Vishal Pathik Gupta

Shutdown of Koo, India's own microblogging platform, is a significant blow to our startup ecosystem. This event highlights 2 crucial points that needs to addressed: 1. A setback for our movement towards digital sovereignty: In an era where digital sovereignty is paramount, Koo represented a step towards self-reliance. Losing such platforms makes us more dependent on foreign entities for our digital communication needs. 2. Lack of support for Tech-First startups: The closure underscores the challenges faced by tech-first Indian startups, from funding issues to scaling obstacles. I truly believe Koo's shutdown is a setback for Indian startup scene. Kudos to founders and employees for all the efforts they've put in. #Startups #Innovation #DigitalIndia #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #ProductManagement #IndiaStartups #SupportLocal #DigitalSovereignty #koo #kooshutdown

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Massive insights from GrowthX® Demo Day (DD20) yday! 2 teams pitched for ET Money & Country Delight growth plans. Here’s the breakdown: Country Delight Product: Dairy & daily groceries (200+ SKUs) 👉 Problem statement: Grow revenue from 1200 cr to 2400 cr in 12 months 70% sales from Delhi/NCR where it has only 1% penetration. 🚀 Growth equation: Revenue = (New+Existing+Resurrected) users x ARPU 👨 👩 ICPs considered: Bachelors- 20-35 yr old Nuclear family Joint Family Location: Tier 1 & 2 Revenue by Acquisition: Paid Ads- 279 cr Partnerships-84 cr Events-54 cr SEO- 1 cr Focus on: 1. Building trust 2. Market reach & penetration 3. Brand awareness as the brand perception is that it’s a milk brand (Being a customer even I thought they are a milk only brand) Partnerships: 1. Mygate- this is a brilliant integration idea (expected rev-49 cr) 2. CultFit- set up Kiosks across their centres (historically 70-75% of acquisition has been through kiosks & online ads)- expected rev 35 cr Engagement & Retention 1. Remove Wallet friction through simplified signup 2. Order via Whatsapp bot Summary Revenue contribution: Acquisition-408 cr Engagement & Retention-264 cr Onboarding-107 cr Monetisation-28.9 cr Other Experiments-120 cr ET Money Product: a financial services app by Times Internet which helps users to invest & manage long term assets. It got acquired by 360One Group for 366 crore in June 2024. The focus is on Genius-AI powered personalised advisory services. 👉 Problem statement: Grow revenue from 30 cr to 75 cr in 12 months Market size:  Overall market size- Wealth Tech is expected to grow to 4.8 L cr in volume by 2025 Users: TAM- 13.5 cr users (unique mutual fund users+ unique Demat account holders) SAM-9.45 cr (70% users use Wealth Tech) SOM-94.5 lakh (assuming 10% market share) Current user base: 9 lakh transacting users (76k paid users) 🚀 Growth equation: Revenue= (New+Existing+Resurrected) users x ARPU X Conversion rate X No. of transactions X ADV 👨 👩 ICPs considered: Early inexperienced investor who self invests Investor looking for stable portfolio for goals (child’s education etc) Investor looking for long term wealth creation 🎯 Onboarding & Monetisation (expected rev-34 cr) -Provide recommendation engine - Smoothen the onboarding process as currently the nudge to paid plan is very high which causes a friction. Idea is to create value and then offer plans. -Streamline pricing & portfolio buckets 🎯 Acquisition (expected revenue-8.3 cr) Organic SEO & Content-pillar clusters around financial goals & investing Paid Ads- focus on high intent audience GrowthX®

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What if I told you Minimalist achieved 1500% growth in 4 years—while staying profitable the entire time 🤯 Here's the timeline of Minimalist's meteoric rise: FY21: ₹22 crore in revenue (its inception year - what a launch year) FY22: ₹108.1 crore, 5x growth FY23: ₹184 crore, 8x growth from FY21 and almost 2x of FY 22 FY24: ₹350 crore, 2x growth from FY23 ₹22 crore to ₹350 crore ~ humongous 1500% growth 😵 Minimalist, with no big-celebrity endorsements, has been profitable since day one—an impressive feat at this growth rate. Meanwhile, celebrity-led brands like Deepika Padukone's 82°E are still finding their footing ( reported a ₹25.1 crore loss in the first nine months of FY24 ) Moral : Product is king, everything else is just noise. Gone are the days of buying just because a celebrity endorsed. Now, results matter #growth #business

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In 2023, Zomato did a Cricket World Cup campaign which led to 20% surge in app downloads and 18% increase in order volumes. Zomato didn’t just create a platform for ordering food; they turned it into an experience. By adding fun, gamification features, they’ve transformed what could’ve been a mundane process into something engaging. Here’s what they did: 📍 Animated Delivery Tracking: Instead of waiting impatiently, Zomato keeps you entertained with playful animations that show the journey of your food, making the waiting time more enjoyable. 📍 Rewards and Challenges: Zomato’s loyalty programs let users unlock points, discounts, and exclusive offers with every order. It feels like levelling up in a game, except the reward is delicious food! 📍 Engaging Offers: Spin the wheel for discounts or take part in their limited-time challenges. These little touches keep you coming back for more. Here’s why gamification is more than just a trend—it’s a psychological trick that works: 👉 Reduces boredom 👉 Builds loyalty 👉 Boosts engagement If Zomato can make ordering food a game, you can add gamification to your product, too. Gamification isn’t just for fun—it’s a strategy that drives results. Want users to keep coming back? Gamify. #Gamification

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Zepto should stop charging rain fees if it's not raining(never seen it in other apps) Also, free delivery should be pre-selected if applicable(Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023) This will not go unnoticed #zepto #darkmethods

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Nobody might enjoy the comments more than me. Building a platform for restaurants Fuddo with 1) Takeaway with schedule 2) Restaurant Delivery 3) Order any time ( No delivery and you have to pick). no more not available for order from 2 min far restaurants too 4) Actual Prices 5) No Cloud kitchens 6) Special deals without bankrupting restaurant ( Excess food gives special deals) More secret benefits to restaurants to survive and get back on their feet. Now the difficult part of Customers 1) Converting customer from Faked discounts on Hiked prices 2) Quantity Magics 3) Convincing customer for actual prices of 20 to 30 % lesser than online prices 4) Get to know the place from where you get your food 5) More options without breaking bank explaining 100 more reasons to choose Fuddo

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Bangalore's skies are staying dry next Tuesday (according to ...) If you're an APP Marketer or building a solid APP business or even funding one, we(as in Google) in collaboration with Adjust have something in store for you this coming week on 6th August. We are hosting an offline event on 6th August (Next Tuesday) in our RMZ Infinity Office. We want to discuss about primarily 3 things a. Reducing CAC keeping scale in mind b. Building for an international audience (localisation & more) c. Obviously, attribution to become razor-focussed on ROI If these Topics excite you - we would love to talk to you! Small caveat: Please RSVP in the link given in the comments. We would discuss App Growth strategies only. Sanjana Shreyas Anshuman Rohit Vaibhav kapil Afreen

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Psychological Triggers that Product Managers at Zepto Use! ⭐️ Do you know that there are 12 Psychological Sales Triggers for Marketing which PM's at Zepto use to nudge millions of users ✨ Zepto Pass is one of the biggest successes that Zepto has achieved in the last few months It crossed over 1 million subscribers in just 1 week of launch and it is giving them excellent results 🚀 Zepto had one of the lowest AOV when compared with Instamart and Blinkit but is growing fast due to Zepto Pass Zepto had 14X revenue growth in FY23 and is on its way to achieving 2-3X growth in FY24 also It is also expected to achieve EBITDA profitability by Sep'24 and is in recent talks to raise $300 mn at a $2.5-$3 billion valuation ---------------------------------------------- Do you think Zepto can beat Blinkit in the profitability race? #quickcommerce #productmarketing #marketing

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New Report Alert: Decoding the Online Ticket Business in India & Zomato - Paytm Deal! (Zomato to buy Paytm's entertainment ticketing business for Rs 2,048 crore The acquisition of Paytm Insider, approved by Zomato's board, will allow the food delivery giant to foray into the entertainment ticketing sector, complementing its existing dining and food delivery services.) I'm excited to share that I've recently completed a comprehensive report on the dynamics of the online ticketing industry in India, with a particular focus on the strategic acquisition deal between Zomato and Paytm for Paytm's ticketing business. This report dives deep into the evolving landscape of online ticketing, highlighting the key factors driving growth and the challenges faced by industry players. I also explored the strategic implications of Zomato's acquisition of Paytm's ticketing arm, examining how this move aligns with Zomato's broader business objectives. To provide a well-rounded perspective, I included detailed financial analysis of both Zomato and Paytm, shedding light on the financial rationale behind the deal and its potential impact on both companies. If you're interested in understanding more about this significant development in the Indian tech ecosystem, feel free to reach out! Zomato Paytm Parth Verma The Valuation School #OnlineTicketing #Zomato #Paytm #MergersAndAcquisitions #IndiaTech #FinancialAnalysis

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If you are building in Gaming or remotely interested in understanding the Indian gaming Industry, my colleagues Marmik Mankodi and Nachammai Savithiri R's reports give an amazing ELI5 and frameworks for thinking about how to build in India! Reports like these are a great way for anyone to get up to speed with whats new in the gaming industry.

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If you want to understand more about the Indian startup and venture ecosystem, then the best place to start is the "Indus Valley Report" by Sajith Pai, Anurag Pagaria and Nachammai Savithiri R of Blume Ventures - https://lnkd.in/gj-7hjGq You can expect lots of insights about India's GDP, consumption by different types of customers in India, Digital Infra achievements, venture funding trends, Indian IPO market, and Indus Valley Playbook. My favorites in 2024 report 1. India123 - Slides 26-30 2. Storefront as a Service for Digital Native Brands - Slide 101 What do I expect in the 2025 report : How Indian startup and venture ecosystems are powering global Gen AI growth !!!

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🚀 Zepto’s 'Shagun Ka Lifafa' Campaign: A Game Changer This Raksha Bandhan! 🎉 Zepto has truly outdone itself this Raksha Bandhan with their "Shagun Ka Lifafa" campaign, setting new benchmarks and delighting customers across India. This isn’t just another festive campaign—it’s a masterstroke in modern marketing, with a cultural twist that resonates deeply. Here’s why this campaign stands out and how it crushed records with 1 Million OPD on a super Sunday, surpassing their previous milestone of 0.7 Million OPD on their Third Anniversary which they recently celebrated: 🌟 Cultural Connection Meets Modern Excitement: Zepto beautifully marries tradition with innovation. The age-old custom of Shagun Ka Lifafa is reimagined with a modern flair—scratch cards with every delivery that promises big wins like cars, Dubai trips, and more! 🎁. By the way, I received upto 30% off on Real Juices and Rs.500 off on EMT. 🌟 Everyone’s a Winner: Unlike typical promotions, Zepto ensures no one is left empty-handed. Every order gurantees a lifafa, and every lifafa guarantees a prize, which not only boosts customer satisfaction but also builds strong brand loyalty. 🏆 I just placed one order on Zepto today, just to check whats the craze about the Lifafa, and I just went ahead to have this post written. 🌟 Strategic Partnerships: Collaborations with brands like Dabur, Easemytrip, Ariel, and Tide elevate the campaign, offering diverse and desirable prizes that appeal to all demographics. This strategic move adds immense value to each order. 🤝 Haldirams, Snickers, Hershey, McCain and not to forget BSC - Bombay Shaving Company - Gaurav Anand are few of many participating brands. 🌟 Creative Brilliance by Chandan Mendiratta: The campaign carries the hallmark of Chandan Mendiratta’s genius, from the catchy rap ad that perfectly encapsulates sibling love and banter, to the overall conceptualization of the lifafa. It’s all Chandan—every bit of it! 🎨✨ It has Chandan written all over the campaign. 🌟 Record-Breaking Numbers: With an astonishing 1 Million Orders Per Day, Zepto not only surpassed their previous records but also demonstrated their operational excellence. This achievement sets a high bar for what’s possible in festive marketing! 📈💥 As we look ahead to the upcoming festive season, the calendar at Zepto must be buzzing with new ideas. I’m on the edge of my seat to see what they come up with next to break even more records! Kudos to the entire Zepto team, and especially to Chandan Mendiratta, for crafting a campaign that’s not just memorable but monumental. 👏 🌟 Don't forget to check the usual banter between a brother & sister on the front of the lifafa. "you have no friends because.. you're lame" is my favourite one. #Marketing #Branding #RakshaBandhan #Zepto #Innovation #CustomerDelight #RecordBreaking Aadit Palicha Devendra Meel Kaivalya V. Chandan Mendiratta

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Poker Retention > Poker Acquisition But still very little is done on a fundamental level to help users voluntarily stick around for long. For Acquisition / Awareness : 1. Crores spent on Bollywood celebs. 2. Rs 10K/20K/50K Signup bonus and those gimmicks with underlying conditions (trappy) 3. Massive high budget video shoots to create acquisition ads 4. High Guaranteed events to attract new people. 5. Paying influencers who have nothing to do with poker to integrate your brand in the most cringiest way possible For Retention : 1. Leaderboards 2. Rakebacks ( cashback on the revenue you generate for the site) While these activities for retention bring in lot of stickiness - it is only for the selected few that understand the game and not for the mass audience that has been acquired. Hence you still see 1000-2000 concurrent players on any site at a given time. Educational based cohorts that build a sticky audience who can manage money and then grow it and not just come and lose their 10-20K once is something which is completely lacking when trying to build a strong retention mechanism.

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AI-powered blue-collar recruitment platform Vahan.ai has raised $10 Mn (INR 83.7 Cr) in a Series B funding round led by existing backer Khosla Ventures.  The round also saw participation from Y Combinator, Gaingels and Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma among others 👇 The latest round takes the startup’s cumulative funding to $18 Mn till date, including $8 Mn and an undisclosed amount raised in 2021 and 2019, respectively. Vahan seeks to use the fresh money to develop its AI recruitment technology, which will support eight major Indian languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Bangla and Gujarati. Currently, Vahan’s AI recruiter conducts interviews in English and Hindi. However, within the next year, the platform will expand into other languages To read the in-depth article, click here: https://lnkd.in/gSrziXGT #news #AI #startup #funding

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‘Don’t Complain. Build.‘ -Balaji ‘Don’t pizza. Walk’ -Me Too much mixers are around food, need to move em bodies. Chloe Tan and I are organising a Walk + Talk for VC Platform folks! If you are in the value creation space for VC, do join us on 20th June for a Walking Mixer around Marina Bay. 📍Sign up here: https://lu.ma/dwtdob21 Pssst, fyi, value creation platform roles in VC refer to professionals that support portfolio companies post investments, which include: strategy, GTMBD, community development, hiring, fundraising, operations optimization, people strategy, marketing. P.S. We curate all attendees to ensure our community remains focused on supporting platform folks in the VC space:) #vcplatform #valuecreation #venturecapital #networking

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I am learning offline sales on the go and here's something I've picked up from a fellow apparels founder at a recent exhibition: 1. Be completely present when greeting someone. One of the most underrated qualities is someone who can smile irrespective of how they are feeling. He greeted every one who crossed his stall with a big smile and said "Any dresses for you, ma'am?" 2. For his existing customers, his opening would always be about that piece of clothing that the customer purchased from them. He would break the ice with this and nostalgia always works in favour of the brand if the product is good 3. The customer is king as a philosophy needs to be revisited. Instead, it should be that each customer should end up feeling like a king which means altering your pitch based on what they want to hear. 4. Lastly, when selling - double down on convincing even if you feel it's too much. As far as you can maintain a balance of caring what is it they need vs what is it that you recommend they have - convincing is purely selling with confidence Another thing that he did was when someone was dressed in a very prim proper way, he would tell them they bought something from them a few years ago. It moves that customer's interest from a passive to an active one even though the customer doesn't really recall the item of purchase

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In a crowded market, retaining market share is an ongoing battle that goes beyond just offering a good product—it’s about strategic foresight, quick adaptations & ensuring you're not just competing on price. In India’s quick commerce space, Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy are going head-to-head, with Flipkart now also in with Minutes, making the space increasingly congested. Then you have, BBNow and Reliance Jio + Amazon wanting inroads. All these players, flush with investor funds, are building vast networks of dark stores, aiming to fulfill orders within minutes. But let’s face it—once everyone can deliver your groceries in 10-15 minutes, what else is there? In such cases, brand differentiation & customer stickiness become critical. But competition isn’t always about funding. Look at Ola Electric, once dominating the electric two-wheeler market, now struggling. It captured nearly 50% market share, but recent service issues, product quality concerns & rising customer complaints have shrunk its share to 27%. Legacy automakers like Bajaj and TVS are closing in with reliable service networks, better products, and longstanding customer trust. While Ola’s aggressive marketing worked initially, bad press and poor after-sales service can erode even the largest lead. Now, let's look at the niche market of manscaping, where Zlade is a market leader, outpacing competitors by 5X marketplaces like Amazon. Zlade hasn’t followed the typical D2C playbook of just being another me-too product. They’ve taken a specialist approach and diversified their distribution channels, showing strong growth not just in online marketplaces but even in quick commerce platforms. The trick for them? Branding and category expertise. By positioning themselves as experts in a niche area, Zlade has been able to not only sell but educate their audience, making them the go-to brand in their category. So, what are the takeaways for retaining market share in a competitive Indian market? 1. Double down on CX: In channels like D2C and e comm, offering speed is expected. What isn’t expected is a seamless customer experience where complaints are handled smoothly, and customers feel valued. 2. Stay innovative: As seen with Ola Electric, the danger of becoming complacent is real. Innovation isn’t optional, whether you’re in EVs or grooming products. 3. Category expertise: Zlade’s success shows the importance of going deep rather than broad in a crowded market. Specialization builds loyalty. 4. Loyalty programs & personalisation: Whether it’s through better CRM systems, AI-driven suggestions, or just good old customer service, companies must go beyond mere transactions to build relationships. In the end, retaining market share isn’t about burning through funds to outlast competitors; it’s about strategic execution, and a deep understanding of customer needs, something that both new-age startups & legacy players need to balance if they want to stay relevant. #brandrelevance #competition

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This is the opening slide of Swiggy's first-ever pitch deck from mid-2014 (Out in public for the first time). Shortly after, Elevation wrote Swiggy's first institutional cheque and the rest is history. Holds so much historical value and significance, especially in the context of its superb listing today. The stock is about to close the day at nearly $12B. I have been graciously allowed to share this. Sriharsha M. has built one of the best product companies globally. The scale of impact Swiggy has created is remarkable. It has inarguably been the driving force for the most defining consumer tech moments of the last decade, whether it's truly unlocking food delivery as a category with its logistics-first approach or taking the first plunge into quick commerce. Everyone followed Swiggy's suit. A milestone for the company on one hand but it's a watershed moment for India's startup and venture ecosystem. Patient capital and determined execution can create large enduring tech institutions from India, for India. A powerful validation. You'll also find the slide where Harsha explains Swiggy's day one USP in our blog. It's gold. When we tried to look back at the Elevation-Swiggy partnership, we just had to bring these out. Mukul Arora (Co-Managing Partner at Elevation) writes more: https://lnkd.in/gh3Bf8bh

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