labor, infrastructure, and focused on consumer export-oriented goods to the West. Within 15-20 years, this became their core competency. - For India, the initiative to boost exports is worth applauding, and to some extent and for some time, one can grow it by either tapping into the unmet demand, or by propping up by giving incentives. Good. But those drivers can not be sustained. You have to address the underlying issues all around. What India DOES have is a brilliant and resilient breed of people who can work hard and make a difference if provided with the right (eco) system!! Few things have happened off-late (e.g., infra, digitalization, et. al.) but unless one bridges the remaining gaps, it will be hard: - Manufacturing and supply chain costs are not minimum - We did not invent or innovate anyone of those technologies. - All technology is either imported or licensed. - Culture of glorifying "Jugaad" with "Innovation" is flawed. - Cost of capital is high, ... and so on Something to think about.

2

2 Comments

Raised $26,000,000 with just an idea Lyskraft India Pvt Ltd - the latest kid in the block! So, Mukesh Bansal is back with another startup this time with Mohit Gupta, the former CEO of Zomato's food delivery arm. In July of last year, there were reports about Bansal and Gupta raising funds for a new venture. As per TechCrunch, both of them pitched a range of ideas to potential backers like a female-focused counterpart to Manyavar and "Infosys 2.0" a presumed upgrade to a multinational IT services and consulting firm. Now finally... The news is out and we know what they are building, Lyskraft: initially a women's only marketplace for premium brands mostly focusing on Gen-Z shoppers. Recently we have seen giant e-commerce platforms launching dedicated portals to attract GenZ shoppers, like SPOYL launched by Flipkart within its app, FWD by Myntra, also we are seeing the growth of new-age startups working in this space like Virgio(Mukesh Bansal is an investor in it), Newme(recently raised $4,500,000), Absolute Brands, Snitch, Styched and many more As per Inc42's Report, India's fashion and apparel sector is projected to reach a mouth-watering $112 Billion by 2030, which will be over a quarter of the country's $400 Billion e-commerce market!! Let's be honest, anyone will want a piece of this market. As we are already aware of how crowded this space is, let's see how Lyskraft differentiates itself from others. Mohit Gupts and Mukesh Bansal, in this crowded space building a community around your product, building digital IPs, and creating experiences through videos are the ways to elevate your brand to the next level. I the founder of Elevate would love to connect and assist Lyskraft in building a community, digital IPs and help create experiences through videos, if that sounds like something that interests you would love to connect and discuss!! sources of information : TechCrunch article 2021 - https://bit.ly/49UwkLI Inc42 article - https://bit.ly/3w0SDlb #mukeshbansal #myntra #fashion #startups #venturecapital #fundingwinter #norevenue #cultfit #community #communitymarketing #socialmediamarketing #india

13

2 Comments

𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩. Most often, founders of early-stage startups feel that it is too early for them to start defining culture for their company. They feel that culture is something that needs to be built when the company matures. However, in this insightful session that Sandeep Sinha conducted for our portfolio companies, he emphasised the need and importance of creating a culture right at the onset of an entrepreneurial journey and at the very beginning of a startup's life. Read a summary of this insightful session on this link https://bit.ly/3ZRoYHv Sandeep Sinha Pankaj Bansal (पंकज बंसल) Karann Mittal

16

2 Comments