Entrepreneur's Live Interviews 🎙️

Entrepreneur's Live Interviews 🎙️

By Priya Ranjan MohantyBusinessEntrepreneurship
Download on the App Store

Entrepreneur's Live Interviews 🎙️ episodes

  • ELI - 358 | Gaurav Goel (Founder of Toprankers - EdTech Platform)

    About the spokesperson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaurav-goel6/

    Gaurav Goel is the founder of Toprankers, India's largest platform for careers beyond medical and engineering.
    He started his entrepreneurial journey while in college with a company related to IT certifications.
    Gaurav's first successful business was based on time arbitrage, buying and selling exam vouchers for certification exams.
    He later transitioned to building e-learning products and sold his previous businesses before starting Toprankers.
    Toprankers evolved into a platform that helps students explore careers beyond engineering and medicine, with over 5 million users. The company shifted from a marketplace model to offering its own content and services.
    Gaurav's inspiration for entrepreneurship came from his experience helping his father in his wholesale medicine shop and his talent for counting and folding note bundles.
    In 2015-16, Gaurav recognized the need for a platform to help students from small towns and backgrounds find the right career paths beyond traditional fields.
    Toprankers underwent a revamp and transformed into the largest platform for careers in law, management, arts, humanities, design, architecture, and more.
    During the COVID-19 pandemic, Toprankers faced the challenge of transitioning students from online to offline classrooms but managed to adapt and maintain revenue growth.
    The company has experienced significant growth, with 14x increase in events and revenue.
    Gaurav emphasizes the importance of being open to pivots and making changes in the path to achieve the vision of the company.
    He believes that taking pivots does not always require a completely new team and that communication and honesty with team members are crucial during such transitions.

    28 min
  • ELI - 357 | Pushkar Limaye (Founder of Carnot - Telematics & Agritech)

    About the spokesperson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pushkar-limaye-23852455/

    Pushkar Limaye is the founder and CTO of Carnot, a full-stack AgriTech platform.
    He grew up in Mumbai and studied at IIT Bombay, where he gained confidence and leadership skills.
    Pushkar's interest in engineering was sparked by his involvement in the IIT Bombay racing team, where he realized the importance of practical engineering and leadership.
    Carnot initially started as a car telematics startup but transitioned to AgriTech after receiving an investment from Mahindra and Mahindra in 2018.
    Their flagship product, Krishi's Market, is a GPS tracking device that provides transparency in the rental of tractors and helps differentiate between farmland and roads.
    Pushkar Limaye was raised in a typical Maharashtrian environment in Mumbai and attended a Marathi medium school until his 10th standard.
    He comes from a family of chartered accountants but decided to pursue engineering and got into IIT Bombay.
    Joining the IIT Bombay racing team and participating in formula student competitions had a significant impact on Pushkar's life, boosting his confidence and shaping his interest in engineering and leadership.
    The experience of leading a 60-person team in the racing team made Pushkar realize his enjoyment and aptitude for leadership roles.
    Inspired by the gap he observed between the engineering standards of his team's car and the best global counterparts, Pushkar aimed to build world-class products in India.
    A serendipitous incident involving audio signals from a car's electrical system led to the development of analytics for vehicles without built-in sensors.
    Qualcomm's grant through the Qualcomm Design in India Challenge provided a lifeline for Carnot during a challenging period, enabling them to explore partnerships and investment opportunities.
    Carnot chose to collaborate with Mahindra due to their belief in telematics as the future of the industry and the potential for distribution within Mahindra's vast ecosystem.
    Carnot's flagship product, Krishi's Market, is a GPS tracking device that brings transparency to the rental of tractors and helps differentiate between farmland and roads. They have achieved significant scale, with thousands of units deployed in India and Africa.

    30 min
  • ELI - 356 | Ketan Patel (Founder of Creative Newtech Limited)

    About the spokesperson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ketan-patel-522b6745/

    Ketan Patel is the founder of Creative New Tech Limited, a company based in Mumbai.
    The company has two main pillars: a licensing agreement with Honeywell to sell products in 38 countries, and being a market entry specialist for renowned brands in India.
    In the financial year 2022-2023, Creative New Tech Limited had a turnover of 1367 crore with a net profit margin of 27%.
    The company started as a service center and gradually transitioned into becoming a brand licensee, supplying exclusive products to retailers.
    Creative New Tech Limited helps global brands enter the Indian market by providing brand strategy, marketing, influencer engagement, channel presence, and direct-to-consumer online stores. They are also expanding globally through initiatives with Amazon and leveraging the affinity of Honeywell's brand in international markets.

    25 min
  • ELI - 355 | Pranay Mathur (Partner & CEO of Realtime Angel Fund)

    About the spokesperson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pranaymathur/

    The interview is with Pranay Mathur, the Partner & CEO of Realtime Angel Fund (RTA), a VC firm based in Jaipur.
    Pranay Mathur comes from a humble middle-class background and is a first-generation entrepreneur.
    He founded his first company in 2010 and later started supporting other founders by angel investing in startups.
    Realtime Angel Fund focuses on early-stage startups that have already developed a product and need help in product development and expanding their customer base.
    The fund's average ticket size for investments is INR 1 crore (approximately $125,000), and they provide strategic support and mentoring to the startups in their portfolio.

    26 min
  • ELI - 354 | Atul Monga (Founder of BASIC - Digital Home Loan)

    About the spokesperson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atulmonga-basic/

    Atul Monga, an experienced professional in investment banking with prior roles in Hong Kong and Singapore, is the co-founder of BASIC Home Loan. Inspired by the success of entrepreneurship in his own family and his brother's startup sale, Monga ventured into the realm of startups. BASIC Home Loan stands out as India's first automated platform for secured lending.
    The company's primary focus lies in providing home loans, a complex product in India due to the absence of a centralized property database. To overcome this challenge, BASIC Home Loan has devised an asset-light model that utilizes a network of agents distributed across 30 cities in India. These agents are responsible for handling the physical documentation and evaluation process while utilizing a digitized credit policy to match customers with the most suitable lenders. Emphasizing the digital journey for customers, BASIC Home Loan offers an app-based system that enables applicants to monitor their loan application progress and receive updates from their designated agents.
    Through strategic partnerships with 70 banks and the digitization of their credit policies, BASIC Home Loan boasts an impressive loan approval rate of 75%. Additionally, the platform assures customers of loan approval, pledging to cover the customer's first Equated Monthly Installment (EMI) if the company fails to secure a loan within two attempts. To attract a diverse customer base, BASIC Home Loan employs a variety of methods, including influencer channels, direct online marketing, and collaborations with builders, ensuring multiple avenues for customer discovery and fostering trust.

    29 min
  • ELI - 353 | Anand Chandra (Co-founder of Arya.ag - Agritech Startup)

    About the spokesperson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anand-chandra-76842518/

    Anand Chandra is the co-founder of Arya.ag, India's largest integrated grain commerce platform.
    Arya.ag aims to give freedom to farmers and producer organizations to decide when and where to sell their products.
    They provide storage services with warehouses located near the farms, along with financing options through their own NBFC.
    Arya.ag connects farmers with buyers through their platform, making money through rental, interest earnings, and trade income.
    The venture focuses on solving the core problem of ensuring farmers' profitability by offering storage, finance, and trade solutions.
    Arya.ag's concept revolves around empowering farmers and producer organizations by providing them the freedom to choose when and where to sell their agricultural products.
    The company operates a network of warehouses, both owned and listed on their platform, to facilitate storage of commodities at the farm gate.
    They offer financing options through their own NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Company) to meet farmers' financial needs for consumption and future cropping seasons.
    Arya.ag's integrated platform connects farmers with buyers, allowing them to sell their produce at the right time and at better prices, thereby improving their profitability.
    #AryaAg #AgritechStartup #GrainCommerce #FarmersEmpowerment #StorageServices #FinancialInclusion #TradePlatform #Agribusiness #RuralDevelopment #Profitability

    29 min
  • ELI - 352 | Mudit Dandwate (Founder of Dozee - Healthtech Startup)

    About the spokesperson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mudit-dandwate-4326209a/

    Mr. Mudit Dandwate is the co-founder of Dozee, India's first AI-based contactless remote patient monitoring system.
    Dozee is an early warning system that continuously monitors various aspects of human health, such as heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature, without touching the patient's body.
    The technology uses a thin sheet of sensors placed under the mattress, which captures vibrations caused by bodily movements and converts them into biomarkers using machine learning and AI.
    Dozee automates the monitoring process in hospitals, reducing the burden on nurses and improving patient safety by providing continuous monitoring and sending alerts to healthcare professionals in case of any anomalies.
    Dozee is currently functional in more than 300 hospitals across India and has plans to enhance its product by developing algorithms for detecting sleep apnea, falls, and bedsores, among other improvements.
    Mr. Mudit Dandwate was born and raised in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India, and later studied mechanical engineering at IIT Bombay.
    During his time at IIT, he was involved in a team that built and raced full-scale cars internationally. He also worked on projects like redesigning a cricket bat.
    After IIT, Mr. Dandwate joined a company called Alter Engineering, where he gained exposure to sensing technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
    Inspired by the potential application of this technology in healthcare, he co-founded Dozee, a contactless remote patient monitoring system.
    Dozee's technology uses vibration sensors placed under the mattress to monitor various vital signs of patients, such as heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure, providing continuous and accurate data for early detection of anomalies.
    #HealthTech #RemotePatientMonitoring #AIInHealthcare #ContinuousMonitoring #PatientSafety

    27 min
  • ELI - 351 | Vikesh Shah (Founder of 99 Pancakes - QSR Chain)

    About the spokesperson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikesh-shah-253a67204/

    Vikesh Shah is the founder of 99 Pancakes, a QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) chain.
    Shah started his career in the food business at a young age, working in a bakery and learning about food business and manufacturing.
    After the bakery he was working in shut down, Shah started his own home-based bakery business, focusing on catering supplies and B2B orders for weddings and corporate events.
    In 2017, Shah launched 99 Pancakes as a retail brand, introducing pancakes as a dessert concept in India.
    Shah believes that pancakes have the potential to become popular in the Indian market due to the increasing aspirational values and openness to try new things. He aims to create a unique and visually appealing product that stands out in the market.
    The idea for launching 99 Pancakes as a retail brand came during the time of demonetization in India when many wholesale businesses were affected, prompting Vikesh Shah to tap into the retail sector.
    Shah's experience in the dessert industry and his knowledge of the Indian market helped him identify pancakes as a product with potential. He believed that by creating a visually appealing product with great taste and affordable pricing, pancakes could become a long-lasting and popular item in India.
    The name "99 Pancakes" was chosen for its simplicity and association with value pricing. The number 99 signifies the pricing strategy used by the brand for certain promotions and special days.
    Shah's journey as an entrepreneur has had its ups and downs, including financial challenges. However, he emphasizes the importance of having a strong team, respecting and trusting your people, and being prepared for losses and difficult times.
    Despite initial challenges, 99 Pancakes gradually gained acceptance and popularity among customers. Shah expanded the menu to include cakes, desserts, coffees, and even pizzas, and transitioned to larger experience stores to provide a better ambiance for customers. The franchise model and private placements helped in securing funding for the brand's growth.
    #EntrepreneurshipJourney #PancakeRevolution #99Pancakes #IndianMarketTrends #TeamStrengths #RetailSuccess #ValuePricing #DessertIndustry #UpsAndDowns #AmbitiousExpansion #FranchiseGrowth #FinancialChallenges

    28 min
  • ELI - 350 | Sandeep Jain (Founder & CEO at GeeksforGeeks - Edtech Platform)

    About the spokesperson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandeep-jain-/

    Sandeep Jain, founder and CEO of GeeksforGeeks, was interviewed on Eli - a platform for entrepreneurship inspiration.
    GeeksforGeeks started as a blog that provided content on interview questions and coding challenges.
    The blog became popular organically through Google search rankings, and Sandeep started monetizing it through ad revenue.
    GeeksforGeeks expanded its offerings to include premium courses and a job portal to diversify revenue streams.
    GeeksforGeeks has played a significant role in helping engineering students prepare for tech interviews and secure jobs at top companies.
    GeeksforGeeks was initially focused on filling the gap between academic education and industry requirements in the field of technology.
    Sandeep Jain took the risk of leaving his software job to pursue teaching and develop GeeksforGeeks full-time.
    GeeksforGeeks experienced steady growth in traffic and ad revenue, surpassing Sandeep's teaching salary.
    GeeksforGeeks expanded its content by adding features like code compilation and execution, catering to the evolving needs of its audience.
    GeeksforGeeks successfully introduced additional revenue streams by launching premium courses and a job portal to provide comprehensive support to aspiring tech professionals.
    #TechLife#StartupJourney#EntrepreneurMindset#InnovationNation#TechCommunity#DigitalTransformation#TechForGood#FutureTech#TechEntrepreneur#BusinessTech#StartupCulture#TechIndustry#CodeLife#TechInnovations#DigitalEconomy

    27 min
  • ELI - 349 | Tashwinder Singh (CEO & MD of Niyogin Fintech)

    About the spokesperson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tashwindersingh/

    Tashwinder Singh is the CEO and MD of Niyogin Fintech, a company focused on solving financial inclusion and providing financial services to MSMEs.
    Niyogin's mission is to utilize kirana stores (retail stores) as potential channel partners for delivering banking services, enabling them to become like banks through technology.
    They aim to address the last mile financial inclusion problem in India by using existing infrastructure and technology to provide access to banking services to marginalized individuals, especially in rural areas.
    Niyogin also focuses on delivering capital to MSMES, as India is a capital-starved economy and there is a significant lack of credit available down the chain.
    Their technology stack integrates with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for routing transactions, and while AI and ML are not currently utilized, they foresee opportunities in the future.
    Niyogin Fintech's approach involves providing a simple app and database solution for kirana stores, which enables them to offer basic banking services such as cash withdrawal, cash deposit, loan applications, and opening new bank accounts.
    The technology provided by Niyogin is user-friendly and straightforward, aiming to reduce the training requirements for kirana store owners to become correspondent agents.
    Their most common use cases include domestic money transfers for migrant laborers, where they can easily transfer cash to their families in rural areas through kirana stores powered by Niyogin's technology.
    Another significant use case is cash withdrawal, where customers can authenticate themselves using their biometric data or debit cards at kirana stores to withdraw cash, making it accessible and convenient.
    Niyogin emphasizes income augmentation for kirana store owners, ensuring that their products provide an additional revenue stream through transactions facilitated by their platform.
    #FinancialInclusion #MSMEFinance #LastMileBanking #KiranaBanking #DigitalPayments

    28 min

About Entrepreneur's Live Interviews 🎙️

From the publisher's feed

India is evolving to become the next economic superpower. It is essential for everyone to play their part. We are doing so by building a platform where entrepreneurs can share their stories with the masses. We expect the result to be more people joining the path of entrepreneurship and in turn skyrocket our economy.